Curence: The Fastest News Update: 11/30/15

Suspect missing after being abducted from police cell in Lagos by masked men

26-year-old musician, Waidi Kabiru, was on Sunday, November 23, reportedly abducted from Igbogbo Police Station, Lagos State, by a three-man gang.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the three man gang wore reportedly masks, sneaked into the station around 1am on Sunday and bundled him out of the cell.

The state police command confirmed that Waidi, was arrested on Friday, November 21. but said he had been released on bail. The command, however, did not disclose the surety to whom the youth was released.

Waidi’s father, Mr. Bisiriyu Kabiru, said he had been visiting his son since he was arrested on Friday but that he had gone to the station to give him food on Sunday only to be told that he was no longer inside the cell.

He said:

Pregnant Chrissy Teigen who got into a war of words with supporters of America's Planned Parenthood organization last week was in another fight on Monday this time with Donald Trump and his supporters.
So, Donald Trump tweeted: "Meeting with African American Pastors at Trump Tower was amazing. Wonderful news conference followed. Now off to Georgia for big speech!" and she said: So don't tweet about it Twit!

One of Trump's supporters called her trashy and gutter mouth, a tweet
Donald himself retweeted which read; 'Wow! Trashy gutter mouth woman. You can't hold a candle2 @MelaniaTrump when it comes2 beauty and eloquence.'

About 20 top officials of the previous administration, who were alleged to have played active roles in the disappearance of $2 billion meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition for the country’s armed forces were taken into custody by the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission, EFCC, for questioning.

Some of the officials taken into custody are the former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda and a former Director of Finance in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu.
The former minister, who worked under Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was still being questioned by operatives of the EFCC in Abuja as at last night.

A group of illegal immigrants is suing the state of Oregon to overturn a voter-approved initiative that denied them driver’s licenses.
The lawsuit, brought by five illegal immigrants, comes after Oregonians passed Measure 88 last year with a strong two-thirds majority. Thirty-five of Oregon’s 36 counties voted against licenses for illegal immigrants as did every congressional district in the state, most of which are represented by Democrats.

Documents filed in federal court in North Carolina say an American Airlines flight attendant who described herself as "crazy" and a "train wreck" attacked fellow crew members and U.S. marshals during a flight from Charlotte to Frankfurt, Germany, last week.

The complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte says Joanne Snow is charged with interference with flight crews and attendants, and with assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer or employee of the United States.

This is the month we celebrate the birth of Christ and give thanks and spend time with family and friends and give lots of gifts as well as receive. I have so much to be thankful for and I hope y'all have things to be thankful for as well. Going to bed and waking up everyday, good health are VERY important things to be thankful for everyday. May this month and especially Christmas bring us all happiness.

Happy New Month y'all!!

Anambra govt wades into hike in price of kerosene

By Enyim Enyim

ONITSHA—Anambra State government has introduced Kero-Direct scheme to cushion the effects of the hike in the pump price of kerosene in the state.

Speaking to newsmen, yesterday in her office in Awka, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Oil and Gas, Mrs. Ngozi Okoye said the scheme was to make the product affordable to the poor masses in rural areas.

“There is a Kero – Direct scheme, which the governor, Chief Willie Obiano introduced to make sure that the product gets to the people of Anambra State at a cheap price.

“We are supposed to get five trucks of kerosene every month but when l called NNPC at Abuja, they said the product was not available.”

Thousands of members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday, shut down Nnewi, Anambra State in a solidarity protest for the release of Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu. He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since November.

Members of IPOB mobilised from Onitsha, Asaba, Awka, Ekwulobia, Awka-Etiti, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi and Abia States and converged on Nnewi for the protest.

By Daniel Gumm

WARRI—THE Itsekiri nation buried their differences and gathered to give a befitting burial to their departed monarch, Ogiame Atuwatse II, the Olu of Warri, at Ode-Itsekiri, their ancestral home, Delta State.In what was more of a carnival, sons and daughters of the land, both at home and in the diaspora, reverted to their traditional way of dressing to signal the end of the mourning period for their king, who departed this world September 3, 2015.

Immediately after the demise of Ogiame Atuwatse II, the 19th Olu of Warri, the people turned their clothes inside out as a mark of mourning.
But the situation came to an end on November 20, 2015, when a vigil which also coincided with the final burial rites was unveiled at Ode-Itsekiri, popularly known as Big Warri.

We can fix this economy

WHEN we say that the economic stagnation in this country has an international dimension to it, those who are satisfied with the status-quo shout us down. Thank God for Omoh Gabriel’s revelation in the Vanguard of November 16, 2015. According to Omoh: “The attempt to frustrate the nation’s efforts to move forward has been orchestrated by foreign investors, their media and the European Union and the United States of America.”

It did not start today. Right from the colonial era our economy has been programmed to service the needs of the super powers. Ask the Indians, the battle they fought to free their cotton production from the grips of the British colonial masters.

With Mahatma Ghandi as the pivot, they boycotted British goods, including their wears, and that accounted for India’s seemingly economic independence today. The surprising thing in the case of Nigeria is that, with an over abundance of world class economic experts and consultants – Professor Soludo has now come out of his shell – they have not been able to see and promote Nigeria along this line.

World AIDS day: 7.8m lives saved in 15 years —WHO

By Chioma Obinna & Gabriel Olawale

Lagos—As Nigeria today joins the rest of the world to mark 2015 World AIDS Day, the World Health Organisation, WHO, yesterday announced that the Millennium Development Goal that called for halting and reversing the spread of HIV on a global basis was met with 7.8 million lives saved in 15 years.

WHO also announced that the number of HIV deaths was reduced by 42 per cent by 2014 from a peak of more than 2 million in 2004 to an estimated 1.2 million.

The global health body, in a new report to mark this year’s World AIDS Day however noted that the world is poised to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

By Chioma Obinna

AN estimated 2.9 million people living with HIV/AIDS out of 3.4 million Nigerians diagnosed last year are not receiving treatment needed to suppress the infection. Those affected, most of who are currently living in hiding, are not only at risk of death from HIV related illnesses, but are also infecting new people, causing a surge of the disease.

Nigerian HIV experts revealed this at a scientific symposium to mark this year’s World AIDS Day, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, in collaboration with Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Lagos branch.

In her submission, representative of the Population Council Abuja, Dr. Sylvia Adebajo noted that only 500,000 people are currently on treatment, while the 2.9 million largely men, serve as reservoir for the spread of HIV.

Root causes of the Biafra struggle

By Femi Aribisala
IN the eight years of Obasanjo’s presidency, there was no headline-grabbing demand for Biafra. Ditto for the eight years of the Yar’Adua/Jonathan presidency. However, within months of Buhari’s presidency, the Igbo demand for Biafra has become deafening.

Without a doubt, the blame for this new impetus must be laid firmly at the doorstep of President Buhari. Moreover, rather than attenuate it, the president and the APC have exacerbated separatist tendencies in the country.

This was part of the reason why people like me did not support Buhari’s election as president of Nigeria. I have written severally in Vanguard that Nigeria must remain a united nation. In my column of 4th March, 2014 entitled: “Re-inventing Igbo Politics in Nigeria,” I maintained that: “Nigeria cannot survive without the Igbo.” The following week on 11th March 2014, I wrote another article entitled: “Nigeria Cannot Do without the North.”

I remain persuaded by both positions. But if Nigeria is indeed to remain united, there are certain things that must be said and done. The problem with the Buhari administration is that it seems totally impervious to these imperatives.

Second-class treatment

By Kingsley Omonobi

MAIDUGURI— Following repeated accusations by Amnesty International and other international rights groups of brutalization and human rights abuses by the Nigerian Army in the war against Boko Haram insurgents, the Nigerian Army has inaugurated a joint Nigerian Bar Association, NBA/Nigerian Army human rights monitoring team as part of measures to improve human rights protection and reduce abuses by military personnel.

Spends $445m on JV financing in one month

N88.47bn remitted to FAAC

By Michael Eboh

ABUJA—The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday announced a loss of N240.987 billion in its operations for 10 months, between January and October 2015.

The NNPC, in its Monthly Oil and Gas Report for October 2015, also revealed that all its total sales proceeds from the export of crude oil and gas in October, amounting to $445.786 million, about N89.157 billion, was utilized for Joint Venture Cash Call funding, while only N88.475 billion was paid to the Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, in the month under review.

By Ikenna Asomba

The Business Planning Manager, Saudi German Hospital (SGH), Iftakhar Asfi has stated that the hospital management will be establishing, at least, two hospitals in Nigeria, as well as partnering with Nigerian medical colleges, noting that it was bothered by the dire health needs of Nigerians, particularly, the medical bills spent abroad.

Addressing journalists in Lagos when representatives of the hospital hosted stakeholders in the healthcare sector, Asfi, said: “We have been attending to many dignitaries from Nigeria over the years. We receive more than 10, 000 patients from Nigeria in Dubai only.

By Lindsay Barrett

Although when Seriake Dickson chose him to be his running mate in 2012, retired Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah, OON, was regarded by many observers as being a political neophyte his performance as Deputy Governor over the last four years has proven the choice to have been highly appropriate. The accomplished Naval Engineer whose illustrious career in the military had seen him rise to become the Commandant of the National Defence College (Nigeria’s highly rated War College) in Abuja, before his voluntary retirement, has been a calm and steady lieutenant to the outspoken and sometimes volatile Governor who, though he is his junior in age, is certainly far more experienced than him in partisan politicking.

PPMC urged to decentralise loading points for marketers

By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT— National President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chief Obasi Lawson, has called on Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, to decentralise loading points of petroleum products in the country.

Obasi in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when he led national officers of IPMAN on inspection of tank farms in the state, said that concentrating loading points in Lagos State would not solve the problem of scarcity of petroleum products.

Obasi listed Master Energy as one of the tank farms that should be considered by PPMC to service marketers.

By Onozure Dania

Five decades after the death of former Minister of Finance, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, executor of his will, Mrs. Jadesimi Alero (nee Okotie-Eboh), has claimed that one of his property does not belong to him (minister) but belongs to her.At the hearing of a suit before Justice Morenikeji Obadina of a Lagos High Court, the will executor, who is the first daughter of the former Finance Minister, told the court that the property belongs to her mother.

By SAM Otti
The World Bank has unveiled a new action plan requiring $16 billion in funding to help African countries adapt to climate change and build up the continent’s resilience to climate shocks.
Titled Accelerating Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Development, the Africa Climate Business Plan would be presented at the United Nations Climatic Conference in Paris (COP21), a global climate talks which commences on November 30 to December 12. The plan lays out measures to boost the resilience of the continent’s assets – its people, land, water, and cities – as well as boosting renewable energy and strengthening early warning systems.
World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, said sub-Saharan Africa remains highly vulnerable to climate shocks, noting that research showed that could have far-ranging impact on everything from child stunting and malaria to food price increases and droughts.

On December 11 2014, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) stayed true to form and character. The governorship primary for Taraba state was moved from Jalingo to Abuja with no explanations offered whatsoever. Darius Ishaku who had just resigned his position as minister in the federal cabinet, was allegedly handpicked as the PDP flag bearer for the Taraba governorship election even as 750 delegates of the party from different local governments in Taraba, were allegedly locked out of the venue of a party primary that never was. The venue of the primary election was of course the PDP’s rarefied Wadata Plaza in Abuja. “Kangaroo primaries conducted by a cult of personalities”, Alhaji Garba Umar, who was ostensibly the preferred candidate of choice of majority of the Taraba delegates, cursed under his breath. He had been out-maneuvered in a manner only the PDP

By Gabriel Dike

The immediate past Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof John Obafunwa was the main casualty in the selection exercise as he was not among applicants shortlisted by the Governing Council for the vacant VC position.
The joint council and Senate selection committee shortlisted nine Professors for the plum job and Prof Obafunwa’s name was conspicuously missing from the list.
The Governing Council/Senate selection committee would decide the fate of the nine Professors shortlisted for plum job as the interview for the eight VC is scheduled for next meet Monday.
Obafunwa’s submission of his application caught the staff unions unaware who had a running battle with him for months. The inability of the immediate past VC to make the shortlist elicited jubilations from the workers when the news filtered into the campus.

Naira depreciates further at parallel market

The naira depreciated further at the parallel market on Monday as it lost N0.5 to exchange at N242.5 to the dollar.

It was previously exchanged at N242 to the dollar.

The naira, however, closed at N197 to the dollar at the inter-bank segment.

The naira has continued to slide in spite of the measures adopted by the apex bank to defend the exchange rate.

Traders at the market said that there was upsurge in demand for foreign exchange and this was impacting on the exchange rate of the naira.

Sylva: Dickson has abandoned AIDS patients

By Emmanuel Aziken

Ahead of Tuesday’s celebration of the World’s AIDS Day, the Sylva-Igiri Campaign has raised alarm on the poor state of welfare of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Bayelsa State.

A statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation, Chief Nathan Egba, expressed concern that that the incumbent Seriake Dickson administration has stripped People Living With AIDS, PLWAs of benefits conferred to them by previous governments of DSP Alamieyeseigha, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Timipre Sylva.

In a message of solidarity with the PLWAs, the Sylva-Igiri campaign said it believes that they are entitled to a better life of love and care.

Okorocha urges FG, states to invest in sports

Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha has called on both the federal and state governments to invest heavily in sports because of the wonderful contributions of sporting activities to the unity of the country, adding that sports have always brought Nigerians from all tribes together as a people and rekindled the consciousness of the nation’s unity in Nigerians.

Okorocha said this when the organizers of the Federation of Public Service Games paid a courtesy call on him at the Government House, to inform him that the 2015 edition of the Public Service Games had taken off in the state.

Ondo gets high rating as Immunisation Week begins

Executive Secretary of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr Ado Muhammed, has rated Ondo State high in terms of primary healthcare delivery, compared to other states in in the country, even as the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday, declared open the November 2015 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, MNCHW.

At the event, Governor Mimiko charged the 18 council chairmen in the state to provide the logistic support needed for the successful implementation of the exercise.

The flag-off ceremony, which held at the premises of the Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, was attended by the state deputy governor, Alhaji Abdulazeez Oluboyo and his wife Fatimo, among other government functionaries.

Governor Mimiko, who expressed satisfaction with previous National Immunization Plus Days, NIPDs, exercises in the state, solicited the support of all stakeholders towards the success of the exercise.

S’South NFF Congress okays Falode

It was back-slapping galore last Friday in Port Harcourt as the South South Congress of the Nigeria Football Federation met to address pressing football issues ahead of elections into some arms of the football fraternity in the country.

The meeting which was held at Aldgate Hotel, Perekule Street, GRA Phase 2 in the Garden City, had all the Chairmen and Secretaries, including other stakeholders of the South South football community in attendance. It was convened by the Rivers FA boss and Chairman of at least two NFF Sub-committees, Barrister Christopher Green. He is also an Executive Committee member of the NFF.

Egypt Under-23 national team coach Hossam El-Badry remains hopeful they will progress to the semifinals of the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, despite getting their campaign off with a draw against Algeria in their Group B opener in M’Bour on Sunday.

Zamalek winger Mahmoud ‘Kahraba’ Abdel-Moneam headed home Mohamed Hani’s free-kick to give the young Pharaohs the lead on 54 minutes, but Algeria levelled matters through USM Alger attacking midfielder Zinedine Ferhat 10 minutes later with the Egyptian keeper Mosaad Awad largely to blame.

Don decries alleged commercializtion of university programmes

By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN—A University lecturer in the University of Lagos, Prof. Abubukar Momoh, has decried the alleged commercialization of programmes in Nigerian universities which he said, has relegated knowledge and excellence to the background.

Momoh, a Professor of Political Science, spoke in Ekpoma, during the Second Memorial and First Public Lecture, organised by ASUU, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in honour of a former ASUU President, late Prof. Festus Iyayi, who died two years ago in Kogi State on his way to Abuja to attend an ASUU conference.

Momoh noted that the profit motive has been over prioritized in place of excellence and knowledge in the setting up of universities.

He said: “Nobody sets up a university because of profit. You set it up because of excellence, to produce excellent knowledge. Go and ask about the history of Yale and how it started.”

Imo Health Crisis: Practitioners call for Okorocha’s impeachment

Medical practitioners in Imo State under the aegis of Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of the Nigeria (AGPMPN), have called on the State House of Assembly to immediately begin impeachment proceedings against Governor Rochas Okorocha, noting that the call became necessary, following the shutdown of all public primary, secondary and tertiary health centres in the state by the governor.

The Chairman, AGPMPN Imo State, Dr. Philip Njemanze, who also alleged that Governor Okorocha is threatening to close down all private hospitals in the state, lamented that these actions have had devastating effects on the Imo people.

…As Kachikwu meets marketers, tours depots

By Clara Nwachukwu
Worried by the continued scarcity of petroleum products in the market, Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, Monday night, intervened with a crucial call to marketers on the best way to end the current fuel crisis, which had engulfed the country in the last couple of months.

The call came as a proposed meeting between the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. IbeKachikwu, suspended a meeting between him and major marketers, scheduled to hold in Lagos Monday.

A former Minister of state under former President Jonathan's administration, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, has been arrested and is being interrogated by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of receiving money running into Billions of Naira which he cannot account for while he was in office.

The large sums of money were allegedly transferred to him between December 2014 and May 2015. A source at EFCC said the former Minister who was picked up by 4pm today, is being interrogated for allegedly receiving some huge amount of money from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, who is being investigated over a two billion dollars arms deal.

34-year-old comedienne, Amy Schumer proved an inspiration to plus size women as she put her curves on display for the 43rd edition of the Pirelli calendar shot by famed photographer, Annie Leibovitz. She has admitted struggling with body image in the last but in her own words, "I've never felt more beautiful".

Bayelsa state police command has released the 4 men accused of allegedly crashing into the convoy of Former President Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa earlier today. Police investigations indicated that the men wrongly joined GEJ's convoy thinking it was that of Timipre Sylva who they were on the road campaigning with ahead of Saturday's guber election in Bayelsa. They were released after investigations showed the allegations made against them were unfounded.

Ben Bruce replies someone criticizing him for selling popcorn for N800 at his Cinemas

Well...

APC sends Bello's name to INEC as late Prince Audu’s replacement

APC has picked and forwarded to INEC Yahaya Bello's name to be its substitute for late Prince Audu Abubakar in the Kogi state supplementary governorship election come December 5th. This move puts a note of finality to who will be representing the party in the supplementary election.

INEC’s Deputy Director in charge of Publicity, Nick Dazang. who confirmed this new development said " They have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the second runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission.”.

The 51-year-old talkshow host recently announced she's lost 50pounds on a vegan diet and was keen to show off the results of all that hard work as she slipped into a black one piece bikini. More photos after the cut...

The ladies haven't changed much....

Man has hernia bigger than a football removed from his scrotum after 12 years

An unidentified 65-year-old man underwent surgery in Rabat, Morocco to have a hernia bigger than a football removed. It reached down to the midpoint of his thigh causing him to suffer difficulties with walking, urinating or having sex. Such a case had not been recorded in the medical literature before, said doctors describing his case in the Journal of Medical Reports.

President Buhari and Minister of Environment Amina Mohammed pictured discussing at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris today November 30th. More photos after the cut...

Internet pranksters led by subversive website 4chan have taken the war to ISIS by making caricatures of the terrorists. Duck heads, tails and toilet brushes are photo shopped onto propaganda pictures released by the radical Islamic group. More photos after the cut...

63-year-old Marco Parma, headmaster of Garofani school in Rozano near Milan has been forced to resign after he cancelled all Christmas festivities so as not to hurt non-Christians and non-religious sensibilities. He proposed a January 21st non-religious 'winter concert' instead.

His indulgent political correctness however backfired after he came under fire from the prime minister and even Muslim parents. Italy's prime minister, Matteo Renzi (pictured above) who labelled the move a "big mistake" said:

The daughter of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Executive Director of Dangote Foundation, Hajiya Halima Aliko Dangote, led executive directors and management staff of the Foundation on a courtesy call on the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Friday, November 27.

Pope Francis rounded off his three-nation African tour with a mass at Barthelemy Boganda Stadium, Bangui, for thousands of faithfuls. More photos after the cut...

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Asinim Butswat, of The Bayelsa State Police Command has debunked reports that former President Jonathan was attacked in his state. According to him, a group of hungry youths mistook a convoy of the former President for one of the governorship candidate on electioneering ahead of the December 5 election.

They followed the convoy perhaps for alms, only to discover it was that of Jonathan. When they realized this, the youths, who had followed him up to his house in Yenagoa, pulled back and ran away. Security operatives however ran after them and arrested some of them. They did not attack the convoy and no weapon was found on them.

Serena Williams poses topless for Annie Leibovitz’s 2016 Pirelli calendar

One of the world's most exclusive calendars, Pirelli is known for featuring glamorous supermodels. This year however, the team behind the celebrated calendar took the 2016's issue in a whole new direction by featuring some of the world's most inspiring women including artists, athletes and bloggers. The 43rd edition, which was created by Annie Leibovitz, features the likes of Serena Williams, Amy Schumer and Chinese actress Yao Chen.

Duncan Mighty shares another photo of his son..

The singer who announced the birth of his son on Instagram a week ago, today shared another photo of his baby boy...

Explore your world of opportunities at Coventry University

Coventry University is one of the leading universities in the UK with 2 campuses (London & Coventry). We are currently ranked top 15th of UK Universities in the Guardian University Guide 2016. The University has risen with a number of 12 places from last year placing itself ahead of a number of Russell Group Institutions.

This LIB reader thinks so. Below is what he wrote;

‎"You didn't talk about Buhari not being received by the French president at the airport or any of their top government officials. He was embarrassed you know. He even trekked to the arrival to enter a car from the Nigerian embassy. No presidential car was provided by France sef!"

A Nigerian man who claimed to be a preacher has been arrested after being accused of beating, robbing and raping escorts in hotels across Washington DC. Gabriel Omogbo of Hyattsville, Maryland, is charged with attempted first degree murder, armed robbery, first degree assault and reckless endangerment.

Police believe that the 33-year-old used the website Backpage.com to find female escorts & arranged to meet up with them.

According to WJLA, the first two attacks happened at the Best Western Plus Hotel in Rockville and on both occasions he is accused of raping and stealing from two women he had met online.

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