Kidnappers Of Edo Teachers Reduce Ransom To N7.5m From N15m

 Kidnappers of the three primary school teachers at Orhogbua Primary school at Ekenwan village are yet to e released after 13 days in captivity.

The three teachers, all females – Patience Osadolor, Momodu Aisha and Patience Oroghene, were abducted at gun point on July 30 with a ransom of N60 million placed on their heads by the gunmen.
This sum was reduced to N15 million last week and later further reduced to N7.5 million which translates to N2.5 million per teacher.
It was learnt that the kidnappers informed their victims’ families that the N7.5 million was the least they would collect as ransom payment.

Reactions Trail RCCG’s Proposed 3-Km Long Auditorium

As the annual convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, ends with the General Overseer, Pastor E.A. Adeboye announcing that the church would build a three kilometre long auditorium in Nigeria, Nigerians have reacted in the same manner they reacted to the purchase of private jets by some pastors, calling the proposed project a waste and another confirmation that Nigerian churches are veering off the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In his reaction, a man identified as Godson said, Nigerians are hungry and unemployment rate is sky-high but churches are wasting their resources on buildings and other investments rather than tackling poverty.

“Why not use that money to build a non-profit organisation and employ our youths?” Godson queried.

“If they like, they should convert the whole of Oyo State and Ogun State to church there’s still nothing to show for it . No light. Even the General Overseer has more bodyguards than government officials and moves about in Helicopter / Private jet,” another Naubiko said.

Ade on his part likened Nigerian pastors to armed robbers.

“They (Nigerian pastors) are worst than armed robbers. They are con artists who are not afraid of God’s punishment. Some of Nollywood actors and actresses have also dumped acting and joined these con artists because, it is more lucrative than acting or 419 business. ”

Governor Mimiko Pays Condolence Visit To Fashola

 

Despite their recent political differences which arose from the outcome of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) elections in May, Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko on Sunday paid a condolence visit to his Lagos counterpart, Babatunde Raji Fashola, over the demise of his father, Pa Ademola Fashola, who died last week Monday at the age of 80.

It was gathered that Mimiko was accompanied on the visit to the Lagos State Government House in Marina by top government functionaries in the state, where he told Gov. Fashola that his father lived a life worthy of emulation.
According to him, the late Pa Fashola’s beliefs, toils and earthly sojourn produced children who are making their marks in life.
“The common prayer in Yoruba is that we leave behind worthy children after a life well lived. That prayer has found practical fulfillment in the life and time of the departed Pa Fashola”, said the Ondo governor.

In his eulogy, which he wrote in the condolence register, Governor Mimiko noted with sadness that people who have wealth of knowledge and can give coming generations well thought out advice, are now dying without prior notice.
“Not only has he left worthy children; he has also through an obvious liberal approach to religion left lessons of tolerance and neighborliness for us all,” he said.

Nigerian Police afraid of us, says arrested MASSOB leader

JETHRO IBILEKE/Asaba

The detained coordinator of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Anioma/Ndokwa East region of Delta State, Mr. Emeka Okafor, has accused the police of arresting them out of fear of the growing popularity of the movement in Asaba, capital of Delta State.

The 52-year-old MASSOB leader who hails from Nkanu in Enugu State, was arrested and detained by the police on 8 August with five of his members who had earlier arrested four members of the movement the day before. They have been in police detention since the arrest.

Names of those arrested on August 6 as Ndubisi Ezeocha, 20, Francis Onuigbo, 28, Emeka Izigbo, 28 and Andrew Nwufulu, 26, adding that on August 7, “one Emeka Okafor ‘m’ aged 52 years, a native of Nkanu in Enugu State and the acclaimed leader of the group was arrested with five other suspects.”

The police had accused the suspects of attacking vigilante men at Powerline and Ominigboma areas of Asaba.

But Emeka who was paraded by the police before journalists in Asaba, denied attacking vigilante men in Asaba.

“This is a sector, how can we go and attack them. They are afraid that if MASSOB continues to be visible they would not continue to harass people. They are street people,” he said, adding “there were people that came there and wanted to sympathise with flood victims and three of my members went there. Unfortunately one of them who has not been given proper MASSOB training went with them.

Row Between Britain And Spain Heats Up Over Gibraltar

The row between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar has intensified with London threatening legal action over “totally disproportionate” border checks.

The comments came as British warships set sail for the Mediterranean on Monday for a naval exercise, in which the HMS Westminster will dock in Gibraltar.

Helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious steamed out of Portsmouth, to be followed on Tuesday by the type-23 frigate HMS Westminster, which is set to arrive in Gibraltar within a week.

The defence ministry has stressed that the deployment of the ships is “routine” and “long planned”.

But in a hardening of Britain’s tone, a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said the government was considering legal action over the checks by Spanish guards on the border of the rocky outpost on Spain’s south coast.

The spokesman said the checks had caused delays of several hours, and were “politically motivated and totally disproportionate”.

“Clearly the prime minister is disappointed by the failure of Spain to remove the additional border checks this weekend,” the spokesman said.

“We are now considering what legal action is open to us.

“This would be an unprecedented step so we want to consider it carefully before a making a decision to pursue.”

Spain has refused to stop the checks, which it says are “legal and proportionate”.

London’s threat came after Spain said it was considering taking the row over the disputed territory to global bodies.

A foreign ministry spokesman said Madrid was “evaluating the possibility of going to bodies like United Nations, the security council, the court in The Hague”.

But he said that “no decision has been taken” on the possible course of action.

Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in perpetuity in 1713 but has long argued that it should be returned to Spanish sovereignty. London says it will not do so against the wishes of Gibraltarians, who are staunchly

But I’m not as rich as Don Jazzy’ Atiku Abubakar jokes on Twitter

The former two- time Vice President of Nigeria might have opened his Twitter back in 2010 but up till recently, he’d never been this interactive with his 16,000 followers on the micro-blogging social platform.

Atiku Abubakar has even made his first celebrity tweet buddy; guess who? It’s none other than the Twitter-ubiquity Don Jazzy. While responding to a follower who had asked why he doesn’t ‘share recharge cards’ like the Mavin Records label boss, Atiku simply responded ‘But I’m not as rich as Don Jazzy #smile‘.

Interestingly, Don Jazzy tweeted at Atiku after confirming from his (Atiku) daughter if the account was run by her father. ‘Hellooo @MeenaAbu is this @Atiku really daddy’s account? Abeg hail him for me o. tell him to ignore dis kids on my TL o. lol’.