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[Photos]: Have You Seen Joseph Yobo's Family Xmas Card?

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<b style="text-align: justify;">Nigerian footballer Joseph Yobo, his beautiful wife Adaeze and son Joey look amazing in their 2014 family Christams card.</b><br />
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Yobo joins other Nigerian celebrities like <b><a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/2014/12/wow-check-out-nigerian-celeb-customized.html">Funke Akindele, Julius Agwu, Monalisa Chinda, Desmond Elliot, Daniella Okeke who have released their customized Christmas cards</a></b>.</div>
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[Photos]: Have You Seen Joseph Yobo's Family Xmas Card?

Nigerian footballer Joseph Yobo, his beautiful wife Adaeze and son Joey look amazing in their 2014 family Christams card. Yobo joi...

Wow! Check Out Nigerian Celebs Customized Xmas Cards

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<b>It's Christmas, no doubt and there's celebration in the air. Nigerian celebrities are not left behind in the celebration of the season with a reason. Funke Akindele, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, Desmond Elliot, Daniella Okeke and others have these beautifully worded customized e-cards for their fans.</b></div>
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Check them out and send a message back to <i><b>Nigeria Newsroom</b></i> for sharing with you...LOL.</div>
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Wow! Check Out Nigerian Celebs Customized Xmas Cards

It's Christmas, no doubt and there's celebration in the air. Nigerian celebrities are not left behind in the celebration of the...

[Video]: Millions of Dollars Fly From Back Of Bullion Van

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<b>Most times, I marvel at how God does HIS things. Okay! Imagine today is Christmas eve and 'home and abroad' you have no money to spend to celebrate the season with friends and family members. You've prayed hard to God but no answer seems in sight. As you you're returning home, you saw people scrambling to pick up 'something' on the road. Then you realised it's money they're picking up. Sure, you joined and picked as much as you could. Confident now that Christmas go do. Alas! The police are asking everyone who picked up the notes to return them or...</b><br />
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People scrambled to pick up millions of Hong Kong dollars after notes flew from the back of a security van.</div>
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The bizarre scene unfolded in the Wan Chai area earlier today.</div>
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Police estimate that the equivalent of around £1.3million was taken – and officers are urging them to hand it back.<br />
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District police officer Wan Siu-hong said: ‘Anyone who picked up the cash concerned should hand it over to the police as soon as possible, otherwise, they may have committed the crime of theft.’</div>
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Traffic came to a grinding halt as motorists pulled over to grab as much cash as possible.<br />
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<b><a href="http://metro.co.uk/2014/12/24/millions-of-dollars-fly-from-back-of-security-van-in-hong-kong-4999037/">Metro UK</a></b></div>

[Video]: Millions of Dollars Fly From Back Of Bullion Van

Most times, I marvel at how God does HIS things. Okay! Imagine today is Christmas eve and 'home and abroad' you have no money to...

Armed Robbers Kill 4 Policemen In Kogi

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<b>Certainly this Christmas won't be merry for some families. Among these are the families of the four mobile police officers killed by armed robbers in Okene, Kogi State. </b></div>
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The police officers were killed on Tuesday night during an attack on one of the banks in the town by bandits numbering 20. The armed men reportedly arrived in four vehicles.</div>
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Unspecified number of police officers were also injured in the attack which kept residents of the town awake throughout the greater part of the night.</div>
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In a statement, the state police command on Wednesday confirmed the robbery attack, but said two of the robbers were also killed during the attack.</div>
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“The entire area and all other banks in the town have been reinforced, while frantic efforts are on to track down the fleeing hoodlums.</div>
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“Many of them also escaped with gunshot wounds,” the statement, signed by the Public Relations Officer, DSP Elvis Aguebor, said.</div>
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It said the robbery was foiled by police officers from the two adjoining banks.</div>
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The statement also appealed to members of the public to report anyone with bullet wounds at the nearest police station.</div>
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The police assured the people that it had put in place measures to guarantee their safety during and after the festive season.</div>
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Three police officer were similarly killed about a week ago during a robbery operation at a bank in Egbe in Yagba East Local Government Area of the state.</div>
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Commercial banks in Okene have yet to open for business following the robbery attack.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/173756-armed-robbers-kill-4-policemen-kogi.html">Premium Times</a></b></div>

Armed Robbers Kill 4 Policemen In Kogi

Certainly this Christmas won't be merry for some families. Among these are the families of the four mobile police officers killed b...

Amaechi's Comments On Mutiny Unpatriotic - PDP

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<b>The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned politicians, particularly Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State, against undue involvement with matters of discipline in the army. </b></div>
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Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the party, who said this on Wednesday, maintained that such matters are within the purview of military authorities. </div>
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He urged politicians not to make comments that encourage indiscipline and disobedience. </div>
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Metuh said that during the campaign period, PDP would refrain from commenting on issues of military discipline, its command and control procedures. </div>
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“We believe that it is dangerous to politicise issues pertaining to the country’s armed forces,” he said. </div>
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“We will not join anyone or political party in the unpatriotic act of trying to subordinate national interest to any politically and selfishly motivated interest. </div>
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“It is in the light of this that we view the statement credited to the Director-General of the presidential campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as not being in the overall interest of the military and the nation.” </div>
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<b><a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/2014/12/breaking-54-soldiers-sentenced-to-death.html">READ: 54 SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MUTINY</a></b></div>
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Metuh called on Nigerians to condemn what he described as the dishonourable tactic of the opposition to gain political capital by dragging the internal affairs of the military into the arena of politics. </div>
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“Across half-a-century of our nationhood, the Nigerian military has remained the major catalyst and the last defence line in the unity and oneness of the nation,” he added. </div>
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“This sacred role, which it has successfully been playing, must be jealously guarded and its integrity not made subject to the vagaries of political interests. </div>
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“One of the major visions of the founding fathers of the PDP, which its leadership has successfully fulfilled, is the return of professionalism to the military and the re-channelling of its efforts to squarely face its constitutional roles. Nigeria’s democracy and the people have been beneficiaries of this insulation of our armed forces from politics. </div>
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“This painstaking process, in which we have been involved, has been responsible for the rebuilding and re-equipping of the military to confront the current security challenges.” </div>
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At a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, Amaechi criticised the decision of the <b><a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/2014/12/breaking-54-soldiers-sentenced-to-death.html">military court martial to execute 54 soldiers found guilty of mutiny</a></b>, saying the soldiers acted within their rights by protesting against the authorities that under-equipped them and blaming the inability of the military to quell the insurgency on corrupt management of security funds.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.thecable.ng/pdp-amaechis-mutiny-comments-unpatriotic">TheCable</a></b></div>

Amaechi's Comments On Mutiny Unpatriotic - PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned politicians, particularly Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State, against undue involve...

I'll Meet Other Generals To Draft Our Anti-Terror Plan - Buhari

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<b>The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday promised to involve serving and retired military generals to devise an effective strategy to crush insurgency in the country, if elected as President in 2015.</b></div>
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Buhari, in his Christmas goodwill message signed by the Director of Communications, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Dele Alake, expressed displeasure at the security challenges in the country and the poor state of Nigerian roads.</div>
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He said his administration would focus on how best to "make the condition of living of the common man the index for the assessment of our policies and not the amount of billionaires our administration would have made."</div>
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Buhari felicitated with Christians in the country as they celebrated Christmas, assuring Nigerians that they would have better reasons to celebrate the festival if he is elected in 2015.</div>
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He said, "On my part, I intend to initiate consultations with serving generals and those who have served our country and distinguished themselves on the battlefield across the world to work out an alternative and effective strategy to crush this insurgency within the shortest possible time if elected president on February 14, 2015."</div>

I'll Meet Other Generals To Draft Our Anti-Terror Plan - Buhari

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday promised to involve servi...

Chelsea Can't Afford Messi, Says Mourinho

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<b>Chelsea FC could not at present consider signing Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi, according to manager José Mourinho, speaking in an interview on the TV channel <i>BT Sport</i>, <i>Marca</i> reports.</b></div>
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“We have no chance because now there is financial fair play, and in accordance with that we have to follow certain norms and keep within certain figures,” Mourinho said in the interview, which will be broadcast on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.</div>
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“We are in no position to purchase an incredible player at a stratospheric price,” Mourinho went on.</div>
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Financial fair play was a measure introduced by FIFA in recent years to control spending by European clubs.</div>
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There has been a fair amount of speculation in the media in the past few months about the possible departure of Messi from Barcelona after them not winning any trophies last season. Cesc Fábregas, who was Messi’s teammate at Barcelona before signing for Chelsea at the start of the season, recently told <i>Radio Marca</i>, “I’d love to have Leo playing alongside.”</div>
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In the interview, Mourinho also mentioned that some years back he had the chance to manage Portugal. “When I was managing Real Madrid, I agreed to do both jobs, but in the end Florentino Pérez did not allow it. I have to admit that the two jobs are not really compatible, and it’s not even ethical, when you think of how many unemployed managers there are.”</div>

Chelsea Can't Afford Messi, Says Mourinho

Chelsea FC could not at present consider signing Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi, according to manager José Mourinho, speakin...

Jonathan's Govt Is A Failure, Says CLO

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<b>Human rights group, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), has scored the President Goodluck Jonathan administration low for failing to live up to the expectations of the electorate.</b></div>
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Addressing a news conference on the state of the nation in Lagos yesterday, CLO’s Acting President, Comrade Igho Akeregha, regretted that “the situation has become so helpless that our people, especially those of us who were in the trenches during those dark days of military authoritarianism, have begun to question why we fought the military in the first instance”.</div>
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Akeregha said: “The CLO has watched with agony, how some politicians have, without conscience, plundered our patrimony and squandered our resources. As one of the richest countries in the world, Nigeria parades some of the poorest and hungriest citizens in the world today, with lack of social services, including a persistent inability to supply basic energy and potable water.”</div>
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 He noted that the insurgency in the Northeast keeps escalating everyday and worsening the security situation in the country. Akeregha said rather than addressed the menace, government functionaries have resorted to observing a minute’s silence for the victims of terrorist acts. ”Our conclusion is that our government has failed in its duty to provide adequate security for Nigerians,” he said.</div>
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The CLO leader said corruption, executive impunity and lawlessness have become the most worrisome challenges confronting the Nigerian society. “Things have gone so bad that loopholes in the Constitution are dubiously utilised to entrench lawlessness. Public officers routinely plunder the state treasuries without being brought to book.</div>
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“Nigerians have continued to experience wanton and arbitrary abuse of human rights and utter disrespect for the rule of law and due process. Citizens are frequently arrested, detained and tortured in custody without recourse to the respect for their rights. Cases of extra judicial killings, disappearances, disrespect for court orders and trafficking in human beings including lethargy by state agencies to try perpetrators of these violations and abuses have increased.”</div>
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<b><a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/new/jonathans-govt-failure-says-clo/">The Nation</a></b></div>

Jonathan's Govt Is A Failure, Says CLO

Human rights group, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), has scored the President Goodluck Jonathan administration low for failing to li...

Christmas Will Be Better In 2015, Says Buhari

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<b>The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on Wednesday felicitated with Christians in the country as they mark Christmas, assuring that Nigerians would have better reasons to celebrate the festival if elected in 2015.</b></div>
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Buhari, in his goodwill message signed by the Director of Communications, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Dele Alake, expressed displeasure over security challenges in the country and the poor state of Nigerian roads.</div>
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According to him, while many Nigerians travelling towards the eastern part would encounter the failed promises of the Second Niger Bridge, those travelling through the South-West would have to bear the gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.</div>
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Buhari , who also condemned rising poverty in the country, said, “In a nation where a few individuals could raise ₦21bn because they want to make their friend president, millions of citizens, who truly own the resources being accumulated by a few, are left to suffer in sorrow, tears and blood.</div>
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He noted that millions of Nigerians celebrate the Christmas season in poverty and misery because “the system of production and distribution of national resources have been rigged against the vast majority of our people.”</div>
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He said, “We promise that, by Christmas 2015, our administration would have brought out efficiency in management and allocation of public resources to make the inter-state roads smoother and easier to ride.</div>
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“Christmas is a season when we all embark on journeys to join our brothers and sisters in our native towns, to hold town hall meetings, commission community projects and exercise our cultural rights.</div>
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“This year’s celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ symbolises peace, love and togetherness to mankind. It reminds, us, once again, of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ and the ordinary yet spectacular circumstances of his birth. His life enjoins all of us to follow his path by offering to sacrifice our selfish desires for the good of our country and mankind in general. This event, however, is taking place at a period of serious security challenges across the length and breadth of our dear country.</div>
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“The right to life, guaranteed by our constitution, is under savage assault. The stories of murder in the print and electronic media make you shiver to the bones. The dare-devilry of the Godless Boko Haram, which penetrated battle lines in the North-East to commit suicidal blasts in the North central capital cities of Bauchi and Gombe, demonstrates the crucial need to review the military strategy of our defence forces.”</div>
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Buhari also promised to initiate consultations with military generals across the world to devise “an alternative and effective strategy to crush this insurgency within the shortest possible time if elected president on February 14, 2015.”</div>
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He said his presidential ambition was borne out of the need to alleviate poverty and establish a system where the rule of law prevails.</div>
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He added, “I have said that I live the life of a pensioner. I share the burden and anxiety of majority of our poor, powerless people. I have offered myself on the platform of All Progressives Congress, the party of change, because I desire to give back to a country that clothed, fed and trained me to be what I am today. Our people are poor. But our country is rich.My duty as your president will be to make the condition of living of the common man the index for the assessment of our policies, not the amount of billionaires our administration would have made.</div>
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“Certainly, there will be changes in policies. We cannot continue to enslave our country to those who tell us that we are in economic crises because of loans. Ours is the most populous black nation on earth and a potential global superpower. Our manifest destiny is to empower our people so that we can take our prominent place in the comity of nations.</div>
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“I pledge that the Christmas of year 2015 will meet us all in greater joy and happiness. It is indeed significant, the February 14, 2015, the date of the presidential election, falls on the Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate love among mankind. I urge you all to keep sharing the love that binds us together. Let us eschew hatred and make our nation the land of justice, peace and progress.”</div>

Christmas Will Be Better In 2015, Says Buhari

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on Wednesday felicitated with Christian...

Why I Support The Mutineers - Gov Amaechi

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<b>Chibuike Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State and Director-General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, says he will continue to support the soldiers sentenced to death for mutiny because the soldiers acted within their rights by protesting against the authorities who refused to adequately equip them. </b></div>
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Speaking on Tuesday during an interactive session with journalists at Eko Hotels, Lagos, Amaechi, identified the challenge of the Nigerian military as corruption, not funding. </div>
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“The soldiers have the right to protest for the federal government’s failure to fully equip them. You want to kill 50 military officers who are saying, ‘please equip us properly, I can’t go to the battlefront without the right weapon. </div>
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“Now you are sending him to fight a man with RPG and you gave him an old AK47. He says you are risking his life. They have a right to protest that. You don’t kill them for that.” </div>
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Amaechi, who said a leader in the mold of Muhammadu Buhari, the party’s flag bearer, is required for the development of the country, also dismissed reports that he was funding the APC campaign with Rivers state funds. </div>
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“Those making the allegations that I am funding Buhari campaign are enemies of democracy. Anybody who said we spent money should come out with evidence,” he said. </div>
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“We have maintained consistently that Nigerians would fund us and that is why we have launched in our campaign meeting a fundraiser and we will ensure that we will convince Buhari to be the only signatory to that account. </div>
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“We can’t fight the president on funds. See how much he raised from those who collected the N2.3trillion on oil subsidy and they have to pay back if he is not prosecuting them on oil subsidy. </div>
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“We will fight the president with the people of Nigeria who need change. The symbol of change for our party is General Buhari and the APC. Buhari did not pay any delegate any money to win the primary.” </div>
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He said that after his appointment as the DG, attempts were made to  tarnish his image by saying he had not paid eight months salary, but it was not true. </div>
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“As I am speaking with you now, I want to tell you that we did not owe workers eight months salary. Is it possible for you to be owed eight months salary and you still be working? What logic is there? I have directed that salary should be paid and they have started since yesterday (Monday) and hopefully, it will end today. </div>
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“I got a call today that civil servants are happy that they are going home to celebrate Christmas with their salaries. This was what we agreed on in the cabinet that everybody should go on with their salaries, because I know that today and tomorrow, Christians will want to go to shop for the festival.” </div>
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He accused the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of performing far below expectation, saying the country is really yearning for a change. </div>
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“You have seen Buhari as head of state for two years and Jonathan as head of state for six years, so who do you want to choose? You want to choose a man who has brought tears? Just yesterday, we lost so many people to Boko Haram. Or you want a man that chased away the Maitatsine or Chadian rebels? </div>
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“We need to chase Boko Haram or Boko Haram would chase us. When he was an officer, Borno was attacked by the Chadian rebels but Buhari chased them away. It takes a strong leader to do that. We need such a person.” </div>
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He further accused the present administration of corruption, saying the APC presidential candidate would transform the country massively if elected. </div>
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“The federal government has not been able to handle insurgency because of corruption,” he said. </div>
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“The country is broke because of the diversion of funds at NNPC. The president sacked the then governor of Central Bank governor because he exposed the missing $20 billion dollars. </div>
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“This is affecting everybody, including me. The way to deal with this is to fight corruption. When you fight corruption, the money goes back into the system.</div>
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“The treasury appears being empty. They have stolen all the money. I tackled the minister of finance that we are broke and she came out on air and said ‘We dey kampe’. Later, she came to re-base the economy and shortly after she came up with austerity measures. You see the contradiction?.” </div>
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He revealed that APC would commence campaign in early 2015, and all states of the federation would be covered. </div>
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“I believe that we would commence campaign in the early part of next year and we will take the campaign to all the 36 states of the federation. We hope Nigerians will hear the message and the message is simple: Buhari. </div>
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“We would deal with the problem of power because if you if you do not deal with power, you certainly cannot deal with unemployment. </div>
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“I am happy that the president claimed to have crushed poverty but believe me when I go back I still see the people I left behind wallowing in poverty. We don’t have the middle class again in the country. </div>
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“I am assuring you that once you elect Buhari into office , he would solve insurgency. It is poverty that makes people to go and register in Boko Haram. Buhari will deal with unemployment. He will deal with the problem of agriculture and agriculture will take care of unskilled labour.”</div>
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<a href="http://www.thecable.ng/amaechi-buhari-will-deal-insurgency-power"><b>TheCable</b></a></div>

Why I Support The Mutineers - Gov Amaechi

Chibuike Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State and Director-General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, says he will continue to support t...

Why We Took Powers From Civilians - Buhari

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<b>Below is a transcript of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s speech from December 31st, 1983, after the military coup.</b></div>
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In pursuance of the primary objective of saving our great nation from total collapse, I, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari of the Nigerian Army have, after due consultation amongst the services of the armed forces, been formally invested with the authority of the Head of the Federal Military Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is with humility and a deep sense of responsibility that I accept this challenge and call to national duty.</div>
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As you must have heard in the previous announcement, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1979) has been suspended, except those sections of it which are exempted in the constitution. The change became necessary in order to put an end to the serious economic predicament and the crisis of confidence now afflicting our nation. Consequently, the Nigerian armed forces have constituted themselves into a Federal Military Government comprising of a Supreme Military Council, a National Council of States, a Federal Executive Council at the centre and State Executive Councils to be presided over by military governors in each of the states of the federation. Members of these councils will be announced soon.<br />
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The last Federal Military Government drew up a programme with the aim of handing over political power to the civilians in 1979. This programme as you all know, was implemented to the letter. The 1979 constitution was promulgated.</div>
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However, little did the military realise that the political leadership of the second republic will circumvent most of the checks and balances in the constitution and bring the present state of general insecurity. The premium on political power became so exceedingly high that political contestants regarded victory at elections as a matter of life and death struggle and were determined to capture or retain power by all means.<br />
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It is true that there is a worldwide economic recession.</div>
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However, in the case of Nigeria, its impact was aggravated by mismanagement. We believe the appropriate government agencies have good advice but the leadership disregarded their advice. The situation could have been avoided if the legislators were alive to their constitutional responsibilities. Instead, the legislators were preoccupied with determining their salary scales, fringe benefits and unnecessary foreign travels, <i>et al</i>, which took no account of the state of the economy and the welfare of the people they represented.</div>
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As a result of our inability to cultivate financial discipline and prudent management of the economy, we have come to depend largely on internal and external borrowing to execute government projects with attendant domestic pressure and soaring external debts, thus aggravating the propensity of the outgoing civilian administration to mismanage our financial resources. Nigeria was already condemned perpetually with the twin problem of heavy budget deficits and weak balance of payments position, with the prospect of building a virile and viable economy.</div>
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The last general election was anything but free and fair. The only political parties that could complain of election rigging are those parties that lacked the resources to rig. There is ample evidence that rigging and thuggery were relative to the resources available to the parties. This conclusively proved to us that the parties have not developed confidence in the presidential system of government on which the nation invested so much material and human resources. While corruption and indiscipline have been associated with our state of under-development, these two evils in our body politics have attained unprecedented height in the past few years. The corrupt, inept and insensitive leadership in the last four years has been the source of immorality and impropriety in our society.</div>
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Since what happens in any society is largely a reflection of the leadership of that society, we deplore corruption in all its facets. This government will not tolerate kick-backs, inflation of contracts and over-invoicing of imports etc. Nor will it condone forgery, fraud, embezzlement, misuse and abuse of office and illegal dealings in foreign exchange and smuggling. Arson has been used to cover up fraudulent acts in public institutions. I am referring to the fire incidents that gutted the P&T buildings in Lagos, the Anambra State Broadcasting Corporation, the Republic Building at Marina, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Capital Development Authority Accounts at Abuja and the NET Building. Most of these fire incidents occurred at a time when Nigerians were being apprehensive of the frequency of fraud scandals and the government incapacity to deal with them. Corruption has become so pervasive and intractable that a whole ministry has been created to stem it.</div>
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Fellow Nigerians, this indeed is the moment of truth. My colleagues and I – the Supreme Military Council, must be frank enough to acknowledge the fact that at the moment, an accurate picture of the financial position is yet to be determined. We have no doubt that the situation is bad enough. In spite of all this, every effort will be made to ensure that the difficult and degrading conditions under which we are living are eliminated. Let no one, however, be deceived that workers who have not received their salaries in the past eight or so months will receive such salaries within today or tomorrow or that hospitals which have been without drugs for months will be provided with enough immediately. We are determined that with the help of God we shall do our best to settle genuine payments to which government is committed, including backlog of workers’ salaries after scrutiny.</div>
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We are confident and we assure you that even in the face of the global recession, and the seemingly gloomy financial future, given prudent management of Nigeria’s existing financial resources and our determination to substantially reduce and eventually nail down rises in budgetary deficits and weak balance of payments position. The Federal Military Government will reappraise policies with a view to paying greater attention to the following areas: The economy will be given a new impetus and better sense of direction. Corrupt officials and their agents will be brought to book.</div>
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In view of the drought that affected most parts of the country, the federal government will, with the available resources, import food stuffs to supplement the shortfalls suffered in the last harvest. Our foreign policy will both be dynamic and realistic. Africa will of course continue to be the centre piece of our foreign policy. The morale and combat readiness of the armed forces will be given high priority. Officers and men with high personal and professional integrity will have nothing to fear.</div>
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The Chief Justice of Nigeria and all other holders of judiciary appointments within the federation can continue in their appointments and the judiciary shall continue to function under existing laws subject to such exceptions as may be decreed from time to time by the Federal Military Government. All holders of appointments in the civil service, the police and the National Security Organisation shall continue to exercise their functions in the normal way subject to changes that may be introduced by the Federal Military Government.</div>
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All those chairmen and members of statutory corporations, parastatals and other executive departments are hereby relieved of their appointments with immediate effect.</div>
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The Federal Military Government will maintain and strengthen existing diplomatic relations with other states and with international organisations and institutions such as the Organisation of African Unity, the United Nations and its organs, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, ECOWAS and the Commonwealth etc. The Federal Military Government will honour and respect all treaties and obligations entered into by the previous government and we hope that such nations and bodies will reciprocate this gesture by respecting our country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.</div>
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Fellow Nigerians, finally, we have dutifully intervened to save this nation from imminent collapse. We therefore expect all Nigerians, including those who participated directly or indirectly in bringing the nation to this present predicament, to cooperate with us. This generation of Nigerians, and indeed future generations, have no country other than Nigeria. We shall remain here and salvage it together. </div>
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May God bless us all. Good morning.</div>
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<b>Source: <a href="http://www.omojuwa.com/">Omojuwa</a></b></div>

Why We Took Powers From Civilians - Buhari

Below is a transcript of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s speech from December 31st, 1983, after the military coup. In pursuance of...

$27Billion 'Missing From Excess Crude Account'

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<b>Adams Oshiomhole, Governor of Edo State, has alleged that “barely $3 billion is in the Excess Crude Account (ECA), which ordinarily should have “over $30 billion”. </b></div>
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Oshiomhole, who was speaking when traditional rulers from Edo South senatorial district, paid him a visit, said Nigeria has been losing 700,000 barrels of oil everyday for the past 12 years to crude oil theft, describing the act is currently worse than it was during the era of the militancy in the Niger Delta. He lamented that the lack of access to the crude account funds by state governments was hindering developments in different parts of the country. </div>
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“From the last time we had a meeting, the handouts they distributed show that sometime for a period of two weeks, we were losing as much as 700,000 barrels a day and that has been on for the past 12 years,” he said. </div>
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“I am not able to understand why, suddenly, Nigeria cannot protect its territorial waters because the boundaries have not changed and the people are still the same and at the peak of the so-called militancy, we were still exporting about 2 million barrels a day. </div>
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“Then how can we explain that after we have resolved the issue of militancy in the Niger Delta, we have rehabilitated the ex-militants and even awarded contracts to them, that we are losing as much crude oil as that to oil thieves and to the best of my knowledge, there is no major known person who has been prosecuted and convicted for oil theft in a way that reflects the magnitude of what is allegedly stolen. </div>
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“What this means is that our budgets have not performed over the past three years whereas the budgets have been based on an average of between $77 to $78 and $79 a barrel. The average price of Nigeria’s sweet crude has been around $108 per barrel. </div>
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“That gives a surplus of over $30. Ideally, we ought to be saving $36 per barrel and 2.3 million barrel a day over the past three years and if you look at these numbers you will find that what we have in our excess crude oil account should be over $30 billion but as we speak, we have barely $3 billion in our excess crude account.” </div>
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Lamenting that the federal government had not shared money from the excess crude account with state governments for about 18 months, Oshiomhole claimed that the development had hindered the establishment of beneficial projects in different states. </div>
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He claimed that the account had almost become empty, accusing the federal government of mismanaging the country’s resources. </div>
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“Over the past 18 months, we have not shared the excess crude account and yet, the account is empty,” he said. </div>
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“Sometimes, we are told that they have taken money from it to fund subsidies, including subsidy on kerosene, but your Royal Highnesses, there is nowhere in your various domains where kerosene is sold for ₦50. So in the name of subsidy, large sums of money are being stolen. </div>
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“Things are tough now around the country because the federal government mismanaged our national resources and what is being stolen, nobody agrees it is being stolen. </div>
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“What is arguable is, who is responsible for this stealing? When the federal government and the president talk about oil theft and the amount that is allegedly stolen is huge such that whereas we have the capacity to produce about 2.4 million barrels a day, what accrues into the federal government account is less than 1.8 million barrels a day. </div>
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“Now, oil price has dropped to $60 and because we have not saved, the naira is undergoing devaluation. Already as low as ₦180 per dollar and I believe by February when the elections are over, nobody is going to want to hold the naira. Wherever the election goes, I expect that the naira will hit over ₦200 per dollar. </div>
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“The inflationary consequence of that is prices of everything will go up and part of the vicious cycle of the devalued naira in the manner that is being done is that the price of petroleum products imported in dollars will go up in naira and government will be asking people who are already poor to pay more money for petroleum products.”</div>
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<a href="http://www.thecable.ng/least-27bn-missing-excess-crude-account"><b>TheCable</b></a></div>

$27Billion 'Missing From Excess Crude Account'

Adams Oshiomhole, Governor of Edo State, has alleged that “barely $3 billion is in the Excess Crude Account (ECA), which ordinarily sho...

Watch And Pray, Watch And Prey - By Wole Soyinka

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<b>I had fully attuned myself to the fact that our Owu retiree soldier and prolific author is an infliction that those of us who share the same era and nation space must learn to endure. However, it does appear that there is no end to this individual’s capacity for infantile mischief, and for needless, mind-boggling provocations, such as his recent ‘literary’ intrusion on my peace.</b></div>
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Perhaps I ought to interrupt myself here with an apology to some mutual acquaintances – ‘blessed peacemakers’ and all - especially in this season of ‘peace and goodwill to all men’. Please know that your efforts have not been entirely in vain. I had a cordial exchange with Obasanjo over the phone recently – engineered by himself, his ground staff and/or a chance visitor  – when I had cause to visit his Presidential Laundromat for the first time ever.  During that exchange, I complemented him on making some quite positive use of landed property that was acquired under morally dubious circumstances, and blatantly developed through a process that I denounced as ‘executive extortionism’. That obscene proceeding has certainly set a competitive precedent for impunity in President Jonathan’s recent fund-raising shindig, editorialized in <b><a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/2014/12/punch-editorial-jonathans-21b-donation.html">THE PUNCH (Dec. 23, 2014) as “Impunity Taken too Far”</a></b>. So much for the latest from that directions - we mustn’t allow Handing-Over notes between presidents to distract us for too long. </div>
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To return to our main man, and friendly interventionists, you may like to note that I went so far as to engage him in light banter, stating that some of his lesser sins would be forgiven him for that creative conversion of the landscape – a conversation that he shortly afterwards delightedly shared with at least three mutual acquaintances. I promised a follow-up visit to view some mysterious rock script whose existence, he informed me, was uncovered by workers during ground clearing. The exchange was, in short, as good as ‘malice towards none’ that any polemicist could hope to contribute to the ongoing season of peace and goodwill. Obviously that visit will not now take place, any more than the pursuit of vague notions of some creative collaboration with his Centre that began to play around my mind.</div>
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That much I do owe you from my report card.  Perhaps you will now accept that there are individuals who are born incorrigible but, more importantly, that some issues transcend one’s personal preferences for harmonious human relationships even in a season of traditional good will. The change in weather conditions sits quite well with me however,  since we are both acquainted with the Yoruba proverb that goes:  the child that swears his mother will not sleep must also prepare for a prolonged, sleepless infancy.  So let it be with Okikiola, the overgrown child of circumstance. </div>
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One of the incessant ironies that leapt up at me as I read Obasanjo’s <i>magnum opus</i> was that we are both victims of a number of distasteful impositions  - such as being compelled again and again to seek justice against libel in the law courts. I felt genuine empathy to read that he still has a pending thirty-year case instituted by him against his alleged libelers! Judgment was delivered in my favour regarding one of the most nauseating only this year, after surviving technical and other procrastinations, defendant evasions and other legalistic impediments for nearly as long as his. That leaves only a veritable Methuselah on the court list still awaiting re-listing under the resurrection ritual language known as <i>de novo</i>. Unfortunately, not all acts of defamation or willful misrepresentation are actionable, otherwise, my personal list against this newly revealed fellow-sufferer would have counted for an independent volume of the Nigerian Law Report since our paths first crossed during the Civil War.  My commitment to the belief in the fundamental right of all human beings NOT TO BE LIED AGAINST remains a life obsession, and thus demands, at the very least, an obligation of non-commission among fellow victims.</div>
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I must therefore reserve a full, frontal dissection of Obasanjo’s  <i><b>My Watch</b></i> for later, most especially since the work itself is currently under legal restraint and is not readily accessible to a general readership. So, for now, let me single out just one of the most glaring instances of this man’s compulsive career of lying, one sample that the media can readily check upon and use as a touchstone – if they do need one - in assessing our author’s multifaceted claims and commentaries on people and events. I refer here to the grotesque and personally insulting statement that he has attributed to me for some inscrutable but obviously diversionary reasons. In the process, this past Master of Mendacity brazenly implicates an innocent young man, Akin Osuntokun, who once served him as a Special Adviser. Instead of conferring dignity on a direct rebuttal of an ignoble fabrication, I shall simply make a personal, all-embracing attestation:</div>
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I despise that species of humanity whose stock-in-trade is to concoct lies simply to score a point, win an argument, puff up his or her own ego, denigrate or attempt to destroy a fellow being. However, even within such deplorable species, a special pit of universal opprobrium is surely reserved for those who even lack the courage of their own lies, but must foist them on others. When an old man stuffs a lie into the throat of an age-mate of his own children - <i><b>omo inu e!</b></i> - we can only pity an irredeemable egomaniac whose dotage is headed for twilight disgrace. </div>
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D.O. Fagunwa, the pioneer Yoruba novelist, was a compulsive moralist. I suspect that he may have exerted some influence on our garrulous general, resulting in his pupil’s tedious, misapplied and self-serving deluge of moralizing. It seems quite likely indeed that the ghostly, moralistic hand of Fagunwa reached out from the Great Beyond, sat his would-be competitor forcefully before a mirror and bade him write what he saw in that image. I invoke Fagunwa because, at his commemorative colloquium in Akure in August last year, I drew my audience’s attention to a remarkable passage in Fagunwa’s <b><i>Igbo Olodumare</i></b>. The passage had struck me during translation and stuck to my mind. I found it uncanny that the original creative moralist, Fagunwa, had captured the psychological profile of a being whom I have been compelled by circumstances to study as an eerie creation, yet this was a character Fagunwa was unlikely to have encountered in real life at the time that he produced that work. </div>
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The section comes from an account of a visit to the abode of Iku, Death, the terrifying host to Olowo-aiye, the narrative voice of the adventure.  Iku, the host, had been admonishing his guests through the histories of seven creatures who were not permitted a straightforward passage to Heaven or Hell, but were subjected to admonitory punishment at the halfway house to the abode of the dead. The most horrendous tortures were reserved, it would seem, for the last of the seven such ‘detainees’, and I invited my audience to ponder if they could identify any prominent individual, a public figure whose life conduct seamlessly fitted into Fagunwa’s portrayal, which went thus:</div>
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“The seventh…. is not among those who set out to improve the world but rather to cause distress to its inhabitants. It was through manipulations that he attained a high position. Having achieved this however, he constantly blocked the progress of those behind him, this being a most deplorable act in the eyes of God, and rank behaviour in the judgment of the dwellers of heaven – that anyone who has enjoyed upliftment in life should seek to be an obstacle for those who follow him. This man forgot the beings of earth, forgot the beings of heaven, in turn, he forgot the presence of God. The worst kind of behaviour agitated his hands – greed occupied the centre of his heart, and he was a creature that walked in darkness. This man wallowed in bribery, he was chairman of the circle of scheming, head of the gang of double-dealing, field-marshal of those who crept about in the dark of night. With his mouth, he ruined the work of others, while he used a big potsherd to cover the good works of some, that others might not see their attainments. He nosed around for secrets that would entrap his companions, and blew them up into monumental crimes in the eyes of the world. He who turns the world upside down, places the deceitful on the throne, casts the truthful down – because such is a being of base earth, he will never stand as equal among the uplifted.”</div>
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My co-occupants of the High Table, in side remarks, and those who came up from the audience afterwards to volunteer their answer to the riddle, without exception named one individual and one individual only, even as I remained non-committal. Indeed, one or two tried to put up a defence of that nominee, and I had to remind them that I had named no one! Fagunwa wrote largely of the world of mongrelized creatures but, as I remarked, his fiction remains a prescient and cautionary mirror of the society we inhabit, where beasts of the forest appear to have a greater moral integrity than those who claim to be leading lights of society.</div>
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In this season of goodwill, we owe a duty to our immediate and distant neighbours: <b>CAVEAT EMPTOR!</b>  Let all beware, who try to buy a Rolex from this indefatigable watch peddler. His own hand-crafted, uniquely personalized timepiece has been temporarily confiscated by NDLEA and other guardians of public health but, there is no cause for despair. Such has been the fate of the misunderstood and the envied, avatars descended from the heavens before their time, the seers, and all who crave recognition. Our author invokes God tirelessly, without provocation, without necessity and without justification, perhaps preemptively, but does he really believe in such an entity? Does our home-bred Double-O-Seven believe in anything outside his own Omnipotency? Could he possibly have mistaken the Christian exhortation – <i><b>‘Watch and Pray’</b></i> for his private inclination to '<b><i>Watch and Prey'</i></b>? This is a seasoned predator on others’ achievements – he preys on their names, their characters, their motivations, their true lives, preys on gossip and preys on facts, preys on contributions to collective undertakings…..even preys on their identities, substituting his own where possible. Well, hopefully he may actually believe in the inevitable End to all vanities? So, let our Great Immortal, the Unparalleled Achiever, Divinely appointed Watchman even on the world that is yet to come remember Fagunwa’s  Iku, the ultimate predator whose visitation comes to us all, sooner or later.  </div>
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<b><i>Chei! There is Death o!</i></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://saharareporters.com/2014/12/24/watch-and-pray-watch-and-prey-wole-soyinka">SaharaReporters</a></b>

Watch And Pray, Watch And Prey - By Wole Soyinka

I had fully attuned myself to the fact that our Owu retiree soldier and prolific author is an infliction that those of us who share the...

Donations To Buhari: S/East APC Hails Ndigbo

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkTmxxX5aDLexuWVua0S09XI8Sn7UO0-4SNCJqtnRZ0usR-c8wceyJ2-LIVwanhKmYLwT6-1OyUlP0xMZKna2qA20N6GK1LZ-1QXda7-uGVpDfWdhA784FrBBo_z-nIK7LhQ2A-RjDVw/s1600/Buhari-with-Chukwuma-Azikiwe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkTmxxX5aDLexuWVua0S09XI8Sn7UO0-4SNCJqtnRZ0usR-c8wceyJ2-LIVwanhKmYLwT6-1OyUlP0xMZKna2qA20N6GK1LZ-1QXda7-uGVpDfWdhA784FrBBo_z-nIK7LhQ2A-RjDVw/s1600/Buhari-with-Chukwuma-Azikiwe.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>The South-East All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated <i>Ndigbo</i> for topping the list of donors to the Buhari Support Organization Campaign Fund, a peoples' contribution to General Muhammadu Buhari’s (GMB) war chest for the 2015 presidential election.</b></div>
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“We are happy to announce that when the managers of the First Bank of Nigeria warehoused fund unveiled  ₦54 million so far realized, <i>Ndigbo</i> topped the list of the highest donors; a unique account that has GMB as the only signatory,” APC South-East spokesman Osita Okechukwu said in a statement.</div>
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“By topping the donor list, <i>Ndigbo</i> has graciously demonstrated that the celestial bond between GMB and the Nigerian masses and the middle class is Pan-Nigeria and not sectional as insinuated,” he said.</div>
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He noted that the Buhari Campaign Support Fund has General Buhari as the sole signatory for purposes of transparency, and is aimed at assisting the candidate, who refused to enrich himself while in office, to prosecute his presidential campaign.</div>
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“The South-East APC salutes our people who embrace the Buhari-Bandwagon-Vehicle for Salvation; for it is our candid opinion that it is less than wise for the hard working and enterprising <i>Ndigbo</i> to put all our eggs in one basket,” Okechukwu said.</div>
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<b>SaharaReporters</b>

Donations To Buhari: S/East APC Hails Ndigbo

The South-East All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated Ndigbo for topping the list of donors to the Buhari Support Organizat...

Female Suicide Bomber Arrested In Kano

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdMdB6JakMOrb1c0jKfnQWesHc9YIb1gJMVGx37p4lXoaRIc84h9bmIFHkAXviMdeHvCNrytBT4z9YUR64NEoii9RiS06Itl4Oy2ifdIO47NehIDf8LPnrrj4nhRkPQ2MJwwugl0_r6Y/s1600/SuicideBomber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdMdB6JakMOrb1c0jKfnQWesHc9YIb1gJMVGx37p4lXoaRIc84h9bmIFHkAXviMdeHvCNrytBT4z9YUR64NEoii9RiS06Itl4Oy2ifdIO47NehIDf8LPnrrj4nhRkPQ2MJwwugl0_r6Y/s1600/SuicideBomber.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Following a recent string of bombings in Nigeria's northeast, security operatives today say that they have arrested a girl in Kano State with explosives attached to her body.</b></div>
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The girl, Zahra'u Babban Gida, claims she was abducted from Bauchi State. The girl, whose age has not been disclosed, alleges that she was unconscious until today, when she was released by her kidnappers and strapped to an explosive vest.</div>
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Babban Gida was arrested opposite Kantin-Kwari textile market, the scene of a major explosion two weeks ago, in which two female suicide bombers detonated explosives, killing many.</div>
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Kano State Commissioner of Police Alhaji Tashid Adenrele Shinaba says officers arrested the girl based on suspicion of her movements. She was later taken to headquarters for investigation, where the police were joined by operatives of the State Security Service.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-UGRUFQYEn8tG78DtmYZs0MYCfY3cuVPrRwt4-0swuhuO2BKYhQgyUm2UpilcFjlCJYeVQ1AmyIb_yeyAWSvJ7H3WuLurN7K-VNNfbcmWmJPCaVcPeIucYeDTFI-hQJb6qDsjY31otA/s1600/Explosives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-UGRUFQYEn8tG78DtmYZs0MYCfY3cuVPrRwt4-0swuhuO2BKYhQgyUm2UpilcFjlCJYeVQ1AmyIb_yeyAWSvJ7H3WuLurN7K-VNNfbcmWmJPCaVcPeIucYeDTFI-hQJb6qDsjY31otA/s1600/Explosives.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The explosives vest she was wearing at the time of arrest</td></tr>
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State Security Service Director Bassey Etan assured Kano State residents to report any suspicious activities to the authorities.</div>
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<b><a href="http://saharareporters.com/2014/12/24/girl-arrested-near-kanos-kantin-kwari-market-wearing-explosive-vest">SaharaReporters</a></b></div>

Female Suicide Bomber Arrested In Kano

Following a recent string of bombings in Nigeria's northeast, security operatives today say that they have arrested a girl in Kano S...

Igbos Top List of Donors To Buhari Campaign Fund

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<b>The Igbos of the five states of the South East geo-political zone topped the list of supporters who donated ₦54 million to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, the zonal chapter of the party has said.</b></div>
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Mr. Buhari, a former head of state, who is popularly called “GMB” announced on Tuesday that he had so far received ₦54 million from Nigerians to prosecute his campaign for the February election.</div>
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In a statement by its spokesperson, Osita Okechukwu, on Wednesday, the party expressed gratitude to the Igbos for topping the list of donors to the Buhari Support Organization Campaign Fund.</div>
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It did not, however, disclose the names of the donors in the statement.</div>
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It said the donations were the peoples’ contribution to the APC flag bearer’s quest to salvage the country from dangerous slide into a failed state.</div>
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“We are happy to announce that when the managers of the First Bank of Nigeria warehoused fund unveiled ₦54 million so far realized, <i>Ndigbo</i> topped the list of the highest donors; a unique account that has GMB as the only signatory,” the statement said.</div>
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“By topping the donor list, <i>Ndigbo</i> has graciously demonstrated that the celestial bond between GMB and the Nigerian Masses and the Middle Class is Pan-Nigeria and not sectional as insinuated.”</div>
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The party explained that the Buhari Campaign Support Fund has Mr. Buhari as the sole signatory for transparency purposes, and said the effort is to assist the former military ruler prosecute his presidential campaign because he “refused to enrich himself while in office”.</div>
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“The South East APC salutes our people who embrace the Buhari-Bandwagon-Vehicle for Salvation; for it is our candid opinion that it is less than wise for the hard working and enterprising <i>Ndigbo</i> to, election after election, put all our eggs in one basket,” the party said.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/173761-igbos-top-list-donors-buhari-apc.html">Premium Times</a></b></div>

Igbos Top List of Donors To Buhari Campaign Fund

The Igbos of the five states of the South East geo-political zone topped the list of supporters who donated ₦54 million to the preside...

Army Jails Lt Col, 15 Others Over Chibok Girls' Abduction

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<b>The Nigerian Army has sentenced three officers and 13 other soldiers to two years’ imprisonment each over the April 14, 2014 abduction of over 200 schoolchildren from their hostel in Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents.</b></div>
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The soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel, a Captain and a Second lieutenant, were arraigned before a General Military Court Martial at the Maxwell Khobe Military Cantonment, Rukuba in Jos, Plateau State, in October 2014.</div>
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The officers are Col. A. O. Ojo, Capt. O. O. Ogunrinde, and 2nd Lieutenant V.I. Godknows.</div>
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Although the trial started at the headquarters of the 3rd Armoured Division of the Army in Jos, the court was moved to Kaduna where the judgment was delivered on Tuesday.</div>
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The GCM panel convened by the General Officer Commanding I Division, Kaduna, Maj.Gen. K. C. Osuji, comprised Brig. Gen. Ogunlade (President); Col. J. O. Sokoya, Col. M. Kadiri, Col. M. W. Abubakar, Col. A. A. Bamgbose, Col. A. Garba and Col E.M . Albara</div>
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<i>Punch</i> correspondent learnt on Tuesday that the panel concluded that the prosecution was able to prove the case against the soldiers.</div>
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But the Defence counsel to Col. Ojo, Mr. Shuaibu Isah, told <i>Punch</i> correspondent on the telephone that the judgment was a far cry from the evidence presented before the court.</div>
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Isah said he would appeal against the judgment to the confirming authority, which is the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah.</div>
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He said, “We are not satisfied with the judgment of the court. We intend to file an appeal against this verdict before the confirming authorities…”</div>
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A source at the court said that Ojo was convicted on two counts of failing to reinforce Chibok when it came under Boko Haram attack on April 14 and for allegedly releasing information without verification to the Army authorities.</div>
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He said the “unverified information” caused the Defence Headquarters to issue a ‘false’ statement on the release of the abducted girls.</div>
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The source added that Ojo, who was said to have resumed duty the day before the attack, had responded to the charge of failing to reinforce Chibok by explaining that he got the information on the Chibok attack at his location in Biu by 1a.m.</div>
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The Lt. Col. was also said to have explained that he had other operational issues such as his   inability to notify the nearby military formation in Damboa.</div>
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On the charge that he gave unverified information to the Army authorities, the officer said he never gave any figure on the “rescued or abducted girls.”</div>
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It was gathered that the lawyers to Godknows told the court martial that their client, who was charged with cowardly behaviour, was at the Chibok location with 13 soldiers armed with AK 47 but with limited rounds of ammunition to confront over 200 heavily armed Boko Haram fighters.</div>
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Another source said that   Godknows left four men to defend the camp while he took nine others to confront the insurgents before pulling back due to their high number and overwhelming   fire power.</div>
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The charges against the soldiers which centred on failure to perform military duty carry a maximum of two years imprisonment.</div>
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<b>Credit: <a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/lt-col-15-others-jailed-over-chibok-girls-abduction/">Punch</a></b></div>

Army Jails Lt Col, 15 Others Over Chibok Girls' Abduction

The Nigerian Army has sentenced three officers and 13 other soldiers to two years’ imprisonment each over the April 14, 2014 abduction ...

Buhari Rakes In ₦54.4m Through 'Crowd Funding Project'

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<b>Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 election, General Mohammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, disclosed that his support base, Buhari Support Organisation, has been able to generate about ₦54 million for his presidential ambition.</b></div>
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The fund, according to him, was generated by the organisation through a crowd funding project he launched to bankroll his election campaigns.</div>
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Briefing newsmen in Abuja on the activities of the support group, General Buhari said “so far, so good, we have received donation of ₦54,415,386.70 through direct deposit and sales of cards to the FirstBank account number: 2026724405.</div>
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“As I promised during the take-off that I will take responsibility of the account, we are here today to give you an update on the progress made so far.</div>
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“Currently, 82 support groups have been registered under the Buhari Support Organisations, with over 475,796 coordinators and total membership in the region of 8,492,226 across the length and breadth of this country.</div>
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“We intend to use the registration and donation cards to enlist the members of the groups as volunteer change agents and also capture the spatial distribution of our donors,” he said.</div>

Buhari Rakes In ₦54.4m Through 'Crowd Funding Project'

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 election, General Mohammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, disclosed that hi...

88 Years Old Essebsi Wins Tunisia's Presidential Election

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<b>This should interest some folks out there criticising the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, and condemning him on account of his age.</b></div>
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Eighty-eight-year-old Tunisian political bigwig Beji Caid Essebsi has won the country’s first free presidential poll since its independence in 1956, 58 years ago. </div>
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According to the <b><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30579662?ocid=socialflow_twitter">BBC</a></b>, Essebsi garnered 55.68 per cent of the vote cast in Sunday’s run-off to defeat caretaker president Moncef Marzouki (44.32 per cent), Chafik Sarsar, head of the electoral commission, confirmed. </div>
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Speaking after his victory was declared, the octogenarian urged all Tunisians to work together for stability of the country. </div>
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Marzouki initially refuted the results, failing to admit defeat on the grounds that Essebsi was a member of the old order ousted in 2011 by the Arab uprising. </div>
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The 67-year-old pointed out that Essebsi served under Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali who fell to the Arab Spring. </div>
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Essebsi has been in the country’s political scene since independence, as he was also in the cabinet of Tunisia’s first post-independence leader, Habib Bourguiba. </div>
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In Tunisia, groups have been protesting Essebsi’s victory, while policemen have been dispersing them with tear gas. </div>
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Essebsi was Tunisia’s prime minister from February to December 2011, having previously served as minister of foreign affairs between 1981 and 1986. </div>
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He is the founder of the Nidaa Tounes (Call for Tunisia), a political party, which won a majority in the 2014 parliamentary election, and is soon to become the ruling party of the country upon his inauguration.</div>
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<b>Source: <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30579662?ocid=socialflow_twitter">The BBC</a></b></div>

88 Years Old Essebsi Wins Tunisia's Presidential Election

This should interest some folks out there criticising the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, and condemning him on a...

Police Killed Another Black Teenager In Berkeley

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<b>Another black teenager was shot dead in the United States on Tuesday by a police officer. </b></div>
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The 18-year-old, locally identified as Antonio Martin, was reported by the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/24/black-teenager-shot-dead-by-police-in-st-louis"><b>Guardian UK</b></a> to have been shot at a gas station in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, in New York. </div>
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Martin was killed around where Michael Brown, also a teenager, was shot to death in August by another police officer. </div>
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Brown’s death provoked anger, particularly within the black community, leading to a nationwide protests and calls for police policy reviews. </div>
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However, the police alleged that that the officer who killed Martini did so out of self-defence. </div>
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<b><a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/2014/12/breaking-news-2-nypd-police-officers.html">READ: 2 NYPD POLICE OFFICERS 'ASSASINATED'</a></b></div>
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A spokesman for Saint. Louis county police department said the deceased drew a handgun and pointed it at the police. </div>
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“The Berkeley police officer exited his vehicle and approached the subjects when one of the men pulled a handgun and pointed it at the officer,” the spokesman said in a statement. </div>
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“Fearing for his life, the Berkeley officer fired several shots, striking the subject, fatally wounding him. </div>
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“The second subject fled the scene … St. Louis County Police Detectives have recovered the deceased subject’s handgun at the scene.” </div>
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The police added that investigations had begun to get to the core of the incident, which occurred at a mobile petrol station around 11:15pm on Tuesday (Local time). </div>
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Martini was said to be in the company of another man at the gas station during the time of the incident. </div>
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The development would likely increase existing tension between the blacks and the police in the country. </div>
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Over the weekend, <a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/2014/12/breaking-news-2-nypd-police-officers.html"><b>two police officers were killed</b></a> in connection with Michael Brown’s death. Protests are currently ongoing at the site of the incident and at the county’s police department.</div>
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<b>Source: <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/24/black-teenager-shot-dead-by-police-in-st-louis">Guardian UK</a></b></div>

Police Killed Another Black Teenager In Berkeley

Another black teenager was shot dead in the United States on Tuesday by a police officer. The 18-year-old, locally identified as A...

Angola Crackdown On Illegal Immigrants

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ehmqGUrLzZz49-diq3H5O_hH-XzeArlc7ifIqUj3f6bUBncaTMXEUitWVMrKs-zQsjHt8HjcguZ_qwfhUCub4Y58gqN_e4AnyucbHqiDDBCVOwJ9iJMp5MSblIPUVnesR2sEgXI5aBg/s1600/Angola.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ehmqGUrLzZz49-diq3H5O_hH-XzeArlc7ifIqUj3f6bUBncaTMXEUitWVMrKs-zQsjHt8HjcguZ_qwfhUCub4Y58gqN_e4AnyucbHqiDDBCVOwJ9iJMp5MSblIPUVnesR2sEgXI5aBg/s1600/Angola.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b>This weekend, authorities in Luanda launched a massive crackdown on immigrants, arresting hundreds, most of them from West African countries including Guinea, Ivory Coast and Senegal. Our Observers told us that many immigrants who weren't arrested are now hiding in their homes, terrified at the idea of ending up in an Angolan prison, reports <i><a href="http://observers.france24.com/content/20141223-arrests-foreigners-angola-luanda-prison">France 24</a></i>.</b></div>
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According to the sparse information relayed by state media, 2,161 people were reportedly stopped by the police this weekend, and 884 of them, who reportedly did not have proper documentation, were arrested. According to Angola’s Interior Ministry, the majority of these people came from other African countries, but not exclusively: 300 Chinese citizens were detained Sunday, though all but 30 of them were quickly freed following negotiations with the Chinese embassy. All those arrested are currently being kept at a detention centre for illegal immigrants called Trinita. </div>
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<b>“I had never seen such a big crackdown!”</b></div>
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Joao (not his real name) is Angolan and lives in Luanda.</div>
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On Saturday, I noticed that the police was carrying out a big crackdown in my neighbourhood. I saw a few young foreigners flee to neighbours’ houses and hide there. I would have liked to take photos, but I quickly noticed that there were plainclothes police present. I saw other policemen in uniform arresting foreigners and putting them into Jeeps. All the little stores in my neigbhourhood – which we called “cantinas” – were closed.</blockquote>
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It’s easy for the police to find strangers here in Luanda, since all the “cantinas” are run by foreigners. In the past, when there have been rumours of crackdowns, we’ve seen the cantinas shut their doors for a couple of days. But I have never seen such a big crackdown!</blockquote>
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<b>“Having your papers in order isn’t enough to avoid going to prison”</b></div>
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Mohamed (not his real name) is Ivorian. He has worked as a taxi driver in Luanda for three years.</div>
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It all started Friday, when most of the West Africans went to the mosque for prayers. There’s one mosque in particular, near the airport, where West Africans like to meet. I was about to head out there when a friend who was already at the mosque called me. He told me not to come, because the police had surrounded the mosque and was starting to arrest people. Even the mosque’s imam was arrested. </blockquote>
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I listened to his advice and stayed home. I haven’t left the house since. I’m in here with ten of my friends. We’re afraid to go outside and get picked up by the police. Many of our friends were arrested, at the mosque or in the streets. My cousin and his wife were arrested too. Yet they, like me, have their papers in order allowing them to live and work in Angola. But having papers isn’t enough to avoid going to prison here! [Editor’s note: Many other immigrants interviewed by FRANCE 24 complained about this problem.]</blockquote>
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Here, you have to pay for everything. As a taxi driver, the police are always stopping me and asking me for money. Often, they’ll slap me around. They don’t like foreigners very much, even less so those of us who speak French. </blockquote>
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We’re in contact with some of the people who have been arrested. Most of them had their mobile phones confiscated, but a few managed to hide theirs and keep them in prison. They told us the prison was badly overcrowded, that men and women were mixed together, and that many of them were forced to sit outside in the yard, under the hot sun. They only get fed once a day. And they say the prison guards hit some of them. </blockquote>
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We called the Ivorian embassy, but they told us that for now, the ambassador hadn’t been allowed to visit the prisoners. They told us to stay indoors until the situation calms down.</blockquote>

Angola Crackdown On Illegal Immigrants

This weekend, authorities in Luanda launched a massive crackdown on immigrants, arresting hundreds, most of them from West African coun...