UNN, ESUT announce resumption date Dec. 2

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), said their academic activities would resume on Monday, Dec. 2.

They made the announcement in separate statements issued in Nsukka and Enugu on Saturday.

The Registrar of the UNN, Mr Anthony Okonta, in the statement, stressed that "normal academic activities would resume immediately.''

The statement directed students who had outstanding examinations for the 2012/2013 session to report to their respective faculties and departments in Nsukka and Enugu campuses.

The ESUT Registrar, Mr Chris Igbokwe, also advised students and academic and non- academic staff to report to the institution on Dec. 2.

According to the statement, students are advised to return to their campuses at Agbani and Enugu campuses as the second semester examination would commence on Monday, Dec. 9.

The Federal Government had on Thursday, directed all federal universities to resume work on or before Dec. 4.

The statement, issued by the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike, directed the striking members of ASUU, to resume work on or before Dec 4 or consider themselves sacked. (NAN)

We didn’t give ASUU ultimatum – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has weekend, said his government did not give the  Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, an ultimatum to resume work or be sacked.

Fielding questions from newsmen at the expanded caucus meeting of the Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party held  at Government House, Yenagoa,  the President said, the Supervising Minister of Education only passed on the decision of  the Committee of Vice Chancellors.

"We didn't give them ultimatum; it was the Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that decision. The Supervising Minister of Education only passed on the decision."

Jonathan also said the strike embarked upon by the  ASUU  was no longer a trade dispute , but a  subversive action.

He said, "What ASUU is doing is no longer trade union. I have intervened in other labour issues before now, once I invite them they respond and after the meeting they take decision and call off the strike.

"At times we don't even give them a long notice,unlike, in the case of ASUU that was given four days notice before the meeting. As you are meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the trade unions to get their officials ready.

"What was expected having met with the highest authorities in the land for long hours, was for ASUU to immediately issue statement within 12 or latest 24 hours , to state their position whether they were accepting government's offer or not. And if they are not accepting they should state the reason for that."

"But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2:00pm and the meeting ended the next day in the early hours. 

As far as the government of Nigeria was concerned, all the critical people that should be in a meeting were there, so what else do they want?

"After that they didn't meet until one week, despite the fact that you met with the highest authority. It was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.

"The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows they are extreme and when Iyayi died, they now said the strike was now indefinite, our children have been at home for over five months."

Kano Arms Cache: Court frees 2 Lebanese suspects

Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, dismissed the 16-count criminal charge that was preferred against the Lebanese co-owner of Amigo Supermarket, Mustapha Fawaz, by the Federal Government, following his alleged involvement in the illegal importation of arms into Nigeria.

Equally discharged by the court yesterday was another Lebanese, Abdullahi Thahini, who was arrested at the MallamAminuKanoInternationalAirport on May 11, 2013, and the sum of $61, 170, recovered from him.

Prison officers leading Talal Ahmad Roda to Prison shortly he was sentence Life imprisonment on terrorist Act in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

The government had alleged that Thahini, who it said had attempted to escape from the country via a Middle East airline, was deeply involved in terrorism financing in the country.

However, the court, yesterday, found the 3rd accused person, Tahal Roda, guilty on two counts of criminal conspiracy contrary to section 1(14) (a) (i) of Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17, LFN, 2004, and sentenced him to life imprisonment on each of the counts, stressing that his sentence should run concurrently.

It will be recalled that the federal government had specifically alleged that Fawaz who is equally the owner of Wonderland Amusement Park Resort in Abuja and his compatriots were members of the military wing of a Lebanon based terrorist organization, Hezbollah.

Maintaining that the accused persons were in charge of the operations of Hezbollah in Nigeria, the government, through Acting Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr Simon Egede, called 10 witnesses and tendered 25 exhibits in the course of the trial.

Among the exhibits admitted against them by the court included guns, cartridge belt holders with ammunition, pellets for Air Rifles, 150 cartridges, 158rounds of cartridges,  two bound copies of still pictures of arms and ammunition that were allegedly discovered in one of their premises at No 3 Gaya Road, off Bompai Road in Kano, two video CDs and witness statements.

Other arms allegedly uncovered at the underground bunker owned by the suspects were anti-tank weapons, rocket-propelled guns and anti-tank/anti-personnel mines.
According to the security operatives that conducted the search, the arms and ammunition were properly concealed with several layers of concrete and placed in coolers, drums and bags neatly wrapped.

The 3rd accused who was convicted yesterday, Roda, was not only apprehended inside the bunker were the arms were recovered, but also confessed that he was commissioned by another Lebanese who is an in-law to Fawaz,  Abdalhassan Tahir, currently at large, to be servicing the guns.

The security services had insisted that the weapons were intended to be used to attack Israeli and Western targets based in Nigeria.

Meantime, the accused persons denied all the allegations and urged the court to dismiss the charge for want of nexus linking them to the arms and ammunitions recovered in Kano state.

Arguing through their team of lawyers led by Chief Robert Clarke, SAN and Mr Ahmed Raji, SAN, they maintained that the government, failed to adduce sufficient proof of evidence capable of warranting their conviction.

Relying on section 86(4) of the Evidence Act, they challenged the credibility of the photographs and Video evidence admitted against them as exhibit 7(a) and 7(b), saying it could have been downloaded from the internet.

They contended that the inability of the government to bring the arms and ammunition allegedly recovered from them to the court for inspection rendered the photos worthless, even as they challenged the prosecution to produce an official gazette where Hezbollah was declared a terrorist organization in Nigeria.

Clarke, argued that the federal government deliberately withheld valid evidence from the court contrary to section 167(b) of the Evidence Act, stressing that only President Goodluck Jonathan has the powers to proscribe Hezbollah in Nigeria, "such court pronouncement will only succeed in pitching the Arab countries against Nigeria," he added.
In his judgment yesterday, trial Justice Adeniyi, upheld their argument, maintaining that the prosecution, failed to prove the terrorism allegation against them beyond every reasonable doubt.

Justice Adeniyi held that there was no evidence before him to prove that Nigeria has proscribed Hezbollah as an international terrorist organization.

N5bn pension scam: Ex-Director loses bid to reduce bail bond to N100m

Former Director of Pension Accounts in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, OHCSF, Dr Sani Teidi Shaibu, yesterday, failed to persuade the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to collect N100million and release him on bail.

In a ruling he delivered yesterday, Justice Ademola Adeniyi dismissed the application as lacking in merit, saying the erstwhile pension boss, failed to adduce sufficient evidence to warrant the court to exercise its discretion in his favour.

Teidi was specifically alleged to have connived with a former manager with the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Mr Udusegbe Omoefe Eric, and diverted about N5billion meant for pensioners across the federation, is praying the court to collect the sum of N100million and order his release from Kuje Maximum Prison.

The duo are answering to a 22-count criminal charge that was preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

EFCC alleged that the accused persons used nine companies and siphoned pension funds.

It gave names of the companies accused of complicity in the scam as Gozinda Enterprises, Bashinta Nigeria Ltd, Haleath Enterprises, Uthatak Nigeria Ltd, Krasiva Nig Ltd, Badawulu Ventures Limited, Ebunu Attah Investment, Muha Millennium Motors Limited, Ribaile Petroleum Ltd.

Meantime, it will be recalled that the ex-pension boss was on July 12 granted bail by the high court after he had spent thirty-nine days in detention.

The court had ordered him to deposit the sum of N500 million as well as produce two sureties in like sum.

Justice Adeniyi had maintained that the sureties must be owners of landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court, adding that the title deeds of the properties with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court.

The court equally directed that the accused persons should deposit their travelling documents.

However, four months after, the accused persons are yet to regain their freedom, saying it has been difficult for them to secure a surety capable of fulfilling the bail terms.

Consequently, the accused persons, through their lawyers, Mr S.I Ameh, SAN, and Mr Adewale Adewoke, respectively, re-approached the court, begging it to take pity on them and okay their release.

Whereas Teidi begged the court to reduce his bail bond to N100million, his co-accused, Eric, on the other hand, told the court that he could only afford N10million and one surety in like sum.

Though the counsel to the EFCC, Chief Godwin Oblah, SAN, did not oppose their application for variation, he however urged the court to impose such conditions that will secure the attendance of the alleged pension thieves to court for their trial.

Refusing their plea yesterday, the court, noted that though Teidi claimed he was has a medical condition, it said there was no evidence to support such claim.

ASUU dares FG over sack

Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities [ASUU], Calabar Zone, has reacted angrily to the order to return to the classrooms issued to them by the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, saying that the action would worsen the strike action rather than solving the problem.

ASUU accused the minister of deceiving  President Jonathan on the crisis, alleging that Wike and some other unnamed officials of the Government did not want the lingering problem between the union and the Federal Government to be resolved.

According to the zonal coordinator of ASUU Calabar zone, Dr. Charles Ononuju, with such threat the crisis would linger far longer than expected.

In a statement in Umuahia,. Ononuju said that the union received with shock the pronouncement by the supervising minister, saying the crisis could not be resolved that way.

"We received with shock the pronouncement of by the Supervising Minister of Education, Wike, that lecturers should resume work or be sacked", Ononuju said.

He said that the union had gone far with discussion on how to resolve the crisis and was waiting for President Goodluck Jonathan's reply to their letter after their meeting when the minister came up with the "unfortunate" pronouncement.

"Sacking lecturers will not solve the problem but will compound it. Wike should resign and come to the university and teach. This is not the way to go if they go this way, the crisis will not be resolved in the next 100 years", he warned.
 

Asari Dokubo released

Former  Niger Delta activist and leader of Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has been released by the authorities of Benin Republic.

Source learnt that Dukobo was set free around 1:00 AM Nigerian time today after spending 36 hours with the Beninoise gendarmes.

It was gathered that the former militant was immediately flown to Abuja.

Dokubo was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Cotonou.

FG gives ASUU one week ultimatum to call off strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has been given one week ultimatum to call off the ongoing strike.

The directive was given today, in Abuja by the acting Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike while speaking with journalists.

The union has been on strike since July 1 over the non Implementation of a 2009 agreement with the federal government.

According to reports, the lecturers at their NEC meeting last week in Kano, demanded that government should pay the four-month salary arrears being owed varsity lecturers while there should be immediate implementation of the N1.2tn offerred by the goverment to public varsities, starting with the release of N100bn this year, before the strike can be called off.

A demand the acting Minister Wike had described as ,"outrageous."

Meantime, ASUU had said it would meet with President Jonathan on the decisions reached at its NEC meeting before any announcement will be made concerning the 5months old strike.

Manager claims OJ Simpson could be Khloe Kardashian's father

The manager of the disgraced former football player, Norman Pardo, has reignited speculation that OJ could be the reality star's biological father by suggesting he shared a ''close'' relationship with Kris Jenner throughout her marriage to late ex-husband Robert Kardashian.

He told the In Touch Weekly magazine: "It's all going to come out sooner or later. Khloe could be OJ's kid."

It's suggested Kris - who admitted to an affair during her first marriage - struck up a "close" bond with OJ long before Robert, successfully defended the star in the 1995 trial into the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown - adding that the couple even used to join the Kardashian's on holiday prior to her death.

Norman continued: "They all took their vacations together. There was a lot of partying going on back  then ....Kris cheated on Robert - she was known for having a good time."

Both Kris and Khloe have refuted claims that she was not biologically fathered by Robert.

Kris admitted to having an affair with a man under the pseudonym of "Ryan" in her memoir last year, and while Hollywood manager Todd Waterman stepped forward to reveal his identity, she has denied rumours of an affair with OJ.

How to satisfy your lady sexually

Missionary position? Nah, overdone. Try our selection of handy configurations of carnal knowledge. All you need is a consenting partner and a sense of adventure.

There's one big benefit to the positions we've chosen: they hit the spot for women. We've rated each one's do-ability as easy, moderate or tricky and the results as sighs, moans or OH-YES, along with instructions on making it work.

A little inversion
You'll need a low bed, futon or couch for this one, and some cushions or pillows on the floor so she won't hurt her head.
How: She lies on her back on the bed, then slides off the side so that her head, shoulders and upper back are over the edge and resting on the cushions. You move in and penetrate her, bracing yourself on the edge of the bed or whatever other furniture is available.
Why it works: the position stretches her belly, pulling the lips of her vagina so that your penis makes good contact with her clitoris. And her breasts will be close to your face, which is always nice.
Do-ability: tricky.
Results: moans.

End-on
Two pillows and a bed are all you need here.
How: You lie on your back, she on her side, with your squishy bits touching and your heads facing in opposite directions. She slides down onto your erection.
Why it works: Despite your faces being apart, there's a surprising intimacy to this position. Your partner can move to whatever position stimulates her, while you'll have an usual amount of pressure on the head of your penis. One warning: not all guys' penises are flexible enough to achieve this position. Check beforehand.
Do-ability: moderate.
Results: moans to OH-YES.

Rodeo
You need a bed, a pillow and a reasonably fit set of back muscles. Lie on your back on the bed, then slide off until only your upper back on head are on the mattress, with your feet taking your weight on the floor. She straddles you and uses her feet to thrust up and down.
Why it works: She has complete in control of the angle, speed and depth of the thrusts, but also has freedom of movement because she's supporting her own weight. Your hands are free to stimulate her wherever she likes. Keep your legs braced during her orgasm, as her knees might go wobbly for a while.
Do-ability: easy to moderate.
Results: OH-YES

Wall banger
Sit with your back to the headboard or the wall, with a pillow behind you. She sits on your legs facing you, then bracing herself on your legs, puts her feet on your shoulders and slides forward onto your erection.
Why it works: it's a very stable position because you're supporting her weight on your lap, leaving her to use her arms to push onto and off your penis. You'll both have a good view of your genitals in close contact, which many women find intensely arousing.
Do-ability: moderate
Results: moderate.

The nuzzler
She lies on her tummy, on the bed, with a pillow under her pelvis. You lie between her legs and enter vagina from behind.
Why it works: It's one of the easiest and most reliable ways to hit the fabled G-spot, that coin-sized bundle of nerves inside the front of the vagina. Her bottom will prevent you from penetrating too deeply and missing it. It takes a while for some women to become used to pressure on the G-spot, but many develop an instant liking for it. You can whisper sweet nothings from behind, hence the name.
Do-ability: easy
Results: OH-YES

X-File
You sit on the bed with your legs open before you knees slightly bent, while she straddles you.
Why it works: many women find bronco-like thrusting less fun than having a penis inside them providing focused pressure while their clitoris is stimulated. You can try holding hands and leaning back, then focus on keeping the base of your penis providing pressure on the clitoris.
Do-ability: easy
Results: moderate to OH-YES.

Argentine eight-year-old Messi lookalike makes headlines

An Argentine eight-year-old prodigy from the southern Andes who could be mistaken as a clone of Lionel Messi may soon be taking the same road to soccer glory as the Barcelona ace.

Claudio Nancufil, small for his age, has become a media sensation since emerging as an unusual talent at the modest Martin Guemes club in the ski resort of Bariloche.

"As soon as he started to play (aged four) he was already different from all the rest of his playmates with regards to technique," club president Marcelo Ernalz said.

"How he takes the ball stuck to his foot, brakes, stops, kicks, scores, shoots on goal, from when he was little he had all these distinct qualities," said Ernalz, who also trains one of the age group teams at his club.

Spanish giants Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have shown interest and the boy could go to Spain for trials in the New Year, according to the Madrid newspaper El Confidencial.

Ernalz told Reuters that Spaniard Manuel Otero, manager of Barcelona-based PR agency Suenos Comunicaciones (dreams communications), visited the Nancufil family in Bariloche when he heard of Claudio's talent and offered to represent them.

After the Christmas holidays, 'Claudito' (little Claudio) will go to try out with these three Spanish teams and then we'll see what each of them offers us," said Otero, whose agency normally has actors and musicians on its books.
Big Argentine clubs are also interested.

"We've had an invitation from River Plate for him to train for a week with them," Otero added in a report in El Confidencial.
"(The family) are not closing any doors and England could also be a great destination for the player."

Premier League sides Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly interested in Nancufil, set to be part of a documentary on Argentine football.

"The BBC is preparing documentaries in the run-up to the World Cup in Brazil and with Argentina they want to unite the past, present and future," Otero said.

"For this, they plan to bring together Diego Armando Maradona, Lionel Messi and Claudio Nancufil and with the participation of (World Cup-winning coaches Cesar Luis) Menotti and (Carlos) Bilardo."

MESSI OF THE SNOWS'

Such were the similarities in talent observers saw in Nancufil with Messi at the same age, dribbling past bigger and older boys with ease, that he was called the "Messi of the snows".
"We're happy because both the kid and his family deserve an opportunity like this," Ernalz told Argentina's Cadena 3 in a recent interview.

"He's physically small and had the same growth problems detected in Messi when he was little, and he's getting hormone treatment."

His mother Viviana said Claudio, who is from a humble background with origins in the Mapuche indians of the southern Andean mountain range, could not explain how he played.

"We asked him, how do you do that? And he said, 'I don't know. I just get it in my head and my feet move on their own. It's like that," she told Reuters.

I don't know how I play like that. My legs just go.' That's what he told us," Viviana Nancufil said at pitchside while watching her son play.

"We would kid him about it, we'd say that he ran by remote control," she said laughing, adding that over and above Claudio's talent she wanted a good future for her two sons including 11-year-old Braian.

"That's my dream, that they will always be good people, (Claudio) as a footballer or in any profession."

FIFA uphold Ukraine racism ban

FIFA on Wednesday said they had thrown out an appeal by Ukraine against a stadium ban imposed in the wake of racist incidents during their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.

In a statement, global football's governing body said an appeal hearing upheld in its entirety a decision handed down by the FIFA disciplinary body on September 27.

As a result, fans will be banned from Ukraine's first home game when the 2018 World Cup qualifiers kick off in 2016.
Ukraine are also barred from playing any of their 2018 World Cup qualifiers in the Arena Lviv, scene of the incidents.

On September 6, during a qualifier against minnows San Marino, Brazilian-born Ukraine player Edmar faced racist taunts by his own team's fans, who also made Nazi salutes and displayed SS symbols.

"The offensive and discriminatory actions of a group of Ukrainian supporters were shameful and a clear breach of the FIFA Disciplinary Code," FIFA said.

Ukraine were also fined 45,000 Swiss francs (36,500 euros, $49,460) by FIFA, and warned that their fans' future conduct would be squarely in the spotlight.

"FIFA is committed to fighting all forms of discrimination in football and works closely with its member associations around the world to educate and inspire a message of equality and respect," FIFA said.

The governing body has stepped up its anti-racism efforts, in March 2013 creating a specific task force to battle the problem.

"FIFA also insists on strict punishments to send out a strong message that discrimination has no place in the game," FIFA said.

Ukraine, whose 2014 World Cup qualifying run was halted by France in last week's playoffs, have also found themselves under scrutiny over an October qualifier against Poland.

Some supporters brandished flags which during World War II were the banner of the Nazi German-allied Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA), which massacred Jews and Poles.

The flag is commonly used by Ukrainian nationalist and far-right groups -- the latter have found fertile territory in Eastern Europe's stadiums since the fall of the Iron Curtain two decades ago, campaigners note.

But Ukraine's nationalist Svoboda party -- now the fourth-largest in parliament, and whose heartland is in the western city of Lviv -- says history has been slanted against the UIA, which also fought the Soviets in a vain effort to win independence, and that honouring it in stadiums is legitimate.

Svoboda's electorate ranges from neo-Nazis and hardcore nationalists to mainstream voters weary of corruption and political wrongdoing in Ukraine.

The party was rebuked by FIFA last month after a delegation including members of parliament visited FIFA's Swiss base and posed with flags.

Mystery healing river springs up in Enugu village

A healing mystery stream has surprisingly appeared in Nachi community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, almost 42 years after it allegedly surfaced and disappeared in the same place.

The  miracle stream, as it is now fondly called by millions of Nigerians, both young and old, especially sick ones and their relations, surfaced and disappeared in 1972 and reappeared this time around in the area about two weeks ago.

The stream is about 4km away from the old Oji River/Onitsha road.

According to reports, the stream, which has continued to attract healing seekers, was first noticed by a Fulani herdsman who went to the area to feed his cattle, and suddenly saw water gushing out from a sandy farm land close to where he was standing.

According to a source, before the Fulani man could turn his back, the entire area had water about five feet deep.

The Fulani herdsman was said to have alerted some farmers in the community about what he saw. They went to see things for themselves, after which they took the news to the traditional ruler of the community, His Royal Highness Igwe Onuigbo, Obi (11) of Nachi.

A visit to the wonder stream, Tuesday, showed that the community had turned it into a pilgrimage centre with the development, opening up  windows of business for the people, especially plastic container sellers, food vendors, commercial motorcyclists and vehicle operators as they now make brisk businesses.

Healing testimonies
Meanwhile, there had been scores of alleged healing testimonies from sick people who  either swam in or drank from the stream.  According to reports, dozens of people, young and old including security operatives were seen fetching the water just as many were taking their bath in the stagnated stream, believing it would cure ailments.

Some people  said to have been taken to the stream last Saturday with crutches and other supporting devices, were said to have gone home rejoicing after dipping themselves in the stream.

One Mr. Cyril  Eneh, a civil servant, shortly after coming out of the water was quoted as saying: "Indeed, this is a miraculous water, people with different sicknesses have been coming here to receive their healing.

And I also have the faith and strong belief that God Almighty, who provided this water will use it to tackle every health challenge in my life."

Also speaking, an octogenarian and community leader in Nachi, Mr. Festus Udeh, said the stream surfaces and disappears every 20 to 30 years, adding that it forbids evil things.

He said any evil doer that goes to the stream might run into serious problem.

Count PDP out of Anambra supplementary poll —Nwoye

The governorship  candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  in the Anambra gubernatorial election, Mr. Tony Nwoye said yesterday that his party will not be part of the supplementary election in 211 polling units as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for next Saturday, November 30.

Briefing reporters in Awka,  director-general of Tony Nwoye Campaign Organisation, Prince Osita Ezenwa said the national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, who said PDP would participate in the supplementary election, is on his own.

Ezenwa said: "We want to dispel and of course reiterate our earlier stand that we are not part of the November 30 supplementary governorship election. We wonder when Olisa Metuh, a national spokesman of the party suddenly fell from the Olympian heights to be the spokesman of our candidate without consultation.

"We want to make it clear that since the November 16 gubernatorial election, no meeting had been held by any officer of the party or National Working Committee, NWC, to discuss whether the party or our candidate should participate in the Saturday election or not.

"Our candidate, Comrade Tony Nwoye, has said it over and over, that he will not be part of it and that if PDP participates in the said election, it means giving credibility to an illegal act.

"Metuh should realize the limit of his office. He cannot continue putting words into the mouth of the PDP candidate in the state.

"The position of our party is that we are not going to be part of the election. Metuh is on his own and what he is doing is at variance with the views of the majority of the people of Anambra State."

Also speaking, the director of protocol of the campaign organization, Mr. Ken Arinze said PDP would pursue the matter legally to ensure that justice was done.

He commended the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga, Tukur for standing behind the PDP governorship candidate in the November 16 election and urged PDP supporters in the state to remain calm and stay at home on Saturday during the supplementary election by INEC.

Oyinlola, Aliyu deny moving to APC

The suspended National secretary of the ruling People's Democaratic Party(PDP)  Olagunsoye Oyinlola, insists that he did not defect to the All Progressive Congress(APC).

According to Channels TV In a statement released on Wednesday, Oyinlola said that he was committed to the  PDP.

The statement added that Oyinlola, who was suspended for anti-party activities by the ruling PDP.

Oyinlola was voted in as the national secretary at the party's convention on  March 24, 2012, and  confirmed by the Court of Appeal, through its judgment on November 6, 2013, after his position was challenged in the courts by some members of the party.

ASUU urges members to work together

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members have been urged to put their own interests aside, this is the message from the ASUU chairman Dr Oghenekaro Ogbinaka,reports AllAfrica.

Ogbinaka, of the University of Lagos Chapter made the plea amid the ASUU's demands to end the strike. Members of the union wanted a one-time payment of four months' salaries for the duration of the strike, the immediate release of N100 billion to public universities and the payment of the balance of the promised N1.2 trillion in installments over a five year period starting in 2014.

Ogbinaka has critisised members of being greedy, and colluding on "illegal activities". He said the activities were aborted. 

Army kills 40 Boko Haram suspects in Borno

Over 40 suspected Boko Haram members were killed in an offensive by the military, which raided its identified cells using air strikes and ground troops from the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, in Bita village, Damboa-Gwoza road in Borno State.

Two weeks ago, no fewer than 20 suspected terrorists were reportedly killed by troops from the same Division in the area, while several others escaped during a similar raid in one of the Boko Haram hideouts as confirmed to journalists by the Division's spokesman, Colonel Mohammed Dole.

Bita, which is 32 kilometres west of Gwoza town is about 135 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital and it is alleged to be one of the strongholds of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The area has witnessed series of attacks and killings, with the bombing of public schools, a new generation bank and road attacks in recent times by the insurgents.

Reliable security sources told newsmen that the military raid of Boko Haram hideouts in Bita took place on Sunday and Monday, adding that it was aimed at flushing out the insurgents who were suspected to have fled the recent attacks by the troops, and taken refuge in bushes on the Sambisa Game Forests.

During a routine visit last week by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihe-rijika to Maiduguri, he challenged military officers to be steadfast, as there would be what he described "as total war and destruction of Boko Haram camps in the state this week."

The source, however, said: "The recent attacks launched by the troops from the Division beginning from this week was a huge success, as one of the strongholds of the terrorists were destroyed with the killing of unspecified number of suspected Boko Haram insurgents."

The military authorities in Maiduguri could not be reached on telephone from Maiduguri as there were no communication networks in Borno State due to the state of emergency declared in some northern states.

Sharia police smash 240,000 bottles of beer

Police enforcing Islamic law in Nigeria's city of Kano publicly destroyed some 240,000 bottles of beer on Wednesday, the latest move in a wider crackdown on behaviour deemed "immoral" in the area.

The banned booze had been confiscated from trucks coming into the city in recent weeks, said officials from the Hisbah, the patrol tasked with enforcing the strict Islamic law, known as sharia.

Kano's Hisbah chief Aminu Daurawa said at the bottle-breaking ceremony he had "the ardent hope this will bring an end to the consumption of such prohibited substances".

A large bulldozer smashed the bottles to shouts of "Allahu Ahkbar" (God is Great) from supporters outside the Hisbah headquarters in Kano, the largest city in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north.

Kegs containing more than 8,000 litres of a local alcoholic brew called "burukutu" and 320,000 cigarettes were also destroyed.

"We hope this measure will help restore the tarnished image of Kano," said Daurawa.

Since September, the Hisbah have launched sweeping crackdowns and made hundreds of arrests in Kano following a state-government directive to cleanse the commercial hub of so-called "immoral" practices.

The 9,000-strong moral police force works alongside the civilian police but also has other duties, including community development work and dispute resolution.

Sharia was reintroduced across northern Nigeria in 2001, but the code has been unevenly applied.

Alcohol is typically easy to find in Kano, including at hotels and bars in neighbourhoods like Sabon Gari, inhabited by the city's sizeable Christian minority.

But the Hisbah boss vowed that this was set to change.

"We hereby send warning to unrepentant offenders that Hisbah personnel will soon embark on an operation into every nook and corner of (Kano) state to put an end to the sale and consumption of alcohol and all other intoxicants," Daurawa said.

People accused of engaging in prostitution and homosexual sex have been among those arrested in the latest crackdown, along with alleged drunks and drug addicts.

Nigeria is divided between a mostly Christian south and a predominately Muslim north.

FEC approves N42bn for roads rehabilitation

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday, approved contracts worth N42 billion for the rehabilitation of roads across the country.

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, told newsmen after the weekly meeting of the council that the contracts include  rehabilitation of three federal roads in Kogi, Kwara, Bauchi, Plateau and Adamawa states and dualization of one federal road in Kano State.

Others include the Ilorin-Omu Aran-Kabba Road in Kwara and Kogi states at the cost of N8.217 billion with a completion period of 36 months.

Maku said: "Council also approved the award of contract for the dualisation of Kano-Katsina Road Phase 1: Kano town at Dawanau roundabout,  Katsina State border with Kano State at the cost of N14.078 billion with a completion period of 30 months.

Council also approved the award of contract for the rehabilitation of Tumu-Pindiga-Kashere (Gombe State)-Futuk-Yalo (Bauchi State)-Bashar-Dengi (Plateau State) road: construction of Yalo-Bashar-Dengi Section in Bauchi and Plateau states, for N3.076 billion with a completion period of 18 months.

"After deliberations, council approved the award of contract No. 6210 for the rehabilitation of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna road section 1" among others.

Council also approved a memo presented by the President for the award of contract for supply of 70,000 software development and support for Permanent Voters Card Radio Frequency Identification, RFID, Readers.

Chris Brown refused to hand over marijuana in rehab

Chris Brown refused to give up his marijuana while in rehab for anger management.

The R&B singer, who was sentenced to 90 days in the treatment facility earlier this month, surrendered his phone and accepted he could have no internet access but argued with staff about handing over the illegal drug.

A source told TMZ he asked if he could take the cannabis with him, claiming it had been prescribed by a doctor to help him cope with depression.

TMZ reported: ''The staff rejected his request. We're told Chris kicked up a stink, claiming pot makes him calm, but the staff was unbending.

The 24-year-old narrowly avoided prison during a probation status hearing stemming from his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend, pop star Rihanna.

The singer, who is dating Karrueche Tran, checked himself into rehab last month but left after just two weeks.

He reportedly went into a violent rage and threw a rock through his mother's car window during a joint counselling session at the centre.

His mother Joyce Hawkins, known to his millions of fans as 'mom breezy' broke her silence on Twitter and wrote: ''MY ANGEL WITH BROKEN WINGS GOD LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND I DO AS WELL.''

Militants to Benin Republic govt: Release Asari-Dokubo or…

A group loyal to the Niger Delta activist, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, NDPVF, has warned the authorities of Benin Republic to free the former militant leader or be ready to face its wrath.

The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, NDPVF, issued the warning, signed by its leaders, Mr. Rex Ekiugbo Anighoro in Abuja last night, follo-wing the arrest and detention of Dokubo in an unknown location since Tuesday afternoon.


NDPVF, which also likened the arrest to a kidnap by the authori-ties, said that they were appalled by the unprovoked breach of the fundamental rights of the youth leader.

It said: "We hold this arrest as an absurdity. It is unprovoked and questionable and has been without any reason from the government of Republic of Benin.

"We consider this as a kidnap of our leader by the President of Republic of Benin working with certain opposition figures in Nigeria.

"We hereby make demand on President Yayi Bonni of the Republic of Benin to release, unconditionally and with immediate effect, our leader Alhaji  Asari-Dokubo and offer unreserved apology to him for this monumental breach of his rights.

"We call on all the aggrieved youths of Niger Delta to be on red alert and ready for a total showdown and shut down if in the next 48 hours his release has not been made.

"We call on the President of the Nigerian union to mediate on this potential diplomatic row that may lead to an unprecedented conflagration."

21 Egyptian protesters get 11 years in jail

An Egyptian court has handed down heavy sentences of 11 years in prison to 21 female supporters of the ousted Islamist president, many of them juveniles, for holding a protest.

The court in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria issued the ruling Wednesday, weeks after the women were arrested during a protest demanding the reinstatement of Mohammed Morsi, ousted in a July 3 coup.

They were convicted on multiple charges, including holding a demonstration, sabotage and using force. Seven of them are under 18 years of age.

The court also sentenced six members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood to 15 years in prison in absentia for inciting the protest.

The verdict comes as security forces have cracked on small protests by secular activists, implementing a new law putting heavy restrictions on protests.

Sport: World Cup stadium's roof collapses

Part of the stadium that will host the 2014 World Cup opener in Brazil collapsed on Wednesday, causing significant damage and killing three people, authorities said.

The accident could delay the delivery of the stadium in Sao Paulo by FIFA's December deadline to have all 12 venues ready. Work was immediately halted at the Itaquerao Stadium, which was practically completed before the collapse.

Television images showed a huge metal structure buckled atop the stadium, destroying part of the stands in the east side of the venue. A LED panel installed outside the venue also was hit.

Firefighter official Mauro Lopes said in a radio interview that at least three people died in the accident, which apparently happened when a crane collapsed on top of the metal structure. The crane was installing what was the last part of the structure.

The accident happened at lunchtime, so not a lot of workers were on site at the time.

The stadium will seat nearly 70,000 people for the opener on June 12. The venue is scheduled to host other five matches, including a semifinal. It was initially expected to be built for the Confederations Cup this year, but delays with financing for the venue prompted authorities to scrape the stadium from the World Cup warm-up tournament.

Brazilian club Corinthians, which owns the stadium, released a brief statement "lamenting" the accident.

Constructor Odebrecht said it was already investigating what happened.

Brazil is running against time to deliver the last six World Cup stadiums by the end of the year, although work at the Itaquerao was advanced compared to the other venues.

"FIFA and the LOC have learnt of the death of workers at the Corinthian's Arena site in Sao Paulo with great sadness," FIFA said in a statement. "We wish to send our heartfelt condolences to the family of the workers who tragically died today."

Football's governing body said the "safety of workers is the top priority" to World Cup organizers.

"We know the safety of all workers has always been paramount for all the construction companies contracted to build the 12 FIFA World Cup stadiums," it said in a statement.
"The local authorities will fully investigate the reasons behind such a tragic accident."

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he was "deeply saddened by the tragic death of workers" at the Corinthians stadium. "Our heartfealt condolences are with the families," he said.

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said he was "extremely shocked by the news from Sao Paulo."

"Our thoughts are with the families of the victims of this accident," he said.

Man charged for defiling 30-month old toddler

A family court sitting in Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos, will today, resume hearing in the charge of defilement of a two and half years old child (names withheld) against one Kehinde Layode.

According to Access to Justice, AJ, a non-governmental organisation, handling the matter, "on November 11, 2013, we received information that a girl (names withheld) (two and a half years old at the relevant time), was sexually molested by a man, Kehinde Layode,  who had been put in a position of trust over the child.

According to the family, the mother of the girl had kept the child with the defendant and his wife to go and buy drugs for  the toddler as she was running a fever.

"This was a fairly routine help that the girl's mother often sought and the defendant and his wife offered. However, on this fateful day when the girl's mother returned to the house, she knocked on the door but the defendant told her that she was sleeping.

"The mother, however, insisted that the door be opened so that she could administer the drug she had bought.

Subsequently, she took the toddler home but noticed that there was a thick white fluid coming down her laps at which point she raised an alarm.

"The alarm attracted neighbours, who insisted that she report the matter to the police and take her for medical examination, which she did.

The case was reported to the Igando Police Station and the police have, after investigations, launched a prosecution against the defendant.

"The case is presently before Mrs A. Oshoniyi of the magistrate sitting at Family Court, Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos State.

"The charge against the defendant is that of defilement of the little child by having sexual intercourse with her on January 12, 2013."

Baraje-led PDP splitter group denies merger with APC

The Alhaji Kawu Baraje-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) splinter group said it had not formally merged with the All Progressives Congress (APC) as reported in the media.

The National Publicity Secretary of the group, Chukwuemeka Eze, denied the merger when he spoke with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to him, the group is still open to reconciliation, what happened on November 26 is a declaration of intent to merge.

"The parties in the alliance have just set up a committee to work on the conditions of the purported merger. Can we merged without conditions," he asked.

Eze said the event which took place at Kano Governors' lodge in Abuja was misrepresented, adding that the parties involved were yet to sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU).

He said the report of the committee would be submitted to the steering committee on Dec. 26, adding "it is only after we have signed the MoU that you can say we have merged."

The spokesman of the splinter group said Baraje's first phrase was that "we have agreed to work together, but it was Chief Bisi Akande, who insisted on the use of the word merger."

"I want to tell you that the matter is not concluded. We have to share positions."

"We have to agree on what will go to us, and what will go to us, is what the committee is still working on, nobody has signed the MoU," he said.

The publicity secretary said the splinter group would attend the December 1 peace meeting called by President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that "all options are still on the table."

"If the president agreed to our conditions, if we have agreements on issues that created the crisis, then we will not sign the MoU with APC on Tuesday."

"So, from now till Tuesday, anything is still possible. If we meet on Sunday and our conditions are attended to, then the merger won't go ahead."

"If Governor Amaechi is returned as NGF Chairman, if the structures are returned to the governors of Adamawa, Kano and Rivers, then our leaders will look back and stop signing the MoU."

He, however, said that the splinter group was not desperate.

"It was the way we are being treated that is making everybody desperate. Who will not be desperate with the way we are being treated," he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Baraje-led splinter group had in a communiqué, after a meeting with official of the APC on November 26, agree to merge.

 The communiqué was signed by Akande, the interim National Chairman of the APC and Baraje, on behalf of the splinter group

The PDP National Disciplinary Committee headed by Dr Umaru Dikko, had recommended the expulsion of Baraje, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Sam Jaja from the PDP.

15yr old Nigerian boy shot& stabbed in his home after being mistaken for gang member

A 15 year-old boy named Kieran Obazee was shot and stabbed on Friday Nov. 22 at his east London home by gang members in what police believe may have been a case of mistaken identity, Daily Mail reports. Fortunately, Kieran survived the vicious attack and but is in a serious condition in hospital.

Five men wearing balaclavas and armed with kives and a gun forced their way into the home in Plaistow just before 3am on Friday.

A 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Detectives believe the attackers were looking for a member of a gang and attacked him by mistake.

This morning a Scotland Yard spokesperson said: 'The person who may have been involved in a gang was staying at the address and they may have been the target, but the boy who was attacked had no criminal background.'

Shocked residents of the estate in Plaistow told how they rushed to the injured boy's aid after his terrified mum ran door to door screaming for help. One neighbour told how they administered first aid. 

The neighbour, who did not want to be identified, said: 'It was quiet on Thursday night, all I heard was the banging as they booted the door in and then another bang, but it didn't sound like a gun shot to me at the time.'
 
The neighbour said they could see a woman banging on other neighbours' doors and screaming 'please help my son' when they looked into the street.

Detectives believe the attackers were looking for a member of a gang and attacked the teenager by mistake

The neighbour said: 'There was no sound of screeching tyres so they must have run or cycled off after attacking him.

I ran down and we went into their house, he was lying on the landing floor and there was a lot of blood on the carpet and on the wall.

His mum and sister had wrapped his leg up to stop the bleeding, the people trying to help him were panicking so I took over.

I kept him talking, he was going into shock and was really confused. He was bleeding a lot from his lower right calf and his sister was begging the paramedics to come quicker over the phone.

Paramedics arrived at the scene before taking the teenager, the son of a biochemist, to hospital.

The neighbour said: 'It felt like ages before the paramedics arrived, I was so scared that there was a 15-year-old boy who was bleeding out.

Thank God he's ok, he seemed like a regular lad from a regular family, it's so shocking.

They were just a normal, nice family, who kept themselves to themselves. I don't know why they would attack him, there's been no-one like that hanging around their house.'
A police spokesman said: 'Police patrols have been increased in the area in order to provide reassurance to the local community.'

The Trident Gang Crime Command are investigating the incident.

Culled from Daily Mail

Kanye West says Kim K is the 'most beautiful woman of all time

In a radio interview with Angie Martinez yesterday, Kanye said he isn't worried about how his relationship with Kim K is affecting his career, saying she's so beautiful it doesn't matter if she is uncool.

I don't give a f*** what type of jacket she got on. Ladies and gentlemen y'all acting like this ain't the most beautiful woman of all time! Arguably of human existence. The top ten of human existence.'

Kanye also said dating Kim has taught him that life was about more than 'whats cool or not cool'.

I felt like our love story is a love story for the ages. I felt like when we first got together it's a Romeo And Juliet kind of thing.

Like she's a reality star and I'm a rapper and people talking about how our brands connect and it doesn't fit. And I'm just so tired of brands... It's not about branding at a certain point. I loved her from the first day I saw her which I said on Bound.'
He then admitted he allowed the Keeping Up With Kardashian cameras to capture his elaborate marriage proposal to Kim last month.

'When we got engaged I made sure the show was there because I felt like that would make her happy. Regardless of how it was shot I felt like this was a moment she would want to have.'

Mysterious goat delivers human-like kid in Ekiti

A mystery was recorded  in the  rural community of Olori Oko near Ogotun Ekiti in Ekiti South-West Local Government of Ekiti State as a goat allegedly gave birth to a strange creature.

Olori- Oko, a farm stead dominated by people of Ede and Modakeke in Osun State  is about six kilometres  to Ogotun Ekiti and three kilometres away from Ikeji Arakeji  in Osun State, with  about 500 residents, witnessed a huge, bewildered crowd that stormed the serene community from the neighboring towns and villages to catch a glimpse at the strange birth.

According to an eye witness, who is also a  member of the community, Mr. Ganiyu Adetokun,  the strange goat  delivered the kid at about 6a.m., yesterday, after a long and protracted labour which lasting for about 10 hours.

According to him, a Pastor, Daniel Odedele, resident in the community had to intervene by forcing the baby out of the goat's genital when it was apparent that it could not deliver it unaided.

His words: "Strangely, the kid  had human hairs on its head  and female genital similar to that of human being. Then people started raising alarm."

The kid was said to have  survived for about  one and a half hours before it died. owing to lack of care and disturbance from the people, who scrambled to take its picture.

According to him, the incident have been formally  reported to the Ologotun of Ogotun Ekiti , Oba Samuel Oyebade, adding that the residents would take a step further by making necessary sacrifice and appeasements to gods of the land to forestall calamity from befalling them.

Corroborating the experience of  Adetokun, the  chairman of Commercial Motorcycle Association in the village, Mr Saheed  Oladepo (aka Akanmu), said the incident attracted people from the various neighboring communities of Ikeji Arakeji, Ogotun town, Ipetu  Ijesa, Ado Ekiti, Ilawe, Igbara Odo, Aba Ede, Aba Osogbo have turned the village to a Mecca of sort  to catch a glimpse of the mysterious goat and its kid.

Policemen  and men of the Ekiti State Peace Corps, had according to him, visited the village to see things for themselves and make possible reports to appropriate authorities.

Arsenal stay in control

Jack Wilshere has scored two goals, the first after only 27 seconds, as Arsenal beat Marseille 2-0 on Tuesday to move to within touching distance of the Champions League last 16.

Wilshere rewarded Arsenal's dominance with a second goal in the 65th minute, after Mesut Ozil had seen a penalty saved, to leave Arsene Wenger's side three points clear of Borussia Dortmund and Napoli at the top of Group F.

Arsenal can now secure their progress to the knockout rounds for the 11th successive season by avoiding defeat in their final group game at Napoli on December 11.

However, Napoli's loss to Dortmund in Tuesday's other group game means that should Arsenal lose in Naples, and Dortmund win in Marseille, qualification would be decided by goal difference in the three games between Arsenal, Dortmund and Napoli.

Arsenal manager Wenger made three changes to the team that beat Southampton 2-0 on Saturday, with Nacho Monreal, Tomas Rosicky and former Marseille midfielder Mathieu Flamini coming into the team.

With Marseille already eliminated, coach Elie Baup fielded a weakened team. Mathieu Valbuena was among five first-team players on the bench, and it did not take long for the visitors to fall behind.

Bacary Sagna freed Wilshere on the Arsenal right and the England midfielder lazily stepped inside Lucas Mendes's challenge before steadying himself and curling a left-foot shot into the top-left corner.

It would have been 2-0 six minutes later, after Olivier Giroud set Wilshere free again and he squared for Aaron Ramsey, but from 10 yards the in-form Welshman saw his shot cannon back off Steve Mandanda's chest.

Marseille's response was timid, Andre-Pierre Gignac heading over and then over-running the ball inside the Arsenal box, but the hosts failed to exploit an invitation to extend their lead shortly before half-time.

Ramsey appeared fortunate to win a penalty after tangling with Nicolas N'Koulou, the challenge occurring just outside the 18-yard box, but Ozil saw his spot-kick pushed away by Mandanda.

Arsenal continued to press early in the second period, but Giroud saw a shot deflected inches wide by Kassim Abdallah and when Wilshere released Ozil with an inventive chip, Mandanda flew out to save.

The entrances of Valbuena and Florian Thauvin as substitutes threatened to make it an uncomfortable closing half hour for Wenger's men, but in the 65th minute they scored the second goal that their persistence merited.

Ramsey was the instigator, sliding a subtle pass down the inside-right channel for Ozil, and the German partly atoned for his failed penalty attempt by centring for Wilshere to side-foot home his second goal.

Thauvin gave the Premier League leaders a couple of scares as the game approached its closing stages, but goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny showed his alertness by saving sharply on each occasion.

Substitutes Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott both spurned chances to seal matters for Arsenal in the dying stages, the Spaniard blazing over and the fit-again England winger toeing wide, but Marseille were already beaten.

40 dead, 10 injured as gunmen invade Plateau villages

NO fewer than 40 people were killed yesterday, when gunmen attacked four villages in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Among those killed, according to villagers, were a one-year old boy shot at close range, a four-year old and several women and other children. 10 persons have been hospitalised as a result of injuries sustained during the attack.

The attackers were said to have struck between 12.30a.m. and 1a.m., completely wiping out two families.

The village head of Tatu, Da Pam Gyang Tsok, told newsmen that they started hearing sporadic gunshots at about 1a.m. and later discovered that 15 women and children had been killed by the assailants.

Ten people were confirmed killed at Bwok village and seven at Dorong.

He confirmed the killing of every member of two households in the village during the attack, adding, "we were shocked by the attack because we had no quarrel with any group or person and have been living in peace with non -natives in our midst."

'They wore military uniform'

A similar story was told by a community leader at Rawure village, Mr. Job Chollom, who said the attackers wore military uniform.

He said they surrounded the village before launching the attack, killing a man, his wife and their young children aged one, four and 10 years. He added that five people were injured in the attack.

Confirming the attack, the Interim Administrator of Barakin-Ladi Local Government, Mr. Habila Dungs said a total of 40 people were killed in the four villages in what he described as a well coordinated attack.

Spokesman of the Special Task Force, STF, in the state, Captain Salisu Mustapha, also confirmed the incident in a statement.

According to the statement, STF personnel on receiving the report moved to the scenes to restore order, adding that the gunmen fled on sighting the troops.

Villagers accuse security agents

However, some of the villagers complained to news-men that no help came from security men, who were not too far away while the attack lasted.

Speaking after the mass burial for those killed at Tatu, the outgoing President of Church of Christ in All Nations, COCIN, Reverend Soja Bewarang condemned the killings, wondering why it could happen with security men around.

He urged government and the security agencies to take necessary steps to check the frequent attacks on innocent communities as the attackers appeared bent on wiping out the people of the state.

STF kills 3

Meanwhile, three people were reportedly shot dead by members of the STF at Shishiri, Pajat Ward of Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State, following a commotion during the councillorship primaries of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the area.

A group of young men, alleged to have been drunk, were said to have attacked one of the officials conducting the primaries.

The security men attempted to rescue him but were allegedly attacked, forcing them to open fire on the rampaging youths.
The youths allegedly threw stones and other missiles at the soldiers, who reportedly repelled them by firing shots.

The killings resulted in pandemonium as angry youths began a protest, creating mayhem.

The STF Media Officer, Captain Salisu Mustapha, could not be reached for comments at press time.

Moyes happy to see United's Rooney fired up

Manchester United manager David Moyes has said he wants England striker Wayne Rooney at his battling best and fired up for Wednesday's key Champions League clash at Bayer Leverkusen.

United top Group A with eight points, just one ahead of hosts Leverkusen, and need to beat Sami Hyypia-coached Bayer to confirm their place in the knock-out stages.

Rooney drew criticism in Sunday's disappointing 2-2 Premier League draw at Cardiff City when he kicked Jordon Mutch early on.

Referee Neil Swarbrick showed Rooney a yellow card, but the 28-year-old went on to score United's opening goal, then set up their second for Patrice Evra.

Rooney fired back via Twitter after Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler and pundit Graeme Souness both said he was lucky to avoid a red card, but Moyes said he prefers to see Rooney fired up.

"His form, attitude and temperament have been first class this season, I can't fault it," said Moyes, with Rooney having scored eight goals so far this season in Europe and the Premier League.

"Players sometimes have their moments when they flare up, but I want Wayne to have a fire in his belly, I want him to be tough and aggressive.

"I don't want him kicking anyone, but we are seeing a Wayne Rooney who is in top form and scoring goals.

"It's a big part of his game, he's an aggressive player and he plays with his heart, as well as the skills he has in abundance.

"It's how he played as a boy under me at Everton and it's what a lot of people said might have been missing from his game last season.

"It's certainly not missing now, he's committed for everything and I'd rather have a Wayne Rooney that way than any other way.

"Everyone is recognising the form he is in, he scored a goal and created another one against Cardiff, maybe other things attracted attention rather than his goal.

"That's what happens with Wayne, he gets a lot of attention, but most of it has been on his good form this season."

United defender Chris Smalling said Rooney's battling spirit rubs off in the dressing room.

"It's in the way he plays, you can see the hunger and passion, he's a born-winner, he breathes that through the whole squad," said the 24-year-old England defender.

Moyes said United are eager to win their last away group game to wrap up their place in the knock-out phase before their final group match at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in a fortnight.

Bayer are unbeaten at home since losing 2-1 at home to European champions Bayern Munich in March and Moyes is wary of Hyypia's side, who are second only to Bayern in the Bundesliga.

"The group is very open and we have a big job to do here in Germany tomorrow," said the Scotsman.

"We want to try and get the job done, we know we have a hard game against Leverkusen, we want to avoid things being decided by that last game."

Centre-back Nemanja Vidic is ruled out with concussion, while striker Robin van Persie is recovering from a groin injury.

The United contingent had an unusual landing into Germany when their first attempt at Cologne/Bonn airport had to be aborted at 400 metres above the runway due to another in-coming plane.

"Landed in Germany....just....I've only just recovered after that choppy landing!", United defender Rio Ferdinand wrote on his Twitter account.

Man, 45, allegedly rapes 75-yr-old woman in Ekiti

A 45-year-old farmer, Lawrence Adedapo, is now in Police custody for allegedly forcibly having carnal knowledge of a 75-year-old woman, Grace Asaolu, at Ogbese Camp, Ise-Ekiti in Ise-Orun Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Adedapo was said to have invited the septuagenarian to his house on November 7 this year under the pretex that he brought some plantain from his farm for sale.

The accused was said to have taken advantage of the old woman's fragile nature, overpowering her before having carnal knowledge of her.

According to the victim, "Lawrence Adedapo is my neighbour.
He invited me to come and collect plantain but instead he pushed me on his children's bed and forcefully had carnal knowledge of me. I later rushed to the police station to report the matter."

Upon interrogation, the suspect confirmed that he had carnal knowledge of the woman but denied forcing her, claiming that she was his mistress.

He said: "I knew her long time ago. I knew her as a widow from Moba Local Government Area of the state.

We have known each other for the past 35 years and I have been dating her for long.

"The last time I had sex with her was in April during Easter before meeting her again on November 7.

That was the second time we met this year. I did not force her into it and I had her consent before doing it".

Asked why she reported the matter to the police, Adedapo said: "I promised to give her N2,000 which she asked for before we did it. But after the sex I was able to give her N1,000 only.

That could be the reason why she alleged that I raped her. I later found out that she was bleeding as a result of the sex.

"I did not even ejaculate because I used my children's room, so I had to rush."

However, the police image maker in the state, Mr. Victor Babayemi, ASP, insisted that the investigation carried out by the police revealed that the old woman was actually raped by the suspect.

He said: "In the course of investigation, facts emerged that the suspect knew the victim to be of old age, 75, and in menopause.

"She could not have been bleeding without tampering with her organ. Medical report shows that there was a violent sexual assault on her; she was also said to be distressed with her genital smeared with fresh blood.

"It shows that he invited the woman with criminal intent to have intercourse with her.

Angola denies banning Islam

Angola's government on Tuesday denied it had banned Islam and close mosques in the country, after speculation that sparked outrage among Muslims worldwide.

"There is no war in Angola against Islam or any other religion," said Manuel Fernando, director of the National Institute for Religious Affairs, part of the ministry of culture.

"There is no official position that targets the destruction or closure of places of worship, whichever they are," Fernando told AFP.

Reports that Angola, a traditionally devout Catholic nation, would crack down on Muslims had drawn condemnation from the Organization of Islamic Co-operation and others.

In Egypt, mufti Shawqi Allam said such a move would be "a provocation not only to Angolan Muslims but to more than 1.5 billion Muslims all over the world".

The oil-rich southern African nation has a population of about 18 million people, several hundred thousand of whom are Muslim.

Religious organisations are required to apply for accreditation in Angola, which currently recognises 83, all of them Christian.

In October the justice ministry rejected the applications of 194 organisations, including one from the Islamic community.

David Ja, a spokesperson for local Muslims, challenged the government's account and said that a number of mosques had already been closed.

Ja condemned what he described as "political persecution" and "religious intolerance".

"A mosque was closed last week in Huambo [in the south] and we have been subjected to pressure this week regarding a mosque in Luanda," he said.

According to the ministry of culture these closures were related to a lack of necessary land titles, building licenses or other official documents.

Defection of G7 govs: Hope has been rekindled – Peterside

Yeserday's decamping of most G-7 governors and members of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP)  to the All Peoples Congress (APC) elicited mixed reactions in the polity.

Lagos-based lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay, said the movement of the G-7 governors to APC is not a loss to the PDP, adding that the movement of the rebel governors who are nursing a personal agenda, into APC may amount to inviting trouble into the APC.

Sagay also berated the northern governors, saying while the APC was preoccupied with salvaging Nigeria from years of misrule, the motive of the northern governors is principally for power to return to the north.

Concerning the Northern governors decamping to the APC, I really don't think it is a loss to the PDP. If you look at these rebel governors, with the exclusion of Rotimi Amaechi, you will find out that their agenda is a very narrow agenda, a very personal one. And that agenda is for the North to produce the president so that a Northerner can control the Niger Delta oil and Lagos State VAT and so on.

In his own reaction, Bamidele Aturu said the primary motive of the gladiators in the present arrangement is to feather their nests and not to advance the cause of Nigerians.

The human rights activist said the movement of the rebel governors to the APC had proved to Nigerians that there is no clear-cut difference between the political parties in Nigeria.
They've taken a gamble – Babatope

Former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, wished the defectors luck, saying: "Now that they have announced it, I wish those from the PDP going to join the APC the very best of luck. They have taken a gamble and I hope they are ready to face the consequences of that gamble.

No rebellion of any group within an established political party has ever succeeded either in Nigeria or even abroad.

"But in their case, well, they have taken a gamble and like I said they must face the consequence of that gamble.

We have no fear about the APC because the APC is not yet a party. But we will remain with the Nigerian people, PDP will never desert the Nigerian people. So, we shall meet on the political battle field, that is why I said we wish them the best of luck."

Merger took Oni by surprise
For former governor of EkitiState, Segun Oni, who was with the nPDP, Vanguard gathered that the news of the merger came to him as a surprise.

A source close to him told newsmen that "as it stands now, he got the news like every other person. He is studying the situation as events unfold and he will have to consult with his supporters at home before taking any decision.

It's better we know our enemies —Doherty
Coordinator of the PDP in the South-West, Mr Deji Doherty, said the defectors took an honourable decision.

In a telephone chat with source, he said:  "It is better we know our enemies than our enemies being in the same party with us. It is an honourable decision and I believe we still have more people in the PDP that are APC at night and PDP during the day. It will be honourable for them to come out and choose a party that they can be loyal to.

So, if Olagunsoye Oyinlola believes that he can be more loyal to the APC, it is his fundamental human right to choose whichever political party he wants to be."

Their exit should be celebrated — Maeba
In his submission, former Senator representing Rivers South East in the National Assembly, Hon Lee Maeba said PDP members worldwide should celebrate the exit of the blacklegs.

According to him, "INEC should declare their seats vacant since the constitution says you can only decamp to another party if the party that brought you to power is factional."
'The court had declared PDP not factional, so fresh elections should be conducted in the affected states."

Hope has been rekindled — Peterside
A member of the House of Representatives and Chairman House Committee on Oil and Gas, (Downstream), Hon Dakuku Peterside, in his submission said the development is a watershed in the country's democratic journey and hope has been rekindled.

"The beneficiaries of this merger are the Nigerian people, democracy and democratic culture. The political and democratic institutions can never be the same again and our democratic institution will be strengthened by implication.

Never again will we the people be taken for granted,".he said.
PDP should go to Court — Opara

Commenting on the move, former deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Austin Opara, advised the PDP to go to court over the merger.

"On the defection of the PDP governors to the APC, this is democracy and membership of a party is a voluntary affair, you don't force anybody to remain in any party but the implication for our democracy is what I am concerned about.

The National Assembly members that defected to the APC, their seat should be declared vacant according to the position of the Constitution.

For the PDP governors that also defected to the APC, I think the PDP should also go to Court to challenge it because of future occurrence.

We should all remember the Amaechi saga in Rivers State when the Supreme Court declared that it is the party that contests elections not individuals. So if the party that contests election and you abandon the same party by which you contested election, you have no basis to be governor. So I urge the PDP to challenge the defections to further entrench our democracy."

It's good for our democracy—Ogunlewe

A former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, said the merger will afford Nigerians opportunity to choose from the best.

Ogunlewe said: "It is in two parts: the first one is that it is good for our democracy because there will be a very strong opposition now to the PDP. It will afford people to choose.

What is good now for the two political parties is to bring out their manifesto, let the people assess them and then, let us see the one people will choose. Secondly, it is for those decamping governors to hold on to their supporters because their supporters will have to compete with the people they have known to be in the opposition.

They may get there and their host may be hostile to them after they decamp because you can never out smart the people you are meeting there. They may not accept them because they also want to survive. Some of the governors cannot contest again because they are outgoing governors and so, in another six months, they will be irrelevant.

The third aspect is for the PDP itself to re-arrange and order their priorities, know what the people want and do a lot for the people so that when elections come, they will be the favourite. It is also a freedom of choice, if it is going to bring out the best of Nigeria, then let it be."

24-yr-old farmer nabbed for beheading toddler

Nemesis has caught up with a 24-year-old farmer, Danladi Abubakar, who allegedly beheaded an 11-month-old  girl for rituals.

Danladi, after being arrested by the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, confessed that the deal was to fetch him N20,000. He was allegedly contracted by a man in Bida, Niger State,  who is said to be on the run.

The incidence happened in Fujeregi village, Gbako Local Government Area of the state recently.

The farmer was said to have sneaked into the room of the baby's father, Malam Mohammed Worogi, where he smuggled the baby to a hidden place and beheaded her. He also severed her private parts.

The sudden disappearance of the child soon aroused the parent's curiosity. The villagers then constituted a search party but their efforts did not immediately yield any dividend until a special prayer was organised.

After the prayers, Danladi came out  and confessed to the crime.

The incidence was immediately reported at the police divisional office in Lemu town leading to Danladi's arrest.

He was immediately charged to Minna Magistrate Court 7 on one-count charge of culpable homicide punishable under Section 222 of the panel code law.

When the charge was read to him by the presiding magistrate, Maryam Ladidi King, he pleaded guilty.

Unijos VC urges ASUU to suspend strike

Prof. Hayward Mafuyai, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, on Tuesday appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend its strike in the interest of the nation.

Mafuyai, said this, while exchanging views with newsmen in Jos.

He said that the university lecturers should consider the plight of their students by calling off their long-drawn-out strike.

"The fact of the matter is that the Federal Government has done well by agreeing to set aside billions of naira yearly for the rehabilitation and development of the nation's universities.

"The ASUU officials and members should at least look at what the government has offered and call off the strike," he said.

Mafuyai said that the government had agreed to be releasing N30 billion yearly for the rehabilitation and the maintenance of the nations universities.

He added that the government had also inaugurated the Needs' Assessment Committee of the Nigerian Universities, with the view to solving the problems facing the universities.

"President Goodluck Jonathan has a listening ear; that is why the government has been negotiating, with a view to resolving the impasse between it and the union," he said.

Mafuyai appealed to ASUU to reconsider its "hard stance''.
He said that the ASUU members, after receiving what was offered to them, could still continue negotiations with the government.

The vice chancellor, however, said that he had a cordial relationship with the local branch of ASUU in his university.
He said that the university authorities were ready to provide a favourable working environment for the lecturers to operate without any fear of harassment. (NAN)

Union threatens strike over refineries sale

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) threatened industrial action to resist the planned sales of four oil refineries by government.

PENGASSAN President, Comrade Babatunde Ogun, said that the workers will resist the privatisation of the four state-owned refineries because it is against the national interest.

Last week, Allison Diezani Maduekwe had announced last week that government had approved the outright sales of the refineries in the first quarter of next year.

The announcement is currently generating uproar with several stakeholders condemning the decision of government on the four refineries.

"The proposed sale of the refineries is against the overall national interest and in the interest of the few, who are lurking around the corridor of power to milk the country dry. How can a country be selling all its national assets all in the name of privatisation? For whose benefit are such sales?" asked Ogun.

"If one recalls, the late President Yar'Adua reversed the privatisation of the refineries done by former President Obasanjo, with a promised to carry out Turn-Around Maintenance (TAM) on them to ensure that they are sold not as scrap. On assumption to office, President Goodluck Jonathan also promised to carry out TAM on the refineries. Even the controversial Kalu Idika Kalu-led National Refineries Special Task Force also has TAM or rehabilitation of the refineries to make the refineries work in a safe and reliable manner as part of its recommendations.  As we are talking now, nothing has been significantly done. Why is the government proposing sales of these national edifices without doing the needful to ensure that the refineries work at their optimal capacity? Nigerians and the general public deserve to know more on the desperate reasons for the spate and row of proposed privatisation, even when the selfish motives of these proposed national assets sales can spell doom for the country," he further quipped.

Ogun said instead of privatising the refineries, government should grant effective incentives to allow for the development of private refineries alongside the existing ones, adding that a framework should be articulated that will make available required crude for effective functioning of local refineries.

"There is need to incentivise and/or compel IOCs to refine an agreed percentage of crude oil in the country. A suggestion is to tie upstream licensing to downstream investment and private ownerships of jetties should be encouraged," he said.

Ogun added, "As the privatisation trend continues, the Nigeria public will need to know from the process drivers the number of jobs and investment that have been created as against the reality that some cronies are now being recruited as technical partners to front for the high and mighty as was the case with Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited which the Government sold to Indorama for $225million for an mega plant that is the second largest in Africa which at the time of its sale worth about $2.5 billion as fair market value."

Three escape death in Ilorin trainee plane crash

Three crew members on board a training aircraft of International Aviation College, Ilorin, escaped death as the plane crashed during a routine exercise.

The minor incident occurred at about 11.33 a.m. on Monday within the vicinity of Ilorin International Airport.

The college's Acting Rector, Captain Nuhu Abdulkareem, who announced the plane crash at a press conference in Ilorin, said it was the first recorded incident since its inception.

Abdulkareem said the three crew members of the single engine Diamond aircraft with registration number 5N-BRD were later taken to the college's clinic for proper check-up and were certified fit.

He said the college had established contact with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Accident Investigation Bureau, statutory bodies responsible for regulating aviation safety and investigating incidents.

He said the management of the college was awaiting the arrival of the officials of both agencies from Abuja to investigate the incident.

Ebonyi records 108 fire incidents

The Director of Fire Service in Ebonyi, Simon Nkpuma, on  Monday in Abakaliki said the state capital recorded 108 fire incidents between January and November, 2013.

Nkpuma told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the timely intervention of the organisation through rapid response to distress calls had averted colossal damage from the incidents.

"Between January and November, our office has received no fewer than 108 fire calls from different parts of the city and its environs.

"Through the rapid response by our officers and men, we were able to contain the incidents with less degree of damage and only four lives lost from them," Nkpuma said.

He said the service had also enhanced the capacity of its personnel through training and retraining.

The director, however, called for adequate fire-fighting equipment, saying the efforts of the service were greatly hampered by lack of modern equipment.

He also called for adequate funding to enable the organisation improve upon its service delivery.

"We have enough manpower to execute our mandate and serve the public better.

"But our greatest challenges are in the areas of inadequate fire-fighting machines and other equipment critical for our job.

"More fire stations should be created in the 13 local government areas (LGAs) of the state for efficient service delivery," Nkpuma said.

He said the unit had embarked on public enlightenment campaigns on the prevention of fire incidents.

The director called on residents to always put off electrical appliances while leaving their homes and offices.

He also appealed to landlords and tenants to keep fire extinguishers in their apartments.

"As we enter into another fire season, it is pertinent we utilise various fire outbreak prevention tips to avert fire disasters," he said.

Aviation: War over new charges for private jet owners shifts to Abuja

Abuja Senate yesterday waded into the imbroglio between the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and private jet owners over an increase in charges on non-scheduled flights in the country.

Senate intervened through its Committee on Aviation and asked NAMA to suspend the new charges imposed on local and foreign registered private airline operators.

The decision was taken after operators claimed before the committee that they were not consulted before the introduction of the new price regime.

Rising from a meeting convened in the National Assembly yesterday, the committee directed NAMA and private jet owners to convene a "stakeholders meeting" to arrive at a "consensus" charge in line with the Civil Aviation Act of 2006.

By the directive, NAMA is to revert to the  status quo ante. No date was fixed for the aviation stakeholders meeting.

These were fallouts of the tripartite mediation meeting convened by the Senate panel over the contentious $3000 and $2500 respectively charged by NAMA on private jets registered abroad and locally.

The suspended fees were paid by private jets for every departure (except round trips without changes in passenger manifest or return ferry) and was paid in advance to NAMA.

A representative of the affected airlines, Bala Ibn Na'Allah at the Senate panel's mediation meeting described the now suspended charges as discriminatory and non-consultative.

Five die, 32 injured in auto crash

Five persons died while 32 others sustained injuries when an articulated vehicle was involved in accident on Monday in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accident occurred at about 10.30 a.m. at Wanzamai village on Funtua-Kano Road when the driver was said to have lost control of the steering.

It occurred close to the new office of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the area.

The lone accident involved a trailer with registration number XA 471 KAT carrying 30 cows and 50 passengers.

One of the passengers in the vehicle, Malam Garba Iliya, said the truck was going to Lagos.

"The driver lost control and veered off the road throwing all of us into the bush", Iliya said.

The Malunfashi Unit Commander of FRSC, Tijjani Muhammad, told NAN that the truck was going to Lagos. "The trailer carried 30 cows and 50 passengers."

Tijjani, who spoke on behalf of the Sector Commander, Habu Dauda, said the dead and the injured had been taken to Malumfashi General Hospital.

He decried road accidents on Malumfashi-Dayi and Marabar-Kankara roads, attributing the situation to "poor driving attitudes."

He advised drivers against over-speeding, dangerous overtaking, overloading, reckless driving and drug abuse.

Rebel PDP members decamp to APC

The rank and file of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has increased, as the Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) have joined the  APC, Premium Times reports.

The chairman of the faction, Abubakar Baraje announced the merger to journalists at the end of a meeting at the Kano Governors Lodge in Abuja.

Developing story on Premium Times

Iran ready to join Syria peace talks if invited: Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Tehran was prepared to take part in the Syria peace talks in Geneva, slated for January 22, if invited.

"Participation of Iran in Geneva 2 is in our view an important contribution to the resolution of the problem. We have said all along that if Iran is invited, we will participate without any preconditions," Zarif told Iran's Press TV.

Iran is the main backer, along with Russia, of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a conflict that has lasted more than two years, killed more than 100,000 people and uprooted millions more.

Tehran's participation in the peace talks would likely strengthen any agreement reached in Geneva.

But for Western governments, Iran's reluctance to endorse last year's international accord on Syria has been a bar to its attendance at the talks, widely referred to as "Geneva 2".

Washington has opposed Iran attending the talks because it has not signed on to a core element of the so-called "Geneva 1" framework. This says a future Syrian government must be formed by "mutual consent" of the authorities and the opposition, a stance the United States says means Assad cannot stay in power.

But relations between Iran and Washington, frozen for decades, have improved sharply since the election in June of President Hassan Rouhani who promised to pursue a policy of "constructive engagement" with the West in order to win relief from international sanctions over Iran's nuclear program.

At the same time, however, Iran has maintained its unswerving support for the Assad government.

Zarif said resolving the Syria crisis was an issue of "national importance" for Iran and whether invited or not, Tehran would continue to work for a peaceful solution.

He also denied reports that Syria was discussed during Iran's nuclear talks with six world powers in Geneva last week.

Surprise! Elderly Connecticut twins were secret millionaires

Kathleen Magowan may have passed away in 2011 at the age of 87, but her surprising charitable donations have given her a very unexpected legacy: she's being called a "secret millionaire."

During her lifetime, the former first grade teacher and her twin brother, Robert, amassed a fortune of nearly $10 million, much to the surprise of residents in their community of Simsbury, Connecticut.

Kathleen Magowan's estate alone was estimated at nearly $6 million and after her passing she willed sizable sums of her wealth to places she held dear.

She left nearly $480,000 to Simsbury public schools, $500,000 to the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, more than $400,000 to the McLean nursing home where she died, and nearly $375,000 to her local parish, St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, according to The Hartford Courant.

"Her donation was the biggest in at least 33 years," Katie Wilde, executive assistant to the superintendent of Simsbury Public Schools, told Yahoo News.

Magowan taught for 35 years in the district and loved chatting about books and teaching, according to people who knew her, even in her later years at McLean Continuing Care Community, where she was a resident until her passing.

"She was very much the schoolteacher. She became a part of the community when she joined our pool. She was always recommending books and having discussions in the pool," Deene Morris, Director of Development at McLean tells Yahoo.

"People remember that she faithfully attended all exercise classes and had an attendance record that nearly exceeded all residents. She lived her life fully and completely, until the end of her life," Morris added.

However, none of the residents at McLean were aware of Magowan's affluence.

Neither Magowan nor her brother ever married and their fortunes were never mentioned in their obituaries. Robert Magowan, who worked for Prudential Insurance, died one year prior to his sister.

It reportedly took lawyers two years to discover the entirety of their massive wealth, which was amassed through a series of smart investments, according to The Hartford Courant:
"In one of the most stunning discoveries, a neighbor who was helping the attorneys found a Quaker Oats can in a closet that contained the original war bonds from the 1940s and 1950s, largely in small denominations of $50 and $100. The attorneys had no idea what the bonds might be worth, but some research on the Internet showed that the papers in the Quaker Oats can were worth $183,000."
"They didn't throw anything away," attorney David Bondanza, who did much of the legal work on the estate, told The Courant. "That's the bottom line. There was a lot of history in that house.''

The contents of their home reportedly added $10,000 to their estate after lawyers found $6,000 in jewelry in a safe deposit box. The Magowan twins' list of priceless items go on, with National Geographic magazines dating back to 1929, old newspapers, dozens of file folders filled with magazines, record albums from the 1920s along with a record player that still worked.

However, the most important lesson from their savings seems to be in the power of giving.

"People don't give to be recognized," Morris tells Yahoo. "Miss Magowan has shown great generosity."