BlackBox Nigeria

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has initiated a scheme aimed at getting kerosene to consumers across the country at the regulated price of N50 per litre, The Guardian reports.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, of the corporation, Mr Ohi Alegbe.

It said the scheme 'Kero Correct' initiative' was also aimed at cutting off the several layers of middlemen who made it difficult for the end user to enjoy the subsidy on the product.

The statement said that the Executive Director, Commercial, of the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr Frank Amego, announced the initiative at a one-day workshop in Abuja.

It said the workshop that was organised by the NNPC was to enlighten some Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and volunteers engaged to help monitor the sales of the product at NNPC Mega and affiliate stations across the country.

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Last week was for throwing tantrums at APC's opponents, this week the Governor is enjoying himself moving to the dance rave of the moment..who knows what this Barrister would come up with next!

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A runaway teenage girl, Taiwo Olakunle, who was believed to be hiding at a lover's place, resurfaced last week Thursday at her family church on Taju Bello Street, Oke Aro Road in the Iju area of Lagos.

Olakunle, 18, had fled home since Wednesday, November 12, 2014.
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It was earlier reported last Wednesday, January 14, that the police at Iju were searching for the teenager, who until her disappearance was staying with her guardians on Adeosun Street, Balogun bus stop, Iju.

Our correspondent learnt that Olakunle came back to her church area the following day after the report, and requested to see her grandmother, who also lived in the area.

It was gathered that officers from the Iju Police Division, who learnt of her appearance, moved to the place and took her away to the station for questioning.
Olakunle told the police on Friday in her statement that she fled from home to stay with a lover in the Alagbado area.
She said she fled from the area because she was worried that her suspected assaulters were charged to court by the police, which she did not think was a good step. She added that she was worried about her safety.
She said, "Those guys who beat me up were truly arrested by the police, and they were asked to get me treated. I did not know they would be charged to court for it.
"When I learnt that they were charged to court, I was troubled. I then decided to leave the area and run to a lover's house. The statement the police took from me was perhaps doctored to make the men's offence seem bigger. I did not expect they would be taken to court."

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, the husband of Olakunle's aunt, Ibrahim Lawal, said the family was glad to have the girl back.

He said, "My wife and I had suffered. It got to a point that people said we had used the girl for rituals. We are glad that she was back."
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed that the runaway girl had been seen.
He said, "Olakunle is at the Iju Police Division. She had been hiding at a boyfriend's place.
"There are further enquiries going on. She will be thereafter reunited with her guardians."
Our correspondent learnt on Sunday that Olakunle had left the police division, and she was now at her grandmother's place near the family church in Iju Ishaga

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Rave of the moment, Remilekun Kaleed Safaru, also known as Reminisce was recently hosted on 'The Sporah Show', a UK-based TV talk show hosted by Sporah

The self acclaimed alaga ibile who recently penned a deal with herbal drink company, 'Orijin', has been accused of being proud and arrogant.

When he was asked on his view on the issue of been arrogant and a snub, the samsung ambassador said,

'I get that at times. I'm a principled person. I'm a Muslim. My religion teaches that. What you would not accept; you should make it clear. I don't pretend. Once you don't' pretend, people would say you are proud. A lot of people try to rubbish your image. If someone wants to do songs with me, you tell them to calm down, the next thing is Reminisce is arrogant. This time last year, people don't complain about me. You can't' satisfy everybody. I can only do my best and leave the rest. Reminisce remains his humble self. I'm a free person. I'm not a proud person. Everything that is happening to me is by the grace of God. It is not by my power. Why should I be proud? It is normal people would have different opinion about you'.‎

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The ex- Nigeria goalkeeper, Wilfred Agbonavbare, is fighting hard against cancer and needs financial aid in order to carry on his struggle.

Agbonavbare was part of the team that won  Africa Cup of Nations played in Tunisia 1994 and also took part in the USA '94 World Cup tournament same year.

The retired goalkeeper who is being treated in a Florida hospital in the USA, is asking for financial help from friends and fans.

Wilfred started his sporting career with New Nigeria Bank and after a stint with Brentford signed with Rayo Vallecano, where he stayed for six seasons. After putting in some fine performances for the Madrilenian set-up, he moved to Écija Balompie.

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Life is a journey and it hasn't been a bed of roses for Sean Tizzle. He shared a mouth blowing revelation about himself, he struggle and hustles to make it to the top. According to him, he suffered so much that, at times, he had to go to parties to beg for food. It was not easy but he kept on pressing and today his story is different

He revealed this shocking aspect of his life, his grass to grace and rag to riches stories while responding to an interview with Nigerian Tribune. He also used the opportunity advise people who don't have today that they can have enough tomorrow and those who have today, if they are not careful and invest wisely, will go broke tomorrow.

In his words, he said:
"Those days were very rough, but we thank God that we have been able to sail through. I used to sleep outside, hustle and fall asleep in buses. I also used to go to owanbe parties not to dance, because I didn't have party clothes to wear, but I used to go because they had food. So at least at the end of the party, I could help out, get a little change, then go find shelter somewhere and continue my hustle the next day."

Sean Tizzle in a new interview has revealed what a lot of people will find shocking about him. According to Sean, he suffered so much that he had to go to parties to beg for food and then help out later on for little change.
                                        
"Those days were very rough,but we thank God dat we have been able 2 sail through. I used to sleep outside,hustle & fall asleep in buses".‎

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Nigerians woke up this morning to a provocative advert placed in major print newspapers across Nigeria by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state practically wishing death on General Muhammad Buhari (rtd), the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The advert which were placed on the front pages of Punch, the Guardian and several other national newspapers, titled "Nigerians Be Warned" started with a quote from the book of Deuteronomy in the bible talking about life and death.

Fayose then listed three former Nigerian head of states from the Northwestern part of Nigeria, who have died tragically and the placed Buhari at the end with a question mark placed over his photograph.

The advert followed several desperate efforts by operatives of President Jonathan to hang a prostrate cancer diagnosis on Buhari over the last few days.

The group went as far as concocting a laboratory report claiming Buhari had been diagnosed with prostate cancer at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital.

The hospital later denied the existence of the laboratory report and its writer.

Also, Buhari personally addressed a press conference yesterday and denied visiting ABUTH in the last five years.

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Soul E, the singer-turned-pastor, was faced with many criticism and condemnation when he posted on facebook some Prophecies for the New Year.

He has however dropped another bombshell concerning the much anticipated forth coming 2015 general election.

Soul E predicted that this year's election would be full of surprises and that it would be a replica of the June 12, 1993 election. In his words, he said,

"There were so many things I saw but did not post online. I saw so many top comedians retrogressing while the young ones will come up because of their pride. Because they have sold out shows with a lot of people attending, they have become proud, forgetting that the same God that put them up can bring them down. I also saw that this election will spring up a lot of surprises and it will be like June 12. This election will not be different from the 1993 election because the person that will truly win will not get on the throne".
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Nigerian Journalists have been advised not to be too trusting when gathering their reports as most sources of information these days have interests to protect.

This message came from Mrs. Funmi Komolafe a veteran journalist of several decades and a former Assistant Editor with Vanguard newspapers who stated that "Most of the time, the one giving a piece of information  has a motive so, it is important to cross check but where the journalist has very serious doubts, the simple rule 'When in doubt leave out should apply' especially where such information could stir up violence or any from of crisis during  and after the election.

She was speaking at the January Tweet-A-Thon conference organised by the International Press Centre in Lagos with the theme "Making use of Media Code of Election Coverage for Credible Reporting". She further stated that the ownership influence by proprietors of media houses further incapacitates journalists sometimes in their reportage particularly if such report concerns an opposing political interest of the owner.

Mrs Komolafe further stated that ahead of upcoming elections, the media should ensure agenda settings one of which might include organising political debates for contenders in order to grant the electorates more knowledge about the candidates. She also lamented the limitation in human resources in the media positing that inadequate man power has made rural dwellers seemingly abandoned from media coverage.

Also speaking at the monthly conference, the chief host and Director of the IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade in his opening remarks introduced the new media code; a 30-page document which is an outcome of the collaborative effort of media regulatory bodies which sets guidelines for election reporting across the nation.

The event also had in attendance Bolaji Tunji, Executive Director, Special Duties, Sun Newspapers who represented Mr. Femi Adesina, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Sun Newspapers and President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the lead speaker. The General Secretary of the Lagos Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalist; Mrs. Abimbola Oyetunde was also in attendance.

The IPC hosted tweet-a-thon is a monthly conference which is supported by United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) III Project and its international partners the European Union (EU), UK Aid, the Canadian Department for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFTAD).

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The Lagos State Police are currently investigating the death of a 57-year-old man allegedly stabbed to death by his friend during a disagreement over sachet of dry gin worth N30, in Otto community, an outskirts of Lagos.
Meanwhile, Police officers have gone on a raiding spree in the community. They were said to have roused some people from sleep and taken them away. The officers, it was gathered, came twice to raid the community and allegedly whisked away about 30 suspects.
It was gathered that the victim, identified as Mr. Abudu (aka Baba Timo), who had moved from Bariga to Otto some months ago, was cooling down with local gin at a joint with his friend (names yet unknown) when trouble began.
Vanguard gathered that the disagreement, which started as a joke at 8p.m., last Friday took a new dimension at 10 p.m., after the duo engaged in a fight, using dangerous weapons such as broken bottle and cutlass on each other.
It was learned that because of the harmattan cold, most residents had gone to bed while others could not intervene because of the use of dangerous weapons by the two parties.
Baba Timo reportedly inflicted machete cuts on his friend's head and hand, while his friend used a broken bottle on his (Baba Timo) neck.
Unfortunately, Baba Timo died on the spot while his friend who sustained injuries on his head and neck is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Lagos.
Narrating how Police officers raided houses in the community, Mrs Titi Balogun, whose husband and son were arrested, told Vanguard: "At few minutes past 11p.m., I woke one of my sons to put off the generator, immediately he did that and locked the back door, I noticed movement outside through my window and later someone began to hit on the back door very hard.
"I came out of my room and went to open the door and behold, they were police officers. One of them asked me why we put off our generator, and I said because it was late. They then went into one of the rooms and woke my husband, who was sleeping. They entered the other room, woke one of my sons and his friend and then arrested them."

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The PDP governorship candidate for Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje, yesterday said he would retain the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created by the Bola Tinubu administration, if elected.
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Agbaje told newsmen at an interactive session in Lagos that he would grant greater autonomy to the LCDAs and the original 20 local government areas.
The 37 LCDAs created in 2003 by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) Government of Tinubu, had yet to be recognised by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government still deals with Lagos State on the basis of the original 20 local government areas but Lagos State has been running the grassroots through the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs.
Agbaje said if elected, his administration would move on from the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs, adding that the LCDAs had been recognised by political parties.
On reconciliation with Chief Musiliu Obanikoro, who went to court after losing the governorship ticket to him, Agbaje said the party had a unity of purpose in the state to take over power from the APC.
He said the APC administration in the state had good policies, made achievements in some areas, but recorded poor implementation of many policies due to 'vested interest.'
"Vested interest is negatively affecting the socio-economic and political life of the state.
"Vested interest will prefer building commercial houses to constructing low cost houses.
Agbaje's plan to cancel Lekki Epe toll plaza irks APC
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lagos State chapter  has described the statement credited to the state governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Jimi Agbaje that he will cancel the Public Private Participation arrangement of the Lekki-Épé Expressway as "irrational election promise."
The party stated that the plans could discourage foreign investors, and ultimately, cripple the economy of Lagos and affect the wobbling Nigerian economy.
The State Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, in  a statement, expressed surprise that at this age and time when the drive for foreign investment is needed to break the shackles of economic doom, an aspiring candidate to the Lagos State governorship stool should issue such naked threat to investors to boost his electoral chances.
"You cannot have any project in Lagos unless you consider vested interests. It is bondage," he said.
Agbaje said if elected, his administration would construct low-cost houses and offer free quality health care services through a health insurance model, in partnership with the private sector.
He said the administration would avoid discriminating against non-indigenes of Lagos and give all residents the opportunity to contribute to the state's development.
"PDP will do things differently. We will have the boldness to do it," he said.
Agbaje said his administration would allocate five per cent of the state procurement project for young entrepreneurs and recent graduates, adding that he would ensure transparent public procurement process.
The governorship candidate also said that the administration would exploit the aquatic nature of the state to develop its economy.
" We have not tapped on the ocean resources. We will take advantage of our living in water and take what is there to build our economy.
"We will ensure that Epe and Ikorodu are national fisheries processing hubs and the focal points of the new ocean economy," he said.
Agbaje said that his administration would ensure 100,000 vocational and internship places annually as well as local and international certification and standards for artisans and technicians.
He added that the administration would ensure that companies operating in the state employed a certain percentage of their workers from their host communities.
He said that the administration would avoid multiple taxes, cancel tollgates and expand the tax system by meeting the needs of the residents so that they would desire to pay tax.
Lagos APC blast Agbaje's plan to cancel Lekki Epe toll plaza
Meantime, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lagos State chapter  has described the statement credited to the state governorship candidate of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Jimi Agbaje that he will cancel the Public Private Participation arrangement of the Lekki-Épé Expressway as "irrational election promise."
The party stated that the plans could discourage foreign investors, and ultimately, cripple the economy of Lagos and affect the wobbling Nigerian economy.
The State Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, in  a statement, expressed surprise that at this age and time when the drive for foreign investment is needed to break the shackles of economic doom, an aspiring candidate to the Lagos State governorship stool should issue such naked threat to investors to boost his electoral chances.

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The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, weekend, during a visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to his palace, reconciled incumbent governor of the state Willie Obiano, and the immediate past governor of the state Mr. Peter Obi.
Responding to President Jonathan's speech when he visited his palace as part of his campaign rally to the state, the Obi after extolling the achievements of President Jonathan, ex-Governor Obi and all the things incumbent governor Obiano had been doing since assumption of office, told President Jonathan that he would not leave the state without reconciling Obiano and Obi.
President Jonathan who was with the Vice President Namadi Sambo, his wife Dame Patience and that of his Vice Hajia Amina  Sambo, was surprised by the monarch's demand and immediately asked the two prominent citizens of the state to act in response to the traditional rulers appeal.
They were reluctant to shake each other, but Igwe Achebe insisted that they must hug and when the President stood up to supervise the reconc iliation, they hugged and patted each other's back.

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452 Permanent Voter Cards have been intercepted around the border area with the Republic of Niger, according to the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The State Comptroller of Immigration Service, Mr Yunusa Aliyu, told newsmen that 66 PVCs, 33 temporary voter cards, 271 old and 69 new national identity cards were among the seized documents.
He revealed that the documents were seized by officers attached to Tureta checkpoint on the Sokoto-Gusau road.
"The suspected car snatchers were stopped for a routine search by the officers but they refused to stop. They fled.
"The officers pursued them and the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled, although no suspect was arrested," he explained.
He further said, "It is extremely difficult to differentiate between the Hausa from northern Nigeria and those from the neighbouring Niger Republic," adding that this could be the reason why the PVCs, which were supposed to be issued to bonafide Nigerians were allegedly given to non-Nigerians.
Asides the PVCs, other items recovered included a local government identification card and 12 birth certificates.

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The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari, has denied claims that he is terminally ill and has been flown abroad for treatment.

He said the reports of his ailment is baseless and untrue and are shows of desperation from the PDP members.

"There were reports that I was to jet out for medical check-up yesterday (Saturday) but here I am. I was in Nasarawa and Benue states yesterday (Saturday) and on Monday, I will be in two states.

"On Tuesday, I will be in two more states. I sincerely don't know how they got the impression that I was sick. I had a cold but it did not stop me from going through my schedule.

"How old are you, 50 years?"H asked a reporter. "I can tell you that if we go to the field, you will not stay as long as I would."

When asked about the PTF investigation, he said, "That one has been cleared. There was no fraud in the PTF. Gen. Obasanjo recently answered that question; he confirmed that there was an investigation and the report was brought to him and there was nothing on the ground as far as my management and chairmanship of the PTF were concerned. The person who did the investigation as President cleared me."

He was also asked about his educational background and allegations surrounding it.

He said, "I have contested three times under the same rules set by INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) where there is a basic educational qualification you must have.

"I was allowed to contest all these elections because my certificate was in order and there were individuals that wrote to the United States War College and the college answered them and they were published in the newspapers.

"So, I really don't understand this desperation or misinformation that is being passed around. They will do nobody any good because our minds are being taken away from the serious issues of corruption and incompetence by the PDP."

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A 60-year-old bachelor, Segun Benson, has been accused of raping a 14-year-old primary school pupil in Agege.

Segun, the only surviving child of his mother who has refused to be married, was said to have lured the girl into his room with N50 where he forcefully had a canal knowledge of her.

Narrating her gory experience, the victim said, "I am in primary six. On Friday, he gave me N50 to buy sweet for myself. He then asked me to caress his private parts. When I told him I would tell my daddy, he said I should not go home.

"He took me to his house around Railway Line where he raped me. I was there from 3pm till around 7pm. I started bleeding from his house and when I got home the blood did not stop. But I kept it secret until Saturday when people saw it."

The victim's mother, Taibat narrated how she found out.

"I have seven kids and she is the third child. I was sleeping when people called me that my daughter had been raped. I have never met the man before though he lives on the street. The government should take over the case and do what is right."

A resident who raised the alarm when she saw the girl bleeding added her side of the story, "I saw her writhing in pain in a bathroom. She said she wanted to defecate, but I saw blood coming out of her private parts. "I raised the alarm and when other people arrived at the scene, she said it was Segun that raped her."

A relative, Okunloye Kehinde, said the victim's private parts had been damaged. "I got a call around 2pm that fateful Saturday. When I got there, I saw a crowd of people around her. I saw a container filled with blood. Even her clothes were drenched in blood."

But the victims ,mother was seen pleading for help. She said Segun is her only surviving child.

"Segun is my only child. I had four other children and they are all dead. He is the reason for my living. I don't know why he did what he did.

"Each time I tried to get him a wife, he refused and told me he was old enough to look for a woman for himself. He said that many times without getting a wife. Please help me because he's my hope."

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.

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