January 14, 2010 15:11 (4 hours ago), 176 views

By Cyriacus Izuekwe

Pastor John Akuma of God’s Elect Penticostal Church, Aguda, Lagos, has been arraigned before the Surulere Magistrate’s Court for allegedly duping  members of his church of millions of naira under false pretence of taking them abroad on a missionary journey.

The cleric told some members of his church that he had a divine call to preach outside Nigeria and offered to take some members of the church overseas.

He allegedly told those willing to go to pay N430,000, each for travel documents and provision of job abroad.

P.M.NEWS gathered that more than 10 members of the church paid the money before the pastor disappeared.

Efforts to locate his whereabouts proved abortive, until luck ran against him when he was spotted by one of his victims, Ejike Paul, on Ishaga Street, Surulere.

Paul invited the police and the accused was arrested and charged to court for fraud and stealing.

One of the charges against him reads: “That you, John Akuma, 33, at Ishaga Street, Surulere, Lagos, did obtain N430,000 from Ejike Paul on the pretence of helping him to secure travel documents and ticket.

The offence is punishable under sections 516, 419 and 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and the magistrate, Mrs. A. O. Adegite, granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties.

The sureties, the court ruled, must show evidence of payment of tax and their addresses must be verified.

The matter has been adjourned till 18, January, 2010 for trial.

Does it still make sense to talk about right, duty, wish and command when relationships are concerned?

Is everything we get from our partners a privilege granted to us because they love us?

If they didn't love us, could we still claim rights and duties? (especially in marriage)

How would you react if someone tells you: you are not so goodlooking but I'd really like to date you. I think you are cool and fun and we could make a good couple together.

Men and women, what would you say?

You're on the alter saying your marriage vows to the one u love deeply. . .  The priest asks if anyone has any reason why this wedding should not go ahead, and your ex girlfriend (who broke up with u 3yrs ago) says she's got something to say. She says the wedding cannot go ahead cos u had a baby with her u dont know about, plus she's still madly in love with u!

What will u do?

Who Do 9ja Girls Feel It Is Cool To Pour Verbal Insult On Men Who 'Toasts' Them?

I'm sure some other guys must be wondering about this too - ladies in civilised societies don't do that so why are our girls fond of this? is something to do with our culture? 

This Is Not Fornication, Or Is It?

You are engaged to your GF/Fiancée that means the world to you,the big Church wedding is set for July.  You've done the traditional wedding (or a court wedding) last year August and her people finally hand her over to you according to customs. 

As Christians can the man and woman begin to enjoy each other in spite of the fact that they've not done the Church wedding?

Sisi Clara boarded a plane to visit Baba Dauda in the states recently , with the Abdul palaver still in the air, it was obvious that anyone with a Nigerian Passport would be subject to stringent checking.

The security officers went over board checking everything they could find in the sun , it is unclear if the officers enjoyed what they were doing but the pisho depicts Sisi Clara's state.

You be the judge and decide if she enjoyed the ordeal or not see pic below .

hmm

na wa oh
man of God

Love is so simple yet complex in many ways.  We young people talk about love and going into a relationship based on our feelings, but I find that older people talk about love as mostly a choice. My question is, when we fall in love, do we decide to, or do we just fall in love based on how we feel? Or is it a mixture of both? And if so, which precedes the other?

 For those who argue that love is more of a decision, you consciously decide to express it to someone, and they cite 1 Corinthians 13 as an example. If Love is based purely on feelings, then one could easily ‘fall in’ and ‘fall out’ of love, leading to high divorce rates ;and as humans, we can’t easily control our feelings, but we can decide to continue to love regardless of our feelings.

For  those who say love is more of a feeling, you don’t decide to love sb. You just do. It comes naturally. And what happens when you stop deciding? If we could decide who we loved, it would be much simpler but less magical.

My opinion. It’s a mix of both, but I think it is more of a feeling than a decision, and the feeling precedes the decision. Sometimes you love sb you don’t even want to love. The decision merely sustains the love.
So if you’ve loved, or have been loved, or even if u haven’t, and u’re mature enough to understand the concept of love, share your views, experiences, delusions etc.

I know that there are ways family can be strong and happy and some of the ways are: by the way you interact with each other, how you treat each other, what you do as a family and as individuals to support each other. Now by the reason of the post I made, “CAN ANY MARRIAGE REALLY BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT GOD IN IT?” the responses that I got from the house are what actually prompted me to come up with this list. I want every body to be sincere with him/her self to arrange these qualities of building a strong family in order of importance.
Caring & Appreciation, Commitment, Communication, Spiritual Life, Community & Family Ties, Teamwork and     
Flexibility & Openness to Change. However, you are not limited to above you can add any other ingredient that make a family strong

Wish you a better arrangement.

mor mor
ye ye
iya
awe
abeke
alake

This could really be confusing,is it the husband or the wife that holds the family firmly, what's your opinion?

If you have one advise to give me about life,what would it be?
or what mistakes have you made and will advise against

Marriage as it is define in the Bible is the coming together of a man and a woman in order to become one. That is the mathematic of God almighty, that is, one plus one equal to one instead of two in the world context. And of course God Himself institute the marriage institution. Then how can a mortal man like you and i survive in this kind of mysterious institution without the originator? I want to put it before now, Can any marriage be successful without God?

Happy days continue for former presidents
By Festus Owete
January 4, 2010




Nigeria's former presidents and heads of state who are still alive should get an even better deal from the federal government this year following plans by the National Assembly to review their monthly welfare package upwards.

The legislature is planning to increase the former leaders' package from N250 million proposed in the 2010 budget to about N2 billion.

The chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriation, Ayo Adeseun, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with NEXT.

The money is meant to take care of the former leaders' pension, medicare, yearly vacation abroad, offices and general maintenance. This is besides the N500,000 each of the former leaders is reportedly paid whenever they attend the Council of State meeting, which is held periodically.

Well deserved?

Only seven out of the 12 presidents and heads of states who have ruled the country are still alive. They are Yakubu Gowon (1966-1975), Olusegun Obasanjo (1975-1979 and 1999-2007), Shehu Shagari (1979-1983), Muhammadu Buhari (1983-1985), and Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993). The others are Ernest Shonekan (Aug 1993-November 17, 1993), and Abdulsalam Abubakar (1998-1999) .

Those who have passed on are Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (prime minister), Aguiyi-Ironsi, amilitary general (Jan 1966-July 1966), Nnamdi Azikiwe (ceremonial president), Murtala Muhammed and Sani Abacha, both of who were military rulers.

Mr. Adeseun, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State said the former leaders deserved better treatment because of the services they rendered to the country, adding that they will convince the executive arm during the budget defence sessions on the planned increase. The lawmaker stated that the N250 million in the 2010 budget is inadequate for the welfare of the leaders, due to the rising cost of living and other issues.

He also said that the vehicles for the former leaders are due for replacement. "Yes, I am aware of the allocation, but we think it is inadequate," he said. "We think we should review the allocation to about N2 billion, if it is the one you are talking about. This money is meant to take care of their accommodation, vehicles, medical expenses and other allowances. These are people who have served this nation and they should be properly taken care of."

Asked how the lawmakers would convince the executive on the matter, the lawmaker said "it is not for them to convince us, we will convince them. They are still coming to defend the budget and so during our interaction we will talk about it."

The welfare train

Allocations for the former leaders' welfare began in 2005, when a total of N140 million was set aside for them in that year's budget. Subsequently, the following allocations were made - N105 million (2006); N24 million (2008) and N250 million (2009). However, no allocation was made in the 2007 budget. It may have been integrated into another item under the office of the SGF.

Until 2008 when the allocation was brought under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), it was treated under the Presidency or State House.

The emolument is different from that of the sitting president, who takes home N3.5 million annually. The president also earns various forms of allowances.

There have been many contentious issues over the welfare package and allowances of the former presidents and heads of state. For instance, several human rights activists have argued that former military leaders should not be entitled to the package because they rebelled against the Nigerian state by seizing power in military coup d'etat.

There have also been allegations that the emoluments of the former leaders is politicised by sitting governments. For instance, in November 2008, the federal government allegedly withdrew the vehicles attached to Mr. Buhari because of his role in the planned formation of a mega party by opposition figures in the country to challenge the ruling PDP. Mr. Buhari was the presidential candidate of the opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2003 and 2007 elections.

But the Office of the SGF refuted the claim. According to Salisu Dambatta, a deputy director (information) in the office of the SGF, in a statement, "It is normal to allocate vehicles to all former presidents and replace such vehicles when the need arises. In line with that practice, General Buhari's vehicle was replaced in 2008 with a new one."

On the regularity of the payments, Mr. Dambatta said "Some of the packages are paid as and when due, while some are paid on a quarterly basis. All benefits former heads of state are treated equally. For the avoidance of doubt, government has never stopped General Buhari's pension."

A spokesperson of The Buhari Organisation (TBO), Osita Okechukwu, however told NEXT last Thursday that the Peugeot car recovered from the former head of state is yet to be returned to him.

Mr. Okechukwu, who is also the spokesperson of the opposition Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), revealed that it was the Sani Abacha administration that gave Mr. Buhari the vehicle, noting that "even Obasanjo did not give him anything."

That N500, 000 allowance

Aside from the welfare package, each of the former leaders who are automatic members of the Council of State collects N500,000 whenever they attend the meeting.

This is included in the "Certain Political and Judicial Officer Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act" that was prepared by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The Council of State is an advisory body which meets six times a year to deliberate and take decision on crucial issues affecting the country.

Membership of the council, according to Section 153 (1)(b), paragraph 5 includes the president, who shall be chairman; the vice president, who shall be the deputy chairman and all former presidents of the federation and former heads of government.

It also includes all former chief justices of Nigeria, the president of the senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the 36 state governors and the Attorney General of the Federation.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5505628-146/story.csp

Nigerian FM protests to US envoy over tighter air security

Nigerian Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe on Tuesday protested to the US ambassador to the west African country over Washington's introduction of tighter screening for passengers from Nigeria.


Nigerian Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe

"I made it clear, through the US ambassador, to the US government that this is unacceptable to Nigeria," Maduekwe told journalists after a meeting in his Abuja office with ambassador Robin Sanders.

"I told the US ambassador that listing Nigeria on the second tier of countries that are indicated on the radar of security measures from the US, is an unacceptable New Year gift to a friendly country like Nigeria," he said.

He stated that Nigeria had since independence in 1960 always maintained "very excellent relations" with the United States.

"I told her clearly that we want the US authorities to look at it again. We conveyed the message that putting Nigeria on that list is not helpful. It is counterproductive," stated Maduekwe.

"They didn't need to put us on that list and we want to be off that list. That is the message I conveyed to her, through her to the US government," he said.

Washington on Sunday introduced new security measures for passengers flying to the United States from 14 countries, including Nigeria, after a 23-year-old Nigerian was accused of trying to blow up a US jetliner over Detroit on Christmas Day.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a trained mechanical engineer, who had explosives sewn into his underwear, had boarded a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. He had flown to Amsterdam on a KLM flight from Lagos.

The minister, a lawyer, underlined that Nigeria "has been traditionally friendly with America (and it is) a country whose 70 million Muslims are among the most peaceful Mulims anywhere in the world".

He accused Washington of double standards by imposing sanctions on Nigeria following the incident.

"I made it clear that we sensed some double standard because as regrettable and as unfortunate what this young man tried to do or attempted to do, was not different from what the suicide (shoe) bomber attempted to do."

He was referring to a British national Richard Reid, the so-called "shoe bomber" convicted of trying to blow up a Paris-Miami flight in 2001.

"And yet the country of origin of the suicide bomber was not put in a category of countries of security concerns," he stated.

Earlier on Tuesday, Justice Minister Michael Aondoaaka said that Nigeria will appeal to the United States to remove it from the terrorism flight watchlist.

Aondoaaka told reporters he believed the United States "will rescind that decision because Nigeria is not a terrorist country and a single incident that involves a Nigerian cannot criminalise all Nigerians".

Nigeria's police chief Ogbonnaya Onovo also backed the call, insisting there was "no security issue" in the country.

"We may be deeply religious, but certainly we are no suicide bombers or terrorists," he said.

Nigeria's main opposition party Action Congress said Tuesday that rather than sanctions, Nigeria needed the understanding and support of its international partners to stamp out religious extremism in the country.

The party said that "a threat to peace anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere. Therefore, Nigeria?s international partners will also be assisting themselves by assisting Nigeria," it said.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20100105/twl-nigerian-fm-protests-to-us-envoy-ove-2802f3e.html

The saying that whatever a man sows he reaps, rightly captures the conviction of Pastor Michael Spring Inyang and four others whose hope of enjoying the proceeds of crime was dashed as they were made to spend christmas and begin the new year in prison after the courts handed them various jail terms shortly before 2009 came to an end.

Inyang, the proprietor of Christian Millionaire Club is to spend the next four years behind the bar after Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos High Court found him quilty on all 17 count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The pastor who used the name of God to defraud hundreds of his followers began his scam in 2006, when he registered an organisation known as Christian Millionaires Club through which he persuaded victims to part with their resources with an assurance that bountiful rewards await them here on earth and in heaven.

The convict also told his victims that his club was affiliated to a popular Christian body in U.S.A.and as such whatever they contribute would be rewarded in manifold at the end of the year. This led many of the victims to sell their properties, while some borrowed money from the banks to invest in the club.

Almost immediately, Pastor Inyang’s life changed for the better, he moved from one room apartment in Egbeda to a duplex in a choice area in Lagos while he bought state of the art cars to complement his new status. But their hope was dashed when at the end of the year, Inyang was no where to be found. So in 2007, the case was reported to the EFCC and he was later arrested. After the completion of investigation, he was arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of Ikeja High Court where he was eventually convicted.

Also convicted at the end of 2009 was a former corps member, Mr. Alli Olumide Monsuru

The convict, who has HND in Mass Communication was on his compulsory one year youth service in Bauchi in 2007 when the greed in him pushed him to leave his duty post and travelled to Lagos where he went to the notorious Oluwole market to buy 259 pieces of fake travellers cheque. He was subsequently arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja when he was about to board a Virgin Nigeria aircraft to South Africa. advertisement
 


When the NDLEA officials at the airport searched his luggage, they discovered counterfeit travellers cheques concealed in three pairs of shoes.

The convict was later handed over to the EFCC. After a thorough investigation, the ex-corps member was arraigned before Justice J.E. Shakharo of the Federal High Court Lagos in 2008 on a 23 count charge bordering on forgery and possession of counterfeit foreign cheque. The prosecution called four witnesses and in December 2009, he was found guilty on all the counts. He was consequently convicted and sentenced to three years and two months imprisonment.

Also, Mr. Ikecukwu Ogbu is to spend the next five years in prison custody as pronounced by Justice Oyewole. He pleaded guilty to all the eight counts charge leveled against him bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count. The prison term is to start after Ogbu who is serving a prison term for another offence must have completed the first prison term.

For Benjamin Aniegbo Aifubhekan, it came to him as a rude shock when  few days to Christmas Justice Mufutau Olokooba of ikeja high court sentenced him to three years imprisonment without an option of fine. He was only paying for the sin he committed four years ago when he swindled one Nurudeen Inuwa of millions of naira. He was later arraigned on a 40count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretences were leveled against him.He was found guilty on all the counts. In addition to three years imprisonment, he was to forfeit as restitution; one million naira recovered from him to be paid to the victim; a pathfinder Nissan jeep with registration Number DU 669 EKY. The convict is also to pay the sum of N20,000 every month to the  victim through the EFCC until the outstanding sum of N1.95million is fully paid .

In like manner, Sanusi olaniyi AbdulWasiu,aka Ms Dianna Kells of Olabisi Onabanjo university, Ago-Iwoye also bagged a 56 year jail term shortly before christmas after Justice Lawal Shuaibu of the Federal High Court, Kaduna found him quilty on all the eight count charged filed against him by the EFCC on October 23, 2008. The convict had been arrested for internet fraud before his arraignment.

Two Nigerians accused of using voodoo curses to force about 140 Nigerian girls into prostitution in Europe were sentenced to jail terms of four and four-and-a-half years on Thursday, the Agence France Presse reported today.
Four other defendants received terms of one or two years, while three were found not guilty by a court in Zwolle in the central Netherlands.

Prosecutors had asked for eight years in jail for the two main accused and up to four years for the others.

The trial on charges of human trafficking and membership of a criminal organisation, opened in March.

Prosecutors said about 140 Nigerian girls brought by the gang into the Netherlands as asylum seekers disappeared from asylum centres in 2006 and 2007.

About a dozen of the girls were traced, while the rest were thought to have been forced into prostitution in Italy, Spain and France.

Most were minors at the time, their ages ranging from 16 to 23. The Netherlands allegedly served as a transit point for the girls, sent by the suspects from Nigeria with false identity papers and instructions for an asylum application.

“The suspects used voodoo to influence the girls,” said a prosecution statement.

“They had to give blood, nails or a piece of clothing and make a promise to a voodoo priest to repay the -debts- incurred for their travel to Europe” - between 30,000 euros (44,400 dollars) and 60,000 euros each.

“That means that they would have had to have forced sex about 3,000 times and give up the proceeds. In a foreign country, far from home, with no way out - living with the fear of going crazy or dying if they disobey their handlers,” said the statement.

The suspects were arrested in the Netherlands in October 2007 after an investigation by Dutch police in collaboration with Nigerian and some European counterparts.

The Lagos State Government has evacuated 3,000 beggars back to their various states and neighbouring countries in the last nine months.

Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola on Youth, Sports and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru, disclosed this yesterday at the celebration of the 2009 International Day of Persons With Disabilities in Lagos.

He said that some of the beggars were sent to ECOWAS countries, while others were sent to the northern states and other parts of the country.

According to him, the move was part of government’s programme to re-unite the beggars with their relations so that they can live meaningful lives.

“This government has embarked on rescue exercise to remove beggars and destitute from the streets of Lagos so that they can be reunited with their relations and live a peaceful and prosperous life,” he said.

Badru stated that this act of reuniting them with their relations was better for them, than exposing themselves to the hazards of the environment such as living in uncompleted buildings, under bridges and begging for alms on the streets, where they could be run down by moving vehicles or used for ritual purpose by unscrupulous persons.

The special adviser advised Nigerians from outside the state to discourage their relations, who have one disability or the other, from coming to Lagos to beg for alms, adding that instead of bringing them to beg, they should encourage them to learn vocation of their choices in vocational institutions that abounded in their states.

“The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cannot be achieved without the full and effective inclusion of persons with disabilities and their participation in all stages of the MDG processes.

“We must see to it that persons with disabilities are empowered with needed skills and training to be able to respond to various challenges and able to live a fulfilled life. We must individually and collectively ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities are not trampled upon.

“It is in ensuring justice, equal opportunity and fairness for all that Nigeria and indeed, the world will experience peace and stability,” he stated.

Badru stressed the need to renew commitment to the principles of dignity and justice, equal opportunity and to make sure that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was implemented.

“Globally, almost one in 10 persons is living with disability and recent studies indicate that persons with disabilities constitute up to 20 percent of the population living in poverty in developing countries.

“Many persons with disabilities continue to face barriers to their participation in their communities and are often forced to live on the margins of society,” he said, adding, “they often face stigma and discrimination and are routinely denied basic rights such as food, education, employment, access to health and reproductive health services.  It is now time to give necessary support to persons with disabilities for them to live their dreams.”

The theme of this year’s celebration is: Making the MDGs Inclusive: Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

Badru said this year’s theme was timely as the MDGs provided the best available framework for fulfilling the promise by world leaders at the summit in 2000 to spare no effort at freeing people from the abject and dehumanising conditions of extreme poverty.

He added that the MDGs established a unifying set of developmental objectives for global community by bringing together United Nations agencies, governments and civil society around eight key developmental issues.

“It fosters collaborative action to reduce poverty, improve health and address educational and environmental concerns around the world’s most pressing development problems,” he stated.

President, Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Mr. Adeyemi Okikiade, called for equal opportunities for disabled people in the political arena.

He disclosed that many physically-challenged persons were currently aspiring for political offices at all levels of government, while appealing to political leaders and parties to be ready to accommodate them.

“We implore our political leaders to include persons with disabilities in election management bodies, appointment structures, security and general political appointment.

“We strongly demand that all our governments, corporate bodies, religious and cultural leaders should avoid discrimination against persons with disabilities.   Public perception has been the main challenge confronting persons with disabilities in the society,” he said.