#BringBackOurGirls: France, China, Canada join US, UK to rescue girls

The build-up of an international coalition ready to assist Nigeria in locating and rescuing the more than 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists three weeks ago got a boost, yesterday, as France and China and Canada joined the United States and the United Kingdom in the search and rescue operation.

Both the US and the UK had earlier given their word to President Goodluck Jonathan to assist Nigeria.

The abduction of the girls had triggered series of protests across Nigeria and in some other countries, with protesters demanding that world leaders should take drastic actions to rescue the girls. The Twitter hash-tag,‘#BringBackOurGirls’, put together to push the rescue of the girls, is trending globally, with prominent world leaders lending their voice and support to the demand for their freedom.

France joins rescue efforts

France, yesterday, offered to send security service agents to Nigeria to help recover the abducted girls. Reuters quoted French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius as telling French lawmakers that “the President has instructed that we put the intelligence services at the disposal of Nigeria and neighbouring countries. This morning he asked us to contact the Nigerian President to tell him that a specialised unit with all the means we have in the region was at the disposal of Nigeria to help find and recover these young girls.”

He added: “In the face of such ignominy, France must react. This crime cannot be left unpunished,” Fabius said.

We ‘ll not accept govt of insurgency, blackmail— Southern peoples assembly

Statesmen, prominent leaders of the three geo-political zones of the Southern part of the country, under the aegis of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA, rose from a meeting yesterday, with a strong condemnation of insurgency in some parts of the country, warning that it would not be ruled by a government that would be a product of insurgency or blackmail against President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to the group, no amount of intimidation by the insurgents and their sponsors would force President Jonathan to abdicate the powers given to him or refuse to seek re-election.

The leaders, who called on President  Jonathan to urgently close the borders with neighbouring states, warned: “Let it be known that the people of Southern Nigeria shall not allow themselves to be ruled by any government that is a product of insurgency or blackmail if the sponsors of insurgency in this country think they can brow-beat and pummel the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to abdicate the authority and mandate freely given to him by Nigerians to rule this country.”

The meeting, which took place Tuesday night in Abuja, had former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, and Retired Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Akure Diocese, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, as co- leaders.

Let’s fight terrorism together, Sultan pleads

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday, called on Nigerians to unite and fight the common enemies of the nation, saying it did not include shedding of human blood.

Sultan Abubakar stated this at the first Inter-Faith Health Summit, organised by the Nigerian Inter-Faith Action Association in Abuja.
He said though leaders of faith in the country were determined to make their contributions towards improved health of the nation’s population, especially the children, such a dream would only be achieved in a peaceful atmosphere.

The revered leader of the Muslim faith in the country also condemned media reports hyping negative stories about Nigeria, especially as it related  to the World Economic Forum on Africa  which took off in Abuja, yesterday.

He said:  “There are many good things happening that require that the world come together. And, Nigeria is playing the role very well. You can see how we (leaders of faith in Nigeria) relate with one another; we meet personally; we attend functions together.

“If we are at war, we can’t even sit together, you can’t go to church, you can’t go to mosque; you would remain indoor s.

“For the problem of insecurity, what we must do is to come together as one body to fight terrorism at all levels. Terrorism does not know who is a Christian or who is a Muslim. When terror strikes, we all see what happens; Muslims are killed, Christians are killed. Even those who do not possess any religion are killed.

“What we need to do as leaders at all levels is come together to defeat terrorism. We plead with our foreign partners, disperse the message that we need you to come together with us  so that we bring to an end the insecurity issues facing our country.”

Trader arrested with 9.375kg cannabis concealed inside foodstuff

A 38-year-old trader has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for allegedly being in possession of 9.375kg of compressed cannabis hidden inside foodstuffs, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The suspect, identified as Izuchukwu Jude Ekwosimba, was apprehended while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to China where drug trafficking attracts capital punishment.

The operatives reportedly detected the drugs which were concealed inside dried fish, dried bitter leaf, crayfish, melon and other local food spices, when the suspect came to check in his luggage.
During investigation, the father of one told operatives that he was tempted to go into the illicit business in order to pay his house rent.

According to the Anambra State-born, “I sell clothes on Lagos Island and I live at Ikotun with my wife and child. My business was doing well until I was duped of N5 million. Since then, I have been living from hand to mouth. My greatest challenge now is the payment of my house rent and shop.

“I bought the hemp for N104,000 and I learnt that I could sell it for $9,000 in China. I had no other source of getting the needed amount, that was the reason why I decided to smuggle drugs.”

Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, however, dismissed the suspect’s claim of financial difficulty as cause for indulging in the illicit business, stressing that someone who could afford a return ticket, buy drug worth N104,000 with basic travel allowance, could have conveniently settled his rent.

He, however, expressed joy over the suspect’s apprehension, explaining that it prevented him from possible death sentence in China.

Twins docked for stabbing colleague

Twin brothers were, yesterday, docked at a magistrate court sitting in Isabo,  Abeokuta for allegedly stabbing a colleague.

The brothers, Taiwo and  Kehinde Bankole,  were accused of inflicting injuries on one Isa  Lamidi, Saturday, at motorcycles park in Odeda village, Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to a count charge of assault, claiming that the complainant fought them and they  retaliated.

In his defence, Kehinde said the complainant attacked him and his brother and they defended themselves.
The prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Eigbejiale, said the accused persons committed the offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 516, 315 and 355 of the Criminal Code Volume 1 Laws of Ogun of State of Nigeria , 2006.

Magistrate Martins Akinyemi granted the  accused bail in the sum of N80,000 with one surety in like sum.
The case was adjourned till July 14, 2014.

Aregbesola deputy governor’s brother dumps APC, backs Omisore

The electoral fortune of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial candidate in the June 21 governorship election in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, yesterday received a boost as the elder brother of the state Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori, Mr. Sunday Laoye, led his supporters to defect to the PDP.

Decamping to the PDP, he called on other progressive minded politicians in the APC to leave the party and join the PDP.

Laoye, who was received into the PDP at the party’s secretariat in Osogbo by its National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo, said he laboured for the APC but had nothing to show for his commitment to the party.

Receiving Mr Laoye and his supporters, Professor Oladipo assured him of equal treatment in the party, saying “there is no preferential treatment in the party. We believe every member is important in the party.”

Man, 40, nabbed for defiling 7-yr-old girl

THE Police in Lagos State are quizzing a 40-year-old man, one Hakeem, popularly known as Baba Iwura, for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl.

It was gathered that the incident occurred at the residence of the suspect, 3, Third Avenue, Okemoro Street, Magbon, along Badagry expressway, last Sunday.
It was learnt that the Baba Iwura usually takes permission from Mrs Tawio Fathia, the girl's mother to send her on errands every Sunday when his wife and children had gone to church.

But unknown to the victim's mother, the errands were a guise to abuse her daughter. According to reports, the game had been going on for a while without the knowledge of the victim’s parents.
The bubble burst on that fateful day when he asked her to run errand for him as usual which terminated in his having carnal knowledge of the girl.

It was learnt that the little girl innocently told her playmates what Baba Iwura has been doing to her each time he sends her on errand.
In the process, the victim’s elder sister overheard her and immediately alerted their parents who quizzed the victim and she admitted.

Feeling betrayed by Hakeem's action, the parents of the victim, Mr. and Mrs. Tawio Fathia immediately reported the matter at the Area K Police station and the suspect was picked up.
Medical test from Badagry General Hospital confirmed that the suspect actually penetrated her.