Nollywood stake holders storm Calabar, Cross Rivers State, for the annual Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), which takes place from November 10 -17, 2013.

Two soldiers were yesterday killed in Kano during a confrontation between a combined team of the Kano Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Directorate of State Security with suspected Boko Haram members.

Five members of the militant group were also killed.

The shootout, which took place at Hotoro Dan’marke quarters and Brigade quarters in the early hours, lasted for about three hours, during which the residents were gripped with fear and panic.

Some of the residents told our reporter that the combined team stormed two residences where the suspected terrorists were living, leading to the gun battle.

Items recovered from the hideouts of the terrorist gang include 2 AK47 rifles, 458 rounds of 7.62 special and 6 AK47 rifle magazines.

Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, the Kano spokesman of the JTF, said in a statement that intelligence reports indicated that the terrorists were in the process of finalizing plans to carry out simultaneous suicide attacks in Abuja and Kano.

“The proactive reactions of the JTF have denied the terrorists freedom of action in Kano and from using the state as a spring board to launch attacks on other parts of the country. This is due to the cooperation the JTF is receiving from members of the general public. The recent rise in activities of members of the terrorist sect may not be unconnected with the increase in pressure being mounted on them by troops in the North Eastern axis and their desperation to make loud statements of their presence,” he said.
 
He urged members of the public to go about their normal businesses without fear as the JTF has increased its patrols to cope with the pressure of the ember periods and fleeing terrorists.
 
“However, worrisome is the ease with which terrorists secure accommodation easily in Panshekara, Ja’en, Mariri, Farawa, Hotoro, Sherada, Brigade and other outskirt areas in the state despite appeals by the JTF to property owners to desist from renting their properties to persons with questionable identities. The JTF in Kano would not allow the state to be used as haven for terrorists.”
 
He warned that those appeals having fallen on deaf ears, the JTF would not only continue to destroy any such properties found to accommodate terrorists but will also arrest their owners and treat them as accomplices even if they do not reside in the property.
 
He called on all residents of Kano not to relent in the fight against terrorist elements who are seeking refuge, and to continue to report any suspicious persons regardless of gender for immediate action so as to prevent loss of life and property.

Passengers Aboard Aero Flight Abandoned For Hours On Tarmac In Abuja As Aircraft Breaks Down


 


Passengers aboard an Aero Contractor Boeing 737 plane scheduled for a trip to from Abuja to Lagos were left stranded inside the aircraft for several hours, with airline officials nowhere in sight to offer any explanation, SaharaReporters has learnt from a source who was one of the abandoned passengers.

“It was as if the Aero Contractors turned us into prisoners of war,” said the passenger, adding that many passengers were terrified as the plane sat on the tarmac of Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja for several hours, with passengers locked up inside.

Our source disclosed that Flight AJ132 from Abuja to Lagos was supposed to take off at 8 p.m., but was delayed until midnight. Then, once passengers boarded, they were left inside the aircraft until 3 a.m. on Saturday. He added that the pilots and the crew left the aircraft with the passengers without giving any explanation. A source at the airline said it was a case of “Aircraft On Ground”, a term used to depict seriousness of engine trouble that causes an aircraft to be grounded.

“I think this kind of thing can only happen in Nigeria where customers are treated by an airline as if they were just rats trapped inside a plane, and the pilots and crew members disappear just like that.”

SaharaReporters could not reach a line for Aero Contractors to obtain an official response to the incident. Several passengers booked on other Aero’s flights suffered similar delays at airports around Nigeria.

London's best cook for African dishes, Adenike Mustapha celebrated her birthday yesterday.
And to show their love, Nollywood's Rukky, Oge and Ebube showed up at the birthday dinner to celebrate with Nike.

Mercy Johnson and her adorable family are in Uromi for a burial.
Photo of the day....

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

One of former President Olusegun Obasanjo's sons, Bisoye Obasanjo (pictured above) married his sweetheart Chigozie Nwenyi today in Ebonyi state, the home place of the bride. President Obasanjo, his wife, former Ebonyi state governor Sam Egwu, current Ebonyi Governor Martin Elechi and his deputy Dave Umahi and wife, plus Ebonyi House of Assembly speaker, Chukwuma Nwazunku and Nkem Owoh were all at the wedding. See more photos after the cut...

While President Goodluck Jonathan's political adviser, Dr Ahmed Gulak was talking tough and daring Governor Rotimi Amaechi to go and join the APC if he wants, insider sources have revealed that the president is not ready to lose Amaechi and other G-7 governors to the APC.

Already, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki has commenced a secret move off the grid to in any way possible bring Amaechi back to the side of President Jonathan.


Below is what a top insider in Abuja told The Nation:

    “As a matter of fact, Dasuki’s initial intervention accounted for the first phase of the peace talks between the President and the G-7 governors. You will recall that the initial talks recorded some progress because it enabled the governors to table their demands.

    “But the likely collapse of peace talks made the NSA to meet with the governors individually to avoid any breakdown of law and order in the affected seven states and the spiral effect on other states.

    “So far, the NSA has had fruitful discussions with the governors... Dasuki has been doing a lot of underground work towards ensuring political and social stability in the polity without drawing attention to his efforts.”

Anyway, Governor Amaechi and other G-7 governors are insisting on their demands. The demands are:

• The sack of a factional National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga

• Return of party structure to governors in Adamawa, Rivers, Kano, and other states

• Sticking to one-term tenure by the President by foregoing re-election in 2015

• Resolution of NGF and Rivers crises, including the lifting of suspension of Governor Rotimi Amaechi

• Stopping harassment of governors by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

But it seems Jonathan is still scared of the governors antics, hence he doesn't want to hand over party structures in their respective states to them yet.

It is not yet over, as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has given the Government conditions to be met before the union would finally call off its over four-month old strike.

    “I must tell you that our mandate remains. The only mandate we have is that 2009 agreement must be met. We have not reached any agreement with the Federal Government.

    “Since the Federal Government wants to be releasing N220bn every year for five years, then all monetary and regulatory agencies must sign.... The reason we will ensure this is that we don’t want argument tomorrow that the agreement was entered in error or that they don’t know the implication of signing the agreement. If possible, documents that will provide for automatic deduction of the agreed money at a particular/agreed date must be provided.”

A prominent member of the union, who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the union, told Punch that doing this would give the association the confidence that “the Government knows what it is doing when it signed the agreement.”

He said, "The Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministries of Finance and Labour, National Assembly, Office of the Presidency, National Universities Commission, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Trade Union Congress and our umbrella body, the Nigeria Labour Congress, must sign with consequences stated."

Recall that the leadership of ASUU had engaged in a 13-hour marathon meeting with government delegation led by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja between Monday and Tuesday.

Asked when the lecturers would call off the strike, a source who was at the meeting said, “I doubt if the strike is ending soon. The problem is with the Finance Minister. Where is government getting N1trn from? A government that could not implement agreement between 2009 and 2013, what is the guarantee that they would honour this agreement.

“It is all politics. We are still awaiting directives from our branches. We have told them the outcome of the meeting with the President but we are waiting for them to tell us what they think of government’s proposal.

“Imagine the Minister of Education has travelled out of the country. He was appointed Vice President for UNESCO General Assembly. How can he travel out of the country without resolving the crisis in the education sector?’"
The agreement reached by both ASUU and the Federal Government is that government would inject N1.1tn into public universities in the next five years. But ASUU need guarantees that this will happen.

These four Celebs share a birthday in common...today November 9,2013 is their birthday.
I don't know what the others are doing but Mike Larry's DOLLHOUSE is hosting Egor to a super duper birthday party today and all the stars will be there...hopefully.

Happy birthday you four,God bless your hustles!

The 2013 Soul Train Awards held last night Friday November 8th at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Iyanya was a nominee. Looking great! See more photos after the cut...

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

The duo and their manager, Christoper Moses took a break from work to holiday in Cyprus. They also spent few days in Dubai before returning to Nigeria. See more pictures after the cut.

Brother-The Chase love birds Elikem the Tailor and Pokello queen of swag hit the runway yesterday Thursday November 7, during day one of the Glitz African Fashion Week.

Designs by Elikem was displayed by male models and Pokello also modeled in her lover boy’s designs.

The Glitz Africa Fashion Week (GAFW) 2013 kicked off last night at the Accra International Conference Centre.

This year marks the second edition of the event, and day 1 featured thirteen (13) fashion designers and over 70 international models on the runway show.

Designers like Poqua Poqu, She by Bena, PISTIS, Elikem Kumordzie, Ajepomaa, N’Kya Designs, Deborah Vanessa, Sarah Christian, Msimps, Koulture Apparel, Black Pepper, Modella B and Mai Atafo Insipred, all brought out their insightful creativity to bare.



Sandra Ankobiah on the runway
Among the highlight for the first day was Sandra Ankobiah and Vimbi of BBA fame returned to the runway and Mai Atafo’s stage drama which left everyone’s mouth agape.

An impressive opening saw the organizers give in their all to make sure that the audience left with excitement in their heart; imprinting it in the minds of audience that creative, quality fashion has come to stay.

Among the audience that grace the event are Bee Arthur, Joselyn Dumas, and Makeba Boateng et al

The Glitz Africa Fashion Week (GAFW) is aimed at providing a platform for Africa’s fashion industry to showcase its talents, network, celebrate each other and expose them to uncharted market.

The day 1 of the event has undoubtedly give a glimpse of what the remaining two days hold for anticipating fashion lovers.

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets made history today by becoming the first country to win the  FIFA Under-17 World Cup for the fourth time when they beat Mexico, 3 – 0 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The first goal was an own goal scored by Mexico’s Eric Aguirre who scored against his won team in the 9th minute time, Kelechi Iheanacho scored the second goal in the second half & Musa Mohammed (Captain of the team) finished the game off with a free kick that went straight into the net!

A few moments ago Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan sent the history making team a congratulatory via his Facebook account.


             














Congrats to the boys!

Heavily pregnant Mrs Annie Idibia left Nigeria yesterday to go have her second baby abroad.
You recall Annie gave birth to Isabella in California, 2008.
Wishing her a very safe delivery.

Meanwhile, Annie got to share these wonderful pictures of her family on Instagram. I'm in love with the very first picture. Way too adorable.
Turns out Annie ran into new mum Nike Oshinowo at the airport.

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday [Nov. 8] maintained that governance by the military in Africa and other parts of the world is old-fashioned and will no longer be tolerated.

He made the remark yesterday while addressing a special session of the National People’s Assembly during his visit to Guinea-Bissau.

President Jonathan also called on the country’s Armed Forces to embrace total respect for democracy and constitutionalism in the interest of their nation.

He said:

It is no longer fashionable to see the military parading themselves as the custodians of political power. Rather, it is fashionable for the military to embrace the protection, preservation and total respect for constitutional order and democracy in order to build a prosperous and an egalitarian society.

President Jonathan disclosed that he was in Bissau to show solidarity to the government and people of Guinea Bissau as part of efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability on the African continent.

He re-stated Nigeria’s condemnation of recent attacks on the Nigerian Embassy and Nigerian nationals in Guinea Bissau, saying:

Mischief makers in the country should be discouraged from inciting the public against brotherly Nigerians and Africans.

President Jonathan called on the authorities of Guinea-Bissau to bring the perpetrators of the criminal attacks to justice.

We should be our brothers’ keepers and work hand-in-hand in this era of globalization so as to reap the fruits that come with it. I want to reassure you that the incident that led to the death of a Nigerian will not deter us from our desire to ensure that peace and stability are restored in Guinea-Bissau.

He said the objective of his visit was to “identify with your aspiration to transform your country to the status of a stable and democratic society that will guarantee peace and stable democratic governance which is a fundamental per-requisite for meaningful economic development”.

Three employees of Zenith Bank Plc national headquarters, Ajose Adeogun street, Victoria Island, Lagos State, have been arrested by the Special Anti Robbery Squad, Ikeja, Lagos for their alleged involvement in a $2m fraud.

Police sources told PUNCH Metro that a senior official of the bank, Ms. Olubukola Oritogun, and two others allegedly defrauded unsuspecting customers of the said sum. A fourth yet-to-be identifed person is said to be on the run.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Oritogun and her accomplices were allegedly in the habit of informing wealthy customers who wanted to buy dollars that there was a dollar account in the bank that they could purchase them from.

The source, who requested anonymity said, “Oritogun would inform some persons that if they wanted to buy dollars, it was available in the bank. She would make the account details available to the customer. Unknown to the victim, the dollar account is owned by another customer of the bank.

“The victim would then ask his own contact in the bank to check the account. Once it has been confirmed that the account indeed has a certain amount of dollars, the victim would then transfer the naira equivalent of what he wanted to buy to Oritogun in exchange for the dollars.”
She was said to have defrauded several persons in that manner until a complaint was lodged at SARS.
PUNCH Metro gathered that on the day of Oritogun’s arrest, she had already booked a flight to the United States and was preparing to flee the country.

It was learnt that the police had recovered N166m of the stolen funds.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, said she would call our correspondent back whe she was contacted.

The bank’s spokesperson, Mr. Victor Adoji, when contacted, said, “We actually detected the fraud first. We subsequently made a report to the Special Fraud Unit and they have started investigation. Some of our employees were arrested in connection with the case.

“As of now, we have feedback as regards the current state of investigation.

29yrs old Dennis Okike is a multi-millionaire today and the proud owner of a brand new SUV, courtesy of his participation in the just concluded Gulder Ultimate Search, 2013 edition. He speaks with Punch on the show, his experiences and how it took him three years to emerge the Ultimate Man. Enjoy...

Why did you decide to go in for Gulder Ultimate Search 10?
I had the craving to be a part of the show. I saw myself as being an Ultimate Man someday. I have always had the dream. My friend, Uche Nwaezeapu, won the GUS in 2006. He wasn’t as athletic as I was back then. He was just the guy next door and didn’t participate in any sports while we were in school. Now, I started seeing him on TV and he became the winner. So I felt if Uche could win, I could as well. I prayed about it and from that day, I started working towards it...

So this wasn’t your first time of trying to be a part of the show?
No. this was actually the third time. The first time, I didn’t make the preliminaries. The second time, I was evicted during the final selection and then this time around, when I went into the jungle. I played all my cards well and I prayed so much about it. I trained for almost eight months for this year’s search. I was always at the stadium and the pool training for the search. I was just ready for it. I watched all the past tasks they had in the other editions and I was just ready for anything new.

That means just as Uche won, your life ambition was to be a part of GUS?
That is true, very true. When the show came out 10 years ago, I liked it. But I was scared of the jungle. But when I saw Uche my friend doing it, I knew I could do it as well. He was my best friend in secondary school. He coached me all the while; he made sure I practised my swimming. He pushed me so hard. He told me that I wouldn’t remember all I have gone through when I start reaping the fruits of it. He was the motivational person I needed. I think I owe all of this to him.

When did you graduate from the university?
I graduated in 2009/2010. I attended University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

So you haven’t been working between then and now?
I was working in a bank. But it was a holiday job. I did my industrial training at the bank and somehow, I went back after graduation and since I was close to the bosses, they gave me a holiday job. I worked there for a while until I realised that I needed to go back to school to settle some issues. I did and that was it.

So you went in for the show and even made it a ‘life ambition’ because you didn’t have a job?
I think God has a way of planning my life. Everything went according to God’s plans. Those who come for the search are mainly those who are less occupied. If you had a nine to five job, I don’t think you would have the time to be a part of GUS; that means you would quit your job. And then, what if you didn’t become the winner after quitting your job?

How did you feel when you were declared the winner?
I told you winning the show was my priority in life. When I won, I couldn’t help how I felt. It was overwhelming. I had to fall back into the water. How do I explain being excited and happy at the same time? I couldn’t believe it. I was startled. It didn’t get to me at first but when it did? I almost fainted. I got hit by N10m on my left side and a brand new SUV on my right side so I fainted.

You raise the alarm at first even when you hadn’t found the piece you were asked to…
Yes. I saw something. It was a bag of sand. I screamed that I had found something. It turned out to be a bag of sand. But it didn’t deter me. I kept searching. I asked myself what I was coming back to if I didn’t find the piece. I didn’t mind breaking my nails and hurting myself. No matter what, I wanted to come back home with the money. I had injuries but I didn’t mind. I took the pain and I felt I would get the glory eventually. I was always reciting my favourite Psalm- Psalm 53. I kept digging. I went to a spot where I noted that the other contestants hadn’t gone. I kept searching. I found another bag. I didn’t want to raise the alarm again. I pulled it out and the more I pulled, it got bigger. Obviously, it wasn’t a sack of sand, it was the scepter. I went on my knees and thank God. There were times I would have been evicted but I kept praying that the day wouldn’t be my last day in the jungle.

What if you hadn’t won?
I still would have gone home with money. But the most important thing I am happy I came for the show this year is that it gave me the opportunity to get a GUS pendant. I longed for it. I wanted to be a part of the GUS family. I wasn’t keen about winning. But when I got into the jungle and I saw the contestants, I realised that I should win. Some of them hadn’t been through what I have been through in life. Some of them are comfortable in life. I felt I hungered for it more. The hunger kept pushing me. The longer I stayed in the jungle, the more I got weaker. People felt I was losing focus but I am human. God just protected everyone of us.

You said you have been through a lot in life, can you tell us some of what you have been through?
I have been neglected by friends. I am an only son and it sort of made me to be a one man army. I grew up having the sense of being on my own. I had issues in my family. My father was comfortable at a point but at a point, he got shot in 1998. You know what happens when the breadwinner is not able to bring in money into the family again. Things became bizarre. I can’t really say most of the things that happened. Going through the university wasn’t easy at all. But I am this kind of person that even if I wear bathroom slippers, I would still look good. I didn’t let hardship get to me. I have tasted hardship.

So many people think what we see on TV is film trick; you guys don’t get to suffer as much as...
I don’t think you were shown half of what we went through in that jungle. We didn’t have tooth brushes. We didn’t brush our teeth for a month. It is a jungle and you don’t have tooth brushes in the jungle. It was incredible. We were walking casually into the jungle not knowing what was in stock for us. We had to go into the mud for the mudslinging game. That was when reality dawned on us. Before then, we were lounging and relaxing in the hotel. In the jungle, I went without food for two and half days. I was being punished for an offence. We slept under the rain. We had bamboos as beds. We had roaches, mosquitoes and rodents all around us. We went through a lot.

Was there a time you felt like quitting?
I wanted to give up on the fourth day. But no girl complained. If no girl complained, how could I have been the first to quit? I had to endure. Our food weren’t tasty but we had to eat it. we just wanted the stomach to be filled up. Initially I thought we would go and take shelter somewhere if it rained. But that wasn’t the case. Rain or shine, we were in the jungle. It wasn’t the most wonderful experience but I thank God.

Was it all worth it, even with the N10m?
It was worth it.

You didn’t have a good relationship with the other contestants…
I wouldn’t say it that way. I didn’t want to be lukewarm. I wanted the fire to continue burning in me. I didn’t want to continue joking and laughing and playing. At a point, I felt it could make us forget the reason we were there. They said I was quarrelsome, I was just being defensive. I don’t like being bullied.

What is next now?
A new phase of my life has begun. I don’t have to rush. I had my plans before I went to the jungle. Now that I am out, some plans might be altered. Better plans have come. I am not going to sit down and start spending the money. My plan is to see if I can double the money.

What of your girlfriend?
I don’t have to say anything about that. I will keep living my life. I live a decent life and I will not have issues. I will not bring out my private life in public.

Old friends must have resurrected now since you won?
You don’t need to ask. There was a point in my life my phone didn’t use to ring. But now, it is crazy. And the thing is that you cannot be rude to anybody. My callers even call by 2am. It has been crazy. I now have to live with it. It is my cross and I will carry it humbly.

Nollywood star Jim Iyke, and Ghanaian actress, Nadia Buari, were recently photographed together at a studio, where they went to check out the final cut of The Diary of Imogen Brown (Nadia Buari's directorial debut).

Their appearance together puts paid to recent speculations in the press that the two are no longer together. If this picture is any indication, the two are still going strong.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on INEC to immediately commence the process of prosecuting APGA's governorship candidate for Anambra, Mr. Willie Obiano, following the revelation that he engaged in multiple voter registration.

    ''Prosecuting Obiano will also show that INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, was not just bluffing when he recently called for the establishment of an electoral offences tribunal before the 2015 general elections to
    help restore sanity to the country's electoral process and deter people from committing electoral offences.''

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Obiano's multiple registration provides the best test case yet for INEC to convince Nigerians that it is indeed willing and able to discourage multiple voter registration by making those who engage in this
electoral fraud to face the full wrath of the law.

APC said it is important for INEC to ensure that Obiano is made to face justice, against the background of the statement credited to Prof. Jega that the Commission had detected 93,526 multiple registration cases in Anambra State ahead of the November 16th Governorship Poll.

''It is now clear, from incontrovertible evidence in the public domain, that APGA's governorship candidate is one of those who engaged in multiple voter registration, having registered twice in Anambra and at least once in Lagos.

''One of Obiano's two voter registration cards was issued on August 21st 2013 with VIN number 90F5B12B88377091121, while the second was issued on Sept. 3rd, 2013 with VIN number 90F5B15E7D378200332. Both gave his address as No. 1 Chief Willie Obiano Street, Otuocha, and showed he was born on 08-08-1955.

''Add this to the evidence out there that he also registered in Lagos, and one can see that Obiano is a serial electoral offender who must not be allowed to escape justice. Nobody is bigger than the law, and Obiano cannot be an exception,'' APC said.

The party said its concerns about the ability of INEC to organize a free, fair and transparent governorship election in Anambra on Nov. 16th has been further heightened by the fact that the Commission failed to discover Obiano's multiple registration until it was published in the media.

''This means that the 93,526 cases that the INEC Chairman said it had detected in Anambra may not have been expunged from the voters' register to be used for theNov. 16th election. After all, if the case of such a high profile person like Obiano, who is contesting for Governor, was not discovered by INEC, how can the cases involving ordinary citizens be discovered?'' it queried.

APC said all eyes are now on INEC as to how it will handle the case of Obiano, and that the actions taken by the Commission in the days ahead will determine whether indeed it is ready to organize a free and fair
poll or allow a repeat of the electoral heist and brigandage perpetrated by the PDP in the recently-held Senatorial bye election in Delta State.

AY Live comedy show will take place on Sunday November 17th at London's IndigO2. I Go Dye, Elenu, Pencil, Helen Paul, Juliet Ibrahim, Chris Attoh, Yemi Black, Sir Shina Peters, & CEO Dancers will all perform at the show. Ticket is from 25 pounds. Buy your tickets at Cokobar.com.