NIGERIA: The world capital of FAKE PASTORS

http://youtu.be/AzLpyZomPDM Nigeria is now the world capital of fake preachers of the Gospel of Christ. These False Prophets are well on their way to deviously transforming the gospel into a legitimate 419 business. They steal so much from scores of millions of impoverished Nigerians everyday using the bible that they often instantly become overnight millionaires. And it's getting increasingly difficult to determine which is worse between the atrocities of many of these so called preachers and the despicable evil perpetrated by our looting politicians. Don't get me wrong, I still believe that there are decent and morally upright Pastors in Nigeria with the fear of the Lord in their hearts, but the crooked ones are way too many for the good of our country and therefore must be flushed out.  

Monday Midnite. 

Kwara women call for gender equality in government

By Arowona Abdulazeez June 24, 2011 12:09AM

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The chairperson of the National Centre for Women Development, Habibat Salman-Saidu has called on the federal government to ensure gender equality by including professional women in the decision-making process of the country.

Mrs Salman-Saidu made this known yesterday in Ilorin while delivering a lecture at the 2011 Week of the Association of Professional Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Kwara State branch. She said: “Despite their contributions during various transition programmes, women worldwide continue to suffer from all forms of social diseases ranging from poverty, sexual abuse, economic discrimination, and most disheartening, lack of equal political representation.

“It was not supposed to be like this when Nigeria attained independence as it was expected that the activisms of late Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Gambo Sawaba and Margaret Ekpo, among others, would blossom into politics, which should propel Nigerian women to equally be at the forefront of governance.” Mrs Salman-Saidu attributed the sustenance of democracy to the elimination of the inequalities between men and women by establishing mechanism and strengthening chances for women’s full and equal participation.

Role of women

“My humble message to our distinguished hostesses is that the opportunities are there for us to take. Let us start to think politics, act politics, design politics, build politics, construct politics, and manage or maintain politics the ways we do in our various fields so that we could guarantee the futures of our children and be sure of a safe nation,” she advised.

In her remarks, the chairperson of the Kwara State branch of APWEN, O.A. Mokuolu urged government to patronise the indigenous professionals in order to ensure that the dividends of democracy get to the grassroots.

“Nigerian women are really ready to promote their society provided they are given the enabling environment to triumph.” Mrs Mokuolu said. Wife of Kwara State governor, Omolewa Ahmed pledged the support of the government of the state under the leadership of Abdulfatah Ahmed towards making life more meaningful for Nigerian women.

I was paid N15,000 to kill —Teenager

By Eniola Akinkuotu 
Friday, 24 Jun 2011 

Goni Hamido (Pictured here)

The police in Lagos have arrested 19-year-old Goni Hamido for the alleged murder of a 65-year-old man identified simply as Baba Ali.

PUNCH METRO learnt that Hamido was allegedly hired by a man identified simply as Amada to kill Baba Ali for the sum of N15,000. 

Hamido, who spoke to newsmen through an interpreter because he could not to speak English Language, said, “I was sent by Amada to kill Baba Ali. Amada gave me N15,000. I don’t know why Amada wanted Ali dead but my assignment was just to kill him and that was what I did” Hamido, who spoke in Hausa, said he was presently not in school and refused to speak about his family background.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said a family member of the deceased alerted the police when the victim’s body was found and an intense investigation revealed that the suspect had a hand in the murder. 

Jinadu, who described the suspect as blood thirsty, said “on June 17, Hamido went to the house of Baba Ali to kill him. On getting there, he did not meet the deceased at home. He then decided to kill three of the chickens in his compound in anger.

“However, on his way out, he met the victim while he was going to mosque to pray and then promptly stabbed him to death with his dagger on Awoyaya Street, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos; the case has been transferred to the State Criminal and Investigation Department ,Panti, for further investigation as to ascertain the reason behind the dastardly act committed by such a young boy for such a paltry sum of money.”

No court can try me, claims Bankole

By Gowon Emakpe June 23, 2011 10:36PM

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A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole yesterday claimed that no court has the power to try him for any action he took in office as the speaker.

In an application to quash the charges of illegally obtaining a N38 billion loan leveled against him before an Abuja High Court, Mr Bankole, through his lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, said there was no shred of evidence to sustain the 17-count charge.

Subsequently, Mr Bankole asked for an order quashing the charges against him because “the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has neither statutory nor Constitutional power to issue authority to a private prosecutor, to prosecute offences created by or under the Penal Code Act in any court of law, without the fiat of the Attorney-General of the Federation first being sought and obtained and usage of the powers as a vindictive weapon against the applicant.”

Citing the provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and the National Assembly Service Commission Act, Bankole said no court has jurisdiction to try or subject him to jurisdiction in all matters which are related to, connected with, or arose from any exercise of his official functions.

He argued that in the exercise of his duties in matters relating to his office as Speaker of the House of Representative, he cannot be prosecuted for the acts, decisions, and resolutions of the House of Representatives, taken at its Executive or Committee sessions because the principle of vicarious liability was unknown to criminal law in Nigeria.

Specifically, he said there is no evidence contained or shown in the evidence placed before the court warranting the inference or conclusion that he was at any time entrusted with the House of Representatives Account No.0039007000018 with UBA bank as alleged in counts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the charge or at all.

No conclusive evidence

Mr Bankole also claimed that there is no evidence leading to the conclusion that he breached the provisions of Section 311 of the Penal Code Act Cap. 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 in the manner alleged in counts 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the charge or at all.

He claimed the offences of criminal breach of trust and theft as alleged in Counts 2-17 if the Charge (as contemplated or defined in the Penal Code) cannot be committed by him by ‘obtaining a loan to augment allowances and running costs of members of the House of Representatives in violation of the extant Revised Financial Regulations of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2009’ or at all.

“The accused/applicant in his capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives and in exercise of his powers as Chairman of the Principal Officers of the House of Representatives at plenary, executive or committee session of the House of Representatives acted in official capacity and not personally, he cannot be personally liable for any criminal prosecution.”

He is also asking for an order condemning the EFCC for an abuse of court process, malicious, and reckless use of prosecutorial power of the Attorney-General of the Federation when it had no power or authority to appropriate such powers.

Awesome Sax man Clarence Clemons dies

Clarence Clemons was an original member of Bruce Springteen's E Street Band


(CNN) -- Saxophonist Clarence Clemons, a defining musical influence behind the sound of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, died Saturday of complications from a stroke. He was 69.

Clemons died at a hospital in Palm Beach, Florida, where he was undergoing treatment after suffering a stroke last Sunday, said a spokesperson for Springsteen and the E Street Band. His fifth wife, Victoria, and other family members were at his side when he died, according to the spokesperson.

"His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly 40 years," Springsteen said in a statement posted on the band's website. "He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band."

The saxophonist's influence can be heard throughout Springsteen's musical evolution, including such early hits as "Born to Run" and "Thunder Road."

His influence could also be seen in Springsteen's live shows, where the two men routinely bantered about their beginnings, their life on the road and their music.

The story of their first meeting is musical lore.

Depending on who was telling the story and when it was being told, the two men first met at the Stone Pony music venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey, where Springsteen was performing.

As the story goes, Springsteen was performing when howling winds blew the door off. Springsteen was startled by the 6-foot, 4-inch towering figure of Clemons, who invited himself onstage to play.

"From the first time we saw each other, we stayed together for two weeks," Clemons told CNN in 2009 while promoting his pseudo-memoir "Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales."

"We were inseparable," he said.

Clemons was born in 1942 in Virginia and began playing the saxophone by age 9. He moved to New Jersey, where he worked as a youth counselor, before joining Springsteen's E Street Band.

Clemons, whose fusing of blues, jazz and funk with rock on the saxophone put him in demand, recorded with a number of artists over the years, including Aretha Franklin and the Grateful Dead.

In 1985, Clemons and Jackson Browne scored a duet Billboard hit with "You're a Friend of Mine."

Clemons, who was dubbed "Big Man" by friends because of his height, made his last musical appearance in May when he took the stage with Lady Gaga on Fox's "American Idol" to perform "The Edge of Glory."

Clemons also worked as an actor, appearing in TV shows such as "The Wire" and "The Simpsons." He also appeared in films, including "New York, New York."

As word of his death spread Saturday night, fans, musical contemporaries and even politicians took to Twitter and Facebook to remember Clemons.

"A very sad night for Springsteen fans & all of NJ--thx Clarence Clemons for 40 years of magical & soulful music. He will be missed forever," tweeted New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

The Stony Pony, which marked the musician's passing on its web site with a standalone photo of Clemons, announced it would open early Sunday to serve as a gathering spot for fans to remember the saxophonist.

Springsteen's Facebook page was inundated with an outpouring of emotion from fans.

"RIP CC, you were the heart and soul of the E Street Band. Thank you for all the music, you got me through some dark days. Blessings on your journey," one post read.

"I just can't imagine that space on stage not being occupied by the big man. We are all better people having been moved by your huge music. Now go play with Louis, Miles and the rest and have a blast," read another.

N40bn scam: Bankole, Nafada granted bail

Written by Tunde Oyesina, AbujaFriday, 17 June 2011 





FORMER speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his deputy, Usman Nafada, who are standing trial over an alleged N40 billion scam, were, on Thursday, admitted to bail by an

Abuja High Court in the sum of N50 million each, with two sureties each in like sum.

The trial judge, Justice Suleiman Belgore, added that such surety must be a civil servant, who must not be below the rank of a permanent secretary and works in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He ordered that the travelling documents of the accused be kept with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and fixed July 19 for trial.

Counsel for the accused, Sola Oyetibo, who held the brief for Adegboyega Awomolo, prayed the court to vary the bail condition, by substituting the rank of permanent secretary with a senior civil servant, so that it would be easier for them to meet.

But the trial judge insisted that his ruling had been delivered and could not be changed.

In arriving at the ruling, which lasted for about 45 minutes, Justice Belgore said, “I have carefully and meticulously read the motion paper and consider argument of the counsel. The application is not complex, it is simple. The issue is whether the two applicants are entitled to bail.

“The ill health of an accused is not a ground to grant bail, illness does not entitle an accused to bail. A mere allegation of ill health is not a sufficient ground to grant bail, the accused most provide the medical proof to convince the court.”

But the prosecuting counsel, Festus Keyamo, opposed the application on the ground that the affidavit brought by the defence did not place sufficient material before the court as to warrant the granting of bail.

At the time of filing this report, the accused had been taken back to the EFCC custody, while their legal team was still making arrangement on how to meet the bail condition.

SOURCE:

Nigerian Tribune

Bomber, others die in Abuja police HQ attack

By Soji Bamidele

June 16, 2011 05:52PM

The driver of the explosive-laden car that blew up at 10.55am this morning at the national headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force drove into the compound in the wake of the convoy of the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, NEXT has learnt.

Unconfirmed police sources said Mr Ringim himself might have been the target of the attack, but the bomber was thwarted when the car was stopped from parking near the disembarking police chief by a traffic officer who on realizing the vehicle was not part of the police IG's convoy, directed the driver to move to the visitor's car park .

The car, eye witness say, was driven by heavyset man who was expensively dressed. According to the witnesses, there was a second man in the car and he was making a phone call as the car drove into the police headquarters. The car is reported to have exploded before it had reached the parking space allotted to it.

The explosion killed the two men in the car as well as the police parking attendant that was trying to lead the car to the right parking space. The police are trying to ascertain the number of other visitors to the building who were caught by the explosion while trying to park their cars. Only after this would the number of those who died in the explosion be clear.

The massive explosion shook the police headquarters building, shattering windows and causing cracks on parts of the wall. Tens of staff of the police headquarters also suffered various degrees of injury in their bid to escape from the building. They are currently being treated by emergency medical staff from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Road Safety Corps and others.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. It is the second major blast in the city , less than a year following the devastating twin blasts of October 1st last year which left over 20 dead.

The police, in an press conference addressed by its spokesperson, Olusola Amore, said two people - the driver of the car and a traffic warden - died in the attack. He said body of the bomber has been recovered and police has launched an investigation into the incident. Mr Amore said although the police thinks Boko Haram is the prime suspect, it is limiting its investigation to the group.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued in Hausa, Boko Haram said some of its members have just returned from Somalia where they went for training. The group said it will be making announcement to reduce the number of casualties from its future operations.

The Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Abubakar Ringim, NPM, mni has expressed his displeasure over the suicide bomb attack on vehicles parked at the Force Headquarters, Abuja car park.

The unfortunate incident which led to the death of the suicide bomber and a Police traffic warden occurred at about 1100hrs of 16/06/2011 when the suicide bomber vehicle was intercepted and directed to the car park for searching and checking.

The Traffic Warden who entered the vehicle of the suicide bomber to direct him to the car park was blown off along with him as soon as they got to the car park.

The IGP wises a appreciate the efforts of the fire service and the team of armed forces fire service who promptly responded to put off the fire.

The body of the suicide bomber has been recovered and a full investigation has commenced.

Members of the public are assured that the criminal elements behind this dastardly attack will be fished out as the government, the Police and other security agencies will not succumb to the demand of any criminal group or individual.