Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

Akolade A Lagos High Court in Ikeja has sentenced to death Akolade Arowolo for the murder of his banker wife, Titilayo, who he repeatedly stabbed to death with a knife at their residence in Isolo, Lagos, on June 24, 2011. Justice Lateefat Okunnu, in her judgment on Friday, held that even though there was no eyewitness to the incident, the circumstantial evidence adduced by the prosecution proved the murder charge against the convict beyond all reasonable doubts. “I pronounce the defendant guilty as charged and accordingly sentenced to death,” the court held. The 32-year-old man, decked in white short sleeve shirt and black trousers, broke down in the dock and shouted, “Jesus, I did not do this,” shortly after the judge made her pronouncement. “Jesus, what will happen to Olamide (the daughter the deceased had for her)?” he asked rhetorically. The convict, who came into the courtroom with a Bible and a diary, began speaking in tongues as he was being led out of the court room. ...

With the opening Friday of a Honda plant in the city of Celaya, Mexico, that country is taking another step toward becoming the largest car exporter to the United States. Once the Japanese automaker’s final assembly plant is up and running, Mexico will overtake Japan to become the No. 2 auto exporter to the U.S. By the end of 2015, Mexico is expected to pass Canada and ship more vehicles into the U.S. than any other country. “Our new plant in Mexico is based on the Honda company principle of maintaining a global viewpoint to supply products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price, for worldwide customer satisfaction,” said Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of Honda. The facility, which will produce about 200,000 Fit hatchbacks a year, is Mexico’s 13th full-size auto assembly plant. By comparison, there are 44 final assembly plants in the US. “Mexico is the place to be in North America if you’re an automaker,” said Thomas Klier, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of ...

Three months of political unrest, one week of horrific internecine violence, a few frenetic hours of negotiations, it all culminated in a breakthrough deal In Ukraine to cut the president's powers, reinvent the Constitution and pave the way to free a key opposition leader. These developments Friday gave hope to the Eastern European nation. But as long as angry protesters pack Kiev's Maidan, or Independence Square, as long as the emotions remain raw, as long as the bloodshed is still fresh, this story isn't over. "I feel very proud of Ukrainians because we showed we are able to struggle for our future, our freedom," said Sophia Holotna, whose friend was among the scores of demonstrators killed in the capital. "But now I feel almost very sadness. It's my first feeling."  Protesters: 100 dead in Ukraine Gunfire heard in Kiev, protesters fall 'I am a Ukrainian' Will the Ukraine truce last? The agreement -- hashed out overnight and into the ...

Maduro and Obama Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called Friday on the United States to exchange ambassadors just days after expelling three American diplomats from the country. The request came during an hours-long news conference aired on state-run TV, where Maduro called on President Barack Obama to begin talks, even as he repeatedly accused the United States of interfering in Venezuelan internal affairs and stoking sometimes violent anti-government protests in recent days. "I call for a dialogue with you, Obama," Maduro said. "You can designate (U.S. Secretary of State John) Kerry or whoever you want to come to this dialogue and I will send my foreign minister ... for this high-level meeting." At the same time, Maduro accused Obama of failing to live up to a commitment not to "interfere with Venezuelan affairs." "What you have said has not been carried out," he said. The United States and Venezuela have not had resident ambassadors s...

A 25-year old Uni-versity drop- out identified as Jerry has murdered in cold blood the wife of a pastor, Mrs Eunice Ajayi 55years for refusing to be raped. The suspected killer was  said to have been rusticated from two institutions in the state for being a member of a secret cult. Saturday Vanguard gathered that the deceased was hacked to death on the ill fated day when she refused to be raped by the suspect who is now on the run. The deceased husband who rushed to the scene to save his dying wife was also matchetted by the suspect and is presently hospitalised. Eyewitness account informed Vanguard that alleged killer visited the house of the Pastor located at Peace-land Road,along the Expressway in Akure metropolis and attempted to rape the deceased. Jerry who has been eyeing the woman reportedly came that day with the sole purpose of having his way but the Pastor’s wife resisted. This according to report infuriated the suspect who reportedly brought out a machete whi...

A massive late night electrical fire Thursday that gutted the studios, offices and transmission facility of the AIT / Raypower Station, will likely be repaired sooner, than later. In a surprise announcement, Governor Serike Dickson has pledged to use public funds to rebuild the privately owned radio and television facility belonging to Raymond Dokpesi, that was nearly destroyed by the fire in the Elebele area of Yenagoa in the state capital. The announcement comes, say critics of the governor’s pledge, as state owned media establishments are neglected, operating with obsolete equipment and grossly underfunded. Critics of the governor’s pledge told SaharaReporters this latest move out of the statehouse is a continuation of the governor’s penchant for reckless spending of state funds, to service private interests. Gov Dickson reportedly spent state funds to build a private residence for Caleb Olubolade, the state’s former Minister of Police Affairs. That government initiative cau...

Joseph Andrew Arizona suspect Joseph Andrew Dekenipp was determined to spend Valentine’s Day with his girlfriend, CNN affiliate KTVK reported. So much so that he crawled past a razor wire, scaled two fences and made his way to a restaurant about 10 miles away, according to authorities. Dekenipp went missing Friday afternoon from a fenced recreation yard at the detention center in Florence,according to the affiliate. When inmates there returned to their residential units, Dekenipp was nowhere to be found. He’d made the daring escape and was headed to a restaurant in nearby Coolidge, where he was going to meet his girlfriend, the affiliate said. Pinal County deputies used K-9 dogs to track him down, but his scent later disappeared, the affiliate said. They pulled over cars on nearby roadways and searched them. Their big break came when two teens told authorities that their friend gave Dekenipp a ride to the restaurant. Deputies hightailed it to the eatery, where they ...

Patience Jonathan The Chances are high that the First Lady, Patience  Jonathan has been flown to Germany for another  medical treatment. The report was gathered from two reliable sources in Abuja, who spoke with an online news medium, Sahara Reporters on the state of health of the First Lady. One source disclosed that President Jonathan’s wife was secretly moved out of Abuja almost a week ago. “She was flown out about a week ago,” a source at the Presidential Villa told our correspondent. He added that he was not aware of the First Lady’s immediate ailment. Another disclosed that Mrs. Jonathan had kept a low profile several weeks before her removal to a German hospital. “She has not been in good health for a while now,” said a source close to the Jonathan family. Follow Us on Twitter: Click here Like us on Facebook: Click here Add on BBM: 2860E881

Lagos State University (LASU) Senate has fixed  Monday, February 24, to reopen  the school, shut down  three  weeks ago following students unrest. After several hours of  deliberations  of the Senate made up of   Provosts, Deans and Directors, it was directed that the university be re-opened  to allow  final year students across all departments to sit for their 2012/2013 academic session second semester examinations. Follow Us on Twitter: Click here Like us on Facebook: Click here Add on BBM: 2860E881

The Federal Government is to hire independent forensic auditors to examine the books of the  Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC,  with a view to ascertaining whether or not it has failed to remit  oil revenues to the Federation Account, as alleged by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday, after appearing before the Senate Committee on Finance which is investigating the alleged unremitted fund. At a public hearing in the Senate last week, the CBN Governor revealed that records available to the bank showed that the total amount generated from crude oil sales was $67.8 billion while records of remittance to the Federation Account by the NNPC was $47.8 billion with a shortfall of $20 billion not accounted for. Mallam Sanusi, who also appeared before the committee was, however, not convinced by the explanations put forw...

AS Nigerians today join the rest of the world to mark Valentine’s Day season of love activities, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, has called for caution against activities that could heighten the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, STIs. Making the call in Abuja, Director General of the Agency, Professor John Idoko, recognised Valentine Day as a period where gratitude of love is demonstrated between individuals through gestures of affection such as flowers, perfumes, cloths among other gift items. His words: “Valentine Day as good as it may be, has however, brought up a worrisome aspect festering this celebration of love season. This is the high rate of indiscriminate sexual and other negative activities which are perpetrated on this day leading to uninformed decision making among adolescents. “In our quest to actualise a generation free from HIV/AIDS, NACA is advising that at this season of love, Nigerians should make informed de...

TWO-time governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, arguably, belongs to the echelon of vastly experienced politicians. At the dawn of the Fourth Republic, he joined the All People’s Party  (APP), which later became All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and now APC. He was elected governor in 1999 and re-elected in 2003 on the banner of the APP. He ran for the presidency in 2007 on the plank of the Democratic People’s Party  (DPP) he helped to found. In this interview with select journalists in his Sokoto residence, shortly after being welcomed into the PDP by President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders of the party, he shares his thoughts on his mission, vision and ability to deliver in the PDP. Excerpts: BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR What prompted your defection to the PDP? Joining PDP was not my decision it was the decision of my people. In joining PDP, we are looking for a change for the better. I was in the opposition to protest against injustices...

A powerful car bomb attack on a police bus in Pakistan’s commercial hub of Karachi has killed at least 11 policemen and injured dozens more, officials said. The blast went off early on Thursday morning as more than 50 officers were boarding the bus near the national highway in Karachi. “Apparently an explosive-laden car hit the police bus transporting officials for security duty,” Muhammad Iqbal, a senior police official, told the Agence France-Press news agency. Doctor Semi Jamali at Karachi’s Jinnah hospital told the AFP that in addition to the killed officers, about three dozen more policemen had been hospitalized, 10 of whom were in a critical condition. The attack happened outside a police training centre, Iqbal said. Police officer Rao Anwaar told the Associated Press news agency that it appeared to be a suicide attack, although there was no immediate claim of responsibility. Pakistan’s business hub, the port city of Karachi has been plagued for years by sectarian, ethnic an...

At least two people have been shot dead during a student demonstration in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. A pro-government activist and at least one student were killed in a shootout, officials said. At least 23 people are said to have been injured in demonstrations across the country. President Nicolas Maduro is facing rising criticism for the country’s economic woes and high levels of violence. He later spoke on national TV, condemning the violence and appealing for calm. “Let nobody go mad and accept provocations,” Maduro said. The students were demonstrating against the detention of fellow students earlier in the week on the day Venezuela celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Victory, also known as the Venezuelan Day of Youth, an historical episode in which students defended a city against Spanish-led troops. Opposition leaders also took part in the march. But as in other protests called by the opposition, many also took to the streets to support the government....

China’s first lunar rover had stopped functioning, state media reported Wednesday, but signs are emerging that Yutu, as it is known in Mandarin, may be up and running again. Following technical malfunctions Xinhua said that the lunar rover had lost communication with mission control but on Thursday the state news agency said that the rover was “fully awake” and had returned to its normal signal-receiving status. “Jade Rabbit has fully resurrected and is able to receive signals, but still suffers a mechanical control abnormality,” China’s lunar program spokesman Pei Zhaoyu told Xinhua. “The rover entered hibernation while in an abnormal state. We were worried it wouldn’t be able to make it through the extreme cold of the lunar night. But it came back alive. The rover stands a chance of being saved as it is still alive.” Xinhua also posted a screenshot of the Chang’e-3 Moon Probe’s Sina Weibo account, which, at 8.49am Thursday morning local time, asked: “Is anyone ou...

The students of The Polytechnic Ibadan on Tuesday gave the Oyo State government and the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, ASUP, a 24-hour ultimatum to resolve their differences and reopen the school or face major student unrest. The students gave the warning during a peaceful protest staged to condemn the ongoing strike embarked upon by their teachers since October 2013. Displaying placards with inscriptions criticizing the face-off between their lecturers and government, the students marched from the main gate of the campus, through the Sango-UI road and on other major roads within the axis to air their grievances. Though no major breakdown of law and order was recorded during the protest, the students were accompanied by the Nigerian Police. The protest, however, disrupted vehicular movement for about three hours. The president of the Students’ Union of the polytechnic, Iyiola Oladimeji, said, “We can’t continue to tolerate this continuous neglec...

Six hundred people – mostly women, children and the elderly – have been evacuated from the Syrian city of Homs, according to non-governmental organisations. They were brought out by humanitarian assistance teams on Sunday despite mortar attacks and shooting. More civilians may be rescued as rebels and the Bashar al-Assad government have extended the ceasefire for another three days. The evacuation of about 600 of the 3,000 trapped people came as representatives from both sides converged on Geneva, Switzerland, for new peace talks. Sunday’s evacuation was the second after 83 people were brought out on Friday – the first day of the truce. The Syrian Red Crescent said on Facebook “around 600 people evacuated today, registration is still ongoing. We managed to get 60 food parcels & 1500Kg of flour inside old city”. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 611 were brought out – “210 women, 180 children, 91 men over 55 years old and 130 young men who surren...

Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah Operatives of the State Security Service have been directed by the Ministry of Aviation to stay away from all the nation’s international airports. The order, which was communicated to the SSS leadership a few weeks ago, was said to have shocked the operatives. It was further gathered that the directive by the ministry, which is headed by Ms Stella Oduah, might affect the ability of the SSS to perform its duties of preventing, detecting, and investigating threats of espionage, subversion, sabotage and terrorist activities, especially at the airports. Some of the   international airports are   the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos; the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt; the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. A top security source, who declined to be named because he was not permitted to speak on the matter, confided in one of our co...