Eid el-Fitr: Turkish President calls Buhari, congratulates Nigerians

President Recep Erdogan of Turkey today felicitated with Muslims in Nigeria on the occasion of this year’s Eid el-Fitr.

Erdogan conveyed his goodwill message in a telephone conversation he had with President Muhammadu Buhari earlier on Tuesday, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.

Adesina quoted Erdogan, whose country recently suffered terror attack at the Atartuk Airport, as rejoicing with Nigerians on the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan fast despite whatever distractions.

Buhari had, last week, in a letter written to the Turkish President, commiserated with him and the people of Turkey in the wake of the bombings at the Ataturk airport in Turkey.

The President had described the incident as a “horrific attack on their soil by evil forces who have nothing to do with Islam despite their warped beliefs.”

Ramadan: Suicide bombings hit three Saudi Arabian cities in 24 hours

A wave of suicide bombings hit three Saudi Arabian cities over a 24-hour period yesterday. The attacks came on the heels of massive jihadi assaults in the Muslim world last week. The deadliest occurred in Medina, where four people were killed and another person was wounded. The city is a major spot in Islam because that’s where Prophet Mohammed is buried.

The bomber, who died in the explosion, targeted security officers, but it is unknown precisely who was killed as at press time.

In Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabia, a suicide bomber attempted to launch an attack at a Shiite mosque but failed, killing himself in the process, according to an official with knowledge of the event. There were no injuries.

Near the United States Consulate in Jeddah, a suicide bomber killed only himself after detonating an explosive according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Policemen were injured in the attack.
There were no claims of responsibility at press time. Attackers launched strikes last week in Turkey, Bangladesh, Yemen and Iraq,  killing scores of people. They are claimed or thought to be carried out by Islamic States. The strikes came as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ends and Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, their independence day.

Reports said, early yesterday, the Saudi police became suspicious of a man who appeared to be roaming around a parking lot of a major hospital. When officers approached him, the man detonated what appeared to be an explosive belt,. The explosion happened roughly 33 feet (10 meters) from the consulate’s wall. The blast occurred about 3 a.m. local time and that it appeared that at least two police officers were slightly injured in the attack. The report did not specify how many were hurt. None of the bystanders in the parking lot were injured in the attack.

Police found three devices inside the bomber’s car. A bomb disposal unit used a robot to detonate them, said a journalist who was on the scene.

The Saudi Interior Ministry is investigating the case.

Twitter suspends account of Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers

Twitter on Monday suspended the account of Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group that has carried out a series of attacks on oil facilities in Nigeria in the last few months which pushed the country's crude production to 30-year lows.

The Avengers have used a Twitter account as its main form of communication, using it to publicise claims of attacks and as a platform to criticise Nigeria's government.

The group - which says it wants a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to be passed on to communities in the impoverished Niger Delta region – posted messages on Sunday saying it had carried out five attacks in the last few days.

"This account has been suspended," said a statement on the account. "We do not comment on individual accounts for privacy and security reasons," said a spokesman for the social media site when asked about the reasons for the suspension.

However, the spokesman said the company's policies included a "specific rule pertaining to violent threats" which states that "you may not make threats of violence or promote violence, including threatening or promoting terrorism".

In February, Twitter said it had shut down more than 125,000 terrorism-related accounts since the middle of 2015, most of which were linked to the Islamic State group.

Kuje jail break: 14 prison officers suspended

The Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) has suspended 14 officers in connection with the recent Kuje Prison break. This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Mr Francis Enobore, the NPS spokesperson. The affected officers and men are:

DCP Musa Tanko
SIP Buhari Dogo
PIP Stephen Edogbanya
PIP Patrick Teru
IP Usman Peter
IP Dennis Makum.

Others are:

IP Fassan Akin
SPA Daka James
SPA Adamu Luka
SPA Zakari Yunasa
PA Asnamal Samuel
PA Ejegwa Patrick
PA 11 Isah Ibrahim
PA 11 Ngede Salifu.

The statement said the two inmates, Solomon Amodu and Maxwell Ajukwu were standing trial for culpable homicide.

“The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board (CDFIPB) have approved the suspension of four senior officers.

“The suspension is sequel to the outcome of the preliminary investigation into the incident and in consonance with PSR 030406 (2008) Revised Version; the officers were suspended from duty to allow for unhindered trial process.

“The commissioned officers among them are to be served with letters of query, while the junior staff will be given Form 96 (Charge Sheet) to explain their role in the unfortunate saga,’’ it said.

The statement also noted that efforts to recapture the fleeing prisoners in collaboration with sister security agencies were on-going.

“This is in addition to tightening security measures in and around prison formations nationwide to forestall a repeat of such incident.

“The controller general wishes to solicit the cooperation of members of the public to volunteer useful information that will assist in the recapture of the fugitives,’’ it said.

God's Word For Today: The Power of Praise

‘All the prison doors flew open.’ - Acts 16:26

The Bible says: ‘About midnight Paul and Silas were … singing hymns to God … Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken … all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose’ (vv. 25-26 NIV 2011 Edition).

Praise opens doors. Praise breaks chains. Any time you praise God in spite of the circumstances, the forces of heaven come to your aid. You say, ‘But sometimes I don’t feel like praising God.’ The psalmist wrote, ‘I will bless the Lord at all times’ (Psalm 34:1 NKJV).

Sometimes praise is an emotional response to God’s goodness; other times it’s an act of your will. Anybody can praise God in the good times. But when you have to rise above your feelings and your circumstances, that’s when it really counts. The battle of Jericho teaches us that sometimes you have to shout God’s praise when:

1) You are up against a brick wall.

2) It feels like you’re going in circles.

3) Your circumstances seem to mock you.

4) Your rational mind thinks, ‘This plan doesn’t make any sense.’

5) It’s the last thing you feel like doing. But when you praise God anyway, you discover the truth of Nehemiah’s words: ‘The joy of the Lord [the joy that comes from knowing He is present with you and has gone before you to work things out in your favor is your strength’ (Nehemiah 8:10 AMP).

When you’re ruled by circumstances and emotions you live on a rollercoaster. But if you look to the Lord of your circumstances and praise Him, you move from weakness to strength.

Ex minister who allegedly hid N2.5b housemaid’s bank account speaks up

Apparently, Senator Stella Oduah is the ex minister who the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged hid N2.5b in her house maid’s bank account.

Daily Post reports that Oduah denied the reports, saying such bank account does not exist.

The former minister also said the report, which emanated from an online media is baseless, adding that it is aimed at tarnishing her image.

She also said the reports are a calculated attempt to break the ranks of the united members of the eight Senate.

Sahara Reporters reported sometime in April 2016, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) uncovered N3.6b which was allegedly stolen by former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

Kylie Jenner's face transformation over the years

😯

Hungarian woman hawks in Lagos traffic

Hungarian lady Emese Doktor says she made N2,000/ N3000 in 20 minutes from selling pure water

She hawked to feel the pains of Nigeria and to raise awareness

Check out some photos:

She's happily married to a Nigerian. They have a child together.

11 Indians released from Nigerian prison

11 Indians who had been languishing in a Nigerian prison for two years have been released, confirmed External Affairs Sushma Swaraj.

Employees of a Merchant Navy firm, the crew's ship got stranded in Nigeria and the entire crew was arrested for violating laws of international waters in 2014.

In a tweet, Swaraj also appreciated the efforts of High Commissioner in Nigeria B N Reddy for expediting their repatriation.

Meanwhile, Swaraj has said that the Government is making all efforts to secure the release of two Indians abducted from Gboko, a town in the Benue state of north-central Nigeria.

One of the captive is Anish Sharma from Karnataka and another is Mangipudi Sai Srinivas from Andhara Pradesh.

Both were travelling to Dangote Cement Plant in a car from their residential quarters last Wednesday, when a group of armed men kidnapped them at a traffic signal.

Swaraj said that she spoke to Anish Sharma's wife and assured her that the Government is doing its best to secure their release from abductors.

In a tweet she said she has deputed a senior officer to update the family regularly.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on Friday described the abduction as "nothing surprising or new in that area", saying such incidents keep happening there.

Would you get a Brexit tattoo?

What do a tattoo and the EU referendum have in common? They're both permanent. That's what message this pop-up tattoo parlor in London has for British voters.

"Brexit Tattoos" were offering a variety of free satirical referendum-themed tattoos to highlight the importance of the vote.

"We want to tell them that this is such an important decision to not take lightly," said Rosie Warin from We Are Europe -- a campaign aimed at encouraging young people to vote in favor of Britain remaining in the European Union.

"Much like a bad tattoo, if you make the wrong decision, you're going to wake up on Friday morning and really regret it for the rest of your life," she told CNN.

Designs included depictions of UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage and former London mayor Boris Johnson, as well as several ironic messages such as "bye-bye Britain" and "seas of doubt."

"Two people have got these tattoos and it's been quite amazing to see and hear their stories," Warin said.

"Even though they're doing it in irony, they're also getting this to recognize the significance of the vote."

Photos: Hilarious images of Dads stacking Cheerios on babies

LOL! This is what happens when you leave babies with their dads!. Dads always come up with something hilarious to do to their babies all in the name of fun. Check out more photos below

And this is the most hilarious!.

Pancakes??? Hahaha!

Albino killers may face death sentence in Malawi

Malawi President, Peter Mutharika, says he will introduce a new law to deal with “evil-minded” people involved in the killings of persons with albinism in the country.

Muntharika announced this at a development rally held in the former Malawi capital, Zomba.

The president’s announcement follows a series of abductions and killings of people with albinism in the country for ritual practices.

The Malawi leader denounced the trend and described as “total nonsense” the notion of hoping to get rich by killing persons with albinism for their body parts.

Malawi’s laws stipulate death sentence as a maximum penalty to those convicted of murder but no president has ever endorsed one before.

In the wake of the albino killings in Malawi, some sectors of the society have been pushing the authorities to put the death penalty into effect.

With President Mutharika’s announcement of the introduction of a new stiffer law on the matter, it remains to be seen what the Malawi leader has in store for the perpetrators of the infamous killings of people with albinism.

Meanwhile, close to 20 cases of cold-blood killings of people with albinism have been reported since 2015.

Arrested Boko Haram Suspect is Brother of a Presidential Body Guard

Indications have emerged that one of the suspected Boko Haram members arrested in Kogi State around April this year is related to one of the presidential body guards.

Meanwhile a presidency source has confirmed that the allegations have sparked further background checks and minor reshuffle of security around the State House.

The source informed THISDAY at the weekend that contrary to some reports, none of the presidential body guards who are mostly from the Nigerian Army, including the one whose brother was apprehended, is a member of any terrorist organisation.

“Yes, a suspected Boko Haram member was arrested in Kogi State but he is not one of the BGs (Body Guards) in the villa,” the intelligence source said.

You would recall that it was reported that a member of President Muhammadu Buhari’s security guard linked to the terror group Boko Haram was arrested.

Interrogations and investigations are still ongoing.

Culled from Thisday

Happy 4th of July!!!

On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States.

Each year on July 4th, also known as Independence Day, Americans celebrate this historic event.

Happy Independence Day!, America!

God's Word For Today: Love Your Neighbour

Love your neighbour as yourself.’ - Matthew 22:39

In The Fine Art of Friendship Ted Engstrom outlines ten ways to love others:

1) Love is unconditional. If it’s not…it’s manipulation.

2) Our natural tendency is toward self-centeredness (which isn’t related to a healthy self-esteem); that’s why it takes a conscious effort to love.

3) Each of us is a one-of-a-kind creation. Therefore it takes time - often a long time - to understand one another.

4) Do you really listen and try to understand what people are saying? Or do you listen in order to give an answer; in other words, by letting the other person talk while you mentally formulate your response? One who loves, listens with understanding.

5) Simply being there to care, whether or not you know exactly what to do. Loving your neighbour involves fulfilling, in a visible way, Christ’s promise, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV).

6) Just because God put you in a leadership position doesn’t mean He made you ‘better’ than others. Paul warns the leader ‘not to think of himself more highly than he ought to’ (Romans 12:3 NKJV).

7) Be generous with your praise and encouragement. Inspiring words build up the self-esteem of others, whereas critical comments kill enthusiasm and love.

8) Make your friends number one: ‘In honour preferring one another’ (Romans 12:10 KJV). This is another point where we see a clear difference between the leader who loves, and a power-holder who ‘looks out for number one’.

9) Learn to love God with all your heart. Then love your neighbour as yourself.

10) Emphasise other people’s strengths and virtues, not their sins and weaknesses. Why? Because you’ll be needing grace and love yourself before the day’s done!

The world's safest airlines for 2016

This year the aviation analysts have named 20 leading carriers as the world's best at ensuring passenger protection.

And, for the third year in succession, it says Qantas leads the 407 airlines it monitors when it comes to aviation safety.

AirlineRatings.com, which launched its annual listing in 2013, says the Australian carrier has an "extraordinary record" with no recorded fatalities since the advent of jet travel.

Completing the top 20 in alphabetical order are: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Air New Zealand; Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airline System, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia.

The organization also named its top 10 low-cost airlines for 2016.

These are, in alphabetical order: Aer Lingus, Flybe, HK Express, Jetblue, Jetstar Australia, Thomas Cook, TUI Fly, Virgin America, Volaris and Westjet.

No Nigerian airline made it to any of the lists 😀

UBA security guard returns $10,000 to bank

Mohammed Ibrahim Ogbanago, a security guard who works at Nigeria’s top financial company, United Bank for Africa (UBA), has received recognition for returning a sum of $10,000 to the bank.

Ogbanago, who works at the bank’s branch located at Oba Akran, Ikeja, Lagos, reportedly found the money in the premises of the company.

Surprisingly, he decided to return it to the bank management. This has earned him the attention of UBA boss,Tony Elumelu, who took to his Instagram to say nice things about him.

The UBA boss, Tony Elumelu, expressed his admiration for the security guard, whose behaviour offers encouragement that there are still some who value honesty.

FG stays silent as LPG, kerosene, diesel prices soar

The economic hardship faced by Nigerians heightened over the last couple of weeks, as the prices of some petroleum products, such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas; kerosene and Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) also known as diesel, recorded significant increases, forcing Nigerians to spend a huge chunk of their earnings on the essential commodities, Vanguard reports.

In spite of several complaints and cries, the Federal Government and its agencies in charge of the sector such as the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), have refused to provide any explanation for the rise in the prices of the commodity, especially in the face of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s new foreign exchange policy which had helped narrow down the official and the parallel markets exchange rates.

Only kerosene and sometimes, diesel, are imported into the country, while LPG is produced locally and to a large extent, not traded in foreign currency. The price of diesel rose from about N130 per litre, a price it had been selling for about three years, to over N200 this week, while the price of cooking gas and kerosene, two important commodities used by almost every home in Nigeria, rose from about N2,500 for a 12.5 kilogramme cylinder and N83 per litre to N4,000 and N230 per litre respectively.

Oritsefemi confesses: ‘Arresting my ex-manager was publicity-stunt’

Double Wahala crooner, Oritsefemi Majemite, has made shocking revelations over the feud between him and his former manager, Yusuf Adepitan, aka Danku.

The talented artiste who made the revelation at a press parley in Lagos on Sunday announced his reunion with his Ex-Manager, Mr. Yusuf Adebola Adepitan.

His words, “Our rifts have been in the news for the wrong reasons and lots of allegations we indicted on ourselves have cost us lots of damage to our careers. All the things that has been mentioned about about me and my manager throughout the scenario are all promotional strategies A.K.A publicity stunts. We apologize for the inconveniences we might have caused the fans. We are back for real business. My friends in the media, I thank you a lot for finding out time to grace this important parley. May God bless you”, he said.

It will be recalled that the singer reportedly got Danku arrested over theft and conspiracy issues.

Photo: Award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a mom!

Celebrated Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has had a baby. There was no press statement, no Instagram announcement, not even a tweet. Instead, the news came via an interview with the Financial Times’ “Lunch with the FT” series (paywall), during which the author orders a syrupy sweet mocktail because she is breastfeeding.

It takes journalist David Pilling a second or two to realize that he’s been handed a scoop. Adichie admits that perhaps she has some friends who don’t even know she has become a mother. The 38-year-old has become one of the most prominent voices on feminism today, and her journey into parenthood is likely to become a topic of debate, just as it didfor prize-winning authors Zadie Smithand Jane Smiley (but hardly ever for male authors). But it’s her business, and Adichie reminds us of that.

“I just feel like we live in an age when women are supposed to perform pregnancy,” Adichie tells Pilling. “We don’t expect fathers to perform fatherhood. I went into hiding. I wanted it to be as personal as possible.”

“Can I ask the baby’s name?” ventures Pilling. “‘No, I won’t say,’ she says with a disarming smile,” he describers her response. And with that there is no more baby talk.

Adichie is known to fiercely protect her privacy, shielding her husband and now her daughter from public view. Still, she did not hide her baby bump and has written about living with depression.

Adichie is a wife, a self-confessed daddy’s girl and now mother to a baby girl.

Congratulations to her!

Police alert Lagos residents of robbers' new trick

The Lagos State Police Command has alerted residents on the new antics of criminals, particularly at night, before carrying out their nefarious activities.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, issued the alert in an interview on Sunday in Lagos, against the backdrop of recent robbery attacks on residents.

She said the criminals, in an attempt to rob or kidnap their victims, now engaged in switching off running power generating sets or turned on tap water, to lure them out.

Badmos, therefore, advised residents not to come out at night, if they noticed that taps within their compounds were opened or when their generators suddenly stopped working.

“Residents should be careful when they discover that their generators stop working or notice water gushing out from their taps, at night.

“They should watch carefully before going out. If they notice strange movements, they should call the nearest police station.

“This is why residents are advised to know the telephone numbers of the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) or station phone numbers close to them,’’ she said.

Speaking to some residents in Ikorodu, Egbeda, Iyana-Ipaja, Agbado Oke-Odo and Ikeja areas of the state, they shared their experiences of how criminals used the tricks to attack their homes.

Mr Tunji Ajayi, a victim and resident of Agbado/Oke-Odo LCDA, who narrated his experience, said the criminals made away with his generator set, after switching it off.

“When they could not gain access into my house, they became frustrated, they then decided to take away my generator.

“I left my generator on at night as usual, but at about 2 a.m, the generator suddenly went off.

“I took my time to observe what must have happened through the window before stepping out, but suddenly, I heard footsteps, so I decided to stay back.

“When the criminals realised that I was not coming out immediately, they decided to take away my generator,’’ he said.

Another victim, Mrs Adenike Okubanjo, a resident of Egbeda area, said she left her generator on with the intention of putting it off at about 10 p.m, but slept off.

“I later woke up at midnight after the generator had gone off, although I knew there was enough fuel to last till the morning.

“Even at that, I decided not to go out until morning, but only to be woken by a neighbor and informed that some armed robbers came into the compound.

“The neighbour told me how the robbers followed him into his house when he came out to check his generator, after it suddenly went off,’’ she said.

A resident of Iyana-Ipaja, who simply identified himself as Michael, also disclosed how he almost fell victim to the criminals’ tricks, but God saved him.

“Usually, I put on my generator set from 7.30 p.m to 11 p.m. on daily basis. I guess, these suspected criminals had been watching me.

“On this particular day, I was about going to put it off, when I heard footsteps.

“I decided to stay back, after which, the hoodlums started threatening me to open the door, but I refused and started to scream and they fled,’’ he said.

For Mr Pius Bamidele, a school teacher in Ikorodu, he said the criminals, after taking some of his valuables, also beat him up for not having enough cash on him.

Bamidele said the hoodlums gained entrance into his home after opening the tap in his compound.

“When I heard water coming out of the tap at about 1.30a.m, I wondered who could be fetching water and would have left the tap open at that time of the day.

“As soon as I came out, one the robbers pointed a gun at me and walked me into my apartment, where they made away with some of my property,’’ he added.

Nobel laureate, Elie Wiesel, dead at 87

Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor and author who fought for peace, human rights and simple human decency, has died at the age of 87.

His family said he died peacefully Saturday after a long illness.

"My husband was a fighter. He fought for the memory of the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, and he fought for Israel. He waged countless battles for innocent victims regardless of ethnicity or creed," his widow, Marion, said in a statement released by the writer's foundation.

The Nobel peace laureate, who wrote extensively about the horrors he and others endured, said he knew he'd have to write at some point but feared the words would elude him.

May his soul rest in peace, Amen.

Ex minister hides N2.5bn in housemaid’s account

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has discovered a sum of N2.5bn in the bank account of the housemaid of an ex female minister.

According to reports, the minister, whose identity has not been revealed that stored the money into the accord in order to shield herself from investigation.

The housemaid, whose name was also not revealed had no idea that she had such a possession.

Reports has it that the minister took the maid’s passport and used it to be open the bank account in her name, but with a different signature.

The information was revealed by a powerful source, according to reports made by the Daily Post.

The source said, “Our findings indicated that the ex-female minister opened an account in the name of her housemaid and with her photograph. But the signature in the account is that of the ex-minister,” the source said.

“At the time we made the discovery, over N2.5billion was in the account. But the volume of transactions in the account has been huge.”

“We are suspecting that the ex-minister did not put the housemaid in the picture of what she wanted to do with her passport photograph.”

“We have established that the ex-minister has been drawing funds from the said account. We have retrieved records of all transactions by the ex-Minister. We will soon bring her to justice no matter how long it takes to follow due process."


Culled.

Breaking News: Car bombs target Baghdad shopping districts, 126 dead

Iraq's capital was once again the scene of bloody carnage this weekend, with two separate car bombs killing at least 126 people.

The first detonation occurred Saturday on a busy shopping street in the central Baghdad neighborhood of Karrada, killing 125 people -- including 25 children -- and wounding 147 others, police said.

Firefighting crews pulled injured and trapped people from adjacent buildings damaged in the massive blast, including a coffee shop, stores and a gym.

The second bomb exploded at an outdoor market in the Shaab neighborhood of southeastern Baghdad, killing one person and wounding five others, police said.

The so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Karrada attack in a statement posted on Twitter. The group claimed it was targeting Shiite neighborhoods. Karrada and Shaab are predominately Shiite.

Baghdad has witnessed a surge in the number of deadly car bomb attacks in recent weeks, with ISIS claiming responsibility for many of them.

RCCG Gives Free Medicare to IDPs in Borno

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has treated people especially internally displaced persons in Maiduguri of medical cases of malaria, hypertension and diabetes.

The treatment were conducted at the Borno Provincial Headquarters at the weekend as part of the programme line up for the Annual Sisters’ Convention tagged: “All in His Fullness.”

Apart from treating people who throng the venue of the programme, free drugs were also given out based on prescriptions.

Speaking on the reason the church decided on the programme, the wife of the provincial pastor of Borno, Pastor (Mrs.) Bolanle Afe Johnson said it was part of the community relations programme of the church and since it was discovered that many people cannot afford to treat themselves of these ailments, it was decided that the church should be of assistance.

She also said it was an opportunity to evangelize to the town by telling the people that the church cares and can always provide a big canopy over their head.

She asked that other well-meaning Nigerians should come to the assistance of the state especially internally displaced persons who need to have good nutrition and should be given medical treatment.

GOtv Offers Free One Month Subscription

GOtv has announced that its subscribers who stay connected non-stop from 1 July to 30 September will enjoy one month free in October.

The special promotion is offering GOtv Plus and GOtv Value customers who renew their subscription from 18 June to 18 July 2016 and stay continuously connected from 01 July until 30 September, October viewing at no extra cost.

Photo: Nigerian gay rights activist shows off feminine side

The Nigerian gay rights activist shared a photo of himself rocking a wig, earrings and a sequined dress via his Instagram page.

Alimi was also pictured rocking makeup to complete the look.

Osun’s Free Train Ride for Sallah Leaves Lagos Tuesday

Osun State Government yesterday announced the year 2016 Eid il-Fitri free train ride scheduled to commence on Tuesday July 5.

According to the government, the free train ride is in line with the Rauf Aregbesola administration’s tradition to facilitate convenient movement of its citizen in and out of the state during the festive season.

‎A statement from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Cooperatives and Empowerment disclosed that the free train would start on Tuesday and end on Saturday.

The statement said that the free train would convey people from Lagos to Osogbo, the state capital, on Tuesday 5th July by 11am.

The government therefore enjoined people from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States to utilise the free train opportunity offered by the Aregbesola government to come home and celebrate the Sallah with their relatives.

Nigeria Loses Crude Buyers To Angola

India’s IOC has booked several grades of Angolan crude for July, including Cabinda and Girassol, as its favoured Nigerian Qua Iboe crude oil was under force majeure.

“People want stable supply. And Angolan crude is in general very reliable … there are no fears about force majeure,” said Ehsan Ul-Haq, a principal consultant with KBC.

China’s buying has also skewed toward Angolan grades, though state-backed refining company Unipec and teapot refiners typically process heavier crudes than India. Indonesian buying also returned in force, with Pertamina taking four cargoes, including those booked by Total, Shell and Socar.

All these recoil in buying of Nigerian oil is as a result of force majeure declared by two oil multi-nationals-Shell Nigeria, and Exxon Mobile in two of Nigeria’s oil field. Also the security threats in the Niger Delta have aided the rise in demand for Angolan oil from China and India, Nigeria’s major crude buyers for July, according to Reuters.

Post-UTME: NANS demands refund for students

The National Association of Nigerian Students has asked tertiary institutions which have collected fees for Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination test from admission seekers to refund the applicants.

The Deputy Coordinator of NANS in the South-West, Mr. Saheed Afolabi, said this in an interview with our correspondent in Osogbo, Osun State capital, on Saturday.

The association said students were in support of the decision by the Federal Government to scrap post-UTME, saying institutions which have gone ahead to conduct the test after the order of the government should refund the applicants.

The NANS leader stated that students would storm any recalcitrant institution and ensure the fees were refunded by force.

He said, “We thank the Federal Ministry of Education and the Minister of Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu, for taking the bold step by canceling post-UTME. Many tertiary institutions have turned the poor students and their parents into a source of making money.

“They know they have space for 1,500 students but they would collect money from 20,000 admission seekers to make money, which they eventually embezzled. But thank God this has been stopped.

“However, there are still some institutions which have gone ahead to collect money from admission seekers; these ones should pay the students back their money, otherwise we will mobilise students to such schools and force them to make refund.”

Update: photo of ECWA pastor murdered by Fulani herdsmen

Reverend Zakariya pictured above was killed by Fulani herdsmen in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. Turns out he wasn't just killed. His body was dismembered.

The authorities in Nasarawa are yet to comment on his killing and it is not known if investigation into his murder has commenced.

His relative, Uncanny Sam, disclosed that the clergyman will be buried on Tuesday.

Why I cut off my step son’s penis – Wicked Stepmother opens up

The  22-year-old woman, Rabiu Bara’atu, who cut off the penis of her rival’s one-month-old baby, Buhari in Kuta town, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, has revealed reasons for her action.

Bara’atu said after having been married to her husband, Mohammed Dauda for seven years, without a child, she felt bitter that her rival, Dauda’s second wife had bore a child for their husband.

Speaking on NTA, Bara’atu confessed that she took Buhari from his mother’s room where he was sleeping, to the toilet where she chopped-off his penis with a kitchen knife.

She said, “I decided to do that in retaliation to insults (I’ve been receiving) from his mother. She has been insulting me. Anytime I complained to our husband, he will not take action. That was the major reason I used our kitchen knife to cut off his penis.”

But responding to her claims, her husband, Dauda said Bara’atu never reported Basira to him and that as far as he was concerned, they were living in peace.

Dauda said, “I never heard them quarrelling, I never saw them fighting. My house is intact. There was no division. I treated them equally.

“I was shocked when I heard what Bara’atu did to my son. She never showed any sign of madness. She is mentally okay,” Dauda added.

On her part, the baby’s mother, Basira, also denied Bara’atu’s allegations.

She said, “Ever since she was married and came to the house, I took her as my younger sister. That was why I allowed her to be close to my son. I didn’t know that she was planning to kill my son,” she lamented.

Meanwhile, the Niger State government has promised to take care of Buhari’s medical bills.

Recall that the accused was arraigned before a Niger State Magistrate Court sitting in Minna on Monday and remanded in prison after she pleaded not guilty.

Fulani herdsmen murder ECWA pastor in Nasarawa

Reverend Zakariya,  a clergyman of the Evangelical Church of Winning All, ECWA, has been killed by unknown gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

Zakariya was killed over the week inside his farm by yet-to-be-identified assailants in Obi Local Government Area of the state.
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His relative, who gave his name as Uncanny Sam, announced the death of the clergyman, via hia twitter.

“The death of Rev. Zakariya must not be in vain. This barbaric and despicable act must stop. I plead with everyone that has re-tweeted and quoted my tweets to please help me demand for justice for Zakariya; his death must not be in vain. Isn’t life sacrosanct anymore?” he further stated.

He said the late Zakariya will be buried on Tuesday.

God's Word For Today: Love Yourself

‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ - Matthew 22:39

God loves you so much that He gave His only Son to save you. ‘Save me from what?’ you ask:

1) Going through this life lost, directionless, joyless, and unfulfilled.

2) Spending the next life lost and without the joys of heaven He wants you to share.

That’s how highly God values you. So when you keep putting yourself down, you’re rejecting His opinion of you. And to disagree with God is to make yourself equal with Him, or worse, put your opinion above His. Maybe you never thought about it like that before.

Actress/singer Ethel Waters ministered to great crowds in the Billy Graham crusades. She was born black and poor in a segregated society, but when she found Christ she gained true self-esteem. With a smile that would melt your heart, she told her audiences, ‘God made me - and my God don’t make no junk!’

When you refuse to love yourself, it’s impossible to love others or accept that they love you. You become skilled at tuning out compliments and picking up on criticism, because it confirms the negative opinion you have of yourself. As a result, you distance yourself from people and end up lonely without ever knowing why. Maybe your parents failed you, or your spouse betrayed you. You may feel like ‘damaged goods’, and seek escape in addictions, or affairs, or a lifestyle of ritual accomplishment. But it doesn’t work.

Only when you accept that God loves you unconditionally, and decide to love yourself, will you have love to give to others.

Usain Bolt may miss Rio Games

Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt is facing a race against time to be fit in his bid for an unprecedented third treble Olympic gold with the Rio Games just five weeks away.

Bolt withdrew from the 100m final of the Jamaican Olympic Trials on Friday with what the reigning Olympic champion described as a mildly torn left hamstring.

The Jamaican likely must now prove his fitness over 200m at the Diamond League meet July 22 in London to have a hope of running the event in Rio. That means a tight 20-day recovery period, something not lost on Bolt.

“Starting the recovery process right away,” the sprinter tweeted Saturday along with two photos of him seemingly receiving electrotherapy treatment on his left hamstring.
Bolt had explained that he had felt “discomfort in my hamstring after the first round last night and then again in the semi-final tonight”.

A grade one tear is classified as the most minor of hamstring injuries. Grade two is typically a partial tear with grade three a complete tear that might require months to heal. JAAA secretary-general Garth Gayle has warned that unless Bolt showed up for his 200m heat at the trials on Saturday, he could lose that place on the Olympic team.

18 injured in Mecca stampede

18 pilgrims have been injured in a stampede near Islam’s holiest site, Saudi media reported .

The incident happened on Friday night near the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Al-Riyadh newspaper said, as Muslims gathered in large numbers to mark the Night of Destiny, one of the high points of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

All the injured were treated at the scene and none required admission to hospital, the newspaper cited a health official as saying.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flock to Mecca to carry out the lesser umra pilgrimage during Ramadan — especially during its last 10 days.

China is to construct $ 19.4 billion railway in Nigeria

The Nigerian Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Wednesday in an interview with CNBC Africa disclosed that a Chinese company will take up construction work of two railway projects in Nigeria.

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd. (CCECC), one of the subsidiaries of China Railway Construction Corporation, a state-owned construction enterprise, will undertake the construction work of a $19.4 billion railway project and the work will last two to three years, said Amaechi in the interview.

The minister also said that The Export-Import Bank of China will provide loans for the construction.

I took over my late wife’s drug trafficking business – Evangelist

A 52-year-old Nigerian evangelist based in South Africa, John Arinze, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for allegedly attempting to export N1.4bn worth of narcotics to South Africa.

Arinze who hails from Ara village, Nise in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, reportedly concealed the drugs made of 92kgs methamphetamine and 73kgs ephedrine, inside two containers of foodstuff meant for export to South Africa at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos State.

Confessing to the crime, the suspect reportedly told operatives in his statement that he made a big mistake by taking over the business of his late wife, who was into drug trafficking.

“I am an evangelist living in Durban South Africa. My late wife was into drug trafficking before she died few years ago. I made a mistake venturing into her business. It is my fault,” he was quoted as saying.

The suspect would soon be charged to court

Sterling Bank Puts Smiles on Workers Faces

Sterling Bank Plc., has adjusted its working conditions to promote work-life balance among its staff.

This adjustment which was effected through new policies introduced by the financial institution: Flexi-time and Flexi-place, allows workers to determine their own working hours by choosing a convenient time to come to work within the options provided by the bank and gives staff the opportunity to choose a convenient location that is closer to their places of residence from where they could discharge their job functions.

According to the Bank’s Executive Director, Strategy & Finance, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, the initiative would enhance productivity of staff, promote bonding among family members, reduce the stress of waking very early and spending long hours in traffic to get to the office early, improve the well-being of staff and ultimately promote work life balance among staff.

To ensure the effectiveness of the initiative, Abubakar noted that appropriate structures and resources had been put in place, adding that each team during the pilot phase, had a succession plan with back-ups knowledgeable on other duties and available at crucial periods.