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- The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) recently sent a message of goodwill to the presidency concerning Buhari's health
- In a reply to the message, the presidency commended CAN and said it was deeply touched
The Nigerian presidency has replied the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) saying it was touched by a message from the religious group concerning Muhammadu Buhari’s health.
The presidency said it was touched by the message from CAN at the weekend which expressed joy at the news of Muhammadu Buhari's recovery from illness.
In a statement in Abuja obtained by NAIJ.com, Garba Shehu, Buhari’s spokesperson, confirmed that the president received the goodwill message from Rev Dr Samson Supo Ayokunle, the head of CAN.
READ ALSO: Fashola lists 44 highways, 63 roads to be repaired in Nigeria
“The CAN President referred to the news of President Buhari's recovery from sickness as a 'rejuvenation of hope', and congratulated Nigerians on the joy of having their president back soon," Malam Shehu said in the statement.
He added that such messages of goodwill from respected religious bodies like CAN meant so much at a time some people with ill intentions were struggling to divide the country along religious lines.
Shehu also thanked CAN for its continued prayers for the president's health.
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He said: “The presidency looks forward to further collaborations with CAN to ensure that Nigerians of all ethnic and religious groups benefit from the policies of the President Buhari administration which are aimed at improving the welfare of every single citizen of our great country.”
NAIJ.com earlier reported that the Nasarawa state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) setup a committee to intensify prayers for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari currently on medical vacation in London.
The state’s CAN Chairman, Bishop Joseph Masin , made this known in an interview with in Lafia on Thursday.
Watch this video as Femi Fani-Kayode reveals what he says Buhari told him:
- In recent times the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris has been concerned with the occurrence of cases of kidnappings on the Abuja-Kaduna Highway
- He deployed a joint police team tasked to rout out the kidnap for ransom gangs and armed robbery gangs that have been terrorizing the highway
- This operation is to complement the ongoing joint police/military operations
The Nigeria Police Force on Monday, July 31, said it had arrested 32 suspects responsible for kidnapping along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.
The force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, disclosed this in a statement via Facebook.
READ ALSO: Nigeria to experience cloudy weather, rains on August 1
Moshood said that items recovered from the suspects include: 4 ak 47 rifles, 6 locally made pump action gun and 2 magazines.
The Nigeria Police displaying recovered items from kidnappers. Photo credit: Nigeria Police
The suspects were jointly arrested By IRT, STS, CTU and Special Force of the Nigeria Police all deployed by IGP Ibrahim Idris to bring Sanity to the most busiest expressway in Northern Nigeria.
They have made confessional statements indicating the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime.
Most of them have been identified by some of their victims. They will soon be charged to court on completion of investigation.
The suspects paraded before journalists. Photo credit: Nigeria Police
Meanwhile the Inspector General of Police has commended and appreciated the communities and people in the towns and villages along Abuja –Kaduna highway for their cooperation with the police personnel deployed for the operation.
He however, implored commuters, travelers and other road users to support the Police personnel in the discharge of their responsibilities and in the implementation of other crime prevention and control strategies of the Force.
The operations will be sustained and is being replicated in all other Highways and major roads across the country.
Most of the kidnappers were identified by some of their victims and will soon be charged to court. Photo credit: Nigeria Police
In a previous report by NAIJ.com, the Lagos state police command disclosed that 20 kidnappers were killed while making attempts to rescue the six abducted students of Igbonla-Epe Model College, Lagos state.
Fatai Owoseni, the state commissioner of police, on Friday, July, 28, made this known to journalists in the state.
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The boys were released on Friday, July 28, 64 days after they were kidnapped in their school premises on Sunday, May 28.
Watch NAIJ.com TV report on the popular kidnapper known as 'Evans' below:
- Central States on Tuesday morning are expected to experience cloudy weather conditions
- Abuja, Minna, Bida and Lafia would experience thunderstorms and light rains
- Southern states of Eket, Calabar, Portharcourt and Warri are expected to also experience cloudy morning with chances of rains
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions over the Central States on Tuesday morning with prospect of thunderstorms and light rains over parts of Abuja, Minna, Bida and Lafia.
NiMet’s Weather Outlook released by its Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Monday in Abuja, also predicted prospects of thunderstorms with precipitation over Kaduna and Jos later in the day.
READ ALSO: With local herbs, I have 15 wives and 100 children - Man says he wants more kids
It added that the region would have day and night temperatures in the range of 26 to 32 degrees Celsius and 17 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.
The agency predicted cloudy morning with chances of rains over Southern states of Eket, Calabar, Portharcourt and Warri with day and night temperatures of 28 to 33 and 21 to 23 degrees Celsius.
It also predicted thunderstorms with moderate to heavy rains over inland and coastal areas of Enugu, Onitsha, Awka, Owerri, Ilorin, Oshogbo and Akure later in the day.
According to NiMet, Northern states will experience cloudy morning with thunderstorms and rains over Sokoto, Kebbi and Maiduguri with day and night temperatures of 31 to 34 and 20 to 25 degrees Celsius respectively.
“In the afternoon, Kano, Zaria, Bauchi, Gombe and Katsina are expected to have thunderstorms with moderate rains.
“Increasing level of moisture and energy is expected to produce thunderstorm and rain showers over some part of the country in the next 24 hours,” it predicted.
In a previous report by NAIJ.com, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos shared some vital tips via their Facebook page under the title: Safety tips in times of constant rainfall or flooding.
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They started the post by reiterating that flooding can happen anywhere in Lagos state and it is important to be prepared for flooding if you live in a low-lying area near a body of water, such as near a river, stream, or culvert; along a coast; or downstream from a dam or levee.
Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Nigerians speaking about whether the continue should split or be restructured.
- Nigeria faces the challenge of physically challenged often begging for alms and living desolate
- This is not the case with a particular member of the National Youth Service Corps currently serving in Abia
While many in his condition would take to the streets begging for alms from other people, this young man rebuffed the challenges that come with being physically challenged, weathered the storm became a graduate.
The young man, whose name was not revealed at the time of this report, is said to have been seen at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp in Umuahia, Abia state.
READ ALSO: Police uncovers Badoo shrine in Ikorodu
Gossip Mill, which posted the photograph, added: “Never allow your condition stop you from doing the things you want to do or the things u are passionate about.”
The physically challenged and a friend
In their reactions, some Nigerians wondered why he could not be helped with a wheel chair.
Ogon Asueya Vanessa noted that being physically challenged is not a barrier. She congratulated and commended the graduate.
Valentine Nwankwo commended the young man for being focused despite his situation. “God be with you always so your dreams will come through,” he said.
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NAIJ.com recently came across the inspiring story of a disabled man who instead of begging on the streets chose to work as a labourer.
A Facebook user identified as Engr Muhammad Malasheriff shared on his wall the touching story of a man with one leg who was seen working as a labourer in order to survive.
Watch this video and give your response:
- Togbe Kofi Asilenu said he has remained strong because of his constant intake of herbs
- Asilenu also said apart from the about 15 wives, he also has concubines
Togbe Kofi Asilenu, an 80-year-old man, who is currently gaining popularity for having 12 wives and 100 children, has declared that he wants more.
NAIJ.com learnt that Asilenu, a Ghanaian, said he wants more children, according a report by Daily Trust whose reporter paid him a visit recently.
The report said while he spoke in his mother tongue, Ewe, at his residence, he confirmed he was strong and had vigour to continue to procreate because he regularly takes herbs.
READ ALSO: Zionist group forms interim govt, Professor Pat Utomi becomes foreign minister
According to him, he has between 12 and 15 wives and these women all have children for him.
He also confirmed he has many concubines who also have children for him. However, about four of his wives are now deceased.
Asilenu, a farmer, said that he never had any formal education and uses what he makes from the sale of crops to provide for his family.
The report quoted him as saying: “Now things are difficult. Our money cannot buy anything. It was easier to feed so many children then.
“I am virile and can still father more children."
One of his sons, Obed, a police officer, reportedly said: “Most of his age mates are dead, but he is still living.
“People say it is because he is pure in heart. He does not bear grudges, he is very peaceful.”
Obed further said he contributes over GHc 1,000 (N91,000) to take care of the family anytime he comes visiting.
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He pleaded with the government to assist the family with gainful employment. The family does not also mind cash donations and gifts.
NAIJ.com earlier reported how a man in Swaziland is demanding his 24-cow bride price back after reportedly discovering that his estranged wife was not a vi*gin at the time they got married.
The report quoted Gossip Mill Nigeria, Swazrtz Manyeva Dlamini has taken the family of his ex-wife, Ruth Thembisile Sibiya, to court to have his cattle back.
Watch this video and answer the question asked:
- Fred Minima, An 18-year-old, has been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court for allegedly belonging to notorious cult group Badoo
- Minima is facing a three-count charge bordering on attempted kidnap, belonging to an unlawful society and stealing
- The notorious ritual group has killed many people including pregnant women in Lagos state
An 18-year-old, Fred Minima, was on Monday charged before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly belonging to a dreaded cult Badoo.
Minima, who resides at Akala area of Mushin, is facing a three-count charge of attempted kidnap, belonging to an unlawful society and stealing.
READ ALSO: Badoo member invades Lagos school, attempts to kidnap pupils
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
But Police Prosecutor Maria Dauda insisted that the accused committed the offences on July 26 at 11.10 a.m. at No. 25, Akinola St., Mushin.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates a three-year jail term for offenders, while kidnapping offences in Lagos State attract a penalty of life imprisonment or capital punishment.
The Magistrate, Mrs O.O.A. Fowewe-Erusiafe, in her ruling, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case until Aug. 29 for mention.
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In a previous report by NAIJ.com, the state police command on Monday July 31, uncovered the group's shrine.
This Day reports that while acting on a tip off, the policemen stormed the shrine, located at the outskirts of Ikorodu town, adding that it was not certain if any arrest was also made.
The police team was led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Edgal Imohimi, with backing from the Inspector General of Police Special Tactical Squad (STS).
Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of a family attacked by Badoo group:
Finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta is presenting government's mid-year budget review as required by the Public Financial Management Act 921 passed in 2016.
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Some 800 buses to be acquired to improve public transportation. Tema-Akosombo railway to be completed by mid-2020.
Too many Power Purchase Agreements beyond government's needs were signed by the previous government which this government is reviewing.
School Feeding Program covers 1,671,777 children in 216 districts and employs over 4,700 caterers.
Some 149m cedis has been budgeted as allowance for health trainees in 2017. NHIS is under-restructuring. Some 56million paid to LEAP beneficiaries as at July 2016
He stresses that free SHS is ready for those who pass BECE and will enjoy the intervention for the entire duration of the program. 30% of SHS placements will be reserved for public Junior High Schools.
Cocoa output has declined to around 800,000 tonnes per annum over five years. Government wants to hit 1million tonnes. Mass cocoa spraying exercise which will include private sector participation and cocoa rehabilitation plans are strategies government will adopt to boost production.
Fall armyworm reported in April affected maize and cow pea most severely. 74,000 litres of chemicals were procured to address the situation.
185,00 farmers registered against a target of about 200,000. Some 56,000 bags of improved seeds of maize and rice were distributed to the farmers across the regions. Fertilisers have been subsidized.
Government to bring to parliament an amendment to PFMA to limit fiscal deficit to 3.5% in any fiscal year.
Nominal GDP has also been revised as has non-oil tax revenue: Corporate income tax, import taxes collection revised downwards.
Revision of fiscal deficit from 6.5 to 6.3% of GDP.
Free SHS, School Feeding, Planting for Food and Jobs, NHIS will be protected from cuts.
Chosen debt management strategy: Borrow at minimum cost to reduce re-financing risk and reprofile debts which does not increase the debt stock, he points out.
He goes over government's macro-economic targets for 2017 and says interventions is working and in some cases exceeding expectations.
GDP by first quarter 6.6% against 4.4 same time last year.
Fiscal deficit: 2.7% compared to 4% compared to 2016. BoG cut policy rate by 21%
Gross international reserves is 3.4months equivalent to 2.8months as at last year first quarter. Interest rates have gone down by more than 500 basis points because of conssitent fall in headline inflation.
Average interest rate 16.81% to about 12% in June 2017. Ongoing investigations has unearthed massive under-declaration at the ports.
Gov't is clearing arrears and investigating it in an audit expected to end October.
The Akufo-Addo government is not daunted by this state of affairs.
He says Ghana's debt has ballooned from 5.9bn cedis in 2008 to 122.3 billion cedis at the end of 2016. A 1154% percentage increase, he says and adds this debt burden will hang around government's neck for long.
He lists a number of taxes abolished by the government in its 'Asempa' budget. The review will revise the budget and present key highlights of the 2017 budget performance.
He refers to the Bible as his source of support in carrying out his work. He refers to a quote by Methodist Reverend in a 1897 edition of the Gold Coast Methodist Times that 'we have seized to be a thinking nation" and that 'we talk too much and think too little'.
He says there is a need to re-examine the nation's value system to exalt the place of deep reflection over issues before speaking.
He conveys the President's good wishes. He says the President is strongly committed to addressing the economic challenges just as he is tackling 'galamsey'.
Small hurdle
Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu wants to know if the minister is in the House to read a statement or present a review of the budget as stated in Section 28 of the PFMA. He has suggested the minister ought to come by a motion.
Majority leader Osei-Kyei Mensah Bonsu is up explaining, this is the first time the Section in the Act is being used after it was passed in 2016.
He says the minister is coming by way of "information transmission". He says a motion is not required if the minister is in the House to give information.
Haruna Iddrisu okays the Majority leader's view to allow the Finance minister to proceed.
Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Prof. Mike Oquaye reads the Standing Order to allow the Finance minister to proceed
Illegal tracking device is the monitoring of surveillance activities and stored on a hard drive for either covert or overt purposes by a body, a mandated institution or a person who does not in one way or the other, have the requisite authority to do so.
These covert activities are termed illegal if one does not have authorization from a competent court of jurisdiction or an independent government Agency for such purposes. Mostly, from the secret service, the police service department, the military or an equally mandated legal authority.
Tracking or surveillance allows ‘Note my words’ government and other security agencies to maintain social control, recognize and monitor security threats, to prevent and investigate criminal activities.
With the advent of technology, programs such as: the biometric software, Total information avenues, High Speed Surveillance Computers and finally but not the least, - Communication Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (In the case of U.S and other foreign countries), gives their Governments’ an enormous ability if not powers, to monitor the activities of their citizenry at all times.
However, many civil rights groups such as the ‘American Civil Liberties Union, Reporters without Borders, The Electronic Frontier Foundation have all among others, expressed grave concerns over the increase in such surveillance activities in our body politic.
They are all of the view that, if this tracking surveillance is not checked, we shall one day wake up in a surveillance state where our human rights will become a thing of the past thereby raising issues on our socio-political rights. Or better still, we shall all wake up one day and “feel naked” like the former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources – Hon. Nii Osah Mills expressed his shock over the tracking device expose in his predecessors official office.
In America for instance, The Communication Assistance for Law Enforcement Act was passed under President Clinton in October 25th, 1994 to enable law enforcement agencies to execute authorization surveillance or tracking. The law allows all broadband internet traffic, such as emails, web traffic, instant messaging, texting, sexting, phone calls and all voice over protocols` amongst many others be screened by Federal Law Enforcement agencies through real time monitoring.
These communication systems are intercepted, examined and analyzed through what is known as “Packet Capture Appliance”, repackaged or reassembled and routed back to its normal designation among many other forms of legal surveillance.
Not quite sure about how our systems work over here in Ghana. But the argument is that, are such tracking’s in the minister’s office and his colleague’s vehicle and any other public places or institutions yet to be bugged backed by law as pertains in the states? The big answer is a big No! Therefore, what are the ramifications against these deviant political charlatans?
Any individual or group of persons found tracking former and current government appointees in their own personal capacities in itself, are not just illegal, but constitutes a criminal offence punishable by law. I believe our security agencies are up to the task?
There are other several means of tracking or surveillance such as corporate tracking, social networking, monitoring from a distance which is also known as ‘Tempest’:- Which involves reading electromagnetic emanations from computer devices in order to extract data from them at distances of about one hundred meters apart.
There is also tracking as an aid to censorship. There is ‘Policeware and Goveware’:- This is a surveillance system designed to police citizens by monitoring their interactions and discussions within the US. But these tracking or surveillance protocols are all backed by legal frameworks to give the authorities the leverage to perform these tasks. No individual has any exclusivity to plant tracking devices in any public place or building apart from his or her own bonafide property.
Last but not the least, and among many other forms of tracking or surveillance is ‘Malicious Software’. In addition to tracking, bloggers also use ‘Kyloggers’ which is a program normally stored on the local hard drive. It is programed basically to transmit data automatically over a network to a remote computer or web server to syphon information as seen in the case of the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources office, as well as the vehicle of the C.E.O of the National Youth Authority respectively.
There are several methods of installing such tracking devices. The most commonly used in our part of the world is the remote installing.
This form of device enables the user to create a backdoor enabled by a computer virus. This has the potential of subjecting several or multiple computers to surveillance, which is accessed over a network connection and allows the controller or in this case, the intruder to remotely execute commands in order to gain undue access through the security breaches that they are able to create for their nefarious activities.
There is also ‘cracking’ as a form of tracking or maintaining surveillance. This system allows an intruder to install surveillance software remotely to record all human activities be it audio or video against a particular person or persons such as what we currently find ourselves in.
Overview
Electronic tracking or surveillance is defined in federal law as the nonconsensual acquisition by an electronic, mechanical, or other surveillance device of the contents of any wire or electronic communication, under circumstances in which a party to the communication has a reasonable expectation of privacy. The "contents" of a communication consists of any information concerning the identity of the parties, or the existence, substance, purport, or meaning of the communication.
Examples of electronic tracking include: wiretapping, bugging, videotaping; geolocation tracking such as via RFID, GPS, or cell-site data; data mining, social media mapping, and the monitoring of data and traffic on the Internet. Such surveillance tracks communications that falls into two general categories: wire and electronic communications. "Wire" communications involve the transfer of the contents from one point to another via a wire, cable, or similar device. Electronic communications refer to the transfer of information, data, sounds, or other contents via electronic means, such as email, VoIP, or uploading to the cloud.
Classical Cases
In Kyllo v. U.S. (2001), the U.S Court addressed the constitutionality of using technology to survey the inside of a defendant's home without actually entering the home. Here, the Court held that, physical invasion was not required to constitute a Fourth Amendment search if the surveillance reaped information that would not have been attainable without entering the home.
Again, On June 5, 2017 a Court in U.S granted a petition for a writ of certiorari to review U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit case Carpenter v. U.S., concerning the use of an individual's cell-site records to map his location over a lengthy historic period. (Credits: NY Times, June 4, 2017 “U.S Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Cellphone Tracking Case”, by Adam Liptak ).
Reasonable Expectation of Privacy
Justice Harlan of U.S Supreme Court defines the privacy expectation in his concurrence in Katz, which is referenced in Kyllo, and states that a person must "have exhibited an actual (subjective) expectation of privacy and... that the expectation be one that society is prepared to recognize as 'reasonable.'" Thus, a person has a legitimate expectation of privacy if he honestly and genuinely believes the location under surveillance is private, and if a reasonable person in the same or similar circumstances would believe the location to be private as well. Therefore, the government has more latitude to legally survey communications in a public place than it does in a private place.
This practically means that, one can only undertake tracking or any form of surveillance in his or her private capacity only at his or her private property! Except the government, who has the exclusive leverage to extend its legal frontiers of surveillance into people’s private homes for security purposes. Therefore, in what capacity did Honurable Inusah Fuseini and his Honurable brother from kumbugu :- Ras Mubarak undertake these tracking’s or surveillance? This raises serious security breaches on the part of both parties.
Warrant Requirement
Since electronic surveillance is a legal requirement under the laws of Ghana, it is subject to the same warrant requirements as search warrants across the globe. To obtain a search warrant, one must show probable cause to believe a search is justified. Much in the same way, describe in particularity the conversation to be intercepted, and provide a specific time period for the surveillance, among other requirements before a device is implemented either in a minister’s office or in his colleague’s vehicle.
The issue in this instance is, did the self-acclaimed owners of the found devices in the ministry and Youth Authority have the requisite mandate or authority to do so?
As with other searches and seizures, exigent circumstances may serve as grounds for the government to forgo obtaining a warrant. If a situation threatens a person's life or the national security, or a conspiracy suggests the existence of organized crime, then the government may proceed without a warrant.
Domestic Tracking Legislation
In 1986, under President Ronald Wilson Reagan, The American Congress enacted extensive provisions regarding electronic surveillance or trackings in the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). Courts have interpreted the Act to allow magistrates and federal judges to grant warrants to law enforcement officers to enter private homes in order to "bug" the home’s means of electronic communication. Despite numerous constitutional challenges, the courts have repeatedly upheld these provisions.
Why can’t Ghana learn from the American experience in order to forestall all these illegal interferences in high places of government and enact laws that will deal with such deviants?
The ECPA also provides a remedy for individuals victimized by unlawful electronic surveillance. If someone performs electronic tracking or surveillance in violation of the ECPA requirements, for instance like in the U.S, the victim may sue for compensatory damages, punitive damages, and equitable relief, if equitable relief can rectify the harm. However, the plaintiff may only sue the individual who performed the surveillance, not any third-party who subsequently receives a copy of the collected data.
External Tracking Legislation
Case law is split on the constitutionality of wiretapping a foreign national's devices to obtain foreign intelligence. However, courts agree that warrantless wiretapping for the purpose of domestic security is unconstitutional.
In 1978, again in the America, under Jimmy Carter, the United States Congress enacted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which lowers the required evidentiary showing to obtain a surveillance warrant with regard to foreign intelligence gathering and describes other procedures for physical and electronic surveillance relating to foreign intelligence. Its provisions also apply to American citizens suspected of espionage.
In July of 2007, then President Bush signed into law the Protect America Act of 2007 (PAA), which amended FISA to loosen the warrant requirement by permitting wiretapping of any phone calls originating in or being received in a foreign country. The PAA expired after 180 days, at which time Congress declined to renew it. However, many provisions of the PAA were reauthorized in the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, and have been used as the legal basis for mass surveillance programs as disclosed by Edward Snowden in 2013 now in exile in Russia.
In conclusion therefore, it will be quit suicidal should the government turn a blind eye over these serious wire taping experiences. How many more ministers or governmental institutions are yet to fall prey to such criminal menace? The culprits in this very instance (Inusah Fuseini and his Colleague Mp :- Ras Mubarak), must be arrested, tried and prosecuted for their offences against the state, in order to serve as deterrent to others. A second look at providing some kind of legislation to control some of these security protocols will be quite appropriate. A stich in time they say… saves nine!.
Written by: Stephen Stanley Quaye (Teshie).
Excerpts from: Scotusblog (US).
Two rival families will compete for power in Kenya's presidential election, in a relationship that goes back to before independence. The BBC's Dickens Olewe looks at some of the more unusual aspects of the election campaign.
Nothing comes close to explaining how close the race for the presidency is than the public plea by opposition leader Raila Odinga to his supporters to hold off having sex until after the election.
"8 August will be a historic day and no vote will be left without being cast. Men will sleep outside. When the day comes, no man should sleep with a woman," he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper.
Turnout will be key in this election and it looks like Mr Odinga does not want to take any chances in the battle to defeat President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Mr Odinga's sex strike is not the only indulgence that leaders are hoping to restrict.
A government body in charge of fighting drug abuse has also called on a ban on alcohol during the week leading up to the poll saying that Kenyans need to be sober on election day.
One thing you will spot at opposition rallies is people covered in oranges.
Space suits would have been more appropriate because the opposition is called the National Super Alliance, which is delightfully shortened to Nasa and invites comparisons with astronauts who will take Kenya into a new age.
But Nasa is an amalgamation of five opposition parties, including the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which is the biggest.
The orange brand is so strong that when a breakaway party, ODM Kenya, was formed in 2007, its founder, Kalonzo Musyoka, used an orange cut in half as the party's symbol.
But it didn't bode well.
ODM Kenya performed dismally in the 2007 election. Party officials blamed this on the half orange. They said voters couldn't tell the different between a half and a full orange on the ballot box. They promptly replaced the half orange symbol with an umbrella.
The origin of the orange goes back to the 2005 constitutional referendum when the electoral commission chose a banana and an orange to represent the Yes and No sides.
Mr Odinga was part of the successful No campaign and the orange symbol stuck.
President Kenyatta is contesting the poll under the banner of the Jubilee Party. It is primarily a merger between The National Alliance Party (TNA), which he led, and the United Republican Party (URP) of his deputy, William Ruto.
The party is colloquially known as Jubilee, the name was inspired by Kenya's celebration of 50 years of independence in 2013.
Its rallying song is "Tano Tena", which is Swahili for "five more years". Nasa is using gospel song "Mambo Yabadilika", meaning "things are changing", reinforcing their change message.
The Kenyatta and Odinga families have been competing for power since shortly after Kenya gained independence from Britain in 1963.
But this election is probably going to be the last time that Kenya's longest political familial rivalry will be on display.
The families started as friends. Raila Odinga's father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, was offered a chance to assume power by the British. But he refused, saying that Kenya could not be independent with its leader Jomo Kenyatta in prison.
After independence, Mr Oginga Odinga became Jomo Kenyatta's vice-president.
But the two fell out in 1966 and this gave birth to the political rivalry which has roped in their Kikuyu (Kenyatta) and Luo (Odinga) ethnic groups.
#Fagiawote is, a Swahili hashtag meaning "sweep them all", has been used on Twitter as a rallying call to vote out the current political class.
Politicians, especially MPs, are loathed by many Kenyans who feel they live pampered lifestyles and are out of touch.
They say some are not in tune with the real issues that affect them and others show contempt towards ordinary people. The only way to get back at politicians is during the election.
The clear-out seems to have began in the party primaries held in April where several incumbent politicians lost their seats.
One governor was especially targeted by women voters because he had been using sexist language.
When a candidate for governor of Machakos county in south-west Kenya made a slip of the tongue it became a national joke.
Wavinya Ndeti intended to say a proverb which roughly translates as "water under the bridge", in other words, "let's forget about the past".
But she got her words scrambled and instead of saying "yaliyopita si ndwele" said "yaliyo ndwele sipite" which is just meaningless.
This really tickled Kenyans. People started competing to change other sayings to make them meaningless. And so The Wavinya Challenge was born.
But it didn't end there.
Comedian MC Njagi made a song named after the slip-up, making her an object of ridicule.
The Jubilee Party took notice and asked MC Njagi to compose a song praising the ruling party.
But MC Njagi isn't giving away who he will vote for - as he went on to then make a song in support of Ms Ndeti, who he was originally mocking.
In June, the high court ruled, after a successful argument by the opposition, that presidential results announced in the 290 constituencies will be final and should not be subjected to any alterations.
This ruling upends the tradition of results being collated at a national tallying centre before they are announced as final.
Critics have argued that the national tallying system has been used to rig the election.
This change could mean that the winner of the presidential race could be known much faster than before.
But it does not mean that it's protected against manipulation.
The electoral commission however remains the only body that can make the official announcement about the final election result.
There are fears of a possible outbreak of diseases in parts of the Tamale metropolis as some residents resort to open defecation following recent floods there.
Within the last five days, residents in six districts in the Northern Region including Sanerigu, Gushegu, Sabooba North, Nanumba, Kariga and Cherponi have been counting their loss flowing a torrential rainfall.
In some areas the residents have resorted to open defecation as their only place of convenience has been destroyed.
A resident said many of their water sources have been polluted. According to him, the dam which they draw water from has also been polluted opening them up to all sorts of diseases.
According to reports, more than 3000 people have been rendered homeless with four people losing their lives.
Several bridges, roads, and farmlands have been badly affected.
The District Chief Executive of the Nanumba North, Abdulai Yacob told Joy News they could not have access to Yendi, Salaga and adjoining Nanumba South due to the floods.
“We are completely cut off from the national grid and it has made life difficult for the people,” he said.
The victims have blamed the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for neglecting them.
“As you can see, so many houses have been destroyed and we don’t know where to lay our heads. Some of us are sharing a room with over 20 others which is not healthy in any way.
"Some people have been forced to travel out to get a place to sleep,” one victim said.
Local NADMO authorities are helpless in responding to the calls for help from the victims of the flood.
Mr Yacob said the Assembly's financial situation is not good and they have not gotten any money since the beginning of the year.
“Because of the protracted chieftaincy dispute, we have used most of the money we have in maintaining peace. I am therefore appealing to the government to come to our aid,” he said.
According to them, nothing in the form of relief items has come in as yet and they are hopeful that some items will be received soon.
Joy News correspondent Martina Bugri who has been touring some areas to speak to some of the victims Monday reported of one person who is sick but cannot go to the hospital.
She said the sick person who has been suffering from diarrhea since the flood, said he could not go to the hospital because he doesn’t have any money and his National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card was also swept away by the flood.
Martina reports he now has to make do with medicines from friends to keep him going.
According to her, there are complaints of stagnant water all over the place-breeding mosquitoes making sleeping at night a big challenge.
Meanwhile, the government has been faulted for making negligible provision of resources for flood disasters for this year.
The ranking member on the Works and Housing Committee of Parliament, Samson Ahi says the government should as a matter of urgency, fall on the contingency fund to make money available for the Housing Ministry to prepare the country in readiness to deal with flood related disasters.
According to him, the budgetary allocation in the 2017 budget is inadequate and will not make a dent on the relief needs of flood victims.
Mr Ahi has said there is no money to purchase relief items for the victims of the floods that hit Tamale, the capital city of the Northern Region.
“Only ¢38,000 [allocated] to tackle flood in the whole country,” he said adding it doesn't appear that the government is ready to address flood problems in the country.
The Speaker of Parliament has hauled the National Security Advisor before the House to explain the circumstances under which two Members of Parliament were accosted by police officers last week.
Prof Mike Ocquaye told Council of State members the Security Minister will meet with leadership of Parliament at exactly 12:00 noon Monday.
Ex-Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor and his deputy John Jinapor both of whom are MPs and were key in negotiating the controversial AMERI power agreement had their houses invaded by police men in search for documents covering the agreement.
First it was Dr Donkor who was paid the friendly visit by the police. His laptops were seized as well as his pen drives. He resisted attempts by the police officers to seize his phones.
A day later, John Jinapor also had his house invaded by the police. He was on his way to Parliament in the morning when the police arrived.
They came demanding documents covering the AMERI deal and ended up searching every corner of the house in search for the documents.
His phones were seized by the police officers.
A third person, who is not an MP but a Technical Advisor, on the AMERI agreement, Francis Dzata also had his home searched and his laptops seized by police officers.
Even though the police officers had the authority of a circuit court to conduct the search, they ought to have sought permission from the Speaker of Parliament before arresting, searching the MPs.
By Parliament’s Standing Orders, MPs cannot be arrested on their way to Parliament, when they are in Parliament or on their way out of Parliament.
The House has, in unison, condemned the arrest, detention of the two MPs with the Speaker vowing to haul before him persons who authorized the search.
While he would not shield persons accused of wrongdoing, he said due process must be followed in the arrest of MPs.
He would not sit aloof in the face of what he referred to as “harassment” of MPs.
“Posterity will judge me on this,” he told Council of State members who paid courtesy call on the leadership of Parliament.
Consequently the Security Minister is expected to explain the action of the police officers when he meets leadership on Monday.
Joy News’ Parliamentary correspondent Joseph Opoku Gakpo reported that the Minister Albert Kan Dapaah has arrived in Parliament for the meeting.
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Nowadays, natural resources play a big role in the economic sector of our country. In this article, we are going to look through the main mineral resources in Nigeria and where they can be found.
Mineral resources are materials of economic interest found in or on the earth’s surface in such quantity, quality, and form, which can be be used to improve the economy. In general, the Nigerian economy is partial towards the study of minerals, especially petroleum.
Here is the list of the major mineral resources in Nigeria and where they can be found:
#1 Petroleum and natural gas
Well, petroleum and natural gas go hand-in-hand, and what's more, this was first discovered in Oloibiri, Bayelsa State in 1959. Petroleum is the most important mineral that is available in Nigeria. Basically, about 2.5 million barrels of crude oil per day is produced while the gas reserves are put at 160 trillion cubic meters.
This great quantity of oil is produced by just eight states. They are known as the oil producing states and are situated in the Niger Delta Region of the country. These states are Delta, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Ondo, and Abia.
Nigeria has four refineries for refining crude oil. These four refineries consist of the two in Rivers State, one in Warri that is in Delta, and the last one is in Kaduna State.
#2 Coal
Coal was first found in Enugu in 1909. In 1916, its exploration began at the Ogbete Mine. The Nigerian coal is thought to be one of the best coals all over the world owning to its low ash and sulphur content, which makes it eco-friendly. From research, it had been discovered that Nigeria has about three billion tonnes of indicated coal reserves in seventeen identified coal fields. Right now, only about 600 million tonnes of processed reserves are in existence.
This mineral is very rich in energy, but still, it is not widely used in Nigeria because of Diesel and gas. By the way, countries like Italy and the United Kingdom are very interested in it. The Federal Government is now starting to think about its privatization. Coal had been discovered in such states as Ondo, Enugu, Zamfara, Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau.
#3 Bitumen
As for this mineral resource, it was discovered in 1900, and its exploration started in 1905. Actually, bitumen reserves in Nigeria are twice the volume of the country's existing crude oil. It is put at 42 billion tonnes. The most surprising thing is that these great reserves have not been exploited, and most of the bitumen used in road constructions are imported. You can find this mineral resource in Ogun State, Lagos State, Edo State, and Ondo State.
READ ALSO: Solid minerals in Nigeria and their uses
#4 Iron ore
Iron ore is one more mineral resource in Nigeria with its biggest deposit in Itakpe, Kogi State. It is also present in Enugu, Niger State, and the Federal Capital Territory. Nearly three billion metric tonnes of iron ore is thought to be present in the country. In 1979, the National Iron Ore Mining Company was established in order to explore and afford iron ore to the Delta Steel Company in Aladja, and Ajaokuta Steel Company in Ajaokuta.
#5 Gypsum
The importance of gypsum cannot be overemphasized. Usually, it is used in cement production, POP (plaster of Paris) as well as the schoolroom chalk among others. About 1 billion tonnes of gypsum deposits are widespread across some Nigerian states. It can be found in Anambra, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Bayelsa, Benue, Imo, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Sokoto, Kogi, and Ondo.
#6 Gold
One of the mineral resources in Nigeria that is exploited on a small scale is gold. Notwithstanding its price, the gold exploration is not very dominant and can be found only in such states as Oyo, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger, Kwara, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Edo, Abuja, and Bauchi.
#7 Talc
The next one on this list of mineral resources in Nigeria is talc. It is present in such states as Kogi, Niger, Osun, Kaduna, and Ogun. It is put at about 40 million tonnes. The only talc plant in the country is RMRDC (The Raw Materials Research and Development Council), which produces around 3,000 tonnes annually, and is the major talc plant in Niger State.
#8 Zinc and lead
According to the latest data, around ten million tonnes of zinc and lead veins are widespread over Akwa Ibom, Abia, Abuja, Benue, Anambra, Bayelsa, Enugu, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kano, Tarab, Niger, and Plateau. Confirmed reserves in 3 prospects in the East-Central part are put at five million tonnes waiting for depositors to make a profit from it.
#9 Baryte and bentonite
Speaking about baryte and bentonite, they are the major components of mud, which are used in the drilling of all kinds of oil wells. Over 700 million tonnes of bentonite are widespread across such states as Plateau, Adamawa, and Borno. But still, more than seven million tonnes of baryte was founded in Bauchi and Taraba States.
#10 Gemstones
Actually, gemstones happens to be one of the most important Nigerian mineral resources and they are present in such states as Bauchi, Plateau, and Kaduna. Gemstones like ruby, sapphire, tourmaline, aquamarine, emerald, amethyst, topaz, flour-spar garnet, and zircon are widespread in these areas and are considered to be the best in the whole world.
#11 Kaolin
Kaolin can be found in the Nigerian kaolinitic clay reserves. It has been put at three billion tonnes and is present in such states as Delta, Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Ekiti, Ondo, Kaduna, Kogi, Ogun, Sokoto, and Plateau.
#12 Rock salt
Rock salt happens to be a very important mineral resource in Nigeria. Usually, it is used for making table salt, caustic soda, sodium hydrochloric acid, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium bicarbonate. In general, the yearly demand for all these items has transcended one million tonnes. Reports say that around 1.5 million tonnes of the rock salt are deposited in Nigeria.
So, as far as you can see, Nigeria is rich in mineral resources. In this article, we gave you the list of mineral resources in Nigeria and their locations. Also, we tried to explain the usage of each of them. We hope you found it interesting.
READ ALSO: Natural resources in Nigeria
Many people are interested in Sergey Mavrodi biography, because this Russian businessman and financier managed to enter into the world history a long time ago. The activity of MMM, the organization he established, caused material damage to millions of depositors in the early 1990s. His work still causes mixed assessments in various circles of society. Many people consider his actions as fraud, other think he is a financial genius and adventurer. Read the article to find out the life story of one of the most controversial people of the last several decades.
Childhood, young years, and the first arrest
We will reveal several facts from the life of Sergey Mavrodi:
• He was born on 11.08.1955 in the capital of Russia, Moscow.
• What's the nationality of Sergey Mavrodi? This is a difficult question. His dad was from Donbass, had Ukrainian and Greek roots (the surname in Greek means "black" or "dark"). Mother was Russian.
• He was a very sickly child, Sergey had problems with the heart. Doctors predicted that he would not be able to reach eighteen years old. However, he did and even managed to make his name extremely popular all over the world.
• He finished the 10th grade in Moscow.
• After graduation, he studied mathematics at the Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics, MIEM.
• Then he worked in a research institute.
• As a student he constructed and sold video and audio recordings.
• In 1981, he left the research institute and decided to continue doing business.
• To avoid being prosecuted, he worked on low-paid but time-saving jobs.
• Two years later, Sergey Mavrodi was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Squad for selling illegal video. He was arrested for ten days, then he was released under an amnesty with a strict warning.
Foundation of MMM and second arrest
When was the first MMM company founded by Sergey Mavrodi? It happened in 1989. Since then, he has created several dozen enterprises, which by the mid-1990s became a large financial pyramid.
In August 1994, he was arrested for concealing taxes on the profits of his company, Invest-Consulting. In October the same year, he was released from custody because of change in the preventive measure.
On October 30, 1994, Mavrodi was elected a deputy gaining 29% of the vote in the State of Russia. Nevertheless, he neglected his duties as a deputy and continued to engage in commercial activities. Investigative actions against Mavrodi resumed, and one more charge was added to the previous - fraud.
Sergey Mavrodi and his ex-wife Elena Pavlyuchenko
Personal life
Sergey Mavrodi had a wife, her name is Elena Pavlyuchenko. They were together for 12 years, from 1993 to 2005. She was a model and winner of two beauty contests in 1992 and 1994. Elena Pavlyuchenko was born in Ukraine, Zaporozhye. Her mother was an engineer and father was Doctor of Science at a research institute. People say that the family life of Sergey Mavrodi was far from traditional. The spouses lived in different apartments and met only to spend time together. After their divorce in 2006, Elena gave birth to their daughter.
Elena Pavlyuchenko
READ ALSO: Ideology of MMM in details
Prosecution
On the 17th December 1997, he was announced a swindler in the all-Russian, and a bit later - in the world search. For about five years he lived in rented apartments and confinements. One version of reportssays he lived for a long time in Scandinavia or Greece. The media also suggested that businessman did not leave the capital at all.
Later, according to Criminal Investigation, it became known that the detainee had been in Moscow for the last year before his arrest. However, the fugitive entrepreneur did not stop his financial activities: in 1997 he opened a new financial pyramid on the Internet - Stock Generation, whose victims were at least 275 thousand people (exact figures are unknown), mainly from the USA, as well as from Canada, Australia, Great Britain, The Scandinavian, and Baltic states.
On the 28th of April 2007, Mavrodi was sentenced to 4 years and 6 six months imprisonment with serving in a general regime colony. However, almost all the term was spent at the pretrial detention center. As an additional measure of punishment, the court established a fine of 10,000 rubles.
On May 22, 2007, the term of punishment expired. More than 50 representatives of the media gathered to see the release. However, the ex-head of the pyramid did not give any comments to journalists as he exited the prison. When he reached his vehicle, activists of the "Young Russia" movement threw sour cream at the car.
Books and movies by Mavrodi
Many will be surprised but Sergey Mavrodi has also explored his skills as an author, script writer and a composer.
READ ALSO: What's the name of Mavrodi's first book that was released?
MMM in Nigeria
Mavrodi and his movement found its way to Nigeria. The site Mavrodi Mondial Movement (MMM) became more popular than Facebook here and in other large countries of Africa. According to the latest data, about 3 million Nigerians participate in this pyramid.
The company started its activity in Nigeria in November 2015, launching a website targeting the Nigerian audience. Despite the fact that authorities were urging citizens not to invest their money into such Ponzi schemes, the popularity of the organization continued to grow.
Now you know the story of one of the most controversial personalities in the world. There are many opinions about him and most of them are not positive. However, everyone has a right to his or her opinion.
READ ALSO: NAIJ.com writes open letter to MMM founder Mavrodi
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