B-R-E-A-K-I-N-G-N-E-W-S: Gov Yakowa Of Kaduna state Dead In Helicopter Crash

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Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State, former national security adviser, NSA, General Owoeye Azazi and others have been reportedly burnt in a helicopter crash that occurred in the forest of Okoroba community in Nembe local Government of Bayelsa State.

 The  crashed Naval helicopter was said to have occurred at about 4: 30 pm, a few minutes after take- off from the community.

It was gathered that the victims were returning from the funeral of the father of the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Douglas Oronto to Yenagoa the Bayelsa capital when the helicopter crashed. The helicopter was said to have burst into flames.

The identity of other victims of the crash are not known as at the time of filing this report.

Following the reports of the unfortunate death of the Governor of Kaduna state, Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa in a helicopter crash, the entire state has been  thrown into confusion and mourning.

Though many of the state government officials could not immediately respond to the sad development as many of them were trying to get details of the crash.

Some of the Late Governor’s aides, including the Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Reuben Buhari; Media Consultant, Mr. Ado Emmanuel and Protocol officer, Alhaji Muhammed lawal were making frantic effort on phone with Bayelsa State where the Governor was said to have travelled for the burial ceremony of Chief Douglas father.

Buhari and Emmanuel said they have spoken to some of the officials of Late Yakowa who accompanied him to Abuja before the journey to Bayelsa, however they could not get in-depth details of the air crash.

Besides, the news of the Governor’s demise spread in Kaduna metropolis at about 7.30pm as several people were seen along major roads and streets in groups discussing the unfortunate incident.

Former Governor Balarabe Musa, while reacting to the unfortunate death of Yakowa said “the unfortunate death is an act of God”, saying that “may his soul rest in peace”.

The leader of the Civil Society Coalition in the North, Mallam Shehu Sani who reacted to the unfortunate crash in a statement, said that “the reported air crash and the death of sir Patrick Yakowa is a great loss to the people of Kaduna state, the Northern Part of Nigeria and the entire nation”.

Sani described Yakowa as “a patriot, a man of peace and a symbol of Unity”, while also pointing out that “he was a great nationalist and a unifying personality”.

“He is one of the best Governors in the history of Nigeria. Patrick Yakowa is a towering figure and a colossus in the search for National unity. Patrick Yakowa is one of Nigeria's greats. He is an unusual politician. My sympathy and condolence to his family and the entire people of kaduna state. We have lost a giant dove and a towering olive”.

Meanwhile, there was security beef up in the Kaduna metropolis, as several armed security men were seen patrolling all nook and crannies. There was also unprecedented traffic jam on major roads and streets.

The last public engagement of Late Yakowa was when he presented the 2013 budget before the state house of assembly.

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NYSC Mobilization For 2013 Batch A To Commence In March 2013

According to information obtained from the website of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, the Batch A 2013 Orientation Course is to begin on 26 March 2013, to 16 April.

For foreign trained Nigerian graduates who wish to partake in the scheme, their registration, which has already commenced from Monday 10 December 2012, will end on Thursday, 24 January 2013 in the various states’ NYSC secretariats across the country.

A breakdown of the time table is as follows:

NYSC Mobilization Time Table For 2013 Batch A

	Event	Date
1	Registration of Foreign-trained Nigerian Graduates	10th December, 2012- 24th January, 2013
3	Submission of Masterlist. Screening/Vetting by Mobilization Officers.	21th – 24th January, 2013
4	Action by the ICT.	21st January- 11th February, 2013
5	Delivery of Preliminary Printouts	11th – 13th February, 2013
6	Return of Corrected Printouts by Institutions to NYSC NDHQ	25th – 27th February , 2013
7	Action by ICT	25th February – 11th March, 2013
8	Sorting and Packaging of Call-up letters	11th – 18th March, 2013
9	Delivery of Call-up letters to Institutions / NYSC Secretariats	18th – 20th March, 2013
10	Briefing of Prospective Corps Members	Throughout the year
11	2013 Batch ‘A’ Orientation Course	26th March – 16th April, 2013

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Who Says Teachers’s Rewards are in Heaven? School PTA Rewards Teacher with Brand New Car

The Parent Teacher Appreciation (PTA) of a secondary school in Lagos, Dansol High School, have surprised a Yoruba teacher in the school, Mrs. Funke Adeyeye, beyond her wildest imaginations by presenting her with a brand new car for being dedicated to duty and ranking as the overall best teacher in the year 2011/2012 academic session.

The Chairperson of the Dansol Group of Schools PTA, Mrs. Adepeju Dinyo, while speaking at the Teachers Appreciation Day luncheon, said that the parents of Dansol found it imperative to appreciate the teachers because they had been able to instill right values in the pupils.

While presenting the car and other awards during the event, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr. David Abraham, said it was pleasing to know that teachers could get parts of their rewards on earth. He commended the PTA for the appreciative attitude they had demonstrated to teachers. He expressed confidence that this would motivate the teachers to do more.

Meanwhile, explaining the rationale for choosing Mrs. Adeyeye as the best teacher, the research consultant, Mr. Imeh Akpan, said the award for the best teacher was based on the school appraisal system, the results of pupils at internal and external examinations and results of survey conducted among the pupils. He said it was a keen contest among the teachers as there were no wide differential margins in the areas of commitment to duty. “The Yoruba teacher won on all parameters which made her emerge as the best teacher.”

Source: Punch

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Knife Wielding Man Injures 22 School Children In China

A knife-wielding man slashed 22 children and an adult at an elementary school in central China on Friday, state media reported, the latest in a series of attacks on schoolchildren in the country.

The man attacked the children at the gate of a school in Chenpeng village in Henan province, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Police arrested a 36-year-old man, identified as villager Min Yingjun, Xinhua said. It did not give further details of the extent of the injuries.

It would be recalled that there have been a series of attacks on schools and school children around China lately prompting public calls for more measures to protect the young in a country where many couples only have one child.

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How Okonjo-Iweala’s Mother Was Released – Gov. Uduaghan

Kamene Okonjo, the mother of finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, released Friday after five days in captivity, was dropped off the road by her captors, the BBC reports.

The BBC quotes Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, as saying 82-year-old Mrs. Okonjo was let off on a main road near her home. The driver of the car was detained, he said.

But hours after the dramatic release, said to have occurred about 10 a.m., the police are yet to provide details of the incident.

Police authorities in Delta State said the details were still being put together and would only be available later.

“We are still piecing the information together,” spokesperson, Charles Muka, was quoted by NAN.

Mr. Uduaghan claimed Mrs. Okonjo’s abductors had probably decided to let her go because of the intense pressure they faced.

But those claims are being tested by allegations that ransom was paid for the release as is often the case with kidnappings where payments are secretly made, and never officially admitted.

Mr. Uduaghan told the BBC the government’s policy of rejecting ransom demands did not change on this case.

“For this one we also insisted that we would not pay any ransom [and] as a government we would not negotiate with anybody,” he reportedly said.

Mrs. Okonjo was kidnapped last Sunday in Delta State.

Earlier, Special Adviser on Media to the Finance Minister, Paul Nwabuikwu, confirmed the release in a statement.

“I can confirm that Professor Mrs. Kamene Okonjo, wife of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Professor Chukuka Okonjo and mother of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was released this morning, five days after her abduction.

“The Okonjo Family is full of thanks to the Almighty for this happy development. The family is also highly appreciative of the support and encouragement of President Goodluck Jonathan; the Country’s security services for their excellent operations; Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Peter Obi of Anambra, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers and other Governors as well other friends and well wishers within and outside government for their prayers and encouragement during a very difficult period. May God bless you all,” Mr. Nwabuikwu said.

He did not offer any further explanation on how her release was secured, nor how much ransom was paid.

Prior to the release, speculations were rife that Mrs Okonjo’s abductors had made various demands, including an initial demand for the payment of about N1billion, which later reportedly reduced to N200 million, claims the police said they were not aware.

It was also reported Thursday that the abductors later reviewed their catalog of demands to include a call for the immediate resignation of the Minister, apparently because of her principled stance on the issue of the investigation of petroleum subsidy payments to marketers, which has attracted a lot of acrimonious attacks from some affected persons.

Kidnappings, including that of relatives of public officials, have been on the increase in Nigeria with families of victims paying huge ransoms to secure their release without admitting the payment publicly.

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How Okonjo-Iweala’s Mother Was Released – Gov. Uduaghan

Kamene Okonjo, the mother of finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, released Friday after five days in captivity, was dropped off the road by her captors, the BBC reports.

The BBC quotes Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, as saying 82-year-old Mrs. Okonjo was let off on a main road near her home. The driver of the car was detained, he said.

But hours after the dramatic release, said to have occurred about 10 a.m., the police are yet to provide details of the incident.

Police authorities in Delta State said the details were still being put together and would only be available later.

“We are still piecing the information together,” spokesperson, Charles Muka, was quoted by NAN.

Mr. Uduaghan claimed Mrs. Okonjo’s abductors had probably decided to let her go because of the intense pressure they faced.

But those claims are being tested by allegations that ransom was paid for the release as is often the case with kidnappings where payments are secretly made, and never officially admitted.

Mr. Uduaghan told the BBC the government’s policy of rejecting ransom demands did not change on this case.

“For this one we also insisted that we would not pay any ransom [and] as a government we would not negotiate with anybody,” he reportedly said.

Mrs. Okonjo was kidnapped last Sunday in Delta State.

Earlier, Special Adviser on Media to the Finance Minister, Paul Nwabuikwu, confirmed the release in a statement.

“I can confirm that Professor Mrs. Kamene Okonjo, wife of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Professor Chukuka Okonjo and mother of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was released this morning, five days after her abduction.

“The Okonjo Family is full of thanks to the Almighty for this happy development. The family is also highly appreciative of the support and encouragement of President Goodluck Jonathan; the Country’s security services for their excellent operations; Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Peter Obi of Anambra, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers and other Governors as well other friends and well wishers within and outside government for their prayers and encouragement during a very difficult period. May God bless you all,” Mr. Nwabuikwu said.

He did not offer any further explanation on how her release was secured, nor how much ransom was paid.

Prior to the release, speculations were rife that Mrs Okonjo’s abductors had made various demands, including an initial demand for the payment of about N1billion, which later reportedly reduced to N200 million, claims the police said they were not aware.

It was also reported Thursday that the abductors later reviewed their catalog of demands to include a call for the immediate resignation of the Minister, apparently because of her principled stance on the issue of the investigation of petroleum subsidy payments to marketers, which has attracted a lot of acrimonious attacks from some affected persons.

Kidnappings, including that of relatives of public officials, have been on the increase in Nigeria with families of victims paying huge ransoms to secure their release without admitting the payment publicly.

Read More