BlackBox Nigeria

BlackBox Nigeria has gathered that the newly launched N100 ‎note is now in circulation across the nation. Well that's the official story according to Central Bank of Nigeria as the Head, Corporate Communications of the Bank Ibrahim Mu'azu recently said in Abuja that the notes would go into distribution by today.

He said this in a statement while directing all branches ‎of banks to comply with the directive of issuance of the currency across the nation.

"The commemorative note will circulate alongside the existing N100 note.
"The note, which is embedded with features to assist the visually impaired recognise genuine notes, also has other security features easily identifiable through look, feel and tilt of the currency note," he stated.

BlackBox Nigeria however gathered that despite the directive, most banks especially in the nation's capital and the commercial city of Lagos are yet to state issuing the note. A check in some major branches showed that the‎y either do not have the notes yet or are waiting till Monday to start issuing it.

Gospel singer, Kenny Saint Brown does not believe she lost out in the APC primary elections but rather her mandate was stolen.

She is claiming that she did not lose out of the Lagos State House of Assembly race to eventual winner, Folajimi Lai Mohammed, but rather her mandate was stolen by her party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, and given to the son of the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Lai Mohammed.

The Vice President of Kennies Music believes she was the best candidate at the primaries but that the leadership of the party wanted Mohammed to get the ticket and they worked against her.

KSB said during an interview session with Encomium Magazine, that though she lost, it was not because she was not the best but that the party wanted to compensate the spokes person of the party by giving the position to his son.

"It is the leaders, we did what our leaders wanted. I aligned to their will. It was Lai Mohammed's son they wanted. It does not mean I cannot be put elsewhere to serve, it is not that I lost. The other guy has never been a legislator too. We are all new. We have a lot of new faces in APC than anywhere else. I congratulate the winner. I learnt he came out four years ago and he was told to step down for Ikuforiji. We are gathering experience and we will gather more experience. It is not a bad situation. I was able to convince people that I could do it. I was able to add my voice. It is even a feather to my cap now. There is no hard feelings about it. I was able to come out for what I believe. It is just a seat in the House of Assembly. I can still get a seat elsewhere. I have passion for women and youths. I went through all the processes. I was the best candidate in my constituency. At least, I am a politician now."‎

The Ogun State Police Command on Thursday paraded some suspected armed robbers arrested across the state.

Among them was 26-year-old Emmanuel Olowu, who was arrested in the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Olowu was arrested for allegedly robbing worshippers of their belongings in the camp during some of the church's activities.

The state police spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the police recovered a toy gun, phones and money from him.

Other suspected robbers paraded along with Olowu were Sunday Akinlosotu, David John, Osilaru Osodare, Okeke Emmanuel, Dayo Akinola, Daramola Arogun, Ayomide Tobi, and Onayemi Femi.

Adejobi said the ages of the suspects ranged from 17 to 34 years, and they were arrested at various towns in the state – Ogere, Ibara, Ajuwon,Sango Ota, and Adatan for series of robbery operations.

He said, "The command wants to assure the general public of adequate security during and after the Yuletide season.

"We encourage everyone in the state to support the police in the area of information sharing and robust intelligence.

He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, had warned the residents, especially the youth, to shun crime and other acts that could lead to breach of the peace.‎

Some sets of identical twins and other multiple births in the country have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in stopping the mass discrimination against them by the Independent National Electoral Commission's biometric system.

They alleged that about 1,000 sets of identical twins in the country had been denied Permanent Voter Cards due to failure of the INEC's biometric machines to distinguish their identities.

Joint presidents of United Twins and Multiple Births for Transformation in Nigeria, Akpos Mamuzee-Dixon and Andos Mamuzee-Dixon, on Thursday addressed journalists in Abuja on the problem.

Other sets of twins, who said they were facing similar problems, attended the press conference.

Akpos and Andos are musicians and actors. According to them, while Akpos has got his PVC Andos was not given because of the inability INEC's biometric machine to distinguish them.

In a letter dated November 25 and addressed to the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, the twins threatened to institute N1bn law suit against INEC "if within 14 days from the date of your receipt of this letter, you fail, refuse to carry out our modest demands."

They said all the attempts they made to get remedy, including the letter they wrote to Jega through their lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), had yielded no result.

Akpos said, "When we got to the point of our registration in Wuse Zone 7, Akpos presented his Temporary Voter Card, and they found his name on the list and they gave him his PVC. But when it was my turn, they said they could not find my name on the list despite providing my temporary card. They asked to search for my name in other centres. We did but we could not find my name.

"We were then asked to go to Karu. When we got to Karu, a woman who was an INEC official told us that when they saw the pictures of the two of us, they decided to keep one of the cards on the assumption that it was the same person who was being fraudulent by registering twice."

They said each or both of many sets of twins in the country had been denied their PVCs and would likely be disenfranchised if urgent step was not taken.

"Is it now a crime to be twins? I have no apology for being a twin or being identical with my twin. President Goodluck Jonathan must intervene in this. The essence of biometric system is to distinguish persons. If INEC machine cannot distinguish us as different persons then, with due respect, INEC has failed."

Akpos and Andos have threatened to sue INEC since the commission had allegedly failed to respond to their November 25 letter.

They called on INEC to immediately give Andos his PVC to enable him perform his fundamental and civil obligation as enshrined in Section 12(1) of the Electoral Act, 2011.

In the letter written on their behalf by Ozekhome's law firm, the twins also demanded N20m   as compensation for the trauma, psychological depression and feeling of societal rejection they had been made to pass through with the denial of Ando's PVC.‎

Anambra North Women Association, ANWA, has honoured former Aviation Minister and Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the area, Princess Stella Oduah, with an award of excellence.

The award was in recognition of her service to her people, the nation and humanity.
Presenting the award, on behalf of the ANWA, the President of the entire Anambra State Women Association in Lagos, Dr. Nkiru Ifekwem, declared that the people could not have made a better choice than Oduah.

She emphasised that her track record bore testimony to the quality representation she would deliver to her constituency at the Senateif elected.
The representative of Princess Oduah at the event Dr. Uchenna Ofulue, thanked the women for their kind remarks and assurances, promising to take their message back to the Princess Oduah.

The Federal Government has formally declared next Thursday and Friday as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day celebrations.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Abubakar Magaji, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, in Abuja.

The statement added that Thursday January 1 had also been declared as public holiday to mark the New Year's Day.

According to the statement, the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, made the declaration on behalf of the federal government.

He enjoined Nigerians, particularly the Christian faithful, to extend the spiritual benefits of Christmas to their daily living and through this, contribute to the development of the nation.
 
"The minister wishes all Nigerians a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year celebrations and urged Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for peace and unity in the country," Magaji stated.‎

The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has rejected criticisms saying that he committed an act of blasphemy by comparing his principal with Jesus Christ.

Okupe, who visited the Corporate Headquarters of PUNCH Nigeria Limited on Thursday, said that Christ Himself advised His followers to be like Him and even urged them to do greater things. According to him, there was nothing wrong with what he said.

"The whole thing was just blown out of proportion. Comparing Jonathan with Jesus Christ is not blasphemous, because even Christ said we must be like Him and that we should even do greater things than Him. It is there in the Holy Bible, not from me," he said.

Okupe's latest position followed criticisms from a large section of Nigerians who pounced on him for comparing Jonathan with Jesus during a programme on Channels Television earlier on Monday. While some described him as a joker, others simply called for his head.

But he said he had been quoted out of context.

Speaking further, the presidential aide revealed that the North still held grudges against Jonathan because the region felt that he was using their slot in power.

"There is some form of bias against President Goodluck Jonathan. This bias has been sponsored and supported by some existing geo-political disparity and disconnect that preceded his becoming President.

"The North felt that it was not fair to have someone from another part of the country other than a northerner to take over the leadership of the country after the death of Yar'Adua. For that reason, many parts of the North became quite recalcitrant and unforgiving towards Jonathan.

"Their behaviour towards him is not because Jonathan is a bad person or because they feel he would not do well but because they see him as somebody who has taken their turn in power. That was the beginning of Jonathan's problems," he said.

On the performance of the administration in delivering electoral promises to Nigerians, Okupe said that though the administration has not performed at 100 per cent as widely expected, the Federal Government under Jonathan has made bold inroads into key sectors of the country.

"I have worked very closely with Presidents in the past. I say it with all sense of responsibility; Jonathan has great vision for this country. This administration has succeeded on several fronts than previous administrations.‎

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he always get contradictory advice from authorities when he wants to take decisions on major national issues.
Speaking at a christmas carol at the banquet hall of the presidential Villa, president Jonathan said only God knows why he is the president of the country.
According to the president, nobody can be in any position without the consent of God.

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He said the God that gave him and others the opportunity to serve the country would see them through.
President Jonathan requested Nigerians to pray for God to give him the wisdom to do what is right in His sight.
"God knows why we are here. Nobody will place himself in any position without God. So God that gives all of us the opportunity will see us through.
For me, your servant today, I will continue to request for your prayers that God should give me the wisdom to do what is right in His sight", he said.
He prayed that God give him the grace to do things with His fear, saying the country would survive if her leaders begin to do what is right in their own little way.
Jonathan disclosed that he often received contradictory advice and suggestions most times he wanted to take decisions on national issues.

He pledged that he would continue to do his best, especially to ensure that any opportunity given to him, he would use it to serve mankind.
"Because it is quite challenging for a leader. For every subject that you want to take a decision, you will have multiple suggestions, some contradictory, some to the left, some to the right, some to the centre. But you must take a decision.
"It is only God that can guide you to take the rightful decision that will not bring suffering to your people. We will try our best and we will continue to do our best. We promise that any opportunity given to us, we will use it to serve mankind."

No fewer than 185 women have been reported kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in Gumsuri, North of Chibok in Borno State.

The insurgents, who killed about 32 men, set fire on the village with petrol bombs before herding the women and children in their pickup trucks.

The Sunday incident   is coming less than nine months after over 200 schoolchildren were abducted by Boko Haram gunmen from their hostel in Chibok.

The fate of most of the girls remains unknown even though military authorities openly declared that they knew where they are being held.

News of the attack, according to the Cable News Network, took four days to emerge because of a lack of communication.

Telecommunications towers in the area had been disabled in previous attacks.

The CNN quoted a local government official in its report on Thursday as confirming the abduction.

"They gathered the women and children and took them away in trucks after burning most of the village with petrol bombs," the   official whose name was not given said.

He added that he   learned of the attack from residents who fled to Maiduguri, the   Borno State capital.

CNN reported that the Boko Haram militants stormed the village from two directions, overwhelming local vigilantes who had repelled them   over the course of the year.

A resident of Gumsuri,   Umar Ari, who trekked for four days to Maiduguri, said,

''They destroyed almost half the village and took away 185 women, girls and boys."

Another resident, Modu Kalli, said the militants fired heavy machine guns on the village and poured canisters of petrol on houses before setting them on fire.

"We lost everything in the attack. I escaped with nothing, save the clothes I have on me," Kalli said.

CNN reported on Thursday that hundreds of residents of Gumsuri continued to arrive in Maiduguri, a city that has been struggling to accommodate thousands of people fleeing towns and villages overrun by Boko Haram.

Our correspondent could not get the Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, to comment on the Sunday   attack   as   calls to his mobile telephone line indicated that it was either switched off or in an area outside network.

Meanwhile, Cameroon army killed 116 Boko Haram militants who attacked a base in the far north of the country on Wednesday.

A   Cameroonian Defence ministry spokesman, Lt. Col. Didier Badjeck, who made this known to Reuters, added that the damage on the Nigerian side of the border     "after the vigorous riposte of our artillery," was unknown.‎

Justice Jide Falola of an Osun State High Court sitting in Okuku has sentenced two robbers to death for stealing fowls.

The convicts, Olowookere Segun and Morakinyo Sunday, were found guilty of forcefully breaking into the house of one Mr. Balogun Tope, a police officer attached to Divisional Police headquarters, Okuku, in April 2010 and carting away some of his belongings.
The convicts were charged with conspiracy, robbery and stealing contrary to Section 6(b) and 1(2)(a) of Robbery and Firearm (Special Provisions) Act, cap R 11 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section (390)(1) Criminal Code Law, Cap 34, Laws of Osun State, 2002.

The prosecution team, led by the state Solicitor-General, Mrs Abiola Adewemimo, called six witnesses and tendered several exhibits during the prosecution.
The prosecution told the court that on November 13, 2010, men were sighted around Balogun's home armed with cutlass and a dane gun, and that while two of them were arrested, others escaped.
The convicts were said to have confessed that they stole the complainant's fowls, adding that they had been in his house before to steal.
Adewemimo said: "They also stated that they had earlier robbed Alhaja Umani Oyewo in her house and stole broilers, eggs and kegs of vegetable oil from the house."

In his judgment, Justice Falola convicted them on only three counts: to death for conspiracy; life sentence for robbery, and three years imprisonment for stealing.
Justice Falola recommended that the governor can decide to commute the death sentence to 10 years imprisonment, considering the convicts' ages.

Of the 246,853 candidates who sat for the November/December 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, only 72,522 candidates, representing 29.37 per cent, obtained credits in five subjects, including Mathematics and English Language.

This puts the percentage of failed candidates at 70.63 per cent.

However, the Head of the Nigeria National Office, the West African Examinations Council, Mr. Charles Eguridu, said there was an improvement when compared with last year's 26.97 per cent (amounting to 80,135 candidates) who obtained five credits in five subjects, including Mathematics and English Language.

Announcing the results in Lagos on Thursday, Eguridu said there was a marked reduction in examination malpractices.

He attributed this to recent measures, including the introduction of biometric registration and customised mathematical sets with inbuilt calculators, taken to curb the scourge.

Notwithstanding efforts made to curb examination frauds, Eguridu said WAEC withheld results of 28,817 candidates.

He said the results which represented 11.67 of the number of candidates who wrote the examination, were withheld for "various cases of malpractices."

The cases, according to him, are being investigated with the reports of findings expected to be presented to the National Examination Committee for consideration.

The examination agency had withheld 38,260 results, equivalent of 12.88 per cent of the total number of candidates who sat for the examination in 2013 for similar reasons.

Short of the total figures are 5,691 candidates (about 2.3 per cent) whose results, Eguridu said, were still being processed for errors he blamed on the candidates and cyber café operators.

He said, "Of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, 75,313 candidates (30.5 per cent) obtained credits and above in six subjects; 110,346 candidates (44. 7 per cent) obtained credits and above in five.

"In addition, 145,036 candidates, representing 58.75 per cent, obtained credits and above in four subjects while 177.177 candidates, representing 71.77 per cent, obtained credits and above in three subjects. A total of 205,090 candidates (83.08) obtained credits and above in two subjects," he presented.

The total number of candidates that sat for the examination this year is 61,364 short of the 308,217 candidates that wrote it last year – a decline of about 20 per cent.

There was also a shortfall of "blind candidates" enrolment. The figure fell from 82 recorded the previous year to 48. And while 17 of the category of candidates obtained five credits in 2013, four achieved similar feat this year.