Jonathan's one term presidency:Kanti Bello, Folarin, fault Babangida Aliyu

February 19 — 26, 2013 Vol. 1. No. 13. Nigeria’s first free newspaper

>> Page 11

APGA: Karma HasFinally Caught-upWith Victor Umeh?>> Page 10

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha is theonly person that can cage BokoHaram – Barr. Amobi Nzelu

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

New Health Bill Will Kill 10 Million Nigerian Women Via trade in human Eggs

The Chairman; Institute ofAdvanced Research andTraining, Dr Phillip

Njemanze has revealed that the

on-going debate on the NationalHealth Bill will encourage thekilling of about 10 million poorNigerian women who will be

willing donate their ovaries fora stipend as encouraged by the

Only At

the Wine Shop

SEKMART

SUPER STORES

Games Village

Karu District,

Abuja

The disclosure by NigerState governorBabangida Aliyu that

President Jonathan signed anundertaking to run a singleterm presidency has comeunder knocks by people who saythey were part of the meetingswhich led to the Jonathanpresidency. Former SenateWhip, Senator Kanti Bello, hasaccused the Niger StateGovernor, Babangida Aliyu ofbeing economical with thetruth over his claim thatPresident Goodluck Jonathanagreed to a single term in2 0 1 1 .

Bello, former member of thePeoples’ Democratic Party, inan interview said as a principalofficer of the Senate in 2011,he attended a meeting ofgovernors and lawmakerswhere the issue of Jonathan’s

single term was discussed.He recalled that he raised

the matter during the meetingand that Jonathan did notmake such a promise.

Aliyu had claimed in aninterview aired on LibertyRadio, Kaduna, that PresidentJonathan agreed to serve foronly one term of four yearsbeginning from 2011.

According to Aliyu: “I recallthat at the time he was goingto declare for the 2011 election,all PDP governors were broughttogether to ensure that we wereall in the same frame of mind.

“And I recall that some of ussaid that, given thecircumstances of the death ofPresident Umaru Yar’Aduaand given the PDP zoningarrangement, it was expectedthat the North was to producethe president for a given

number of years.“I recall that at that

discussion, it was agreed thatJonathan would serve only oneterm of four years and we allsigned the agreement. Evenwhen Jonathan went toKampala, in Uganda, he alsosaid he was going to serve asingle term.”

President Goodluck Jonathan

But Bello, who laterdefected to the Congress forProgressive Change, dismissedAliyu’s claims.

“When we were having ameeting, then I was in PDP, wewere there at the NationalHeadquarters of the Party, wethe principal officers of theSenate, governors and somemembers of the NationalWorking Committee of theParty.

“A discussion arose andPresident Jonathancomplained about the sequenceof elections and lack of supportas an executive President andmember of our party.

“Then, finally I raised theissue that it is not a question ofelection: You want to run butsince you want to run, some ofus feel what you want to do isunconstitutional but since adecision has been taken and aprimary has taken place, themajority of the people say runso democratically, there isnothing anybody can do sincethere has been a conventionand nobody objected at theconvention about yourrunning.

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 2

MissionStatement

Addressing migration issues in Nigeria

Perspectives

effort to increase the declining reading culture inNigeria.

To empower Nigerians through the provisionof facts in an informative and entertainingmanner with a view to enabling the populace takedecisions and make choices based on facts ratherthan rumors and propaganda from spin doctors.

To contribute our quota towards the making ofa street-wise populace capable of holding their ownanywhere in the world.

This newspaper shall be provided free in orderto reach the masses who form the most importantsegment of our society.

reporters dispatch is a masses newspaper for theNigerian masses.

The mission of reporters dispatch is toplace in the hands of every Nigerian thepower of information and knowledge.

To promote spontaneous reading in a conscious

By most accounts, migration issues havebecome an essential feature of the world’spolitical and socio-economic activities in

recent times.This, according to observers, is because

integrated markets, emergence of transnationalnetworks and rapid growth of communicationtechnologies have contributed to the increasingmovement of high and low-skilled personnel,families, tourists, students, among others.

Since migration is viewed as the right to leaveone’s place of birth or abode in search of newopportunities and better life, appropriateauthorities have given migrants a priorityattention in the scheme of things.

At a higher level, the Meeting of Experts onthe Definition of the African Diaspora held in2005 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the African Union(AU) clearly defined the African Diaspora.

According to it, the African Diaspora consistsof peoples of African origin living outside thecontinent, irrespective of their citizenship andnationality, and who are willing to contribute tothe development of the continent and thebuilding of the AU.

The AU pledged that it would invite andencourage the full participation of the AfricanDiaspora in efforts to develop the continent andstrengthen the AU.

On the national level, there is a growingrecognition of the need to involve Nigerians livingabroad in national development efforts.

For instance, there is a standing committee inthe House of Representatives that is overseeingissues relating to Nigerians resident in overseascountries.

The committee known as the House ofRepresentatives Committee on the Diaspora ischaired by Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa and it has beensoliciting the establishment of a commission tolook after the interests of Nigerians in theDiaspora.

At the Nigerians in the Diaspora (Europe)Investment Summit held in Osogbo last year,Dabiri-Erewa underscored the need to create thecommission that would address all issues relatingto Nigerians living abroad.

The lawmaker stressed that many Nigerianexperts in various fields of human endeavourwere resident in countries across the world,developing the countries’ economies andpromoting the wellbeing of their citizensy.

She noted that it was paradoxical to note thatNigeria was still deficient in expertise in varioussectors, while its citizens were busy developingthe economies of other countries.

“This is why it is time for us as country toconsider this commission which will look at theissue of Nigerians in the Diaspora and how theircontributions can be harnessed to save thecountry from its present predicament.

“Many of our people are doing very well; theyare respected in their chosen fields such asmedicine and engineering, among others; theacademia is not left out, Nigerians stand outwherever they are,’’ she said.

In the light of this, the Nigerian NationalVolunteer Service (NNVS), a department in theOffice of the Secretary to the Government of the

Federation, is specifically mandated to mobiliseNigerians in the Diaspora to make contributions tothe country’s development.

Established in 2002, the department isempowered to implement the government policyon the engagement of Nigerians abroad, whilespecifying the framework for their effectivemobilisation and engagement for nationaldevelopment.

To boost the government’s initiative, theEuropean Union (EU) is funding “Promoting BetterManagement of Migration in Nigeria’’ project withabout 11 million Euros (about N2.3 billion).

A workshop on the project was recentlyorganised by the International Organisation forMigration (IOM) in Abuja and its participantscommended ongoing activities and support forefforts to engage Nigerians living overseas innational development strategies and efforts.

Mr Charles Kwenin, the IOM Senior RegionalAdvisor of Sub-Saharan Africa, said that theworkshop discussed how to develop a roadmap foreffective and sustainable engagement of Nigeriansin the Diaspora in national development activities.

He, however, noted that globally, millions ofpeople were constantly on the move, adding thathalf of the migrants were women, while a numberof them were with children.

“This mass movement is what the IOM Director-General, Amb. William Lacey Swing, refers to as amega-trend of the 21st Century.

“It is driven, in the first instance, by theinformation and communication revolutions. In2000, no fewer than 300 million people wereconnected to the Internet, today; the number hasrisen to about two billion.

“So, you have one out of every seven personson our globe in a migratory status and one out ofevery three people connected to the Internet.

“The two are linked in the sense that anyonewho has Internet access can know at anytime,from anywhere in the world, what is going onanywhere else in the world.

“If it is these revolutions that fuel thisparticular movement, then, other trends will makesure that it lasts well into our century.

“Migration is humanity’s oldest action againstpoverty – the powerful manifestation of anindividual’s desire for development, dignity anda decent life – even if it means doing the dirty,difficult and dangerous jobs; jobs that thedomestic workforce often shun

“One of the main challenges before us now ishow to formulate and implement humane andequitable policies that will deploy thedevelopment potential of the people in theDiaspora for the benefit of their countries of originand countries of destination,’’ he said.

To make things easier for Nigerians livingabroad, Mrs Omolara Duke, the Assistant Director(Department of Research), Central Bank of Nigeria,said that Nigerians living overseas could now openNigerian bank accounts anywhere they were.

She said the “Nigeria Diaspora Account’’ wouldalleviate the burden of Nigerians living inrepatriating money home for nationaldevelopment.

All the same, participants at the workshopresolved that the NNVS, in collaboration with theMinistries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),should develop a pragmatic roadmap for theengagement of Nigerians living abroad for specificnational development plans.

They noted that the collaboration should fosterthe evolution of trust between Nigerians abroadand the Federal Government.

They also called for increased advocacy for theformal adoption of the Draft National MigrationPolicy.

The participants asserted that the creation ofinvestment products such as “Diaspora Bonds’’,among other incentives, would stimulateNigerians living in overseas countries to partakein national development projects.

By Kayode Olaitan

Minister of Interior Comrade Abba Moro

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 3

News Around NigeriaAEPB toprovidepublic toiletsto check opendefecationin Abuja

New Health Bill Will Kill 10 Million NigeriaWomen Via trade in human EggsContd. from Front Page

Catholic priest at war withCommissioner of Policeover kidnap story

bill.According to Dr Njemanze,

Nigeria will be the only countryin the world to legalise such ananomaly as every developedcountry and even developingcountries in Asia havecriminalised the trade in eggs.

He explained that laws inthe debated National HealthBill will enhance the donationof eggs and tissues, considering

the high level of poverty, themedical doctor claims thatwomen will be willing to donatetheir eggs for survival at atoken fee.

Such donation which will beunlimited further exposes thewomen to more complicatedmedical condition such as cancerdue to the explosion they will beexposed to while conducting theegg donation procedures. This willeventually claim their lives.

The doctor who was onChannels Television breakfastprogramme; Sunrise, describedthis development as a “biologicalwarfare” which Nigerianlawmakers are encouraging.

Dr Njemanze also explainedthat Section 51 of the bill dictates

that with the consent of theMinister, it will be legal to kill anembryo and there is no nation inthe world that has passed such alaw.

According to him, the bill isenmeshed with euphemisms thatdo not clearly state its intent. Hecited an example as ‘splitting theembryo’ as contained in Section 51of the bill. This he argues is as goodas killing the embryo.

“Once you split an embryo, itis dead so you can use the cells forresearch”, these he described asbiological slave trade because thisis invariably the killing of onehuman being for the developmentof another.

“This means it will be legal forthe first time in human history to

kill a full citizen of a country.”Dr Njemanze claims that the

scheme is being sponsored by theWest and donor agencies due tonew laws in India which forbidsthe trade in organs and itsdonation. He claims India use tobe organ market capital of theworld and the west are nowfocusing on Africa and therebyfinancing the enactment of lawsto institutionalise the trade.

The bill which is currentlybefore the national assembly hasdrawn the ire of stakeholders inthe health sector but has largelyremained unknown by thegeneral populace who will bear theconsequences of the bill if passedinto law.

The Niger statecommissioner of police,Mrs. Desire Nsirim, has

described as “false” the claimsby the Parish priest of St.Theresa’s Catholic church,Madalla, Rev. Fr. Isaac Achi,that he was kidnapped byunknown gun men from thechurch premises.

Achi had said he waskidnapped by gun men whowere asking for the purportedmoney apparently referring tothe N25 million donated tovictims of the Christmas Dayblast that rocked the church in2 0 1 1 .

However, Nsirim said inMinna, the Niger state capital,that Achi’s claim was spuriousand aimed at covering up whatthe police detectives wereinvestigating.

She said: “Nobody was

kidnapped. We are aware thatsome people have problem withthe priest over money donatedby Central Bank Governor,Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. It wasan internal problem and aprotracted matter”.

Rev. Fr. Achi had toldreporters dispatch in anexclusive interview that hewas kidnapped and describedthe saga as the “cross” he hasto carry for the church.

“I was kidnapped and I didnot know where they took me.They dropped me at night bythe road inside the rain. Thekidnappers said they wouldhave mercy on me by givingme transport money after theymade away with the money inmy pocket”, he said.

He attributed his escape tothe prayers by both Christianand Muslim faithfuls from theMadalla community, addingthat they asked me for the

money (N25 million) and I toldthem the money was not withme”. It will be recalled that theDivisional Police Officer of “A”Division, Suleja, CSP DesmondOkejim, had told newsmen onThursday, January 24, 2013that Rev. Fr. Isaac Achi wasrescued after the police trackedthe kidnappers to Abuja.

He said: “We took notice ofthe registration number of thevehicle, and the AreaCommander, AssistantCommissioner of Police (ACP),Lawan Tanko Jimeta, led theteam to Abuja where theysuccessfully rescued theclergyman”.

Now, the question is who istelling lies between Rev. Fr.Achi and Mrs. Nsirim, theNiger state commissioner ofPolice over the kidnappingsaga? The general public isanxious to know who is tellingthe truth.

By Ude Ejikeme

The Abuja EnvironmentalProtection Board (AEPB)says plans are under way

to provide public toilets,to curb the menace of

indiscriminate open defecationin the city. Mr Uche Agbanusi,the Deputy Director,Environmental Health andSafety of the agency, told theNews Agency of Nigeria (NAN)in an

interview on Monday inAbuja that the proposal for thetoilet project had beencompleted.

He said that the projectwould be executed by the PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP)arrangement.

“We don’t want a situationwhere it will be only thegovernment that will beproviding all the facilities forthe city; it will be on PPPscheme; we want organisationsto be involved,” he said.

NAN recalls that the boardhad initially proposed theprovision of 100 toilets in thecity.

“We need more than 100toilets because 100 will not beenough for a city of this naturethat is growing daily,”Agbanusi said.

He said that the number oftoilets to be provided would bebased on the need for them,adding that the board hadcarried out a survey in thecity, to ascertain the numberof toilets needed.

Agbanusi said that theboard had marked strategicplaces in the city where thetoilets would be built, addingthat it would commence soon.

The toilets, he said, would beprovided gardens, playgrounds, parks and , publicparking lots, among others, foreasy access.

Agbanusi stressed that theprovision of the toilets wouldnot only be a social service butwould provide employment formany people.

“It is not only going to be asocial service but also a sourceof employment; many peoplewill be engaged to take care ofthe toilet facilities.”

He attributedindiscriminate defecation insome parts of the city to theemergence of illegal bus stopsand garages.

The deputy director said thatit would be morally unjust toarrest and prosecute anyresident found guilty ofindiscriminate defecation, sincethe toilets had not been provided.

“We know that peopledefecate indiscriminately in thecity, but it will be morally unjustfor the board to arrest peopledoing this when we have notprovided any alternative forthem to make use of,” he said.

Contd. from Back Page

“global terrorist” by the UnitedStates last year.

AIMS: When claimingattacks and kidnappings, it hasmentioned France’sintervention in Mali andEuropean nations’ “atrocitiesdone to the religion of Allah.”However, experts do not takesuch claims at face value.

FOREIGN LINKS: Thegroup is believed to have linksof some kind with Al-Qaeda inthe Islamic Maghreb, Al-Qaeda’s north African wing.The US State Departmentdescribed Barnawi as tied toBoko Haram and with “closelinks to Al-Qaeda in the IslamicMaghreb.” Its kidnappingswould seem to mimic thoseclaimed by AQIM in othercountries.

ABDUCTIONS:Ansaru hasbeen mentioned in connectionwith at least three instances:

- The May 12, 2011abductions of a Briton and anItalian working for aconstruction firm in Kebbistate, near the border withNiger. The victims were killedon March 8, 2012 inneighbouring Sokoto stateduring a botched rescueoperation.

- The December 19, 2012kidnapping of a Frenchengineer in Katsina state,bordering Niger. Ansaruclaimed the kidnapping, andthe victim’s whereaboutsremain unknown.

- The February 16, 2013kidnapping of seven foreignersfrom a construction site inBauchi state. Nigerian policesaid four Lebanese, one Briton,a Greek citizen and an Italianwere among those taken. Theirwhereabouts remainunknown.

OTHER ATTACKS: Itclaimed responsibility for aJanuary 19 attack in centralNigeria that killed two soldiersdue to be deployed to Mali.

Ansaru: Newthreat in restivenorthern Nigeria

An explosion in Lagos onMonday left an elderlyman dead.

The victim was the leaderof Sand Diggers Association,Amuwo-Odofin, who waskilled by the explosion underthe bridge linking FestacTown and Festac Extension.

“The victim was theChairman of the sand diggersassociation; members of theassociation sell sand underthe link bridge.

“An explosive was plantedclose to where he usuallyseats; the explosion occurred

Explosion leaves one dead in Lagos ...it is not Boko Haram — Police

bomb as people claimed; it wasnot an explosive devisetargeted by Boko Haram orany terror group at people inLagos.

“It was caused by anelectrical fault and one persondied in the explosion,’’ Mankosaid.

He urged people in Lagos togo about their normalbusinesses, assuring them oftheir safety.

The Commissioner saidthat the command wasinvestigating the incident.

at about noon, killing the manon the spot and injuring oneother.

“Some arrests have beenmade and the area is now calmwhile the police from the Anti-Bomb squad are investigatingthe materials found at thescene,’’ a source told us.

The Commissioner of policein Lagos, Mr Umar Manko, whoconfirmed the explosion,however, told journalists thatit was caused by an electricalfault that occurred under thebridge.

“The explosion was not a

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 4

News Around Nigeria

Contd. from Front Page

Pension Fund: Court extends time forSenate, others to file counter affidavitsThe Federal High Court on Monday

in Abuja granted the Senate anextension of time to file a counter

affidavit on a motion challenging itsresolution for the warrant it issued onAbdulrasheed Maina.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that Maina, Chairman of thePension Reform Task Force Team, haddragged the Senate and seven otherdefendants to court in respect of thewarrant for his arrest.

The other defendants included theSenate President, Clerk of the Senate,Senate Committees on Establishment &Public Service and the State & LocalGovernment Administration.

Others were the Inspector General ofPolice, Sen. Aloysius Etuk, Chairman,Senate Committee on Establishment &Public Service as well as Sen. KabiruGaya, Chairman, Senate Committee onState & Local GovernmentAdministration.

At the resumed sitting on Monday,Justice Adamu Bello held that “since therespondents had yet to file their counteraffidavits, arguments on the applicationcannot go on today’’.

“In the circumstance, therespondents are given three days withinwhich to file their counter affidavits andthe applicant has three days to reply,’’he said.

In a related development, Mr MagajiMahmud (SAN), counsel to Maina filedan oral application praying for an orderfor the maintenance of “statuesque’’ by

all the parties.He submitted that such an order was

necessary to stop the threat coming onhis client from the respondents.

The application was however,opposed by the counsel to the Senate, MrKen Ikonne (SAN), as according to him,similar relief was dismissed by the courton Feb 15.

“The court should not allow itsproceedings to be abused by the applicant(Maina), it is in the records of the courtthat this similar relief was thrown outon Friday last week.

“We, therefore, urge the court to

refuse the prayer,’’ he said.Ms Ngosoo Uchegbu, counsel to the I-

G, aligned herself to Ikonne’ssubmissions, adding that “the applicantcannot by law appeal on the decision ofthe court here.

The Judge, therefore, held that“Having listened to the submissionsfrom all the parties on a call for definiteorder for the

maintenance of ‘statuesque’ pendingthe determination of the suit onFundamental Rights Enforcement,

“I am of the view that the applicantshould approach the appellate court.

“The court on Feb. 15 had truly ruledagainst the relief and therefore cannotsit on appeal of a similar relief it hasdismissed.

The best place to test this decision isbefore my superiors at the appellatecourt.

“Nevertheless, when parties havesubmitted themselves to the courtjurisdiction, it becomes illegal to takeany obnoxious steps,’’ he said.

After listening to the arguments,Justice Bello adjourned to Feb 26 for thehearing of Maina’s motion on notice.

The applicant (Maina), among otherthings is seeking an order to set aside thewarrant of arrest placed on him by theSenate on Feb.2.

He contended that the resolutionconstituted a violation of hisfundamental human rights asguaranteed by Section 35 (1) of the 1999Constitution, as amended.

Setraco evacuates staff fromNigeria site after 7 kidnapped

A construction company hasevacuated all of its staff from anorthern Nigeria site after

gunmen blasted into the facility andkidnapped seven foreigners, residentstold AFP Monday.

Police in Bauchi state, where theattack occured late Saturday, said theirtop priority was securing the release ofthe hostages, who reportedly includefour Lebanese, one Briton, a Greekcitizen and an Italian.

The raid on the compound of theLebanese-owned firm Setraco was oneof the worst attacks targettingexpatriates in northern Nigeria inrecent years and may indicate achanging strategy by the radicalIslamic groups in the region.

The kidnapping of expatriates havetypically occurred in Nigeria’s oil-richsouth, with the hostages released

following a ransom payment.Residents in the town of Jama’are,

about 200 kilometres (125 miles) fromthe state capital, said 12 vehiclesarrived at the Setraco facility onSunday and evacuated all the staff,excluding those native to the town.

It was not immediately clear howmany of the remaining workers wereforeign and an official at Setraco’s officein Nigeria’s capital declined tocomment, also refusing to providecontacts for the company spokesman.

“Now all the company employees,who are not from Jama’are have left.Soldiers and policemen are conductingpatrols in the town,” said residentHaruna Garba.

The assailants stormed a policestation and a prison in Jama’are beforeraiding the Setraco compound, policesaid.

When the kidnapping operationbegan the assailants struggled to gain

access to the site, then shot dead asecurity guard and used explosives toblast a hole through the rear gate,residents and police said.

“There was a gaping hole... becausethe kidnappers used explosives to blowup the rear when the occupants refusedto open the gate,” said Sale Nagaidam,who visited the site on Sunday andwitnessed the heavy securitydeployment.

Bauchi’s police spokesman HassanAuyo told AFP Monday that it was tooearly to speculate on who was behindthe attacks.

“Our main priority now is to securethe release of the hostages,” he said,adding that a manhunt had beenlaunched.

Several residents said that Setracohad last year evacuated its foreign stafffrom the Jama’are site following a risein deadly attacks blamed on BokoHaram and that the expatriatesreturned to the region about fourmonths ago.

The governments of Greece and Italyhave confirmed that their citizens wereamong those taken hostage.

Beirut has acknowledged that twoLebanese nationals were seized, but hasnot matched the police figure of four,while the British foreign office has saidit is making “enquiries” beforeconfirming that a Briton was abducted.Ansaru has claimed responsibility forthe kidnap.

By Aminu Abubakar

Senate President, David Mark

Jonathan'sone termpresidency

“I asked him, what are we going totake in return to our people, what do wetell them? Even if we want to convinceour people, we have to take somethingto them, can you please confirm to ushere and now that you are only goingto run for one term?

“To be fair to Jonathan, he did notutter a word. You get it clear? He didn’tsay a word, he kept quiet and that iswhere we stopped.

“But later, Governor (Shehu) Shemaof Katsina State, and his friends, out ofmischief, went and wrote acommuniqué that Jonathan wasrunning for only one term. He didn’tsay it, but they wrote a communique, Ichallenge anybody to say that was notwhat happened.

“You cannot say based on that, youhave an agreement with Jonathan, youcannot say it. Writing a communiqueon behalf of somebody who didn’t uttera word, I cannot see it as an agreement.That was exactly what happened.

“The Governor under Shema,particularly Shema being the one whois a lawyer, thinks he is smart. He wasthe one who wrote the communique andgave it to the press, that this is thecommunique of our meeting but to befair to Jonathan, he didn’t utter a wordand it was me who asked that questionwith Governor Danjuma Goje there atthat time.

“He was the one who was evensaying Mr. President, we are with youbut I was the one who bluntly asked himif he was going to run so that we can goand tell our people.”

On his part, Katsina State governorShehu Shema speaking through hisChief Press Secretary, Malam LawalMatazu, rubbished Bello’s statement.

Matazu said: “The issues leading tothe 2011 elections are normaldemocratic procedures that alwaysinvolve constructive engagement,dialogue, consensus and internaldemocracy of political parties.

“Kanti Bello was a loser in thatelection, therefore anything he saidtoday, after having left the PDP (theparty that defeated him) and joined theCPC, should be taken with a pinch of saltgiven his widely known antecedents ofmisleading the public on criticalnational political issues.”

Also commenting on the issue, aformer Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin,said that the issue of second term bid byJonathan was not raised in meetingsheld before the 2011 general electionthat produced him as the president.

Folarin, who represented OyoCentral senatorial district on theplatform of the PDP, stated that themajor issue discussed at the caucusparty that produced Jonathan as theparty’s candidate was mainly on 2011and not second term bid.

“I was at the meeting held onPresident Jonathan’s ambition to runin 2011 election. That was the focus.Honestly, I cannot recollect anydiscussion or issue raised about whetherhe would recontest or not.

“The issue of second term was not ourpreoccupation at the time. I don’tremember us raising the issue or askingPresident Jonathan whether he wouldseek re-election or not. 2015 was not anissue of interest to party stakeholdersbefore his (Jonathan’s) emergence in2011 I must confess to you.”

Criminal Investigations Departmentfor further investigation.

According to him, fingers, heart,liver, kidney and intestines were allconcealed in two bags, which werediscovered during a stop-and-search

operation by policemen from IkotunPolice Divisional Office.

Manko disclosed further that twobottles filled with what was suspectedto be human blood, were alsorecovered from the suspects.

Contd. from Back Page

Pastor arrested with human parts

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 5

News

Inflation rate in January lower thanDecember, 2012 by 3.0% - NBS

Business

Plateau govt. pays N700m to saveJos Breweries from liquidationThe Plateau State Government has

paid N700 million to debtors tosave the now comatose Jos

International Breweries (JIB) from totalliquidation, an official has confirmed.

Mr John Mankilik, the Chairman ofthe board saddled with reviving JIB,made this known to the News Agency ofNigeria (NAN) in Jos.

He said that that settlement of thedebt owed to Diamond Bank, the outfit’screditors, was a “a major step forwardtoward the revival of the company.

“When the board was constituted inNovember 2010, we found that thecompany was not only totally down butit was also heavily indebted; and thecreditors wanted the entire firmdispensed with as scrap to reduce thedebt.

“But we struggled and settled thatdebt; we are already looking towardgetting investors to re-start businessagain,’’ he said.

Mankilik said that the initial debtclaim was N1.3 billion, adding,however, that after thorough checks bythe committee, it was ascertained thatonly N970 million was actually owed.

“Of the confirmed figure, we foundthat most of it was accumulatedinterests on the principals. We thentried to negotiate with the creditors,especially since the company was nomore in operation, and came up with

the final figure of N700 million, whichwe have paid up,’’ he said

Mankilik described JIB as a “veryviable company’’, recalling that it waspaying the salaries of the entireworkforce of Plateau some years ago.

“Also, aside its massive revenue, thecompany employed 7,000 personsdirectly, and this is in addition toindirect employees and other multipliereffects,’’ he said.

He said that the board had also beenbattling with court cases instituted byworkers and other contractors thatsupplied all manners of items, assuringthe people, however, that the situationwas being “steadily addressed’’.

Mankilik said that the board

approached the Bank Of Industry (BOI),which was ready to offer N2 billion forJIB’s revival, adding, however, thatDiamond Bank was not prepared toassist the brewery to access the funds.

“At that time, Diamond Bank wasnot comfortable with JIB’s debt profile,but now that we have settled our debts,we shall return to the BOI and applyafresh for that facility,’’ he added.

He said that some foreign investors,especially those from South Africa, hadshown interest in JIB, adding, however,that the state government wanted torevive the firm before looking at theoffers.

“If we don’t do that, the value of thefirm shall be grossly low and that willnot be good for the Plateau people.’’

Mankilik said that his board was alsobattling to defray large bills submittedby some JIB lawyers, adding that overN10 million was involved in the legalcosts.

“We have compiled their claims andhave studied them. We are reachingout to the state government and weshall soon get back to the lawyers, theworkers and other creditors,’’ he said.

Mankilik thanked Gov. Jonah Jangfor his commitment to revivingmoribund industries, calling forconcerted support from all stakeholdersfor the government’s success in thatdirection.

Inflation rate in Nigeria stood at nineper cent in January as against the 12.0 percent recorded in December, 2012, Dr YemiKale, the Statistician-General of theFederation has said.

This is contained in a statement issuedon Monday in Abuja and signed by Kale.

The statement said that the figuredecreased by 3.0 per cent in January, andthat the monthly change in the compositeConsumer Price Index (CPI), was as a resultof the declines in major Food and Core sub-indices.

“Food Prices were slightly lower fromlevels exhibited in December, as the indexdeclined by 0.1 percentage points from the10.2 per cent exhibited in December to 10.1per cent in January.

“The marginal decline in the Food sub-index is as a result of the floods whichoccurred from July to Mid-October, as wellas other demand and supply conditions,’’ itstated. The statistician-general said that therelative moderation of the headline indexfrom 12.0 in December to 9.0 in Januarycould be largely attributed to base effects.

“These are as a result of higher pricelevels in the previous year, which implythat the year-on-year changes exhibited thisyear will be muted.

“In particular, the Nigerian economyexhibited several shocks in January 2012.The partial repeal of the Premium MotorSpirit (Petrol) subsidy led to increases intransportation costs, as well as secondaryeffects, as the transportation costs affectedboth food and non-food prices.

“There were also the civil protests whichfollowed, and the man-made price gougingduring the month, as merchants tried totake advantage of temporary shortages.

“The resulting base effects – the relativelower rise in year-on-year changes exhibitedin January 2013- is particularly noticeable

in the decline in the Core index, decreasingto 11.3 per cent in January (from 13.7 percent in December), Kale said.

The statement noted that “the HeadlineIndex is made up of the Core Index and FarmProduce items. As Processed Foods areincluded in both the Core and Food sub-indices, this implies that these sub-indicesare not mutually-exclusive.

“In January 2013, the composite CPIincreased by 0.62 per cent month-on-month from index levels recorded inDecember 2012.’’

It said that the urban inflation rate wasrecorded at 9.2 per cent year-on-year inJanuary, a decrease of 5.2 percentage pointsfrom the 14.5 per cent recorded in December2012. The release added that the rural indexdecreased by 1.1 percentage points to 9.1per cent on a year-on-year basis in January.

“On a month-on-month basis, the UrbanAll-item index increased by 0.5 per cent inJanuary from levels recorded in December,while the Rural All Items index increasedby 0.73 per cent from December.

“The percentage change in the averagecomposite CPI for the twelve-month periodending December 2012 over the average ofthe CPI for the previous twelve-month periodwas recorded at 11.9 per cent,’’ it said.

The statement said that thecorresponding 12-month year-on-yearaverage percentage change for the Urbanindex was 14.0 per cent, a decline from the14.6 per cent recorded in December, whilethe corresponding Rural index declinedslightly by 0.1 percentage points to 10.4per cent in January.

“In January, the composite Food Indexincreased year-on-year by 10.1 per cent to142.3 points. The year-on-year change wasmarginally lower than the 10.2 per centrecorded in December.

“On a month-on-month basis, the Food

index increased by 0.8 per cent fromDecember 2012 to January 2013,’’ itstated. The statement said that the recordedrise in the Food Index was as a result ofhigher food prices in various classes withinthe index.

“In particular, higher food prices wererecorded in the bread and cereals, importedfood, vegetable prices due to the dry season,higher prices of potato, yams, and othertubers, and fish.

“On a year-on-year basis, this is thesecond consecutive month of moderation infood prices since prices began to rise inSeptember last year, partially as a result ofthe flood and other market forces.

“The average annual rate of rise of theindex for the twelve-month period endingin January 2013 was 11.1 per cent whencompared to the same period in 2011,’’ itsaid.

The statement said that the “All itemsless Farm Produce” index which excludedthe prices of volatile agricultural productsincreased by 11.3 per cent year-on-year,adding that the figure was 2.3 percentagepoints lower than the 13.7 per cent recordedin December.

“On month-on-month basis, the Coreindex increased by 1.4 per cent from levelsrecorded in December.

“The increases in the Core index was asa result of increases in the Housing,Electricity, Gas and other Fuels division, inparticular liquid fuels (kerosene), Actualrental and imputed rent prices, garmentprices, and non-durable housing goods.

“The average 12 month annual rate ofrise of the index was recorded at 13.7 percent (year-on-year) for the twelve monthperiod ending in January 2013, a 0.2percentage point decline from the 13.7 percent recorded in December 2012,’’ it said.(NAN)

Onne Port Projectcreates 30,000jobs - Maku

The Minister of Information, MrLabaran Maku, saidin Port Harcourt that Onne Port

in Rivers that was rehabilitated by theFederal Government had created 30,000 jobs.

Maku, who made the remark at aTown Hall meeting during the GoodGovernance Tour of the state, said thefourth phase of the project covered9,000 hectares of land which wasexpected to be delivered in August.

Maku said the project was one of theFederal Government’s infrastructuredevelopments that would not onlycreate jobs for the people but alsoimprove the economic base of thenation.

He said the government wastargeting power and transport becauseof their importance to development.

Maku commended the Riversgovernment for helping to generatepower for the people but said the FederalGovernment was trying its best toensure uninterrupted power supply inthe nation.

He said that the government haddelivered the Lagos-Kano rail line toenhance rail transportation, addingthat the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railline was on course.

“We may not have finished at PortHarcourt end but I want to assure youthat at the end of the year, therehabilitation of railway will becompleted at the Port Harcourt end,“Maku said.

He said that already, work on theline had reached Aba, Abia, axisthrough Makurdi and would soon get toPort Harcourt.

The minister said that governmentwas also building a new line that wouldrun from Lagos to Calabar.

He commended Gov. Rotimi Amaechifor his achievements in the state,especially in agriculture, roads,education and sports.

Maku urged the people of the state toresist any form of insecurity in the statein order to safeguard the people-orientedprojects already put in place.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku

Plateau state Governor, David Jang

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 6

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Around Africa

Togo at the weekend launched afour-year project for an integratedmanagement of disasters and lands.

The 8.5 billion FCFA project, which isbeing financed by the World Bank, aims atpreventing and addressing natural disastersin an effective way and strengtheningmeasures already in place to reduce risksand impacts of disasters at the national andlocal levels.

The project covers several areas,including the reinforcement of institutionsand sensitisation and activities at thecommunity level to better address climatechange issues.

It also deals with better management oflands, establishment of early warning and

Togo launches integrated disaster projectfollow-up systems.

The project will in the long run ensurethe restoration of the ecosystem to minimise

floods for sustainable agricultural andforestry practices, according to the Ministryof Environment.

The representative of the World Bank inTogo, Herve Assah, said the project was partof the national investment programme forenvironment and natural resources.

Togo experienced devastating floods in2007 that caused huge damages in theWest African country.

In 2010 the cost of the rehabilitation andreconstruction following such a disaster inthe country amounted to over 20 billionFCFA, according to official sources.

South Sudan has retired over 100generals as part of a sweepingrestructuring of the former rebel force,

in a move partly aimed at demilitarisingthe fledgling nation’s government, officialssaid Monday.

The presidential decree to retire 117generals follows similar orders last monthfor 35 other generals and all six deputyarmy chiefs of staff.

“They all finished their time in themilitary service so they are retired but arepaid...There must be new blood to come upfor a change, because we are a new nationat last,” army spokesman Kella Kueth toldAFP.

South Sudan won independence fromformer civil war foe Sudan in July 2011,facing a raft of challenges to rebuild theconflict-ravaged nation, including turninga bloated guerrilla army of some 200,000troops into a regular force.

The army absorbed several former rivalrebel factions — some once acting as proxyforces for Sudan — as part of peace buildingefforts, swallowing up large chunks of theimpoverished nation’s budget.

Several of the generals now holdgovernment positions, too.

“It is a way of separating the militaryand civilians, which the army has not beenvery good at for years. So it’s a positive

South Sudan president retires over 100 army generals

change”, said one Western diplomat oncondition of anonymity.

But with rebel militia forces stilloperating and a pension system not yetimplemented, stripping army commandersof both title and salary would be a dangerousmove.

“This is about cleaning up theadministration and professionalizing thearmy, but it is a delicate process and has tobe done slowly,” Matthew LeRiche, anacademic and expert on the former SouthSudanese rebel force said.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir

South Africa’s Ramphele launches new party to challenge ANCRespected anti-apartheid activist

Mamphela Ramphele launched a newpolitical party on Monday to challengeSouth Africa’s ruling ANC, saying self-interested and corrupt leaders werethreatening the continent’s biggesteconomy.

Invoking the spirit of Nelson Mandelaand the optimism that prevailed at SouthAfrica’s first all-race elections in 1994,Ramphele said the dream of the “RainbowNation” was dying under the AfricanNational Congress (ANC).

“Our society’s greatness is beingundermined by a massive failure ofgovernance,” she said, urging SouthAfricans to “build our nation into thecountry of our dreams”.

Ramphele, 65, faces a formidablechallenge. Although political support for theANC is weakening 19 years after the end ofwhite-minority rule, it remains an

unrivalled political machine andcommands a nearly two-thirds majority inparliament.

But the medical doctor and formerWorld Bank managing director has therespect of much of the country’s blackmajority as a partner of Black Consciousnessleader Steve Biko, who died in 1977 inapartheid police custody.

She was also placed under house arrestfor seven years by the apartheidgovernment because of her political work.She has regularly challenged authority andthe ANC on its failings.

The new party, which will contestelections due early next year, will be called‘Agang’, the Sesotho word for “Let us build”.

The ANC “noted” her announcementbut said Ramphela’s launch speech, outsidethe Constitutional Court in centralJohannesburg, offered nothing new.

The 101-year-old liberation movementalso dismissed Ramphele’s accusation thatit was to blame for income inequality, socialviolence, failing education and otherproblems.

“The criticism of the ANC is a failure toacknowledge that many of the challengeswere not created by the ANC. It ishistorical,” party spokesman Keith Khozasaid.

“Any party that won elections wouldhave faced the same societal issues ineducation, health, housing and so on.”

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 7

News Around Africa

Pistorius shooting puts spotlighton South African gun violenceCharged with shooting

dead his girlfriend, fallenSouth African athlete

Oscar Pistorius has put arenewed spotlight on gunviolence in a country where 42people are killed a day.

The champion athlete isaccused of firing four bulletsfrom his 9-mm handgun intomodel Reeva Steenkamp in apremeditated murder onValentine’s Day.

“We have a very good gunlaw in South Africa and in thelast ten years we have seen a50 percent reduction in gundeaths,” said Gun Free SouthAfrica’s Adele Kirsten.

“That’s good but we still gottoo many arms and more workto be done, especially inbanning civilians having handguns that should be only forpolice.”

Pistorius lived on a securehousing estate with stringentaccess control and toweringelectrified walls. Yet the doubleamputee Paralympian owned agun, visited a firing range andspoke about false securityalarms at home.

High level security is afamiliar sight in the country’swealthier suburbs which arepatrolled by fleets of privatesecurity with armed guardsraisable by panic buttonsinstalled in homes.

Rampant crime means analmost “continuous level oftraumatic stress” with highlevels of anxiety and fear, saidMonica Bandeira, apsychologist and researcher atthe Centre for Violence andReconciliation.

“In terms of living in a placewhere our daily murder rate is

higher than some war zones, it’senvitable that there is animpact,” she told AFP.

“In a sense one could arguethat we are living in a lowintensity war.”

According to Gun FreeSouth Africa, there were 1.5million licensed gun ownersand 2.9 million registered gunsin 2011. The population isaround 52 million people.

According to the UN Officeon Drugs and Crime, thepercentage of gun murders inSouth Africa was significantlyless than that in the UnitedStates in 2007.

But the rate per 100,000people was 17 percent in SouthAfrica and 3.8 percent in theUS.

Strict legislation on firearmownership has been creditedwith slashing the gunshot

homicide rate in the past decadeamid an overall drop inmurders.

— Owning a gun is not aright —

Unlike in the United States,owning a gun is not a right andtough rules apply. Gunenthusiasts see this as havingto plead to be allowed to protectthe right to life.

“The only effective way toprotect yourself againstintruders is by using a gun.Either directly, or indirectly bysummoning armed response orthe police,” said Wouter de Waalof Gun Owners of South Africa.

The group argue that fewcan afford private security andthat the police, facing vehicleand staff shortages, are notalways quick enough.

“Therefore, we don’t feel safein our home,” he said.

But analyst GarethNewham of the Institute forSecurity Studies said evidenceshowed guns in homes pose “ahuge risk”. The gun lobbydebunks this view vigorously.

“Very few peoplesuccessfully use firearms todefend themselves,” saidNewham.

“Because of the high crimerate that we do have, it does fuela sense of insecurity andanxiety and then people thinkthe best way to protectthemselves is to purchase afirearm,” he added.

Steenkamp’s killing has alsosounded alarms over violenceagainst women.

The 29-year-old lawgraduate is one of around 2,500women killed annuallyaccording to the South AfricanInstitute of Race Relations.

“The issue is less aboutfirearm ownership and moreabout gender violence in thiscase and violence moregenerally,” said Newham.

“The biggest threat to SouthAfrican women are theirimmediate partners and familymembers and friends. It’s notstrangers,” he said.

“We need to start looking alot more carefully at how mentreat women and theirassumptions about their ownmasculinity. Using violence isseen as a sign of masculinityand that’s wrong.”

Reeva Steenkamp, 29, had beendating Oscar Pistorious sinceNovember. She was shot dead onValentine’s Day at his boyfriend’sgated mansion in South Africa

Ghana government cuts fuel subsidies, prices jump

Ghana cut fuel subsidies onSunday as its newgovernment took

measures to curb spending afterthe West African exporter ofcocoa, gold and oil overshot itsbudget deficit target by almost100 percent last year.

The National PetroleumAuthority (NPA) said in astatement that fuel price hikeswere necessary to cover the costof an increase in crude oil pricesand the depreciation of the localcedi currency by about 14percent last year.

The new prices, which tookeffect on Sunday, saw premium

*Subsidy cut aims at narrowing budget deficit *Price of petrol at thepump jumps 20 pct *Fitch revised Ghana to negative on deficit worriesBy Kwasi Kpodo

petrol and diesel prices jump 20percent per litre in cedi terms,while Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG) rose 50 percent.

Prices of kerosene, marinediesel and residual fuel oil alsoincreased 15 percent per litre.

The decision to cut subsidiescame days after Fitch ratingagency revised the nation’soutlook to negative from stable,citing the severe deterioration ofits fiscal deficit.

“The government has fundedthe budget deficit mainlythrough borrowing at highinterest rates on the domesticmarket, at 22.8 percent for 91-day T-bills,” the agency said onFriday.

“While current expenditure

has surged, the share of capitalexpenditure has fallen, whichcould harm longer-term growthprospects and worsen debtdynamics,” Fitch said.

Decisions by governments inthe region to cut fuel subsidieshave previously led to socialunrest. Nigeria’s governmentwas forced last year to reinstatesome subsidies it had cut afterseveral days of strikes andprotests, while Ghana’s lastattempt to cut subsidies morethan two years ago resulted inopposition-led street protests.

Ghana’s 2012 deficit reached12.1 percent of gross domesticproduct (GDP), almost double itstarget of 6.7 percent, due toexcess public sector wages,

shortfall in projected taxrevenue and widening fuelsubsidies, the central bank saidlast week.

Like several other countriesin West and Central Africa,Ghana had planned to cut theswelling fuel subsidies last yearfollowing pressure from theInternational Monetary Fundand the World Bank, who seethem as wasteful and inefficient.

But Ghana’s governmentdelayed taking the measuresahead of national elections inDecember which confirmedPresident John DramaniMahama in office after he tookover following the surprise deathin July of his predecessor JohnAtta Mills.

NPA’s chief executive AlexMould said fuel subsidies for lastyear totalled one billion cedis($526 million) and wereexpected to rise to 2.4 billioncedis this year.

Mould said that despite the newprice hikes, the government wasstill maintaining a total fuelsubsidy outlay of about $23million, based on a crude oil priceof $116 per barrel. The subsidywould target particular socialprogrammes. Finance MinisterSeth Terkper, who is expected topresent the new government’sfirst budget to parliament onMarch 5, said it would aim tonarrow the budget deficitthrough subsidy cuts andboosting tax revenue.

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 8

News Around The WorldObama draft bill to clear path tocitizenship for illegal immigrants: PaperA draft of a White House

immigration proposal wouldallow illegal immigrants to

become legal permanent residentswithin eight years, USA Today reported.

The plan, obtained by the newspaper,also would provide for more securityfunding and require businesses to checkthe immigration status of new hireswithin four years. Illegal immigrantscould also apply for a newly created“Lawful Prospective Immigrant” visa,under the draft bill, it said.

If approved, they could apply for thesame provisional legal status for spousesor children living outside the country,according to the draft.

The White House has emphasized theimportance of creating a path tocitizenship for the estimated 11 millionimmigrants who are in the United Statesillegally. Many Republicans emphasizethat the nation’s borders must be securedfirst.

Latinos favored President BarackObama over Republican Mitt Romney inthe November 6 election by 71 percentto 27 percent, helping tilt politicallydivided states to the Democraticincumbent.

Members of Congress also are drafting

their own immigration bills.In the Republican-controlled House of

Representatives, a bipartisan group hasbeen negotiating an immigrationproposal for years and is writing its ownbill. Last month, four Republicansenators joined with four Democraticsenators to announce their agreementon the general outlines of animmigration plan.

One of those Republican senators,Marco Rubio of Florida, dismissed theleaked White House draft bill, however,as a seriously flawed rehash of failedimmigration policies that would makethe country’s immigration problemsworse.

“If actually proposed, the president’sbill would be dead on arrival in Congress,leaving us with unsecured borders anda broken legal immigration system foryears to come,” Rubio, who is a Cuban-American, said in a statement onSaturday

Prisoner X arrested afterleaking Mossad work: ABC

Highest-rankedfemale judomaster dies at 99

Keiko Fukuda, the Japanese-borngranddaughter of a samurai wholearned judo from its founder and

became the highest-ranked woman in themartial art, has died at age 99 in SanFrancisco, her friend and caregiver said.

Fukuda passed away of natural causesat her home on Feb. 9, said ShelleyFernandez, 82, who lived with Fukuda,helped her run the Soko Joshi Judo Clubfor women in San Francisco and referredto the woman as her adopted older sister.

Standing only 4 foot 10 inches (1.47meters) tall, Fukuda ventured into thefire-bombed streets of her native Tokyoduring World War Two to reach the dojowhere she taught classes.

Fukoda continued to do judo exercisesinto her 90s, but used a wheelchair in herfinal years. At her dojo, she sat in a chairas her assistant teachers worked withstudents, and would chime in withinstructions, Fernandez said.

‘Up until the last, she was very lucidand she never forgot any judo techniques- ever,’ said Fernandez, who added thatFukuda taught at the school three times aweek until she died.

In July 2011, USA Judo conferred onFukuda the rank of ‘10th dan,’ the highestlevel of mastery possible in the martialart. She was the only woman in the worldand the only person in the United Statesto ever achieve that status.

Only three others hold that title, andthey are all men who received thepromotion from the Kodokan Institute inTokyo, which is considered theheadquarters for the sport.

The Kodokan promoted Fukuda to ‘9th

dan’ in 2006, five years after she receivedthat rank from the U.S.-based branch ofjudo. The same year the Kodokanpromoted her, it vaulted the three currentmale holders of ‘10th dan’ to that level.

‘CHOSE JUDO OVER MARRIAGE’Fukuda was born in Tokyo on April

12, 1913, into an upper-class family. Hergrandfather was a samurai master ofjujitsu who taught the martial art to JigoroKano, who went on to create judo. WhenFukuda was 21, Kano invited her to join awomen’s division at the Kodokan.

As a woman, Fukuda had beenexpected to marry and devote herself tosuch home-based arts as the Japanese teaceremony, but instead she gave herselfover to judo. The decision was chronicledin a documentary film about her lifecalled ‘Mrs. Judo’ that has been on thefestival circuit in recent months.

‘That was my marriage,’ a tearfulFukuda said in Japanese in the film. ‘Ichose judo over marriage. I neverimagined I would live so long with this.’

Female judo teachers in Japan werenot allowed to marry, and Fukuda did notwant to give up the sport, Fernandez said.

In another restriction placed onFukuda because of her gender, she wasbarred from competing on the mat againstan opponent, Fernandez said. But shedemonstrated judo techniques with apartner at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo,the year judo was introduced as anOlympic sport. Fukuda came to the UnitedStates in 1966 and became a US citizensix years later, founding her SanFrancisco-based school around 1970. Hermotto for herself and those she taught was,‘Be strong, be gentle, be beautiful.’

‘Judo, it’s not just a sport, it’s a mental,physical and spiritual centreing of yourlife, and it’s an art and a science as well,and her life was totally in balance,’Fernandez said.

A suspected Mossad agent known asPrisoner X was arrested by his ownspymasters after leaking detailed

information about his work to Australianintelligence services, according tosources cited by broadcaster ABCMonday.

Ben Zygier, an Australian-Israeli,gave Australian intelligence officials acomprehensive account of a number ofMossad operations, the sources told theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation.

Israel’s parliament said it wouldlaunch an “intensive” inquiry intoZygier’s arrest and death after the ABC’sForeign Correspondent programme lastweek exposed his identity.

According to the ABC, Zygier wasfound hanged in his cell in Ayalon prisonnear Tel Aviv in December 2010, in acase Israel went to extreme lengths to

Pope begins week-long spiritual retreat

cover up.It imposed a total media blackout on

the case but was forced to ease therestrictions after the story madeheadlines across the world, renderingthe local gag order ineffective.

Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu said Sunday that shining toomuch light on intelligence activities can“badly damage” state security.

ABC said sources have told theForeign Correspondent programme thatZygier gave Australian SecurityIntelligence Organisation (ASIO)officials information that included plansfor a top-secret mission in Italy that hadbeen years in the making.

It is unknown who initiated thecontact with the Australian intelligenceservices, which came during one of hisfrequent visits back with his wife and

children.In one of four trips to Australia in the

years before his death he reportedlyapplied for a work visa to Italy.

ABC said it understood Zygier wasone of three Australian Jews working forMossad who changed their names severaltimes, taking out new passports as theytravelled in the Middle East and Europe.

Zygier reportedly set up a Europe-based communications company forMossad that exported electroniccomponents to Arab countries as well asIran, a venture that employed the twoother dual citizens.

Zygier, who immigrated to Israel inaround 2001, is believed to have beenarrested in February 2010. He wasfound hanged in his cell 10 months laterdespite being under 24-hoursurveillance.

Pope Benedict XVI began a week-long spiritual retreat out of thepublic eye on Monday ahead of his

resignation, with the cardinal leading

the prayers saying he hoped they wouldbe an “oasis”.

The pope will remain in the Vaticanwith some of his closest aides for the

traditional pre-Easter retreat and willonly take a short break each day to meetwith his secretary Georg Gaenswein todeal with urgent Church matters.

He will be praying together with theRoman Curia — effectively thegovernment of the Catholic Church —in a private chapel in his residence.

The Vatican’s culture minister,Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi — seen as apossible long-shot candidate for thepapacy — has been selected to lead theretreat this year and has written 17spiritual “meditations” for the week.

“After the storm, my task will be tocreate a moment of oasis,” Ravasi saidin an interview with Vatican radiobefore the beginning of the retreat.

“The pope wanted it himself and hedid not cancel.

This moment of silence, this whitespace, really has the sense of passing tothe new horizon towards which the popeis moving and in which we too will haveto live,” he added.

President Barack Obama

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 9

News Around The WorldMan on trial inTenerife forbeheading Britishgrandmother.

A leather bomber jacket thatbelonged to slain US presidentJohn F. Kennedy has been sold at

auction for $665,500, far exceeding theinitial estimate, a Massachusetts auctionhouse said Monday.

The brown Air Force One jacket wasone of 700 lots put on the auction block

JFK bomber jacket sold at auction for $665,500Sunday after the family of DavidPowers, a special assistant to Kennedy,discovered a treasure trove of JFKmemorabilia in the Powers family home.

The jacket was initially estimated at$20,000 to $40,000.

Among the other JFK items up forsale, nearly 50 years after his

assassination, were photographs,campaign posters, letters and booksbelonging to the president.

The John McInnis auction house saidon its Facebook page that the jacket wassold for $570,000. With the premium,the total was $665,500. The sale lastedmore than six hours, the house said.

Fight to bar tainted LA cardinal from conclave

A Bulgarian man went on trialMonday accused of decapitating aBritish grandmother in a store on

the Spanish holiday island of Tenerifeand then running out with her severedhead.

Deyan Valentinov Deyanov pleadednot guilty to repeatedly stabbing andthen beheading Jennifer Mills-Westley,60, with a knife at a Chinese generalgoods store in May 2011.

Witnesses said they saw Deyanovleave the store with the woman’sbloodied head in his hand, which he thenthrew on the pavement, reportedlyshouting “God is on Earth”.

Police arrested him as he wasstruggling with a security guard andtrying to escape.

Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of20 years in a mental asylum for the 29-year-old, who has chronic paranoidschizophrenia, as well as a payment of200,000 euros ($267,000) to thevictim’s family.

The nine-member jury was shownaround 15 minutes of security camerafootage of the attack but Deyanov saidhe did not recognise himself in theimages, which he said were “a montage,a film”.

The court also heard testimony froma young man who helped detainDeyanov and an ambulance driver whorushed to the scene and saw theBulgarian man carrying the victim’shead.

Mills-Westley had no relation toDeyanov.

The defendant was released from aTenerife hospital where he underwentpsychiatric treatment just three monthsbefore Mills-Westley was killed,according to Spanish media reports.

In January 2011, he reportedlystruck a security guard in the head witha rock, breaking several of his teeth.

The victim’s daughters, SarahMears, 43, and Sam Gomes, 38, attendedthe hearing.

“On Friday 13th May 2011 our liveschanged irrevocably when we heard theshocking news that our much lovedmother had been brutally murdered inTenerife,” they said in a joint statement.

“Now, nearly two years later we willcome face to face with the man who tookher life that day and relive the heartbreaking details of the events leading upto her untimely death.

“Going back to Tenerife not only is adaunting prospect but it will reopen ourwounds,” the statement added.

“We have to hope that justice willprevail so we can lay our mother to rest,and remember her in happier timesrather than the memories we currentlyhave — memories which are shroudedby the brutality of her death.”

Mills-Westley, originally fromNorwich in eastern England, had beenliving in Tenerife after retiring from herjob as a road safety officer.

Deyanov reportedly had a history ofmental illness which had seen himsectioned in Britain, where he had lived,and in the Canary Islands.

The largest of the Canary Islands,which are located just off the northwestcoast of Africa, Tenerife is home toaround one million residents and is oneof Spain’s most popular touristdestinations.

The trial resumes on Wednesday andis expected to last one week.

A woman in the US state of Texashas killed her adopted Russian son,the Kremlin’s envoy for children

said Monday, outlining the latest allegedabuse of an adopted Russian child byAmerican parents.

“A three-year-old Russian child hasbeen murdered by his adoptive motherin the state of Texas,” ombudsman PavelAstakhov said on his office’s Twitter feed@RFdeti.

“Three-year-old Maxim was beaten(according to the investigators) by hisadoptive mother, who fed himpsychoactive drugs over a long period oftime,” he said, expressing dismay thatthe US State Department kept silentabout the case.

“He died before the arrival of theambulance called by his adoptivemother. According to the autopsy report,the boy had many injuries.”

Russia has long complained about thetreatment of Russian orphans adoptedby American parents and in Decembercontroversially passed a law banningadoptions of Russian children byAmericans.

In a coordinated move, both Russia’sforeign ministry and the InvestigativeCommittee quickly put out statementsregarding the case of Maxim Kuzmin,who died on January 21, according tothe ministry’s human rights envoy.

The death is “yet another case ofinhuman torture of a Russian childadopted by US parents,” saidcommissioner Konstantin Dolgov.

He said the parents gave the boy thedrug Risperdal used to treat adultschizophrenia and his body had signs ofbeatings. He added that child protectionservices said that the boy died “due toabusive treatment by the adoptive

Adopted Russian boy murdered by US mother: Moscow

mother L. Shatto.”“We are forced to declare that the US

State Department — unlike theauthorities of Ector county — did not helpour consulate representatives in findingout the causes of a new fatal incidentwith a Russian child in the UnitedStates,” Dolgov said in a videoedstatement.

An obituary for a boy named MaxAlan Shatto of Ector County, posted onthe website of Owens memorial funeralhome, identified his parents as Alan andLaura Shatto. He died on Mondayafternoon, January 21, the website says.

“Max, you were not with us longenough to leave fingerprints on the wallsbut you left fingerprints upon ourhearts,” the obituary said.

Russia’s Investigative Committeesaid it began to look into the case andmay eventually open a criminal probeonce they look at documents providedby the foreign ministry and Astakhov.

Russia has previously complainedabout unfair rulings in cases of abuse ofRussian children by American adoptiveparents. In December, PresidentVladimir Putin said that the US courtsystem “often simply does not react” tocrimes against adoptees and “freespeople who carry out crimes againstchildren from justice.”

“Is it normal, when you arehumiliated?” Putin fumed at a pressconference as he explained the reasonsfor the adoption ban. “You shouldn’thumiliate the country.”

An association of US Catholics haslaunched a petition to keep aretired Los Angeles cardinal

mired in a pedophilia scandal fromtaking part in the conclave that willchoose the next pope.

The group, Catholics United, istargeting Roger Mahony, who lastmonth was relieved of all churchadministrative and public duties formishandling abuse claims againstdozens of priests, dating back to the1980s.

“Cardinal Mahony: Stay Home,”the online petition reads.

“Your further implication in thechurch sex abuse scandal and beingbarred from public ministry in theArchdiocese of Los Angeles should be anindication to you that you should notattend the next Papal Conclave.”

Mahony was stripped of his dutiesby his successor, Archbishop JoseGomez, who took over for him in 2011.

“If a Cardinal is stripped of publicministry in his diocese, why should hebe rewarded with being allowed to votefor the next pope?” the group asked.

“Cardinal Mahony would furtherincrease the scandal and shame in ourChurch by attending the PapalConclave.”

According to Catholics United,Gomez is in favor of Mahony’s

attending the conclave that will choosea successor to Pope Benedict XVI, whoresigned unexpectedly last week.

Mahony, who is now 76, took partin the vote that chose Joseph Ratzingeras pontiff in 2005. He took the nameBenedict XVI.

And Mahony is theoretically still amember of the conclave made up of 117cardinals aged under 80 who will meetbehind closed doors in the SistineChapel until a new pope is chosen.

This month the Los Angelesarchdiocese released files on over 100clerics accused of sex abuse, as requiredunder a 2007 lawsuit deal, afterrecords were published showingMahony discussing how to cover upalleged crimes.

In 2007 the archdiocese, then runby Mahony, reached a $660 millionsettlement with about 500 allegedvictims. Under the deal, thearchdiocese agreed to release thepersonnel files of clergy accused ofabuse.

Records published by the Los AngelesTimes on January 22 showed churchleaders including Mahony discussinghow to cover up priests’ alleged crimesin California in the 1980s.

Artyom Savelyev, a9-year-old Russianboy, is in a fosterhome in Tomilino,outside Moscow inApril 2012.Savelyev is aRussian boywhose adoptivemother sent himon a plane alonefrom the US backto Moscow in April2010.

Cardinal Roger Mahony

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 10

Politics

APGA: Karma Has FinallyCaught-up With Victor Umeh?In “Reincarnation and Karma”,

Stephen Knapp educates us thatKarma is one of those topics that

many people know a little about, butit is often more complex than mostpeople realize. The second law ofthermodynamics is that for everyaction there is an equal and oppositereaction. On the universal scale, thisis the law of karma. The law of karmabasically states that every action hasa reaction and whatever you do toothers will later return to you, eitherin this life or a future life.Furthermore, ignorance of the law isno excuse. We are still accountablefor everything we do, regardless ofwhether we understand it or not. Wecannot escape it, even if we do notbelieve it. Therefore, the best thing isto learn how it works. If everyoneunderstood the Law of Karma, wewould all be living a happier life in abrighter world.

I was too sure that a day like thiswould come against the embattledand estranged All Progressive GrandAlliance’s (APGA) National chairman,Victor Umeh, because the founder ofthe party, Chekwas Okorie washounded out by those he brought tothe party. Okorie was crying andshouting above his voice, but thepowers that felt they were in the partydid not care to listen. All they caredabout was ‘politics’. Nothing more!They could say that Okorie wasremoved as chairman by the court oflaw. But in ernest, was the court notadduced?

I don’t know Umeh neither Okorieexcept as I read about them in thenewspapers like other Nigerians. Oneperson that is conspicuously in thescenario that I have met one-on-oneis Governor Peter Obi of AnambraState. It was during one of the PressConferences that he held atGovernment House Awka, and I wasamong the invited pressmen.

Umeh reminds me of how peoplein our country talk about religion somuch, but hurl the word Karmaaround nonchalantly, as if it belongsto the Traditional Believers theyregard as fetish, periscoping throughthe self-acclaimed Godly people’sinadequate and prejudiced lens.

There would always be karma!Umeh who is a Knight in the CatholicChurch had in different interviewstalked about how “God” has helpedhim to the ‘level’ he is today. He ratherforgot that there are always theprinciples of Karmic Justice, which

provides deep lessons to learn. TheGod of Justice (pls, not Jehovah orYahweh) but Karma, has given Umeha wonderful gift to use as he wasdisgracefully chased-out as thenational chairman of APGA, by thesame court they used against thegood-natured Chekwas Okorie, whosetears of how they intimidated him hasnot dried from the ground the fell.How I wish that Dim ChukwuemekaOdumegwu-Ojukwu is alive today!Remember? Okorie brought Ojukwuto APGA and made him the Leader ofthe party and latter, the founder ofthe party was made the feeble.

It was a long encounter betweenOkorie and the forces that hijacked theparty he founded from him. In anappeal instituted by the formerNational Chairman of the party, ChiefOkorie, challenging the decision of anAbuja High Court, which validated hisouster from the Party by the Umehfaction, the tussle came to anintimidating end on 13th January

2010, as a Court of Appeal sitting inAbuja, delivered its judgment againstOkorie.

The stubborn confrontation forthe Chairmanship of the party didn’tstart in 2010; it started in the year2004. Umeh faction met and sent outOkorie from the party. They gave agood dog a bad name in order to hangher, mouthing that Okorie wasshooting to sell out the party’smandate. Governor Obi was thenseeking to retrieve the state from Dr.Chris Ngige, who was the candidateof the Peoples Democratic Party.

Umeh and his splinter group gaveall sorts of names to Okorie. Apartfrom their shamefaced claim thatOkorie wanted to sell the party, whenthey saw that that was not saleable,they said that Okorie embezzled theparty’s fund, and converted same tohis private use. How true was it thatOkorie was the sole signatory to thethen party’s accounts? They evenexpelled Okorie from the party thathe founded! Humiliation, upon

Victor Umeh

By Odimegwu Onwumere humiliation!!Umeh did not remember Karma or

respect the “God” he has alwaysboasted of serving. Upon that theNational Working Committee of theparty latter met and ratified Okorie’sexpulsion before he moved towardsan Abuja High Court, to challenge hiseviction, Umeh and co was busyplaying ‘politics’. But still Okorie hasface to present today in Nigeria thanUmeh. Okorie was able to file anaction before the court seeking tohave his expulsion quashed andsought for an order of the courtdismissing this Umeh.

It is today palpable that thevictory that Okorie could not getthen, Umeh has finally gotten it butin the opposite and is disgraced outof the party. Even though that Okoriefailed in his pursuit at the High Courtand talked to the appellate court toset aside the lower court’s judgment,Umeh is straight away disgraced, notonly by the court that he used againstOkorie, but by the same forces thathe was boasting with against Okorie,and Maxi Okwu has replaced him inacting capacity.

Umeh is today suffering in theAPGA that his team suppressedOkorie in, and the latter’s mattersuffered series of adjournmentincluding applications for stay. Umehwas then thanking the judiciary forthe unanimous decision reached bythe court, which upheld the decisionof the trial court and held thatOkorie’s ouster from the party wasauthentically done, in line with thestipulations of the party.

While a cost of Seventy FiveThousand Naira was awarded againstOkorie in favour of Umeh then, thecase is different today. A nationalshame has been awarded againstUmeh in favour of Okorie. Not eventhe Supreme Court can save Umeh,as he has started to talk ills of thejudiciary that he was once full ofpraises for. How I wish that thisVictor Umeh could lay hand on thework entitled “Eckankar: AncientWisdom for Today” by Todd Cramer,he would understand that Karmaapplies itself in the most exacting andclever of ways. If we deprived anotherhuman being of freedom in a previouslife, we’d probably have our freedomcurtailed in this life. This experiencewould give us time to reconsider ourviews and learn the Law of Love.Odimegwu Onwumere, Poet/Author, contributed this piece fromAba, Abia State. Call:+2348032552855. E-mail:apoet_25@yahoo.com

Founder and former chairman of APGA,Chekwas Okorie Acting National Chairman, Maxi Okwu

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 11

Interview

What is your take on MajorHamza Al-Mustapha’s case withFederal Government?

The case is still pending. It’s beingprocess at the court of Appeal.There is no much argument about

it since he has written and Governmentof the day is looking at it. And one thingI must assure you in this matter is “Letthe will of God be prevail”. You see, thereare seasons and times. And there arealso harvest time. The time to born, andthe time to die. time to laugh and timeto cry. Anything that has a beginning,has an end. Mustapha is a victim of anemperor in a uniform. In Army there iswhat they call obey the last order.

His job was to protect the firstfamily, and to also defend any attack tothe seat of power. That was exactlywhat Major Mustpaha did. Therefore,the same evidence that was used todischarge General Bamaiyi, Dambaba,J.B. Yakubu and Rabo Lawal, should beapply to him.

However, I have a sympathy withthe judge that handled the case.Because, if any judge of Yoruba originsays that Mustapha is not guilty, theywill burn his house immediately afterthe pronouncement of the judgment inthe court. So, let the Appeal Courthandle the mater at their own level. So,what is happening in Mustapha’s caseis more political than we think. I havedone a memo in this regard.

I have also done a memo on BokoHaram. Mustapha is from Nguru inYobe state. And Yobe state is the enclaveof Boko Haram. Mustapha is a home boy.So, if Government brings Mustapha outtoday and say, please, help us to cageBoko Haram, I bet you that he can do it.Part of these uprising today is as a resultof piled up grievances. I have sympathyfor Mustapha. He is the only person thatcan stop Boko Haram insurgency inNigeria. General Sani Abacha andMajor Al-Mustapha trained a groupcalled Strike Force. They also trainedBody Guards (BGS) Mustapha trainedthese people in Korea and Libya. SinceAbacha died, these people fizzled out intothe society and we don’t know them.There is no roll-call. That is why theycan handle any gun. They call them“Body Guards and Strike Force”. Thesepeople are not army, but they are moredeadly than the Army. So, letgovernment release Major Mustapha.He is the only person that knows thesehit men among us.

On President GoodluckJonathan?

President Goodluck Jonathan is aGod-sent leader to Nigeria andNigerians. I doubt the credibility of those

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha is the only personthat can cage Boko Haram – Barr. Amobi Nzelu

toothless bulldog and watch the so-calledcabals sucking dry the nation’s wealthat the detriment of poor ones in thesociety.

On the purported judicialkillings by the police which reportssay the Attorney-General of theFederation alleged that over 7,000victims were executed in Nigeria in2012?

I think this figure they gave is farbelow what is obtainable in the countryon daily basis. Eight years after the ApoSix plus one, there has not been anyconviction made. It is a routine in thepolice. The random killings and carnagein the country occasioned by the adventof Boko Haram insurgency, unless theleaders should try to identify what thereis and move head long to remedy it aswas done in the issue of militants of theNiger Delta, people will continue to livein perpetual fear in their fatherland.Are you aware that over 90% ofNigerians go to bed without food in theirstomach and when they get one, theymight not know when the next mealwill be coming? I wonder why suchpeople should react adversely to theissues concerning them especially whenthey see a few others enmeshing thecommon-wealth meant for everyone inthe country.

On recent government policiesas it affects the citizenry, what isyour view?

I want to describe the recentdemolition exercise carried out by theorder of the Minister of the FederalCapital Territory (FCT), BalaMohammed, at Mpape, a suburb ofAbuja as a satanic, evil andunwarranted. Before dispossessing themof their various places of habitat, acushioning effect is supposed to have

been put in place to ameliorate theirsufferings. The Federal CapitalTerritory Administration (FCTA) andother agencies of government wererecently dragged to court over theillegal demolition and acquisition of landbelonging to Kukudagba village for theconstruction of third runway of theNnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

Kukudagba is a village underTungan Madaki area of the FCT housingthe airport. The sufferings,intimidations and agony the people areundergoing in the hands of the FederalCapital Development Authority FCDA)forced the people to roll out their wardrums in a fight to finish battle at leastto seek for an undiluted justice in thecase of Abdullahi Baba versus theAttorney-General of the Federation andMinister of Justice, the Minister of theFCT, the FCDA, the Nigerian AirportAuthority and the Ministry of Aviationat the High Court of Justice, Nyanya-Abuja, over the alleged forcefulacquisition of their farmland by theFederal Government and its agencies.

Similarly, Dape II village in theAbuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)was twice demolished without notice tothe indigenes or enumeration of theirhouses during the 2006 and the one thatfollowed thereafter and up till nownothing had been constructed in mostof the areas demolished, except thepresence of grasses and reptilescompeting for the little space meant forhuman habitation.

I also wish to condemn in itsentirety, the recent demolition of someof the housing estates in the city,especially those at the airport road. Iwonder where the Development ControlDepartment of the FCDA were when thebuilding were being constructed beforecoming after its completion fordemolition. It is like killing a baby afterits embryo stage. FCDA shouldintroduce polices that will not beinjurious to the masses.

Now, look at the issue on ban of mini-buses (Araba) in Abuja and thesuffering innocent residents were goingthrough. FCT Minister should not forcehis unrealistic policies to people, whenhe has failed to make use of the media tocreate awareness on such upcomingpolicies. The Minister, or whosoever,should remember this adage that says“soldier come, soldier go, barracksremain the same. When you move up,remembered the people that you leftbehind as they were the ones holdingthe ladder for you.”

Barrister Amobi Nzelu, popularly known as “Apo 6 lawyer”, is a Human Rights Activist.In an exclusiveinterview with UDE EJIKEME in his office in Abuja he declared that Major Al-Mustapha is a victimrather than a villian, and that he is the only Nigerian who can stop Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.Healso spoke on sundry issues. Excerpts:

parading themselves in the corridors ofpower claiming to be the Presidentialaides when actually they have nothingto offer the country to commensuratewith President’s transformationagenda. I commend the appointment ofInspector-General of Police, MohammedDahiru Abubakar, and the Minister ofFinance and Coordinating Minister ofthe economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealaas excellent positions made in the rightdirection as both have the midas touchin their different fields of endeavor.They are the pillars of the nations’ sureroad map to human and infrastructuraldevelopment. I also want to use theopportunity of this interview tocondemn the over bloating of thegovernment service through theappointment of unnecessary personnelaides with similar functions, who onlysiphon, seat and wait for salaries to comeat the end of every month. No economycan grow under such environment.There are evidences to show that thecountry’s name is corruption withoutanybody coming out ruggedly to fightit.

Transparency International hasconsistently placed Nigeria as one of thenotorious countries in the world.Presidential aides on Public Affairs, Dr.Doyin Okukpe, had on the wake of therating kicked against it, alleging thatthe body used its previous data on thecountry for their recent (index) rating.The transparency rating of Nigeria asone of the notorious countries of theworld came barely few days before thepurported disappearance of about N2.1billion from the country’s NigerianSecurity Printing and MintingCompany (NSPMC). Worse more, arethe non-implementation and handlingof the Farouk Lawan led fuel subsidyreport, the Ndudi Elumelu-led report onpower and the Abdulrasheed Maina-ledpension scam report among others bythe Federal Government are some of theissues that are pre-occupied nationaldiscuss in recent times and all of asudden disappeared to thin air for nojustifiable reasons. Irrespective ofserious hunger and under developmentin the land, these people are stealingpublic money for selfish enrichment.

What are your prayers toFederal Government against thesepeople stealing public money?

My passionate appeal to PresidentJonathan is to punish them inaccordance to the law of the land.Anyone found to have defrauded thisnation one way or the other, no matterthe status, must be punished. That willserve as a deterrent to others.Government should not seat like a

Barrister Amobi Nzelu

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 14

dispatch special

Staple food production decreases in Nigeria;regional prices likely to rise unseasonably

A recent assessment by FEWS NETand partners indicates that cropdamage from 2012 flooding in Nigeriawas more severe than initiallyreported. As a result, 2012/13 staplefood production may be as much as12 percent lower than November2012 estimates.

Food availability in Nigeria isfurther limited by an increase insecurity checkpoints along key tradecorridors, restrictions oninternational imports through theport of Lagos, and rising fuel prices.As the region’s largest staple foodproducer, Nigeria’s anticipateddecline in production is expected toaffect both local and regional markets.For example, staple food prices acrossWest Africa are likely to be higher thanwould have otherwise beenanticipated following the aboveaverage Sahelian cereal productionthis year. Emergency assistance needsmay be higher than previouslyanticipated in the region’sstructurally deficit zones and inlocalized areas that experiencedproduction shortfalls, especiallyduring the July September 2013 leanseason.

FEWS NET, OCHA, WFP, CILSS, andNEMA conducted a joint fieldassessment in late January 2013 to theNiger, Kebbi, Kano, and Jigawa statesof Nigeria. Significant flood relatedcrop losses, infrastructure damage,and atypical trade flows wereobserved. Cassava, yam, maize, andsorghum losses were particularlyhigh. Remaining tuber harvests arenot expected to store well due todecreased quality from excessive soilmoisture. Damage to dams andirrigation systems will likely reducedry season production. Detailedassessment findings will be availablelater this month in the Nigeria FoodSecurity Outlook.

By most estimates, staple foodproduction was average to aboveaverage across West Africa during the2012/13 cropping season. Accordingto AGRYHMET, total cereal and tuberproduction in the West AfricanMonetary Union (UEMOA) was morethan 16 percent above the five yearaverage. Initial production estimatesfor Nigeria, which produces twothirds to three quarters of WestAfrica’s local food supply, indicatedthat production would be 2 percentgreater than 2011 levels (a bumperyear) and 6 percent greater than thefive year average. However, oncethese figures are adjusted for the floodlosses observed in recent weeks,regional market supplies for the restof the marketing year are likely to bemuch tighter than previously

expected. Despitesome uncertaintyabout Nigeria’sa g r i c u l t u r a lproduction in 2012/13, FEWS NETestimates that themagnitude of the2012 crop lossesnearly offsets theabove average 2012production in the restof the region (Figure1). Current marketconditions in Nigeriaare characterized by a

great deal of uncertainty due toreduced market supplies, marketingrestrictions related to insecurity,prohibitively high import tariffs, andfuel price policies that could changedrastically in the coming months.

Until December 2012, FEWS NETanticipated that cereal prices wouldremain high compared to their fiveyear average levels but generallyfollow seasonal trends, increasingmoderately by 1 to 4 percent permonth through September 2013.However, the current marketingconditions in Nigeria are expected toput upward pressure on staple foodprices across West Africa betweenMarch and the end of the 2013 leanseason in August/September,particularly for maize, millet, andtubers. Exacerbating factors include:increased demand for cereals frompopulations usually reliant on tubers,growing demand for maize by theNigerian industrial and poultrysectors (though this demand is notlikely to achieve the high levelsexperienced in 2005); andstructurally high millet prices acrossthe region, likely due to significantdeclines in Nigerian millet productionsince 2007/08. Markets that relyheavily on cross border trade fromNigeria, such as those in south easternNiger, may be most affected.

Preliminary analysis suggests thatthese price increases could drivewidespread food security Stress (IPCPhase 2) in the region’s structurallydeficit zones and localized Crisis (IPCPhase 3) in areas that experiencedproduction shortfalls, especiallyduring the July September 2013 leanseason. Wide spread Crisis (IPC Phase3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) is notanticipated as better than usualhousehold stocks, favorable cash cropproduction and marketing conditions,and humanitarian assistance duringthe post harvest period will partiallyoffset the expected price increases.

Even so, emergency assistanceneeds could be higher thananticipated previously. Nationalgovernments and humanitarianagencies should plan for thispossibility, especially in the region’sstructurally deficit pastoral and agropastoral zones, where households relyheavily on markets as early as March,and in areas where the agriculturalproduction season was less successful.The possibility of much tighter cerealmarket supplies across the Sahel alsosuggests that institutions shouldexercise prudence when purchasinglocal cereals, particularly for milletand maize in Chad, Benin, Nigeria, andNiger.

-IRIN.

A woman peeling cassava processed into variety of foods such as garri, flour, etc.

Yam is an impotant staple food in Nigeria and West Africa.

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 15

dispatch special

What kills one AFRICAN womanevery minute of every single day?

Farmers in the Niger Delta have taken court action against Shell after having theirlivelihoods destroyed by oil spills. © Amnesty International

What kills one AFRICAN woman everyminute of every single day?A: AIDSB: CANCERNEITHERTHE ANSWER IS?C: PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH

Somewhere in AFRICA one woman diesevery minute of every day from causesrelated to pregnancy and birth.

The hardest pill to swallow for even themost successful African nations is this:giving life to the continent’s next generationis one of the biggest killers’ of Africa’s women.

More often than not it is preventable:Uncontrolled bleeding, infection, poormedical care and a lack of education still sitat the very heart of this hidden crisis.

Those who survive may still suffer. Forevery woman who dies during childbirth,it is estimated that another 30 are injuredor become sick bringing life to the world.Africa’s poorest are the most vulnerable.

But women themselves are not the onlyvictims. The children left behind are morelikely to die simply because they aremotherless.

Too many babies also die unnecessarily.In Africa, over a million newborns die eachyear – that is - nearly four every singleminute.

If Africa is to advance, MORE needs to bedone. SIGNIFICANTLY more.

MamaYe ( a public action campaign tosave the lives of mothers and babies is beinglaunched in five countries most affected bythe crisis of maternal and newbornmortality: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone,Malawi and Tanzania.

This is the first part of a continent-widecampaign which will use digital and mobilephone technology to engage ordinaryAfricans in the most important fight of all –the battle to save our mothers and babies.

At its core MamaYe will challenge the

By Mama Ye

status quo – the fatalism of millions ofAfricans, young and old, who accept thedeaths of mothers and babies as “natural”or “God’s will.”

MamaYe is a campaign to both educateand encourage communities to takecollective and individual action for

up in the five countries by African experts.Country Director Ghana Professor

Richard Adanu, who is also the Dean of theSchool of Public Health in Accra, said:

“We all have the power and the potentialto save the lives of mothers and newborns.

“Men who support their wives to visitante-natal clinics are helping to save lives.Taxi drivers who volunteer to get women toclinics in time for the birth can do the same.Voluntarily giving blood also saves lives,by helping women who haemorrhageduring childbirth.

“Government officials that ensure clinicsare well stocked with drugs and otheressentials, are nothing less than life-savers.Midwives that respond to a crisis in themiddle of the night are maternal survivalheroines.

“We can all play our part. Childbirth isnot a disease. We have known for decadeswhat it takes to ensure the survival ofwomen and babies in childbirth. But if ourmothers are to survive, then the Africanpublic must also step up, take responsibilityand become more involved and vigilant.

“MamaYe will provide the evidence,information and tools necessary to empowerour citizens to demand change.

All it takes to make the change, is YOU.“

MamaYe is a campaign initiated byEvidence for Action (E4A), a multi-yearprogramme which aims to improvematernal and newborn survival in sub-Saharan Africa. Funded by the UKDepartment for InternationalDevelopment, the campaign focuses onusing a strategic combination of evidence,advocacy and accountability to save livesin Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Ethiopia, SierraLeone and Tanzania.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the lifetime risk

of maternal death is 1 in 16, compared with1 in 2,800 in developed countries.

Those who survive may still suffer. Forevery woman who dies during childbirth,it is estimated that another 30 are injuredor become sick bringing life to the world.

Every day, 444 women die in sub-Saharan Africa due to causes relating topregnancy and childbirth.

In Africa, over a million newborns dieeach year.

The newborn mortality rate is 44 deathsper 1000 live births in Africa . According toWorld Health Organisation,globally, thecountries with the highest rates of newbornmortality are mostly in sub-SaharanAfrica.

pregnant mothersamongst them. It will seekto overcome the ingrainedbelief that responsibility formaternal and newbornsurvival rests elsewhere:with ‘the government’ ‘theministry’ ‘professionals’‘the UN’ or foreign donors.For MamaYe the activeparticipation of Africans asa whole is a criticalingredient.

MamaYe believes thattechnology can educate,motivate and mobilisepeople to take direct actionto respond to the maternaland newborn crisis inAfrica.

By 2016, it is projectedthat there will be one billionmobile phones in Africa.167,335,676 Internetusers. 51,612,460Facebook subscribers. InGhana, for example, mobilepenetration in the countryhas reached a record 80%of the country’s population.

MamaYe has beeninitiated by Evidence forAction which is funded bythe UK Department forI n t e r n a t i o n a lDevelopment, and headed

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 20

Politics

Anambra 2014: The contenders,prospects, challenges.

As the tenure of the incumbentGovernor of Anambra State, MrPeter Obi ends tempo of political

activities has risen sharply in the state,as next year candidates who wants tocontest have begun to emerge.

The list of those who have showninterest in the election cut across the threesenatorial zones of Anambra Central,Anambra South and Anambra North.The list also included former governors,old contenders and new entrants.

Among the former governors whohave been planning strategically to takepart in the election are, Dr ChrisNwabueze Ngige, a serving senatorrepresenting Anambra CentralSenatorial District, Dr Andy Uba who isalso a serving senator representing theAnambra South Senatorial District. Theduo of Senator Ngige and Senator Uba,both of who are not from the AnambraNorth Senatorial District, which isfighting for power shift to their area, re-expected to give the contest theexcitement it deserves, more so, they areveterans when it comes to politicalsocialisation and the battles that followit.

The list of old contenders who areexpected to make another attempt in thegovernorship contest include, Dr ObinnaUzoh, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, former governorof the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)Professor Chukwuma Soludo,PrinceNicholas Ukachukwu, Senator EmmaAnosike, Mrs Uche Ekwunife and SenatorAnnie Okonkwo. These are politicians whohave influence and money and many ofthem have held key political positions atthe National and State levels. MrsEkwunife is currently a member of theHouse of Representatives, while AnnieOkonkwo is a key member of a politicalgroup known as C21, which is involvedin the contentious merger that gave birthto the All Progressive Congress, (APC).

There are also hordes of new entrantsin the governorship contest. These arepeople who are expected to take part inthe election for the first time asgubernatorial candidates. They include,Mr Akachukwu Nwankpo, Chief IfeanyiUba, Pat Nwachi Obianwu, Dubem Obaze,Oseloka Obaze, Dr Godwin Ezeemo, DrChike Obidigbo, Mr Paul Odenigbo, ChiefMike Udah, Afam Ogene and host of othercontenders that will emerge as theelection approaches. One of the keystrength of the new entrants is that manyof them are influential technocrats,politicians and businessmen, who havestrong ties with the people in the grass-root. Chief Udah currently serves as theChief Press Secretary to Governor PeterObi, just as Oseloka Obaze holds the postof Secretary to the State Government.They will be counting on their experiencesand connection during the contest.

The Prospects:Having seen the nature of candidates

that are likely to contest for thegovernorship of Anambra State duringthe coming election, the pertinentquestion is, what are their prospects andchances of succeeding at the end of theexercise? There is also the key questionof, who among them will succeed Obi asgovernor of Anambra? It is suffice to state

that the strength of the individualcontenders and their chances of winningvary extensively, in view of theirbackgrounds and the emergingchallenges. But one thing is clear, thereis no doubt that they have all that arerequired to sell themselves successfullyto the electorates.

Dr. Chris Ngige:He was governor of Anambra State

under the ticket of PDP for more thanthree years before he was kicked out bythe courts. He later decamped and joinedthe ACN. In 2011, Dr. Ngige with theticket of ACN contested for the AnambraCentral Senatorial seat and won. Today,he is a serving senator who holds a strongdesire to contest for the governorship postagain, notwithstanding the fact that thepeople of Anambra North Senatorialdistrict, comprising Anambra East andWest, Ogabru, Oyi, Onitsha North andSouth and Ayamelum local governmentareas respectively are saying that it isnow their turn to produce the nextgovernor of Anambra State. Dr. Ngige’sstrength lies in the fact that he is aveteran warrior in the game of politicsand has the backing of South Westinfluential political figures, who areexpected to offer him the ticket of the newAPC at the end of the day. So far, Dr. Ngigehas started courting for support fromindividuals and groups.

At the peak of the flood disaster in theState last year, he was among those whotoured the internally displaced peoplescamps donating relief materials.Recently, he was in Amansea where hecalled on the people to lend him theirsupport, especially, as they prepare tolaunch the APC in Anambra and Awkanorth areas respectively. Dr. Ngige isexpected to make maximum impact inthe election if eventually he picks up theAPC ticket.

Dr Andy Uba:He is equally a veteran politician,

very rich and influential. In 2007, hecontested for the governorship post andwon. However, his desire to govern theState was truncated by the judgementwhich the Supreme Court delivered inthe tenure interpretation suit filed byGovernor Peter Obi, and since thisdevelopment, Senator Uba who representsAnambra South in the Senate has beennursing the ambition of governingAnambra again. Already, his foot soldiersbeing deployed under the “IgwebuikePhilosophy” are now working

everywhere and perfecting plans andconsulting key stakeholders on how tomarket his candidacy. Senator Uba isexpected to fight for the PDP ticket along-side other strong candidates as the electionapproaches. And like Dr Ngige, SenatorUba’s major challenge bothers on how tosecure the support of the people of NorthSenatorial district who are nowcampaigning for power shift to their area.

Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu:He is also a veteran politician, rich and

influential. Prince Ukachukwu hails fromthe South Senatorial district. Since 1999when the new democracy took off,Ukachukwu has been a recurring figurein the politics of Anambra State. He wasa member of the House of Representatives,and from there he came to Awka andcontested for the governorship post in2007 and 2010 on the tickets of ANPPand Hope Democratic Party and lost.Since then he has returned to PDP, wherehe is expected to fight for a ticket that willenable him to contest for the governorshipagain. And like Dr Ngige and Senator Uba,Prince Ukachukwu will be facing thechallenge of how to confront theexpectations of the people of Anambranorth, in view of the fact that they havearrays of candidates jostling for the toppost.

Professor Chukwuma Soludo:He hails from the South Senatorial

district. Professor Soludo who is extremelyrich is a technocrat and intellectual whojoined the murky waters of Anambrapolitics in 2010 as the gubernatorialcandidate of PDP, and that was after histenure as CBN governor. At the end ofthe election, which he lost, Soludo wasinitially confronted with the struggle forthe control of Anambra State chapter ofPDP, has since been living in Abuja, fromwhere he makes occasional forays intoAwka.

Dr Alex Obiogbolu:He is a medical doctor by profession

and hails from Onitsha, Anambra Northsenatorial district.Since 1999, DrObiogbolu has been a key chieftain of PDP,however, in 2010 he decamped andbecame the gubernatorial candidate ofAfrican Political System, APS, in theelection held in February that year. And,after losing the election, Dr Obiogbolurejoined the PDP where he is nownurturing his ambition to governAnambra State. Already, Dr Obiogboluwhose campaign is anchored on thephilosophy of “Oganiru Anambra” haspublicly declared his interest in the raceat a ceremony held in Aguleri. He is agrassroots politician, and those close tohim said that his major weakness is thathe is a lone ranger and rigid in his viewsand position on issues, the attributesmany contends may work against himin the course of the anticipated election.Obiogbolu’s greatest strength is the factthat he is from a zone clamouring to havethe post zoned to them as a right.

Mr Ifeanyi Ubah:He hails from the South senatorial

district, which has produced governorsseveral times. This young and energeticoil mogul started to show interest in thegovernorship post from 2011 when hiscompany, Capital Oil and Gas Limitedbegan distributing free kerosene and riceto people. His ambition was going well

until he fell in to the oil subsidy and bankcrises, However, notwithstanding hiscurrent travails in the hands of creditorbanks, his posters were recently foundadorning strategic places in Awka andother key cities. And before his travailsstarted, Ifeanyi Uba was gunning for theticket of APGA apparently with thesupport of Chief Victor Umeh, theembattled National Chairman of APGA.However, with what he is going throughnow, it is likely that his political ambitionhas been considerably hampered.

Oseloka Obaze:He is an indigene of Ogbaru, Anambra

North senatorial district, and atechnocrat who was brought by Obi torejuvenate governance using his positionof Secretary to the State Government.And, unlike his fellow contenders inAPGA, the strongest asset he possesses isthat he is a very strong confidant ofGovernor Obi, and is therefore likey toreceive Obi’s endorsement if eventuallyhe decides to contest.

Mike Udah:He is a veteran politician and

journalist. Chief Udah who hails fromUmueri, Anambra East local governmentarea, is now governor Obi’s Chief PressSecretary. He was once a deputygovernorship candidate. And being anindigene of Anambra North, Chief Udahwho is a key contender, is likely to benefitfrom the zoning arrangement ifeventually those who are marketing theequitable concept succeeds in theirproject.

Dubem Obaze:He was a former kitchen cabinet

member of the Obi’s government havingheld the powerful position ofCommissioner for Local Government andChieftaincy Matters. A relation of OselokaObaze, Dubem who hails from Anambranorth, the zone that is favoured for thegovernorship seat of the state, is rich andstrategic in his behaviour and thoughts.Most commentators have argued that heresigned from his powerful commissionerposition to enable him prosecute hisgubernatorial ambition without anyhindrance. His strength also lies in thefact that he is among the aspirants whohave the confidence and support ofGovernor Obi.

The Challenges ahead:Although many of the aspirants have

all that are required to win the tickets oftheir parties and eventually put up astrong challenge during the election, itshould be noted that they still need tocontend with the challenges emanatingfrom the dynamics of political changesbeing witnessed now at the National andstates levels, especially with the mergerof ACN, CPC, ANPP and a section of APGAin to what is now known as APC. This is adevelopment which is capable ofcompletely changing all the plans andstrategies of the aspiring governorshipcandidates. It is certain that in the daysahead, the contenders are bound to facethe challenges of alignment and re-alignment of forces and change of camps,as the implications of the merger unfolds,and it is after these emerging challengeshave been curtailed that one wouldfinally position himself as a candidate forthe gubernatorial election to be held inAnambra later this year

By Charles Okeke

Gov. Peter Obi

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 16

Metro City, Crime & Justice

Street begging, lucrative business hit by economic down turn

money that can sustain him and histwelve children annually.

Mailafia said he had travelled toLagos, Port-Harcourt, Onitsha andMinna just to beg for alms and wassending the proceeds of what he wasmaking to Garki village for thebuilding of his house.

In Nigeria, much is known and saidabout child begging. Although nofruition is yet recorded, Nigerian

government has been putting upstrategies to see that the menace iscurbed as it sees it as a social problemmostly because of the decadent lifestyles that heir lives usuallydegenerate into in the long run.

But nobody is saying anythingabout the millions of Nigerian adultson the streets begging for almsalongside the children. It is axiomaticthat the dastardly economicconditions of the country have left abig percentage of its people inpoverty. Some of those improvisedpeople, especially those from thenorthern parts of Nigeria and ourothers from Niger, Chad, Mali, amongothers, have over the years embracedstreet begging just to eke out a living.It started out with the people whowere physically challenged, but hasnow become an all comers – businessas people without any form ofphysically challenge now practice it.

The effusive multiplication ofadult-beggars with no any form ofdeformity but that of the mind on thestreet, especially in northern Nigerianstates like Kano, Gombe, Sokoto,Kaduna, Bauchi and Abuja, is a pointerthat street begging has been lucrativeover the years.

A big time beggar, who gave hisname as Musa Mailafia and lives inGarki village, told reporters dispatchthat begging is a lucrative venturebecause it was through it that he wasable to save some money which heused in building his own house. Theoctogenarian beggar said he leftbegging after building his own housejust to pave way for other beggarsbecause the house he built had upliftedhis social status and he could notcontinue begging when he had tenantswho pay him a meaty amount of

Another beggar, Usman Danjuma,a Septuagenarian that not physicallychallenged, but who used old age as areason for begging, complained toreporters dispatch at Utako marketbus stop (Arab) that his business hasnot been lucrative since 2008.

Danjuma, who said he has threewives and thirteen children, came toAbuja in year 2000 mainly forbegging. He said three of his childrenare learning tailoring in Gombe whilefour are currently studying at FederalCollege of Education, Zaria, and heuses the money he makes frombegging to pay their school fees.

According to him, he used to getnot less than ten thousand naira frombegging weekly but since 2009, thingshave changed as he rarely get aN1,500 in a whole week of intensivebegging.

“My name is Usman Danjuma, I am

from a village in Gombe state. I cameto Abuja in year 2000 to start beggingbusiness when my family becamevery plagued by poverty after myhouse was destroyed by fire incident.In 2002, the money I was able to savefrom begging was able to buy a fairlyused Golf car for transportationbusiness. The money realized from itsdaily was used in feeding my family.Some of my children are even now inschool in Zaria, while three others arelearning tailoring in Gombe.

“But I am afraid, things woulddefinitely change with my family soonbecause I can no longer send to themwhat I used to, because I don’t get asmuch as I used to get anymore’, hesaid.

He attributed the crunch in hisincome to the security challengeswhich is currently prevalent in thecountry.

“Since the case of bombing by BokoHaram began, rich men that normallystop by our joints to give us big moneydon’t do it anymore. Maybe they arethinking that we are going to bombthem, and we are harmless. In thosedays, especially on Fridays, when richmen and top government officialscome to Mosque to pray, they will attimes, personally share big money tous and things were quite good then,but since the issue of Boko Harmastarted, we hardly see such peopleagain, and life in begging has beenhard,” Danjuma opined.

To Hajia Amina, a middle-agedleprosy beggar that lives in Mabushi,begging is no longer lucrative becausethe economic condition in thecountry is worsening every year to apoint where members of the public nolonger have enough for themselves letalone giving alms to the beggars.

She also believes that the highpopulation of beggars these days inAbuja is making it unattractive.“People of Nigeria are getting hit bypoverty every year, to that end, peoplewho ought to dole out alms to beggarsno longer have enough for themselveslet alone sharing it with beggars.

“In the days that I started begging,we were so few in the society, andpeople had great pity on us, respectingus that it must have been a badcondition that must have pushed usinto begging, and they would give us alot of alms. Today, begging is over-populated and the little alms thatmembers of the public can affordcannot go round”, Amina said.

Street begging has become a menace that all sectors are up against but efforts are yet tofully pay off as it is said to be lucrative. UDE EJIKEMKE reports

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 19

Living & Style

Important keys to success-Work hard at something you believe in

“It’s easy to have an idea. But it’s another thing to commit time and effortto it,” writes millionaire salesman and motivational speaker Terry Felber.“There are a lot of great ideas and if we allow the negative influences of othersto stop us, then we will never accomplish anything. The truth is, most peopleare always ‘waiting to begin,’ but few ever actually get on the pathway tosuccess.” Felber is an Amway “Founders Executive Diamond” who over thelast three decades built a sales organization of more than 50,000 people.

No matter the religion youprofess God wants us to bekind. But He has designed

you the way He has for a reason. God

- Financial prosperity is often connected tosoul prosperity

Felber continues: God comparesa man who does not provide forhis family with someone who

has denied the faith. He considers himworse than an unbeliever. You mustbe able to take care of her before youmarry her. And once you are married,you must do whatever it takes toprovide for her.

we are not unmindful of the presenteconomic situation in the world. If theman is out of work and the woman has

a job it could be tiring for her andfrustrating for a good man.Whatshould a man do in suchcircumstances?Steal, becomemoody? No.

The man can provide the mostimportant thing the family needs now-EMOTIONAL BACK-UP.

Show more love,go the extra mile,provide emotional well being.

This is the most importantprovision a family needs.

- A man must do whatever he can to providefor his family:

God says it this way, ‘Delightyourself in the Lord, and Hewill give you the desires of

your heart.’ That means that if you aredelighting in Him, seeking after Himand honoring Him, His desires willnaturally become your desires. Yes,

God wants you to have everythingyour heart desires as long as you arefocused first on Him. Remember,though, that God measures our heartsand knows our motives. We must loveHim for who He is, not for what Hecan give us.”

- Be meek before God, but bold before men

wants you to live to please Him, morethan to please people. You should fo-cus on being meek before God, butbold before men.

Take responsibility for problemsthat are the result of your ownbad decisions.

We sometimes credit circumstancesto God or the enemy, when really it issimple cause and effect.

- Don’t displace the blameIf you have made mistakes in life ,ownup and seek ways to make amends. Be humble enough to apologise tofamily and friends who may be hurtingdue to your bad decisions.

Things will go wrong and when theydo, you can use this opportunity tostrengthen your business, if youdecide to. Be prepared for worst casescenarios and then when they come,take it as a positive challenge to makean improvement.

-See challenges asstepping stones, notas obstacles

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 17

Healing Quotes for Your Heart

inspirationaldispatch

What is it about a shortquotation that carries somuch power? Anyone who

has ever been moved by “I have adream” or “I think, therefore I am”knows that a single, simple quote canchange a day, a life, a world.

For those who suffer from depression,words of uplift and inspiration arealways welcome. Explore thesequotations and see if a few simplewords might change your day, yourlife, or your world.

Begin Each Day Anew“Have patience with all things, butchiefly have patience with yourself.Do not lose courage in consideringyour own imperfections but instantly

set about remedying them — everyday begin the task anew.”Saint Francis de Sales

A Treasured Pearl“A pearl is a beautiful thing that is produced by an injured life. It is the tear[that results] from the injury of the oyster. The treasure of our being in thisworld is also produced by an injured life. If we had not been wounded, if wehad not been injured, then we will not produce the pearl.”- Stephan Hoeller

Find Your Joy“Sometimes your joy is the source ofyour smile, but sometimes your smilecan be the source of your joy.”- Thich Nhat Hanh

Make Humoran Asset“Good humor is a tonic formind and body. It is the bestantidote for anxiety anddepression. It is a businessasset. It attracts and keepfriends. It lightens humanburdens. It is the direct routeto serenity and contentment.”- Greenville Kleisser

Change Your Thoughts“What you thought before has led to every choice you have made, and thisadds up to you at this moment. If you want to change who you are physically,mentally, and spiritually, you will have to change what you think.”Dr. Patrick Gentempo

The Power of a Touch“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, alistening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of whichhave the potential to turn a life around.”Leo Buscaglia

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 21

Your Health

Revealed: Local Fruitthat kills cancer

The Sour Sop or the fruit fromthe graviola tree is amiraculous natural cancer

cell killer 10,000 times strongerthan Chemo.

Why are we not aware of this?Its because some big corporationwant to make back their moneyspent on years of research bytrying to make a syntheticversion of it for sale.

So, since you know it now youcan help a friend in need by lettinghim know or just drink some soursop juice yourself as preventionfrom time to time. The taste is notbad after all. It’s completelynatural and definitely has no sideeffects. If you have the space, plantone in your garden.

The other parts of the tree arealso useful.

The next time you have a fruitjuice, ask for a sour sop.

How many people died in vainwhile this billion-dollar drugmaker concealed the secret of themiraculous Graviola tree?

This tree is low and is calledgraviola ! in Brazi l, guanabana inSpanish and has the uninspiringname “soursop” in English. Thefruit is very large and the subacidsweet white pulp is eaten out ofhand or, more commonly, used tomake fruit drinks, sherbets andsuch.

The principal interest in thisplant is because of its strong anti-cancer effects. Although it iseffective for a number of medicalconditions, it is its anti tumor effectthat is of most interest. This plantis a proven cancer remedy forcancers of all types.

Besides being a cancer remedy,graviola is a broad spectrumantimicrobial agent for bothbacterial and fungal infections, iseffective against internal parasitesand worms, lowers high bloodpressure and is used for depression,stress and nervous disorders.

If there ever was a singleexample that makes itdramatically clear why theexistence of Health SciencesInstitute is so vital to Americanslike you, it’s the incredible storybehind the Graviola tree.

The truth is stunninglysimple: Deep within the AmazonRainforest grows a tree that couldliterally revolutionize what you,your doctor, and the rest of theworld thinks about cancertreatment and chances ofsurvival.

The future has never lookedmore promising.

Research shows that withextracts from this miraculous treeit now may be possible to:

* Attack cancer safely andeffectively with an all-natural

“10000 times stronger killer of CANCER than Chemo”.. do share it..can save many lives, fill up hopes and build confidence in the patients...

therapy that does not causeextreme nausea, weight loss andhair loss

* Protect your immune systemand avoid deadly infections

* Feel stronger and healthierthroughout the course of thetreatment

* Boost your energy andimprove your outlook on life

The source of this informationis just as stunning: It comes fromone of America ‘s largest drugmanufacturers, th! e fruit of over20 laboratory tests conductedsince the 1970’s! What those testsrevealed was nothing short ofmind numbing… Extracts fromthe tree were shown to:

* Effectively target and killmalignant cells in 12 types ofcancer, including colon, breast,prostate, lung and pancreaticcancer..

* The tree compounds provedto be up to 10,000 times strongerin slowing the growth of cancercells than Adriamycin, acommonly usedchemotherapeutic drug!

* What’s more, unlikechemotherapy, the compoundextracted from the Graviola treeselectivelyhunts

down and kills only cancercells.. It does not harm healthycells!

The amazing anti-cancerproperties of the Graviola tree havebeen extensively researched–sowhy haven’t you heard anythingabout it? If Graviola extract is

One of America ‘s biggestbillion-dollar drug makers begana search for a cancer cure and theirresearch centered on Graviola, alegendary healing tree from theAmazon Rainforest.

Various parts of the Graviolatree–including the bark, leaves,roots, fruit and fruit-seeds–havebeen used for centuries bymedicine men and native Indi!ans in S outh America to treatheart disease, asthma, liverproblems and arthritis. Going onvery little documented scientificevidence, the company pouredmoney and resources into testingthe tree’s anti-cancerousproperties–and were shocked bythe results. Graviola proved itselfto be a cancer-killing dynamo.

But that’s where the Graviolastory nearly ended.

The company had one hugeproblem with the Graviola tree–it’s completely natural, and so,under federal law, not patentable.There’s no way to make seriousprofits from it.

It turns out the drug companyinvested nearly seven yearstrying to synthesize two of theGraviola tree’s most powerful anti-cancer ingredients. If they couldisolate and produce man-madeclones of what makes the Graviolaso potent, they’d be able to patentit and make their money back.Alas, they hit a brick wall. Theoriginal simply could not bereplicated.

There was no way thecompany could protect its profits–or even make back the millions itpoured into research.

As the dream of huge profitsevaporated, their testing onGraviola came to a screechinghalt. Even worse, the companyshelved the entire project andchose not to publish the findings ofits research!

Luckily, however, there wasone scientist from the Graviola

research team whoseconscience wouldn’t lethim see such atrocitycommitted. Risking hiscareer, he contacted acompany that’s dedicatedto harvesting medicalplants from the AmazonRainforest and blew thewhistle.

Miracle unleashedWhen researchers at

the Health SciencesInstitute were alerted tothe news of Graviola,!they be gan tracking theresearch done on thecancer-killing tree.Evidence of theastounding effectiveness ofGraviola–and its shockingcover-up–came in fastand furious….

….The NationalCancer Instituteperformed the first

A Gynaecologist with theGarki Hospital, Abuja,Dr Kayode Obendek, has

advised women to start child-bearing early enough to avoidthe chances of reduction in thequality of eggs in their wombs.

Obendek told the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) inAbuja on Monday that earlychild-bearing would alsoaddress the issue of infertility.

He explained that somewomen jettisoned havingchildren early in preference tothe pursuit of education, careerand fulfilled life therebystarting their family late.

“This is why you will see awoman coming at the age of39 to seek for doctor’s assistanceto raise a family. As she grows,her eggs continue to reducewith implication on herchances of having children,” hesaid.

He called on people withinfertility issues to seek formedical help, pointing out thatthere were many causes ofinfertility that could beresolved by medical doctors.

“You cannot say take thisdrug to induce ovulation asthere are so many drugs intown, the tubes may be blockedand the husband may behaving low sperm count.

He, however, said that oneshould first of all identify theproblems by going for screeningand also to seek for medicalsolutions.

“Delayed child-bearing,which has increased greatly inrecent decades, is associatedwith an increased risk ofinfertility, pregnancycomplications and adversepregnancy outcome.“

He said that women shouldput their age intoconsideration as maternal agewas the most importantdeterminant factor of fertilityand obstetrics among others.

Obendek, however, advisedcouples to seek for counselingand professional help as theystarted their family to avoiddelay

scientific research in 1976. Theresults showed that Graviola’s“leaves and stems were foundeffective in attacking anddestroying malignant cells.”Inexplicably, the results werepublished in an internal reportand never released to the public…

….Since 1976, Graviola hasproven to be an immensely potentcancer killer in 20 independentlaboratory tests, yet no double-blind clinical trials–the typicalbenchmark mainstream doctorsand journals use to judge atreatment’s value–were everinitiated….

….A study published in theJournal of Natural Products,following a recent study conductedat Catholic University of SouthKorea stated that one chemical inGraviola was found to selectivelykill colon cancer cells at “10,000times the potency of (thecommonly used chemotherapydrug) Adriamycin…”

….The most significant part ofthe Catholic University of SouthKorea report is that Graviola wasshown to selectively target thecancer cells, leaving healthy cellsuntouched. Unlike chemotherapy,which indiscriminately targets allactively reproducing cells (such asstomach and hair cells), causingthe often devastating side effectsof nausea and hair loss in cancerpatients.

…A study at Purdue Universityrecently found that leaves fromthe Graviola tree killed cancer cellsamong six human cell lines andwere especially effective againstprostate, pancreatic and lungcancers Seven years of silencebroken–it’s finally here!!!

Courtesy - General Knowledge.

Doctoradviseswomen onstartingfamily early

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 18

Science & EnvironmentCosmic ray mystery lifted in new findings

Cosmic rays — fast-movingparticles that constantlypummel our planet —

come from the explosion ofsupernovae, new researchconfirmed Thursday,resolving an astronomicalmystery .

Protons make up 90 percentof these rays that pelt Earth’satmosphere and werediscovered a century ago by theAustrian-born physicist VictorFranz Hess.

Scientists had suggested twopossibilities for the origins ofthese protons — supernovaeexplosions within our Milky

By Jean-Louis SantiniWay galaxy or strong jets ofenergy from black holeselsewhere in the universe.

The recent consensusamong scientists has pointed tosupernovae remnants as thesource, but this remainedunproven, said Stefan Funk,astrophysicist at StanfordUniversity and a co-author ofthe new findings.

The report was presented atthe annual conference of theAmerican Association for theAdvancement of Science inBoston and will also appear inFriday’s issue of the journalScience.

“In the last century we’velearned a lot about cosmic raysas they arrive here,” Funk said

in a statement announcing thefindings.

“We’ve even had strongsuspicions about the source oftheir acceleration, but wehaven’t had unambiguousevidence to back them up untilrecently.”

Using NASA’s FermiGamma-ray Space Telescope,researchers over the course offour years analyzed data fromtwo supernova remnantsthousands of light years awayand found the proof they werelooking for.

“For the first time we wereable to detect the smoking gunfeature of the acceleratedprotons,” Funk told reporters.

“We are talking about the

most gigantic explosions in ourgalaxy and they give energyto the tiniest things we know.”

The supernova remnantsthat led to the discovery areknown as IC 443 and W44 andare located 5,000 and 9,500light years away, according toNASA.

The researchers found thatshock waves from thesupernovas acceleratedprotons to nearly the speed oflight, turning them intocosmic rays, said thestatement.

“When these energeticprotons collided with staticprotons in gas or dust they gaverise to gamma rays withdistinctive signatures, giving

scientists the smoking-gunevidence they needed to finallyverify the cosmic-raynurseries,” it said.

Still, as man spends moretime in the higher atmosphere,questions remain.

“While we havedemonstrated that supernovaremnants accelerate cosmicrays, the next step will be todetermine exactly how they doit, and also up to what energiesthey can do so,” Funk said.

In addition, he noted “thereare suggestions that cosmicrays have provided earlymutations that make lifepossible” and providecondensation droplets thatcreate clouds.

Scientists sense breakthroughsin dark-matter mysteryFor decades, the strange

substance called darkmatter has teased

physicists, challengingconventional notions of thecosmos.

Today, though, scientistsbelieve that with the help ofmulti-billion-dollar tools,they are closer than ever topiercing the mystery — andthe first clues may beunveiled just weeks fromnow.

“We are so excitedbecause we believe we are onthe threshold of a majordiscovery,” said MichaelTurner, director of the KavliInstitute for CosmologicalPhysics at the University ofChicago, at an annualconference of the AmericanAssociation for theAdvancement of Science(AAAS).

Dark matter throws downthe gauntlet to the so-calledStandard Model of physics.

Elegant and useful foridentifying the stable ofparticles and forces thatregulate our daily life, theStandard Model only tellspart of the cosmic story.

For one thing, it does notexplain gravity, although weknow how to measure gravityand exploit it for our needs.

And the Standard Modelhas been found to account foronly around four or fivepercent of the stuff in theUniverse.

The rest is dark matter,making up 23 percent, and

dark energy, an enigmaticforce that appears to drivethe expansion of theUniverse, which accounts foraround 72 or 73 percent.

“On the cosmology side wenow understand that thismysterious dark matter holdstogether our galaxy and therest of the Universe,” saidTurner.

“And the tantalizing thingon the cosmology side is thatwe have an airtight case thatthe dark matter is made ofsomething new... there is noparticle in the StandardModel that can account fordark matter.”

The dark matter theorywas born 80 years ago whenSwiss astrophysicist Fritz

Zwicky discovered that therewas not enough mass inobservable stars or galaxiesto allow the force of gravityto hold them together.

According to sometheorists, dark matter isfleetingly formed by exoticparticles called WIMPs(Weakly Interacting MassiveParticles) that, as their nameimplies, have only weakinteractions with the visiblematter identified under theStandard Model.

But, again, this could onlybe part of the picture.

“The real question is whydark matter has six times theenergy that is in ordinarymatter,” said Lisa Randall ofHarvard University.

“It could be 10 trillionstimes bigger... This is anintriguing sign that there ismaybe some otherinteraction we can detect.”

H i g h - p o w e r e dinstruments track cosmicparticles

To track these phantomparticles, physicists rely onseveral methods and tools.

One is the Alpha MagneticSpectrometer (AMS) aboardthe International SpaceStation (ISS), which capturesgamma rays coming fromcollisions of dark matterparticles.

The first results will bepublished in two to threeweeks, according to SamuelTing, a Nobel laureate and

professor at theMassachusetts Institute ofTechnology (MIT) who is themastermind of the two-billion-dollar project.

Ting declined to givedetails, only suggesting thatthese highly anticipatedresults would give humans abetter idea about the natureof dark matter.

Another tool used by thescientists is the South PoleNeutrino Observatory, whichtracks subatomic particlesknown as neutrinos, which,according to physicists, arecreated when dark matterpasses through the Sun andinteracts with protons.

Another big weapon is theLarge Hadron Collider (LHC)near Geneva, the biggestparticle smasher in theworld.

Its power, they insist,could allow them to break-upelectrons, quarks orneutrinos to uncover darkmatter.

Last July, LHC physicistsannounced they haddiscovered a particlebelieved to be the Higgsboson, which confers mass.The Higgs was the key missingpiece in the Standard Model.

“The dark matter particlesare very heavy. It is one ofthe reasons we have made theLHC, not only to look for theHiggs boson,” said MariaSpiropulu, professor ofphysics at the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology(Caltech).

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013Page 22

Potpourri Gists, Events, Parties, Entertainment, Tourism and Relationship

NDLEA nabs octogenariandrug peddler in Osun

Taraba People Being Deceived overSuntai's Health- Senator Al-Hassan

Woman wants ex-husband toaccept responsibility for herpregnancy one year after divorce

Nigerian movie debutsin U.S. theatres Feb.

A Nollywood movietitled ‘Dr Bello’ willbe making history as

the first Nigerian movie todebut in the U.S. theatres onFeb. 22, its producer, MrTony Abulu, has said.

Abulu told the NewsAgency of Nigeria (NAN) onMonday in Abuja that themovie would be released inthe U.S. theatres from Feb.22 to Feb. 27.

He said the movie, worthN150 million, would explorethe foreign exchangepotentials that abound inthe U.S. film industry.

The development,according to Abulu, will alsocreate a platform for otherNigerian movies to sell inthe U.S. market.

“This is the secondlargest theatre chain inAmerica with over 5000screens and this portendsgreat opportunity forNigeria, because apart from“Dr Bello” other movies cancome through this sameagreement.

“The only catch is thatthey have to be very well

produced and they have tobe targeted to an Americanaudience, not all theNigerian movies can do it;there will be a select groupof Nigerian movies that cancome through that channel.

“But I think, as time goeson, we can begin to see themillions of dollars of foreignexchange revenue that wehave been hoping for from aplace like the U.S.’’

Abulu praised theperformance of the Nigerianfilm industry in projectingthe image of the countryoverseas, adding that thequality of movies currentlyproduced in the countrywere encouraging.

“The kind of movies weare making now are thequality of movies that Ibelieve can have thecapabilities to disclaim in theUS theatres, but one of theprerequisite is thatAmericans would normallylike to see one or two of theirown actors in the movies.

“So we have very goodfilm makers in Nigeria andI can account for at leastabout 25 of them that Ithink have the capacity andcapability to make suchfilms. ’’

The producer said thatthe production of the filmwas supported by FederalGovernment’s $200 millionintervention fund, addingthat an endowment fundwas still needed to boostactivities of theentertainment industry.

According to him, theAMC agreed to expand thefilm to a wider release ifthere was a strongperformance during thecritical make-or-break firstweek of its release.

Abulu, who is also thewriter and director of “Dr

Bello’’, said that the releaseof the move in U.S. wouldstrengthen the Nigerianfilm industry.

He said that it wouldprovide better opportunitiesfor professionals in theindustry as well as enablefilms get more elaborate interms of their scope.

“Once the revenuebegins to increase of thefilms, everybody benefits.

“The industry getsstronger because there ismore funding in theindustry, producers nowcan spend more money inmaking movies.

“Instead of makingmovies at an average of N5million, now you aremaking movies at anaverage of N40 million.

“That means locationsare paid for, actors and theentire crew are paid morefor their work and they canbring in a lot more actors inthe movies and the moviescan get more elaborate interms of their scope.

“So by extension, a lot ofpeople will benefit just bydistributing the Nollywoodmovies in the U.S. market.’’

“The cure for cancer hasbeen found in the skymountains of Africa and anAmerican oncologist willrisk everything to find it.’’The movie, ‘Dr Bello’, will bestarring Isaiah Washington,Vivica Fox, Jimmy Jean-Luis and Nigerian superstarsGenevieve Nnaji andStephanie Okereke.

The film will open atAMC theatres in New York,New Jersey Philadelphia,Baltimore, Washington DC,Atlanta, Charlotte,Houston, Dallas, Miami andJacksonville. Others areColumbus, Chicago, Detroitand Los Angeles.

Senator Jummai Al-Hassan of TarabaNorth senatorial

district of Taraba statehas accused functionariesof Taraba stategovernment of shieldingthe truth concerning thestate of health of the Governor of the State,Danbaba Suntai, who isundergoing medicaltreatment in Germanyfollowing an air crash.

She told newsmen inAbuja that the stategovernment officialshave failed to come out

with a true picture ofthe state of health of thegovernor. She said thestate governmentofficials were rather content with feeding thepeople of the state withtissues of lies.

Senator Jumai saideven though the peoplewere praying for therecovery of the governorto enable him to resumehis duties, they were tired of hearing thenever-ending messagesthat he was doing well andwould soon return.Gov. Danbaba Suntai

A 23-year-old woman,Hadiza Aliyu, on Mondayasked an Abuja Area Court to compel her ex-husband toaccept responsibility for herpregnancy, one year afterhe divorced her.

Aliyu, who resides at Ido-Sarki Village, Lugbe, Abuja,also accused her ex-husband, Ibrahim Leleyi ofLeleyi Village, Lugbe,Abuja, of neglect and lack ofcare for their 3-year-old sonsince their divorce.

She told the court thatshe had been married to herhusband for five years untilFebruary 2012 when hejust woke up one day andasked her to leave his house.

The plaintiff told thecourt that she was shocked,and decided to report theissue to the village head,who invited her ex-husbandfor a meeting to resolve theissue, to no avail.

She said she had nooption than to leave for herparents’ house, adding thather parents invited her ex-husband for a meeting witha view to resolving thematter.

Aliyu said following herparents’ intervention, herex-husband reluctantly tookher back, only to send herpacking again 15 days later.

The plaintiff said shereturned to her parents’house again with her onlyson, saying that Leleyi hadagain failed to takeresponsibility for her son’supkeep.

Aliyu, however, said shewent to her ex-husband’shouse three months after toconsole him when he lost arelation as traditiondemands and stayed therefor three weeks only for herto discover that she hadtaken in for him.

In his defence, Leleyi saidthat he divorced his formerwife since February, 2012and never had any

matrimonial relationshipwith her to date.

“In February, 2012, wehad a problem and she leftmy house for her parents’house; the problem wasresolved later and she cameback to my house, only todepart again 15 days later.

“A few months after, shesent me a message that my3-year-old son who liveswith her took ill and I senther some money to take him

to the hospital.“While in the hospital,

she said she did a pregnancytest on a doctor’s advice andit turned out positive andshe told me that I wasresponsible, but I disclaimedthe pregnancy,’’ Leleyisaid.=

The Judge, HarunaMasanawa, after hearingboth sides, adjourned thecase to March 4, forjudgment.

The National DrugLaw EnforcementAgency (NDLEA)

says it has arrested an 80-year-old drug peddler at Ibain Ifelodun LocalGovernment Area of Osun.

The state Commanderof the NDLEA, MsAnthonia Edeh, toldnewsmen in Osogbo onMonday that the agencyalso arrested two Indianhemp smokers.

Edeh said that the 80-year-old man, who is agrandfather had beenengaged in the hemp

peddling business for morethan 50 years.

She said that he wascaught with 7.4kilogrammes of the illicitweed on Jan. 20.

“The two men, werecaught in the old man’sabode at Ile-Ojomucompound, Iba, wherethey were smoking hemp.

“It is a pity that suchan old papa, who should bea campaigner againstcriminal and other vices,was caught peddlingdrugs,” she said.

A new James Bondnovel, written byBritish novelist

William Boyd, will bereleased on September26, publishers JonathanCape announced Monday.

The book, as yetuntitled, is set in 1969and features a 45-year-old Bond.

“1969. A veteransecret agent. A singlemission. A licence to kill.James Bond returns,”readers are promised.

The glamorousBritish spy’s creator IanFleming died in 1964after writing 14 novels

New James Bond novel out in Septemberin the Bond series, butother authors have sincekept the saga alive andthe franchise has nowsold more than 100million books.

The latest two novelswere “Devil May Care”(2008) by SebastianFaulks and JefferyDeaver’s “CarteBlanche” in 2011.

This year marks 60years since Fleming’sfirst Bond novel, “CasinoRoyale”, was publishedin 1953.

The announcement ofthe new book’s releasedate comes on the same

day that “Skyfall” — the23rd official Bond film,starring Daniel Craig —is released on DVD inBritain.

“Skyfall” is the firstfi lm ever to take £100mill ion ($155 mill ion,115 mill ion euros) atthe Brit ish box off ice.Globally, last year’sBond movie has takenmore than $1 billion.

Boyd used Fleming asa character in his book“Any Human Heart”and has also workedwith Bond actors SeanConnery, PierceBrosnan and Craig.

reporters dispatch, February 19 — 26, 2013 Page 23

SportsShanghai take Drogba row to FIFA: reports

Chinese clubS h a n g h a iShenhua will

take its battle againststar striker DidierDrogba’s move toTurkish side Galatasarayto football’s governingbody FIFA this week,domestic reports saidMonday.

The Ivory Coaststriker left the club ina c r i m o n i o u scircumstances lastmonth, with Shanghaisaying he had breachedhis contract.

“We now haveevidence which webelieve will giveShenhua a 99 per centchance of winning alawsuit at FIFA,” alawyer acting for theclub told the Sina webportal.

The anonymoussource from “Shenhua’s

legal team” said paperswould be submitted tothe sport’s governingbody on Wednesday.

The report saidShenhua will provideevidence that Drogbabreached his contractand that Galatasarayhad violated FIFA rulesby luring a player awayfrom his current club.

Shenhua declined tocomment whencontacted by AFP.

Chinese mediapreviously reportedDrogba had asked FIFAto nullify his contractafter the club defaultedon payments following ashareholder disputedating back toSeptember.

Drogba came off thebench to score fiveminutes into hisGalatasaray debut onFriday, a 2-1 victory

Defeated Serena targets Dubai recovery

The Enugu side willhave to miss four oftheir players as they

have travelled with theNational team to Egypt andTunisia

With just three weeks tothe start of the new season,Rangers will lose four of theirkey players to the FlyingEagles who travelled toEgypt for friendly matchesMonday morning incontinuation of theirpreparation for the AfricanYouth Championship inAlgeria.

The players are AlhajiGero, Emmanuel Daniel,Seun Taro and NzubeAnazemba.

The Flying Eagles aredrawn against Mali, RDCongo and Gabon.

The players were in theteam that would haveplayed against SC DoPrincipe in thepreliminaries of theChampions League. But theteam from Sao Tome failedto show up in Enugu andthey were walked over.

When they realised thematch would not hold, thefour players moved to Abujawhere they joined up withthe rest of the Flying Eagleswho travelled to Egypt thismorning for two friendlymatches before they proceedto Tunisia.

Alhaji Gero toldGoal.com in Enugu that itis going to be a longpreparation for the AfricanYouth Championship.

“Four of us are going toEgypt. After the twofriendly matches, we willproceed to Tunisia foranother round tour beforewe finally move to Algeriafor the African YouthChampionship.

“If the four of us makethe trip to Algeria, then itmeans our club will miss usfor a long time. If we secureone of the tickets in Algeria,we will travel to Tuolon inFrance for more trainingtours before we land inTurkey for the World Cupproper.

“You can see that wehave a long journey andthey may not see us untilafter the World Cup inTurkey if all of us make thetrip.

“I am very sure they cancope without us because wehave a lot of good players inthe team,” the formerKaduna United striker said.

Officials of Rangersrevealed that they cannotstop the players fromrepresenting Nigeria.

The African YouthChampionship starts onMarch 16th.

over the Turkishleague’s bottom clubAkhisar.

The striker signed an18-month, 10 millioneuro ($13.5 million)deal with the Istanbulside, who are due to playGerman side Schalke 04on Wednesday in the last16 of the ChampionsLeague. Drogba — aChampions Leaguewinner with EnglishPremier League sideChelsea last season —had signed a two-and-a-half year deal withShanghai in June lastyear on a reportedsalary of $300,000 aweek.

Drogba’s exit fromShanghai followed thatof former Chelseateammate Frenchstriker Nicolas Anelka,who joined Italian giantsJuventus on loan.

Serena Williamshopes to shrug offthe disappointment

of her Qatar Open finaldefeat by celebrating herreturn to the worldnumber one spot aftermore than two-and-a-halfyears with victory in theDubai Open.

The 31-year-oldAmerican’s performanceshave belied her status asthe oldest number one inthe history of thewomen’s game, as shecame from the edge ofdefeat to survive againstPetra Kvitova and deposeVictoria Azarenka fromthe pinnacle.

Williams, who lost toAzarenka in Sunday’sQatar final, could nowface both again over thenext few days.

The 15-times GrandSlam title winner is seededto meet Azarenka in thefinal for the second timein seven days and theDubai draw offers thelikelihood of anothermeeting with Kvitova,the former Wimbledonchampion from the CzechRepublic, who led 4-1 inthe final set of theirquarter-final in Doha onFriday.

If Williams’ recentachievements seemremarkable, after thepulmonary embolismwhich almost ended hercareer, and the persistentback and ankle injurieswhich harmed herchances at the AustralianOpen, they apparently do

to Williams herself.She revealed on

Saturday that “I neverthought I would beplaying at 31, although Idon’t feel 31. I don’t knowwhere the time went.

“I never, never, neverthought I would still beout here, but I havenothing else to do,” sheadmitted.

“I’m pretty good attennis still, so why not?

I’d just rather I didn’t sitat home all day.”

Even if Williamsreally does have littleelse to do she still showedgreat commitment to herprofession with herphysical recovery andcompetitive intensity onSaturday as sheoverwhelmed MariaSharapova in the Dohasemi-finals.

Even though

Sharapova is absent fromDubai, the draw looksharder from the start forWilliams, as she shouldface Marion Bartoli, theformer Wimbledonfinalist from Francewhose entry arrived lateand instead enters as awild card.

If Williams is to havea semi-final rematchwith Kvitova, the sixth-seeded Czech would

probably have to get pastAgnieszka Radwanska,the world number fourfrom Poland who is thetitleholder.

And if Williams’rematch with Azarenka isto happen, the AustralianOpen champion mighthave to survive an openerwith Nadia Petrova, thein-form top 20 Russian,and a quarter-final witheither Angelique Kerber,the fourth-seededGerman, or SamanthaStosur, the former USOpen champion fromAustralia.

This is well withinAzarenka’s capacity,having started 2013 inthe best form of hercareer. She was not upsetat losing the number oneranking to Williams.

“That’s so out of myhands,” she said. “I havebeen playing really well,so why should I befrustrated? A ranking is aranking. It is just how itturns out.”

Azarenka, who beatWilliams only for thesecond time in 13meetings, was alsocomfortable with paying afulsome tribute to herAmerican rival.

“She really changedthe women’s game, reallylifted up the level,” the 23-year-old Belarussian said.

“She’s a legend. I don’tknow where I’m going tobe at 31. Hopefully notplaying tennis, but it’sdefinitely an incredibleachievement.”Serena Williams saviours her victory at Wimbledon, 2009.

Rangers to lose four players to Flying Eagles

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reporters dispatch is published by reporters365 (www.reporters365.com) as a free service.Head Office: No. 3, Cotonou Crescent, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja. Editor-in-Chief: Linda Somiari Stewart

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February 19 — 26, 2013 Vol. 1. No. 13. Nigeria’s first free newspaper

Fuel subsidy saga: Court awards Ifeanyi UbaN10m damages for unlawful detention by police

Ansaru:New threatin restivenorthernNigeria

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

The group known asAnsaru, whichMonday claimed the

kidnapping of seven foreignersin northern Nigeria, hasemerged as a new threat in therestive region, particularlyconcerning abductions.

FULL NAME: In emailedstatements purportedly fromthe group, it has identified itselfas Jamaatu Ansarul MusliminaFi Biladissudan, which is Arabicfor the Vanguard for the Aid ofMuslims in Black Africa.

ORIGIN: It is believed to bea splinter faction of BokoHaram, which has carried outa violent insurgency innorthern and central Nigeriafor several years.

MEMBERSHIP: Little isknown about its members. Someexperts say its leader may beKhalid al-Barnawi, one of threeNigerian extremists labelled a

...grant perpetual injunction restraining police

A Federal High Court, Lagoson Monday awarded N10 million damages to Dr

Ifeanyi Uba, Managing Director,Capital Oil and Gas Ltd., in a suitagainst the Inspector General ofPolice (IGP).

Justice Chukwujekwu Anekealso granted an order of perpetualinjunction restraining the police,either acting by themselves ortheir privies, from harassing,detaining or infringing on thefundamental rights of theapplicant.

Ubah had filed the suit on Jan.10 through his counsel, Mr AjibolaOluyede, against the I-G and threeothers for alleged infringement onhis fundamental human rights.

Joined in the suit are: theCommissioner of Police, SpecialFraud Unit (SFU), Mr AyotundeOgunsakin; the Managing Directorof Access Bank, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and the ManagingDirector, Coscharis Motors, MrCosmas Maduka.

Ubah had filed the applicationseeking an order to set aside aninterim report issued by theCommissioner of Police, SFU, datedNov. 2, 2012.

The applicant in his originatingmotion said that the interim reportthat indicted him of moneylaundering and criminalconspiracy was a prosecutorialmisconduct.

He also affirmed that anotherreport by the SFU dated Nov. 3,2012, in which a case of stealingand economic sabotage waslevelled against him, amounted toa breach of his fundamental right.

Ubah had also sought adeclaration by the court that thecomplaint by the PresidentialCommittee on Verification of OilSubsidy Payment to oil marketerswas tainted by malice.

The applicant had asked forN10 billion compensatory

damages from all respondents,jointly and severally, for the injurysuffered as a result of his detentionfor 10 days at the SFU office at Ikoyi,Lagos.

At the last adjourned date, MrGodwin Obla, counsel to the I-G,had raised a preliminary objectionto the application, contending thatUba could not prevent the policefrom discharging their statutoryduties.

Obla also contended that thecourt lacked jurisdiction toentertain the matter sincejudgment had been given againstthe applicant in a similar suitheard by another judge of theFederal High Court.

He, therefore, argued that theapplicant should be stopped frombringing the application for theenforcement of his fundamentalrights. According to him, theapplication constituted an abuse ofcourt process.

Counsel to Access Bank, Mr PaulUsoro, had also raised a preliminaryobjection to the suit, alleging lackof service of court processes onAccess Bank.

Usoro argued that none of thecourt processes were served onAccess Bank, and so, the courtcannot assume jurisdiction over aparty that was not properlyconstituted before it.

Counsel to Coscharis Motors, MrOsita Mbamalu, aligned himselfwith the argument and alsoobjected to the suit on the groundsthat they too had not been servedwith processes in the suit.

He contended that this robbedthe court of the requisitejurisdiction to hear the suit.

Delivering his judgment, Anekeheld on the issue of estopped thatthe court was not estopped in anyform whatsoever, from hearingthe plaintiff’s application.

The judge said that although asimilar case may have beenadjudicated upon before a brotherjudge in the same court, thesubstance and ingredient of bothsuits were entirely different.

“The doctrine of estoppel onlyoperates where the parties areprivies. “The suit referred to by therespondent which came up beforemy learned brother Justice OkonAbang, has no bearing with thecurrent suit.

“The facts, substance andingredients of both suits arecompletely different, I thereforehold that the judgment of Abangdoes not constitute estopped to thissuit,” Aneke ruled.

On the issue that the police couldnot be restrained from dischargingtheir duties, Aneke held that theprovisions of Section 4 of the PoliceAct, was subject to overridingstatutory provisions of theconstitution.

He held that the court had aduty to regulate public officers inthe discharge of their duties,especially where it is not done inaccordance with the law, andwhere the personal liberties ofindividuals were at stake.

Aneke said that the police mustensure that their duties are carriedout in accordance with theprinciples of natural justice, equityand good conscience and in linewith laid down provisions of law.

He, therefore, held that it wasthe duty of the court to regulatethe conduct of public officers in thedispensation of their duties.

On the issue of non service ascontended by counsel to AccessBank and Coscharis Motors, thejudge held that a proof of service ofcourt process was anoverwhelming evidence of service.

He held that the proof of theservice of the court processes on thetwo respondents were clearlyexhibited in the court’s file.

He, therefore, held that theproof of service, points to the factthat all respondents were dulyserved, contrary to their claim.

“The proof of service in thecourt’s file is a testimony to theservice of processes on therespondents, and it standsunchallenged,” he said.

He, therefore, held that therespondents were duly served withall court processes.

“It is my humble but firm viewthat this suit as instituted by theapplicant is competent.

“By the provisions of Chapter4 of the 1999 Constitution of theFederal Republic of Nigeria (asamended), the applicant’s suit andhis ancillary reliefs sought ishereby sustained.

“The preliminary objection ofrespondents has no basis and isdevoid of merit. The objectionhereby fails and is accordinglydismissed.

“An order of perpetualinjunction is therefore maderestraining the respondents eitherby themselves or their privies,from arresting, detaining orotherwise harassing the applicantin any form whatsoever.

“The sum of N10 million is alsoawarded as damages against therespondents, jointly and severally,for infringing on the personalliberty of the applicant,” Anekeadded.

Dr Ifeanyi Uba

The Lagos StateCommissioner ofPolice, Umar Manko,

on Monday confirmed thearrest of two persons,including a Pastor, forallegedly being in possessionof fresh human parts, whichthey concealed in two bags.

The pastor and hisaccomplice caught withhuman parts were arrestedon Saturday and currentlyin detention at the State

Pastorarrested withhuman parts

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