How Nyako beat security, escaped to Britain

HOW did ousted governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Hammanyero Nyako, escape from Nigeria a few hours before his impeachment despite the presence of eagle-eyed security agents waiting to arrest him to answer for his actions?
Nyako and JonathanThis is a question that has continued to prop up within the security establishment in Nigeria now that it has become clear that the former governor had fled the country and settled in Europe, apparently to avoid being prosecuted or persecuted by his traducers. Nyako, according to findings by Saturday Vanguard, escaped from Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in a private jet on July 15, 2014.

Ebola: Hope dashed as US declares drug pesticide

HOPES of immediate relief for victims of the Ebola Virus Disease following reports that doses of an experimental  drug,  nano-silver, had been delivered were dimmed yesterday. The United States Food and Drug Administration said the drug is a pesticide and warned those claiming that it could prevent or treat Ebola to desist from doing so.

The US agency said it had received consumer complaints about the Ebola claims. “Individuals promoting these unapproved and fraudulent products must take immediate action to correct or remove these claims or face FDA action,” it said.

Silver has been used as antibacterial for centuries. Tiny silver particles known as nano-silver have controversially been incorporated into a variety of consumer products such as socks and bedding to help block odours caused by bacteria and mold.

 

This came as doctors and nurses attending to victims of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, at Mainland Hospital, Lagos isolation centre, downed tools following allegation of negligence by concerned relatives and associates of the female medical doctor and health workers who contracted the EVD from the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer.

Ebola: Catholic Church adopts new measures

Abuja –  The Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja on Sunday announced new procedures for worshippers at Masses to check likely spread of the Ebola virus.
The procedures which include the administration of the Holy Communion on the palm of the faithful as against placing it on the tongue of the recipient, was announced by Rev. Fr. Moses Jimbili, at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Nyanya.

REV.FR. RAPH ASIKA (L),PRESENTING HOLY COMMUNION ON PARISHIONERS HAND DUE TO FEAR OF EBOLA SANITISER ON THE HANDS OF ST PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH GWAGWALADA ON SUNDAY

Jimbili told parishioners at the church that the measure was a directive by the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, as check on the spread of Ebola disease.
Other change in the church’s practice was the stoppage of hand shake by worshippers done during consecration of the Holy Communion as sign of peace.

NAN also reports that Onaiyekan’s directive is contained in a statement issued by the Director of Social Communications in the archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumunku.

Tragedy as seven-year-old burnt to death in Lagos

Lagos—Tragedy struck, yesterday in Lagos, as a 7-year-old boy was burnt to death in an inferno that engulfed a two-storey building at the Lagos State Property Development Corporation Housing Estate, popularly called the Ijaiye Low Cost Housing Estate, Agege Local Government, Lagos.
Also, a storey building at 24, Glover Road, lkoyi and 42 shops at Ojodu Market, Ojodu, Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos State were razed over the weekend,  leaving property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

Boko Haram Seizes Four Towns In Borno And Yobe States

Nigerian troops recently routed Boko Haram from Damboa, the military destroyed a truck used by militants to mount anti-aircraft RPGs PR Nigeria The Islamist terror group, Boko Haram, has routed Nigerian troops from four towns in Borno and Yobe states, both in Nigeria’s violence-plagued northeast that is the epicenter of the group’s activities.

Ebola: No worry over Saudi Arabia’s visa suspension for W-Africa

Some leaders of the Nigerian Muslim Community has called for caution over the reported ban by Saudi Arabia on pilgrims from West African countries, following the death in that country of a patient, who contracted the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, while he was on a business trip to Sierra Leone.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, reportedly suspended pilgrimage visas for West Africa sub-region after World Health Organisation, WHO, and Saudi authorities confirmed the infection from tests that were conducted on samples from the victim.

Nigerian man quarantined in Hong Kong over Ebola

A Nigerian man was quarantined today in Hong Kong after he showed Ebola-like symptoms during a trip to the city. The man who arrived Hong Kong from Lagos on Thursday August 7th via Dubai, was isolated in a hospital after severe vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea. He later tested negative for Ebola.

In a statement released today, the Southern Chinese city government said the 32 year old man, whose name was not given, had "tested negative for Ebola virus upon preliminary laboratory testing".

"In the past one month ... he had no contact history with sick persons or animals and did not visit health-are facilities. He is currently in stable condition." the statement read

Two weeks ago, the Hong Kong government said it would quarantine as a precaution all people from Ebola-infected areas who showed any symptom of the disease.

Di Maria, Mangala, Reus, Song, Soldado, Ronaldo

Manchester United have made a £55m bid for Real Madrid's 26-year-old midfielder Angel Di Maria. 

United will look to sign former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, 26, from Barcelona if they fail to land Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, 27.

Manchester City are close to announcing the signing of Porto's French defender Eliaquim Mangala, 23, for £32m. 

Borussia Dortmund say they will do all they can to keep midfielder Marco Reus, 25, at the club, despite interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United. 

Former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song could move to Manchester United from Barcelona

 Alberto Moreno, 22, will complete his move to Liverpool next week, but only after the Spanish left-back plays a last game for Sevilla against Real Madrid in the Uefa Super Cup in Cardiff.

Atletico Madrid want to sign Tottenham Hotspur striker Roberto Soldado on loan, but Spurs would prefer a permanent deal for the 29-year-old Spaniard. ( 

Tottenham are chasing £2m-rated Nigerian winger Moses Simon, 19, after watching him in both legs of Trencin's Europa League qualifier against Hull City.

Everton have agreed a season-long loan with Chelsea for Christian Atsu, 22, after giving the Ghana international assurances that he would get regular first-team football.

Southern Kaduna Wants Diezani-Alison Sacked, Says Minister Runs Nigeria’s Oil As Personal Estate

To our chagrin, this Minister has changed, in just four years, four GMDs as she is now working with the 5th GMD which is drawing the ire of many concerned citizens, as this minister is wasting the country’s lean resources spent in training these high caliber professionals. The appointment of the present GMD smacks of mischief and suspicion as he has retired but has now been contracted to stay on obviously to do the minister’s bidding!”



Diezani Alison

-Madueke Gurara Forum, an association of Southern Kaduna people, has reacted to last week’s sacking of Mr. Andrew Yakubu as Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by calling for the removal of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
At a press conference on Thursday, they expressed regret that the Minister now manages Nigeria’s oil as an extension of her personal estate, pointing out that she is now on her 5th GMD in four years.

Nigerian Troops Flee Gwoza As Boko Haram Captures Tank and Driver, Commander Whereabouts Unknown

The defeat of Nigerian soldiers in Gwoza puts the strategic town firmly in the hands of Boko Haram militants three days after they first invaded the town, killing over 100 civilians and several soldiers

Some units of the Nigerian Army 213 battalion, Operation Task Force Mike and 234 battalion, which attempted to retake Gwoza Township from Islamist militant Boko Haram, beat a hasty retreat on Thursday night as the militants showed superior firepower, SaharaReporters has learned.
The soldiers were reported to have been led into the battle by Lieutenant BMG Martins and Lt. Colonel Agu of the 234 Battalion, formerly Special Operations Battalion (SOB), but they were given the surprise of their lives when they ran into stiff resistance from the militants as they advanced on Gwoza from the Madagali axis.
The soldiers retreated but the militants set off in hot pursuit, chased them and snatched one of their tanks as well as the driver of the tank.  They then called the soldier’s wife and informed her that her husband was in captivity.

NNPC Shuts Down Lagos Clinic Indefinitely After Report Of Ebola Infection

“The management of the NNPC has announced the indefinite shutdown of its clinic in the Muri Okunola area of Victoria Island, Lagos, following a suspected case of Ebola virus on admission at the clinic. It was discovered that the patient visited the First Consultant Medical Centre during the period the first Ebola case was reported at that clinic...” he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has shut down operations at a clinic in the Muri Okunola area of Victoria Island in Lagos, indefinitely. This comes after a suspected case of the Ebola virus at the location. 


NNPC logo

NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, released a statement regarding the measure, stating “The management of the NNPC has announced the indefinite shutdown of its clinic in the Muri Okunola area of Victoria Island, Lagos, following a suspected case of Ebola virus on admission at the clinic. It was discovered that the patient visited the First Consultant Medical Centre during the period the first Ebola case was reported at that clinic.”
The preventative decision came after the NNPC filed a report with the Federal Ministry of Health as well as Lagos State health officials.
"All contacts with this case are being traced and adequate precautionary measures instituted to contain the possible spread of the disease. The patient is in stable condition,” they stated.

Ebola: 2 fresh cases confirmed in Lagos, GEJ summons emergency meeting

The Federal government has confirmed two more cases of Ebola virus disease in Lagos. This brings to a total of 9 confirmed cases in Nigeria, seven infected with the disease and two dead.

The federal government also said about 139 persons who have had direct or indirect contact with the confirmed cases are currently under surveillance.

Meanwhile President Jonathan has summoned an emergency meeting at the State House Abuja over the virus outbreak in the country.

14-year-old Girl Faces Murder Trial Over Forced Marriage

A Nigerian court on Monday postponed the murder trial of a 14-year-old girl accused of poisoning the 35-year-old man she was forced to marry, a case that has thrown the spotlight on the influence of Islamic law in the region.

 

Wasila Tasi’u has also been charged with the murder of three others who allegedly ate the food laced with rat poison that she prepared and served in April this year, a week after her marriage to Umaru Sani.
“Wasila was to appear today,” but the case has been postponed indefinitely because of a backlog caused by a judicial staff strike, said Salisu Yakubu, registrar at the High Court in town of Gezawa.
Police say Tasi’u confessed to poisoning Sani and his guests at the wedding party in the village of Unguwar Yansoro village, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) outside Nigeria’s second city of Kano.
“She did it because she was forced by her parents to marry a man she did not love,” Kano state police spokesman Musa Magaji Majia told AFP.
Her lawyer Hussaina Aliyu rejects claims that her client made a legally valid confession.
She said Tasi’u was questioned by police without a parent or lawyer present and so any comments she may have made are inadmissable in court.

Nigerian Doctor Who Attended To Liberian Man Comes Down With Ebola Virus In Lagos

Ebola Virus Virion NPR Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, has just confirmed that one of the doctors who attended to Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian, who recently died of Ebola in Nigeria, is now sick with the disease.
Chukwu said two other people placed under quarantine were showing signs of the disease, although it is too early to say if their symptoms relates to Ebola.
Sawyer was Nigeria’s first case of Ebola death two weeks ago, and since his demise there have been widespread fears  that some of the more than 70 people he had contact with also develop the virus.

Ebola crisis: World Bank announces $200m emergency fund

 

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The World Bank has announced that it is allocating $200m (£120m) in emergency assistance for West African countries battling to contain the Ebola outbreak.

The money will be distributed to the governments of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea as well as to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The number of people killed in the outbreak has reached 887, the WHO says.

Boston-Based Group Urges Massachusetts Museum To Return Looted Artifacts To Nigeria

Edo Ivory Mask Wikipedia A human rights group, Edo United for Homeland Empowerment, has urged the Massachusetts Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) to return prized artworks and artifacts that were reportedly looted from the ancient Benin Kingdom in Nigeria.
The group’s demand that the MFA return the highly treasured artifacts comes nearly a year after the Boston-based museum opened a permanent exhibition as the “Benin Kingdom Gallery.”  
In a report first carried by Alltimepost.com, the members of the Edo United for Homeland Empowerment, who are mostly descendants of the ancient Benin Kingdom, stated that they would not stop their advocacy until the museum returns the priceless pieces in its possession to their original owners.

Cholera Outbreak In Borno State: Five Persons Dead

Borno residents At least five persons have died of a cholera outbreak at an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Biu town, southern area of Borno State, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said Saturday.
A statement by the agency’s Northeast Zone Maiduguri Office, signed by the zonal information officer, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, attributed the fatalities to cholera.
The camp comprised residents rendered homeless by various Boko Haram attacks.  The militants rendered over 15,000 people homeless following attacks on Damboa, Chibok and other communities in southern Borno.  Many of them fled to such places as Biu, as well as to as Gombe and Gujba in Yobe state. NEMA immediately established camps for the IDPs.
The agency said in the statement it has activated its Search And Rescue Epidemic Response (SAREEP), its epidemic response plan, at the camp in partnership with Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and other stakeholders to address the challenges pose by the outbreak.
"Additional staff from the Agency and doctors from Medicin Sans Frontiers (MSF) have been dispatched to help the Red Cross officials and other stakeholders at the camp clinics,” the statement said. “MSF has also donated some drugs and disinfectants to complement the drugs already provided by the NEMA and other donors. Additional pit latrine and a clinic have been erected in the camp to de-congest the existing facilities."

Youngster, Oluwatobi Badmus, Was Teargased To Death—Ondo Police Officer

A police officer with the Ondo State command of the Nigeria Police “B Division” in Akure has detailed to SaharaReporters how his fellow officers tortured 20-year-old Mohammed Oluwatobi Badmus to death

Tobi Badmus allegedly tortured to death by police Family photos

A police officer with the Ondo State command of the Nigeria Police “B Division” in Akure has detailed to SaharaReporters how his fellow officers tortured 20-year-old Mohammed Oluwatobi Badmus to death. The youngster’s journey to a gruesome death began when a self-styled Christian prophet accused him of stealing a smart phone.

Ghana Bans Flights From Nigeria, Sierra Leone, And Liberia Over Ebola Concerns

Ghana has officially banned flights from four West African countries, citing concerns about the rapid spread of the Ebola virus, which has claimed over 600 lives.
Health workers teach people about the Ebola virus Charles Asare, Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company, said the measure was part of a set of emergency management plans officials are rolling out to combat the spread of the virus. The affected countries include Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria.
The government there has also implemented strict restrictions on the movement and management of Liberian refugees in camps in the country.
Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, urged Ghanaians to bear with the government as they work to contain the virus.
"Preparedness is not an event but a process," he said

Ebola Outbreak: Presidents Of Liberia And Sierra Leone Pull Out Of US-Africa Summit

Sirleaf has closed down all the schools in the West African country in an attempt to address the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

President Sirleaf Johnson of liberia London Evening Post President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has closed down all the schools in the West African country in an attempt to address the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
She also declared tomorrow, Friday, a work-free day to enable health workers in the country to disinfect and chlorinate all public facilities.
Sirleaf, who announced the measures in a nationwide, broadcast late Wednesday, also presented a National Action Plan against Ebola that would try to contain the spread of the disease. Her office said she was not only worried about taking care of those afflicted, but would focus of the goal of preventing new cases.

BlackBerry opens up BBM to Windows phone users

The Blackberry sign is pictured in Waterloo June 19, 2014.

 

TORONTO (Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd said on Thursday its popular messaging system BBM, or BlackBerry Messenger, would now be open to those using the Windows phone platform, a move that potentially makes the messaging service more appealing to its enterprise clients.

BlackBerry, which is seeking to reinvent itself as a more software and services driven company as its smartphone market share has dwindled, has been lately touting new BBM features in a bid to make it a more viable messaging tool for clients such as corporations and government agencies that are on the lookout for a secure messaging service