Video - Thousands flee Boko Haram violence

Thousands of people have fled violence in northeastern Nigeria's Yobe and Borno states. The civilians are caught in a bloody struggle between Nigerian security forces and Boko Haram, an armed Muslim group fighting against Western influence. Young men form the bulk of the displaced and some claim they have been wrongly accused of attacking government forces.

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Video - Nigeria's military demands apology from international news agency Reuters

The Defence Headquarters has demanded an unreserved apology from Reuters International and its reporters over the release of video clip alleging that soldiers killed unarmed civilians in Maiduguri Borno State, as part of their sustained onslaught against Boko Haram insurgency.

Reuters among others claims on Sunday, November 18, 2012 alleged that a soldier filmed his colleagues purported to be members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) while they were summarily executing civilians in Maiduguri. They have however withdrawn the reports, citing lack of authenticity.

The military in press conference organised by their spokespersons Wednesday in Abuja, demanded that despite the fact that Reuters had withdrawn what it describes as "malicious report," it should in its apology give it same level of publicity it gave the video publication.

The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Col Mohammed Yerima, explained that the video clip was false in its entirety and fabricated for sinister motive.

Yerima gave a chronological evidence and documentation, which exposed the falsehood of the video that has already been published by Aljazeera Network on February 4, 2010, alleging that JTF were killing civilians in Jos, which were later found to be false.

He said that contrary to Reuters' report and the video clip, the Nigerian Army does not use the type of vehicles shown on Internal Security Operations and especially not in JTF operations.

He also noted that the vegetation in the video clip was not typical vegetation obtainable in Maiduguri or in any arid region in Nigeria.

"That Nigerian soldiers on internal security operation do not use belts over their camouflage uniforms. In fact, it is only the Guards Brigade based in Abuja that uses their belt over camouflage uniforms in the Nigerian Army," he said.

"Picture one of the report was used as the cover page of the Amnesty International report that was released on November 8, 2012. The same picture is again sued by Reuters who claimed it was captured two weeks ago. This, to a large extent, corroborates our conviction that there is a planned conspiracy to tarnish the image of JTF in Borno State," he noted.

"We consider this action by Reuters International as one of the series of calculated campaign of calumny by some disgruntled local and international interests to discredit the integrity and professionalism of Nigerian Armed Forces," he added.

"This unacceptable trend must stop. The Defence Headquarters demands an unreserved apology from Reuters International and its reporters, which must be given the same level of publicity that was given the malicious report," he demanded.

This Day

Former Super Eagles coach says players were corrupt

Former Nigeria national team coach, Clemens Westerhof has revealed that players bribed their way into the national team in the past.

Westerhof, who coached Nigeria to success at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and also led the Super Eagles to their first-ever Fifa World Cup in the United States in 1994, said the players who did not merit a place in the national team got call-ups after giving money to the selectors.

"We had a situation where we had the wrong people in the wrong places, even in the (Nigeria) FA," Westerhof told supersport.com.

The Dutchman went on to specifically state that monies usually exchanged hands between national team selectors and the players when places in the national team were considered.

"We had cases where players paid money to the coach and said 'I want to play for the national team' and the coach would accept. They bought their way into the national team and it was an unbelievable situation. Very sad. I know these things," an angry Westerhof said.

With Nigeria set to compete at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations from January, Westerhof said things have changed for the better under current head coach, Stephen Keshi.

"My captain (Keshi) is there now and you can see the changes because he selects the right people.

"Nigeria beat Liberia 6-1 in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and outclassed Venezuela (in an international friendly earlier this month). The results come because players are now selected on merit.

"If Keshi can manage to hold that group together things will get even better. If there is discipline everywhere; the players sleep in time and live like professionals, work like professionals and think like professionals and even go to the toilet like a professional, then you will see Nigeria will come back," he said.

Westerhof, 72, began his career as an assistant coach with Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has also coached Vitesse Arnhem, the Zimbabwean national team, the Sporting Lions of Zimbabwe's Premier League, and the Bush Bucks and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa's Premier Soccer League.

In addition, he has served as technical director of the Harare-based Agatha Sheneti Youth Academy and also of the Harare United club, which was linked to the Academy. In 2001 he was technical director of Dynamos FC, Zimbabwe's biggest club, but lasted in the position just a few months.

Vanguard

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President Goodluck Jonathan's brother dies at age 45

It was a sombre birthday celebration for President Goodluck Jonathan tuesday as the death of his younger brother, Meni, dampened the commemoration of the president's 55th birthday.

Meni, who was the head of the Otueke Council of Chiefs, died at the National Hospital, Abuja. He was 45 years old.

Until his death, he was a businessman and owned some fuel filling stations in their home state of Bayelsa.

Investigations revealed that Meni had been terminally ill for over a year before he passed on Tuesday.

When THISDAY visited his home in Otuoke, sympathisers, mostly women, were seen consoling his daughter, Vivian.

Meni's two wives and the eldest of his 12 children were said to have left for Abuja following the announcement of his death.

It was gathered that Jonathan decided to evacuate Meni to Abuja on Saturday for proper medical treatment when he noticed that his health had deteriorated.

The president was in Otuoke on a strictly private visit, which included the dedication of the Mission House of the church building donated by Gitto Construction Company when his brother's condition was brought to his attention.

THISDAY gathered that the recent flooding, which had forced the people of Otuoke to flee their homes, may have aggravated the poor health of Meni, who reportedly refused to leave his home, the ground floor of which was overran by the rampaging flood.

When THISDAY visited Meni's home yesterday, some of his personal effects destroyed by the flood, such as furniture, still littered the compound, while the living room was bare.

At the palace of the royal father of the community, THISDAY was told that the traditional ruler would not speak on the death until he was officially informed.

However, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, confirmed the death in a statement issued tuesday.

"President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan announces with sadness the death earlier today (yesterday) of his younger brother, Chief Meni Innocent Jonathan.

"Chief Meni Jonathan passed away at the National Hospital, Abuja after a brief illness. "Formal burial arrangements will be announced later by the family," the statement said.

Hours before the official statement was issued, a source told THISDAY that the president, in company with Vice-President Namadi Sambo and the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, had visited the National Hospital when he received information about his brother's demise.

In a message yesterday, Senate President David Mark commiserated with Jonathan and Bayelsa State Government and its people over the death of Meni.

In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan, Mark urged the president and his family to take solace in the fact that Meni lived an exemplary life of discipline, decency and forthrightness, worthy of emulation.

"I share in this grief and pain. I pray God in His infinite mercies grants you the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss," he said.

Also reacting to news of the president's brother's death, the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, sent a message of condolence to the president.

He led a delegation of senior citizens of the state to the presidential villa, Abuja, where he offered prayers for the deceased whom he described as a "fine gentleman and proud Bayelsan at heart, owing to his commitment and dedication to the development of not just his community but Bayelsa State as a whole."

Dickson also prayed that God should grant the president and his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

This Day

Nigerian gospel artist steals £120,000 from women he met on dating site

A Nigerian gospel singer, Oluwamayowa Ajayi, who fleeced four American women he met on the internet dating site, Match.com, of over £120,000 was jailed for six and a half years on Friday evening at Snakesbrook Crown Court in East London.

Ajayi, 31, who is an overstayer in Britain, looked blank and showed no outward emotions as he was handed the sentence. As if resigned to fate, he walked sheepishly behind one of the two female security guards who led him out of Courtroom 20, where his fate was sealed.

About a minute earlier, Judge Sarah Paneth told him, “I’m sentencing you to six and a half years. You may now go down - a technical term for jail. “

Ajayi, who performs under the stage name, “Malo Joe“ pretended to be an American fighter pilot, a grieving widower and an oil executive to the women he fleeced before the long arms of the law caught up with him.

Prior to his sentencing that evening, both the crown prosecutor and his defence counsel spent close to two hours making last minute submissions to the Judge.

While the crown prosecutor summed up his argument stating how Ajayi lived off the women by lying - among others, in one instance - that he had been held hostage by Niger Delta militants and therefore, his captors needed some ransom before he could be released, otherwise, they would kill him, his defence lawyer, John Femi - Ola pleaded with the court: “don’t crush him so that he can have the opportunity to do something useful with his life,” after his term. Femi-Ola also told the Judge that “this is his first time.”

Despite the pleas for mercy, it was inevitable that he would be caged. After listening to the pleas from both sides, the Judge took a 20 minute break at 3.40p.m. and when the court re-convened at 4.00p.m., she took about 40 minutes to read her sentencing notes, detailing the seven- count charge that Ajayi had been found guilty of by the jury who had found him guilty four days earlier.

In one instance, he tricked and lied to one of his victims who parted with over $100,000, that he was a businessman who was short of cash and therefore, needed a loan. The woman used some of the money on her credit card and also borrowed from family members to raise the funds.

In another, Ajayi claimed he was in the hands of Niger Delta militants and they would kill him within 20 hours if the woman didn’t do anything about the ransom they asked her to pay. She hurriedly sent $500 through Moneygram to Nigeria, where he then cashed the money.

According to the Judge, “all the four women were embarrassed” when each discovered they were dealing with a con man and not someone who loved them and was in a relationship. Of course, none knew about the other until detectives contacted them after his arrest.

The Judge told him,” you defrauded women of the sums the women cannot afford to lose.”

Ajayi, the Judge noted, would have continued preying on more innocent women had the arms of the law not caught up with him. As the Judge read her notes, his well wishers, numbering about seven, gasped and he looked resigned to his imminent fate before the curtain fell on his fraudulent life at 4.40p.m., when the judge told him, “I’m sentencing you to six and a half years. You may now go down.” The court guards wasted no time in sandwiching him between themselves as they led him out of the courtroom.

Although it’s not certain if he will be deported after his term, but Ajayi, who initially came to the United Kingdom (UK) on a six month visa in 2004, overstayed. He then left and on his return to the UK, falsely obtained a driver’s licence using the name of a Portuguese man who had died in 2004. This, the Judge noted, showed that the gospel singer was a chief in the criminal operation for which he was being jailed.

Guardian

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