Michael Ojuroye Initiative (Ngo)

DAVIDO The Nigerian Pop star, Davido has bagged the award for ‘Best African Act‘ at the 2014 BET Awards which holds yesterday, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Davido beat Nigeria’s Tiwa Savage, South Africa’s Mafikizolo, Ghana’s Sarkodie, Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz and Togo’s Toofan to win the award. ‘Thanks to all my fans!! WE WON‘, Davido tweeted, just moments after winning his award. Earlier in June, the ‘Skelewu’ singer equally won big at the MTV Africa. Follow us on Twitter: CLICK Like us on Facebook: CLICK

Interior of the US consul A Libyan man has denied he was involved in a 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, during his first appearance before a US court since his capture. Ahmed Abu Khattalah faced a federal court in Washington on Saturday on criminal charges over the deaths of the US ambassador to Libya and three other Americans from the attack on September 11, 2012. He had been moved to the US after his capture by US special forces near Benghazi two weeks ago. His first appearance lasted about 10 minutes, according to the AP news agency. Khattalah is accused of killing a person during an attack on a federal facility, a crime punishable by death; providing support to attackers resulting in death; and using a firearm in a crime of violence. US authorities have said they are looking to identify and capture additional co-conspirators. Khattalah acknowledged in January that he was present during the storming of the US mission in Benghazi. But he denied involvement in the ...

Two building collapses in New Delhi and Tamil Nadu states have killed at least 19 people and left dozens trapped, highlighting the need for increased monitoring of construction across India where such incidents are common. Eleven people including five children were killed in New Delhi after a 50-year-old apartment block with 14 occupants collapsed early on Saturday, a police spokesman said. Later on the day, a 12-story building under construction in southern Tamil Nadu state came down, killing four workers on the spot and another four succumbed to injuries later in a hospital, said police officer George Fernandes. Twelve injured workers have been hospitalized, while six others were allowed to go home after medical attention on Saturday night, Fernandes said. Local media reports said more than 50 people were feared trapped in the debris of the block. Numerous building accidents in India’s largest cities have killed about 100 people in the past year, according to local media ...

As he(bomber) bent his head towards his Sienna, I told my friend that we should get away from there. Within a few seconds, there was an explosion …. I saw many corpses on the ground. Heads, hands and legs littered   everywhere –Ademola   On that fateful day, I just crossed over to buy corn …. Within seconds after I left that point, I heard a big bang and found myself on the ground.   My right leg   was affected.   Presently, I can’t stand with it.  – Tyokasi Sulaiman Ademola, Donald Tyokasi, Junaid Olatunji I thought   my head had been blown off by the blast. I touched my head while on the ground and realised that it was there. I stood up and was looking for help, but help didn’t come immediately.  – Olatunji Some of the hospitalised victims of the Emab Plaza explosion in Abuja on Thursday recounted their experience and   thanked God for sparing their lives. The explosion had happened on Wednesday. Th...

The United Nations Security Council has sanctioned Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, and a splinter group, Ansaru on Wednesday. According to  Reuters , Shekau is the first individual while Ansaru is the first entity to be so sanctioned since the Islamist militant group was blacklisted. With this sanction, Shekau and Ansaru will be banned from international travel while their assets would be frozen under the UN al Qaeda sanctions list. Russia had placed a “technical hold” on the designations two weeks ago because it needed more time to review the listings, but diplomats said they lifted the hold on Wednesday, allowing the sanctions to come into force. Last month, the Security Council al Qaeda Sanctions Committee blacklisted Boko Haram at the request of Nigeria, following global outrage when the group kidnapped more than 250 girls from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, on April 14. The Islamist militant group was described in the UN listing as an affil...

Emab Plaza bomb blast The Government of the United States has condemned the Wednesday's bombing at the busy Emab Plaza, Wuse 2, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that killed over 21 people with more than 17 others injured. According to the statement released Thursday by the Information Office, Public Affairs Section of the Embassy of the US Embassy in Abuja, the bombing is an "inexcusable violence against Nigerians". The statement reads: "The US Embassy strongly condemns yesterday’s bomb blast in Wuse II, Abuja. These heartless and violent attacks on innocent Nigerians are inexcusable and clearly bespeak the criminality of those behind these attacks in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and call on all Nigerians regardless of region or religion to join in and support efforts to put an end to this evil against humanity. "The United States remains committed to supporting the people of ...

REMI TINUBU The senate on Thursday directed its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the Vice Chairman of the Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, over her alleged criticisms of the red chamber and its leadership in the media. The action was sequel to a motion raised by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) under Order 43 (Privileges) of the Senate Standing Orders (2011, as amended). Ndoma-Egba drew the attention of his colleagues to some newspaper publications on the interview granted by Tinubu where she reportedly condemned “the rot” in the Senate. The senator who represents Lagos Central Senatorial District, had allegedly said that the actions of the Senate leadership was always sympathetic to the Peoples Democratic Party-led executive arm of government.  Ndoma-Egba said, “I would have brought this matter on the first day of our resumption but for respect for the memory of our departed col...

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has said that the All Progressives Congress lost the Ekiti State governorship polls due to fraud but maintained that it was impossible to rig him out in the August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun. The governor spoke in Ikirun on Tuesday during the continuation of his campaign which was held in the town. Aregbesola, who was obviously excited by the large turnout of his supporters at the campaign, said that it was impossible to oust him from power in Osun State because he still enjoyed the support of the masses. The candidate of the APC, who spoke in Yoruba language, urged the people of the state to vote and protect their votes from being manipulated. He said, “They perpetrated fraud in Ekiti but we are looking at them. They said that my days in office remain 43 days and I just laughed. What they did in Ekiti is not possible here in Osun. Osun is different and they know it. In 2011, all Yoruba states voted for Peoples Democratic Party...

North Korea, US North Korea has promised “merciless” retaliation if a forthcoming Hollywood movie about killing Kim Jong-un is released, say agencies. A North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said in state media that the movie’s release would be an “act of war”. He did not mention the title, but a Hollywood movie called The Interview with a similar plot is due in October. Hollywood actors James Franco and Seth Rogen star in the action-comedy film. They play a talkshow host and his producer who are invited to interview Kim Jong-un, and are subsequently recruited by the US Central Intelligence Agency to assassinate the leader. The film’s teaser trailer, posted on Youtube, shows a lookalike actor playing Kim Jong-un, as well as fight scenes involving what appear to be North Korean tanks and helicopters, and a nuclear missile launch. The North Korea spokesman was quoted by the state KCNA news agency as saying: “Making and releasing a movie on a plot to hurt our top-level leadershi...

BRAZIL VS CAMEROON Stuttering Brazil will look to clinch their berth in the last 16 of the World Cup as they host already-eliminated Cameroon in their final Group A match at the National Stadium in the capital Brasilia on Monday. Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side have beaten Croatia and drawn with Mexico in their two games to date, struggling to convince in either match, but both the coach and his players have claimed in recent days that the World Cup hosts are “evolving” as the tournament goes along. Brazil head into their final group game — their 100th at the World Cup — still not certain of a place in the knockout rounds, but goalkeeper Julio Cesar insisted during the week that the quality of opposition they have come up against so far has helped the Selecao. “This is a tough group, but that’s great for us. We prefer to play against these sides and face these difficulties because it gets you focusing right from the start, which is important in short-term competitions,” he said. T...

A senior Afghan election official at the centre of fraud claims in the presidential run-off vote has resigned. Zia ul-Haq Amarkhail said he was stepping down “for the sake of national unity”, denying allegations of ballot box-stuffing earlier this month. His resignation comes after audio tapes were released allegedly revealing that Amarkhail was trying to influence the outcome of the vote. They were published by the camp of one of the candidates – Abdullah Abdullah. However, his rival Ashraf Ghani has also made allegations of fraud. The official results of the June 14 run-off are yet to be published. In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, Amarkhail tendered his resignation on national television. He vehemently denied any wrongdoing, saying he had been the victim of a “plot”. He also described the tapes as “fake” and blamed the country’s security services for interfering in the election. In an apparent reference to ballot box stuffing, the tapes appear to show Amarkhail urging a co...

The EU says it is ready to impose new sanctions on Russia if Moscow does not act quickly to stop arms and militants flowing into eastern Ukraine. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague warned Russia that if it failed to act the EU “will be able to take further measures, further sanctions”. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s support for Ukraine’s peace plan must be “translated into action”. Ukraine says armed pro-Russia militants are ignoring Kiev’s unilateral truce. On Friday Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced a 15-point peace plan and declared a unilateral week-long truce. President Putin welcomed the move, but said Kiev must negotiate and make compromises with the pro-Russian rebels, who remain in control of key state buildings in eastern Ukraine. EU foreign ministers are discussing the Ukraine crisis in Luxembourg with the new Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Pavlo Klimkin. The crisis will also be high on the agenda of an EU summit in Brussels on Friday, where EU le...

The US has imposed sanctions against separatists in eastern Ukraine, as the crisis there shows no sign of easing. The sanctions include asset freezes against seven pro-Russian leaders. The move was announced as Western leaders threatened additional sanctions against Russia, which they accuse of stoking tension in Ukraine. Both Russia and the separatists have dismissed a unilateral ceasefire called by Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko, the first step of his peace plan. The US and European Union (EU) leaders have previously imposed sanctions after Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea in March. On Friday, the US Treasury Department said it had blacklisted seven rebel leaders, including self-proclaimed mayors, governors and commanders in chief of cities under siege by Ukrainian forces. Their assets in the US will be frozen and US firms will be banned from dealing with them. US officials also said “scalpel” sanctions against Russia’s defence, finance and high-tech industrie...

Thirteen assailants have been killed in an attack on a police station in China’s restive western province of Xinjiang, officials say. The attackers drove a car into the station and set off explosives on Saturday morning, the local government said on its website. Three police suffered minor injuries but no civilians were hurt, it added. The Chinese authorities blame Muslim Uighurs from Xinjiang for an increasing number of attacks in the province. “On the morning of 21 June, a group of thugs drove a car into a police building in Yecheng County, Kashgar province and detonated explosives,” the local government website said. “Police shot dead the 13 attackers,” it reported. It provided no further details. Verifying reports from the Xinjiang region is difficult because access for journalists is restricted and the flow of information is tightly controlled. The authorities have tightened security in Xinjiang in recent months. On Monday, China executed 13 people in Xinji...

From the headlines of June 18th: “hundreds of thousands of Iraqi volunteers have responded to calls by the country’s highest religious authority to fight militants from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).”  This importantly highlights the failure of Nigeria’s executive leadership, ultimately and northern leadership in combating Boko Haram, a senseless menace that has plagued Nigeria’s north, largely unabated for four straight years. In the four years of Boko Haram’s worst carnage, the terror sect has operated with minimal impedance from the Nigerian military and next to none so-ever from the communities where it rampages, rapes, abducts, kills and sets everything on fire. Over 80,000 have been killed, 3 million displaced and billions worth of farm lands rendered abandoned, potentially putting millions of Nigerians out of work and at risk of and dying of hunger. The Nigerian government placed the north east under a prolonged state of emergency and de...

A Lagos School Students were dressed in their neat uniforms and looking prim for school, children are adorable and most parents don’t know what theirs are capable of behind their backs. A few weeks ago, while a science class was going on in a public secondary school in Ikeja, Lagos, a pupil was sighted at the back of the class completely engrossed. The teacher, noticing that the source of the pupil’s attraction was hidden under the desk, she moved closer to the pupil, who was still lost in another world. Upon closer inspection, the teacher found out that the centre of the pupil’s attraction was his smart phone, on which two objects were locked in steamy sex. “I seized the phone and what I saw shocked me. He was watching a sex video while class was going on. He was later suspended for two weeks,” the teacher said, with a note of anger. Our source shows how pornography has become popular among public secondary school pupils in Lagos, thanks to internet-enabled phones. Mobile ...