Airtel Networks Limited wishes to inform our customers and the general public that the prevailing situation in the country regarding the scarcity of diesel and other petroleum products is presently impacting negatively our commitments to delivering best-in-class quality of service and seamless telephony experience to all Nigerians.
While we are currently doing everything within our means as well as going the extra mile to ensure that all our base stations and switches are up and running, it is sad to note that it is becoming increasingly difficult to replenish current stock of diesel due to the lingering scarcity of the products.
We are also concerned that, if the situation persists, it may have adverse effects on our network, impacting both voice and data services.
Airtel, therefore wishes to assure all customers that we will continue working with all our partners and stakeholders to mitigate any negative impact as we remain committed to our promise of providing exceptional services just as we seek the cooperation and understanding of all whilst apologizing for any inconvenience at this time.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Airtel releases statement, says fuel scarcity is affecting their services
Photos: Beyonce wows in Ankara fabric
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The artist looked exquisite wearing Ankara fabric in new photographs she shared on her instagram page..
Ifeanyi Ubah’s Capital Oil to release 13 million litres fuel tonight
Ifeanyi Ubah’s Capital Oil and Gas released an announcement tonight saying it is releasing 13 million liters this night, which is around 400 trucks of petroleum products to facilitate the fuel shortage that Nigeria is as of now facing.
They said they will discharge an extra 53 million liters in a couple of days.
Read the statement below…
On Saturday 16th May 2015, we received an SMS ordering the suspension of loading activities in all depots from Monday 18th May 2015. We later realized that this directive was as a result of unpaid funds owed to transporters by oil marketers who in turn are owed by the Federal Government.
This development has resulted in immense hardship to our fellow country men and women. We believe that a better solution can be pursued towards solving this problem in a way that does not adversely affect our dear citizens. Capital Oil and Gas has watched with so much pain, the suffering and hardship our citizens have been subjected to as a result of scarcity of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and house hold kerosene.
We are deeply pained to hear that hospitals cannot perform surgeries, laboratories are unable to carry out much needed tests especially for emergency patients leaving such patients at risk of dying, radio stations are shutting down, communication is being affected as MTN and other telecommunications company have announced an impending shut down while homes, offices and key facilities nationwide are experiencing blackouts. In some parts of the country, petrol is already selling at an all-time high of N1,000 per litre.
Our citizens have left their homes and are now sleeping in fuel stations,facing the risk of robbery attacks and other attendant risk. In a few days’ time, a new government headed by General Muhamadu Buhari will be sworn in. Apart from our citizens being unable to watch the handover on television and unavailability of transportation for attendees of this historic handover, the resulting chaos from this scarcity may shutdown the Nation and sabotage the efforts Nigeria has made to attain greater heights.
We are constrained at this point and have decided that two wrongs cannot make a right. We will not be part of this sabotage against our fatherland. Therefore from this minute, we shall take the risk of opening our facilities and commence swift loading and distribution of products Nationwide. Our facility has the capacity to load over 13 million litres of product before dawn.
This comes to approximately 400 trucks of petroleum products. With this act, it is our belief that once again our citizens will begin to smile, return to normal family and work life. We call on other petroleum marketers to follow suit and save our Nation from this impending economic and social crisis. This is a period that requires patriotism and service to fatherland. Let’s join hands to help our fellow citizens and save Nigeria. We also call on striking bodies to call off the strike action. Let us work together for the betterment of our people. As we brief you this moment, our truck park, port reception facilities and our depot complex have been ordered opened.
We are ordering and resuming discharge of products from vessels at our berths. We have ordered our trucks to commence loading of products and move overnight to every state of the Federation. Most importantly, we wish to use this medium to thank NNPC and PPMC for their steadfastness in ensuring the availability of petroleum products. Current PPMC stock level in our storage tanks and buffer stock on vessels awaiting discharge at our jetty is capable of meeting the Nation’s need for 15 days. Furthermore, we wish to emphasis that we have a total solution to the traffic menace on the oshodi apapaexpressway.
In the coming weeks, we hope to engage the Federal Government (Federal Ministry of Transport), Lagos State Government and other stakeholders in the affected area, to optimally utilize our truck park facilities which has the capacity to accommodate over 1,100 trucks per time and 5,000 on a shift basis. Capital Oil and Gas continues to appeal to Nigerians to accept and support deregulation as this will curb corruption, enhance competition, lead to reduction of pump price for petroleum products and ensure constant supply to meet Nigeria’s demand. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah
Managing Director/CEO Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited Lagos,
Sunday 24th May 2015.
Did David Cameron downgrade Buhari In This Pic?
This is one part of the meeting between the President Elect of The Frederal Republic of Nigeria Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the British Prime Minister David Cameron many Nigerians wouldnt like to see.
Prior to the meeting , Buhari was seen alone waiting tight for nearly to 30 minutes before he had admittance to The Prime Minister who after the meeting ,walked the next Nigerian President to the entryway and quickly turned back and left. Leaving Buhari stranded
Why President-elect Buhari refused a Rolls Royce from Nigerian High Commission in the UK
On his entry in London on Friday, Nigeria’s President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari stunned Officials of the Nigerian High Commission when he declined to make utilization of the Rolls Royce and different offices offered him by the Commission.
It was gathered that subsequent to exchanging pleasantries with the High Commissioner, Dr Dalhatu Tafida and his staff, the president-elect was uncomfortable with the quantity of extraordinary autos in the caravan. He graciously let them know that his visit was entirely private and he had made plan for everything his needs.
He from that point said thanks to them and left the air terminal in a less ostentatious auto.
Highest level of unemployment in addition to massive corruption, History'll not favour GEJ— Junaid Mohammed
Convener of the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, in this interview with TOBI AWORINDE, evaluates the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.
What do you think are the highlights of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration?
I believe, for most Nigerians, the highlight of Jonathan’s administration is the heightened terrorist activities in the country. Another is the enormous corruption, which, even by the standard of Nigeria, is unprecedented. There has never been any government in this country as corrupt, indolent and irresponsible as this government. Also, for a nation which has so many ethnic groups, religious differences, and identities, one was expecting a measure of inclusiveness. Unfortunately, Jonathan and his cabal are the most divisive set of people to have been at the top of an administration in this country.
Frankly speaking, I can’t think of anything I would regard as a positive highlight. Everything that I can think of, which I consciously or otherwise associate with this President, is terribly negative. I hope I am not disappointing you, but I have nothing positive to say about the government.
Why is corruption believed to have thrived under Jonathan’s administration, despite the checks and balances that the constitution provides?
Checks and balances only work if they are being applied to control political will. It requires a measure of sincerity for him to use the checks and balances in order to tackle corruption. Clearly, the institutions are there. Clearly, most of the checks and balances are there. But as we see, the tragedy of Jonathan and his administration is that they have nothing but contempt for Nigerians and the institutions that make up Nigeria. So, he feels he can play with everybody’s intelligence. If you are caught involved in some malpractice and you happen to be one of his favoured people, he would say, ‘No, you are not corrupt; maybe you did a little bit of stealing.’
As you mentioned, there have been several allegations of marginalisation under Jonathan, especially by the South-West and the North. What is responsible for this?
There have been deliberate efforts to marginalise certain sections of the country. The background that somebody comes from, his culture and certain things that make him tick clearly influence whatever he does: good or bad. For example, I lived in Port Harcourt for four years as a federal commissioner. I noticed that within the same broad South-South zone, there are some people you can regard as conceited. They believe that apart from their village, settlement or creeks, there are no other people who live elsewhere. I suspect that is the same attitude Jonathan has; that apart from the Ijaws, there are no other human beings and that what is uppermost in his mind is that Ijaws must be gratified or favoured in everything. Where he cannot get Ijaws, he looks for other people from the South-South, or preferably from the Igbo. Therefore, if you come from that background, it is always safe. If you have no consideration for other people other than your own, it shows. I believe that it was a tragic mistake that we had to end up with this kind of character as a president because he is so unilateral in everything he does. I don’t see how that kind of person can successfully govern a country of almost 300 ethnic groups and do justice to all. He hasn’t done that; he has failed woefully and I am not surprised that he has. Don’t forget that he worked directly under me when I was at the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission. Therefore, I know a little bit about him even before he became the acting president.
Are you saying the South-South ganged up with the South-East to marginalise other regions in the country?
If you compare man for man, the South-West has more people that are better educated with university degrees than the entire South-South. But when you look at the protocol list of the top 20 officials in the country, from the President downwards, there is only one Yoruba man. I am not trying to incite any unnecessary fears, but if all the appointees were chosen based on merit and there was no qualified Yoruba person who could be in that group of 20, I am prepared to concede. But the fact of the matter is that for every one out of those 20, there are thousands of Yorubas who are qualified but were not appointed. If you don’t call that marginalisation, then I don’t know what it is. You can make an excuse that maybe northerners like me are not educated. That was what Edwin Clark said until he had to admit at the National Conference that he was mistaken and he had become aware that the governors were also educated.
The reality is that there was a deliberate machinery set in motion to alienate certain sections of the country; the entire North and the South-West were particularly singled out for marginalisation and, to a large extent, that succeeded. Look at the economy, for instance; it is headed by a woman who started her career as a geographer that was bundled up and shipped to Nigeria to be made Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is an Igbo man. Within the CBN, there is an agency called the Assets Management Company of Nigeria. For the most part, it has been headed by Igbo men. The Nigeria Economic Summit Group is also headed by an Igbo man. The Securities and Exchange Commission, until two months ago, was headed by an Igbo woman. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has been headed by an Igbo man.
If you look carefully, you will notice that the movers and shakers of the national economy are Igbos, and not because they are the best or the brightest, but simply because they could not find Ijaw people. Now that this so-called Coordinating Minister of the Economy has driven the economy into a ditch, we are being confronted with economic disaster for which every Nigerian, whether Igbo or non-Igbo will pay a price. We now have the highest level of unemployment in the history of this country, in addition to corruption.
Economic experts have repeatedly called for a diversification of the country’s economy. Do you think Jonathan’s government has done enough in the agricultural sector to reduce the country’s reliance on crude oil?
In all fairness, it takes a while to diversify the economy. Any talk of diversification of the national economy will have to focus on royalties or tangibles, as they say. How many people are employed in the oil sector today, compared to the number of people who are employed in the agricultural sector? Yes, oil contributes substantially to our earnings in foreign exchange. But in terms of gross domestic product, agriculture is still ahead of oil and it is the mainstay of the economy. I don’t know the latest, but when I was involved in the industry up to five years ago, I knew that the total number of people employed in the oil sector was not more than two to three million. And till now, over 60 per cent of employment in the makings of the national economy is based on agriculture. Whether we like it or not, it is agriculture that will have to be diversified for our economy to be called a diversified and balanced economy.
Secondly, it takes time to diversify any economy and when you look at oil on one hand and agriculture on the other, the two are miles apart. There is no connection between oil and agriculture. If anything, wherever you have oil exploration activity, it has the effect of destroying our soil and you cannot engage in agriculture without an enabling environment, in terms of land and water. For anyone to talk about diversification of a nation’s economy, he has to have a long-term view. It is not something a politician can do easily because if he gives himself a timeline, it would be a serious mistake. The process of diversification has many linkages and unless those linkages are understood, explored and are sincerely connected, there can be no diversification. This government has made a lot of noise about diversification of economy, but you don’t develop agriculture by making a noise about it.
What should Jonathan have done differently in tackling insecurity?
There is one word for it: merit. Since he came to office, every single key appointment in the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Nigerian security establishments like the State Security Service and the Police has been made on the basis of nepotism and corruption. For example, if you appoint an Inspector-General of Police for the purpose of manipulating elections, that is corruption. If you appoint Brigade Commanders, Battalion Commanders and General Officers Commanding, not on the basis of competence or professionalism, but on the basis of their ability to do their bidding and you then post them to areas where they will make money and perhaps, allow terrorists sponsored by the government to go scot-free, that is also corruption. If we had had the service chiefs we deserved, particularly in the Army, the situation of Boko Haram could have happened but certainly, it would not have risen to the ugly levels that we are witnessing. And I believe that if anybody is going to do anything about the security challenge, he is going to have to go back to the root of the problem.
How will Jonathan be remembered?
I don’t see him being favourably considered by history. But as far as I am concerned, he is already history. He will be remembered as the man who messed up security, the first president to be defeated in a reasonably free and fair election, and one whose government is the worst in terms of corruption.
I don’t give a damn what Obasanjo says about me — Ex-VP Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, in this interview with NIYI ODEBODE, JOHN ALECHENU and ADE ADESOMOJU, speaks on the expectations of Nigerians from the incoming administration of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), his perception of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, among other issues
The President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has acknowledged the fact that expectations of Nigerians from him are very high. How do you think he can meet these within the next four years?
Whenever there is a change in government in a democracy, whether in Nigeria or anywhere else, normally the expectation tends to rise. It is not unexpected in Nigeria, particularly when this is the first time in our democratic process that we are witnessing a smooth change in government from the ruling party to an opposition. Therefore, expectations are much higher within the normal circumstance of change.
After several shots at the presidency, will you still present yourself if the opportunity avails itself to you again?
It is quite too early for such a question. We are in a transition process. We have not even formed the next government. You are asking me whether I will like to run again or not. I think it is just too early. My concern is to make sure that the transition process is smooth and complete and a new government is formed because it is the party that I belong to that is coming in. My dream for Nigeria is always that we can, from time to time, change government so that there can be competition among parties and that competition will bring about, perhaps more development and progress in the country. I think that is my most important concern now rather than thinking of whether I’m going to run again or not.
Why is it taking your party so long to decide on zoning?
I think that is one fundamental thing Nigerians tend to forget. There is no zoning in the constitution of the All Progressives Congress. In the true sense of it, there is no zoning. But we also know that this country is between North and South, Muslims and Christians. It is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country; hence there is the need for balance of government appointments. We are not unaware of that. In the strictest sense of it, there is no zoning in the APC’s constitution. It is in the Peoples Democratic Party’s constitution and it has a long history. Those of us who were in the Constitutional Conference of 1994, 1995 actually initiated it.
What are the pitfalls the APC must avoid to steer clear of the fate that befell the PDP?
There are quite a few and fundamental ones that I will urge the APC government to avoid. Firstly, the political party should be allowed to freely operate on its own so that the issues of governors and the president being the leaders of the party and also the leader of government can be separated. It is only when one does that that internal democracy is allowed to thrive within the political party. Internal democracy is the building block, but when one mixes the two (leadership of political party and that of government), then one will find oneself where the PDP has found itself in the last 16 years.
Secondly, the governors and the president must be focused on key fundamental issues of governance. If they want to make an impact, for instance, in the first 100 days, three months, six months, as the case may be, they have to pick up certain key areas and also let Nigerians know that in the first 100 days, this is what you should expect from us. For instance, in my policy document, when I was running for the presidency, I said in the first 100 days, this is what you should expect from me. I think it will be necessary for the government to tell Nigerians that this is what you should expect from us in the first 100 days and so on.
What is your take on the prediction that the APC would be torn apart by the struggle for positions in the incoming government?
I don’t believe so. I think we have come across a number of challenges since the formation of the APC. I believe that government is not essentially an employer of labour. It should create the necessary environment for the private sector to create jobs. I think there is too much emphasis on government employment or government patronage in this country. This is because various levels of governance, whether local government or state, don’t function well. In other words, it is the failure of our institutions. If one goes to certain countries, one doesn’t find the president even having one visitor. For instance, I have visited my brother and friend, Jacob Zuma, several times. You don’t find even one single individual sitting with him and he goes out like a normal person because the institutions are working. The local councils are working. The provincial governments are working, everything is okay. Thus, whatever one is looking for at any level of one’s life is being provided for by the institution that is established to do it. Therefore, one doesn’t need the big man at the top. But unfortunately in this country, all our institutions are not working. They have been undermined. The constitution is very clear on that. But because the implementers of the constitution have not implemented the constitution as they should, the institutions are failing or have failed. Therefore, everybody looks up to the president to solve all the problems. No, that should not be. That is why we have local and state governments. Hence, I think we have to strengthen our institutions and make sure that they deliver services to their respective people.
The President-elect, like many other Nigerians, believes that corruption has reached an intolerable level in this country. Do you share the view that he (the President-elect) cannot achieve much in tackling the menace as he has promised because he is surrounded by many politicians that are also accused of being corrupt?
I think it takes political will to fight corruption. I have sat down with the President-elect and I believe he has the political will to do that. He told me clearly that anybody who is corrupt should not expect any appointment from his government and I agree with him. I also told him that if he really wants to cleanse this society, he should not make the mistake of trying to appoint anybody who is alleged or perceived to be corrupt and he can do that by making sure he gets the necessary information from the relevant government agencies. So, I believe he has the political will.
Apart from the area of appointment, what other specific areas must he explore to ensure that corruption is curbed?
Corruption has become so endemic in this country that any level of the society one goes to, it is present. Even in my house, my wife is always fighting with the drivers; fighting with the mechanic; fighting with the cooks. When she gives them money to do this or that, they do fake receipts and all that. Therefore, corruption is so endemic in the society, even in households. But then, if the political leadership provides the direction, the leadership and the will to fight corruption, one will find out that gradually we will be eliminating corruption and we will bring it to a minimal level. There is no society where there is no corruption, even in the advanced democracies there is corruption, but at a very minimal level. It is not threatening their progress as a country.
Still on corruption, you once said that you were one of the most investigated Nigerians. If the President-elect says, again, he is going to investigate the cases against you, will you be afraid or worried?
I’m not worried. You can investigate me. But you know most of my cases have ended up in the court up to the Supreme Court and the apex court has ruled on them. Thus, for you to reopen a case that has been closed by the Supreme Court … but I am ready to be investigated.
Before the general elections, President Goodluck Jonathan visited you. The picture that was being painted out there by his loyalists was that you gave a tacit approval for his second term bid. Can you use this opportunity to tell Nigerians what really transpired between the two of you at that meeting?
I have told Nigerians what transpired between the two of us. He wanted me to come back to the PDP and I said I was not coming back.
There is this story that the PDP is being repositioned and that the party is reaching out to you and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State. If the party leaders reach out to you, will you return to the PDP?
Nobody has reached out to me yet. And for the question of if I would go back or not; how many people will the President go to their houses to say, ‘This is the favour I want’ and they will look at him in the face and say, ‘No, we are not going back?’ How many in this country will do that?
Your former boss, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, said so many not-too-complimentary things about you in his latest book, ‘My Watch’. Have you both met since then?
You know, really, I don’t give a damn (about) what Obasanjo says about me.
You talked about South Africa working. Do you think that the concentration of power in the hands of the Federal Government is undermining the development of the country?
There seemed to be better service delivery by the government during the period we ran the regional government system. I had said that in my paper to the last Constitution Conference. I wrote a very comprehensive paper on that. I believe that the powers of the Federal Government are too many and there should be power devolution to the state and local governments.
Still talking about former President Obasanjo, do you think he scuttled the best chance you ever had to lead this country as president?
I don’t think so. How? When?
Your second term with him as Vice-President between 2003 and 2007 was stormy and he did everything to stop you from succeeding him as a result of which you left the PDP for the then Action Congress.
As far as I am concerned, Obasanjo may believe that he scuttled my presidential ambition, but I believe it is about God. If God says I will be president, I will be president; if He says I will not be president, I will not be president. Let’s forget about Obasanjo.
You chaired the privatisation committee and you did a lot in various sectors, including telecommunication, by laying the foundation. I can’t remember you handling that of power…
I refused to handle that of power.
Why did you refuse?
I refused to because I had a fundamental disagreement with the President (Obasanjo). He believed we should go left; I believed we should go right. He said I should become the chairman of the committee, I accepted. He inaugurated it, but I never sat. I allowed the Minister of Power then, Liyel Imoke, to sit. You can see that I was right because I told him what we needed was short-term, medium-term and long-term solutions to the power sector reform. He wanted to go for the long-term and up till now, we are not yet there. If we had adopted the short- term and medium-term solutions to our power problem, we would have been self-sufficient by 2005; even before we left office; because that strategy was planned for small and medium power stations in various parts of the country. We had even harvested international bids: people, who were prepared to come and invest $500m, $250m to set up small and medium -size power stations. By now, we would have been self-sufficient, but he said, ‘Oh, we must go gas’ and I said, ‘Gas? There is a problem. It’s long term; a lot of investments. There is instability in the region (Niger Delta). You must bring peace, before they would allow you to evacuate the gas. There is the issue of building the gas infrastructure, which takes a longer time and also a lot of investments and that I don’t see us even getting there in the next 10 years.’ But he said, ‘No, this is the way I want. We must go that way.’ I said, ‘Ok, fine, you are the President,’ and I declined to sit on the power committee till we left office. That is why when there was an investigation by the National Assembly; nobody invited me because my name was never there. Contracts were awarded and paid 100 per cent upfront; people disappeared with the money, and even stole, yet no power. I stand by this: We must have short- term, medium-term and long- term power solutions.
Is that why you recently called for the reversal of the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria?
How does one begin to privatise distribution? Distribution of what? There is no power. First of all, one should start with generation. When one starts with generation, then transmission follows. After there is enough power, then one knows that one has the capacity to transmit and then one can now distribute. But they started with distribution, distribution of water or what? I mean, one can’t do that. Now we have privatised distribution, where is the power to distribute? No power! And they borrowed money from the banks to go and set up these companies. They said the Federal Government gave billions to encourage the privatisation; now they are not recouping the money. They have huge loans. There will be interest and there is no power to distribute. They have also increased electricity tariff when there is no power.
Some people have called for the removal of fuel subsidy while oil price in the global market has crashed. Are you in support of this and what must the incoming government do to diversify the economy because almost all the states have problems?
First and foremost, I was in charge of deregulation and we had started. If we had continued our programme, we would have finished deregulation before our government left office. But unfortunately we did not. Thus, as far as I am concerned, I’m in for full and total deregulation in the downstream oil sector. Let the market determine (the economic needs).
Believe me, we are complaining now because there is subsidy. By the time one deregulates and opens the market, everybody is free to bring in these finished products and sell, there will be competition and the prices are even likely to come down. I am for deregulation. There is no doubt about it because at the end of the day, I think that is the best for the country.
On the issue of the prices of petroleum, I don’t think $50 is too low because when we came in, how much was it? $20? Yet we were able to implement our programmes. Therefore, it is all an issue of planning. Of course, governments, both military and democratic, over the years have always been talking of diversifying the economy, but no government has really focused on the issue of diversifying the economy so that the reliance on oil can be reduced substantially. When we go back to the Gross Domestic Product, we know oil is just about 15 to 20 per cent; the rest is either services or this and that. But then, I believe the diversification of the economy would have been much better for us if we had done it a long time ago.
Do you have any pact with the APC leadership or the President-elect for you to nominate people into positions in the incoming government and what roles will you play in the next administration?
There is no pact. Essentially, I am a party man. Therefore, I will do wholeheartedly whatever the party decides I should do or that I should help in doing.
At the APC primaries you were expected to win, but you were in a distant third position.
No! With 20 votes.
But did you suspect any conspiracy?
As far as I am concerned, the APC primaries have become history. We have gone beyond that. I have endorsed the outcome of the primaries. I said the process was successful. That is it.
Talking about forming the next government, do you support reducing the cost of governance by cutting down the size of government in the country?
Yes, I believe that particularly, the Federal Government should cut down on cost. If we devolve more powers to the state and local governments, obviously we don’t need a very unwieldy government structure as we have. There is too much at the federal level – too much to do.
How many ministers should the President-elect appoint? The constitution says a minister must come from each state of the federation?
One cannot avoid constitutional provisions. One has to be law-abiding so he (the President-elect) has to go by the constitution as far as the issue of ministerial positions is concerned.
Punch
US behind Buruji Kashamu's house arrest—FG
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), said on Saturday that the house arrest which the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency placed on the Ogun-East Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, was informed by a recent extradition request by the United States of America.
Adoke told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Saturday that the request came last week.
On May 6, the minister had disclosed to one of our correspondents that there was no extradition request for Buruji by the US.
Adoke said this while responding to a suit filed by Kashamu to restrain the NDLEA and 13 others from extraditing him to the US.
“The request came shortly after I spoke with you. It came last week,” he said.
He said immediately his office received the request it was passed to the appropriate organ of government for implementation.
The implementation process involves filing an extradition request before the appropriate division of the Federal High Court.
Responding to further inquiry, he confirmed that he was referring to the NDLEA as the appropriate organ of government to take up the extradition request.
“Of course, it is a drug-related offence and the appropriate government agency that handles such cases is the NDLEA,” Adoke said.
The NDLEA confirmed the confinement of the movement of Kashamu to his Lagos residence on Oladipo Street, Lekki Phase 1 pending his appearance in court on Monday (tomorrow).
The spokesperson for the NDLEA, Michael Ofoyeju, said the action was to perfect his extradition to the US for drug-related charges.
In a statement sent via email to one of our correspondents by the spokesperson for the agency, Michael Ofoyeju, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, was quoted as saying the operation was in line with the legal process of extradition.
The statement further quoted Giade thus, “The agency has commenced extradition procedures against Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu in line with the laws of country. He has been in contact with his attorneys and will appear in court on Monday.”
He also confirmed that the residence of Kashamu was raided by the operatives of the agency at about 5am on Saturday.
No fewer than 10 operatives of the agency were said to have invaded the Lagos residence of Kashamu, around 5am on Saturday to effect his arrest following a purported extradition request from the United States on drug- related charges.
They were said to be heavily armed and were ruthless.
As soon as they stormed his residence, SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that some of the NDLEA operatives brought out a yellow tape and cordoned off the area, while others went straight to the gate.
After they (operatives) reportedly knocked on Kashamu’s gate, his security men were alerted about their mission.
Kashamu’s security men at this point demanded the arrest warrant from the NDLEA men but they could not produce any.
Based on this, they were prevented from entering the residence.
However, this action was said to have infuriated the NDLEA officials who stormed the compound after destroying the gate.
The media aide to Kashamu, Austin Oniyokor, in a statement made available to our correspondent on Saturday, explained that the NDLEA operatives after they had forcibly entered the compound, headed for the living rooms and began to destroy all the doors one after other, in a desperate move to arrest Kashamu.
An NDLEA source said they (operatives) closed in on the bedroom of the PDP chief who was said to have threatened to commit suicide if the agency tried to extradite him to the US forcibly.
Oniyokor described the latest onslaught on his principal as a confirmation of the alleged plot to illegally abduct him despite the pending suit against his abduction.
Oniyokor, however, accused a Peoples Democratic Party leader, Chief Bode George, as being behind the onslaught against his boss, “in a bid to score cheap political points.”
He said he is doing this through his wife who is the Director-General of the agency.
“We urge all well meaning Nigerians to prevail on NDLEA, Chief George and his wife to toe the path of the rule of law and follow due process.
“Nigeria is not a Banana republic. The United States being the bastion of democracy, the rule of law and due process, should not lend itself to this kind of illegality.”
However, George, who spoke to one of our correspondents from the United Kingdom On Saturday, described the allegation as a ‘huge joke.’
The PDP leader said he did not have the power to give his wife orders because she was not the chairman of the NDLEA and the agency adheres to due process.
He said no right thinking Nigerian would believe that he was behind Kashamu’s ordeal because his name had never been mentioned before now. He added that he had never been involved in Ogun State politics before and wondered how Kashamu’s detention could benefit him (George).
He said, “I don’t understand what this is all about. How does Kashamu’s arrest affect the price of milk? My wife is not the chairman of the NDLEA, so how can I give her orders when she has a boss? Also, that agency always follows due process.
“I am happy that the NDLEA has issued a statement to the effect that Kashamu’s arrest has nothing to do with me or politics. I do not dabble into Ogun State politics.
“Kashamu is like a younger brother to me and he is not known to speak in such a manner. I am sure it is his media adviser that concocted this falsehood.”
Polls open in Ethiopia
Polls have opened in Ethiopia for the first general election since the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, whose successor Hailemariam Desalegn is certain to stay in office.
Nearly 37 million Ethiopians have registered to vote and they are casting their ballots at tens of thousands of polling stations across the country.
Western observers were not invited and the opposition alleges the government has used authoritarian tactics to ensure a poll victory.
Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Adow, reporting from the capital, Addis Ababa, said voting was going smoothly on Sunday morning.
“The opposition is fractured. They have been complaining of harassment and intimidation of their supporters particularly in the rural areas.” Adow added.
Oshiomhole, bride in sync
Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his bride, Iara, are no doubt one of the latest couples in town following their superlative wedding. Their love story has intrigued many Nigerians, leading to several speculations and rumours. Undeterred, Oshiomhole has been showering praises on his wife, who is obviously smitten with him. The governor who is not known to be fashion-forward is now seen looking more dapper. These days, Oshiomhole and Iara step out in matching outfits to public functions. The couple ensure that they are seen in fine apparels with similar colours.
Kosi Arugbo ni Gamani: 65 year old pregnant woman has given birth to quadruplets
Remember the 65 year old German woman who was pregnant with quadruplets? Well, she has given birth to the quadruplets, two and a half months prematurely through caesarean and all 4 babies have a ‘good chance of surviving’.
German woman Annegret Raunigk who already had 13 children has become the oldest woman alive to give birth to quadruplets. She had 13 children aged 9 to 44 by five different fathers and 7 grandchildren.
She gave birth to 3 boys named, Dries, Bence and Fjonn, and 1 girl named Neeta, born by caesarian on Tuesday after 26 weeks and they weigh between one pound and seven ounces and two pounds and two ounces.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
APC Chairman John Oyegun says Buhari needs ₦4.1tn for salaries, others
National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, said the incoming All Progressives Congress administration will require about N4.1trillion to offset part of the debt left behind by the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
He said this during a retreat for Senators elected on the party’s platform, in Abuja, on Saturday.
He said: “While I congratulate all of you on your elections, I must quickly add that I don’t envy you. This is because you are being called to service at one of the most challenging periods in the history of our nation.
“Make no mistake about it, the days ahead will be tough, and this is not crying wolf. From the first day of this government, a total of N4.1 trillion will be required for sundry expenses, including oil subsidy payment, arrears of salaries at federal and state levels and debt servicing, just to mention a few.
“Put this against the background of the falling oil prices, the unprecedented $60bn debt which the outgoing government has left for the incoming one, the largely depleted Excess Crude Account, the $60 bn that have been lost in the last four years to crude oil theft (and which are perhaps still being lost as we speak), the need to rapidly create jobs for our teeming army of unemployed youths, enhance the security of the citizenry and improve the economy, and you will begin to understand the enormity of the challenges ahead.”
Punch.
Theophilus Danjuma asks President-elect Buhari to probe Pres Jonathan for the sake of national interest
General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), yesterday advised President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, to investigate President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration over the $60 billion debt the new administration will inherit.
Former Defense Minister Danjuma made the call in Takum, Taraba State days after the Vice President-elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo raised concerns about the huge debt President Jonathan was leaving behind for to Buhari’s government to inherit.
Commenting on Saturday, Danjuma lamented that the outgoing administration had nothing to show for incurring the debt it has and emphasized that a probe was needed to find out how President Jonathan’s Govt accrued this debt.
He said: “It is disheartening to know that the incoming government of Buhari will have to contend with a debt of over $60billion and there is nothing to show for this huge debt. Well, we would know what happened to these monies, because I believe that the Buhari administration has to, and should, in national interest, investigate the administration so that we would know what happened.”
“all the political parties are the same [and] very bad.” adding that “I rather steer clear of it. I support anyone who comes to me for money based on what I make of their person irrespective of political affiliations,” he said.
Daily Trust.
CrossTalk: Poroshenko’s Dilemma (MUST SEE!)
The recent high-level meetings between Russian and American officials in Sochi created a media and diplomatic buzz. It appears Washington actually does want to talk to Moscow – and may even be willing to work together on a number of international issues again. Does that include Ukraine as well?
Photos: Lagos Chief Judge's daughter ties the knot in Lagos
Femi, the daughter of Honorable Justice Funmilayo Atilade, the Chief Judge of Lagos state wedded her man, Tosin at a Royal Ascot-themed wedding in Lagos today May 23rd. Well done to them.
More photographs bellow.
Can you spot the Difference ? (Christina Milian's version)
Can you spot the difference between the 1st and he nd pic above ?
‘My wife &I fight a lot, we argue every time but she is my friend & I love her "- Reminisce
Call him the rapper pf the moment and you’ll completely be right on the spot. Reminisce is presently breaking limits with his 3rd studio collection, Baba Hufasa. The rapper as of late talked with Punch where he opened up a great deal about his relationship and family life.
‘Not many people know that I have been married for over 13 years because I do not announce it. I choose to let people know whatever I feel they should know at whatever time I feel it is appropriate. It was her birthday, I am 34 years old and she also clocked 34 so I wished her a happy birthday on Instagram. Our relationship worked because we know what we want out of it. As an individual, I know what I want and I know the kind of people I move with.
I knew those that are close to me now before I became famous. The same thing applies to my relationship, I stick with the person I love and that I am comfortable with,’ he said. Talking more about his spouse, the rapper said,
‘My wife and I fight a lot, we argue every time but she is my friend and I love her a lot. She acts like a man and she is my best friend. We don’t see ourselves as husband and wife. I believe she is the only person I can live with and she is the only one that can look out for me.
I value her opinion because she had been with me before I became popular and she really knows me. She is a nice person and everybody is always comfortable around her. She understands my job and knows that I have to do certain things in order to make money.’…
Mikel Obi Has Been Ignoring All My Calls & Text Messages - Stephen Keshi
Speaking recently with NationSport, the national team handler said he heard about the Chelsea player’s injury and had put a call across to him to know his state of health. He was however shocked that his calls were not picked and returned and he didn’t reply his text messages either.
“When I heard that Mikel was injured I tried severally to get him on phone to ask after his health but surprisingly he did not pick the calls. I sent text messages too but up till now that I speak with you he hasn’t called back or sent me text.
“This is unlike him anyway and it doesn’t mean that I won’t try to call him again. Since he is a member of the team, my duty is to call every member of the team to know their well-being and condition. I also believe that he will call me since we have the national business to do together.”
He added that the case is not with Stoke City player, Osaze Odemwingie who had a surgery September last year and just resumed to his club.
“I have been in constant touch with Osaze since he had his surgery and I am happy he is back on the pitch playing again. I spoke with him again three days ago. I have been calling all the members of this team and I can assure you that they are all ready for the task ahead.” He affirmed.
Controversial Singer, Skin Expert & Entrepreneur, Dencia Returns To Nigeria After Two Years
Controversial artist and business person, Dencia is at currently in Lagos, Nigeria.
The beau of anything pink got into the nation two days back, May 21, 2015 following a 2-year absence in the country. She was spotted on her landing in murtala Muhammed international airplane terminal and as regular she shook all pink outfit and looking marvelous. As indicated by reports, she’s in town to debut her most recent single, ‘African Energy’ furthermore formally launch her “Whitenicious” cream in the country. She additionally met with ‘Pumpsberry’, the 22 year old young lady who on-screen character Tonto Dikeh claimed sold fake designer hand back to her a month ago when they spilled each another’s secrets on social networking. It’s great to rememeber you route and do something awesome. Welcome back home Dencia.
Look at more photographs beneath.
What is wrong with this Photo ? (Drink Garri By Fire Version)
Lamentably, some African moms still force feed their kids thusly. This practice – I think – needs to be eliminated.
Former beauty queen, Sylvia Nduka's Publicity Stunt Only Grabbed Dangote's Attention
Former beauty queen, Sylvia Nduka is dating Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote is the news that went viral on the internet this week. news editors and bloggers who are smart enough, pressed the right behindon to their news sources.
It turned out to be one of those celebrity stories that turned out to be a publicity stunts meant to grab the attention of the billionaire.
Those who how this works disclosed that Sylvia Nduka a former most beautiful girl in Nigeria wanted the attention of Dangote, the man Forbes described as the richest African ever.She tried and this time it paid off by spinning stories that she was allegedly in a romantic relationship with Dangote.
A source in Dangote said that making an official statement denying the story of Dangote,Sylvia Nduka relation is trivial because it is frivolous. We know to what extent some of these girls can go just to get rich and famous people in the society to notice them.
The source confirmed that the news succeeded in grabbing the attention of the Chairman, Dangote Group of Companies but nothing beyond that will follow.
Buruji Kashamu Threatens To kill himself Suicide If NDLEA Men Breaks Into His House
This Is the statement signed by Mr. Kashamu’s spokesman, Austin Oniyokor about the ongoing incident.
Buruji Kashamu
“This latest onslaught is a confirmation of the alleged plot to illegally abduct him in spite of the pending suit against this illegality”.
“The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) this morning (Saturday,23rd May, 2015) at about 4:30am surrounded the Lekki Phase 1, Lagos residence of Prince Buruji Kashamu to allegedly effect his arrest following a purported extradition request from the US.“This latest onslaught is a confirmation of the alleged plot to illegally abduct him in spite of the pending suit against this illegality. As a matter of fact, the court has ordered parties in the matter including the NDLEA to maintain status quo until judgment is delivered on Wednesday 27th May 2015.
“We have confirmed that they do not have a warrant of arrest, just as the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice has said that it did not give any order to carry out this illegality,”
the statement said.
'Go Ye Well, President'! Read Ovation CEO, Dele Momodu's Farewell Epistle To President Jonathan
Ovation CEO published his farewell epistle to President Jonathan today on ThisDay:
Our dear President, please permit me to write my last epistle to you as our leader and Commander-in-Chief. By this time next week, I expect you to have flown back to Yenagoa via Port Harcourt.
How I wish I could have the opportunity of being on that last trip, not to mock you but to capture your swinging moods in those few moments of realising that the end has come eventually. I would love to know how many of your big friends would take the pain to follow you or if most would abandon you to your fate and move on pronto to the new brides.
Even as a writer with what I believe is vivid imagination, I’m not able to paint a picture of the sort of life or future that awaits you in Otuoke, Yenagoa, Abuja, Chad, Germany,
Dubai or wherever you decide to hibernate in the short or long run.
Let us give thanks to God no matter the situation. You have been the luckiest man I know in Nigeria or anywhere else for that matter. You have been in high office for the past 16 years and I doubt if any other soul has had such uncommon favour. Therefore, it shouldn’t be any big deal to you, Sir. Though as a human being, one would still expect that you would feel the pain of rejection and dejection as they usually walk hand-in-hand like romantics do. It is sad that it had to end like this despite many warnings and prophesies foretold by me and a few others.
I’m not sure you saw or read any or all of the open letters published on this very page in the last five years or so. It was not that I was a busybody but I was genuinely concerned about the many afflictions that have kept our nation backward for so long. And my hope was that you would be able to fulfil a sizable proportion of your electoral promises of 2011. But that was not to be. Rather, your government waltzed from one crisis to another while you allowed yourself to be scammed by the scavengers of power who litter our political landscape.
All the appeals I made in good faith were rebuffed and pummelled by some of your aides, friends and supporters but I did not mind them because I knew a day like this would come when I would sadly have the chance to say I told you so, even though it was my fervent wish that it would not happen that way. I am never one to gloat over somebody’s misfortune and I will not do so now although I have been proved right.
However, the time has finally come to rewind and remind you of those efforts a few of us made to avert the sort of repercussions that we are now witnessing. How I wished you had listened at the time. Those who called us unprintable names and lied through their teeth that you’ve truly transformed Nigeria more than any other Nigeria have since abandoned ship. For me and my house, it is a grand opportunity for us to see man in his true colour and in animal skin. I have decided to revisit those letters hoping the incoming government would learn useful lessons from your example and avoid similar pitfalls.
It is perfectly normal for governments to get drowned in the cacophony of adulations from soldiers of fortune that have no scruples, and feel no remorse, about running their country aground. But to everything there is always a season and a reason. We cannot rule out the hands of destiny in the affairs of homo sapiens. That probably explains the obduracy of your government to take on board all reasonable advice.
I will now quote as copiously as time and space permits from some of the letters I wrote to you with religious fervour. The first passage comes from My Kobo Advice For Mr President (ThisDay 08 December 2012): “Sir, let me say emphatically that the biggest problem with Nigerian leaders is that once they attain power, they vacate this earth and migrate to another planet far away from fellow citizens. Leaders are elected to serve the people but in Nigeria we are compelled to serve our leaders… This is why it is difficult for most of you to know what goes on in the real world…
“I have decided to adopt a new approach in my column. I will take it upon myself to write this open letter as regularly as necessary and proffer solutions to different issues, in the hope that you will get to read it. I will tell you what your aides will never tell you. It is up to you to carefully read what I write and take your own decision. Let it be said that we told you but did nothing about it… I’m convinced that if you know the magnitude of problems confronting Nigerians you will work harder and change your style of governance unless you’re determined to fail spectacularly like others before you. I pray this will not be your portion…”
Sir, on March 1, 2014, I wrote My 20 Billion Advice to C-in-C. I doubt if you saw or read that as well but I will recap for the sake of this historical excursion:
“Our dear Commander-in-Chief, I write to you today with a bleeding heart. These past weeks have been extremely bloody in some parts of Nigeria. Every time I think of it, I get the feeling that those parts are not part of us. They belong elsewhere, probably in some remotest corner of the world. Those hapless and helpless citizens cannot be our own the way that we’ve allowed them to be treated. They are total strangers in a foreign land. As such, we’ve not been able to offer them the protection they deserve and the succour they desire. They have been manacled, mangled, massacred so mercilessly and ruthlessly. They’ve been butchered like rams in abattoirs. I’ve seen lurid pictures of fresh corpses and bodies of innocent victims sent to early graves without reason…
“Sir, please don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming you for this unprecedented crisis. It did not begin under your watch, although some may claim, uncharitably perhaps, that it has escalated under it. I cannot reasonably suggest that you’re uncaring and nonchalant about this monumental tragedy. I think the problem is that of miscommunication, as is so often the case with your administration and this has been amplified by your body language. The problem of this magnitude requires a more resolute and concerted response. You cannot treat cancer with Paracetamol…
“In seeking to secure another term in office, you have allowed some people to amass enemies on your behalf. They did not know how to persuade people with reason and dialogue as demanded by democracy… Every critic must be stricken down and criminalised by the attack-dogs. They dissipate energy on irrelevant things while the roof is on fire… This is what has led to the implosion and conflagration in your party, PDP…”
On March 29, 2014, I painted the following scenario about how the election of 2015 would pan out (it was titled The Anatomy of APC and PDP 2):
“The way it stands is that PDP is poised to present President Jonathan without any shade of doubt. The PDP primary is going to be a rubber-stamp and a coronation at once. They are not about to leave certainty for uncertainty. Ideally Jonathan’s re-election would have been an easy walkover but not anymore. He now has many forces to contend with. The first is lack of physical development or visible performance on ground. Four years are more than enough for a serious and determined government to set a new tone and tempo for true transformation or transfiguration. What we are witnessed is too much movement but so little motion.
“Secondly, he has also brought the roof crashing down by not trudging the path of frugality that was laid by his dearly departed boss, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The simplicity of his boss was hurriedly jettisoned for a psychedelic style of governance. ..
“Thirdly, the President’s inability to deal concretely with the grave security threats and everyday carnage may turn out to be his major albatross… The fourth problem the President now has to face is how to neutralise the combined strength of the new opposition called APC. He can no longer gloss over the danger they pose to his second coming. As a scientist, I’m sure the President understands that politics is a game of numbers… Relying on election rigging is becoming obsolete and increasingly difficult. Social media and mobile telephony are breaking down those walls that aided electoral malfeasance in our recent past…”
Please, let’s fast forward a bit. On October 18, 2014, I wrote what many have termed a most defining article I called In Search of Mathematicians:
“Let’s break it down into simple Maths. Jonathan had a good spread scoring 25% or more in 31 States. Buhari managed to score 25% or more in 16 States and yet got a cumulative result of over 12 million votes. A good Mathematician should be able to help us here because I wish to show our President’s handlers that they will pay heavily for complacency if they assume and take it for granted that they can beat Buhari easily like PDP had always done in the past…
“My free advice to the Jonathan campaigner is simple; stop projecting our President as a sectional leader whose only qualification is where he comes from. Stop raining insults on Northerners and avoid maligning innocent Muslims. The religious card you wish to play will never play out in favour of President Jonathan… Our President’s handlers should worry more about how the goodwill of 2011 got frittered away in such a jiffy. Above all, they should urgently search for competent Mathematicians. Believe me, the figures are no longer adding up…”
Sir, from the above, which represents only a few of the strident appeals I made for you to rise above the babble of your so-called adherents and listen to the real people who wished you well, you could see that I tried my best for you. I warned of the danger signals and the portending clouds of doom overhanging your administration and the campaign it was pursuing but I was dismissed as an alarmist. I was labelled with many names and tags by your Party attack dogs, false devotees and even obviously sponsored internet trolls who effectively said I was a rabid supporter of what had been a lost cause before and would be a losing cause in the imminent elections.
Nevertheless, I persevered as did a few others, not because of anything other than that your success in government would be the success of Nigeria and that is what is most important to the generality of the good citizens of this country.
The rest is history. What has happened is the inability of your team to read the mood of the nation and make the necessary sacrifices. All religions speak about the efficacy of hearkening to admonitions. In the Ifa literary corpus of the Yoruba there are examples of those who called the Oracle a liar and suffered dire consequences. My ardent prayer for the incoming government of Buhari and Osinbajo is that they will not depart from listening to the sincere voices of their passionate Nigerian followers. They will not take our people for granted and they will not treat them with impunity or claim they know what is best for them when the people do not feel the same way.
As for you Mr President you have run your race in government. God has been kind to you even at the end by giving you the grace to realise that you should concede defeat and congratulate your opponent. That has turned out to be an astute decision, a masterstroke and possibly the best thing that may ever have happened to you in all these lucky years of being at the helm of affairs of our great nation.
At the end of it all, I will leave you with this Ifa verse:
“Baba alawo a ku
Onisegun a rorun,,,” meaning the Oracle will die, the herbalist too must depart this world and in effect “everything must have an end”.
You came, you saw and it is left to history to determine whether you conquered.
I wish you the best as always.
Police Lied, Ten Freed Ekiti Captives Paid Ransom To Kidnappers- Family Members Of Victims
The ten persons, including an 11-year-old boy kidnapped in Ekiti a month ago were at the early hours of Saturday were released by their captors today after family members had paid some ransom.
This contradicted a statement earlier today by the Police High Command that a special squad set up by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase had stormed the kidnappers den to free the captives.
“The special operation ordered by IGP Solomon Arase, fdc, NPM, has this morning successfully rescued Ten (10) persons from the hands of kidnappers. The victims are being debriefed and receiving medical attention,” said the statement by spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu.
“Some kidnappers have been arrested and the operation is ongoing. It will be recalled that the IGP this week dispatched a crack team of operatives to the State to stem the rising tide of kidnapping. The Police remain responsive and shall continue to apply proactive and prompt response measures to issues of crime nationwide”.
But statements by relations of the victims clearly contradicted the true state of evenst: the victims were dumped by their abductors in a village in the state, after collecting ransom from their families.
Among the kidnapped victims released today were: Dr Folasade Alade, Dr Femi Omisore, Dr Kikelomo Adegun and a nurse, Margaret Aladeneka.
The victims, who were kidnapped at different locations within the state, included two lecturers at the Ekiti State University.
A family member of one of the victims, Mrs Nike Aina, told NAN that the victims were released after their families had paid some undisclosed ransom.
She said that they were dropped at a bush in Esure area of the state.
Also, a brother of one of the victims, Pastor Tokunbo Olofin, said that “my sister called me around 7 a.m. on Saturday, telling me they have been released.
“She used one of the villagers phone to call. We have seen them, we thank God for his faithfulness,’’ Olofin said.
He said the victims have been taken to hospitals for treatment by their families after the Police had arrived at the scene.
Olofin also said that the police advised the freed victims to wait for the arrival of the state governor, Ayodele Fayose, but the relations could not as they hurriedly took them to hospitals for examination.
Prominent Lugansk Militia Leader Mozgovoi Assassinated
Numerous Russian sources are confirming that Alexei Mozgovoi has been murdered today on the road linking Lugansk and Alchevsk. The details are still very sketchy. Apparently his car came under assault-rifle and machine-gun fire. Two, possibly three, of his bodyguards were also killed. The attackers apparently got away. Last March Mozgovoi had already been the target of an assassination attempt.
Vechnaia Pamiat’ (Eternal memory) for a true hero of Russia, a man of honor, decency, courage and compassion!