81 killed in herdsmen attack in Benue state

No fewer than 81 persons have been reported dead during herdsmen attacks in Logo and Ukum council areas in Benue state in the last two weeks. Attacks on communities in the locality have been consistent and have led to death of so many people. The traditional ruler of Logo council area, Chief Jimmy Meeme, who spoke to Channels Television said 70 people have been killed in six out of the 10 council wards in his domain. 
Eyewitnesses also claim that Turan, Mbagber, Yonov and Tombo communities in Logo were attacked on the same day while Varser in Ukum Local Government came under siege, leaving 53 persons dead. 

Speaking on the new statistics of the dead victims from the attack, the spokesman of the Benue State Police Command, ASP Moses Yamu, denied the claims, arguing that only 22 deaths were recorded in Logo and Ukum local government areas.

Who knows this man? Help spread the word

The man in the pictures was found at Polo Bus-Stop (Polo Mall), Enugu, unconscious, where it's said that he'd been for about a week. Information on him (from a prayer book in his possession) suggests a possible link to Umuahia, Abia State, and a Joseph Dominic. Some good Samaritans rushed him to Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH, Parklane) and then Mother of Christ Missionary Hospital, Enugu, for treatment and are looking to find a relative of his.
If you are one, please contact Mother of Christ Hospital, Enugu and if you aren't, kindly take the time to share this post until one can be reached. Another photo after the cut...

Jealous girlfriend slashes partner's face after catching him kissing another woman

A woman, 30 year old Joylene Cunningham, has been jailed for two and a half years for slashing her now former boyfriend's face with a blade, from his mouth to his ear after she caught him kissing and making out with another woman. After the cut, her boyfriend, Sean Harman needed 18 stitches for it to be repaired.

Cunningham told York Crown Court that the slash was caused from a ring or a glass her boyfriend was holding - but when her ring was examined by Recorder of York, Judge Paul Batty QC, it was found to be blunt.
The Judge in charge of her case, Judge Batty told her:

"The wound had been a deep laceration in places, running virtually from Mr Harman's mouth to his ear and causing a permanent scar."

Cunningham said that when she saw him with another girl they were kissing and cuddling, adding that :

"I felt pretty upset - I just stormed over and hit him."

She admitted to have punched him but denied having a blade in her hand, and said the wound must have been caused by a ring on her finger, or the glass he was holding.

Her former boyfriend, Mr Harman in a way defended Cunningham, saying that he had provoked her during the incident which occurred in York one evening in June 2015.
He told the court that he had wrongly believed she had been the one having an affair so decided to make her jealous by being with someone else. He said:

"I was disgusting - I was horrible. I was awful. "I was angry with her - I thought she had been cheating on me in my own bed. I wanted revenge on her. I wanted her to be sent down."

He said he had been violent towards Cunningham previously. He also defended Cunningham by echoing what she said about the ring. He said she had hit him with her fist but the cut must have been caused by a ring on her finger or a glass he was holding.
But Judge Batty who examined the ring said it was not sharp and he did not believe the pair's claims. 

Judge Batty said that in sentencing he gave Cunningham credit for a guilty plea to wounding with intent at an earlier hearing.

Nigeria’s inflation rate to return to stability —Economic research

Nigeria’s inflation readings may close first half positive as research reports indicate a moderation to 15.4 per cent in the month of June 2016, down   from 15.6 per cent recorded for the preceding month, May 2016.


The trend has been on upswing month-on-month for the past ten months, culminating in a huge 6-year high recorded in May. National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, is expected to release its June figures this week. Research reports by FSDH Merchant Bank and Financial Derivatives Company, FDC, headed by Nigeria’s leading economist, Bismark Rewane, were in agreement that the headline rate for June would show a stabilizing range between 15.39 and 15.5 per cent. The stability would be coming at the backdrop of two major cost-push developments in the macroeconomic policy environment, notably, the upward price adjustment in petroleum products in May and the huge depreciation of the Naira against major currencies in June. In its report FSDH said it expects the marginal drop in inflation to come from decrease in the prices of tomatoes, beans and rice. Reflecting on the impacts of the two major cost-push developments in the economy, FSDH said “we believe the depreciation in the inter-bank foreign exchange rate did not translate to an increase in domestic prices because most transactions were earlier carried out at parallel market exchange rate”. According to economists at the investment bank “the prices of food items that FSDH Research monitored in June 2016 dropped on the average compared with May 2016. “The prices of tomatoes, Irish potatoes, rice and beans were down by 38.41%, 4%, 3.33% and 2.56%, while the prices of Irish potatoes, onions, vegetable oil, palm oil, fish and yam increased by 8.33%, 6.67%, 5.56% 5.56%, 1.96% and 0.46%. Meanwhile, the prices of garri and meat remained unchanged. “The movement in the prices of food items during the month resulted in a 0.79% increase in our Food and Non-Alcoholic Index to 203.32 points. We also noticed increases in Clothing and Footwear; Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels divisions between May and June 2016. “Our model indicates that the price movements in the consumer goods and services in June 2016 would increase the CCPI (composite consumer price index) to 199.82 points, representing a month-on-month increase of 0.76%. We estimate that the increase in the CCPI in June will produce an inflation rate of 15.39%”. FDC, in its own report stated that “after an almost unstoppable rise in headline inflation to a record high, the economy may be entering an era of disinflation or declining rates of inflation. “We are projecting inflation in June to drop from 15.6% to 15.5%. If this estimate turns out to be accurate, it will raise some fundamental questions as to the direction of inflation and possible level of interest rates in the money markets. However, FDC noted that headline inflation in Nigeria had almost been a loose cannon, defying most rules of economic gravity and logic, adding that the root cause of the near hyper inflation rate experienced in the last ten months can be traced to supply shocks, sometimes attributable to artificial scarcity compounded by uncertainty in the foreign exchange markets. The big question, according to them, is whether this drop in inflation is a blip or a point of inflection. On the likely impact of a stability in the financial markets, FDC noted that the Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, scheduled to meet next week will be closely monitoring the inflation data. They stated “a lower inflation number will ease the pressure on the policy makers. However, a precipitated move such as lowering rates is an unlikely outcome at this meeting. “In aggregate, we see an upward shift in interest rates move out of the risk mitigation attitude of the market than as a result of the inflation data”. On the exchange rate they noted that Naira is still trying to find its true value in the transition from an imperfect towards a more efficient market, adding that the apparent lack of liquidity in the spot market is hampering the effective development of a forward and futures market. Consequently, FDC stated, “a 0.4% of a decline in the rate of inflation will be exchange rate neutral”. They also noted that the market will be looking forward to CBN’s willingness and ability to settle the 90-day foreign exchange forward contracts entered into on June 20, 2016, which will mature on  September 17, 2016. They added that analysts will derive some comfort from a lower inflation rate because the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) value of the Naira will actually appreciate.

EFCC is manufacturing fake evidences against me, says Obanikoro

The former Minister of State for Defense, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro has revealed another plot and desperate attempt by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to nail him in the ongoing investigation of arms deal linked to the embattled Office of the National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki by making use of blanked signed letter headed paper found in his 0house to forge acknowledgement reciepts.
In a statement released on Friday by his Media Aide, Mr Jonathan Eze, the former Minister expressed disappointment that the anti graft agency has ignominously graduated from political persecution into manufacturing evidences against his person in other to drag his name in the mud, proving us right that the commision has devolved into a government appendage for political withchunting.


The statement reads in parts:

" Recall that when the EFCC illegally raided my houses in Lagos, they went away with various documents which included a blanked signed letter headed papers as testified in the Affidavit sworn in the Court.

"It has however came to my notice that the EFCC has allegedly written an acknowledgement on one of the document purportedly as evidence that i collected the equivalent sum of 1million dollars in cash from a Bureau the Change and signed for it. "This is another lie from the pit of hell. How can anybody change money from a Bureau De Change and sign for it ? 

"I still insist that throughout my stints as Minister, I never collected any money from any Bureau De Change and as such, I urge the public to ignore the EFCC who are trying to skew up investigations in its favour. 

"The EFCC has obviously betrayed public trust by its latest sinister plan of manufacturing receipt in my name. Instead of genuinely carrying out it's mandate, it has been grossly overshadowed by political wiles.

 Last month, Punch newspaper had quoted a detective at the EFCC saying that :

“The owner of A. A. G. B. S Oil and Gas confirmed to us that the company is a BDC but was only bearing the name of an oil company. He confirmed that he received N168m from Sylvan McNamara and $1m was delivered to Obanikoro in cash while he was the Minister of State for Defence based on the exchange rate at the time.

“Obanikoro acknowledged receipt of the cash and we have recovered evidence.”

Treasury looters now regretting their actions – Buhari

ABUJA-President Mohammadu Buhari has said that the people who cornered the $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of military hardware to fight insurgency into their private pockets were not regretting their action.

He also reiterated his resolve to deal with corrupt individuals, stressing that anyone found culpable would have himself to blame. The president spoke while receiving the Northern Christian Leaders Eagles Eyes Forum at the State House, Abuja on Friday. President Buhari thanked the Christian leaders for their support to the Federal Government’s anti-corruption campaign and other policies geared towards reviving the economy. “It is saddening that some of those who stole from our national resources put the money in their personal accounts. “However, it is gratifying that those who stole money and shared funds meant for the purchase of arms for our military are regretting their actions and they will regret more. “Those caught in corruption will have themselves to blame,’’ he said. Appealing to the religious leaders not to lose hope in the unity, stability and progress of the country, Buhari said his administration would be transparent to Nigerians in its resolute commitment to restore the economic fortunes of the country and deliver prosperity to them. He emphasized that the Federal Government would continue to prioritize the safety of lives and property. He added that the government would continue to equipped Nigerian farmers with the right tools, technology and techniques to boost agriculture. He said: “You must tell your followers the truth about the country. We have nothing to hide because we have no other country but Nigeria. “Tell them to give us a chance to stabilize the country. Your concern for the security, unemployment, anti-corruption campaign and the frequent altercations between herdsmen and farmers are genuine concerns. “I know the Ministry of Agriculture and the Governors Forum are doing a lot to resolve the lingering crisis between herdsmen and farmers, we must give them a chance,’’ the President said. In his remarks, leader of the Forum, Pastor Aminchi Habu called on Nigerians to support the President’s anti-corruption war and his vision to restore the lost glory of Nigeria. “In your administration, I see a new Nigeria where the fear of bribery, corruption and extortion is the beginning of wisdom. “I see a new Nigeria, where tribalism, religion and ethnicity is no longer a barrier that separates us but a bond that unites us for a greater tomorrow,’’ he said. Speaking to State House Correspondents, he emphasized the need to go back to farm to help rebuild the economy.

TBank Ogun State Principals Cup in semi-finals.

The semi-finals of the GTBank Ogun State Principals Cup, Season 4, begin today at the M.K.O Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta with eight secondary schools in Ogun state competing in both male and female categories. The first semi-finals in the female category will see Iganmode Grammar School, Ota tackle Our Lady of Apostles, Ijebu-Ode, while Muslim High School, Isolu will face Makun High School,  Sagamu in the second match of the day. In the male category, Alamuwa Grammar School, Ado Odo will battle Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode as Pakoto High School, Ifo challenges Methodist Comprehensive College, Sagamu for the second slot in the finals