ASABA GIRLS HOLD DOWN INNOCENT IDIBIA (2 BABA) AFTER SHOW

By: Online Publisher's

Asaba girls, who thronged to watch a show by stand-up comedian, AY, live at the Grand Hotel, Asaba, the Delta State capital, on Saturday held music star, Tuface Idibia, hostage when they openly struggled over  whom to embrace him.

It took furious work by security agents who were on hand to rescue him from the riotous girls.

TN observed that the much awaited AY live show in Asaba left thousands of its residents rolling over with laughter, including the state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, with the ladies adding their own twist to the general fun.

An eyewitness said that amidst standing ovation, Tuface had come on stage and he was accompanied with loud shouts from the Asaba female admirers who called him the ‘greatest’.

But it was when he tried to leave the stage that the whole hullabaloo started. The girls were said to have herded him into a tight corner with several of them rushing to embrace him, but security agents had to fight them off and shepherd the music star to safety.

Confirming the story, Tuface said the girls obviously admired him and his work, adding that all of them said they would marry him. He, however, gave God the glory for giving him the inspiration and love from his admirers....

Eguavoen apologises, resigns as Olympics Eagles coach

By: Online Publisher's

NATIONAL Under-23 Coach, Austin Eguavoen, has quit as coach of the Olympic team after he failed to qualify the team for London 2012.

Austin-Eguavoen-1  advertisement

Nigeria's Olympics Eagles failed to go past the group stage of the qualifiers in Morocco after losing two games and winning one.

His letter of resignation was forwarded to the Chairman, Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chris Green.

"I hereby resign my post as coach of the national U23 team despite all the support I received from the NFF. I'm so sorry I couldn't make it," Eguavoen wrote in part.

Eguavoen has been involved in the national team set up since 2003, when he first handled the U17s and has been in charge of the full international side as well.

He has taken full responsibility for his team's failure to reach London 2012 after raising so much expectations in the earlier rounds of the qualifiers where Nigeria thumped Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania.

"First of all football has given me what I have today. I thank every Nigerian for being there for me and giving me all the support needed for this tournament,"  said the 46-year-old coach.

"We came into this tournament prepared. Losing Kingsley Udoh in the first game, just three minutes was a big blow.

"Our first half against Senegal was awful but we were in our best against a very technical Algeria but unfortunately we rose up to the occasion late.

"I apologise to Nigerians for our disappointing outing. I had an option to come and not to but I had confidence in this team, unfortunately it didn't turn out the way we wanted. I am deeply sorry".

Eguavoen said he hopes to take a two-month break and possibly return to work in the Nigeria Premier League.

"My contract is tied to this tournament with a target of reaching at least the semi-finals of the Olympics in London, but I have failed in that target. Right now I would just take two months out and maybe return to the local league," he said.

The Former Super Eagles coach also spoke on the positives from the tournament.

"First we were able to redeem our image hoping that Morocco will keep their winning streak. But the biggest positive for me is that my 'Skippo' ( the Super coach Stephen Keshi) was here. As we all know, we are rebuilding and I believe he must have spotted players here that would help him in the national team."

Blackout looms nationwide as PHCN plans to shut 5 power plants

By: Online Publisher's

The Power Holding Company of Nigeria,PHCN, has announced plans to shut down five power plants across the country, a plan that will drastically reduce the present state of power generation.
The announcement, which was made, yesterday, by the company may likely hurt the Federal Government’s ambition to attain about 5,000 megawatts of electricity by the end of December.
Few weeks ago,  government celebrated the achievement of over 4,050 Mw, marking the highest quantum of electricity generated in the history of the nation.
PHCN, in a statement, said it “regrets to inform its esteemed customers nationwide of the notice received from Nigeria Gas Company Limited,NGC, of the planned shutdown of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Utorogu and Ughelli East Gas Plants, Oben, Sapele and Ogharefe gas plants of Saplet and Pan Ocean for maintenance purposes.
“This will be for seven days, commencing October 11, 2011.”
The maintenance, according to NGC, will lead to complete shutdown of Geregu, Sapele, Ughelli, Omotosho and Olorunsogo power stations throughout the period, thus resulting to a cut back in generation of over 1400Mw.
It added that, “This loss of generation will entail minimal load shedding in many parts of the country.
“We, therefore, appeal to our valued customers and other stakeholders for understanding and support, while assuring that power supply situation will considerably improve once gas supply is restored to these stations.”

MIKEL SPEAKS ON HIS $5000 FINE: I AM NOT AWARE - MIKEL

By: Online Publisher's

Chelsea and Super Eagles striker John Mikel Obi has said he was not aware of the purported fine said to have been imposed on him by the team’s Coach Samson Siasia for arriving late to camp.

Mikle Obi

Mikel who joined the team Wednesday morning – one day after Tuesday’s deadline- also said he informed the Coach of his inability to join the team before the expiration of the deadline.
Mikel, who is sure to start against Guinea tomorrow added that he did not expect to be penalized  after being permitted to arrive on Wednesday.
“I am not aware of any fine,” the Chelsea midfielder told our correspondent in Abuja, Thursday.
He however, expressed optimistic that the Super Eagles would beat the Syli Stars of Guinea  tomorrow to pick up the only ticket from the group for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations to be co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Mikel  Obi’s optimism was also s
hared by Inter-Milan midfielder, Joel Obi who also said he was sure   Nigeria would carry the day in tomorrow’s African Nations Cup tie.

PEPSI TO GIVE THE SUPER EAGLES TEAM 50 MILLION TO BEAT GUINEA

By: Online Publisher's

Senate President to lead support for Eagles
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have no reason to fail when they take on their Guinean counterparts in tomorrow’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Abuja, as support has been pouring in from all angles.
The latest support is coming from Pepsi, the official beverage of the African Cup of Nations which yesterday announced a whopping N50 million winning bonus for the Super Eagles of Nigeria should they beat the Syli Stars of Guinea.
In addition, a princely some of N100 million for the Super Eagles players if they can repeat the feat of the Tunisia ’94
Eagles by winning the continental trophy in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea next year.
Spokesman for Pepsi, Jimi Awosika, said during a press briefing in Lagos that the N50 million bonus award to the players was a clarion call to the players to fight for the honour of their fatherland and ensure that Nigeria’s football  glory was restored.
Awosika, who doubles as the Managing director of Insight Communications stated in clear terms that the Pepsi N50 million largess was conditional: the Super Eagles must win and qualify.
Senate President to lead support for Eagles
President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Distinguished Senator David Mark will be special guest of honour at Saturday’s 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifying cracker between Nigeria and Guinea at the National Stadium, Abuja.
The country’s Number Three Citizen, an ardent fan of the Super Eagles, was leader of the Federal Government delegation to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, and accompanied President Goodluck Jonathan to meet the players and officials at the Protea Hotel Wanderers in Johannesburg on the eve of their opening match of the tournament against Argentina.
Also expected at the big occasion on Saturday afternoon are Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, Governors of Bayelsa, Delta and Nasarawa States, cabinet ministers, senators, members of the House, the Inspector General of Police and other highly-placed Nigerian political and business leaders.

AIRTEL SACKS 3,000 WORKERS FROM THE CUSTOMER CARE DEPT.

By: Online Publisher's

 

On Friday September 30th, Telecoms company, Airtel, now owned by Indians, sacked over 3, 000 of their staff, all in the customer service department.

Many say the sack was as a result of salary disagreement between the management and staff. Customer care agents were being paid N75, 000 a month, but the new owners slashed the salary by 60%. According to them, they pay their customer care workers in India $200, only managers earn as much as 75, 000 a month, so they didn't see why Nigerian customer care agents are earning as much as an Airtel manager in India.

If you call Airtel customer care now, it will be picked in Ghana and the only languages available to customers now are the English and Pidgin language.

Airtel is kinda denying they sacked 3, 000 workers...but they did. One called me on the phone this evening crying over being back in the labour market.

NIGERIAN GAY MAN OPENS A GAY ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY IN ABIA STATE

By: Online Publisher's

Nigerian Gay Man Okechukwu Kingsley Uba have Opens the First Gay Entertainment Company in Abia State

Few weeks ago Chika Nwafor, a very proud Nigerian Gay Guy who happily married his German fiance and later divorced him.

Currently, a brand now proudly gay Nigerian man by the name of Okechukwu Kingsley Uba has opened a new gay entertainment business in Abia State, Nigeria.

Culled from: Mercyjohnson.com

PREGNANT WOMAN BURNT BY HER HUSBAND

By: Online Publisher's

Mrs. Ifeoma Egeonu, the pregnant mother of two, who was set ablaze by her husband, last Saturday, has recounted the sad experience even as she expressed her readiness to forgive the offending husband. Ifeoma and her two children were set ablaze by her hubby, Mr. Alexander Ndubuisi Egeonu, popularly called Sagay, inside his container-shop for undisclosed reason. The husband had been on the run since the incident happened.

Speaking to Daily Sun on her hospital bed at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, where she was transferred to from the Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre, Ifeoma expressed shock and surprise about the action of her husband.

Also on admission at the hospital were her first son, Emmanuel, who was crying continuously obviously because of the pain he was suffering and his brother, Udochukwu. Both children are within the ages of two and three.

With most of her body wrapped with bandage, Ifeoma, who is heavily pregnant, said she was surprised that she is still alive. She told Daily Sun that she could not tell what might have pushed her husband into the devilish act.

She said she was so confused even at the point when her husband was pouring fuel inside the shop; “I was asking him what he was doing but before I knew it there was fire everywhere inside the container which served as his shop.

“The other woman who sells provisions was the person who pushed open the door as he tried to close it and ran away.
Ifeoma, who hails from Amuri in Nkanu West Local Government area of Enugu State, said that she and her two kids were staying with her mother but decided to visit her husband and celebrate the Independence anniversary with him.

“When he brought the fuel, I felt he wanted to use it for his generator but he was telling me that, ‘people are wicked; that the woman who sells provisions opposite owed him and had refused to pay up; somehow he managed to attract the same woman to the shop, telling her to talk to me.

“It was all confusing, but the next thing he started pouring petrol inside the shop and afterwards lit a match but the woman forced her way out as he tried to close the door on all of us. It was people around that came to our rescue but I and my children were already burnt. I thank God that we are still alive.”

Ifeoma said that her husband, who hails from Mbaitolu in Imo State, was fond of beating her.
“Most of the time, I will run to my parents’ house but he will always come begging,” she said.
Asked if she can forgive her husband over the incident, she replied; “If God can forgive us our sins why can’t I forgive other people. I believe in God and that is all I can say for now. She, however, ruled out the possibility of retuning to the man’s house again, asking; “if it is you that somebody tried to kill, will you go back to that same person again?”

She called for assistance from both government and other public-spirited individuals to come to their aid.
“There is nobody to help us now; it is only my brother who has been trying his best but he can’t shoulder this alone. He has already paid the bills at Eastern Nigeria Medical Centre from where we were referred to this place; but we are yet to pay for the deposit in this particular hospital. Of course, there will be other bills but we have faith in God,” she added.

Reacting to the incident, her brother, Mr. Sunday Ede, lamented the ill-luck of his younger sister as regards her marriage, saying he had severally discouraged her from marrying Egeonu.
“This is my immediate younger sister; she was with me during her secondary school days. But at a time this guy impregnated her and decided to marry her.

“As time went on, I started seeing the character of the man and I made up my mind that he was not good for her. Sometimes, she will return to my house and stay with us but whenever he comes begging, she will follow him again.
“The last time she retuned was a week before this incident; she had stayed with me for about a week until the man came and my sister said she was following him. I could not stop her but I warned her that she was on her own.”

He recalled how a friend called him on phone on the day of the incident to inform him of what happened, which he initially ignored.
“Few minutes later somebody came on a bike and told me that my attention was needed at the Eastern Medical Centre that my sister was on admission; that her husband poured fuel on her and her children and set them on fire .
“Out of anger I said I was not going that they should bury her if they have finally killed her; but the messenger urged me to go that they had been referred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital.”

Mr. Ede said he had never seen something of this nature in his life and expressed shock that somebody could set his own children on fire.
Meanwhile, the police in Enugu are still searching for Egeonu, who had disappeared after setting his wife and children ablaze.
Before the incident, Egeonu was said to be dealing in musical equipment and at the same time using a part of the container-shop, located at No 61 Mount Street, Idaw River area of Awkunanaw Enugu, as barbing salon.

Boko Haram gives a single condition for talks

By: Online Publisher's The violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, has said that it is ready for dialogue with the Federal Government. But the sect says this will only happen if the government releases all its members in detention. 

The proposed talks, however, might not lead to the final solution that government had long searched for as the sect’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa, said that it would only be “a temporary measure for peace.” 

Qaqa’s statement, issued on behalf of the sect on Sunday, was quoted in a News Agency of Nigeria report.

The statement reads, “Our position remains the establishment of Sharia Law in all Muslim states in Nigeria.

“But as a temporary measure for peace, we will accept to talk with government only when all our members in captivity all over the states are released.”

However, an Anglican Bishop has warned the Federal Government not to negotiate with the sect, saying talks will only “encourage gangsterism and terrorism in the country.”

The Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Calabar Diocese, Rev. Tunde Adeleye, spoke in the Cross River State capital even as gunmen suspected to be members of the sect shot three people at a market in Maiduguri, Borno State on Monday.

Qaqa said the sect, which currently engages the Federal Government in a campaign of violence, had the list of its members arrested by the Police, the State Security Service and other security agencies. Last week, the sect denied a part of the report of the Presidential Committee on Security Challenges in the North-East that says it is ready for talks.

The committee headed by Ambassador Gaji Galtmari submitted its report to the Federal Government two weeks ago.

Qaqa said the Galtmari panel never met with the group.

The sect said, “We only heard the story in the media, nobody contacted us throughout the sitting of the committee. So, it is wrong for them to recommend dialogue with us when they did not make any effort to meet with us.

“The idea of appointing the Sultan of Sokoto as a mediator between us and the government is also not acceptable to us because the Sultan is not the authentic Muslim leader in Nigeria.”

The Agence France Presse, which reported the killings in Maiduguri, said it was confirmed by the Borno State police commissioner, Simeon Midenda.

The commissioner was quoted as saying, “I have received report of an attack this morning by suspected Boko Haram gunmen in Baga market where a tea seller, a drug store owner and a passer-by were shot dead by the attackers.

“The fact that nothing was taken from the tea seller who was shot in the chest and the head and the drug store owner rules out robbery.” 

The market is frequented by traders from Chad, Niger and Cameroon. There have been no arrests in connection with the attack, he said. The attack brings to eight the number of people killed in the city in the last two days by suspected Islamists after weeks of a lull in Boko Haram-instigated bomb and shooting attacks.

Five people were killed on Independence Day on Saturday, in two separate attacks, a spokesman for a special military unit in Maiduguri also told AFP.

In one of them, attackers used explosives and gunfire to target an army patrol near a wedding in the city, killing at least three civilians, the military said on Sunday.

In the second incident, a butcher and his assistant were shot dead by gunmen in Maiduguri.

Adeleye, at a press conference heralding the synod of the diocese, said that holding talks with the Boko Haram Sect was not the solution to the problem.

The cleric said, “We do not agree that one of the solutions to this problem is to have dialogue or a round table talk with the people involved. If the Federal Government starts to talk or plan to treat them (Boko Haram) the same way the Niger-Delta militants were treated, then we must say that it will be a bad precedent.

“This may encourage gangsterism and terrorism in this country and the Federal Government will need to keep discussing with everybody or group threatening the peace of the country.”

Attacks on military barracks, police facilities and drinking joints in Maiduguri and other towns in the north as well as the Federal Capital Territory by the violent sect, said to be founded in Maiduguri, have claimed at least 750 lives.

Oil price heads for biggest quarterly drop since 2008

By: Online Publisher's

Oil prices are heading for further drop to the 2008 low levels as investors speculated that global economic growth will slow and curb fuel demand amid rising supplies.This has serious implication for the 2012 budget which is being predicated on $75 per barrel.

If prices of crude tumble as a result of slow down in global economy, Nigeria may face serious financing gap for the economic transformation agenda of the President. It would mean that Minister of Finance and Coordinator of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s plan to reduce budget deficit may not be realised.

Oil prices in New York, weekend, headed for its biggest quarterly drop since 2008. Crude stockpiles rose 1.92 million barrels last week, the U.S. Energy Department said.

Morgan Stanley cut its Brent oil forecast to $100 from $130 on weaker demand and increasing OPEC production. Indications are that Chinese growth is poised to ease.

“We’re trading from headline to headline and that’s all markets, not just the oil market,” said Michael McCarthy, a chief market strategist at CMC Markets Asia Pacific Pty Ltd. in Sydney.

“The gap is closing between Brent and West Texas and that could be an indication that there is some easing in the supply-side concerns from the Middle East.”

Crude for November delivery was at $81.15 a barrel, down six cents, in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange at the close of business last week after falling as much as 1.9 per cent. The contract slid 3.8 per cent to $81.21. Futures are down nine per cent this month and 11 per cent this year. The quarterly decline is the biggest since the last three months of 2008.

Brent oil for November settlement was at $103.94 a barrel, up 13 cents, on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The European benchmark contract was at a premium of $22.79 to New York crude, compared with a record of $26.87 on September 6. Economic growth in China, which consumes about a tenth of the world’s oil, will slow to less than five per cent annually within five years, according to most investors. Growth was 9.5 per cent last quarter.

The European Union accounted for about 16 per cent of global oil demand last year, according BP Plc’s annual Statistical Review of World Energy.

German lawmakers voted on Friday on an expansion of the euro area’s rescue fund as the region’s governments weigh further measures to support Greece.

Crude inventories climbed for the first time in four weeks in the U.S., the world’s biggest user of the commodity, which accounts for about 21 per cent of demand. Gasoline stockpiles rose 791,000 barrels in the week ended September 23, the Energy Department report showed. Production capacity in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries will climb almost 800,000 barrels a day in 2012, led by the resumption of Libyan fields, Morgan Stanley analysts led by New York-based Hussein Allidina said in a report on Friday. Slowing global economic growth will curb demand, the analysts said.

Libyan crude production may reach as much as 400,000 barrels a day next month, Citigroup Inc. analysts including Edward Morse said. Fighting in Libya since February has reduced the availability of light, sweet crude, or oil with low density and sulfur content. The country’s output fell to 45,000 barrels a day last month, according to Bloomberg estimates, compared with the 1.6 million barrels a day the nation pumped in January.

Philipine Police Arrest 8 Nigerians Over Alleged Sex Trade Involving Minors

By: Online Publisher's

CIDG building in Philipine

“Its a frame up”, Nigerians cry out...

 

A scandalous allegation of having sex with minor Philippine girls have been made against 8 out of the 96 Nigerian boys from Niger Delta who were on the sponsorship of the Federal Government of Nigeria Amnesty programme in far-away Philippine.

The Nigerian suspects stands the risk of being thrown into jail for the next 18 years unless they cough out 1million pesos each (about N3.5m). Already, the organizers of the programme have dished out about 5 million pesos to Philippine Police to amend the charges in order to give the boys a leeway out of the hook of the law.

 

The Head of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Samuel Pagdilao said the Nigerians were arrested last Wednesday inside a hotel in Manilla for allegedly engaging in a sex trade involving female minors.

 

He gave the names of the suspects as ; Lucky Nelson, 24, Dumalo Gbue, 25, Yerebbari Neemana, 29, Owki Baknanawe, 29, Sundah Korobriowei Mathew, 29, Gabriel Tekena, 28, Worlo Enyi, 25 and Mark Jack, 24.

 

According to him, “the authorities learned about the suspects’ illegal activities after receiving an e-mail complaint from the mother of one of the minors alleging that “The [minors] were being sold to the suspects for sexual services at the hotel.”

 

The complainant also sought the assistance of CIDG for the rescue of her daughter,” In a rescue operation at about 10 p.m. of Wednesday, CIDG operatives saw a certain Emma Cruz, believed to be the minors’ “handler,” negotiating with the Nigerians outside the hotel.

 

The victims were being peddled to the suspect for P1, 500 each. Authorities then arrested the Nigerians after the complainant-mother, who went along with the CIDG operatives, recognized one of the minors being “sold” as her 14-year-old daughter. But the alleged “handler” eluded arrest.”

 

Pagdilao said charges for violation of the Anti-violence Against Women and Children Law and the Anti-human Trafficking in Person Law are being prepared against the suspects and lauded the CIDG’s “Project Angel Net,” a police campaign introduced by the CIDG to prevent children from becoming victims of cyber- sex, cyber -pornography, and other trafficking and sex trade-related abuses.

However, in a swift reaction, most of the Nigerian boys undergoing the programme told Crime Guard on phone that it was a frame up geared towards extorting money from them. One of them who craved for strict anonymity gave a vivid account of what really took place on the day in question.

According to him, “At about 10pm local time, our boys who have the habit of seating in front of their hotel of residence, saw the police arrive in three SUV Van and began arresting as much of the blacks as they saw.

 

Some of the boys were able to run into their hotel room and by that escaped being arrested. They were taken to Campo Crame, a police Village in Quzon City. We went there and were told by the police officers that the boys were arrested for engaging minors in sex.

 

“We got a lawyer who came to negotiate for us. We, however, discovered it was a setup organized by the police and some of their informants (who, one of the boys) had engaged before for sex as a prostitute which is called pokpok in filipino language and did not pay her.

 

In truth, the boys did not commit the offense as charged, but it is a common thing for Philippine police to set foreigners up and extort money from them. When we went into negotiation, they asked us to pay 1,000,000.00 pesos per person or they will charge them and make sure they go in for a minimum of 18 years jail term here in the Philippines.

 

They have perfected a process that will make it difficult for the boys to be acquitted as well as delay court process till the end of our stay. We were left with no option but to negotiate with them.

We involved the Nigerian Embassy, and the Ambassador, Mr. S.A.O Egurube, Charge d’Affaires en titre / Head of Mission and Mr. Abraham E. Okoliko who is the Minister (Consular and Information) among other staff of the embassy, were at the police station.

 

“However, their presence made the police uncomfortable and as such, the boys were charged to court without further delay. The embassy had to withdraw so that we could negotiate effectively.

At this point, we gave the police 5 million pesos and the charges were amended to give the boy a leeway out of the hook of the law. At present, a court process is going on and by the grace of God, they will be out in, at most, 2 weeks time. We are still spending more money in the court process to fast track it.”

 

Crime Guard also gathered that the Phillippine Star, a local tabloid celebrated the story against the Nigerian boys who are studying pipe line and underwater welding at MFI Foundation.