Asian Games: Nigeria-born Ogunode smashes Asia’s 100m record

Qatar’s Femi Ogunode made a victorious return
from a doping ban Sunday as he smashed Asia’s
100 metres record and snatched Asian Games
gold with 9.93sec in wet conditions.
As China soared past 100 golds, Nigeria-born
Ogunode was all smiles after he lowered the
Asian mark by 0.06sec and finished nearly two-
tenths ahead of China’s Su Bingtian.
Ogunode
Hopes of the first sub-10sec run by an Asian-
born athlete were doused as Su timed 10.10,
Japan’s Kei Takase clocked 10.15 and Zhang
Peimeng was fourth in 10.18.
Ogunode returned in January from a two-year ban
for using clenbuterol and he said he was hungry
for more success in next year’s world
championships and the 2016 Olympics.
“I had a feeling that I would break the Asian
record and I promise I’ll win more gold medals
here,” said Ogunode, who is also running the
200m and the 4x100m relay.
“Look out for me in the world championships in
China in 2015 and the Rio Olympic Games in
2016.”
Ogunode’s time puts him among the top 50
fastest men of all time but still some distance
from Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58.
Teenage steeplechaser Ruth Jebet finally got her
gold after being disqualified on Saturday as she
prepared to step onto the podium — and then
being reinstated on appeal.
The Kenya-born 17-year-old, who switched to
Bahraini nationality last year, said she had high-
level support from her new country’s king during
the bizarre turn of events.
Jebet was first disqualified for stepping off the
track, a decision which was announced to the
crowd during her victory ceremony as she was
standing behind the podium.
But after late-night protests and wrangling by
Bahraini officials, she was awarded the win after
all and finally received her medal in a delayed
ceremony on Sunday.
“After the problem I had yesterday with the line I
was so worried,” she said. “But my king promised
me that we would get back my medal.”
- Target 199 -
China romped past 100 golds to 105 as they
raised the prospect of breaking their record of 199
wins achieved four years ago on home soil in
Guangzhou.
China clinched five athletics titles, including the
men’s and women’s 20km race walk, women’s
100m, women’s hammer and men’s pole vault.
They also tasted success in archery and
wrestling, while Wang Yihan beat team-mate and
rival Li Xuerui to women’s badminton gold.
In the men’s badminton, all eyes were on Lin Dan
against Lee Chong Wei and Chinese great Lin did
not disappoint in a 22-20, 12-21, 21-9 defeat of
his closest challenger.
For Lee, it was an all too predictable end to his
last Asian Games and added to his list of losses
to Lin including the 2010 Asiad final.
“He looked really confident in the third set and I
could not follow him any more,” said the
Malaysian world number one.
“I have done my best and I accept defeat. Now I’ll
go back (home) and have a rest before the next
tournament.”
But China did not have it all their own way and
the seven-time winners were sent crashing out of
the men’s basketball, ending a run of nine
consecutive finals.
“They will become better players for this
experience,” head coach Gong Luming said of his
players.
Captain Jang Hyun-Soo struck a late penalty as
hosts South Korea overcame fierce rivals Japan
1-0 to reach the men’s football semi-finals in
front of 43,000 raucous fans.
And South Korea also celebrated the men’s
baseball title as they beat Taiwan 6-3. With six
days to go, the hosts are second on the medals
table with 42 golds, 63 behind China

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BUSINESS: custom boss in smugglers forest

Customs boss in smugglers forest
on september 21, 2014 at 8:49 am in business
Days after the Federal Government unfolded a
policy to stop rice importation into Nigeria in the
next four years, the tempo of rice smuggling in the
country has taken a different dimension.
This was evident in the extra-ordinary seizure
made, as officers of Oyo/Osun Command of
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) cracked down on
smugglers in a convoy of 40 assorted vehicles
inside Agbaja forest, off Igbeti axis of Oyo State.
The smugglers, fully armed with their own
escorts, on sensing the superiority of Customs
operatives, abandoned their vehicles along with
the items and escaped into the forest.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Oyo/Osun
Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr.
Oteri Richard, in front leading other Customs
officers into Agbaja forest, during inspection of
the seizures of 40 vehicles loaded with rice,
intercepted in the forest by his Command.
Though the Command has recorded massive
seizures of rice since last year at various
operations, the situation surrounding this
particular seizure was astonishing and it
attracted the attention of top military personnel,
Nigeria Police and other security agencies in Oyo
State.
The operation was carried out by 3.30am in a
thick forest, a terrain where nobody would ever
imagine such activity could take place. The forest
is over four hours drive from Ibadan. Inside the
bush were few houses like ancient pyramid
structures. A part of the area has a massive
volcanic rock similar to the popular Olumo Rock
in Abeokuta.
Gaining access to the forest require driving
through a narrow isolated bush path with long
trees for a distance of over 600kilometers.
Sunday Vanguard at the scene of crime in Agbaja
forest during official inspection of the items,
gathered that Customs officers, after weeks of
due diligence and effective surveillance,
discovered the place to be an illegal route for
smuggling.
It was also observed that smugglers had
perfected the act of re-fabricating vehicles in
such a manner that one car meant for just four
persons could carry as much as 50kg bags of rice
with all the inner seats completely removed. Also,
the shock absorbers were re-fabricated while the
top of vehicles were well padded and re-built with
extra-iron carriers.
The 11 hours assignment in Agbaja forest was led
by the fearless Customs Area Controller (CAC) of
the Command, Mr. Oteri Richard, who drove in a
white Toyota Hilux ahead of journalists into the
forest. Even the female Public Relations Officer
(PRO) of the Command, Ijeoma Nwala, whose
primary duty involves administration, was not left
out of the task, as she walked side by side the
Customs Controller, leading the way into the
forest.
Speaking, the CAC said, “The Command has again
recorded another significant breakthrough over
those saboteurs who do not have the interest of
our economy at heart. It is worrisome that some
Nigerians remain unrepentant even as they
continue to lose. Not even government’s visible
efforts in transforming agriculture, especially in
the area of rice production have touched their
conscience to stop rice smuggling.
Our resolve to deal with this remains unshaken,
more so that the current management has
boosted our capacity by deliberate re-training and
re-tooling. The seizures you see here were
intercepted by combined anti-smuggling teams of
NCS after weeks of effective monitoring and
intelligence driven efforts. The quantity of the rice
is estimated at over 2.000 bags and a Duty Paid
Value (DPV) of about N20million”.
He went on, “Already the Comptroller General of
Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi, has directed
thorough investigation into the issue, with a view
to prosecuting those who would be found
connected to this act of illegality and economic
sabotage. The Command remains poised to
keeping its resolve to arrest these saboteurs and
make them face the full weight of the law.”
“In the face of Dikko’s zero tolerance for rice
smuggling through the borders, the Service has
continued to intensify efforts at border policing to
keep the recalcitrant unpatriotic Nigerians off this
unwholesome business. It is worthy of note to
recollect that the Command made a similar
seizure of 21 assorted vehicles also loaded with
rice early last month.
We would continue to engage in aggressive patrol
activities in all areas of the Command to ensure
effective blockage of the entry of illicit goods. We
sincerely appreciate the support of Nigerian Army,
Policy, Civil Defence, the Directorate of States
Security Services and other security agencies in
the State. The public should see the synergy and
cooperation with these government agencies as
our resolve to stamp out smuggling.”
On if the recent government policy on rice
production has any kind of multiplier effect on
duty payment for rice, he said, “The rice policy is
a good initiative and must be supported. The
intention of government is not just to boost food
production in the country, but to enhance growth
in agricultural sector, create jobs for the citizens,
encourage local farmers and industrial
development. We should support government
efforts in expanding agriculture. It is a matter of
looking inward to build our nation, supporting our
economy to thrive and appreciating what we have
as a country, instead of smuggling contra-band
items to the detriment of our local industries and
the entire economy. For unrepentant smugglers
who do not want to desist and allow sanity in our
economic environment, prosecution waits them”.
Also, a security operative, who spoke with Sunday
Vanguard on the condition of anonymity in the
forest, said the ingenuity of the Customs in
uncovering such a crime was laudable. “This area
is within Olorunsogbo local government, and could
take up to seven hours drive to get to the next
community from Oyo town. Even many people in
Ibadan do not know that a place like Agbaja
forest exists in Oyo State. The Customs officers
demonstrated selfless service, even putting their
lives on the line of duty to carry out that
operation in such a dangerous terrain. For
instance, some of the officers you see here have
been in the forest for days mapping out strategies
for the operation to be carried out successfully”,
he stated.

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SPORTS: Arsenal stun Villa 3-0

Arsenal stun Villa 3-0
on september 20, 2014 at 9:20 pm in sports
Arsenal stopped Aston Villa going top of the
Premier League with a 3-0 win on Saturday.
Villa had conceded just one league goal in their
previous four league matches but all that changed
as Arsenal fired in three inside four minutes at
Villa Park.
The much-criticised Mesut Ozil put the Gunners in
front in the 32nd minute and former Manchester
United striker Danny Welbeck scored his first
Arsenal goal two minutes later before Villa’s Aly
Cissokho turned the ball into his own net.
Meanwhile Newcastle moved off the bottom of the
table and eased the pressure on under-fire
manager Alan Pardew by coming from 2-0 down
to draw 2-2 at home to Hull, with substitute
Papiss Cisse scoring both the Magpies’ goals.
Southampton won 1-0 away to a Swansea side
who had to play more than half the match a man
down after Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony was
sent off.
QPR and Stoke shared the points in a 2-2 draw
at Loftus Road while honours were also even in
the goalless draw between Burnley and
Sunderland.
West Ham play Liverpool in Saturday’s late kick-
off match.
Sunday sees leaders Chelsea looking to maintain
their perfect league record this season away to
champions Manchester City.

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APC govs govern pages of Newspapers - Alao Akala

APC govs govern on pages of
newspapers— Alao- Akala
on september 20, 2014 at 7:46 pm in news
Otunba Christopher Alao- Akala was governor of
Oyo State between 2007 and 2011 when he
vacated office for the present governor, Chief
Abiola Ajimobi shortly after that year
gubernatorial election. Penultimate Thursday,
Akala formally declared his interest to run for the
office of the governor of his state.
In this interview, shortly before the declaration,
Akala said his entrance into the gubernatorial
race is in the interest of the people whom he
claimed have been clamoring for his return,
because, according to him,” it is one thing to
scratch somebody’s back,it is another thing to
scratch the body where it is itching him”.
The PDP, shortly after it won the Ekiti election,
said it was going to claim another victory in
Osun. Having lost the Osun election now, what is
the post mortem?
I hope you know we are already in court,
contesting the election, so I would not want to
talk much about it.
However, what is certain is that the opposition
party is more pronounced on the pages of
newspapers than doing the real work of
governance. The APC governs on the front pages
of newspapers. They are propagandists. They like
propaganda. They talk more than they work and
people have realized that now.
You know we people in Oyo State are quite
exposed, because we are highly educated and so,
because of that, it is now even more difficult,
unlike before, to throw any garbage at them and
they accept it. The people are wiser now. They
won’t vote for just anybody again and it is
obvious now that if it was PDP, the party would
have made a lot of difference in their lives.
Are you saying that in the last three years, the
APC government has not done anything for the
people?
Well, you have not got enough time to compare,
because if you know our environment very well,
then you know what I am saying. I am not saying
the man has not done anything but, compared to
what people like us have done, he has not done
anything.
There wont be room for comparison if anything
had not been left undone. It is because certain
things have been left undone or have been done
wrongly, that is why the clamour for me to return
to office.
Again, it is one thing to scratch somebody’s
body, it is another thing to scratch the body
where it is itching him. If you scratch it where it
is itching, of course, the fellow will enjoy it more.
That is what we are going to do when we return
to office. You need to study your people and
know what they went, how they want it and you
give it to them, not what you think is good for
them.
But people are still clamouring for the same APC
government to return for second term.
You don’t live here. So you don’t have knowledge
of what is happening here.
But we read all these in the media.
That is what I was saying earlier. They are
propagandists. You have just confirmed that now
that they govern on the pages of newspapers. But
we know what is happening here in the state, not
what they feed the public through the media.

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Kano School attack: 15 killed, 34 injured

 Kano school attack: 15 killed, 34 injured

On september 18, 2014 at 9:00 am in news

A student looks over at the damage to a lecture
hall at the Federal College of Education in the
northern Nigerian city of Kano, on September 17,
2014, following an attack by Boko Haram gunmen
who stormed the lecture hall opening fire on
students, killing 13 and injuring 34. One attacker
was shot dead by police and another died after
an explosive belt he was wearing detonated,
according to the police. AFP PHOTO
In a related development, an Improvised Explosive
Device, IED, thrown into a lecture hall at the
Federal College of Education, Kano, yesterday,
claimed the lives of 15 students while 34 others
sustained injuries.
According to an eyewitness, lecture was going on
when two terrorists walked in and threw two
objects that exploded within seconds. The blast
was accompanied by sporadic gun shots as some
of the gunmen, who were stationed outside the
lecture hall,opened fire on some of the students
who tried to escape from the scene.
The incident that occurred around 2.00pm at the
school’s new site located at Gadon Kaya
triggered pandemonium as students, lecturers
and visitors to the school scampered for safety.
Also in the neighbourhood, residents locked up
their houses, while shop owners in the vicinity
hurriedly closed businesses as confusion reigned.
The prompt response of security agents at the
nearest check point however saved the day as
they engaged the gunmen and shot two of them
to death.
Addressing newsmen at the scene of the incident,
the Kano Commissioner of Police, Adenrele
Shinaba confirmed that “15 died, while 34 were
injured”.
Shinaba disclosed that two among the dead were
the attackers gunned down by his men in an
exchange of fire, explaining that those injured
have been taken to a government hospital in the
city.
The police boss said: “We have recovered two
AK-47 assault rifles from the assailants”, pointing
out that the command has launched a massive
manhunt to track down other fleeing suspects.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has
assured the people of Kano State and all
Nigerians that the Federal Government was doing
everything possible to increase the capacity of the
nation’s security services to prevent attacks on
innocent citizens by terrorists.
Jonathan condoles with victims’ families
In a statement on the attack on students, the
Special Adviser to the President on Media and
Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati quoted the president
as commiserating with the families of those who
lost their lives while praying for the quick recovery
of those who sustained injuries.
The statement read in part: “President Jonathan
commiserates with citizens and residents of Kano
State on the loss of lives during the attack by
terrorists on the Federal College of Education,
Kano.
“President Jonathan’s sympathies and best
wishes for a speedy recovery are also with all
those who suffered injuries in the dastardly
attack.
“The President commends the officers and men of
the Nigerian Police Force who took prompt action
to confront the attackers and minimize resultant
casualties.
“He urges them to be even more alert and
proactive in the future to stop terrorist attacks in
Kano and other parts of the country.
“President Jonathan reassures the people of Kano
and all Nigerians that the Federal Government
continues to do all within its powers to further
enhance the ability of the Police, Armed Forces
and other security agencies to prosecute the war
against terrorism to a successful conclusion and
provide greater security of lives and property
across the country”.
Fulani gunmen kill 32 in Kaduna villages
Also, after what looks like a brief respite,
suspected Fulani gunmen have again attacked
three communities in Sanga Local Government
Area, in the Southern part of Kaduna State, killing
32 villagers, after killing a soldier and injuring
four other soldiers in an ambush. This was
disclosed by Mr Bezard Wuyah, National
President, Ninzom Development Youths, NPY.
Spokesman of Kaduna State Police Command,
DSP, Amuni Lawan, who confirmed the attack,
however said he was yet to get the full brief of
the latest incident at press time.
Speaking to Vanguard on phone, Bezard said:
“We heard before now that Fulanis were planning
to attack us again. They came last night around
1am, and attacked Fadan Karshi, Karshi Daji and
Unguwan Ganye which were close to one another
in Sanga LGA.
“They first ambushed a military patrol van that
was crossing a bridge from Fadan Karshi to
Karshi Daji. They fired at the soldiers and killed
one, and four were injured. But the soldiers
repelled the attacks. The Fulani men then moved
in three groups. One went to Fadan Karshi, where
they killed 12 people, burnt down 20 houses and
injured scores. They moved to Karshi Daji, killed
20 people and burnt down several houses. Those
that attacked Unguwan Ganye are still in the
place, so we can not tell you the casualty figure
now. But among those killed in Fadan Karshi was
the wife of a very respectable retired clergyman,
Rev. Jacob Aku. His wife was burnt to ashes in
the attack.”
“We need serious protection and security from our
government or we will be forced to protect
ourselves”, he said.
It will be recalled that in June there was
relentless assault for a week in which not less
than 160 villagers in seven Ninzom villages, in
Sanga Local Government Area, LGA, of Kaduna
state were killed, and some of the villages razed.

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Prophet TB Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nation (SCOAN) is under mounting pressure

On Wednesday to co-operate with the authorities
after a fatal building collapse in Lagos that
claimed at least 67 lives.
TB Joshua-Synagogue Church
TB Joshua and staff at his Synagogue Church of
All Nations (SCOAN) have so far failed to disclose
information to the investigation, the state
government and emergency services said.
Some 67 South Africans died when a hostel for
Joshua’s foreign followers collapsed last Friday,
President Jacob Zuma said in Pretoria on
Tuesday, with fears that the toll could rise further.
Rescue workers have been picking through the
rubble with heavy lifting equipment and using
sniffer dogs, although the National Emergency
Management Authority (NEMA) said the search
for survivors could end on Wednesday.
“The church is not co-operating with emergency
workers at all,” NEMA’s spokesman for the
southwest region, Ibrahim Farinloye, told AFP,
giving the latest toll as 67 with 131 survivors.
“For the first three days of the incident, the
church people were very hostile and prevented
rescue officials access to the site.
“It was after the visit of the (Lagos state)
governor (Babatunde Fashola) when he
threatened to close down the church that we were
allowed to work.
“Perhaps if we had had early access to the place
we would have been able to save more lives.”
Thousands of people from across the world flock
to SCOAN with promises of miracles and
prophecies from Joshua, a high school dropout
referred to either as “The Prophet” or “The Man
of God”.
- Shocked and traumatised -
Joshua, who claims to have raised the dead and
predicted the Malaysian Airlines MH17 plane
crash and Boston marathon bombings has
considerable clout in Nigeria and beyond.
Top-level politicians and even heads of state are
among his flock, including Malawi’s former
president Joyce Banda, who has called him her
“spiritual father”.
But there was increasing anger on social media
that he should not be above the law.
The preacher has not publicly commented on the
deaths and instead tried to shift suspicion on to
Boko Haram militants and a low-flying plane seen
over the building before the collapse.
Since Friday he has only posted a series of Bible
verses on his Facebook page and Twitter
account. On Tuesday night, he tweeted: “Hard
times may test me, they cannot destroy me.”
Zuma said five South African church tour groups
totalling about 300 people were thought to have
been at the Pentecostal church at the time of the
tragedy.
But Pretoria’s ambassador to Abuja, Lulu Mnguni,
told the eNCA news channel that lack of co-
operation from the church authorities was making
the situation difficult to assess.
“The numbers could still go up or down. We have
put more people on the ground to assist us,” he
said.
One South African travel agent, who asked not to
be named, said some of the survivors flew back
from Lagos on Sunday but were too distraught to
recount their ordeal.
“It’s a sensitive issue. They don’t want to talk to
anyone about what they saw. They are in shock,
they are traumatised,” he said.
The investigation will look at Joshua’s claim of
low-flying aircraft, Lagos state commissioner for
town planning and urban development Toyin
Ayinde told Nigeria’s Channels television.
Initial indications were that the building came
down because extra floors were being added
without strengthening the foundations and
samples would be taken from the site, he added.
According to Joshua’s website scoan.org, three
of the church’s previous buildings were destroyed
before the new church — described as an
“architectural masterpiece” — was built.
“There was only one architect involved in the
planning — the Holy Spirit,” he said.

Jacob Zuma says 67 South Africans dead in Synagogue building collapse on september 16, 2014 at 11:31 pm

South Africa’s president announced Tuesday that
67 of his compatriots were among scores of
worshippers killed in the collapse of a popular and
controversial Nigerian megachurch.
Declaring his nation in grief, Jacob Zuma said he
was “greatly saddened to announce that 67 South
Africans died and scores of others sustained
injuries,” when a church hostel building collapsed
in Lagos on Friday.
The tally of South African dead exceeds the
previous toll of 62 thought dead in the disaster, a
grim signal that the number of fatalities is likely
to rise.
Rescuers say the church’s hostel — which housed
Nigerian and foreign followers of a preacher and
televangelist, T.B. Joshua — had been
overburdened by the construction of additional
floors.
The goateed preacher initially claimed that only a
few people were injured and then suggested that
a low-flying aircraft was responsible for the
collapse.
On Tuesday he tweeted: “Hard times may test me,
they cannot destroy me.”
Nigeria’s National Emergency Management
Agency’s Ibrahim Farinloye said that much about
the incident remained unclear.
The church known as The Synagogue “hid so
much information from us, and (this is) the cause
of frustration for rescuers,” he said.
Dubbed “The Prophet”, Joshua claims to have
foreseen the Malaysian Airlines MH17 plane crash,
the Boston marathon bombings and the results of
Nigerian football matches.
He counts presidents and prime ministers among
his flock, giving him considerable political clout.
Former Malawian head of state Joyce Banda, who
has described Joshua as her “spiritual father,”
said Tuesday she was “deeply shocked” by the
accident
“It’s unfortunate that people lost their lives while
praying,” she told AFP.
According to Joshua’s website, three of the
church’s previous buildings were also destroyed.
“The roof of the first church was blown off by a
storm, the second church was washed away by a
flood while the third church also collapsed due to
severe weather conditions.”
- A nation grieving -
Late Tuesday rescue workers were still sifting
through the rubble of the church’s hostel, hoping
against hope to find survivors.
Their prayers were answered earlier in the day
when a woman was rescued and was able
to walk away with just a broken wrist.
The discovery prompted emergency workers to
slow down their digging in the wreckage of the
guesthouse.
But for many others, there will be no dramatic
and happy exit.
Rescue efforts that have so far saved the lives of
133 victims are scheduled to end on Wednesday.
“We have reached a critical stage now and more
survivors are likely to be brought out of the
rubble,” Farinloye said.
At least five South African church tour groups
were at The Synagogue at the time of the
collapse, according to South African officials.
“Not in the recent history of our country have we
had this large number of our people die in one
incident outside the country,” Zuma said in a
statement to the nation.
“The whole nation shares the pain of the mothers,
fathers, daughters and sons who have lost their
loved ones. We are all in grief.”
Zuma said he had ordered government
departments to help family members get to
Nigeria to identify the bodies of their loved ones
and repatriate the remains as soon as possible.

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Ebola: Anambra, Edo, Ogun, Rivers, ready for Sept 22 resumption— Education Commissioners on september 16, 2014 at 3:26 am in ebola outbreak

Following the insistence by the Federal
Government, that the September 22 resumption
date for primary and secondary schools in the
country would not be extended, several State
Ministries of Education have expressed readiness
for schools to resume, stressing that adequate
measures have been put in place to contain any
possible outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus
Diseases, EVD, in schools.
Those that gave assurances of their preparedness
were the commissioners for education of
Anambra, Edo, Ogun, Rivers, as well as the
special adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola of
Lagos State on Information and Strategy.
The Edo State
Commissioner for Higher Education (Secondary,
Tertiary and Technical), Barr. Washington Osifo,
who said FG’s directive for schools to resume
September 22, has been wholeheartedly accepted
by the State government, indicated, “Yes, the
September 22 resumption is not a fluke. It is
already on ground. Our judgement was based on
expert information given us by those saddled with
the responsibility of certifying that schools are
safe to resume. We organised training for
teachers on September 11, 12 and 13, across the
three senatorial districts. This does not only
include public school teachers, but also private
school teachers and at no cost to them.
Although, since the outbreak of the EVD, Edo
State has been certified 100 per cent Ebola free,
but the reason for the trainings we have
embarked upon is not just to contain Ebola, but
other contagious diseases that go with improper
hygiene common among children.”
Similarly, the Anambra State Commissioner for
Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha, affirmed the
State’s readiness to tackle the scourge even
before the directive by the Minister of Education
on September 5. Omenugha said: “Even before
the meeting with the Minister of Education, in
Abuja, on September 5, Anambra has been
proactive in preventing the EVD from gaining
entrance into the State. At the moment, we have
trained 1, 044 Head teachers of Primary Schools,
21 Education Secretaries, as well as 256
Secondary School principals. Today (Monday), my
ministry is meeting with the Ministry of Health to
further train about 5, 000 teachers this weekend.
So far, so good, having met severally with
relevant stakeholders in the state, to clearly
define what they should do ahead of and on
resumption, we are indeed ready for the
September 22, resumption.”
According to the Ogun State Commissioner for
Education, Segun Odubela, “We are ready to
resume on September 22 as proposed by the
Federal Government. The training of teachers on
how to curb the spread of Ebola, would
commence on Tuesday and end on Thursday, at
four centres in the state.”
On her part, the Commissioner for Education,
Rivers State, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, said the
state commenced training for teachers on
Monday. She said: “Today, we started the
training for teachers both in public and private
schools on the Ebola Virus Disease EVD,” adding
that “the training was done in all the senatorial
districts of the state.”In the same vein, the Lagos
State government, in a statement, explained its
support for the September 22 resumption date
announced by the Federal Government.The
statement, which was signed by by the Special
Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on
Information and Strategy, Alhaji Lateef Raji,
reads: “Concerning the resumption of all public
and private nursery, primary and secondary
schools for the 2014/2015 session, Lagos State
Government supports the September 22, 2014
date, which was announced by the Federal
Government after a national consultation on
efforts to contain the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
in Nigeria.”

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Islamic State crisis: World leaders pledge Iraq support 15 September 2014 Last updated at 19:10

Thirty countries have pledged to help Iraq fight
Islamic State (IS) militants "by all means
necessary".
A joint statement by foreign ministers taking part
in a major conference in Paris said support would
include "appropriate military assistance".
The talks had been called to agree a strategy to
combat the group, which controls large parts of
Iraq and Syria.
The meeting followed a whirlwind tour of the
Middle East by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Mr Kerry, who attended the summit, has been
drumming up support for a plan of action unveiled
by President Barack Obama last week.
The CIA estimates that Islamic State has between
20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
The murder of British aid worker David Haines by
IS militants, shown in a video released by the
group on Saturday, has added momentum to the
plans.
Another layer of conflict is being grafted on to a
series of parallel and overlapping wars in Syria
and Iraq.
Enemies of the Syrian regime, including Saudi
Arabia, will want to calculate how much their
actions against Islamic State might strengthen
President Bashar al-Assad - who has men tied up
fighting IS.
Iran and Saudi Arabia, regional superpowers, back
opposing sides in Syria. They will look very
closely to see if American actions indirectly help
their rival.
Some Islamist fighters in Syria who have been
trained and armed by Saudi Arabia or Qatar have
already gravitated to IS. Opposition to Western
involvement might make more follow.
And the US and its Western allies are becoming
direct players in the wars in Syria and Iraq - and
in the deepening sectarian conflict between Shia
and Sunni Muslims.
Many argue that the Americans and the British
tore open sectarian scars when they invaded Iraq
in 2003, and now risk making matters even
worse.
Daunting task ahead for US-led coalition
How will Obama's anti-IS coalition work?
'Bigger threat'
Iraqi President Fuad Masum, who co-hosted the
conference with French President Francois
Hollande, said the international community must
pursue the jihadists "quickly".
The conference will focus on what the
international community can do to help Iraqi
troops fight IS militants
Kurdish Peshmerga fighters have been battling
the Islamists near the key city of Mosul
IS militants possess significant military
resources and have taken over large parts of
Iraq and Syria
"If this intervention and support to Iraq is late,
that means that Islamic State could occupy more
territory and the threat it poses will be even
bigger," he said.
The summit declaration said participants were
"committed to supporting the new Iraqi
government in its fight... by any means
necessary, including appropriate military
assistance".
Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jafari welcomed
the decision, but also said he regretted that Iran
was not present at the Paris talks.
Last week Mr Kerry ruled out co-operation with
Iran citing its "engagement in Syria and
elsewhere".
But Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei claimed on Monday that the US had
requested Iran's co-operation via the US
Ambassador to Iraq.
"I said no, because they have dirty hands," he
said. He added the US was seeking seeking a
"pretext to do in Iraq and Syria what it already
does in Pakistan - bomb anywhere without
authorisation".
Syria also did not take part in the Paris
gathering.
'Doing their share'
Meanwhile, France said it had begun surveillance
flights over Iraq. Britain revealed in August that
its aircraft had been gathering intelligence over
Iraq.
Several Arab countries have offered to take part
in air strikes on IS fighters in Iraq, US officials
say.
Turkey, however, will only allow humanitarian and
logistical operations from the Nato air base on its
soil.
Mr Kerry said he was "extremely encouraged" by
promises of military assistance to tackle the
militant group.
The US strategy to weaken the group centres on
military support for Iraq but also includes plans
to stop foreign fighters from joining the group,
cutting its funding streams and trying to counter
its ideology.
The Paris conference was aimed at defining the
role each member state will play.
About 40 countries have so far signed up to a
coalition including 10 Arab states - Egypt, Iraq,
Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Iraqi and Kurdish forces have been helped in
their battle against IS by 160 US air strikes
since August
John Kerry visited Iraq last week during a tour
of the region to drum up support for action
against IS
Australia announced at the weekend that it was
sending 600 troops and up to eight fighter jets to
the UAE ahead of possible combat operations in
Iraq.
However, Mr Kerry told US broadcaster CBS that
the US was not seeking troops on the ground at
the moment.
Since August, US fighter jets have conducted
about 160 air strikes on IS positions in Iraq.
The group's former name was Isis and it has also
been known as Isil (Islamic State in Iraq and the
Levant).

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David Mark, no to state creation; it’s not economical

on september 15, 2014 at 12:43pm
Senate President, Sen. David Mark
On June 27, 2011, we stated that creating
additional state is not economical because it will
increase the cost of governance in the country
without any increase in the revenue base of the
nation.
Unfortunately, the just-concluded National
Conference has recommended the creation of
additional 18 states.
This will bring the number of states in the country
to 54. Just last week, the Senate President said
he is committed to seeing through state creation.
Here is what I said then.
When on May 27 1967, General Yakubu Gowon
announced the 12-state structure for Nigeria, it
was to solve a perceived political problem
threatening the continued existence of Nigeria as
a single entity.
It was a political solution to the threat of
secession. Gowon was humble enough to point
out the economic consequences the nation was
faced with if the action was not taken. He had</blockquote>
said: “The consequence of these illegal sets has
been the increasing deterioration of the Nigerian
economy.
“It has also led to increasing loss of foreign
confidence in the ability of Nigerians to resolve
the present problems. This has been reflected in
the stoppage of the inflow of much badly needed
additional foreign investment, it has put a brake
on economic development so essential to the
well-being of the common man and the ordinary
citizen whose only desire is for peace and
stability to carry on his daily work.
“The main obstacle to future stability in this
country is the present structural imbalance in the
Nigerian federation. This is why the item in the
Political and Administrative Programme adopted
by the Supreme Military Council last month is the
creation of states as a basis for stability.”
The much desired unity, economic development
and inflow of foreign investment have continued
to elude the country several decades after the
first shot at state creation. Ever since then, the
politics of state creation has not taken into
account the ability of these states to sustain their
existence.
Of the 36 states in the country, only Lagos, Rivers
and perhaps Kano states, can through internally-
generated revenue pay their bills. Others have to
wait for the monthly federal allocation for them to
pay their bills.
The internally-generated revenue of the existing
states in the country cannot even pay the monthly
wage bill of teachers in the various states. Some
local governments are known to have generated
not more than one million naira in a year.
In the face of this, the Senate President is quoted
as saying that more states will be created in the
life of the seventh National Assembly. Senate
President, David Mark, was quoted last week to
have said that the National Assembly remained
committed to amending the 1999 Constitution to
give room for the creation of more states in
Nigeria.
Senator Mark, who gave the assurance in his
home town, Oturkpo, maintained that state
creation was a certainty because the National
Assembly was confident that the creation of more
states would enhance development and bring
government closer to the people.
It will appear that the Senate President is
oblivious of the cry of Nigerians against the high
cost of governance in the country that has robbed
the people of the much needed funds for
development. Creation of more states will further
raise the already high cost of governance in the
country.
When new states are created, the membership of
the National Assembly will increase by number.

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