Amaechi led NGF invites Jang’s faction to a Retreat in Lagos

By Henry Umoru
ABUJA- CHAIRMAN, Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF and Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi is holding yet another retreat in Lagos, with invitation extended to the NGF led by governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang.

The retreat which is slated to hold between March 13 and 14, would discuss corruption, dwindling state of education, and Nigeria’s dependence on oil.

In a statement by Governor Amaechi and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Seriake Dickson who belong to the same faction have been listed among seven other Nigerians to discuss a topic, “Institutional and Social Drivers of Insecurity at the sub-national level: Finding Workable Solutions, just as six governors in Amaechi’s camp have been listed as discussants on various topics lined up for discussion at the retreat.

According to Amaechi, other governors to discuss the topic are Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), Abdul-aziz Yari (Zamfara) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).

But in a swift reaction yesterday, Governor Jonah Jang who distanced himself and his group from the planned retreat being organised by Governor Amaechi led NGF, said that, “it has come to their knowledge that there is a program in circulation naming its members as participants in the said retreat.

In a statement signed yesterday in Abuja by the Media Officer, Kassim Yakubu, the Jonah Jang led Forum said, “this was a cunning attempt to give the retreat credibility following the dismal showing of the first one held in Sokoto last year.

“They have realised that Nigerians now know that they are an opposition governors forum and the only way to get credibility now is to invoke the names of governors who clearly do not belong to their group nor share in their vision of turning the Governors Forum into an anti federal government body.

“The first retreat turned out to be an anti federal government venting exercise and did not gain any traction with the general public who want the governors to stick with their primary functions of running their states and the objectives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum which is to work in cohesion with all other tiers of government to deliver needed development to the Nigerian people.

“The planned retreat will turn out to be another federal government bashing get-together where the opposition script will be acted out.”

According to Amaechi, the topic for the retreat would be presented by Jon Ode, a retired Air Vice Marshall in the Nigeria Air Force, Innocent Chukwuma of the Ford Foundation, and Haruna Abdullahi, a security consultant, even as the session would be chaired by former Police Affairs Minister, Ibrahim Lame.

In a session that will be chaired by a former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, Governors Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State and Sullivan Chime of Enugu State will join their counterparts from Adamawa, Kwara, Nasarawa and Oyo States to discuss the topic, “Overview of the Current State of Agriculture in the States” and “Nigeria Without Oil: Unlocking Agricultural Value Chain,” which will be presented by Babagana Gambo, Victor Okoruwa, Alfred Dixon and Bismarck Rewane.

Governors Ibrahim Dankwambo and Martin Elechi, governors of Gombe and Ebonyi, respectively will discuss the topic, “Building Systems and Institutions that prevent Corruption,” in a session that will be chaired by a former Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Mustapha Akanbi.

They are to discuss the topic, which will be presented by the pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu and Akin Oyebode, a professor, alongside Governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun).

On their parts, Governors Shehu Shema of Katsina State and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State will be discussants on a topic titled, “Improving Access and Quality Education at the Sub-national Level,” which will be presented by Oyesoji Aremu, a professor at the University of Ibadan.

The other governors who will discuss the topic to be chaired by Grace Alele-Willaims, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, are Governors Rabi’u Kwankwaso (Kano), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Mr. Amaechi.

The Forum’s strategic plan for 2014 to 2016 will be adopted at the Lagos retreat, according to the programme.

Naked Jake Gyllenhaal Bare Assed Pops a Tent

Good news for anyone left disappointed by Brokeback Mountain -- Jake Gyllenhaal has finally shown his ass in public.Wearing a caveman beard and some kind of taped-on merkin over his wang, Jake stripped down to the nude while filming a camping scene for his new movie "Everest" in Rome Sunday ... complete with a pan and a tent.It's one of the rarest asses in Hollywood so ... this is a pretty big deal.We'll never watch Bubble Boy the same way again.

Awhful! Cynthia Lynn One of the Last Surviving 'Hogan's Heroes' Stars Dies

Cynthia Lynn -- the actress who played Helga on "Hogan's Heroes" is dead, and it's believed she was one of only two surviving members of the cast.Family members tell TMZ Lynn had been in good health but was taken to the hospital Friday because her leg was swelling up.  Doctors told her she had Hepatitis. On Monday night, her organs started shutting down. She died Monday night.Lynn played Helga -- Klink's secretary -- during season 1, from 1965-66.   "Hogan's Heroes" was one of the most popular shows of its time, running from1965-1971. We did some checking, and Robert Clary ... who played Cpl. Louis LeBeau ... appears to be the final cast regular still living.Lynn also appeared on "Mission:Impossible," "The Odd Couple" and "The Six Million Dollar Man."Lynn was 76 years old.  Cause of death is multiple organ failure.

Yes!!! Chris Brown opens a modeling agency

Chris Brown has turned to a modeling agent. He hasn't quit music, but he has pushed back his highly anticipated new album, X...

Chris made the announcement about the launch of his new modeling agency called Legendary Faces on his Twitter page yesterday. See it after the cut..

Fear of Boko Haram: 250 female students of FGGC relocated

Over 250 female students of the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno in Borno State have been relocated to another school in Maiduguri following recent attacks on public schools in the North by Boko Haram members.

The Principal of FGGC Maiduguri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri yesterday that the students were relocated last week

“The students started coming on March 3, shortly after the mass transfer, they are still coming. As at this morning (Monday), we have about 225 students. But I believe by now the figure will have risen to 250.

“We have already accommodated them in our hostels, especially where we had vacant rooms. Since they are all girls, we have identified an unoccupied three bed-room bungalow for possible conversion into a hostel accommodation for them if their number increases. They were transferred with 70% of their teachers, who have also started reporting for duty,” The principal said.

Manufacturers & Sellers Of Fake Products Face Jail Term In Lagos

Manufacturers and sellers of fake products to consumers in Lagos State will now face a three-month jail term or pay a N500,000 fine or both on first conviction by a court in Lagos. This is the provision of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency Bill signed by Governor Babatunde Fashola into law on Monday at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

Section 37 (1) of the bill says that a person guilty of an offence under this law is liable on conviction to the following fines and penalties: (a) on a first conviction to a fine not exceeding N500,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both; and (b) on any subsequent conviction for the same offence or any other offence under this law, to a fine not exceeding N750,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six  months or both.

Subsection (2) says that if after being convicted of an offence, the person referred to in subsection (1) continues to contravene the requirement or prohibition to which the offence relates, the person is guilty of a further offence on each day that the contravention continues and shall be liable to pay a fine of N20,000 for each day the offence is committed, the law states

So sad Phones of passengers on missing plane still ringing, relatives claim

This Malaysian plane disappearance has to be the most mysterious incident that has happened in recent history. Late yesterday, relatives of some of the passengers on board the vanished aircraft who are lodged in a hotel, claimed they were still able to call the cellphones of their missing loved ones.

Washington Post reports that some relatives said that they were getting ring tones and could see them active online through a Chinese instant messenger service called QQ. One man in particular claimed he could see that the QQ account of his brother-in-law showed him as online, but when he sends a message, he gets no reply. The calls have also not been picked up. This is scary!

Must See Photos From Ghollywood Vs Nollywood Football Match In Ghana

Omg, this is so hilarious. So some  Nollywood actors where in Ghana last week for a football match and they were led by the AGN president, Ibinabo Fiberesima. They had a swell time tho. Toyin Aimakhu lost a penalty and Ibinabo was said to have collapsed at one point. They are must see photos, lol. Btw, the game ended 3-1 in favour of Ghollywood.

Photo Credit: Eternal Photos

Police release images of men who boarded Malaysian Airline with stolen passpost

Malaysian Police have released images of the two men who boarded the missing Malaysia Airlines flight with stolen passports but say one of the men, 19-year-old Iranian Pouria Nur Mohammad Mehrdad, (pictured left) is known to them and they do not think he is a terrorist. 

The police say the teenager is an Iranian asylum seeker on his way to Germany

Malaysian police say the identity of the other man is still under investigation and no longer strongly believes that the missing plane was attacked by terrorists. They say are now looking into four main areas: sabotage, hijacking or psychological problems among either the crew or the passengers.

Nigerian conman jailed 3+years for duping 81yr old pensioner in the UK

40 year old Nigerian man Chris Chidi Dinneya (pictured above) has been jailed for three and a half years for duping an 81 year old pensioner from Cambridge of £300,000 out of his life savings. Dinneya told the old man, who was not named publicly, that he had won the Spanish Lottery and the victim believed that he was set to receive a large payout that he continued to pay even after police launched an investigation. 

Police and a County Council were forced to apply for a court order to take control of the elderly victim's bank accounts to prevent him from sending more cash to the fraudster.

A number of the payments was traced to Dinneya who was promptly arrested. He was convicted on money laundering charges and jailed for a total of three-and-a-half years on March 4.

Samuel Eto'o Celebrate His 33rd Birthday Today!

SO Eto'o this morning posted on his instagram page that he clocked 33 and some of his followers said no it’s a fake age. Some said he is 40, while some called him 51. Someone even said you Eto'o? Old man.

Lol, but forget the age controversies, he is one of the best footballers we have in Africa. So Eto'o we celebrate you and we say HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Dencia lands TV interview with Oprah Winfrey Network

Not a small something o! Dencia is on a roll, mehn! After all the attention she got from mainstream media, now Oprah Winfrey Network wants to interview her for a new documentary film titled 'Light Girls'. Dencia shared a screenshot from a mail she received from OWN on her BBM display picture this morning. Dencia don hammer like joke o! :-)

Luther Campbell To IRS Me Owe You Long Time

The 2 Live Crew song "Face Down Ass Up" pretty much describes the position Luther Campbell finds himself in right now ... because the Tax Man's about to rip him a new one.Campbell -- famous for the 2LC hit, "Me So Horny" -- just got slapped with a $74K federal tax lien.According to IRS docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Luther didn't pay either all or some of his 2012 taxes.Campbell famously fought the government once before and won ... after a federal appeals court threw out a ruling by a lower court judge that the group's album, "As Nasty As They Wanna Be," was obscene.

Mother sells three-day-old baby for N260,000 in Akwa Ibom

According to a report by Punch, a nursing mother in Akwa Ibom named Imaobong Udoh (pictured above) has been arrested for allegedly selling her 3-day old baby girl for N260,000. Full report below

Also arrested along with Imaobong were four persons for allegedly participating in the theft of the baby.

They are the buyer, Mrs. Regina James; her husband, Mfon James; the traditional birth attendant who delivered the baby, Mrs. Comfort Henry; and Mr Emmanuel Okon, a homeopathic doctor, who arranged the sale.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Gwadabe, said in Uyo on Monday that the father of the baby had reported the theft to the police, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

Gwadabe said, “On March 3, 2014, a case of child stealing was reported by Mr. Eteobong James, of No. 33 Urua Ekpa Road, Itu Local Governmnet Area, to the police, where a three-day-old baby girl was sold for N260, 000.

“Based on the report, the suspects were arrested.

“Mr Emmanuel Etim Okon, was the one that arranged the infamous deal and personally conveyed the baby from the point of delivery at Nna-Enin in Uruan Local Government Area to the buyers at No. 37 Church Road, Uyo.”

The police boss explained that Regina allegedly paid N150,000 to the mother of the baby and N110,000 to Okon, the homeopathic doctor, for his services.

The commissioner stated that the accused would soon be arraigned in court and warned child thieves to steer clear of the state.

He explained that the state would not be conducive for their illicit trade.

Husband of the buyer, James, who spoke with PUNCH METRO said when his wife told him she was pregnant, he gave her money for ante-natal care, but was surprised to hear that she bought the baby.

He said, “l am a trader. My wife, Regina, told me she was pregnant and I gave her money for ante-natal. One day, she told me she was in labour and later informed me that she had been delivered of a baby girl.

“I did not know she bought the baby since she has given birth to four children, though three died.”

However, the homeopathic doctor said Regina brought the mother of the baby, Imaobong, to him so that he could take care of her during ante-natal.

He said Regina had explained to him that the father of the baby was not financially buoyant to take care of her.

He denied collecting N110,000 from Regina, stating that he only collected N30,000, which was the cost of delivery of Imaobong’s baby.

“When Regina brought Imaobong to me, she told me that the man responsible for the pregnancy was unable of take care of her.

“The N30,000 I collected from her was for the upkeep of Imaobong before and during delivery of the baby. I did not collect N110,000.”

Photos: Nigerians in Germany protest against the Nigerian Govt

Nigerians in Germany yesterday March 10, protested against the Nigerian government financial recklessness and insecurity in the country. The protest took place on Neue Jakobstrasse, the street that lodges the Nigerian embassy.

The protest which started by 10am had the German police on ground all through the protest which lasted for four hours. Continue...

Fliers which served as cahier de doleance were distributed to passers-by and the embassy callers. The fliers read:

“168 Million Nigerians are under siege. At the mercy of a reckless, fascist government that has made corruption its deadly official policy. The Nigerian people demand sanctions and travel bans on political officers and global attention to the economic terrorism. There are 100 million destitute Nigerians while government officials loot billions of US Dollars every year. We call for global attention to the crises to the largest African nation and a very important nation in Africa and the world. What affects one man, affects all men”.

The group of Nigerians also bore placards with messages like: 

‘It is easier to find a needle in a dark room than to find 20 Billion Dollars in Nigeria’; ‘Boko Haram kills innocent citizens, Nigerian government celebrates centenary. Hundreds of Nigerians (Including school children) dead within a week’

At the end of the protest, two Embassy officials also gave the assurance that the message of the protest will be conveyed to the government.

The officials were also informed that plans are in top gear to mobilize for protest whenever the President and/or his wife are in Germany on their ritual medical trip.

Genevieve Nnaji & Mikel Obi Signed As Amstel Malta Ambassadors

Genevieve Nnaji and football star, Mikel Obi are now brand ambassadors for Amstel Malta. Even though Genevieve and Mikel just appeared in a new movie- the journey which was sponsored by Amstel Malta to inspire young ones, the actress also confirmed it at the just held AMVCAs that she is now a brand ambassador for the company. We say big congrats to the superstars!

Justin Bieber -- VIDEOTAPED DEPOSITION -- Like You've Never Seen Him ... And It's Bad

Justin Bieber can be insulting, arrogant, snotty, ignorant and disrespectful ... and all in one sitting -- because that's exactly what he was like during his deposition last week in the lawsuit where his bodyguard allegedly beat up a photog.TMZ obtained a copy of the entire 4 1/2 hour, videotaped depo ... and it's just unreal.  We've boiled it down to what we think are the best 4 clips.1.  ARROGANT BIEBER -- He just can't hide his contempt for the photog's lawyer, and it comes out in pretty awful ways.  We put some snippets together and you'll get the idea.  It represents his attitude throughout the depo.2.  LOVESICK BIEBER -- Selena Gomez is clearly a hot button, because when the lawyer asks about her, everyone goes nuclear.  Bieber eventually rips his mic off and he and his lawyer storm out.3.  CONTENTIOUS BIEBER -- He compares his interrogation to being grilled by Katie Couric or "60 Minutes."  Simply hilarious.4.  DISRESPECTFUL BIEBER -- When asked if Usher discovered him, Bieber disses his mentor and says he was actually discovered on YouTube.  The best part ... he clearly was trying to say he himself was instrumental in his success, but instead he says, "I was detrimental to my own career."Truer words have never been spoken.

Photo: Olamide & Boo Coupled Up In Timberland Boots

Olamide is one of the many celebrities who does not hide his love for his girlfriend. The rapper who is in London teamed up with his girlfriend, Aisha who is said to be from a good Muslim background, and they have been touring Uk for his shows together. Cute couple!

I Still Love You! John Dumelo’s Alleged Wife Writes Him On ‘Their Anniversary Day’

Oh dear! Harrina Alexander who claims she is married to John Dumelo and even posted their marriage certificate online last year is not giving up yet on him. Though John denied the marriage and said it was for a movie role, Harrina said John was lying and he had better come out with the truth. Anyway, today is supposed to mark their marriage anniversary, and Harrina writes John an open letter. You see this is why I love Naija, there’s no way a lady would be claiming she is married to a popular actor, and her friends won’t come up with more evidence against him. You no go try am now. When evidence go full ground? Lol…read her message and see more beautiful photos of her after the cut. Poor Harrina!

To my husband on our anniversary march 11, 2014.

When I look back at how we began;

the laughter and love that we shared,

I smile at all the ways we loved and we dared

to dream of a wonderful future together

and how we promised this was forever

And I try to recall the moment when

things started to change;

Just what it could’ve been

to cause our happiness to slip away,

And though I may never find the answer

I do know one thing for sure;

I still love you now

as much as I did then

and I don’t know how

but we can get through this

I’m not ready to give up on us

You’re still my one true love

To my husband John Dumelo

All I want for this anniversary is for you to

Be honest to everyone about our marriage.

You keeping silent and going around telling

Everyone you are not married is not being a good

Role model as you call yourself.

People look up to you, I am asking you this from my

Heart be honest.