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Foremost traditional ruler, Oba Oyelude calls for support for Nigerian Army

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Foremost traditional ruler, Oba Oyelude calls for support for Nigerian Army

Foremost traditionalist and the Olowu of Owu Kuta, Oba Hammed Adekunle Makama Oyelude, has called for total support for the Nigerian Army on the war against terrorism.

The Olowu was reacting to a report in the media which indicted the Nigerian Army for war crimes in countering Boko Haram and other threats to the country.

The monarch said the report, which accused the troops of war crimes was mischievous and disheartening, considering the sacrifices the soldiers have made in restoring peace back to the nation.

Oba Oyelude, while addressing a press conference on Thursday at his ancestoral Palace, implored Nigerians irrespective of political affiliation or convictions to come together and resist the cheap blackmail against our Army.

He said, “At this critical time in our nation’s history, I consider it mischievous and malicious the timing of the release of the said report, and the usual double standard of the so called Amnesty International in demoralizing our patriotic Army.

“We were thrown into mourning some weeks ago, when our soldiers were slaughtered by insurgents.

“This resulted in low morale among troops and one must acknowledge all efforts put in place by the present administration and previous ones in motivating the Army to do its job.

“I believe the only way to go is for Nigerians in rare show of patriotism to reject this assertion and keep supporting the ongoing efforts of the present government through the Army and other security agencies in protecting the integrity and sanctity of our sovereignty.

“I call on all patriotic Nigerians to rise up against the agent of Colonialism under the disguise of pseudo Human Right Organizations , because their usual numerous activities have always been injurious to our fighting force, the Nigerian Army is our national pride,
Long Live the Nigeria Army,” he added.

Nigeria to revamp hospitals to curb medical tourism

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Nigeria is exploring better ways of re-equipping and making public health institutions efficient in order to save foreign exchange drain arising from medical tourism.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said a news briefing to commemorate the ”5th World Universal Health Coverage Day,” in Abuja on Wednesday.

The theme for the commemoration is ”Unite for universal health coverage” and the slogan – ”Now is the time for collective action’’.

Ehanire said the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and its partners had developed an operational platform for ensuring that every citizen had access to affordable and comprehensive care in a timely manner.

He said that the ministry and its agencies as well as partners were guided by a common vision and goal for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

He said that efforts were currently on-going to kick-start the first phase of UHC in Abia, Osun, Katsina, Yobe, Edo and Federal Capital Territory.

”We have worked to ensure that routine immunisation coverage has risen from 48 per cent to 57per cent. We continue to distribute and educate citizens on the use and maintenance of the long lasting insecticidal-net.

”Another step is the development of a national health insurance scheme for all Nigerians at all levels with robust citizen participation to build confidence.

”FMOH is also working on a universal medical emergency services and ambulance scheme to assure free and immediate emergency treatment of all victims of accident and emergency situations,” he said.

The minister added that the government was deeply committed to increasing investment in Nigeria’s health system to strengthen and improve service delivery.

Nigeria loses huge resources to its citizens travelling out of the country in search of better medical care because of the inefficiency of services in the country.

A-Class celebrities throws weight behind Buhari

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By Timothy Aiyeku

Some prominent Nigerian Celebrities have pledged their support for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The celebrities including former Nigerian football stars, Daniel Amokachi, Peter Rufai, Garba Lawal and artistes Korede Bello, Jide Kosoko, Iyanya, Joke Silva, DJ Jimi Jat made the declaration while receiving awards for excellence from Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari.

Aisha Buhari, presented the awards to the footballers, musicians as well as Nollywood actors for their contribution to the development of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

She made the presentation during an event organised by the Buhari Support Organization tagged “Together Nigeria” aimed at galvanising support for the re-election of President Buhari in the 2019 general election.

The event was organised to showcase the achievement of the Buhari administration in the last three and half years.

In their separate responses after the award, the celebrities declared their support for the re-election of President Buhari.

Amokachi, said the Buhari administration has achieved a lot in the fight against corruption.

He also said the fight has been gradually changing the narrative of Nigerians in the international community.

The footballer said, Buhari has laid a solid foundation for the betterment of future generation of Nigerians.

Kosoko said, his support for President Buhari is unshakable considering the successes recorded by the administration especially in the area of social investment programme.

Christmas: Night trading begins in Enugu

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Barely two weeks to Christmas celebration, dealers in all kinds of Christmas items have taken over major markets and pedestrian walkways in Enugu, at night, to make brisk business.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  correspondents who visited some of the markets and shopping malls in Enugu report that most of the traders were seen selling brocades, jewelry, shoes and sandals.

Other items include ready-made clothes, weave-on, balloons and the traders stay deep into the night.

Many of the traders were seen ringing bell to attract passersby, wooing them with discount prices at the major strategic locations in the area.

A trader in Ogbete Main Market,who gave her name as Mama Akano, said that she decided to display her wares on the pedestrian walkways to attract civil servants returning from work.

Akano said that she had a shop inside the market but that the festive atmosphere associated with the season motivated her to stay beyond the 5:00p.m and do extra business to earn more money.

She said that the market closes 5 p.m, adding that the night trading afforded her the opportunity to increase her daily sales, noting that traders at the market hardly made good returns.

“I open shop by 10:00a.m. every day and till 5:00p.m. I hardly make N2, 000 profit.So, I decided to be selling at night, and this has improved my daily profit,” she said.

Another trader, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiogu, said that he opted for night trading due to the penchant of most residents of Enugu for trading into the night.
Ejiogu said that though he had a paid job, “I decided to sell foot wears this season in order to meet my financial needs.”

NAN further reports that hairdressers at Ogbete Market have been swell time making fast business as most of them stay up to 8:00p.m., a development many of them described as unusual.

Criticism of Buhari: Sen. Adamu knocks Obasanjo

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By Timothy Aiyeku

Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District, has expressed concern over the manner former President Olusegun Obasanjo, criticised President Muhammadu Buhari.

Adamu, who stated this while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, said Obasanjo’s criticisms of Buhari was not dignifying.

He was reacting to a recent report credited to the former president, where he said he was not neutral regarding his support for a specific presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections.

Adamu said: “while he is entitled to criticise and also campaign against the re-election bid of Buhari, he should not be pedestrian in doing that.

“What was Obasanjo’s record in office when he ran this country first from Feb. 1976 to Oct. 1979, and subsequently from May 1999 to May 2007.

“Would there have been the desperate and notoriously corrupt bid for a third term in office that was witnessed by Nigerians if he had a good record by then,” Adamu said.

According to the Senator, under Obasanjo’s watch, most of Nigeria’s strategic investments were sold without much to show as returns to the nation.

“No Nigerian of repute who knows Obasanjo’s antecedents will be surprised at his current criticism of Buhari.

“He is going off the line of fair comment in this circumstance, and I believe eminent citizens of this country need to call him to order,” he said.

Buhari to reward hard work, loyalty

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President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated “Together Nigeria’’, a support group and assured his supporters that handwork and loyalty would henceforth be adequately rewarded.

The event was organised by the Buhari Support Organisation.

Buhari, who expressed gratitude to the organisation, said, “some individuals and organisations might be feeling disappointed because we have not been able to please everyone.

“I would like to assure you that this time, handwork and loyalty will be rewarded adequately.’’

According to the President, the event reminds him of the political struggle and support he has been enjoying from the group over the years.

He, therefore, endorsed the plan put in place by the Buhari Support Organisation to reposition the organisation and strategise towards success in the next election and beyond.

“This once again gives me further encouragement, hope and optimism in our political journey,” Buhari said.

While acknowledging the overwhelming nationwide support he has been enjoying over the years, Buhari said his administration was already celebrating the landmark achievements so far recorded.

He expressed gratitude to the group for sensitising Nigerians to the successes recorded by the governing All Progressive Congress (APC).

He also expressed appreciation to the Nigerian celebrities for their contributions to the growth of the country’s entertainment industry as well as projecting the good image of Nigeria abroad.

“I would like to thank our celebrities for projecting the image of Nigeria globally and your contributions to our entertainment industry,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ‘Together Nigeria’, which is made up of Nigerian celebrities, is an advocacy group supporting the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

President Buhari’s remarks at the Launch of “Together Nigeria’’.

PROTOCOLS:

It is with great pleasure that I welcome all of you to this memorable event.

2. Let me first congratulate and thank the organizers of this event for putting this together in a very special way. I feel happy to see people from different backgrounds coming together for a common cause such as this. I am particularly happy to be here face to face with some of our celebrities whom I only see on television.

3. Tonight’s event once again reminds me of our political struggles over the years and the support I enjoyed from many support structures such as The Buhari Organization (TBO) and Buhari Support Organization (BSO). I am happy that today we are not only celebrating our election victory but our numerous land mark achievements.

4. I have listened and I acknowledge with delight the story of Buhari Support Organization (BSO) past, present and future from previous speakers. In particular, I commend the plan to reorganize and reposition the organization towards the forth coming election and beyond. This has once again given me further encouragement, hope and optimism in our political journey.

5. At this point, I would like to acknowledge the over whelming support I enjoyed from individuals and organizations across the country over the years. I say thank you to all those who contributed to our successes in one way or the other.

6. Some of you, individuals and organizations, may be feeling disappointed because we have not been able to please everyone. I would like to assure you that this time hard work and loyalty will be rewarded adequately.

7. Finally, I wish to thank the TOGETHER NIGERIA Group for educating the world about our good work and achievements. I will like to also thank our celebrities for projecting the image of Nigeria globally and for your contributions to the development of our entertainment industries.

8. To our teeming supporters across the country and beyond I say thank you for your continuing and unrelenting support.

9. I wish all of you present here safe journey back to your various destinations.

Buhari To Present 2019 Budget Proposal To NASS Next Week

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President Muhammadu Buhari will on Wednesday next week present the 2019 appropriation bill to a joint session of the National Assembly.

This was announced on Thursday in a letter sent to the National Assembly and read on the floor of the House by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara.

“May I crave the kind indulgence of the House of Representatives to grant me the slot of 11 hours on Wednesday, 19th December 2018 to formally present the 2019 appropriation bill in a joint session and lay before the NASS the 2019 budget proposal.

“Please accept, Mr Speaker the assurances of my highest regards as I look forward to addressing the joint session,” President Buhari said in the letter.

Dunamis Church storms IDPs camps in Plateau State with relief materials (PHOTOS)

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Days after its commission, news about the 100,000-capacity Dunamis International Gospel Centre continues to resonate.

The newly commissioned edifice, the largest of its kind in Africa (or world) was tagged the Eighth Wonder of the World.

For many in Christendom, the magnificent worship centre is inspiring, even as they marvel and give glory to God and kudos to the church and her leadership.

However, what many don’t know is the unending humanitarian work of the ministry that has been going on silently for many years.

A recently conducted investigation has uncovered several developmental projects conceived and executed by the ministry.

The church, under the leadership of its founding and senior pastor, Dr. Paul Enenche, and his wife, Dr. Mrs. Becky Paul-Enenche, had commissioned not fewer than 25 of such projects across the country, spreading across towns and villages.

The church has been succor to victims of various calamities who ended as Internally Displace Person (IDPs).

In this charitable exercise, Dunamis ministry even surpassed the federal government in the provision of relief materials to victims.

This was further confirmed on December 8, 2018 during a Sunday service by a Plateau State indigene who stormed the Dunamis Glory Dome to thank the church for coming to the aid of the community with relief materials.

According to the visibly excited Plateau native, who gave his name as Joel Choji, the IDPs from community are grateful to God and thankful to the Enenche-led ministry for the items they donated.

He said, “I want to give testimony to the glory of God on behalf of my community for what this church and the Senior Pastor have done for our community.

“Recently, the crisis in Plateau State wiped away our community and Daddy sent relief materials to the IDP camps.

“I was in Jos last week and they called me and were celebrating. They asked me to tell my pastor that they are grateful for the items he sent. They said this is how church is supposed to be (sic).
“They told me that even the churches where they worship did not send any relief material to them,” he said.

His testimony further reinforced the statements of Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, Benue State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, who earlier this year affirmed that the revered clergy and the church brought reliefs for the IDPs in Benue in a proportion that surpassed the federal government donation.

A source in the church confirmed that Dr. Enenche had placed an embargo on publicity of any sorts regarding the church’s charity activities.

Hence, a lot of the church’s outreaches go unsung. According to him, the minister is a man of great modesty, whatever good the church does should be kept away from the limelight and public glare and would be rewarded publicly by God.

Interestingly, findings by our reporter have confirmed that the ministry actually embarked on this particular humanitarian act on October 8, 2018 even while in the heat of preparation for the Glory Dome dedication. This is just one set of the so many similar outreaches by this ministry over the years.

In the wake of the plateau crisis truck loads of relief materials were distributed by the church to the major IDP camps in Angludi, Riyom and Heipang areas of the state.

Among some items sighted by this reporter included hundreds of bags of rice, over 500 mattresses, cartons of noodles numbering over 200, slippers, detergents, sachet tomatoes, toiletries, wears and several others.

Here are some of the pictures we obtained.

 

 

 

Amnesty International accused of working against Nigerian military over war crimes report

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A human rights body, Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria, has accused Amnesty International of planting fictitious stories against the Nigerian military.

Recall that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had in a report released on Monday, claimed that Nigerian Security Forces (NSF) have committed war crimes against humanity.

The ICC report claimed it had received “a total of 169 communications” from Nigeria and its assessment has shown that security forces in Nigeria have committed war crimes varying from murder, torture, and intentionally attacking the civilian population.

However, the Army dismissed the allegations, describing it as a figment of the writer’s imagination.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/12/12/nigerian-army-speaks-guilty-war-crime/

Speaking on the development, the body accused the Amnesty International of planting the report to cause confusion in Nigeria and as well rubbish the efforts of the Nigerian military.

Onuoha G.C Esq, Executive Director of the coalition at a press conference on Wednesday, dared the organization to present the kind of evidence it claims to have before the ICC so that the world would see if they would stand up to scrutiny.

He said, “In recent days, we have observed the intensification of a campaign of calumny being run by foreign NGO, Amnesty International against the Nigerian Military.

“The main talking points of the renewed campaign are: “Nigerian Military has committed and is committing human right abuses. Nigerian military is shielding terrorists.

“These are false claims that have been made repeatedly in the past to an extent that right thinking people have learnt to not set stock in them. If Amnesty International has the kind of evidence it claims to have the natural order of things would have been for it to present them before the ICC so that the world would see if these claims would stand up to scrutiny.

“What is playing out however is for the same old hogwash of launching this kind of propaganda each time the Nigerian Military is making gains against Boko Haram terrorists or any other group that is troubling the Nigerian state.

“For a few weeks in the last quarter of this year, Boko Haram terrorists, with some unknown internationally injected support, attacked several military outposts and caused casualties in some instances yet there was no whimper from Amnesty International to call for international outrage against the killings.

“We advise Amnesty International to focus on what it needs to do, which is to make atonement in all the countries of the world where it has sowed the kind of discord it is trying to sow in Nigeria.

“It has been in the business of lying against armies that stand against terrorists while doing everything to shield the terrorists from retribution. It is no wonder that even the NGO is a victim of its own evil enterprise.”

US tags Boko Haram terrorists ‘particular concern’

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US tags Boko Haram terrorists ‘particular concern’

The United States has announced the designation of the Boko Haram terrorist group as an entity “of particular concern”.

The U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in a statement, designated Boko Haram alongside the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), al-Qa’ida and al-Shabab.

Pompeo also designated Saudi Arabia, Iran, Burma, North Korea, among “countries of particular concern”, while Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan were placed on “special watch list”.

”On November 28, 2018, I designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated ‘systematic, ongoing, (and) egregious violations of religious freedom.

”I also placed Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated ‘severe violations of religious freedom.

”Finally, I designated al-Nusra Front, al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa’ida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern,” Pompeo said.

The U.S. top diplomat regretted that in far too many places across the globe, individuals continue to face harassment, arrests, or even death for simply living their lives in accordance with their beliefs.

Pompeo said: “The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression.

”Protecting and promoting international religious freedom is a top foreign policy priority of the Trump Administration.

”In July, I hosted the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which brought together some 85 like-minded governments and more than 400 civil society organisations to harness global attention and motivate forceful action to advance respect for the human right of religious freedom”.

According to him, safeguarding religious freedom is vital to ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity.

”These designations are aimed at improving the lives of individuals and the broader success of their societies.

”I recognise that several designated countries are working to improve their respect for religious freedom; I welcome such initiatives and look forward to continuing the dialogue.

“The United States remains committed to working with governments, civil society organisations, and religious leaders to advance religious freedom around the world,” Pompeo said.

The Boko Haram terrorist activities have claimed thousands of people’s lives, and affected millions of families, leaving behind huge humanitarian crises, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

“The humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria that has spilled into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger, is one of the most severe in the world today.

“In North East Nigeria, 10 years of conflict has left more than seven million people in dire need of help in the three worst-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

“About 1.8 million people are internally displaced. People need food, water, shelter and health services,” the UN agency said

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