JTF Uncovers Lebanese Terror Cell In Kano

The Joint Task Force on Thursday said it had uncovered a Lebanon-based Hezbollah armoury and terror cell in Bompai, Kano State.

The force, which said it found large cache of arms and ammunition, also confirmed the arrest of three persons in connection with the armoury and the cell.
A Lebanese national currently out of the country reportedly owns the premises where the armoury and the cell were found at No 3, Gaya Road, Off Bompai Road in the ancient city.
A statement by the JTF spokesman, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said the JTF operatives, comprising officials of the 3rd Army Brigade in Kano and the State Security Service conducted the operations.
The operatives, he said, uncovered an underground bunker in the premises where large quantities of assorted weapons were hidden.
Iweha, who said the construction of the bunker was special, listed anti-tank weapons, rocket propelled guns and anti-tank/personnel mines as some of the dangerous weapons found in the premises.
He added that the weapons and ammunition were concealed in coolers, drums and bags.
According to him, the latest recovery followed an ongoing robust counter-terrorism investigation by the SSS.
Confirming the existence of a Hezbollah cell in the country, Iweha noted that the SSS had arrested one Mustapha Fawaz, co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and the Wonderland Amusement Park, in Abuja.
The arrest of Fawaz, Iweha said, led to the arrest of another Lebanese terror suspect, Abdullah Tahini, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with over$60,000
He added, “Thereafter on May 26, 2013, one Talal Roda, also a Lebanese with a Nigerian Passport, was arrested in the same house.
“All those arrested have confessed to have undergone Hezbollah Terrorist Training and further implicated one Fauzi Fawad, also a co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park.”
When one of our correspondents contacted the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade, he described the discovery of the arms and the arrest of the Lebanese importers as “a major breakthrough.”
The action of the JTF operatives, he said demonstrated the commitment of security agencies to riding the country of illegal arms.
Meanwhile, the SSS said the weapons  were intended for use against “Israeli and Western interests”.
“This is the handwork of Hezbollah,” Bassey Ettang, director of the SSS said in Kano.
“You can also be sure that if a group like this is existing, then it may even lend support to some of the local terrorists we have on the ground.”
Hezbollah is a Shia military and political movement based in Lebanon considered by the United States to be a terrorist organisation.
  The sect was conceived by Muslim clerics and funded by Iran following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and was primarily formed to offer resistance to the Israeli occupation.
Its leaders were inspired by former Iranian leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, and its forces were trained and organised by a contingent of Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
Hezbollah’s 1985 manifesto listed its four main goals as “Israel’s final departure from Lebanon as a prelude to its final obliteration.”

Source: Punch Nigeria

How Dame Jonathan Influenced Amaechi’s Suspension

Facts emerging show how the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, allegedly influenced the suspension of Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Amaechi was suspended by the National Working Committee (NWC) this Monday on the grounds that he violated Articles 58 1(b), (c ), (h) and (m) of the PDP. But the suspension was largely seen as a direct fallout of the election of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) which Amaechi won.
A highly placed source disclosed to LEADERSHIP that a bitter Mrs Jonathan allegedly summoned the members of the NWC and handed down a stern directive to them to immediately place the embattled governor on suspension after Amaechi emerged victorious in the NGF election.
But the directive, according to the source, threw the NWC members into confusion as to what “sins” would be adduced as reason for such action. Some of them, it was disclosed, attempted to argue against it on the basis that such an “extreme measure” was too hasty and that anchoring the reasons on Amaechi’s victory at the NGF polls would portray the NWC as childish.
“It became a case of what and what reason will be strong enough to justify the suspension; even at that, some members suggested that the governor should first of all be summoned to appear before a disciplinary committee of the party before any suspension. Yet somebody was said to have reminded the members that there is no subsisting disciplinary committee in place,” said the source.
At this point, continued the source, a certain petition generated by the newly inaugurated executive of the party in the state, which had been lying unattended to in the secretariat, was exhumed. The content of the petition, which has to do with the failure of the governor to reinstate the suspended elected executive of the Obio/Akpor council became very fanciful and presented an explainable reason for Amaechi’s suspension, the source added.
LEADERSHIP was told that what was done was entirely to please the first lady who allegedly has not hidden her intent to even remove Amaechi from office.
One of such moves, the source continued, was when Mrs Jonathan allegedly met some security chiefs in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, and instructed them to effect the removal of the governor immediately. “On this, she was politely rebuffed when she was reminded that, in a democracy, it is the lot of only the state House of Assembly to effect the removal of a state governor through impeachment.
Besides, some highly placed Nigerians in government who were placed in the know of the development because of the persistent pressure by the first lady warned the service chiefs to steer clear of the democratic structures and ensure that they cleared any such directive with the president and commander-in-chief whom they are answerable to.
“The issue of clearing from the president became necessary because of the frequency with which the first lady allegedly hands down some directives on the pretext that it originated from Mr President.  On many occasions, the woman had had cause to assign some ‘very bizarre’ duties using the president as a backup.
It got to a hilt that sometimes the president feigned ignorance of such development, at which time it had become too late, as the deed had been done. The implication is that the issue of Amaechi was a plot finally consummated as it was an old-time project allegedly spearheaded by Mrs Jonathan,” the source added.
However, the suspension, the source further revealed, is already generating frightening ripple effects. The NWC is said to be divided down the line, but the members are afraid to revolt in the open. Some of them are said to be miffed at the development and suspect that the first lady may grow to become so overbearing in the party in the days to come, if not checked. “The Amaechi saga is a test case and is a signal that it could get to a time when the party would be used to settle scores, even personal ones at that,” the source stated.
Efforts made to get a response from the spokesman of the first lady, Mr Ayo Asinlu, were futile at press time as he neither picked several calls to his phone nor responded to text messages sent to him.

Source: Leadership

Gen. Mamman Kontagora Dies at 69

A former army general and major player during Nigeria's decades of military rule, Mamman Kontagora (b. April 20, 1944), died on Wednesday night at the National Hospital Abuja, according to a statement by the Governors Forum.

Major-General Mamman Tsoho Kontagora hailed from Kontagora, Kontagora Local Government in Niger State.
More details will be available later.
It would be recalled that Kontagora was Military Administrator of the Abuja Federal Capital Territory during the transitional regime of General Abdulsalam Abubakar, handing over control to a civilian governor in May 1999.
Kontagora was among the first intake of officers when the Nigerian Defense Academy opened in 1964. He was appointed Minister of Works and Housing in the Babangida government.
In 1991, he issued regulations on pollution abatement and effluent limitations covering all industries, with heavy fines for non-compliance. However, follow-up by the government on infractors was limited.
In December 1991, he announced plans to draw up guidelines by early 1992 to control oil pollution.
The Sani Abacha government appointed Kontagora sole administrator of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1995 -- after a major conflict at the university.
He remained in charge until some time after the death of Abacha. Kontagora was appointed Administrator of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on 22 August 1998. The brief period when Kontagora was in charge of the FCT saw a boom in construction of housing and infrastructure.
Kontagora ceded a strategic plot next to the International Conference centre to the Abuja Horticultural Society to develop as a world standard park, now the Abuja International Peace Park, finally opened in 2003.
Kontagora was a candidate to represent the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2003 elections for FCT Senator, but was defeated in the primaries by Isa Maina, who went on to be elected. In October 2004 Kontagora announced that he would be a candidate to contest the 2007 presidential elections on the PDP platform. He was cleared as a candidate by the PDP, but was defeated by Umaru Yar'Adua, who went on to be elected.
He was the Chairman Implementation Sub-Committee: Kontagora Emirate Education Development Committee (KEEDEC), Chairman Government College Kaduna Management Board, appointed Deputy Chairman of the Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) Committee (inaugurated on the 14th February 2012 by President Jonathan), GCFR.
 

Source: Naij.com

Customs Intercepted 56,750 Rounds of Ammunition Loaded in a Vehicle

The Oyo/Osun Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service has seized a vehicle loaded with 56,750 rounds of ammunition at Saki in Oke Ogun area of Oyo State.

Mr. Richard Oteri, the Area Controller, said the vehicle conveying the ammunition was apprehended along the Igboho road in Saki.

Disclosing that the contraband was concealed in bags packed with dried cassava tubers, he appealed to royal fathers and community leaders to sensitize their subjects on the dangers of smuggling especially in the light of serious security challenges in the country.

He said the command generated more than N4.5 billion in the first quarter of this year.

The breakdown showed that N49,726,393 was made from revenue collected on vehicles between January and April this year.

Oteri further explained that 2,716 bags of rice, 28 fairly used assorted cars and SUVs, 2,500 cartons of frozen products, a lorry loaded with 700 cartons of foreign shoes, a bus loaded with textile materials and 521 used tyres concealed with 600 bags of animal feeds in a trailer were seized by his command.

Oteri later handed over the ammunition to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Oyo State Police Command, Musa Kimo.

Kimo, while receiving the ammunition said “we shall not relent in ensuring adequate security”. 

Source: Vanguard

It’s Rih-naldo! Cristiano Takes A Shine To Pop Star Rihanna

Cristiano Ronaldo can’t hide his glee – or his shiny face – as he grabs a photo op with pop titan Rihanna.

 

The Real Madrid winger posted a backstage snap of himself posing with the singer on Facebook after watching her perform in concert. 

 

The footie ace – who was at her gig in his native Portugal last night – did his best to look streetwise as he beamed for the camera, nailing a deuces hand gesture. 

 

Rihanna played it cooler, pulling a combative facial expression and crossing her arms. 

 

Ronaldo donned a tight white T-shirt and Mr T-style gold chain for his night out in Lisbon. 

 

However, most notable was the sight of his gleaming mug – suggesting he’d gone overboard applying skin products before heading out. 

 

His barnet appeared equally greasy, with every hair precisely waxed into place. 

 

Rihanna posted an explosive pic of her latest Diamonds World Tour show on Instagram. 

 

The deceptive image appears to show the chart-topper going up in flames. 

 

But worried fans need not fear – the snap is just the result of camera trickery combined with a pyrotechnics display going off behind her.

Source: The Sun

Jonathan to critics - "Develop your marking scheme and mark us”

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday challenged observers and critics of the administration to develop a marking scheme to appropriately grade the performance of his administration. At the same time the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, highlighted the performance of the Jonathan administration.

The president said this at the presentation of his midterm scorecard to Nigerians and the global community.

Mr. Jonathan said his two years performance should be compared with those of previous Nigerian leaders and other African leaders.

He challenged those criticising the performance of some Nigerian ministries under his administration to develop a marking scheme, saying for you to mark a student’s script, you must have a marking scheme.

“Develop your marking scheme and mark us,” the president said.

Earlier, before the president’s speech, government officials including the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, highlighted the performance of the Jonathan administration.

It’s all success

While highlighting the achievements, Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said the administration has succeeded in several fronts.

In order to reduce corruption in the petrol subsidy payments, the minister said, the number of petrol importers had been reduced from 143 to 32, while several billions of naira had been recovered from marketers indicted in the probe of the subsidy sector and other fraudulent importers being prosecuted.

The minister said Nigeria has reduced its dependence on crude oil as its only major export. She said crude oil export now accounts for only 70 per cent of Nigeria’s exports with the rest being agricultural produce, manufactured goods, and so on.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, while highlighting the economic growth said the exchange rate has remained stable under President Jonathan at between N155-N160 per dollar. She said Nigeria’s external reserves are rising, and inflation has reduced. She said Nigeria’s borrowing has also decreased yearly since 2011.

Other achievements of the administration, according to the Finance Minister, include construction of about 61,800 housing units across Nigeria by the Housing Ministry; an improvement in local cement production to about 28 million metric tonnes, more than local need; and the construction of 13 new rice mills across Nigeria.

She also highlighted the improvement in the rail sector, saying rail users had increased by over 3 million people in the last two years, while more rail gauges, coaches, and routes are being worked and improved upon.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said the Federal Government also paved 651km of roads across Nigeria in 2012.

The event was organised by top government functionaries including the Senate President, David Mark; three former heads of state: Yakubu Gowon, Shehu Shagari, and Ernest Shonekan; the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Mukhtar.
 

Source: Premium Times

Source: Naij.com

Jesse Jackson Commends Jonathan’s Transparency

American civil rights activist, Jesse Jackson, after listening in on the presentation of the mid-term report of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, described the latter’s administration as transparent and unequalled in contemporary democracy.

Mr. Jackson, subsequently, urged Nigerians to rally round him in order to entrench democracy and good governance in Nigeria.

Apparently impressed by the achievements listed in the president’s report, Mr. Jackson said with the mid-term report, it is obvious that the ship of the Nigerian nation is sailing in the right course and should be supported by every Nigerian.

The American activist noted that the entire black race in the world has so much expectations from Nigeria as the most populous black Nation on earth and these expectations have to be justified through the implementation of programs which will improve quality of lives and inspire citizens to be productive.

He urged Nigerians to remain positive about their country and uphold its “ideals” at all times.

Speaking in the same vein, former head of the interim government in Liberia, Amos Sawyer, commended Nigeria’s leading role in peace keeping operations in Africa and urged political leaders to bury their differences especially at moments of National challenges.

Speaking earlier at the event, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, said the Jonathan administration has enlarged the space for public discourse and dissent which are the hallmark of democratic governance.

Mr. Anyim explained that the President has given practical expression to the principles of checks and balances in government adding that “Mr. Presidents’ uncommon restraint at the face of many challenges is a manifestation of a great desire to deepen democratic culture in all aspects of our National life.”

The Minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who gave a general over view of accomplishments in the Transformation Agenda said the fact that Nigeria’s economy is attracting great attention of investors worldwide is an indication that the positive economic indices are not phantom as cynics would want to assert.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said the achievements recorded in the transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, power, health and education sectors in the last two years of the Jonathan administration are a result of careful planning, fiscal discipline and unwavering commitment of Mr. President to the total transformation of Nigeria.

She said the 234 page publication titled “The Mid-term Report of the Transformation Agenda’ which the President presented at the public event will further inspire the confidence of Nigerians in the ability of the Jonathan administration to deliver on its campaign promises before the expiration of its tenure.

Source: Premium Times

I ‘ve Done Well, Says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, gave a robust defence of his administration’s performance at mid-term and dismissed public and media assessment of his ministers, saying the criticisms were mostly bereft of objectivity.

President Jonathan spoke at the public presentation of the administration’s mid-term report in Abuja during which administration officials rolled out positive financial indicators which among others was that Nigeria has become the highest investment destination in the continent.
The presentation was graced by former Nigerian leaders, including former President Shehu Shagari, General Yakubu Gowon, Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Chief of General Staff, Gen. Oladipo Diya; one-time United States presidential candidate, Jesse Jackson among others.
Also present at the event were the Senate President, Sen. David Mark; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar.
Jackson, speaking at the occasion, commended the president for giving a mid-term report of his performance. He said that it was indicative that the ship of the nation was sailing in the right direction.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim also commended the leadership of President Jonathan, who he said had shown impressive democratic culture through his restraint in the face of unparalleled challenges to his authority.
President Jonathan was nevertheless dismissive of media assessment of his administration. He said that as a former teacher, he was conscious of the fact that any examination should be guided by a marking scheme.
He thus challenged the media to use the 234-page report as a veritable tool for any objective assessment.
He said: “Only on Monday, I looked through a particular publication in one of our dailies, which gave an assessment of the performance of the ministers.
“The first thing I looked for that I did not see was the criteria they used to assess the performance of the ministers. As a teacher, I know that for you to mark a student, you must have a marking scheme. Because, assessment could be very subjective, and if a fellow politician is assessing another politician, you assess the person based on heartbeats.”
He said two ministries; the ministries of Trade and Investments and National Planning which performed creditably well were rated average.
“Since I came to the centre in 2007, I have worked with three ministers of National Planning and three ministers of Trade and Investments. They have never done what is being done today.
“In terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) attracted to this country by activities of that ministry, it has never happened. In spite of our security challenges, there is so much interest from business men wanting to come to Nigeria.
“Before now, that Ministry of Trade and Investments was a dead end, but now they are very active. Talk about Ministry of Planning, people say that until Shamsudeen came on board, we did not even know that we had a Planning Ministry.
“But these two ministries were scored average and I asked what are the criteria? That is the purpose of today, our elders, ladies and gentlemen. The idea is to formally present a document to all Nigerians about the activities of the government these past two years.
“I plead with all of us especially those who want to assess and write about it to develop criteria because without a marking scheme, you cannot mark anybody’s paper. Develop your own, compare with previous governments. Develop your marking scheme and mark us.”

 

Source: Naij.com

Source: Vanguard

PHOTOS: Aspiring Nollywood Actress Attends Event Without Wearing Panties And Flaunts It

The aspiring actress and younger sister of TV personality Jumai Shaba wore this Pretty Mai by Gilbert sheer lace dress to Tiwa Savage's album listening on Sunday May 26th.

Looking at her outfit, it is obvious Aisha is not wearing any underwear underneath her dress, and she appear to feel very comfortable with it as she is all smiles while taking a picture.
Are you feeling her look?

Source: Naij.com

Source: Linda Ikeji's Blog

Don’t Join Others To Pull President Down, Uduaghan Urges Deltans

Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday, advised people of the South-South region to stop criticising President Goodluck Jonathan publicly.

He said that as a son of the region, the president should be given the support to enable him succeed, noting that “politics in Nigeria is still very regional.”
The governor, at a luncheon to mark this year’s Democracy Day in, Asaba, after commissioning a number of projects, told the gathering that he was on course in realising  his three-point agenda before the end of his tenure.
He said: “I need to say that the South-South, to which Delta State belongs, has produced the President, Dr. Jonathan. He is the first President from the region and I want to remind us that he was the Vice President, when President Umaru Yar’Adua died. Of course, he became the President and just before he could find his feet as President, there was an election in which he took part and eventually became the President.
“Today, Jonathan has effectively become the President of Nigeria. We will not forget that.  I am emphasising this because people compare his two years to eight years spent by other presidents. He has just spent two years in office and a lot has happened. I am sure many of you must have listened to his mid-term report today (yesterday). It is full in the areas of power, roads, airports. And so, because he is our son, we must give him maximum support.
“As a state government, we are giving him maximum support and I am urging all of us from Delta State to give him the support to succeed because the politics of Nigeria is still very regional. Every region is struggling for its interest. No other region is struggling for your interest  and we must understand that. It is a game of interests.”

Source: Vanguard