Japanese dad cages son for over 20 years
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a japanese dad who allegedly confined his mentally ill son in a small cage for more than two decades was arrested on saturday in western japan police and news reports said1 police arrested 73-year-old yoshitane yamasaki on suspicion of imprisoning his son now aged 42 at their house in the city of sanda in hyogo prefecture a local police spokesman told afp1 further details of the case were not available as the investigation is still underway the spokesman said1 according to local media reports the son was forced to live inside a wooden cage one metre 3.3 feet high and 1.8 metre wide built in a prefabricated hut next to the main house1 the suspect has reportedly admitted the allegations1 i made my son live in a cage for more than 20 years because he has mental problems and acted up the father earlier told city officials according to public broadcaster nhk1 the father said he fed his son and let him bathe every other day1 the son whose name has been withheld is in a stable condition but is suffering from a bent back nhk said adding that he was sent to a welfare facility1

Mavrodis death: MMM officially closes shop
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sergey mavrodis broadmindedness scale is unprecedented. therefore any attempts to continue the system operation without him are bound to fail1 participants in the worlds most popular ponzi scheme mavrodi mundial moneybox mmm are counting their losses as administrators of the programme have officially shut down operations worldwide following the death of its founder sergey mavrodi1 the administrators of the site had in a statement issued on april 6 2018 reminded participants of an earlier warning on the risk associated with the scheme1 the statement reads dear participants after much deliberation we have made the conclusion that continuing the system operation without our leader and ideological inspirer is impossible and makes no sense1 we all carried out the tasks he assigned to us since we had no doubt in his genius and rightness of the path he had chosen1 we are firmly aware of the fact that none of us has a full view of his conceptions profoundness and sequence of all the actions to achieve a final goal declared in the mmms ideology1 it would be recalled that mavrodi died on march 26 after a heart attack1 we respect him immeasurably and cannot afford to allow that our unskilled actions may cause profanation of his concepts1 in view of the above with deep sadness we have to announce the ultimate and irreversible mmm closure1 we also remind as a matter of form that all initially were fully aware of the risks and read thewarningand confirmed that by checking the relevant box when registering1 hoping for your understanding administration the statement reads1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that the scheme had survived several pause mode and closure but could not escape the latest turn of event due to the death of mavrodi in russia1

Bishop Kukah supports amnesty to Boko Haram
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it is also gratifying to report that the troops morale remains high as they dominate the general area with a robust fighting patrol in continuation with the clearance operations he said1 bishop matthew kukah the fiery catholic bishop of sokoto diocese has supported the decision of president muhammadu buhari to grant amnesty to repentant members of the boko haram1 i think i was one of the first people to raise the issue of amnesty about five years ago i know how much we were vilified he said1 but i was pretty convinced about what i was saying that for me if you mention the word amnesty nigerians think it simply means shaking hands and telling everybody to go home1 on march 23 president muhammadu buhari unveiled that government was willing to offer amnesty to members of the outlawed group1 he had noted that while further efforts were ongoing to secure the release of every citizen abducted by the insurgents government was ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by any member of the group who showed strong commitment in that regard1 kukah on his part lauded the decision saying amnesty was the way to go as no war has ended with victory being declared1 if boko haram has been perceived to be as so weakened as it is we would not be talking about negotiation. so clearly those with superior information and superior knowledge which is what government is all about know something that the rest of us dont1 evaluating the war against corruption the clergyman said corruption is not something that government fights government might offer a lead but it will get you to nowhere unless you have the buy-in of the people kukah told1 the nigerian army had also asked boko haram insurgentsto lay down their arms and embrace the federal governments amnestyoffer1 a statement signed by brig.-gen. texas chukwu director army public relations said we wish to remind repentant boko haram fighters that the window of opportunity to embrace the federal government amnesty programme is still open for them to surrender and lay down their weapons1 bishop kukah revealed his position while appearing as a guest on televisions hard copy in abuja the nations capital1 chukwu disclosed that the troops of 23 brigade under the operation lafiya dole had arrested three suspected boko haram terrorists at ngurore on march 281 the army spokesman explained that one of the suspects who was wounded as a result of gunshots confessed to have participated in various attacks coordinated by the insurgents1 according to him the army is conducting preliminary investigations with the 23 brigade provost company1 the army commended members of the civilian joint task force cjtf for patriotism resilience and cooperation with troops1 chukwu also called on members of the public to emulate the vigilance of the cjtf and report any suspicious persons or objects to the nearest military location1 nan reports thatpresident muhammadu buhari on march 23 said the federal government is ready to offer amnesty to members of the boko haram sect that are willing to drop their arms1 president buhari said this at a meeting with the schoolgirls who recently regained freedom after they were abducted from their school in dapchi yobe state by boko haram terrorists1 federal government is ready to rehabilitate boko haram militants who are ready to lay down their arms1 while further efforts are being made to secure the release of every abducted citizen in nigeria government is ever ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by any member of the boko haram group who show strong commitment in that regard1 we are ready to rehabilitate and integrate such repentant members into the larger society he said1

God is punishing PDP for its sins: Bafarawa
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on his part former katsina state governor ibrahim shema backed calls for the restructuring of the country saying it would result in rapid development of the nation1 former sokoto state governor alhaji attahiru bafarawa said god is punishing the peoples democratic partypdp for its sins and urged members to intensify prayers to seek forgiveness from god1 almighty allah does not make mistakes and that was the reason why when the pdp offended him he snatched the power and handed it to apc he said 1 also governor of gombe state ibrahim dankwambo charged nigerians to shun all forms of corrupt practices rise and challenge the evil of corruption in the country1 corruption is an evil deed that retards the progress of any nation he said1 it is the sins that the pdp members committed that god is punishing them with it bafarawa bluntly told members at thepdp northwest zonal rally on saturday in katsina1 he particularly said that the banking and political sectors must be restructured to encourage all citizens to be part of the nigeria project1 shema stressed that nigerians need not to panic over the agitations by some well meaning nigerians over the restructuring project1 in his remarks former governor of niger state muazu babangida aliyu advised pdp members to close ranks and work towards the success of the party in 20191 aliyu said that without unity the pdp would not clinch back the power that they held for 16 years1 nan reports that pdp national chairman uche secondus ekiti state governor ayodele fayose ex-governors sule lamido ahmed makarfi ramalan yero and ibrahim shekarau as well as muntari shagari and amb. aminu wali were among dignitaries at the event1

Heavy rain destroys Tedder Hall at UI
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a heavy downpour on saturday destroyed a part of the tedder hall of nigerias premier university of ibadan1 the residential hall located west of the university court was opened on 17 november 1952 along with mellanby hall1 it was named after lord tedder 1890 1976 marshal of 1950-1967 who formally opened the present site of the university of ibadan1 a section of the hall was also gutted by fire in 20131 photo credit timothy adeogodirannan1

$2.5bn Arms Deal: I am innocent says Zuma
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businessman siya khoza said he admired zumas determination to bring in economic policies that he said were designedto spread the wealth in what remains one of the worlds most unequal societies1 former south african president jacob zuma told thousands ofsupporters outside court in durban on friday that his opponents were telling lies and he would be proveninnocent in a corruption case against him1 the truth will come out. what have i done zuma told the cheering crowd1 i am innocent until proven guilty1 the durban high court adjourned until june 8 the case of corruption in a 2.5 billion arms deal dollars filed against zuma.1 zumas legal team and lawyers for the state agreed to the postponement to give both sides time to prepare their submissions relating to charges against zuma including fraud racketeering and money laundering1 the 75-year-old whose scandal-plagued nine years in office were marked by economic stagnation and credit downgrades faces 16 charges including fraud racketeering and money laundering.1 zuma denies any wrongdoing and is challenging the decision to prosecute the case a dramatic development on a continent where political leaders are rarely held to account for their actions before the law.1 wearing a dark suit a smiling zuma waved to crowds of supporters and reporters as he mounted the steps of the high court in durban shortly before 0700 gmt.1 the speed with which prosecutors have booked his day in court is a sign of the loss of control zuma has suffered since his successor cyril ramaphosa became head of the ruling african national congress anc in december.1 however zuma still retains some popular support especially in his home province of kwazulu-natal where the case is being heard.1 heavily armed police in riot gear lined the square outside the court as thousands of zuma supporters gathered to express solidarity with a leader they say is the victim of a politically motivated witchhunt.1 marchers many clad in the distinctive yellow green and black of the anc carried placards reading hands off zuma and performed the high-stepping toyi-toyi protest dance made popular in south africas decades-long struggle against apartheid.1 speaking in zulu in his home province zuma said that the judiciary and politicians believed that he did not have rights.1 whatever happens we will still support zuma because we believe he brought us radical economic transformation and we still believe that him being in the anc he will push for it said khoza wearing a waistcoat emblazoned in anc colors.1 zuma son edward told supporters at nearby park where several thousand people held an overnight vigil that his father was not worried.1 i would want to believe that as an innocent man he is definitely not worried the domestic news24 agency quoted edward zuma as saying.1 zuma who was forced to resign by the anc last month was at the center of a 1990s deal to buy billions of dollars of european military hardware to upgrade south africas post-apartheid armed forces.1 the deal was mired in scandal and controversy from the start with many inside and outside the anc questioning the spending given the massive social issues from health to education nelson mandelas party had to address after coming to power in 1994.1 fallout has cast a shadow over south african politics ever since1 zuma was deputy president at the time. schabir shaikh his former financial adviser was found guilty and jailed in 2005 for trying to solicit bribes for zuma from a subsidiary of french arms company thales.1 the company is facing charges in the same case1 charges against zuma were filed but then set aside by the national prosecuting authority shortly before he successfully ran for president in 2009.1 the charges were re-instated in 20161 since his election nine years ago his opponents have fought a lengthy legal battle to have the charges reinstated1 zuma countered with his own legal challenges1

2019: Aledare formally declares for Kogi Assembly
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he further applauded them for their loyalty in remaining steadfast even while the party went through its turbulent crisis1 aledare r presenting his letter to contest the kogi state assembly election for kabba-bunu constituencyhon akinwale samuel aledare has formally declared to run for election to represent kabbabunu constituency in the kogi state house of assembly under the platform of the pdp1 the pdp chairman in the local government mr johnson abejirin commended the young politician for the bold step taken to run for the position1 johnson who expressed satisfaction with the ability of aledare to run for the office said that he would have presented the aspirant himself but for the position he holds in the party1 he said that the aspirant was a known loyal party member whose antecedents spoke very well for him1 on his part aledare popularly known as a.s.a thanked the executives of the party for giving him the opportunity to be part of the loyal party members1 aledare who has formally presented his letter of intent to the kabbabunu pdp local government secretariat was greeted with mini jubilation from members of the constituency1 he assured the executives as well as members of the constituency that he would not disappoint them stressing that he would work more tirelessly to deliver on the dividends of democracy1 he pledged to make kabbabunu constituency great again adding that he would revisit the issue of legislative oversight functions1 he promised to focus on education empowerment and other constituency project adding that he will never decamp to any other party1 on his part the youth leader of the party in the local government kayode eseyin promised to support the cabdidature of aledare while calling on other party members to do same1 he thanked him for donating the big industrial ox standing fan to the secretariat saying he who is faithful in little will be faithful in plenty1

Osinbajo at pastors confab says Nigeria shall be great
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he added that the idea for state police and for states to control their resources was good but opined that states should be able to generate more income1 vice president yemi osinbajo on friday attended 2018 greater pastors conference in ibadan and emphasised that nigeria has bright future1 he urged nigerians to assist leaders and the administration with prayers saying the country would soon be one of the greatest countries in the world1 on the outcome of the conference the vice president said it was a family meeting where pastoral and national issues were discussed1 according to him issues on restructuring and security are among what the pastors deliberated upon at the conference1 he said pastors felt that state police was one of those ideas that could further enhance security of lives and property in the country1 osinbajo who is a member of pentecostal fellowship of nigeria pfn said the country would be great again in spite of challenges facing it1 state governments should make sure that taxes are paid look at other ways internally generated revenue can be improved and sustained as well as exercise greater freedom with respect to various aspects of economy he advised1 the chairman of pfn in oyo state bishop taiwo adelakun assured the present administration of support through fervent prayers1 he urged president muhammadu buhari to aggressively look into the issues of security and other challenges facing the nation1 adelakun who is the presiding bishop of victory international church cautioned government against the idea of borrowing to finance the nations economy1 dignitaries at the conference were gov. abiola ajimobi of oyo state and his deputy mr michael adeyemo1 others were kayode abiara rev. abayomi kasali pastor femi emmanuel bishop stephen kehinde among others1

Gov. Ahmed promises aid to victims of Offa robbery
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offa in the past had witnessed several attacks on banks leading to the closure of some branches in the highly commercial community which houses the federal polytechnic offa2 gov. abdulfatah ahmed of kwara has promised to pay the medical bills of victims of thursdays robbery in offa headquarters of offa local government area1 the governor had earlier ordered that the victims be relocated to ilorin from offa for adequate treatment1 he also directed that medical experts be mobilised from other states to ilorin so as to give the victims prompt treatment and support1 ahmed who went round the wards to meet with the victims described the incident as unfortunate1 he commiserated with families who lost loved ones andalso prayed to god to grant the injured victims quick recovery1 we will take care of all their hospital bills we must begin to watch each others back1 the job of policing is everybodys job.when we see strange people in our communities we must learn to report to appropriate security agencies1 activities like this took sometimes in planning and execution ahmed said1 the governor also stressed the need for community policing maintaining that the police would work efficiently if they have information1 he reiterated his governments support to strengthen the security agencies in the state especially in the area of logistics1 ahmed noted that there is a huge problem of financing in the country but pledged that his government would work around it because the situation was now becoming precarious1 he maintained that his government would not allow the lives of the citizens to be on the line again1 ahmed made the promise when he visited the victims at the general hospital in ilorin on friday1 he promised that his government would prioritise the repair of the affected parts of the stadium1 ahmed also promised that work would start at the indoor sports hall of the stadium complex as soon as funds were available1 a gang of robbers on thursday raided some commercial banks in offa kwara killing some policemen and residents as well as carting away an undisclosed amount of cash in the process1 the news agency of nigerianan reported that the heavily armed hoodlums attacked the owode police station in the metropolis where they killed the policemen and some complainants before they raided the banks1 sources said some customers who were transacting businesses in the banks were also killed in the incident which was said to have lasted one hour1 the robbers according to eye witnesses entered the town at about 445 pm and operated till about 540 pm unchallenged after blocking the ilorin and osogbo entrances into the town1 they were said to have later made their escape through igosun a nearby community1 among those said to have been killed by the armed robbers were a police officer who was expected to retire in the next few months and a pregnant police woman1 the 15 bandits according to sources came in different vehicles while they stationed themselves at strategic locations within the town while the operation lasted1 they were also said to have snatched some motorcycles to aid their escape1 nan further learnt that the injured were conveyed to the general hospital offa for treatment while the corpses of the deceased have been evacuated1 the governor also inspected the stadium complex which was damaged in tuesdays downpour1

Skripal poisoned Russian spy out of ICU
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if the correct treatment is given quickly and the right support provided then recovery is typically very good1 skripal 66 who as a colonel in russian military intelligence betrayed dozens of agents to britains foreign spy service was found unconscious on a bench in the city of salisbury along with his daughter yulia on march 4. he and daughter had been poisoned with a nerve agent novichok1 after weeks of no reported change in his condition the hospital confirmed that skripal who had been treated under heavy sedation was now making fast progress1 he is responding well to treatment improving rapidly and is no longer in a critical condition christine blanshard medical director at salisbury district hospital said in a statement1 prime minister theresa may said the skripals were poisoned with novichok a deadly group of nerve agents developed by the soviet military in the 1970s and 1980s1 russia has said it does not have such nerve agents and president vladimir putin dismissed as nonsense the notion that moscow would have poisoned skripal and his 33-year-old daughter1 the attack prompted the biggest western expulsion of russian diplomats since the cold war as allies in europe and the united states sided with mays view that moscow was either responsible or had lost control of the nerve agent1 moscow has hit back by expelling western diplomats questioning how britain knows that russia was responsible and offering its rival interpretations including that it amounted to a plot by british secret services1 skripals improvement marks the latest twist in an affair that british and russian diplomats have variously compared with sherlock holmes and agatha christie mysteries1 doctors had initially feared that the skripals might have suffered permanent brain damage. a british judge said last month that the attack might have left them with compromised mental capacity with an unclear effect on their long-term health1 the hospital did not say whether either sergei or yulia would suffer long term effects. britains foreign office welcomed the improvement in the skripals but said they were likely to have ongoing medical needs1 one toxicologist said recovery in such cases was possible. we know that nerve agents cause a temporary but potentially lengthy effect on the brain and nervous system. what we also know however is that with time the body clears the nerve agent away chris morris a doctor at newcastle universitys medical toxicology centre said in a statement1 britain blamed russia for the poisoning the first known offensive use of such a nerve agent on european soil since world war two. moscow denied any involvement and suggested britain had carried out the attack to stoke anti-russian hysteria1 yulias health has also improved rapidly. on thursday she issued a statement through british police to thank hospital staff and people who came to her help when when my father and i were incapacitated1 russian state television reported that yulia had phoned her cousin in russia and told her that she and her father were both recovering and that she expected to leave hospital soon. their recovery could ultimately help british counter-terrorism police piece together how they were attacked1 british authorities have denied the cousin viktoria skripal a visa to visit the patients the home office interior ministry said on friday. victoria skripal told sky news that the british must have something to hide after the decision1 both moscow and london have accused each other of trying to deceive the world with an array of claims counter-claims and threats1 in a separate announcement the united states imposed major sanctions on friday against 24 russians in one of washingtons most aggressive moves to punish moscow for what it called a range of malign activity including alleged meddling in the 2016 u.s. election1 at a session of the executive of the global chemical weapons watchdog this week russia called for a joint inquiry into the poisoning of the skripals but lost a vote on the motion1 at a united nation security council meeting on thursday russia warned britain that youre playing with fire and youll be sorry over its accusations1 sergei skripal who was recruited by britains mi6 was arrested for treason in moscow in 2004. he ended up in britain after being swapped in 2010 for russian spies caught in the united states1 since emerging from the john le carre world of high espionage and betrayal skripal lived modestly in salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found poisoned1 british police believe a nerve agent was left on the front door of his home. skripals cat was put down by british authorities. his guinea pigs were discovered dead1 when a vet was able to access the property two guinea pigs had sadly died a british government spokeswoman said1 a cat was also found in a distressed state and a decision was taken by a veterinary surgeon to euthanise the animal to alleviate its suffering the spokeswoman said1

Troops kill five Boko Haram fighters
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he added that the troops were in pursuit of the fleeing terrorists and called on the people to report any suspicious movements in their area to security agencies1 the military has confirmed that troops killed five boko haram insurgents in a gun battle at barkin-dutse area of adamawa1 troops of operation lafiya dole on april 6 neutralized suspected boko haram terrorists in barkin dutse area of adamawa state following a distress call from hunters1 the terrorists on sighting the troops opened fire which resulted in exchange of fire1 five boko haram terrorists were neutralized while some of them escaped into nearby caves during the encounter. also one hunter lost his life during the operation1 chukwu disclosed that the troops recovered five ak 47 rifles five magazines and 22 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition1 brig.-gen. texas chukwu the director army public relations said on saturday that troops engaged and killed the insurgents following a distressed call by hunters on friday1 meanwhile two suspected insurgents have been arrested in bauchi and borno states1 chukwu said that troops of 33 artillery brigade on april 5 arrested one saidu hamidu jenga 33 along maiduguri bye pass road bauchi in connection with boko haram activities1 he revealed that the suspect was allegedly overheard discussing movement of arms and ammunition on phone1 items recovered include one techno phone with two sim cards as well as n6 870 cash he said1 chukwu added that troops of operation lafiya dole also arrested one umar ali 59 a suspected boko haram insurgents at galdimare ward in biu local government area of borno1 he explained that the suspect who hailed from miringa village of biu was accused of participating in boko haram activities in the area. nan1

Rangers Intl pummel Yobe Desert Stars
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we learn new lessons in football and learning is till death so we accept defeat and we are going home to prepare for our next match1 rangers international football club of enugu pummelled desert stars of yobe 3-0 in the nigeria professional football league npfl match day 15 played in enugu1 ajani ibrahim brace in 23rd and 43rd minute and bright silas 85th minute goals ensured the flying antelopes put smiles on the faces of the general manager and supporters1 speaking after the match rangers coach ogunbote said that he was happy with the three points saying it would add value to their standing in the league1 the players did well because they applied what we taught them in training five goals in two matches is a good sign that the players are getting there1 each game comes with its tactics and plan and it worked out for us today and we are going to keep doing our best to ensure we always get it right all the time he said1 yobe stars technical adviser baba ganaru said that the game lived up to its billing1 the victory was a huge birthday present to the teams general manager davison owumi who turns 58 today1 the players did well but we lost to some tactical reasons and maybe the long distance we applied affected us as well1 i do not like to speak on officiating but the second goal is offside but so be it because that is part of the game he said1 the visiting team goalkeeper itodo akor who was former rangers goalkeeper said that he was disappointed for losing the match1 i always like to be on the winning side be it against rangers or another club so in this case losing to my former club is not the bone of contention we planned at worst to get a draw because our first target is to shock the flying antelopes before their fans akor said1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that akor left rangers last year after serving them for years and was part of the club winning team in the 20152016 season1 nan also reports that akor was second goalkeepers to nana bonsu who manned the post for the home team. nan1

Arsenal, Atletico move near Europa League semis
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arsenal took a giant step towards reaching the europa league semi-finals after a 4-1 rout of cska moscow and atletico madrid did the same with a 2-0 home win over sporting lisbon on thursday1 lazio also stayed on course to progress after an action-packed 4-2 home win over salzburg in their quarter-final first leg and upstarts rb leipzig will head to olympique de marseille with a 1-0 advantage1 wales midfielder aaron ramsey and france striker alexandre lacazette scored two goals each in a blistering first half for arsenal cancelling out a superb free kick by cskas aleksandr golovin at the emirates stadium1 germany forward mesut ozil also shone as he dished out assists effortlessly with arsenals crisp one-touch passing repeatedly carving open a cumbersome russian defence1 ramsey who had a goal disallowed early on hit the woodwork in the second half and cska keeper igor akinfeev made several saves to spare the visitors from a heavier defeat1 atletico europa league winners in 2012 extended their winning home streak in all competitions to nine games after koke scored inside the opening 30 seconds and antoine griezmann added the second shortly before half-time1 lazio ended salzburgs 35-game unbeaten run stretching back to august after the visiting austrian side twice drew level but were undone by quickfire late goals from felipe anderson and ciro immobile1 germanys leipzig playing in european competition for the first time put themselves in a good position to progress after a timo werner goal on the stroke of halftime sank marseille1

APC decides tenure extension palaver on Monday
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he said that the technical committee constituted to look into the issue would submit its report latest on thursday to enable the nec to look at it1 the national executive committee nec of all progressives congress apc would take final decision monday on tenure elongation for national and state executives of the party1 the party had on tuesday constituted a 10-member technical committee headed by gov. simon dalung of plateau to work out the way forward on the tenure issue1 this followed president muhammadu buharis recent opposition to necs approval of tenure extension for the nwc and all executive committees of the party at all levels across the country made at its meeting on feb. 271 buhari had said at another meeting of nec in abuja on march 26 that the nwcs tenure extension decision was illegal and unconstitutional1 the nec had extended the tenure of the odigie-oyegun-led nwc and other executive committees by one year starting from june1 the president had explained that the decision was causing acrimony within the party with some members not comfortable with the matter dragging the party to court1 the governors and the nwc of our party decided to sit and look at the issues that were seemingly dividing us1 i want to say to you with absolute satisfaction and pride that all the issues that you have been commenting on has been completely and totally resolved odigie-oyegun said1 the national chairman of the party chief john odigie-oyegun said on wednesday in abuja at the end of a three-hour meeting between the governors and the national working committee nwc1 the chairman of the technical committee has reported that his report will be ready latest this evening or by the very most early tomorrow morning. this report will be placed before nec on monday and appropriate decision will be taken and thereafter we shall announce to you the further steps we are going to be take he said.1 the chairman however added that the partys next steps would depend on its nec considering on the committees recommendation1 he assured that the apc was back as one united and focused party strongly behind buhari and its executives across in the states1 commenting on the issue the partys national publicity secretary malam bolaji abdulahi told newsmen that final decision on the tenure extension issue was with the partys nec1 it is left for the nec to decide and if the committee recommends that the position of nec should be maintained then there will be no need for an elective convention1 then the president and those who are concerned that the decision we have taken is correct or not will have more confidence in the position of the party1 the apc spokesman however said that if the technical committee recommended that congresses should be held the partys nec would consider that1 governors elected on apc platform had at a meeting with buhari on tuesday unanimously agreed that the party should hold a congress to settle the extension issue and others. nan1

Well resist attempts to discredit Ekweremadu Ohaneze
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sen. ekweremadu is a revered igbo son whose public image is very high and who has attracted a lot of development to his area he has never occupied any public office where he was accused of embezzlement1 by christian njokujirai amayah1 president-general of the group chief nnia nwodo in a statement on thursday in enugu said it was preposterous for the federal government to be carrying out unwarranted inquisition into ekweremadus life1 he said that the allegation that ekweremadu the highest ranking igbo politician in the country embezzled public funds without any prima facie case was inappropriate1 nwodo stated that the idea of asking the senator to defend himself instead of his accusers showing how he fraudulently enriched himself amounted to turning the law upside down1 he observed that ekweremadu was a revered igbo son and had attracted a lot of development to his area without any previous accusation of embezzlement1 ohaneze ndigbo the pan-igbo socio-cultural group said it would resist any attempt to discredit deputy president of the senate chief ike ekweremadu1 the president-general queried the system of investigation where one was tried for simply belonging to a political party and is exonerated of an offence he committed for belonging to a political party or being in government1 he cited examples of former and serving military officers who had been let off the hook either through plea bargain or for just changing from one political party to another1 he also said that a former governor of enugu state whose property was under investigation was now dining with the head of state after dumping his former party for the ruling party1 nwodo warned that the apex igbo group would no longer fold it arms while igbo sons were being systematically singled out for persecution in a country they had contributed so much to build1 he observed that the cautionary statement by ekweremadu had been and was still being echoed by many prominent nigerians and wondered why his case would be different1 he said that it was such selective justice and marginalization of ndigbo that fuelled agitations by their young ones for self-determination adding that restructuring was a first step toward assuaging the situation1

Buhari congratulates new Sierra Leonean leader
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president muhammadu buhari has congratulated mr. julius maada bio on his victory as the new president of sierra leone1 bio was sworn-in early on thursday after he was announced on wednesday as the winner of the presidential election run-off which held on march 311 according to mr. femi adesina the senior special assistant to president on media and publicity president commends the people of sierra leone on the successful conduct of the presidential election run-off as well as the parliamentary and local council elections held on march 7 20181 with the elections concluded and following the trend of recently held peaceful elections in west africa president buhari urged all stakeholders in sierra leone to work together for the peace security and development of the country1 he enjoined all those with grievances on the outcome of the elections to seek constitutional means of resolving them1 he stressed that nothing should be done to endanger the peace and stability of the country in particular and the sub-region in general1 the nigerian leader salutes the resilient spirit of sierra leoneans who have clearly demonstrated their ability to manage their own affairs and consolidate on the countrys progress after a post-conflict era1 the president also commends the immediate past president ernest bai koroma for his commitment to a credible electoral process and spirited efforts at bringing stability and positive changes to the nation during his presidency1 president buhari looks forward to working with president bio for the growth prosperity and stability of their nations and west africa1

2015 Anti-Buhari Video was run by Cambridge Analytica for a Nigerian billionaire
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in his testimony wylie said aiq is the firm thats right at the heart of the official vote leave campaign one-third of all leave spending went through it and this shows them working closely with cambridge analytica to distribute violent divisive islamophobic material that should be nowhere near an election campaign. there is no suggestion that aiq was involved in the production of the video1 the guardian of london has published the video used by cambridge analytica to influence unsuccessfully the nigerian presidential election in 20151 wylie passed the video passed to british mps and the guardian has now published it on you tube1 in testimony to the digital culture media and sport dcms select committee last week the whistleblower said [the video was distributed] in nigeria with the sole intent of intimidating voters. it included content where people were being dismembered where people were having their throats cut and bled to death in a ditch. they were being burned alive. there was incredibly anti-islamic threatening messages portraying muslims as violent1 wylie also said cambridge analytica directed aggregateiq aiq the canadian digital services firm that worked for vote leave during britains eu referendum to target voters with the video during the nigerian presidential campaign1 wylie a former cambridge analytica employee has now handed the material to mps. giving testimony last week he said cambridge analytica sent aggregateiq the video after they [ca] got banned from several online ad networks because the graphic nature of the content violated the terms of service. aiq was quite freaked out about it. its a very disturbing video. they told cambridge analytica that. they called it the murder video1 the video which was obtained from the whistleblower christopher wylie used graphically violent imagery to portray candidate muhammadu buhari as a supporter of sharia law who would brutally suppress dissenters and negotiate with militant islamists1 cambridge analytica was hired by a nigerian billionaire to run a campaign in support of goodluck jonathan a christian and the video was targeted at his muslim opponent muhammadu buhari who went on to win the election. there is no suggestion that jonathan was aware of the campaign1 the anti-buhari video imagines a future in which he is president and sharia law has been imposed. coming to nigeria on february 15th 2015 the voiceover says in the manner of a trailer for a hollywood movie. dark. scary. and very uncertain. sharia for all1 it poses the question what would nigeria look like if sharia were imposed by buhari it suggests he would strike a deal with the islamist militant group boko haram that would be a pact with the devil1 the video also suggests buhari will punish all who speak against the regime and that women will be veiled. it ends by saying you can stop this movie becoming real1 culled from1

Violence erupts after inauguration of Sierra Leones president
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source63 less than 24 hours after opposition julius maada bio was sworn-in as president of sierra leone some of his supporters have engaged in violent activities2 reports out of the town on thursday suggest running battles between irate youths and the police2 a police station is reported to have come under attack2 reports also indicate multiple injuries some as a result of gunshots2 a source in kenema told apa that jubilating supporters of the sierra leone peoples party slpp whose candidate bio was declared win of the presidential election went on the rampage trying to attack the resident of a minister in the outgoing government2 the source said the slpp supporters later resorted to attacking defenseless apc supporters and destroying their market stalls2 the violence erupted in the eastern sierra leonean district of kenema after the installation of bio as the countrys fifth president2 a video footage shared on the social media platform whatsapp shows angry youths mobbing a police officer while a second officer ran for his life2 the clashes were happening as the newly elected president bio met with former president ernest bai koroma at state lodge for the first time since he was sworn in to office2 the two according to state officials discussed details towards a smooth transition2 there have been calls for bio to act on whats his first test of security challenge as a president2 meanwhile president bio is scheduled to convene his first major engagement as president on friday when he meets with all permanent secretaries and professional heads of institution at state house2 this is according to a leaked official communique issued by the secretary at the office of the president2 pictures on social media show several people supposedly injured from the incident2

World moving to green power, invests $2.9trn
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a driving power behind last years surge in solar was china where an unprecedented boom saw some 53 gigawatts added more than half the global total and 86.5 billion dollars invested up 58 per cent1 the world is steadily moving to green power sources as it invested 2.9 trillion in green energy sources since 20041 the report indicates a steady move away from fossil fuel-based power production and that solar energy dominated global investment in new power generation like never before in 20171 it added that 2017 was the eighth in a row in which global investment in renewables exceeded 200 billion dollars and1 in 2017 the world installed a record 98 gigawatts of new solar capacity far more than the net additions of the rest other renewable fossil fuel and nuclear according to the report1 the report added that solar power also attracted far more investment than any other technology at 160.8 billion dollars up 18 per cent1 a new un-backed report on global trends in renewable energy investment 2018 was released on thursday by the un environment programme unep and its partners1 the extraordinary surge in solar investment shows how the global energy map is changing and more importantly what the economic benefits are of such a shift1 investments in renewables bring more people into the economy they deliver more jobs better quality jobs and better paid jobs1 clean energy also means less pollution which means healthier happier development unep chief erik solheim said1 it said 2017 was the eighth in a row in which global investment in renewables exceeded 200 billion dollars and since 2004 the world had invested 2.9 trillion dollars in these green energy sources1 overall china was by far the worlds largest investing country in renewables at a record 126.6 billion dollars up 31 per cent on 20161 there were also sharp increases in investment in australia up 147 per cent to 8.5 billion dollars mexico up 810 per cent to six billion dollars and sweden up 127 per cent to 3.7 billion dollars. nan1

Nigeria still Africas biggest market
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where there is no continuity as regards policies and business relationship businesses will be affected1 transsion holdings giant mobile phone tecno mobile has described nigeria as still the biggest market in africa in spite of some challenges1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that tecno unveiled camon x pro smartphone at the event held at the eko eko hotel and suites lagos1 yan said that nigeria had provided a huge market for the organisation in spite of challenges of fluctuating foreign exchange1 the official said that the company had contributed to the growth of nigerias economy through job creation1 according to him tecno has also impacted on nigeria through its corporate social responsibility1 yan called for consistent policies to encourage investment in nigeria saying that unstable business environment discouraged investment1 yan said investors most importantly must have a stable environment and policies to do businesses1 mr andy yan vice president transsion holdings parent company of tecno mobile made the assertion in lagos at tecnos global spring launch1 we are trying to keep very healthy relations discussing the possibilities and opportunities to impact on the society he said1 he said that fluctuating foreign exchange been a problem to businesses1 yan said that the company regularly carried out a study of the africa business environment before manufacturing more products1 this has kept the company going in spite of challenges. according to him the tecno camon x pro smartphone has unique security features such as face id.1 yan said that the face id could be used to unlock the phone when lighting up the screen by grasping the face formation1 he said that the face formation had 50ms recognition rate and was more functional than the fingerprint identification feature1 at transsions we do not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach in developing our products he said. nan1