And Morsi is sentenced to death

An Egyptian court sentenced deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and more than 100 other defendants to death on Saturday over jail breaks during the 2011 uprising.
Morsi, sitting in a caged dock, raised his fists in defiance when the judge read his verdict.
Many of those sentenced were tried in absentia, including prominent Islamic cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi who resides in Qatar.
Under Egyptian law, death sentences are passed on to the mufti, the government’s interpreter of Islamic law, who plays an advisory role.
The court will pronounce its final decision on June 2.
Morsi was spared the death sentence in the first of two trials that concluded on Thursday, in which the court advised death sentences for 16 defendants on espionage charges.
They had been charged with colluding with foreign powers, the Palestinian Hamas and Iran to destabilise Egypt.
The court will pronounce the verdicts for Morsi and the remaining 18 defendants in that trial at a later date.
The court then delivered its verdict in the other the case, in which Morsi and 128 defendants were accused of plotting jail breaks and attacks on police during the uprising that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
More than 100 were sentenced to death along with Morsi.
Many of the defendants are Palestinians alleged to work with Hamas in neighbouring Gaza, and were tried in absentia along with a Lebanese Hezbollah commander.
They were alleged to have colluded with Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood to carry out attacks in Egypt in what prosecutors allege was a vast conspiracy.
With this verdict, Morsi and other former opposition members have been condemned for violence during the anti-Mubarak protest, while Mubarak himself beat charges in a trial over the deaths of anti-government protesters during the 18-day revolt that toppled him.

Ogogoro banned in Ondo state

The Ondo Government has banned the production and consumption of locally-made gin, commonly called `ogogoro` in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Dayo Akinyanju, announced this at a news conference in Akure on Saturday.
The commissioner attributed the ban to the outbreak of an unknown disease two weeks ago in Irele Local Government Area of the state.
“Our clinical analysis reveals the fact that there were no known viruses, while toxicology reports have confirmed our prime suspicion of methanol poisoning.
“We have reviewed our strategies and embarked on sensitisation to let people know that locally-made gin is prohibited.
“We will also embark on searches because this batch of methanol-containing gin must have gone round because 4 cases: 2 alive and 2 dead have been found in Odigbo Local Government Area,“ he said.
Akinyanju said that stakeholders such as religious leaders, transporters, youths, market women, and the relevant association would be informed of the development.
He said, “We will start with the entire South Senatorial District, then move to the Central Senatorial District.
According to the commissioner, the unknown disease has so far claimed 23 lives with ten other people receiving treatment.
“Two of them have regained their sights and are back home.
“We appeal to the general public to desist from drinking the gin until we are able to identify the source of contamination or find out how the methanol got into the drinks,“ he said.
The commissioner said that the state government was working closely with the National Agency for Food,  Drug Administration and Control and the National Orientation Agency to sensitise members of the public to the dangers of consuming such drinks. (NAN)

Dance with Peter of psquare gets underway

Peter Okoye, one half of the P-Square music duo has debuted with “Dance Nigeria with Peter,” a TV reality show designed to raise the bar.
Dance Nigeria with Peter is the first Dance Reality TV show that abrogates the normal humdrum of dance competition seen on TV. It’s a show that brings about a whole new dimension to dancing in an exciting display of talents, all wrapped up with suspense and indecision of the judge/mentors.
The show has Peter Okoye making his debut as a judge cum mentor alongside dance Queen Kaffy and hip hop dance choreographer, Flex. According to Peter Okoye, “This show is going to revolutionize the way Nigerians see dance. I am so happy to have on this project the best Nigeria has to offer when it comes to dance.
We believe that dance has the power to put this nation on the map. Charity begins at home, so let’s dance Nigeria.” The competition, Peter said, will be open to individuals from different dance backgrounds, be it solo, group or duet. Auditions will be held in June across four major cities of Jos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos.
It also includes street battles to make up the final 30 that will move to the competition phase. Registration of interested candidates will commence in May.

Three year old baby kidnapped

time around, the 3-year-old, Oluwabunmi Ajelero, was reportedly abducted from the Surulere Baptist Church, located on 52/54, Ojuelegba road, Surulere, Sunday.
The toddler as gathered, was reportedly abducted by an unidentified man who rode off in a motorbike.
However, Vanguard gathered that the family received a call yesterday where a male voice informed that little Bunmi as she is popularly called , was in their custody.
The caller was said to have demanded for an undisclosed ransom before the child would be released.
A relative to the family , Adejuwon Adediran who spoke with Vanguard, explained that : “Some strange people came into the church on Sunday , met the children who were playing and went away with Olubunmi”..
Asked how Olubunmi managed to stray from her parent’s watch, Adediran explained: “Adults have their session while children have theirs. At the end of the service, children usually leave their session for the adultssession where they would be playing while waiting for the parents to close. It was in the process of waiting that the strangers came and picked my brother’s daughter, Olubunmi”
Police sources hinted that investigation into the abduction of the baby had begun, expressing optimism that she would be rescued.

WTF: Man trekked from Lagos to Abuja

Suleiman Hashimu An Indigine Of Katsina, Who Promised To Trek From Lagos To Abuja If GMB Is Elected Finally Made It!

Top insurgent leader killed

Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a former top deputy to Saddam Hussein and more recently a key figure in Sunni extremist groups battling the Iraqi government, has been killed in a security operation in that country, Iraqi state-run television reported Friday.

Al-Douri was the highest-ranking member of Hussein's regime to evade capture -- the "King of Clubs" in a deck of playing cards used by American troops to identify the most-wanted regime officials.

He also was a man thought to have led the post-Hussein Sunni extremist group Naqshbandi Army. Military analysis website Globalsecurity.org says the Naqshbandi Army supports ISIS, which has taken over parts of Iraq and Syria.

Al-Douri was killed in an operation by Iraqi security forces and Shia militia members in the Hamrin Mountains between Tikrit and Kirkuk, Iraq, Shia militia commander Hadi al-Ameri said.

That militia is a predominantly Shiite fighting group that worked with Iraqi troops earlier this month to liberate the Iraqi city of Tikrit from ISIS.

The death of al-Douri was also reported by the governor of Salahuddin province, Raid al-Jubouri, who spoke by phone on Iraqi television.

Al-Douri's body arrived Friday in Baghdad, where DNA samples were taken to confirm the identity, said the spokesman of another Shiite militia called Hashd Shaabi in an interview with state-run Iraqiya TV.

DNA test results could be available in 48 hours, Hashd Shaabi spokesman Yousuf al-Kilabi told the outlet.

Iraqi State TV: Terrorist leader killed 01:14
The U.S. military is aware of the media reports but doesn't have further information to evaluate them, said Col. Patrick Ryder, spokesman for U.S. Central Command.

While officials are aware of al-Douri's role in the Hussein regime, Ryder declined to comment about whether the United States or the coalition was targeting any specific individuals.

SA Xenophobic attack spreads to Johannesburg

South African police fired rubber bullets Friday to disperse crowds setting immigrant businesses ablaze as attacks against foreigners spread to Johannesburg.

Chanting and singing, machete-armed residents burned down shops owned by foreigners, including a Nigerian dealership in the nation's largest city.

Immigrants carrying bricks accused police of not doing enough to protect them as businesses smoldered.

Six people killed
Violence targeting immigrant shops started recently in the port city of Durban, where two foreigners and three South Africans were killed. Residents have accused African immigrants of taking their jobs and committing crimes. The unemployment rate in South Africa is 25%, according to government figures.

A sixth death occurred Wednesday. The body of a 58-year-old foreign national was found in Verulam town, where a mob attacked the man at his home. He fled and died of his injuries near his home, South African police said.

At least 112 people have been arrested throughout KwaZulu-Natal Province for various offenses related to the violence, police said.

Social and economic issues
President Jacob Zuma said his government is addressing social and economic issues brought up by citizens. He said immigrants contribute to the nation's economy while others bring scarce skills.

"While some foreign nationals have been arrested for various crimes, it is misleading and wrong to label or regard all foreign nationals as being involved in crime in the country," Zuma said.

As the violence spread to other cities, terrified immigrants sought a resolution. Others fled, taking refuge at police stations in major cities.

"They are using this as scapegoats," said Jean-Pierre Lukamba, an immigrant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"Every day, migrants are living in this fire. It's not just attacks. It's institutionalized xenophobia. The government must do something. Those people aren't just mad for no reason. They want electricity, they want jobs, they want water."

UN appeal for funds to help Nigerian IDP

The United Nations launched an appeal on Thursday for $174 million in what it called “life-saving aid” for almost 200,000 Nigerians who have fled the country due to brutal attacks by Boko Haram jihadists.
The insurgents, who are seeking to create an Islamic state in the country’s predominantly Muslim north, have killed up to 15,000 people since 2009, according to the UN.
“Displaced people in north-eastern Nigeria and across borders are in a very dramatic situation,” Liz Ahua, west Africa representative for the UNHCR, the organisation’s refugee agency, said.
“They continue to fear for their lives, and are at this point unable to return to their homes.”
Some 192,000 people have fled over Nigeria’s borders into Cameroon, Chad and Niger seeking refuge from relentless violence, according to the UNHCR.

A further 1.2 million have been displaced within Nigeria as a direct result of the bloodshed, the agency said at the launch of the Nigeria Inter-Agency Regional Refugee Response Plan.
Staff and volunteers in 23 aid organisations and UN agencies say they are struggling to provide shelter, food, education and sanitation for the refugees.
Robert Piper, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for the Sahel region, said more than 7,300 civilians had been killed since the start of 2014 in the three states of the northeast, including 1,000 already this year.
“Gross violations of human rights, including sexual violence and child trafficking, are frequently reported. Education and health infrastructure has been decimated.
“The majority of victims have found makeshift shelters in schools, with their neighbours and relatives… They have lost everything — their homes, their livelihoods, their families.”
The UNHCR showed a video of refugees in Minawao camp, Cameroon, featuring a boy called Ibrahim, whose village in Nigeria’s Borno state was over-run by dozens of heavily-armed Boko Haram fighters.

Real Madrid appeal Ronaldo card

Real Madrid have appealed the yellow card shown to Cristiano Ronaldo for diving during Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano.

Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese received his fifth booking of the campaign, which would see him miss Saturday’s visit of Eibar to the Santiago Bernabeu, despite appearing to be clearly brought down by Antonio Amaya whilst the score was still level at 0-0.
“Real Madrid will appeal the yellow card shown to Cristiano Ronaldo in the game against Rayo yesterday in Vallecas,” the club said in a statement on Thursday.
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti remonstrated with the officials after the match and described the decision not to award a spot-kick as “incredible”.
Ronaldo went on to score his 300th goal for Madrid in just 288 games for the club as the European champions remained four points adrift of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

Jesse Jags returns

After threw years, he's back with chocolate city.

Judge declines fayose

Abuja: A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday refused to halt the impeachment proceeding being spearheaded by the Ekiti State House of Assembly against Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and his deputy, Kolapo Olusola.
The impeachment proceeding notice is said to have been served on the governor and his deputy by the 19 All Progressives Congress members, who have been at loggerheads with the governor since he came on board last October.
Although Fayose has been working with only six members of the PDP in the House, the APC lawmakers, which the governor does not recognise, returned to the state this week with an impeachment notice, prompting the closure of the House of Assembly by security agents.

AFCON 2017, the full draw

Group A
Tunisia, Togo, Liberia, Djibouti

Group B
DR Congo, Angola, Central Africa Republic, Madagascar

Group C
Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Benin, South Sudan

Group D
Burkina Faso, Uganda, Botswana, Comoros

Group E
Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Guinea Bissau

Group F
Cape Verde, Morocco, Libya, Sao Tome

Group G
Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Chad

Group H
Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Mauritius

Group I
Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Gabon

Group J
Algeria, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Seychelles

Group K
Senegal, Niger, Nambia, Burundi

Group L
Guinea, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland

Group M
Cameroon, South Africa, Gambia, Mauritania

Mohammed runs away from camp

Flying Eagles captain Musa Mohammed has ‘vanished’ from the Nigeria U23 camp in Abuja and has travelled abroad for trials without Samson Siasia’s permission.

Musa Mohammed
The right-back had been impressive for the Dream Team VI in training but left the camp last Friday after he took permission from the coach, Samson Siasia, with the excuse that he was going to Lagos to collect his international passport from the German embassy.
But the 18-year old has travelled abroad for trials and is yet to make any contact with the team since he left on Friday.
“Musa Mohammed vanished from the camp on Friday. He told us he was going to Lagos to collect his international passport from the German embassy but we are yet to see or hear anything from him,” the team’s spokesperson, Timi Ebikagboro confirmed.
Mohammed, alongside Dele Alampasu, Mustapha Abdullahi, Taiwo Awoniyi and Bernard Bulbwa were invited to the Nigerian U23’s shortly after they won the Africa Youth Championship in Senegal.
Alampasu, Awoniyi, Mustapha and Mohammed joined immediately, but Bulbwa had to travel to sign for Tunisian club, Esperance, and only joined the team last week.
But Mohammed has now left the team, and will not be part of the All Africa Games qualifier against Zambia this weekend in Lusaka, which the Dream Team must win or play out a score draw to be guaranteed a place at the All Africa Games.

Igbo groups takes Oba to Human Rights commission

Igbo groups in Lagos have dragged the Oba to the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC.

Ohanaeze-Ndigbo Lagos and Igbo Justice Congress in petition to the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, called for the intervention of the Commission to forestal the threat by Oba Akiolu.
The petition by Innocent Arinze for Ohaneze Ndigbo and Arinze Ugwu for Igbo Justice Congress, said
“The entire Igbo in Lagos State seeks your intervention to forestall the threat by HRM Oba Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos to drown all Ndigbo in Lagos State inside the Lagoon if they failed to vote his candidate, Ambode of the APC Lagos.

Rochas makes move to avoid ethic violence between Igbo and Yoruba

GOVERNMENT OF IMO STATE
 
PRESS RELEASE
 
SUBJECT: HIS EXCELLENCY SETS UP HRM EZE OHIRI-LED COMMITTEE TO MEET WITH OBA OF LAGOS
 
His Excellency, Governor Rochas Okorocha has announced the setting up of a committee made up of notable traditional rulers in the State to be led by the chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM, Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri who would travel to Lagos to meet with the Oba of Lagos, HRM Rilwan Akiolu over the death threat he was said to have issued to the Igbos in Lagos if they fail to vote for APC in the governorship election that comes up on Saturday.
The governor directed that the Eze Ohiri Committee should leave for Lagos immediately to meet with the Oba to enable them have one-on-one discussion over the said threat by the traditional ruler, and extract some commitments from him.
The chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum said although the traditional ruler was reported to have denied the report, it should not be enough to accept that refutal without traditional rulers from the South-East meeting with him to discuss the controversy and the way forward, to ensure that the long existing cordial relationship between the Igbos in Lagos and their host community should remain commendable and enviable.
The governor remarked that it was not enough to take up the matter on the pages of newspapers, with some of the commentators only keen in the issue to cause more serious problem between the Igbos in Lagos and the Oba of Lagos, but a new approach that would be more result-oriented should be employed, which includes the traditional rulers from the State to be led by Eze Ohiri going to Lagos and meeting with the Oba to talk about the matter.
No serious Igbo man or Yoruba man would like trouble to exist between the Igbos and the Oba of their host community, and that limiting the attendant actions to comments on the pages of newspaper won’t solve the ripple. The traditional rulers when they get to Lagos and indeed to the Oba, would try to hear from the Oba directly, look at the entire issue and know what to tell the Oba or what to demand from him before travelling back to Owerri.
The Governor urged the Igbos in Lagos to remain calm and also remain the good ambassadors of the Igbo nation like they have always been and that the current misunderstanding should not be allowed to cause unnecessary rift between them and the Yorubas in Lagos.
 
Sam Onwuemeodo
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media

Clark condemns Obama

Speaking to Journalists yesterday in Abuja, Chief Clark stressed that the presentation of a ‘Certificate of Commendation’ to Jega over the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections March 28th, 2015 with the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls yet to be conducted was too hasty,
Clark who urged the US to leave Nigeria alone, said that Nigeria remains an independent country capable of doing its things, its own way and not according to the dictates of the western world, adding, ” I was surprised that Barack Obama gave Professor Attahiru Jega an award when the elections are still on . Obama should be tactful in handling the affairs of Africa. US should leave us alone, Nigeria is an Independent country. They tried it Egypt, they should not try anything in Nigeria,
President Obama who presented the certificate to Jega, would be recalled was represented by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle.
The ‘Certificate of Commendation’ was awarded to Jega for his outstanding and sterling performance in conducting a credible election. Obama said what Prof. Jega has done should be replicated by all.

Caf removes age limits of officials

The Confederation of African Football voted on Tuesday to remove an age limit on its officials, paving the way for Issa Hayatou to stay on as president.

All 54 countries at the organisation’s congress in Cairo agreed to change the statutes which previously stopped officials serving past the age of 70.

It was proposed CAF should bring its rules in line with those of world football governing body FIFA.

Hayatou, 68, will now be able to stand for another term in office in 2017.

His current mandate ends in two years and he is seeking four more years until at least 2021, when he turns 75.

The rule change follows success in recent years in adapting the statutes to limit potential opponents to Hayatou’s rule.

CAF previously brought in a rule that candidates for its presidency can only come from the ranks of its own executive committee, a tight-knit club closely controlled by Hayatou. FIFA does not have the same restriction.

Cameroon-born Hayatou, a former athletics official, is the longest serving senior member in FIFA structures, where he acts as vice-president, and has had few serious challengers for power in Africa since first winning election in 1988.

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast’s Jacques Anouma has he lost his seat on the exalted FIFA Executive Committee.

The former president of Ivorian football federation got only 20 votes at the election conducted as part of the 37th CAF Ordinary General Assembly on Tuesday in Egypt. He has long lost his seat on the CAF Executive Committee.

Tarek Bouchamaoui from Tunisia took 54 votes, with the president of DR Congo football federation, Constant Omari Selemani, second with 34 votes. Both will sit on the FIFA panel for the next four years.

Six members of the CAF Executive Committee were also re-elected, for the 2015-2019 period. Bouchamaoui was re-elected unopposed for the North Zone, while Guinean Almamy Kabele Camara retained his seat in West A Zone and Ghanaian Kwesi Nyantakyi was also unopposed for Zone West B, into which Nigeria falls.

Selemani retained his seat in the Central Zone, and former Tanzania captain Leodegar Tenga was also unopposed (Hassan Waberi of Djibouti withdrew) in Central-East, as former Zambia captain Kalusha Bwalya benefitted similar fortune in Southern zone.

AFCON 2017, Eagles know fate today

The Super Eagles will today know their group opponents for the qualification tournament of the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. The draw will be held in Cairo immediately after the announcement of the host nation for the tournament.
The qualifiers for the 31st edition of the AFCON will begin this midyear in the FIFA international window from June 8-16.

Super Eagles celebrate after winning the 2013 Afcon final
For the first time the host country will participate in the qualifying stages for the AFCON. However, the matches concerned will not count for any points in their group, and will instead be classified as friendlies.
Fifty two teams will be divided into 13 groups of four teams each. A four-tiered seeding system will see one team from each tier allocated per group.
The top team in each group will qualify for the tournament finals, as well as the best two runners-up – excluding the group involving the host country, from which only one team will qualify.
The Eagles failed to qualify for the 2015 edition which held in Equatorial Guinea and was won by Ivory Coast.

President Jonathan warns against violence

Read the State House press statement below...

As the nation prepares for Saturday’s governorship and State Assembly elections, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan calls on all Nigerians to remain peaceful, united and law-abiding. The President condemns the very unseemly attempt by some politicians, groups and individuals to intimidate others, heat up the polity and cause public disorder and disaffection in the aftermath of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

President Jonathan is especially concerned about the negative triumphalism that has been put on display by certain elements since March 31 which flies in the face of his personal commitment to post-election peace, unity and national stability.

The President calls on all those, who through their actions and utterances, have been promoting divisiveness, sectionalism and ethnic hatred in the country following the outcome of the March 28 elections to cease and desist from actions that detract from the true spirit and culture of democracy envisioned by patriotic men and women of goodwill in Nigeria.

President Jonathan also condemns the undue harassment of public officials serving under his administration and urges all affected persons to continue to perform their lawful duties without fear. The President cautions that this should be a time for the healing of political wounds in the overriding interest of national unity, stability and progress, not a time for ethnic jingoism and the settling of scores. The Federal Government will not condone any attempt to instigate a crisis in any part of the country in furtherance of personal political ambitions.

President Jonathan assures all Nigerians that his administration remains fully committed to national progress and the entrenchment of the best values of democracy for the good of all Nigerians. He urges Nigerians to go out en-masse once again on April 11 to vote for candidates of their choice in the Governorship and State Assembly elections with the confidence that his administration will do all within its powers to ensure that they do so in peace, without threats, intimidation or violence from any quarters.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
April 7, 2015

Dangote begins cement production in Cameron

The management of Dangote Cement Plc has said that its planned consolidation of the African expansion drive remains on course with the commencement of production of its $150m Cameroon plant in Douala.

The company said in a statement on Tuesday that the commencement of production in the Cameroonian commercial city came in the wake of the inauguration of another 1.5 million tonnes capacity per annum Senegal plant in Pout in January.

The company had last year listed six plants across five African countries for completion this year.

The plants, according to the President and Chief Executive, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote will add about 13.5 million metric tonnes of cement per annum to the existing capacity upon completion.

The plants are located in Zambia, with 1.5mmtpa capacity; Tanzania, 1.5mmtpa; South Africa, 3mmtpa; Republic of Congo, 1.5mmtpa; Gabon, 1.5mmtpa; and Senegal, 1.5mmtpa

Back home in Nigeria, Dangote Cement ramp up capacity, adding third and fourth production lines to the existing 6mmtpa in Ibese, Ogun State, to bring the total capacity to 12mmtpa, and another 3mmtpa line is currently being added to the Obajana Cement Plant in Kogi State.

Dangote told a delegation from Organised Private Sector, who visited him in his office in Lagos, that the 1.5mmtpa plant in Cameroon commenced initial production at one million tonnes per annum before it would be stepped up to the maximum capacity level.

He stated that the Douala plant would revolutionise the cement industry in Cameroon and help stimulate the Western African economy as Dangote Cement would be churning out its 42.5 quality grade of cement at a very competitive price.

Dangote explained that the plant remained the most modern in Cameroon because of the latest technologies used in its construction from Germany, United States and France by the renowned plant engineering firm, Sinoma.

He stated that the company started by importing clinker and that production was being carried out in the most environmental friendly level, pointing out that the dust emission by the plant was lower than the 50mm international standard.

He promised that Dangote Cement as a law abiding organisation would play by the rules of the land and that it would replicate its robust corporate social services in the host community.

On the economic benefit of the plant, Dangote stated that over 1,000 people would be employed directly, while 5,000 others would benefit from the indirect employment to be generated by the production activities of the plant.