Halliburton Scandal: Buhari May Jail IBB, Abdulsalami, Jubril Aminu

The Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami has disclosed that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government may soon initiate probe into the Siemens and Halliburton bribery scandals.The scandal involves a number of prominent Nigerians, including former military Heads of State, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Senator Jubril Aminu, who were accused of collecting bribes to award multi-million dollar contracts to the two foreign companies.

Malami revealed, that the current government had not closed any criminal case being investigated in the country.He also refuted claims that Buhari was afraid of taking up the Halliburton and Siemens cases because the key suspects were top military leaders.Malami stated that the President was not afraid to do what is right in the interest of Nigerians.

The AGF while noting that the President had zero tolerance for corruption, stressed that the current administration would not close any corruption case.According to Malami, the government would observe the rule of law in its pursuit of corruption cases in the country.“No extraneous influence can influence our actions as we move to fight corruption in all its ramifications. To be noted also is the clear fact that no criminal case can be closed once the facts are handy regardless of who is involved,” Malami said

Rats may go on Extinction in Nigeria

As part of the measures to contain Lasa in Nigeria, over 4, 000 rats have been killed at  six major Markets in lagos. Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Lagos State chapter stated this on Monday under its de-rat market programme.
Its president, Mr Samuel Akingbehin said that his association carried out the exercise at Onigongbo, Oshodi, Oke-Odo, Ikotun Idanwo, Ojuwoye and Mile 12 markets.He said that de-rating the markets was part of the association’s efforts to curb the spread of Lassa fever in the state."The exercise is strategic in our efforts toward the prevention of communicable diseases," he said.Akingbehin appealed to traders from across the state to show an understanding towards the efforts of the association to rid the markets of rats and rodents.He said that the plan was to de-rat markets in one local government area per day starting from 5.00 p.m.The association decided on this time to allow traders and buyers transact their legitimate businesses."We also decided to put the exercise in the evening due to the nocturnal nature of rodents and our members had recorded successes in the markets visited till date."It took us about three hours to cover the Oshodi market when our members went there for the exercise. Today, Monday, we will be visiting Suru-Alaba Market in Orile-Ifelodun LCDA by 5.00 p.m. with about 400 EHOs to de-rat it."We are still calling on all other executive secretaries of the local government areas to assist us toward the elimination of rodents in our markets and our environments," he said.

High Demand of Rat Poison in Nigeria

KANO Sales of rat poison have taken off in Nigeria following an outbreak of Lassa fever that has left at least 76 people dead and sparked fears of contagion across the country. In the northern city of Kano, the capital of one of 17 states where the haemorrhagic virus has been recorded, there have been "unprecedented" purchases of the pest control product. The head of the city's chemicals traders, Shehu Idris Bichi, said sales have have increased four- fold since the outbreak was first announced earlier this month. "Traders are doing brisk business because people are making unprecedented purchases of the product to rid their homes of rats that cause the disease," . Abubakar Ja'afar, who works in Kano's largest market, said he had never seen sales so high in his 20 years in the trade, with traders in other cities reporting similar increases in sales. "I used to get between five and 10 clients a day but now I get at least 30 customers... people you don't expect because of their social status," he said. "Lassa doesn't discriminate between the rich and the poor," he said. Vendors using megaphones and hawking their wares on carts have become commonplace. "I was making up to 500 naira ($2.5, 2.3 euros) a day but now I make between 2,000 naira and 4,000 naira every day," said one, Awwalu Aminu, 40, in Kano. 

DEATHS
 Nigeria's health minister Isaac Adewole said earlier this week 212 suspected cases have been recorded of Lassa, which is endemic in rats in west Africa. Outbreaks are not uncommon and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are between 100,000 to 300,000 infections in west Africa every year, with about 5,000 deaths. In 2012, there were 1,723 cases and 112 deaths in Nigeria. Last year, 12 people died out of 375 infected, according to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control. The virus is spread through contact with food or household items contaminated with rats' urine or faeces. Africa's most populous country was praised for its containment of Ebola in 2014, despite initial fears it could spread rapidly in densely populated urban areas after the first case in Lagos. But while the government maintains it has the spread of Lassa under control, specialists have voiced concern about under-reporting and Nigeria's capacity to deal with the outbreak. The first case dates back to last August in the northwestern state of Niger but was not detected until late last year. Public awareness campaigns have since been mounted and surveillance ramped up of primary and secondary contacts of those with the disease. The government has also blasted a "culture of silence" and vowed sanctions against medical professionals who fail to inform the authorities of suspected cases.

 REFUSE COLLECTION 
Lawan Bello used to ignore rats in his home, bothering more about the damage the rodents could cause to personal effects such as clothing, furniture and food. But the latest outbreak — and the wider publicity about its spread — has changed his attitude."Every few days I buy rat poison and use it in my home to kill rats and I will continue until my house is free of them," he said. "I'm scared of Lassa and that has made me hate rats the most." Killing rats may be one solution to the problem but effective waste disposal has long been a major problem in Nigeria's big cities. "Everywhere you turn you see heaps of refuse which provides a breeding ground for rats," said Idris Musa, a community health worker in Kano. "Rats breed fast and it is very difficult to beat rats' breeding rate with rodenticide". In 2007, Kano was producing 2,000 tonnes of garbage every day but refuse collectors could only clear 800 tonnes, according to the city's refuse disposal agency.

American Airlines flight diverted to St. John's with injured passengers

Seven people were sent to hospital Sunday night after an American Airlines flight was diverted to the St. John's, N.L., airport on its way from Miami to Milan.American Airlines Flight 206 experienced brief but severe turbulence, which left three flight attendants and four passengers with injuries. It landed safely in St. John's at 9:46 p.m."I'm just happy to be alive. It was scary," passenger Gustavo Canda, who was travelling to Abu Dhabi, said.
 "I was just praying the whole time because it was scary." According to passengers, all the injured people were at the back of the plane. Passengers said that some of the flight attendants had been standing up when the turbulence occurred."It rolled on its side. Everything went flying. It was pretty intense," said passenger Karen Case, who said the plane dropped twice."I really thought that was it."

Case said that people were screaming, while flight attendants tried to calm people down.Canda said that some people on the flight passed out from the turbulence, and that some needed oxygen masks. Although he travels about once every three months, Canda said he's never experienced turbulence like he did Sunday evening.

Injured passengers being assessed

Passengers said the turbulence started three to four hours after takeoff and that the flight landed in St. John's more than an hour after the turbulence occurred.
The seven injured people have been transported to the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's for further evaluation."We are taking care of our passengers and crew, and we are working on next steps to get them safely to their destination," a spokesperson for American Airlines said in a statement.
There were 203 people on board the Boeing 767 — 192 passengers and 11 crew members. American Airlines officials say the seatbelt light was on when the flight encountered turbulence.According to the Transportation Safety Board, the turbulence happened over United States airspace so it is under U.S. jurisdiction. 

Passengers to stay in St. John's

Remaining passengers are being processed through customs and will stay at the Delta Hotel in St. John's overnight.Case said she's grateful to be safe on the ground, regardless of where she is.
"I was very thankful. You say your prayers and you want to come here," she said.Passenger Jill Nelson-Debord said she's glad to be in Newfoundland."Always wanted to come here, maybe not under these circumstances," she said, laughing.The American Airlines website says the flight is leaving St. John's for Milan at around 8 p.m. Monday evening.

Huntington Hills gunman shot dead by Calgary police

The suspect in a Calgary shooting incident has been shot and killed by police following a lengthy standoff that closed several blocks of a northwest community for hours Sunday evening, police confirmed in a release.Several police units and a helicopter were involved after police received a report of gunfire at about 4:40 p.m. local time in the northwest section of Huntington Hills.Police had cautioned residents near the 1000 block of 78th Avenue N.W. to take cover in their basements.Dozens of officers were dispatched to the scene, Duty Insp. Peter Siegenthaler said at a news conference late Sunday evening.
The suspect had discharged several rounds from his home, Siegenthaler said.He said it was a "miracle" that no one else was hurt.Police said the situation escalated to the point where police shot and killed the suspect.The suspect was known to police.A resident who lives about 150 metres from the subject's house says it was a tense situation.
"It was scary," according to Brennan  "We are not from Canada and we are not used to gun violence, and everywhere we seem to move in Calgary somebody is getting shot or something crazy is going on."Another resident says it was unsettling.
"It's a little too close to home," said Ken Cooper, who has lived in the community for about 10 years.He says aside from the odd noise complaint, it's a quiet community."Police come up the street now and again, but very seldom do we get stuff like this happening,"Cooper says he heard about half a dozen shots that he believes were from the police.
Brennan says he used to be a police officer in Ireland before moving to Canada."I heard five shots and it sounded to be from a pretty small calibre gun from where I was," he said.He says he was out walking with his wife and 14-month-old daughter when an officer in an unmarked car told him to go home and stay inside in the basement."We have lived in four different places in Calgary," Brennan said. "And my wife just said once we leave here we are going home, we are not moving anywhere else [in Calgary]."

Non-Remittance Of Recovered Loot: Reps Threaten To Arrest EFCC Boss -

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee, investigating alleged fraudulent practices in the collection and management of non-oil revenue remittances by MDAs, has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, if he fails to appear before the Committee, on Tuesday, to account for the revenue collected and remitted to the Federation Account. The Committee had, on Thursday, walked out representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control, NAFDAC, because their Directors-General were absent at a meeting in the National Assembly.Expressing his dissatisfaction with the absence of the DGs of the two agencies, the Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, Rep Chike John Okafor, said some government agencies treat the National Assembly with disrespect especially in honouring invitations during the course of oversight functions.Okafor said that if the EFCC Chairman fails to appear on Tuesday to give account of the money the commission collected on behalf of the Federal Government and how much had been remitted to the coffers of government, the Committee would have no other option than to issue a warrant of arrest on him.He condemned the absence of the DGs of NDLEA and NAFDAC, who sent representatives, as they were said to be having a meeting in the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, wondering if the NSA by law was more important than the National Assembly.

Niger Delta Militants Give 31 Days Dateline For

Niger Delta ex-militant leaders in support of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) struggle have given Federal Government 31-day deadline to free the leader of the group and Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, or face the consequences.Also, the former warlords warned security agencies against tampering with the life of the IPOB leader, who is detained at Kuje Prison. Spokesperson of the concerned ex-militants, simply identified as General Ben, warned that at the expiration of the ultimatum, they would resume massive abduction of expatriates as a first step.The spokesperson declared that Federal Government should not underrate the activities of the militants in the Niger Delta, no matter the number of soldiers deployed against them.He fumed: “The ex-militant leaders in Ebeocha IPOB are warning the Federal Government and are giving them 31 days to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB and Director of Radio Biafra.“We are giving Federal Government deadline; if they fail to release him, the country would be vandalised. He is fighting a just cause. Nothing should happen to him and Federal Government should not forget what we can do,” he threatened.They accused the Federal Government of marginalising a section of the country, pointing out that the approach of the Presidency on issues bordering on the entire geo-political zones were treated unjustly and with bias.Speaking on the recent invasion of the homes of their colleagues by security operatives, General Ben said the action was meant to intimidate them. “Federal Government wants to use that way to harm us. But we are warning that the (FG) should not forget our capabilities.They think we can be intimidated by that approach. No way!“Federal Government should know that the detention of Nnamdi Kanu and raid of the residences of our colleagues are enough reasons to collapse the society.”“It is sad. We are not happy because things are not working the right way in the country. We are marginalised and hunted.We are saying ‘enough is enough’. We are no longer interested in this country again,” he declared.

Nollywood Actor and Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo Drags President Buhari To Court!

Barrister and actor, Kenneth Okonkwo has sued President Buhari to Court over ministerial appointments. The suit which comes up in the Federal High Court, Abuja with suit no: FHC/ ABJ / CS / 34 / 16 was to compel the President to appoint an indegene of the FCT as a Minister in Nigeria.
Kenneth said : On November 11th, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated 36 ministers from the 36 states of Nigeria without appointing an indigene of the Federal Capital Territory as Minister.
This is unconstitutional and discriminatory and has led to tensions in the FCT as the indigenes are becoming restive. All efforts to get the President to appoint an indegene of the FCT failed hence the need for this suit to compel the President to do the needful and avert a possible break down of law and order with catastrophic consequences in the FCT.

Hillary Clinton's Email Exposed

At least one of the emails on Hillary Clinton's private server contained extremely sensitive information identified by an intelligence agency as "HCS-O," which is the code used for reporting on human intelligence sources in ongoing operations, according to two sources not authorized to speak on the record.Both sources are familiar with the intelligence community inspector general’s January 14 letter to Congress, advising the Oversight committees that intelligence beyond Top Secret -- known as Special Access Program (SAP) -- was identified in the Clinton emails, as well the supporting documents from the affected agencies that owned the information and have final say on classification.

According to a December 2013 policy document released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence: This designation "is used to protect exceptionally fragile and unique IC (intelligence community) clandestine HUMINT operations and methods that are not intended for dissemination outside of the originating agency.”It is not publicly known whether the information contained in the Clinton emails also revealed who the human source was, their nationality or affiliation.

Dan Maguire, former Special Operations strategic planner for Africom, said the disclosure of sensitive material impacts national security and exposes U.S. sources."There are people’s lives at stake. Certainly in an intel SAP, if you’re talking about sources and methods, there may be one person in the world that would have access to the type of information contained in that SAP,” he said.It is not known what the impact was on the source, nor the findings of a damage assessment by the agency that controlled the source.Separately, it was learned that the so-called "spillage" of classified information is greater than the “several dozen” emails identified in the January 14 letter to Congress, which also acknowledged for the first time, that the Clinton emails contained intelligence beyond Top Secret, also known as Special Access Programs (SAPs).

The source said that the "several dozen" refers to the main or principal email thread identified by reviewers, not the number of times that classified information was forwarded, replied to or copied to people who did not have a “need-to-know” using unsecured communication channels -- in this case a personal server.  More than one Special Access Program was affected."It's pretty tough to have SAP program material out in the public domain. I mean, it's a huge foul if that occurs,” said Maguire, who retired after 46 years of service, and who was involved with Special Access Programs throughout his career. 

Maguire says a damage assessment to the program is mandatory and immediate."It's a fairly laborious investigation. Once you know something was out to one person, that person sends it to 15, 15 send it to someone else -- so it's very difficult to ascertain where it all went but that's all part of the damage control aspect to get all the information back in the box."

The two declarations provided to the heads of the House and Senate Intelligence committees -- as well as the leadership of Senate Foreign Affairs with oversight for the State Department -- include the emails containing SAP intelligence, as well as supporting documents from the agency affected, showing how they reached the determination it came from one of its sources, and not from publicly available information.