Nigeria: Nasir El-Rufai backs Andrew Azazi statement

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday, threw his weight behind the embattled National Security Adviser, General Andrew Owoye Azazi (rtd), saying he only confirmed what some people have been saying that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is the cause of all politically-related violence and terrorism in the country.
Speaking exclusively with Vanguard on his reaction to Azazi’s statement that the menace of insecurity and series of attacks in Nigeria by the Boko Haram sect could be traced to the zoning policy of the PDP, El-Rufai said the extra-judicial murder of the Boko Haram leadership during the late Umaru Yar’Adua’s PDP regime laid the foundations for the nation’s current insecurity problem.

Nigeria has become laughing stock said David Mark

Senate President David Mark said, yesterday, that with the unabating wave of terrorism by an Islamic sect where scores of lives have been lost with property destroyed, Nigeria has now become a laughing stock among the comity of nations.
The Senate President who reiterated that the act is condemnable, uncalled for and clearly avoidable, stressed that no matter the level of anger or grievances in a man’s mind, taking the life of another cannot provide a solution, adding, “this is ungodly. It is inhuman and does not enjoy the support of any right-thinking member of the society.”

Edo State Governor - Oshiomhole said: They were after my life

Governor of Edo state Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, said weekend’s accident involving his convoy, in which three journalists lost their lives, was an attempt on his life, as the tipper driver rammed into his official vehicle, while the car he  personally drove, escaped by the whiskers.
Oshiomhole, who spoke on the accident at Government House, Benin City, lamented that it took him and other survivors close to 40 minutes to remove the journalists from their mangled bus.
Meanwhile, a crack team of detectives is investigating the ghastly motor accident,  in which three journalist lost their lives on the Warrake-Auchi Road, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
Olatunji Jacob and George Okosun, both of Independent Television, ITV, and Fidelis Ohani camera man attached to African Independent Television, AIT and a driver attached to the state Government House, Samson Inobemhe, lost their lives.

Nigeria Bomb blast again in Taraba Adamawa State, 5 killed

The bomb blast which occurred at the early hours of Monday,in Jalingo Taraba state, according to eye witness report said, two motorcycle-riding suicide bombers drove into a convoy carrying a top police official, detonating their explosives and killing at least five people. The attack targeted police commissioner Mamman Sule who was being driven in a convoy toward his offices, near the governor's office in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba state, said police spokesman Ibiang Mbaseki. The bombers missed injuring Sule, but the explosives caused massive damage at a roadside market and blew out the glass windows of the nearby state Ministry of Finance building, witnesses said.

The commissioner "was the prime target," Mbaseki said.

FCMB disengages 550 Finbank staff, as merger ends

First City Monument Bank, FCMB, in its acquisition bid of Finbank will today determine the fate of about 550 staff of Finbank whose services overlapped with employees of FCMB.
The 550 staff will be given the option to resign and pursue any other career of their choice through the generous severance package being worked out by the management of the two banks.
The package, apart from the financial provisions for those affected, also has counselling and training session that would enable them adapt to a new environment and possibly a small business of their own.
Giving the hint of the progress of the merger between FCMB and Finbank, Managing Director of FCMB, Mr. Ladi Balogun, said in the process of trying to achieve the synergy of the two banks, the decision was taken to close a number of branches of Finbank that were considered not to be viable. Finbank, he said, had a total branch network of 183 and 44 of these branches will be shut down based on the fact that some of them are close to FCMB branches that are profit making and those in some other places that are not profitable. He disclosed that 320 staff of FCMB were earlier disengaged in preparation for the merger and integration of the two banks.

Regional integration my foot says Deputy National Chairman-Bode George

Erstwhile Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George has seen the best and worst of times in his political odyssey -from the pinnacle of political mastership to the loneliness of confinement. In all, Bode George as he is well known is unchanged in his passions, pursuits and politics as he recently demonstrated in this encounter with Vanguard in his Ikoyi, Lagos office.
In the extensive interview he discusses, albeit with reluctance the wave of crises in the Lagos chapter of the PDP, the permutations on the chairmanship of the BoT of the PDP and dismisses with ignominy the plans for regional integration by the Southwest Governors of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. Excerpts:

Vatican condemns christians attacks in Kenya and Nigeria

The Vatican condemned what it called “terrorist” attacks on Christians in Kenya and Nigeria on Sunday which claimed around 20 lives and called for restraint against a cycle of violence.
“The new terrorist attacks in Kenya and Nigeria at Christian celebrations are horrible and despicable acts,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said.

Nigeria: Tsav calls for General Andrew Azazi resignation-NSA

National Security Adviser(NSA), General Andrew Azazi (rtd), yesterday received more knocks and praises in equal measure for attributing the strong wind of insecurity blowing across the land to the zoning and power sharing arrangement of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and members of the House of Representatives on the banner of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) hailed Azazi, former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, asked the NSA to resign and save the present Federal Government more embarrassment.

Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan meets with Tinubu, Fashola, Akiolu

President Goodluck Jonathan, weekend, met with national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu behind closed doors.
The meeting in State House, Marina, Lagos took place as President Jonathan returned from Ivory Coast where he joined other regional leaders for an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

Tanzania's Simba looking good in Africa Confederation Cup

Tanzania's Simba have taken a big step towards a place in the next round of Africa's Confederation Cup with a 3-0 home win over Al Ahly Shandy of Sudan.

Last week Simba had to delay celebrating winning the Tanzanian title because of controversy at another game, but there was no doubt about this win.
All three goals game in the second half, with man of the match Emmanuel Okwi inspiring the team.
The goals came from Haruna Moshi, Patrick Mafisango and Okwi himself.

African champions Esperance thump Zimbabwe's Dynamos

Title holders Esperance took a huge step towards a place in the group phase of this year's African Champions League with a 6-0 thrashing of Dynamos of Zimbabwe on Saturday.

Tunisian sides did well over the weekend, with Etoile du Sahel also earning a big win - a 4-1 victory over Amadou Diallo of Ivory Coast.
There was a good away win for Zamalek of Egypt over MAS of Morocco, while Mali's Djoliba and Nigeria's Sunshine Stars drew 1-1 and DR Congo's TP Mazembe beat Sudan's Al Merreikh 2-0.
Esperance's win came thanks to an opener from Walid Hichri in just the 7th minute, with Karim Aouadhi doubling the lead before 15 minutes had been played.

Sudan 'declares emergency' on border with South Sudan

Sudan has reportedly declared a state of emergency along its border with South Sudan after weeks of clashes.

The decree will apply in the border districts of the South Kordofan, White Nile and Sennar states, according to the state-run Suna news agency.
Meanwhile, South Sudan has said it is willing to pull its police forces out of the disputed Abyei border region.
Sudanese local authorities have ordered a group of 12,000 ethnic South Sudanese people to leave Sudan within a week.

Libya ex-Minister Shukri Ghanem was found dead in Danube River

The body of Libya's former Oil Minister Shukri Ghanem has been found in the Danube River, Austrian police say.

A spokesman said there were no signs of violence to Mr Ghanem's body, which was in the river that flows through Vienna.
The former prime minister, 69, worked as a consultant for a Vienna-based company. He apparently left his home early on Sunday, police said.
Mr Ghanem defected from Libya as the country was engulfed in the uprising against Col Muammar Gaddafi last year.

Church attack in Nairobi Kenya

At least one person has been killed and 10 wounded in a suspected grenade attack on a church in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, police have said.

The attack targeted the God House of Miracle Church, in Ngara neighbourhood.
There has been a string of small arms attacks and explosions in Kenya since Kenyan troops crossed the Somali border.
Kenyan police have blamed previous attacks on Somalia's al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab Islamists.
However, no-one has yet said they carried out the blast.

Ugandan army says Sudan is backing Joseph Kony's LRA

The Ugandan army says the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony is being supported and supplied by the Sudanese government.

The LRA is accused of rape, mutilation, murder and the recruitment of child soldiers.
A Ugandan Defence Force colonel told the BBC they captured a member of the LRA who was wearing a Sudanese uniform, and carried its weapons and ammunition.
The US has sent special forces to help in the hunt for Mr Kony.

UPDATED: Two Professors, and many killed in Nigeria church attack Kano

Twenty persons were killed yesterday, including two university professors with several others injured when gunmen armed with bombs attacked St Stephen Catholic Chaplain, Bayero University, Kano. The attack occurred at Theatre Two, near Sports Complex, at the old Campus of the institution as Christian worshippers were holding Sunday services. Vanguard gathered that two professors, one identified as Prof. Ayodele of the Chemistry Department and Andrew Leo of the Library Department, were among the dead. The university’s Public Relations Officer, Malam Zaharadeen, confirmed the death of the professors.

Bomb blast in Nigeria's Bayero university in Kano

At least 15 people have been killed in a gun and bomb attack at a university in Nigeria's northern city of Kano, witnesses and police said.

Bodies were lying around Bayero University campus where Christian worshippers were holding a service.
A bomb squad and military units are searching for the gunmen.
No group has said it launched the attack, but the violent Islamist Boko Haram group is active in Kano. It has recently attacked churches.

Nigeria Vice President Namadi Sambo calls on security

Vice President Namadi Sambo has charged the government and people of Gombe State to contribute to the effort of the Federal Government towards ensuring that the society protects the lives and property of Nigerians.
Vice President Sambo gave this charge yesterday during his one day official working visit to Gombe State which turned out to be a hectic day for him as he commissioned a number of projects executed by the government of Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the state and as well laid the foundation stone for other various projects including the new Federal secretariat in the state capital.  The charge was part of his response to the remarks of the Emir of Gombe, Ahaji Shehu Usman Abubakar when he paid a courtesy visit to the Emir.

Ikeja bomb blast victims’ families call for assistance

The families of January 27, 2002 Ikeja bomb blast victims have called on the Federal Government  to fulfill the promise it made to them.  The Federal Government had promised to compensate the families and assist the victims children.
Speaking at a press briefing, the coordinator of the families, Mr Olaniran Majekodunmi, said  lack of response by the Federal Government  prompted them to consult their lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, who, in turn, wrote the Ministry of Defence and copied  relevant government agencies and has also written  reminders, but the initiative did  not yielded positive answer. According to him, they were asking for justice for the spilled blood of their relations at Oke- Afa  and other places in Lagos.

Nigeria Police declare Saraki wanted

Special Fraud Unit of the police, SFU, yesterday, declared former Kwara State governor, Senator  Bukola Saraki, wanted following  the refusal of a court to grant his request for restraining order.
Also wanted by the SFU is his wife, Toyin, over alleged N4 billion  loan fraud.
She allegedly collected the loan from Access Bank through her firm, DALTRADE.
The SFU has a warrant for Saraki arrest from a High Court in Lagos because the  alleged offence of N21 billion loan fraud  against him was committed in Lagos. Commissioner of police Tunde Ogunshakin of the SFU confirmed the story.