Photos: LASTMA official allegedly beats motorist to convulsion

A LASTMA official by the name Asorona stopped a car he claimed had violated traffic rules, removed the man from the car and allegedly assaulted him around 7.30 am this morning in front of BRT yard at Ketu bus stop. He and his colleagues also seized the man's car. And before anyone knew what was happening, the young man fell down on the road into convulsion, shaking, according to eye witnesses, like an epileptic patient. As the LASTMA official tried to leave the scene, he was surrounded by passersby who insisted he must stay there to see what happens to the man. See more photos after the cut...

Boko Haram reportedly recaptures 45 out of 63 that escaped from them

They escaped last week and they've already been recaptured? Makes no sense to me but according to new reports, 45 out of the 63 women and children who reportedly escaped from Boko Haram men on Saturday July 5th have been re-abducted by the sect men.

Vanguard reports that a member of the Chibok Vigilante Group, Abbas Gaya in a telephone interview confirmed the recapturing of the women who fled the Boko Haram camp when the men attacked a military base at Damboa village in Borno state

“It is very unfortunate and shocking to tell you today (yesterday) that 45 of the 63 escaped women and children were kidnapped again on Sunday night, leaving only 18 that ran into this forests.” he said

Nah, nah, nah! Not buying this...sounds too weird.

With CWG 2.0, Computer Warehouse Group can be the next Google - Austin Okere

Founder and Chief Executive officer, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) Plc, Mr. Austin Okere has noted that the company has the potential to become the next Google, given the business prospects of her new business model, CWG 2.0.

The CWG boss made this point while addressing the company’s shareholders at the 9^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Thursday, 19^th of June, in Lagos. Continue...

The event had in attendance the company’s chairman, Chief Willie Belonwu, Executive Directors: Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Austin Okere, Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Phillip Obioha, Chief Technology Officer, Mr. James Agada; Non-Executive Directors, Mr. AbiodunFawunmi and Mr. Ravi Sharma, represented by Alternate Director, Mr. kunleAyodeji; company Secretary, Barrister OkeyEjibe, shareholders, the media and other stakeholders.

In his opening statement, the company’s Chairman, Chief Willie Belonwu observed that “CWG Plc has been able to record strong top line financial figures in the past year, against a volatile backdrop of increments in commodity prices, tariffs and a steady depreciation of the local currency (at the interbank market), coupled with steady decrease in the margins of products and services. The results which showed strong and positive performances across all financial indices also confirmed the company’s position as the foremost Pan African ICT services Provider”

In reference to the future of the company, Chief Belonwu noted that CWG Plc plans to further tap into the growth potentials of emerging African Economies, through the provision of cloud based IT solutions, in the bid to attain her vision to be the number 1 IT utility enabler in Africa.

The Company’s financial scorecard revealed that her revenues grew by 10% while Profit After Tax (PAT) increased by a whopping 81% showing strong efficiency of operations. The result revealed a Return on Equity of 13% in 2013, as against 11% in 2012 and Returns on Capital Employed (ROCE) of 13% against 7% in 2012.    The Company’s Asset increased by N2bn to N13.4bn as at 2013 year end, while Shareholders’ equity increased by a remarkable 66% to N5.0bn in the same period. The Company finished with a strong cash position of over N1.1bn at the year end, with a 38% increase in cash from operation over 2012.

Shareholders at the event were informed of the payment of their 8 kobo dividends per unit share, the same day.

According to Mr. Okere, CWG 2.0 is a subscription business model and driven by the quest to help Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) grow and make notable social impact. This includes Openshopen, a website that affords shop owners open their own virtual store online and SMERP, an enterprise resource planning solution that will help business owners manage their business inventories on a subscription basis.

According to him, Openshopen will allow business owners to open their own online virtual stores which will give their businesses visibility leverages. “If a buyer searches for a shop that sells spare parts in your location online, for example, he can get to see your store address and get to buy from you without any stress, if you have registered your presence online” he said. Moreover, the solution will democratize domain possession and give Micro, Small and Medium business owners the platform to compete with known online stores at cheaper rates.

Mr. Okere also pointed out that these solutions will have significant social impacts on the society. According to him, there are about 17.7 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in Nigeria. “With their own online stores and with the aid of enterprise resource planning, we will empower SMEs to be able to keep their own records. Then, they can present their records to get credits from the banks. With these loans, they can be able to expand their businesses. If they are able to expand their businesses, each of them can employ one more person. If each of them employs one more person, we will end up creating 17.7 million more jobs. The unemployment rate in Nigeria is about 23%, which amounts to about 16 million jobless youths. With this development, we will eradicate unemployment and have more jobs to spare” he added.

The advent of CWG 2.0 has positioned us to be next Google or Facebook and make significant global impact. And this vision is attainable because our solutions are not only profitable but they are repeatable, scalable and sustainable. He concluded.

The event also witnessed the election of Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere to the board of directors as a Non-Executive Director. Mr. Ijewere is an astute accountant, who had served as president to various notable organizations, such as the institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Red Cross Society, Institute of Directors and others. In the same vein, three other shareholders were also elected as members of the audit committee, while Ernst and Young was appointed as the company’s auditor for another year.

JAMB Cut-off Marks 2014/2015 For Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges

JAMB UTME Cut-off Marks (2014/2015) for Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges and other institutions should be known by candidates who took part in the 2014 UTME. This post will talk about the JAMB cut-off marks set by JAMB for all Universities, Polytechnic and other institutions.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Official JAMB UTME Cut-Off Marks 2014-2015 Released- Click here!

This is not talking about the Post-UTME Cut-off marks set by each school (you can check that one here). You must have gotten up to these points set by each institution to qualify for their Post-UTME screening. Now, let’s go back to JAMB Cut-off marks for schools.

2014/2015  JAMB Cut-off Marks For Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges

The official JAMB UTME Cut-off marks for 2014/2015 admission have not been released by JAMB. What we intend to do here is show you points that were used last year. We have no reason to believe that these points will change. The cut-off marks, set by NUC, JAMB and Federal Ministry of Education last year, are as follows:

• 2013/2014 Cut-off Mark for Federal Universities is 180
• Cut-off marks for Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and other degree-awarding institutions is 150.
• State-owned Universities and Polytechnics have there own autonomy to choose their own Cut-off marks.

You can check the full details of that here. We shall inform you when the JAMB Cu-off marks for the 2014/2015 session are released. If you don’t want to miss this information, subscribe to our updates.

MUST READ: 2014 Post-UTME Cut-off Marks – Universities, Polytechnic, Colleges

We wish you all the best!!!

Dino Melaye's ex-wife confirms the break up of his second marriage

I told y'all earlier that Dino Melaye's 2nd wife, Alero (pictured right with him), who he married in December has packed out of her matrimonial home. His ex-wife, Tokunbo just tweeted to confirm it

Keyamo petitions IGP over death of Patience Jonathan's nephew at Abuja hotel

Below is a petition from Keyamo Chambers on behalf of the immediate younger sister to the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan. 

We are solicitors to Madam Esther Ebiere Gbonkumor and the entire Awin Family. They have briefed us as follows:

That on 7^th June, 2014, their son, Mr. Christopher Onoriode Akpomowei Awin, a 31-year old Nigerian citizen, was invited to a picnic by the Ijaw Students’ Association of the University of Abuja as part of the celebration of their cultural week. That picnic held at Agura Hotels in Abuja. We were informed that sometime at about 4:00pm, the picnic came to an end and all the members of the Association left for the University of Abuja Campus and their various residences in Gwagwalada, Abuja. However, Mr. Christopher Awin stayed behind for some swimming exercise. Continue...

The deceased Christopher pictured above with his mum, who is the sister to the First Lady.

However, in a most bizarre twist of events, Mr. Christopher Awin was found drowned to death in the swimming pool of Agura Hotels at about 6:00pm later that day and officers of the Garki Division of the Nigerian Police were called in. A post mortem has been carried out by a certified consultant pathologist who confirmed that his death was as a result of drowning and further added that if the victim had received help within five minutes of being submerged, he would have survived.

Our enquiries have shown that there were two life guards on duty at the pool who curiously left their duty post on flimsy excuses. Further enquiries also revealed that there was a busy Bar beside the swimming pool. Inspite of the expected attendant staff presence, the body of the victim was not found until over one hour after he had drowned.

The queries that arise from the foregoing set of facts are as follows:

1.  Why did the life guards charged with the sensitive responsibility of safe guarding guests abandon their duty post for so long?

2.  Why would the Agura Hotels leave a guest in a public swimming pool unattended to for so long?

3.  Was there no bartender at the Bar adjoining the swimming pool for so long a time?

4.  Why did the Police hasten to reopen the swimming pool (as a crime scene) that was initially sealed for investigations?

5.  Why has no member of staff of the Agura Hotels as well as the Agura Hotels been charged for culpable homicide till date?

We are respectfully inviting you to employ your good offices in ordering a full Coroner’s Inquest for the purpose of resolving the foregoing queries and charge all those found culpable to court.

We repose confidence in your good offices and thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

 

Yours sincerely,

FESTUS KEYAMO, ESQ.

Head of Chambers

World Cup 2014: Nigeria Deserved To Lose... I Rejoiced

By Dr. Peregrino Brimah
Why did I tell my friends that I hoped and prayed Nigeria soon got knocked out of the World cup? Why did I jump when France scored its first goal against Nigeria and dance when they scored the second? The answer is not that I am not patriotic; on the contrary, I love Nigerian life as much or more than any. It’s simple – Nigeria did not and does not deserve to be at the World cup and does not deserve any sort of ‘victory’ from it.

Where are our girls? Our daughters have been in the jungle, raped and killed by ‘Shekau’ for three long months and our adults are running around a pitch, tapping a leather ball and hoping to dance victory dances? Do we think of all the girls with ‘Shekau’ who are fans of the national team and would have loved to be watching the matches at home as we are? Do we imagine how life is for them...

Now they have practically acclimatized and accepted their destiny as the ‘prostitutes’ of randy terrorists? Do we imagine what their families – also soccer fans – are going through as we relax and enjoy the world cup games? If we did, where is the evidence?

If it was any other nation, our players would have requested a minute extra for prayers for all the victims of Boko Haram – the Nigerian terrorist group that operates with arms and ammunition from the nations armory and abducted our girls and has continued to kill and bomb freely for four years with under the full impunity of our state security services. 

But no, our players simply went to play without any respect or compassion publicly showed for the victims of state tolerated and sponsored terror. No, our players did not wear perhaps, red-colored wrist bands in solidarity with the victims of Boko Haram. No, our players did not carry #BringBackOurGirls placards in Brazil, and of course, no, they did not do the ultimate – refuse to play, damning and staking all to stand for justice.

What use would a victory have been for us? Who is ‘us?’ What nation do we have that deserves a victory? Are we a people? What global opportunities do we expect to gain from a football victory? What globe? Is it the same global players who came to Nigeria to allegedly help us rescue our girls, but rather switched to installing their agenda in Nigeria immediately they arrived, forgetting the mission for which they were given a limited invitation? Is it for accolades and credits from the same world that has sponsored the destruction of Libya, Syria, Iraq, Bosnia and what have you… that we want to please by proving we can play football?

If these innocent girls were kidnapped in any other nation on earth, an armed search party of thousands of civilian volunteers would have set out three months ago to comb the jungles of and around Sambisa for these girls and the hundreds of other girls and boys abducted before and after April 14, 2014; but not Nigeria: we all sat down, at best, carried placards or sent out tweets with a certain hashtag, and then we bought popcorn and coca cola and sat back to watch Nigeria ‘win.’

I rejoiced in our loss. We deserved it for more reasons than one. We are a nation at loss. We are a lost nation.

Dr. Peregrino Brimah
http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something]

Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian

The Beautiful & Happy Lilian Esoro

The very beautiful classic actress, took to her Instagram page to share her happy picture. Which shows her rocking her casual outfit.
We love seeing her on our screen as she entertains us in the popular sitcom "Clinic Matters". We love the smile and the "cause am happy" look and pose.  We think she looks pretty as usual.

Boko Haram's Source of Deadly Weapons and Money Exposed

When Washington imposed sanctions in June 2012 on Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, he dismissed it as an empty gesture. Two years later, Shekau’s skepticism appears well founded: his militant group is now the biggest security threat to Africa’s top oil producer, he is richer than ever, more violent and its abductions of many women and children continue with impunity.

As the United States, Nigeria and others struggle to track and choke off its funding, Reuters interviews with more than a dozen current and former U.S. officials who closely follow Boko Haram provide the most complete picture to date of how the group finances its activities.

Central to the militant group’s approach includes using hard-to-track human couriers to move cash, relying on the local funding sources and engaging in only limited financial relationships with other extremists groups. It also has reaped millions from high-profile kidnappings.

Last year, Boko Haram was paid an equivalent of about $3.15m by French and Cameroonian negotiators before a wealthy man and his family they held hostage were released, according to a confidential Nigerian government report later obtained by Reuters...

“Our suspicions are that they are surviving on very lucrative criminal activities that involve kidnappings,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in an interview. Until now, U.S. officials have declined to discuss Boko Haram’s financing in such detail.

The United States has stepped up cooperation with Nigeria to gather intelligence on Boko Haram, whose militants are killing civilians almost daily in its north-eastern Nigerian stronghold. But the lack of international financial ties to the group limit the measures the United States can use to undermine it, such as financial sanctions.

The U.S. Treasury normally relies on a range of measures to track financial transactions of terrorist groups, but Boko Haram appears to operate largely outside the banking system.

To fund its murderous network, Boko Haram uses a system of couriers to move cash around inside Nigeria and across the porous borders from neighboring African states, according to the officials interviewed by Reuters.

In designating Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation last year, the Obama administration characterised the group as a violent extremist organisation with links to al Qaeda.

The Treasury Department said in a statement to Reuters that the United States has seen evidence that Boko Haram has received financial support from al Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb (AQIM), an offshoot of the jihadist group founded by Osama bin Laden.

But that support is limited. Officials with deep knowledge of Boko Haram’s finances say that any links with al Qaeda or its affiliates are inconsequential to Boko Haram’s overall funding.

“Any financial support AQIM might still be providing Boko Haram would pale in comparison to the resources it gets from criminal activities,” said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Assessments differ, one US estimate of financial transfers from AQIM was in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars. That compares with the millions of dollars that Boko Haram is estimated to make through its kidnap and ransom operations.

Lucrative kidnapping racket
Ransoms appear to be the main source of funding for Boko Haram’s five-year-old Islamist insurgency in Nigeria, whose 170 million people are split roughly evenly between Christians and Muslims, said the U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In February last year, armed men on motorcycles snatched Frenchman Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, his wife and four children, and his brother while they were on holiday near the Waza National Park in Cameroon, close to the Nigerian border. They were paid heavily before the hostages were released.

Figures vary on how much Boko Haram earns from kidnappings. Some U.S. officials estimate the group is paid as much as $1m for the release of each abducted wealthy Nigerian.

It is widely assumed in Nigeria that Boko Haram receives support from religious sympathisers in Nigeria, said to including some wealthy professionals and northern Nigerians who dislike the government, although little evidence has been made public to support this claim.

I Don’t Look Good In Corporate Wears–Oritsefemi Confesses

Fast-rising Nigerian music act, Oritsefemi Majemite Ekele, widely known as Oritsefemi has disclosed that he cannot be found wearing any other fashion dress style except the ‘hommies’ styles, stating that jeans and other trendy dresses are fashion accessories he can spend heavily on.

Known to always step out in Tees (T-shirts), jeans, baggy shorts and dark sunshades, the ‘Double Wahala’ crooner, since his debut in the Nigerian music industry, has flaunted hairstyles like dreads and short black mohawks, commonly known amongst Nigerians as ‘Gallas’, is currently trending a blonde look since his ‘buzzing’ comeback to the music scene.

When asked by Sport tales what his new hair-do represents, the ‘Taliban’ master replied that it stands for sexiness, as it makes him look unique.

Fashion, for Oritsefemi, who has tattoos, which can be found on his biceps, neck and two other parts of his body, means everything to him because he is a musician, as according to him, in showbiz, he has to be well presented and acquitted with fashion. He added that one will be addressed the same way is dressed.

Uduaghan Settles Kefee’s Hospital Bill, Body To Arrive Nigeria Soon

late kefee and hubby. A few days ago, the Nigerian community in Las Vegas, United States issued a statement appealing for the release of the body of the late singer Kefee, who died on June 13,2014 from lung failure after 15 days in a coma at Desert Spring Hospital, Las Vegas. A statement signed by its president, Festus Ebonka read, “We appeal to Nigerians to help take her remains back
Stella Dimoko Korkus’ Gossip..It Only Happens Here!

Fashola Gives His Frank Take On What Happened In Ekiti

As the ink is yet to dry on the analysis of results of the recent Ekiti poll and the landslides that are reminiscent of 1983 under the now-defunct NPN (National Party of Nigeria) now seems like child’s play, I feel compelled to comment for many reasons, which I will summarise below:

The Eminent Public Commentators
These are some of our most seasonal, informed and respected columnists, whose back page writings have shaped opinion in the public space on the many Nigerian newspapers. As I read several of them in the week commencing on Monday the 23rd of June, 2014, they all seemed to be saying, “We got this wrong”.

Interestingly, none of them could have called this result a week before without raising eyebrows about their credibility. The word on the street was that the incumbent had served his people well. About this, there was no debate. Whether it would be enough to secure victory was another matter.

If these eminent commentators were willing to stick their necks out one week before the election, I guess the worst prediction perhaps would have been to suggest that it would be a close election.

If a good governor did not win his ward, let alone his local government, none of the deputy governor, three senators, all the House of Assembly members won their local governments, the question that arises in my mind is: Is this logical human behaviour?

...and Nigeria did not advance to the quarter-final stage

France just beat Nigeria 2-0 to advance to the quarter-final stage of the 2014 World Cup! France played well, and many feel they deserved the win...but our Super Eagles did well too! Especially, goal keeper Vincent Enyeama. He's been our saviour in this tournament. Thank you!

What did you think of the match? And the own goal by Nigerian captain, Joseph Yobo? I think he played well. I also think Enyeama deserves African Footballer of the Year 2014. What do you think?

Photo: Key actor in Chibok girls abduction arrested

In a statement released moments ago, the Nigerian military said it has arrested Babuji Ya'ari, (pictured above), who is described as the key actor in the Chibok girls abduction. Babuji, according to the military, was a member of the Youth Vigilante Group popularly known as civilian JTF, which he used as a cover to spy on the activities of the Nigerian security forces, acting as a spy & gathering information for terrorist group. The military also said Ya'ari has coordinated several deadly attacks in Maiduguri since 2011. Find the press statement signed by Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, after the cut...

Read more »

Police nab Ernest Nwankwo, pastor accused of running a ritualists’ den

Ernest Nwankwo, the General Overseer of Holy Family Ministry, a.k.a House of Mercy, located in the Ogolonto area of Ikorodu, Lagos, who allegedly runs a ritualists' den, has finally been arrested by the Nigerian police almost a week after he escaped following the arrest of one of his church members who was caught trying to kidnap her neighbour's 7 year old son. (Read here)

The woman, Rosemary Chukwu, claimed her pastor had sent her to kidnap the boy for ritual purpose.

According to Vanguard, Nwankwo, who was arrested around Ebute Metta area of Lagos yesterday, is currently at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, Lagos.

Nwankwo has since denied that the building on Oshodi Street in Ikorodu where eight victims were found is a ritualists' den. He said the building was used to keep lunatics.

Prominent Northern politician and former minister, Umaru Dikko, dies

Prominent Northern politician and one time Minister of Transport during the second republic, Umaru Dikko has died at the age of 78. His son, Bello Dikko confirmed his death.

Dikko was said to have died in the early hours of today July 1st at a London hospital where he has been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness. Family sources say he'd suffered three strokes  in a row. Mr Dikko was a minister during the Shagari Government (from 1979-1983). May his soul rest in peace Amen.