I Share Your Pains, Buhari Tells Chibok Girls’ Parents

On the second anniversary of the abduction of Chibok school girls, President Muhammadu Buhari has said he understands the trauma, parents of the school girls were going through, saying, he shares in their pains and will spare no effort to ensure the safe return of the girls. In a statement by his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, Thursday, to mark the second anniversary of their abduction, the President stated that with the intensified efforts of both his government and the armed forces, the girls would be rescued and returned home. The statement read in part:

“On the second anniversary of the kidnap of the girls, President Buhari affirms that, as a parent and leader of the country, he understands the torment, frustration and anxiety of the parents and will not spare any effort to ensure the safe return of the girls.

“The President continues to believe that with the total commitment of the Federal Government, Nigerian Armed Forces and security agencies, and the support of the international community, the girls will be eventually rescued.

“President Buhari notes that thousands of persons, mostly women and children, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram, have already been rescued and reunited with their families. He shares the hope of the parents that the Chibok girls will ultimately be rescued and reunited with their families as well.

“The President assures the parents that the Federal Government and security agencies will continue to explore all possible options for the safe return of the girls.

“President Buhari urges the parents to continue to exercise patience and understanding as the government works diligently to ensure that the girls return home unharmed.

“The President thanks all Nigerians, religious and civil organizations, and the international community for their continued sympathy, support and prayers for the return of the Chibok girls.”

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Alleged N2.3 Bn Scam: How Ex-NIMASA Boss Asked Me To Share N121 Million- Witness

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday presented the sixth witness in the ongoing trial of a former Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, and five others for the alleged diversion of N2.3 billion.

Others are Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Ameche Juan, Blokz and Stonz Limited and Alkenzo Logistics Limited.

At the resumed hearing Tuesday, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, led in evidence one Uchenna Emenalo, younger brother to Emeka Emenalo, the owner of O2 Services Limited, the company that was allegedly used to divert part of the proceeds from the Committee on International Shipping and Ports Security in NIMASA.

Mr Emenalo told the court that he approached the third accused person, Ekene Nwakuche, as a former school mate to help him secure any contract that his brother’s company, O2 Services Limited, could handled.

The witness further disclosed that after his discussion with the third accused person, he was asked to provide their company’s name and account details.

The witness told the court how, between March 2014 and June 2015, O2 Services Limited, received about One Hundred and Twenty One Million which he personally disbursed based on instructions from the third accused person, Ekene Nwakuche.

The third accused persons provided him with different account number into which the said amount was paid.

When confronted with exhibit P17a and b, which are documents that supposedly emanated from O2 Services Limited as Contract Application Document and Invoices for payment, the witness said the signatures on the documents were neither his, nor his brother’s. Asked whether any of the contract awarded to his brother’s company were executed, the witnessed said ‘no’.

Earlier in his evidence, Mr Emenalo admitted that O2 Services Limited is into Agro Allied Products and lacked competence in security related services.

The witness also denied knowing any General Manager, Field Operations at O2 services Limited as the company is solely run by his brother.

During cross examination, Joseph Nwobike, SAN, counsel for the first accused person, asked the witness if he runs any business by himself to which he answered, no.

Mr. Emenalo also confirmed that Mr. Ekene told him that the contract was security related but that their company would be registered as RSO, Registered Security Organisation.

E.D Onyeke, counsel for the second accused person, asked the witness if in the statement he made to EFCC he mentioned the email address of his brother or the address of O2 Services Limited.

Mr. Emenalo said he only used his house address in his statement as he was not asked the office address. The witness also said the same thing when he was asked if he gave the EFCC a copy of his brother’s company letterhead.

When asked by Mr. Adio, counsel to Ekene, whether he benefitted from the money that was paid into O2 Services Limited account, Mr. Emenalo admitted receiving the sum of Six Hundred Thousand Naira for Logistics and bank charges.

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When Buhari May Share Ministerial Portfolios- Presidency

President Buhari may assign portfolios to his ministers this week.

A source from the Presidency said that it is most likely that the President finalizes all plans on the list and might make final pronouncement on the matter.

“Yes it is most likely that the portfolios for the new ministers may be announced this week but remember that this is entirely the President’s prerogative as he has the final say on it and once it is decided, ours is to publicize his decision,” he said.

He said that the list of ministers which has gone viral on the web should be disregarded as those who published those names and portfolios are merely making guesses.

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Nigerian Schoolgirl To Share Boko Haram Ordeal At British House Of Lords

A Nigerian schoolgirl will tell the British House of Lords on Tuesday of her terrifying ordeal during one of the biggest ever mass abductions carried out by the Boko Haram terrorist sect.

Victoria Yohanna, 15, was one of more than 400 people taken prisoner during an attack by a Boko Haram raiding party on the north-east Nigerian town of Baga on the shores of Lake Chad in January.

Their captors ordered them to convert to Islam on pain of death and tried to marry them off as bush-wives to Boko Haram fighters.

Victoria, who managed to escape, will describe her experiences to an audience at the House of Lords at an event to mark the launch of a major new report on the persecution of Christians worldwide. It has been compiled by the charity Aid to the Church in Need.

It is believed to be the first time that one of Boko Haram’s thousands of schoolgirl victims has travelled to Britain to give evidence about their ordeal. The group’s use of women as chattels and sex-slaves gained worldwide attention last year when it kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the north-east Nigerian town of Chibok, most of whom are still missing.

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American, Swede, Turk Share Nobel Prize For Chemistry

Three scientists from Sweden, the United States and Turkey won the 2015 Nobel Prize for Chemistry on Wednesday for working out how cells repair damaged DNA, providing new ammunition in the war on cancer.

Detailed understanding of DNA damage has helped drive a revolution in cancer treatment as researchers develop new drugs that target specific molecular pathways used by tumor cells to proliferate.

Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar won the prize for “mechanistic studies of DNA repair.” Their work mapped how cells repair deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to prevent damaging errors from appearing in genetic information.

In many forms of cancer, one of more of these repair systems is broken.

“Their work has provided fundamental knowledge of how a living cell functions and is, for instance, used for the development of new cancer treatments,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.

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