Hi guys, compliments of d season.... hope you all had fun.. God bless y'all and grant us all a prosperous new year....

Two killed in Indian plane crash

A light aircraft has crashed on take-off near the airport in the Indian capital, Delhi, killing 10 people.
The Beechcraft King Air plane chartered by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) came down after hitting a wall in Dwarka district and burst into flames.

The plane was carrying members of the border patrol force, officials said.
In May 2011, 10 people died after a small medical ambulance aircraft flying a critically ill patient crashed in Faridabad town near Delhi.

The incident occurred yesterday as the twin-engine plane was on its way to Ranchi in the eastern state of Jharkhand from Delhi’s international airport.

“The crash took place at around 09:50 India time moments after the technicians lost contact with ground control,” AK Sharma, chief of Delhi Fire Services, told AFP.

TV pictures showed a fire in a field and mangled and charred debris of the plane.

Junior Civil Aviation Minister Mahesh Sharma disclosed that “all 10 [passengers] onboard BSF plane that crashed in Dwarka [are] dead”.

An eyewitness, told reporters that the plane hit a wall, caught fire and crashed in a field outside the airport.

“There were about 10 people on the flight. I saw two bodies. There were some labourers working on the ground where the plane fell.”

More than a dozen fire engines and emergency workers haD been rushed to the spot to douse the blaze.

The last major crash in India happened in the city of Mangalore in May 2010, killing at least 160 people.

Woman killed in blast at an Istanbul airport

A woman was killed and another wounded after an explosion of unknown origin on Wednesday at Istanbul’s second international airport, Turkish television reports said.
Airport cleaner Zehra Yamac, 30, died of head wounds hours after the blast on the tarmac at Sabiha Gokcen airport on the Asian side of Turkey’s largest city, CNN-Turk and NTV television reported.
The explosion took place just outside the terminal building where planes park for their passengers to embark and disembark.

Turkey’s private carrier Pegasus Airlines said in a statement the explosion took place next to one of its planes on the tarmac while the two cleaners were nearby.
“There were no passengers either on the plane or on the stairway. Sabiha Gokcen airport is continuing its normal operations,” Pegasus said.

The wounded victim was also a cleaner. Yamac was hospitalised but died of her wounds.
Sabiha Gokcen airport, named after Turkey’s first female fighter pilot, is the second international airport in Istanbul after Ataturk Airport on the European side of the city.
Sabiha Gokcen, which hosts flights both to domestic and numerous international destinations often with budget airlines, is now fully owned by Malaysian Airports Holding.
“We are working very closely with the Turkish government and our counterparts to facilitate the investigation, and we await their official report on it,” Dato’ Azmi Murad, the executive director of Sabiha Gokcen said in a statement.

Ekiti CJ orders release of 28 awaiting trial inmate

Ekiti State Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola has ordered the release of 28 awaiting trial inmates from the Federal Prison in Ado Ekiti.

The Chief Judge gave the order after reviewing cases of the 284 Awaiting Trial Inmates in detention during his visit to the prison.

Fourteen of the inmates were unconditionally released by the Chief Judge while the remaining 14 were freed based on the advice of the

State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) that they had no case to answer.
One other inmate was, however, also granted bail.

Addressing stakeholders after the exercise, Justice Daramola disclosed that the state judiciary was looking at the possibility of establishing two new magistrate courts that would sit within the precinct of the prison with a view to further fast-tracking the administration of criminal justice system in the state Justice Daramola, who restated his commitment to a speedy dispensation of justice in the state, also disclosed that the state judiciary would employ Hausa and Ibo interpreters towards solving the age-long problem of obtaining accurate evidence from witnesses and accused persons who were not proficient in English and Yoruba languages.

He commended the authorities of the Prison for the clean environment and the smart appearance of inmates in the prison and lauded stakeholders in the Judicial sectors for their contributions to dispensation of Justice in the state.

In his remarks, the State Comptroller of the Prisons, Mr. Mustapha Attah advised the released inmates to be of good behavior and shun
acts that got them into trouble with the law.

Iraqi forces advance into strategic IS area

IRAQI government forces have advanced into the centre of the city of Ramadi, which is under the controlled of Islamic State (IS).

Security sources told the BBC that troops and allied tribesmen, backed by air strikes, had already re-taken two districts, and entered two others.

They were heading towards the main government complex, and had come up against snipers and suicide bombers.

Ramadi fell to IS in May in an embarrassing defeat for the Iraqi army.
Last month, government forces completed their encirclement of the predominantly Sunni Arab city, about 90km west of Baghdad, cutting off militants inside the centre from their strongholds elsewhere in Anbar province and in neighbouring Syria.

Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service spokesman Sabah al-Numani said troops from the elite force, supported by the army and police, had begun the assault on central Ramadi at dawn and were advancing towards the government complex. “We went into the centre of Ramadi from several fronts and we began purging residential areas.”

“The city will be cleared in the coming 72 hours.

Mr Numani added that the counter-terrorism forces had not faced strong resistance, “only snipers and suicide bombers, and this is a tactic we expected”.

Sources in the Iraqi military’s Anbar Operations Command said that engineers had built temporary bridges over the River Euphrates, which flows along the north and west of the city centre. This had enabled troops to enter directly the al-Haouz district, south-west of the government complex.
By yesterday afternoon, government forces had retaken the al-Thubat and al-Aramil districts, and entered nearby al-Malaab and Bakir, the sources said.

Iraqi intelligence estimated that between 250 and 300 militants are inside Ramadi.
The US military said they had developed a strong defensive system, including using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to create minefields.

Trump fights sexism charge after vulgar Clinton jibe

Republican White House frontrunner Donald Trump fought off fresh accusations of sexism Tuesday after he coined a vulgar new term of abuse while attacking rival Hillary Clinton.
Whipping up a raucous crowd of supporters in Michigan on Monday night, Trump’s scorn for his Democratic rival took a sexually graphic and personal turn.

Recalling the 2008 presidential race, in which Hillary lost out to Barack Obama in the battle for the Democratic nomination, the billionaire real estate mogul appeared to reach for a Yiddish term.
“She was favored to win, and she got schlonged. She lost, I mean she lost,” he said, apparently turning the noun “schlong” — a penis — into a verb.

Then, with the partisan crowd cheering him on, he turned to an incident on Saturday when Clinton returned late to a televised debate after a bathroom break.
“I know where she went, it’s disgusting, I don’t want to talk about it,” Trump said. “No, it’s too disgusting. Don’t say it, it’s disgusting.”

Clinton did not address Trump’s comments directly, but when a young woman at a campaign rally asked her what she would do about bullying, she used the opportunity to launch a not-so-veiled attack on her Republican rival.

“We shouldn’t let anybody bully his way into the presidency, because that is not who we are as Americans,” Clinton told a crowd at a school in Keota, Iowa.

Trump returned to the fray Tuesday evening with a series of tweets flatly denying any intention to slur Clinton — and insisting that the offending term was commonplace slang.
“Once again, #MSM (mainstream media) is dishonest. ‘Schlonged’ is not vulgar. When I said Hillary got ‘schlonged’ that meant beaten badly,” he tweeted.

– Heated rhetoric –

The campaign trail outburst was not the first in which the thrice-married billionaire real estate mogul appeared to express distaste for women’s bodily functions.
In August, Trump triggered outrage when he insinuated that Fox News host Megyn Kelly had subjected him to sharp questioning because she may have been menstruating.

Trump’s personal attacks on women also extended to his Republican rival Carly Fiorina, of whom he declared: “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?”
His latest remarks drew predictable anger, with liberal site Think Progress dubbing it an “astonishingly sexist attack.”

Clinton’s team urged supporters to denounce Trump and his belittling remarks.
“We are not responding to Trump but everyone who understands the humiliation this degrading language inflicts on all women should,” campaign communications director Jennifer Palmieri said on Twitter.

Trump, a reality television star turned White House candidate, has ridden out all the fury directed his way after previous outbursts.

Polls show the 69-year-old New Yorker remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination.
His heated rhetoric has infused the campaign, perhaps most notably when he called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.

Clinton pounced on those comments during the Democratic debate, saying that Islamic State (IS) extremists were using videos of Trump as a recruiting tool.
Trump slammed Clinton as a liar for that remark and demanded an apology.
None was given, but Clinton did appear Tuesday to shift her story somewhat about jihadist recruitment efforts.

“If you go on Arabic television as we have, and you look at what is being blasted out, with video of Mr. Trump being translated into Arabic — ‘No Muslims coming to the United States,’ other kinds of derogatory, defamatory statements — it is playing into the hands of the violent jihadists,” she said.
Trump’s speeches are often unscripted, and supporters applaud him for what they see as his authenticity and disdain for political correctness.

A new survey, however, shows that those voters who have not been won over are turned off by his bombast.

Fifty percent of registered US voters said in a Quinnipiac poll Tuesday that they would be “embarrassed” to have Trump as president, compared to 23 percent who would be proud.
If Clinton were elected, 33 percent would be proud and 35 percent would be embarrassed, according to the poll.

Quinnipiac has Trump leading Republicans with 28 percent support, followed by Senator Ted Cruz at 24 percent and Senator Marco Rubio at 12.

US Ambassador to Nigeria Commends GE’s Investment Plans for Nigeria

•Says Nigeria is conducive for Foreign Direct Investment
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria Honourable James Entwistle says the U.S government will continue to encourage American companies in investing significantly in Nigeria. Ambassador Entwistle was speaking in Calabar when he visited General Electric’s planned manufacturing and assembly facility.

The ambassador said he was impressed with GE’s investment commitment with the Calabar facility which will help improve the local and national community. According to the Ambassador General Electric has proved through this project that foreign direct investment can thrive in Nigeria. He said contrary to the impression created in some quarters, Nigeria can be a pleasant place to do business if investors are ready to adapt to the country’s peculiarities.

The President and CEO of GE Nigeria Dr Lazarus Angbazo thanked the U.S Ambassador for the tremendous support of GE investment commitments in Nigeria. He disclosed that GE remains committed to localising operations in the country through job creation, technology and skills transfer, training and supplier development. The GE Nigeria CEO disclosed that over 90 percent of GE’s management team in Nigeria was made up of Nigerians.

GE’s investment plans for Nigeria include a $250 million capital expenditure for the manufacturing facility in Calabar that will make Nigeria a regional hub for manufacturing, service, and innovation with an improved ability to support a broader range of product lines in power generation as well as oil & gas exploration and production. The company will also invest significantly over the next 5 years in local souring of goods/ services, labour, staff welfare and training.

The planned investment is expected to create 300 new jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs through over 50 new suppliers who will support its expanded operations. GE also plans to build a training facility on its manufacturing site to ensure on-going employee development. The company will provide one-year to four-year training programs locally and internationally for repair engineers, welders, fabricators, machinists and special processing
About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com

Suspected B’Haram suicide bombers kill nine Borno residents

ISIS figures on attacks, killings a hoax, says govt
THREE suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers on Sunday night attacked Benisheikh, a town in Borno State, detonating an Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), which killed nine people, including two of the suspects.

This was disclosed yesterday in a statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, made available to newsmen in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has described as ‘a hoax’ the figures being circulated by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) concerning the number of attacks carried out by Boko Haram and the number of people killed by the terrorists in Nigeria in the last two months.

Usman’s statement reads in part: “At about 8.30p.m Sunday evening, three suspected suicide bombers between the age of 10 and 15 went into Benisheikh town, Borno State. They were spotted by vigilant Borno State Youth Empowerment Scheme (Civilian JTF) who suspected something fishy about them. Indeed, one of them was laden with Improvised Explosive Devices.”
Usman said that while the Civilian JTF was in the process of screening the suspects by following the necessary drills and precautions, one of them detonated the device, which led to the death of nine people with 24 others sustaining various degrees of injuries.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said, “ISIS’ imaginary figures were part of strategy to shore up the morale of its dispersed and defeated fellow terrorists in Nigeria.

“Apart from these fake figures, we are aware of the planned release of old videos of Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria through the terrorists’ preferred channel to give the impression that they have continued to carry out spectacular attacks.

Those videos are neither recent nor genuine.

“The ISIS/Boko Haram propaganda is being deliberately timed to coincide with the December 31 2015 deadline issued to the military by the President to decimate the terrorists, and is also aimed at distracting the military and striking at its all-time high morale.”
The ISIS through a Jihadi monitoring site had reported that Boko Haram, which claimed to have joined the Islamic State group in March, has killed and injured more than 1,000 people between October 14 and December 12, 2015.

Biafra: Kanu faces fresh charges

The Federal Government has filed six counts including treasonable felony against the founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Two other persons charged along with Kanu are Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

The fresh case against Kanu was filed on Friday, barely 24 hours after another judge of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, ordered Kanu’s unconditional release from the custody of the Department of State Services.

The fresh charges were filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Diri, for the Attorney General of the Federation.

Justice Ademola ordered the DSS to release Kanu unconditionally since there were no pending charges against him about two months after his detention.

But instead of releasing him, the Federal Government filed fresh charges against him on Friday.

The fresh case was listed to come up before Justice Ahmed Mohammed on Tuesday, it was however stalled due to the absence of the prosecution in court.

The judge later clarified that there was a mix-up because the hearing notice was not served on the prosecution.

While Kanu’s lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, was in court on Tuesday, the accused were not produced but there was heavy presence of policemen around the court, a usual feature which signified the hearing date of high profile cases.

No date has been fixed for the arraignment of the accused persons on the six counts filed before Justice Ahmed Mohammed last Friday, but Ejiofor said he would file a bail application for his client by Wednesday.

Kanu and the two others were charged with treasonable felony, an offence the prosecution says is punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The prosecution also accused the three men of managing an unlawful society – the Indigenous People of Biafra.

Police arrest woman over alleged child theft

The Delta Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a lady, suspected to have stolen a seven- month-old baby at Ominigboma, a suburb of Asaba, the Delta capital.

The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Celestina Kalu, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Asaba, said that the suspect was nabbed after a relation of the child’s mother spotted her with the baby and raised an alarm.

“On Dec, 14, 2015 at about 6.30 p.m., Mr and Mrs Simon Okechukwu reported at ‘B’ Division Asaba that one Miss Ifeoma Ekoma, stole their seven months old baby from Chinemere Chigbogu at Omnigboma.

“However, the suspect was later seen at Ominigboma with the stolen child by a relation of the child’s mother who raised an alarm and the suspect was instantly arrested,” Kalu said.
The police spokesperson said the stolen child has since been recovered and handed over to the parents, while the suspect is currently undergoing interrogation.

Shiites accuse govt of human rights violation

• Say detained members denied medical care
• NHRC sets up panel to probe clash
MEMBERS of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, have accused the Federal Government of human rights violation, saying many of the victims of the clash between soldiers and the Islamic sect who sustained gunshot wounds have been denied medical care in hospitals.

Meanwhile, in response to clamour for an investigation into the circumstances and root cause of the clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Islamic sect, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday inaugurated a five-man panel.

In a statement issued yesterday by its spokesman, Malam Ibrahim Musa, the group said: “Our members with gunshots are still in prison without medical care and 13 members of the IMN were killed by police in Kaduna’s last week procession.

Reports reaching us have indicated that there are well over 40 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) who are languishing in two prisons in Kaduna after surviving gunshot by the soldiers. Two died yesterday (Sunday) due to gunshot wounds while we were still negotiating with the police authorities in Kaduna for their release.

Some of the wounded members are detained in Open Prison at Barnawa Quarters while the rest are in Kaduna Central Prison. Yesterday (Sunday), five bodies of our members were handed over to us for burial by the police in Kaduna and they had been given proper Islamic burial.

“We hereby call on the authorities in particular to release or at least give us access to our wounded members so that we can give them proper medical attention. This, we believe, will save their lives.”
While inaugurating the probe panel, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, said a complaint submitted to the commission on December 14, 2015 by the Nigerian Army triggered the inauguration of the panel.

He said: “Pursuant to the receipt of this complaint from the military, the commission, in line with its mandate to receive complaints on human rights violations, to monitor and to investigate such allegations, with a view to making appropriate determination in the circumstances, has decided to constitute an investigation panel with a view to carrying out a holistic investigation into the alleged violation of human rights.”

He charged the panel to make recommendations to the commission on how to prevent such a clash from occurring ever again.

The panel has two months within which to submit its report.
Musa further said: “We also refute the storyline of the police that they shot at the peaceful protest because we wanted to burn a police station in Tudunwada Kaduna. This is malicious because it is not in our nature to attack security agents, government property or fellow citizens during our protest we call MUZAHARA.

The Police should please find another storyline but certainly not this one. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government has taken over the destruction of all the property of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria located across Zaria. They have destroyed the remaining part of the Hussainiyya and the Fudiyya Islamic Centre at Dan Magaji yesterday (Sunday) and today (Monday); they have commenced the destruction of Darur Rahma at Dembo Village along Jos road.

Ogun police parade fake army officer, 34 other suspects

The Ogun State Police Command yesterday paraded before journalists, 35 suspected armed robbers including one Emmanuel Abiodun accused of impersonating an army officer.

Abiodun was dressed in complete army camouflage, which he said he bought at the cost of N3, 500 and wore to escort his pastor from Port Harcourt to the Redemption camp.”

He said he and the pastor lodged for three days at the Redemption camp before luck ran out of him.
Speaking to journalists, Abiodun who claimed to be a graduate of Aeronautical Science stated “There was no job for me after I graduated so I started escorting pastors as a merchant navy officer. Most of the pastors from the Eastern part need escorts due to the state of insecurity”.

“What I do is that I will go around to meet the pastors and ask them if they need escort. I then arrange for whatever nature of security they need”, he added.

He added “I escorted my pastor from Port Harcourt to Redemption camp here in Ogun State and we have already lodged for about three days. I followed the Redeem volunteer group in the camp supervision. It was when I was making a call that an Army General stopped me and asked me why I was fully kitted”.

“There was also a carton of toy gun in my bags where I held confidently. The police later discovered the guns after I was arrested”, he said.

The suspect disclosed that he was a graduate of Aeronautical Science from the Federal College of Oceanography, Lagos.

Abiodun, who was also putting on a bulletproof vest, revealed that he purchased the uniform from a market in Aba, Abia State, where military uniform and other materials, where he said are sold freely.
Abiodun was among 35 suspects paraded by the Commissioner, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali for allegedly committing various offences, including alleged armed robbery, cultism, murder and kidnapping.
The Commissioner said the Command had arrested 980 suspects including 116 for robbery, 205 cultists, 38 rape suspects and seven kidnappers, in the last six months.

He added that 45 pieces of assorted arms, 125 ammunitions, 69 vehicles and 297 sacks of Indian hemp loaded in a truck, were also recovered from suspects during the period.
Ali said that within the period seven robbery suspects were killed during gun encounter with the Police in different locations in the state, disclosing that the value of property recovered was N6, 020,000:00.

Jenson Button and wife Jessica Michibata look loved-up in their LAST photo together by the sea

The pair have now split after tying the knot last last year in Hawai.

The pair celebrating her birthday together

They look like any other happily-married couple, with their arms wrapped around each other enjoying a day out by the sea.

Jenson Button and wife Jessica were pictured in their last photograph together on the beauty's Instagram account, just weeks before it was announced their marriage was over after less than a year.
The racing driver looks protective of his other half as he drapes his arm over her shoulder and they look totally loved-up. But behind the Instagram filter, their relationship was on the rocks.
It is thought the snap was taken after the pair were celebrating her birthday, on October 21, seven weeks ago in Los Angeles, and Jenson shared snaps on his own account of them looking happier than ever.


Alongside one picture, he wrote: "Hanging with the Birthday girl this am!#HappyBirthdayJessie #SantaMonica."

The ex-Formula One champ, 35, and the model, 31, first met in a hotel bar in Tokyo and began dating eight months later.

Jenson and Jessica's relationship had its ups and downs and they split for a brief time in 2011 before he proposed on Valentine's Day 2014 and they tied the knot in a lavish Hawaiian ceremony late last year.

A rep for the couple has now confirmed they have split, saying: "Jenson and Jessica have decided to go their separate ways and it is very amicable. There is no-one else involved."
It appears Jessica has since been on an island exploration with pals in Japan, while Jenson has found comfort in his first love - cars.

The beauty, who is a top model in Japan, has shared a number of photos on social media of her spending time in Kourijima island, also called Love Island, north of Nago.

Alongside one snap she wrote: "Let's go to the beach #Okinawa #kourijima."
She looks stunning in the photo looking back at her friend's camera while smiling and wearing baggy pants and a slouchy sweater.

Jenson, thought to be in Monaco, uploaded a pic of a black car last night as he tried to get over the breakup, writing: "Reacquainted with this beauty. Haven't seen her for 7yrs and she's still an absolute beast to try and tame. #clkdtm #dtm #luckyboy #1of100."

IG okays promotion of 558 police schoolteachers

The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has approved the promotion of 558 teachers in police primary and secondary schools across the country.

It was learnt that the promotion, which takes immediate effect, was meant to address the complaints among the teaching staff and also to motivate them to perform better.

The Director, Directorate of Police Education, DCP Kabiru Ibrahim, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, explained that the teachers would soon receive their letters of promotion.

According to him, the IG was interested in making the police school one of the best in the country, hence the increasing investment in academic facilities and the teachers to ensure a high quality training of students.

“It is my pleasure to inform you that the IG has approved the upgrading and promotion of 558 teachers in all police primary and secondary schools nationwide. We believe that with this promotion, our teachers would be better motivated to give their best and to ensure that the schools produce academically sound and well-rounded students,” Ibrahim explained.

Meanwhile, the IG has said that 400 residential apartments would be completed by January 2016 for purchase by retiring police officers.

He said that the Nigeria Police Cooperative and Multi-purpose Society had developed and acquired a number of housing projects across the country which were being sold at affordable prices to police personnel.

He advised retiring police officers who might be interested in acquiring the buildings to go to their home states and apply through the Police Cooperative Multi-purpose Society.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Nigeria Police Cooperative and Multi-purpose Society’s shopping mall, Abuja, Arase stated that the facility was conceptualised as a major retail outlet that would make available a wide array of stocks at the cheapest and most competitive rate to serving police personnel and members of the public.

The IG lauded the leadership of the cooperative society for constructing the mall, “which is in furtherance of my commitment to the enhancement of the welfare needs of police personnel.”

He said, “Beyond the shopping mall that is being commissioned today (Tuesday), the society has developed and acquired a number of housing projects across the country which are being sold at affordable rates to police personnel, while it also extends soft loans to meet the welfare needs of personnel.”

Police admit killing UNIPORT student, SUG fumes

The Rivers State Police Command has admitted to killing a final year student of the University of Port Harcourt, Oghenekevwe Edah.

It was learnt that the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations), A.A. Muhammed, who delivered a condolence message to the deceased’s family on behalf of the state Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo, promised that justice would be done in the matter.

This is just as the UNIPORT Student Union Government threatened to protest against the police over the recurring killing of students on the highway.

Oghenekevwe was returning from a church on Sunday and was standing at the Assemblies of God Church Junction, in the Alakahia area of Port Harcourt, when a police van driving against traffic hit him.

 

The police were said to have attempted escaping from the scene, but were held by passersby who compelled them to take the victim to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, where he died.

The police were said to have denied killing the victim, saying they only picked him from the road after he was knocked down by a vehicle.

Our correspondent, however, learnt on Tuesday that the police had admitted to killing the student.

His younger brother, Emmanuel Edah, said Oghenekevwe’s death was painful to the family because he was their breadwinner.

He said, “I was in Delta State when one of his roommates called me and said he had been knocked down by a police van. I was told that he was coming from the church when the van hit him and the police wanted to reverse their vehicle to make it look as if they were on the right path, but people held them down and forced them to take him to the hospital.

“I got to the emergency ward of the hospital and I was told that he was dead.”

He said the victim’s roommate reported the matter at a police station and he later went to make an entry as well.

He said the police contacted them on Monday and the ACP promised to get justice for the victim.

He said investigation revealed that his brother was killed by a highway patrol vehicle.

Lamenting the death, Emmanuel said, “We are seven in my family and two of us are the only boys. For the past 15 years, he had been doing professional photography and event coverage. He took care of us with the money and use the rest for his education. We want justice and nothing less. We have decided to follow the case legally and not take laws into our own hands.”

The SUG President of UNIPORT, David Dariereka, said the students would stage a protest in the school.

He said, “We are not going to take it lightly with the police because we have discovered that he was killed by a highway patrol van and we have been able to trace the vehicle.

“We have asked our lawyer to take the matter up and soon, we will be having a protest to show that we will no longer condone this kind of thing. On January 1, we also lost a student on that road. We are going to use this to remind the authorities that human life is very precious and we can no longer be killed like fowls.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, declined further comment on the case, saying the police wanted to conclude investigations.

“We want to conclude our investigations, so for now, we will not say anything again on the matter,” he said.

APC, PDP clash on Buhari’s N6tn budget

The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party have disagreed sharply on the N6.08tn ‘Budget of Change’ presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session of the 8th National Assembly on Tuesday.

While the APC pointed out that the budget would give the ruling party the opportunity to fully implement its pro-people’s programmes, the PDP described the Federal Government appropriation bill as a fraud.

Hailing the 2016 budget estimate, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said on Tuesday in a statement that the budget was an assurance that many of the promises, made to the electorate by the party during the 2015 presidential campaign, would be fulfilled.

This, he said, was because provisions for these were contained in the proposed 2016 National Budget.

Odigie-Oyegun added that the present administration’s pro-people policies would be implemented “full blast” in the coming financial year.

He said, “In fulfilment of APC’s election promises to the Nigerian electorate, the party welcomes the proposed Social Welfare Programmes contained in the proposed 2016 National Budget, submitted to the National Assembly.

“President Buhari has proposed N500bn to pay unemployed Nigerian graduates (post-NYSC grant) and feed school children among other social welfare programmes in 2016.

“A phased Social Welfare Programme created to cater for a larger population of the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians upon the evidence of children’s enrolment in school and evidence of immunisation has also been proposed to the National Assembly.

“President Buhari has also promised that 500,000 new teachers would be recruited.”

The statement added, “Compared to the last 16 years of locust, Nigerians are getting a much better deal from the seven-month old APC-led administration. On the strength of these proposals, the future holds more dividends of democracy for Nigerians.

“It is reassuring that the Federal Government has recovered huge sums from looters of our common wealth, which will be injected into the 2016 National Budget.”

The APC national chairman also called for a speedy passage of the proposed 2016 National Budget.

Odigie-Oyegun said, “As the National Assembly considers the proposed 2016 National Budget, the APC calls on members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to rise above political, regional and ethnic sentiments and pass the proposed 2016 National Budget, which is pro-people and in the overall best interest of Nigeria.”

But the PDP described the proposed budget as a big fraud, saying it was an executive conspiracy, which it believed was tailored towards mortgaging the future of the nation.

The party, which was in power for 16 years before it was defeated during the last general elections, also queried Buhari’s decision to borrow N2tn.

Arguing that the deficit was the biggest in the history of the nation, the opposition party stated that it was “the height of recklessness and deceit from a government that trends on propaganda.”

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Tuesday, berated the Federal Government for trying to use what it described as bogus welfare programme and capital projects as conduits to siphon money to satisfy partisan interests, particularly to settle huge campaign debts.

Metuh said, “It is obvious that this budget is an extension of the campaign promises of the APC government, presented as a manifesto, filled with bogus promises, which implementation will be inconclusive, thereby allowing the APC to, once again, deny their promises.

“There has never been any known economy in the world where government deliberately mortgages the future of its nation by borrowing excessively to finance partisan interests while hiding under bogus welfare programmes.

“This is more so as the APC, in reeling out their bogus campaign promises, never informed Nigerians that they would mortgage their future through excessive borrowing.

“We have it on good authority that this is the first in the series of APC borrowings, which would leave the future generation of Nigerians under the burden of huge debts after four years.”

Metuh added that the budget clearly showed that after seven months in power, Buhari and his party had yet to differentiate between governance and campaign propaganda.

He said, “By all standards, the 2016 budget, the first major economic policy outing of this government, is completely unrealistic and duplicitously embellished with impractical predications, a development that confirms fears by economy watchers and investors that this administration is obviously ill-equipped for governance.

“We are indeed shocked that President Buhari and his minister of information have come up with two different reasons for the current fuel crisis in the country.

“While we appreciate the President’s apology, we think it is high time he cautioned his minister as his excessive propaganda and blame game are ridiculing this administration and the image of the nation.

“Furthermore, it is instructive to note the official endorsement of Mr. President of the devaluation of the naira as against his campaign promise of firming up the value of our currency even to the much vaunted one naira to one dollar.

“Does it mean that Mr. President lied his way to power, or that he did not understand the complexities of governance when he was making his false promises to Nigerians?”

Meanwhile, a former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, has described the 2016 Appropriation Bill as “a robust, seemingly thorough and well-thought out budget.”

Oduah, a minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan, in an interview with journalists in Abuja after the budget presentation, believed that the budget had sufficiently addressed various issues in rural communities.

The Senator from Anambra State expressed the hope that the 2016 fiscal year would set a new path for the country, noting that the President’s speech also touched on areas that included boosting of oil and non-oil revenues.

She also commended Buhari for the move to ensure more efficient collection and enforcement of Value Added Tax and customs duties and the subsidised funding of the agricultural and solid mineral sectors.

The lawmaker added that a careful study of the financial document showed that it would address many of the economic and security situations that Nigerians currently faced.

Ghana president bans first class travel for public officials

Ghana’s President John Mahama has banned public officials from first class air travel in a renewed effort to cut wasteful spending.

The ban has come into effect as the country implements an IMF aid deal to revive state finances, the government said on Tuesday.

Ghana is preparing to hold presidential and parliamentary elections next year and, with the opposition accusing government ministers of inflating contract sums, inappropriate spending will be a top campaign issue.

The presidency issued the directive this week asking all ministers and other top officials to avoid “unwarranted” foreign trips on the public purse, Communications Minister Edward Omane Boamah told media.

Ghana, a major producer of cocoa, gold and oil, began a three-year program with the International Monetary Fund in April to fix its economy.

The country’s economy has been dogged by high deficits, a widening public debt and unstable local currency.

Finance Minister Seth Terkper told media on Tuesday the cabinet is also discussing a financial accountability bill .

The schedule would impose penalties such as dismissal or jail time for public officials who are found to violate it.

“It is expected to be clear enough to enable the general public to see malfeasance if there is any and hold the agency involved accountable,” he added.

Reps grill Buratai, summon Arase over Zaria killings

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence met behind closed doors with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Tuesday over the recent clash between soldiers and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in Zaria.

The meeting took place at the National Assembly in Abuja.

Findings showed that members of the committee threw a barrage of questions at Buratai during the meeting, which was not opened to journalists.

However, the chairman of the committee, an All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Zamfara State, Mr. Aminu Sani-Jaji, later informed reporters that members grilled the army chief on what truly happened in Zaria on the fateful day.

Many lives were lost when soldiers engaged members of the group, better known as Shi’ite, in Zaria after the latter reportedly blocked a federal highway and tried to prevent Buratai’s motorcade from driving through.

He disclosed that a similar meeting had already been held with the Director General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Lawal Daura, also in secret.

Sani-Jaji added that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, was next in the line.

He said the meeting with Arase could come up any time before Christmas or after the festivities.

However, as for the leaders of the Shi’ite, he claimed to have made fruitless efforts so far to reach them.

He stated that a delegation of members sent to Zaria in a bid to hear the side of the sect returned to Abuja without making any headway.

Nonetheless, he gave the assurance that everything possible would be done by the committee to hear from the sect.

The House had on Wednesday last week, directed the committee to begin investigations into the clash.

The Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, had specifically asked the committee to “unearth the cause of the clash with a view to finding lasting solutions.”

Dogara had further instructed the committee to do a “through job, considering the sensitive situation in the country at the moment.”

He had appealed to Nigerians to remain calm, assuring them that they would be “fully briefed in due course when the committee must have concluded the assignment.”

Economists laud 2016 budget, raise concerns on 38 dollars oil benchmark

Financial experts on Tuesday commended the Federal Government for giving priority to infrastructure development in the 2016 budget, but raised concern on its sustenance with the proposed oil benchmark.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the allocation of 30 per cent of the total budget to infrastructure signalled a departure from the status quo.
Prof. Anthony Monye-Elmina, Head of Department of Economics, University of Benin, said that the budget proposal was worthy of commendation.

Monye-Elmina said that focusing on infrastructure development was critical to reposition the nation’s economy.

He, however, said that the dwindling price of oil at the international market was worrisome, adding that the 38 dollars benchmark might not be sustainable in the long run.
“The budget proposal is a laudable development. Focusing on the development of critical infrastructure was the best thing to do,’’ Monye-Elmina said.

Also contributing, Prof. Sheriffadeen Tella of the Department of Economics, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun, said focusing on infrastructural development was the best thing to do.
Tella explained that if properly implemented, the budget was capable of addressing power challenge and the provision of basic infrastructure that would boost economic growth.
According to him, any variation in the oil benchmark will be accommodated for by revenues from the non oil sector.

Subsequently, the economist called for judicious spending to ensure the smooth implementation of the budget.

In his view, Mr Femi Ekundayo, a former president of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), said that the current administration had the discipline to pursue its implementation.
Ekundayo, while praising government’s proposal to intervene in critical infrastructure, urged it to devise a model to monitor and measure the budget’s full implementation.

“I believe there will be accountability in the implementation of the budget. The government should be able to measure performance at the end of the day,’’ Ekundayo said.
NAN reports that the government had proposed N6.08 trillion in the 2016 fiscal year with the allocation of 30 per cent of the total budget to capital expenditure.

“To deliver our development objectives, we have increased the capital expenditure portion of the budget from N557 billion in the 2015 budget to N1.8 trillion, in the 2016 budget.
“For the first time in many years, capital expenditure will represent 30 per cent of our total budget.
“In future years, we intend to raise the percentage allocation for capital expenditure,’’ the president said.

Govt declares December 24, 25, 28 holidays

The Federal Government has declared Thursday, December 24, to mark the Muslim festival of Maulud Nabiy, December 25 to mark the Christmas Day and December 28 to mark the Boxing Day respectively.

Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), made the declaration yesterday in Abuja in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Bassey Akpanyung.
The minister enjoined Muslim and Christian faithful to use the unique occasions to‎ pray for the peace and unity of Nigeria. He also advised Nigerians to cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts to build a peaceful, united and virile nation.

Dambazau also wished Nigerians, home and abroad, happy celebrations. Eid-Maulud is the celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) in Islam, while Christmas is celebrated by Christians to mark the birth of the Saviour, Jesus Christ.

FG to employ .5m teachers in 2016

In order to address the chronic shortage of teachers in public schools across the country, the Federal Government has said it will in 2016 employ about 500, 000 teachers.

“We also will partner with State and Local Governments to recruit, train and deploy 500,000 unemployed graduates and NCE holders. These graduate teachers will be deployed to primary schools, thereby, enhancing the provision of basic education especially in our rural areas,” President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday while addressing a joint session of the National Assembly on the occasion of 2016 budget presentation.

According to him, the 2016 budget, if passed, will ensure the revival of the economy, deliver inclusive growth to Nigerians and create a significant number of jobs.
He said: “We aim to ensure macroeconomic stability by achieving a real GDP growth rate of 4.37% and managing inflation. To achieve this, we will ensure the aligning of fiscal, monetary, trade and industrial policies.

“As we focus on inclusive growth, we are conscious of the current rate of unemployment and underemployment. This is a challenge we are determined to meet; and this budget is the platform for putting more Nigerians to work.

“I can assure you that this administration will have a job creation focus in every aspect of the execution of this budget. Nigeria’s job creation drive will be private sector led. We will encourage this by a reduction in tax rates for smaller businesses as well as subsidized funding for priority sectors such as agriculture and solid minerals.”

‘Why petrol price is high despite crude oil plunge’

• Nigeria’s market faces more glut as U.S. begins export
• Kaduna refinery resumes, releases 1.5m litres for sale
GLOOMIER days seem to lie ahead for Nigeria’s crude oil market, as the United States (U.S.) is set to begin export of crude to the international market just as oil and gas experts have identified non-deregulation of the downstream sector, devaluation of naira and high cost of lending as reasons behind the high cost of petrol in the country.

Oil exporting countries including Nigeria, currently struggling to sell their crude are going to feel the direct impact of the fresh decision by the U.S. Congress to lend a 40-year ban on crude oil exports.
Meanwhile, in an effort to arrest the acute fuel scarcity across the country the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) has resumed production n with an additional 1.5 million liters of fuel pumped into the domestic market.

The Managing Director of KRPC, Alhaji Saidu Aliyu, told journalists yesterday that the pipelines had been fixed while the plant was receiving supplies of crude oil.

Countries like the United Kingdom and the U.S. have reduced their fuel prices to amounts commensurate with the declining oil prices.

For example, the average price of a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline in the U.S. has fallen in conjunction with global crude oil prices since June last year.

Also, petrol prices, which have fallen consistently over the previous months, currently stand at an average of 108.01p per litre in the U K.

Diesel is at 110.2p, nearing the September price of 109.8p which was its lowest since December 2009.

But the reverse is the case in Nigeria as price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) may still be hovering between N87 and N97 from next year, instead of actually falling.
Though the Federal Government announced a reduction in the price of petrol from N97 to N87 per litre in January this year, saying the N10 reduction in fuel price was necessitated by the reduction in crude oil prices in the international market, consumers were looking forward to further reduction since crude has fallen below $35 per barrel.

According to the GlobalPetrolPrices, a litre of fuel in Venezuela sells at $0.02; Libya, $0.14; Saudi Arabia, $0.15; Algeria, $0.20; Kuwait, $0.21; Bahrain, $0.26; Qatar, $0.27; Iran, $0.32 and Nigeria, $0.42.

Speaking with The Guardian on why petrol price is still high in Nigeria despite the declining crude oil prices, Head, Energy Research, Ecobank Development Company (EDC) Nigeria Limited, Dolapo Oni said: “The first is devaluation. As we are fully dependent on imports for our petroleum products currently, we are exposed to the higher foreign exchange rate compared to last year. As oil prices continue to drive lower, the demand for ships to buy the crude for storage till prices recover has forced the freight rate of ships to increase, thus the freight component of getting the products into the country has also increased.

“The second reason is tied to the first. The refineries are down hence the cost of the products which used to be moderated by the lower cost refinery output now comprises only high cost import products, which, based on the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency(PPPRA) template are still worth more than the official pump price of N87.

‘‘The government doesn’t have the funds to continue paying fuel subsidies and should not be dedicating its scarce funds to that purpose, hence the decision to raise fuel prices back to N97 would, however, not amount to subsidy removal as recovery in oil prices above $40 could see the open market price for PMS rise above N97. At that point, government would have to either increase prices again or start paying subsidies.”

Also, the Director-General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, said the good news about the declining crude oil prices was that it was expected to likely moderate the cost of fuel importation.

According to him, “the share of the nation’s resources committed to fuel importation and fuel subsidy is horrendous and perhaps scandalous, since declining oil price was supposed to moderate the cost of petrol.”

On why there was no reflection, Yusuf, an economist, said the country did not have a downstream market because government fixed all the prices with all manner of interventions, like subsidies.
“We don’t have the kind of market mechanism that can easily reflect changes in some parameters. Even if it reflects, it will not show.  If we have such a market, competition will force prices to come down. In the downstream, we don’t have what is called a proper market, so the reflections happening in the global arena can hardly reflect locally.

“The cost of fund is well over 20 per cent, which is making it difficult for importers to service their loans and all these add to the cost of petrol.  There should be deregulation, which will allow competition and eventually, the price of petrol will crash. If government allows deregulation, the price of fuel should not be more than $87,” he said.

To the past Head of the Department of Petroleum Engineering and the Deputy Director, Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law, Dr. Olugbenga Falode: “It is a demand and supply scenario that you see everywhere. If the demand is high and the supply is short, the price will go up. It is quite unfortunate that Nigeria’s refineries that were built to refine the country’s crude oil are not producing up to full capacity which has made the country to depend on importation of petroleum products.”
Falode therefore called on the Federal Government to resuscitate refineries and make them work to full capacity to meet local demand for petrol.

The U.S. Congress has approved the lifting of the ban as part of a $1.1trillion spending bill, which included a provision that would allow the export of crude for the first time in more than 40 years.
The bill was later signed by President Barack Obama.

Nigeria recently lost its biggest customer, the US, which now buys only a small amount of Nigerian crude oil due to the rise in domestic shale production, and the nation has found solace in India.
The sustained decline in crude oil prices since June 2014 has exacerbated the dwindling fortunes of the Nigerian crude, with the crude differentials trading at a 11-year low as at yesterday.
U.S. crude futures fell 53 cents at $34.20 after bouncing off an intraday low of $33.98. Brent futures were down 61 cents at $36.27, falling as much as two per cent during the session to a low of $36.04 a barrel, its weakest since July 2004.

MTN refutes report of refusal to pay $3.9b fine

MTN Nigeria has refuted a media report of its alleged refusal to pay the $5.2 billion fine slammed on it by the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), but has been slashed to $3.9 billion, for contravening regulatory orders on the registration of Subscribers Identification Module (SIMs) cards in the country.

In a rejoinder to the story titled: “MTN dares NCC, says ’we are not paying’’’, the telecommunications firm claimed that the headline was “at variance with the content and context of MTN’s official release, which ironically was copiously quoted in the report.”

The company, which admitted there was a conversation between its official and the reporter regarding the story, claimed that the Public Relations Manager, Funso Aina, was quoted out of context.
“The fact of the case is that the decision to go to court was a very difficult one for MTN, coming after all attempts at a sustainable resolution were exhausted. As a business, we simply do not have the ability to pay a N780 billion fine by year-end, as this will have dire consequences for the company’s financial stability. As such the lawsuit underpins the very survival and sustenance of the company and the millions of Nigerians who rely on us to make a living.

“It is regrettable that the foregoing development has been presented in the most negative and arrogant light; which rather than ameliorate the situation could further aggravate it,” MTN said.
In another development, the telecommunications firm restated its commitment to customers, partners and government.

MTN, in a statement, reaffirmed its long-term commitment to its stakeholders including 63 million customers, thousands of employees, vendors, partners and consultants.

4 ways to celebrate Christmas within your budget!

 It is a few days to Christmas and some Nigerians have made big plans just so they can have a great time during the holidays. In order to keep you from going overboard, Jovago.com, Africa’s No 1 hotel booking portal shares 4 ways you can have fun and still stay within your Christmas budget!

 

 

During the yuletide season, there is an often appreciable rise in the price of goods and services – whether perishable or consumer products. In the quest to have a rich experience, it easy to yield to pressure while trying to meet the expectations of friends and family. To keep yourself from going begging in the New Year, put a cap on what you can spend in view of your total income and you will be better off for it.

Prioritize your list

This is the stage where you take radical decisions on who you actually want to offer gifts. Cut down your cost by excluding close friends who will be just as happy to receive colourful Christmas cards at this time of the year. It can be quite difficult but as earlier mentioned, it is about tailoring your expenses to match the money in the bank.

Assign and roundup necessary preparations

After prioritizing your list, it is key to decide on the value of gifts each person will receive. Do a market survey on the internet before placing an order on the item. Your market survey should be thorough so that you can get the best and most affordable price in the market.

 

Make the budget work

Remember that life will continue after Christmas. If borrowing money makes you uncomfortable, consciously devote time each day to track your spending and see your budget through. It is possible to enjoy Christmas without racking up any debt, especially if you make the choice to live within your means. Having considered the outcome you expect, do all you can to make your budget work for you.

Serena Williams, Djokovic named ‘world champions’

 

Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic were named the women’s and men’s players of the year by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Tuesday. Both won three of the four Grand Slams in 2015 and are well clear in the world rankings. Williams, who was named ‘ITF World Champion’ for the sixth time, won five titles throughout the year, finishing with a 53-3 win-loss record.

After winning Wimbledon in July she also held all four Grand Slam titles at the same time for the second time in her career, which she previously dubbed a ‘Serena Slam’ in contrast to a calendar Grand Slam. “It means a lot to me to be named the ITF World Champion for the sixth time. I am proud to have achieved my second Serena Slam, in what has been an amazing year for me,” she said in an ITF statement.

Djokovic, who finished the year as men’s number one for the fourth time, won the award for a fifth time. He managed a career-best 11 titles and finished with an 82-6 record. He got even closer to the Grand Slam than Williams, who was beaten in the US Open semi-finals, as he only missed out on a first Roland Garros crown in the final against Stan Wawrinka.

“My season was the best of my career with many highlights. It inspires me even more to keep on going, and I hope to continue to play at this level in 2016,” he said. India’s Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis of Switzerland were named the women’s doubles champions with Dutchman Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau of Romania picking up the men’s award.