‘My Oga at the Top’: Adesuyi replaces Shem as Lagos Commandant

Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, has finally replaced Mr. Obafaiye Shem, the man who postulated the “my oga at the top” mantra, as commandant of Lagos State Command. He was replaced by Mr. Adesuyi Clement from Oyo State Command. The Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr. Olu Abolurin, who was in Lagos weekend over the alleged killing of two of his officers by some policemen, introduced the new Commandant to journalists. Mr Shem However, he did not give reasons for Obafaye’s removal but sources hinted that Adesuyi took over from the former Commandant Obafaye on Tuesday March 29. The source believed that it may not be unconnected with his recent interview on Channels Television live programme. Before now, authorities of NSCDC has denied taken any disciplinary action against Mr. Shem over the said interview. Their reaction followed claims that Shem had been sacked on the orders of the Minister of Interior, who supervises the NSCDC. Shem ordeal started when he appeared on Channels Television morning programme ‘Sunrise’ and when asked the NSCDC website he said: “Hmmm, the website is, excuse me, my Oga at the top knows the website”. He again, cleared his throat and said: “My Oga at the top is working on the website and I don’t have them”. When the presenters insisted that he give a functioning website address of the para-military outfit, he dropped the bombshell: “ww.nscdc, that’s all”. Immediately, the interview went viral and has become so popular to the extent that t-shirts with “my oga at the top” insignia has been produced and selling like hot cake across the country, even as some DJ’s and musicians have done what they called remix of the interview. Vanguard

breaking news closer to war

BREAKING NEWS: The U.S. Navy is moving a sea-based radar platform closer to the North Korean coast to monitor the country's military moves, including possible new missile launches, a Defense Department official said Monday. We are moving close to having a war

Man Jailed For "Liking" a Facebook Status

A Palestinian man who clicked "Like" on a Facebook status criticising a Palestinian Authority (PA) official has been sentenced to six months in prison. Anas Ismail, 29, of Salfit, near Nablus, was found guilty of "libel and slander." Ismail is the second Palestinian to be imprisoned for Facebook activities in the past few days. He was sentenced to prison on the same day another PA court in Bethlehem sentenced a Palestinian journalist to one year in prison for sharing a photo on Facebook that compared PA President Mahmoud Abbas to a villain and spy of French colonial authorities in a Syrian drama. The Palestinian Authority police on Friday night released another Palestinian, Mamdouh Hamamreh from prison, one day after he had been sentenced to one year in prison for insulting PA President Mahmoud Abbas on Facebook. On Thursday, a PA court in Bethlehem upheld a one-year prison sentence imposed earlier on Hamamreh after convicting him of publishing a photo on Facebook comparing Abbas to a villain and traitor who appeared in a popular Syrian TV production. Hamamreh was the second Palestinian to be imprisoned for insulting Abbas on Facebook since the beginning of this year. In February, a PA court in Nablus sentenced 26-year-old Anas Awwad, a university student, to one year in prison for positing a photo depicting Abbas as a Real Madrid player. Awwad too was later pardoned by Abbas. Earlier this year, Ayman Samarah, 40, of Jenin, was found dead in his prison cell after PA security forces prevented Palestinian journalists from covering the case. The treatment of prisoners in Palestinian prisons is becoming increasingly concerning to human rights activists. The mother of Karim Shaheen, who is being held in Jericho Prison, said that her son has been hospitalised after suffering from paralysis in in his left arm as a result of torture. The family of another detainee, Baha Zahdeh, also accused the PA security forces of torturing their son, who is being held in the same prison on suspicion of membership in Hamas. The Palestinian Authority is however, renowed for paying salaries to convicted terrorists serving time in Israeli prisons. Norwegian authorities recently expressed their concern over the financial support for the Palestinian Authority and where the money given in aid is going. Naij

Kogi flood victims reject N3000 compensation from state Govt

Victims of the 2012 flood disaster in Kogi have rejected the offer of N3, 000 compensation from the state government, describing the gesture as inadequate. Some of the victims told newsmen in Lokoja on Sunday that the N3, 000 offered to them by the government was far below the losses they suffered individually during the disaster. The flood, which affected nine local government areas of the state, destroyed more than 500 houses and rendered15,00 residents homeless. They alleged a lack of transparency in the sharing of the money given victims by the Federal Government, organizations and individuals. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the state government recently released N139 million to the nine affected local government areas. Reacting to the complaints, the state Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Abdulrhaman Wuya, said that the money paid to the victims should not be regarded as compensation but assistance. He said that considering the method used to allocate the N139 million to the affected areas and in the bid to spread the assistance, the amount each person would receive would be in the range of N3, 000. NAN

Nigerian Journalist Flees Nigeria After Being Threatened By Boko Haram

A Nigerian journalist, who has reported extensively on the extreme Boko Haram sect, has fled Nigeria for the United Arab Emirates after he reportedly came under increasing pressure from Nigerian security agents and Boko Haram insurgents. In an email to two PREMIUM TIMES editors, Ahmad Salkida said he had to flee after his life and that of his family became endangered in the past weeks. "Now I can report that I am in Dubai," Mr. Salkida said in the letter. "I am trying to get employment visa …. This is crucial so that I can sustain my stay here and contribute ultimately to today's journalism." The journalist, who had worked for Daily Trust, Blueprint and PREMIUM TIMES, had become troubled of late after security agencies and Nigerian authorities began to mistake his in-depth reporting on the extremist group as evidence of his closeness to the sect. "After years of seeking ways and alternatives to working professionally and remaining with my family in Nigeria, I am afraid to report that I came recently to the conclusion that I have to flee," he further lamented in the email. "After my most recent expose on the scandal going in respect of purported ceasefire negotiated between government and Boko Haram, the danger to my life has escalated to new heights. I have had to go severely underground for several weeks leading to my final decision to flee Nigeria." He added, "Security agents and many victims of Boko Haram seem frequently upset by the things I write in the media which made me to scale down my professional visibility. More worrying, I have turned down Boko Haram's several requests for me to publish exclusive interviews and materials for them." Mr. Salkida had written in the article, published in PREMIUM TIMES on February 1 that the claim by government that the Boko Haram sect was negotiating a truce was false and fraudulent. Mr. Salkida has consistently maintained that he had only maintained a professional contact with a few elements he had reported upon long before the sect became violent. Premium Times

Lagos Is The Safest City In Nigeria – Frank Mba

The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Frank Mba on Monday said that Lagos is the safest city in Nigeria and one of the safest in Africa. While speaking about the security situation in the the state on Channels Television’s breakfast show Sunrise Daily, Mr. Mba said that Lagos has been a very peaceful place in light of the dense population. He argued that the Lagos State Police Command has been doing a good job inspite of the recent increase in reported cases of kidnapping, stating that it is the new crime being explored by criminals. Mba mentioned kidnapping as a new challenge which the Police is ready to wipe out. “We have already developed a very strong standard operational procedure that is commencing this week and we are going to lock up the entry and exit point in this city”. Lagos state is the smallest state in Nigeria, with an area of 356,861 hectares of which 75,755 hectares are wetlands, with a population of 17.5 million people (2006 National Census). The state is also regarded as the commercial capital of Nigeria. Channels Tv

Power cut interrupts Jonathan’s Easter message in Lagos

Power cut interrupts Jonathan’s Easter message in Lagos By Feyi Afisunlu on April 1, 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan’s first Easter Sunday service and celebration in the commercial city of Lagos, Nigeria was marred by an embarrassing power outage at the Our Saviour’s Church (Anglican Communion), Tafawa Balewa Square, Marina, Lagos, where the President worshipped. The President’s speech was interrupted for about six minutes as the power outage occurred while he was delivering his speech to the congregation. He was talking about his administration’s restructuring of the Nigerian economy when the church was thrown into darkness. Laughing along with the cheering congregation, Dr Jonathan said that, “They know that I’m here; that’s why they took the light, at least to remind me that I must not sleep until we stabilise power. God willing, next year they will not take light again.” He thanked Christians for their prayers which he said had helped to keep Nigeria united as a nation. Jonathan said, “I sincerely thank all of you and all the Christians in Nigeria for your prayers. It would have been worse if you have not been praying. This country has passed through a lot. I know all those last days of military transition to the regime that handed over power to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo at the time the country was drifting, it didn’t know where it was going. “We had political environments that we didn’t even know where we were transiting to. But with the persistent prayers by you, Christians, God stabilised the country. God will continue to stabilise this country. God will continue to keep us together. I promise you as a mortal, I will do my best.” He urged Nigerians to “live within peace and love,” while reiterating Gowon’s famous civil war quote, saying “to keep Nigeria as one is a task that must be done.” The Easter Sunday service also had in attendance, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon.