Boko Haram frees abducted women, girls rumoured married off to insurgents

The Boko Haram insurgents, who reportedly abducted about 50 women and girls from two border villages between Adamawa and Borno states have freed the women among their captives. This was disclosed in an interview by villagers, who spoke on the issue with newsmen on the telephone from their hide-outs. They however, said that the exact number of those released could not be ascertained, but that no fewer than 45 girls were still being detained. According to the villagers, the women and girls were abducted from Waga Mangoro which was between Gwoza in Borno and Madagali in Adamawa states. Relatives of some of the abducted women who were later released by the insurgents also, told newsmen in Yola that some of the girls have been turned to cooks while others were married off immediately to some of the insurgents. A relative to one of the women who spoke on the condition of anonymity said; ”Initially, the insurgents captured 80 girls and women whom they later loaded into their vans and zoomed off into the bushes. Later in the night, the insurgents separated the elderly women from the girls and released the women, who are now languishing in the forest because they could not relocate the towns because they were razed down by the insurgents. “We are confused that hours after the so called cease fire agreement between the Federal Government and Boko Haram insurgents, our girls are still being abducted by the insurgents. “We are at a loss about government’s insincerity on the whole issue and we urge them to rescue our daughters without further delay as we are ready to die searching for our missing ones.

Laide Bakare welcomes her third child

Popular Yoruba actress, movie producer and record label owner, Laide Bakare has delivered baby number three, her second son to new hubby, Alhaji Oriowo. Laide made the announcement early hours of Wednesday in a Blackberry broadcast. Yes! Yes!, it’s a boy, it’s a boy. My boy arrives exactly 4;30 pm American time in New York nice weather on Tuesday. I am the happiest person in the world. Laide has been in the States for months now for the sole purpose of having her child. Laide, popularly reffered to as Alhaja Tio Common, had her first child, a girl, for her first husband, Mr Okunfulire.

Oscar Pistorius Sentence update

Judge Masipa sentences Oscar Pistorius to 5 years in prison. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to five years in jail for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The double-amputee sprinter, 27, admitted killing the model and TV presenter at his home in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year. He said it was a tragic accident when he mistook Reeva for an intruder and opened fire on his bathroom door. But Pistorius was arrested and charged with murder. Following a two-month trial, he was acquitted but found guilty of culpable homicide. Today, Judge Thokozile Masipa sentenced him to five years in jail. He was also given a three-year suspended jail sentence for a separate firearms charge. More updates later..

UN contacts Nigeria on Ebola containment

The UN, on Monday, said it was in touch with Nigerian authorities, through the World Health Organisation on how it contained the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease. The spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane DuJarric, said this while briefing UN correspondents in New York. The briefing followed the WHO official declaration of Nigeria as Ebola-free after 42 days with no new cases. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the WHO representative, Rui Vaz, who spoke in Abuja, said it was a “spectacular success story.” He said, “Nigeria won the praise for its swift response after a Liberian brought the disease to Lagos in July.’’ NAN reports that the WHO also officially declared Senegal Ebola-free on Friday. At the Monday briefing, Dujarric said Nigeria’s success story could be copied to successfully contain the disease in West Africa. He added, “Nigeria’s success story means that Ebola can be stopped with functional health service and commitment.’’ NAN recalls that in September, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, had commended President Goodluck Jonathan for Nigeria’s efforts at containing the spread of the virus in the country. Ban Ki-Moon gave the commendation at a meeting he held with Jonathan on the sideline of the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly. In a related development, Ban’s spokesman, DuJarric, said the trust fund set up by the Secretary-General now had $8.8m in deposits and $5m in commitments. He said in total, $43.5m was pledged. He added that the UN secretary would continue to urge countries to redeem their pledges as soon as possible. Meanwhile, DuJarric said a UN female staff in Sierra Leone had passed away at the weekend from EVD.

Pastore thrilled as Thiago Silva closes in on PSG return

Javier Pastore believes the return of Thiago Silva after two months on the sidelines is a big boost for Paris Saint-Germain. The Brazil international has been out of action this term after suffering a thigh injury in pre-season action against Napoli in August, but has been named in the squad to face APOEL in the Champions League this week.

FG supplies more relief items to Chibok

The Federal Government on Monday gave additional relief items to Internally Displaced Persons in Chibok, Borno, to further cushion the hardship in the area. Alhaji Muhammed Kanar, the North-East Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, said in Yola, Adamawa, that the items were given in compliance with the directive from the presidency. He said the agency was currently taking care of registered 10,376 IDPs in Chibok and its environs. He also said experts from the Safe School Initiative (SSI) also accompanied NEMA team to conduct needs assessment on schools destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in the area. The coordinator assured that the agency would provide boreholes to ease the perennial shortage of drinking water in the affected communities. “President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the agency to supply additional intervention items to Chibok community. “Items supplied include 1,200 bags of 10 kgs rice, 1,000 blankets, 500 mosquito nets and 500 mats, cooking oils and 500 bags of maize. Receiving the items on behalf of the community, the District Head of Chibok, Mr Modu Zanna, who was represented by Alhaji Lawan Yerima-Amdan, thanked the presidency for the gesture. He, however, appealed to the government to expedite action on the release of their abducted girls. “We thank President Goodluck Jonathan for identifying with us; we hope that he will intervene on the issue of our girls,” Zanna said.

WHO declares Nigeria Ebola-free

Nigeria has been declared officially free of Ebola after six weeks with no new cases, the World Health Organisation says. Africa’s most populous country won praise for its swift response after an infected Liberian diplomat brought the disease there in July. The WHO officially declared Senegal Ebola-free on Friday. The outbreak has killed more than 4,500 people in West Africa, mostly in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. An estimated 70 per cent of those infected have died in those countries. Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to discuss how to strengthen their response to the threat posed by Ebola. European countries have committed more than 500m euros (£400m; $600m) but the UK is pressing to double that amount. The money is being sought to help reinforce over-stretched healthcare systems in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and to mitigate the damage Ebola is doing to their economies. Ahead of the talks, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier suggested the EU could send a civilian EU mission to West Africa that would serve as a platform for sending medical staff. Another diplomat said there were plans for three countries to spearhead aid to the region – the UK for Sierra Leone, France for Guinea and the US for Liberia. Earlier, the Spanish government said a nurse who became the first person to contract Ebola outside West Africa had tested negative for the virus.

Algeria denies border guards firing at Moroccans

Algeria on Sunday denied the shooting on a group of Moroccans on the border with Algeria near the city of Oujda. “Moroccan civilians threw stones at the Algerian border guards, who responded with two warning shots in the air without targeting anybody, and I confirm there were no injuries,” Algerian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abdelaziz Benali Cherif was quoted as saying by local TSA news web. “These kind of incidents are common,” he added. The Moroccan government said on Saturday that Algerian forces fired on a group of Moroccans on the border, seriously injuring one citizen in the face. Morocco has summoned the Algerian ambassador in Rabat for explanations over the incident. “The Moroccan authorities fabricated this incident,” the spokesman said. The two countries have tense relations and the borders have been closed since 1994. The lasting diplomatic coldness between Algiers and Rabat is mostly provoked by the disagreement between the two countries over the issue of the Western Sahara. Algiers supports self-determination for the Sahrawi people, while Rabat insists that the Western Sahara is part of Moroccan territories.

Neuer: Bremen thrashing the perfect warm-up for Roma

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer believes this weekend's 6-0 Bundesliga win over Werder Bremen was the perfect warm-up for Tuesday's Champions League game away against Roma. Two goals apiece from Philipp Lahm, Mario Gotze and one each from Thomas Muller and Xabi Alonso helped the Bavarians to a comfortable win on Saturday and Neuer is confident they will be ready for the Serie A outfit. "We were first class and it was a perfect warm-up for Roma," Neuer was quoted as saying on the official Bayern website. Nevertheless, the Germany international has warned his team-mates that the Stadio Olimpico outfit will not be pushovers and has stressed they cannot afford to lose focus in defence. "Winning at their place will be tough. "We'll need another strong defensive display in order to bag the full three points." Bayern currently sit atop of Group E with six points from two games, while Roma follow in second place on four points. Both sides last met in 2010-11, when the German champions recorded a 2-0 home-win, but were beaten 3-2 at the Olimpico.

US airdrops supplies to Syrian Kurds as Kobane battle rages

US military aircraft have dropped weapons, ammunition and medical supplies to Kurdish fighters battling Islamic State (IS) militants in the key Syrian town of Kobane. US Central Command said C-130 transport aircraft had made “multiple” drops of supplies provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq. US air strikes have helped push back IS in the town near the Turkish border. Correspondents say the airdrops are likely to anger key US ally Turkey. The drops of supplies provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq were “intended to enable continued resistance against Isil’s attempts to overtake Kobane,” CentCom said in a statement. IS is also referred to as Isil and Isis. All the aircraft involved had returned safely, it added. US forces say air strikes have slowed IS advances into the town, CentCom says US forces have conducted more than 135 air strikes against IS in Kobane. The strikes began in early October. “Combined with continued resistance to Isil on the ground, indications are that these strikes have slowed Isil advances into the city, killed hundreds of their fighters and destroyed or damaged scores of pieces of Isil combat equipment and fighting positions,” the Centcom statement said. However, it added that IS fighters continued to threaten Kurdish forces’ ability to resist and hold the city. “Kobane could still fall,” it said. Senior Washington officials said the airdrops had involved three planes and 27 bundles of supplies. On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would not allow Kurdish fighters to receive any transfers of American arms. Turkey has resisted calls to help the Kurds fighting in Kobane, describing them as terrorists like the Kurdish militant group the PKK.

Ogun musician, Faycol dies during own baby’s naming ceremony

A musician, Feyitayo Oyetade, who is famous in her base, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has died.

The singer, who goes by the stage name, Faycol, died on Tuesday, the same day as her newborn baby’s naming ceremony.

Faycol reportedly slumped in the bathroom as she prepared for the ceremony. She died before any medical attention could reached her.

The 25-year-old got married earlier this year to her music promoter and manager and recently gave birth to a boy.

The remains of the musician were buried on Wednesday in Sagamu town, Ogun State.

WHO declares Senegal Ebola-free

 Senegal is officially free of Ebola, with the benchmark of 42 days without the disease having passed without any new cases, the World Health Organization said Friday.

“WHO officially declares the Ebola outbreak in Senegal over and commends the country on its diligence to end the transmission of the virus,” the UN health agency said in a statement.

My Marriage Is Nobody’s Business – Monalisa Chinda

Rivers state-born beautiful actress, Monalisa Chinda has replied the rumors going round about her back to her ex, Dejo Richards.

The University Of Port Harcourt Theatre Arts graduate has addressed the  rumors that she is making a reconciling move to reunite with her former husband, Dejo Richards.

Air France plane isolated in Spain over Nigerian passenger

An Air France plane has been isolated at an airport in Madrid after a patient was reported to have a fever and shivers.

The situation is being treated as a suspected case of ebola, a health ministry official was quoted as saying.

There were 156 passengers on the flight from Paris, according to local officials and media reports.

Airports operator Aena and Air France said in separate statements that a passenger on Air France 1300 from Nigeria, via the French capital, had started shaking during the flight.

Photos: Tony Tetuila takes his campaign to his ward in Kwara State

Singer turned politician Tony Tetuila, who is

running for Kwara State House of Assembly,

Irepodun LGA, is currently in the state to meet

with Oro Ward 2 leaders and other women leaders

in his local government, who welcomed him with

open arms. See more photos after the cut..

Edwin Okon excited with Falcons victory

Head coach of Nigeria's senior women team, Edwin Okon has praised the performance of his team against Zambia while revealing that the ultimate dream is to reclaim the African Women Championship title. The Super Falcons whitewashed their Zambian counterparts 6-0 in their second Group A game at the Sam Njouma Stadium on Tuesday in Windhoek. A brace from Desire Oparanzie and a goal each from Ngozi Ebere, Oshinachi Ohale, Asisat Oshoala and veteran Pepertua Nkwocha ensured the Super Falcons booked their place in the last four of the tournament. "I am excited for booking the ticket to the semifinal stage but it is not yet over. Our eyes are on the ball and we are looking to get to the final and win the Cup for a record seven times," Okon said. "Like I said earlier before the game, we are going to take it one match at a time," he concluded. Super Falcons will next face debutants and hosts Namibia on Friday, October 17, 2014.

Mercy Johnson delivers baby NO 2 in US

Nollywood star actress has delivered her second child, this time, a bouncing baby boy after baby Purity, her first child a couple of years ago. The curvy actress gave birth today at around 8am Nigerian time at St Joseph Hospital University of Maryland, Baltimore. Mother and child are reportedly doing fine. However, a source said that the husband, MR Okojie, who is from a royal family is overjoyous from pulling a boy off the actress and set to make this celebration ‘something special'.

Walcott close to Arsenal comeback

Theo Walcott is in contention to make his first Arsenal appearance after nine months in Friday's Under-21 Premier League clash with Blackburn. Walcott has not featured for the Gunners since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in January's 2-0 FA Cup win over Tottenham, and also missed England's disappointing World Cup campaign in Brazil with the injury. But the 25-year-old returned to first-team training on Monday and, barring any setbacks, could be included in Arsenal's Under-21 squad to take on Rovers at Boreham Wood on Friday evening. Serge Gnabry may also feature for the Gunners, having participated in Monday's session as he continues his recovery from a knee injury which has sidelined him for the start of the season. A further boost for Arsene Wenger comes with the news that club captain Mikel Arteta is back in training after missing matches against Galatasaray and Chelsea with a calf injury, while Aaron Ramsey's recovery from a hamstring problem is also progressing well. Neither, however, are in contention for Saturday's Premier League clash with Hull City and Wenger remains cautious on the status of Mesut Ozil, who sustained a knee injury while on international duty with Germany and is not expected to return until 2015.

Nigerian Senate Passes Bill On Petroleum University

The Nigerian education sector recorded a new feat on Tuesday, 14 October, 2014, when the Senate finally passed into law the Bill establishing the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Effurun, Delta State. According to Vanguard report, the bill also mandated the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, to contribute at least two percent of its gross receipts for the university. The lawmakers also recommended that the university shall offer courses in Petroleum technology, provided overseas courses would be sponsored by the PTDF and other government agencies only in respect of the courses not available at the university upon certification.

Activist asks court to halt N65 ATM charges

A rights activist, Timi Frank, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the Central Bank of Nigeria from further implementing its reintroduced N65 charges relating to cash withdrawal from the Automated Teller Machines in the country. The new CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, had on August 13 announced that a customer, who makes cash withdrawals from ATM of banks other than his or her banker’s ATM would be charged N65 at the fourth withdrawal in a month. The policy took effect nationwide on September 1. In his suit marked filed on September 18 and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/659/2014, the plaintiff contends that the reintroduction of ATM charges is “retrogressive and a negation of the cashless policy currently being propagated by the CBN.

Heavy security at Kirikiri Prisons after attempted jail break (news by Daily post)

Information reaching DailyPost says some inmates of the Kirikiri medium prisons, some hours ago attempted jail break.

Eye witnesses say Navy and Police personnel are now keeping watch around the facility, restricting movement of people in and outside the barracks where Kirikiri Maximum Prison is located.

Uti Nwachukwu and Daniella Okeke for House Of Maliq October 2014 Issue

TV host, Uti Nwachukwu and Nollywood actress, Daniella Okeke were tapped for the latest issue of House Of Maliq October 2014 edition.

The stylish celebrities sported unique looks where Uti  Nachukwu sported a sleek silk shirt over navy pants striking a playful pose with his tamed hair, in another look he was styled with in white over fitted blue pants with black suspenders.

Yippy!! Google restores Linda Ikeji’s Blog after 24 hours

After being shut out for about 24 hours by Google, celebrity blogger, Linda Ikeji is now back online. Recall that the tech giant, Google closed the blog on Wednesday over claims of copyright infringement and plagiarism filed by one Mr Aye Dee. Following the controversy the ‘shut down’ generated, Google has supposedly reviewed her case and found her plagiarism or breach of terms not worthy of a blog deletion.

Koscielny Ruled Out of France Friendlies

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has been released from international duty after suffering a recurrence of a niggling Achilles problem during training with the rest of his France team-mates.

‘Les Blues’ coach Didier Deschamp has called up Roma defender Mapu Yanga-Mbiwa to replace the injured centre-back for his side’s upcoming friendlies.

Koscielny has been suffering from “chronic tendinitis of both Achilles

tendons for several months”.

Why we shut down Linda Ikeji's Blog – Google (news by Premium times)

Linda Ikeji

Google, on Thursday, explained why it shut down popular Nigerian blog, Linda Ikeji’s Blog, saying it takes violations of its policies very seriously.

The firm said such activities diminish the experience of its users.

A spokesperson for the America-based company, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, told PREMIUM TIMES that though the company would not discuss individual accounts, generally, “When we are notified of the existence of content that may violate our Terms of Service, we act quickly to review it and determine whether it actually violates our policies.”

Can we say D'banj is wasting His Money on Tonto Dikeh's Musical Career?

Delving into other areas of endeavours is not a crime but making good use of those opportunities is the point. Looking into entertainment terim, entertainers have either delve into video directing just like what Banky W is currently learning in New York and the likes.

Sometimes, it is important that one traces the actions of these entertainers as time goes on which does not mean hating but simple monitoring. Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, better known as the Duchess of DB Records, since joining D’banj’s record label is yet to release any song apart from ‘Sugar Rush’ which upon release, had received wide criticism.

OMG!!!! Google shuts down Linda Ikeji`s blog

Popular blogger Linda Ikeji of www.lindaikeji.blogspot.com has been shut down by Google due to a claim by a journalist with the twitter handle ‘AyeDee.’ of copyright infringement by the blogger. 

He claims he informed Google, about Linda Ikeji’s alleged plagiarism/copyright infringement of his works on Linda Ikeji; and Google has finally shut down the blog

Read more after the cap.

Mesut Ozil out for 12 weeks

Mesut Ozil will miss Germany’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland on Saturday and faces up to 12 weeks out with a knee injury, the German Football Association (DFB) confirmed Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Arsenal star complained of pain in his left knee and was flown to Munich on Wednesday morning to be treated by the DFB’s doctor, who diagnosed a partial tear of the left cruciate knee ligament.

Floxy Plans Big Gang Up Against Promiscuous Men In Showbiz

One of the fastest rising female singers in Nigeria, Floxy has said that some female music acts are leaving the entertainment industry because of victimisation by their male counterparts.

She said such issues arise from men in the industry asking to sleep with female artistes before rendering any form of assistance to them. Floxy said entertainment industry in Nigeria would have grown bigger than its present state if the male-dominated had given the female folks more chances to survive.

Sport - Messi could receive Liga goals record award at the Bernabeu

Javier Tebas says the LFP will pay tribute to Lionel Messi even if the Barcelona star becomes La Liga's all-time record goalscorer at the home of great rivals Real Madrid. The Argentina international is just two goals shy of Telmo Zarra's tally of 251, meaning the four-time Ballon d'Or winner could make history in this weekend's Primera Division clash with Eibar at Camp Nou.
However, there is also the intriguing possibility of Messi, who has scored more goals in Clasico history than any other player, breaking the record in the meeting with Madrid on October 25.

FG appeals to sponsors of Boko Haram to desist

The Federal Government has appealed to financiers of the Boko Haram insurgents to desist from sponsoring the terrorists and surrender to security forces as some members of the sect had done recently.

Mr Mike Omeri, the Coordinator, National Information Centre, made the appeal in statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

The statement which was personally signed by Omeri, said that there was no wisdom in fighting against ourselves.

“They (terrorists) should know that this war can never be won by them,’’ he said.

Omeri reiterated the resolve of the government to rescue all persons and communities traumatised by the insurgency, adding that there were concerted efforts to restore normalcy to those communities.

He commended Nigerians for their support and cooperation with the security forces, saying this was responsible for the successes so far recorded in the campaign to end insurgency.

The coordinator said that intense fighting was currently going on in parts of Adamawa, especially in Michika and Bazza among other areas to flush out the insurgents.

He said that security forces had been recording tremendous gains in recent weeks.

Omeri noted that the security awareness programme put in place by the federal government was responsible for nationwide hitch-free celebration of the 2014 Eid-el-Kabir. 

Facebook Closes WhatsApp Acquisition, Jan Koum To Match Zuckerberg’s $1 Annual Salary

Facebook is now the legal owner of WhatsApp, following a filing made with the SEC today. This is the final step in a process begun when Facebook announced its intent to acquire the messaging company in February of this year. The Facebook deal passed its final regulatory hurdle when it received EU approval to go ahead with the acquisition of WhatsApp last week. In the filing, the company details the awarding of 177,760,669 shares of Facebook’s Class A common stock and $4.59 billion to WhatsApp stakeholders, plus 45,941,775 in restricted stock to WhatsApp employees to complete the deal. Koum will join Facebook’s board, and will also match Zuckerberg’s annual base salary of $1, without eligibility for the company’s bonus plan, though he does get a signing bonus of 24,853,468 restricted stock units as incentive for joining. Per the filing, Koum is joining Facebook with no fixed term of employment as part of the arrangement, but all indicators are that he wants to stick around to continue to build WhatsApp as a separate brand under the growing Facebook umbrella.

Cavani does not deserve criticism, says Matuidi

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi has defended Edinson Cavani against recent criticism over his poor form in the past few weeks. The 27-year-old has been struggling to impress in the injury-enforced absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and failed to find the net in the 1-1 draw with Monaco on Sunday. Nevertheless, Matuidi feels Cavani doesn't deserve the harsh treatment he has been receiving and should instead be praised for his tireless running. "We can only congratulate Edinson Cavani with all the hard work he has been putting in," Matuidi told RTL. "He really is a team player and we would all like it if he were rewarded for his efforts. "I think it's a real shame that people criticise him and that he's judged on his lack of goals. Of course, I also understand that people expect a No.9 to score. "I often speak to him about it and we discuss it a lot. He has put in a lot of hard work. "Edinson is a really open person. He has a lot of personality, but I get the feeling that he is happy at PSG." Cavani has netted four goals in 10 appearances in all competitions this season.

First Lady Mourns Former MD of NAN

First Lady, Dame Patience Faka Jonathan has described the demise of the former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs. Remi Oyo as a great loss to Journalism profession and the Nigerian women.

Ebola outbreak - Second patient arrives in Germany

Medical staff in protective equipment attend the arrival of the Ebola patient at Frankfurt University Hospital.

A hospital in the German city of Frankfurt/Main has taken in an Ebola patient after he was flown in during the night under tight security.

After arriving on a medical flight from West Africa, the man was brought to Frankfurt University Hospital where he was placed in an isolation ward.

GOtv provides great family entertainment for October

GOtv continues to bring subscribers the best entertainment for the whole family. This October, subscribers are in for a bigger dose of telenovelas and comedy, as Where is Elisa premieres on Telemundo and the first season of the Bernie Mac Show kicks-off on Sony Entertainment. Kids will be kept entertained with their favourite shows on Disney Junior, Nickelodeon and Jim Jam. For the best EPL action, football fans are to stay tuned to SuperSport Select.

Etisalat wins big at Nigerian Telecom Awards

Etisalat cleaned house at the 10th Annual Nigerian Telecom Awards. The company claimed both the Best Brand Campaign and Youth Empowerment Telecom Operator of the Year awards. Additionally, the company also picked up the Telecom Entrepreneur of the Year award, which was won by the Chairman, Etisalat Nigeria, Hakeem Bello-Osagie.

According to Etisalat Nigeria’s, Chineze Amanfo: “The awards are a clear confirmation of Etisalat’s commitment to excellence and innovation.”

“Since our entry into the Nigerian market in 2008, we have continuously delivered quality products and services promised to our customers. Our subscriber base in this highly competitive industry now exceeds 19 million,” Amanfo concluded.

Sallah: Alaafin urges Boko Haram to lay down arms

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, has appealed to the Islamic fundamentalists “Boko Haram’’ to put an end to terrorism and emulate the peaceful character of Prophet Muhammed. The monarch said this in an eid-el-kabir message signed by his Media Assistant, Alhaji Azeez Fehintola, in Oyo on Thursday. Adeyemi urged Muslims across the country to coexist with their neighbours for progress and development to thrive. He said that it was in an atmosphere of peace that a nation could grow, urging Muslims to emulate the peaceful character of the Holy Prophet Muhammed. “I use this medium to congratulate our brothers and sisters in Islam on the celebration of this year’s Eid el Kabir. “Islam is a religion of peace, so I enjoin all our Muslims across the country to embrace peace. “We should work toward harmonious coexistence among all citizens so that the country can witness progress and development,’’ he said. The monarch also called on Nigerians to pray for a smooth transition as the 2015 elections draws nearer. “While calling for divine intervention in the affairs of the nation, I urge Nigerians at home and abroad to use this period of celebration to seek the face of Allah. “They should also supplicate for divine direction for our government on ways to curb the nefarious activities of Boko Haram and other social vices plaguing the nation.’’ Adeyemi enjoined Nigerians to pray for the country and eschew all forms of disunity and divisive tendencies so as to have a free, fair and peaceful transition in 2015.

Cholera kills 80 Nigerian refugees in Cameroon

More than 80 Nigerian refuges, fleeing from the Boko Haram insurgency are now known to have died from cholera in refugee camps in Cameroon. The refugees, mainly from the Boko Haram enclave in Borno State, are scattered in Gawar, Zamay of Maroua camps in Cameroon, are said to be leaving in droves back to Nigeria. A source in the camp said about 20 were hospitalised at the camps. The refugees were said to have fled from Haraza, Kunde, Tatsa, the flash points of early Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State. The source said 40 of the dead were from Pulka, 30 from Ngoshe, Attagara, Agapaluwa and 10 from early migrants from the hills of Gwoza. Sources said many of the refugees had started leaving the camp for Nigeria.

US Secret Service chief resigns over security breaches

The director of the US Secret Service resigned Wednesday following a string of lapses by the elite presidential protection branch, including one in which an intruder ran through the front door of the White House. “Today, Julia Pierson, the Director of the United States Secret Service, offered her resignation, and I accepted it,” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement. Johnson appointed Joseph Clancy to serve as interim acting director until a permanent replacement for Pierson, who only took up her post 18 months ago after a prostitution scandal erupted within the agency. An independent panel would be named to probe the September 19 incident, which saw homeless US army veteran Omar Gonzalez allegedly jump the White House fence and run into the residence, Johnson said. Gonzalez pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to three counts including unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon. Outraged US lawmakers grilled Pierson on Tuesday over a series of security breaches, including an incident last month in which an armed security contractor with a criminal record was allowed into an elevator with President Barack Obama when he visited Atlanta, Georgia.