53rd Independence: Boko Haram Plans More Attacks -Police

Following the massacre of about 77 persons including 50 students of a College of Education in Yobe State by the Boko Haram terrorist group at the weekend and intelligence reports showing that the group was planning more strikes on the eve of Nigeria’s Independence anniversary, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has placed all officers and men of the force on red alert.
The directive of the IGP in a signal to all Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Command Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and Abuja, is for them to ensure that pre-emptive actions and proactive actions aimed at intercepting the murderous plans of the terrorists before they carry them out.
A statement from Force headquarters signed by Force Public Relations officer, CSP Frank Mba said, “As part of deliberate and comprehensive efforts by the Nigeria Police Force to ensure a hitch-free Independence Day Anniversary Celebration, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP MD Abubakar has placed officers and men of the Nigeria Police, as well as other special operatives, on red alert nation-wide.
“The IGP has specifically directed all Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General
of Police, Command Commissioners of Police, including the Maritime Command to ensure adequate and effective deployment of all operational tools and manpower within their Commands”
“They are to pay special attention to Shopping Malls, Public Parks and Beaches, Highways and other critical infrastructures and sensitive areas in order to guarantee the safety and well being of the citizenry”.
The IGP assured Nigerians that the Police will do everything within available resources to discharge their constitutional and statutory responsibilities of providing safe and secure environment for all, particularly during this period of Independence Anniversary.
The IGP has equally, on behalf of Officers and men of the Nigeria Police
Force, heartily congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan and the entire people of Nigeria, on the nation’s 53rd Independent Anniversary.
He saluted the courage and determination of Nigerians to build and
sustain a strong, indivisible and virile nation, in spite of all confronting circumstances.
Furthermore, the IG called on Nigerians to put their differences aside and courageously continue to support the Police in the face of current security challenges confronting the country.
He enjoined all well meaning persons and groups to cooperate with the Force by providing useful information, especially with regards to the on- going fight against terrorism and other forms of crimes and criminalities, for the mutual benefit and collective interest of the citizenry.

PDP Crisis: I Belong To No Faction – Obasanjo

Former President Olusgeun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday asked Nigerians to count him out of any factionalisation of the strife-torn Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking through his chief of staff, Deacon Victor Durodola, the former chairman of PDP Board of Trustees said it was his wish to reconcile the aggrieved in order for the party to remain one.
“Former President Olusegun Obasanjo does not belong to any faction of the party; he is a leader of the PDP. Baba is a former President of the country under the platform of PDP, former chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, you don’t expect him to belong to any faction of the party.
“As far as he is concerned, PDP is one and what is happening is a disagreement within the PDP family; it is a family affair which will soon come to an end. Baba is a mediator and you don’t expect a mediator to take sides in a feud.
“Those who are insinuating that Baba belongs to one faction or the other are missing it. It is his wish that peace and unity return to the party and that is what he is working on till this hour. The idea that some people are after him because of his resolve to end the crisis does not arise. He believes that the party will come out of the crisis stronger,” he said.

Stupid Colleague Caused Our Arrest – Robbery Suspect

Olusanya, Balogun and Oluwatosin

Some robbery suspects engaged in a war of words on Thursday at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters.

The suspects, who were recently arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, traded blames over who caused their arrest.

We gathered ga area of the state.

Police authorities said after the robbery, the suspects shared the loot and went their separate ways.
Oluwatosin was, however, spotted while hiding his gun at the backyard of his house.

An eyewitness was said to have reported to the police and Oluwatosin was arrested. It was learnt that
through his confessional statement, the police apprehended his colleagues.

One of the suspects, Balogun, who claimed to be a barber, said he regretted following Oluwatosin for the robbery.

He said, “He (Oluwatosin) is a very stupid boy. He is just 20-years-old and I see him like a younger brother because we grew up in the same area. Some days ago, he told me that there was a man in the area drove a nice car and he had studied the man’s movements.

“We got guns and when it was midnight, we stormed the house. We stole about N500,000 and I felt this was enough, but Oluwatosin was not satisfied. He stole CDs, laptops, seven mobile phones, video games and other items that we did not need.

“Carrying such things around at night could draw suspicion to us and I told him this but he was too stubborn. As I predicted, he was the one that caused our arrest. He is stupid.”

Another suspect, Olusanya, said he was not an armed robber but a smuggler. He said he knew the gang but had only followed them for one operation.

He said, “I followed them for a robbery some months ago but we did not succeed. On that particular operation, we met policemen on the road and decided to turn back. However, the driver was drunk and we had an accident.

“We had to snatch another car which we used to escape. After the unsuccessful robbery, I went back to my smuggling business because I felt those guys were not serious armed robbers. They were too clumsy.”

Oluwatosin, who is the youngest among the suspects, said he went into robbery so he could impress the suspects.

He said the suspects usually gave him N7, 000 as an informant but he wanted to make more money which made him to lead the operation.

He said, “I knew Balogun was an armed robber and I looked up to him. He used to give me N7,000 as an informant, but I felt I could do more. I did not know I would get caught after my first robbery.”
Deputy Police Public Rleations Officer, Damasus Ozoani, said the suspects would soon be charged to court. -Punch Metro

Boko Haram Beheads Seven People On Maiduguri/Damaturu Road

Seven people were killed in Makintamari village in Kaga Local Government in Borno state along the Damaturu/Maiduguri road. Eyewitnesses said the travellers were beheaded with their heads placed on their lifeless bodies on the main road.
At the Makintafamari village, in a separate incident, gunmen also cut the throats of four persons on Saturday. They were returning to Maiduguri in the evening.
Borno Police chief Lawal Tanko confirmed the attacks .
Makintamari is a few kilometers from Benishek where over 100 travelers were murdered a week ago by suspected Boko Haram sect members.
Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam said: “We call on Mr. President and all the security chiefs, to intensify security operations through aerial surveillance, to contain the situation before it consumes the region and country.
“On our way from Maiduguri to Damaturu this afternoon (Sunday), we saw a trailer and bus that were burnt, with the occupants slaughtered and their corpses littering the highway.
“Government should rise up to its responsibilities to save the lives and properties of its citizens,” he pleaded15.
The governor said that anyone travelling on the Damaturu to Maiduguri highway, was taking a huge risk.
He urged the newly established Seven Division of the Nigerian Army, to intensify surveillance of all flash points in the two states, to flush out the insurgents.

Meet Olawale Ojo: The Winner of MTN Project Fame 2013

The decision had been taken by fans of MTN-sponsored Project Fame West Africa music reality show who voted for their preferred candidates among the 'Sensation Six', as the 2013 finalists were called.

With just the collating company, Alexander Forbes armed with the result, the ceremony took place Saturday night at the Ultima Studio, Lekki, Lagos, as the contestants graced the stage, singing their last songs, each, just to entertain the studio guests.

Amidst the tension and anxiety that pervaded the studio, petit-frame contestant, Olawale Ojo, was declared winner of the sixth edition of the continental music show.

That night, the last shot at music, by the 400level Agronomy Student of Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, was a near-perfect rendition of Asa's Beautiful. He had sang it half-way when he delved into the Fuji genre, not losing focus of the theme of the song. He had sang his mother's praise in a high tempo tempo fuji beat and sliding back smoothly, to Asa's slow and sonorious tune as he wraps up a performance that got the audience clapping excitedly.

Even though he is more at home with the Jazz genre, perhaps his versatility was what endeared the fans to him, gathering the highest number of votes that upstaged other five finalists.

'The Pimp', as he is fondly called by friends, won for himself, N5m cash prize, a brand new car and one-year recording contract for his effort in the competition.

Olawale thus become the sixth winner of the popular musician reality show.

Why I Dumped Her Oyibo Husband -Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw Reveals

She looks very young like a lady in her early 30s, but actress Kate Henshaw is 42 years old and she is single again after she was married for several years. Below is what she said about her collapsed marriage:
I just decided that, ok, it didn't work. Next, I had to move on. There is no need holding on to the past – no need holding on to something if it's not working any more. There is no need flogging a dead horse since it is already lifeless. And when you decide to bury the horse, would you not leave the grave site afterwards? You would go now. 
Anything that happens to you now, that sun would still set, another day would come. So, it's your choice to either be part of the living or be in the grave yard. 
And I choose to be alive, enjoy my life and smile at everything that is happening – good or bad. As long as God is with you, things would always be fine with you.

I'm not thinking about anything. At the moment, I'm facing my career. If it comes, fine. If it doesn't come, that's okay. It's not the end of the world because I'm convinced that God loves me. Love has given me more than enough. I have the most gorgeous daughter in the whole world. That's enough for me.

Judgment against Prince Oyinlola Is a “Miscarriage of Justice” - New PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje has described the judgment of the suit challenging Prince Oyinlola's status as the PDP's National Secretary as a "miscarriage of Justice".

The factional PDP in an online statement signed by its National Spokesman, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka, said that the party learnt with shock of yesterday's judgment by the Federal High Court Abuja, presided over by Justice Abdul Kafarati in the suit filed by the Ogun State chapter of PDP against PDP's National Secretary, His Excellency, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Governor of Osun State.

 The breakaway PDP observed that in the judgment, Justice Abdul Kafarati ordered the PDP faction led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to swear in a new National Secretary for PDP and went ahead to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delete Prince Oyinlola's name from its records as PDP's National Secretary.

The Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led PDP condemned what it described as "obvious and glaring miscarriage of justice" as the judgment was given in spite of the pendency of Prince Oyinlola's suit over the subject matter at a superior court of competent jurisdiction – the Federal Court of Appeal Abuja.

The faction said it wish to inform Nigerians that Prince Oyinlola was never served any court processes before the judgment was delivered.

The splinter PDP went further to say that the judgment "unfortunately dishonours the Court of Appeal and His Lordship's pronouncement" on the subject matter which negates procedures outlined in the Constitution of the PDP for the emergence of the party's National Secretary.

The faction opined that the Judiciary was the last hope of the common man and a defender of the weak against the strong and appealed to the Judiciary not to indulge itself in anything that may tend to give a contrary impression.

The Baraji New PDP also appealed to its supporters and all PDP members to remain calm as arrangements are being made to appeal the judgment and ensure that justice is done in the matter.