NEMA presents food items for the rehabilitation of 800 repented Boko Haram insurgents

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) presented food and non-food items to the military for Operation Safe Corridor Programme meant to de-radicalize, rehabilitate and re-integrate eight hundred (800) repented and surrendered Boko Haram insurgents to fast track peace process in the North east.

Presenting the items in Gombe, the Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi said:

"The initiative, which is in line with international best practices allowed those engaged in the fighting to voluntarily surrender and embrace peace so that they undergo rehabilitation"

He said NEMA would play its role in the programme by providing regular support of food and non-food items for their up keep. Items to be released for this purpose every three months include; 410 bags of rice, 400 bags of beans, 200 bags of millet, 200 bags of sorghum, 750 cartons of spaghetti, 50 cartons of Maggi cubes and 810 cartons tomato paste. Others are 101 Vegetable oil in 20 liter kegs, 101 palm oil in 20 liter kegs, 50 bags of salt, 100 bags of sugar, 420 cartons of milk and 420 cartons of milo chocolate.

The non food items include; 800 pieces of mattress, 500 hundred pieces of blanket, 500 pieces of nylon mats, 1000 plastic buckets, 1000 plastic spoons, 1000 plastic cups 1000, plastics plates, 1000 plastic pairs of slippers, 2000 men’s wear, 63 cartons of bath soap and 1000 bath towels.

Receiving the items, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier- General BM Shafa said the initiative was designed to de-radicalize, rehabilitate and re-integrate willing and repented Boko Haram insurgents who have come out to surrender to the military and believing that it would quicken the peace process in the North east.

"Between September last year and February this year a good number of Boko haram have come out to surrender" he added.

He thanked the Gombe State Government for providing the location and giving them all the necessary support. About eleven (11) agencies of Federal Government are directly involved in the Operation Safe Corridor programme.



Source: NEMA 

Michelle Obama stuns at the White House state dinner

President Obama hosted Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife, Ho Ching at the 12th state dinner Tuesday night in Washington. The black-tie affair – called by the White House a 'celebration of summer bounty' – marked the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between the U.S. and the city-state, which Obama referred to as an anchor for the U.S. presence in Southeast Asia. More photos after the cut..

Man hospitalized after waiting 10 days at airport for Chinese online lover

A 41-year-old Dutch man, Alexander Pieter Cirk was taken to the hospital for exhaustion after waiting 10 days in a Chinese airport to meet his online girlfriend named Zhang. Cirk met his 26-year-old girlfriend on an app two months before and decided to fly to visit her. But she did not come to meet him at the airport, BBC reported.
The 26-year-old girlfriend, Zhang told Chinese media she thought it was a joke. She said she was in a different province getting plastic surgery done and had her phone off when Cirk came to visit.

She told Hunan TV:

“We had advanced our romantic relationship but later he seemed a little callous towards me. “One day he sent me a photo of air tickets abruptly and I thought it was a joke. He didn't contact me later.”

Mr Cirk reportedly flew back to the Netherlands shortly after being treated in hospital.

Despite the failed first meeting Ms Zhang is said to be willing to meet Cirk after his recovery and continue their relationship.


Source: BBC 

Photos: Nigerian Pop icon 2Face Idibia spotted in Milan days after The Voice Nigeria

The music star was seen in and around Milan earlier today, looking like he's in Italy for a business visit. He likely flew to Milan straight from South Africa where he had been recording The Voice Nigeria which ended on Sunday. More photos after the cut..

There was recession during the last administration but it was covered up- Rotimi Amaechi

Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi says during the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Nigeria went into recession but was covered up by the government who preferred to call it cash-strapped.‎ Amaechi said this in an interview on the Osasu show:

“People just pick up words without knowing what words mean. Even under Goodluck we went into recession. I am one of those who participated in the budget. We looked at what happened in the past and we discovered that actually if recession means three times, we have done more than the three times before we came in. The difference is that while our government is transparent and open, we are able to admit that, federal government was saying even to me as chairman of governor’s forum, ‘Amaechi, don’t say that again. If you remember as Governor, I said we’re broke. 

The minister for finance came to my office in Abuja here and pleaded with me that I shouldn’t say it again. That if I said it, it would affect Nigeria in terms of investment that investors will run away. That I shouldn’t say we are broke. I should say we are cashed strapped. That was what Ngozi Okonjo Iweala told me. So I knew as chairman of Governor’s forum, that we had gone into recession under Goodluck. I knew as chairman of governor’s forum. 

And when I open my mouth to say it, that we are broke, she spoke to me not to say it.”‎he said

Newly single Lady Gaga steps out braless in see through top

Newly single Lady Gaga was seen walking to a recording studio in New York on Tuesday, in a see through top and she wasn't wearing any bra underneath it. More photos after the cut...

 

Nigerian man arrested in India for drug trafficking, fake passport

Four key members of an international narcotic drug cartel including a Nigerian have been arrested by the police in India.
The Nigerian, Michael Chinedu Chukwudi, was nabbed alongside Balwinder Singh, Surender Singh, and Catherine Leonard Mrope, a Tanzania national.
According to India Today, the suspects were arrested following a tip-off.

The suspects usually smuggled drugs inside household items. They had secret cavities carved inside suitcases, bags, household items used to safely smuggle the drugs to India.
Prior to their arrest, the police had received information that two persons: Balwinder Singh and Surender Singh came to Delhi and had procured a big consignment of heroin from African nationals from Dwarka and were to supply heroin near Rohini jail.
Following the information, the police reportedly laid a trap near the petrol pump and arrested the duo who disclosed that they were part of a massive international narcotic syndicate.

An Assistant Police Inspector, API Wagh, said about 4 kilograms of heroin were recovered from the drug suppliers, a car, several mobile handsets along with SIM cards used in drug trafficking were also recovered,

The international value of recovered heroin is over Rs 16 crores,” the police inspector said.

“Police formed two teams conducted simultaneous raids at both the hideouts in Dwarka and Gurgaon.
“During this operation, the main kingpin of this cartel, Nigeria’s Michael Chinedu Chukwudi was nabbed from his rented house in Gurgaon and one kg heroin was recovered from him. Two passports were also recovered from his apartment.
“In the other raid at other rented house of the said Nigerian, two more passports from Tanzania and South Africa having photographs of his wife Catherine Leonard Mrope were recovered.
“Fake passport of South Africa was also having stickers of fake visa of India and fake immigration stamps.
“His wife, Catherine Leonard Mrope was also arrested for illegally staying in India and for forgery and possession of fake passport and other incriminating documents.
Both foreigners were interrogated in detail, during which Michael Chinedu Chukwudi reportedly said he has been supplying heroin to drugs supplier including Balwinder and Surender the last six months, adding that he used to get the supply of heroin from another Nigerian.”

Chukwudi was also said to have told the police that the fake South African passport was forged by him because his Nigerian passport had expired and he had to shift to Gurgaon a week ago.

ICPC drags doctor to court for demanding N320,000 bribe before surgery

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, on Monday, arraigned a former Consultant Cardio-thoracic Surgeon in the Department of Surgery, University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu, Professor Martin Aghaji, over an alleged bribe.

Aghaji was arraigned before Justice R. O. Odugu of a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, on a 4-count charge of allegedly demanding and receiving bribe in the course of his official duties.
The accused, sometime in 2003 while being a public officer, had allegedly used his position as a Consultant Cardio-thoracic Surgeon at UNTH Enugu, to demand N320, 000 and received N70, 000, before he could carry out a surgical operation on one late Francis Ebeogbodi, which he never did before the patient passed on.

The judge said investigations have shown that although it is unethical for doctors in public service to demand and accept money before performing their official duties, the accused had allegedly done so.

The charges bordered on administrative corruption, extortion and conferring corrupt advantages on himself, which violate Sections 8 and 19 and are punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

He was granted N500, 000 bail on self-recognition and the case was adjourned till August 20 for mention.

FCMB manager: Money did not make him commit suicide – Family member

As speculations trail the death of Olisa Nwakoby, the manager of First City Monument Bank, FCMB Plc branch in Lekki, Lagos state, family members have reacted, saying Nwakoby could not have killed himself simply because he was indebted to the bank.

A close member of the family dismissed reports making the rounds, insisting that the deceased may not have killed himself over money issues because he is from a very rich family and the money he was reported to be owing the bank is chicken feed to his family.

Speaking with Pulse, the family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Olisa was depressed all right but I can tell you that the N350 million loan debt that people are saying could have led him to commit suicide is far from the truth.

“Those who know the Nwakoby family will know that they are very rich with choice properties in Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and in Europe.
“Something must have triggered the suicide and not the money because the family had been making plans to sell one or two houses to raise the money to pay back the loan.

“In fact, one of his brothers could bring out the money without stress, so that could not have been the reason Olisa killed himself. There is more than meets the eyes,” the family member added.

It would be recalled that Nwakoby last week committed suicide in front of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Lekki, area of the state.

Nwakoby, 44, shot himself in the head, over a bad debt estimated at N350m on Thursday
Daily Post

Half-naked women protest against killings in Kaduna

Half-naked women on Tuesday protested over alleged night attacks by herdsmen on Ninte village in Godogodo Chiefdom of Jema’a Local Government, Kaduna State.

The women from Ninte and surrounding villages staged the protest at the palace of the Chief of Godogodo.
The women demanded government intervention to stop the alleged increasing cases of night killings, rape, burning of houses by some assailants in the area.

Spokesperson of the protesters, Mrs. Deborah Reuben, accused the government of insensitivity to their plight since the incident started in May.
“The situation is unhealthy as it is no longer safe.
“The government we voted into power has left us at the mercy of armed herdsmen, farms cannot be cultivated in the face of high level of impunity,” she lamented.

Responding, the Chief of Godogodo, Malam Iliya Ajiya appealed to the protesting women to remain calm as everything possible was being done to bring the situation under control.

When contacted, the Interim Chairman of Jema’a local council, Dr. Bege Katukah confirmed to NAN in a telephone interview that security men had been mobilised to the affected community.
NAN learnt that residents of the affected villages have been relocating to Godogodo, Antang and Gidan Waya, for their safety.

NAN

Jibrin living above his means as a legislator, lecturer – Adams Jagaba

The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Interior, Adams Jagaba has pointed an accusing finger on former Chairman of the House committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, saying that the former lecturer, now anti-corruption crusader, is living above his means.


Recall that Jibrin had yesterday submitted a petition on budget padding to the ICPC, other anti-graft agencies and the police against Jagaba, the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara and other leaders of the Lower Chamber.
Jagaba, who made the accusation yesterday while speaking with journalists in Abuja, wondered how Jibrin, who is a lawmaker and a former lecturer, live in “a posh personal apartment at the highbrow Maitama District” of Abuja.

He added, “Ordinarily, I would have ignored the said publication, but I am compelled to respond for posterity sake.
“Without sounding immodest, my anti-corruption crusade dates back to my first term between 1999 and 2003, when I exposed the plot of the Presidency which attempted to bribe Honourable Members for the purposes of effecting a leadership change in the House of Representatives.
“As Chairman, House Committee on Anti-Corruption then, I exhibited the money meant for that plot on the floor of the House at plenary.
“Again, in 2012, during the scandal that was referred to as “FAROUKGATE”, my name was mentioned. However, after thorough investigation by the Police and other relevant agencies, I was exonerated and given a clean bill of health,” he said

Jagaba further claimed that he has not changed his 2013 Toyota RAV4 mid-size SUV unlike Jibrin.

He continued, “It amazes me, therefore, for Hon. Abdulmumini to petition the EFCC to investigate me for living above my means without giving any proof.
“As a third term member of the House of Representatives, I live in a rented three-bedroom apartment that has no Boys Quarters. Amongst the cars I drive, the most expensive one is a 2013 Toyota RAV4 2.2 litre engine.
“I do not move around with a convoy of expensive cars. If as a third termer and at 56 years of age this is a summary of my life-style as stated above, I have nothing to fear. Can this be said of Hon. Abdulmumini who is less than forty (40) years old and only a second termer? Certainly not.
“Hon. Abdulmumini may claim that he has been into business for a long time. But the question remains, what type of business? Before his election in 2011, he was a lecturer.
“It is a known fact that he was arraigned by the EFCC in 2012 for some shady deals he got involved. It is characters like him who should tremble in fear at the mention of the name of EFCC.
“I hope I should not have cause to pick up my pen on this issue again, as Hon. Abdulmumini may not find it palatable.

“My counsel to him, therefore, is: ‘Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones’”.

Why we cancelled declaration of Niger Delta Republic – Adaka Boro Avengers

A militant group, the Adaka Boro Avengers, ABA, said yesterday that it has cancelled earlier plan to declare the Niger Delta territory a Republic today (Monday).

The militant, however, threatened to continue its mission to destabilize Nigeria’s economy.
Recall that ABA had July 17 issued a three-week notice of its intention to declare the Niger Delta a Republic on August 1.
According to them, “Will not stop until the Nigerian government is ready to sit on a round-table to dialogue and to restructure Nigeria.”
This was part of a statement issued by the group’s spokesperson, ‘General’ Edmos Ayayeibo.
They said, “We received calls from prominent leaders like Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Mrs. Ankio Briggs, Chief. E. K. Clark and especially King Alfred Diete Spiff calling on the freedom fighters to abort their mission to declare Niger Delta Republic.”
The militant group further warned the Federal Government against having any peace talk with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, describing them as “greedy fellows”
who only seek their “stipends.”
The group said plans to declare the region independent was not for selfish reasons, adding that it was cancelled following appeals from elders and people of the area.

Leader of the group, ‘General’ Goddey, was quoted in the statement as saying that the anger of the group bordered on how “the Nigerian government has enslaved…the people of Niger Delta region.”
“We adhere to the voice of our people, because our struggle is for the Niger Delta people and not for selfish reason. But this is not the end. More is yet to come.
“Our mission to cripple the economy of the Nigerian nation will not stop until the Nigerian government is ready to sit on a roundtable to dialogue and to restructure the Nigeria.
“Unless that, we will not stop until Nigeria becomes a zero economy. We are also saying this for the benefit of President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerian government to stop wasting their time with those greedy fellows that call themselves MEND because nothing good will come out of them rather than sabotage.
“Those old fools cannot stop us and they know it very well. We know what they are after is all about stipends.
“Everything they are saying, not even one will be accomplished. We will never agree with anything they say and henceforth MEND should watch their back because we have tolerated them for a very long time.
“Enough is enough, since they want to set confusion in the Niger Delta we will start from them.”

EFCC, Interpol arrest Nigerian behind $60m online fraud

The ringleader of an international criminal network behind thousands of online frauds has been arrested in a joint operation by INTERPOL and the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The 40-year-old Nigerian national, known as ‘Mike’, is believed to be behind scams totaling more than USD 60 million involving hundreds of victims worldwide. In one case, a target was conned into paying out USD 15.4 million.

The network compromised email accounts of small- to medium-sized businesses around the world, including in Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Romania, South Africa, Thailand and the US, with the financial victims mainly other companies dealing with these compromised accounts.

Heading a network of at least 40 individuals across Nigeria, Malaysia and South Africa which both provided malware and carried out the frauds, the alleged mastermind also had money laundering contacts in China, Europe and the US who provided bank account details for the illicit cash flow.

Following his arrest in Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria, a forensic examination of devices seized by the EFCC showed he had been involved in a range of criminal activities including business e-mail compromise (BEC) and romance scams.

The main two types of scams run by the 40-year-old that targeted businesses were payment diversion fraud – where a supplier’s email would be compromised and fake messages would then be sent to the buyer with instructions for payment to a bank account under the criminal’s control – and ‘CEO fraud’.

In CEO fraud, the email account of a high-level executive is compromised and a request for a wire transfer is sent to another employee who has been identified as responsible for handling.

these requests. The money is then paid into a designated bank account held by the criminal.

‘Mike’ first came onto the law enforcement radar through a report provided to INTERPOL by Trend Micro, one of its strategic partners at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore. This, combined with actionable analysis and intelligence from Fortinet Fortiguard Labs in 2015, enabled specialists at the INTERPOL Digital Crime Centre, including experts from Cyber Defense Institute based at the IGCI, and the EFCC to locate the suspect in Nigeria, resulting in his arrest in June.

Abdul Chukkol, Head of the EFCC’s Cybercrime Section said the transnational nature of business e-mail compromise makes it complex to crack, but the arrest sent a clear signal that Nigeria could not be considered a safe haven for criminals.

“For a long time we have said in order to be effective, the fight against cybercrime must rely on public-private partnerships and international cooperation,” said Mr. Chukkol.

The success of this operation is the result of close cooperation between INTERPOL and the EFCC, whose understanding of the Nigerian environment made it possible to disrupt the criminal organization’s network traversing many countries, targeting individuals and companies,” added Mr. Chukkol.

Noboru Nakatani, Executive Director of the IGCI warned that BEC poses a significant and growing threat, with tens of thousands of companies victimized in recent years.

“The public, and especially businesses, need to be alert to this type of cyber-enabled fraud,” said Mr. Nakatani.

“Basic security protocols such as two-factor authentication and verification by other means before making a money transfer are essential to reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams.

“It is exactly through this type of public and private sector cooperation that INTERPOL will continue to help member countries in bringing cybercriminals to justice no matter where they are,” concluded Mr. Nakatani.

The 40-year-old, along with a 38-year-old also arrested by Nigerian authorities, faces charges including hacking, conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences. Both are currently on administrative bail as the investigation continues.

Sahara Reporters

Corpses of Nigerian drug convicts set on fire in Indonesia

The Indonesian government has cremated one of the four persons executed Thursday night for drug trafficking.

However, bodies of the three others were being prepared for burial.
Controversy had been trailing the handling of the process, which saw the other 10 prisoners slated for death – including citizens from India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe – spared at the last minute.

Authorities did not give a reason for the reprieve, but the prison island where they were expected to be executed in outdoor clearings was hit by a major storm as the other sentences were carried out.

Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said Friday the 10 inmates had been returned to their cells, suggesting their executions were not imminent.
“The fate of the other 10 we will determine later. We will see when the right time will be,” Prasetyo told reporters.

“But one thing is for sure — we will never stop executing people on death row.”

N40bn 2016 Budget padding: Arrest Dogara, others – Jibrin urges EFCC, ICPC

Former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Friday called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to arrest the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers of the Green Chambers for attempting to pad the 2016 Budget.

The former Appropriations Committee Chairman had last week accused Dogara, his Deputy, Yusuf Lasun, Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa and Minority leader, Leo Ogor of attempting to pad N40bn into the 2016 budget.
Jibrin, who took to his Twitter handle, urged the anti-graft agencies to arrest and prosecute all principal officers of the House and other members of the House.

He said: “This is 24 hours after my lawyers requested the EFCC and ICPC to grant me a date and time to personally deliver my petition on Mr. Speaker and three others.

“EFCC and ICPC are yet to revert to me. I decided to go personally so that in addition to the petition I can provide some further insight to them.
“EFCC and ICPC must arrest the Speaker, the three others and few others members in my petition immediately.

“They are running to high places, looking for cover.”