BlackBox Nigeria

A robbery attack on a First Bank branch in Ondo state has left not less than 17 people dead.
Today's incident was nothing but an act which can only be imagined in an action film as the robbers attacked the bank with heavy armoury including explosives. BlackBox Nigeria learnt that the robbery incident which occurred around 2:30PM saw the dare devil men use sophisticated explosives to blow off the main entrance to the bank vault to gain access to the safe.
The bank situated at Ikare in Akoko North West Local government of Ondo state is said to have lost an undisclosed amount to the robbers.

A corp member who spoke with BBN revealed that he had left the bank barely 20minutes when the robbers came in. He further disclosed that from counting, the number of dead victims was put at17 when a rescue team of sympathisers initially came in after the robbers have escaped while many others reportedly sustained high degree injuries.

@blackboxupdate

A new McDonald's ad campaign is drawing controversy from critics who accuse the fast food giant from profiting from disaster.

You know the little yellow box beneath the McDonald's golden arches? Local franchise owners are allowed to put whatever they want in there, from "open" to "try our $1 menu" to community messages. A new McDonald's ad shows a montage of these signs and some of the heartfelt messages that have appeared on them.

The signs in the ad say things like "We believe in you Crystal" and "Happy 30th Ed N Beth" to more topical matters like "We remember 9/11," "Boston Strong," and "God Protect the USA." Some of the signs are damaged or under water, evoking memories of hurricanes and floods.

In the background a children's choir sings a version of "Carry On" by the band Fun.

While some customers and advertising professionals praised McDonald's for what they say is their best advertising in years, other online critics accused the fast food chain of using tragedy to sell burgers.

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

Minister of State for Works, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye has described the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Major General Mohammadu Buhari as an unrepentant enemy of the Yoruba in the South West Nigeria.
For Buhari and his party,APC to be looking for the votes of the people of Yoruba that he must tender a public apology to the people of the zone.
In a statement which was personally signed by him and made available to the newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Adeyeye who reviewed all the programmes and policies of the APC presidential candidate while he was the Head of State and also the chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, said Buhari was number one enemy of the Yoruba.
"Buhari must be rejected by all true sons and daughters of Oduduwa."
Adeyeye further noted the incalculable damage the former Head of State did to Lagos State and the entire Yorubaland with the cancellation of the Lagos Metroline Project and how he bastardized the educational policy of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo's Free Education Programme,
He challenged Buhari to mention one single project that he did in the Southwest when he was Head of State and Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF.
Adeyeye said: "Buhari did not only cancel the Metroline Project, he went ahead to pay what was enough to complete the project as compensation to the French Company that handled the project.
"The idea of developing rapid transit in Lagos dated from the 1980s with the Lagos Metroline network conceived by the Alhaji Lateef Jakande during the Second Republic."

•BBN360

Controversy has continued to trail the death of a 57-year- old woman, identified as Bonu Fiaret, in Salu area of Badagry, an outskirt of Lagos State, who allegedly died in her lover's apartment under questionable circumstances on January 2.
According to reports, the deceased, who worked at Badagry General Hospital as a nurse before she retired, was having an affair with one Akodogbo.
Vanguard gathered that the lovers, who parted ways several months back because of the victim's health condition, rekindled their affair when they met at a community carnival.
After spending time with each other, the duo reportedly went to Akodogbo's one-room apartment, where Bonu slept off. However, trouble, as gathered, started after Akodogbo woke up and discovered the lifeless body of his lover.
Vanguard learned that the case, which was initially reported at the Badagry Divisional Police is currently being investigated at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Yaba, Lagos.
When Vanguard visited the resident of the suspect in Badagry, a close family source said family members of the deceased were currently pointing accusing fingers at Akodogbo.
Lover's account
According to 60-year-old Akodogbo, a father of one, "we have been lovers for more than two years, but we had to end the relationship because of her health condition. She is hypertensive.
"But we met during the carnival in Badagry and we discussed. We spent time together and had a lot of fun together at the carnival.
"Like school children, the old flame was rekindled and we decided to continue the affair. She agreed to spend the night at my place.
"By the time I woke up in the morning, I tried to wake her up, but she did not move; her body had already become lifeless and stiff. I was alarmed and alerted my neighbours.
"They said this was beyond them and that the police needs to be involved. That was how the police was contracted. I did not kill her."
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said investigation into the case was still ongoing.

•BBN360

Reports reaching DAILY POST suggests there is a growing unease in the camp of the All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari over the refusal of ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo to endorse him ahead of the Feb. 14 presidential election.
Equally troubling, according to a report by Pointblank News, is the unending animosity between the APC presidential candidate and former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida. Buhari had in a recent interview given indications that he is still not happy with Babangida for sacking his military administration while Babangida, in turn, gave a veiled endorsement to Buhari's opponent at the presidential contest during a visit of the Nigerian president to his Minna abode. Babangida had called on Nigerians to vote for President Jonathan for the unity of the country.
Though it is still not clear why Obasanjo is shying away from endorsing Buhari, Pointblank News, quoting sources close to Obasanjo suggests that the ex-president's reluctance may be connected with a report by the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF) Interim Management Committee, instituted by Obasanjo on July 7, 1999.

According to the report of the committee, the PTF under Buhari's supervision was mismanaged. Though the report was never made public nor acted upon by the former president. The Committee was said to have advised Obasanjo to "set up a high powered judicial panel to recover the huge public fund that was mismanaged and also take necessary action against any officer, consultant or contractor whose negligence resulted in the colossal loss of public funds."
The report of the committee indicated that the sum of N25, 758,532,448 was mismanaged by the Afri-Project Consortium, a company contracted by the PTF as management and project consultants.

According to the report, Buhari, as PTF chairman, was said to have also "delegated to Afri-Projects the power of assume absolute control on PTF to initiate, approve and execute all projects by the PTF.
APC sources however say that the body language of Obasanjo is troubling to the party because it is at variance with his earlier promise

According to the APC sources, Obasanjo had promised supporting whoever emerged as APC presidential candidate, though cautioning that the party must not field an unclean "vessel" when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu visited his Abeokuta residence.
An APC source say that contrary to his promise, Obasanjo has "weeks after Buhari emerged has avoided him, and has not accepted the request that the party brings Buhari and Osinbajo to his house, it is very troubling".
According to the sources, some APC top shots believe Obasanjo is playing games with both parties. They express worry at his moves. Another source, who is a member of the APC's presidential campaign council, said, "We don't know the game he is playing. He tells us Goodluck Jonathan must be stopped, he maligns him and his administration daily, but last Saturday he appeared at his daughter's wedding. We don't understand him. It is like he is bargaining and playing safe with Jonathan, in case he wins"‎
Reacting, Chief Oyewole Fasawe, a long standing associate of the former president, said in a statement that Obasanjo sees the current political gladiators in all the parties as his political children and associates; hence, he would not endorse one over the other no matter the amount of pressure from any quarters.

Jonathan promises 2million jobs annually if re-elected
"Baba has not endorsed anyone and has not condemned anyone. A statesman of his stature and pedigree can only pray and work towards peace and progress in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. Those trying to exploit his friendliness to gain political advantage over other contenders are being unfair and doing so without Obasanjo's approval,"he said.

•BBN360

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

All Progressives Congress, APC, South-East geopolitical zone is excited by the promise made to Ndigbo by its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, (retd) to revamp the abandoned coal deposits in Enugu.
Buhari had, while flagging off his presidential campaign in Enugu, promised to revamp the abandoned coal deposits in the state and use it for electricity generation in the South-East zone.
In a statement yesterday, South-East spokesman of APC, Osita Okechukwu, said Buhari had once again rekindled hope in the people of the South-East that the coal deposits abandoned since the civil war would be revamped.
Okechukwu recalled that in the 70's and even up till the 80's, coal in Enugu was used to power the Oji River Power Station, which generated electricity for the Eastern region and beyond.
He said: "Then, electricity from Oji River Power Station served industries in the Eastern Region like Premier Cashew Industry in Oghe, Avop Vegetable Oil Nachi, Sunrise Flour Mills, Aluminium Industry Ohebe Dim, among others."

•BBN360

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has urged the Nigerian Military authorities to re-consider the death sentence passed on the 54 soldiers as disciplinary measure for misconduct in the ongoing fight against insurgency in the country.

Fashola made the appeal at the Interdenominational Service to mark year 2015 Armed Force Remembrance Day, held at The Chapel of Christ The Light, Alausa, Ikeja.
The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole, stated that the military authorities and the Federal Government should reconsider the death sentence and commute it to jail terms.
While recognizing the need for the Military to sustain its paramount code of ethics as it relates to discipline and strict adherence to rule of engagement, the governor, however, stressed that he believes the officers and men involved are now sober and therefore deserved to be forgiven with the reduction in the punishment pronounced.
He noted that the call for leniency is not to justify their actions but to plead with the government to reduce the gravity of the punishment and not make it greater than their offence.
Fashola also urged Nigerians to continue to support the families of soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice and those with life-time injuries in the service of our country by donating towards their upkeep.
Earlier, Brigadier General Dalubo, Commander, 9 Brigade of Nigeria Army, representative of the Nigeria Military at the service, stated that the Federal Government set aside January 15 as Remembrance Day and dedicate this period to the remembrance of our fallen heroes who had paid the supreme price for the unity of the nation.
He emphasized that Nigeria will always remember the contribution of our fallen heroes and will do everything in its power to support and cater for the families they left behind.

•BBN360

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday hosted President Goodluck Jonathan at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to reports, the meeting which started at about 7pm, lasted for about 2 hours and focused majorly on Jonathan's re-election bid and the need for the two leaders to resolve the disagreement between themselves.
It would be recalled that Obasanjo made a surprise appearance at the wedding of Jonathan's daughter on Saturday, thus fuelling speculations that their sour relationship was over.

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and the founder, Living Faith Ministry(Winners chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, were also said to be at the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, no official statement was released.
Jonathan and other PDP leaders were in Ogun state to seek support for the President's re-election bid.

Earlier, reports on social media said Obasanjo, who was absent from the PDP's presidential campaign at the MKO International Stadium in Abeokuta , ignored Jonathan.
Obasanjo was reported to have left his residence at about 3pm and did not return till Jonathan and his entourage retreated to the Presidential Lodge in the city around 5.30pm, after their campaign.
Also, operatives of the Department of State Security, who were seen around the premises of the former president's residence as early as 6am in anticipation of Jonathan's arrival left the place at about 3.35pm, further fueling speculations that Obasanjo wasn't willing to Jonathan.
However, before then, Vice- President Namadi Sambo, who was also in Abeokuta visited the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in his palace at Ake, but didn't visit Obasanjo's home.‎
Addressing supporters at the rally, Jonathan said his administration would create eight million jobs if re-elected, amongst other promises.

•BBN360

The Defence authorities have faulted the claim that over 2,000 people were killed in the Boko Haram attacks on the Baga headquarters of the Multi-National Joint Task Force penultimate Saturday.

The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen Chris Olukolade, said during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday that 150 people, including large number of members of the Boko Haram sect, who stormed the base in large number, were killed in the confrontation.

Olukolade explained that many of the residents of Baga and the nearby community had fled the area because of incessant attacks by the members of the Boko Haram sect on communities in the area.

He added that many of the residents of the community fled the area while the battle between the soldiers and the insurgents lasted.

Olukolade said the figures being reported and attributed to eyewitnesses were exaggerated.

"…It is however necessary to inform Nigerians in the interim that the exercise so far has not corroborated the report on the casualty rate which was put at 2000 deaths.

"From all available evidences, the number of people who lost their lives during that attack has so far not exceeded about 150 in the interim. This figure includes many of the terrorists who were bearing arms and got killed in the course of their attack and battle with troops.

"It should be noted that Baga and the neighbouring towns have been under series of attacks and harassment by terrorists. In the course of this, many residents have left, leaving the population in the town almost seriously depleted. Many were also able to escape while the terrorists' battle with troops lasted.

"The figure given by sources, who claimed to be eyewitnesses, must be an extremely exaggerated estimate. Unfortunately, this figure is now being bandied about in a section of the media as if it has been authenticated. It cannot be true," he said

•BBN360