Photos: President Buhari meets with 13-year-old Nigerian filmmaker and girl-education advocate, Zuriel Oduwole. http://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2016/04/photos-president-buhari-meets-with-13.html 
Sunday, 3 April 2016
Saturday, 2 April 2016
The Nigerian Army has denied a story published by an online news medium to the effect that the troops that captured Alagarno forest from Boko Haram seized their General Officer Commanding, GOC, Brig Gen V O Ezugwu over shortage of food and water.
In a rejoinder signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sani Usman, the Army said that the troops never behaved in the manner described by the publication.
Read the rejoinder below.
HQ Nigerian Army
RE: ANGRY SOLDIERS BLOCK, RELEASE GOC OVER FOOD, WATER SHORTAGE
The attention of the Nigerian Army was drawn to a news story on the online page of Daily Trust newspaper titled “Angry Soldiers Block, Release GOC Over Food, Water Shortage” written by Shehu Abubakar. While acknowledging that indeed troops that captured the strategic forest of Alagarno, experienced some logistics problem that include water shortage, due to some unforeseen circumstances which is normal in war situation, it is not true that the troops behaved in the manner he stated. If Alagarno is truly inaccessible, how did the gallant troops rout out the Boko Haram terrorists in the forest? The concoction of this story and the release of yet another video by some remnants of Boko Haram terrorists could be more than mere coincidence. Therefore, one begin to wonderwhat is the motive behind such false story by the reporter.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division, Brigadier General VO Ezugwu indeed visited the troops and also supplied water to them. The GOC did not leave the troops as insinuated. Rather, the troops hailed the GOC for his passion and empathic disposition towards the soldiers. As a matterof fact, he actively participated in clearance operations along Bulablin - Alargano axis with the troops and was with them in their defensive location throughout.
Consequently, the Nigerian Army wishes to request the retraction of this story by the paper and also enjoin reporters to always cross check their facts before filing their stories. They should also understand that misinformation by Boko Haram terrorists and their sympathizers greatly assist their evil activities.
The public is urged to disregard the story and continue to support the Nigerian Army in the fight to end terrorism and insurgency in our beloved country.
You are kindly requested to disseminate this rejoinder to the public through your medium. Thank you for your kind cooperation.
Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman Acting Director, Army Public Relations
Friday, 1 April 2016
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Solomon Dalung told newsmen in Abuja that he will not be compelled to sack the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and his board members based on social media gossip.
Dalung said that he would only take a decision after his meeting with the football federation's officials on Tuesday.
“I implement laws based on facts on ground. I cannot use social media gossips as a basis. It is unfortunate not to qualify for AFCON 2017, but I believe we have learnt from our mistakes and hope that such would not repeat itself again. It is true that we need to review some of the country`s football structure. We have to measure up to expectation.
"We are meeting with the leadership of the NFF on Tuesday, to receive a comprehensive report and review the authentic technical reports they would present," he said.
Since the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the AFCON 2017 championship, there have been calls for Amaju Pinnick and his board members to resign from office.
Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, the proprietor of FC Ifeanyi Ubah has been banned from Nigerian Professional Football League, NPFL match venues for ten matches.
Ubah who according to video evidence slapped Heartland FC goalkeeper, Ebele Obi was also ordered to pay a fine of N2.5m.
The League Management Company, LMC in a statement signed by its Head of Special Projects, Harry Iwuala demanded a letter of apology from Ubah in addition to a letter of undertaking to be a good ambassador of Nigerian football.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that the LMC arrived at the decision following its review of video evidence of the incident which occurred immediately after the Match Day 8 fixture at Nnewi between FC IfeanyiUbah and Heartland Football Club of Owerri.
“LMC is now issuing fresh charges against Ubah and is now handing him a fine of N2.5 million, in addition to a 10-match ban from all NPFL venues in a Summary Jurisdiction notice issued Thursday afternoon.
“Relying on the Match Commissioner’s report which did not capture the incident, the LMC had earlier charged Ubah for encroachment on the field of play only.
“But, having received additional evidence that supported a case of assault on goalkeeper Ebele Obi, fresh charges have been drafted.
“Ubah was charged for breach of Rule C1 of the NPFL Rules and Framework for an offence of misconduct, in that immediately after the match he encroached on the field of play and assaulted Obi while his personal security aides further assaulted the player.
“For this, the LMC ruled in an exercise of summary jurisdiction to suspend Ubah from all NPFL match venues for the next 10 matches,’’ the statement said.
NAN also reports that the last four of the 10-match ban have been suspended for a probationary period expiring at the end of the 2015/16 season.
Thursday, 31 March 2016
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has confirmed the recruitment of 9374 ad hoc staff for the April 9 Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja Area Council elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC for the FCT, Prof. Jacob Jatau made this disclosure during an interview in Abuja on Thursday.
INEC had on March 16 postponed the area council election from March 19 to April 9 due its inability to recruit the required number of ad hoc staff for the exercise.
“I can confirm to you that the commission is fully ready for the April 9 election.
“We have been able to recruit the additional ad hoc staff to meet the shortfall that made us postpone the elections.
“The commission has also trained the additional ad hoc staff recruited for the exercise.
“All is now set for the conduct of free, fair and credible election in the FCT,’’ Jatau told NAN.
Also, INEC's Deputy Director of Publicity in the FCT, Mrs Ndidi Okafor told NAN that the commission had recruited and trained extra personnel to the 9,374 ad hoc staff to forestall likely shortage on the day of the exercise
“The ad hoc staff are employed from the serving National Youth Serving Corps (NYSC) members, students of the University of Abuja and ex-NYSC corps members from our data bank."
A female student of University of Abuja, Miss Oluwakemi O Obaditan is seeking a thousand signatures in a petition she has written against a lecturer, Mr Samuel Olorunfemi Adams.
In the petition titled SAMUEL OLORUNFEMI ADAMS MUST BE STOPPED which is being circulated by www.ipetitions.com, Obaditan made allegations of physical assault and victimization against Mr Adams.
Read the petition below.
On the 11th of December 2011 I was in my second year in the University of Abuja Gwagwalada Nigeria. I came into school that morning to write a Chemistry examination scheduled to hold that day at 9am. I got into the exam hall at about 8:00am just in case there was going to be a change in the venue and information regarding this examination. The exam started at the time stated and while I sat in the hall assigned by my department for her students, Mr. Samuel Olorunfemi Adams came in to speak with the invigilator on duty while the answer booklet was being shared. He requested that half of the students should follow him upstairs to the main library where his own students who, at that time, were going to write a statistics course so he can shuffle us between them. Unfortunately, I was among those who had to move up with them. When I got upstairs I had a chair and did not have a table in the exam hall, hence I decided to go get a table. By the time I returned with the table, Mr. Samuel Olorunfemi Adams refused my entry into the exam hall. I told him I was among the students he took from the hall downstairs to join his students. He was defiant and still refused for me to enter into the examination hall. I stood outside pleading that I get my answer booklet and examination card so I can go downstairs to go write my exams but he refused. My pleas fell on deaf ears until one of my colleague was able to help me pass my exam booklet and exam card to me. While I was begging him he lost his cool and pulled out his belt from his pants and began to flog me mercilessly. While he was flogging me my phone dropped (Blackberry Bold 2) worth N58,000. Mr. Samuel Olorunfemi Adams picked it up and said he was going to cease it after inflicting bodily injury on me. While I stood on the stairs crying, one of my lecturers saw me and he asked what happened. I told him all that had transpired between myself and Mr. Adams. He consoled me and took me to another hall to write my exams. The exams had passed an hour already. I was able to put myself together and I wrote my exams. After my exams, I went to Mr. Adams to get my phone and he said I would have to fill up an examination malpractice form if I was going to get the phone back. I told him I did not set my eyes on the question paper prior to the incident so I cannot fill any form. Mr. Adams told me to take a last look at my phone and he smashed it on the ground to pieces. My colleagues who witnessed the incident gasped and he made sure he gave all of them -10 marks on their script. I ran downstairs to get my brother, so I could tell him what had happened to me. He came up with me to talk to Mr. Adams, but he had already gone ahead to report me to the Dean that I held him on his collar and I told him that if he did not let me into the examination hall that I was going to fight him. By that time, I was summoned to the Dean’s office, Mr. Adams and his supporters (lecturers) were there and the Dean never gave me a fair hearing rather she insisted I state what Mr. Adams had done to me on an examination malpractice form. I stood my ground and refused to fill out the form as I know I did not commit any malpractice. I was threatened and asked for my matriculation number by his colleagues and I was told I would never graduate from that school. That very day, I went to the National Human Rights Commission and I gave a statement and showed evidences of the scars and the pieces of my phone. Pictures were taken and Mr. Adams was summoned in after two weeks for questioning. The following week my Dad was in town and he accompanied me to school to speak with the Dean but she was not around. A fellow lecturer was apologizing on Mr. Adams behalf and begged my Dad to temper justice with mercy. My Dad wrote the school up copying the Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellor and the Dean of Student Affairs that he would like them to look into my matter. I came into school on a Monday morning and I was told to report to the Deans office for an emergency meeting. In the meeting, there was the Dean, Head of department, Head of examinations and a few other lecturers. I was still not granted a fair hearing. Instead, I was told and I quote “We know you know people, and your Dad is well connected, but if you want to graduate in this school you cannot fight your lecturer and win. You have to drop this case. I walked out with tears in my eyes and my heart was heavy with much pain. I felt the school failed me, the women in the meeting failed me even with the obvious bruises I had on my body. Afterwards, I did agree to drop the case because I wanted to graduate. Little did I know that my misery had just begun? Every day in that school was a living hell. I was always harassed, humiliated and dehumanized by Mr. Adams and his fellow lecturers. I became the cynosure for insult every time I passed by them. From that moment my results became a mess. They failed me on all the exams I sat for that semester.
Mr. Adams is a threat to other students in that school as he is known for extorting money illegally so he would pass them, having sexual relationships with ladies and meting out unjust punishment on young men in the department. Hence, my reason for wanting to open up this case again.
Mr. Adams If all I have stated is wrong I would like you to come forward and speak out. Justice must prevail! You continue to fail students, if they get on your bad side. You told me nothing can be done to you and I challenge you to present your case and let’s see if you will truly walk away as a free man.
“Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world……….. Would do this it would change the earth”. William Faulkner.
OLUWAKEMI O OBADITAN
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