Tuesday 10 February 2015

Photos of two fallen heroes


Lt. Ibrahim Haruna Sarki was killed on Sunday 1st of February in the North East. He is survived by a wife and a son. May his soul rest in peace Amen. Continue to see the other fallen soldier...






Lt Sarki above...




Another fallen soldier. Capt. Usman Aliyu, Beyo. He was killed on Sunday Feb. 8th, 2015. RIP. Images via Alkasim Abdulkadir


Poll Shift: Averting The Looming Darkness - Punch Editorial

OMINIOUS clouds gathering above the country thickened on Saturday night when the Independent National Electoral Commission, bowing to executive and security blackmail, postponed by six weeks the general election earlier scheduled to begin on February 14. To the dismay of Nigerians and the consternation of the international community, the military and the entire security community joined in the conspiratorial schemes of the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to frustrate the electoral process and push Nigeria once more to the brink.



But Nigerians should learn from our inglorious past and take a resolute decision to resist a fresh descent into contrived crises by a decadent cabal.



A collective gasp of disappointment greeted the announcement by a flustered Attahiru Jega, Chairman of INEC, shifting the presidential and National Assembly elections to March 28 and the state governorship and legislative polls to April 11. They had earlier been scheduled for February 14 and 28 respectively.



Jega’s anguish can only be imagined. While he had consistently said that the commission was ready for the polls, the security agencies, led by the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and the service chiefs, forced his hand by writing to INEC to declare emphatically that troops and other security personnel would not be provided if the elections went on as planned. According to them, all military assets would be concentrated, for the next six weeks, on tackling the insurgency in the North-East zone. Though couched under security concerns, the military’s action was, in fact, nothing but mischief.



Everyone saw it coming since the conspirators lacked the subtlety to disguise their intentions. It was the ineffective NSA that first gave official voice to whispers of the sinister moves against the elections when, at a forum organised in London by Chatam House, he suggested the shifting of the polls. Then followed forceful calls for postponement from the PDP, rented crowds of protesters and some “briefcase” political parties. President Goodluck Jonathan revealed his soiled hands when Doyin Okupe, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, declared that it was “impossible” for security chiefs to guarantee security. Acting out the nefarious script, Edwin Clark, Femi Okurounmu, Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Alex Ekwueme, elders, acting in the name of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, bizarrely urged the arrest of Jega.



Worried, American President, Barack Obama, dispatched his Secretary of State, John Kerry, to Jonathan to lend his weight to calls by the opposition and other Nigerians that the polling dates should stay. Hiding behind a finger, Jonathan only made a woolly statement to the American diplomat that the May 29 swearing-in date “is sacrosanct.” Nigerians, who have endlessly been treated to political chicanery in the past, from the subversion of the constitution in the defunct Western Region in the First Republic to the brazen rigging of the 1983 elections and the manoeuvring that culminated in the June 12, 1993 electoral debacle and the brutal Sani Abacha dictatorship that followed, are bracing for another round of crises. They are not deceived.



Insurgency has been raging in the North-East for five years. Under the watch of Sambo and the current service chiefs, our military have become the laughing stock of Africa. They have been taking beating after beating from Boko Haram terrorists in the three affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. But Iraq, even at the height of its raging civil war, held several elections. Afghanistan, when Taliban insurgents controlled some of its territory, held elections back-to-back.



Syria, embroiled in a brutish civil war, successfully held a presidential poll in 2014. With the Crimean peninsula forcibly annexed by Russia and rebels controlling Donetsk and other regions, Ukraine still held, first, a presidential and, months later, parliamentary elections. Using the excuse of fighting insurgency in parts of three states to deny the 36 states of the federation and a federal territory elections as scheduled is fraudulent. In those countries cited, extraordinary security and massive deployment of troops were enough to guarantee credible polling.



In any case, Sambo and the Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, had earlier emphatically assured the nation of adequate security arrangements for the elections. Besides, when he first called for a postponement, Sambo not only re-echoed this assurance, he restricted himself to the need for more time to distribute the 68.83 million permanent voter cards. The security joker he and the service chiefs pulled is widely recognised as a mischievous afterthought. By February 5, said Jega, 45,839,808 PVCs had been collected – about 66.58 per cent of the total – while INEC had extended the collection window to February 13 and many states had declared holidays to enable voters to collect theirs. The Council of State – an advisory body – had also met and recommended sticking to the February 14 date.



Jonathan and the security chiefs are toying with Nigeria’s destiny. We regard the military interference as a deliberate plot hatched with the connivance of the Presidency and the PDP to frustrate the elections. There is a very dangerous convergence between the military and the partisan interests of Jonathan. The actions of the military are provocative and Badeh, the Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah and others are unwisely enmeshing the security forces in politics. The Army had already allowed itself to be dragged into the certificate affair where it did not mind being used to embarrass one of its own, a former commander-in-chief to boot, Muhammadu Buhari, as it bent to the partisan whims of the ruling party.



One grave implication of the military’s blackmail is that the sole authority invested in INEC by law to conduct elections at a time of its own choosing has been hijacked by the security forces and, by implication, the Presidency, to whom the service chiefs report. All it now takes for the military and the police to annul an election date is to refuse to provide security as they are legally bound to do.



Jonathan’s desperation is leading him to a dangerous zone that neither he nor those egging him on can predict the outcome.



Under him, impunity has become monstrous. We cannot ignore the conspiracy theories flying around if only because the blackmail against INEC has proved unerringly accurate, even to the last detail of the military denying INEC security cover. We strongly advise those plotting to subvert or manipulate the 1999 Constitution in order to rig elections, derail them or arrange tenure elongation as being alleged, to desist forthwith in the interest of this country.



Similar plots and subversion of the popular will by the trio of Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa and Ladoke Akintola (1965/66) in the old Western Region; Ibrahim Babangida (1993), using the infamous Association for Better Nigeria and the courts; and Sani Abacha (1993-1998), using five pseudo parties dismissed by the late Bola Ige as “five leprous fingers” ultimately failed, but plunged the country into prolonged crises, atrophying development and consuming hundreds of Nigerians in blood-soaked turmoil. Jonathan should, for once, demonstrate an awareness of history, avoid ignominy by pulling back from this dangerous track, and allow the electoral process to go on unhindered.



Can the military fix the Boko Haram insurgency in six weeks? What if they still refuse to provide security after this period? In a country where elections are warfare, police and military assistance is crucial, more so in the North-East where terrorists are reported to have captured 130 villages and towns.



Also worrisome is the implication of having elections close to the constitutional swearing-in date of May 29. The ingenuity of INEC and the parliament in fixing elections early to allow enough time for any hitches and litigation is now threatened. It returns us to the days when an election rigger could be sworn in and, thereafter, deployed state resources to defend the stolen mandate. Allegations of military partisanship in the recent Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections raise fresh fears of the abuse and misuse of the instruments of coercion.



Nigerians should not be deceived; we are in the grip of a ruthless, power-hungry and infinitely corrupt cabal that appears ready to do anything to have its way. The June 12 struggle may be a child’s play compared to the unfolding sinister manoeuvres. Jonathan is so enamoured of power that he fails to see the danger of excessive exposure to politics by a military that usurped power for 28 of the 55 years of Nigerian independence.



But in this modern world, the people are not helpless. The lessons from Tunisia, Egypt, Ukraine and Thailand are that citizens can peacefully assert their sovereignty and insist on having a say in how they are governed. We are paying a very high price for our complacency and impunity has run riot.



All stakeholders should raise their voices against the insidious military encroachment on INEC’s remit with the active connivance of the authorities that cannot weigh the consequences of their desperate ambitions. Civil society groups – those that have not been bought over – should wake up from their slumber, while every Nigerian should demand accountability, free and fair elections and a professional, non-partisan military.























http://ift.tt/178IRfC


Missing Chilean Soccer Team Plane Found 54 Yrs Later













Chilean mountaineers have found passengers’ bones and the wreckage of a plane carrying Chilean national soccer team which disappeared more than 50 years ago. The missing plane’s wreckage was found some 215 miles from Santiago. The discovery solves a decades-old South American mystery.

Human bones were found scattered in the area amid parts of the broken plane.



Amazingly, pictures taken at the supposed crash site show pieces of the aircraft extraordinarily-well preserved after 54 years in the mountains

The expedition's leader, Leonardo Albornoz, said: 'The plane is more than 3,200 meters up the mountain. Quite a bit of the fuselage is still there, a lot of things scattered over the area including human bones.

'So this story is getting a rewrite since this is not where original accounts said.' the original interpol theory was a suspected terrorist hijack.

The plane crash brings to mind a widely publicized disaster that followed in 1972, when a Uruguayan aircraft carrying a rugby team went down in the Andes in Argentina, near the border with Chile. The plane’s survivors became the inspiration for numerous documentaries, movies and books, most notably the 1993 film “Alive,” which was based on a book by the same name.











See The Twin Sisters Who Are Married To One Husband





Hmm Wonders, they say, shall never end. It's true. Unlike the identical twins in a previous story where one stabbed the other after they fell in love with the same man and only one of them got him, the twin sisters in this story have agreed and decided to share the same man in love without any fight.



The twin sisters from South Africa have actually gone ahead to marry him after he acceded to their requests, and with polygamy being accepted in their country, the marriage took place in a big way.



According to The Drum, for identical twins Owami and Olwethu Mzazi, it was their life-long dream to marry the same man. They stated that during their childhood days, they shared everything, washed the dishes, played, and went to school together. They even bathed side by side.



One of the twins, Owami, told the magazine:

“We have always done everything together…that is how our grandmother raised us. So when we decided to marry, we said any man that wants to marry one, will marry the other.”



Some men are just lucky sha...pay for one wife, get one free. Chai!!!


Suspected Cultists Hold Family Hostage In Lagos

It was reign of terror, yesterday, as suspected secret cult members held a family hostage for about an hour, while workers were going to work in the early hours of the day.

The cultists, numbering about seven, wielding pistols, suddenly showed up at Ogo Oluwa area of Isashi, all on motor bikes and rode straight to the residence of one Mr. Henry Omoregbe.

They gained entrance on the pretence that they had a message for the family and no sooner was the gate opened than the family realized that they were under siege of the cult members.

The boys immediately started beating up every member of the family with horse whips and base ball bats, while demanding for the whereabout of a member of the family, Emmanuel Omoregbe, who they claimed had refused to carry out their instructions.

Neigbours could not intervene for fear of their lives, but the head of the family, who pleaded with the young men, told them that he had also been looking for his son for about a year now.

The search

He showed them the police report and sworn affidavit he made in January last year, since his son left home under inexplicable circumstances.

Inspite of this, they still searched the house, damaging furniture and some household appliances.

Having concluded their search, they left with a warning: that the family should tell their son to make himself available or they will kill him should they find him themselves.

Mr. Henry Omoregbe, a marine engineer, who came home on leave, told Vanguard he had reported the case last year when his wife called him at work to report that their son, Emmanuel, had left home due to threats from suspected cult members, who had forced themselves in and beat one his sons, Stephen.



Affidavit

Showing the police report and court affidavit, he said he and his family were yet to hear from his son as efforts by the police had drawn blank.

The affidavit read in part: “That due to threatening of his life from unknown secret cult gangs Emmanuel Omoregbe has to abscond and leave home.”

He explained further that this whole saga started last year when Emmanuel, 20, went to Lagos State University, Ojo, to check if he had been granted admission, adding that since then he could not really say what happened except that the young man was still missing.

Neighbours, who volunteered information, said they had been noticing some strange looking faces in the area for some time now, but never thought they could be dangerous elements until now.

They confirmed Mr. Omoregbe’s claim of looking for his son for about a year now.







http://ift.tt/178E91A


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Dubai Visa for Nigerians irrespective of their age


Our attention has been drawn to multiple news reports that Nigerians less than 40 years of age will not be granted visa to the UAE. While Bespoke Vacations is not in a position to refute this, it os important to note that a UAE Visa application needs to be sponsored by a Dubai Destination Management Company (DMC), Nigerian travel agencies get their visas through various DMCs.



Bespoke Vacations get its visas through a State owned DMC which this alleged new policy does not apply to. Based on this, we will continue to get visas for Nigerian passport holders irrespective of their age until we are directed to do otherwise.





As a matter of fact, we got four (4) visas yesterday for two male and two female Nigerians all below thirty (30) years old. We are neither in position to determine the process which is in place for other agencies, nor is it our place to speak on their behalf. Therefore we can speak only for our company. Nigerians irrespective of their age can take advantage of our ongoing Dubai Vacation Offer to get a taste of the City of Sand and Sun, click here for details


Football Star, Victor Moses And Wife Welcome A Bouncing Baby Girl

Super Eagles winger Victor Moses and his wife welcomed a bouncing baby girl to their family on Sunday.

The Chelsea loan star who featured for the Potters in the 1-1 draw away at Newcastle United on Sunday announced the birth of his daughter on the Sport Lobster blogging site. He says:

I'm delighted to announce the birth of my beautiful baby girl Nyah yesterday (Sunday). Thanks for all of your messages

The 24 year old player has scored once in 15 EPL games.Recall, Moses became a proud father at 21 when he had his first son Brentley in 2013.



SOURCE: Football Results Plus


Nigerians React To Alleged Plan Of Removing Jega


A lot of Nigerians are not happy and have been reacting to new reports about removing the INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega before the re-scheduled elections take place. Some reports have even concluded that a replacement has been found for him. So many Nigerians are saying, if the reports are true that they will personally carry placards and hit the streets. Some say it only shows our president does not care. Continue below to see how Nigerians are reacting to the news.
























Prof. Nazim Mimiko Nominated To Replace INEC Chairman Jega From March 1, 2015.

INEC NEW Chairman, Prof Nazim Mimiko From March 1, 2015.




The successor to the out-going Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega has being nominated.



The In-coming INEC chairman is Prof Nazim Olufemi Mimiko, a professor of Political Science and International Relation and a former VC of

Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State.



The embattled Prof Jega who has long compromised his position as INEC Boss, will be officially proceeding on his three months terminal leave with effect from March 1, 2015 in compliance with the civil service procedure.



Congrats to Prof Nazim Mimiko for your new office!!!


Obasanjo Says There must be New Government on May 29





Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday insisted that a new federal government must emerge from Nigeria's elections ahead of May 29, 2015 in accordance with the country’s constitution.



Answering questions from BBC on the of the general elections, Obasanjo said the constitution lays out how the new government should emerge, "that is all I can go by. I cannot go by any situation or any other thing.”



Ex-President Obasanjo ruled out the possibility of any thing like Interim Government, saying:

“I don’t know that because the constitution does not have provision for that. There is no place in our constitution for an interim government. I will just have to wait and see”.



Asked if he was concerned about the country’s future if the election does not hold, Obasanjo said Nigeria had gone near precipice on many occasions before, and came back.



“We will continue to have this type of uncertainty. We have had more than half a dozen of them in the past but we have survived them”, he assured.


INEC Extends Collection Of PVC Date To March 8th, 2015.




Following the postponement of the 2015 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, has extended the date of collection of Permanent Voters Card to March 8th.



In a statement signed by the commission’s secretary, Mrs Augusta Ogakwu and released yesterday February 9th, the commission said it hopes the extension would enable nigerians who haven’t collected their PVC to do so for them to be able to cast their votes for their respected parties.



“The Commission hopes that this extension will finally avail every registered person yet to collect his/her PVC the opportunity to do so in readiness for the 2015 general elections,” the statement read.