Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 IG, Abubakar The Bayelsa State Police Command says that a riot policeman was one of those killed by sea pirates in Ikebiri community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state. The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, made this known to newsmen in Yenagoa on Tuesday. Akhigbe said the policeman was one of the passengers of a commercial boat heading for Koluama community in the area. He said the boat was attacked by sea pirates around 6pm on Friday, October 18. “Out of the two armed policemen in the boat, one was reportedly shot dead after a 15-minute gun battle between them and the pirates. The survivor, who sustained serious injuries, is currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital,” he said. Akhigbe said the policemen were on a private visit from Port Harcourt to Bayelsa State.

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 The Nigerian Government, Tuesday, told the United Nations Human Rights Council, that the Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the country were being sponsored by some foreign countries. Nigeria, also said that it will not bow to international pressure to allow same sex-marriage in the country, arguing that same was against its cultural and traditional values. It also justified the execution of death row inmates in the country, contending that same was in accordance with its laws. Defending Nigeria’s human rights record at the on-going 17th session of the Universal Peer Review, UPR mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Mr Mohammed Adoke, SAN, the country’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation,  said “Nigeria is experiencing the impact of externally-induced internal security challenges,  manifesting in the activities of militant insurgents and organised crime groups which has ...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 THE rescheduled Local Government Council elections in Esan North East Local Government Council of Edo state held Tuesday amid tight security with leaders of both the APC and PDP accusing each other of rigging. And in Esan North East ward 5 elections took a violent turn when political thugs hijacked ballot boxes and took to the bushes. Elections into the twelve wards in the Council commenced peacefully up till 1: 30pm when violence erupted in ward 5 which boasted of the highest numbers of polling units in the council. The Chairman of the PDP Board of  Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih and the Minister of Works, Arch Mike Onolemene were around to cast their votes. Tension heightened at about 12:30pm at ward 5 when the people were yet to receive voting materials a MOPOL officer stormed the ward arresting some APC youths.The youths resisted him which created further tension at the polling unit. However temporary relief came when the Edo sta...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 The Federal Government on Tuesday arraigned four persons allegedly belonging to the Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, before a Federal High Court in Lagos. Two of the accused persons – Adamu Mohammed, Mohammed Mustapha – were specifically accused of having, in June or July this year, plotted to attack the Kirikiri Maximum Prison in Lagos to free their members held in custody. The two other accused persons are Bura Hassaini and Mohammed Ibrahim. The government accused Hassaini of having facilitated the activities of the militant group in Borno State by monitoring the activities of the security agents and reporting his findings on the telephone to the leadership of the sect. All the four accused persons, who were arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to all the three counts preferred against them by the Federal Government. No lawyer represented the accused persons during the proceedings, but the char...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 Princess Stella Oduah ABUJA – MORE troubles for Minister of Aviation,Princess Stella Oduah as the House of Representatives,Tuesday, mandated the House Committee on Aviation to investigate the alleged purchase of bullet proof BMW cars valued at N250milion. The Committee on Aviation was specifically instructed to submit the report of its findings within 168 hours,one week, to the House for further deliberations. This development was sequel to a motion brought to the floor of the House by  Rep Samson Osagie, APC , under matters of National Importance and seconded by  Rep Shehu Gusau,APC representing Zamfara state . Osagie had asserted in the motion that investigations into the purchase of $1.6million bullet proof BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) for Minister of Aviation, pursuant to Section 88 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 ( as amended) has become mandatory. The Edo legisla...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 This is the news you've been waiting for! I am thrilled to tell you that we are about to officially resume our rollout of BBM for Android and iPhone customers around the globe!* In the next few hours, people will start seeing BBM in Google Play, the App Store and in select Samsung App Stores – where it will be free to download. The demand for BBM on Android and BBM on iPhone continues to be amazing. About six million people signed up for information about BBM at BBM.com. As you know, in just seven hours, about one million Android users were using the unreleased version of BBM for Android. What you don’t know is that more than one million people have found creative ways to “side load” BBM on their iPhone. This is incredible. To help manage this unprecedented pent up demand for BBM, we are implementing a simple line-up system to ensure a smooth roll out. Here’s how it is going to work… BBM Roll Out Details: Download BBM – the easiest w...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 The Ebonyi State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Tuesday said it had arrested 95 drug suspects from January to date. The Commandant of the agency in the state, Mr Raph Igwenagu, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abakaliki that it also seized 350 kilogrammes of illicit drugs during the period. “The NDLEA in Ebonyi State, also during the year, counselled, rehabilitated and discharged 40 drug users while six drug dependent persons are still undergoing rehabilitation,” he said. Igwenagu said 10 suspects were convicted while 30 cases were undergoing prosecution and 15 cases still under investigation. According to him, the prevalence of illicit drug use among the youth is on the increase as a result of their being susceptible and more vulnerable than adults. He urged parents and guardians, whose children and wards had become victims of drug abuse, to bring them ...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 As part of government ongoing efforts to reach out to prominent people across the six geo-political zones on the planned National Dialogue, the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku visited the Convener, Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Pastor Tunde Bakare, Monday,  in Lagos. Although, neither of the parties disclosed the details of their closed-door meeting, Kuku, however, expressed satisfaction with the response and suggestions he got from Pastor Bakare, which he said would help in facilitating a  fruitful outcome of the national conference. While appealing to Nigerians on the need to support the planned national dialogue, Kuku called on those that have already taken a bias position against the exercise to have a rethink. He said contrary to what some people are insinuating that there was an ulterior motives behind the planned exercise, “there...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 Solar Energy Federal Government is set to provide 420 megawatts of electricity using solar energy for nine states in the northern part of the country. The Secretary, National Energy Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Njiddah, made this known at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Monday. Njiddah said the project would be implemented under the Nigerian-German Energy Partnership-Renewable Energy and Efficient Energy Projects (REEPS). The Federal Government in 2008 signed an agreement with Germany to invest 20 million euros to increase energy efficiency by about 6,500mw through a mix of power generation sources. Under the project, German Government is to provide 500mw of solar energy to be spread across the northern states of the country within five years. According to him, the pilot scheme, which is expected to cover all the northern states of the country, will commence in nine states. The states are: Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, K...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 The Chancellor of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, Dr David Oyedepo,  said on Monday that the institution would be among the top 10 universities in the world by 2022. Oyedepo made the remark at the institution’s 11th Founder’s Day celebration in Ota. According to him, the university has since inception in 2002, focused on actualising its mandate, which is primarily to raise leaders who will change the world. Oyedepo said that already, the university had surpassed set standards but was not relenting till it achieved its desired  2022 dream, tagged: Vision 10: 2022, (1 of 10 in 10). “It is in view of this that we are launching our new vision and, therefore  want to charge the faculty managements to invest maximally in the review of our curriculum. “We must strive to review pragmatically, the contents of our curriculum by bringing it into the realities of the day. “Let us not be afraid of trying out new things in new ways b...

BY: FUNMI OJUROYE  October 22nd 2013 Hell was let loose in Kano Monday afternoon when “well dressed” thugs invaded and overran the PDP secretariat located at Gydi-yadi quarters in the Kano leaving many injuries. Eyewitness account told Vanguard that the Caretaker Committee recently inaugurated by Bamanga Tukur led PDP were conducting official business at the new secretarial when they came under attack. Those injured in the ensuing pandemonium included the state PDP Publicity Secretary,, Ja’afar Sani Bello, the state Women Leader, Rabi Shehu Sharada, while the legal adviser who escaped through the window of a story building sustained minor injuries. Another party member whose identity  could not be ascertained as at press time has his bowel ripped opened, while Elder statesman, and founding father of PDP, Alhaji Dauda Dangalon and several other party faithful sustained various degree of injuries. However, the PDP Publicity secretary, Ja’afar Sani Bello who was the ...