We’re ready to tolerate Christian courts if… – Muslim group

A group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has assured that Muslims are prepared to tolerate Christian courts so long as they will serve Christians. 

MURIC stated this in a statement by his Director, Ishaq Akintola, while reacting to a recent demand by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the ongoing National Conference, seeking for the establishment of ecclesiastical courts throughout Nigeria.

According to MURIC, “it is pertinent to note that this is the first time CAN has openly made such demand”. 

“We welcome this demand as it indicates a positive response to requests from the secretariat of the national conference and the call made by President Goodluck Jonathan for all aggrieved and neutral groups to present their cases and requests. 

“The latest submissions by CAN will no doubt move the dialogue machinery forward.

“We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) have always asked Christians in the country to tell Nigerians what they wanted instead of always opposing what the Muslims want. 

“It is our belief that if all stakeholders in the Nigerian project openly make their demands, the task of harmonising our interests will become easier. 

“We believe that demands which fall within the fundamental human rights of each group should be granted while no group should stand in the way of another so long as a group’s demand does not encroach on others’ rights.  Source:dailyindependentnig

New Talent: Another Actress turns musician!

Angela Okorie a Nollywood actress, share her  picture that might insinuate she is about to release her own album.

Read how she put it below. 

"I have not done any song, but I've written a lot of them and I will soon hit the studio. I'm still putting finishing touches to my songs before going to the studio.

I'm not going to release just single, I'm planning to come out big with my album. This is what I've been doing since my childhood; it wasn't a child play for me.

I grew up with it. While growing up, I was singing in the choir. Then I became a soloist in my church. I came back to Nigeria to do modeling and from modeling to acting. So singing has been part of me.

Most times, I sing without instrument and if you listen to me, you'll be convinced that I am a singer."

EcoSahel’s Jelani Aliyu Develops Solar-powered Laptop

An indigenous Nigerian company, EcoSahel Global Ventures, has developed a solar-powered laptop that is powerful, rugged, versatile and durable, with the ability to take the harsh conditions of any environment.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the company headed by an automotive/industrial designer and technology entrepreneur, Jelani Aliyu, MFR, is committed to providing effective creative technologies that will make the lives of Nigerians easier, intelligent technologies that are in tune with the nation’s environment, are energized by it and perform efficiently.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP, Aliyu explained the commitment of his company towards progressive technologies that blend with the nation’s environment: “Our future lies not in technologies and systems that are incompatible with our cultures and climate; our future lies in solar energy. The sooner we, as individuals, researchers, institutions, entrepreneurs and leaders, adopt this free and clean power source, the earlier  we shall be self-sufficient in energy to power our lives, cities, farms and industries.”

He said that the SOL solar-powered laptop gets its power directly from the sun, and hence does not need to be plugged in, enabling study, work and communication from anywhere.

“Our country is blessed with abundant sunlight, and EcoSahel believes it is only logical that we leverage this power source to power our lives. The SOL is set to be one of the most significant products in Nigeria; it is both a laptop and a power generator,” Aliyu said.

Ebonyi Assembly Suspends Deputy Speaker, 2 Others Over Insubordination

Deputy Speaker and member Representing Afikpo South East, Hon Blaise Orji and two other members some few hours ago suspended by Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

They are the member Representing Afipko South West Constituency, Hon Eni Uduma Chima and the member representing, Ohaukwu North State constituency, Hon Frank Onwe.

The members were suspended over alleged insurbodination and attempt to cause disaffection between the legislature and the executive arm of government.

Nigeria federation dismisses claim of fixing 2010 World Cup qualifiers

The Nigeria Football Federation has moved to denie allegations of match fixing levelled against it by Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal in his book.

Perumal who has recently served time in prison for match fixing claimed to have ensured Nigeria's qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa by enticing the Mozambican national team with a promise of $100,000 if they would hold Tunisia to a draw in Maputo and ensure that Nigeria qualified for the competition.

The Black Mambas did better by defefating Tunisia 1-0 while the Super Eagles won 3-2 away in Nairobi against Kenya to reach the first ever World Cup on African soil.

Perumal also said it was agreed for him, as payment, to organise the three World Cup warm up matches for the Super Eagles. He claimed to have also influenced the qualification of Honduras for the tournament.

However, the NFF through a statement by its general secretary Musa Amadu on Tuesday said the claims by Perumal are entirely false and an attempt to undermine the hard work of the organisation as well as the Super Eagles who fought hard to reach that tournament.

Samsung And Apple Issue Alerts Over Smartphone Problems

Samsung and Apple have both been forced to issue warnings to customers over problems with its smartphones.

Apple has announced a replacement programme for iPhone 5 phones which have broken sleep/wake buttons.

The tech giant said the buttons on some phones made before May 2013 were prone to breaking or not working, and said that users would be able to check if their device was affected and replace the button free of charge.

Apple has launched a webpage in which users can input their serial number and book a return, or arrange to drop it off in person.

In a separate incident, Samsung said some users of its new Galaxy S5 smartphonewere having problems with the phone's camera.

In a "very limited proportion" of cases, Samsung said, the camera either did not work or failed soon after using, due to "complications in the Read Only Memory component which stores the information necessary to operate the camera".

Samsung said that affected customers can get the phone replaced by contacting customer support.

    (huffingtonpost)

Obasanjo is a Leader of oil bunkerer, Says Alamieyesiegha

Ex- governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Solomon Alamieyeseigha Monday lampooned former President Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing him of having the list  of oil thieves in Nigeria, but he shielded them during his administration.

Alamieseigha also declared that 50 percent of Nigerian oil was stolen daily and  accused foreign embassies of having full knowledge of illegal purchase of crude oil from Nigeria.

Speaking Monday when officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, appeared before the Senator Adamu Aliero led Committee on Public Finance and Revenue, the former governor and a delegate from Bayelsa State told members of the Committee that he facilitated the arrest of some oil thieves in Bayelsa state as governor,but to his total dismay, these persons were left off the hook following what he termed high level conspiracy in high quarters and with the connivance of NNPC officials.

HND/Bsc dichotomy: Parents, Students commend FG

Federal Government Nigeria on Monday setting up a committee to resolve the Higher National Diploma (HND) and Degree holders’ dichotomy.

The Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, on April 24 at a special retreat for chairmen of Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics and Federal Colleges of Education in Kaduna, announced the establishment of the committee.

Wike added that the committee was being headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim.

Reacting to the development in Abuja, some parents and polytechnic students told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the steps taken by the government to resolve the disparity were commendable.

Mr Akin Shongule, a parent, said that the harmonisation was long overdue.

Shongule said from the beginning, the training of HND graduates was meant to complement the degree holders in the area of technical studies.

Nigerian Film Maker Amaka Igwe is Dead

Popular film producer, writer and director,Amaka Igwe  who produced the soap operas Checkmate and Fuji House of Commotion, died yesterday in her hometown, Enugu.

‘She suffered an asthma attack and was immediately rushed to the hospital after initial interventions had failed.’ said a statement gotten via The Net ‘She passed on before getting to the hospital’.  Amaka Igwe was in Enugu to work on a new soap opera died after suffering an Asthma attack.

Te death of Mrs. Igwe’s death who has a new station ‘Q Networks’ launching on Dstv soon, will no doubt leave a void in the Nigerian film industry and she will be greatly missed by a lot of people. She is survived by her husband, and 3 children.

Nigeria Police deny withdrawing Nyako’s security details

(premiumtimesng)The Nigerian Police Force has denied reports that it ordered the withdrawal of its personnel attached to the Government House, Yola, Adamawa State, thus rendering it vulnerable.

The spokesperson of the Adamawa State Police Command, Othman Abubakar, said the police officers attached to the Government House were intact contrary to reports.

The police had at the weekend reportedly withdrew a large chunk of police officers deployed to the Government House.

The state governor, Murtala Nyako, reportedly confirmed the withdrawal during media enquiries but stated that he had not been officially briefed.

The order was allegedly given to the force to reduce the operatives sent to the government from 170 to 30. It was also reported that the 30 operatives who were yet to be redeployed were asked to be deployed to mount security in Yola, as well as the Abuja and the Lagos Offices of the Adamawa State Government.

Speaking to Peoples Daily newspaper on Sunday evening, the spokesperson of Mr. Nyako, Ahmad Sajoh, said “We are waiting until Monday to see whether they will inform us. We don’t want to impugn anything for now. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

“We do not know the reason for the withdrawal. They may have their reasons.”
Mr. Sajoh also said Mr. Nyako does not live in the Government House, but in his private residence secured by a combination of soldiers, police and security details.

The police denied the claims.

“The Police presence is at the Government House,” Mr. Abubakar told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Monday night.

Pressed to speak further, the police spokesperson said, “If you go there (Government House), you will see them.”

Asked if the police withdrew a large chunk of its personnel, Mr. Abubakar said, “I wouldn’t say we withdrew any.”

When contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Frank Mba, asked this reporter if Mr. Nyako complained about the withdrawal of his security aides.

“Did Nyako tell you his security aides were withdrawn? I think that should be the starting point. Why don’t you ask the media aides, his Chief Press Secretary, they are your colleagues and so they can tell you,” Mr, Mba said.

Asked to state in clear terms if the aides were withdrawn since the governor’s media aide could not be reached, he said, “Our operational posting is designed to get optimum efficiency, public interest and better service delivery.”
Several efforts to speak to Mr. Sajoh were unsuccessful as he did not answer our calls or return them.

Mr. Nyako had in a memo addressed to the Northern Governors Forum recently accused The Federal Government of carrying out genocide against Northerners.

The memo led to exchange of heated words between the governor and the presidency, which culminated in it being discussed at an enlarged security meeting convened by the President last Wednesday.

The governors who briefed journalists after the meeting said Mr. Nyako’s memo was unanimously condemned by all attendees, who included state governors, Sultan of Sokoto, CAN President, and Service Chiefs. But, Mr. Nyako swiftly refuted his colleagues saying he stood by all his allegations in the memo. He also said he was neither chastised nor warned over the contents of his memo.

Insecurity May paralyze 2014 May Day Celebration - Labour Leader

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday raised alarm over the growing insecurity in the country as the organized labour prepares for its 2014 May Day celebration nationwide.

Some of the measures to secure the Eagle Square, Abuja, for the ceremony, according to the chairperson, 2014 May Day Committee, Comrade Lucy Offiong, is for groups that are interested in the Workers’ Day parade to undergo accreditation before the exercise.

Speaking at the Pre-May Day press briefing in Abuja, she also noted that vehicles are expected to park over 200 meters away from the venue. Offiong, however, added that the committee has barred participants from coming to the venue with bags.

Egypt sentences 683 to death in another mass trial

A judge in Egypt on Monday sentenced to death 683 alleged supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president, including the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader, the latest in mass trials that have drawn international condemnation and stunned rights groups.

The same judge also upheld the death penalty for 37 of 529 defendants sentenced in a similar case in March, though he commuted the rest to life imprisonment. Still, the 37 death sentences — which can beappealed in a higher court — remain an extraordinarily high number for Egypt, compared to the dramatic trial in the wake of the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, when only five people were sentenced to death and executed.In announcing the 683 death sentences for violence and the killing of policemen, Judge Said Youssef on Monday also said he was referring his ruling on the to the Grand Mufti, the nation's top Islamic official — a requirement under Egyptian law, but one that is considered a formality. 

Both Monday's and the March trial are linked to deadly riots that erupted in Minya and elsewhere in Egypt after security forces violently disbanded sit-ins held by Brotherhood supporters in Cairo last August.

Hundreds were killed as part of a sweeping campaign against supporters of former President Mohammed Morsi, ousted by the military last July. The removal of Morsi — a year after he was elected — came after millions demonstrated against his rule, demanding he step down for abuse of power.

Among those convicted and sentenced to death on Monday was Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood's spiritual guide. If his sentence is confirmed, it would make him the most senior Brotherhood figure sentenced to death since one of the group's leading ideologues, Sayed Qutb, was executed in 1966.

Badie, who was not present during the hearing in Minya, was in another court, in Cairo, where he faces charges of murder and incitement to murder along with 16 other Brotherhood leaders in a case connected to deadly protests outside the group's headquarters last June.

Once the Mufti reviews Monday's ruling, the same court will hold another session on June 21 to issue the final verdicts.

As the ruling was announced, an outcry erupted outside the court among the families and relatives of the defendants. Women fainted and wailed and many cried out "Why? This is unfair!"

"My three sons are inside," said a woman who only gave her first name, Samiya, as she screamed in grief. "I have no one but God."

Sitting on the pavement in front of the police cordon, 58-year-old Fatma, who also would not give her second name fearing for her relative on trial, broke into tears and screamed: "This judge is a butcher."

The father of another defendant, Mohammed Hassan Shehata, said his son Mahmoud was arrested in January, six months after the alleged violence he was charged with.

"There is no evidence whatsoever," he said. "If my son is guilty, behead him but if he is innocent, there will be a civil war."

Lawyer Ali Kamal, said Monday's hearing lasted only eight minutes. Security forces surrounded the court building and blocked roads, preventing families and media from attending the proceedings.

"This is against the spirit of the law," Kamal said.

According to a judicial official who oversaw the investigation in the case, evidence presented in the trial consisted mostly of footage of the defendants showing them attacking and looting a police station in Cairo and setting fire to several government buildings. The defendants faced nearly 14 charges, five of them punishable by death, said the official.

"This is a public opinion case, there must be a swift, deterrent punishment," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. "Yes, the verdict is very harsh, the number of people on trial is shocking, but it's proportional to the crimes."

If the "Grand Mufti upholds the death sentences for all or recommends reversing them, it won't mean anything to the judge," he added. "Only the judge has the right and the power to reverse his earlier decisions."

In the surprise reversal on Monday, the judge commuted the death sentences for all but 37 defendants in the March trial of 529 alleged Islamist supporters. The remaining defendants were given life sentences.

The March ruling had brought heavy international criticism from the United Nations, United States and European Union.

At the time, Amnesty International called the death sentences "grotesque" and Egyptian rights groups were stunned at the swift verdicts, passed after only one hearing — and without defense presenting its case.

Egypt's interim, military-backed government has branded the Brotherhood a terrorist group, a claim it denies.

Some 16,000 people have been arrested since the military ousted Morsi last July, including most of the group's top leaders. Large numbers of pro-Morsi protesters have also been rounded up and detained by police.

In a separate development, an Egyptian court on Monday banned the April 6 youth movement that helped engineer the 2011 uprising that led to the ouster of longtime autocratic President Hosni Mubarak.

That ruling was seen by activists as part of a government- orchestrated campaign to stifle opposition and dissent. It can be suspended by a higher tribunal.

A Cairo court ruled in a suit filed by a lawyer who demanded the banning of the youth group over allegations it "tarnished the image of the Egyptian state" and conspired against the country's national interests.

Leaders of April 6 — Ahmed Maher and Mohammed Adel — have been jailed for violating a new protest law that requires that any demonstration must have a police permit.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/28/4986466/egypt-sentences-683-to-death-in.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/28/4986466/egypt-sentences-683-to-death-in.html#storylink=cpy