Crisis rock in Ado-Ekiti

Following the killing of the former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ekiti State Mr. Omolafe Aderiye yesterday night at a close range, Members of NURTW has taking over the state distrupting activities causing crisis this morning leading to the burning of properties including that of the opposition party secretariat building of APC situated at Ajilosun area of Ado-Ekiti.

Mr. Aderiye, a strong supporter of Governor-elect, Ayodele Fayose was part of Mr. Fayose’s team that attacked a state high court judge on monday and earlier that same day he was shut. As a result of the second attack on the court, the Chief Judge in State Justice Ayo Daramola has shut down indefinitely all court proceedings.

Nigeria Government defends $9.3m cash seized in S-Africa, releases data on transaction

Federal Government yesterday opened diplomatic discussions with South African authorities on the seizure of $9.3m illegally imported by two Nigerians and an Israeli citizen to purchase arms on behalf of Nigerian security services. The Nigerian government insisted that the deal was legal. This is just as National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, whose private jet, a Bombadier Challenger 600 marked N808HG, was used to convey the money has denied any involvement in the alleged deal. It was gathered that the Federal Government has released data and documents on the transaction process to South Africa, thereby confirming that the entire operation involving the aircraft was ‘genuine’.

We further learnt that as a result of the preliminary diplomatic talks which were convincing to the South African authorities, the private jet may have been released to the Nigerian government pending the conclusion of a comprehensive investigation by South Africa. According to findings, the Bi-Focal diplomatic talks with South Africa were both at governmental level and exchanges by intelligence services of the two nations. Sources said the diplomacy also covered sharing of vital security information to prove that the deal was necessary. It was gathered that the South African Government only faulted “non- declaration” of the cash by the delegation from Nigeria. The source said: “Nigeria and South Africa are getting closer to diplomatic resolution of the row over the $9.3m transaction. The two nations have opened discussions. “The Federal Government has submitted relevant data and documents on the transaction to South Africa and insisted that the transaction was legitimate. “It also clarified that the funds were neither laundered nor smuggled for any covert manoeuvres. No launderer will be audacious to fly into a country in a chartered jet with such huge cash. “The technical details on security matters, which necessitated the deal had been availed South Africa for screening. “Based on initial scrutiny of the documents, the Challenger Jet has been released pending conclusion of a full-scale investigation by South Africa.” Asked why South Africa impounded the cash, the source added: “There was procedural error at the airport, the team did not declare the $9.3million contrary to the aviation and Customs laws of South Africa. So, there was an oversight on the part of the delegation that went to complete the transaction. “Nigeria is trying to complete the formality and we are confident that the cash will be released for the purpose it was meant for.” The source added that, “Movement of cash for strategic purchase of security equipment by intelligence services is not new; it is a global trend. The FBI, KGB, MOSSAD and others do it.” I have no hand in arms deal—Oritsejafor Meanwhile, the National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, whose private jet, a Bombadier Challenger 600 marked N808HG, was used to smuggle $9.3m into South Africa for alleged purchase of arms for the security services has denied any involvement in the alleged deal. Denying any involvement in the use of the aircraft to smuggle money into South Africa, Pastor Oritsejafor in a statement yesterday, said the private jet has been on lease to another company, Green Coast Produce Limited since August 2 this year. The statement signed by one Bayo Adewoye on behalf of Pastor Oritsejafor said, “the Word of Life Bible Church has been made aware of the recent media interest regarding an aircraft (Bombardier Challenger 600, Registration No N808HG) owned by Eagle Air Company in which our Pastor, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, holds a residual interest. On behalf of Pastor Oritsejafor, we can confirm that although he holds an interest in Eagle Air, the aircraft in question is not operated by Pastor Oritsejafor. The aircraft owned by Eagle Air Company, has confirmed that since 2nd August 2014, the aircraft has been leased to and is operated by Green Coast Produce Limited. This is a standard practice in the industry. Any and all enquiries in respect of the day-to-day operations of this aircraft are properly directed to the management of Green Coast Produce Limited. A separate statement issued by Eagle Air Company signed by Mr Emmanuel Ohaeri also directed all enquiries in respect of the day-to-day operations of the aircraft to the management of Green Coast Produce Limited. How plane was chartered, by Green Coast Produce In its own response, Green Coast Produce Company Limited, in a statement signed by Dr Shima Adun said, “A Bombardier Challenger 600 aircraft Registration No N808HG was leased to us, Green Coast Produce Company Limited, on the 2nd of August 2014. We have since that time been running and managing charter services with the aircraft in accordance and compliance with global best practices. On the 5th of September 2014 the aircraft was hired from us by a John Ishyaku. The charter to John Ishyaku was upon the following documented terms: *Depart Abuja-Johannesburg on the 5th of September 2014; *Return to Abuja on the 6th of September 2014; *To wait and return with the passengers. “The said terms are normative within the industry. “As with every other aircraft charter company, our knowledge of the cargo carried on the aircraft was in accordance with the information provided by ABC Limited. All cargo were accompanied by passengers who could readily defend the contents. We are not and can not be privy to any alleged extraneous cargo transported on the aircraft other than that declared in the agreed terms of hire. We are not liable and cannot be construed as a party to any alleged infractions, either in Nigeria or South Africa as the case may be, after the hire of the aircraft. “We issue this statement without prejudice to any statutory or commissioned investigation being conducted or to be conducted in South Africa or Nigeria. Plane left Abuja Sept 5 According to reports, the jet departed Abuja on Sept 5th and when it arrived South Africa, Customs officers became suspicious when the passengers’ luggage was unloaded and put through the scanners. The officers then investigated and found three suitcases full of cash. The passengers then told Custom officials that they were acting on behalf of the Nigerian intelligence service and provided documentation confirming they had come to South Africa to buy weapons for the Nigerian Security Services. Spokesperson of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), Marika Muller in a statement said the money was seized at Lanseria airport, north-west of Johannesburg. The statement said “the passengers’ luggage was searched after Customs officials detected irregularities. The money was detained as it was undisclosed/undeclared and above the prescribed legal limit”. The funds are being held at the central bank as police investigate, SARS spokeswoman, Marika Muller said. Also, South African airport security spokesman Solomon Makgale confirmed that a police investigation was going on but declined to give further details

Synagogue link collapsed building with departing plane from the Airport

Pastor T.B Joshua of Synagogue Church, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos explains how the building collapsed While addressing journalists on saturday, in a session in which cameras and all forms of electronic recordings were disallowed, Pastor Joshua blamed the building collapse on terror attack after the church showed a clip taken from CCTV footage showing events that took place before and after the six-storey building collapsed.
From the footage, a plane was seen hovering in the sky four times-11:30 am, 11:43 am, 11:45 am and 11:54 am- before the building went down without something extraneous triggering it. After the plane hovered the fourth time in the sky, the structure collapsed at exactly 12:44 pm.
In his explanation after showing the footage, Joshua said the building might have collapsed as a result of terror attack, saying, “In few weeks, the truth behind the collapsed building will be revealed. The last time the Boko Haram issue occurred, some journalists and the police were against the church, but, after some weeks, the truth behind the attack was revealed.”
A critical look at the video footage shows plane's that has just departed from the Airport (Murtala International Airport) but the phase used by the church edited-CCTV video saying "strange aircraft" and repeatedly saying "the strange aircraft return". My question to the church analyst is that, if a plane should return would the plane not fly through the same route or rotates over the building like a plane waiting in the air at the Airport for a clear run-way...
The country awaits the Synagogue Church to come out and tell Nigerians if the building was approved by the Lagos State Government.

The blood of survivors could helps in treatment of Ebola

As West Africa struggles to contain the biggest ever outbreak of Ebola, some experts say an unusual but simple treatment might help: the blood of survivors. The evidence is mixed for using infection-fighting antibodies from survivors' blood for Ebola, but without any licensed drugs or vaccines for the deadly disease, some say it's worth a shot. "This is something that's fairly simple to do," said Dr. Peter Piot, director of London's School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the co-discoverer of the Ebola virus. Using blood of survivors is one of the experimental Ebola treatments under discussion at a two-day meeting that began Thursday in Geneva. The more than 200 experts assembled by the World Health Organization are looking at issues of safety and effectiveness and considering which treatments should be prioritized for testing during the current outbreak. There are about a half dozen medicines and vaccines in development. None has been rigorously tested in humans but early testing of one vaccine began this week in the United States. Much attention has focused on the untested drug ZMapp, which was given to seven patients, two of whom died. But the limited supply is now exhausted and its developer says it will take months to make even a modest amount. In contrast, WHO's blood network, an international group of blood regulators, noted there are thousands of survivors from past Ebola outbreaks in Africa who could be tapped as a source of survivor blood. The group recently issued a paper on how the strategy might be used. It said blood from survivors should be considered experimental and it recommended studies be done during the outbreak. Some scientists think antibodies in the blood of Ebola survivors could help patients infected with the deadly disease. Antibodies are produced by the body's immune system to fight off harmful things like viruses; they remain in the blood ready to fight off any future infections by the same foreign substance. Piot said it is vital to find out if the blood treatment is effective. "I hope this is the last Ebola outbreak where all we have is isolation, quarantine and supportive care to treat patients," he said. Experts say blood from survivors could be collected and processed for multiple patients, or a survivor could donate blood to an individual patient. Both methods require screening the blood for diseases like HIV or malaria. While direct donation would be easier, the levels of Ebola- fighting antibodies produced by a survivor can vary. Ideally, experts said, the amount of antibodies should be measured. "With drugs, you can at least do some quality control," said Tom Geisbert, an Ebola expert at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. "If you're just taking blood blindly from (survivors) without testing it for antibody levels, how can we predict what outcome they will have?" In West Africa, there have been no organized attempts to use the blood of survivors to treat patients. Blood from a 14-year-old boy who survived Ebola was given in July to American doctor Kent Brantly, who was infected in Liberia. Brantly also got some ZMapp and was released from an Atlanta hospital last month. It's unknown whether the drug or the boy's blood aided his recovery. Blood from survivors of diseases including Ebola, bird flu and anthrax has been used in the past when doctors ran out of options and seems to work best in diseases where there's a toxin, like anthrax and tetanus. For treating Ebola, "you would need to come up with how much you should give, how long, and what's a safe infusion rate," said Dr. Michael Kurilla, director of BioDefense at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. "If you know what the potency of the serum is, you could theoretically help the body clear Ebola out of their cells before it can do too much damage." Dr. Colin Brown, who recently worked in Ebola clinics in Sierra Leone for King's College London's partnership with the country, said local hospitals should be able to provide survivors' blood if doctors want to offer it. So far, more than 3,000 people have been infected. Last week, WHO estimated there could be another 20,000 cases before the Ebola outbreak is stopped, a figure Brown described as unfortunate but realistic. "It does give us the opportunity to try some new therapies," he said. "And as long as they are not harmful, why shouldn't we try to do something, hopefully help some patients and learn from this?"

Atiku Abubakar Announces Presidency Bid

Nigeria's former vice-president Atiku Abubakar on Friday became the first high profile politician to announce his candidacy for the presidency at next year's general elections. Abubakar, who was deputy to Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, is seeking to be the main opposition All Progressives Congress's candidate (APC) at the February 14, 2015 vote. A formal declaration will be made on September 24, his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said in an emailed statement. Primaries for the parties' candidates begin in October, according to an election commission timetable. "This is not about me, it is about our young people. It is about Nigerians," the 67-year-old Abubakar said. "It is their future, not the past. It is about reforming government, securing the people and reconciling the nation." Abubakar, from the northeastern state of Adamawa, was in government as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and made two unsuccessful bids for the presidency in 2007 and 2011. He announced in February that he was joining the APC because he said the PDP of President Goodluck Jonathan "cannot be redeemed", as it had not improved governance or tackled corruption. "We need leadership focused on our people, on creating jobs (and) providing security. That's why I am joining the APC," he said at the time. Divisions along religious, ethnic and regional lines had increased "for political gains" and the ruling party had abandoned ordinary Nigerians. The APC in contrast was "a party of change", he added. Political analysts have said that the PDP, never out of power since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999, faces a strong challenge from the opposition at next year's vote. The APC ranks have been strengthened by the defection of powerful state governors and lawmakers, many of them from the Muslim-majority north, unhappy that Jonathan may run again. They claim that Jonathan, a southern Christian who has not yet outlined his intentions, reneged on a promise to serve only one term.

N65 Charge On Third-party ATM Withdrawals Takes Effect Today