Nigeria deploys 900 troops to Mali

The Defence headquarters in Abuja will today commence airlifting of over 900 soldiers deployed to Mali for peace keeping operations.

The soldiers will work alongside troops from Benin, Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Togo to assists the Malian military reclaim towns in the northern Mali captured by militants recently. France has already stationed 800 troops in Mali. A Nigerian, Major General Shehu U Abdulkadir has assumed work as Force Commander in Mali.

Director, Defence Information, Colonel Mohammed Yerima, said at a media briefing yesterday that "President Goodluck Jonathan approved the deployment of battalion (776 soldiers). In the next 24 hours (today), a company (150 soldiers) will be deployed while the remainder will be deployed later. Already, the Force Commander, Gen. Abdulkadir, is on ground in Mali. Also, technical teams of Nigerian army, air force are already in Mali to facilitate the eventual full deployment of fighter aircraft and support element."

He said the deployment followed the request of the Malian government and UN Security Council resolution 2085 of December 2012.

Military sources in Abuja said Air Force C-130 planes will be used to transport troops and equipment to Mali.

Meanwhile, the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, said in a statement yesterday that "The European Union remains committed to supporting international efforts to protect democratic government, the rule of law and the territorial integrity of Mali."

Daily Trust

The first lady Patience Jonathan flown back to Germany for medical reasons

Wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, was on Monday flown to Germany for what a Presidency source said was for a check-up.

Fears over Mrs. Jonathan’s health spread last year when he was away from the country for weeks.

She was said to be in critical condition in a German hospital.

Although she looked pale, she denied being admitted to any hospital when she finally returned on October 14, 2012.

Her husband later confirmed that she was sick but had recovered.

The President’s wife had to cancel a thanksgiving service and reception she initially planned in honour of former Kaduna State Governor Patrick Yakowa and ex-National Security Adviser Andrew Azazi, and others, who died in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa State on December 15.

Although an online news portal, Saharareporters, reported that Mrs. Jonathan was flown out of the country, a Presidency source told our correspondent that she only travelled on Monday for a check-up.

“You will recall that since she returned last year, madam has not travelled out of the country. This trip is just for a check-up, nothing more. Any report that she had been hurriedly flown abroad is far from the truth,” the source said.

Patience attended the inter-denominational service held as part of activities marking this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja on Sunday alongside her husband and mother-in-law.

She looked healthy throughout the service.

Efforts to get her media aides for comments on the telephone were unsuccessful at press time.

PUNCH

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Video - Lake Chad left out to dry

Once counted as the largest water reservoir in Africa, Nigeria's Lake Chad is rapidly shrinking due to excessive use and climate change. The lake supplies water to four different countries but it could dry up by the end of the century. Efforts to solve the problem and replenish the lake's water, however, are stuck in the pipeline.

Suspected mastermind behind media houses attack arrested

Barely 24 hours when a top suspected Boko Haram terrorist was arrested in Abuja at a former National Assembly Lawmaker, the Joint Task Force, JTF, "Operation Restore Order," said, Sunday, it has also arrested one Mohammed Zangina, a high profile Boko Haram Commander and Shura Committee member who reportedly co-ordinated the bombings of Thisday and The Sun newspapers last year at the Government Reserved Area,GRA, Maiduguri.

In a statement in Maiduguri by the JTF spokesman, Lt Col. Sagir Musa the JTF said, the suspect was in Maiduguri to plan several deadly attacks against civilians and security personnel any moment from yesterday.

Meanwhile, all major roads leading to churches and other strategic locations were cordoned off for several hours by JTF operatives, yesterday, resulting to traffic gridlocks for hours during and after Sunday services. The JTF, however, said Mohammed Zangina a.k.a Mallam Abdullahi or Alhaji Musa, was the leader of North Central and Coordinator of most of the suicide attacks and bombings in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Jos and Potiskum.

Sagir further insisted that Zangina was a key member of the Shura Committee of the Boko Haram who was among those declared wanted with a bounty of N25 million placed on him by the JTF on November 23, 2012.

Sagir added that he survived several security manhunts on his hideouts in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Jos and Potiskum town of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital which has remained centre of attacks and killings. The spokesman said Zangina's arrest was effected by JTF troops following a special operation conducted in GRA, Maiduguri.

Vanguard

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Nigeria ranked 20th saddest country in the world

The influential Forbes Magazine, has listed the country as ranking high in global index for harbouring one of the world's saddest people, saying the country's leadership must move from corrupt practices and official profligacy to render quality leadership to the people.

This is contained in the annual development analysis index that was released on Thursday culled by LEADERSHIP from the Magazine's website, stating that citizens of the country ranked 20th amongst their counterpart sampled across the globe, thus making the country one of the worst country to live in.

Nigeria also shares the same unenviable position with several other African and Asian countries of the world with the war torn Central African Republic topping the chart as the country harbouring the saddest people in the globe.

Below are the first 20:

1. Central African Republic

2. Republic of Congo

3. Afghanistan

4. Chad

5. Haiti

6. Burundi

7. Togo

8. Zimbabwe

9. Yemen

10. Ethopia

11. Pakistan

12. Iraq

13. Liberia,

14. Angola

15. Sierra Leone

16. Guinea

17. Ivory Coast

18. Sudan

19. Mozambique

20. Nigeria

Leadership

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