Things we know about Buhari’s medical vacation, return

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By Levinus Nwabughiogu
ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari has landed at the Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja helipad after some 51 days vacation in London United Kingdom.

His chopper talked ground at about 8:42 am on Friday.

Meanwhile, as early as 7:00am, some key officials of his government were already gathered at the Aso Villa Helipad to receive him.

Among officials were Vice President,Yemi Osinbajo,Chief of Staff to the President,Abba Kyari, Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity,Femi Adesina, Minister of Federal Capital Territory,Mohammed Bello,National Security Adviser,Babagana Mongunu,Inspector General of Police,Idris Abubakar, all the Service Chiefs among others.

Recall that the President left the shores of the country precisely on January 19, 2017 with a promise to come back on February 6.

But due to medical advice to run some recommended tests by his doctors whom he consulted while in London, the president couldn’t return on the February date.

Meanwhile, hardly had the president spent a day in London upon his arrival than a sweeping speculation took the air that he was dead.

To dissuade the minds of the people, the national leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former National Chairman of the Party, Chief Bisi Akande visited him in London.

Later, the Wife of the President, Aisha also visited.

Similarly, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives also visited.

President Buhari was later to engage in series of calls to many dignitaries amongst whom were President Donald Trump of the United States of America, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Two weeks ago, the President called the members of his media team made up of the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, Presidential Media Adviser, Femi Adesina and the Senior Media Assistant, Garba Shehu thanking them for “holding out against mischief makers”.

The last person the President saw in London before leaving the city was the Bishop of Cantabury, Justin Welby.

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Nigerians celebrate return of Buhari, say he remains God’s chosen for Nigeria

Buhari meets with Osinbajo, governors

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Acting President Yemi Osinbjo and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Friday received President Muhammad Buhari who returned from medical vacation.

Buhari who landed at helipad at the Villa on presidential chopper 8.36 a.m. was also welcomed by some members of the Federal Executive Council.

At a reception held for the President, he thanked Nigerians for their prayers and support in spite of the hardships in the country.

He promised to rededicate himself to serving Nigerians.

“I am feeling much better now, stay behind stay behind and stay behind and continue praying for my good health and the nation, rather than coming to meet me in Abuja,” Buhari said.

Earlier, Osinbajo thanked Buhari for giving him the opportunity to serve and entrusting the nation in his care.

The presidential plane that brought him from London earlier landed at the Nigeria Air Force base Kaduna at about 7.47 a.m.

The president was received on arrival at the villa by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, cabinet ministers, service chiefs and Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris.

Others included Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara and top government functionaries.

The President also met with members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Buhari left the country on Jan. 17 on a 10-day vacation which he said he would also use to have a medical check-up.

The leave was later extended, based on a medical advice by his doctors,who said they needed to carry out further tests on him.

The president’s jet landed at the VIP Wing of 401 Training School of Nigeria Air Force , Kaduna, at 7.40 a.m. where he was received by the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Mr Barnabas Bantex.

The president was later flown by a presidential helicopter to Abuja.

Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Senior Special Adviser, Media and Publicity confirmed on Thursday that the president would return after his 49-day vacation, which has raised controversies.

The president left the country on Jan. 19 when he asked for 10 days medical leave from the Senate.

He said that in his absence that Osinbajo would act as the president of the country.

The president later wrote the Senate for an extension of the leave to enable him to undergo more medical tests based on the advice of his doctors.

He did not, however, state the time he would return.

Some Nigerians have taken to Twitters to welcome President Buhari.

Simon Wada‏ @simonwada tweeted: “Welcome President Buhari……. Feed him kunu geda, tuwo and mia kuku…UK food ain’t it for Mr. President apparently.”

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Many South Koreans eat chicken to celebrate removal of president

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Seoul – Many South Koreans ate chicken on Friday to celebrate the removal of President Park Geun-hye in a satirical nod to a derogatory nickname for the former leader.

South Korea’s Constitutional Court forced Park from office over an influence-peddling involving one of her close friends and the country’s powerful “chaebol” conglomerates.

Even before the scandal, Park’s opponents called her “Chicken Geun-hye”, both a play on words – her family name rhymes with chicken in Korean – and a reference to what they see as her lack of intellect and stilted public

“Chicken head” is an insult in Korea meaning an idiot.

A restaurant in the rural city of Jeonju said it would offer chicken burgers at half price on Friday and Saturday to celebrate the court ruling.

“We prepared twice as many chicken burgers as usual and, wow, they’ve almost all gone,” Yu Yeung-sang, owner of Eddis Kitchen, told Reuters by telephone.

In Seoul, a photograph of Friday’s menu at the national assembly cafeteria caused a stir on social media, with a noodle dish typically eaten at celebrations for lunch and chicken for dinner.

“Party noodles” was trending on Korean Twitter for much of the day and, after the verdict, some users uploaded photos of fried chicken.

South Korea’s biggest portals Naver and Daum posted recommendations for chicken restaurants.

In 2014, officials in the town of Gwangju removed a painting from an exhibition by an artist who had painted a caricature of Park as a puppet.

The artist, Hong Sung-dam, responded by replacing the caricature of Park with a cartoon chicken.

Park becomes South Korea’s first democratically elected leader to be forced from office, capping months of paralysis and turmoil over a corruption scandal that also landed the head of the Samsung conglomerate in court on trial.

Park denies any wrongdoing.

A snap presidential election will be held within 60 days.

Acting South Korean President Hwang Kyo-ahn on Friday asked all parties concerned to respect the constitutional court’s ruling on former President Park Geun-hye.

Hwang addressed the nation in a nationally televised speech, after the court’s unanimous decision to oust Park.

Park became the first South Korean leader to be permanently removed from office through impeachment.

The acting president said he felt a grave responsibility for the first impeachment of president in the constitutional history, vowing to mange state affairs with an unusually strong determination.

Touching on the rival rallies among pro- and anti-Park protesters, Hwang said now is the time to end conflict and confrontation, asking all of people to respect the court’s decision.

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Buhari back to UK for more treatment in few weeks

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President Muhammadu Buhari has hinted that he may be going back to UK for more treatment in few weeks to come.

“I am feeling much better now. There may, however, be need for further follow up within some weeks,’’ he stated.

President Muhammadu Buhari landed at the Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja helipad after some 51 days vacation in London United Kingdom.

President Buhari announced this at his first meeting with his Cabinet and Service Chiefs at the First Lady’s Conference Room at the Presidential Villa Abuja. According to the president who proceeded to his residence after the meeting, he needed more rest.

He expressed his gratitude to Nigerians who called and also prayed for him while his medical vacation lasted in London, United Kingdom. He said that Osinbajo who has been acting in his place in the last 51 days he has been away would continue to act. Hethe President said he felt much better, saying that “whatever the case I’m still grateful to Nigerians”. According to him, the cost of his treatment abroad was not lost on him even as he said he received the best of treatment.

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Buhari’s return: Kano residents express happiness, hope he would continue with the good works

Mrs Buhari receives her husband amid cheers, thanks

Jubilation, excitement in Buhari’s hometown, Daura and Katsina

NSCDC arrest 3 herbal medicine vendors who disguise as employers in Borno

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NSCDC

The Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had arrested three herbal medicine vendors who disguised as employers to defraud unemployed youths.

The Commandant of the corps, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Sunday.

Abdullahi said the suspects were arrested on Feb. 14 at Kofar Shehu area, Maiduguri.

He said that the culprits posed as employers of labour and tried to dupe unemployed youths by taking money from them and promising to give them jobs.

“Their nefarious activities were reported by two of the victims (names withheld) who said that they had collected about N5,000 each from them for a job.

” One of the victims told the command that he was asked to bring about N17,000 to register for the Job.

“He asked about the type of job and they said he should not worry when he registered, they would tell him about the job,” he said.

The commandant said the suspects were using some fake documents from a Korea Company ,Neo Life, with a Nigerian Coat of Arms, which was not registered by Cooperate Affairs Commission(CAC).

“The employers’ address they gave were also fake as most of them denied having anything to do with them.

“So far, we have recovered about 300 forms attached with money and passport of people they have registered.

“The command, therefore, warns youths who are seeking for employment to be wary of criminal elements hiding under any guise to defraud people,” said Abdullahi.

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Woman sues assassin for failing to murder her after receiving part-payment

20 killed in inter-ethnic clashes in Mali – Security minister

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Bamako – Mali Security Minister Salif Traore said about 20 people have been killed in inter-ethnic clashes in central Mali.

The clashes were sparked by the killing of a Bambara businessman allegedly by a Fulani suspect in Cercle de Macina on Saturday.

Traore said 20 people were killed and 18 injured in clashes that lasted for several days.

He said several houses were torched and hundreds of people fled their homes.

“The situation has calmed down and security forces are patrolling the area,’’ Traore said.

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FG inaugurates ultra-modern Abuja passport office

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Abuja – The Minister of Interior, retired Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, has inaugurated an ultra-modern Passport office complex at Gwagwalada for the FCT , Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Command.

Mr James Sunday, the NIS spokesperson disclosed this in a statement made available on Wednesday in Abuja.

The minister promised Nigerians ‎that similar passport offices would be inaugurated across the country in the nearest future.

He said that the measure was to reduce the the stress and inconveniences being faced by applicants who hitherto travelled to Abuja from their various locations for resolution of passport-related issues.

“This inauguration is in‎ line with the decentralisation policy of passport offices by the Nigeria Immigration Service,” he said.

Earlier, the‎ Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, had pledged to ensure improved training for passport officers to ensure better service delivery.

He also warned them against corruption and exploitation of those applying for passports, insisting that those found culpable would face the full wrath of the law. ‎

NAN reports that there have been cases of delays and exploitation of Nigerians seeking to get or renew their international passports from the various NIS offices.

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Libyan officials rape most young ladies in detention – Nigerian returnees

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Lagos – Nigerian returnees from Libya have appealed to federal and state governments to provide job opportunities for Nigerian youths to prevent them from endangering their lives looking for greener pasture abroad.

Some of the returnees said on Wednesday in Lagos, that they decided to leave the country because they were jobless.

They said that they travelled to Libya with the hope of crossing to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea in search of jobs.

Recalled that on Feb.14, 161 Nigerians returned voluntarily from Libya.

They were assisted back home by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) after being detained for several months in Libyan detention facilities.

They arrived in Lagos singing songs of praise and beaming with smiles, thanking their creator for bringing them safely home.

One of the returnees, Miss Bridget Akeamo, an indigene of Anambra, said her parents decided to send her to Italy when all hope of securing job after her school proved abortive.

Akeama, who said she left Nigeria in August last year, returned with four months pregnancy.

She said she was arrested while trying to cross to Italy from Libya by immigration officials.

Akeama said: “Ever since then, I have been moved from one prison to another until I was taken to detention camp in Tripoli.

“We were subjected to inhuman treatment while in prison, from the food we eat to the water we drink.

“Most of the young ladies in detention camp were raped by Libyan officials and if you refused their advances, it will be hell for you.

“Thank God I am back in Nigeria, I know all hope is not lost but it is painful that I will begin from scratch again with my unborn child.”

Stanley Iduh, 34-year-old indigene of Delta, said that he was tricked by an agent popularly known as “Burger that he would facilitate his journey to Spain through Libya.

He said that when his hope of crossing into Spain was dashed in Libya, he decided to stay back and work in the Arab country.

“I worked in Tile producing company and their salary was good but unfortunately I cannot save my money in the bank.

“I lived with other Nigerians. I dug a hole in the ground to save my money.

“Unfortunately, one day, some Libyans came, kidnapped us and inflicted punishment on us.

“They asked us to call our relations back in Nigeria and tell them to send N300, 000 as our ransom.

“The 200, 000 US dollars that I saved, disappeared; they moved us to another place until we got to detention camp.

“Nigerians should be discouraged from travelling to Libya because they are not treating us like human beings.

“Our ladies were dehumanised by Libyan officials, it is very painful,” he said.

Iduh, who said he sold the house left by his late father before travelling to Libya, urged the federal and state governments as well as wealthy Nigerians to create job for the youths.

“It was because I was jobless for three years that I was cajoled to travel abroad to look for greener pasture.

“I am back in the country after eight months, devastated and humiliated.

“I have gone to look for greener pasture but here I am today; I have brought nothing green back home,” he said with tears running in his cheek.

Paul and Marvellous Isikhuemhen are twin brothers who travelled to Libya in March and May 2016 respectively in search for greener pasture.

Marvellous said that they regretted travelling out of the country because of the bitter encounter they had in Libya.

He said that though they secured good job in publishing house in Libya, “it was suffering and smiling’’ until they were given the opportunity to return home through IOM.

Isikhuemhen urged the Nigerian government to stop young ladies from travelling to Libya, saying they were molested by Libyan immigration officials.

He said that most Nigerian ladies bribe Nigerian Immigration Officers to secure travel documents to travel to Libya.

Isikhuemhen added that most of the children brought back home by these ladies had no fathers.

“I can boldly tell you that the children you are seeing in their hands and those pregnant ladies are products of Libya immigration officers,” he said.

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Ghana MPs push for probe into bribery claims (Read full details)

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Ghana MPs. PHOTO: Buzzghana

Lawmakers in Ghana on Monday called for an investigation into claims that a minister in new President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government bribed the committee vetting his candidacy.

Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko has been accused of attempting to bribe some opposition party members of the committee with 3,000 cedi (about $700, 650 euros) each to approve his nomination.

The allegations were made by an MP from the National Democratic Congress party who sits on the committee but one of his NDC colleagues rejected the claim.

Three other lawmakers on the committee on Monday wrote to parliament asking for an internal enquiry “into the veracity of the claims… of attempted bribery”.

The allegations emerged last Friday and prompted a swift denial from parliament, which called them “frivolous and vexatious and should be discarded”.

Akufo-Addo, who took office earlier this month after beating the then-president John Dramani Mahama in elections last December, has promised to fight corruption.

During his campaign he promised to appoint an independent prosecutor to deal specifically with claims of graft to avoid the perception of investigations being used as a political witch-hunt.

Ghana MPs push for probe into bribery claims

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UN chief slams border closures in ‘developed countries’ (Read full details)

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres/ AFP PHOTO / NICHOLAS KAMM

UN chief Antonio Guterres criticised Monday the closure of borders “even in the most developed countries in the world”, after US President Donald Trump slapped a ban on travellers from seven Muslim countries.

The new UN secretary general was speaking at the opening of an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, where he praised African nations for being “among the world’s largest and most generous hosts of refugees”.

“African borders remain open for those in need of protection when so many borders are being closed, even in the most developed countries in the world,” Guterres said to loud applause.

The 28th African Union summit is the first since Trump’s election, and the consequences of his presidency for the African continent are already being felt.

Trump’s administration has faced outrage and widespread protests over the move to ban citizens from seven countries including Libya, Somalia and Sudan in Africa.

“It is clear that globally we are entering very turbulent times. For example the very country (where) our people were taken as slaves… has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries,” said outgoing AU Commission chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

“What do we do about this? Indeed this is one of the greatest challenges and tests to our unity and solidarity,” she said.

The summit has a heavy agenda as leaders will decide whether to allow Morocco to rejoin the bloc 33 years after it quit. They will also vote for a new AU Commission head in an election that will be shaped by regional alliances and interests.

UN chief slams border closures in ‘developed countries’

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