ENDLESS BLOODSHED IN THE NORTH YET JONATHAN WEARS A SMILE PRETENDING THAT ALL IS WELL.

TRAGEDIES and disasters come with pains and grief; but they are also events that unite a nation. When a country is afflicted by the twin evils, especially on the scale experienced in Nigeria in recent times, it draws the grief-stricken people together and provides a perfect setting for the leadership to reconnect with them. It is an opportunity for the leader to share in the pains of those affected; it is time for him to attempt to restore hope to the disillusioned, those who may have come to the conclusion that there is nothing to live for anymore.

Nigeria, in the past few years, has had her fair share of tragic events. Since the blood-thirsty terrorist group called Boko Haram started its campaign of terror in the north-eastern part of the country, thousands of people have been killed in very gruesome circumstances. In some instances, whole villages have been levelled. And, almost of equal ferocity have been the frequent attacks and the loss of lives witnessed in Plateau State. It could, therefore, be excused when reports of fresh attacks in those areas no longer attract the attention they used to, perhaps due to their frequency.

NICOLAS ANELKA GETS FIVE MATCH BAN FOR QUENELLE GETURE.

The Football Association has banned Nicolas Anelka for five games after his controversial “quenelle” gesture against West Ham United two months ago.

The former France international was charged last month under the Football Association's new anti-discrimination rules and after a three-day hearing was found guilty of an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3 by an independent disciplinary commission.

The 34-year-old, who denied the charges, has also been fined 80,000 pounds and ordered to complete a compulsory education course. He has seven days to lodge an appeal.

GALATASARAY 1 CHELSEA 1 (VIDEO)

GALTASARAY 1 CHELSEA 1

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SCHALKE 1 R.MADRID 6. (VIDEO)

SCHALKE 1 R.MADRID 6

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THE WENDELL SIMLIN SAGA THAT EXPOSED JONATHAN'S SPECIAL ASSISTANT "RENO OMOKRI" (@Renoomokri) AS A PERPETUAL LIAR.

Call this a dance of shame and you might be so close to the truth except there is a better way to describe the mess the outspoken and sometimes unreasonable Special Assistant on New Media to President Jonathan got himself into.

Reno Omokri is one of President Jonathan's many sore mouthpiece who has been promoting the fruitless agenda of the presidency and attacking critics of the government. He however burnt his own fingers when he posed as "WENDELL SIMLIN" and circulated a document online linking the suspended CBN Governor to escalated acts of terror in the northern part of the country. The ruse was however uncovered when some Internet-savvy Nigerians traced the IP address of the source document and it turned out that it had been authored and circulated by Mr. Omokri.

This scandal, the latest in a series of ethical and corruption issues rocking the Jonathan administration, set Twitter on fire today. Outraged Nigerians called for Mr. Omokri's sack. The timing of Mr. Omokri's fraudulent act is particularly insensitive, with many commentators questioning why a member of President Jonathan’s inner circle would seek to capitalize on the blood of slaughtered innocent children by forging documents to implicate a perceived "enemy" of the Jonathan administration.

PASTOR OF WORLD'S LARGEST PENTECOSTAL CHURCH CONVICTED OF EMBEZZLING $12M .

The 78-year-old pastor of the world's largest Pentecostal church convicted of embezzling $12 million told his congregation on Sunday that through "this suffering" he had learned that "an individual shouldn't possess anything."

"Besides health, status, fame, authority, money... these are all matters that are outside the body and unworthy of any pursuit," Pastor David Yonggi Cho told Yoido Full Gospel Church, in Seoul, South Korea.

Cho added that he hopes that God forgives him for his actions.

EXCLUSIVE DETAILS OF HOW SANUSI & BUKOLA SARAKI & CO FRAUDULENTLY ACQUIRED INTERCONTINENTAL BANK.

Online media portal, THEWILL has exclusively obtained a letter addressed to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan detailing how Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Senator Bukola Saraki and Mahmoud Lai Alabi took over the now defunct Intercontinental Bank from its founder and deposed Group Managing Director, Mr. Erastus Akingbola.

The 7-page letter dated February 09, 2014, which was written by Mr. Akingbola revealed the intrigues and private conversations between himself, billionaire Aliko Dangote, Senator Saraki and Mallam Sanusi before Sanusi eased him out of the bank.

Read the letter after the cut.....

"TORTURE OF PEPPER SELLERS" - POLICE PARADES 10 SUSPECTS AND DECLARE 4 WANTED.

This is a positive report on the "TORTURE OF PEPPER SELLERS" which has generated so much interest.

The Nigeria Police Force has paraded ten suspects arrested in connection with the torture, murder and sodomy of three females accused of stealing pepper in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State, an event that occured in February 2013.

The police held a conference at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit in Lagos, parading the suspects.

The paraded suspects included the Babaloja of the Ejigbo Market, Isiaka Waheed, the Iyaloja and several others persons   involved in the heinous crime.

HOW BOKO HARAM SLAUGHTERED 43 STUDENTS IN YOBE.

Boko Haram cowards yesterday killed about 43 innocent students of the Federal Government College (FGC), Buni-Yadi in Gujba local government area of Yobe State.

The blood hounds, who avoid face-to-face combat with military forces, now attack soft targets in remote villages and schools, apparently to make good Nigerians sad.

A source said that about 50 gunmen stormed the school, which is a few kilometres away from the state capital Damaturu, killing the students and injuring others. It was gathered that the gunmen also set some school buildings, cars, classrooms and staff quarters on fire during the attack.

NO REGRETS - SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI

SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI

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OLYMPIAKOS 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 0. (VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS)

OLY 2 MANU 0

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ONDO STATE LOSES SPEAKER TO "CANCER OF THE URINARY BLADDER."

The Ondo State Government has described Hon. Adesina Samuel Ajayi, the Speaker of the House of Assembly who died today, as a bridge-builder, a man of integrity and a reliable team player who placed the interest of the state above personal consideration.

In a statement, Dr. Rotimi Adelola, the Secretary to the State Government, disclosed that the Speaker, who represented Odigbo Constituency 11 in the legislature, died of cancer of the urinary bladder.

"The Ondo state government received the news of the death of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Adesina Samuel Ajayi with disbelief but in total submission to the will of God,” he said, adding that it had been the hope of all that he would pull through the challenge.  

“That death took him at this time can be no less of a shock to the government and people of the State, as the prayers of all [were] for full recovery," Adelola said.

The government commiserated with Mr. Ajayi’s family, his colleagues in the state legislature, his constituents in Odigbo Local Government Area, and the entire people of the state.

"We mourn his passage and can only pray for fortitude and strength from above to bear this irreparable loss," the statement added.

READ THE FULL TEXT OF SANUSI'S SUSPENSION LETTER.

That Kano-born financial expert, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was suspended from office as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday February 20, 2014, is no longer news.

However, the development has continued to generate reactions both within and outside the country, and has become a topic that would be discussed for a very long time to come.

Here is the suspension letter through which the Nigerian government communicated its decision to Mallam Sanusi.

Reference:

Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi Governor,

Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja.

SUSPENSION FROM OFFICE

1. Following the Report of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria on the Audited Financial Statements of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the year ended 31st December 2012, and other related issues, I write to convey to you His Excellency, Mr. President’s decision that you be suspended from office as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria with effect from Thursday 20th February 2014.

2. The decision is predicated on the loss of confidence in your ability to lead the Apex Bank towards the achievement of its statutory mandate. Of particular concern is the fact that, under your watch, the bank has carried out its functions in a manner characterised by disregard for due process and accountability.

LIVERPOOL 4 SWANSEA CITY 3 (VIDEO)

LIV 4 SWA 3

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CRYSTAL PALACE 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 2 (VIDEO)

CYP 0 MANU 2

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ARSENAL 4 SUNDERLAND 1 (VIDEO)

ARS 4 SUN 1

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CHELSEA 1 EVERTON 0 (VIDEO)

CHE 1 EVE 0

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IS SANUSI GUILTY OF FINANCIAL RECKLESSNESS?????

GOVERNMENTS rarely fire their Central Bank governors. No matter the reasons, controversies would trail the decision, more so if it involves Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a man who hugs the headlines.

Few governments too would have tolerated the defiance Mallam Sanusi applied to his brief. The CBN governor wrote the President accusing the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, of not remitting $49.8 billion (about three times the nation’s annual budget) to the Federation Account.

He later blamed CBN’s Reserve Department for misleading him and told a Senate committee investigating the allegations that he had apologised privately to those his letter indicted, but there are indications that NNPC’s accounts are untidy.

MY STORY - SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI (SUSPENDED CBN GOVERNOR).

In the beginning

As at the time I came into office, several things had collapsed. From banks to stock exchange, they had crashed. Inflation was at 15.6percent three months before I became Central Bank Governor; there was already instability in every sector of the economy. When I look back, I thank God for the people who supported us and criticized us as well because criticism has made us stronger. Also, when I look back, I can point to several things that have changed after our arrival and till date.

Keeping inflation down

For the first time in a long while, we have been able to keep inflation at about 7percent since January 2013 and it is still like that up till this moment. As far as instability and exchange rate is concerned, we have worked tirelessly to ensure things work out well for the economy.

PRESIDENTIAL MEDIA CHAT HOLDS AT 7PM TODAY.

Presidential Media Chat will hold today on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON).

The programme, which is usually in a live broadcast will hold by 7p.m. This was contained in a statement by Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

According to the statement, during the programme,  Jonathan will respond to questions from a panel of journalists and media executives on current national issues and developments.

“All other radio and television stations in the country are urged to hook up to NTA and FRCN to relay the programme to their listeners and viewers,” the statement said.