Singer Praiz shows off his 18k Rolex watch

That's an 18karat DateJust Rolex watch, worth anything from $15,000 to $25,000

Pastor Tunde Bakare reportedly rejects cow from the Presidency

According to reports, Latter Rain Assembly founder, Pastor Tunde Bakare got a cow and hampers from the presidency as a Christmas gift. Pastor Bakare said the cow and hampers were dropped at his Save Nigerian Group (SNG) office in Lagos, but he rejected the gift because 'a cow is not what president Jonathan should be giving to people now but a country that works'

Wole Soyinka's second daughter, Iyetade dies at 48

Iyetade Soyinka, the second daughter of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has died aged 48. Ms Soyinka, formerly Iyetade Apampa, died at the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital after a brief illness.

She leaves behind two children and her parents. May her soul rest in peace...amen.

Succour for air travellers as air passenger’s rights bill passes second reading

The Air Passenger Rights Bill is presently on the floor of the House and it has passed second reading. If things go according to plan, then many Nigerians who constantly travel by air will soon heave a sigh of relief. All the agonizing stories of baggage loss or damage without proper compensation,flight cancellation with no prior notice, frequent delays, over booking etc all these will soon come to an end

We know that the airlines and the aviation ministry have turned a blind eye to these complaints over the years. Now the conversation is all over social media, as many aggrieved air passengers have lent their voices to the #AirPassengersRights campaign. Continue...



Let’s fight for our rights; Travelling by air in Nigeria has become a nightmare. The airlines do not care about customer service, it has been business as usual.

The proponent of this bill, Hon. Dayo Bush-Alebiosu will be live on ‘Rubbin Minds’ show on Channels TV tomorrow afternoon, Sunday December 29, 2013. So if you have complaints, questions as an air traveller or may be even an aggrieved air traveller, the join the conversation on twitter using the #AirPassengersRights or follow and tweet at @Dayobush.

Son kills mother because he says she ruined his life

A 22 year old man killed his mother with a knife and yanked her intestines out because according to him she 'ruined his life'

From NBC Connecticut
The man accused of killing his mother in Deep River, Conn., on Thurs., disemboweled her, according to a police report. Troopers responded to a home at 131 Rattling Valley Road around 1 p.m. Thursday after receiving a 911 call from the victim's ex-husband.
Robert Owen Rankin, the victim's 22-year-old son, was arrested and charged with murder. Rankin and his father were outside the house when police arrived.
On Friday, state police identified the victim as 45-year-old Margaret Rohner. According to court documents, Rankin admitted the crime to his father and then to the first state police trooper who arrived on the scene.

"I used the knife to kill my mother," Rankin told the trooper after the trooper asked if he had any weapons on him. "I killed my mother because she is pretty much responsible for everything that has gone wrong in my life," he allegedly told the trooper.

Rankin continued to tell the trooper in detail what he had allegedly done to his mother.
He said he woke up in the morning with a plan to snap his mother's neck to kill her, but when that didn't work, he stabbed her in the neck with a fire poker, according to the police report.
When Rankin saw she was still alive, he told police he took his clothes off to "gain additional strength," in his words.

He then used a buck knife to stab his mother in the belly button, the court documents show. Rankin said he was looking for a baby but couldn't find one in her stomach, he allegedly told police.

He told investigators he cleaned up, took a shower and decided to take his dog for a walk. It was then that he saw his father and allegedly admitted to the crime.

"I just want you to know that she put up a damn good fight. She is a strong woman. I give her credit for that," he told his father, according to court documents.

Police who went inside the home found Rohner's body with several wounds to the abdomen.

Rankin appeared in Middletown Superior court on Friday morning. His attorney, Dennis McMahon, said Rankin appears to have a long history of severe psychiatric issues.
Rankin was held on $1 million bond and put on a suicide watch.

Banker slices husband’s penis with knife

The matter was reported to the police at Surulere station and the woman was arrested. In her statement to the police, Bimbo denied using a knife on her husband’s penis but her fingernails.
She was later released on bail when her husband insisted that he was not interested in pressing charges against her.

Trouble started on 16 December when the banker who is a staff of the Agege Motor Road branch of the bank, accused her husband who has just returned from the church, of failing to provide for the needs of the family and leaving her to do everything. She also accused him of being selfish and uncaring.

She reportedly shouted at Olalekan who was eating and when he didn’t answer, poured his plate of food on his head. She took a bucket found in the room and smashed it on his head. This resulted in fighting.

Their neighbours separated them and Olalekan went to his sister’s shop to seek refuge but not done yet Bimbo allegedly followed him there and threatened to stab him with a broken bottle.
Relatives and neighbours, it was gathered, intervened and pleaded with the couple to give peace a chance but the couple continued to live like a cat and mouse.

Madam Kehinde Daniju, sister of Olalekan told P.M.NEWS that when her brother ran to her for help, she had to call their mother and other relatives to settle the matter for them in the family house they lived.

She explained that Bimbo’s mother who also lived around the area came and told her daughter not to accept reconciliation until Olalekan got a job. She blamed the couple’s constant disagreement on Olalekan’s refusal to get a job.

When she was leaving she took along the couple’s only son, Opeoluwa Daniju.

This did not go down well with Olalekan who ordered his wife to go to her mother’s house and bring his son before 8 p.m. or there would be trouble.

It was said that Bimbo left the house before 8 p.m and returned 30 minutes later without Opeoluwa.
This resulted in another round of fighting during which neighbours and relatives intervened again to separate them.

Narrating his story, Olalekan said he woke her up on Sunday to ask what she would be wearing to the church so that he could iron it but she didn’t reply.
“ I picked up my son’s cloth, ironed it, bathed him, had my bath and left both of them at home and went to church. In between the service, I came home to check on them and I met her cooking, I even joked that thank God there’s something for them to eat.

"I went back to church and after the service I was I hungry I bought bread and beans to eat and as I got inside, my boy told me he also wanted to eat bread and I gave it to him.

When she learnt that I gave the boy bread, she said I didn’t bother to ask her where she got money to prepare the rice that she ate and she started calling me several unprintable names.
“I responded again and this time it was a huge mistake. She just came near me, carried the plate of beans and pour the food on my head. She held my tie shouting and cursing me at the same time. I managed to extricate myself from her grip and ran out. She nearly suffocated me with the tie. She pursued me and broke a plastic bucket on my head but I continued to run. She picked up a bottle, broke it and threatened to stab me with it. This is a woman that is about five month pregnant.
“I ran to my sister’s shop and tried to involve her but she stayed out of the matter because they all know that she is rude, stubborn and violent. There was a day she and her brothers came here with thugs from Ojuelegba they wanted to beat up everybody here. She has chased me on the street with all sort of dangerous things. I don’t really know what she wants to achieve with all this but that day, her mum came, my mum’s sister came also and they tried to resolve the whole thing.

“I saw my mum’s sister off and before I came back, my mother-in-law had taken my son away and I was like we are trying to solve one issue and you are trying to cause another problem. I told her that if by 8p.m. that evening my child is not back home, she would not find it funny.

“I said that to make her know that I was serious but she said that there’s nothing I can do. She left the house before 8p.m. and came back 30 minutes later without my son. She took her bath and went to sleep I went to my sister and told her I am going to my mother-in-law’s house to get my child but my family ask me not to go there. At that time, I was tired, confused and hungry. I picked up my laptop but while I was trying to watch a movie I fell asleep in the sitting room.

“She woke me up at about 2a.m.. I was in a pair of boxer shorts. She told me that it is either I kill her or she kills me and within seconds she had torn my shorts. This was not surprising anyway as she had torn many of my clothes in the past. She said ‘I am going to kill you this morning. You think I am joking’. The whole thing happened so fast I just felt her hand in holding my penis, and the next thing was blood flowing. I started shouting and crying for her to take me to the hospital.

“She said ‘hospital ke, that’s where you are going to die today’ and that was the last time I saw her. I don’t know how she left the house at that time of the night. She changed her clothes, took a big bag and left, only for us to see her two days later at the police station.
There and then, I decided I cannot continue living with her, she could just decide to put poison in my food and kill me one day.

“It’s only a person that’s alive that can explain anything. She could just poison me and cook up a story just like she did at the police station where she told the police officers that I woke her up at 2a.m. and started hitting her, almost beating her to death and the officers clapped for her for a lovely story. The officers asked how come I did all that and she had the strength to run away and she didn’t run to the hospital, that is, someone that was almost being beaten to death should go to the hospital and there was no doctor’s report. The person you injured brought his own medical report, we could see that the injury was bandaged.

“The officers told her that there’s no mark on her to signify being beaten, she replied that she didn’t go to any hospital because there was no mark on her she also claimed that she didn’t use any knife but that she used her fingernails to scratch my penis,” he said.

Efforts to speak with Bimbo at her mother’s home proved abortive as our reporter was prevented from talking to her.

"I'm not ready for marriage' - Flavour says in new interview

In a new interview with Vanguard, highlife artist Flavour said he's single and not thinking of marriage
People will always talk and turn around stories. But I am still single because marriage is not my priority for now. I  still want to hit the top before thinking about marriage. It’s not yet time. I am still concentrating on my music.

Flavour also explains how he manages to stays away from controversy/scandal
I try to stay away from trouble. For instance, I don’t even  go to clubs. Any time I want to do something, I do it in the comfort of my house. I party inside my house. I do my  recording inside my house. When you start mingling and partying with everybody in different places that is where one or two things would start to emerge.
I’m either here in my house or in my second house on the Island. When you mingle much with people, at times you start trusting people that are not supposed to be trusted. You start having divided attention. You would take a picture and make joke with it and tomorrow it’s all over the newspapers and internet.

Beyonce and Jay Z spend $6,000 at New York sex toy store

According to a report by Radar Online, Beyonce and Jay Z dropped $6, 000 on sex toys at famous New York sex shop Babeland on December 26. And insider told the online news publication that the couple spent thousands of dollars on titillating toys to help them celebrate the season.
"They didn’t buy anything tacky or too extreme. It was all top-of-the-line stuff. Some of it was even gold-plated!'

Governor Adams Oshiomhole Survives Road Accident

Press Statement from Edo State Government
Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole survived a motor accident at Ewu Village along the ever-busy Benin-Auchi road in Edo State at about 9.45am Saturday, 28th December 2013 on his way back to Benin City from his Iyamho Village. The incident occurred at about 9.45am at Ewu, in Edo Central Senatorial District, when a Peugeot J5 Bus filled with tomatoes and plantains apparently lost control and rammed into the Governor’s Flag Car from the opposite direction before swerving into a roadside ditch.
Three vehicles in the Governor’s convoy were in front of the Governor’s Flag Car and had passed the Peugeot J5 Bus before it [J5 Bus] had direct impact with the Governor’s car, which had the Governor, his Aide-De-Camp [ADC] and his Driver as occupants. The Governor’s Car was badly affected but both occupants of the Peugeot J5 Bus and that of the Governor’s sustained no injuries.
 The Peugeot J5 Bus was following a truck that was descending the Ewu Slope when it suddenly veered off into the Governor’s lane from the opposite direction and directly impacted on the Governor’s vehicle, apparently because of brake failure. The good story is that nobody sustained injuries in both vehicles. The Comrade Governor is hale and hearty, his ADC and other occupants of the Peugeot J5 are also in good condition.

The incident has been reported to the Divisional Police Station at Ewu for further investigation. This is to assure all good people of Edo State that there is no cause for alarm. Their loving Comrade Governor is fine, hale and hearty as well as other occupants of the other affected vehicle. The Comrade Governor is wishing everyone a prosperous new year ahead.
Signed
Prince Kassim Afegbua
Special Adviser, Media & Public Affairs.

Battered pregnant woman: Lebanese boss arrested

The Lebanese boss who allegedly beat up a pregnant factory worker, causing her to lose her 7-months pregnancy, has been arrested by the Nigerian police. Kaveh Noine, a manager with Toppan Printing Company located in Ikeja Industrial Estate, was arrested yesterday Friday December 27th in Kano where he fled to and was brought back to Lagos to face justice.

A pic of the woman who lost her pregnancy, Alexandra Ossai, above. She confirmed that Mr Noine had assaulted her several times during her short stay at the company and indeed kicked her in the stomach few days before she lost her pregnancy. Alexandra also said the Lebanese manager was in the habit of physically assaulting other workers whenever he felt they stepped out of line.

Not only will Mr Noine face justice for what he did to Alexandra, but the Lagos State government via the Lagos State Public Advice Centre, also wants to bring other assault charges against him. They plan to visit the company and talk with other workers and find out if more people were abused by him. (Photo source - Punch)

Comedienne Princess Dammy & husband split after only 7 months of marriage

After just seven months of marriage, one of Nigeria's best comediennes Princess Dammy, real name Damilola Adekoya, has separated from her husband, movie producer/director Adeshola Jeremiah. The NET reports that the couple started having problems just two weeks after their wedding in May 2013 and officially split a few months ago after a series of efforts to mend the broken marriage failed.

Confirming the split, Princess Dammy told Thenet,ng
"Yes my marriage has ended due to irreoncilable differences. We have been having issues since the wedding but we still remained together hoping that we would be able to work it out. But apparently, we couldn’t work it out, hence the reason for our separation. We actually ended it several months ago, but we didn’t want to make it public.

What did you get for Xmas? Tiny got a convertible Bentley from T.I

What did you get for Christmas? Cards? Scarfs? Hampers like me? Well, you and I are not on Tiny's level. Lol. Rapper T.I.'s wife got a brand new convertible Bentley from him as a Christmas present.

Pres. Jonathan orders police to investigate case of pregnant factory worker beaten by Lebanese boss

I have a strong feeling Alice will get justice soon. This can never be tolerated. And all companies paying below Nigeria's minimum wage should be investigated too. Alice was earning a meager N12k a month, and lost her baby on top of it?

Nigeria does not belong to any politician or group of politicians - Pres Jonathan

During a Christmas Day service held at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp, Gwarinpa, Abuja on Christmas Day, President Jonathan said Nigeria does not belong to any politician or group politicians.
“We politicians that think we own this country and are already thinking about next election; we are doing what we ought not to do; making statement we ought not to make and writing letters we are supposed not to write.
“This  country belongs to our statesmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, our men, our women, our youths. Nigeria does not belong to any politician or group of politicians. So,  we will  continue to urge the clergymen  to pray for this country.” Jonathan said

Nigerian doctor attacks female patient who disagreed with diagnosis

A Nigerian doctor allegedly attacked a female patient in his surgery when she disagreed with his diagnosis, UK Daily Mail reports.
Dr Abiodun Bale, 42, (pictured above) grabbed Sheena Cunningham as she tried to leave his consultation room in tears after they argued over treatment for a facial condition.
The doctor from Nigeria denied assault when he appeared in court but was found guilty after a two-day trial. He was given a six-month  conditional discharge but will face a disciplinary hearing at work and could lose his job.
Bale, who qualified as a doctor at the University of Lagos in 1995, worked as a gynaecologist in his home country before coming to Britain and registering with the General Medical Council in 2006.

He was given a licence to practice here in November 2009 and was on a placement, for specialty GP training, at Hyndburn Medical Practice in Accrington, Lancashire, when the assault happened on March 26.


Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said Bale had asked Mrs Cunningham to come in to the practice after a telephone consultation about a problem with her face, during which she had become distressed.
When she arrived, the doctor told Mrs Cunningham she might need to call for an ambulance if her condition deteriorated later when the surgery was closed.
Mr Harrison told Burnley Magistrates’ Court: ‘She didn’t want to do this and at this point he raised his voice.’

Mrs Cunningham was frightened, got up to leave and said she wanted a second opinion, the court was told. ‘[Bale] became agitated and, as she stepped out, he grabbed her hand to prevent her closing the door,’ Mr Harrison said.
‘He then grabbed her by the forearm with both hands and tried to drag her back into the room. She screamed and shouted at him to get off her arm. This attracted the attention of another doctor and two cleaners. The other doctor told Bale to go back into his office and then escorted Mrs Cunningham out of the surgery.’

The court was told that a week earlier the GP, who lives in  Manchester, ‘flipped’ at another patient, shouting at her: ‘For God’s sake, I have other people to see besides you.’ ‘She got up to leave and he tried to grab her hand. She felt frightened and vulnerable,’ said Mr Harrison.
Bale claimed the incident with Mrs Cunningham was a misunderstanding, saying: ‘I’m a  doctor, not a thug.’

But Mr Harrison said: ‘There was no mistake or misunderstanding. She was crying so loudly that two ladies outside heard her crying.’
After the allegations, the GMC placed conditions on how Bale worked, including allowing him to carry out consultations only if another qualified medical practitioner was present.
The Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust, which employs Bale, said he would face disciplinary  proceedings.

‘The trust will now consider the consequences for his ongoing employment and training,’ a spokesman said.

Culled from UK Daily Mail

Lebanese boss beats up pregnant factory worker in Lagos, woman loses 7-month pregnancy

ccording to a shocking report by National Daily Newspaper, a 7-month pregnant factory worker was beaten so badly by her Lebanese boss that she lost her baby.
Workers in a Lagos based packaging and printing company, Toppan Packaging Company Limited located on Ladipo Oluwole in Ikeja Industrial Estate could not believe what they witnessed on Friday the 13th December 2013.
When the shift manager, a Lebanese; Kaveh Noine beat up the Cleaning Unit Supervisor Mrs. Alice Ossai in their presence, due to what he deemed negligence on her part, his grouse, a portion of the factory is littered with dirt and she failed in her responsibility to rein in her team to keep the factory floor spick and span.
Frantic efforts by Ossai to explain why the portion of the factory was littered with dirt, even after she was assaulted was rebuffed by Noine who shouted her down and asked her to come with him to his office fuming with rage; exasperated staff members on duty went in with Ossai in a bid to collectively explain the supposed duty breach. Noine rained blows on Ossai and kicking her repeatedly, without sparing her tummy even though she was seven months pregnant.
Like many Nigerians working under similar conditions, took everything calmly even though she complained to her close friends that she was in deep pain put up a bold face and continued with her duty, bearing the shame and physical assault in her stride all in a bid to secure her job and that of two of her siblings who also works in the company.

However; when the news of her assault reached her two siblings; they made an attempt to retaliate on her behalf, Ossai dissuaded them from physically roughing up Noine, begging them to consider the financial burden they bear with the twelve thousand naira month salary paid each of them, as any attempt to confront Noine will eventually lead to their collective loss of income, a situation they cannot cope with giving the fact that they have an aged sick mother to take care off as well as other regular and emerging bills to pay.

Pregnant Ossai was helped home by some of her co-workers and her siblings that day; she resumed work the next day a Saturday 14th December even as the pain continued intermittently, even in pains and being pregnant, she carried out her supervisory cleaning assignments in order to save the family income. On Sunday she rested at home being a work free day even as the pain increased. She resumed on Monday but the pain had increased considerably and she could not carry out her cleaning supervisory assignments, at a point she leaned on the mop stick and clutched her stomach. By 10 pm on Monday she noticed patches of blood on her underwear, the flow progressed steadily and rapidly into clots of blood dripping out of her.

Family members had to rush her to Glorious Mercy Hospital close to her house where a Caesarian Section was carried out on Ossai, the Medical Director said that Ossai prognosis revealed that the Placenta progressively detached from the walls of Ossai’s Uterus, thereby Oxygen and other vital nutrients were denied her Feotus; in the days after the assault, hence the need to evacuate and save Ossai’s life.

Efforts by Ossai family members to arrest Noine yielded no result as he was said to have travelled to Canada on official assignment; but National Daily newspaper investigative team discovered that Noine was indeed in the office when a detachment of policemen from the Lagos Area F Police Command stormed the Oluwole Ladipo office of Toppan Packaging Company to effect his arrest. He hid in one of the disused offices and was later ferried out through a rear gate. Staff members pointedly assert that the police detachment is in collusion with the management as they failed to conduct a thorough search even when they were given a tip about his where about.

Ossai’s family members refused to leave the premises of the company since they are aware that Noine is hiding in one of the disused offices in the company and the detachment from Area F were only playing to the gallery, it took a detachment from the State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) allegedly brought in by Toppan’s management, to forcibly dispersed them on Tuesday the 17th December. When bold members explained the development to SARS operatives they refused to make any arrest, but advised that they don’t constitute a breach of public peace, and should proceed to engage the services of a legal practitioner.

All attempt by National Daily to get an audience with the Area F Commander and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) over this incident as at press time proved abortive, but one of the Inspectors who was on the failed arrest bid directed this medium to the Public Relation Unit of the Command at Oduduwa in the Ikeja Government Residential Area.

The company’s Administrative Executive Mr. Abass acknowledged the incident but adds that the company has settled with the Police and that every enquiry over the incident should be directed at the authorities of the Area F Lagos Police Command with whom he claimed they have settled and resolved this matter.

Several calls made to Ngozi Braide Lagos State Police Public Relation Officer was not picked nor returned, even this text message “The crime desk of National Daily Newspaper will want to know the investigation status on the assault of a female Nigerian supervisor in Toppan Packaging Limited, Ikeja Mrs. Alice Alessandra Ossai by her Lebanese Manager Mr. Kaveh Noine which led to the loss of her 7 month pregnancy. The case was reported at the Area F police command” sent to Braide over this development was neither acknowledged nor replied to.

Sources say that this is one of the many physical assaults meted out by the said Noine on casual staff members on weekly basis. On Saturday December 7 Noine slapped and kicked one Ayo Philips whom he summarily dismissed from work and made to forfeit payments and monies due him. A physically drained Ossai while speaking with this medium on her sick bed said she never envisaged that she will be in this condition. She regretted not reporting the assault to the police immediately the incident happened.

In her words “It is the consideration for survival and the pervasive unemployment in the country that made me stomach the assault and the insult, I considered the fact that I am a casual worker and I have a sick and aged mother to take care of, I was expecting my baby in couple of weeks, I need money to take care of my delivery and the expected child, even when my siblings with whom I worked together in the company were going to have a show down with Noine I stopped them, I even went to work the following day in pains till I almost collapsed on the factory floor on Monday.

“Now I have lost on all fronts, I lost the baby, I lost the job, my health is in jeopardy and my spouse and I are in debt due to Noine assault. Now my family members are running from pillar to post to raise the money to pay for the Caesarian Section, I learnt I was given several pints of blood and I have received other drugs and medications”.

Elvis Ossai, Alice spouse said the fate that befell his wife is quiet unfortunate and avoidable. He offered that the officers and men of the Lagos Area F police command disappointed him over the way and manner they handled investigation into this incident; “I make bold to say to Nigerians that they connived with the management of Toppan Packaging Company to shield a foreigner who beat up Nigerian in her own country from facing justice. The assault on my wife led to the loss of a seven month pregnancy; instead of a naming ceremony we just conducted a funeral, we were denied the joy of parenthood just as we were looking forward to it”, Elvis said in an emotional laden voice.

Frank Edoho & new wife Sandra Onyenaucheya expecting first child

The couple who went public in 2011 after the 'Who Wants To Be a Milllionaire' host ended his marriage to TV gal, Katherine Ibiang after over 10 years together, are expecting their first child.

Mother of one, Sandra, and father of three Frank got married last year and were even rumoured to have quietly done their traditional wedding two weeks back. Sandra shared photos from her baby shower, which held on Sunday December 22nd, on her Facebook page.

Timi Dakolo and wife welcome third child, a baby girl

Timi 'the voice' Dakolo and his wife, Busola, welcomed their third child on Christmas Day yesterday December 25th.

Justin Bieber confirms he's officially retiring from music

The troubled teen singer took to twitter on Christmas eve to announce to his 47 million followers that he's retiring from music...at age 19, and after only 3 albums and 4 years of singing professionally. He also said the media 'make up a lot of lies' about him.

He made the announcement on Twitter just a week after he told a radio station that he planned to quit music. "After the new album, I'm actually retiring, man. I'm retiring," he told Power 106 on Dec 17.

Al-Mustapha Challenges Obasanjo To Public Debate

The former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Sani Abacha, Hamza Al-Mustapha, has challenged former president Olusegun Obasanjo to an open debate. This is in reaction to Obasanjo’s letter to President Goodluck Jonathan in which he alleged that he (Al-Mustapha) was released from prison to help the president train snipers to assassinate political opponents.

Al-Mustapha bore his mind and challenged the ex-president to a public debate on the allegations, while speaking to the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, VOA, which was monitored in Abuja on Wednesday.


While admitting that Obasanjo did not mention his name in the controversial open letter, he said that he knew the former president’s assertions were about him.

He expressed disappointment at the former president’s approach: “If he has anything to say on me, he should mention me directly or even challenge me and not make allusions.”

Al-Mustapha vehemently denied the allegations supposedly made by Obasanjo, claiming that training assassins to hunt the president’s political opponents contradicts his known passion for supporting people from Northern Nigeria especially within the military.

He said: “I read Obasanjo’s letter and subsequent comments by Nigerians, I would have responded immediately, but I was away in India receiving treatment.

“Perhaps it is Obasanjo and his cronies that are planning what he was insinuating.”

Al-Mustapha also said: “From 1974 to the present, a lot of things are buried with all sorts of lies, but all would be revealed one day.


“I urge everyone to pray for Obasanjo to accept my challenge for a public debate so that the truth will come out,” he said.

Channels

Tundun Abiola's ex husband, Atama Attah remarries, marries presidential aide

A few months after his divorce from one of the daughter's of late Chief MKO, Tundun Abiola was finalized, popular socialite and businessman Atama Attah has remarried. He married Josephine Washima, President Jonathan's Special Adviser on Job Creation, on Saturday December 21.

Tundun, who is one of the most prominent Abiola daughters married Benue State-born Atama Attah  at an opulent ceremony that held in London in May 2009 (Their wedding photos are online). They separated last year after only three years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized this year. The former couple have two children.

Plane that broke down on Abuja runway was carrying bulletproof cars

The Saudi Arabian plane that broke down on the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport on the 4th of December leading to the closure of the airport for over 20 hours was carrying 5 set of bulletproof cars weighing 58 tonnes and another set of five bullet proof cars weighing 42 tonnes, according to the Saudi Arabian Embassy.

In a bid to clear the air, the Embassy released a press release stating the content and who owned them. The statement in part reads
“The goods were a portion of a supply contract for 10 bullet-proof cars to a government agency in Nigeria, which were to be conveyed from Sharjah (UAE) via Abuja, through Fast Forward Cargo US UAC, to Defence Industries of Nigeria (DICON), 45 Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna, through the company’s contact person: Mr Nwajpudu Livinston/CCC. The goods were manufactured in South Africa.”
The aircraft broke down at about 9.19 pm on the runway immediately it landed. Security officials and agencies have kept mum on the issue since the incident happened.

Mariah Carey: I'm not having any more kids (unless Nick Cannon can get pregnant)

Mother of two Mariah Carey says she's done having kids and if her husband Nick Cannon wants more children, he will have to get pregnant and have the babies himself.

During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, the 44 year old singer was asked by a fan caller whether or not she and Nick were planning to have more children...
"If Nick could have the babies himself, then yeah, bring 'em on. We love kids," Mariah answered. "Here's the thing: This is real. I'm responsible for the kids for like forever. I look at it like, they didn't ask for this lifestyle but here they are."
"To anyone who has ever carried twins, it is a totally different experience...You don't even know who you are. I had a very difficult pregnancy, but I was alone most of the time. We love Nick, but he's working. He's the hardest-working man in show business."

Import waiver granted First Lady to import 200 cars: Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala replies Sahara Reporters

Sahara Reporters published a report a few days ago, claiming that the office of the 1st Lady obtained import waiver to import 200 BMW cars for her “Africa First Ladies” summit in 2012. The ministry of Finance says the report is false. Saharareporters insists it's true & has responded. Find a statement from the ministry of finance below and SR's response after the cut...
Saharareporter's story on waiver granted office of the First Lady is a complete distortion

The story by Saharareporters on the so-called waivers scandal in which the notorious news website made outrageous allegations against the Office of the First Lady is a false exclusive based on distorted information.
The website merely extracted and distorted information on the list of beneficiaries of the revised waivers policy which the Federal Ministry of Finance voluntarily published as part of its drive for transparency and accountability. Continue...
The revised waivers policy replaces the old regime of individual waivers with the objective of boosting key sectors such as agriculture, power, gas and mines/steel. The strategy is to deploy waivers as a stronger tool of economic development.
Part of the information published by the Federal Ministry of Finance was a list of state governments, private sector organizations and other institutions which were granted waivers to bring in vehicles for various events including sports festivals, conferences and workshops. This practice did not begin with the Jonathan administration.
Beneficiaries of the waivers for vehicle imports include state governments such as Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Lagos as well as organizations such as the continental First Ladies Forum which was granted a waiver for vehicles required for their event hosted by Nigeria. The First Lady did not in any way personally benefit from this waiver.
It is important to recall the fact that the country has a nascent leasing industry and no company in the sector currently has the quantity and quality of vehicles required for such events. Government is encouraging private sector organizations with the requisite focus and expertise in this area and the hope is that soon it would no longer be necessary to grant such waivers.

The resort to falsehood by Saharareporters based on a distortion of information voluntarily made available by government underscores the desperation of this scurrilous medium and its paymasters.
Paul C Nwabuikwu
Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance.


The Truth about the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Waiver Policy

1.      You may recall that the
Punch Newspaper published editorials accusing the government and the Federal Ministry of Finance of running a corrupt waiver policy, and challenged the Federal Ministry of Finance to publish those waivers. (http://bit.ly/1jCH3j4)

2.     The Federal Ministry of Finance categorically refutes the allegation that it is running a corrupt waiver policy.

3.      Two years ago the Executive introduced a total reform of the waiver policy. Waivers are now only granted on a sectoral basis. This means that every company in the sector enjoys the same waiver privileges. All companies or entities involved in a sector or given activity will benefit from the same waivers once they meet the necessary criteria.

4.      The Federal Ministry of Finance published an abbreviated version of the full waiver report in several newspapers. It was also announced that the full version is available at www.budgetoffice.gov.ng and on social media (http://on.fb.me/1fWHYG5).

5.      The SaharaReporters claim that the Federal Ministry of Finance surreptitiously released an updated waiver list on the web only on December 22nd, 2013 is categorically false. In the spirit of transparency, the full waiver list was made public on December 3rd

6.      For the avoidance of doubt: the Federal Ministry of Finance has never denied issuing waivers to African First Ladies Forum conference. This official event for First Ladies of all the other African countries necessitated vehicles for the transport of these visiting dignitaries. The waiver granted for this occasion is similar to other waivers issued to various state governments and government institutions such as Rivers, Lagos, and Akwa Ibom for similar official sporting and conference events.

7.       As always The Federal Ministry of Finance welcomes all legitimate inquiries and criticisms. The Ministry of Finance cannot be expected to remain silent when falsification and distortion of facts occurs.

Paul C Nwabuikwu
Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance.

Sahara Reporters Response below...
By Omoyele Sowore

Dear Minister Of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala : It has come to our attention that your Special Assistant on Media, Paul Nwabuikwu, is circulating a press statement to a select group of news outlets and bloggers describing as false a report by SaharaReporters about import waivers obtained by Mrs. Patience Jonathan’s office to import 200 BMW cars for her “Africa First Ladies” summit in 2012.

While your aide’s statement did not dispute the existence of waivers that were ultimately granted to Coscharis Motors to import the cars, he went to great lengths to accuse SaharaReporters of distorting the information released by your office.

We are not in the least surprised that you would authorize your aide’s misleading press release aimed at casting aspersions on us. This mendacious release is consistent with your style of responding to legitimate questions about your conduct as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance. You have established a reputation for intolerance of principled and accurate media reports once they raise questions about your ministerial judgments or reflect poorly on your performance.

You would recall that, on December 3rd, 2013, you published a doctored list of beneficiaries of import waivers in response to pressures mounted on your office by Nigeria’s PUNCH newspaper. Without question, you had hoped to bamboozle the public with this incomplete list. However, we refused to accept your list for publication, having received information from officials who should know that your list was distorted and incomplete, indeed an attempt to hoodwink gullible reporters and Nigerians. Yesterday, your office surreptitiously released an updated list on the web. It is this fuller list that revealed part of how the First Lady has benefited significantly from the questionable dispensation of import waivers to politically connected individuals and firms. We duly acknowledged our source.
 The tone of your aide’s press statement makes it clear that you had hoped that your updated list would not become public knowledge. That explains the harsh and predictable attack on our medium.

Since your statement claimed that Mrs. Jonathan did not benefit from the imported BMWs, we urge you to go a step further: produce the list of beneficiaries and providing the chasses numbers of the BMWs imported under the questionable waivers you granted to Coscharis Motors in 2012. In addition, we challenge you to provide evidence that Coscharis Motors imported the vehicles for which the waivers were granted.

You should also do the Nigerian public the great service of explaining why presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, claimed that the Federal Government had not contributed a dime to the importation of the BMWs, when your office had indeed granted waivers worth N560 million to the controversial auto dealer.

Since you claimed that your latest release was driven by your desire to ensure transparency, we await a detailed response to the issues raised here.

Sincerely,
Omoyele Sowore
For Saharareporters.com

TV personality Adaora Oleh talks about finding the right man

British trained TV gal and co-host of Nigeria's singing competition, MTN Project Fame Adaora Oleh says she is still single and searching and is looking unto God to help her choose the right man..
"I am still looking for him. The thing is that when he comes, God will let me recognize that he is the man. You know what I mean? Sometimes you are faced with different guys, different challenges, sometimes making up your mind is not always easy. You don't know if that person is the best man for you, but I do pray that God gives me the wisdom to recognize the good man when he comes". She tells City People magazine

Fade Ogunro pays tribute to her dad, says he forgave the robbers who shot him before he died

OAP personality Fade Ogunro lost her dad in the early hours of yesterday morning. He was shot dead by armed robbers as he left his Church Christmas Carol service at Marwa Garden in Ikeja. Fade says her dad prayed for forgiveness for the robbers who shot him before he passed away. What she wrote below...
"In all situations give thanks. I've lost my father and its hard for me to be thankful. But dad when I heard that even as you were dying you prayed for forgiveness for the robbers that shot you. I know you are in heaven. For that I give thanks. Thank you Jesus for looking after my father, heaven needs him. I love you dad.