Monday, 13 March 2017
Niger sentences opposition figure to jail in baby trafficking trial
Hama Amadou, an opposition leader in the Sahel state of Niger, was sentenced to a year’s jail Monday on a charge of baby smuggling after a one-day trial that his attorneys denounced as a fix.
Amadou — who competed against President Mahamadou Issoufou in March elections in 2016 — had left for France and was tried in absentia.
He was one of a group of people accused of smuggling babies from Nigeria via Benin to wealthy couples in Niger.
Shortly before the verdict, defence lawyers walked out of court, saying legal procedures had not been upheld and that the goal was to prevent Amadou from running again for office.
“Hama Amadou lives in France and so all procedural documents must be sent to him France, and proceedings should be delayed,” said Ali Kadri, a lawyer from the defence team.
However the judge refused to grant the defence’s request for a delay, Kadri added.
Souley Oumarou, another lawyer for Amadou, said: “They want to judge Hama and condemn him… the goal is to reach a decision that will make him unable to run in the next election” in 2021.
Amadou had been charged for “complicity” in the alleged trafficking, but the charge was changed on the judge’s orders to that of “illicitly dealing in children.”
The defendants refused to answer questions.
His lawyers indicated they would appeal.
“There are means of recourse and we will use them,” said attorney Boubacar Mossi.
A former premier and parliamentary speaker, Amadou has been nicknamed “the Phoenix” for his political comebacks.
He was arrested on November 14, 2015 on his return from exile, and was forced to campaign for the presidency from behind bars.
He was released on medical grounds on March 16, 2016, four days before the second round of the voting, and flew to France.
Issoufou went on to win with 92 percent of the run-off ballot. With the opposition boycotting the election, Amadou only got seven percent of the vote.
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FG, states to partner in strengthening mining potential – Fayemi
Federal Government says it will partner with states in strengthening mining potential and turning them into great opportunities for investment.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Kayode Fayemi, disclosed this on Monday in Kaduna during a courtesy visit on Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai
Fayemi said, the ministry was on a National tour on mining locations.
According to him, Kaduna happens to be the first state where the first tour is kicking off.
The minister, while commenting on illegal mining, said it was a source of concern for the government, adding that steps were being taken to address the challenges.
He said the government had been active in pulling together the artisanal and informal miners to reduce illegal mining.
“We are also working with states in providing the technical and financial support so that they can enter the main stream of mining rather than operating illegally.
“But the duty we owe to our people is to also enlighten them on the need to engage in formal and organised mining practice.
“If you do this in a formal and organised manner, you will make more money; you will not be cheated by middlemen who took advantage of the unorganized system.
“These middlemen have often encouraged these illegal miners to escalate dangerous minerals that could be injurious to their health,’’ he said.
The minister said: “We have a duty to teach them safer mining process and to ensure that they have the tools to be able to conduct legitimate trade.’’
“The ministry is prepared to partner with states to include these miners in the scheme of things by formally issuing them small scale licence for such operations.
“It is not everybody that can be a major or mega miner, but for those who are small artisanal miners, they can pull their resources together to achieve the economics of scale in this regard, ” he said
The Acting Governor, Bala Bantex, said the state would cooperate with the ministry to reposition the sector.
He said the state had, to a great extent, regularised the activities of the illegal miners in a manner to reduce the criminal exploitation of the soil.
Bantex said the state’s initiative was helping to make miners accountable.
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Sunday, 12 March 2017
Saturday, 11 March 2017
Friday, 10 March 2017
US military faces burgeoning nude picture-sharing scandal
Pentagon
The Pentagon faced a burgeoning scandal Friday as more pictures of naked female service members apparently shared without their consent by male colleagues have turned up on secret social media sites.
US Defense Minister Jim Mattis denounced the practice as “egregious violations of the fundamental values we uphold at the Defense Department.”
“The chain of command is taking all appropriate action to investigate potential misconduct and to maintain good order and discipline throughout our armed forces,” the retired Marine general said in a statement.
The scandal broke over the weekend with the revelation that pictures of female Marines in various stages of undress had been shared on a secret Facebook group called “Marines United.”
Membership in the group was restricted to current and former Marines, but it had as many as 30,000 members before it was taken down.
The story was first reported by The War Horse, a news group run by Marine veteran Thomas Brennan.
He said some of the photos were taken surreptitiously, while others had been taken by the women themselves but shared without their consent.
The pictures often were accompanied by lewd commentary.
That was followed by a report Thursday that hundreds of pictures of naked women from all the military services were being shared on another image-sharing site, AnonIB.
Business Insider, an online news site, said the message board was threaded with conversations among men, many of whom asked for naked photographs of specific women, often identifying them by name and where they were stationed.
Probes have been ordered into the case, but Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis appealed to members of the military to cooperate with investigators.
“Our values extend on and off duty and we want personnel experiencing or witnessing online misconduct to promptly report matters to their chain of command,” he said.
He said if they weren’t comfortable reporting to their military superiors, they could go to family support services, equal opportunity offices, sexual harassment prevention teams, the Pentagon’s inspector general’s office or law enforcement.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2msO4aP
Thursday, 23 February 2017
Thundercat – Drink Dat Ft Wiz Khalifa [Mp3 + Lyrics]
Thundercat’s album DRUNK is about to be melting faces across the galaxy when it arrives this Friday. The first two releases from the album, “Show You the Way” feat. Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins & “Friend Zone,” have both been stellar. Now, a third track has surfaced: “Drink Dat” Featuring Wiz Khalifa
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Ace Hood – Guess Who [Mp3 + Lyrics]
Ace Hood is preparing to release his Body Bag 4 mixtape next Monday November 7th, and he’s now shared some new material from the project in advance. “Guess Who” finds him taking on some production that embodies both a classic, nostalgic feel, with some acoustic guitar plucks, as well as more modern trap-infused production and 808 Mafia‘s unmistakable siren sound. It comes from DJ Esco’s Esco Terrestrial mixtape, which was also the source for Ace’s last release “My Blower.” As far as the subject matter, Ace digs deep, reminiscing on his ascent to his current status in rap, as well as paying tribute to Shawty Lo and shouting out the rapper’s Bankhead neighborhood following his untimely death earlier this year
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Flo Rida – Game Time Ft Sage The Gemini [Mp3 + Lyrics]
Flo Rida recruits Sage The Gemini for his latest sports-themed cut “Game Time.” Purchase the single via iTunes here and stream it after the break
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Wednesday, 22 February 2017
5 ways to get out of debt if you earn a small income
There’s a very high possibility that if you are earning a small income, you will borrow money to sustain yourself. It does not have to be this way because being in debt can be very stressful and frustrating especially if you earn a small income.
As a result, instead of planning how to improve your life with your hard earned money, you are making arrangements to settle your debts. This is why it is mandatory for you get out of debt and halt this monthly trend. Jumia Travel, the online travel agency shares five ways to get out of debt on a small budget or slim income.
Commit to stop borrowing
If you are serious about getting out of debt, you should commit to stop borrowing no matter the amount you earn. This will no doubt end your indebtedness. The truth is if you continue your lifestyle that leads to your indebtedness, you will continue to borrow money and service debts monthly.
Make a payment plan
Making a payment plan to settle your debts is like making a resolution. You have to write it down and ensure that you stick to it. The plan should be all-encompassing to include what you spending your money on and the percentage you intend paying to service your debt monthly.
Change your spending habit
Your spending habit is a key reason why you are always in debt or may be unable to settle your debts. If you spend more even after settling your debt, you will keep borrowing money and you before you know, you are a chronic debtor.
Work hard to earn more money
If you are not ready to squeeze yourself to settle your debt with your small income, you should be willing to get a side hustle to cushion the effect of your indebtedness.
Set up automatic deductions
As far as you are humans, you are susceptible to procrastination. It follows that it is possible that you may not stick to your budget or change your lifestyle. Then the best option for you is to request your boss or bank to make the deductions and pay your creditor at the end of the month. The balance will be paid to you.
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6 lifestyle changes to make if you want to live to be 100
Over the years, the human lifespan has significantly declined. For example, the life expectancy in Nigeria according to the World Health Organization (WHO) for 54.5 years for both men and women as at 2016.
However, there is a possibility that you can live longer than the recommended age of the WHO. The only thing you can do is to make lifestyle changes. Jumia Travel, the hotel+flight booking portal discuss some of the changes you can make if you want to live until 100.
Stop eating junk
Many of us eat junk food. This is probably because you don’t have time to prepare a proper meal. The fact is eating these junk food have a negative effect on your health. Some of the health effects of junk or processed foods include diabetes and heart diseases. You should eat more fruits.
Run away from alcohol
Alcohol has always being fingered as a major source of health problems. This is why you are encouraged to do away with alcohol. You may not feel the immediate impact of your incessant alcohol intake but it gradually cuts your lifespan. If you have an alcohol problem, you should seek help. So when you eat at one of the best hotels in Lagos, alcohol should not feature in your menu.
Quit smoking
There is no gainsaying that inhaling smoke can damage your lungs. Despite this, the number of smokers is rising daily and even the recession has stopped many from buying packs of cigarette. They ignore the instruction that smokers are liable to die young. A combination of alcohol and cigarettes can adversely affect your health.
Don’t skip sleep
Sleep is very important to reinvigorate your life. So, if you are one of those who rarely sleeps, it is advisable you stop this now and have a good nap. The lack of sleep can lead to depression and deterioration in overall performance. So, try to get few hours of good sleep every day.
Stop worrying
With the recession in Nigeria, many people are very worried about a lot of things. The fact is your worry won’t change anything. Worrying can lead to high blood pressure. Even if you have to worry, it should not affect your wellbeing.
Avoiding the Doctor
This is peculiar to the majority of us. If there is nothing wrong with us, we won’t visit the doctor. Ironically, when some persons are ill, they prefer to check in with their pastor instead of a doctor. A pastor is not a doctor. So, you should make it a point of duty to always visit your doctor intermittently. This will help in early detection of any ailment or disease.
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Tuesday, 31 January 2017
Saraki accepts chief of staff’s resignation (Read full details)
Senate President, Bukola Saraki
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has accepted the resignation of his Chief of Staff, Sen. Isa Galaudu.
The information is in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu in Abuja on Tuesday.
Olaniyonu stated that Galaudu first mentioned his decision to step down in November 2016 for personal reasons and that both Saraki and the chief of staff agreed on his final exit at the end of January.
He quoted Saraki as thanking the outgoing chief of staff “for his commitment and dedication to duty”.
Saraki then asked Deputy Chief of Staff, Gbenga Makanjuola, to act in that position pending the appointment of a substantive chief of staff.
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Tuesday, 24 January 2017
Trump signs order to advance controversial U.S. pipelines
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed orders designed to advance construction of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada into the U.S. and the Dakota Access pipeline.
Both had been blocked by his predecessor Barack Obama over environmental concerns.
The Keystone project had been a long-standing point of dispute between Republicans and Democrat Obama, who rejected it after years of review in 2015 because of climate change concerns.
The proposed Keystone XL pipeline was slated to have carried oil from Canada’s tar sands in Alberta to the Midwestern state of Nebraska, where an existing pipeline would carry the Canadian oil to refineries in Texas.
The Dakota Access Pipeline was the site of protests last year by Native American groups concerned about the impact on their lands and water.
Last month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blocked the construction, calling for alternate routes to be considered.
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Metuh’s case suffers another adjournment
The trail of Mr Olisa Metuh has suffered another adjournment at an FCT High Court on Tuesday.
Metuh, the former Peoples Democratic Party’s spokesman, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count-charge of destruction of evidence.
The Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, on Oct. 10, 2016, adjourned till Nov. 22 for the defence to open its case and also adjourned till Jan. 24 for defence’ case.
Mr Sylvanus Tahir had earlier called three witnesses to testify in order to prove his case then closed his case, for Metuh’s (defence) to open his.
On Tuesday, Metuh was not in court, but his counsel Mr Emeka Etieba appeared.
Mr Sylvanus Tahir, the prosecuting counsel was also present.
Tahir said that he was informed that Metuh was admitted in the National Hospital, Abuja, for spinal cord injuries.
The court adjourned the case again to March 2 for the defence to open its case.
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Nigeria Turkish college hostages to be released within 24 hours–AIG
The new Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) , Zone 2, Kayode Aderanti, on Tuesday gave an assurance that the kidnapped students and staff of the Nigeria Turkish International School, Isheri, Ogun, would be released within 24 hours.
Aderanti gave the assurance while speaking with newsmen shortly after his visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his hill top residence in Abeokuta.
Eight students and staff of the Nigeria Turkish International College in Ogun were recently abducted from the school by unknown gunmen.
The AIG, however, said that he spoke with the leader of the search team shortly before his visit and that he got a positive response from him.
He denied rumours that the families of the victims had been paying ransom, insisting that “no ransom has been paid.’’
Aderanti commended the state’s Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, for putting in place an effective security system in the state.
He urged residents of Ogun to partner with the police to ensure that lives and property were properly secured.
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My matriculation number in UNN is 1800 – Adeboye
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, said he could have graduated from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) if not for the outbreak of Nigerian civil war in 1967.
Adeboye made the disclosure in Nsukka on Tuesday after being conferred with Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Divinity.
He said he gained admission into UNN in 1963 and his matriculation number was 1800.
He said: “It was the order of the then governor of the Eastern region Chief Odumgwu Ojukwu that non Igbos should leave the East; that was why I finished at the University of Ibadan.
“I am happy that a governor of Enugu state accompanied me today to UNN while the then governor of the Eastern region sent me packing because of civil war; that is God for you.
“I am happy that the first degree I missed in UNN has been replaced with honorary doctorate degree.
“I thank UNN for finding me worthy of this award.’’
Adeboye urged Nigerians who had not given their life to Jesus Christ to do so, stressing that life is meaningless without Christ.
“Please if you have not given your life to Christ; do not waste time; do so immediately as you come to the prayer rally I am holding in this University after this award.”
In his remarks, UNN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, said the University created the special convocation to reward excellence
“This is award is to an alumnus of UNN in the department of mathematics until 1966.
“Today special convocation is to reward excellence to a man who through the anointing of Jesus has imparted much to humanity.
“Adeboye is man whose accomplishment speaks more eloquently and reverberates more clearly than the voice of orator,” the VC said.
Ozumba said Adeboye was conferred with the honorary degree because of his immense contributions to mankind especially Christianity.
Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state was among important dignitaries who graced the occasion.
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