More Laurels for Joe Odumakin from Michelle Obama

Nigerian democracy activist and women's rights advocate 
Dr. Josephine Okei-Odumakin, was one of the 10 phenomenal
 women who were honored by US first lady, Michelle Obama 
and US Secretary  of State, John Kerry,
on Friday March 8th in the US.

Nigerian Navy Alerts the Public on Fake Recruitment Exercise

Ezeoba (middle) with Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogbor (Chief of Training and Operations) and Rear Admiral Olufemi Ogunjimi (Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command), on board NNS Thunder

The Nigerian Navy has alerted members of the public about the existence of fake recruitment exercise and warned them against falling victims of such scam.

This was disclosed in a statement signed Sunday by the Director of Information, Naval Headquarters, Abuja, Navy Commodore Kabiru Aliyu.

Aliyu stated that the Nigerian Navy has not commissioned any group to carry out recruitment exercise on its behalf, and therefore, should not be patronised.

El-Rufai: Obasanjo Will Not be Happy with My Book

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai

By Olusegun Adeniyi

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has acknowledged that the revelations in his controversial book, The Accidental Public Servant, would not make former President Olusegun Obasanjo happy with him over his portrayal of his former boss.

El-Rufai, who spoke in an interview to Abuja-based Metropole magazine, said he did not expect his former boss to be happy with him, “but that is okay, because I tried to be balanced with him.”

In the interview, which will hit the newsstands Monday, el-Rufai added: “He (Obasanjo) is very important to me and he gave me the opportunity to be in public service. I will always be grateful to him.

SIMON KOLAWOLE: Is Poverty Really Behind Terrorism?

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

Let me scare you a bit – crude oil ittle did it occur to me that my side note on “Poverty and Terrorism” last week was going to generate significant interest. I had said poverty makes recruiting terrorists easy, but disagreed that the primary factor is poverty, as suggested by President Bill Clinton. I received reactions from people whose viewpoints I respect a lot. Most of them disagreed with me. They thought I was trying to play down the poverty factor in terrorism. Without poor people, they argued, the terrorists would have no foot soldiers to recruit. Without foot soldiers, terrorism will be incapacitated. I have, therefore, decided to expatiate on my position today.

Terrorism, by nature, is driven by a religious, political or ideological mindset. The stated goal of Boko Haram is to establish an Islamic republic where Sharia will be the governing law. The first thing to note, therefore, is that terrorism is not accidental or spontaneous. It is pre-planned. It is organised. There is a central principle driving it. If people say they want to establish Islamic rule, that is a clear goal. Ideology drives their activities. They are not bombing for the sake of bombing – they are promoting an objective through the use of violence.

Finally! FG Sacks NCAA DG, Demuren

The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority,

Dr. Harold Demuren, has been sacked. A statement was 

released today Monday March 11th saying the decision 

was approved by President Goodluck Jonathan after

 “a careful consideration” of Demuren’s “unsatisfactory 

response to the numerous concerns of stakeholders in the 

aviation sector.”

Again Ketu Plank Market Succumbs to Inferno

Victims at the scene of the Ketu Plank market razed by fire… recently

To the consternation of the traders at Ifelodun Plank Market, Ketu, a suburb of Lagos State, for the third time in three years, a strange fire keeps engulfing the market. The victims who recounted their ordeal to THISDAY also expressed displeasure for the state government's plan to take over the market. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes

Last week, not less than 300 shops were razed and billions of naira went up in flames at the Ifelodun Plank Market, Ketu, during an inferno that lasted more than three hours. Building materials such as planks, nails, padlocks, gum, polish, nets and roofing sheets amongst other goods were destroyed by the fire barely seven months after it was rebuilt from the ashes of a previous fire incident.

Nigeria: Ansaru Posts Video of Hostages' Bodies

British Foreign Secretary William Hague

Nigerian Islamist group, Ansaru,  that killed seven foreign hostages it had been holding since February has posted a video of their bodies on the Internet.

Italian and Greek authorities confirmed on Sunday that a British, an Italian, a Greek and four Lebanese construction workers abducted in northern Nigeria last month had been killed by their captors, reports Reuters.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said it was "very likely" they were dead, calling it "an act of cold blooded murder." Nigerian authorities have thus far refused to confirm or deny the killings.