LIVE: Tension In Bayelsa As Dickson, Sylva Go Head To Head

Residents of Bayelsa state will today, Saturday December 5, 2015, head to the polls to elect a leader to steer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
Although there are other political parties involved in the polls, all eyes will be on the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and their major opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

REAL G OYAKPA

Chimezie Nnoli A.K.A "REAL G" is back with this killer tune titled “OYAKPA”

Security Guard Sets Master’s House on Fire after Disagreement

The police in Lagos have arrested two security guards, Muhammed Kiga and Joseph James, for allegedly setting two houses on fire in the Ajah area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the two suspects, and one Musa, who is at large, conspired to commit the offence in November, 2015.

A police source said Musa and Kiga were employed to guard a property on Loius Fadipe Street, Thomas Estate, Ajah.

Musa, who owned a motorcycle, was alleged to have had a disagreement with the landlord after his
motorcycle scratched the latter’s car.

Why We Must Cut N18, 000 Minimum Wage or Sack Workers — Governors

Nigerian governors will eventually reduce the federal minimum wage of N18,000 or downsize because of the current economic crunch, the chairman of the body of governors has said.

 The chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Zamfara state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, said on Thursday that irrespective of public condemnations of the plan, it would not be economically feasible to retain the same workforce and pay same amount of money.

Charge Your Phone by Breathing (Photo)

‘A Soldier’s Story’ Set To Hit Cinemas

A movie that celebrates the bravery and sacrifices of the Nigerian armed forces and the pains of their loved ones has been put in motion pictures. The movie entitled, ‘A Soldier’s Story’ is one every Nigerian would love to watch as it exemplifies the heroism of our military men, their challenges and what their loved ones face anytime they go to the battlefield not knowing whether they will return or not.
Written and directed by Frankie Ogar, A Soldier’s Story will make you go emotional and feel the pains of wounded persons and soldiers of war. With good and precise special effects crafted by Hakeem Onilogbo, the movie with a great suspense will keep viewers glued to their seats.
The thriller was premiered by V+O Communications at Genesis Cinema, City Mall Onikan Lagos, for media viewing and opinion buzz.
‘A Soldier’s Story’ is a love story of a military man, which also highlighted military call of duty, life and death and the risk, with their passion to protect their nation.
Speaking at a media screening, Frankie Ogar, who doubles as the executive producer and the director of photography of the movie said it was motivated by the need to celebrate the Nigerian army and military in these times of battle against insurgency. He said the former chief of army staff was notified about the movie and he supported it.
The movie which premieres October 14 parades a wonderful cast. They include Tope Tedela, AMVCA 2014 Best Actor, Linda Ejiofor, AMVCA 2015 Best Supporting Actress, promising Daniel K. Daniel and the beautiful and talented Adesua Etomi. Others that gave the movie its real-life role interpretations are model turned actress and Ebony-Life TV programme host, Zainab Balogun, Olumide Oworu, Classic FM On-Air Personality, Chico Aligwekwe, Sambasa Nzeribe, Baaj Adebule and Elsie Eluwa

Photos of Single Father Emeka Ike Feeding His Kids Hits The Net

Single father and Nollywood actor Emeka Ike is going through one of the most bitter divorce ever witnessed in Nollywood, All his pleas has fallen on deaf ears as his wife under the mentor-ship of a serial divorcee man of God has refused to budge. Emeka Ike's latest claim is that his wife has left him with the responsibilities of taking care of their kids alone so he baths them, putty train them, do the school run and baby feed them alone

> NEWSChampions League: Draw Smiles on Barca, Man Utd

Barcelona and returning giants Manchester United were dealt favourable hands in the Champions League draw in Monaco thursday.
Barca's quest to become the first team to retain the European crown began smoothly as Lionel Messi and company were paired with Bayer Leverkusen, Roma and BATE Borisov in Group E.
United grace the competition after a year's absence and coach Louis van Gaal will be more than happy with the three-time winners' Group B sparring partners PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg.

InnJoo set to launch two new smartphones with larger batteries

After two launch events held over past few months in Nigeria, Dubai-based mobile phone manufacturing company, InnJoo is set to launch two new devices at the University of Lagos in a bid to target the younger generation.
During the launch event, which is centered around providing solutions to improve the power issues in the country, the company is expected to unveil the InnJoo Halo and Fire Plus — both smartphones coming with a large battery capacity with at least two days usage upon full charge.
The event, which is scheduled to hold on September 2 with registrations starting at 3PM, would feature performances by local artist, Adekunle Gold and a dancing group from the University of Lagos during the after-party. There will also be lucky draws available for more than 1000+ attendees with prizes including smart scooters, smartphones and power banks.
Meanwhile, the company says that the first 200 attendees to register will get the limited edition InnJoo Power T-shirt.
The company has yet to reveal any details about both devices, but we will keep you updated as we know more.

FG Ban 57 Universities, Sanctions Others

Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie
In its drive to rid the country of illegal universities, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has released a list of 57 illegal degree awarding institutions operating in Nigeria and other campuses in the country.

Eden Hazard Breaks Silence About Chelsea Signing Pedro

Eden Hazard has welcomed Pedro to Chelsea.
Hazard is excited to be linking up with the former Barcelona winger.
“When you play with Chelsea you want to play with big players, he can bring a new experience. He is very good, fast, I want to play with him,” he told Sky Sports.
“I want to learn, I’m still young, I want to be one of the very best and I learn from the best.”

Chinese phone maker, Xiaomi set to launch in Africa

Xiaomi, a Chinese smartphone manufacturing company, is said to be on the verge of making an audacious foray into the African continent next month, according to a Forbes
report .
To herald its bold move, Xiaomi’s impressive Redmi 2 and Mi 4 smartphones will be available at launch, and will be distributed across Africa by Mobile in Africa Limited.
Speaking about Xiaomi’s planned foray into Africa, RJ Van Spaandonk, President of Mobile in Africa Limited told Forbes :
“I think Xiaomi is currently the one of the most exciting mobile internet brands. It is well suited to the needs and income levels of the emerging middle classes in Africa.”
He further said that ‘there is a great need for mobile technology in Africa that is top-notch quality but still affordable. What I found in Xiaomi is a company, and a business model that can accommodate the needs of African consumers’.
Xiaomi’s Redmi 2 and Mi 4 Android-powered smartphones are both state-of-the-art and relatively cheap. The Xiaomi Redmi is a Microsoft Lumia lookalike complete with 8MP backside camera, 4.7” fully illuminated IPS HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 1.2GHz CPU and so on while the Xiaomi Mi 4 is an iPhone 5 lookalike with a beautiful display, 13 MP Sony high speed camera, high-performing Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and beautiful design.
Mobile in Africa Limited is setting up online stores in 14 countries at the moment in its bid to efficiently distribute Xiaomi’s products, effectively following the same mostly-online sales strategy used by Xiaomi in China which has worked like magic.
Since the launch of its first phone in August 2011, Xiaomi Technology Co., Limited, which was founded in April 2010, has disrupted the consumer electronics and computer hardware industry as it is presently the third largest smartphone maker in the world, bettered only by Samsung and Apple.

Students hack colleague to death, have sex immediately after

Four Job Corps students from Homestead, south of Miami, have now been charged with the gruesome murder of a 17-year-old who also went to the government-funded boarding school for at-risk youths.
Kaheem Arbelo, 20, Christian Colon, 19, Jonathan Lucas , 18 and Desiray Strickland , 18, hacked at Jose Amaya Guardado with a machete, caving in his face, then forced him into a shallow grave where they buried him alive.
According to an arrest report, Strickland at one point “complained that she had missed the first series of machete strikes because she had walked away for a few minutes to urinate in the woods."
After the students allegedly burned their own clothes and Guardado's stuff in an attempt to cover up evidence, Colon and Lucas left the scene and Arbelo and Strickland stayed in the woods where they had sex, then went back to campus, police said.
Detectives said Arbelo is a suspected drug dealer at the school. It was reported that detectives believe Guardado may have owed Arbelo money, and said the two were roommates at the school.
The students allegedly lured Guardado to the woods where a machete had been hidden and a grave had already been dug in preparation.
"The Job Corps school and vocational program, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, houses at-risk students between the ages of 16 and 24 at 125 campuses across the country," New York Daily News reports.

OFFICIAL: Chelsea have completed the signing of Spain international Pedro

The 28-year-old arrives from Barcelona for a fee that could rise to £21.1 million.
Speaking to club’s official website, he said: ‘I am very happy to be here. I am very excited to start my adventure at Chelsea and I am here to keep winning titles.
‘Thanks to the club and the supporters for giving me the opportunity to put the blue shirt on.’

Chelsea agree $33.2m deal for Barcelona winger Pedro

English champions Chelsea have agreed a deal with Barcelona for the signing of Spanish international winger Pedro Rodriguez, both clubs announced on Thursday.
“FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Pedro Rodriguez for 30 million euros ($33.2 million, £21.2 million), three of which are variables depending on performance,” Barcelona said in a statement.
Pedro chose the Premier League champions over rival suitors Manchester United and Manchester City, the 28-year-old’s arrival at Stamford Bridge ending a summer-long transfer saga.
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho’s latest acquisition turns up in London boasting five La Liga trophies and three Champions League titles.

Mueller laughs off United’s ‘crazy’ reported 100m bid

Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller has laughed off reports Manchester United want to sign him for up to 100 million euros (£70m, $109m) with the Germany star describing the exorbitant sum as ‘crazy’.
German daily Bild has quoted the figure, but Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said the 25-year-old forward is not for sale and the Germany international laughed off the figure.
“It’s basically crazy the numbers which are currently kicking around in football — that’s just business,” Mueller told German broadcaster Sport1 with United having already signed Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger in July.
“No one is worth 100 million euros, it’s just a trade figure, so I am quite relaxed about the whole thing.”
However, Mueller says an encounter with a fan on Monday after a testimonial match against Dynamo Dresden gave him food for thought.
“In Dresden, a fan addressed me with a megaphone: “Hey 100 million man, what is your playing shirt worth?’ That made me smile,” added Mueller, after Bayern’s 3-1 win over the third division side.
Bayern opened the new German league season last Friday with a 5-0 drubbing of Hamburg in Munich.
The Bavarian giants are bidding to become the first side to win four straight league titles and Mueller says Pep Guardiola’s side are eager to repeat their 2013 treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup titles.
“We don’t have to win it (the treble), but we want to,” said Mueller.
“From the potential we have, we belong to the group of favourite in the Champions League,” said Mueller.
“But the semi-finals or quarter-finals are always very close games, so you need luck and the right group of players at the right time.”
Borussia Dortmund, the German league and cup champions in 2012, are the last side to win the Bundesliga apart from Bayern and Mueller says they are still the biggest danger to the Bavarians, especially under new coach Thomas Tuchel.
“I have always seen Dortmund as our main rivals,” said Mueller.
“They were very weak in the first part of last season and were a long way off the fight for the league title, but I have always got Dortmund on my list.
“With Levekursen, Dortmund, Wolfsburg and maybe Schalke, there are teams who can chase us until the last game of the season.”
Schweinsteiger’s departure to Manchester United means Mueller is now Guardiola’s third-choice to captain the side behind skipper Philipp Lahm and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
“Nothing has changed. For me, it’s not important who has the captain’s armband, but that many players on the pitch are giving the right signals,” insisted Mueller.

LASTMA officials beat up Lagos bus driver

Officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority » (LASTMA), are meant to see the free flow of traffic in the state but many of them have been going beyond the purview of their duties as they are known to have become a law in their own rights and have caused pain and havoc to road users.
Two of such officials » threw caution into the winds by rounding up an erring bus driver on one of the major roads in the state and beat up the man.
According to eyewitnesses, motorists, commuters and passersby were shocked when they saw these LASTMA officials pull off their uniforms in the middle of the road and engaging in the messy fight with the driver.
Some of the passersby who took pictures were harassed and their handsets destroyed by other LASTMA men standing by.
The incident occurred at Anthony bus stop near Oshodi, Lagos, following the arrest of the driver for plying the BRT lane.
Another witness report that cause of the fight was when one of the LASTMA officials smashed the windscreen of the bus and when the driver came down to demand why the man took such an action, the official called his other colleagues from the other side of the road and they joined him in beating up the man.

MY 17 YEAR OLD SON INSPIRES ME- OMOTOLA JALADE

Nollywood screen goddess, Omotola Jalade, is in such a joyful mood today and the reason is not far-fetched.
The mother of four, who's better known as Omosexy, is celebrating her budding music producer son, Captain E, birthday today.
The young producer turned 17 today, the actress shared this photo and penned down how he inspires her.
"Happy birthday@iamcaptainE ! I have not met a young person as Hardworking as this kid. I was an early starter myself , started working at age 15/16 but mine was out of need... This kid started working, buying his own equipment from school jobs and pocket monies from age 13!
I salute and pray for you son, you always say I inspire you , am not sure I've ever told you but "You" inspire and encourage me hardworker, God bless and keep you. Love you much!still#Africasyoungestmusicproducer #17#Thetakeoff".
CaptainE is the second child, and first son of the Nollywood actress who's marriage to Captain Mattew Ekiende is 19 year old.

I hate proud Nigerian men’, Chigul reveals on MTV Base real talk

Chigul
Chigul
By Anita Aiyudu
Popular TV host and comedienne, Chigul has revealed a few of the characteristics she finds unappealing about Nigerian men. She disclosed her reasons on this week’s edition of MTV Base Real Talk.
While responding to the question from MTV VJ, Stephanie Coker on what upsets her about Nigerian men, she said, ‘I don’t like men who assume because they have small money, ladies should just jump and follow… Sometimes the money is not even real, it’s in their mind…that’s very annoying’.
She also answered questions from fans including Udeh Chukwunonso Celestine who asked about her marital status. ‘Are you married or when are you getting married?”. Chigul replies,‘It’s complicated, let’s leave it there’ and jokingly added, ‘Nonso come o. Help yourself, Knock on my door, I will open for you’.
Another fan asked, ‘What are some of the things people don’t know about you? and in response, she said, ‘A lot of people don’t know that I am a certified French teacher and I speak five languages. I am also a jazz singer and can do a lot of things with my hands’.
MTV Base Real Talk is a one on one question show hosted by MTV VJs, Ehiz and Stephanie that allows fans connect with their favorite celebrities via social media; No questions are off-limits, secrets, guilty pleasures, old memories, phobias and everything is brought on the table.

New-music-toni-tones-hey-boy

Singer and Songwriter Toni Tones is making a comeback with the release of her latest single ‘Hey Boy’.

The ‘Now Muzik’ artiste premiered ‘Hey Boy’ this morning after keeping fans on their toes last week with anticipation.

Hey boy is a sweet, evergreen love song told from the point of view of a female lover. It has a soft R‘n’B sound infused with Pop, and it will probably leave you wanting to bop your head and move your hips.

NGF to parley with UN scribe on devt

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will meet with the Secretary General of the United Nation, Ban K-Moon on Sunday, August 23 to discuss the Sustainable Development Goals, the successor programme to the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs).
The Forum, which met in Abuja on Wednesday night, said the meeting is important because, of role of state governors, as critical stakeholders, are expected to play in the implementation of the programme.
Chairman of the Forum, Governor Abdul’aziz Yari, who read the communiqué at the end of the meeting, said the parley with K-Moon will be a follow to the one NGF had in 2011with the UN scribe, to assess the implementation of the MDGs. The UN had set 2015 to reduce extreme poverty in developing countries.
Governor Yari disclosed that following the presentation made by the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) on the operations of the National Integrated Power Project, the Forum resolved to appeal for a more comprehensive power sector policy and strategy, with a view to achieving a holistic solution to the power situation in the country.

Buhari Confers National Productivity Award on Olaopa, 10 Others

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology, Dr. Tunji Olaopa
Dele Ogbodo in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari is about now conferring the National Productivity Award,on the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology, Dr. Tunji Olaopa and 10 other distinguished Nigerians who have performed excellently well in their various sectors.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Clement Illoh, Buhari said the awardees were strictly chosen based on their high performance level in their sectors.
Henceforth, he said, the 11 awardees will be expected to carry on his anti-corruption crusade.

Man hacks pregnant wife to death for sleeping with ex-husband; commits suicide

A Zimbabwean wheelbarrow operator identified as Nkululeko Mlotshwa, has committed suicide after hacking his pregnant wife to death » because he caught her having sex on their matrimonial bed with her ex-husband.
According to kuzeyanyaya.com, Mlotshwa had long suspected his wife, Stabile Dube of having extra-marital affairs with her ex-husband, a money changer, and had questioned her several times but she always denied having anything to do with the man until he caught her red handed in the act on his own bed.
The horrific incident happened in the evening of Monday, August 17, at the family's house in Mapfungautsi suburb in Gokwe Town but neighbours only discovered on Tuesday afternoon after seeing a blood-stained axe » outside the couple's house.
Dube who had two children with her ex-husband, was also suspected to be carrying the man's pregnancy even when living with another man. After divorcing her first husband, Dube married Mlotshwa in 2011 and the couple were yet to have a child of their own for some years until Dube fell pregnant recently.
A neighbour said he was aware of the strain in the couple's marriage because Mlotshwa had complained to him that his wife had continued to secretly see her ex-husband.
Another neighbour, Thelma Phiri, said word started doing the rounds in the small town that Dube was cheating on Mlotshwa with her ex-husband and it was also alleged that Dube was impregnated by her ex-husband.
A family source told kuzeyanyaya.com:
"Dube was heavily pregnant at the time of her death and it's believed that the ex-husband was responsible. Mlotshwa was also known as Malume in Mapfungautsi. Malume was popular since he used to carry people's stuff using his pushcart.
On Monday afternoon, Mlotshwa received a tip-off that Dube and her ex-husband were camped at his house. Mlotshwa was at the town centre touting for clients when he got the message. He wasted no time and rushed home where he forcibly opened the bedroom door. Dube's ex-husband immediately escaped."
We don't know what happened to the duo but on the next morning we were called to the house when some people said they hadn't seen the couple the whole day. They said there was a blood-stained axe outside the house.
We were shocked to see the horrible sight of the severed head of Dube and the body of Mlotshwa hanging from the roof.
The room looked like a slaughter house with blood and small pieces of human flesh all over the place."
A statement from the police said they suspected Mlotshwa had axed his wife to death before hanging himself.
See the graphic photo here »
Another graphic photo »
Another graphic photo »
Yet another graphic photo »

Dragging Buhari into ISIS kingpin’s visa crisis is mischievous – Presidency

The Presidency has cautioned Nigerians against dragging President Muhammadu Buhari into the controversy surrounding how a leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS, Ahmed Al-Assir, got a Nigerian visa.
Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said yesterday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has demanded a report from the Nigerian mission in Lebanon, should be allowed to carry out the assignment.
According to Shehu, dragging the person of President Buhari into the controversy was mischievous.
A security source, who spoke to The Nation said: “As I talk to you, those at the nation’s embassy in Lebanon have been queried on how things went wrong.
“The embassy has been mandated to submit a comprehensive report to the Federal Government within 72 hours.
“The report is expected to cover how Al-Assir applied for visa, the documents submitted, what he claimed as his mission to Nigeria, the procedure adopted in verifying his claims; whether or not there was any collaboration with security agencies in Nigeria; and the timeline for the issuance of the visa.
“The government is also interested if the ISIS chief was questioned on where he would stay in Nigeria, his host and the duration of his trip.”
Another source added: “Besides the report, the security agencies will also look into the list of those granted visa in the last few months to ascertain whether ISIS members had covertly applied.
“We are worried because Boko Haram has pledged loyalty to ISIS. And the botched trip of Al-Assir is reawakening because it has confirmed Boko Haram’s claim.”
However, confirming that the Federal Government had commenced investigation into the matter, Mallam Garba Shehu, said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for a full report on the case and it is investigating it.
“But it is mischievous for anyone to attempt to drag the person of President Muhammadu Buhari into the incident. The Buhari administration had nothing to do with the suspect or the supposed visit of the ISIS chief.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing investigation, it should be noted that Nigerian missions are to serve, they can adjudge an applicant for visa on the basis of documents presented to the Embassy. What is hidden in their heart, you will not know
“And for this applicant, we have read report of how he concealed his identity and wore a new look to get the visa.
“Since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking into the matter, let us await the outcome of the investigation.”

Bad times for Swiss watches as sales slump

A slump in watch demand from China and the Middle East has caused a £130m reduction in the value of Swiss watch exports in July.
As a result of the Swiss dominance of the market for timepieces from companies such as Rolex, Swatch and TAG Heuer, watch exports can be used as a good barometer of consumer confidence in different parts of the world.
The main Asian markets all reported sluggish Swiss watch sales in July, reports Sky News.
Overall, sales in Asia were down by 21.4%, with China responsible for most of this decline.
Consumers in the world’s second largest economy bought nearly 40% fewer Swiss watches than it did last year.
However, the figures from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry do not take into account the recent yuan devaluation in China.
The weaker currency will make imports more expensive for the Chinese, which is likely to dent watch sales further.
This, together with the fact that the Chinese stock market has lost nearly a third of its value since early June, is expected to continue to weigh on demand in the coming months.
Swiss exports this year were hampered by the Swiss central bank’s decision to abandon its currency ceiling with the euro in January.
This decision caused the franc to rocket in value, making exports from Switzerland relatively more expensive.
Across all countries, mid-range watch exports were the worst affected, with those costing around the £200 mark falling by nearly 15% in July.
In addition to the Chinese slowdown, watch demand from the United Arab Emirates and South Korea was also subdued, with sales to these countries falling by 30% and 20% respectively.
Shares in the world’s largest watch making group, Swatch, were 1.8% lower in mid-morning trading.
Swatch shares have lost 22.4% of their value in the past 12 months.

Man United bid for Saint’s Sadio Mane

Manchester United have made a transfer bid for Sadio Mane, according to Sky sources, but a Southampton official has said the winger will not be sold.
The offer for the 23-year-old, who scored a hat-trick in a Premier League record time of two minutes 56 seconds against Aston Villa last season, was lodged last week.
Mane is on United’s wanted list as an alternative to Pedro, who appears on the verge of joining Chelsea for £21.1m.
But despite the interest, a Southampton official told Sky Sports News HQ: “He is a key part of our team and our planning for the future. He wouldn’t be sold.”
Mane has already completed a successful season in England and fits in with United boss Louis van Gaal’s quest to bring pace, creativity and goals into the club.
His treble against Villa was among a haul of 10 goals last season for the Senegal international, who was used primarily as a winger following an £11.8m move from Red Bull Salzburg a year ago.
Van Gaal’s interest in Mane signals an intent to add attacking players to his United squad.
United claim they had the option of signing Pedro earlier in the window but, after long consideration, Van Gaal decided to end their pursuit of the player.

Ribadu Wants Culprits of Money Laundering Punished

CBN plans regulatory framework for virtual currencies
By James Emejo in Abuja

The former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Wednesday urged the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to strengthen the anti-graft agencies to recover ‘dirty money’ and punish perpetrators of financial crimes.
He said virtually all the problems which could be associated with Nigeria stemmed from money laundering.
Ribadu said all monies from criminal activities must be identified, adding that:
“Nothing destroys like allowing criminality to thrive.”
According to him, terrorism and money laundering are largely responsible for the country’s underdevelopment.
The former EFCC boss further stressed the need to follow and identify money movements as “even clean money can be used to finance terrorism.”
Speaking in Abuja at the opening the second Anti-Money Laundering/Combating Financial Terrorism Stakeholders’ Consultative Workshop with the theme: ‘Money Laundering/Terrorism Financing (ML/TF) Risk from Virtual Currency and Non-Profit Organisations’, he called on Buhari to take institutions like the EFCC seriously.
He said to effectively fight money laundering and terrorism financing, it was important to strengthen the enforcement regime.
Ribadu recalled that within the first six months of his tenure at the EFCC, over N200 billion was recovered from the financial industry while $75 million was returned to victims of the advanced fee fraud otherwise known as ‘419’.
He said the eventual reforms particularly, the integration of the Nigerian financial system to the global market, started with the tremendous effort of the EFCC during his tenure as prior to that time, Nigerians could could do business with the MasterCard while the international community was conscious of the country.
According to him, “The world started taking us seriously,” following the convincing commitment of the EFCC to fight financial crimes.
He said the trend was almost reversed when his tenure was abruptly cut short in 2007.
Ribadu was thereafter given an award by the organisers of the programme for his ‘Outstanding Achievements’ in the anti-corruption campaign in the country.
Nevertheless, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability, Dr. Okwu Nnanna, said the forum was apt given that the use of virtual currencies for payment of transactions and speculative investments is rapidly expanding in the world economy.
As a result, he said regulators around the world were grappling with how best to regulate such currencies for the protection of the consumers and investors in order to maintain the stability and safety of the financial system.
Represented at the occasion by CBN Deputy Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Mr. Obot Akpan, Nnanna said the major focus of public debate regarding regulation of virtual currency is the protection of consumers.
He said the forum, which was organised by the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) in partnership with the Committee of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria (CCCoBIN) and DataPro Limited was expected to assist in laying a solid foundation for the much needed regulatory climate on the operations of virtual currency in the country.
He said:”I wish to note that virtual currencies present a wide range of issues and challenges that require financial authorities to consider and the challenges posed are unique and call for urgent regulatory responses.”

Benevolent Davido Gives His Fan ₦1 Million For School Fees

Davido is being far too kind. Not just chopping his money alone but also indulging in some social responsibilities.
Sometimes in July Davido announced that when he has a million followers on Instagram he would give out one million Naira.
On August 12, Davido became the first Nigerian on Instagram to hit the one million follower mark.
Keeping to his promise, Davido announced the winner of his big money giveaway which was Olajide Daniel Sanyaolu. As fate would have it Olajide Daniel Sanyaolu was in dire need of funds.
Two weeks ago Olajide opened a GoFundMe page to help in raising his school fees. His goal is to raise £24,700 for his tuition so that he could apply for a student visa. Before Davido appeared in the picture, Olajide had only raised a little more than £3,900.
See photo below;

Striking photo of newborn lying next to mother's caesarean wound goes viral

More than 11 million people have viewed this picture on social media, but it has certainly divided opinion.
This striking photograph of a mother and baby taken just three days after being born by caesarean section has taken social media by storm.
Helen Aller, 29, took the black and white image of the woman and her newborn lying next to her wound.

The new mother, who does not wish to be identified, was terrified of having a C-section but wanted the picture to be taken as the operation had saved her and her baby.

The image touched a nerve around the world after Helen shared it online, and it has been seen 11.5 million times and liked by nearly 200,000 people.
Photographer Helen, from Guernsey, often takes photos of newborns and their mums, but said she wasn't prepared for the reaction her latest shot received.
She said: "I photographed this mama's pregnancy a while back and she was telling me how terrified she was of having a c-section.

"Last week she went into labour but had to have an emergency c-section after complications.
"She asked me to come over and shoot this particular image as her worst nightmare proved to be what saved her and her child's lives.
"My images usually get seen seen by 100 people at most so I never thought it would reach anywhere near what it has done.
"So far it has been seen by over 7.5 million people. I didn't expect this image to reach so far."
In the photo, the newborn - only three days old - is lying directly underneath his mother's scar from her emergency caesarean.

VIA:UK Mirror

Android M is now officially called 6.0 Marshmallow

Android M is now officially called Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Google's new mascot is now welcoming photographers near the Android HQ building in California.

Android M was unveiled during Google's annual I/O conference last May and is expected to become publicly available this fall. The next major Android version will be trying to optimize the performance even further by lowering the RAM usage, improving the standby and overall battery endurance.
Android M will also introduce native support for fingerprint sensors and security authentications. An official app permission manager is coming too, as well as support for USB Type-C connectors and capability for charging other devices.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow new Developer's Preview is now available on Nexus 5, 6, 9 and the Nexus Player. The preview will be the last one before the RTM version.
The official SDK is live as well. The devs can now upload their Android 6.0 compatible apps to the Play Store.
Marshmallow should make it first on the Nexus devices this year.

Sponsorship drive: NFF plans restructure marketing department

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Monday it had taken steps to restructure its marketing department to meet the vision of the current leadership of the football house.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NFF had sometime in July placed an advertorial in some national dailies for some key positions in the marketing department including that of its Director, Idris Adama.
Mohammed Sanusi, General Secretary of the NFF told NAN in Abuja that the advertorial was in pursuit of the NFF’s vision of opening up the football house for more sponsors.
When we say restructuring, it’s not just the marketing department; the NFF is looking at the possibility of re-engineering and re-invigorating football in general.
We want to beef up areas that we can, and areas we need to strengthen, we will do that.
Marketing is one of the major areas that any football federation will look at because every activity there involves money.

DPR places N200 per litre fine on defaulting marketers

The Department of Petroleum Resources, Monday said, henceforth that it will place a fine of N200 per litre on any marketer who diverts petroleum products, in a bid to stem the continued fuel shortages being experienced in the country.
The decision followed series of warnings by the petroleum industry regulator to oil marketers and depot operators to desist from sharp practices leading to the illegal increases in the pump prices of premium motor spirit, PMS or petrol and Dual Purpose Kerosene, DPK/kerosene, which enjoy federal government subsidy.
The DPR, in a statement made available to Vanguard, stated that in addition to the fine, marketers or operators who indulge in the diversion of petrol and kerosene will also suffer severe sanctions and will be prosecuted in a court of law.
The development is coming on the heels of persistent sharp practices in the petroleum products supply chain, especially with regard to the violation of the officially stipulated pump prices for petrol and kerosene at depots and retail outlets. The warning read in part; “All marketers are hereby warned to desist from the illegal diversion of petroleum products, especially PMS and DPK. Failure to comply with this directive will attract severe sanctions, including the imposition of a fine of N200 per litre of the diverted product or prosecution in a court of law of both.
“Dealers in petroleum products who are sellers, DAPPMA, MOMAN, NIPCO and PPMC, or buyers, IPMAN and IMB, are hereby warned against buying or selling of PMS and DPK above the government regulated prices.
“Unlicensed third- party buyers that operate outside of the PPMC, DAPPMA, NIPCO, MOMAN and other deports’ premises and thereby constituting illegal spot markets and sources of diversions of petroleum products, are advised in their own interest to desist from such practices forthwith or face the full force of the law.
“Third-party throughput Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, either for Depots or for the reservation of products in filling stations must have the express approval of the operations controller of the nearest DPR office in the area, in the case of a filling station, and that of the DPR, in the case of a depot,” it added.
The DPR, had couple of weeks ago, shut down 23 private petroleum products depots across the country, and slammed a fine of N46 million on the owners of the depots.
The DPR, in a statement signed by its Director, Mr. Mordecai Ladan, had said the sanction was due to sharp practices by the companies based in Lagos, Warri and Calabar.
According to Ladan, the affected depots were selling petrol to marketers above the ex-depot price of N77.66 per litre

“2m units of blood required annually in Nigeria”

ONITSHA—The Nigerian Red Cross Society, NRCS, has said that Nigeria requires about two million units of blood in its blood bank on an annual basis to help give medical attention to accident, the injured and gunshot victims.
*A voluntary blood donor. Experts say the average adult person suffers no adverse effect from donating a pint of blood which may save a life. Every donor is tested and certified fit before donation.
This requirement is against the backdrop of only about 25,000 units of blood being recorded annually as a result of limited number of voluntary blood donors.
Vice Chairman of Anambra State chapter of NRCS, Prof. Peter Katchy, who disclosed this to newsmen, yesterday, in Onitsha, Anambra State, therefore, urged Nigerians to form the habit of donating blood twice a year in order to meet the blood requirement in the country.

FG assures Military of logistics for war on Boko Haram

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the military that his government would provide the necessary logistics needed to successfully prosecute the on-going war against the Boko Haram terrorists.
Speaking on behalf of the President, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Munguno (rtd) gave the reassurance during his visit to operational areas in the North-Eastern part of the country in the company of the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police.
While addressing officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force in Yola, General Monguno: “I am telling you this, and you can take it as if it is coming from Mr President himself that you are going to be given everything you require, not only for the operation but for your personal welfare. This is an assurance I want to give you”.
Against the background of the recent Presidential directive to the Service Chiefs to defeat the Boko Haram terrorist group in 3-months, the NSA gave the purpose of the operational visit as to enable his team to assess the situation on ground and relate with the troops with a view to adequately identify and address observed challenges facing the troops.
Speaking further, the NSA noted that the Air Force had brought a lot of noticeable improvements in the war against the terrorists due to the aerial support provided to the ground troops, hence he commended the Air Force personnel for their commitment and patriotism while urging them to keep the spirit high and to remain steadfast in their resolve to stand-up against the Boko Haram terrorists.
The operational areas visited by the NSA and his team include Damaturu, Maiduguri and Yola in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.
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Joke Silva And Olu Jacobs Hold Hands At The City People Awards

Joke Silva And Olu Jacobs Hold Hands At The City People Awards
The power couple looked smitten at the City People Awards yesterday, Sunday.

EPL: Why I subbed Terry – Mourinho

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has defended his decision to substitute captain John Terry at half-time in the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City.
The 34-year-old was replaced by Kurt Zouma with City leading 1-0 – the first time he has been taken off by Mourinho in the Premier League.
The Chelsea boss confirmed that Terry was not injured and that tactics were behind his decision to replace him.
“It was clear to me Zouma has to play,” said Mourinho after Sunday’s game.
Terry has won four league titles, five FA Cups, one Champions League and one Europa League during 17 years at Stamford Bridge.
The former England captain fell out of favour under previous managers Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benitez but played every minute of every league match last season under Mourinho, skippering Chelsea to their first Premier League title since 2009-10.
Mourinho said in May that Terry would have left Chelsea without him, reports the BBC.
“I don’t know if you asked questions to Rafa Benitez, Andre Villas-Boas, Roberto Di Matteo, to the ones that never played him,” added Mourinho when asked about his decision to bring off his captain against City.
“I’m the one you shouldn’t ask because I’m the one that plays with John in every game.
“I made John captain. I recovered John from a difficult situation with other managers.
“I brought my captain off and he was on the bench and still captain on the bench because the armband is just an armband.
“I can tell you he was not dancing in the dressing room and I can also tell you he was not having a bad reaction.

Truemessenger app launches globally to make SMS smarter by blocking spam

True Software, the company behind the popular Truecaller and Truedialler apps, has just launched a new application called Truemessenger , which hopes to do for SMS what Truecaller does for calls: remove spam.
The app, which was launched on the Play Store today and available worldwide, is a free mobile app that aims to make SMS smarter and contain less spam simply by verifying the identity of those who send you SMS messages, allowing you to mark specific senders as a spammer in your contact list.
With the app, you can switch between two tabs — inbox and spam — allowing you to easily mark senders as spam so you won’t see messages from them again in your inbox.
Alan Mamedi, CEO & Co-founder of Truecaller says:
“With Truemessenger’s global rollout, we’re bringing you the combined power of our global community with information from your own personal networks so you’ll never again have to worry about anonymous numbers”.
No doubt, the Truemessenger app is a huge step in the right direction towards curbing the number of spam messages we receive on our mobile phones on a daily basis.
It would be interesting to know how this new app could impact on the small and medium businesses that rely on short code services to promote their offerings via mobile SMS.

OMG !!! Man Caught Having Sex With 3 Female Dogs And a Horse (Graphic Photos)

A 45-year-old man, Travis Austin Joy, found himself in major trouble after he moved out of his home recently and forgot to take his video camera along with him. His old roommate found it while cleaning, and after seeing the seven disgusting videos on it, he immediately alerted police to what he had found.

He was arrested for allegedly filming seven videos that show him involved in sexual acts with a horse and three dogs.

The Spokane County Sheriff's Office said that Travis Austin Joy, a three-time convicted felon, made those videos between October 2012 and February 2014.

Officials with the Sheriff's Office said that he was charged with seven counts of first-degree animal cruelty for each video and then an additional two counts of harassment for threatening to kill the people who he believed reported him to the authorities.

The investigation began back in July when seven videos showing Joy having sexual contact with three dogs and a horse were turned over. A sheriff's detective began investigating the videos, examining the outdoor scenery, for example, to determine where they had been shot. He also contacted the owners of the animals and after that developed probable cause to arrest Joy.

The owner of one of the dog victims contacted authorities and reported Joy was at their residence prompting deputies to travel to the residence where they arrested Joy. After his arrest Joy admitted to a detective that he had recorded himself having sexual contact with the animals so he could watch the videos later and not need to repeat the acts.

Police took custody of Joy's two dogs; only one of those dogs was observed in one of the videos.
Joy is scheduled to make a first appearance on those charges in Spokane Superior Court Thursday afternoon

16 Yr Old Girl Caught Having Sex With 52 Men in a Bush At Awka

16-year-old Ifechukwu Atunanya, has been arrested having sex with over 52 young men inside a bush in what looked like an initiation ceremony. She claims she was forced to sleep with every male member of the cult during her initiation.

Ifechukwu was among 75 suspected cult members who were rounded up by Anambra State Police command.


All the suspects were alleged to be members of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity and were all arrested in a bush in Awka during the initia­tion of new members.

Recovered from them were guns, matchet and several wraps of Indian hemp.

According to the state Commissioner of Police, Hosea Karma, the police acted on an intelligence report that the cult members and their new entrants were in a bush performing some rituals.

Part of their ritual, he explained, includes sleeping with prospective female members. He said they do that in order to secure their oath of secrecy. It was during the raid that 16-year-old Ifechukwu was arrested.

At the police station, Ifechukwu, a second­ary school dropout and member, claimed that she had to travel to Anambra from Abuja just to witness the initiation of new members.
 “I joined them three months ago and during my initiation, I was forced to have sex with every registered member of the cult present that night. I was given a sedative so as not to feel what they were doing. It was not easy, but I bore the pain,” she said.



Her parents, who are from Anambra State, are still alive. However, Ifechukwu said that they were not aware of her secret cult ac­tivities.
 “I got to know about the cult activity through a friend. She assured me that all the connection that I needed in this life will be made if I joined the group. I am from a poor family and I wanted to be the light that will change the situation in my family.
“She never told me that I will be raped till the day of initiation. The day we were initiated, I was the only girl in their midst. Al­though, I have not started reaping the gains, I was determined to be a successful member. I was further convinced to stay because I dis­covered that they are more honourable than the others. I am sorry and would love to be given the opportunity to go back to school.
 I never knew that it is crime to be a member. I am sorry,” Ifechukwu pleaded.

Another member, Ugochukwu Agbazuo, who also spoke with Saturday Sun, said that they are all undergraduates of various institu­tions in Anambra.
 “Apart from some of our national leaders, we are all students. I was ini­tiated into the cult while I was still in my first year. I had no choice but to join them because of the harassment in school. I discovered that most of the Engineering students in my school were members of different cult groups.
“Again, if you identify with a known cult in school, the lecturers will respect you. You don’t have to buy handouts or offer bribe to get credit in a course. This was why I joined them,” he said.

Ugochukwu insisted that they did not steal or harass innocent people.
 “The guns that were found with us were bought in case there was a clash in school. It is our leaders who are all graduates and working across the country that normally assist us to secure the arms. It is strictly for defence and one of the rules of our group is that you must read and pass your exams on merit.”
On the issue of rape, Ugochukwu said it only happened with female members.

A fe­male intending member cannot undergo the rigorous process during the initiation. So, our leaders suggested that the best way to get them under oath is for every registered mem­ber to have sex with her during initiation. She would be semi-conscious during the process so that she will not physically feel the pain. Ifechukwu’s case was better because we were only 52 registered men present on her day of initiation. All of our female members were raped,” he further said. - See more at: http://www.lailasblog.com/2015/08/16-yr-old-girl-caught-having-sex-with.html#sthash.tvhzwigx.dpuf

16-year-old Ifechukwu Atunanya, has been arrested having sex with over 52 young men inside a bush in what looked like an initiation ceremony. She claims she was forced to sleep with every male member of the cult during her initiation.

Ifechukwu was among 75 suspected cult members who were rounded up by Anambra State Police command.


All the suspects were alleged to be members of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity and were all arrested in a bush in Awka during the initia­tion of new members.

Recovered from them were guns, matchet and several wraps of Indian hemp.

According to the state Commissioner of Police, Hosea Karma, the police acted on an intelligence report that the cult members and their new entrants were in a bush performing some rituals.

Part of their ritual, he explained, includes sleeping with prospective female members. He said they do that in order to secure their oath of secrecy. It was during the raid that 16-year-old Ifechukwu was arrested.

At the police station, Ifechukwu, a second­ary school dropout and member, claimed that she had to travel to Anambra from Abuja just to witness the initiation of new members.
 “I joined them three months ago and during my initiation, I was forced to have sex with every registered member of the cult present that night. I was given a sedative so as not to feel what they were doing. It was not easy, but I bore the pain,” she said.



Her parents, who are from Anambra State, are still alive. However, Ifechukwu said that they were not aware of her secret cult ac­tivities.
 “I got to know about the cult activity through a friend. She assured me that all the connection that I needed in this life will be made if I joined the group. I am from a poor family and I wanted to be the light that will change the situation in my family.
“She never told me that I will be raped till the day of initiation. The day we were initiated, I was the only girl in their midst. Al­though, I have not started reaping the gains, I was determined to be a successful member. I was further convinced to stay because I dis­covered that they are more honourable than the others. I am sorry and would love to be given the opportunity to go back to school.
 I never knew that it is crime to be a member. I am sorry,” Ifechukwu pleaded.

Another member, Ugochukwu Agbazuo, who also spoke with Saturday Sun, said that they are all undergraduates of various institu­tions in Anambra.
 “Apart from some of our national leaders, we are all students. I was ini­tiated into the cult while I was still in my first year. I had no choice but to join them because of the harassment in school. I discovered that most of the Engineering students in my school were members of different cult groups.
“Again, if you identify with a known cult in school, the lecturers will respect you. You don’t have to buy handouts or offer bribe to get credit in a course. This was why I joined them,” he said.

Ugochukwu insisted that they did not steal or harass innocent people.
 “The guns that were found with us were bought in case there was a clash in school. It is our leaders who are all graduates and working across the country that normally assist us to secure the arms. It is strictly for defense and one of the rules of our group is that you must read and pass your exams on merit.”
On the issue of rape, Ugochukwu said it only happened with female members.

A fe­male intending member cannot undergo the rigorous process during the initiation. So, our leaders suggested that the best way to get them under oath is for every registered mem­ber to have sex with her during initiation. She would be semi-conscious during the process so that she will not physically feel the pain. Ifechukwu’s case was better because we were only 52 registered men present on her day of initiation. All of our female members were raped,” he further said.