FEAR GRIPS BANK WORKERS AS JOB LOSSES LOOMS

The days of perfect night sleep and living comfortably as a bank worker in Nigeria are over. Even those who are still employed in the (now) few banks live in fear of job loss as the hammer might fall on them anytime due to unfavourable CBN regulations and policies.

According to Punch, indications have emerged that more bank workers will lose their jobs in 2014 following cost-cutting measures about to be introduced by the deposit money banks in order to mitigate the effects of some regulatory policies on their profitability.

Since the era of the global financial crisis in the mid-2008 and the special audit test carried out on banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the banking sector has witnessed a chain of job losses estimated at more than 15,000 by industry watchers.

BIZARRE!!!! - YEMENI GIRL CRIES STONES INSTEAD OF TEARS (SEE VIDEO)

YEMENI GIRL CRIES STONE INSTEAD OF TEARS

A 12-year-old girl has baffled doctors after crying stones instead of tears - with locals fearing she may be 'possessed'.  Saadiya Saleh, who lives in a village in Yemen, produces the small, hard stones beneath her eyelids. They are then naturally pushed to the front of her eyes, before falling down her cheeks.

A video of the bizarre phenomenon was posted on YouTube by Yemeni television channel Azal.  Footage shows Saadiya lying on a hospital bed, surrounded by doctors and relatives - one of whom can be seen brushing a stone out of the child's eye with a cloth.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO.

A doctor then holds up a small box full of stones that have fallen out of Saadiya's eyes in just a few hours.

Read more after the cut.

POLICE ARREST FORMER LAGOS DEPUTY GOVERNOR "ALHAJA SINATU OJIKUTU" FOR FRAUD

The Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police on Tuesday arrested a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu.

The 67-year-old, who was declared wanted by the SFU on June 19, 2013, for allegedly obtaining N130m from one Cajethan Okekearu, under the guise of selling a plot of land at Admiralty Way, Lekki, Lagos, was arrested at her Lagos Island residence.

In a statement by the SFU Commissioner of Police, Mr.Tunde Ogunsakin, Ojikutu was said to have allegedly connived with her son, Samson Ojikutu Jnr, currently in the United States, to commit the fraud.

PLAN EXECUTED AS APC REPS STALL 2014 BUDGET DEBATE

SPEAKER TAMBUWAL

Members of the All Progressives Congress  in  the House of Representatives on Tuesday stalled  debate on the 2014 Appropriation Bill. The development appeared to be the first phase of the lawmakers’ compliance with the directive of  the national leadership of their party to “block” all Executive  bills, particularly  the budget.

It was earlier reported that the lawmakers were set for  a stormy debate on the budget. The leadership of the APC had, at a meeting with the members of the party in Abuja on Tuesday, restated its directive to them to ensure that the Appropriation bill was not passed.

The  row in the House was however prevented from degenerating by the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, who continuously advised the  angry lawmakers to exercise decorum. Tuesday’s plenary  progressed normally until  Tambuwal asked the Majority Leader, Mrs. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, to lead the debate on the general principles of  the N4.6tn budget. She had hardly finished speaking  when an APC member from Benue State, Mr. Emmanuel Jime, raised a point of order strictly on grounds of law. Jime noted that the budget estimates, as presented before the House, breached Section 21 (I,II,III) of the Fiscal Responsibly Act, 2007.

OWNER GIVES AWAY BAD DOG AFTER SHE CHEWS A HOLE THROUGH N21,000,000.00 (£80,000) ASTON MARTIN CAR

A car fanatic gave his pet dog away after he was left distraught when she chewed a hole through the wheel arch of his prized £80,000 Aston Martin.

Builder Royston Grimstead, 42, was devastated when he came home to find his border collie spaniel cross Luce had chewed through the fibreglass panel of his luxury car - causing £3,000 of damage. Mr Grimstead, from Chedzoy, Somerset, said he had already been considering re-homing the dog, which he said did not get along with his other dog, but the damage to the car was the final straw.

A dog behaviour expert has suggested it was likely Luce, who Mr Grimstead claimed had never chewed any of his possessions before, went for the car after she became stressed while her owner was away.

"BREAST IMPLANT GONE WRONG" - GIRL (19) WHO FELL INTO COMA AFTER BREAST IMPLANT BECOMES PERMANENTLY VEGETATIIVE

LINDA PEREZ IN VEGETATIVE STATE

A young woman who fell into a coma last year after getting breast augmentation surgery has been allowed to go back to her home but is still unable to move on her own and can only say a few words.

Linda Perez now has to be under constant supervision as she has dropped to a skeletal weight. Doctors fear that the now-19-year-old may never recover, but her mother is holding out for a recovery, citing the fact that she is now off of her feeding tube as a good sign.

TOYOTA EARNS MASSIVE PROFIT OF $15BILLION IN 9 MONTHS (APRIL - DEC 2013

Toyota is on track for a record annual profit as it announced its nine-month net earnings more than doubled to $15 billion on a sharp drop in the yen and surging overseas sales.

The world’s biggest automaker earned 1.52 trillion yen ($15 billion) between April and December on sales of 19.12 trillion yen — propelled by a five-fold jump in third-quarter earnings. It also boosted a fiscal year to March profit forecast to a record 1.90 trillion yen.

Japanese automakers have been big winners over the past year as a sharp drop in the yen inflated exporters’ repatriated profits, further boosted by improved overseas demand. Toyota has ramped up its bid to tap emerging markets while key US demand has also been on the upswing, helping the firm book ever-increasing profits.

CORRUPT POLICE OFFICER WHO DEMANDED FOR DOLLAR BRIBE FACES DISMISSAL

The policeman, who was caught on video demanding dollars as bribe from a Nigerian-American and two other Nigerians for alleged traffic offences in Lagos, has been arrested and is now facing an orderly room trial.

The man, identified as Corporal Aniyem Chiyem, whose video was posted on YouTube was secretly filmed by one of the passengers in a three-minute, 45-second footage.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, on Monday in Abuja said that the hitherto unknown Chiyem with Force No. 374171, was attached to Isheri Division, Lagos State Police Command.

NIGERIAN PRISONERS IN UK REJECT TRANSFER TO NAIJA PRISONS

Some Nigerians serving various jail terms in the UK have kicked against the recently signed Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Nigeria and British governments.

Dr Dalhatu Tafida, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, on Tuesday in London confirmed this in an interview. Tafida said that some of the prisoners have expressed concern over returning to the country to complete their terms, citing poor prison facilities and stigma as main reasons.

While explaining the framework of the agreement, the envoy said that the prisoner transfer was not an automatic exercise whereby those in jail would return home immediately.

YOU MUST LISTEN TO THIS HILARIOUS ETISALAT CUSTOMER CARE PHONE CONVERSATION

   

HILARIOUS CONVERSATION

Humour at its best.... The woman must be very insecure.... Uche's voice was so sweet though....

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN.

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN IS DEAD - DRUG OVERDOSE FINGERED AS LIKELY CAUSE OF DEATH.

Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead of an apparent heroin overdose —- with a hypodermic needle still stuck in his arm —- inside a Greenwich Village apartment on Sunday, cops said.

Screenwriter and friend David Bar Katz called 911 around 11:30 a.m. after he and a female friend found Hoffman in his underwear on a bathroom floor at 35 Bethune St., sources said.

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s New York City apartment building, Pickwick House, where the actor was found dead earlier today.The pair went to check on Hoffman after he missed an appointment to pick up his three kids from longtime girlfriend Mimi O’Donnell, sources said.

Cops found five empty glassine envelopes in a garbage can, two more under the bed and one on a table in the apartment, where Hoffman — who has repeatedly struggled with substance abuse — was living recently, sources said.

SOUTH SUDAN GOVERNMENT AND REBELS REACH CEASE-FIRE AFTER WEEKS OF INTENSE FIGHTING

The South Sudanese government and rebels signed a cease-fire deal on Thursday after more than a month of fighting, according to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, an East African trade bloc that has been helping to mediate between the parties.

The government and the rebels reached the agreement in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. It calls for an immediate end to all military operations and a freeze of forces at the "place they are in."

The parties also agreed not to attack civilians and to refrain from rape, sexual abuse and torture. Supply routes for humanitarian aid are to be opened to reach displaced populations. The agreement also sets up an unarmed group of monitors that includes members from surrounding East African nations and representatives from both the rebels and the government. Their job will be to ensure that the cease-fire agreement is effective.

NIGER DELTA MILITANTS GET MORE ALLOCATION (N54B) THAN THE POLICE AND MILITARY (N46BN) IN THE 2014 BUDGET PROPOSAL

Wonders they say shall never end.... This is very true especially with the Nigerian government.

The 30,000 ex-militants (I am sure this figure was exaggerated) got more allocation than the Police Force and Military (Army, Navy & Airforce) combined together in the 2014 Budget. I suppose the reintegration process should be over by now. This might just be another means of siphoning public funds.

Read more after the cut according to national mirror.

#INDUSTRYRUMOURS - CLARENCE PETER AND SEYI SHAY ARE HAVING AN AFFAIR

It seems Clarence Peters, the legendary Nigerian video producer has finally hooked one of the industry's best diva, Seyi Seyi........ Read below according to TheNet.

NET has learnt that popular video director, Clarence Peters, is having a romantic affair with Nigerian pop singer Seyi Shay.

Sources tell us the relationship is new as the pair allegedly hit it off just a few weeks ago, towards the end of 2013. The lovers, we are told, are very fond of themselves but have been trying their best to keep their love affair discreet.

MONEY PROBLEMS YOUNG PEOPLE ENCOUNTER

Some people wait until their adult years to get serious about their personal finances. But developing good money habits during youth or as a young adult can put you on the right path financially. Rather than make unwise decisions and spend money frivolously, change your personal habits and increase your personal wealth.

Many young people do not bother about proper financial planning until they become older. Experts say young adults, especially people in their 20s, often feel they are too young to think about owning their own homes or ‘major’ financial projects. As a result, they wait until much later in life. By the time they are ready to get their finances in shape, experts say they would have made several financial mistakes that are capable of making the journey to financial freedom an arduous one for them.

Read more after the cut..........

ANOTHER NIGERIAN POLICEMAN CAUGHT DEMANDING DOLLARS BRIBE IN LAGOS

                                          POLICEMAN DEMANDING  FOR BRIBE



Some officers of the police force haven't learnt valuable lessons from their colleagues dismissed because of either demanding or taking bribe.



Watch the footage of the latest "bad egg"  in the police force who was caught on camera demanding for dollars in the Egbeda area of Lagos.



CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO.

WAEC INTRODUCES 39 NEW SUBJECTS

The West African Examinations Council has announced the introduction of 39 new subjects in its examinations.

 The Council’s Acting Head, Test Development Division, Mrs. Olayinka Ajibade, who announced this, said the new subjects would commence in this year’s May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination.

Ajibade said this while delivering a paper titled “The New Senior Secondary Education Curriculum in Nigeria: Implications for Assessment” at the council’s monthly seminar in Lagos on Friday. The fresh initiative, she said, was in accordance with the Nigerian Education Research and Development Council’s new secondary school curriculum.

DISPLAY OF AFFLUENCE BY THE FIRST SON OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

His father sits at the top of the police force in Nigeria and he in turn sits on top of so much money.......

We are referring to no other than the first son of the current Inspector General of Police, Jamil Abubakar who displayed  his fabuolous multimillion dollar toys.

IGP Mohammed Abubakar has been a policeman all his life. The Nigerian Police Force is ill equipped and its officers are not motivated due to the peanut they earn as their take home pay. Millions of Naira budgeted for the force are embezzled by the top hierarchy, as seen in the several corruption cases former IGPs are involved in.

Not less than three past inspetor general of police are under prosecution for corruption, or have been found guilty of embezzlement and misappropriation.

His son Jamil, is a Kingston University-trained Computing Information Systems and Multimedia graduate and is currently a pilot with Elite Airwings.

See his expensive cars and collection of watches after the cut........

ATIKU ABUBAKAR (@ATIKU) FINALLY DUMPS PDP FOR APC, (READ THE FULL TEXT OF HIS PRESS STATEMENT HERE)

ATIKU ABUBAKAR

Former Vice-President of the Nigeria and one of the founders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, dumped the party, alleging a reign of impunity that has put the party beyond redemption.

Atiku, whose resignation letter is to be delivered to the PDP ward chairman in Jada, Adamawa State today, said he would be joining the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Sources close to the former vice-president told Vanguard last night that Atiku would be received by the top leadership of the APC at a rally being organised in Yola this morning. Party leaders, including Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, among others, are to witness the public defection of the former vice-president at the Yola rally. Atiku in a statement, yesterday, urged his supporters across the country to take opportunity of the APC registration exercise commencing Wednesday to join the opposition party.

Read the full text of his press statement after the cut...............

FIRE OUTBREAK AT ST. NICHOLAS HOSPITAL, LAGOS ISLAND

Fire which started at about 9:00pm razed St. Nicholas Hospital located at 57 Campbell Street in Lagos Island on Sunday, displacing over 40 patients on admission also destroying the medical complex, with equipment worth several millions.

Confirming the fire disaster the director Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe, said the fire service was prompt in responding to the fire outbreak.

More updates soon.