Britain's Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg Opposes UK's £3,000 Visa Bond

The British Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg has vowed to jettison plans to charge 3,000 pounds from foreigners belonging to certain "high risk" nations such as Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh before they are allowed to enter Britain.

Mr Clegg dismissed the ‘silly’ ad vans warning illegal immigrants in London to ‘go home’ and insisted they would not be rolled out across nationwide.

He said:

‘I am absolutely not interested in a bond which becomes an indiscriminate way of clobbering people who want to come to this country and in many respects bring great prosperity and benefits to this country. Of course not.

‘But on immigration let me be clear. Clearly to create a tolerant society people need to have confidence in the way in which the immigration system is run.

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Wow! Arik Flight En Route To London Makes Emergency Landing As Nigerian Woman Gives Birth On Board

Arik Air flight is in the news again and this time its not a stowaway teenager in the tyre compartment rather the aircraft served as a delivery center for a pregnant Nigerian woman.

The Arik Air flight with over 100 passengers en route to London Sunday was forced to make an emergency landing in Palmas, Spain, as a woman went into labour and gave birth while the aircraft was airborne.

The pilot was said to have requested the emergency landing on the advice of two doctors who were on board the aircraft and had helped the mother deliver the baby. After the birth of the child, the mother, whose identity has so far been withheld, was said to have experienced excessive hemorrhaging, necessitating the emergency landing.

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Public Service Announcement: Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar Is Now A Blogger

Naija's latest blogger

This is a screen grab of our dear former VP's blog called ''ATIKU My Thoughts And Opinions''

You can check it out HERE.

Welcome to the club sir!

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American Visa Lottery: Nigerians Are No Longer Eligible For 2015 US Visa Lottery Program

Wow...this is a very serious one o. These are the instructions stated on their website:

See the list of countries whose natives are eligible for the DV-2015 after the cut...

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A Must Read: ''Nigeria In The Eyes Of A Briton'' ...British Journalist

A British journalist, who is also a BBC reporter, David Hayward  visited Nigeria and captures his impressions about our dear country.

Read his write up below:

Earlier this year, I was approached to do some media consultancy in Nigeria. I’d just left the BBC after 18 years, to set up my own business, so this seemed a great opportunity.  I spoke to a number of friends and former colleagues. I’d heard many stories about Nigeria, seen the reports on Boko Haram and had my own impressions of sub Saharan Africa.

The advice fell into two camps:

a) Don’t go, you’ll get kidnapped or catch malaria. Either way, you’re going to die

b) Nigeria is a nightmare. When you arrive, you’ll be swamped by hustlers trying to rip you off, steal your luggage and all your money. If they don’t get you, the corrupt police officers and officials will.

I was mainly to be based in Asaba, the capital of the Delta State, one of, if not the biggest, oil producing states is Nigeria. In an attempt to be a bit more thorough with my research than asking a few old mates, I contacted the office of BBC Media Action in Abuja.

The fairly pragmatic response was: “We treat the Delta State as a hostile environment. It’s an oil producing area and there is a strong risk of kidnapping. However if you have armed security, this risk will be slightly reduced”. I took this to be reassuring and made sure an armed security clause was written into my contract. I spent some time talking to my wife Jo and children about the prospect of going to Nigeria.

Jo’s attitude was: “For God’s sake, this is exactly what you love doing. The more dangerous a place the better the stories. You’ll be able to show off and bore people senseless about roadblocks, men with guns and how brave you are”.  Buoyed by this I accepted the work and prepared for Asaba. I got my visa, all the vaccinations I could fit into my arm and made sure I had a small mountain of malaria tablets.

I really didn’t know what to expect from Nigeria. It’s easy to fall into preconceptions that Africa is all about war, famine, corruption and poachers killing endangered animals.

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''How I Was Kidnapped, Life In The Hands Of My Abductors And My Release'' ...Chief Mike Ozekhome

The lawyer and human right activist narrated his sad tale to his friends, fans, relatives, men, women and children who came to jubilate with him and his family at his Lagos residence.

How It All Happened

Wonder how his ordeal started? “Now our ordeal began on Friday August 23, 2013. I was not travelling in the night. I want Nigerians to know the danger that we are into. I was not travelling in the wee hours of the morning. I left Benin some minutes after 2pm in the afternoon, under a scotching sun. I was on my way to my town, Ujugwe in Edo State to see some friends. I was still on the phone when I ran into the kidnappers. I had wanted to leave there and attend a friend’s chieftaincy title in Delta State, after which I was to proceed to Calabar for the Nigeria Bar Association annual meeting.

“I had already paid the registration fee and in fact, my hotel had already been booked but all these were not to come to pass. Because of the callous security situation of Nigeria that has made Nigeria very unfit for the citizens and investors. We ran into a vehicle which already had been used to block the road and my driver said…that reminds me, God bless my driver.

I didn’t mention his name, Chinedu; he went through the entire ordeal with me. Young man, I adopt you as my son. God bless you; he is in Benin now. My driver said to me “Oga ebi like say na armed robbers ooo.” Then I said turn the car. As he put it on reverse, a gun was on my head. Automatic weapon, and they said to me, don’t move, if you move an inch, we blast you. I told Chinedu, ‘don’t move.’ They dragged me out of the car, dragged Chinedu out of the car, shot the trye of the vehicle, put Chinedu in the booth of the car and put me inside the car.
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Farida Waziri’s Scandalous Letter To Obasanjo Where She Allegedly Begs For Her Job And Promises To Deal With His Detractors

The muck thrown up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s interview on Zero Tolerance, a publication by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) isn't going away anytime soon.

In a strongly worded statement released earlier this week, former boss lady at the EFCC, Farida Waziri warned Obasanjo to stop peddling falsehood or else she would “open up on him”.

And now a scanned letter, purportedly from the Waziri’s desk as incumbent chairman of the EFCC started making the rounds last night. In the letter Waziri begs Obasanjo to help her retain her job, pledges her loyalty to him, promises to deal with his detractors on his behalf....just read the letter yourself after the cut...

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Strange But True: Thunder And Lightning Kills 4 Men In Nasarawa

Four persons were killed on Friday when lightning struck at Mechanic Village in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

An eyewitness said that the incident occurred at Bukan-Sidi around 7:05 p.m. when the four men were about leaving their workshop following a downpour.

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Edo Technology Day 2013: Governor Adams Oshiomhole Launches Open Data Portal

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State cuts the tape to commission the State's Open Data Portal, the first in Nigeria, with him is the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Mobolaji Johnson and Mrs Yemi Keri. Managing Director, Information and Communications Technolgy Unit, Edo State.

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has launched Open Data Portal  programme with an assurance to eliminate waste and corruption in governance.

The Governor said the technology will improve transparency, accountability and restore confidence in governance.

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RIP: Former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Agagu Slumps And Dies At 65

Former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Kokumo Agagu passed on after he slumped on Friday evening around 6pm.

The former Governor’s death was confirmed by Ayo Fadaka, the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State. He was 65.

Dr Agagu was the Deputy Governor of Ondo State in the botched Third Republic, when he served with Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua. When Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999, Dr Agagu was appointed as the Minister for Aviation.

He was sworn in as the Governor of Ondo State on May 29, 2003, a position he held till February 2009 when the courts ruled that he did not win the 2007 governorship election held in the state.

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400 Level 'Nnamdi Azikiwe University' Student Arrested For Ingesting 25 Wraps Of Cocaine

One Mr. Awka Anambra, a 400-level student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University,  was arrested this week at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu State, for ingesting 25 wraps of male condoms filled with cocaine.

He is the first person person to be arrested in the newly commissioned international airport.

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Federal Government Denies Ordering 53 Gold-Plated iPhones

The Federal Government has denied the allegation that it ordered 53 gold-plated iPhones for the country’s 53rd independence anniversary celebration and described the allegation as entirely false and figment of the imagination of the authors.

The denial, was made in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati...see the statement below:

We consider the reports in a section of the media claiming that the Nigerian government had ordered customized gold iPhones from a Dubai-based company to mark the country’s 53rd independence anniversary in October not only false and misleading, but utterly mischievous. 

It is instructive that despite the refutation of the story by the company, which ought to have laid the mischief to rest, a number of politically-minded news media continue to insist on promoting the blatant falsehood. We deplore their antics as yet another attempt to use any trick or means possible to discredit President Jonathan’s well-meaning, hardworking and focused administration.  

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Edo State Government Secures Admission For Stowaway Boy In Top Secondary School

Edo State Government has secured admission in one of the state’s top secondary schools for 13-year-old Daniel Oikhena, who stowed away in the tyre compartment of an Arik Aircraft from Benin to Lagos on Saturday August 24, this year.
According to Governor Oshiomhole

“He is an intelligent young man with uncommon challenges, but one that has a vision. We had him examined by people who should know and the result confirmed that he is normal”.

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UPDATED: Lawyer And Human Right Activist Mike Ozekhome Released

Two weeks after Human Rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome was abducted by suspected kidnappers, the activist, this morning ,regained his freedom.

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President Goodluck Re-appoints 9 Interim Ministers To Replace The Sacked Ones

The President Goodluck Jonathan is yet to give reasons for today's cabinet reshuffle which took the nation by surprise but there are insinuations that it was politically motivated. Though he said there is no political undertone to the sack of the ministers.
And now some Ministers who survived today's Cabinet Reshuffle have been assigned to the affected ministries. And they are:

Labaran Maku (Minister of Information) -  Ministry of Defence

Nyesom Wike (Minister of State for Education) - Ministry of Education

Darius Ishaku (Minister of State for Niger Delta Development) - Ministry of Environment

Musa Sada (Minister of Solid Mineral Dev) - Ministry of Lands, Housing & Urban Development

Omobola Johnson ( Minister of Communication Technology) - Ministry of Science and Technology

Bashir Yuguda (Minister of state, Works) - Ministry of National Planning.

Akinwumi Adesina (Ministers of Agriculture) - Ministry of State for Agriculture

Chinedu Nebo (Minister of Power) - Ministry of Power for State

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Federal Government Sacks Education Minister, Minister Of Power, And 7 Other Ministers

For reasons that are yet to be revealed, the President Goodluck Jonathan's administration has sacked nine serving ministers. And they are: Education minister - Ruqayat Rufai. Minister of Power, State - Zainab Kunchi. Minister of Agriculture, State - Buka Jinani. Minister for National Planning - Shamsudeen Usman. Minister Science and Technology - Ita Okon. Minister at Foreign Affairs - Olugbenga Ashiru. Minister for Lands - Ama Pepple and Minister of Environment - Hadiza - Mailafia.

Details to come!

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New PDP Lifts Suspension On Amaechi

The suspension of Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been lifted by the new PDP.

The new PDP said it lifted the suspension because the order was not ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC) after 30 days of its announcement by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP as contained in the party’s constitution.

Newly elected national youth leader of the splinter PDP, Comrade Timi Frank said:

“Today we have a new chairman in Alhaji Baraje and national leader Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that understand the party’s constitution, this was why the suspension order on Governor Amaechi was lifted in line with the party’s constitution that any suspension must be ratified within 30 days and this was not done.

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Governor Of Nairobi Gives Female Protester A 'Dirty Slap' Before The Camera

Evans Kidero, the Governor of Nairobi, had just finished meeting with President, Goodluck Jonathan who signed several bilateral agreements with Kenya's president, Uhuru Kenyatta when he assaulted a female representative of their workers union.

According to reports, the woman, Rachael Shebesh was at the forefront of a protest by Nairobi City County workers who were demanding for better pay. 

Shebesh had joined a group of striking workers at the antechamber of the governor's office when he opened the door of his office and gave her a dirty slap...just like that.

Meanwhile Governor Evans has apologised to Shebesh:

"Shebesh and her goons attacked me. It was an unfortunate reaction by me. I am sorry about this ugly incident and I apologise to Shebesh," Kidero told the Star.

You can watch the video of the Governor slapping the woman after the cut...
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2013 World Happiness Report: Nigeria Is The 5th Africa's Happiest Country

The happiest people in the world apparently reside in northern Europe, according to a 156-nation survey published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden are the world's happiest countries while Rwanda, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Benin and Togo -- all nations in Sub-Saharan Africa -- are the least satisfied with their lives, the report said.

On the list of Africa's Happiest Countries, Angola came first which was followed by Mauritius, Algeria and Libya. While our dear country Nigeria came 5th place.

It was gathered that thousands of people were quizzed with questions such as:

“Did you feel well-rested yesterday? Were you treated with respect all day yesterday? Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday? Did you learn or do something interesting yesterday?”

Check out the full list of Africa's Happiest Countries after the cut:

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Miss World Beauty Pageant Moved To Bali After Muslim Protests In Jakarta

The final of Miss World later this month will take place on the Hindu-majority holiday island of Bali instead of near the capital, after days of Muslim hard line protests.

Thousands took to the streets this week to denounce the decision to hold the beauty pageant in the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, with protesters burning the organisers in effigy and branding them "infidels".

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