Police Arrest Civil Servant Over Theft of N20.8 Million Medical Equipment in Kebbi!

The Kebbi Police Command has recovered stolen medical equipment worth N20.8 million and arrested a suspect, Faruk Zaki, a civil servant in the state Ministry of Health.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kabiru Bawa, told newsmen on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi that the the missing equipment were part of the N2 billion spent by the state government in 2012, and worth N29.6 million.

"But we have so far recovered equipment worth N20.8 million and the custodian of the equipment is our suspect, while investigation is ongoing," he said.

 The Force spokesman said the investigation was jointly conducted by the State Police Command and the State Security Service (SSS), adding that the Police would continue with its investigation until all the missing items were recovered and the culprits prosecuted.

Bawa further called on the general public to provide useful information to the state's security personnel, who he said were always alert in securing lives and property. 

According to him, the suspect who assisted security agencies in the recovery of the missing equipment would be prosecuted. "the suspect who is a civil servant has violated Section 315 of the Criminal Code". he said

Lagos approves 10-day paternity leave, six months for maternity!

The Lagos State Government on Thursday announced new dimensions to its health policy on child bearing and raising in Lagos. 

According to the policy, men whose wives are delivered of babies hence are entitled to a 10 day paternity leave in Lagos state, while women have their maternity leave extended by three months. This is applicable however to men in the employ of the Lagos state government 

According to the Lagos State Head of Service, Josephine Williams, who announced these decisions at a press conference at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, said that instead of the three months maternity leave for its workers, the state government has increased it to six months.

"A female officer shall be entitled to 24 weeks maternity leave with full pay in case of her first two deliveries.

"The said leave shall commence at least two weeks before the expected delivery date.

"A male officer, to whom a new baby (or babies in case of multiple births) is born, shall be entitled to 10 working days." Williams said:

It was gathered that after the first two deliveries, mothers would then be entitled to only three months leave, but the father would still have 10 days leave.

The Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Public Health,  Dr. Yewande Adeshina, explained the rationale behind the decision, according to Adesina, the six months leave would enable the nursing mother observe the recommended six months exclusive breast feeding for babies.

"At six months or 24 weeks, a baby is considered strong enough to be left in decent crèche".

NIC- Jonathan's loan request not for Boko-Haram alone!

According to the National Information Centre, President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for a loan of one billion  dollars is to enable the military tackle insurgency and other security challenges in the country.

Channels Tv news disclosed this, saying that the Coordinator of the centre, Mr Mike Omeri, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Thursday, said the amount requested was not just to fight Boko Haram but would be used to address some financial needs in the Army.

“The loan being sought for is not just to prosecute the Boko Haram war” Omeri reiterated, ”It is to reinforce the Army as the they have made a request because they have a need.

“So the funding is to ensure the long term provision of the requirement of the Armed Forces”.

Omeri also said that the security operatives were still on the trail of Abubakar Tsiga, the suspected chief mastermind of Nyanya bombing which killed dozens in April.

President Jonathan had requested for immediate approval of one billion dollars external borrowing by the National Assembly to tackle insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria’s northeast.

The President stressed that there was an urgent need to upgrade the equipment, training and logistic of the country’s Armed Forces and Security services to enable them confront the serious threat posed by Boko Haram sect more forcefully and efficiently.

Israeli military set to launch ground operation in Gaza Strip tonight!

Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's instruction, Israeli military reportedly began ground artillery bombardment in Gaza strip this evening.

Israeli Army spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner told newsmen "We are now continuing with the ground forces to strike terrorist infrastructure, Hamas infrastructure, in multiple areas throughout the Gaza Strip,". he said.

The Israeli army said its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip would hit Palestinian fighters' targets throughout the Hamas-controlled territory.

Not Again...Kuala Lumpur bound Malaysia's passenger Flight MH17 crashed in Ukraine!

Just months after Malaysia’s Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 with 239 on board, another Malaysian liner carrying 298 passengers, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur reportedly crashed in insurgency-wracked east Ukraine, regional officials said Thursday. 

Malaysia Airlines said it had “lost contact” with the Boeing passenger liner, which Ukrainian officials said had come down in a rebel-held zone in the Donetsk region.

“Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam,” the airline, still reeling from the disappearance of flight MH370. 

“The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace,” it said on its Twitter account., promising more details soon.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the jet may have been shot down.

“We do not exclude that the plane was shot down and confirm that the Ukraine Armed Forces did not fire at any targets in the sky,” Poroshenko said in a statement posted on the president’s website.

Regional officials in Donetsk confirmed the plane had come down near the town of Shaktarsk.

From all indications, there are no survivors. 

Headphones and computers were reportedly scattered throughout a field of sunflowers. While a Dutch passport lay open, bodies fell from the sky, looking like rags or clumps of ash in another field.

Emergency services were rushed to the scene, a security source reportedly told Interfax-Ukraine.

It was gathered that US stocks fell sharply following reports the Malaysia Airlines plane had been shot down, while Britain’s Foreign Office said it was “working urgently to find out what’s happened.”

A man believed to be on flight MH17 allegedly posted this before flight took off. “Should it disappear, this is what it looks like.

Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak, while speaking on TV says Ukraine President has pledged a "thorough and independent investigation."




On his part, Russian President Putin says Ukraine "bears responsibility" for the crash of MH17 Malaysia Airlines plane".


May the souls of the departed, R.I.P....

Behold the newest bride of the Okoye brothers!

Isn't she just l.o.v.e.l.y.....

Wondering who she is???

She is  Ify Umeokeke, the beautiful wife of Jude Okoye (elder brother to Peter and Paul of Psquare)

Gist reaching us revealed that the traditional marriage of the love birds is holding right now at Nnewi - Anambra state.

More photos from the Star studded traditional marriage:

We wish the couple a beautiful life together.

Israel ready for a five-hour 'Humanitarian' Pause in Gaza as long as Hamas respects same!

News reaching our news desk says the Israeli army has agreed to a "humanitarian" pause in strikes in the Gaza Strip. The five-hour cessation in shelling is scheduled for Thursday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. local time, a statement from the Israel Defense Forces read. Israel said it was prepared to honor the cease-fire as long as Hamas, which rules Gaza, didn't use the pause to launch its own strikes.

"This humanitarian window is meant to allow the civilian population of the Gaza Strip to engage in resupply for their humanitarian needs," the statement read. "Should the humanitarian window be exploited by Hamas or other terror organizations for the purpose of launching attacks against Israeli civilian or military targets the IDF will respond firmly and decisively."

Israeli officials in Washington said the pause in hostilities was in response to a request from Robert Serry, the United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. The cease-fire will allow aid to come into Gaza through checkpoints. More than 200 people have died in Gaza since the attacks began last week, including four children who were killed in a strike Wednesday while playing on the beach.

Source: NBC news