Don Jazzy Reacts To Linda Ikeji’s Engagement

Talented music producer and Record Label Owner, Don Jazzy has reacted to the engagement of famous blogger, Linda Ikeji who is also his longtime ‘social media bae’.

Sharing a photo of his friends comforting him, Don Jazzy wrote;

Kai Linda is engaged . It is finished.

Recall that we reported earlier that Linda Ikeji’s sisters, Sandra and Laura Ikeji in their Instagram posts confirmed the report of her engagement.

Sandra Ikeji wrote;

Congratulations @officiallindaikeji So happy for you sweet sis! This tells me that sometimes the wait is worth it. Can’t wait to plan your special day!@eventsbysi are you readyyyyyy? #it’sagetaway

Laura Ikeji who also confirmed her sister’s engagement wrote;


Congrats Linlin @officiallindaikeji

Our earlier report reads;

Linda Ikeji’s fiance is not one to bare too much of himself to limelight. According to a very reliable source, Linda Ikeji’s husband-to-be used to be her ex-boyfriend. He had relocated abroad and was based abroad before he finally relocated back to Nigeria. The two reconnected again and picked up from where they stopped..

Linda Ikeji’s engagement is coming just days after I had a clear dream of her having a grand traditional wedding. I can still see clearly the very excited slay queens that turned up for Linda Ikeji’s wedding and were snapping up. lol.

This is great news.

Congratulations Linda Ikeji!

Recall that after reports of Banky W and Adesua Etomi’s engagement went viral, Don Jazzy who congratulated the couple, jokingly begged Linda Ikeji to marry him. He tweeted; “Dear @LindaIkeji I wrote one movie script like that. I will be the lead actor in it. Abeg u sabi act?”

Days after Supreme Mavin Dynasty SMD honcho Don Jazzy jokingly proposed to Linda Ikeji on Twitter, a little girl who heard about the proposal was filmed begging the foremost blogger to accept the ace music producer’s proposal.

In the video the girl said; “Good evening everyone, I have a special request to make for you all especially to aunty Linda and brother Don Jazzy. Please aunty Linda accept brother Don Jazzy’s proposal and everybody should support them. Thanks”.

Trump Ousts Veterans Affairs Chief, Taps WH Doctor To Replace Him

US President Donald Trump shook up his cabinet once again on Wednesday, sacking embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and nominating White House doctor Ronny Jackson as his successor.

"I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs," said Trump, who has also replaced his secretary of state and national security advisor in the last month.

"I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin's service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!" he said on Twitter.

Pentagon official Robert Wilkie would serve as interim department chief until Jackson receives Congressional approval, the president added.

Shulkin's sacking had been widely predicted after he was accused of spending $122,000 on a nine-day trip to Europe with his wife, which included sightseeing at castles and taking in professional tennis matches.

He was one of the few senior officials in the Trump administration who had also served during the presidency of Barack Obama.

Jackson's stock with Trump rose after he pronounced in January that the 71-year-old president was in "excellent" health.

After releasing the results from Trump's physical, Jackson said "he has incredible genes and that's the way God made him."

Shulkin's departure caps a dizzying month of changes to the Trump cabinet, most notably the sacking of Rex Tillerson as secretary of state on March 13.

Trump's top economic advisor Gary Cohn also exited the White House after the president announced plans to impose tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, a policy Cohn did not endorse.

And National Security Advisor HR McMaster was axed only six days ago, replaced by the hardline Fox News pundit and former UN ambassador John Bolton.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is the second-largest federal agency after the Pentagon, employing 360,000 people.

The 58-year-old Shulkin had served as undersecretary of veterans affairs for health under Obama.

He previously worked as chief medical officer of the University of Pennsylvania health system.

Reps Deny Receiving Bribes To Reverse Change In Election Sequence

The House of Representatives on Wednesday denied an allegation that its members receiving bribes to the tune of $30,000 each to overturn the change in election sequence.

This comes amid the ongoing controversy over the Electoral Act Amendment Bill passed by the National Assembly and its rejection by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Amid claims that the lawmakers might override the President’s decision to withhold assent to the bill, the reps got wind of the allegation that they had been bribed to sheathe their swords.

During plenary on Wednesday, they did not only deny the allegation, they said they were concerned that the allegation would have a damaging effect on the image of the 8th National Assembly and vowed to get to the root of the matter.

Many of those who spoke about the matter were visibly upset but insisted that the House was not corrupt, and they vowed that they would not be intimidated into shying away from carrying out their responsibility.

After several lawmakers took turns condemning the allegation, the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, referred the matter to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for further investigation and the lawmakers threatened to withdraw the accreditation of some journalists to prevent a repeat of such allegations.

National Assembly Passes Petroleum Industry Governance Bill

The National Assembly has passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill PIGB which seeks to provide for the governance and institutional framework for the petroleum industry.

The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill is the first part of the Petroleum Industry Bill to be passed by the National Assembly.

It imposes a five percent fuel levy on fuel sold across the country to be used to finance the Petroleum Equalisation Fund.

The PIGB also seeks to unbundle the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and provide for the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Incorporated, Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Petroleum Assets Management Company and National Petroleum Company.

After several failed attempts to pass a law to regulate the country’s petroleum industry, the Senate had in May 2017 passed the PIGB.

However, it wasn’t until January 2018, that the House of Representatives passed the bill, paving way for the passage of the harmonised version on Wednesday.

In January, after the House of Representatives passed the bill, an excited Senate President Bukola Saraki had hailed the move as one that represents a historic milestone for the country.

He added that the bill, when signed into law, would modernise the petroleum industry and overhaul the system to create a conducive business environment for petroleum industry operations.

“The PIGB will also promote openness and transparency in the industry — by clarifying the rules, processes, and procedures that govern the oil and gas sector,” he had said in a video post on Facebook.

“This should eliminate, or at worse, reduce corruption significantly and make the sector more efficient and more productive.”

He added, “Nigerians should know that the PIGB, once it becomes law, will help alleviate those issues that lead to scarcity, such as the limited supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS); the poor import planning schedule that leads to fuel importation constraints; the corruption, diversion and smuggling — that leads to artificial scarcity; and the absence of deregulation in the sector.”

‘Police Has No Right To Declare Anyone Wanted’

A Former Vice Chairman of the FCT Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association, Victor Abasiakan-Ekim, says the police has no right to declare any citizen wanted.

He said this when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Wednesday following the decision of the Police to declare the senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye and seven others, wanted.

Ekim said what the police ought to have done was to send a letter to the Senate President, requesting that he produces Senator Melaye or go to court.

“I would say that amounts to trivializing the issue. Dino Melaye is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I think they have these appellation ‘distinguished’ attached to their names. 

“He draws salary from the taxpayers’ funds, so he can be reached through the Senate President. The proper approach is to send a letter to the Senate President, requesting that he produce Dino Melaye to the police authority for questioning. 

“A second way to go about it is to present a court with the allegation against Dino Melaye and the evidence the police has gathered against him. 

“But the police cannot arrogate unto itself the power to prosecute and pass a sentence by way of declaring a citizen wanted. 

“That has been struck down by a court of law in the Federal Capital Territory where honourable Justice Musa declared the powers of the EFCC to declare a citizen wanted, illegal. 

“The Police on its own does not have a right to declare a citizen wanted, it means you are the complainant, the investigator and the one declaring him wanted so you’re overriding judicial powers,” he stated.

The Police had said earlier that it will declare the Senator wanted if he failed to show up at its Kogi command on Wednesday, March 28 over allegations of unlawful possession of prohibited firearms among other things.

Also, he was being asked to appear before the police over an alleged connection to two suspects who were said to have been part of an armed gang terrorising residents of the state.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood had revealed that the suspects were arrested with a cache of arms which they claimed had been supplied to them by Senator Melaye.

But earlier today (Wednesday) the suspects were said to have escaped from police custody in the state capital, Lokoja.

The development was announced by the by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ali Janga.

In a statement signed by him, he said: “Four of the suspects were on court remand, including two that indicted Senator Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audi.

“Consequently, all the six suspects, Senator Dino Melaye and Mohammed Audu were sent for watchlisting and red notice by the INTERPOL for immediate arrest anywhere we see them”.

The police commissioner noted that Investigation into the jailbreak is ongoing while the 13 police officers who were on duty when the incident occurred have been detained for interrogation.

Meanwhile, Senator Melaye has threatened to sue the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris if he fails to produce the two suspects in the next 48 hours.

Arms Allegation: Melaye Gives IGP 48hrs To Produce Escaped Suspects

The Senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye, has threatened to sue the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris.

Senator Melaye also gave the IGP 48 hours to produce the two suspects who they police say confessed that the Senator armed them.

The Police in Kogi on Wednesday said both suspects and some others had escaped from custody in the morning.

Senator Melaye, however, wants the IGP to produce both men and defend the allegations levelled against him by the police.

Speaking during plenary on Wednesday Senator Melaye argued that accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

He said it was worrisome that the suspects escaped on a day when they were all scheduled to appear before the Lokoja high court.


Senator Melaye’s comments came hours after the police confirmed that the two suspects earlier paraded for illegal possession of firearms had broken free.

After their escape, the police declared the Senator Melaye, and seven others wanted.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Ali Janga, who made the announcement in a statement, said others declared wanted are one Mohammed Audi and six suspects who escaped from police custody.

The fleeing suspects are Kabiru Seidu (nicknamed Osama), Nuhu Salisu (nicknamed Small), Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed.

The suspects had been detained by the Kogi State Police Command in Lokoja, the state capital, pending the conclusion of investigations into their allegations.

Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh who was supposed to be indirectly the daughter in-law of the first civilian president Olusegun Obasanjo has kicked against this saying.

Tonto’s ex-husband Olakunle Churchill is related to the former president as a nephew and many at times their son king Andrea has always been said to be the grandson of Obasanjo, but Tonto is very much against this notion.

This was after an Instagram account “Celebritys_Kid” shared a photo of Tonto Dikeh’s son, King Andre, sitting on Obasanjo’s lap while his father Olakunle Churchill was starring in a very cool mood.

Tonto Dikeh was fast to call out the page saying that it was all a lie, and that had to do with her son’s image.

She said;

“Excuse me, that is my son and that’s not his grandfather in any way. Baba is a great man and has been wonderful to me and my son , but Unfortunately we have no blood relationship with Baba.But  I wouldn’t have you using my sons image for a Lie.. He has 2 grand fathers, One is late and Mine is very much alive.. I was as ignorant as you until I found the truth so pls pls and pls and pls again I’m a mother and I wouldn’t tolerate this” 

“Thanks and God bless you & your business..” She wrote.

The post has long been taken down now. Andre’s dad Olakunle Churchill is a nephew of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. His father is said to be the son of the formal president younger brother.

Seven Point Why T Y Danjuma Is About All security operatives in Nigeria are Fulani herdsmen – PFN

The National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop (Dr) Emma Gospel Isong has backed the advice by a former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd.) that Nigeriansshould defend themselves against killers.

Dr Isong in an seven-point to back the former Minister of Defence said Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB made a similar statement in 2014 and asked, “Is T. Y Danjuma now justified.

“During one of the Jos killing by Fulani herdsmen, an eyewitness said in the camp that it was the military men that came and gave information and they were attacked and killed.

“The girls in Dapchi that were kidnapped, one of them by name Leah was forced to renounce Christianity which she refused, that incident, does it now justify Danjuma?.

“On the day Dapchi girls were kidnapped, two weeks before then, Army men withdrew from the check points, giving access to these kidnappers/militants. Is Danjuma not justified?

“The military and the police refused to protect citizens of Benue and Taraba given a free for all affairs for Fulani herdsmen to continue the expansionary move on the life and property of Nigerians in the riverine areas especially in the north. Is Dnajuna wrong?.

Dr Isong further said, “The President told the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to relocate to Benue, he refused, the President himself did not know if the IG relocated, he didn’t know that IGP disobeyed him. Up till today, the IGP has not been removed or punished or sanctioned or quarried, does that still make T. Y. Danjuma wrong?.

The PFN National Publicity Secretary lamented that all security operatives in the country are Fulani except Nigeria Navy.

Hear him, “All Security operatives in Nigeria are Fulani people except the Nigeria Navy, the Air force is Fulani, the Police is Fulani, the Custom is Fulani, the DSS is Fulani, 90% of the security operatives in Nigeria are Fulani men and happened in the period Fulani herdsmen are attacking Nigeria. Is Danjuma still wrong.

“The way forward is to pray for 2019 to come very quickly and for all Nigerians to dust their voters card and vote wisely”, he advised.
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What I’ll Do For T Y Danjuma – Wike

The Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike has said that he will fast and pray for God to keep Lt. General T Y Danjuma alive.

Reacting to comment by Danjuma about the killing of innocent Nigerians by Fulani herdsmen across the country, Wike said the former Defence chief has said the truth.

He said, “I don’t fast, but I will fast and pray to God to keep General Danjuma. General Theophilus Danjuma has said the truth. It is happening daily in Rivers state,” he said

“We only replicated what is in existence in Lagos state, but nobody queries that of Lagos state. Only recently, Nasarawa state launched her outfit, without being challenged.

“The recent deliberate crisis and threat of violence by the APC on the setting up of the neighbourhood safety corps underscores the devilish schemes to promote insecurity in Rivers. 

“The recent deliberate crisis and threat of violence by the APC on the setting up of the neighbourhood safety corps underscores the devilish schemes to promote insecurity in Rivers state.”

Easter: Friday, Monday ‘Re Public Holidays

THE Federal Government has declared Friday and Monday as public holidays to mark the Good Friday and Easter Monday

Minister of Interior Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd), who announced it yesterday, enjoined Christian faithful and Nigerians to employ the spiritual ethos of Easter, which include love, peace and sacrifice, in contributing to the unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Julie Ejiofor, the minister urged the citizens to remain supportive of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in his efforts towards building a peaceful, united and prosperous nation.

He implored Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for the country’s peace and unity

He wished the citizens a happy Easter celebration

Facebook Given ‘Two Weeks’ To Answer Data Scandal Questions

The European Union has given Facebook two weeks to answer questions raised by the scandal over personal data harvested from the social network, according to a copy of a letter obtained by AFP on Tuesday.

“Have any data of EU citizens been affected by the recent scandal?” the EU’s justice commissioner Vera Jourova wrote Facebook, listing one of the questions. “I would appreciate a reply in the next two weeks.”

AFP

Kim Dynasty’s Travels On Armour-Plated Trains

The North Korean train that arrived in Beijing this week looked remarkably similar to one used by the North’s late leader Kim Jong Il, its olive-green exterior and yellow stripe prompting intense speculation his son and successor Kim Jong Un was on board.

Due to a fear of flying the older Kim used high-security trains during his seven visits to China and three to Russia over his 1994-2011 term.

According to the official North Korean account, he was on a train for a “field guidance” visit in 2011 when he died of a heart attack.

The Kims reportedly have several almost identical special trains, made by a factory in Pyongyang.

They are typically composed of two engines and 17 to 21 cars and travel at no more than 60 kilometres (38 miles) per hour.

Protected by armour plating, they are equipped with satellite phones and television screens, and include conference rooms, bedrooms and reception facilities, the Chosun daily said.

They reportedly carry armoured vehicles and small helicopters for emergencies.

For security reasons, three identical trains were deployed for every overseas trip by Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, the current leader’s grandfather, news reports in Seoul said.

The train seen in Beijing this week looked particularly similar to one used during Kim Jong Il’s 2010 trip to the Chinese capital, according to the Joongang daily.

Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported the train’s departure from a Beijing station Tuesday, with the identity of its passengers still unconfirmed.

The carriages used by both late leaders are now on display at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, where their bodies lie in state — and a Macintosh computer stands on Kim Jong Il’s desk.

Pro-Puigdemont Demonstrators Block Roads In Spain

Demonstrators blocked main roads in Catalonia Tuesday to protest the arrest in Germany of the region’s former president Carles Puigdemont and the jailing of other separatist leaders in Spain.

Regional road transport authorities said traffic was closed Tuesday morning on the A7 motorway near the French border and the national N340 that links Catalonia with Spain’s southeastern coast.

The two main access roads into Barcelona were also closed before the blockades were lifted.

The protests were called by the radical Committees for the Defence of the Republic, set up just before Catalonia held a referendum on independence on October 1 that was banned by the courts.

“With the latest jailings and the arrest of president Carles Puigdemont, it seems clear that we have crossed a point of no return,” it said in a statement on Monday announcing a wave of protests.

About 90 people were slightly injured during pro-Puigdemont protests in Barcelona on Sunday, including 22 police officers.

Puigdemont was arrested on Sunday after he crossed the border into Germany from Denmark, under a European warrant issued by Spain.

He had spent five months on the run as Spanish prosecutors sought to charge him with sedition and rebellion in the wake of a vote by the Catalan parliament to declare independence.

His detention marks the latest chapter in a secession saga that has bitterly divided Catalans and triggered Spain’s worst political crisis in decades.

Aside from Puigdemont, nine other Catalan separatist leaders are in jail in Spain over the region’s failed bid for independence.

AFP

We’ve Learnt From Our Mistakes, PDP Apologises To Nigerians

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, has apologised to Nigerians for what he described as mistakes made while the party was in power prior to the 2015 general elections.

Giving a keynote speech on Monday, at an event in Abuja with the theme: Nation-building: Resetting The Agenda, he admitted that although the Party did its best while in government, it was not void of mistakes.

According to Secondus, the ability to admit one’s mistakes is key to moving forward especially as the Party has learnt from them.

He, therefore, appealed to Nigerians to put all the party’s wrongs behind and support it in the coming elections.

He said: “I hereby admit that the People’s Democratic Party made many mistakes and it is human, we are not spirits. The ability to admit is a key for moving forward, it is a key for learning. We admit that we have made several mistakes. We also admit that by the grace of God, we have passed through all our challenges, with experience that no other party can boast of.

“Consequently, we were roundly sanctioned by Nigerians, occasioning our loss at the polls in 2015. 

“Let me seize this opportunity to apologise for our past mistakes, we have learnt from our mistakes unlike the APC government,” he said. 

Speaking further, the PDP National Chairman criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) saying that the nation has never been more divided than it is now, under the present government. 

He, therefore, stressed the importance of nation-building especially at a time like this.
“There are certain circumstances that make nation-building top priority
“Our economy has been under immense pressure especially in the last 34 months of governance by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). not even during the civil war has this country been so divided along ethnic and religious fault lines. 

“When a country is in such precarious situations, nation-building becomes absolutely inevitable.”

While criticizing the APC for its failure to deliver on its key campaign promises which include fighting corruption, improving national security and boosting the economy, Secondus noted that his party was the only one among several others, that is truly rooted in “strong democratic principles and ideals”.

He, therefore, asked Nigerians to support its cause.

“Realizing the importance of free, credible elections in the life of any democracy, the PDP embarked on massive electoral reforms that ensured the conduct of free, fair credible elections and saw a ruling party lose in an election successfully transcended power top the opposition, it is the first time it is happening in our country and even an example for the entire continent. 

“Even though sad about our loss, we as a party are immensely proud of what we consider our most significant achievement of willingly transferring power to opposition when the time came, thus giving a lie to all predictions that Nigeria will break up in 2015. 

“Let me alert the current ruling party that no less is expected of them and we hope that they will heed to that advise. 

“Only a party like ours, truly founded on strong democratic principles and ideals, ultimately drawing its inspiration from the people hence its motto, ‘PowerTo The People’, could have submitted to the superior will of the people and we did just that in 2015. 

“We must humble ourselves before God who created us and tell the truth. We can’t continue as a nation of lies – what are we going to give to our children? 

“On behalf of my colleagues and members of this party, we apologize to Nigerians that we have made our mistakes and we are ready to correct them and to build on a new note, on a new agenda because experience is the best teacher and no other Party has it,” Secondus said.

British Parliament Demand Zuckerberg Testify On Data Row, Reject Deputy

British MPs renewed a demand on Tuesday to interview Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg personally over a data privacy row after he responded to an earlier request by offering to send one of his deputies.

Damian Collins, the chairman of the House of Commons digital, culture and media committee, said that the seriousness of the allegations meant it was “appropriate” for Zuckerberg to offer an explanation himself, whether in person or via video link.

In a letter published by the committee on Tuesday, a senior British Facebook executive offered to send chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer or chief product officer Chris Cox to London next month.

“We’d be very happy to invite Mr Cox to give evidence,” Collins said at the start of a committee hearing on Tuesday. 

“However we would still like to hear from Mr Zuckerberg as well. 

“We will seek to clarify with Facebook whether he is available to give evidence or not, because that wasn’t clear from our correspondence, and if he is available to give evidence then we would be happy to do that either in person or via video link if that would be more convenient for him.”

In the letter to Collins, Rebecca Stimson, head of public policy for Facebook UK, wrote: “Facebook fully recognizes the level of public and parliamentary interest in these issues and support your belief that these issues must be addressed at the most senior levels of the company by those in an authoritative position to answer your questions.

“As such Mr Zuckerberg has personally asked one of his deputies to make themselves available to give evidence in person to the committee.”

She said either Schroepfer or Cox could attend “straight after the Easter parliamentary recess”, meaning April 16 at the earliest.

The committee’s request to Facebook followed allegations that data from up to 50 million users was harvested by a British company, Cambridge Analytica, for use in election campaigns, namely that of US President Donald Trump in 2016.

The social media giant said it did not know the data was being used in a political campaign, although it did allow an academic researcher to create an app that picked up the information from users and their friends.

In the letter, Stimson revealed that Facebook was working with regulators around the world to assess how many people in each country were affected.

“We can now confirm that around one percent of the global downloads of the app came from users in the EU, including the UK,” she wrote.

AFP

BREAKING: Buhari Declares Tenure Extension Of APC National Chairman, Others As Illegal

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared the tenure extension of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman and other elected state officials as illegal.

The President made this known on Tuesday while addressing members of the National Executive Committee of the Party in Abuja.

He explained that after due consultation, it had become imperative to overturn the resolution of the February 27 NEC, which allowed the extension of the tenure of Mr Odigie-Oyegun by one year, on the ground that it contravened Article 17 Sub-section 1 of the Party constitution which recommends a 4-year tenure for all elected officials.

President Buhari further stated that the tenure extension contravened the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which requires elected officials to present themselves for re-election after four years.

He, therefore, stressed the need for members to avoid constitutional infractions which could make the Party vulnerable to litigations.

Dapchi Abduction: Army Makes Shocking Revelation About Sergeant David Bako

The Nigerian Army has spoken for the first on the claim by one Sergeant David Bako, who alleged that there was a top level conspiracy that stage-managed the abduction of Dapchi schoolgirls on the 19th February.

Bako had claimed in an online publication that the Dapchi school girls’ abduction was planned in the villa and executed with N80 million.

Reacting, however, Texas Chukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, in a statement, said after cross-checking its record, the army could not find any “one call Sgt. David Bako, who neither serves in the army, deserted or dismissed”.

Chukkwu, however, distanced the army from what he described as “fictitious report” and requested the public “to disregard the confession made by the so call Sgt. Bako, who has not been in the army at all.”

His statement reads in full.

“The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a news report making round on Facebook and other social media to smear and drag the Nigerian Army into politics of calumny by mischief makers, that one deserted Sergeant David Bako leaks how Dapchi Girls abduction was planned in the villa and executed with N80 million. The information was said to be provided by Sergeant David Bako who claimed to be deserted soldier and one of the abductee of the Dapchi School Girls. 

“The Nigerian Army therefore put the record straight that it has crosscheck it records and cannot find any one call Sergeant David Bako who neither serves in the Army, deserted or dismissed. The Nigerian Army therefore disassociate itself with such fictitious report and request the public to disregard the confession made by the so call Sergeant David Bako who has not been in the Army at all. 

“It is imperative to know that these baseless and inane allegations are not new in the cyber space, knowing the fact that we are in the age of information warfare. Open Source Intelligence reveals that the website Dailyglobewatch.eu with country code top-level domain (ccTLD) .eu used in publishing stories is obviously fake and therefore not correct.

Based on our findings the website was registered on the 14 of April 2017 and the last updated was on the same date and will expire on the 14th April 2018, we are very familiar with reports of this nature and will advice the general public to disregard such claim and desist from sharing such information on the New Media as this is against the Nigerian Cybercrime Act 2015.

“However, it is really worrisome to the level at which some people could condescend so low to fabricate facetious allegation against the Nigerian Army and the military at large for cheap political gains or simply an act of pure wickedness, thus the public should disregard such facetious allegation. 

“The Nigerian Army wishes to reiterate its commitment to remain apolitical and non-partisan in the discharge of its constitutional roles. We would also like to reaffirm our unconditional support and obedience to civil authority as well as reassuring Nigerians that these Fifth columnists will not succeed in their mischief as they will be fished out and dealt with accordingly.” 

Meanwhile, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, while also reacting to the report, described it as unfounded and social media lies.

MMM Founder, Sergei Mavrodi Dies Of Heart Attack

Sergei Mavrodi, an eccentric Russian mathematician who founded the notorious MMM pyramid or Ponzi scheme in the early 1990s that swindled millions out of their savings, has died, his assistant said Monday.

Mavrodi, whose bespectacled face once featured on vouchers issued by the grandiose scheme, died at age 62, his assistant Alexander Vlasov told Moskva news agency.

The fraudster was found unconscious at a public transport stop, Interfax news agency reported, citing a source.

A mathematician who became one of the earliest computer programmers, Mavrodi first went into business selling pirated videos and CDs. He founded a company called MMMM that initially imported office equipment.

He then gave up trading and founded the financial pyramid of the same name that became the largest in Russia.

Lured by a catchy television advertising campaign, an estimated 10 to 15 million people invested and received vouchers that promised a huge return.

Mavrodi became “one of the most recognised personalities” in the country’s popular culture, Rossiiskaya Gazeta state newspaper wrote.

Fresh out of the Soviet Union, Russians generally had little financial knowledge and were naive.

“Mavrodi’s success came from the fact that such types of swindles were a novelty in Russia at the time, plus this was accompanied by a really mass-market and quite cleverly made advertising campaign,” economist Sergei Khestanov told Sputnik radio station.

Mavrodi was elected as a national MP in 1994 — giving him immunity from prosecution as he faced tax evasion charges — although he never turned up to parliament.

The pyramid scheme paid out as long as it continued to grow but inevitably crashed as investors tried to sell off their vouchers at once.

Reportedly 50 committed suicide after the scheme collapsed in 1997 and the company was declared bankrupt.

Mavrodi went into hiding and was eventually arrested in a Moscow rented flat in 2003, reportedly while wearing a wig.

He was charged with fraud, for which he received a 4 1/2 year sentence in 2007, almost all of which he had already served in pre-trial detention.

Not dissuaded and still protesting his innocence, he announced several new MMM schemes in various countries that were based online and even launched a new crypto-currency called Mavro.

A Russian-language film based on his life called “The Pyramid” was released in 2011.

United States’ Consumer Agency Confirms Facebook Probe

A United States’ consumer protection agency said Monday it has opened an investigation into Facebook for potentially failing to live up to its promises on privacy and possible violations of a consent decree.

The Federal Trade Commission confirmed news reports from last week that it had opened an inquiry over the harvesting of Facebook data on tens of millions users of the social network by the British consulting group Cambridge Analytica.

While the FTC normally refuses to comment on its probes, it took the unusual step of confirming a “non-public investigation” into Facebook. 

“The FTC is firmly and fully committed to using all of its tools to protect the privacy of consumers,” said acting consumer protection chief Tom Pahl. 

“Foremost among these tools is an enforcement action against companies that fail to honour their privacy promises, including to comply with Privacy Shield (the US-EU privacy accord), or that engage in unfair acts that cause substantial injury to consumers in violation of the FTC Act.”

Pahl added that companies who have settled previous FTC actions “must also comply with FTC order provisions imposing privacy and data security requirements.”

Facebook signed a consent decree with the consumer agency in 2011 settling charges that it deceived consumers by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook private, and then allowing it to be shared and made public.

Pahl said the agency “takes very seriously recent press reports raising substantial concerns about the privacy practices of Facebook.”

Facebook shares skidded more than five percent Monday after the announcement, after losing some 14 percent last week.

The world’s biggest social network is also facing calls on both sides of the Atlantic for more information on how its user data was leaked.

A public apology by Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has failed to quell outrage over the hijacking of personal data.

AFP

Some Persons Aiming To Tarnish My Image, Says Jonathan

Nigeria’s immediate former President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said some persons have launched a campaign aimed at tarnishing his image.

In a post on his official Facebook page, the former President posted a disclaimer that a campaign of calumny has been launched against him by some persons who according to him are faceless and some identified.

“It has been brought to my attention that while I am away promoting democracy in Sierra Leone, a campaign will be unleashed against me to falsely impugn my name using both faceless and identified persons,” his post read.

The former President’s name has recently been mentioned in the media concerning some certain issues.

An ex-employee of a UK-based company, Cambridge Analytica had claimed that the firm, influenced by an ally of former President Jonathan, interfered in Nigeria’s 2015 elections.

Cambridge Analytica has earlier been accused of obtaining data of Facebook users for election manipulation, an issue which has raised specks of dust in various countries, including Nigeria.

The ex-employee of Cambridge Analytica claimed that the firm interfered in Nigeria’s 2015 elections by hiring hackers to dig information about President Muhammadu Buhari who was a candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

The whistle-blower in an interview with Guardian UK did not reveal the identity of the person who paid Cambridge Analytica for its services but described him as a Nigerian businessman who wanted to ensure former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.

Also in Nigeria, Jonathan’s administration has been in the news over alleged funds mismanagement.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had claimed that the former President’s administration shared about N150 billion before the 2015 elections.

Professor Osinbajo made the allegations on Monday, last week while speaking on issues of corruption and past failures of governments at the 7th Presidential Quarterly Business Forum in Abuja.

In his disclaimer on Sunday, Jonathan did not mention names of the persons he claimed are campaigning to tarnish his image. He, however, emphasised that his political ideals of disdain for bloodletting and falsehood remain.

“When I was in power I said my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. Even out of power, I continue to hold that belief.

“What I will say, however, is that no matter how far and fast falsehood has traveled, it must eventually be overtaken by the truth. GEJ,” his post read.

Jonathan has since not reacted to the claims by Buhari’s administration or the allegations raised in the Guardian UK interview.

His aide, Reno Omokri in an interview on Channels Television’s Programme Programme, Politics Today, however, countered claims by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. He said the allegations are “completely false”.

England’s Butland Relishes Battle For Goalkeeping Slot

England’s Jack Butland is backing manager Gareth Southgate’s policy of keeping his goalkeepers guessing as to who will be the number one for the World Cup in Russia.

The Stoke player is set to start against Italy at Wembley on Tuesday and needs to keep pace with Everton’s rising star Jordan Pickford, who made it two clean sheets from two appearances during Friday’s 1-0 win in the Netherlands.

Long-serving first-choice Joe Hart is also in the frame while uncapped Burnley man Nick Pope has also been training with the squad for the first time.

Southgate’s reluctance to nominate his preferred candidate with just three more friendlies before heading to Russia is controversial but Butland said the internal battle drives up standards.

“It’s a good thing isn’t it, having competition? I enjoy it,” he said. 

“Training between all of us is extremely intense. Obviously it’s one we’re all trying to take for ourselves but ultimately whoever deserves it, whoever the manager feels, will get it and we’re all trying to do our bit to make sure it’s us.”

Butland said Southgate would make his decision when he is ready but until then the competition would be fierce.

“I think that’s a great way to go into a World Cup, the fact not knowing who it just yet shows the competition is great and whoever it will be is going to be coming off a battle, which is what we want,” he said.

Italy were also the opponents when Butland made his England debut in 2012, a 2-1 win in Bern.

At just 19 he became the youngest England goalkeeper but a series of injuries have seen him win just five more caps.

“Of course, six years ago, I was the youngest keeper to play for England and all of that, first cap, an incredible moment and I envisaged playing a lot more between then and now,” he said. 

“But injuries happen and it was a massive setback for me. So I’ve dealt with bigger things than the odd (bad) performance, I’ve dealt with a hell of a long time out of the game.”

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been ruled out of the match with a left ankle injury suffered in his brief outing in Amsterdam.

AFP

Kanye West’s Abloh Takes Over Louis Vuitton Menswear

American designer and celebrity DJ Virgil Abloh is to take over at Louis Vuitton, the brand said Monday, in a dramatic shake-up at the top of men’s fashion.

The appointment of rap star Kanye West’s longtime creative director to the French luxury label shows the massive impact street style is now having on fashion.

Abloh, 37, a former architect, who has won plaudits for his own Off-White label, posted a picture of a vintage Louis Vuitton travel chest to his 1.6 million Instagram followers to announce the news.

“It is an honour for me to accept the position of men’s artistic director for Louis Vuitton,” he said in a statement released by the brand. 

“I find the heritage and creative integrity of the house are key inspirations and will look to reference them both while drawing parallels to modern times,” he added.

Abloh takes over from British designer Kim Jones, and will stage his first Vuitton show during Paris men’s fashion week in June, the label said.

He looks set to continue Jones’ high-profile hook-ups with street style labels, with Jones famously teaming up with New York street brand Supreme.

Abloh who has an address book full of celebrity friends that goes from the Kardashian clan to the art world is responsible for some of the most sought-after trainers of the moment.

The “Ten” design his Off-White label did for Nike has reportedly sold for as much as $2,000 (1,600 euros) a pair, with his Air Jordan 1s on sale for up to 950 euros on eBay.

Why Did China Bans Christians From All Church Activities

Authorities across several counties China’s central Henan province issued a warning on March 8, forbidding any Christian gatherings in the area and placing Christians under house arrest. Additionally, officials continue to tear down couplet door decorations that use Christian language.

According to an anonymous source in Shangqiu, Henan, Christians there have been placed under house arrest without charge, with police officers watching their residence and requiring them to report where they are going every time they wish to leave the house.

“I heard that many churches in Sheqi County also received a notice that believers cannot gather anymore,” a Christian in Nanyang, Henan said. “Christians are afraid of gathering and they don’t have anywhere to gather either. Times have changed. It feels like the Cultural Revolution.”

The Cultural Revolution refers to the period between 1966 and 1976, when Mao Zedong attempted to destroy all influences besides Communism in China, and was a period of great economic and societal hardship, especially for citizens who practiced religion. Atheism began to be enforced as the official religious belief of the Communist Party.

A Christian named Wang spoke with a reporter on March 9, explaining that the day previous, a notice had gone out to all churches in the cities of Zhumadian and Zhoukou, as well as Gushi County, announcing that all religious activities in the area are cancelled until further notice. Though the warning stipulates that any who refuse to comply will be punished, the nature of that punishment is unclear.

In Tanghe County, authorities forcibly disbanded house church meetings and ordered all participants to register with a government operated Three-Self Church instead. Christians were warned that any who continued to meet would be fined 30,000 yuan (U.S. $4,700).

During the celebration of Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, which can last several weeks in China, authorities inspected Christian households and removed any decorations which referenced religion. Couplets, which are banners with paired poetic phrases hung on both sides of the door to a house, are very common decorations for the Spring Festival. However, officials tore down all couplets which used the term “Emmanuel” and replaced them with couplets wishing for “good fortune and wealth” instead.

ChinaAid reports on instances of religious persecution, such as the outbreak of events across Henan province, in order to expose abuses by the Chinese government and promote human rights and rule of law in China.

Gunmaker Remington Files For Bankruptcy

US gunmaker Remington filed for bankruptcy on Sunday, as the more than 200-year-old firearms manufacturer vies to restructure its massive debts.

"Directors have determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company that the Company file, or cause to be filed, a Voluntary Petition commencing the Chapter 11 Case," the bankruptcy filing says.

Remington had announced it would file for bankruptcy in February, just two days before a shooting at a Parkland, Florida high school killed 17 people and reignited a national debate on gun control.

The restructuring agreement will allow Remington to reduce some $700 million of its consolidated debt, according to the company, as well as inject a contribution of $145 million of new capital into its operating subsidiaries.

In February Remington said its "business operations will continue to operate in the normal course and will not be disrupted by the restructuring process."

Remington's financial woes illustrate a paradox of the Trump era: weapon manufacturers ramped up production in anticipation of a Hillary Clinton presidency that would drive sales of those fearing increased gun control.

Instead, they got a period of political dominance for the powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby -- with Republicans controlling Congress and the White house -- that was nonetheless accompanied by financial fragility for gunmakers.

The company has also been hit with lawsuits by families of victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting that killed 20 small children and six adults in 2012.

The families say 20-year-old killer Adam Lanza would never have been able to carry out his 264-second attack if he had not had access to a high-capacity weapon which had been "specifically engineered" for military use in combat.

More than a million Americans flooded streets of cities nationwide on Saturday demanding tighter gun control on Saturday, marches that were spearheaded by teenagers from Parkland who survived the shooting.

37 Dead, Scores Missing In Siberia Shopping Mall Fire

At least 37 people were killed when a fire ripped through a busy shopping centre in an industrial city in western Siberia, with scores more reported missing, including children.

Images on Russian television showed thick black smoke pouring out of the Winter Cherry shopping centre in the city of Kemerovo, which also houses a sauna, a bowling alley and a multiplex cinema and was packed with people on Sunday afternoon.

"At this time, we can confirm the deaths of 37 people in the fire at the Kemerovo shopping centre", Russia's Investigative Committee said, according to TASS news agency.

Investigators had initially reported five people dead including a child and another 30 people injured and taken to hospital.

As the new death toll was announced, a source in the local rescue services said 69 people including 40 children were reported missing, the RIA Novosti agency reported, while the Investigative Committee said it was "verifying information that 35 people could be missing".

The preliminary findings of the inquiry said the fire started around 1100 GMT in one of the cinema halls and destroyed more than 1,000 square metres of the centre, news agencies reported.

"The roof collapsed in two theatres in the cinema," the Investigative Committee said.

Around 120 people had been evacuated from the burning centre, rescuers said.

"This shopping centre on several floors was packed with people mid-day Sunday. No one knows exactly how many people there were inside when the fire broke out," Alexandre Eremeyev, an official with the local Russian emergency services ministry, said in a statement.

"Where to look for people? How many are there? That has greatly complicated the work of the firefighters," he said, adding that the thick smoke was also hindering their task.

Some 300 firefighters and rescue personnel were rushed to the scene and the fire was brought under control around 1730 GMT, local emergency officials said.

Russia's minister of emergency services, Vladimir Putchkov has gone to Kemerovo, RIA Novosti said.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz offered his sympathies.

"My condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the terrible fire in the shopping mall in Kemerovo. It is tragic that so many children are dead or missing. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured," he said on Twitter.

It was the deadliest blaze in Russia in recent years.

A shopping mall fire in March 2015 killed 11 people in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan some 800 kilometres (500 miles) east of Moscow.

In April 2013, a fire ravaged a psychiatric hospital in the Moscow region, killing 38 people, most of them patients who were engulfed by flames as they slept behind barred windows.

Just months later, in September 2013, 37 people were killed when a fire swept through a psychiatric hospital in the village of Luka in northwest Russia.

In 2009, 156 were killed in a nightclub fire in the city of Perm, 1,200 kilometres east of Moscow in one of the deadliest accidents in Russia's modern history.

Porn Actress Says She Was Threatened To Keep Silent On Trump Fling

Porn actress Stormy Daniels said she was threatened in a bid to keep her silent about her alleged fling with Donald Trump, which she detailed in a highly-anticipated primetime TV interview broadcast Sunday.

She is seeking to be released from a non-disclosure agreement she signed 11 days before the 2016 presidential election that brought Trump to power, for which she was paid $130,000 -- leading to allegations that the payment amounted to an illicit contribution to his campaign.

Daniels told Anderson Cooper on CBS's "60 Minutes" that Trump had not asked her to keep their 2006 sexual encounter secret, but said she was approached by a man in a Las Vegas parking lot after agreeing to sell her story for $15,000 in 2011.

"I was in a parking lot, going to a fitness class with my infant daughter. Taking, you know, the seats facing backwards in the back seat, diaper bag, you know, gettin' all the stuff out," she said.

"And a guy walked up on me and said to me, 'Leave Trump alone. Forget the story.' And then he leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, 'That's a beautiful little girl. It'd be a shame if something happened to her mom,'" Daniels said.

Cooper asked: "You took it as a direct threat?"

"Absolutely," Daniels said.

"I was rattled, I remember going into the workout class and my hands were shaking so much I was afraid I was gonna drop her," she said of her daughter.

- Magazine spanking -
Daniels said she was introduced to Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe in July 2006. He invited her to his hotel suite, the only time they had sex.

The conversation "started off all about him, just talking about himself," with Trump asking if Daniels had seen his picture on the cover of a magazine, she said.

"I was like, does this, does this normally work for you? And he looked very taken back."

She told him: "Someone should take that magazine and spank you with it."

She took the magazine and told Trump to drop his pants, which he did -- with underwear still on -- "and I just gave him a couple swats," said Daniels.

The real estate mogul "was a completely different person" after that, and he stopped talking about himself.

Trump told her, "'Wow, you, you are special. You remind me of my daughter.' You know, he's like, 'You're smart, beautiful and a woman to be reckoned with,'" she said.

Trump's wife Melania -- who had recently given birth to their son -- came up only briefly: "I asked, and he brushed it aside, said, 'Oh yeah, yeah, you know, don't worry about that, we have separate rooms,'" Daniels said.

She said she and Trump had unprotected sex, despite the fact that she was not attracted to a man who was over 30 years her senior.

But "I didn't say no. I'm not a victim," Daniels said.

She stayed in contact with Trump after the encounter because the tycoon said he would try to get her on "The Apprentice," the reality TV show he hosted at the time.

"I thought of it as a business deal," she said, but it did not pan out.

- 'I'm telling the truth' -

Daniels said her main motive for speaking out now was to set the record straight.

"I'm not okay with being made out to be a liar," she insisted.

Asked what she would say to Trump if he were watching the interview, she said: "He knows I'm telling the truth."

While Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet about the alleged fling, the White House has denied any sexual encounter between him and Daniels.

Trump arrived back at the White House shortly before the interview aired on Sunday. Melania remained in Florida for spring break.

Daniels declined to discuss evidence to back her encounter with Trump, the possibility of which was teased by her lawyer prior to the interview.

Michael Avenatti posted a picture on Twitter of a computer disc along with the text: "If 'a picture is worth a thousand words,' how many words is this worth????? #60minutes #pleasedenyit."

Avenatti filed a lawsuit on behalf of Daniels -- whose real name is Stephanie Clifford -- earlier this month seeking to toss out her non-disclosure agreement, for which she was paid by Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Cohen claimed that Daniels is liable for at least $20 million for violating the agreement -- $1 million for each time she did so -- in a court filing made prior to the CBS interview.

"This is about the cover-up," Avenatti said on "60 Minutes."

"This is about the extent that Mr Cohen and the president have gone to intimidate this woman, to silence her."

Nigeria-Turkey Trade Volume Yits $1.5 Billion

Ankara opts for crude oil deal with NNPC

INDICATIONS emerged yesterday that the trade volume between Nigeria and Turkey has hit about $1.5 billion annually

The trade is however in favour of Nigeria because Turkey imports Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Palm oil, Sesame oil and woods from Nigeria.

Also, the investments by Turkish business community was put at about $500 million mostly on chemical products, sanitary pads, pampers and toilet papers.

But Nigeria’s exports to Turkey may increase following a fresh crude oil deal being worked out with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

These are contained in a fact-sheet obtained by The Nation.

The fact-sheet said in part: “The volume of trade between Nigeria and Turkey is very stable at $1.4 billion – $1.5 billion annually. The trade is in favour of Nigeria because Turkey is importing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Palm oil, Sesame oil and woods from Nigeria.

“Out of the $1.5 billion, about $1.1 billion products and goods are being imported by Turkey from Nigeria. The trade balance is

“Turkey in turn is exporting spare parts for machines and cars; fabrics, some cosmetics and furniture to Nigeria.

“There are about 75 Turkish companies operating in Nigeria with pure Turkish investments at approximately $500 million. Turkish-Nigerian investments fetch another $200 million.”

“At the last count, there are 1,100 Turks in Nigeria. Available records show that 26,000 Nigerians also visited Turkey in 2017. About 1,400 Nigerian students are studying in Turkey.

“Some of these students are in special institutions in Turkey which allocated 60 full government scholarship offers to them in the last two years. Some of them are studying medicine, engineering, pharmacy, medical science and others…

“The Turkish International Petroleum Company (TIPC) is negotiating with NNPC a reasonable amount of energy unit price.”

Northern Governors Held A Meeting With Meyitti Allah

The Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) has held a meeting with the national leadership and state chapters of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) as part of efforts to resolve the continued clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

The meeting, which held in Sokoto, was attended by the NGF chairman and Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, host Governor Aminu Tambuwal and their counterparts from Kano (Abdullahi Ganduje) and Kaduna (Nasir El-Rufai).

Though no formal communiqué was issued after the meeting, reports showed that the gathering discussed genesis of the crisis, efforts to contain it and how to entrench permanent a solution.

Shettima said the 19 northern states are worried by the rising insecurity involving herdsmen and farmers. He hoped that their intervention will help in resolving the conflicts.

According to Shettima, the governors are adopting a local-conflict resolution mechanism to bring back trust and understanding among the people to complement the Federal Government’s efforts.

He said: “We have seen enough crises in the Northeast. We cannot afford to allow other conflict linger without a solution. We hope to hear from all sides and finally come up with a workable plan that will restore confidence and entrench lasting peace in our region.”

A source said of MACBAN’s stand: “The leadership of Miyetti Allah, led by the National President, Muhammed Kirowa, told the meeting that the approach to conflict resolution adopted by political leaders in some states is not helpful.

“In his views, political leaders, especially governors, should approach issues of peace in a neutral perspective, not as a biased party. He said their members have lived in many of these conflict-prone communities for centuries without conflict, but wondered why the situation is getting out of hand now.”

Reports said though no resolution was reached at the meeting, a new round of discussion will be scheduled for Abuja, Jos, Makurdi and Kaduna in the coming weeks and months.

Ortom: I Remain Committed To Benue’s Security

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has restated his commitment to the security of lives and property of Benue people.

He spoke yesterday at the Catholic Youth Centre in Makurdi, during the dedication of Lutor Samuel Isho Adanyi, by the family of Chief Benjamin Adanyi, Majority Leader of the House of Assembly.

Ortom said the need for ranching, as being championed by his administration, has recorded progress, especially with prominent Nigerians condemning the killings by Fulani herdsmen.

He said God had heard the prayers of Benue people, and hoped that the displaced persons would soon return to their homes to continue with their normal activities.


The governor also said salary problems would soon become a thing of the past, as regular payments had begun since the beginning of the year. He promised that money would be sourced and arrears cleared.

Ortom also prayed that the child, who bears his same name with him, would grow in the fear and protection of God, and be successful in life.

Adanyi thanked God for the baby, saying he returned God’s gift to Him with thanksgiving.

In his sermon, Rev. Celestine Tyowua urged Christians to humble themselves and trust in God, and they would never be disappointed.

Voters Return Anto And Khloe To BBNaija House

Four weeks to the end of the Big Brother Naija show, evicted housemates Anto and Khloe have returned to the house.

With no eviction on Sunday, the customary day for evictions, the returning housemates join the remaining nine housemates for a second chance to win the grand prize of N45m and a brand new SUV.

Big Brother, while telling the housemates there would be no evictions forgave them their ‘transgressions’ and cancelled all the strikes against them.

And according to host of the weekly eviction party, Ebuka, Big Brother would sneak in both housemates into the house by 3am.

Recall that it is only last week that Anto was evicted from the house.

She got the highest votes amongst evicted housemates from viewers to earn

Joining Anto to make a return to the House is Khloe.

Speaking with Ebuka, Anto promised she was bringing more drama into the house, following comments she had read on social media.

On her relationship with Lolu whom she was romantically attached to, Anto said she was going to confront him after discovering he had someone ‘outside.’

The other housemate, Khloe, was disqualified alongside her partner, K-Brule after committing three strikes.

“Koko is the drama,” she said, speaking to Ebuka.

“I’m back.”

Armed with information from outside, Khloe said she had learnt ‘a lot of things’ including to ‘shut her mouth.’ She also revealed some tactics to deal with the remaining housemates.

“I’m just going to be a big sister and tell her, babe, you need to calm down” she revealed of her intention of relating with Cee-C. She also disclosed that other people wanted her ‘to put Alex straight.’

Of relationships, she also said some people wanted her to date Tobi but she said, ‘he’s not my kind of guy. But let’s see what is going to happen.’

She also said she was going to make sure ‘nobody is sleeping’ in the house.

Oblivious of the arrangements, the other housemates are not aware of the twist the reality tv show tagged ‘Double Wahala’ assumed last week.

The Nigerian artiste that performed at the event was Waje

Cee-C Lies About Saying Nobody Is On Her Level

Cynthia Nwadiora, also known as Cee-C in the Nigeria TV Reality Show, Big Brother Naija, has lied, saying she never claimed anybody was beneath her.

Speaking this Sunday on the Live eviction show, she denied ever making that assertion.

One that saw Nina cry severally in the Diary room and caused a row between herself and Alex.

“I can’t remember saying anything like that.” Cee-C said. Ebuka was never going to let her go easy and he definitely placed her on the spot. Ebuka wanted to know more and she said “I said it out of anger.”

With that one convincing response, Ebuka stopped probing and was glad to see Cee-C clear of all allegations leveled against her in the past week

I Have Unfinished Business In The House- Anto

Newly returned Housemate, Antoinette has stated that she has some unfinished business to take care of in the house.

Anto wasn’t too surprised that she will be voted back into the house. She made this known to Ebuka during the Sunday live show.

“Coming out it was evident that I was coming back. Antoarmy is coming back and I know that the Antoarmy got me.”

When asked if she will change, she had this to say to Ebuka:

“I honestly don’t plan on changing too much but people want a little bit more drama. I think I know now what the people are expecting from me.”

She also acknowledged that Miracle and Tobi are her best friends, she hinted that something could grow out of it, however she will not break any couple’s relationship up.

“Miracle and Tobi are like my best friends in the house. I don’t plan on breaking couples up but if anyone comes in my way, I will give them right back.”

Anto revealed that she knows Lolu has a relationship outside and she will confront him about it.

“I know of his relationship outside the house, I have found her and will surely confront him about it,” She added.

Recall that two weeks ago, Biggie had announced that two housemates will be returning back to the house after being evicted and Anto was just about evicted then.

Anto is the first of the second housemate to be returning back to the house and will be smuggled back into the house by 3am alongside Khloe.

Melaye To IGP: I’m Not Afraid Of Being Investigated

Embattled Senator Dino Meleye has said he was not afraid of being investigated by the police or any other security agency, but alleged plots by the Kogi state police command to frame him up on trump up charges, arrest, detain and ensure that he is murdered while in detention.

In a five-page letter to the Inspector General of Police signed by his counsel, Rickey Tarfa, SAN and dated March 20, 2018, the embattled senator wants the police high command to set up a neutral investigation team led by trusted police officers in Abuja to conduct investigations into the issues for which he was being invited to Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.

Rickey Tarfa said in the letter which was received in the office of the Inspector General of Police on 21st March, 2018 that they were afraid for the safety of the Senator while in Kogi, pointing out that his presence may also lead to a break down of law and order.

The Nigeria Police Force had threatened to declare Senator Dino Meleye wanted if he fails to appear before a Federal High Court in Lokoja on March 28 to answer criminal charges against him.

He drew the attention of the Inspector General of Police to an alleged attempt to abduct him at an Abuja High Court on March 1 and his several reports of attempt on his life.

The letter read in part: “Our client told us that from information made available to him by his supporters, the intension was to abduct him and whisk him to Kogi state where he would be at the complete mercy of the governor and where plans had been perfected and were being implemented to frame him on spurious charges, arrest and detain him and then murder him in prison while he is awaiting trial.

“It is noteworthy that our client has severally stated in the media that he is aware of this neferous plan and the involvement of the Kogi state Police Command in implementing same. The sheer number of armed policemen and security personnel deployed from Kogi state on 1st March, 2018 to abduct our client from the FCT High Court premises gives credence to our client’s fear.

“Sir, as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal republic of Nigeria, we urge that you intervene in this circumstance. It is obvious to our client that there is no plausible reason for him to believe that his personal safety is guaranteed in the hands of the Kogi in state police command.

“After the court hearing of 1st March, 2018 and the attemot to abduct him, the police had exchanged correspondences with the Senate leadership over an invitation to our client.

“It is evident from the letters dated 8th of March, 2018 that our client’s presence in Kogi state right now will put him in a situation where he will be in grave personal danger and which may also lead to a breakdown of law and order going by the antecedents of the governor. The letter therefore advises that the issues in respect of which the invitation was sent be investigated in Abuja.

“Our client as well as ourselves feel that this would be the reasonable option in the circumstance and suggest that a neutral team be set up by your office to investigate the said issues.

“Our client is not averse to being investigated as g any charges that maybe brought against him as demonstrated by his going to court himself to accept service of the information in charge no CR/106/18, it fervently wish to any situation which may lead to break down of law and order or which may involve his being pit in personal danger.”

The letter said further that “The fact that our client is now the one alleged to be a gun runner by the police in Kogi state is therefore extremely suspicious and with due respect, smacks of a set up.

“Our client who is abroad on an official trip had it brought to our notice and immediately informed us yesterday about the plan to set him up and frame him on spurious gun running etc charges have been perfected abs that some suspects would be paraded as having named him as their sponsor yesterday.

“This is exactly what happened in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital yesterday 19th March, 2018 with a press briefing and parade of suspects by the Force PRO on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force.

“Sir, we urge for your urgent intervention in this matter. As we have states, our client, convinced of his innocence is ready to submit himself for investigation and to answer any charge against his person but by police officers of whose neutrality he is confident in. Police officers from Abuja.

“Our client, being a prominent serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT,Chairman, Senate Ad HIC committee in Publicity and member of several other Senate committees will not and cannot run from justice, but balks at being delivered directly into the hands of people who have made public threats against his person.”

Puigdemont To Appear In German Court

Catalonia’s ousted president Carles Puigdemont is to appear before a judge on Monday after he was detained by German police on a European arrest warrant issued by Spain, prosecutors said Sunday.

“The sole purpose of this appearance is to verify the identity of the person arrested,” the regional tribunal in the town of Schleswig said in a statement.

The court will then decide if Puigdemont will be formally taken into custody pending extradition proceedings, it added.

Judges “will establish on the basis of documents provided by the Kingdom of Spain… if Mr Puigdemont’s transfer to the Spanish authorities is legally founded,” the court said.

It added that the 55-year-old was currently in detention without providing further details.

German police arrested Puigdemont earlier on Sunday as he crossed over by car from Denmark, where had been visiting lawmakers.


Spain’s supreme court announced Friday it would prosecute 13 Catalan separatists for “rebellion” including Puigdemont, for their role in the region’s failed bid to break away from Madrid last year.


If found guilty, they face up to 30 years in prison. Twelve more face less serious charges such as disobedience.

Facebook Boss, Zuckerberg Apologises In Newspaper Adverts

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg took out full-page ads in nine major British and US newspapers on Sunday to apologise for a huge data privacy scandal.

“We have a responsibility to protect your information. If we can’t we don’t deserve it,” he said.

The ads ran in prominent positions in six British nationals, including the best-selling Mail on Sunday, The Sunday Times and The Observer — which helped break the story — as well as the New York Times, Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal.

Zuckerberg explained there was a quiz developed by a university researcher “that leaked Facebook data of millions of people in 2014”.

“This was a breach of trust, and I’m sorry we didn’t do more at the time. We’re now taking steps to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” he said.

The ad reflects public statements Zuckerberg made last week after the row prompted investigations in Europe and the United States, and sent Facebook’s share price plunging.

He repeated that the social media giant had changed the rules on apps so no such data breach could happen again.

“We’re also investigating every single app that had access to large amounts of data before we fixed this. We expect there are others,” he wrote.

“And when we find them, we will ban them and tell everyone affected.”

There was no mention of the British firm accused of using the data, Cambridge Analytica, which worked on US President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.

It too has blamed the University of Cambridge researcher Alexsandr Kogan, for any potential breach of data rules

Kogan created a lifestyle quiz app for Facebook which was downloaded by 270,000 people but allowed access to tens of millions of their contacts.

Facebook says he passed this to Cambridge Analytica without its knowledge. Kogan says he is being made a scapegoat.

Xavi Named Global Ambassador By 2022 World Cup Organisers

Former World Cup winner Xavi Hernandez was named as a global ambassador for the 2022 World Cup local organising committee in Qatar on Sunday.

The 38-year-old, who is currently playing for Qatari side Al Sadd, will be an ambassador for the organisation “responsible for delivering the infrastructure” for the World Cup.

“I have seen first-hand what football can achieve in communities in Qatar and across the region,” the former Barcelona midfielder said in a statement. 

“Football has the power to unite people, dispel stereotypes and break down social barriers.”

Xavi played for Barca for 17 years from 1998, winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns, while claiming the World Cup with Spain in 2010.

Doctor’s Own Diagnosis Drives Quest For Cancer Cure

Christian Hinrichs knew his life had forever changed the day he thought he was pouring milk into a glass, but heard it splashing on the floor instead.

It was 2005, and the young cancer surgeon had just undergone the removal of his right eye because of rare cancer, called ocular melanoma, which affects six in a million people.

Prior to the operation, his doctors had been optimistic that he’d make a full recovery and be able to return to practicing surgery.

“But the reality for me personally was after I lost the eye, it really threw off my depth perception,” said Hinrichs.

“I knew I couldn’t operate anymore. So I decided not to.”

At the time, Hinrichs was 33 and had spent 13 years in training and in the operating theatre.

Even before his own diagnosis, he’d decided to focus on cancer surgery.

He also had an interest in cancer research, particularly the burgeoning field of adoptive T-cell therapy, which involved genetically engineering the immune cells to recognize and attack cancer.

But after his eye was removed, he felt like a “square peg” that didn’t fit anywhere.

“I was a surgeon who couldn’t operate, and I was interested in oncology but I wasn’t an internal medicine doctor,” he said.

So he went back to school to train as an internal medicine doctor and oncologist, a process that took four years.

Going back to being a medical resident — while married with a one-year-old son at home — was “a huge drop down the ladder,” he recalled.

But he was more driven than ever to find another way to beat cancer when surgery, chemotherapy and radiation failed.

For Hinrichs, the fight was now personal.

“If cancer ever came back in me at a site distant from the eye, I would be in that group of incurable patients,” he said, explaining that his cancer would then be considered metastatic, and fatal.

The odds of a recurrence, for his type of cancer, were about 50 percent.
‘Scanxiety’

Hinrichs, now 46, is an investigator at the National Cancer Institute and leads experimental trials aimed at training the body’s T-cells to eradicate cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Two women who participated in one of his early clinical trials against cervical cancer have been disease-free for five years, and are now considered cured.

Many of the trials he runs at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, the nation’s top research hospital, are considered “first-in-human,” aimed at testing an experimental treatment in people for the first time.

They typically enrol one or two dozen patients with advanced cancers that have stopped responding to every other treatment.

Most patients aren’t cured. But some see their cancers disappear in months. And that can lead to new treatments which may one day reach the broader public.

Colleagues describe Hinrichs as blunt, honest and direct, traits that may have been sharpened by his cancer ordeal.

“He told me on day one,” about his experience with cancer, said NCI researcher Lindsey Draper, who works in Hinrichs’ lab and is testing a next-generation T-cell therapy that arose from an earlier HPV trial.

“I think he wanted me to understand his sense of urgency in pushing this research forward.”

Hinrichs sometimes tells patients about his backstory if they ask how he got into this field, or if he thinks it will help them somehow.

One of them, Aricca Wallace, who has been cancer-free since 2012, said he helps her manage her fear each time she goes for follow-up scans. She even has a word for it: “scanxiety.”

“He knows that I am on pins and needles and don’t sleep. So he will take a quick look and shoot me a thumbs up,” she said, describing their rapport as “more family than doctor-patient.”

For his part, Hinrichs decided to stop getting follow-up MRI and CT scan about five years after his eye was removed.

A long-time Presbyterian, he says his faith carries him through times of uncertainty.

When it comes to his particular cancer, “the statistics are really of limited value, anyway,” he added.

So he presses on, designing trials that are intended to cure advanced cancer with a single infusion of billions of super-charged T-cells that will take aim at tumours wherever they lie in the body.

Hinrichs thinks pursuing any other work would be unsatisfying.

“Cancer patients don’t want researchers to be focused on things that slow down cancer or may have relatively minor effects,” he said.

“What they really want is for their cancers to go away

We Want This To End': France Honours Victims Of Jihadist attack

Hundreds of mourners packed a church service Sunday for the victims of France's latest Islamist attack, including a policeman hailed as a hero for taking the place of a hostage.

Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, 44, was shot and stabbed after offering himself in exchange for a woman being used as a human shield by attacker Radouane Lakdim.

Members of the Muslim community attended the service in honour of the four killed and three wounded in the attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

"Your presence tells us that the creators of hatred will not win," the bishop of Carcassonne and Narbonne, Alain Planet, told the congregation at Trebes' Saint-Etienne Church.

Lakdim, a Moroccan-born French national, was shot dead as police moved in to end the siege at a supermarket in the sleepy southern town of Trebes where he holed up after a shooting spree in nearby Carcassonne.

Leaving the 14th-century church, Carcassonne imam Mohamed Belmihoub told reporters: "The (Muslim) community has been stabbed, Islam itself has been stabbed... by people who use symbols that are dear to our hearts."

- 'All of France is unhappy' -

After the mass, which had an overflow crowd listening through loudspeakers outside, pensioner Emile Acco said: "I am very sad. All of France is unhappy. We want this to end."

A national tribute will be held at a later date for Beltrame, who President Emmanuel Macron said had "died a hero" and deserved "the respect and admiration of the whole nation".

His death sparked a wave of emotion across France, with people leaving flowers, cards and children's drawings at gendarmes posts in his praise.

"Lots of people have come to lay flowers outside barracks" in northwestern Brittany where Beltrame's mother lives, Colonel Frederic Massip told AFP. "People spontaneously approach patrolling gendarmes to express their sympathy."

General Richard Lizurey, chief of staff of France's gendarmes, on Sunday addressed the Aude region's force, of which Beltrame was the third in command.

"We... are proud to have counted Arnaud Beltrame in our ranks. His example must inspire us in our everyday duty," Lizurey told reporters afterward.

Lakdim, 25, a petty criminal, was on a watchlist, but authorities had concluded that he did not pose a threat.

- Macron accused of 'naivety' -

Investigators found notes referring to IS at Lakdim's home in Carcassonne, a legal source said, including a hand-written letter in which he claimed allegiance to the jihadist group.

Conservative lawmaker Geoffroy Didier criticised what he called Macron's "naivety", saying the worst jihadist attack of his presidency could have been avoided.

"We have to stop being naive. The Islamic State is winning minds, we have to wake up," said Didier, a member of the right-wing Republicans party.

Trebes, population 6,000, is located on the picturesque Canal du Midi, just eight kilometres (five miles) from the famed medieval walled city of Carcassonne, where a silent march is planned next Saturday, the eve of Easter Sunday.

Lakdim, who was armed with a gun, knife and homemade explosive devices according to a security source, was shot dead as police moved in to end his siege of the Super U supermarket where he had holed up after a shooting spree in Carcassonne.

He had hijacked a car in Carcassonne and shot the two people inside, killing the passenger and leaving the Portuguese driver in a critical condition.

He also shot and wounded a police officer out jogging.

Lakdim had already shot dead the supermarket's butcher and a customer when Beltrame offered to take the place of a woman he had taken hostage.

Lakdim shot and stabbed the policeman before anti-terror officers killed him.

Beltrame died of his wounds early Saturday, becoming the fourth victim in the shooting spree.

- Petty criminal -

AFP / ERIC CABANISThe gunman had killed two people in the Super U supermarket before Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltram offered to take the place of a hostage

Lakdim fit a familiar profile as a petty criminal who had turned to extremism.

A small-time drug-dealer, his rap sheet included convictions for carrying a banned weapon and for drug use. He spent a month in jail in 2016.

His girlfriend and a 17-year-old friend were in custody.

According to a source close to the investigation, Lakdim had hinted at travelling to Syria in 2014, but did not go.

France, part of the US-led coalition fighting IS, remains on high alert following a string of deadly attacks that have killed more than 240 people since 2015.

During the attacks, he demanded the release of certain prisoners -- notably, according to a security source, Salah Abdeslam, the prime suspect in the November 2015 Paris terror attacks.

IS claimed Friday's attack was in response to its call to target Western enemies, as is customary when the assailant has pledged allegiance to the jihadists.