The Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah,has described the N12 million allowances for the delegates to the National Conference as scandalous and unacceptable.Kukah who made this statement at the Nigeria Summit 2014 in Lagos noted that the National Conference is being held at a time of great anxiety, a time of frustration, a time of great polarity, a time of ideological disorders."The writing of a new constitution shouldnot be a decision of gathering 400 or 500people and if you must gather them there's absolutely nowhere in the world where you can talk about gathering people that otherwise ought to be ready to make a patriotic commitment and sacrifice and you say you are giving people N12 million,"he said, expressing the hope that the report is not true.He recalled that when he served as the Secretary of the National Political Reform Conference every member received N20,000 per month."I am not talking about whether it was enough or not, that is not the issue, but I know the sacrifices that people had to make because this is about our country."He noted that the opposition party says that the decision to take 12 million is a political decision and that people are making political statements and that there was going to be a lot of grandstanding, but at what expense.He further observed that many people may see the success of the conference as a Jonathan thing and its failure, on the other hand, as a way of weakening the President.On the security situation, he recalled a report the other day that 130 people have died in his part of the country, and that the numbers continues to rise by theday in other parts of the country.On the rise of the Boko Haram insurgency, Bishop Kukay said,"The real source of this crisis if you remember it's that after the killing of Yusuf people wentto court and they say the court awarded 100 billion to both families and people who lost their lives and lost thousands. The government didn't react to that; what happens is that when you think about what you could amid the debris."In that regard, he said, "People who havelost loved ones with no government interventions all you are doing is just recruiting more members for Boko Haram for the future."
The Director of Radio Biafra in the UK, Nnamdi Kanu, said over the weekendthat the delegates at the ongoing National Conference should negotiate forwithdrawing Biafra from the Federation, or face the wrath of the Igbo people.Kanu declared this in an interview to SaharaReporters. He noted that the right of the people of south-eastern Nigeria to form their own nation should be respected.Radio Biafra boss further noted that the National Conference was a waste of time, because the same people who created the problems of Nigeria were the ones who gathered to seek solutions.Addressing the delegates who represent the Igbo people, he threatened them not to return to Igboland, if they fail to negotiate a secession."If they fail to give us Biafra, Somalia will look like a paradise compared to what will happen to that zoo. It is apromise, it is a pledge and it is also a threat to them."If they do not give us Biafra, there will be nothing living in that very zoo they call Nigeria; nothing will survive there, I can assure you,"UK-based Mr Kanu added.He further alleged that the governors in Igboland are footmen of 'Hausa-Fulani godfathers' appointed by them to do their bidding.The broadcaster blasted the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, accused him of singlehandedly islamizing the state.Kanu rejected the idea of a peaceful approach to gaining a Biafran independence. He said peace never works in the fight for liberation.According to statistics available to him, over 98% of Igbos support a Biafran secession, because every"Igbo has freedom embedded in their DNA".Radio Biafra boss applauded therecent attack on the Enugu State Government House, which was claimed by the Biafra Zionist Movement."Anybody that can do anything to disrupt the present orthodoxy of governance by a group of very corrupt cabals is welcome,"Kanu said.Biafra was the name given to the secessionist state in the south-eastern part of Nigeria from May 1967 to January 1970, when natives of the region led by Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu opted to break away from the Nigerian Federation. After about 2.5 years of a bitter war, which claimed about 1 million lives, Biafra was reintegrated into the Nigerian Federation.The inhabitants of the region are loosely referred to as Igbos, Ibibio-Efiks, Ijaws, Ogojas and etc. However, the anthropologists point to a complex inter-relationship of several other ethnicities all connected by common ancestry.
23:15
Head coach of the Nigeria national team,Stephen Keshi is not worried about the prospect of masterminding an upset over Argentina at the 2014 Fifa World Cup finals in Brazil.Nigeria's Super Eagles will face the Albiceleste on June 25 at the Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre in a Group F game.Argentina will be relying on the brilliance of FC Barcelona's superstar, Lionel Messi to strike a dagger into Nigerian hearts but Keshi is relishing the prospectof stopping the little magician in his tracks."Messi is probably the best footballer in the world but we cannot lose sleep abouthim because there will be 10 others on the pitch that day," Keshi told supersport.com.Nigeria will be meeting Argentina for the fourth time in the World Cup group stages following earlier encounters in 1994, 2002 and 2010.The Super Eagles lost all three previous encounters against the South Americansand Keshi is keen to end the trend."I didn't feel bad about the fact that we will play against Argentina in the group stages because even if we didn't draw them, we would have met teams like, Spain, Germany, Brazil or England."We have been drawn against Argentina. There's nothing we can do about that. We just have to get ourselves ready," he said.
07:10
Argentine striker, Lionel Messi has reached another milestone with Spanish club Barcelona. Messi scored a hat-trick in 7-0 thrashing of Osasuna on Sunday night to become Barcelona's all-time record goalscorer.*MessiAfter a slow start, the hosts were sparked into life by Messi's opening goal as he flicked home at the near post from Alexis Sanchez's cross.Sanchez was next on the scoresheet as he finished off a similar move involving Andres Iniesta and Jordi Alba before Iniesta's wonderful strike from 25 yards made it 3-0.Messi then broke another record by registering his 370th Barca goal to overtake Paulinho Alcantara as the club's record marksman before roundingoff his hat-trick in between further strikes from Cristian Tello and Pedro Rodriguez."To enter into the history of this club is spectacular," Messi told Barca TV."If you play in this team it is much easier.This group continues to do great things and I think it deserves to continue winning things."Next up for Barcelona is a trip to the Santiago Bernabeu next Sunday and Messi is sure they can get themselves back into the title race by ending Madrid's five-month unbeaten run in all competitions."I hope we see a good version of Barcelona and we can get a positive result, which we need to still be in there fighting for La Liga just a point behind."We have a unique opportunity to cut the gap on Madrid. It will be a very difficult game because we are playing away fromhome and Real Madrid is a great team playing with a lot of confidence. It will be difficult but it all depends on us."
02:05
The independent experts appointed by the Senate committee on finance to conduct a forensic audit of the accounts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will submit their report next week.NNPC headquartersThis information was disclosed on Thursday. by the chairman of the committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi (PDP, Kaduna).On Wednesday President Goodluck Jonathanauthorizeda forensic audit of the NNPC accounts over allegations of under-remitted $20bn.But Senate president David Mark approved the hiring of the forensic experts to carry out a forensic audit on only $2.1bn which was the third party financing as the Senate lacked financial resources to hire experts to audit the entire account of the NNPC."We expect their [auditors'] report by the end of next week. And their independent report is what will make us form an opinion on the expenses and losses," Makarfi said.He noted that although the Ministry of Finance has the resources to hire forensic experts, is not legally and constitutionally allowed to do so.The Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterdayexpressed supportof the NNPC audit.The Senate committee has also given thePetroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) two weeks to submit details on certification of subsidy for kerosene and fuel from July 2013 to December 2013.Makarfi also said that the Auditor-General of the Federation had written formally to the Senate committee confirming he was conducting "forensic checks" on the NNPC accounts.The NNPC Managing Director, Andrew Yakubu,kept insistingthat no money was missing.Iy will be recalled, that last month the former governor of the Central Bank Sanusi Lamido Sanusipresented evidence that he said showed that NNPC failed to remit $20bn of oil revenueto theFederation Account.NNPC: "Third parties confirm NNPC's remittances"Also on Thursday, NNPC said in a press statement that at the sitting of the committee on Thursday all the three institutions summoned by the committeeconfirmed NNPC's claim of remittances to the Federation Account and third parties.According to the statement, issued by its Acting Manager of Public Affairs Division, Omar Farouk Ibrahim, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, represented by Salawu Zubairu, said that from their records, NNPC had remitted all due amounts January 2012 and July 2013.Next, Alfred Ohiani from the Department of Petroleum Resources, said that all royalties on crude oil liftings in the period under review was paid into DPR account with the CBN.The third parties, the JV partners Total E&P and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited represented by Chidi Momah and Olusegun Banwo respectively also confirmed receiving the amounts stated by NNPC during the period under review.In his final presentation, Yakubu thankedthe Senate for the opportunity to explain to Nigerians how the various streams of revenue flow from the oil and gas industry to the federation account and the other equity stakeholders involved in the petroleum business.The statement quotes Yakubu saying:"For us this is a wonderful opportunity to give a detailed account of what we do because like we always say, there is a huge misunderstanding about the industry. Today we gave a clear and detailed breakdownof what we remitted to the Federation Account and to the Third parties which have been confirmed by all of thempresent here today."The statement also adds that the Senate Committee said it would review all the presentations.
08:21
The city of Maiduguri in Borno state state has just experienced three large explosions suspected to be a major bomb attack.According to sources, the three explosions were heard across the city.Black smoke at#Maiduguriblast today@6DigitsMan@cnnireport@BBCAfricapic.twitter.com/vSJvnLAVle- Milliscent maduagwu (@millionscents)March 14, 2014It was learnt that fighters from the Islamist sect Boko Haram are attemptingto bomb and take over a major military base known as "Giwa barracks" in Maiduguri.Explosion today in#Maiduguri@nigeriainfoph@6DigitsMan@cnnireport@BBCWorldpic.twitter.com/KeRQ7TSOeC- Milliscent maduagwu (@millionscents)March 14, 2014The attackers, shooting sporadically at anything in sight, arrived at about 7:20 a.m. Friday through an area called Fori, near the Army's main base called Giwa Barracks.Their attack is believed to be a retaliationfor the current pounding of the base of the insurgents in Sambisa, Barga and several others hidden in the savannah north and central parts of the state.While residents in Maiduguri were preparing to go about their duties, they were greeted with heavy bullet sounds from the Giwa Barracks end of the town which is not very far from the State Government House and polo area.Those who saw some of the attackers said they were dressed in military uniform.Students at the University of Maiduguri also reported hearing sustained gunfire throughout the morning. The campus is near the barracks and it was not clear if the university was separately targeted.An airforce jet fighter arrived exactly an hour after the attack started and has continued to drop bombs at targeted areas.The major roads leading to major government facilities have been taken over by armed policemen.Heavy shooting was still been heard at the time of this report while several soldiers living around the State hotel were seen dressing up with their bullet proof vests and jumping into their trucks to repel the assault which is believed to have started from a village close to the barracks.
08:18
We all use gadgets,and we tend to hunger for more knowledge about the devices we carry around. Well, guess what we've stumbled on a website that would really help you a lot. Surprisingly it's owned by a Nigerian and you won't believe how informative it was going through the tutorials and tech tips made available.
It's none other than 'HOVATEK' .
Head over too Hovatek.com and get enlightened you won't be displeased.
10:37
Suspected Fulani invaded a refugee camp Sunday morning in Daudu, murdering 28 people.Sahara Reporters refers to another source claiming that over ten trucks of soldiers from Takum Division invaded the ancient town of Jato-Aka, Kwande Local Government, took the barracks, and killed 36 people, including Rev. Fr. Akputu.Several soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the raids and killings.First the attacks were thought to target some local governments because of the challenges facing Fulani herdsmen in search of grazing fields for their cattle and the Tiv subsistence farmers who areexpecting a bumper harvests. However, later Adikpo, the Kwande Local Government headquarters, Chief Andyar Bumve, revealed that, in his opinion, the agenda was bigger.He said:"We are only taking caution because the involvement of the Army is a deliberate plan. When we decide to take on them, they will now implement the pogrom in kind of 2001 massacre in Zaki-Biam."It would be recalled that in 2001 a detachment of the Nigerian Army seeking reprisals for the killing of 19 soldiers attacked the town of Zaki-Biam, killing hundreds of people, including women and children.
08:35
Barely few months after they called off a six month industrial action, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Federal Government may clash again that could result into university lecturers embarking on another strike.* ASUU President, Nasir FaggieThere is palpable tension in Nigerian universities, with ASUU boycotting the ongoing Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, seminar in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.The university lecturers are threatening to down tools again if the government insists on getting them to join the new payment platform.Recntly, the Federal Government directedall its Ministries, Departments and Parastatals, MDS, to join the computerised payment platform to reduce corruption and human error in the payment of salaries.As part of measures to bring universities into the programme, the government distributed IPPIS forms to lecturers all over the country through the National Universities Commission, NUC.However, ASUU members in Port Harcourt, Rivers State did not turn up for the seminar which kicked off on Monday in Port HarcourtAlso, a similar programme that was held in other geo-political zones of the country is also said to have been boycotted by members of the union.A source from the University of Uyo told newsmen that ASUU had barred its members from attending the Port Harcourt seminar."The vice chancellor had intimated us about the seminar but based on the directive from our union, we cannot honour the invitation for the programme."ASUU is not against the computerised salary system but we are saying that the policy does not favour the peculiar nuances of the academia."For instance, the IPPIS does not recognise the peculiarity of the academicenvironment and cannot meet our payment needs. Our members go on sabbatical, act as adjuncts and we engage in regular recruitment of staff which are not addressed on the IPPIS platform."Having experienced the failure in the payment of monetisation, the source hinted that the union would not allow its members to be part of the new payment system.It would be recalled that the University ofIbadan chapter of the union had early in January barred its members from filling the IPPIS form.Attempts to speak with the National President of ASUU, Nasir Faggie, on the issue failed as he would not take calls or respond to a text message sent to his telephone.
07:07
Russia has declared its support for Ukraine's breakaway movement in Crimea, with its parliament welcoming a delegation from the autonomous republic to Moscow and backing its vote to secede from Ukraine.The developments come even as the Russian government says that despite deep differences with the West on the crisis, it hopes common ground will be found to avoid a new Cold War.Valentina Matvienko, speaker of Russia'supper house of parliament, assured Vladimir Konstantinov, Crimean parliament's speaker, on Friday that the region would be welcomed as "an absolutely equal subject of the Russian Federation if a referendum on March 16 was in favour of the move".The speaker of the Russian lower house, Sergei Naryshkin, echoed Matviyenko's remarks. "We will respect the historic choice of the people of Crimea," he said.Konstantinov met top politicians in Moscow before joining a rally in Red Square, which was attended by an estimated 65,000 people, many of whom waved Russian flags and chanted"Crimea is Russia!"Matvienko's statement came after Arseny Yatsenyuk, Ukraine's prime minister, said his country was ready for talks with Russia, but on the condition that the Kremlin withdraw troops from Crimea and agree to stop supporting"separatists and terrorists"."We have declared our readiness to hold talks with the Russian government," Yatseniuk said, listing a number of conditions, including withdrawing troopsand "halting support for the separatists and terrorists in Crimea".But there seemed to be little hope of those conditions being met. Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday accused the EU, one of Yatsenyuk's primary backers, of taking an "extremely unconstructive position" by threatening sanctions.The Russian President Vladimir Putin also said that he had many differences of opinion on Crimea with Barack Obama after a phone call with his US counterpart.Kiev faced further pressure after the Russian gas company, Gazprom, said it was considering cutting supplies to Ukraine after it failed to pay its January bill.A Ukranian border guard official reported on Friday that there were an estimated 30,000 Russian troops in Crimea, trumping earlier figures of 11,000 given by the region's leader, Sergei Aksyonov.Under a 2010 Russia-Ukraine agreement, Russia can have a maximumof 25,000 troops in Crimea.
06:58
Four young men were convicted of gay sex and whipped publicly as punishment in an Islamic court in Bauchi, a human rights activist said.Man, arrested for alleged immoral behaviour, appear before an Islamic sharia court in Bauchi, capital of the northern Nigerian state, 21 August, 2007. By Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP/File)The men, aged between 20 and 22, were sentenced and punished on Thursday to 15 strokes. They also face a year's imprisonment if they cannot pay a fine ofN19,700.The hearings in Bauchi city had been delayed from January, whena crowd tried to stone the accused men outside the courtand demanded the judge pass the death sentence.Dorothy Aken'Ova, the convenor of the Coalition for the Defence of Sexual Rights Network, said the men had to prostrate themselves on the floor of the court to be whipped on their bottoms.She also said the men should not have been convicted because their confessions were forced through beatings.Aken'Ova disclosed that the families of the four men refused legal representation as they were embarrassed by the stigma attached to homosexuality, which many in Nigeria consider an evil imported from the West.Same-sex marriage and civil unions in Nigeria were bannedin January.Homosexuality was already banned under sharia Islamic law, which exists alongside state and federal laws in the majority Muslim north of Nigeria and carries the death sentence.The judge said he was lenient because the men had promised that the homosexual acts occurred in the past and that they had since changed their ways, according to Aken'Ova.
16:30
Arsenal have been dealt a big blow to their title challenge as their playmaker, Jack Wilshere will be out of action for thenext six weeks.*WilshereWilshere suffered a broken foot followinga crunching tackle by Daniel Agger early in the match between England and Denmark last night.The 22-year-old winced in pain on the ground and hobbled off the pitch for treatment but came back on to play 59 minutes in the 1-0 victory.Wilshere's injury would anger Arsene Wenger as he prepares his team for the FA Cup fixture against Everton.According to a report, Wilshere is likely to miss matches against Bayern Munich,as well as league matches against Tottenham, Chelsea, Swansea, Manchester City, Everton and West Ham.The English midfielder is expected to return in mid April, five matches before the World Cup squad is announced
16:27
Rumours about star Singer, songwriter, rapper Chris Brown breaking up with his long-suffering girlfriend Karrueche Tran have been circulating the media for quite a long time.Finally, it was the girl that has confirmed those rumours.When an online website speculated that Karrueche was seeing someone new, sheset the record straight confirming her single status. She did it by a single tweet:Not dating anyone stop w the bs.- Karrueche Tran (@karrueche)March 5, 2014
16:23
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hinted that he may make a summer move for Italian international Mario Balotelli after saying he would like to work with the controversial striker once more.*BalotelliSpeaking about the possibility of working with Balotelli again, Mourinho said: "In football you never know the future," he said."Balotelli is with a big club at the moment but you never know the future."They want to keep the best players and want to keep the best Italian players. But Mario has already been in English football before."I'm not going to be manager of Milan or the Italy national team, but he's a good kid and somebody I'd like to work with again."Despite AC Milan's disappointing seasonin the Serie A this year, Balotelli has still shown glimmers of brilliance.From 18 league matches he has netted 10 times, putting his total to 22 in 31 league matches since joining the Italian giants in January 2012.
16:15
Nigeria's National Team Head Coach Stephen Keshi held a long meeting with On loan striker Victor Moses regarding his lack of playing time for Liverpool football club.Sources say that the Big Boss told the tricky winger that he should try to get more game time with the reds as there isonly 100 more days to go befor the World Cup starts in Brazil.The source said: "Keshi is totally disappointed that Moses is not playing regularly at Livepool which incidentally is the club that he (Keshi) supports. To a large extent, I saw both (Moses and Keshi) having a talk over the matter before the Mexico match.As you are aware, the World Cup is fast approaching and the Big Boss is eager tohave the winger and other squad members enjoy better playing time in their respective clubs,"Interestingly, Moses only tasted 1 minuteaction in Liverpool's last two games against Swansea and Southampton respectively. The Nigerian international was an unused sub in last weekend's away win to Southampton.In all, Moses has made 15 appearances for Liverpool this season scoring just once in the 2-2 draw against Swansea inSeptember 2013.
16:09
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents butchered 7 travelers at Wala 'A,' Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State on Thursday, Punch reports.While one victim was identified as a patent medicine store owner from Gwoza, the other 6 were reportedly Gadamayo residents travelling to Maiduguri.According to the security source, the bloody attack took place as the military announced the arrest of one of the most brutal butchers of the Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri.The arrested 'butcher', specializing in killing people with machete, is said to have made the confession during interrogation by the Special Forces.It would be recalled that Nigerian Northeast has faced numerous attacks by the Boko Haram sect in the last 2 weeks, which attacks have taken away hundreds of lives and left many severely injured.
16:05
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State yesterday asked the Federal government to urgently address the killing of innocent people by terrorists in the Northeast.Receiving the Air Officer Commanding, Training Command of the Air Force, Kaduna, Air Vice Marshall Salihu Riba in his office in Kano, Governor Kwankwaso stressed that the gruesome attacks on the people do not augur well for national unity and development."Those killed, especially the youth had the potential to become soldiers, governors and even president of this country. It was possible for these innocent people to become everything in life and contribute to nation building. Yet they were killed aimlessly. This is very disheartening and must stop," the governor said.He said since the insurgents are not interested in sparing anyone in their onslaught,the federal government and the security agencies redouble their efforts in protecting lives and property of the citizens in the interest of peace and sustainable national development.AVM Bala pledged that the air force would work hand in hand with the state government in order to make the state more secure.Governor Kwankwaso also received the suspended CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamidu Sanusi, at Government House, Kano.Malam Sanusi, who met with the governor behind closed doors, later told journalists that he was at the governor's office to thank him and the people of the state for their solidarity.
10:43
Last week, D'banj edited his Twitter bio and somehow, when he was done, his G, O.O.D music affiliation was off the bio.This got everyone talking, and immediately possible reasons for the split emerged. Some said Kanye and D'Banj's partnership got bitter since all D'banj could gain from it was Kanye's appearance on his Oliver Twist video, a verse in the Scapegoat remix and a not more than three seconds appearance in the Mercy video.Some others claimed it was over cos D'banj 'gained' paying hefty fees to have G.O.O.D Music acts, Pusha T, Big Sean and affiliate 2Chainz to feature on his annual show, the Koko Concert.But in a new interview with Punch, D'Banj's manager, Tony Nwakolor says the breakup story is so untrue, that D'Banj isstill with Kanye. Tony said:"It is a lie that D'banj has left G.O.O.D music. He changed his bio on his twitter account and people started forming all sorts of story. He is still with Kanye West."
10:40
