Photo: Burmese Woman Breastfeeds Tiger Cubs Because…

Two tiger cubs, one male, one female were taken from her mother when she killed the third one in her litter. They are now been breast fed by a wet nurse, Hla Htay, at the Yangon Zoological Gardens in Burma and by breastfed, we mean literally, straight from her mammary glands.

Ms Htay, 40, the partner of an employee at the zoo, told local newspapers this week she felt sorry for the animals and offered her services, at least until the cubs grew teeth.

The two are now being raised on bottled milk as well as Hla Htay’s milk four times a day.

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Laptops, LCD TVs Given At Sambo’s Daughters’ Wedding

The wedding of Huwaila and Aisha, the charming daughters of Vice President Namadi Sambo, was everything it was programmmed to be as the first leg of the two-city ceremony, a Mothers’ Night, was held at the exclusive International Conference Centre, Abuja on Saturday December 1, with  Nigeria’s who is who in attendance.

With all the entrappings of a royal ceremony, the event was compered by Dayo Benjamins-Laniyi while stand up comedian, I Go Dye was on hand to keep the atmosphere enlivened.

Former First Lady, Hajia Maryam Abacha and wife of Benue State governor, Doorshima Yemisi Suswam, led a long list of dignitaries to the event whose wedding Nikkai is about holding now in Kaduna. Today’s event is expected to draw a longer list of attendees as hundreds of guests who attended the Mothers’ Night have gone to town with the tale of how laptops and LCD TVs alongside other nice souvenirs were given out.

Aisha is wedding Mukhtar while her sister, Hauwila, will be joined with Awalu.

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Chris Okotie made me work without pay for 14 years, man tells court

A former Church worker said Mr. Okotie made him work for 14 years without pay.

On February 5, 2013, the flamboyant head of the Household of God Church International, Chris Okotie, is expected to appear before an Ikeja Magistrate Court.

In his trademark smooth, and colourful language, Mr. Okotie will tell Magistrate T.A. Akanni how and why his church did not pay a former church worker and keyboardist for 14 years salaries totalling N39 million.

Dafiaghor Okiotor, a former keyboardist at the church before he fell out with Mr. Okotie in 2009, said that the money covers the

14 years he worked for the church without emolument.

The church, however, insisted that he was “working for God.

Coming to Lagos

A 21-year-old Mr. Okiotor arrived in Lagos in 1993 to pursue a music career with his friends – a dream he said made him abandon his study at the Delta State University.

“We wanted to become superstars overnight,” said Mr. Okiotor, 40, leaning forward from his seat in his lawyer’s office.

“I came to Lagos to do music,” he added.

On arrival, he joined Winners Christian Centre, Surulere, where he doubled as a keyboardist as well as choir master.

For his efforts, he said that the church gave him a one room apartment as well as a N4,000 monthly salary.

However, his sights were still set on a musical career and, on his way to Tabansi Records at Alausa, he bumped into a charismatic Mr. Okotie at Oregun.

And a 14 year affair ensued; a relationship that would later become tempestuous, landing Mr. Okiotor a short stint in prison, and eventually ending up in a court room.

The Okotie connection

In mid 1995, Mr. Okiotor said that he met the head of Household of God Church after he learnt that there was an opening for a keyboardist.

The perks that accompanied that opening included a N10,000 monthly salary and, after an undisclosed probation period, a three-bedroom apartment, according to Mr. Okiotor.

“He (Okotie) said that he wants to see my faithfulness before giving me the three-bedroom apartment,” Mr. Okiotor said.

“But first, a room apartment, and when that expires and they think that I’m good enough…

“I was so excited; from a N4,000 to a N10,000 monthly salary,” Mr. Okiotor added.

The keyboardist said that barely two months into his new job, the salaries stopped coming.

“About 5 to 6 months after I’ve not been getting anything, I met him (Okotie) and he told me that ‘Didn’t I tell you that we have to see your faithfulness? It was because we thought you were good that was why we rented you an apartment.’

“That sounded like a subtle threat, so I left the matter,” said Mr. Okiotor.

“Then again, it is easy to believe if a pastor says ‘I’ll give you N50 million’ because he can wake up anyday and give you.

“And again, other members of the church will tell me, if I want to grumble, that ‘Do I know how much he is worth? How much is my salary?’”

At the expiration of the one room apartment rented by the church, Mr. Okiotor said that he was unable to renew it and was subsequently evicted by the house owner.

“I told pastor about it, he was not even in the mood to listen to me. He said he was travelling and when he gets back, he was going to sort it out. He never did.

“I didn’t quite feel it was good for somebody that was quite popular in church coming to sleep in church. So I slept on the streets for two months,” Mr. Okiotor said.

With the help of a friend, Mr. Okiotor said he got another apartment, where he stayed for about a decade before he was thrown out again.

That was when Mr. Okotie told him that the time was ripe for the three bedroom apartment he’d earlier promised him; but with some conditions, according to Mr. Okiotor.

“He told me that I cannot have a studio in the house, because in my small place I used to have a studio where I do my personal recordings.

“Again, that I have to stay there with his younger brother, Julius, who is way junior to me,” Mr. Okiotor said.

Afterwards, a disagreement with Julius over who would take possession of the new apartment’s master bedroom led the pastor’s brother to reveal an information that “startled” Mr. Okiotor.

“He (Julius) told me that the house was rented in his name. House that this man said he’s getting for me, he paid with his younger brother’s name. So I don’t even have a house,” he added.

Mr. Okiotor said that his continued stay in the church, despite the ‘failed promises’ was due to repeated re-assurances from co-church workers.

“There was no written agreement. I know him (Okotie) as a man of God and I have worked with churches all my life. Nothing is written,” Mr. Okiotor said.

“One of the reasons I still stayed…it’s like when people tell you you are closer to your blessings.

“Having put in so many years, why would you leave when you are close, every day that passes, you are closer. I was like, if I’d been patient for this long, just keep being patient,” the former church worker said.

In 2009, when he travelled to Abuja to seek for financial assistance from his elder brother who returned from the U.S.; Mr.

Okiotor said that his planned two-day stay stretched to one week.

He missed the church’s midweek service.

“On Friday, he (Mr. Okotie) called me and said that he had made up his mind that he doesn’t need my services anymore.

“He told me ‘You can go and do whatever you are doing. Household is grateful to you for everything that you had done.’ He dropped the call,” Mr. Okiotor said.

The Showdown

After a two-year stint in Abuja, where he worked as Personal Assistant to Abel, his elder brother, Mr. Okiotor said that he returned to Lagos to claim his “entitlements.”

“When I returned in January (2012), I called Pastor (Okotie) and told him we have an outstanding. That since he fired me, he’d have to pay me off, or even pay what he owed.

“He dropped the phone on me. He wouldn’t pick my calls anymore. If I call him with another number, once he realises it’s me, he will cut off the phone,” Mr. Okiotor said.

“I sent him an email, he didn’t reply. I inboxed him on facebook. The next time I tried to inbox him again, I found out he had blocked me.

“I wrote a letter and couriered it to him. I told him that since he doesn’t want us to sit down and compute what I’m entitled to; that I think he is owing me N39.1 million,” the former church worker said.

To arrive at that figure, Mr. Okiotor said that he used a N20,000 per service agreement (the church holds two services every week) they had in 2003 to cover the entire period he worked for the church.

He also asked for an additional N10 million for the songs he claimed he co-produced with the musician-turned pastor, particularly ‘Yonder Place’ a song Mr. Okotie used extensively during presidential campaigns as well as in his televangelism.

In one of the emails Mr. Okiotor wrote to Mr. Okotie, he informed him of his intention to come to the church on July 10 to “occupy Household” over his unpaid entitlements.

To stall the ‘occupy Household,’ on July 9, Mr. Okotie wrote a petition to the police Area Commander in Ikeja, complaining against the “despicable and criminal acts of blackmail, threats, intimidation and forgery by one Mr. Okiotor to extort N39 million” from him.

In the petition, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Okotie told the police that Mr. Okiotor had, through several phone calls, threatened to embarrass him and defame his character.

“Therefore, I am notifying you of the criminal actions of Mr. Dafiaghor and request your office to investigate, restrain and prosecute him for his unlawful and criminal attempt…,” Mr. Okotie further said.

A second letter attached to Mr. Okotie’s petition called on the police to be “at alert.”

“Mr. Dafiaghor was a member of our church, he used to be one of the people playing keyboard in church during service…,” read the letter signed by Niyi Ajayi, Special Adviser on Security.

“The most interesting thing is that he has promised total violence and high level of lawlessness in the church premises on Tuesday 10th July 2012.”

On that Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Okotiotor arrived at the Household of God Church International, Oregun, and stood outside the church’s premises.

Boldly written on his white shirt were the words: ‘Rev. Chris Okotie. Pay me or kill me.’

“I didn’t want to embarrass him on a service day. He always comes on Tuesday for counselling,” Mr. Okiotor said.

“The gate was locked. I stood in front of the gate. One of the security men asked me to come inside.

“Immediately I got inside, all the security men and some police officers attacked me, bundled me into a vehicle at the back of the church and drove off.”

After he was released by the police officers, Mr. Okiotor resumed his ‘occupation’ of the church, this time, at the next Sunday service.

“I stayed on the road. The police and the security were civil because there were church people around,” Mr. Okiotor said.

“They took me to the station and later released me. I went back to the church, at about 6 p.m., they (police) now came in their real colours, because there was no one in the church, beat me and took me to SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad).”

Police records of the various statements written by the church’s security guards and seen by PREMIUM TIMES indicated that Mr. Okiotor was disturbing the Sunday’s service with his shouts.

“He came and started shouting in front of the church and the police took control of the case,” said Olufemi Mudashiru, a paid employee at the church.

Mr. Ajayi said that the “very loud noise” caused the church members to panic.

“The ones coming (to church) started running away and the pastor could not continue with the officiating,” he added.

The church’s response

In his second letter to the police, Mr. Ajayi insisted that the keyboardist was a volunteer at the church.

“We all know him (Mr. Okiotor) as a volunteer, just as many of us are, and volunteers in the church are not paid salary,” Mr. Ajayi, a security consultant, said.

In a response to a PREMIUM TIMES enquiry, the Household of God Church said that Mr. Okiotor had embarked on a “smear campaign” and should be ignored.

“Daphe’s (Mr. Okiotor) case is already in court. I can therefore not comment on it as extensively as I ought to because it would be subjudice to do so,” said Ladi Ayodeji, Head, Media and Communications, Household of God Church.

“However, I’d like to make it clear that his claims are false and mischievous. Our church does not engage paid employees in the worship department, the most we do is to give financial support or honorarium, at the pastor’s discretion,” Mr. Ayodeji added.

Mr. Ayodeji also described Mr. Okiotor’s claim of co-producing the song ‘Yonder Place’ as “spurious and laughable.”

“Those who know Rev. Okotie’s music pedigree will dismiss the claim as ludicrous and an attempt at self aggrandizement. He (Mr. Okiotor) is neither qualified nor talented enough to aspire to such musical elevation,” Mr. Ayodeji said

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WAEC to Release NOV/DEC Results in 2 Weeks Time

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has assured candidates, who sat for the November/ December Senior School Certificate Examination of the examination body that they will start to get their results in two weeks time.

This was made known by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Council, Yusuf Ari on Friday in Lagos.

According to him, “We had finished the marking exercise for the November/December SSCE for private candidates since November… The entire process of conducting and collating was quite impressive because there were no negative reports from any of the centres nationwide… We used limited logistics, and this to a great extent relaxed the pressure we normally had during the May/June examination,” he added.

He however, pleaded with candidates and other stakeholders to be mindful of the activities of touts around the offices of the council in order not to be victims of their nefarious plans. He said there was need for members of the public and the government to assist the council in its effort to protect innocent citizens from the persistent exploitation by touts.

On this, he say “We all need to join hands in fighting these fraudsters who stay around our offices, looking for innocent people they would mislead by issuing fake certificates… We have made a lot of efforts to sensitise the public concerning the activities of these people, but still wonder why many people still go to them for transactions.”

Source: premiumtimesng.com

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“I Forgive My Husband, But…” – Mercy Nnadi’s Husband Killed Her Son, Burnt Her With Hot Pressing Iron{ source; information nigeria}

To many residents of the Okota area of Lagos, Mercy Nnadi’s issue is a forgotten one, as they assume that she did not survive the third degree burns she sustained from the attack by her spouse. But how wrong they are! The 36-year-old Mercy, whose husband killed their only son eight months ago, and burnt her with hot pressing iron over allegation that she was having an affair with his father, the very woman who once looked a shadow of her old self, is back to life.

[WARNING! Violent content & Explicit photos]

She is presently occupying a one-room apartment in Agege area of Lagos, courtesy of three Non-Governmental Organisations: Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Centa for Development, and Zaharawomen. Aside the apartment, the NGOs also gave her the sum of N150, 000 to start life afresh.

^{Mercy Nnadi (second on the left) receives a cheque for N150,000 from Mrs Josephine Effah-Chukwuma (first right); with Nkiru of Centa for Development (second right) and a representative of WAPA.}

Even in the light of all this, in this exclusive interview Mercy said nothing could fill the vacuum created by the demise of her son, Ebuka, who was barely one-year-old then. Although she stated that she had forgiven her husband for making her go through untold anguish, she vowed never to reunite with him again.

Recalling the incident of Saturday, April 7, 2012, which almost sent her to an unprepared grave, Mercy recalled amidst tears: “On that fateful Saturday evening, my husband told me to cook yam for supper before leaving the house. After a long wait for him to come back so that we could eat together, I ate mine and slept with my baby.

“When he came back, he ate, put on the power generating set before going to bed. Later, a neighbor knocked on the door to inform us that power had been restored, and he [the husband] went to put off the power generating set. He came inside and started ironing customers clothes because he is a dry cleaner.

“By then, the room became hot and I left to take a shower and stayed outside waiting for when he would be through. When he was done, he told me to fetch water for him to bathe, and I did. While I was going to fetch the water, he started smoking before going to take his bath. We both retired inside and I slept off after breast-feeding our baby, Ebuka.

“But a sharp pain woke me up from sleep. At first, I thought I was dreaming. But no! Right in front of me was my husband of two years, placing the hot pressing iron on me. I screamed and begged him to stop. When I raised my hand to stop him, he placed the hot iron on the hand.

“I lifted my leg to prevent him from further attack, only for him to place it on my thighs, instructing me to keep quiet. As if that was not enough, as he placed the hot iron on me, he used a screw driver to pull off the skin, pressing the hot iron harder on the same spot. As he was doing it, he kept asking me how many times his father had slept with me.

“I begged him passionately, but he would not listen. He warned me to keep quiet informing that other members of his gang were outside. I did not know what he meant by that.

“He concentrated more on my chest, by leaving the hot iron there for what seemed like eternity. Just then, our son Ebuka, woke up crying. I begged my husband to allow me breast feed him, so he could go back to sleep. Instead, he placed the pressing iron on my two breasts and at the same time used the screw driver to peel off the skin.

“I shouted for help. But it was far from me. At that point, he took my son away. Immediately he left the room, I rushed out to the kitchen where a neighbor offered me a wrapper to cover my nakedness. That was all I could remember until I found myself at New Evolution hospital”.

While Mercy succeeded in escaping from the shadow of death, same could not be said of her helpless son, Ebuka. Eyewitnesses said Henry dragged the crying baby by his left arm.

As gathered, Henry landed a metal right on Ebuka’s head, thereby prompting him to let out a shrill cry, which forced out some excreta. As if the pains were not excruciating enough for the fragile baby, his father, who, many concluded, was possessed by a demon, landed the metal again on his head.

This time around, instead of crying, there was dead silence, which sent the hapless Ebuka to the land of no return, with his remains buried a few days later.

News of my son’s death shattered me

All through her stay in the hospital, Mercy was made to believe that her son was in good condition of health. Thus, when she was discharged, she yearned to see Ebuka. But nobody could tell her the true position of things until she visited Ago Police division, where the case was earlier incidented – only to be consoled by one of the policemen who was oblivious of the development.

“Initially, I did not get what the policeman was trying to say. But after a while, I discovered it had to do with my son Ebuka. I broke down in tears, without knowing what to do. I kept asking why Henry would kill an innocent child over nothing? I was shattered by the news of my son’s death.

“Oh! My son died without being allowed to have the last suck of my breast milk.

“The last memory I have of him was when he woke up crying. How callous! He was the reason for my hanging on in the marriage because I never wanted to have a broken home. Had he been alive, he would have been my only consolation”, Mercy stated amidst tears.

I forgive my husband, but…

Asked if she would accept her husband back if he comes begging, Mercy smiled, saying: “I have forgiven him no doubt. But I will never go back to him. I learnt he is in Ikoyi prison awaiting trial. I was told he called his younger sister and asked if I was okay and even told her to give me the phone so he could speak with me. I tried the number once but it rang without response.

“My mind is made up. The only thing that would have made me have a re-think is my son. But since he is no more, nothing is worth my staying back.

“That was not the first time he would beat me. I have always complained to my father-in-law about his batterings and he had always cautioned him. At a point, he warned his father to stop interfering in his family matter and further told him to stop coming to our house. He also stopped me from going to his father’s house, warning that he would break my leg if I disobeyed him.”

My neighbors fled on sighting me

In order to make do her threat of leaving Henry, Mercy visited number 3 Lambe street, in Ago-Okota, which used to be her matrimonial home, to move her belongings. But a mild drama unfolded as those who recognized her took to their heels, apparently thinking it was her ghost.

“I was shocked at first. But I was later made to understand that news went round that I was dead. They later came around to thank God with me. As I was leaving with my belongings, I bid farewell to what used to be home…”

At this point, she wept profusely, on remembering how her son used to crawl on the veranda of the building. After satisfying her emotions, she expressed gratitude to God for at least sparing her life and giving her a second chance.

”Even though I know that the death of my son has left a vacuum that will never be replaced in my life, I am still grateful to God for granting me the privilege of being alive”.

“That I am alive today is by the grace of God and help from good Nigerians. These Nigerians whom I never knew from Adam, had compassion on me and donated money for my treatment.

“Even the first lady of Akwa-Ibom state came to my rescue by paying over 300,000 for my treatment and feeding. Ah! Can you imagine, a nobody like me gaining such recognition! Isn’t God wonderful? My sincere gratitude goes to the management team of New Evolution Hospital who managed the situation when I was rushed in , until I was transferred to government hospital.

“I really did not know when I was taken there. Even when I regained consciousness, I could not bathe and clean myself. The nurses were there for me. What more can I say about my father in-law, his wife and daughter, they were by my side all through.

“My appreciation will be incomplete if I fail to mention the three NGOs that gave voice to my cry. They went as far as involving the Lagos state government and in the process, offset my outstanding bills at New Evolution hospital and even gave me shelter at Ipaja before I was given an accommodation in Agege. From the donations they got from members of the public, I was given the sum of N150,000 to start life afresh”

Again, she paused, fiddled with her nails and by the time she looked up, it was obvious she was fighting hard to hold back the tears. But she could not as they trickled down her cheeks.

In an emotion-laden voice, she said, “I wish my son was alive, then my joy would have been complete. I honestly wished I was given the accommodation money, I would have relocated back to my village because I do not want anything that would remind me of the death of my first experience of motherhood”.

Speaking on behalf of the NGOs during the formal rehabilitation of Mercy at the conference room of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation WAPA, Alausa, Lagos, the Executive Director, Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, said, “We sought to help Mercy pay her steadily mounting hospital bills, and rehabilitate her. We are proud to say we have been able to accomplish all these, along with some funds for her to start life afresh”.

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How a Robbery Gang Uses Sleeping Drugs on Unsuspecting Passengers on Commercial Buses

For those who accept water or other food items offered by unknown passengers in commercial vehicles, you must be careful as there are robbery gangs that now make use of this opportunity to rob unsuspecting passengers.

This has been discovered after the arrest of five members of a notorious robbery gang by operatives of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command. The gang specialized in drugging unsuspecting passengers in commercial buses before dispossessing them of their valuables. Unlike their other partners who use their vehicles to perpetrate the heinous crime, the arrested suspects, as gathered, would board commercial buses and position themselves strategically to actualize their devilish act.

The way they operate includes trailing their targets either from the bank, or public places, right into a commercial bus. According Crime Guard, seven members of the gang would board same bus with their target while another would pose as a sachet water hawker. Unknown to their target the sachet water have all been sedated. One of them would then pretend to buy a sachet water from their gang (hawker), offering N20 note, only to be told there is no N10 note for his balance.

Pretending to be nice, the buyer would take another sachet of water and offer to their target, with the explanation that he did not want his money to be left with the hawker. And immediately their target drinks the water, he would fall asleep and in the process, have his valuables dispossessed of.

The gang however met its waterloo after a failed attempt to sedate one of its victims in Ikeja area of the state recently. Consequently, three members of the gang were apprehended. A Police source at SARS said “We have been on their trail for two weeks now. We got information that the same gang had robbed someone on his way from Ikeja to Yaba and the case was reported at Sabo police station. Driver of that bus and his conductor were initially accused of conniving with the robbers but after proper investigation, they were released with stern instructions to be on the look-out for members of the gang.

“Unfortunately for the gang, they boarded the same bus last week Tuesday and the bus conductor who was vigilant noticed them and raised alarm. They were about seven but three of them were arrested while four others escaped. But during interrogation those arrested provided information that aided the arrest of two others. We are currently making effort to apprehend the gang leader who is currently at large,” he explained.

Culled from the Vanguard

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Robbers Confess; How We Killed 10 Armed Policemen In Lagos

Ejike Mbogu, a member of a deadly gang of six that has been terrorizing Lagos and Ogun States, has told the police how they wasted 10 policemen who dared to stand in their way.

Ejike who is the number two man in the gang, spoke on behalf of other members from the SARS detectives’ cell.

“We killed 10 policemen and had their guns (AK47 rifles) carted away, five of the slain policemen were from Ogun state command, while the other five were from Lagos state command.

In Lagos alone, we killed two policemen in Oko-Oba, one in Iponri and two others in Ejigbo area. Also, in Ogun state police command, two policemen were shot dead in Abeokuta and another three in Ibafo area”, Ejike, the 33-year-old suspect said.

He pointed out that the 10 rifles were used for their various robbery operations on banks and Bureau De Change outlets in Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Kwara, Ondo, Kogi and Edo states respectively. Out of the 10 guns, Ejike confessed, he took one (now recovered), while nine others were shared out among others.

Among the gang members, Ejike disclosed that the duo of Ope and Isong are currently being held in protective custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Ogun State Police Command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

According to the Awka, Anambra state-born suspect, the two suspects were arrested shortly after a robbery operation in Abeokuta, following a painstaking intelligence gathering.

“On every big operation, especially bank raids, we usually merged with other gangs. We usually went in a large number, at times, we will be almost 20 on every operation. We have four gangs led by Kingsley, Wale, Goke and Emmanuel.

“Take for instance, the raids on First Bank Plc in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital and Share branch, Kwara state, were well coordinated, as we were about 18 members who participated in the raids. We were all fully armed to the teeth, as we made use of dynamites and GPMG”, confessed Ejike

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Chaos As $350 Changes Into A Bird, Then Starts Talking

There was pandemonium at Mbare Musika Rank on Wednesday amid claims that a stash of US$350 that transformed into a small bird which then started talking.

A huge crowd gathered and it needed police intervention as the mob wanted to beat up the Dzivarasekwa-based cross border trader identified as Immaculate Chirunga (33).

She had to escape in a kombi which took her to Mbare Police Station for protection. Witnesses who spoke to our news crew confirmed that indeed the money changed into a bird which later spoke.

The money was meant to pay for the services provided by a Chipinge-based sangoma as per their contractual agreement. Immaculate confirmed that indeed the bird ‘talked’ and she was not moved because she was aware of the powers of the sangoma whom she has consulted.

“I was not scared or moved when the money changed into a bird. I know Sekuru Mudapaviri Ndoro’s extra-ordinary powers,” said Immaculate.

The woman revealed that she consulted Sekuru Mudapaviri Ndoro after she lost her goods to a kombi crew on her way from South Africa two weeks ago. Immaculate claims that she was given some juju and the robbers returned her stuff at her parents’ Chadcombe house. However, her joy short-lived.

She delayed paying Sekuru Ndoro his charge of US$50 for the juju, which was meant to work for three weeks and ‘unfortunately’ the grace period expired on Wednesday.

Immaculate claims that when she put her money on the bed it turned into a bird which instructed her to travel to Birchenough Bridge.

Said Immaculate: “I had US$350 yesterday and the money suddenly changed into this bird and I was not afraid since I knew what I did and I also knew Sekuru Ndoro’s powers. The bird told me that I should take it to Birchenough Bridge.

She said when she arrived at Mbare Musika, her brother phoned her questioning her why she had used juju to recover her stuff and that is when Sekuru Ndoro, speaking through the bird, intervened.

Immaculate was then mobbed by Mbare traders who wanted an explanation on how a bird which is not a parrot could talk, for a parrot is believed to have the ability to mimic human speech.

“I went to Cape Town two weeks ago along with my two colleagues since I am a cross border trader and we were robbed by the kombi crew. The kombi stopped in the middle of the bush and the crew took all our valuables and my friends resisted prompting a thorough bashing from the robbers.

I was lucky since I surrendered all my belongings and they gave me R300 for complying with their orders before they went away,” she said.

The woman revealed that the robbers confessed and when she phoned Sekuru she was advised to charge them US$500 and six cows for the offence.

“Sekuru told me to open my bags and surprisingly they were beaten thoroughly by invisible things. Sekuru told me to get US$500 plus six cows for the payment from the robbers. He advised me that I should give him US$350 for his job before my return to South Africa,” she narrated.

Immaculate is a single mother of three and her husband died after killing his brother-in-law. She claims that in her previous transactions with Sekuru Ndoro, she sent her payment via an unnamed driver.

“He told me to tie the money and put it in a flowing river. I did that and he later called me confirming that he had received the money”

source ; information nigeria

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Jonathan’s foreign trips gulp N3.3bn…travelled 20 times in 2012

From Punch

Billions of naira of taxpayers’ money have been expended on the foreign trips of President Goodluck Jonathan despite his January promise to cut down on such trips.

This newspaper’s findings show that the President and his entourage have spent not less than N3.354bn on foreign trips since 2010.

Our correspondent learnt that in the first 11 months of 2012, the President had travelled out of the country at least 20 times, including his trip to Sierra Leone in October and the D8 Summit he attended in Pakistan in November.

In September alone, Jonathan travelled out of the country four times. He travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for a two-day visit on September 1 for the burial of late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Nine days later, he went to Malawi and Botswana in a cumulative three-day visit for enhancement of bilateral relationships.  The President ended the month of September with another trip to New York, United States for the United Nations General Assembly

From February, 2010 when he became the Acting President to December 2010, Jonathan              spent N970.891m on foreign travels.

Although the 2011 budget was silent on the expenses for the President foreign travels, investigations showed that about N1.7bn was spent on foreign trips.

According to the 2011 budget, N1.145bn was budgeted for Vice-President Namadi Sambo’s foreign trips.

In 2012, N N684.74m was budgeted for Jonathan’s foreign travels and he had travelled out of the country 19 times.

Although the 2013 budget recently submitted to the National Assembly by Jonathan suggested that N2.6bn would be spent on his foreign trips next year, investigations have shown that much more than the quoted figure will be spent and is being spent judging by the expenses the country incurs during such trips.

The expenses incur include and are not limited to airfares for members of the President’s delegation who will travel on commercial flights, cost of procuring travel visas for them, estacodes for members of the delegation, fuelling of the presidential jets as well as other logistics.

Only the President and his very top aides fly on the presidential jets.

Industry source told one of our correspondents that airfare to and fro any European countries in the Economy category could vary from N110,000 to N150,000 per person depending on the timing and the destinations.

She added that for the Business class, the fare ranged from N600, 000 to N700,000 per person depending on the category of the Business Class (there are three categories), the timing and destination.

Prevailing exchange rate at the time of purchase is also said to be a factor.

The source added that corporate purchase like Aso Rock would do, could also attract discounts.

The President was said to have jetted out to different destinations in Africa, Europe, Asia, North America and South America during his Presidency.

Jonathan, in 2011 alone, visited several countries including United States, France, Uganda, Australia, Ghana, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Ethiopia among others.

The size of his entourage varies depending on the country he is visiting and the purpose of such visit.

While top aides and officials of the Presidential Villa are regular faces on such trips, ministries relevant to the purpose of his overseas trips also send delegations.

Lately, the President had also resolved to always go on foreign trips with two members of the National Assembly (one from each chamber) who serve on the committee related to his purpose of visit.

State governors are also on the entourage.

For example, an online news site, Saharareporters, had in June reported that Jonathan travelled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the United Nations’ Earth Summit with 116 government officials.

Although the Presidency faulted the number, it did not offer the exact number despite a request made by the news site.

The breakdown of the delegation was given as 25 personal aides, 18 aides of Mrs. Patience Jonathan, two members of the National Assembly, five ministers, two state governors, and 63 officials from the Ministries of Environment, Foreign Affairs, National Planning and Petroleum Resources.

When the President visited Brussels for the World Customs Conference in the same month, the same medium reported that he went with about 57 people, including 26 aides, three ministers, eight members of the National Assembly, and 20 other government officials.

The same month, Patience Jonathan was in Maryland, United States, to attend a UNESCO First Lady’s “Youth Infusion” Summit and was reportedly accompanied by 36 people: 18 aides, four wives of state governors, and 14 friends and associates.

Investigation showed that in September 2012, Jonathan jetted out of the country four times. He visited Ethiopia   Malawi, Botswana and New York, United States for the UN General Assembly.

He had reportedly visited Trinidad and Tobago earlier with a 70-member delegation.

Jonathan had said in a national broadcast in January, “I have directed that overseas travels by all political office-holders, including the President, should be reduced to the barest minimum. The size of delegations on foreign trips will also be drastically reduced; only trips that are absolutely necessary will be approved.”

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WTF;:Britain To Allow Gay Marriages In Churches, Mosques

Gay Wedding

Britain will announce plans next week to allow gay marriages in churches and other religious buildings, officials said Friday, although Prime Minister David Cameron insisted no faith group would be forced to hold them.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller will unveil ministers’ responses to a consultation earlier this year, which will propose that religious organisations should be able to ‘opt-in’ to hold same-sex weddings, according to a government source.

Amid strong opposition from the Church of England and Roman Catholics, however, as well as many members of Cameron’s Conservative party, Miller will stress that no religious groups will be forced to conduct gay weddings.

Speaking to reporters on a visit to a car factory, Cameron said: “I’m a massive supporter of marriage and I don’t want gay people to be excluded from a great institution.

“But let me be absolutely 100 percent clear, if there is any church or any synagogue or any mosque that doesn’t want to have a gay marriage it will not, absolutely must not, be forced to hold it.

“That is absolutely clear in the legislation.

“Also let me make clear, this is a free vote for members of Parliament but personally I will be supporting it.”

Gay couples have had the right to hold a civil partnership since 2004 but campaigners have pushed for full equality with heterosexual couples.

In its submission to the public consultation in June, the Church of England said legalising gay marriage could force it out of its traditional role of conducting weddings on behalf of the state.

However the Quakers welcomed Friday’s news, saying they had been campaigning since 2009 for all marriages in Quaker meeting houses to be legally valid.

“We are waiting for the law to catch up,” said recording clerk Paul Parker, adding: “For Quakers, this is an issue of religious freedom and we don’t seek to impose this on others.”

A government spokesman said: “The government is committed to bringing equal civil marriage forward and the consultation results will be announced next week.

“We are very clear that religious organisations must be protected and that no religious organisation will be forced to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies.

“The European Convention on Human Rights guarantees freedom of religion and we will additionally bring in very strong legal locks to ensure the protection is watertight.” [AFP]

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Marijuana Officially Legal In Washington

Marijuana

Marijuana became officially legal in Washington state on Thursday, the first state in America to allow recreational use of weed by adults. Fans of the law celebrated the best way they could; toking up in front of Seattle’s famed Space Needle, with loud reggae music and ounces of sticky icky.

Of course, that part was still illegal. Pot is only permissible in Washington in private homes, and smoking in public places can result in a $100 fine. That’s still better than jail time, and similar to drinking in public in most places.

Colorado will join Washington next month in legalizing recreational marijuana use, and both states will soon allow weed to be sold in special stores, similar to liquor stores. Driving under the influence will remain illegal, and in the eyes of the Federal government, all possession, sale, and growing of weed is still a crime. That presents a unique problem for Washingtonians, who must continue to duck the feds while local cops smile and continue on their way.

If other states don’t follow suit soon, Snoop Dogg, an advocate for the legalisation of marijuana, might be moving to Washington where he’d be able to blaze with his son in public.

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