Suicide bomber attacks Gombe church

The Police on Thursday confirmed a bomb explosion at the entrance of Tudun Wada ECWA Church, Gombe.

The Spokesman of the state Police Command, DSP Fwaje Atajiri, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Gombe that a suicide bomber rode on a motorcycle and tried to enter the church a few minutes after 8 a.m.

“He came with a motorcycle and tried to enter the place but as a result of the security measures put in place, he was blocked and the bomb exploded instantly and he was killed,” Atajiri said.
He called on the public to remain vigilant and also report any suspicious movement around them.
An eye witness, Malam Aminu Muhammad, whose house is close to the blast scene, told NAN that he was indoors when he heard a loud sound.

 

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“When I heard the sound, I immediately came out, and what I saw was horrible.
“I just saw human parts scattered everywhere with blood and pieces of motorcycle which the suicide bomber rode on,” Muhammad said.

 Malam Abdullahi Isah, the Secretary, Gombe Specialist Hospital, said 10 injured persons were brought to the hospital.
According to him, the victims sustained various injuries and were undergoing a treatment, adding that one of them was taken to the theatre.
Punch

[Full text] President Jonathan’s new year broadcast speech

Dear Great People of our nation,

1.         I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the New Year today. As we mark the beginning of this New Year, 2015, a new nation is being born.  A new nation is being born because of the foundations we have all laid, working together for the good and progress of our dear fatherland.

2.        I join you all in thanking God Almighty who has brought us this far, for continually bestowing His Grace upon us and for guiding our great nation safely through all the challenges of the past year.

3.        This year, as in the year past, I reaffirm my commitment to work to ensure a secure future for our dear country and the generations yet unborn.

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4.        Last year, we celebrated our hundredth year of nationhood. The year brought us further progress, challenges and fresh opportunities.

5.        We have contended with the normal challenges of nation-building and the unusual challenges of terrorism.

6.        But we have continued to vigorously confront those who seek to destroy the bonds of unity that hold us together.

7.         On this first day of the New Year, I want to pay special tribute to the gallant officers, men and women of our Armed Forces and other security agencies who have been in the forefront of the war against terrorism and violent extremism in our country and sub-region.

8.        I also commend all Nigerians who have remained vigilant and cooperative with our security agencies in the fight against the common enemy.

9.        We are re-equipping and re-positioning our armed forces to enhance their capacity to win the ongoing war against terror and insurgency.

10.    Regrettably, terrorists have unleashed much pain and agony on our land. They have made widows of our mothers and sisters and orphans of our children. They have shut down businesses, desecrated places of worship and brought untold hardship to both men and women. They have violated the culture and peaceful way of life in our country, which took generations to build.

11.     They have destroyed countless schools and displaced people from their communities, driving them into exile.

12.    I want to assure you that the terrorists will not get away with their atrocities: they will not win; they will be routed. As President, I feel the pain of all affected communities and families. I hear their cries and share their sorrow and pain.

13.    We will not forget; we will not look the other way. We have done a lot of painstaking planning and work to resolve the current security challenge. We will bring justice to the savage terrorists known as Boko Haram. They will be defeated.

14.    That is the solemn commitment I make today as President of the Federal Republic, and Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces.

15.    By the Special Grace of God, the Federal Government, under my leadership, has continued, in the past four years to lead our country forward, even under the most trying circumstances.

16.    The progress we have made in priority areas bears us testimony.

17.    Amongst other achievements, we have rehabilitated and expanded our rail transportation network, successfully privatized power generation and distribution, significantly reformed and increased local participation in our oil and gas industry, and improved nationwide access to potable water from 57% in 2010, to 70% at present.

18.   We have also made significant progress in improving access to primary, secondary and tertiary education by building and equipping more schools, including special Almajiri schools, and establishing additional universities to ensure that each state of the nation now has at least one Federal University.

19.    Our national economy maintained a steady growth rate of close to seven per cent in the past four years and millions of fresh employment opportunities were created for our people as a direct consequence.

20.  Recently, we launched the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) and the $100 million dollars Government and Donor Fund for Agriculture Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN) to fast-track the positive transformation of our agricultural sector.

21.    The Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) targets 750, 000 market-oriented young agricultural producers while the $100 million dollars Fund is to provide affordable long-term financing to support the development of small and medium agribusinesses in the country.

22.   This is in addition to a N50 billion Farm Mechanization Support Fund set up by the Central Bank to establish 1,200 agricultural equipment-hiring enterprises.

23.   Both funds will become fully operational this year.  Policies and programmes such as these to boost agricultural production remain topmost on the agenda of this administration.

24.   Being very conscious of the inherent perils of our over-reliance on income from crude oil exports for national development, we have focused on accelerating the diversification of our economy.

25.   The non-oil Sector which has grown by an average of 8% in the last few years, is now a major driver of growth in our economy.

26.   The 2015 national budget, which is now before the National Assembly, is targeted at deepening our efforts at becoming a non-oil economy.

27.   The budget also includes measures to ensure that the downturn in the price of oil does not affect our development plans and our national economy too adversely. We are adjusting our financial processes to safeguard our economy.  We are also taking steps to ensure that the poor and the low and medium income earners do not bear the brunt.

28.  In 2015, this administration will continue to lay the foundation for a vibrant economy that attracts significant Foreign Direct Investment and promotes policies that ensure economic stability.

29.   We will ensure stability in the value of the Naira by striving to take away speculative behaviours that cause market exchange pressures.

30.  We will continue to build and maintain a healthy external reserves position and strengthen fiscal buffers.  We will ensure the Naira remains strong, and gives foreign investors the clarity and certainty that they need, to guide future investment decisions.

31.    We will continue to improve our payment systems and strengthen risk-based supervision mechanism for Nigerian banks to ensure overall health and stability of the banking system.

32.   We are introducing a broad spectrum of financial instruments to boost sector-specific enterprise areas in agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs), manufacturing, and oil and gas to enhance our aggregate supply capacity, reduce poverty, promote job creation and increase the general well-being of our people.

33.   These efforts and other measures being spearheaded by relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, are geared to ensure a secure future for Nigeria and create a much more prosperous country, where people live more peaceful and fulfilled lives.
Fellow countrymen and women,

34.   As we enter an election year, I assure you that our administration will remain fully focused on providing good governance and the delivery of better public services to our people.

35.   The coming campaigns and elections will not distract us from our ongoing work to significantly improve the living conditions of our people.  And I urge all tiers of government not to be distracted as well.

36.   The elections are very important for us as a country.  Their successful conclusion will further strengthen our democratic institutions and place our beloved country even more firmly in the comity of truly democratic nations.

37.   Given the challenges that have characterized some previous electoral contests in our country, the eyes of the world will certainly be on the conduct and outcome of our fifth post-military rule general elections.

38.  I reassure all Nigerians and the international community of our firm commitment to free, fair and credible elections. My commitment to free elections and one man, one vote remains unwavering.

39.   Our administration has worked hard in previous elections to prepare all key stakeholders including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the electorate optimally, to ensure a progressively improved electoral process in the country under my watch.  We will continue to do so for the coming elections.

40.  We will continue to provide adequate funding to INEC and maintain the Commission’s independence and isolate it from any form of interference or meddling in its day-to-day affairs.  This shall continue to guarantee its impartiality and ability to conduct more credible and acceptable elections.

41.    National security agencies will also be given all necessary support to enhance their ability to ensure that the elections are peaceful and violence-free. The Nigeria Police has already established an Elections Security Planning and Monitoring Unit.

42.   I am optimistic that with the cooperation of all law-abiding citizens of the country, our commitment to have a peaceful and violence-free election will be actualized.

43.   I will like to say this, once again, to my fellow politicians and political leaders. None of our political ambitions is worth the blood of any of our countrymen, women and children.  The improvement of their lives and living conditions ought to be our primary motive and the driving force of our quest for political power and leadership positions.

44.   Let us not promote sectionalism, disunity, intolerance, hate, falsehood or the malicious abuse of political opponents. Whatever we feel or seek, we must have a nation and a people before we can dream of political ambitions. Let us put the nation and the people first.

45.   Let us all conduct our electoral campaigns with the highest possible decorum and civility towards political opponents. Let us give INEC the fullest possible support and cooperation it requires to conduct credible and violence-free elections in 2015.

46.  After the 2011 general elections, some unpatriotic elements embarked on an orgy of violence, resulting in the destruction of lives and property. That will not be allowed to happen this time around. This government will act decisively against anyone who disrupts the public peace, before, during or after the 2015 general elections.

47. All Nigerians, of voting age, are free to vote based on their convictions. It is our duty to defend and protect that basic right, and let no one be in doubt, we will.

48.  Fellow Nigerians, I urge all of you to enter the New Year with renewed zeal and patriotism, to serve our fatherland with love, honesty, faithfulness and hope for a greater tomorrow.

49.   As I have always maintained, none of the challenges before us is insurmountable.  We must come together as a people and work with single-minded unity of purpose to overcome them.

50.  Nigeria is a key country in Africa. We must work together to maintain our strategic position and collaborate with others to move the continent forward. I call for peace in Africa and an end to all conflicts in our continent.  I urge all Africans to promote democracy in their respective countries to ensure faster development of the continent and faster economic and political integration.

51.    We will continue to pray and offer hands of fellowship and assistance to our fellow Africans suffering from the Ebola Virus Disease.  I urge all Nigerians to show compassion and contribute in whatever way we can to help our African brothers and sisters.

52.   As we go into this New Year, I salute the indomitable and resilient spirit of our people in Nigeria and wherever they are in the world.  Our spirit of enterprise and the doggedness to succeed amongst all odds has been our strength.

53.   With our collective prayers and efforts, we will grow our economy and our people will become wealthier. Government will continue with programmes deliberately designed to create more jobs for our youth, to enable them contribute more to the growth and development of our nation.

54.   Let us continue our march to the future, towards the attainment of our collective vision of a strong, united, prosperous and harmonious nation – a secure nation for us and for our coming generations.

55.   I wish you all a happy and fulfilling 2015.

56.   God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

57.   Happy New Year, Nigeria!

58.   I thank you all.
Punch

Pastor Enoch Adeboye Reveals 2015 Prophecies

As the world continues to groan under the heavy yoke of insurgency with no respite seemingly in sight, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has predicted that the phenomenon will be weakened world over in the New Year.

The revered man of God, in his prophecies listed under four categories of Individuals, International, RCCG and Nigeria, has also predicted that the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, which has killed over 7,000 people so far, will finally die.

Adeboye made these predictions at the crossover service held at the Redemption Camp, Kilometre 46, Lagos - Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, to usher in year 2015.

Reeling out the New Year predictions at about 1:15 a. m. before a mammoth crowd that gathered at the Arena Ground of the camp, the septuagenarian cleric, whose predictions hardly go unfulfilled, said God said the world should pray against "massive calamities, massive earthquakes and strong hurricanes and typhoons."

For Nigeria, expectedly, the man of God was not forthcoming in reeling out the mind of God in details, as, according to him, 2015 being an election year, he has to be miser with what God has told him about Nigeria.
"Unfortunately, because it is election year, I can't tell you all that God told me about Nigeria. But I will tell you this: "By the end of the year, many will say 'all is well that ends well.'"

The holiness preacher, who was clad in blue short-sleeve suit, however, did not go further to explain what God meant by "all is well that ends well," keeping the entire congregation in suspense as he gave no other prediction concerning the country hinging it on the sensitivity of the election year.
On what members of RCCG should expect in the New Year, the cleric, fondly called Daddy G.O. by all and sundry, told the gathering that the prophecies would be relayed to them through their pastors.
On prophecies about individuals, the seer said for members of the church, who obeyed the instruction to fast for 100 in 2014, they should expect great harvest of blessings from God.

He said God told him that 2015 will be a year of dreams fulfillment, miraculous completion of projects, miraculous restorations and a year that will replete with testimonies such that "those who have none before will have some this year."

The crossover service began with a Holy Communion service which was the last for year 2014 and thereafter a service of songs in which the GO's wife, Folu and her ensemble as well as the Mass Choir of the mission thrilled the congregation with theme hymns composed by Pastor Adeboye for previous annual programmes of the church.

 

CATEGORY 1: For individuals, particularly those who fasted during the 100 days fasting and prayer in 2014

1. The harvest of the 100 days fast will be given this year.
2. This year will be full of testimonies; Those who have none before will have some this year.
3. Some persons will swim in the river of abundance this year.
4. There will be miraculous completion of projects.
5. There will be fulfilment of dreams.
6. There will be miraculous restorations.
7. The song of many will be “The Lord has been good to me“.

CATEGORY 2 – INTERNATIONAL
1. Scientific and medical breakthroughs will be many; particularly in the areas of insomnia, dreams and brain dis-order.
2. Ebola will die out.
3. All over the world, insurgency will be considerably weakened.
4. Pray against massive calamities.
5. Pray against massive earthquakes, strong hurricanes and typhoons.

CATEGORY 3: FOR RCCG
This year, all you need is to charge up your batteries by fasting for FORTY DAYS only.
NB: Fasting begins 2nd January, 2015

CATEGORY 4: FOR NIGERIA
By the end of the year, many will say “All is well that ends well”

-RCCG

In a Foreign Policy Shift, Nigeria Sides with Israel over Palestine

 

• Recent Israeli assistance on Boko Haram influenced FG’s decision 

• Netanyahu hails Jonathan, Kagame, Palestine shocked

 

In a pivotal foreign policy shift, Nigeria on Tuesday night abstained from voting on a crucial United Nations Security Council resolution that would have ended Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip by 2017.

Nigeria’s position marked a departure from the past when the country always voted in favour of Palestine and had always thrown its weight behind a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

 

Nigeria had maintained that policy in what analysts believed was influenced by the religious undertones, with many Nigerian Muslims supporting Palestine, while there was also the Christianity affiliation between Nigeria and Israel.

However, foreign policy analysts who spoke to THISDAY on the issue on Wednesday said Nigeria’s change in policy may not be unconnected to the recent tangible assistance given by Israel in the war against Boko Haram in the North-east.

Israel, as opposed to the United States, Britain and other traditional Western allies, which have been engaged in semantics, has given Nigeria concrete assistance in the form of drones, arms, military advisers and training that has helped Nigerian troops in the push back against the insurgents in recent weeks.

 

The UN resolution had called for new talks based on territorial lines that existed before Israel’s occupation of the territories in 1967, and was the culmination of three months of campaigning by the Palestinians at the UN and had the backing of Arab states.

The Palestinians required nine votes from 15 permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.

 

Nigeria is currently one of the 10 non-permanent members, with its tenure expiring in 2015. Chad and Rwanda are the other African members.

However, Palestine got eight votes, one vote short during the vote which took place on Tuesday night.

 

The United States and Australia voted against the resolution, while Russia, China, France, Luxembourg, Jordan, Argentina, Chile and Chad voted for the resolution.

Nigeria, Britain, South Korea, Rwanda and Lithuania abstained.

Nigeria’s role stood out because until shortly before the vote, diplomats had expected the resolution to get nine “yes” votes, with Nigeria believed to be in support.

But at the last minute, Nigeria’s UN envoy, Prof. Joy Ogwu, abstained from voting, echoing the position of the US that the ultimate path to peace between Israel and Palestine lies “in a negotiated solution”.

 

Regardless of whether Palestine received nine votes, the resolution still stood no chance, as US would have deployed its veto powers as a permanent member to block it.

But analysts believe the US sought to avoid that scenario, as it would have angered Arab allies who are currently supporting a US-led international coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS.

 

To save the US from that awkward position, its Secretary of State, John Kerry, reached out to Nigeria to help block the move, the Times of Israel reported.

After the vote, US envoy, Samantha Power, said: “We voted against this resolution not because we are comfortable with the status quo. We voted against it because… peace must come from hard compromises that occur at the negotiating table.”

Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, also said he personally spoke to Jonathan and received his assurance of support.

“I would like to voice appreciation and thanks to the United States and Australia, and also special appreciation for the president of Rwanda, my friend Paul Kagame, and the president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan.

 

“I spoke with both of them. They told me and promised me, personally, that they would not support this resolution. They kept their word, and that’s what clinched this matter. I think this is very important for the state of Israel,” the PM said.

However, Palestinian officials who had lobbied Nigeria for months to back the vote and had received assurances from its officials, expressed shock at the change of heart.

Speaking to THISDAY on Wednesday, the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Nigeria, Dr. Montaser Abu-Zeid, expressed surprise at Nigeria’s action.

He disclosed that he had received the assurances of Nigeria's foreign ministry officials and had transmitted same to the Palestinian president and foreign minister.

 

“It was a surprise because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed me that they would vote for us, and I have informed my president and foreign minister. Even yesterday (Tuesday), they assured me they would vote for an end to the occupation.

 

“It is a shock for us, why they abstained, only Nigerian officials know, and you would have to ask them. We needed nine votes and eight countries including China, Russia and France voted for us.

“It is a sad day for us. Nigeria had recognised the state of Palestine since 1988 when it was even difficult times. They voted for the two-state solution, they voted for us on all issues on Israel and Palestine.

 

“Nigeria has been big brother to us, but at this crucial time, to vote to end the occupation, they abstain,” the envoy lamented.

Abu-Zeid however noted that Palestine still looks forward to more cooperation between both countries.

THISDAY’s attempts to get the official position on why Nigeria changed her foreign policy on the Israeli-Palestine conflict proved unsuccessful, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali did not pick calls to his phone, neither did he respond to a text message on the issue.

However, a source in the foreign affairs ministry said Nigeria’s decision to abstain was “strategic at critical juncture for us, as we have been battling the insurgency for six years”.

He added, “The Israelis have offered us concrete assistance and we cannot turn our backs on them. However, we will continue to support Palestine as a long-standing ally and strengthen relations with both countries,” he said.

 

The Israeli newspaper Ynet on Wednesday also alluded to Nigeria’s pivotal role in blocking the vote that would have ended Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
It said Nigeria was the ninth country that was supposed to give the Palestinians the necessary majority in the UN Security Council.

 

“In the end, it became the nation that swayed from Palestinian support to abstention and by doing so enabled the prevention of the unilateral Palestinian resolution to pass.”

Ynet further revealed that high-ranking officials within Israel’s foreign ministry had already come to terms with the fact that Nigeria would give Palestinian the ninth vote majority and that the US would then use its veto. But the events played out surprisingly different.

 

“We discovered that the Nigerians did not submit and did not break down and voted according to their conscience,” explained a high-ranking source at the foreign ministry.

What finally tipped the balance was a phone call made by Netanyahu to the President of Nigeria, he claimed.

 

Part of the change stemmed from the tightening relationship between Israel and Nigeria and from the common interests of the countries in the fight against global terrorism.

Israel was one of the first nations in the world to offer the Nigerians help in the struggle against the Boko Haram terrorist group.

 

According to various reports, Israel also sold the Nigerians weaponry to be used in the struggle, while the US had enacted an arms embargo against Nigeria.

Israel not only cooperates with Nigeria in the war on terror, but also in the areas of agriculture, construction, communication, intelligence and more. More than 50 Israeli companies operate in Nigeria in the civil engineering, energy, communication, and security industries among others.

Other than Nigeria, Rwanda was also a key African country that helped the Israeli effort to prevent the Palestinian resolution from passing in the UN – although their vote came as no surprise.

 

Israel has very good relations with Rwanda, especially between Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Rwanda's foreign minister and between Netanyahu and the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame.

Israel and Rwanda have several business relations and the foreign ministry invests in aid to Rwanda in several different categories. Another country that proved itself a loyal ally to Israel was Lithuania – which also abstained from voting.

 

Officials from Israel’s foreign ministry said: “We marked Africa as a target continent for our diplomatic efforts, but we have to say that there are regional and global circumstances that change the principles by which the diplomats function. One of the most important things today (Tuesday) is the struggle against radicalism and terror.”

Thisday

In New Year Messages, Jonathan, Buhari, Others Harp on Violence-free Elections

 President Goodluck Jonathan, former military Head of State, Major-General Muhammdu Buhari  

Our Correspondents

President Goodluck Jonathan, former military Head of State, Major-General Muhammdu Buhari and Senate President David Mark, among others, in their New Year messages have promised Nigerians a better future and a violence-free 2015 general election.

In his New Year broadcast, the president assured Nigerians that political campaigns and the 2015 general election would not distract his administration from its ongoing effort to significantly improve their living conditions.

 

He vowed that notwithstanding his involvement in the campaigns and election as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he would remain fully focused on providing good governance and delivering better public services to Nigerians.

 

The president also pledged that steps would be taken by his administration to shield the poor and low-medium income earners from the full brunt of measures included in the 2015 budget to ensure the stability of the national economy in the face of the current downturn in the prices of crude oil.   

“The federal government, under my leadership, has continued, in the past four years to lead our country forward, even under the most trying circumstances. The progress we have made in priority areas bears us testimony.

 

“The 2015 national budget, which is now before the National Assembly, is targeted at deepening our efforts at becoming a non-oil economy.

“The budget also includes measures to ensure that the downturn in the price of oil does not affect our development plans and our national economy too adversely.

“We are adjusting our financial processes to safeguard our economy.  We are also taking steps to ensure that the poor and the low and medium income earners do not bear the brunt,” he said

The president also reassured Nigerians and the global community of his administration’s resolute commitment to free, fair, credible and acceptable elections.

 

He also warned that firm and decisive action would be taken against any individual or groups who attempt to disrupt the public peace before, during or after the 2015 elections.

“The elections are very important for us as a country.  Their successful conclusion will further strengthen our democratic institutions and place our beloved country even more firmly in the comity of truly democratic nations.

“Given the challenges that have characterised some previous electoral contests in our country, the eyes of the world will certainly be on the conduct and outcome of our fifth post-military rule general election.

 

“I reassure all Nigerians and the international community of our firm commitment to free, fair and credible elections. My commitment to free elections and one man, one vote remains unwavering.

“Our administration has worked hard in previous elections to prepare all key stakeholders including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the electorate optimally, to ensure a progressively improved electoral process in the country under my watch.  We will continue to do so for the coming elections,” he said.

 

He expressed optimism that with the cooperation of all law-abiding citizens of the country, the government’s commitment to have a peaceful and violence-free election will be actualised.

He called on politicians and parties to stop the promotion of sectionalism, disunity, intolerance, hate, falsehood or the malicious abuse of political opponents, adding: “Whatever we feel or seek, we must have a nation and a people before we can dream of political ambitions. Let us put the nation and the people first.”

 

He recalled that after the 2011 general election, “some unpatriotic elements embarked on an orgy of violence, resulting in the destruction of lives and property”, but promised that this would not be allowed to happen in 2015.

“This government will act decisively against anyone who disrupts the public peace, before, during or after the 2015 general election. All Nigerians, of voting age, are free to vote based on their convictions. It is our duty to defend and protect that basic right, and let no one be in doubt, we will,” Jonathan declared.

 

He also praised the gallant officers, men and women of the armed forces and other security agencies who have been at the forefront of the war against terrorism and violent extremism in Nigeria.

“I want to assure you that the terrorists will not get away with their atrocities: they will not win; they will be routed,” Jonathan said.

 

Wishing Nigerians a happy and prosperous 2015, the president urged them to enter the New Year with renewed hope, patriotism and zeal to serve their fatherland.

In his message, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) promised that a vote for him will lead to cheaper electricity tariff, free education and effective security of lives and property.

 

He urged Nigerians, especially the youths to march into 2015 with renewed hope and the knowledge that things can and will change.

“In Nigeria’s case, we can truly look forward to the change that the elections can and will bring. Our country will be secure again. Our country will prosper again,” he said.

Buhari blamed the Jonathan administration for declaring a regime of “austerity” that will be executed in 2015, stating that with the devaluation of the naira by the government the resultant effect will be that the price of goods and services will rise.

 

“My message to you is to use your voter’s card on February 14, 2015 to liberate our country by voting for a real happy New Year for yourselves. Your vote for us will translate to cheaper electricity, food security, accelerated power supply, integrated transport network, free education, affordable health care service and effective security of lives and property,” he said.

Buhari said all that is required is a disciplined and visionary leadership that genuinely and determinedly fights corruption while utilising the talents of the country’s best brains in the task of national redemption and rejuvenation.

 

On their part, the senate president and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, urged citizens to look up to the New Year with renewed hope.

The duo, in separate goodwill messages, reflected on the myriad of problems facing the nation as well as the unprecedented 15 years of unbroken democracy and encouraged Nigerians to consolidate on this feat through violence-free polls.

 

Mark said: “There is no doubt that the situation especially insecurity is challenging. We cannot pretend that all is well with us. But we are a nation of good faith in one God. When it seems impossible. God will make it possible.”

 

On the forthcoming general election, Mark advised politicians to play the game according to the rules, saying civilised and decent societies are usually governed by laws and not a display of might.

“We must also remember that we must have a peaceful country before we can have the platform to pursue our individual or group ambitions,” he added.

In his own message, Ekweremadu called for prayers and patriotic action towards the success of the 2015 general election.

 

According to him, the forthcoming election is a potential milestone for the nation’s democracy and development, adding that the continuity of the current democratic dispensation, which is unprecedented in the nation’s history, has been made possible by sacrifice, commitment and determination on the part of Nigerians.

 

In his message, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, urged Nigerians to take special interest in the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the North-east who have been forced out of their homes as a result of the insurgency.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said IDPs in various camps within and outside the country deserve the public’s support at all times, adding that governments at all levels must put in place a comprehensive and coordinated strategy that will enhance the welfare and living conditions of the affected persons.

 

According to him, the House in conjunction with other arms of government will support any effort aimed at finding durable solutions to the challenges of the IDPs.

Tambuwal said Nigerians have resolved not to give in to terror, and expressed optimism that the present security challenges faced by the country will soon be a thing of the past.
He equally wished all Nigerians a happy and prosperous New Year

Thisday

Carnival Calabar Celebrates 10th Edition with Usual Fanfare

Goverrnor Imoke cutting the tape to flag off the carnival

 Africa’s largest street party recorded a major milestone over the weekend as the annual Carnival Calabar staged a 10th successive edition with the usual pomp. Themed “Celebration Time”, the carnival kicked off on Friday, December 26, with the children carnival, while the main event was held on Saturday, December 27.

 

Speaking on Saturday during the traditional tape-cutting ceremony at the Millennium Park Calabar to kick of the 12-kilometre stretch that forms the  carnival route, Cross River  state governor, Liyel imoke said “We are celebrating 10 years of the carnival, the greatest street party ever; the greatest show in West Africa, this is just the beginning.”

Ladies adorned in traditional garb

Imoke who as usual was in a carnival costume, was accompanied by his gaily-dressed wife, Obioma Imoke, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke, the PDP governorship candidate for the 2015 governorship election in Cross River, Prof. Ben Ayade, the Israeli ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Uriel Palti among other personalities.

 

Governor Imoke described the carnival and its unique quality of promoting creativity and unity among Nigerians. He commended the efforts of residents of the state and participants for making the 2014 carnival a success.

 

Despite no publicity or media hype as was the case in the past, the carnival still lived up to the pacesetting quality of previous editions, thus cementing its reputation as Nigeria’s premier tourism event. As usual, the carnival route proceeded from the Millennium Park, through Mary Slessor Roundabout, Marian Road all the way to the U.J. Esuene stadium where the final performances were staged till the early hours of Sunday, December 28.

Revellers at the carnival

 

On hand to provide entertainment during the carnival were P-Square, who thrilled the large crowd lining the streets with signature dance steps to complement present and past hits. P-Square, who came dressed as pirates were not the only famous faces as Jim Iyke, Kate Henshaw, IK  Osakioduwa of Big Brother fame and many other Nigerian stars were present.

The Carnival was won by Masta Blasta, who retained their title by defeating the four other competing bands. Masta Blasta wowed the captive audience with live magic tricks both on the streets and at the stadium.

 

Among the sponsors and supporters of the carnival were MTN, First Bank, Pepsi and Dangote.

Mr Gabriel Onah, the Chairman of the Calabar Carnival Commission, said the carnival had continued to grow from strength to strength with new innovations added to it yearly.

“We are celebrating 10 years of Cross River carnival, 10 years of oneness and unity, 10 years in showcasing what we have and what we are and 10 years of our culture and heritage.“
Palti, who described the environment of Calabar as “friendly“, said he was in Calabar with his family to participate in the carnival.

Thisday

Defend yourselves against B’Haram, JNI tells Muslims

 

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Wednesday asked Muslims in the country to defend themselves against attacks by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

 

The JNI said it had become obvious that the Federal Government was incapable of dealing with the insurgents.

“That Muslims are strongly urged to defend themselves, in appropriate manner against any attack by insurgents and all other acts of violence by criminals, as it is a religious obligation to do so, particularly that government forces currently seem to be incapable,” a communiqué signed by the JNI’s Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu, said on Wednesday in Kaduna.

 

Appraising the Federal Government’s efforts in curbing the activities of the insurgents, the   body said the government had failed and was indeed incapable of tackling the Boko Haram members.

The communiqué was the outcome of a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on “the security situation in the country,” organised by the JNI.

 

It partly read, “That the current security challenges bedevilling the country persist largely as a result of the inability of government to deploy effective strategies to tackle them.

“That the manifest low morale of troops due to inadequate welfare, lack of desired weaponry and failure of intelligence among other reasons are severely hindering the fight against insurgency.

“That despite the devastation being caused by the incessant sophisticated bombings evidenced by huge losses of innocent lives and gross destruction of properties, our politicians at all levels and in all political parties regrettably show very scanty or no concern about the national predicament and anguish but are only busy with political campaigns.

“That the economic base and development of the country are being systematically and grossly crippled by all forms of insurgencies, from Boko Haram to cattle rustling, oil bunkering/theft and other militancy.

 

“That Muslims are strongly urged to defend themselves, in appropriate manner against any attack by insurgents and all other acts of violence by criminals, as it a religious obligation to do so, particularly that government forces currently seem to be incapable.”

The Sultan-led JNI , therefore, noted that for Nigeria to regain and maintain its glory anchored on peace and progress, government must wake up to its fundamental constitutional responsibility of providing adequate security to the citizens of this country so as to stop the increasing human carnage and destruction of valuable properties.

 

It advised the government to consider alternative means of finding solution to the Boko Haram menace, such as infrastructural development, youth employment programmes and stepping up the dialogue option “rather than depending on force alone since it has so far proved to be ineffective.”

It added that there was the urgent need to deploy necessary intelligence and security measures to curtail or possibly stop the illegal importation and proliferation of arms and ammunition, saying these had been contributing to the escalation of insurgency and other related criminal activities.

Besides, the JNI said the Civilian Joint Task Forces, hunters and retired security officers, who had gallantly assisted the Nigerian security forces in the fight against insurgency, cattle rustling and other crimes should be given all the necessary support and encouragement as their intervention had helped positively in frontline state.

Punch

Fashola says VP tax comments shows ignorance

Governor Babatunde Fashola

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Wednesday, described the comment credited to Vice President Namadi Sambo that industries were relocating from Lagos because of tax, as a serious display of ignorance.

The governor was, however, quick to note that the statement credited to the VP might not be what he said.
 

The governor spoke during the maiden edition of end of the year media chat in the Lagos House, Ikeja.

He said, “He probably was misquoted because if it was true, it shows a serious display of ignorance.

“As the Chairman of the Nigerian National Economic Council, if the VP misunderstands what is happening in the commercial capital of the country, it may be a very revealing index into their understanding of the country’s economy.
 

“It may also confirm to you some of the things you hear from the President when he said he receives all sorts of contradictory advice; maybe this is part of it. It is a very dangerous statement to make; it is either ignorant or diabolical, or both. Either way, it is not good because it tells you why the economy is not functioning.”
 

The governor explained that taxation was one of the instruments that Lagos developed, according to the enabling laws, to help it break even.

He said the constitution allocated responsibilities to the three tiers of government on revenue collection, adding that no one should mistake taxes for administrative charges for particular services.

The governor said the state economy was not based on oil revenues, but people, adding that the state had strategised against the current shortfall in the projected income from the oil revenue.

He added, “Although Lagos is not immune to the national effects of the dwindling revenue, we will survive whatever happened to oil because our economy is not built on oil.”
 

Fashola said Lagos was already feeling the pinch of revenue fall as the 2014 budget implementation had dropped from 84 per cent to 81 per cent in the last quarter.

He said the state had prepared for days like these, investing in infrastructure that would sustain the economy.

He added that the economic hardship before the country was self-inflicted, saying the government in power had failed to maximise the infrastructural use of oil proceeds when it was high and when the naira was more valuable.
 

“When the price of oil was over $100 per barrel, what were we doing with it? We couldn’t record how much we were making and we were fighting over who had the most accurate record. That is why I said it was self-inflicted. Can a team that couldn’t do that now do more with less? Certainly not. Some challenges lies ahead but it is also a time for many to start being imaginative and creative.”

Fashola also observed that the gradual return of commercial motorcycle riders to the state highway was due to poor enforcement by the police.
Punch

Omisore advises Osun workers

Senator Iyiola Omisore
| credits: en.wikipedia.org

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has urged civil servants in the state not to despair despite the delay in the payment of their salaries.

Omisore said this in his New Year goodwill message to the people of the state.

 

In a statement in Osogbo on Wednesday, Omisore said the challenges confronting the people of the state would soon be over, with the coming of the year 2015.In the message circulated by his media aide, Mr. Victor Oriola, Omisore, who is a former deputy governor in the state, said that he was aware that most of the workers had not been paid for the past three months, while market women and artisans were experiencing very low patronage due to the salaries issues.

Punch

Two-Year-Old Son Accidentally Shot Mother Dead in US

US woman accidentally shot dead by son, two, in Idaho Wal-Mart

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The BBC's Peter Bowes reports on the "tragic series of events"

A woman in the US state of Idaho has been killed after her two-year-old son accidentally shot her with a gun he found when reaching into her handbag.

The woman, named by the local sheriff's office as Veronica J Rutledge, 29, was shot in a Wal-Mart in Hayden, a town in Idaho's northern panhandle.

She had been shopping with several children at the time, a spokesman for the office said.

Officials said Ms Rutledge had had a concealed weapons permit.

She and her children had been in the rear of the store near the electronics area when the shooting occurred, they said.

The Wal-Mart closed after the shooting and is not expected to reopen until Wednesday.

Witnesses and video surveillance from the store helped officials determine the shooting was accidental, said broadcaster KREM.

The victim came from Blackfoot, a town

Islamic State releases interview with captured Jordan pilot

© AP This image posted by the Raqqa Media Center of the Islamic State group, a militant extremist group, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows members of the Islamic State group while captured the pilot, center, wearing a… The hardline Islamic State group has released what it said was an interview with a Jordanian pilot captured last week after his plane crashed during U.S.-led coalition bombing in eastern Syria.

It was not possible to independently verify the interview published in the group's English-language online magazine Dabiq in which First Lieutenant Muath al Kasaesbeh was quoted as saying his F-16 fighter was "struck by a heat seeking missile".

"I heard and felt its hit. The other Jordanian pilot in the mission contacted me from a participating jet and told me that I was struck and that fire was coming out of the rear nozzle of my engine," Kasaesbeh said.

 

He made brief comments about life at his base, sharing meals with hundreds of U.S. personnel.

"The Americans sometimes have dinner with us and eat mansaf (a traditional Arab dish) which they like a lot. Their talk does not include details about operations because of matters of secrecy and security."

Jordan declined comment on the interview, the first since IS published photographs purporting to show his capture.

 

Kasaesbeh, who comes from a prominent Jordanian family, is the first pilot from the coalition known to have been captured by Islamic State.

Kasaesbeh's jet crashed last week in a rural area in Syria's Raqqa province, the group's stronghold. Jordan's government at first said the crash could have been the result of a missile attack but later it said there was no proof.

 

Jordan is one of several Arab countries taking part in a U.S.-led coalition to strike the hardline group which announced an Islamic caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq where it has imposed its radical interpretation of Islam.

Kasaesbeh's capture shocked the country. Several politicians and lawmakers called on the government to pull out of the coalition. The authorities said his capture would not weaken its resolve to fight militant Islamist groups.

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Mariam Karouny and Ralph Boulton)

Reuters

China businessman jailed for 13 years over tiger feast

© Fournis par AFP Tiger bones have long been an ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine, supposedly for a capacity to strengthen the human body. 
             
A Chinese businessman who bought and ate three tigers has been sentenced to 13 years in prison, state media reported Tuesday.

The wealthy real estate developer, identified only by his surname Xu, has "a special hobby of grilling tiger bones, boning tiger paws, storing tiger penis, eating tiger meat and drinking tiger blood alcohol," the official Xinhua news agency said in June when he went on trial.
Xu organised three separate trips last year for a total of 15 people, including himself, to Leizhou in the southern province of Guangdong, where they bought tigers for a "huge amount of money" that were killed and dismembered as they watched, the government-run news portal gxnews.com.cn reported Tuesday.

One of them filmed the entire process of a tiger slaughter with his mobile phone. The footage was later obtained by police.
Police seized eight pieces of animal meat and bones from a refrigerator in Xu's home, some of which were later identified as tiger parts, including a penis, the report said, adding that 16 geckos and a cobra were also found.

A court in Guangxi earlier this year convicted the 15 of "illegally transporting precious and endangered wild animal products" but the conviction was not reported at the time.
Xu was sentenced to 13 years in prison and a fine of 1.55 million yuan ($25,000), gxnews.com.cn said, with the others jailed for terms between five and six and a half years, and given smaller fines.
They appealed and a higher court upheld the ruling on Monday, the report said.
Tiger bones have long been an ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine, supposedly for a capacity to strengthen the human body, and while they have been removed from its official ingredient list the belief persists among some.

It is a long-held belief across parts of Asia that penises of animals such as tigers and seals can boost men's sexual performance.
There is no orthodox scientific evidence for such claims.
Decades of trafficking and habitat destruction have slashed the tiger population from 100,000 a century ago to approximately 3,000, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of threatened species, where the tiger is classed as endangered
AFP

Canada police: Man kills 8 people before taking own life

© AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jason Franson The body of a victim is carried out of a north Edmonton home in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014. Nine people, including seven adults and two young children, were found dead at three…

EDMONTON, Alberta — A man with a lengthy criminal record killed six adults and two young children before taking his own life in Edmonton in what the police chief on Tuesday called the western Canadian city's worst mass murder.

Edmonton Police Chief Rod Knecht told a news conference late Tuesday night that there was no suggestion of gang involvement and said the motive for the "senseless mass murder" appears to have been "planned and deliberate" domestic violence.

"It's terrible for the city," Knecht said. "The scene ... has been described as chaotic, horrific. Particularly when there's children involved, it has a tremendous impact on our folks."
Knecht did not release the name of the suspect, but said the man was well-known to police and had a criminal record dating back to September 1987.

Cindy Duong, 37, was fatally shot in a home in south Edmonton on Monday, while two men and three women between the ages of 25 and 50, and a girl and a boy — both under the age of 10 — were found dead a few hours later at a home in the northeast.

The suspect was found dead by his own hand in a restaurant in the Edmonton bedroom community of Fort Saskatchewan on Tuesday morning. A police tactical team had surrounded the area and reportedly smashed through the front of the restaurant with a vehicle before finding the suspect dead.
Duong's body was found around 7 p.m. Monday when police responded to a report of a man entering the south-side home, opening fire and fleeing, Knecht said.
An hour and a half later, officers responded to reports of a suicidal man at a northeast residence in a quiet cul de sac, the same home where the suspect had been arrested in November 2012 and charged with domestic and sexual assault.

Family members reported in the call that the man was "depressed and over-emotional."
When officers arrived, no one answered the door, Knecht said. They searched the exterior of the home but found nothing overtly suspicious and did not go inside.
"We can't just arbitrarily go into that residence," explained the chief.
Hours later police were contacted by a second person and returned to the residence. When they went inside, they found a scene of carnage with seven bodies.

Neighbor Moe Assiff said he saw officers come out and talk to a woman sitting with a man in a white car outside the house.
"She just let out a hysterical scream. It was eerie," Assiff said. "She was screaming about her kids: 'My kids! The kids!,' grabbing her hair and trying to pull her hair out. The cops then ushered her down the road into a police cruiser."
Outside the restaurant where the suspect's body was found, police found a parked black SUV that they say was seen near the location of the first shooting. Knecht said the suspect had a business interest in the restaurant, but would not say if he was the owner.

Investigators have determined the 9 mm handgun used in the killings was a registered weapon that had been stolen in Surrey, British Columbia, in 2006.
In Edmonton, a city of 878,000 people, mass murders are extremely rare. Knecht said the case was the worst mass killing in the city since at least 1956, when six people were murdered.
John Etter Clark, a provincial politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for four years, killed his wife, son, three daughters and an employee of their family farm before taking his own life in 1956. Clark had been suffering from frequent nervous breakdowns in the years before the killings. © AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jason Franson Edmonton City Police Chief Rod Knecht speaks about multiple homicides that took place at different scenes over night in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014. Police have confirmed the deaths of
AP

Scotland: Ebola Nurse To Be Given Experimental Drug

© Sky News Pauline Cafferkey
Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey is to be given a new anti-viral drug to help her fight Ebola - and the next few days will be "critical" for her, doctors say.

Dr Michael Jacobs, treating her in an isolation tent at the Royal Free Hospital in North London, said the unnamed medicine is experimental and "not proven to work".
The 39-year-old, the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the UK, has also received convalescent plasma from donors who survived the disease.

It contains antibodies that doctors hope will help her fight the virus, which she contracted while treating Ebola patients in West Africa.
Dr Jacobs told a news conference: "She is sitting up and talking. She is able to read.
"She's been eating a bit, drinking and she's been in communication with her family, which has been really nice.

"She's as well as we can hope for at this stage of the illness. She's had the treatment, it's gone very smoothly, no side effects at all."
Ms Cafferkey, a public health nurse at Blantyre Health Centre in South Lanarkshire, was part of a 30-strong team treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone.
She fell ill hours after she was given the all-clear at Heathrow, despite raising fears about her temperature with officials at the airport.

Her experience has prompted questions about the effectiveness of UK Ebola screening, with procedures at Heathrow branded "chaotic" by her colleagues.
Dr Jacobs said the Royal Free Hospital was unable to obtain ZMapp, the drug used to treat fellow British volunteer nurse William Pooley, because "there is none in the world at the moment".
"Although it's been used in a handful of patients, we simply don't know if ZMapp works and is of benefit to patients," he said.

He did not name the anti-viral drug she has agreed to take, but said: "There's obviously very good reason to believe it's going to help her, otherwise we wouldn't be using it at all, but we simply don't have enough information to say that's the case.
"The one thing I'll say about the drug - it has been used extensively in people previously for different reasons, and it has a very good safety record in humans which has encouraged us to use it in this experimental way."

He added: "We are naturally cautious, particularly when we are aware that this disease is so variable in what it does.
"I make no prognosis about the next days, until we see what happens."
He said a lot had been learned about Ebola, but stressed the disease was unpredictable and there was no proven cure: "We are left with that uncertainty, and we are just going to have to take this day by day."
Dr Jacobs said Ms Cafferkey's family are unable to touch her, but can talk to her through an internal communication system
Sky News

New Year's Eve stampede kills 35 on Shanghai's Bund tourist strip

A stampede killed at least 35 people and injured 43 during New Year's Eve celebrations in Shanghai, on the city's famed waterfront tourist strip known as the Bund, authorities said.

© REUTERS/Aly Song Relatives of a victim hug as they wait at a hospital where injured people of a stampede incident are treated in Shanghai January 1, 2015.

The Shanghai government said that large crowds started to stampede in Chen Yi Square on the Bund just before midnight, with authorities working to rescue and aid the wounded.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the stampede. The official Xinhua news agency said many of the injured were students.

The government said on its official microblog that an inquiry had begun, with city leaders rushing to the scene and to hospitals to visit the injured. An emergency meeting would be held to ensure stepped-up safety measures were taken throughout the city.

Photographs on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, showed densely packed crowds of revellers along the Bund, which is lined with buildings from Shanghai's pre-communist heyday on the bank of the Huangpu River.

© REUTERS/Aly Song A friend of a victim covers his face as he waits outside a hospital where injured people of a stampede incident are treated, in Shanghai January 1, 2015.

In some photographs, rescue workers were seen trying to resuscitate victims lying on the pavement while ambulances waited nearby.

Authorities had shown some concern about crowd control in the days leading up to New Year's eve. They recently cancelled an annual 3D laser show on the Bund that last year attracted as many as 300,000 people.

At dawn on Thursday, there were still small crowds of revellers trying to find taxis home and workers were clearing up trash strewn around the Bund. There was little sign of the mayhem that had broken out just hours earlier.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Pete Sweeney; Editing by Howard Goller and Mark Bendeich)

Reuters