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Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon NRA


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CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO THE NATION FROM PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN!

Dear Compatriots,

I greet and felicitate with you all as we celebrate Christmas once again.

I join our Christian compatriots and all other Nigerians in giving thanks to God Almighty whose Grace and Benevolence has helped our nation to overcome the many challenges it has had since we celebrated Christmas last year.

The annual commemoration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ is a most auspicious time for us, as individuals and as a nation, to rededicate ourselves to the virtues and ideals which the Messiah preached and exemplified during his earthly ministry.

Let us all therefore resolve this Christmas to make the ideals of peace, harmony, tolerance, love and goodwill to all even more manifest in our interactions with others.

It remains my sincere belief that no height of human accomplishment is beyond us as a nation, if we can overcome our differences, such as they are, and forge a binding national consensus to put the progress and well-being of the country above all other considerations.

My administration will do all within its powers and abilities to ensure that when representatives of our people assemble for the forthcoming national conference next year, they will have every opportunity and encouragement to make very significant contributions towards forging the required consensus for sustained national peace, unity and progress.

It is also my expectation that the national conference will contribute in no small measure towards the urgent resolution of contentious issues which currently hinder our progress as a nation.

With God Almighty as our Guide, Strength and Enabler, My Administration will continue to implement its Agenda for National Transformation in furtherance of its avowed commitment to improving the living conditions of all Nigerians.

We will continue to count on the prayers, support and cooperation of all patriotic Nigerians in the coming year as we consolidate and build on our achievements in several sectors including national security, power supply, communications, transportation, health and education.

As we commemorate the birth of the Prince of Peace, let us all strive to honour Him more by living our lives as He taught; by making personal sacrifices for the good of others, by showing greater love for others, by being fairer and more honest in our dealings with others, by being ever-willing to forgive those who offend us and by always extending goodwill towards others.

On behalf of myself, my family and the Federal Government, I wish you all very joyful Christmas celebrations, and a peaceful and prosperous 2014.

 

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

President,

Federal Republic of Nigeria

December 24, 2013

Woman losses 7-month-old pregnancy ‘after getting kicked by Lebanese boss’!

A  woman in Lagos has lost a pregnancy of 7 months after allegedly being kicked in the stomach.

Mrs. Alexandra Ossai, 34, was said to have been kicked by her Lebanese boss, one Kaveh Noine, resulting in the death of her baby.

Mrs. Ossai got into a disagreement with her boss and according to her he proceeded to verbally and then physically abuse her. The kick to her belly was said to have damaged her placenta and her unborn baby’s face.

According to information,

Currently at a private hospital in the Fagba area of Lagos State, Ossai had to have an emergency surgery four days after the kick to save her life as the kick damaged her placenta.

Ossai, who until December 13, 2013, was a supervisor with a Lebanese owned firm, Toppan Printing Company, alleged that Noine assaulted her many times during her eight months stay at the company.
She said:

“I started working at Toppan in April. I earn N17,000 salary and work from Monday to Saturday. 
Anytime Noine was annoyed, he would beat the person he was angry with. Sometimes, he would throw whatever he can lay his hands on at the person. 
Prior to that incident, Noine had slapped me many times.
Noine had said he would hold me responsible for the shortcomings of the people I supervised. As a result, I often assisted my subordinates in their duties to make sure that Noine had nothing to complain about.”

However, Ossai said on December 12 2013, Noine had flown into a rage when he noticed something on the floor in her section.

“It was a container for a drug. That is what we do; we produce packets for drugs and perfumes. So when Noine saw one of such packets on the floor, he was so angry that he gave me a blow to the chest,” she recalled.

She said Noine subsequently went into his office and typed a termination letter for Ossai, which she refused to sign. 
Her refusal allegedly enraged him further and after verbally abusing her, he was said to have told her that it was her last warning.
The following day, Ossai ran into Noine while coming from his secretary’s office. Noine allegedly dragged Ossai back to the office and called her a wicked woman.
Ossai said:

“He said I looked like a mad person. After abusing me, he hit me on my neck twice. Then, without warning, he kicked my stomach with his knee.  Some co-workers were there but they did not intervene. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.”

The mother of one, whose younger brother and sister also worked in the same company, said she prevailed on her siblings not to attack Noine when they heard the news.

“I never for once told my husband what I was going through at work. I didn’t want him to come and fight Noine. I pleaded with my siblings not to fight,” Ossai said.

Although the pains eventually subsided after two days, it was learnt that in the early hours of Monday, Decemeber 16, 2013, Ossai began to bleed. 
She was rushed to a private clinic at Fagba. 
She was told that her placenta had been damaged as a result of the kick and that she had to undergo emergency surgery to save her life.
She said:

“I didn’t know that my baby had died until two days after the surgery. I was told my baby lost his face too due to the kick.”

She said a report was made at the Area F police command the following day by her aunt, Mrs. Olabisi Jaiyeoba.
Jaiyeoba said:

“When Ossai’s husband and I were refused entry into the company, we went to report to the police. They accompanied us there and even had to force their way in. 
The administrative manager lied that Noine had traveled out of the country. But as of that Tuesday, he was still in the country.It was later that we learned that he traveled last Friday.”

Efforts to get a response from the Deputy Manager of Toppan printing Company, Mr. Abass Al-Souki, proved abortive as his phone number indicated that it was unreachable.
However, the admin manager, who declined to identify herself, said that the factory was closed for the Christmas holidays.
She said:

“We closed for the holidays last Friday and would reopen on January 8 2013. I would not like to speak on that matter because it is already with the police. Also our company lawyer is on it. You can only get across to our management in January 2014.”

Legal counsel for Toppan, Mrs. Nnebe, said that she could not comment on the matter.
She said:

“It would be best if you wait for the police to conclude their investigation. Ossai has only made an allegation. Let the police finish their investigation and then we would give our response.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, said:

“The incident which occurred on Thursday was not reported to the police until Tuesday. It took about five days before it was reported. So when the police arrived at the suspect’s workplace, they were informed that he had travelled. 
It took a long time for the complainant to report the matter. But we are investigating.”

Source: Laila's blog

Pres. Jonathan summons Stella Oduah for closed door meeting!

Following renewed calls for the sack of the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah over the recent bullet proof car scandal by the House of representatives, Ms. Oduah is said to have had an impromptu meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The minister came under fire earlier this year when details of the car purchase, to the tune of N225 million, were revealed.

The president is said to have summoned the minister for a previously unscheduled, closed-door meeting which lasted more than 2 hours

The meeting between President Jonathan and the minister which lasted over two hours is generating tension in certain quarters over her job, as some presidency sources say it might not be unconnected with the scandal bordering on financial irregularities in the purchase of two bulletproof cars to the tune of  by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA) for the minister.

According to LEADERSHIP News Papers, the minister was overheard saying she was at the president’s office to invite him for a programme being organised by the Aviation ministry.

This is the first time the minister is coming on her own to meet with the president in his office since the scandal that rocked the aviation ministry over the BMW bulletproof cars.

Besides, her visit to the president yesterday was quite unusual; this is even so as most ministers had traveled out of Abuja for the Christmas celebration after the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting for the year which held last week Wednesday.

Clad in a coffee kampala gown with a wine head scarf and bag to match, Oduah arrived Aso Villa at about 2.45pm in the company of one of her aides.

She walked sluggishly with her head bowed to the ground a she entered the president’s office and was there over two hours.

The Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim also came in at about the same time to see the president, but it was not clear whether he was part of the meeting.

The minister came out of the president’s office at about 5:17pm, just about 20 minutes after the SGF had left. She wore the same pensive look which characterized her movement when she came to the place earlier on.

Following the N255 million armoured cars’ scandal in the ministry, it was gathered that President Jonathan had been under intense pressure to sack the minister.

The House of Representatives had also asked the president to sack the minister for violating the constitutional provision in the acquisition of the armoured cars, a position which the minister condemned.

Kidnappers collect ransom, refuse to release ex-footballer’s dad!

Nearly a month after kidnappers seized the 83-year-old father of a former Super Eagles player, Chikelue Iloenyosi, in Anambra State, the victim has yet to regain his freedom.

It was reported that the victim, James, was kidnapped on November 25, 2013.

Following the kidnap, his family was contacted after which N50m ransom was demanded.

It was learnt that after negotiations, the family paid the kidnappers an undisclosed amount over two weeks ago.

A relative of the victim, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said after collecting the ransom, the kidnappers had refused to release the octogenarian.

He said, “We reached an agreement with the kidnappers and we were told to drop off the money at a particular location two weeks ago. The money was dropped and the kidnappers called us  to acknowledge receipt.

“They also promised to release papa that night, but they have turned off their telephones and we could not  get across to them.”

Our correspondent learnt that the State Security Service, the Nigerian Army and the police were all investigating the matter.

The source said the incident had thrown them into anxiety as they appealed to the kidnappers to honour their agreement.

source: Punch

Controversy over missing money in banker’s crashed car!

A worker with Diamond Bank, Gwarimpa, Benjamin Idim, who died in a car crash at Utako, Abuja last week, was said to have about N2m in his car, but the bulk of the money has yet to be recovered.

Benjamin, 23, was believed to have lost control and crashed his Kia Soul car at midnight while coming from a visit to a friend.

He reportedly died at the scene of the accident and his body and the wrecked car were evacuated by the police. Benjamin’s remains were buried in Calabar last Saturday.

About N800,000 and two phones said to have been recovered from the car were given to the parents of the deceased by the police, but family members and friends contended that Benjamin had about N2m in the car.

A friend, who identified himself simply as Kunle, said the late banker kept the money with him before he collected it later in the day.

He said, “Benjamin actually kept the money in my locker. Though I don’t know the exact amount, I am sure it was more than N1m. It was therefore a surprise when we heard that the police recovered only N800,000.”

The father of the deceased, Ita, said he and his wife were out of the country when they got a call that their son had died in a fatal car crash and his corpse was being kept in a mortuary. He added that he returned to the country immediately.

He said, “We went to the police at Utako and they handed over two phones and about N800,000, which they said was recovered from the car. Later we learnt that the money in the car was more than the amount the police gave us.

“The bank also confirmed that he had more than that amount with him. If the police can hand over N800,000, you can be sure he had more than that in the car. The Nigerian Police Force can’t give all the money they recovered.”

According to him, the boy plans to give N1m to his mother for the Christmas celebration and spend the rest on other things.

The bereaved father described his son as a careful driver who did not indulge in alcohol or drugs, adding that he was a devoted Christian and a chorister.

“To tell you how devoted he was as a Christian, his girlfriend wanted him to drive her to the airport, but he declined to do so because he had choir practice at that time,” Ita said.

When our correspondent visited the Idims at the house, hundreds of people thronged the home to condole with the family.

A condolence register opened for him had been filled up with touching messages by his friends, former school mates and colleagues.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Altienne Daniel, said she was not aware of the case, but noted that the police officers may not have been the first responders at the scene of the accident.

“I am not aware of the case, but are they sure the police were the first to arrive at the scene? Besides, saving the boy’s life would be their priority, nobody would be checking the boot of the car to know whether he had money there or the amount of money in the car,” she stated.

Culled from  PUNCH

50 Suspected Terrorists Killed, 15 Soldiers Dead As Military Hunt Down Borno Barracks Attackers!

The Nigerian military has reportedly pushed back on the attack by insurgents who came into Nigeria from Cameroon attacking the Bama Barracks in Borno State last Friday. The attack led to President Goodluck Jonathan holding an emergency meeting with the nation’s security chiefs.

According to a statement released last night by Major General Chris Olukolade, Director Defense Information, 20 vehicles conveying terrorists were intercepted by the army as they were making their way across the border back into Cameroon.

 Major General Chris Olukolade

Read the statement below:

The military operations to track insurgents who carried out the last Friday pre-dawn attacks on Mohammed Kur Barracks, Bama, has led to the destruction of over 20 vehicles conveying escaping terrorists.  The vehicles were the ones used during the attack on the barracks and were sited through air surveillance  as the terrorists were making efforts to cross the borders back to their haven in Cameroon.

Although a good number of the insurgents escaped with bullet wounds while some have been arrested, over 50 of them died in the course of exchange of fire with ground troops in the ongoing operations to apprehend fleeing terrorists.  The military has lost 15 soldiers mostly from the attack while some died during the pursuit. A total of 5 civilians also died during the attack.  Intensive cordon and search operations is still ongoing to fish out the insurgents who might be lurking around communities in the area.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that families affected by the attacks have been relocated to other military locations.