EXCLUSIVE: How Isa Funtua fraudulently acquired KeyStone Bank and 9Mobile using AMCON MD
By
 Godwin Okafor




.BREAKING NEWS:
 EVIDENCE  OF BUHARI'S FAMILY STEALING IS OUT:

SEE WHAT THEY STOLE OUR MONEY 

How Isa Funtua fraudulently acquired KeyStone Bank and 9Mobile using AMCON MD

Recently, a shocking story came out to public knowledge about how Keystone Bank and 9Mobile were acquired in controversial circumstances by the business interests of one Alhaji Isa Funtua, a close friend of President Muhammadu Buhari, via the instrumentality of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). As the smoke raised by the scandalous story is still swirling in the air, with some public groups challenging the government to come out clean on what could be a serious dent on its anti-corruption stance, there is indeed no smoke without fire. For starters, it is a confirmed fact that the son-in-law of Isa Funtua, Ahmed Kuru, is the current CEO of AMCON. Before him, the previous CEO, Chike Obi, was a first-class gentleman and technocrat who was strangely removed from office before the expiration of his term and was replaced with Kuru, the son-in-law of Isa Funtua.
Now, let us get into the insider details of how Funtua bought Keystone Bank and 9Mobile in the most bizarre of dealings that circumvent the laws of the land. Keystone Bank was sold by the current CEO of AMCON to his father-in-law, Funtua, without any AMCON Board’s approval and with the active connivance of CBN and NDIC at a grossly undervalued price of 25 Billion Naira. To put things in context, let us recall that Enterprise Bank was sold for over 60 Billion Naira and Mainstreet Bank was sold for over 100 Billion Naira under the former CEO of AMCON.
Before the sale of Keystone Bank to Isa Funtua, all bad debts in the books of the Bank were taken over by AMCON. So, it was a clean Bank with all the Assets and no Liabilities that was sold to the Buyers. The Executive Management of AMCON was coerced into approving the transaction and those who were willing to submit a much higher bid were disqualified under a most opaque, suspicious process that lacks all transparency. The process was just manipulated in favour of the father-in-law of the AMCON CEO.

The Corrupt Payment for Keystone Bank
The most disgusting part of the entire sale of Keystone Bank is how the 25 Billion Naira sales price was paid to AMCON. The Isa Funtua Team paid 5 Billion Naira to AMCON, and then the balance of 20 Billion Naira was later paid through the most criminal and corrupt approach ever perpetrated by AMCON in favour of the Buyer. What happened was that AMCON moved 20 Billion Naira of their own funds as a fixed deposit at GTBank to Heritage Bank. Heritage Bank then paid the 20 Billion Naira on behalf of the Funtua Group to AMCON. In other words, AMCON used their own funds as a collateral for a loan to the Funtua Group for 20 Billion Naira!

When the Funtua Group took over Keystone Bank, they went borrowing immediately at the Interbank Market for 20 Billion Naira to refund AMCON’s funds. This has left a hole in Keystone Bank’s Balance Sheet and makes the Bank one of the most undercapitalized Banks in the Country as at today.
The evidence of this highly compromised acquisition process can be obtained from the current and former staff of AMCON, from NDIC, CBN and from the current staff of Keystone Bank itself. The story has been all over the place and it is quite shocking that some political parties and public interest groups are just picking it up now.

The Unholy Sale of 9-Mobile
Another suspicious acquisition scandal surrounding the Funtua Group is about the untidy way 9-Mobile, formerly known as Etisalat, was bought. It is Mr. Adrian Wood of Teleology Holdings, a very sound telecoms professional, who collaborated with the Funtua Group for the acquisition of 9-Mobile. The problem with their bid was the lack of a qualified Operator to support the bid which was one of the minimum conditions of NCC. Adrian Wood alone was not a substitute for an Operator.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) gave several conditions that must be met by the Ultimate Buyer of 9-Mobile to ensure the protection of shareholders value, prevent loss of jobs, protect the telecoms industry from slipping into a crisis and ensure transparency and professionalism in the post-acquisition entity.
The conditions listed by NCC that must be met by the Buyer are Strong Telecoms Operating Experience, Strong Financial Capabilities, Strong Technical Knowledge and Strong Administrative Skills.
The first thing that happened once Teleology was announced as the preferred winner was that the Funtua Group edged Adrian Woods out of Management and turned him to an Insignificant Shareholder. The second development was that the Funtua Group raided Keystone Bank again and forced the Bank to Pay 50 million Dollars as down payment for the acquisition of 9-Mobile. The third issue was that Teleology Nigeria replaced Teleology Holdings to remove any influence of Adrian Woods from 9-Mobile totally. The fourth step taken the Funtua Group was to borrow 260 Million Dollars from African Exim Bank. The fifth thing was to coerce NCC to approve the sale at all cost without meeting 90% of the conditions set up ab-initio by the NCC. The sixth strange action of the Funtua Group was to force the board of NCC to approve the sale through the influence and pressure from the Presidency. And the seventh Funtua infraction was to use the influence of CBN to force the Banks to the table and waive their own conditions of sale of 9-Mobile to the Teleology Nigeria group.

Conclusion
So far, the problem with the sales of the above mentioned assets is that all the processes and conditions were brazenly circumvented and Keystone Bank was forced into a deeper pit by the greed and recklessness of the Funtua group.
Today, AMCON as presently constituted is just a tool in the hands of the Funtua Group to acquire peoples’ businesses without paying for it or using AMCON’s money to pay for the Funtua Group. Even indigenous airlines like Arik and Aero Contractors, like many other companies under AMCON, are being considered for nepotistic acquisition in the near future. Of course, the Funtua Group has been penciled down as the preferred bidders. The devious plot is that if the Buhari government secures a second term and starts the tenure, all other companies under AMCON will be sold by hook or crook to the favoured Funtua Group. Meanwhile, the Management and Staff of AMCON along with the Board have all been intimidated into silence. In fact, the Board is dead and ineffective. And the other Supervisory Bodies over AMCON are just rubber stamps because the fear of Katsina power brokers is the beginning of wisdom.- Naira 247 NEWS

TRUE LIFE STORY

Allah ya shiryi maza masu amfani da sunan mata a group saboda groups yajamin. Masifa da har na koma ga Allah bazan mantaba akwai wani group na hausa novel dana shiga duk novel din da ka tambaya za a turo ma ,to wata ran sai na tambayi novel nace meshi ya turamin ta private to ashe na 
dauko wa kaina masifa, sai wata taturomin ashe namiji ne, nai mata godiya daga nan kullum sai naga taturomin da gaisuwar ta ,ban taba kawo komai ba .ta tambayeni a lna nake nace a Kano nake lna da aure da yara na 6 ,sai tace ashe garin mu daya nace ALLAH ko ,taimi kwatance unguwar su naimata kwatance nawa, wai yaran ta 2 amma zata sa Mijin ta yakawota gurina. Nace ba matsala amma ni mijina matafiyi ne yana wata biyu kan ya dawo tace ba komai ln tazo nazo daga baya nace to daga haka dai muna gaisawa ta chart kullum sai ta tambayi yarana kamar lta ta haifamin afadarta* *wai sun shiga rantane harso take ta gansu, rannan da yamma ta taturomin ta taho nidama kwatance na bame wahala bane daga bakin titi kika fadi sunan mijina za a kaika har ciki gida, niko daga jin haka natsiri naima abin da zan sauke su dashi (ance bakon ka annabi ka)lna zaune lna jiran bakuwa da lyalan ta sai ji nai namiji na sallama akofar falo nasa hijab na futo nasame shi muka gaisa nace aikoka akai ko wani abun kake nema ?a a saina ga mutum sai kare min kallo yake nace mallam magana nake sai naga yayi murmushi yace ai nine Wanda muke chart dake nace mallam ka dubi girma ALLAH da annabi DAKUMA darajar aure kafita min a gida tun kafin na tarama mutane, dan lska sai cewa yayi kanki zaki tarawa dan cewa zan kekace nazo nariga dabe miki kewa Mijin ki kuma ba yau na fara zuwa ba mun Dade tare muna masha a. ai saina hau zaginsa bawan ALLAH nan kamar ma bai San lna yiba danaga wanan bazata fitar dani ba, sai nazube kan gwiwata nahau bashi hakuri yayi banza Dani aranar nayi nadama yafi alrga ga yarana sun tafi lsilamiyya daga ni sai shi,,, ni bansan lrin tunanin da zanba nakubuta lna wannan tunanin naji yace jibe wazaice kina da yara saboda kin raina min hankali kinga ni taimako ki zan bai kamata ace kin zauna Mijin ki bayanan ba aima gurin savice kin zauna kina batama kanki lokaci da yanzu nayi abin da yakawoni natafi*

*Kubini bashi zan karasa muku marubutan novel na Sara muku da kokorin typing*
*CIGABAN LABARI NA*

*Tun da naji haka nasan yau kashi na ya bushe aranar ai sai namike nafara baya dan natserar da kaina lnajin nakai tsakiyar falo na sai na diba dagudu*
*Nasawa kofar key lnajin yana bugu kofar yana, zagina lna zagin sa shege cewa yake ldan nakama ki sai nai miki kaca kaca, kai ranar naga tashi hankali*

*Wato ba abu da ya fadomin sai mijina bani da lkon nakira shi tun da baya garin an Dade* *ananuna illar zamana ni kadai a lrin wanan gidan ba namiji*
*A baya lna tare da mijina har na haifi yarana duka muna tare to yanayin rayuwa a kasar da ba musulmai ba yasa nafara tunanin yakamata nakoma gida saboda yarana su fahimci ya* *rayuwa kasar take da kuma al adummu da kuma karatun addini*
*Dawanan tunanin na matsa sai mun taho to hakan dai ya hakura muka zo muka tare agidan dayagama ginawa* *gidan sama da kasa ne da boys quarters*
*To haka mijina yagama kwanakin sa ya tafi yarage daga ni sai yara to guda biyu sun gama primary school sai aka nemi* *makaranta kwana akasa su gida yarage sai yara hudu*
*Uku aka nemi makaranta akasa su da yamma kuma sutafi lsilamiyya shikuma karami muna tare, tun da na ga nayi solve din problems dina sai hankali na ya* *kwanta da safe lna sallami yara sai nima na tafi lsilamiyya, 12 nayi mun tashi zanyi abubuwa dazan kan yara su dawo, saida dama mutane suna nuna min illar zamana ni kadai acikin gidan amma ban taba dauka abun da mahimmaci ba sai yanzu dana fada mugun hannu*
*Aranar nayi dana sanin zuwa na shiko dan lska buga kofar ke ln bude mai naki ALLAH yasa lron* *door ne gashi duk abin nan ba Wanda yaji balle akawo min dauki muna hakan sai ga yara sun dawo daga* *lsilamiyya suna kirana mom mun taso ai sai naji sanyi arai, ai saina na hau kiran su suna zuwa su kaga mutum* *abaki kofar atsaye. Sukace mom kifito kinyi bako ai sai nakira babba cikin su nace maza ta* *kira kawun su tace mahaukaci yashigo mana gida aikoma wa sukai da gudu jin nace mahaukaci ne da ma gashi yayi* *yarkace yarkace saboda kokorin bude kofar sai kace gidan Uban sa*
*Ai yana ganin sun fita yace yau dai kin sha amma duk ranar dana dawo sai kin raina kanki dan ba kyaleki zan*
*Daga haka yafita a gidan ,,ni dai bani na bude kai naba sai danaji yara sun da kawun su da wasu wai anzo fita dashi suka gama duba gida basu ga kowa sannan suka ce nabude kofar lna futowa suka hau tambayata nace* *nima haka kawai naga mutum ya fadomin gida shine na gudu haka sukai min jaje suka tafi*
*Ai suna fita na kulle gidan,,haka dai har dare narasa wa zan tunkara da matsala ta wayar ma bansan lnda nasa taba ni dai ranar bacci ma kasawa nai*
*A haka na kwana abun nacina arai, gari na wayewa na sallami yara suka tafi makaranta nima na shirya na tafi lsilamiyya haka dai nai karatun jiki ba kwari kowa tambaya ta suke ko bani da lfy nace lfy kalau saboda ni nasan masifa da najefa kai na,, naje nasamu malami mu nace lnada tambaya amma sai antashi yace to. Ai ko muna tashi nafada mai komai tun daga farko har karshe yayi fada sosai sannan yace nabashi number mutumin nabashi yace zai kirashi ni kuma naje ln ALLAH ya yarda babu abu da zai faru*

*KUBINI BASHI ZAN BAKU SAURAN
NASO NABA MARUBUTAN NOVEL WANNAN LABARI DAN SU TSARA SHI YADDA ZAI KAYATAR AMMA BANSAMU WANDA ZANBAWA BA SURBAJO CE KAWAI TACE NA AJIYE ZATA NAMAN TO KUMA TACE TA GAMA DAGA WADANDA TAKE, KE KUMA SIS RAHAMA KINA da BASHI DAYAWA AKANKI
*KARSHE LABARI NA*
*haka natafi gida lna tunanin matakin da malami mu zai* *dauka to ashe kiran sa yayi yace yazo office din hizba ana nema sa yace menayi sai malami mu yace mekayi kake tambaya* *bayan matata daka bi har gida kanaso kaketa mata haddi tagami komai babun zakace min kawai kazo kakawo kanka tun kafin muzo mutafi da kai ,,sai cewa yake ayi hakuri shi abun yawuce agurin sa shima sai daga baya yagane* *kuskure da yayi amma kuma aini nakira shi har gidan. Malami yace babu abun da ta boyemi dan haka ka shiga hankali ka tun kafin lnsa akamo min kai .sosai ya tsorata dashi amma dan lskan ashe tuban muzuru yayi nidai tun da malami mu yamin bayani* *hankali na yadan kwanta sai dai zaman gida na yanemi fin karfi na dana gama aiki na zan kulle gidan natafi makota* *nazauna saboda basan ta lnda zai bullo min ba tun da ka lokacin nai block din number sa* *group din ma nafita daga nan sai na rika tsintar kaina a groups ldan nafita amai dani ga kira koyaushe da bakuwar number* *kuma nasan shine ba hakura yayi ba,rayuwata tashiga kunci kullum tambaya mijina nake yaushe zai zo nagaji yazo yatafi damu yayi tambaya duniya nafada masa nace ni dai nagaji yace to dama* *kekika sa kanki tun da kin gaji sai ki bari lna zo sai mutafi tare sannan hankali na yadan kwanta amma kullum tunani na bai wuce ln dan lska nan yamani bayan keta min haddi dazai ma saiya kashe ni saboda wahalar dashi da nai, gashi ban San sunan Sa ba basan daga lna yake ba bani da wata hujja dazan rika ldan ya cutar dani*
*Haka nai ta lallaba rayuwata har mijina yazo muka tafi sannan na canja layi,, yarana dasuke makaranta kwana kwai nabari ayanzu sai dai muzo damijina mukoma dan bazan kara wannan gaggacin ba to kinji karshe wannan to sai ciki wanan watan wata zainab a group din Nana Asiya ta turan gashi takama* *sunana sai nai tunanin ko a family ko friend na tambaye ta lna kika sanni tace a group din nace meyasa kika zabe ni cikin daruruwan mutane kice sai ni,, shiru ba amsa dandanan Nagano ba mace bace nazage shi tas, nai block din number to kunsan mu mata sai ahankali,,ranan wata tai tallan maganin gyaran nono ai kamar jira suke ko wacce tasaki baki da zancan yakamata dawanda bai kamata ba akai tayi saina ga ldan zancan yawuce sai* *a dawo da shi abun yaban haushi saboda kwana daya da yini ana magana guda daya sai nadau number zainab din danai block natura group din nace kuyi anhankali da MAZA* *Basai kowa kiji yace shima ankirashi da number tuni, alokacin akacire shi to lrin wadan nan MAZA suna DAYAWA kuma baka ganesu, ni yanzu duk number da akakirani sai nasa a ture caller dan gane mutum*
*Bantaba sanin wayar ka zata jayoma masifa har dakin kwanan kaba sai a wannan zamanin damuke*

Jin Dadin Aure

Babban abin da mai son jin dadin aure ya kamata ya lura da shi shi ne: 


Mace ta gari, ita za ta iya zama masa zinariya, duk lokacin da ta yi datti in aka wanke sai qyalqyalinta ya fito sarari. 


Amma aure don kyau (wanda shi muke yi yanzu) kamar baqin qarfe ne da aka shafa masa kumfar zinare, yana daukan ido da ban sha'awa, da zarar ka yi amfani da shi Daya, Biyu qyalqyalin zai fita munin kuma ya bayyana, daganan ba sauran sha'awa kuma, galibi qyalqyal-banza din nan su maza suka fi so.

Shi ya sa mai haja yake tallata musu don samun kasuwa, maganar gaskiya duk wani dan kasuwa riba yake nema.

Mace ta gari za a same ta da:

1) KAMEWA: Daga duk wani abu da zai sosa wa maigidan ta rai, a kanta ne ko gidansa ko abincinsa da sauransu.

2) GASKIYA: In za ta yi magana ba ta qarya, domin samun riqe gidan gaba daya.

3) ZA'BIN MIJINTA A KANTA: Tana buqatar abu amma in baya so za ta barshi, ko ta yi don shi yana so koda kuwa ba ta so.

4) AMINCEWA: Duk abin da yake so ta yi ta amince, don yarda da cewa ba zai halakar da ita ba, tana qaunarsa.

5) TAWALU'U: Ta qanqar da kai gare shi koda kuwa tana da ilimi, arziqi da shekaru sama da shi, kamar dai Khadeejah RA da Annabi (S.A.W)

6) NATSUWA: Kar ta riqa tuno abubuwan da suka gabata, kuma ta dena tsoron masu zuwa.

7) KUNYA: Ta riqa jin kunya, wannan ado ne gare ta, masamman in tana tare da mijinta a cikin jama'a, wannan zai qara masa qaunarta.

8) KWANCIYAR HANKALI: Mantawa da matsalolin rayuwa da qoqarin tura farin ciki ga mai gida koda suna cikin matsala.

9) GODIYA: Duk abin da ya zo da shi a nuna masa jin dadin zuwa da shi komai girmansa komai qanqantarsa.

10) HAQURI: A kan duk abin da zai bayyana daga miji (wannan ne kawai muka dauka alhali suna da yawa)

11) TSAYUWA QYAM: A wajen bauta da qarfafa mijin da 'yan su

12) AMANA: Ta zama mai amana, kar ta yarda maigidan ta ya ga ha'incinta koda kuwa sau Daya ne, ta riqa gaya masa abin da za ta yi domin maganin shedan.

13) CIKA ALQAWARI: Yana Daya daga adon mace da namiji.

14) TSORON ALLAH: A duk abin da za ta yi.

15) DANNE ZUCIYA: Yayin da aka baqanta mata rai.

Wadannan abubuwa guda 15 su suke nuna mace ko miji nagari, kada ka riqa binciken qyalqyal banza, ke ma ki dai na kallon kudi ki duba rayuwarki idan kin shiga gidansa, komai kudinsa in ba kwanciyar hankali ba za ki ji dadinsu ba.

Na yi wani nazari sai na gano iyayenmu na baya sun fi mu sanin aure da matsayinsa, wannan ya sa in za a yi wa namiji aure murna da farin ciki yake dabaibaye shi, har ana buga misali cewa: 

"Wace fara'a kake yi haka kamar wanda ya yi amarya?" 

Ita kuwa amaryar kuka take yi tun da 'yan kwanaki kafin ranar auren, sabo da zullumin irin rabuwa da iyaye da kuma tarin aikace-aikacen da za su hau kanta.

Yau sai muka sami kanmu angon zullumin sha'anin gida duk sai ya dabaibaye shi har ka ji ana buga misali: 

"Tunanin me kake yi haka kamar wani mai mata?" 

Ita kuwa murna ta cika ta har ji take kamar ta kai kanta, duk wani party za ka ganta cikin fara'a, ita da kanta take raba katin gayyata.

Gaskiya akwai buqatar gyara, mace ta gari aikinta Daya ne ga mijinta mai rassa da yawa, wato shigar da farin ciki a zuciyarsa ta duk hanyoyin da suka halasta, 

Don haka bai yiwuwa a sami mace ta qwarai sai wace ta hada kyau na 6oye da na sarari, ta ba da rayuwarta ga Allah sannan hidimar mijinta, ita ba mijin take fara kallo ba, a'a, wanda ya saka ta ta bi shi wato Allah (SWT).

Babban abin da ke jawo qauna kyawun 6oye da na sarari.

Kyawun 6oye shi ne: 

Tsoron Allah, girmama iyayen miji da daukansu a matsayin mijin, son 'yan uwansa, kunya, ibada da rashin rowa ga 'yan uwan miji.

Kyawun sarari kuwa: 

Iya kwalliya, sa tozali, abin hannu, zobe da sutura mai kyau, lalle da turare kuwa suna da sirrorinsa na shigar da qauna da daga sha'awar miji da janyo hankalinsa da qarfi da matso da shi kusa.

Wannan ya sa muslunci nan take ya bayyana rufe qafa a sarari a maimakon fuskar da ake tsammanin ita ke fitar da kyawun mace, ya hana mace saka turare ta fita, har Annabi ya sifanta mai fesa turare ta fita da MAZINACIYA!
Abin da zai ba ka mamaki, ba macen da ta yi aure ba ta tsallake matakin budurci ba, da wani abu ta riqa jan hankalin samari? 

Matanmu yau (wasu) sun dauki aure a matsayin qaddara kawai, su yi aikin gida, su haifi 'ya'ya, su yi raino, wannan ya sa ba sa kwalliya sai dare, ko in za su fita, hatta yaransu qanana marasa hankali sun san kwalliyar fita waje, wata macen ma bata san qanshin turaren mata ba bare ta gaya maka.

lalle kuwa kadan ne daga cikin mata suka san matsayin sa, in ka ga sun yi to, akwai wani sha'ani, babbar sallah ko qarama, mauludi ko sauran bukukuwa, wadan da ba ruwan su da lallen mace, lalle don sha'awa ake yin sa, kenan mutum Daya kacal ake masa, shin kina yi masa ko sai akwai sha'ani a gidanku?

Mace Allah ya riga ya yi ta kyakkyawa, sai in ba ta iya gyara kanta ba,duk lokacin da wani ya ga muninta ya rabu da ita, wani zai ga kyawunta ya dauka, Allah (S.W.T) ya riga ya qawata son mata a zuciyar maza.

Ko mijinki yana yaba adonki ko baya yi, ki tabbata yana jin dadin kallonki, ke ado ce, tauraruwa, farin wata sha kallo, ki ji tsoron Allah ki saka wannan baiwar da Allah ya yi miki ga mijinki don farin cikinsa da kwanciyar hankalinki.

Biyayya ga miji ba mai iya wa sai mace ta tagari, da yawa mata suna so a ce su ne wadan da Annabi (S.A.W) ya sifanta dinnan da (Nagari) sai dai biyayyar ce ta yi qaranci, ko za a yi sai dai a gabansa in ya matsa an watsar kenan, wallahi na taso na taras da iyayenmu mata magabata suna kwatantawa.

Furaat Bn Sa'ib yake cewa Umar bn Abdil'Azeez ya ce: wa matar sa lokacin da
ya ganta da wani jauhari da ubanta ya ba ta "Ki za6i Daya cikin Biyu, ko dai ki mayar da shi baitul mali ko kuwa ki ba ni damar rabuwa da ke!" 

Ta ce "A kan me ne? Na fi sonka sama da ninkokinsa"

sai ya sa aka mayar,yayin da ya rasu dan uwanta Yazeed ya hau karaga sai yace in tana so zai dawo mata da shi, ta ce: "Wallahi sam! Ya hana ni amfani da shi yana da rai sai bayan ya rasu zan dawo da shi?" 

To mace kenan ta gari a gidan miji na gari.
Asma'u Bnt Kharijatul Furaziy take cewa 'yarta ranar buden kanta "Yanzu fa kin fita daga sheqar da aka qyanqyashe ki zuwa shimfidar da ba ki san ta ba, da abokin rayuwar da ba ki san sa ba, ki zamar masa qasa sai ya zamar miki sama, ki zamar masa shimfidadda zai zamar miki turaku, ki zamar masa baiwa, zai zamar miki bawa, kar ki nace wajen neman abubuwa don kar ya guje ki, kar ki yi nisa da shi don kar ya manta da ke, idan ya matso, ki kusance shi, in ya ja jiki, ke ma ki dan ja da baya, amma ki kiyaye hancinsa da kunninsa da idonsa, kar ya shinshini komai a wurinki sai qamshi, kar ya ji komai sai kyakkyawan abu, kar ya ga komai sai wanda zai burge shi.

Mace ta gari takan yi qoqarin ta zama wa mijinta aljannarsa ce, ba ta son ta ga gazawarta a idanunsa, don haka takan yi farin ciki in taga murmushinsa, takan damu matuqa in ta ga fushinsa ko da ba da ita yake ba,ba ta jinkiri a wajen abinci, kuma ta iya dafawa ba tare da almubazzaranci ba, ita ce amin taccen abokin shawararsa, mai iya riqe masa sirri, ba ta yarda wani ya sani ko waye kuwa, sannan ga taimako.

Allah sarki! Na ga wani maqwabcinmu ya tashi tafiya haji yana tunanin abin da zai bar wa iyalinsa, sai matar ta ce kar ya damu ga masara can a gidan wane buhu 12 ta saya, sai ya yi mamakin in da ta samo kudin, ta ce masa, wanda yake badawa ne, in aka yi aikin gida kudin ya ragu sai ta 6oye sabo da tunanin gaba, yau kusan shekara 7 ko fiye, da faruwar haka, in ka sami mace irin wannan wace iriyar godiya za ka yi wa Allah?

Beautiful people on this Forum, I welcome you with lots of love. I encourage you to reflect on today's Topic which is forgiveness.

Forgiveness

Betrayal, aggression, and just plain insensitivity: People can hurt us in a million ways, and forgiveness isn’t always easy. Whether you’ve been cut off in traffic, slighted by your mother-in-law, betrayed by a spouse, or badmouthed by a co-worker, most of us are faced with a variety of situations that we can choose to ruminate over or forgive. But forgiveness, like so many things in life, is easier said than done.

Forgiveness can be difficult. Truly it isn’t easy to completely release the burdens from the bad or unfortunate wrongs that may have been done. Yet while it is difficult, it is necessary. To carry the burdens of heavy debt and sorrow on our shoulders will quickly weigh us down. We must forgive as to ease the tension and be set free from these burdens. As we forgive those who may have wronged us, let us be grateful for the opportunity to be set free.


The Challenges of Forgiveness
Forgiveness can be a challenge for several reasons. Sometimes forgiveness can be confused with condoning what someone has done to us: “That’s OK. Why not do it again?” Even people who understand the distinction between accepting someone's bad behavior as "okay" and accepting that it happened and one must let go of anger to move forward, forgiveness can be difficult because these two are easily confused.

Forgiveness can also be difficult when the person who wronged us doesn’t seem to deserve our forgiveness. It feels like we are letting them "off the hook" when they are the one who wronged us. It’s hard to remember that forgiveness benefits the forgiver more than the one who is forgiven.

Ultimately, forgiveness is especially challenging because it’s hard to let go of what’s happened. It can be really difficult to accept some things in life. Forgiving someone who has committed unacceptable behavior can be difficult when we are having trouble letting go of anger about the events and accepting what happened to us.

The Importance of Forgiveness
It’s important to let go and forgive. Here are some reasons why.

Forgiveness is good for your heart—literally. One study from the Journal of Behavioral Medicine found forgiveness to be associated with lower heart rate and blood pressure as well as stress relief. This can bring long-term health benefits to your heart and overall health.

A later study found forgiveness to be positively associated with five measures of health: physical symptoms, medications used, sleep quality, fatigue, and somatic complaints. It seems that the reduction in negative affect (depressive symptoms), strengthened spirituality, conflict management and stress relief one finds through forgiveness all have a significant impact on overall health.

A third study, published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, found that forgiveness not only restores positive thoughts, feelings and behaviors toward the offending party (in other words, forgiveness restores the relationship to its previous positive state), but the benefits of forgiveness spill over to positive behaviors toward others outside of the relationship. Forgiveness is associated with more volunteerism, donating to charity, and other altruistic behaviors. (And the converse is true of non-forgiveness.)

To sum it up, forgiveness is good for your body, your relationships, and your place in the world. That’s reason enough to convince virtually anyone to do the work of letting go of anger and working on forgiveness.

We probably don't need to tell that Kanye West has had quite a year.
And to be clear, we don't mean that in a good way. At all.
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Whether he was describing slavery as a choice or fantasizing about playing catch with Donald Trump, Yeezy found new and interesting ways to baffle and infuriate the masses in 2018.
West swore off politics back in October, but that doesn't mean he's done being bonkers on social media.
No, these past few weeks, Kanye has been devoting his attention to a bizarre feud with Drake.

Although we're not sure if "feud" is the right word, as it seems to be a pretty one-sided fixation on Kanye's part.
Anyway, it's always a dangerous game guessing what's going on in Kanye's head, but as far as we can tell, the rapper's final (?) tirade of 2018 is a result of his ongoing anger toward Drizzy.
It all started with this all-time bonkers tweet.

Either that's a reference to the rumors that Drake had sex with Kim Kardashian, or Kanye really doesn't understand his wife's career, and that comment is directed at all of Twitter.
Either way, with that, he was off.
Kanye's tweets ranged from the vaguely threatening ("See when you care about your family you don’t let no man push you to do nothing that could risk your freedom") to the amusingly asinine ("Tweeting is legal and also therapeutic").

As far as we can tell, dude remains deeply pissed at Drake, but there was also a healthy dose of his usual pseudo-spiritual mumbo-jumbo in there as well.
What does it all mean?
Well, we doubt even Kanye himself could tell you.
[url=https://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/kimye-at-home/]
Whatever the case, it's a reminder that you can safely anticipate even more insanity from hip-hop's most unstable artist in 2019.
As a send-off for his most memorable year yet, Kanye concluded today's rant with this nugget of wisdom:
"If I got any cooler I would freeze to death."
Carry that energy into the new year, folks.

GOVERNOR ORTOM VISITS BURNT WADATA MARKET

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom this morning visited Wadata Market which was gutted by fire last night for an on the spot assessment of damages caused by the incidence.

At the Market, Governor Ortom addressed the victims and other traders in the Market.

He donated N30 million naira to the victims as an interim measure to cushion the effect of the disaster.

The Governor also directed more security presence in the market to prevent locoting by hoodlums who might take advantage of the incidence to cause more havock.

Quote:The Federal Government budgeted N1,001,318,171for President Muhammadu Buhari’s local and international travels in the proposed 2019 budget.
The budget proposes N250,021,595 for the President’s local trips and N751,296,576 for him to travel internationally.
Meanwhile, N83,974,710 was budgeted for Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s local travel, while N217,060,883 was proposed for his international trips.
Under foodstuff/catering materials supplies,N98,306,492 was budgeted for the President and N50,888,218 for the Vice-President.

The Federal Government also proposed N416,668,229 for the construction of the presidential wing of the State House Medical Centre out of the Presidency’s total estimate of N49,307,859,794 in the 2019 budget proposal.

Aside from this, N823,441,666 was proposed for the State House Medical Centre, including drugs and medical supplies (N208,350,424).
Meanwhile, the State House also budgeted N36,787,354 for drugs and medical supplies, and N51,821,160 for medical expenses.

In the 2018 budget, the Presidency had proposed N1,030,458,453 for the State House clinic after the President’s wife, Mrs Aisha Buhari, criticised the medical centre for not having an “ordinary syringe.”
In the 2017 budget, N3.2bn had also been allocated for the upgrade of the state clinic, including “the completion of ongoing work as well as procurement of drugs and other medical equipment.”
The President and his deputy are also to spend over N7.5bn this year on “operations” and maintenance of office buildings, the breakdown of the 2019 budget showed.

The breakdown, which The PUNCH obtained on Monday night, indicated that the entire State House was allocated N49.3bn for general services, covering capital, recurrent and overhead costs.
However, the President’s office was given a dedicated vote of N10bn for the running of his office, out of which N7.5bn went for operations.
To maintain presidential office buildings will cost N4.7bn this year.
Similarly, the President’s direct overhead cost is N1.3bn, while his capital spending will consume another N416.6m, bringing the total figure for “operations” alone to N1.7bn.
On his part, Osinbajo is to spend N591.8m on operations.
Out of the figure, N448.6m goes into overhead costs, while the balance of N143.2m will be spent on capital provisions under operations.

A further breakdown of the presidential budget showed that the Presidency would buy vehicles worth N607.1m this year.

Aside from the N4.7bn budgeted for the maintenance of office buildings, the Presidential residential buildings will be rehabilitated with another N140.4m.
The item titled ‘Refreshments/Meals’ has an allocation of N135.6m and an additional N25.6m, meaning a total N161.2m.

Similarly, a provision of N65.4m was made for the animals in the State House for their “conservation.”

For the record, the following is not a list of our favorite celebrities from 2018.
Or even our least favorite celebrities.
You might say it's somewhere in between.
We adore some of the folks included below and we abhor others.
But there can be no denying the impact they had on popular culture over the past 12 months, which is why this is a rundown of the 18 "best" celebrities over this latest calendear year.
Who sits at #1? You're moments away from finding out...
19. Donald Trump

Look, if you're talking about the star who was heard from the most in 2018, and who was discussed the most, this traitorous President is clearly the only answer. But we can't put someone who is number-one in the heart of Vladimir Putin atop our list. So we'll just mention Trump here, but place him as low as possible.
18. Bill Cosby

Or perhaps we should just called him inmate number "NN7687."
17. Jenelle Evans and David Eason

We could almost separate these two, they each stirred up so much controversy in 2018. But if Evans won't come to her senses and divorce this bigot, then we'll follow suit and keep them as one.
16. Lady Gaga

This star herself was not born in 2018. But she was remade as a legitimate actress who could actually win an Oscar. How nuts is that???
15. Kylie Jenner

She's a mother now. How crazy is that?!?!?
14. Khloe Kardashian

She's also a mother now, as well as a sympathetic figure for having to endure the Tristan Thompson cheating scandal.
13. Hailey Baldwin

From D-Lister to A-Lister, all because she said "yes" to Justin Bieber. What a year!
12. Kanye West

We hope not to see him on this list in 2019. Because the dude clearly needs to spend the next several months away from the spotlight, in some sort of mental health facility.
11. Pete Davidson

He made folks laugh and cringe on SNL, but he also sky-rocketed to the A-List due to his shocking engagement to Ariana Grande... and then his less shocking split from her.
10. Michael B. Jordan

Black Panther and Creed 2 in the same year?!? Meet our new favorite actor.
9. Harvey Weinstein

We're just putting this monster up as the symbol for the #MeToo era. It's not meant as an honor. It's meant as a dishonor. Good riddance to him, Kevin Spacey and all the other famous sexual predators out there.
8. Demi Lovato

The “Sorry Not Sorry” artist was hospitalized after emergency responders were called to her residence last July for an apparent drug overdose. The singer then entered rehab for substance abuse. We wish her well.
7. Cardi B

It was a big deal last year when she topped the Billboard charts. Now it's simply expected of the hip hop star, who had a baby this year and continues to make news by begging Offset to f-ck the sh-t out of her.
6. Netflix

Just... the entire company. It officially runs the world.
5. The Jersey Shore Cast

The Situation was sentenced to jail. JWOWW is in the middle of an ugly divorce. Ronnie and his baby mama can barely go a full week without the cops being called to break up a fight. Who knew these crazy kids would still be doing crazy stuff in 2018?
4. Ariana Grande

She made news for reasons both professional ("Thank U, Next") and sadly personal (Mac Miller dying, ending her engagement to Pete Davidson). Ariana may be the most popular singer alive today, but she's ready for 2019 to begin.
3. Robert Mueller

Let's all pray he's number-one on this list in 2019.
2. Meghan Markle

Because she emerged victorious from feuds with Kate Middleton and her own sister. Like Tupac in his heyday, rivalries only make her stronger. Oh, and she got married. And knocked up!

1. Do You Agree?

Would Markle be your top choice? Did we leave anyone out? Chime in and let us know!

A young lady identified as Salmat, who had her wedding Fatiha in Bauchi state last Friday, December 28th 2018, died just four days after her wedding. According to reports, Salmat died on Tuesday January 1st. The cause of her death was however not stated.

Source: https://www.mediahelm.com.ng/2019/01/bride-dies-on-new-year-day-four-days.html

Presidential candidate promises to tackle insecurity with community and state police

The presidential candidate of the People’s Trust, Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has promised to tackle the insecurity being witnessed in some parts of the country with the establishment of state police. 

Olawepo-Hashim said this in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

While berating the present administration for failing in its responsibilty to ensure a safe country for all, the candidate promised to overhaul the nation’s security architecture if elected.

Olawepo-Hashim said under his watch, there would be security of lives and property.

He also promised to institutionalise community policing and state police through relevant legislative amendments of the subsisting police laws and the constitution.

He added, “We are going to sponsor an executive bill to amend the constitution to make for the establishment of state police.

“I will address fears of those opposed to state police by getting the executive bill to confer on the federal police the mandate to protect fundamental human rights of Nigerians.”

https://punchng.com/presidential-candidate-promises-to-tackle-insecurity-with-national-guard-state-police/amp/

Re: Olawepo Hashim Promises To Tackle Insecurity With Community And State Police 

A 15-year-old girl (name withheld), who was allegedly raped by her neighbour in Katsina State, has become pregnant as a result of the abuse she suffered in the hands of the suspected rapist.

Her 22-year-old alleged abuser Umar Salisu, a native of Shakafito village in the Safana Local Government Area of the state, reportedly lured the teenager into his room where he forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

It was gathered that Salisu and his victim were living in the same compound.

According to the police First Information Report, a resident of the community reported the incident to Inspector Yusuf Abdullahi of the Safana Divisional Police Headquarters, who was on surveillance patrol in the area, leading to Salisu’s arrest.

The suspect was consequently arraigned before a Katsina Senior Magistrates’ Court on a charge of rape, contrary to provisions of Section 283 of the Penal Code.

The police FIR read in part, “Inspector Yusuf Abdullahi attached to the divisional police headquarters, Safana, while on surveillance patrol along the Safana/Gobirawa-Shakafito villages, received information from a good Samaritan in the area that one Umar Salisu, 22, of Shakafito village in Safana LGA, proposing to marry the victim (name withheld), female, aged 15 years, of the same address, deceived her and had sexual intercourse with her. As a result, she is now eight months pregnant.”

The police prosecutor, Inspector Sani Ado, told the court that investigation was still in progress and asked for an adjournment to enable the police conclude the investigation.

The presiding Senior Magistrate, Hajiya Fadile Dikko, adjourned the case till January 22, 2019, for mention and directed that Salisu be remanded in prison custody.

Gist from Gistmore - https://gistmore.com/15-year-old-rape-victim-pregnant-for-abuser-police

Members of a three-man drug syndicate, were, on Sunday morning, arrested for attempting to sell marijuana to inmates of the Ikoyi Prison in Lagos.

The suspects are: 22-year-old Ikuomola Abolade, who was arrested when he was trying to escape; Sodeeq Yunusa, an inmate, who is standing trial for alleged robbery; and the third unidentified person, who escaped.

A 10-year-old boy, who is part of the Intelligence and Monitoring Committee comprising selected officials of the prison, their wives, the drug unit and the police, had seen them throwing some packages into the Ikoyi Prisons facility.

He then quickly alerted the other members of the team. Abolade was, subsequently, arrested, while his colleague escaped. Yunusa, on the other hand, was caught on the CCTV recently installed in the prison.

It was gathered that when the parcels thrown into the prison facility were cut open, they contained Indian hemp with the street value of over N150,000. 

See more:
https://zenithnaija.com/drug-gang-bursted-in-ikoyi-prison/

A suspected arms smuggler who was recently apprehended by security operatives - is reportedly cooling off in police custody.

According to reports, the suspect, believed to be a Fulani man was nabbed with arms by vigilante members at Pategi ferry Port in Niger State.

He was immediately tied up by the security men and handed over to the Emir's security escort.

Few weeks ago, troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army, Kaduna, arrested three notorious gun runners in Rijau area of Niger State and recovered 44 rifles.

Se more; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2019/01/arms-smuggler-apprehended-by-vigilante-at-pategi-ferry-port-niger.html

A tall and beautiful Nigerian Lady got married to a disabled small man. The wedding video has got Nigerians talking.

While some are saying it is true love, others are saying it is not true love, that the lady may have married him because of money.

The bride looks sad as she steps out with groom. Even as they dance, you could still see the sadness on her face.

Was she forced, is it about money or is it true love?

Only the bride can answer .. 

Watch the wedding video that got Nigerians talking
HERE as they hit the dance floor.

See more photos

See how Nigerians are reacting to the wedding video... 

Do you think it's true love?

Source: http://www.thefamousnaija.com/2019/01/tall-sad-looking-nigerian-lady-weds.html?m=1

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ahead of its Friday’s meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission, has said that its ongoing seven-week strike is in the national interest.

The National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, who stated this in an interview in response to the call on the union to call off the strike, said nobody had the monopoly of national interest.

He added that the strike would not be called off until the Federal Government acceded to the lecturers’ demands.

There have been calls on ASUU to end the strike in the interest of the nation and to enable university students and the National Youth Service Corps members to work as ad hoc electoral officers during the February and March general elections.

As a result of the strike, many public universities have not rounded off the 2018/2019 session, thus their final year students have not gone for the NYSC.

The calls for the suspension of the strike became heightened last week when INEC raised the alarm that the face-off between the Federal Government and ASUU constituted a serious threat to the 2019 general elections.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, had pleaded with ASUU to suspend the strike in national interest and for the sake of democracy.

He had in an interview where he said the commission had convened a consultative meeting involving its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, national commissioners and ASUU leadership on January 4 (Friday) concerning the ongoing strike.

According to him, the meeting would focus principally on the issue of the role and involvement of ASUU members in the 2019 general elections.

Okoye said, “The national interest, the interest of our democracy and the reputation of Nigeria demand the immediate resolution of the issues that led to the strike and we so urge. It is next to impossibility for members of the NYSC to provide all the ad hoc staff needs and requirements of the commission and over 70 per cent of the ad hoc staff requirement in some states of the federation is drawn from students of federal tertiary institutions.

“Hence, the lingering strike by ASUU will no doubt have serious impacts on the preparations for the conduct of the 2019 elections. We therefore call on ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria to quickly and genuinely resolve the lingering impasse that has led to uncertainty in the education sector.”

But while confirming the invitation of INEC to the meeting, Ogunyemi said ASUU did not declare the strike with INEC, adding, “It is what they (INEC) will tell us that will inform our response.”

He said, “Well, INEC has requested for a meeting. The INEC chairman has contacted us and we are willing to oblige them. So our own procedure is that since they have requested for a meeting, we will listen to them. It is what they will tell us that will inform our response. First of all, we didn’t declare the strike with INEC.”

On the call that ASUU should end the strike in the national interest, Ogunyemi asked, “Did you know that our strike is also in the national interest because we want to produce better graduates that can serve INEC better and serve Nigeria better? We want them to have better citizens that can understand the electoral process better. We want to give quality education that would curb all electoral malpractices.”

The ASUU president explained that all the goals he mentioned could only be achieved through the provision of qualitative education, which he said, informed the union’s strike.

He stated, “So, it is only by insisting on the best quality of education that we can achieve all those things. Nobody has the monopoly of national interest. ASUU has national interest at heart in going on this strike. It is not about national interest sentiment. It is about what we are willing to do about our demands.

“I’m sure the demand to call off the strike in the national interest cannot be the only grounds for the meeting and I don’t want to preempt the meeting. It is when we listen to INEC that we will know what to tell them. If I preempt that meeting, it will seem as if I am not a patriot.”

Ogunyemi, who described ASUU members as patriots, said, “We have national interest at heart in doing what we are doing and INEC also appreciates that. We appreciate INEC as much as INEC appreciates us. We will meet them and rub minds, whatever the two parties will need to do, we shall do.”

Polls: Amosun rejects deployment of soldiers in Ogun

Also on the February and March general elections, the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has rejected the deployment of soldiers by the Federal Government in the state.

Amosun stated this on Monday night at the New Year service held at Oke-Ilewo in Abeokuta. He said that the elections would be free of violence in the state.

He also boasted that the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Adekunle Akinlade, would defeat the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun, in this year’s governorship election in the state.

The governor is backing Akinlade who defected to the APM after he lost the APC ticket to Abiodun at the APC primary.

Abiodun is currently battling alleged certificate forgery scandal.

The governor, however, called on the people of the state to make peace their watchword as the elections approach.

He stated, “Let us prove to the world that Ogun State is known for peace and a state which has produced a number of eminent personalities in the country.

“Let us tell them that we don’t need the service of the military and police for the conduct of elections because we are going to comport ourselves as peaceful people.

“And for the youth, don’t allow yourselves to be used as political thugs. Anybody who approaches you for such, tell him to bring out his children.”

He expressed optimism that the next edition of the event would be conducted by Akinlade and he (Amosun) would be invited as a former governor of the state.

Amosun said he had done his bit in adding value to governance, noting that the support he got from individuals and groups contributed to his achievements in office.

The ceremony attracted a number of fun seekers who were entertained by various artistes and musicians; traditional rulers led by Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotu Gbadebo.

Other notable personalities at the event included Sarafa Ishola, a former minister and Director General, Akinlade Campaign Organisation, Amosun’s wife, Olufunsho; the Head of Service, Olanrewaju Bisiriyu; Akinlade and Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi.

Give us peaceful poll, fun seekers tell FG

Meanwhile, fun seekers at various recreational centres in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, have urged the Federal Government to improve the economy and ensure peaceful elections in 2019.

They gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria at the popular Agodi Garden and Shoprite among other recreational outfits on Tuesday to commemorate the New Year.

A father, Mr Taiwo Olusola, said the Federal Government and the National Assembly should work together to ensure timely passage of the 2019 budget.

He said, “It is not good for the 2019 budget to be passed in September for example; it will surely affect the economy negatively.

“Government should also try to improve the budgetary allocation to all the sectors of the economy, especially the agriculture sector to create more jobs.

“Every sector of the economy should be improved at least, to the barest minimum. When these are done, people’s lives will improve and the economy will become better.”

Also speaking, another fun seeker, Mr Mustapha Aliyu, urged the government to improve electricity supply and infrastructure development.

He added, “Virtually no business can thrive without adequate power supply; it will reduce the use of generators which causes a lot of environmental hazards.

“Government should also do its best to repair a lot of damaged roads in our society.

“We thank God at least, for being alive to celebrate the season, especially for the children, things shall be better.”

Also, Mrs Oyindamola Ademola, said government should make effort to prioritise peoples’ welfare.

“We want leaders who will love the people, treat us equally and desist from corruption, embezzlement and other evils. I also urge fellow citizens to sit up and work harder in this New Year. We must acquire more knowledge and think of possible things we can do to better our lives.

“We are very happy to see the New Year and thank God who shows us mercy and grace.

“In spite of the financial issues we had last year, we went the extra mile to see that the children celebrated and have fun,” she said.

One of the operators at the Shoprite’s children playground, Mr Adeshina Akinyele, also called on the government to create more jobs for youths to reduce the rate of social vices.

He also urged politicians to always keep to the promises they made to the citizens during campaigns and avoid disappointing the people.

“Government should give us the best this year. We must put God first, I believe when we put God first, we will have peaceful elections and peaceful society,” he said.

Akinyele thanked God for another festive period, pointing out that operators made brisk business and more profit in during the yuletide.
source:https://thebiggestgists.blogspot.com/2019/01/ASUU-talks-tough-ahead-of-friday.html

A man spent his New Year in police cell after he was apprehended for stealing in Delta. It was gathered that the suspect connived with two staff working at a fast food restaurant in Sapele area of the state - to steal chicken, turkey and chicken wings.

According to reports, the suspect stole almost two cartons of chicken, 12 turkeys and about 10 chicken wings before he was nabbed. 

It was scooped that the suspect who reportedly works in the baking section of the fast food joint, stole the items in the morning on Monday, December 31, and allegedly hid the loots in Palm kernel. 

He was arrested when he came back to the fast food joint to collect the stolen items later in the evening after the director told him to show him what he was carrying. 

The suspect was immediately arrested and taken into custody by the police. 

See more; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2019/01/man-steals-chicken-and-turkey-from-restaurant-on-new-years-eve-photos.html

The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has again stated that Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) will win this year’s governorship election in the state.

Amosun also advised the federal government against deploying soldiers to the state for the polls, even as he assured that the elections would be free of violence in the state.


He stated this Monday night at the New Year cross-over fanfare held at Oke-Ilewo in Abeokuta.

The governor, who was re-elected in 2015 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and is running for the Senate on the party’s platform, is backing Mr Akinlade who moved to the APM after losing the APC ticket to Dapo Abiodun.

According to Premium Times, the ruling party’s candidate, Abiodun, is currently enmeshed in a certificate forgery scandal after being exposed for not participating in the mandatory one-year national youth service for Nigerians who obtain a first degree or its equivalent before the age of 30 years.

Amosun boasted that his protege, Akinlade, will beat Abiodun and other contestants and emerge as the next governor to take over from him in May.

The outgoing governor called on the people of the state to make peace their watchword as the elections approach. “Let us prove to the world that Ogun State is known for peace and a state which has produced a number of eminent personalities in the country,” Amosun said.

“Let us tell them that we don’t need the service of the military and police for the conduct of election because we are going to comport ourselves as peaceful people. And for the youth, don’t allow yourself to be used as political thugs. Anybody who approaches for such, tell them to bring out their children to join in the thuggery.”

As he prepares to leave office, Amosun thanked the people of the state for their contributions to the success of his administration, noting that the crossover ceremony will be his last as their governor.

He expressed optimism that the next edition of the event will be conducted by Akinlade, and he would be invited as a former governor of the state.

Amosun said he has done his bit in adding value to governance, noting that the support he got from individuals and bodies contributed to his achievements in office.

The crossover ceremony attracted a number of fun-seekers who were entertained by various artistes and musicians. Traditional rulers led by Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland also graced the occasion.

Other notable personalities at the event include Sarafa Ishola, a former Minister and Director-General, Akinlade Campaign organisation; Olufunsho Amosun, wife of the governor; Olanrewaju Bisiriyu, the Head of Service; Akinlade and Suraj Adekunbi, Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly.

more at https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/apc-will-lose-ogun-governorship.html

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, of sponsoring smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, APC National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, alleged that the plot was hatched in collaboration with some foreigners in Dubai.

He maintained that the plot, aimed at dishing out fake news and spurious allegations against Buhari, his family members and other government officials, have failed to achieve the desired result.


He said: “Their Dubai-made strategy has collapsed like a pack of cards. The plan was to recreate the 2014/2015 scenario when APC pilloried them for their crimes, which woken the electorate to the reality of the disaster we were headed under the PDP government.

“PDP, led by their presidential candidate, Abubakar Atiku, paid huge sums of money to some foreign con men in Dubai who posed as strategists.

“They began to spurn daily fake news and make spurious and unsubstantiated allegations against our president, his family members, the vice president, the APC national chairman, notable government officials, and public institutions to deceive Nigerians,” he said.

He said their strategists did not tell them that such would not work when the allegations cannot be proven.

According to him, this is unlike in 2015 when the APC allegations were based on facts, which have been validated by revelations upon revelations of heist committed during the inglorious 16 years of PDP rule.

The publicity secretary added that the opposition’s disgraceful recourse to false alarm, as a campaign strategy this time is a wrong approach, as facts are sacred.

He stressed falsehood, no matter how fleet-footed, would be overtaken by the truth in no time.

Issa-Onilu said the reality has dawned on the fortune seekers in PDP that it is not possible to tag a label of corruption on President Buhari as a demarketing strategy.

He said it is also not possible to campaign based on issues of governance, as the achievements of this administration have shown, adding that it is obvious that the PDP has found itself in a fix.

“Many in the leadership of the main opposition party are finding it difficult to identify with a character like Atiku and many of the charlatans running the PDP campaign are unsellable.

“It is worthy of note that a few of the PDP leaders, with some residual credibility, are battling with their conscience as they are increasingly becoming uncomfortable with the level of immorality that underlines the PDP’s politics. Anyone with a modicum of decency cannot be proud of the odious reputation of PDP,” he alleged.

He further claimed that when this is added to the fact that the PDP campaign has failed to present any programme to Nigerians, it could be seen clearly why the party’s campaign has become a stillborn.

“Like a lion, PDP roared, but it didn’t last and has joyfully ended up as the bleating of a goat,” he added.

Full details at https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/apc-accuses-pdp-atiku-of-sponsoring.html

Interconnect debt: NCC assures no telecom subscriber’ll be disconnected
Wednesday, January 02, 2019 TECHNOLOGY
                            
The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has assured the general public that none of the over 160million telecoms subscribers in Nigeria will be disconnected or suffer service disruptions as a result of its recent order to permit the disconnection of indebted operators from other operators’ networks.

This assurance was given in Abuja recently by NCC’s Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Mr. Sunday Dare. Dare clarified that the approval given by the NCC was not for any network to disconnect subscribers as being wrongly presented in some media, but for some creditor networks to restrict services to debtor networks. He stated that “the NCC is a consumer-centric regulator; the protection of our consumers and the sustainability of the industry are the primary drivers of our activities. So in this case, even before we granted the permission for disconnection, we had put some very stringent safety valves in place to protect consumers and ensure that they continue to enjoy uninterrupted service while we address the very serious issue of indebtedness in the industry.” ‘Aquaman’ stays afloat atop N.American box office Giving a background to the issue of disconnection of networks, Dare stated that “over the years, the industry has been plagued with the very serious problem of interconnect and facility indebtedness. Some operators have racked up huge debts to others and have simply refused to pay. Now, we understand that there are ecosystem issues affecting all operators and we are working with all stakeholders to resolve these issues, but the level of indebtedness in the industry is at an embarrassingly high level, and the whole telecoms industry is at risk of failure if we do not act.” He regretted that: “This kind of problem should ideally not occur in an industry where over 90 per cent of consumers are pre-paid. We had held several meetings with the parties and given several deadlines for the debtors to pay, to no avail.

The Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 contains very strict consumer protection measures which we have continued to uphold, such as the requirement that no operator can disconnect another operator without the written approval of the NCC. But it appears that some operators were taking undue advantage of this provision by racking up millions, sometimes billions of naira in debts to other operators, denying their creditors of funds to expand their networks and putting the industry in peril.”

Quote:FIERY Enugu Catholic Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka has urged Nigerians to pray hard to overcome what he tagged “impending unimaginable difficulty” in 2019, urging Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection in 2019.

The call by Rev. Fr. Mbaka who is also the Founder of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, to back President Buhari, came after few weeks the Catholic Bishops in the country barred Catholic priests and religious leaders of the catholic faith from endorsing any candidate for the forthcoming general elections.

Mbaka had on Tuesday during his New Year prophetic message and crossover service stated that the type of difficulty the country was going to face was such that has not been “witnessed in its 58 years history.

He also urged Nigerians to pray for the country and its leaders, adding Nigerians should support President Muhammad Buhari to continue his fight against corruption.

The clergyman insisted that the Catholic Church supports the fight against corruption and that was why it created “prayers against bribery and corruption.”

“A President that is fighting corruption needs to be supported,” he said.

It could be recalled that in a recent statement signed by Most Reverend Augustine Akabueze, President and Most Reverend Camillus Umoh, Secretary respectively of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), the Church declared that no priest or religious should publicly endorse politicians.

No Serious Vice President Hawks N10,000, PDP Tells Osinbajo
Wednesday, January 02, 2019  politics
                             
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation has said the current practice by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to go to markets across the country ‘hawking’ N10,000 in the name of TraderMoni is a sign of underemployment, saying this could not have happened in a serious country.

It also described President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 New Year speech as pathetically empty and an indication that he has finally given up, following his irredeemable rejection by Nigerians.

Speaking yesterday on Arise News, a sister broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspaper, a spokesperson of PDP’s presidential campaign organisation, Mr. Akin Osuntokun, said sharing of N10,000 would not help the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in the general elections.

He said, “Nigerians are not that gullible. Sharing N10,000 in few weeks to the elections will not help this government, unless you are implying that Nigerians are gullible. A country and electorate that vote on that basis has a problem; you campaign on what you have done.

“That is an indication of a vice president who is underemployed. The vice president of a serious country of 180 million people going around markets and motor parks hawking N10,000; is that governance? That is a joke.

“Have you ever heard it in any serious country where the vice president goes from door-to-door to campaign? The vice president of Nigeria – their job is 24 hours, the complexity of Nigeria governance alone. If that is the priority of a vice president – knocking from door-to-door, then, that is an explanation of why the government has failed,” he added.

Commenting on the ‘Operation Python Dance 3’ by the military, the main opposition party said the APC government has served sufficient notice that it has bad faith in the coming election, stressing that the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the electoral bill was a good example.

Osuntokun said, “A president that is interested in conducting credible elections, will he be vouching and dancing on the electoral bill? So, you already have the indication of what is ahead. If morning shows the day, what we are seeing is not a preparation to free and fair election,
“If you look at their record in Osun and Ekiti States; Osun State election was practically stolen. So, you don’t give that kind of person the benefit of the doubt.
“At their presidential primary, APC claimed that 14 million voters voted for him. So, you can see that they have already given you work to the answer. If 14 million people can vote for you in a primary, you are already home and dry. That is what they are telling you. It is being pre-rigged, the mentality is being fostered, which is a lie,
“There is no basis for that. We hope for it (free and fair election). We hope for the best, we prepare for the worst,” he said.

Asked if the PDP would subscribe to the postponement of elections in the North- east in view of the worsening security situation , Osuntokun said: “You could only give a benefit of the doubt for a government that has demonstrated good faith, not the one that has done the contrary.”
According to him, “If you are already giving indications regardless of security situations in the North-east that you want to manipulate the election one way or the other, nobody will accept this from you.”

He noted that it was the responsibility of the government to secure the country at all times, including during elections.
He noted that the allegation that the PDP administration mismanaged the country for 16 years was the propaganda of the APC.
“This president has commissioned three projects that were fully paid for by the Jonathan administration before he left; the Abuja-Kaduna railway, the Port Harcourt Airport, and the Abuja Airport. The only part played by this president is only commissioning. But you will never hear this from them,” he said.

He pointed out that the Buhari administration has been rated by all international corruption rating agencies as worse than the previous government.
Meanwhile, the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Organisation has described President Buhari’s 2019 New Year speech as pathetically empty and an indication that he has finally given up, following his irredeemable rejection by Nigerians.

The organisation’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday said any discerning mind could see that Buhari has finally switched into valedictory mode, having realised that Nigerians have seen through the falsehood, lies and deception that have characterised his presidency for almost four years.
He noted that Buhari could not articulate any concrete commitment on any sector of the country, because he has lost projections, having realised that Nigerians are not ready to give him a second term in office.

Ologbondiyan stressed that Buhari has no prospects on security despite the daily killings in the land, adding that even as a Commander-in- Chief, he has no words for the gallant troops daily laying down their lives, fighting insurgents in the North East, saying that he has no soothing word for the victims of bloodlettings in various parts of the country.

He stressed, “Even when he admitted in his message that the turn of the New Year is a time for stock-taking and unfolding of new prospects, Nigerians are invited to note that Mr. President, in his entire speech, could not point to any single achievement he made in the out-going year, neither
could he unfold any development prospect for the New Year.”

“President Buhari had no prospects on our ailing economy. He has no plans for our grossly under-performing power sector; nothing on health, education, agriculture, transportation, commerce and industry. He has nothing on job creation, empowerment of our entrepreneurs, and no blueprint for increased foreign direct investments into our nation.”

“President Buhari said nothing about burning labour issues in the country. He also chose to overlook the ASUU strike that has crippled our tertiary institutions. He has no plans on how to shore up the value of our naira, increase purchasing power of citizens and reduce the high costs of goods and services in our land. “

The party therefore called on Nigerians to rescue the country from Buhari and his cabal by working harder in rallying behind its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who has already articulated practical templates to reposition our nation and return her to the path of good governance, political stability and economic prosperity.

Atiku’ll Win Presidency, INEC will Announce Buhari, Cleric Predicts
Wednesday, January 02, 2019  politics
                           
The outcome of this year’s presidential elections has already been foretold with a cleric, Prophet Valentine Alloysius, of Father’s House International, saying the presidential polls would favour the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.


This is coming as the Founder of Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry, Abuja, Prophet Emmanuel Omale, has predicted a peaceful election and victory for President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, Alloysius predicted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would shun the popular choice of Nigerians and announce the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer and incumbent, President Buhari as winner.

The cleric added that “Buhari and his cohorts will not hand over power peacefully in 2019 as erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan did when he lost in 2015.”

According to him, because of INEC’s vested interest, results in some states, which do not favour Buhari will be annulled on the excuse that there was violence in such states which hindered the smooth conduct of the polls.

Alloysius who reeled out series of predictions for 2019 at the 2018 crossover prayer session in Calabar, Cross River State capital, yesterday also predicted unprecedented bloodshed before and after the polls.

He added that “because God will be unhappy over the manipulation of his will through the choice of the people, which has not been carried out, Osinbajo and not Buhari will complete the 2nd term.

“I want to dismiss the current political permutations touting former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu as Buhari’s successor in 2023. He would not be president; tell Tinubu to forget 2023 presidential bid because it is beyond him.”

On what will transpire and be the likely outcome of the polls in some South-south states, he stated that, “in Akwa Ibom, there would be a do -or- die battle but Udom will ultimately triumph. Wike should be ready to fight the political battle of his life and many people would die but Wike will emerge as governor.”

He, however, warned that the situation in Cross River State is very dicey and the state is in play. According to him, “we have to pray very hard because the APC are making serious inroads and look set to take the state if care is not taken. The two parties have equal chances of winning the state to produce the next governor.”

In a related development, the Founder of Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry, Abuja, Prophet Emmanuel Omale, has predicted a peaceful election and victory for President Buhari in next month’s general elections.

The prophet in his 2019 prophesies also predicted a massive resurgence of Boko Haram attacks, while also urging the federal government to handle the Shiites uprising carefully, saying he sees the balls of fire in various cities in the country as a result.

According to him, “There will be a peaceful election process, we should not be afraid. Though there shall be pockets of skirmishes, the general outlook still looks good and quite far from the negative mindset prevailing,

“Atiku will show amazing efforts in the coming elections but I see President Buhari ruling again. However, President Buhari would require serious prayers for his health as this could be an avenue to sway a judicial victory in favour of Atiku.”

“What Nigerians should worry about is a massive resurgence of terrorist attacks; early morning train passengers should be vigilant and prayerful always.

“All service chiefs will be changed to avert a likely mutiny. We should pray for the military. I see the junior officers killing the generals. A lot of them will run away from the force.”

Omale revealed that the fight to eliminate and discourage corrupt practices would get a boost, while the current Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, would be confirmed, adding that he must exercise care among his trusted lieutenants against sabotage.

He also revealed that a very wealthy oil billionaire from the eastern part of Nigeria may lose his life in a botched assassination and kidnapping and this would spark violence that would result to the burning of a popular market

Omale revealed further that Tinubu requires urgent and fervent prayers against an illness that could incapacitate him.

Omale added, “Nigerians should pray against a health epidemic worse than Ebola. Even livestock may be affected. In 2018, we warned about the floods that ravaged the Country. In 2019, people should work and pray to avert draught and fire outbreaks.

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

WEDNESDAY, 2ND JANUARY.

THE RESULT OF HIS LOVE.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Matthew 22:37).

When we teach about the love of Christ, and how God isn’t holding anyone’s sins against them, there’re those who don’t like it. They say we’re giving people a licence to do wrong; but how could that be? The love of Christ never gives anyone liberty to sin.
The truth is that the more you learn about the Lord, the more you love Him; to know Him is to love Him. And the more you love Him, the less you want to do anything that’s offensive to Him.

So, it’s not true that the love of Christ makes people want to do wrong, and think they can get away with it. No! The result of God’s love is more love. And because you love Him, you keep His Word; you do what He wants. That’s what Jesus said: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

The proof of your love is keeping His Word, and His Word adjures you to abstain from sin. Romans 6:1-2 says, “…Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” We take advantage of His grace and love, but not against Him.

Always remember, no one gets to know Jesus without loving Him. If you truly know Him, you’ll love Him. The Bible says we love Him, because He first loved us. And we know He loves us from the message that came to us, and we received that message and came into fellowship with Him. Once you’re in fellowship with Him, all you want to do is love Him, and please Him; you want Him as first place in your life. That’s the necessary result of love. Nothing pleases the Father more than your genuine love for Jesus Christ.

PRAYER

Dear Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit who guides me in the way of righteousness and true holiness. The more I know you, the more I love you, and seek the establishment of your righteousness in all the earth. I pray for sinners around the world, that their hearts be open to receive your love for them, and be translated from darkness into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Romans 2:4 CEV You surely don't think much of God's wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don't you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?

1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Matthew 2 & Genesis 3-5

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
Matthew 1:15-25 & Genesis 2


#TALKINGSESSION

2ND JANUARY.

KINDLY SAY THIS WORDS OUT LOUD.

Dear Father, I thank you for your Word that imparts wisdom to my spirit, and gives me a mind-set for success, victory, and dominion. I deal excellently in all my affairs in 2019 and make accurate judgments and decisions because of your wisdom that propels me from within. I am in Christ; I am far removed from poverty, sickness, death,

defeat, destruction, and failure. The eyes of my understanding are enlightened, therefore, I see the invisible and I’m empowered to do the impossible. I declare that situations that are not consistent with your perfect will for my life are overturned and the works of the devil are frustrated in and around me, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.


God bless you

Nigeria’s crude oil daily production is up by 9 per cent to about 2.09 million barrels.

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director Dr. Maikanti Baru said this maintained a line of consistent year-on-year improvement.

Dr. Baru, in a comprehensive end-of-year-message to the NNPC staff, listed Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Duke Oil, NIDAS and Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL) among the re-engineered companies.

In the statement signed by NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, Baru singled out NPDC, the corporation’s Upstream flagship company, as the major contributor to the industry’s success in 2018.

Baru said the average production from NPDC’s operated assets alone grew from an average of 108,000 of oil per day (bod) in 2017 to 165,000bod in 2018, describing the feat as the strongest production growth within the oil industry in recent times, even as he noted that it was worth being celebrated.

The GMD said NPDC’s equity production share, which stands at 172,000bod, representing about 8 per cent of national daily production, was no less impressive, adding that the desired results are outcomes of initiatives his Management team emplaced, among which, he noted, are the Asset Management Tea (AMT) structure, Strategic Financing, Units Autonomy and security architecture framework.

Of the Industry milestones in the outgone year, Baru described the 200,000bop addition which the Egina Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO), completed and sailed away to location in August, last year, added to nation’s daily production, even as he disclosed that the project achieved First Oil at 11.20pm on 29th December, 2018.

The NNPC GMD said $1.7billion was saved with corporation’s Joint Venture (JV) partners over a five-year tenor repayment plan, saying already the corporation has defrayed $1.5billion of the arrears.

Baru promised that NNPC would stick to the Repayment Agreement with the JV Partners while transiting to self-funding IJV modes with the corporation’s partners. He said tiding up Cash Call issues had led to increased commitment and enthusiasm to invest in the industry even as it has also boosted NNPC’s credit profile internationally.

Baru concluded the achievements of NNPC in the Upstream sector by listing other milestones achieved by his team to include: reduction in contracting cycle for Upstream Operations to nine months from an average of 24, even as the corporation targets a six months cycle; lowering of production cost from $27/barrel to $22/barrel; and improving on the security situation in the Niger Delta through constructive engagement and dialogue with stakeholders.

In the frontier basins, NNPC has intensified exploration in the Benue Trough, with the expected spudding of Kolmani River Well 2 on 19thJanuary.

Activities will resume in the Chad Basin as soon as there is a greenlight on the security situation in the enclave.

In the Midstream, the NNPC GMD stated, Nigeria achieved an average national daily gas production of 7.90bscf, translating to 3 per cent above the 2017 average daily gas production of 7.67bscf.


He said of the 7.90bscf produced in 2018, an average of 3.32bscfd (42%) was supplied to the export market, 2.5bscfd (32%) for Reinjection/Fuel Gas, 1.3bscfd (16%) was supplied to the domestic market and about 783mmscfd (10%) was flared.

The GMD stated that out of the 1.3bscfd supplied to the domestic market, an average of 71mmscfd went to the Power Sector; 470mmscfd was supplied to the Industries and the balance of 69mmscf delivered to the West African Market through the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP).

Baru said NNPC would bridge the medium-term domestic gas supply deficit by 2020 through the corporation’s Seven Critical Gas Development Projects (&CGDPS), adding that a reputable Project Management consulting firm is collaborating with an NNPC team to achieve accelerated implementation of the projects.

He lauded the contribution of the corporation’s Downstream outfit, NNPC retail, saying it played a significant role in ensuring continuous supply of petroleum products to Nigerians through its Mega, Affiliates and Leased stations.

Baru flaunted the company’s sale of 1.2 billion litres of petroleum products in 2018 as against 1.1 billion litres in 2017, representing a seven per cent increase.

He said the feat was achieved through an addition of 40 new Affiliate and Leased stations, which he said, brought the company’s network to 618 stations nationwide.

“We are currently planning for a better performance and achievement in 2019, especially with the continuous innovations and creativity in the downstream sector and the performance bond signed by all the relevant heads of our operating units.

“Continuous improvement as one of the principles of world class organisations is going to remain our key word in 2019. Last year was empirically better than 2017, we believe, plan and strive to achieve a better performance this year, by God’s grace,” Baru concluded in his end-of-year statement.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/oil-output-hits-209m-barrels.html

Nigeria’s external reserves increased by 11 per cent from the $38.912 billion it was as of January 2, 2018, to $43.195 billion as of December 28, 2018.
This represented an increase by $4.3 billion within the period. The reserves had dropped to about $41 billion in November last year.

Save for a total of $5.36 billion Eurobond issued by the federal government last year, which bolstered the country’s reserves position, it would have depreciated significantly considering the combined effects of interest rate normalisation in some advanced economies which has resulted to increased capital outflows as well as the slump in crude oil price.


After successfully raising $2.5 billion from the Eurobond market last February, the federal government in November last year raised $2.86 billion to fund its 2018 budget deficit.
At $54 a barrel, international benchmark Brent crude was down at about 20 per cent in 2018.

The decline was the first annual loss and the biggest yearly drop since 2015, when both contracts fell more than 30 per cent.
Crude oil prices look likely to trade below $70 per barrel in 2019 as surplus production, much of it from the United States, and slowing economic growth to undermine OPEC-led efforts to shore up the market, a Reuters poll had shown.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, recently pointed out that due to the ongoing interest rate normalisation in the United States, which has been predicted to extend to some other advanced economies in Europe, the central bank would focus on maintaining a stable exchange rate so that businesses can plan and to avoid a problem in the banking system assets.

“The choice for Nigeria is to maintain a stable exchange rate so that businesses can plan and we don’t create problem in the banking system assets,” he had explained.
According to him, practically, all emerging markets have suffered, not just by depreciation, but also loss of reserves since the interest rates normalisation commenced.

He also warned speculators in the forex market that they would lose their shirt, saying the central bank has enough war chest to sustain the stability in the forex market.
According to him, the central bank would continue to take measures to ensure stability in the forex market.

The President of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu Gwadabe, had on Monday said the strategic partnership between the central bank and ABCON has continued to ensure a stable exchange rate in the country.

“This sustained stability made the Bureaux De Change (BDCs) to continue to be the potent monetary policy tool of CBN exchange rate managements,” he said.
According to the ABCON boss, the market distortion by forex speculators, rent seekers, currency hoarders and frivolous demand that usually endangered naira stability have been successfully checkmated.

The buying/selling rates for dollar stood at N358/359.5; Pounds Sterling, N452/ N457 and Euro N404/N409.5 on Monday respectively.
In Port Harcourt, dollar buying/selling rates at the close of the year were at N359/361; Pounds Sterling, N457/N464 and Euro N405/N408 respectively.

In Abuja, dollar buying/selling rates closed last year at N359/360; Pounds Sterling, N464/N467 and Euro N407/ N410 respectively. In Kano, dollar buying/selling rates for last year were at N359/360; Pounds Sterling, N465/N472and Euro N407/N411 respectively.

more at https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/nigerias-external-reserves-hit-432bn.html

IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu yesterday visited Israeli Parliament where he met with the staff of an influential Knesset member.

According to him, he promised to help him actualise his dream.

He described it as part of his diplomatic offensive moves.

See photos below


Source: http://www.trezzyhelm.com/2019/01/ipob-leader-nnamdi-kanu-visits-israeli.html

Allies have quit UNESCO after announcement in 2017, arguing it fosters anti-Israel bias

Quote:Al Jazeera


The United States and Israel have officially quit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day, the culmination of a process triggered more than a year ago.

The withdrawal is mainly procedural yet serves a new blow to UNESCO, co-founded by the US after World War II to foster peace.

The Trump administration filed its notice to withdraw in October 2017 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed suit, accusing the UN agency of anti-Israel bias.

The Paris-based organisation has previously criticised Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem and granted full membership to Palestine in 2011.

UNESCO is best known for its work to preserve heritage, including maintaining a list of World Heritage sites, and programmes to promote education in developing countries.

The withdrawals will not greatly affect UNESCO financially, since it has been dealing with a funding slash ever since 2011 when both Israel and the US stopped paying dues after Palestine was voted in as a member state.

Since then officials estimate that the US – which accounted for around 22 percent of the total budget – has accrued $600m in unpaid dues, which was one of the reasons for President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw. Israel owes an estimated $10m.

Officials say that many of the reasons the US cited for the withdrawal do not apply any more, noting that since then, all 12 texts on the Middle East passed at UNESCO have been consensual among Israel and Arab member states.

The State Department couldn’t comment because of the US government shutdown.

Earlier, the department told UNESCO officials the US intends to stay engaged at UNESCO as a non-member “observer state” on “non-politicised” issues, including the protection of World Heritage sites, advocating for press freedom and promoting scientific collaboration and education.

The US could potentially seek that status during the UNESCO Executive Board meetings in April.

The US has pulled out of UNESCO before. The Reagan administration did so in 1984 because it viewed the agency as mismanaged, corrupt, and used to advance Soviet interests. The US re-joined in 2003.

About two years ago, the General Overseer of the Mountain of Miracles and Liberation Ministries, Dr. Chris Okafor was rumored to have purchased a private jet. According to one Mr. Brown, a freelance blogger who broke the news at the time, the information was leaked by a member of the church. The church did not officially issue a statement but a trusted source who is very close to the Liberation City General overseer waved it off as a “rudderless rumor”. But on December 27, 2018 what the source referred to as “rudderless rumor” suddenly crystallized into a verifiable reality. 

Posting recent pictures and even video evidences, a source who would not like to be named insisted the man of God has actually just acquired a new jet. 

The controversial man of God who is known worldwide for his daring and accurate prophecies is no stranger to rumors and allegations. However, he has not responded to the latest allusions.

If found to be true, Dr. Okafor will Join the growing list of Nigeria’s mega pastors whose ministries have been graced with luxurious jets. The man of God who once boasted that he had never touched his church money for personal use will eventually have to explain if the his latest acquisition was purchased with church money or received as a gift from partners and or well wishers. 

Dr. Okafor is one of the most travelled preacher out of Nigeria, reaching nearing 200 international locations yearly for his worldwide prophetic crusades known as Chris Okafor World Outreach.

2019 presidency: Billionaire, Scott Tommy rejects Buhari’s appointment into campaign advisory council

Quote:By John Owen Nwachukwu 



Preminent oil and gas businessman, Scott Tommey, has reiterated his apolitical status in the country in spite of being named as one of the Advisory Council of the President Muhammadu Buhari campaign team.

Tommy was named in the President Buhari’s advisory team constituted by Hajia Aisha Buhari, wife of the President.

He was named alongside some popular Nigerians like Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), IGP Suleiman Abba (Rtd), General Buba Marwa, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, Professor Pat Utomi, Prince Tonye Princewill, Festus Keyamo (SAN) and Muiz Banire (SAN).

But in a statement signed by his Media Aide Femi Ajayi, on Tuesday, the billionaire oil magnate, said he was honoured by the appointment but added that he would rather remain apolitical.

The brief statement added, “It has become pertinent to clarify the status of Mr Scott Tommey, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Osmoserve Global Limited, named into the Advisory Council of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign team.

“While Mr Tommey is honoured to have been considered for this appointment, he feels obliged to let the public know that he is not into partisan politics neither is he a card-carrying member of the APC.

Dino Melaye’s House Siege: Police Gives Update
By
 Track News
 -
January 1, 2019

The police insisted yesterday on Senator Dino Melaye’s arrest, saying they have a warrant to hold him. Besides, the siege to his Abuja home will remain until the lawmaker surrenders himself.
The police faulted claims by Senate President Bukola Saraki that the police did not submit a letter inviting Melaye to the National Assembly Clerk.
Melaye is wanted for criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide said to have been committed on July 19, 2018.

On the date, the police accused Melaye and his armed thugs of attacking police personnel; shooting and wounding Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) on a stop and search duty on Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.
Force spokesman Jimoh Moshood, an acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, said the siege was a worldwide practice to ensure wanted criminals are arrested.
Moshood showed copies of a letter of invitation sent to the National Assembly Clerk, the medical report of the injured police officer and the pictures of the officer to serve as proof.
The letter to the clerk was dated July 23, 2018 and it was signed by Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, Ali Janga.
The letter was received on July 23, 2018 by the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly.
The letter reads in part: “This office is investigating a case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide reported against Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West.
“You are kindly requested to inform the said Senator Melaye to report to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command through the undersigned on Thursday, July 26, 2018 at 1100hrs to assist police investigation.”
The medical report of the injured police officer, Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, from the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, was signed on July 31, 2018 by Dr. Aduloju F.A. on behalf of the consultant-in-charge of Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit.
On Saraki’s claim, the police said: “The claim by the Senate President in the media that the police did not submit a letter of invitation to the Clerk of the National Assembly is, therefore, incorrect, as can be seen on attached letter with acknowledgment stamp of the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja ‘July 24, 2018’. Despite this, Melaye bluntly refused to report himself to the Police till date.”
Moshood said the police officer was yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care in the hospital.
The police said they would ensure a thorough investigation into the matter for the rule of law to prevail, adding that no suspect, no matter how highly placed, involved in any criminal matter will escape justice.

On why it took several months to attempt Melaye’s arrest, Moshood said: “The incident happened on July 19 and we sent a letter of invitation to the Clerk of the National Assembly on the 23rd and it was acknowledged on the 24th.
“The investigation police officer that dispatched the letter was present when the Clerk handed over the letter to Senator Dino Melaye and since then, we have been out to get him arrested.
“Seeing the presence of police at his residence does not mean we just started. He has been evading police arrest and we have been able to narrow him down to his residence and those there will not retreat until he surrenders himself for arrest because nobody is above the law.
“We call on the public and the media to prevail on him to see reasons to surrender because the law must be obeyed.”
On why the police decided to lay siege to Melaye’s residence, Moshood said: “It is worldwide practice. Even in other climes, police vehicles are used to cordon off the premises and sometimes, they even use helicopter to do surveillance to track down wanted criminals.”

A terrible accident happened at Anguwan Maazu junction,Kaduna.According to report,a trailer on high speed collided with a biker conveying 2 passengers.The biker broke his leg,the small boy narrowly escaped while the old woman was crushed completely.KASTELA Marshals have already evacuated the corpse while police took the biker to hospital.



Source: http://www.trezzyhelm.com/2019/01/trailer-on-high-speed-collides-with.html

A former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has described the Federal Government TraderMoni scheme as not only an avenue for advanced votes buying but direct “re-looting of the Abacha loots.”

Fayose questioned the rationale in Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo leaving Abuja and spending about N25 million on maintenance of presidential jet as well as allowances for himself, aides, protocols, security and others just to share say N10 million.

He said if the Federal Government was sincere about TraderMoni, the fund should have been paid into bank accounts of beneficiaries so that the disbursement can be traced and properly audited, adding that “When I was governor, more than 20,000 people got N5,000 monthly stipend and the money was paid into their bank accounts.”

According to a statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Lere Olayinka, the former governor, who is also the Southwest Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council said Nigerians had already seen through the deceit of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government and will respond appropriately with their votes in 2019.

The ex-governor said it was even funny that the same President Muhammadu Buhari who insisted that the late Gen. Sani Abacha never stole was the one taking pride in his government use of a phony TraderMoni scheme to reloot the $322 million recovered from the loot Abacha stashed in Switzerland.

Fayose said: “If not that TraderMoni was to reloot the recovered Abacha loot, the proper way was for beneficiaries to be captured biometrically and the N10,000 paid into their bank accounts instead of the Vice President going to the market to share cash.

“Most importantly, there is nowhere that the Vice President will travel to outside Abuja that he won’t spend up to N25 million on his allowances, maintenance of presidential jet and the allowances of his retinue of aides, including security men.

“Therefore, of what economic sense is going to say Kano to share the N10,000 cash to 1,000 people? Isn’t spending N25 million to share N10 million same as being penny wise pound foolish?”

Fayose also urged Nigerians to ask the government what became of the funds taken from Excess Crude Account to fund the Boko Haram war.

https://all-gists.blogspot.com/2019/01/tradermoni-buhari-apc-is-relooting-abacha-loots-fayose.html

Kano-based Amarava Rice Mill says it is targeting to record 500 tonnes of daily production by June, just as it hits 250 tonnes to boost local self-sufficiency. Mr Subhash Chand, the Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, made this known to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja

NAN recalls that the multimillion Naira state-of-the-art rice mill, owned by an Indian national, was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in Kano in December 2019. The diplomat gave the assurance that the production capacity of the mill was being expanded to hit 500 tonnes by June. 

He added that the investment was part of the overall efforts of the High Commission to help Nigeria attain self-sufficiency in rice production. Chand said that India was supportive of Nigeria’s efforts to fully localise rice production, disclosing that many Indian companies were already among the leading millers in Nigeria. 

He disclosed that the mill was built with machineries fabricated in Nigeria with local contents by Indian and Nigerian technological experts. “India has been maintaining good relationship with Nigeria and will continue to do so. “Through Nigeria-India’s cordial relationship, Indian investors are already investing in Nigeria to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production,’’ he said. 

Chand noted that technical partnership was another area of mutual benefits to the two nations. NAN reports that in 2017, Nigeria’s rice consumption stood at 7.9 million tonnes while the production rate has increased to 5.8 tonnes per annum from previous 5.5 million tonnes due to Federal Government’s local rice production policy. 

The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) attributed the increase to the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme with a total of 12 million rice producers and four million hectares of FADAMA rice land cultivated. 

NAN reports that Amarava Agro Processors Limited, a subsidiary of Fullmark Group was established at Amarawa Village, Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, with an initial 288 metric tonnes daily capacity. NAN recalls that Buhari said at the inauguration that Nigeria’s continued dependence on rice importation had put a strain on the economy as well as the nation’s food flow. Buhari added that a substantial amount of the nation’s foreign exchange went into rice importation yearly, noting the mill will help Nigeria to progress towards food self-sufficiency. 

NAN reports that the bilateral trade between Nigeria and India between 2017 and 2018 was touching $12 billion (about N4.3 trillion), which can be expanded by both countries.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/nigeria-rice-mill-hits-250-tonnes-daily-production/

Residents of Kara in Sagamu Local government area were in amazing shock when they found a picture of an Oyibo man (white man) inside a calabash which contains eggs, palm oil and other fetish items.
According to an eye witness, he said this is not the first time of things like this happening in the community as almost every young guy in Kara Sabo wants to own a car or get rich over night, hence the struggle for blood money.

Another resident also said "that the picture was use to perform some certain diabolic means or rituals and anything the yahoo guy ask from the victim won't only be a wish but a command"
Source. 
http://saintbillion.blogspot.com/2019/01/yahoo-guys-uses-oyibo-mans-pics-for.html?m=1

Quote:By Mayowa Tijani



The year 2018 has been very challenging and equally eventful for the Nigerian banking sector. Skye Bank morphed into Polaris Bank, while Access Bank and Diamond Bank are fixing the bolts and nuts of the biggest banking deal of 2018.

The banking sector, which controlled trillions of naira in market value and transactional strength in 2018, also had a bleeding year, as many of the listed entities had massive declines in share price and market capitalisation.

The biggest bank in Nigeria, by market cap, for 2018 is Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), with a year-end market cap of over N1 trillion at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Unity Bank had the smallest market cap by the end of the year, but had a drastic increase in market value, with a 109.8 percent increase in share price, to lead the pack as the best performing bank at the exchange for 2018.

Access Bank, on its way to becoming Nigeria’s largest bank, come 2019, had the worst year, in terms of market value, shedding 35.05 percent of its share price in 365 days.

Since the Herbert Wigwe-led bank made the move to acquire Diamond Bank, the latter has gained more than 45 percent in market value, becoming the bride of the Nigerian bourse.

HERE ARE THE BEST AND WORST PERFORMING BANKS OF 2018

A) RANK, B) BANK, C) SHARE PRICE(N), D) SHARE PRICE GAIN/LOSS (%) E) MARKET CAP (N’BILLION)

A. B. C. D. E. 
1 Unity Bank 1.07 +109.8 12.51
2 Sterling Bank 1.90 +75.93 54.70
3 Diamond Bank 2.18 +45.33 50.49
4 FCMB. 1.89 +28.57 37.43
5 Wema Bank. 0.63 +26.00 24.30
6 Stanbic IBTC 47.95 +17.38 491.04
7 Ecobank 14.00 -9.20 337.40
8 Zenith Bank 23.05 -10.10 722.12
9 First Bank of Nigeria 7.80 -11.36 285.37
10 GTB 34.45 -15.46 1,001
11 Fidelity Bank 2.03 -17.48 58.82
12 Jaiz Bank 0.50 -20.63 14.73
13 UBA 7.70 -25.73 263.38
14 Union Bank of Nigeria 5.60 -28.21 231.03
15 Access Bank 6.80 -35.05 196.71

The ranking above is basically driven by market forces and share value, it does not directly take into account corporate governance issues, non-performing loans (NPLs), and other management factors.

By market cap, the leading banks for 2018 are GTB, Zenith Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Ecobank and First Bank of Nigeria.

Banks not listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), such as Keystone Bank, were not taken into consideration while compiling this list.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has reminded President President Muhammadu Buhari how he (Buhari) and other high ranking of the All Progressives Congress, APC, bowed to him when he (Atiku) spent his money for their campaign in 2015.

Speaking through the Spokesperson of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Team, Prince Kassim Afegbua, Atiku urged President Buhari to campaign with his achievements instead of making unsubstantiated corruption allegations against him.

Atiku pointed out that when he donated billions of Naira to Buhari and APC campaigns in 2015, he was never tagged corrupt but was described as having good sense of industry and entrepreneur.

The statement said, ‘’They have been running in circles, some kind of rotation in the same axis saying this today, saying that tomorrow, yet they haven’t been able to link anything directly and indirectly to Alhaji Atiku who has since become a private citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“When he was in APC and was donating billions to the Buhari 2015 campaign, when they were all prostrating before him, when they wrote eloquent testimonies to his sense of industry and entrepreneur, did they not remember all these baseless allegations then?

“The APC and their presidential candidate, President Buhari epitomised the Chichidodo bird that feeds on maggots but hates the smell of faeces. Who does not know that maggots are products of faeces?

“Double standard, hypocrisy, nepotism, cronyism and provincialism have blinded their sight to see the damage they have done to the psyche of the Nigerian state, and the only way they could attract attention is to rake up mud against a man who was once their celebrated benefactor.

“They flagged off their campaign in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and 21 jets including military jets landed at Uyo airport. Who are the owners of those jets?

“Who hired them? From whose purse? They said PDP didn’t do anything in 16 years but they were falling head over heels at the Uyo stadium built by PDP government.’’

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/01/2019-presidency-prostrated-2015-atiku-tells-buhari-apc/

A young gallant soldier falls.

Nigeria is the only country men and women join the military or police because of unemployment. 

When they finally join there is no motivation or drive from their superiors.

Our Young men and women are dieing I the North East.

Visit our mammy markets and Army barracks at night. 

You will see our so call generals with pot bellies eating fresh fish and fair lapped ladies seating on their laps.

Buhari an ex military general who should re-organize the army and show that if he is insulted in economic matters, he shouldn't fail on insurgency. 

Our Soldiers are dieing in thousands.

The media is silent. Morale is dieing in our soldiers. Is there hope for this nation.?

Quote:Hi guys, this is Ifeanyi Oseh, popular known as Fly G by his comrades. He was killed on Saturday as his unit fought Boko Haram. 

I've been scared and in tears and let me tell you why. Thread! ���

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https://mobile.twitter.com/Harri_Obi/status/1079794331974803457




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Former Nigeria President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo states 5ps for the projection of Africa in Christ Embassy Crossover service.



Olusegun Obasanjo was present at Christ Embassy Crossover and award night in which he addressed the congregation.


The former president in his speech, stated five ps pillars to improve the nation and Africa as a whole, which are:
1. Politics (Good governance)
2. Population (exploding)
3. Protection (security)
4. Prosperity (fight poverty)


http://www.ktviv.com.ng/2019/01/five-ps-africa-olusegun-obasanjo-at-christ-embassy.html?m=1

Quote:Residents flee as Boko Haram take over Borno communities


There has been mass movement of people out of communities in Borno State through Damaturu the Yobe State capital to Bauchi, Gombe, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kebbi and Jigawa states.

Residents told our correspondent, the Boko Haram insurgents, who attacked some communities in Borno, were targeting soldiers.

Boko Haram had last week overran Baga, Doron-Baga, Kross Kawwa, Bunduran, Kekeno and Kukawa towns of Borno State after three days of intense fighting.


Mallam Bukar Kachalla and Mr. Abacha Musa told one of our correspondents on the phone on Monday that since late Saturday there has been a mass movement of people through Dapchi and Damaturu to other neigbouring states like Jigawa, Kebbi, Bauchi, Zamfara and Gombe.

Abacha said, “Baga is a big fishing community and people from other states especially Hausas used to stay there for fishing business, but following the attack on Baga and other towns, hundreds of people have been fleeing the area.


“One of those who fled, Mallam Isa Haruna said the Boko Haram fighters who invaded Baga were friendly and even prayed in the mosque together.

“They were not concerned about us, the civilians, but their targets were the soldiers.”

Abacha noted that those fleeing the towns in Borno under Boko Haram control have lamented the hardship facing them as they have to trek miles before getting vehicles to Damaturu.


On his part, Mallam Bukar Kachalla who wondered why Boko Harm usually becomes fierce towards elections said dozens of people have been fleeing Borno since Saturday.

He called on the international community to help dislodge Boko Haram from the northeast for the peace and security of the region

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence at the burial of former President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, last weekend.

The party said the President’s absence at the funeral, particularly regarding Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s status, as the first Executive President of the nation, was unpardonable and a very wrong precedence in the national protocol.

PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, in a statement on Monday by its Director, Media & Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said, “this action by the Buhari Presidency has also sent a wrong signal to the international community on our national values and respect for our patriots.”

PDP also noted that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was also absent at President Shehu Shagari’s burial and that the federal government has taken no concrete step to give a state honour to “this very patriotic Nigerian, other than a rather belated directive to fly our national flag at half-mast for just three days and a dramatic visit to Sokoto by President Buhari.

“Sadly, while our beloved President Shagari was at the National Hospital Abuja, passing through his last moments on this realm, President Buhari was busy at his campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, boasting of how he, as military head of state, sacked the Second Republic, arrested and locked up President Shehu Shagari and his officials, in clear violation of our nation’s constitution.

“Such disdain on our respected national figure by President Buhari is completely unpresidential.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/01/01/shehu-shagari-pdp-slams-buhari-osinbajo-absence-ex-presidents-burial/

Two men were allegedly killed by drunk policemen in the early hours of today during new year celebration in Edo State.

The incident reportedly happened at Kings square, Benin, Edo.

According to an eyewitness, Alpha, the drunk policemen were also trying to celebrate by firing gunshots into the air at their station opposite the Oba market, but instead opened fire on the duo.
One of the victims reportedly died immediately on the spot while the other lost his life moments later as he was not able to get appropriate first aid to keep him alive.

Gist from Gistmore - https://gistmore.com/drunk-policemen-kill-two-during-new-year-celebration-in-edo-photos

"in my years in politics, I have not seen this kind of crowd before.

" When there is no security or peace there can be no development.

"Who has been defending us? Is it not Governor Ortom?

" Governor Ortom, we shall vote for you for standing for us.

"Vote for Governor Ortom, the PDP for Security and Peace"

Former Senate President David Mark at IBB square venue of Governor Samuel Ortom's reelection flag off.

#OrtomFlagsOffCampaign
#InGodWeTrust

2019 budget: Buhari, Osinbajo to spend over N7.5billion on operations and maintenance of office buildings
By
 Track News
 -
– Details of the 2019 budget are beginning to find their way to public domain
– The yearly expenses of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo have also been made public

– The high cost of governance in Nigeria reflects heavily on the proposed budget
A report by The Punch has shown the breakdown of presidential expenses in the proposed 2019 budget.
Details of the budget reveals that the Federal Government budgeted N1,001,318,171 for President Muhammadu Buhari’s local and international travels in the proposed 2019 budget.
The budget proposes N250,021,595 for the president’s local trips and N751,296,576 for him to travel internationally.
For Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, N83,974,710 was budgeted for local travel, while N217,060,883 was proposed for his international trips.
Under foodstuff/catering materials supplies, N98,306,492 was budgeted for the president and N50,888,218 for the vice president.
Also, the federal government proposed N416,668,229 for the construction of the presidential wing of the State House Medical Centre out of the presidency’s total estimate of N49, 307,859,794 in the 2019 budget proposal.
Aside from this, N823,441,666 was proposed for the State House Medical Centre, including drug and medical supplies (N208,350,424).
The State House also budgeted N36, 787,354 for drug and medical supplies, and N51,821,160 for medical expenses.
A further look at the budget indicates that Buhari and Osinbajo are to spend over N7.5bn this year on “operations” and maintenance of office buildings.
The entire State House was also allocated N49.3bn for general services, covering capital, recurrent and overhead costs.
However, the president’s office was given a dedicated vote of N10bn for the running of his office, out of which N7.5bn went for operations.
To maintain presidential office buildings will cost N4.7bn this year.
Similarly, the president’s direct overhead cost is N1.3bn, while his capital spending will consume another N416.6m, bringing the total figure for“operations” alone to N1.7bn.
On his part, Osinbajo is to spend N591.8m on operations.
Out of the figure, N448.6m goes into overhead costs, while the balance of N143.2m will be spent on capital provisions under operations.
A further breakdown of the presidential budget showed that the presidency would buy vehicles worth N607.1m this year.
Aside from the N4.7bn budgeted for the maintenance of office buildings, the presidential residential buildings will be rehabilitated with another N140.4m.
The item titled ‘refreshments/meals’ has an allocation of N135.6m and an additional N25.6m, meaning a total N161.2m.
Similarly, a provision of N65.4m was made for the animals in the State House for their“conservation.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised President Buhari not to bother with any New Year message, stating that the president has nothing to offer Nigerians after his promise of more hardship in the coming year.
President Buhari is expected to deliver a new year message to Nigerians on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.

Breaking: Again, Gunmen Kill 4r, Injure 7 in Kaduna
Tuesday, January 01, 2019  NEW

                         
Four people were killed in an attack by unknown gunmen last Sunday in Kutura village, Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.

Seven others were said to have sustained injuries from gunshots and were taken to the hospital.


The gunmen were said to have invaded the community at about 8.00p.m and opened fire on the youths who were said to be dancing in celebration of the New Year.

The attack came hours after the state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai appealed to the people of the area to live in peace during a Town Hall meeting in Kasuwan Magani.

President of the Adara Development Association (ADA), Mr. Awema Dio Maisamari, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, described the attack as unfortunate.

“It was around 8. 00 p.m, the youths were celebrating the New Year, they were dancing in anticipation of the new year; suddenly the gunmen invaded the community and opened fire at the them.

“Four people were killed on the spot while seven others were injured” Maisamari said.

Accoording to him, before the attack, there was a recorded audio message, allegedly, from a fulani man, informing about impending attacks on some communities in the area.

He said the recorded audio message listed the areas to be attacked, adding that Kutura community was one of them.

He said the latest attack had confirmed fears being expressed about the security situation in Kajuru Local Government Area and the failure of the authorities to initiate proactive measures.

“There was an audio message that was sent by a fulani man, telling us that they are coming and Kutura village was one of the villages mentioned for attack in the audio and that we should get ready.

“So, this has confirmed to us that all these things we are hearing and we called them rumours are coming to pass.

“When the audio was circulating, we we raised the issue at a meeting with government officials at the State House (Hassan Katsina House), Kaduna. They told us that they had already taken care of the situation.

“We were at the meeting with the SSG (Secretary to the State Government) and we brought up the issue; he told us that they were aware of it and they had already taken care of the situation.

“Here we are! That is to say that we can no longer rely on government to protect us.

“They will hear, they will promise and at the end of the day our fears would be confirmed. We don’t feel protected at all” he said.

On October 26, the paramount ruler of the indigenous Adara people, the Agom Adara, Mr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima, was abducted and murdered while traveling from Kaduna to Kachia, his domain.

Efforts to get the reaction of the state police command was unsuccessful as the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Yakubu Sabo, did not respond to phone calls nor a text message sent to his mobile phone.

Equities Investors Lose N1.9tn, Market Declines by 17.8% in 2018
Tuesday, January 01, 2019  BUSINESS

                             
Contrary to high expectations that the Nigerian equities market will sustain the 2017 positive performance in 2018, the market closed the immediate past year with a decline of N1.898 trillion, while the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) depreciated by 17.8 per cent.


This is just as the Debt Management Office (DMO) has revealed that Nigeria’s total public debt stock rose slightly in the third quarter of 2018 to $73.213 billion (N22.429 trillion) as at September 30, 2018.

The decline in the stock market was in contrast to the 42.3 per cent growth recorded in 2017 after three years of fall.

Based on the positive performance in 2017, operators and other stakeholders were upbeat that growth would be sustained.

While 2018 started on a positive note with the NSE ASI rallying 15.95 per cent in the first month, the bearish trend set in the following months, which persisted to the end of the year.

And the close trading for the year yesterday, the market capitalisation dipped from N13.619 trillion to N11.721 trillion, NSE ASI depreciated from 8,243.19 to 31,430.50.

According to analysts at CSL Stockbrokers Limited, the down trend in the stock market, which was initially triggered by rising yields in the United States(US) due to hike in interest rates by the Fed, was exacerbated by escalating trade war between the US and China, and investor fears surrounding a “contagion effect” on the back of the turmoil in emerging markets (Turkey and Argentina in particular).

“In addition, the political uncertainties in the domestic economy in the build-up to the 2019 elections amidst a sluggish growth in gross domestic product (GDP), which slowed from 2.1 per cent in Q4 2017 to 1.95 per cent in Q1 2018 and then to 1.5 per cent in Q2 2018, from the economic recession led foreign investors to flee the equities market in search of high-quality lower-risk assets in developed economies notably the US,” they said.

Reflecting on the slowdown in the participation of foreign investors in the local bourse, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) data revealed that foreign transactions has declined by 49 per cent from N166.39 billion in January to N84.36 billion at the end of November.

“Noteworthy to mention is that, foreign transactions for the month of July stood at N36.15 billion, the lowest since the Investors and Exporters window was introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in April 2017. The data further revealed that foreign outflows for the months of January till November has increased by 51 per cent from N402.2 billion in 2017 to N605.5 billion in 2018,” CSL said.

Looking ahead, the analysts said: “Although, we acknowledge that the broad sell off in the market has led to a significant moderation in the share prices of stocks providing opportunities for bargain hunting, we think that the argument for “Buying the dip” frequently advanced by money managers and traders is still too early to call for.

“With growing concerns about a weakening global economy, the US Fed providing guidance for two rate hikes in 2019 and more importantly, the elevated political risk in the domestic economy, we expect foreign investors to remain on the sidelines. Hence, we still expect a choppy theme to characterise the nation’s bourse over the short term.”

Speaking on the performance of the stock market recently, the Acting Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Mary Uduk, had said a large percentage of these who do business in our market are foreign investors and as at the third quarter of 2018, the capital outflow stood at N513 billion as against N477.7 billion inflow.

“We can see that the impact of increase in interest rate in advanced countries not just US, has impact on capital outflow thereby leading to reduced performance in our markets. I want to say that the interest rate increase in advanced economies not just the US, does not affect only Nigeria but also affects other emerging and frontiers market in the world,” she said.

Meanwhile, the latest debt figure released by the DMO which comprised external and domestic debts of the federal government, the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was 0.22 per cent higher than the $73.208 billion or N22.38 trillion it was as of June 2018.

External Debt declined by 2.02 per cent to $21.592 billion due largely to the redemption by Nigeria of a $500 million Eurobond which matured on July 12, 2018.

The Eurobond, which was issued for a tenor of five years in 2013, was the first Eurobond maturity for Nigeria and Nigeria’s ability to repay it seamlessly, boosted the country’s position as a good credit in the International Capital Market.

Nevertheless, debt service in the third quarter soared by 320 per cent compared to what the country spent on serving its external debts in the second quarter of the year.

Between July and September this year, the country had spent $849.972 million on servicing its external debts, while 82 per cent or $697.43 million had expended on servicing bilateral obligations.

This was a substantial increase compared to $202.373 million that was expended on external debt servicing, where 56.5 per cent or $114.37 million went into servicing bilateral obligations.

Nigeria’s foreign debt declines by 2%
By
 Track News
 -
[/url]
[url=https://www.tracknews.ng/2019/01/nigerias-foreign-debt-declines-by-2.html#]

-
…Domestic debt inches up
By Elizabeth Adegbesan
Nigeria’s external debt declined marginally by 2.02 percent to $21.6 billion in the third quarter of 2018, Q3’18, from $22.1 billion recorded in the second quarter 2018, Q2’18, almost cancelling out the 1.2 percent rise in domestic debt recorded during the quarter, Q3’18.

[img=309x0]https://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/debts1.jpg[/img]
Consequently, the nation’s total debt stock which stood at $73.2 billion, or N22.4 trillion, recorded almost no change as at end September.
The decrease in the external component was ascribed to the redemption of a $500 million Eurobond which matured on July 12, 2018.
The Debt Management Office (DMO) disclosed this recently in a statement released on its website.
The DMO stated that the domestic debt of the federal government, states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) grew by 1.2 percent or N185 billion to N15.8 trillion in September 2018 from N15.6 trillion in June 2018.
The increase, it noted, was due to the FGN N135 billion, and states and FCT N50 billion.
Over N863b Subsidy: Senate Gives FG one week to meet with CBN, DMO, Stakeholders, Oil Marketers
The DMO however said that this upward and downward trend in the external and domestic debt stock is expected to be reversed in the fourth quarter of 2018 (Q4’18).
It stated: “Nigeria’s total public debt stock comprising the external and domestic debts of the FGN, the 36 states and the FCT stood at $73.2 billion or N22.4 trillion. These were about the same as the figures of $73.2 billion and N22.4 trillion recorded in June 2018.
“External debt declined by 2.02 percent to $21.6 billion due, largely, to the redemption by Nigeria of a $500 million Eurobond which matured on July 12, 2018. The Eurobond which was issued for a tenor of five years in 2013, was the first Eurobond maturity for Nigeria and Nigeria’s ability to repay it seamlessly, boosted Nigeria’s position as a good credit in the International Capital Market.
“The domestic debt of the FGN, States and the FCT grew by 1.2 percent from N15.6 trillion in June 2018 to N15.8 trillion in September 2018. This increase of N185 Billion was attributed to the FGN (N135 billion) and States and FCT (N50 billion).
We’re examining farmers-herders conflict in Nigeria —ICC
“The combination of an increase in the level of domestic debt and decrease in the external debt stock, resulted in a slight shift in the portfolio composition. “As at September 30, 2018, the share of domestic debt was 70.5 percent compared to 69.83 percent in June 2018.
This trend is expected to be reversed in Q4’18 as the new external borrowing of N849 billion (about $2.8 Billion) provided in the 2018 Appropriation Act is expected to be raised within the quarter”.

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called on Nigerians to remain positive and hope for better days even as they celebrate the commencement of the New Year, 2019.

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja said the current social, economic and political challenges would give room for better times if Nigerians remain hopeful and collectively work together to ensure a turnaround.

“I congratulate all Nigerians who are today ushering in a New Year in an atmosphere of peace. While a lot needs to be done to increase the level of security in the land, revive our economy, gainfully engage our youths, the New Year gives us another opportunity to take steps that would lead us to our desired destination as a nation.

“We can only overcome our challenges if we remain resolute in fighting for what is right and doing the right things. We should ensure the coming general elections is peaceful, free, fair and credible. All of us should abhor any illegal or violent activity.

“We need to also remember our fellow countrymen and women in troubled areas of the country and pray to God to restore peace in all the nooks and crannies of the country, defeat insurgency and successfully restore the displaced people to their homestead.

“Specifically, we should remember to intercede with God on behalf of our sister, Leah Sharibu, and other captives from Chibok and Dapchi. May they regain their freedom in good health in the new year”, he stated.

Saraki added that the New Year presents another opportunity to write a new success story for the country by Working to Make Nigeria Great Again.

https://all-gists.blogspot.com/2019/01/new-year-message-stay-positive-2019-is-year-of-victory-saraki-tells-nigerians.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed Nigerians into the New Year.

Buhari assured Nigerians that the year 2019 will be significant for the country.

Full text below:

“ It is my utmost pleasure to rejoice with all Nigerians as we enter the year 2019, which will be a very significant one for our country.

2. At the turn of every year, we often use the opportunity to look back at the past and forward to the future. To review the outgoing year, its high and low points, successes and failures, and be fully thankful to God.

3. We Nigerians are a religious people, and we believe that God reigns and rules in the affairs of men. A time like this offers precious opportunity for thanksgiving, stock taking and reflection on goals and targets set for the receding year, and how much was accomplished. The ones not done can then be rolled over into a new year.


4. The dawn of a New Year is also a time to look forward. To consider new prospects, unfold our plans, and prepare for landmark dates and events.

5. 2019 will be an election year for us. In about two months, the polls are due, and we will elect leaders into various offices, at national and state levels.

6. As I welcome you into 2019, I also reiterate my many promises and declarations that the general elections will be free, fair and credible.

7. Elections need not be do or die affair, and we should not approach that eventuality in a democracy with trepidation and mortal fear. Happily, a large number of presidential candidates have committed to peace, and peace we shall have.

8. Those who continue to trumpet falsehood and negativity are on their own, fighting a losing battle. The greater number of Nigerians are trusting and believing that we shall deliver on our promises for a level playing field at the polls, and that is what we shall do.

9. Nigerians desire peace, security, prosperity, inclusiveness and infrastructural development, a nation they can be proud of, a country that can hold its own among the nations.

10. That is the journey we have embarked on since we came onboard in 2015, and we are not distracted as we move on. We are resolved to build a country in which the resources are utilized for the benefit of the largest number, and not appropriated by a privileged few in their never ending quest to satisfy their greed. We are on this mission together, and I assure you of a firm commitment to the ideals of a safe, secure, fair, just and prosperous country.

11. We have had our challenges: security, economic, political, social. But we are resolved to combat and overcome them all.

12. I appreciate your support and collaboration in previous years, and look forward to same in 2019, and beyond, as I hope you will renew the mandate you overwhelmingly gave us in 2015, for another term.

13. We are motivated by nothing other than service to motherland, and service without selfishness or personal interest.

14. I can assure you all that we are making steady and sustainable progress in all areas of national life. Those who are unbiased can see and appreciate the progress the country has made since 2015.

14. A New Year provides opportunity for renewal of commitment, and I invite you to rededicate yourselves to the vision of a Nigeria that works for all.

15. We are moving from potentials to actualization, and it’s a task to be accomplished by us all; man, woman, young, old, military, civilian, all Nigerians.
Please come along, as we journey to the land of our dreams. Happy 2019.

17. Thank you and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

https://all-gists.blogspot.com/2018/12/2019-full-text-of-buharis-new-year-message-to-nigerians.html

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against taking sides in the general elections.

In its New Year message yesterday, the association urged government not to involve the military in the polls, to prevent voter intimidation.

It also tasked the police, the Nigerian Civil Defense Corps, and other security agencies not to compromise standards by working for desperate politicians.


The statement signed by Mr. Bayo Oladeji, media assistant to CAN President Samson Ayokunle, reads in part: “The year 2019 is a crucial one to all Nigerians because it is a year of general elections.

I therefore urge all Nigerians to make sure they abide in peace without getting involved in violence throughout the year, especially before, during and after the elections.

“We should all distance ourselves from electoral manipulations in whatever form. I urge politicians not to be too desperate to be voted into power or get themselves involved in using thugs to cause chaos or commit electoral fraud. Vote buying is evil; all stakeholders should shun it.

“The military should not be dragged into the electoral process. They should instead be allowed to face their primary responsibilities. Voters should not be intimidated, and election observers should not be harassed like we witnessed in recent polls.

“INEC and their personnel should maintain neutrality in their conduct throughout the elections. Let us remember that without a free, fair and credible exercise, which will bring credible leadership, the ‘dry bones’ of Nigeria will not rise again.”

This was as the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, expressed concern over reports that Boko Haram killed 700 Nigerian soldiers in Baga, Borno State.

She also frowned at recent killings in Zamfara State, saying the security situation in the country shows a lack of effective leadership by President Muhammadu Buhari.


“Although the military and the presidency have denied the reports but the serial credibility challenges of the Buhari administration and the security team he leads as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces have created public distrust of any rebuttal by government. And that is gravely worrisome,” Ezekwesili said in a statement yesterday.

She noted: “The only way to ensure accuracy of the casualty that Nigeria is suffering as a result of counter-terrorism at this stage is to inaugurate a citizens-led independent investigation panel. Such an initiative would go a long way to eliminate the opaqueness of the counter-terrorism war and restore public confidence, as the case may be, in how the Buhari administration is prosecuting it.

“This is demonstrated in the very troubling inertia to decisively confront and end the frequent killings of our citizens; especially our soldiers on the frontline of battle. The killings have tragically earned Nigeria the designation of the 16th most dangerous country in the world, according to the Global Peace Index. Nigeria is also the 15th most fragile country in the 2018 Fragile States Index by the United States Fund for Peace.

“Tackling this will require commencing a security discourse and planning, away from a narrow focus on military responses, to a more collective and participative conversation of the structure of the Nigerian state and our security architecture.”

She promised: “Our ACPN administration would without fail prioritise this. We would be responsive to current and immediate challenges by revising the current containment measures to ensure efficiency and include effective public communication on security issues without compromising genuine national security concerns. We would also bring citizens in, as participants in their own security, through the establishment of local peace committees as part of the national security architecture.”


The presidential candidate added: “Within days of being inaugurated into office, our ACPN administration would move swiftly to launch a coordinated response to all acts of violence in regions that are vulnerable to attacks from armed groups and concurrently commence a strong security sector reform for professionalism, accountability and results-focus.”

The Nigerian Army meanwhile has warned against “concerted efforts by some unpatriotic elements” to politicise and derail the ongoing fight against terrorism and insurgency in the country.

It also condemned what it said were recycled Boko Haram propaganda video clips, old interviews with soldiers, and inaccurate news reports.

“They are determined to dampen troops’ morale especially in the northeast, so that the troops would become compromised against the war efforts and complicate the security situation in the country for selfish and cheap political gains and expediency,” said a statement yesterday by Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman.

It added: “We would like to reiterate that Nigeria is at war with Boko Haram terrorists, in any form or guise that they may manifest, and strongly warn these subversive elements to desist from these unwholesome efforts.

“We will continue to monitor subversive propaganda and take necessary action against perpetrators. The Nigerian Army will remain undaunted in the successful prosecution of this war against terrorism, insurgents, militants and bandits in the country.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/its-year-to-prove-neutrality-can-tells.html

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES

TUESDAY, 1ST JANUARY.

STAND ON THE WORD FOR YOURSELF.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

Your victorious and triumphant life from glory to glory is dependent on your knowledge and application of God’s Word. You must stand on the Word of God for yourself. God gave us His Word to live by; you can be, have, and enjoy all God has destined for you, if you’d live by His Word.

As new creations, we act on the Word. Many believe that what they need when they’re in an apparent predicament is a “powerful prayer.” So, they look for that “superstar” Christian that’ll pray a powerful prayer to God for them. Some say, “But I have several people praying for me, yet my situation hasn’t changed.”

God never said your miracle will occur on the basis of the multiplicity of prayers. What He wants is for you to be in control of your life, through the Spirit. It’s one of the reasons He gave you His Word, and the Holy Spirit. If you’d live according to God’s Word, you wouldn’t need a plethora of prophets praying for you before you can walk in God’s blessings. Acting on the Word is what you need.

The Bible clearly reveals the potency and efficacy of God’s Word. His Word is absolute reality, and all you need to keep experiencing victory and promotion in life is living by the principles of God’s Word, for we’re Word practitioners; we’re Word-doers. For example, the Word says you’re righteous; believe it and affirm your righteousness, irrespective of Satan’s accusations or feelings of condemnation that you may sometimes have. Declare that you’re blessed, highly favoured, and prosperous in all things, because the Word says so. Hallelujah!

To effect the changes you desire in your life and circumstances is simple: once you’re sure of what the Word says about the issue, demand a change on the basis of God’s Word. This isn’t about prayer; it’s about acting your faith to walk in God’s provision for you! It’s about standing on the Word of God for yourself.

PRAYER

Dear Father, my faith is in your Word, and it prevails even now, over circumstances. I excel and make progress today in all that I do, because I walk in the light of your Word—in wisdom, righteousness, prosperity, and divine health. Your glory fills my life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY:

Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

James 1:22-24 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Hebrews 4:12 NIV For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Matthew 1 & Genesis 1-2

2-Year Bible Reading Plan
Matthew 1:1-14 & Genesis 1



#TALKINGSESSION

1ST JANUARY.

KINDLY SAY THIS WORDS OUT LOUD.

Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for bringing me into 2019, the year of light. Thank you for the great and mighty things you will do in, with, and through me. My mind is attentive to your Word at all times. Therefore, my spirit is aglow with the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ; the light of the knowledge of your glory shines perpetually in my heart. Your Word is my life; thank you

for the transformation, light, and guidance that I receive today through your Word. Your Word is not only food for my spirit but also produces health in me, making me vibrant and productive. Father, I thank you because you have perfected all that concerns me in 2019; guiding me in the path of success, victory and increased productivity, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God bless you

Here are pictures of the arrested suspected kidnappers and armed bandits who were allegedly responsible for the abduction of twin sisters in October in Zamfara state.

The young ladies identified as Hassana and Hussaina were released unhurt by the kidnappers after allegedly paying N15million ransom, according to reports..

According to media reports, the ransom was raised through crowd funding, family contributions and borrowing. The largest contribution came from a senator, Kabir Marafa.

The abductors of the twin sisters threatened to kill one of the girls if payment of their ransom was not made on time.

The twins, were kidnapped two months ago in Dauran town, while distributing the invitation cards of their wedding.

See more; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/12/kidnappers-who-kidnapped-twin-sisters-before-their-wedding-arrested-photos.html

A truck carrying diesel just ran into vehicles along the Gbagada - Iyana Oworo bridge crushing five cars.



According to an eyewitness, no one died but several people were injured.



LASTMA officials who are now on ground confirmed the accident saying, 'there's a multiple accident involving a loaded tanker and 5 vehicles at the descend of Gbagada bridge and recovery work is on-going at the moment'.

Source: https://www.mediahelm.com.ng/2018/12/petrol-tanker-crushes-5-cars-on-new.html

Quote:The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari and anyone else accusing him of being corrupt to report him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.


The former Vice President said this while dismissing corruption allegations levelled against him.

Atiku challenged those that have accused him of corruption to make their case known before the anti-graft agency.


The former VP said this in an interview with the Voice of America’s correspondent, Aliyu Mustapha.

Atiku said, “I have challenged everybody publicly or otherwise, that if you have any evidence of corruption against me while I was in public office or as a politician, feel free to go to EFCC or the court, but nobody has come.”

Atiku further explained that stronger laws and processes are needed to try those accused of corruption.

An artist identified as Nekool was attacked by thugs/robbers called Adamawa boys while trying to rob him of his belongings in the night.The incident happened in Festac,opposite CCECC Construction Company.The robbers operate with bikes in the night and inflict injuries to anybody who turn down their demands


Source: http://www.trezzyhelm.com/2018/12/robbers-aka-adamawa-boys-attack-artist.html

Mayhem struck last night in oworoshoki area of Lagos , when groups suspected to be cultist brought down a man called Yusuf in his early 20's .
He was matcheted severely with his 2 hands chopped off.
Cult related activities has been rampant in oworoshoki in the last 24 months.
Effort of the police and the police division in oworoshoki have proven abortive and seems they are unbothered.

Hooker beats up man who picked her for N7k without having a dime, today, at Cooperative villa, Badore, Ajah, Lagos

Watch video 

source : 

https://www.made4naija.com/2018/12/hooker-beats-up-man-who-picked-her-for-n7k-without-having-a-dime-video/

Quote:The issue of cabal holding sway in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, first came to limelight when his wife, Aisha Buhari, alerted the nation of their existence.

Mrs Buhari first alleged that her husband’s government has been hijacked by those who where not part of the campaign train of the president when her husband sought election into the exalted office.

When she made the claim, Mr Buhari said his wife should not been taken seriously as her role in his life does not exceed ‘the other room.’

Recently, the wife of the president has repeated her claim. But this time gave the cabal’s numeric strength without naming them.

She said 2 men unknown to Nigerians when her husband sought to be elected president where the cabals she talked about. POLITICS TIMES hopes she will name those men when next she repeat her claim.

Her husband, the president has challenged her to state the influences the cabal has over his government.

The latest cabal revelation is coming from a staunch critics of the administration, Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister.

The former minister named 8 men he is alleging to be the cabal. Some of those he named have been shown the exit door to the seat of power.

The cabal members accroding to Fani-Kayode includes: Sani Zangon Daura, Mamman Daura, Ismaila Isa Funtua, Babagana Kingibe, Hamed Ali, Abba Kyari, Abdulrahman Dambazzau and Lawal Daura.

He named them in a tweet on Monday, adding that: “I know them ALL well. Some are educated, reasonable and fair-minded whilst others are shallow, primitive and dangerous.”

His assertion comes a day after that of an ex-presidential aide, Reno Omokri, who dugged out an old photo of Godwin Emefiele, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, supposedly bowing down to take instructions from Mr Funtua

The old photo shared by Omokri, showing Mr Emefiele supposedly taking instructions from Mr Funtua in the presence of Mr Dambazzau.

POLITICS TIMES reels out the little we know about the alleged cabal members.

Sani Daura: A former minister under the administration of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo. He is from Katsina State.

Mamman Daura: A nephew and long time close associate of the president. He is a journalist who hails from Katsina too.

Ismaila Funtua: A crony of Buhari, is the chairman of Bulet International Construction Company.

Babagana Kingibe: Former Secretary to Government of the Federation. He hails from Borno State.

Hamed Ali: Head of Nigeria Custom Service (NCS). He is a staunch ally of the president.

Abba Kyari: Chief of Staff to President Buhari.

Abdulrahman Dambazzau: Interior Minister.

Lawal Daura: Oust director-general of the State Security Service (SSS) who ordered the siege laid at the national assembly this year.

Nigeria is in trouble if APC led administration is allowed to come back in 2019. Nigeria have been pocketed by just a few men. These people have done enough damage to this country. Get your PVC ready

Quote:This is the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ⁦@cenbank. He is bowing down to receive instructions from Samaila Isa Funtua, a member of the cabal controlling ⁦@MBuhari. If you thought @aishambuhari lied, I hope this photo convinces you

Quote:by Uja Emmanuel, Makur 


Over 20,000 hectares of rice farm belonging to Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom have been set ablaze by suspected herdsmen in Tse-Adorogo, Mbabeagh, Nzorov, Guma Local Government Area.

In a telephone interview with The Nation, the governor said he had not harvested his rice farm, which is incorporated under Oracle Business Limited, before the suspected herdsmen set it ablaze.

Orace Farms, which started when the governor was the Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, is into massive rice and soybeans cultivation.

It was learnt that this was the fourth time Ortom’s farms had been attacked.

When he was Minster of State in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, suspected herdsmen attacked his Oracle Farm on Naka Road at gunpoint and stole 30 cows.

The herdsmen struck again in 2014 at his Tse- Adorogo, Mbabeagh country home and set his rice farm and house ablaze.

When he became governor in 2015, herdsmen again set ablaze his rice farm in 2016 and 2017.

The governor expressed concern that herdsmen again destroyed crops in the state.

He reiterated his called for ranching of animals, saying there is no more land for anyone to feed their cattle in the name of grazing.

“I said ranching is the international best practice for animal husbandry. But if anyone has an alternative method, let him bring it to the table,” he said.

Ortom urged youths not to take the law into their hands but report to security agencies if any cattle encroached on farm lands in any part of the state.

The governor told The Nation that he would officially visit the rice farm tomorrow to assess the damage done to it.

A woman identified as Joy Ebarelen, has accused a midwife, Modebe Christiana (aka Nurse Ada) of drugging her in a bid to kill her, steal and sell her baby. It is alleged that the midwife who was assisted by her husband named Victor, smuggled the victim, while still unconscious, back to her home where they left her for dead.

Ebarelen however regained consciousness two days after and found herself, not in hospital but at home on her bed.

Ebarelen in an interview with Satellite Times, said she was almost killed by the duo of Nurse Ada and her husband Victor. She recounts her ordeal from the beginning,

Determined to recover her missing baby, Ebarelen reported the case to the Ubiaja Division of the Nigerian Police in Edo State.

The matter was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Benin City While the accused, Nurse Ada had at first denied taking delivery of the child, she later brought the baby girl to the police station but not without coming up with a counter-claim.

She accused Ebarelen of of attempting to kill her own baby after birth and that was the reason she decided to take the baby away from her.

With this twist, Ebarelen suddenly found herself as the accused with the Police threatening to put her in detention. The following day at the police station, there was a new accusation waiting for her.

Ebarelen cried as she explained that the father of her new was not the same person who fathered her other three children. She named one Ardo Musa Mohammed, the Sarki Fulani of Ubiaja as the father of the child. She said that every person in the community including Nurse Ada and Oduma were in the know that Ardo had an affair with her that resulted in the pregnancy.

See more; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/12/woman-accuses-nurse-of-drugging-her-and-stealing-her-baby-in-edo-photo.html

Credit; Satellite Times.

A Second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a mistake.

In an interview with DAILY POST, Mohammed insisted that Nigerians made a mistake by voting Buhari.

He added that electing Abubakar would be another mistake.

Mohammed made the remark while rubbishing claims that the chances in 2019 narrows down to Buhari and Abubakar.

He stressed that Nigerians shouldn’t vote if the chances narrows down to the two, adding that they should be allowed to make their choice in 2019.

The medical doctor turned politician said: “I can’t choose between Buhari and Atiku because none of them stand for what I represent in politics and I have been in this business for over forty years.

“Secondly, I believe the people of this country have the right to choose and I also believe they deserve something better which at the end of the day they would be happy about.

“They have already made mistake by electing Buhari and electing Atiku would be another mistake for which only God knows if Nigeria can handle.

“I believe in an election with a choice and if what we are going to have in 2019 melts down to Atiku and Buhari then it’s an election without choice.

“There is this tendency among Nigerians which is very sinical and I do not approve of which is ‘we know that Buhari has failed but the context between him and Atiku is that of evil and lesser evil’.

“I don’t believe in a choice of evil and lesser evil, if you have to make a choice between evils stay home and the next step will definitely follow.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/31/2019-buhari-atiku-not-options-nigerians-junaid-mohammed/

The database of taxpayers in Nigeria has increased from 20 million to 35 million according to The Joint Tax Board (JTB).

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Mr Oseni Elamah, revealed this in a brief interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Elamah further explained that the great feat was achieved as a result of the ongoing database consolidation of JTB, an initiative being carried out in collaboration with the Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).
He said that the figure of the taxpayers is combined with both individuals and corporate bodies.

He said that this showed that there was a massive increase of the database, imagine when that translated to actual taxes that were collected in Naira and Kobo.

We are trying to break them into classes of taxpayers and various jurisdictions where they reside, state by state.

“Hopefully, this information will be communicated to all the states by first week of January and then we will ask them to file their reports for tax assessment. From the information, we will tell Nigerians, how many are teachers, artisans, entertainers among others,” he said.

Mr Elamah disclosed that on the average, about 22 per cent growth in tax revenue had been recorded in both state revenue services and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) when compared to 2017.

He further stated that this figure was collated as at third quarter; and it would move to 30 per cent by the end of last quarter. By end of the year, 2018 will be one of the best results ever posted by FIRS and most of the states.

He stated that with the coming of the Tax Identification Number (TIN), and Bank Verification Number (BVN), the tax authorities were currently tackling incomes of taxpayers and making sure they paid their taxes as at when due.

He gave the assurance that the board would create more public awareness and increase in voluntary compliance and also enhance the capacity of workers to be tax professionals while commending Executive chairman of FIRS and the JTB, Mr Babatunde Fowler for his role in achieving the feat within a short while.
(NAN)

SOURCE: https://www.trendingaccounting.com/2018/12/nigeria-now-has-35-million-taxpayers-jtb.html

Few days ago, it was reported that suspected bandits killed an unspecified number of soldiers at a forest in Doburu, Zurmi local government area of Zamfara state.

One of the slain soldiers has been identified as Suleiman Maihakuri from Keffi in Nasarawa state. 

An online news portal, The Cable, quoted a military source as disclosing this on Saturday, saying many of his colleagues sustained injuries in the incident. He said some of the injured persons were receiving treatment at Zurmi General Hospital.

The source said the officer who led troops into the forest was captured by bandits.

“We ran into an ambush in the forest today. The bandits opened fire on us and we responded but they surrounded us from different directions,” he said. “They had bombs and sophisticated weapons.”

See more; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/12/young-soldier-killed-by-armed-bandits-in-a-forest-in-zamfara-photos.html

The Adamawa state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has set up Buhari and Bindow Campaign Team (BBCT) in its Northern Senatorial district, to embark on a house-to-house campaign to ensure victory of the party’s candidates in the zone in 2019 general election.

Speaking at the inauguration, Governor Jibrilla Bindow said voting President Buhari for a second term is sacrosanct to the state.

Speaking at the occasion, governor Jibrilla Bindow said President Buhari has demonstrated uncommon love for the North East having executed massive road projects in the region.

He also counted the establishment of North East Commission and relentless efforts to end activities of terrorists in the region, as reason why the President must be rewarded with votes next year.

He urged BBCT to step up educating voters on the dangers of political violence, thuggery and vote-buying, while calling on those yet to claim 
their PVCs to go for them to avoid being disenfranchised.

The governor charged the youths not to allow any politician use them as thugs.

Various speakers stressed the need to garner more votes for Buhari and other candidates under the banner of APC.

But it is obvious that the BBCT needs to put in a lot of effort if it is to prevent the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from securing home support.

https://all-gists.blogspot.com/2018/12/apc-sets-up-team-for-buhari-to-beat-atiku-in-adamawa.html

suspect identified as Vincent Idumonyi, was apprehended by police operatives after abducting and raping a 16-year-old secondary school girl in Benin city, Edo state.

It was gathered that the suspect met his victim on Facebook where she released her phone number to him after they became friends.

After a month of chatting, the suspect arranged to meet with the girl in a hotel in the town where he kidnapped her for three days.

He threatened to inject her with a deadly substance if she raised an alarm, a situation which led to her being raped by the suspect.

Vincent then contacted the girl's family to demand for some money before her release.

The family eventually parted ways with N382,000.

The victim herself revealed that the suspect who threatened her also with a knife, had sex with her twice in the hotel.

See more; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2018/12/man-lures-16-year-old-girl-to-a-benin-hotel-kidnaps-and-rapes-her.html