Witness: Ndume Exchanged 73 SMS, Others with Boko Haram Chief

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja Wednesday heard that Senator Aliyu Mohammed Ndume who is standing trial on a four-count charge of  providing  logistics and funding to Boko Haram sect, had a record of 73 communications in the form of short message service (SMS), multimedia service (MMS), and voice calls, with the convicted former spokesman of the sect, Konduga, who is currently serving a three-year jail term.

This disclosure was made by prosecution witness 3, Mr. Aliyu Usman, a forensic expert in the employ of the Department of State Security Services (SSS), who started giving evidence in the trial on Tuesday.

Money Laundering: EFCC Frees Lamido’s Son

 

 Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has granted administrative bail to Aminu Sule, the eldest son of the Jigawa state Governor Alhaji Sule Lamido.

Aminu, arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Kano (MAKIA) for alleged money laundering, was granted bail yesterday by the anti graft agency.

EFCC Spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren confirmed to THISDAY on phone that Aminu had been granted bail, but other sources told us that charges have been prepared against the embattled son of the governor who will be charged to court on a later date.

Xmas: Jonathan Urges Nigerians to Embrace Peace

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to Nigerians to embrace peace and pray for the unity and progress of the country as they celebrate the yuletide season.

Jonathan made the appeal Thursday during a Christmas carol service held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, saying the celebration of the season is something done both by Christians and non-Christians alike.

Spain seizes former Egypt leader Hosni Mubarak's assets

Mubarak was jailed for life for his role in the killing of protesters

 

Police in Spain say they have seized assets linked to former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak worth some 28m euros (£23m; $34m).

They took action after the new Egyptian authorities made an international request to block the assets of 130 people associated with his rule.
Some 18.4m euros in financial products have been frozen in Spanish banks.
Other assets include properties in the capital Madrid and the resort of Marbella, and seven luxury cars.
The two buildings in Madrid's wealthy Moraleja district are worth a combined 7m euros while the seven properties in Marbella are worth more than 3m euros.

Golden Globes: Steven Spielberg's Lincoln leads nominations

Steven Spielberg's presidential biopic Lincoln is the frontrunner at this year's Golden Globe nominations.

It is up for seven prizes, including best actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, best director for Spielberg, and best film drama.
In the latter category, it competes with Ben Affleck's thriller Argo and Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, both of which have five nominations.
The winners will be announced in Los Angeles on 13 January, 2013.
There are also nominations for three British Dames - Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, as well as TV nods to Downton Abbey, The Hour and Sherlock.
 

Dana Air insurers begin final settlement of $100,000

 

Insurers of Dana Air on Thursday commenced final payment of $70,000 compensation to each of thefamilies of victims of the of the 3 June crash after an initial payment of $30,000 to over 80 families.The Civil Aviation Act stipulates that the sum of $100,000 be paid as compensation to families of victims of air disasters.

Confirming the payment to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Tony Usidamen, Dana Air’s Head of Corporate Communications said that following receipt of Letter of authentification from the Probate Registry, the insurers have begun balance payment of $70,000 to affected families.

Winners and Losers: Court Strikes Out Okada Riders Suit

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FASHOLA

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, has struck out a suit instituted by an association representing commercial motorcyclists in Lagos against the ban of motorcycles, popularly known as ‘okada’ on major highways in the state. It struck out the suit seeking to overturn their ban on Thursday morning. The commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders) had challenged the state’s traffic law banning their operation on federal roads in the state.
Justice Aishat Opesanwo in her judgment held that the Lagos State House Of Assembly has the right to make laws governing roads within the state. She held that from the evidence before her, the Lagos state traffic law did not in anyway prohibit freedom of movement as alleged by okada riders.

Gov. Lamido: My Son Not A Money Launderer

Gov. Sule Lamido

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa on Thursday in Dutse said that his son was not in anyway involved in money laundering.
He described the arrest of his eldest son, Aminu Lamido, 34, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering as “false and mischievous”.
Lamido’s son was arrested on Tuesday by operatives of the EFCC at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport with 50, 000 United States Dollars.

20 Babies Delivered At RCCG Congress

Pastor Adeboye

Twenty babies, including a set of twins, have been delivered since the 15th Holy Ghost Congress of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) began on Monday at its Camp Ground along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The General Overseer of the  church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, made the announcement at the Redemption Camp on Wednesday night.

Abduction of Okonjo-Iweala’s Mother, Part of a Trend

Police searched Monday for the kidnapped mother of Nigeria’s powerful finance minister, after an abduction that shows no one is out of reach of criminal gangs in the West African nation’s oil-rich southern delta.

Kamene Okonjo, the 83-year-old mother of Nigeria’s Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was kidnapped Sunday afternoon in her hometown of Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State. Okonjo-Iweala, a respected economist, became a finance minister with extensive powers last year. She was also a possible candidate to head the World Bank before losing the position to U.S. nominee Jim Yong Kim.

Does Nigeria Need a New Police Force?

 

By Chukwuma Charles Soludo

Over the last 20 years, every new Inspector General of Police (IG) has launched one special ‘operation’ or the other to signal his zero tolerance to crime. Over the same period, the size of the police force has more than tripled, its budget ballooned, and yet the state of insecurity worsens. Nigeria is ranked the “kidnap-for-ransom capital of the world”, accounting for 25% of global kidnappings. The global peace index ranks Nigeria the 6th most dangerous African country to live in; KPMG ranks Nigeria the most fraudulent country in Africa; while the Economist Intelligence Unit ranks Nigeria the ‘worst place to be born’ in 2013. 

Killing Industry Softly, Steadily

Simon Kolawole Live!: Email: simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com

A friend visited me during the week. He is a young Nigerian full of hopes and dreams. His parents had wanted him to study Medicine or Pharmacy, but he had always been fascinated with Agriculture, so he put in for Agric Economics without their knowledge. They were angry when they discovered but it was too late. He travelled out of the country for his post-graduate studies. He did so well that the school wanted to employ him. He opted to return to Nigeria to pursue his first love. As a stop-gap, he worked in a bank and earned some good money. But he wanted to set up a poultry processing plant. That was what could make him feel fulfilled. He resigned his appointment and began the journey into… Well, let us hope the story will still end well.

Nigerian Kills Ex-lover in UK over Child’s Religious Faith

Arogundade and Adebiyi

It had started with the blazing fire of new-found lovers. Consumed by their passion, and determined to share love and emotional affinity, neither Esther Arogundade, 32, nor Shola Adebiyi, both Nigerians, cared a hoot about their religious differences. They found love between themselves, and religion was not going to be a barrier. Or so they thought. While Arogundade was a devout Christian, Adebiyi was a committed Muslim.

Between them, they could handle their religious differences. But a third member,  their daughter, soon joined to change their calculation. The faith to be practised by the two-year-old daughter became an issue.   Should she be allowed to be a Muslim like the father or should she, like the mother,  be a Christian? Neither parent accepted to bulge. And that began to generate tension and create rift between the erstwhile lovers.

Japan: 94-year-old Man Eyes Parliament

Ryokichi Kawashima, a 94-year-old parliamentary election candidate, speaks in front of his election campaign poster

When Ryokichi Kawashima burst into a Tokyo city office to register as a candidate in Japan's parliamentary election, the woman behind the counter first froze, then stuttered: "Are you serious?"

He was. Kawashima had just taken 3 million yen ($36,400) from the sum saved for his funeral and at 94, and just three hours before the deadline, he became the oldest contender for Sunday's election to the lower house of parliament.