BlackBox Nigeria

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Afrobeat prince and leader of Fela's Egypt 80 band, Seun Kuti has criticised new generation Nigerian musicians over what he referred to as "singing about trivial things". Seun while in an interview with BlackBox Nigeria...(which is still ongoing) disclosed that it is rather pathetic that musicians sing merely on shallow issues without discussing matters that affect the major populace of Nigerian.

Seun Kuti revealed that it was sad that they focus on ordinary things which less than 2% of the populace can relate with.
"They sing about flashy cars, how my babe is beautiful than yours etc which is annoying," Seun disclosed.

Seun further spoke on diverse matters like politics, culture and the Nigerian society as would be brought to you exclusively by BlackBox Nigeria...

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The woman at the centre of the 12.5 kilogram cocaine bust in the UK, Nayele Ametefeh, has pleaded guilty to the charge of drug trafficking.

Nayele, alias Ruby Appiah appeared before the Isleworth Crown Court presided over by His Honour Judge Edmunds QC.

The trial which was via a video link from Her Majesty's Prison, Bronzefield, did not last more than 10 minutes.

The case has been adjourned to January 5, 2015.

Nayele Ametefeh was arrested on November 10 at the Heathrow Airport after attempting to enter the UK with the cocaine in her hand luggage.


She was subsequently charged with Class A drug trafficking and was arraigned before the Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday November 11 and remanded in prison custody.

Meanwhile, a total of 12 people have been arrested in Ghana in connection with the case.

They include the two ladies; Nana Akua Amponsah and Sadalia Sandra Nuhu who reportedly traveled with Nayele but absconded after the latter was nabbed by the Police in the UK.

Also, three public officials have been charged with abetment of crime; exportation of narcotic drugs, contrary to sections 56 (c) and 1 (1) of the Narcotic Drugs (Control, Enforcement and Sanctions) Act, 1990 (PNDC law 236).

They are a Deputy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abiel Ashitey Armah, Theophilus Kissi of the Research Department attached to the VVIP Lounge at the Kotoka International Airport and Abubakar Ahmed, a civil servant.

They have been remanded in prison custody and are to reappear in court on December 11.

Modern Ghana

It has just been brought to the notice of BlackBox  that a bomb has just exploded at the Kano Central Juma'at Mosque. Casualty figure is still unknown. Information reaching BBN confirmed that many are feared dead after blast rocked the central mosque were the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, usually leads prayers on Fridays. The source however, said the Emir was not in the Mosque as at the time of the blast.

A staff of the Emir's Palace told Reuters that it was a multiple explosion and he could not wait to take account of casualties.

"After multiple explosions, they also opened fire. I cannot tell you the level of casualties because we all ran away."

A police spokesman in Kano declined to make any immediate comment. There was also no immediate claim of responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on Boko Haram, which has for five years waged a campaign to revive a medieval Islamic caliphate governed by sharia law.

Another reliable source told BBN, that though the issue is a sensitive one, he witnessed police vehicles evacuating the wounded from the scene. Casualty figure remain unknown, unconfirmed report put it over 40 deaths. 

Read full gist here: http://www.radar.ng/celeb/samuel-eto-finally-weds-girlfriend-and-mother-of-his-four-children-georgette/Cameroonian football star, Samuel Eto has finally tied the knots with the mother of his children, Georgette in a very private ceremony. The couple have been living together for 10 years and they have four kids together.

Read full gist here: http://www.radar.ng/celeb/samuel-eto-finally-weds-girlfriend-and-mother-of-his-four-children-georgette/

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Nigeria has assured Ghana and its West African neighbours - Togo and Benin - of significant increased gas supply in the coming days, as Aboadze has started receiving about 30 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMSCFD) form Ghana gas.

Nigeria's Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani K. Alison Madueke, in a statement read on her behalf, assured an emergency meeting in Accra of the committee of ministers of Ghana, Togo and Benin that supply will increase from 90 MMSCFD contractual volumes in the next couple of months.

Ghana currently receives about 50 MMSCFD form WAPCo argument by 30 MMSCFD from Ghana Gas, the full commissioning of which is expected to add more gas later.

"Nigeria is unconditionally committed to the objectives of the West African Gas Pipeline", the Nigerian Minister said.

"Over the last month alone, gas supply to the region has stabilized to about 90 million standard cubic feet per day. This is certainly higher than the 60 million average for the first ten months of the year. The challenges we have seen in supply are gradually being addressed and very shortly we are going to be seeing a significant improvement in both the reliability and growth in supply", Alison-Madueke's representative said.

Over 200 MMSCFD is expected to be added to the gas stock in Nigeria over the next couple of weeks, which should translate into additional supply for the region, the statement said.


To improve gas supply locally, where demand has equally been soaring – and to the sub-region, Nigeria has been implementing a number of reforms including an increase in the commodity's price.

The Nigerian central bank has also recently intervened by paying gas suppliers over US$140 million, being outstanding debts, in a bid to boost the confidence of suppliers to make necessary investments in the sector.

The Nigerian government has also signed an agreement with the major gas suppliers for an additional 2.6billion cubic feet of gas per day over the next three years.

"As we speak, we have almost completed doubling the pipeline capacities from Escrovos all the way to Lagos…all of these are aimed at ensuring that the region is able to access a significant addition in supply that comes from the centre supply base in Nigeria.

While Nigeria has assured of increased gas supply to the region, the price at which it supplies is likely to go up as it forms a key part of the agenda for the meeting of energy ministers.

The approved tariif methodology for the West African Gas pipeline project provides that for each tariff is reviewed and implemented for that specific time period.‎

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From all indications, it appears Wizkid has fallen out with another of his good pals. First it was Samklef who produced some of the singer's earliest hits and now to Sarz who many say was partially responsible for Wizkid's success so far.

In a question and answer session on Twitter, music producer Sarz, revealed that he is no longer on talking terms with Wizzie.

When a fan asked him what happened, he just responded with: "Hmmmm so much LoL.. can't say it all", but admitted it was quite painful.

Sarz also said that he refused to produce 'Dance Go', but 2face Idibia who featured on the song, begged him to do it.

Wizkid and Sarz worked together barely two weeks ago, with the singer posting an image with the caption: "78hours making music with my brothers @beatsbysarz nd @legendurybeatz_mutay !! Nothing but beautiful music! #Power!"

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AFROBEAT king, Femi Kuti, clocked 52 two weeks back. But in spite of how blessed he has been, he still regrets that he is not the father of two of his five children.

Femi Kuti revealed this in a recent chat with encomium magazine few days to his birthday.

Out of his alleged five children: Made, Afolabi, Dupe, Tosin and Ayomide, two of them, Dupe and Tosin (a boy and a girl) have been discovered not to be his biological children, according to a recent DNA test. He confessed being disappointed and pained that a woman can actually give someone what does not belong to him.

"I did a DNA test and was told two of the children are not mine. The first two (after Made), a boy and a girl. It is very serious. I never knew somebody could give you what is not yours. I've three boys now. I can't father children I was tricked to believe I am their father," he lamented.

Because of the betrayal, he returned the two children, Dupe and Tosin, to their mothers.
Funke, his ex-wife, gave birth to his first child and son, Made, who Femi treasures so much.

And Bisi Ajala gave birth to Ayomide and one other child that the DNA test recently proved not to be Femi's. The third woman's name was not revealed.

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The Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, LASU, Prof. John Obafunwa says some people are contending with him because he stopped what he called 'stomach infrastructure' in the ailing institution.

Obafunwa, in an interview with newsmen recently said because of his crusade against corruption in the institution, those who had profiteered from the system still wanted the rot to continue so that they could continue to live and feed on the system unjustly.

"It may sound hilarious but part of the problem is the Nigeria mentality as regard to stomach infrastructure. But it is easy to understand why some people will not be happy, now we are talking about stomach infrastructure, we also have people who understand and are willing to see a change.

"For the things we hear outside, they might not necessary be true. Most of the things that happen have to do with the fact that many people are no longer benefiting from the leakages, but I really thank those who have continued to stay by the administration," he stated.‎

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A Presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Nda Isaiah, has been put under house arrest at Delight Hotel, along Ilawe road, Ado-Ekiti, as directed by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state.
Reports available to DAILY POST says the publisher of the Leadership newspaper was checking into in the hotel in the State to address APC delegates in preparation for his Presidential primaries which will hold next month.

Consequently, the state governor sent some security men after him, accusing the APC stalwart of importing thugs into the state, even thou
gh report says he arrived Ekiti with relatively few number of supporters.‎

Fresh reports obtained by BlackBox Nigeria though unconfirmed states that Mr. Isaiah has however refuted claims that he was arrested.

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Lagos state Police command yesterday paraded a 25 year old musician named John Sunday pictured left, who says he took to armed robbery in order to gather N100,000 to promote his reggae album.

"I am a musician from Ikofepepe in Akwa Ibom State. We were three in the gang, but one is on the run. I needed money to launch my album, Tureke Reggae; that is why I went into robbery. I was targeting N100,000″ John said when he was interrogated.
John  Onyekachi Oshomi (pictured right) who claimed to be a bus conductor said he joined the gang because he needed to take care of his family. The two were was arrested on November 21st.
"I was a commercial bus conductor. We were operating on the Agege Total-Oshodi route. I just got married, but my wife is still in the village. I was looking for money to feed her whenever she comes to Lagos; that was why I went into armed robbery. " Sundayconfessed.
According to The Nation, the Lagos state police commissioner said he got a tip off on November 21 at 10pm that some armed robbers were planning to rob in Lagos. He said he immediately directed the Officer-in-Charge, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Abba Kyari, a Superintendent of Police (SP), to go after them.
"With two decoy teams, they stormed their hideout and arrested Onyekachi Oshomi and John Sunday with a revolver pistol. During interrogation, they confessed to the crime including snatching of several cars within the metropolis. Efforts have been stepped up to arrest those that are still at large," Aderanti said.
Both men will soon be charged to court.‎

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SIXTY-three senators as of Thursday have signed up to the plan to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan in the upper legislative chamber, The PUNCH learnt in Abuja.

One of the arrowheads of the move to remove Jonathan in the Senate showed our correspondent the list containing the signatures of the senators.

The source said eight Peoples Democratic Party senators were among the signatories to the planned impeachment notice.

There are 109 members in the Senate.

An All Progressives Congress senator from the North-West zone, who asked not to be named,told our correspondent that the lawmakers' major grouse was the President's handling of the economy and political affairs of the country.

The senator cited poor implementation of the national budget since 2011, alleged high level of corruption and "gross disregard" of the legislature at both the federal and state levels as topping the list of lawmakers' anger against Jonathan.

Asked whether he realised that the process of impeachment could be tedious and cumbersome, the senator said, " We know and we are prepared to show the President that we have responsibility to the people and the nation in general.

"We are prepared to lay the impeachment notice anytime from next week. Meetings are already being held."

Senator Ibrahim Musa (APC Niger North) confirmed that there were moves by some members of the Senate to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President but failed to give details.

"I think there is something like that but I don't have the details, it is still coming as a rumour," Musa said.

But The PUNCH learnt that the impeachment move against the President had really gained momentum with the APC senators mobilising themselves to carry out the exercise anytime from next week.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that some PDP senators, who were initially at the forefront of the struggle, had retreated following the intervention of the senate leadership and the promise of automatic tickets by the party.

It was learnt that the PDP senators had been pleading with their APC colleagues to hold on till next week pending the outcome of the moves by the senate leadership to ensure the realisation of the automatic tickets agreement they had with the PDP and Jonathan.

An APC senator told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the impeachment letter contains the signature of both the APC and PDP senators.

He explained that the letter could not be laid on the floor of the senate because some PDP senators appealed to them to delay the action.

He said, "The truth of the matter is that the impeachment notice would have been laid if not for our colleagues in the PDP who pleaded with us to delay the process pending when the senate leadership would come up with the result of its efforts at securing automatic tickets for them.

"In any case the process had started but if we submit the letter now, the signatures of the PDP senators will be there and the party might want to use that as an excuse to deny them their automatic tickets."

The PDP senators contacted by our correspondent on the issue declined to make comment.

However, one of them who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the process of impeachment had not been suspended.
Punch

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Delectable singer, Tiwa Savage showed a different side of her as she played an elderly woman who is in her 60s in her newly released video 'My Darling'

In the video Tiwa plays an old woman reminiscing about her one true love and all the things that surrounded their life.

The makeup was done by Lola Maja-Okojevoh of Sacred Artistry and absolutely deserves a thumbs up. Director Kemi Adetiba also deserves huge accolades while Tiwa's acting was absolutely mavelous.

Watch video HERE

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WPBSMKO_ejo.

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The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday presented crime statistics from November 2013 to October 2014, showing that about 78 robbers were gunned down by officers of the command.

The statistics also showed that within the period, no fewer than eight cops were killed.

The state Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, at the 8th Town Hall Meeting on Security on the Lagos Island, said the robbers and the police officers lost their lives in different shootouts between the police and the men of the underworld.

He added, "But the police were able to arrest 423 armed robbers in the last one year, while 372 armed robbery incidents were foiled. Our men recovered 255 arms, 4, 043 ammunition and 560 stolen vehicles."

The Lagos police boss explained that 833 vehicles were stolen in Lagos in the last 12 months, adding that 358 vehicles were snatched by robbers at gunpoint, while 468 were stolen from where they were parked and seven others driven away.

He said, "There were 68 armed robbery incidents in Lagos in the last 12 months, while 280 people were murdered in Lagos in the same period. The high cases of murder in the state were due to the activities of street gangsters and rivalry clash, motor transport unionism, thuggery, youthful exuberance, unemployment and politics.

Speaking at the event organised by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Governor Babatunde Fashola, said the fund was for adequate security of residents.

Fashola appealed to corporate bodies and individuals to continue to support the STF, saying any setback could have untold consequence.

"There is more to be done. We have started some. We intend to provide modern patrol vehicles. We intend to undertake prison service reforms by building a 21st Century prison and we have completed the design.

"We are also developing the investigative capacity of law enforcement through training and support, with the aim of providing them with forensic capabilities," he said.

Executive Secretary, STF, Fola Arthur-Worrey, said although the fund received fewer donations, it was still able to contribute significantly to the security machinery in the state.‎

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All is not well at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Nyanya Parish. Allegations and counter-allegations, bordering on immorality and blackmail are threatening to tear the church apart.‎

A former member of the church is accusing the senior pastor, Mfom Umoren of befriending his wife, while the pastor is accusing the man and others, pointing fingers at him for blackmail.

Mba Kalu Achowa, a staff of the Federal Ministry of Interior in Abuja and a founding member of the church, had alleged that his wife of 18 years had practically abandoned her matrimonial duties and had virtually relocated to the pastor's house…

Another woman, Mrs. Ibiam, who is a members of the church, also said Pastor Umoren harassed her.
According to her, "He even threatened me that he was going to force me if I kept refusing. To ensure that he enticed me, he increased my salary from N27, 000, which was agreed by the school committee to N30,000. He gave me a perfume, which I refused to use. Till this day, the perfume is still with me."

In a petition to elders of the church, Achowa alleged that Pastor Umoren's friendship with his wife had ruined his marriage. According to him, his wife was always with Pastor Umoren from morning till night.

The petition partly reads: "She leaves home early in the morning and comes home most times 10.30pm or 11pm. Pastor Umoren has taken over my wife."

"How can a married woman go to the minister's house, whose wife lives in Lagos, and cooks for him? She stays with him both in his house and office. I am pained as a man whose wife has decided to shift her matrimonial duties to this minister.

"Since the arrival of Pastor Umoren, my wife, who was a good woman, has changed. I have become an object of caricature in the church, where I worshipped, even before getting married to her. Pastor Umoren has turned my wife into what I do not know. Sometimes, I wonder if she is the woman I married about 18 years ago. My wife has sent me a text message and said she was already tired of the marriage and wanted a divorce."



Achowa has not stopped at writing petitions. It was gathered that the aggrieved husband once caused a scene in the church. One member of the church, who spoke to Daily Sun, recounted an incident that happened in the church during service on a Monday morning.



He stated: "One particular Sunday morning, the woman held the Bible while Pastor Umoren followed behind. To our surprise, the husband of the woman, Mr. Achowa, rushed into the church during the procession, grabbed the Bible from the wife and started pursuing Pastor Umoren around the church. It was something you could only see in one of these Nollywood home videos and members were embarrassed. It took the intervention of members to calm Mr. Achowa down before the service could continue."

Mr. Achowa is not the only aggrieved membe, pointing fingers at Pastor Umoren. Mrs. Ibiam Uzoamaka, the former head teacher of Presbyterian Divine Academy, a school owned by the Presbyterian Church, said her appointment was recently terminated because she had issues with the pastor.

In His Reaction to the allegations The pastor refuted all the claims. In a telephone chat with our correspondent, he said his accusers were out to blackmail and tarnish his image. He said as a man of God, he could not have been involved with any woman. He equally denied the drama about how the husband of one of the women attacked him during a church service.

Pastor Umeren saidd: "They are not only mere allegations, they are all lies. The woman in question had always had problems with her husband, long before I was posted to the parish. The woman is very spiritual and she is an elder in the church. I can tell you that 99.9 per cent of the members of the church can tell you that there was nothing like that.

"The story that Mr. Achowa attacked me during a church service is not true. He did not come near me. He came to the church on a Sunday morning and collected the Bible from his wife. People dragged him out of the church. I did not buy perfume for any member of the church. I do not even use perfume myself. I have been born again since 1983 and I did not have s*x with my wife before we got married. I do not involve in things like that."

Mrs. Achowa, when contacted, said: "If you have a copy of such an allegation, you ought to tender it before me. I do not know you. I cannot talk about it. Anybody can call from anywhere and claim to work with The Sun Newspaper. The person that gave my contact should have given you the description of my house and how to see me."

"I do not know how you got my phone number. I do not have anything to say about it. You cannot just call me and expect me to react. If I want to come to your office to state my own side of the story, how do you guarantee my security? You said some people came to your office. They have their interest. I do not think it is safe for me to come over there."

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Prophet S.K. Abiara, the General Overseer of Christ Apostolic Church, Agbala-Itura has condemned the devil for causing the confusion which occurred at the National Assembly and also making lawmakers scale through the main gate. He spoke at the church's 29th anniversary, the Prophet said;

"It is very bad (the scaling of the gate), though it is not only in Nigeria that such things happen. It is Satan, trying to destroy the government. We must not worry; everything will soon be in order. All armed forces must be liberal. They are there to defend Nigerians, not a political party. Politicians should also run away from thuggery and violence.

"Nigerians should not fear about what is going to happen in 2015. Boko Haram will soon be a thing of the past. Peace will reign. Don't listen to prophesy of doom. 2015 is a good year for those who move close to God, but it is a dangerous year for those who are wicked – hired killers, kidnappers among others. Those who victimise the needy will be visited with the anger of God Almighty except they desist from evil acts.‎

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The All Progressives Congress, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria including Olisa Agbakoba, Yusuf Ali and Niyi Akintola, have called for the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, over his refusal to acknowledge Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The APC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Abba had shown that he was 'partisan' and would not be able to ensure a free and fair election next year.

The statement partly read, "'Abba is presiding over perhaps the most-partisan police force ever in the history of our nation. He has thrown professionalism, neutrality and fairness to the winds and made the police a willing tool in the hands of a frenzied executive. He cannot be trusted to ensure a level-playing field for all parties at the next general elections, hence he should be removed immediately."

The APC said by refusing to recognise Tambuwal who was duly elected by the 360 members of the House of Representatives, the police boss had "thumbed his nose at the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

The party added, "By refusing to recognise Tambuwal as the Speaker, the IG has also indicated he does not recognise the entire House of Representatives. For a man who was not elected by anybody to make this impertinent assertion about elected representatives of the people is tantamount to treason.

"Abba has shunned all pretences to neutrality, professionalism and decency and he is no longer fit to occupy the important office of the IG."

The APC alleged that Abba was acting the script of the Presidency in trying to unlawfully remove a duly-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The APC said, "Shortly after the incident, the Police spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the police acted the way it did because it got intelligence report that ''hoodlums and thugs'' were coming to invade the House.

"Now, Abba said it was because Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and the APC were coming to invade the House. This is a most shameful lie from the highest police officer in the land, and it is a terrible dent on the image of the police under Abba.

"One wonders why the police were so concerned about the security of the National Assembly that it engaged in selective granting of passage to the principal officers of the Assembly. The Senate President was allowed to enter without qualms, just like the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. But when the Speaker came, he was locked out. That speaks volumes about the intention of the police."

In his own reaction, Akintola (SAN), said the IG erred by saying that it was wrong to recognise Tambuwal as the Speaker, on the excuse that the matter was in court.

He said, "The IG cannot turn himself into a court of justice to be interpreting the law. It is left for the court to interpret it one way or the other; it is not open to anybody. I think the attitude of the IG calls for concerted effort of all Nigerians to put him in check. The impunity and the derogatory remarks of the IG, if allowed to go unchecked, he will extend it to the President of the Senate, he will extend it to the CJN and he will even extend it to the Vice President.

"So to me, it is not even Tambuwal that is affected and it is very unfortunate because I would have expected that by now members of the National Assembly should have relieved him of that position. The IG is simply not mature enough to lead an organisation like the Police. All Nigerians should rise up against the impunity of this man called Abba."

He added that the issue was not about Tambuwal but about democracy.

"And I am of the opinion that members of the National Assembly should rise up to the occasion and the man should be sacked, anything short of that, they should all go back to their respective homes until the man resigns," Akintola added.

Also, Yusuf Ali, (SAN), said though both the Nigeria Police and the IG were supposed to be insulated from politics, Abba had demonstrated beyond any doubt that he was partisan.

"For whoever is the occupant of that office to be partisan, it is dangerous for our democracy. And that is part of the problems that we have in this country, we don't have institutions. We only have government departments and loyalists, not to Nigerians but to individuals in government.

"It is quite unfortunate that the number one police officer in this country took it upon himself to assume the position of the court of law that pronounces the seat of the Speaker vacant and it is even more disappointing and pathetic that he is a lawyer, who is expected to know better.

"What happened yesterday was arrant insubordination," Ali said.

For Agbakoba, the IG was wrong because the court had to pronounce the question of the Speaker's resignation and until the court makes that pronouncement, clearly the Speaker would be entitled to be addressed as the Speaker.

"The IG was also wrong to have caused the raid of the National Assembly, so I think altogether, the IG has been acting as if he is politically-motivated and it is very dangerous. The IG was wrong to say he could not recognise the Speaker because the matter is in court."

Also, the members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, on Thursday insisted that the action of the police was a clear invitation to anarchy and that the continued denigration of the legislature was dangerous being the most important symbol of democracy.

The Acting National President of PASAN, Mr. Mohammed Bala, who stated this at a news conference in Abuja, therefore advocated a constitutionally empowered Sergeant-At-Arms, who would be solely responsible for the security of the legislature.‎

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A suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into a British embassy vehicle in the Afghan capital on Thursday killing not less than five people, including a British security guard, officials said. AP was there:

An Afghan national who was driving the vehicle was also killed, and a second British security guard was wounded, Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement.

Afghanistan's Interior Ministry spokesman Seddiq Sediqqi confirmed that four Afghans were killed in the attack and said another 33 civilians were wounded.

Earlier the British Embassy said no diplomats were riding in the car at the time it was hit.

"I am deeply saddened to confirm that a British national civilian security team member and an Afghan national working for the embassy were killed in the incident. A second British member of the security team was injured," Hammond said.

Families of the victims had been informed, his statement said, but gave no further details.