Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  30th September 2013 David Moyes. Replacing Ferguson always looked like being a tough task for the former Everton manager, especially when all the main title challengers invested heavily in new players during the off-season while United stood still. In terms of managing expectations, David Moyes has done a splendid job so far at Manchester United. Raising them might prove tougher though as United's worst start to a season since the early days of his predecessor Alex Ferguson in 1989 has left them down in 12th place in the Premier League after six games. Replacing Ferguson always looked like being a tough task for the former Everton manager, especially when all the main title challengers invested heavily in new players during the off-season while United stood still. The Reds made only one addition for the new season and Marouane Fellaini, whom Moyes signed from Everton on deadline day, did not even start in the 2-1 defeat by West Bromwich Albion on Saturday...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  30th September 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed to check crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the nation’s oil and gas sector, noting that if past administrations had taken decisive actions against the crime, it would have been checked. The president, who made the claim during the presidential media chat on Sunday in Abuja, also said the issue of corruption in Nigeria is exaggerated. Jonathan said: “The problem of oil theft has started long ago, if governments at that time had done something to check it, it wouldn’t have developed into the level it is now. Today, people within and outside the country are involved in the crime. Crude oil stealing is not done by the poor because you need a vessel to do it and to sell outside the country, you need connections. So, it is not done by the poor. But I assure Nigerians that we are doing everything to check it.” Reacting to question on allegation of massive corruption in the country, Jonathan ...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  30th Sept. 2013 The All Progressives Congress says it has uncovered a ‘grand and serpentine’ plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency to rig the 2015 general elections, especially the presidential poll, and to destabilize Nigeria. In a statement issued in Lagos today by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the multi-faceted strategy includes suppression of votes in areas where the President's chances are slim, using the police and the military. According to APC, the PDP and the Presidency also plan to use what they have tagged a ‘Third Force’ to:     •    Bamboozle Nigerians and project the image of a performing Presidency, even when they admit that the current public perception of the government is less than salutary because of its weakness and lack of vision;       •    Engage in the destabilization of the APC using moles and fift...

  By: Funmi Ojuroye  29th Sept, 2013 The eerie calm in  the security and sociopolitical space of Kaduna State, on Monday, burst into cataclysmic political excitement never seen since the death of its former governor,  Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, and the swearing-in of his deputy, Alh. Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, last December, to succeed him. Three closely linked events took place. And they may well set the agenda that would profoundly determine the fortunes or otherwise of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state and that of the characters that ride on it. First, like bad dream turn real, Vice President Namadi Sambo, whose outings in the last three polls in the state showed that he could not win even his own street and ward, woke up to find that the  party had developed a very bitter faction that announced its loyalty  to the Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led “New” PDP’. This would make his political relevance both in the state, the No...

By: Funmi Ojuroye  29th Sept, 2013 No fewer than 11 people were on Saturday killed in a renewed attack in Zangang village in Attakar Chiefdom, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The gunmen attacked the village early in the morning, leaving several houses completely burnt. A resident of the village, Isuwa Jiga, said more corpses were likely to be discovered as many residents were still missing. “We have not seen some of our family members yet,’’ Jiga said. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP. Aminu Lawal, confirmed the incident. Lawal said that a combined team of security operatives had been deployed to the area. Zangang village had witnessed three consecutive attacks since the beginning of this year, while several lives and property were lost in the attacks.

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  28th Sept. 2013 UNITED NATIONS, – The UN Security Council unanimously passed a landmark resolution Friday ordering the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons and condemning a murderous poison gas attack in Damascus. The major powers overcame a prolonged deadlock to approve the first council resolution on the conflict, which is now 30 months old with more than 100,000 dead. UN leader Ban Ki-moon, who called the resolution “the first hopeful news on Syria in a long time,” said he hopes to convene a peace conference in mid-November. Resolution 2118, the result of bruising negotiations between the United States and Russia, gives international binding force to a plan drawn up by the two to eliminate President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical arms. The plan calls for Syria’s estimated 1,000 tonnes of chemical weapons to be put under international control by mid-2014. International experts are expected to start work in Syria to meet the tight deadline nex...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  28th Sept. 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan will tomorrow speak on current national issues during a Presidential Media Chat to be broadcast live at 7pm, local time. In a release by Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, said, President Jonathan will in the course of the programme, answer questions from a panel of journalists on current national issues and events, as well as policies and actions of his administration. He further asked members  of the public who have  questions for President to respond to on the programme  to send via Twitter to @mediachatng1.  According to Abati, the  programme will be broadcast live on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON). What are your expectations on the President’s chat? What are your questions?  Do write your expectations and questions on ...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  28th Sept. 2013 Jonathan Nigerians who have questions they will like President Goodluck Jonathan to address during the presidential media chat billed for 7pm on Sunday can send such questions via Twitter to @mediachatng1. According to a statement on Saturday by presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, the President would be ready to answer questions on current national issues and events, as well as policies and actions of his administration during the programme that would be broadcast live on national television and radio stations. The statement read, “President Goodluck Jonathan will host another edition of the Presidential Media Chat on Sunday, September 29, 2013 at 7pm. “President Jonathan will in the course of the programme, answer questions from a panel of journalists on current national issues and events, as well as policies and actions of his administration. “Members of the public who have questions they will like the President to respond to on the...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  28th Sept. 2013 Sule Lamido of Jigawa on Saturday appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end the ongoing strike in the interest of the students. Lamido made the appeal when he received a delegation from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Dutse. He said it was unfortunate that the industrial action was still on almost three months since it began. The governor blamed the protracted strike on lack of trust between the Federal Government and ASUU. “It is really unfortunate that the strike has lasted up until this time. There is no trust between the two bodies and when there is no trust it will be difficult to have a common ground. “As a parent, I am so worried seeing our children that supposed to be in school at home. “I am appealing to ASUU to go back to the classroom while the negotiation with the government continues,” he said. Lamido, however, pleaded with the Federal Government to continue to dialogue with the...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  27th Sept. 2013 Prof Wole Soyinka Nobel laureate,  Prof Wole Soyinka  is expected to be the Special Guest of the Rivers State government at the formal international presentation of Port Harcourt The World Book Capital 2014 on Saturday, September 28 at Trenton, New Jersey, USA. Other speakers and special guest at the event include Prof Toyin Falola, Prof. Kalu Ogbaa, Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo, and some other members of the Nigerian literary community in the US. The presentation designed as one of the series of events to usher in the 2014 deadline for the World Book Capital is expected to be done by the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who same day is also being conferred with the Quintessence Award for Leadership by the African Writers Foundation. Governor Amaechi will be supported by the President of the Port Harcourt Literary Society, Dr Chidi Amuta and Mrs Koko Kalango, President of the Rainbow Book C...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  27th Sept. 2013 nPDP chair, Kawu Baraje The chairman of the new Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, has unequivocally condemned the rape of the country’s economy by the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration. He said that despite claims to the contrary by the government in a futile bid to deceive Nigerians, the overwhelming evidence is that the Nigerian economy has been run aground and is now comatose. The assertions are contained in a statement issued by the faction in Abuja, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Eze. It drew attention to the massive scale of officially-induced oil theft, the dwindling returns from oil and massive looting going on at the federal level as evidence that Nigeria is on the brink of economic collapse. "One manifestation of this is the Federal Government’s inability to pay states their share of the Federal Allocation since July. The last time that states were paid was for part of...

By: Funmi Ojuroye  27th  Sept., 2013 AS the 2015 general elections draw nearer, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has advised intending observers of the poll to make their own security arrangements. This advice was given, yesterday, in Abuja by the Chairman of INEC Prof Attahiru Jega, in his remarks at a one- day workshop organised by the commission, entitled “Election Observation Outside Nigeria; Lessons Learnt.” Jega further stated that all over the world, apart from Venezuela, election observers were always responsible for their own security, adding that this would also apply to Nigeria  since INEC would be saddled with the engagement of security agencies for the overall conduct of the polls. Said he: “What we do in Nigeria is to liaise with the security agencies to   provide security for the overall conduct of the elections. Observers to provide own security “Observers can make their own security arrangements. We even have some countries ...

By: Funmi Ojuroye 26th Sept., 2013 Bovi and daughter Comedian Bovi Ugboma is a very happy man as his wife Christabel Ugboma Wednesday night, 25 September, put to bed a baby girl. Mic's blog and the entire crew members congratulate you BOVI . May she live long to fulfill purpose in life. Amen

By: Charles Mgbolu  26th Sept., 2013 Celebrated film maker and actor Kunle Afolayan has dropped heart stopping posts on Facebook indicating that his workaholic lifestyle may eventually end his life. Kunle who is working round the clock to meet the October 1 deadline of his highly anticipated film “October 1″ took to Facebook to drop some of his darkest thoughts. ‘My Obsession with filmmaking makes me think I may not live long, I forbid it though’. ‘I got back to Lagos yesternight (sic) very tired and sleepy after 42 days of shoot, got home ate then went to bed. All I see throughout my sleep are the shots I took and those that I felt I should have done differently. Woke up this morning and all I have in my head is the deadline of the trailer release which in October 1, 2013, in about 11 days and the completion of the whole project. Yes, am very passionate about film making but I think being too obsessed is not healthy. What do you guys think?’ Kunle battles to meet a treacher...

BY: Funmi Ojuroye  26th Sept., 2013 The Oyo State Police Command says it has  arrested one Abiodun Adelabu, a suspected gang leader who shot a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly during a robbery incident in Ibadan last month. Bamidele Ojo, representing Ibadan South East 1 in the Assembly, was buying fuel at a filling station in the Ashi area of the city when suspected armed robbers pounced on him and snatched his Toyota Avensis car. He was allegedly shot in the process by the gang leader. On the same day, the robbers trailed another lawmaker, Fakorede Farinto, representing Iwajowa constituency, to the New Alakia area of Ibadan and snatched his Honda CRV utility vehicle from him. It was learnt that three members of the gang were earlier arrested, but Adelabu escaped arrest until a team of Special Anti-Robbery Squad from the command nabbed  him at the Beyerunka/Oke Ofa Atipe area of Ibadan. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Ilobanafo, said Adel...

BY: Funmi Ojuroye   26th Sept., 2013 The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arraigned the owner of Sahal Eye Specialist Clinic, Hussaini Arugaya, before Magistrate’s Court One in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Arugaya  was charged with three counts of parading himself as a medical practitioner, carrying out a surgical operation on the right eye of one Elder Ndarake Akpe, and using the title, ‘Dr,’ which showed that he was authorized by law to practice as a medical practitioner. The charge read in part, “That you, Arugaya, not being a registered medical practitioner and in expectation of reward, did practice and held yourself out to practice as a medical practitioner, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17(1)(a) and punishable under Section 17(5)(b) of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap M8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. “That you, Hussaini Yusuf Arugaya ‘m’ alias Dr. A. H. Arugaya on or about the 26 day of July, 2011 at No. 4 Park Lane, Eket, i...

BY: Funmi Ojuroye  26th Sept. 2013 Braimoh A 48-year-old man, who was arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for impersonating a policeman, said he did it to get favours from members of the public. The suspect, Felix Braimoh, told policemen at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad that he usually got free rides from private and commercial drivers by wearing police uniform. The suspect, who claimed to be a driver, however, said he never extorted money from members of the public. The Edo State indigence said, “I am a driver and I have worked for several companies. However, after I had a hernia surgery, the company I was working with decided to sack me. I was given N32,000 and asked to leave. “I used part of my savings to set up a barber shop and a music studio. However, I could not make ends meet as a barber and a deejay and things became very difficult.” The suspect told PUNCH Metro that when he could no longer pay his children’s school fees, he got police accouterments ...

BY JOHN ALECHENU AND FIDELIS SORIWEI  SEPTEMBER 26, 2013   File photo of a street in Benisheik, the Borno State community where Boko Haram killed scores of people on September 17. A video believed to have been released by the wanted leader of  the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, surfaced in Maiduguri on Wednesday. In it, a man claiming to be Shekau, debunked earlier claims by the Nigerian military that he died from gunshot wounds on August 19, 2013. The  then JTF spokesman in Borno State,   Lt Col Sagir Musa, had in a statement said, “Intelligence report available to the JTF  Operation Restore Order revealed that  Shekau, the most dreaded and wanted terrorists’ leader may have died. “He died of gunshots wounds received in an encounter with the JTF in one of their camps in Sambisa Forest on  June 30 , 2013. Shekau was mortally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitch...

BY: Funmi Ojuroye  25th Sept. 2013 Udeh The Nigerian Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, has arrested a 48-year-old man, Nick Udeh, for posing as a journalist and presenting fake documents to seek favors from the Comptroller of the command, Mr. Julius Ogbu. According to the immigration authorities, the suspect and others at large posed as employees of Newswatch Magazine and other media houses and wrote a letter to the comptroller requesting a meeting with him. The bubble, however, burst last Friday when the comptroller referred the suspect to the command’s public relations officer, Muyiwa Odunubi. Unknown to the suspect, calls had been made to management of the media house in question, including his scanned photograph, where it was discovered he had never been an employee of the company. While speaking with PUNCH Metro at the command headquarters in Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, the suspect, who claimed in the letter to the officer that they came fr...

BY: Funmi Ojuroye  25th Sept. 2013 Three yet-to-be identified policemen lost their lives when a group of armed men attacked a hotel at Araromi bus stop along the Igando-Iba Highway. The policemen, attached to the Igando Police Division, were reportedly taken by surprise, when the robbers stormed the hotel about 2 A.m, on Saturday, September 21. Sources at Taiwo Alonge Street, where the hotel is situated, told PUNCH Metro that residents were interrupted from their sleep by the sound of gunfire in the middle of the night. She said, “The hotel is a busy one. Last Friday, the situation was not different. Business went on till late into the night. “Since this hotel began operating, there have always been at least three policemen guarding the place at night. Although the hotel has its own security, the policemen supervised them.” MICBLOG gathered that the robbers, numbering about 10, had initially driven up to the hotel under the guise of being guests. However, upon sighti...

By: Funmi Ojuroye  25th Sept., 2013 Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim Strong indications have emerged that Islamic militants from some North African countries are coordinating attacks against the Nigerian military in the North Eastern part of the country. A military source told one of our correspondents in Abuja that security operatives came to this  conclusion when they   discovered  that many Arabs of Shuwa descent  and fair-skinned  people from Mauritania, Sudan, Somalia, Algeria and Niger, were among those whose bodies were found  after some of the recent encounters with the militants. The source said, “We strongly believe that the foreign militants under the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb are coordinating the attacks against our men in the troubled  North Eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. “We  have seen  fairs-skinned corpses and those of Arabs of Shuwa descent. We believe they are from countri...