Nigeria votes for No-Fly zone in Libya

The Nigerian Mission to the United Nations (UN) has explained that the actions of Libyan authorities to violate the terms of the resolution and fundamental principles of international law informed its vote for the no-fly zone over Libya.

The United Nations Security Council had onThursday evening approved a draft resolution calling for a no-fly zone over Libya to assist rebels.

The draft resolution passed with 10 votes in favor and none opposed.

Five countries, including China, Russia, Germany and Brazil, abstained from voting on the issue.

Addressing the Security Council's debate in New York on the situation in Libya, the Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Joy Ogwu said that the resolution being adopted was necessitated by the persistently grave and dire situation in Libya.

"Notwithstanding the clear expression of our common will and the comprehensive measures instituted under Resolution 1970, the Libyan authorities have continued to violate the terms of the resolution and fundamental principles of international law," She said.

Professor Joy Ogwu added that the current state of affairs leaves an indelible imprint on the conscience and moves the Nigerian government to act, adding that the magnitude of this humanitarian disaster is, indeed, what compelled Nigeria to vote in favour of this resolution.

She further noted that Nigeria's persistent calls for peace are rooted in the need to ensure the safety, dignity and availability of humanitarian assistance for a population in need, many of whom are Nigerian nationals.

She also noted that the emphasis of the resolution on the protection of civilians under threat of attack and the provisions for humanitarian assistance do much to address these concerns.

Saying that the League of Arab States and the African Union (AU) have spoken with one voice in condemnation of the situation in Libya, and rightly so as the crisis is one of regional import, the Nigerian top envoy stressed that Nigeria, as a member of the security council and a member of the AU maintains that foreign occupation is not an option to secure peace in Libya.

Leadership

Related stories: Nigeria closes Embassy in Libya

499 Nigerians evacuated from Libya

Nigerians killed in Libyan Protests 

97 Year Old Politician's Mother Kidnapped

Ninty-Seven year old mother of PDP senatorial candidate for Delta central senatorial in the April 2011 election, Mrs Ovireyibo Amori, has been kidnapped.

The Saturday Vanguard reliably gathered that she was abducted in her Ugbokpa-Mosogar community, Ethiope West Local Government Area residence at about 8 o'clock Thursday night. Mrs Ovireyibo Amori was said to be taking fresh air outside her apartment when the kidnappers struck. Her political son Chief Ighoyota Amori confirmed the incident on phone, explaining that he got a ditress call at about 8pm that she had been kidnapped by yet unknown persons.

Amori said the kidnappers were in touch with him, giving him two conditions for therelease of their victim.

He said: "The kidnappers have been calling me, asking me to either dump my senatorial ambition or part with N100 million as ransom."

He called the kidnap political. He said he had informed the police of the situation.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Charles Muka confirmed the incident, saying Madam Amori was taken through Jesse River in a waiting boat.

Muka said the Mercedes Benz car with number plate AZ 70 ADJ, in which the woman was driven from her compound, was submerged in the Jesse River, but was later recovered by the police.

Vanguard

Related stories: Video - 50 arrested for kidnapping

Plans to introduce the death penalty for Kidnapping underway in Nigeria

Kidnapping culture in Nigeria on the rise

FELA! comes to Afrika Shrine

The cast and crew of Fela! Musical that has been making waves at the Broadway and cinema houses across Europe and America will be in Afrika Shrine on April 14 for a live performance of the award winning show.

The Thursday April 14 show will kick off the series of shows lined up by the production crew of musical which is making its debut in Nigeria, the birth place of the legendary Olufela Anikulapo Kuti, the creator of afro beat musical genre and who is also Africa's greatest musical export.

Originally, the musical was billed for Nigeria this March but was moved to April due to logistics reasons and the demand by Femi, the internationally acclaimed musician son of Fela, who canvassed for the shift as he will not be available in the country throughout the month of March.

Insiders disclosed that the Afrika Shrine live performance of Fela! Musical will be a combination of a live concert and drama depicting the life and times of Fela who succumbed to the cold hands of death on Saturday August 2 1997 at hospital on Victoria Island Lagos.

According to our source, the crew for the show will move into the Ikeja Business District based New Afrika Shrine on Saturday April 9 for stage construction in preparation for the show which is expected to attract all lovers of afrobeat and Fela's fans.

It would be recalled that the British Council Nigeria and the National Theatre, London (NT Live) in association with British Deputy High Commission, Lagos had on Sunday February 6, organized the screening of Fela! Musical at the New Afrika Shrine. The production which was filmed live at the Oliver Theatre in London was seen by a large crowd and members of the diplomatic community.

The screening was part of the British Council's work in the arts and to showcase the best of UK's creativity overseas while working with the best of creative talents to develop innovative events and collaborations that link thousands of artistes and cultural institutions around the world and developing skills and leadership in the creative sector.

Winner of three Tony Awards including best choreography, the music al which is a baby of two Americans, Jay Z and Will Smith, celebrates the life of the afrobeat legend, his music and most importantly, his pioneering political and human rights activism in Nigeria during the military era that earned him imprisonment severally

Daily Independent

Related stories: FELA! on Broadway

Years after death, Fela nears mainstream appeal

Hollywood making Fela movie

Nigeria closes Embassy in Libya

As the fighting between the pro-Gaddafi and anti-Gaddafi troops in Libya intensifies, Nigeria has temporarily closed its embassy in Tripoli.

The nation's charge d'affaires in Libya, Mr. Harun Umar, confirmed this development yesterday in Abuja when the last batch of stranded Nigerians in Libya were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said yesterday that it had evacuated a total of 4,000 Nigerians from Tripoli.

The agency said that it had concluded the evacuation of stranded Nigerians in the North African country.

This was made known by the director-general of NEMA, Muhammad Sani-Sidi. He said that additional four flights were made from Monday to Wednesday, bringing a total of 1,784 distressed Nigerians directly from Tripoli. So far, over 4000 Nigerians have been safely brought back to the country and transported to their respective states of origin.

While the last flight brought in only 194 passengers, including Nigeria's embassy officials and their families, the first flight in the last batch of the evacuation brought in 558 passengers, the second 496 and third, 536 persons.

The Nigerian charge d' affaires in Libya, Mr. Harun Umar, who accompanied the last batch said: "There are no more Nigerians at the Tripoli International Airport. The Nigerian mission in Libya has been temporarily closed as top officials of the mission including Sheik K. Lemu, Tijjani Otman and Mrs M. O. Abodunde have arrived."

Meanwhile, a special team comprising officials from NEMA, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Commission for Refugees, Nigeria Immigration Services, Civil Defence Corps and relevant security agencies have been set up to receive other passengers that would be brought to the country by the International Organisation for Migrations (IOM) and the United Nations Agency for Refugees who would continue to evacuate stranded citizens through Libya's neighbouring countries like Egypt and Tunisia.

So far, the international bodies have brought to the country about 300 Nigerians through Lagos, Kano and Abuja International Airports.

Leadership

Related stories: 499 Nigerians evacuated from Libya

Nigerians killed in Libyan Protests 

MEND Threatens to Bomb Abuja, Lagos

 A warning purportedly coming from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) indicates that it plans to commence simultaneous bomb attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta area as well as in Lagos and Abuja.

The warning, posted on the internet by Jomo Gbomo yesterday, added that Nigerians and foreigners who ignored the warning did so at their own peril. The militant group insisted that the planned attacks would be catastrophic.

The statement reads: "The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (M.E.N.D) will soon commence simultaneous bomb attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta and other strategic locations in Abuja and Lagos State of Nigeria.

"Due to our commitment to averting avoidable loss of lives, advance warnings for immediate evacuation as previously done will be issued and a final warning will be issued thirty (30) minutes prior to the blasts, after which will follow a statement of claim in line with our modus operandi.

"The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (M.E.N.D) advises the general public in the strongest of terms to stay clear from all political gatherings or meetings of any sort.

"It should be recalled in our last Independence Day bomb blast that it was due to the callousness of the Nigerian security services and ignorance of the general public that led to the fatality. Again, anyone who chooses to ignore this warning does so at their own peril as the aftermath of these blasts will be catastrophic.

"The government of Goodluck Jonathan has shown its unwillingness to address the key issues of the Niger Delta but chosen, instead, to continue doling out bribes to thugs and plunder the resources of the Niger Delta into his presidential campaign while deceiving the world and Nigerians that there is peace in the Niger Delta.

"Our revolution, like that of our fellow brothers in Northern Africa, will start with the crippling of the Nigerian oil industry to flush out all Western oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region with the simultaneous bomb blasts never anticipated in the history of this country.

"The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta salutes the courage and dedication of its fighters who have, against all odds, persisted in the fight for justice."

Leadership

Related stories: Video - MEND attack on independence day

Babangida campaign chief arrested over bombing