Blog by XANTAPLUS

Sunday, 4 October 2015

POPE SACKS CONFESSED GAY PRIESTS FROM VATICAN.

The Vatican, on Saturday, fired a senior priest, Krzysztof Charamsa, who publicly came out as gay on the eve of a major meeting of church leaders to discuss the Church’s stance on social issues such as divorce and homosexuality.

A statement by a spokesman for Pope Francis described the Polish priest’s action as “very serious and irresponsible,” adding that he would be immediately sacked from his post as a theologian in the Vatican.

The statement read, “The decision to make such a pointed statement on the evSe of the opening of the synod appears very serious and irresponsible, since it aims to subject the synod assembly to undue media pressure.”

There were indications, yesterday, that a former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke, arrested and released in the United Kingdom, on Friday, on money laundering allegations, may be charged to court, this week.

And feelers showed that she will not be the only person in the dock.

It was learnt that besides the four other persons arrested with the former minister, more suspects may also be arraigned.

Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki on Wednesday averted what could have been the outright rejection of the nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari who are to be screened by the upper chamber.

The nominees included Mr. Williams Babatunde Fowler, Acting Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Eng. Umaru Garba Dambatta, Vice Chairman of the National Communication Commission (NCC); Ahmed Lawan Kuru, Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) as well as Mr.Kola Ayeye, Eberechukwu Fortunate Uneze and Alh. Aminu Ismail, Executive Directors, AMCON.

The Senate President had read the communication from Buhari on the nominees during plenary on Tuesday and according to the rule of the Senate, he should, during the Wednesday sitting, raise the matter for the chamber to decide what day and how the screening will be conducted.

(HIGHLIGHTS) Chelsea 1 Southampton 3.

CHE 1 SOT 3

(HIGHLIGHTS) Manchester City 6 Newcastle 1.

MAN CITY 6 NEWCASTLE 1

When the British Union Jack was lowered in the morning of Saturday, October 1, 1960 and the Nigerian Green, White, Green flag was hoisted, signifying the birth of an independent state, the Nigerian people had a supreme political leader in 47-year-old Alhaji Tafawa Balewa.

In the federal preparatory elections the year before, no party had won a majority. Balewa’s Northern People’s Congress (NPC) had formed an alliance with the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), led by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Thus on independence, Balewa, whose party had the highest number of seats, retained his Prime Ministership, and Azikiwe was appointed Governor-General. Power actually lied with the former school teacher as Azikiwe’s role was largely ceremonial.

Mrs. Alison-Madueke has stayed away from Nigeria since President Buhari was sworn-in. She was first appointed into the federal cabinet in 2007. A former director at Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, she was appointed Minister of Transport by late President Umaru Yar’adua. In December 2008, she was redeployed to the Mines and Steel Development ministry.

After former Vice President Goodluck Jonathan became acting president, Alison-Madueke was appointed Nigeria’s first female petroleum minister in February 2010, a position she held till May 29, 2015 when Mr. Jonathan left office. Alison-Madueke’s tenure as petroleum minister turned out one of Nigeria’s most controversial, amid unending allegations of corruption.

Under her watch, dubious oil marketers stole trillions of naira of oil subsidy money. She retained her position after the House of Representatives investigated the scandal and indicted the minister. Probes by independent audit firms, including the KPMG and Pricewaterahousecoopers, confirmed billions of dollars of oil money were missing, the most notable being $20 billion in 2014.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) last night confirmed that multiple explosions rocked the twin districts of Nyanya and Kuje at the Federal Capital Territory killing an unconfirmed number of persons and destroying property.

Scores of persons were said to have died in the explosions which unconfirmed sources said happened between 9.30 and 10pm. The blast at Kuje was said to have occurred between the Market and the Local Council headquarters.

NEMA however disclosed that it was yet to ascertain the number of persons that died in both incidents even as it said rescue services ambulances had ferried several injured to hospitals in Abuja.

A NEMA statement signed by Manzo Ezekiel reads, “Following the unfortunate explosions that occurred this night in Nyanya and Kuje, which are two satellite towns in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has deployed its rescue teams in the evacuation of the victims to various hospitals in Abuja.

“The explosions which occured almost simultaneously have resulted in a number of deaths and injuries but the rescue operations coordinated by NEMA are still ongoing.”

4-YR-OLD GIRL BECOMES DUMB AFTER RAPE BY HER FATHER. #SAYNOTORAPE.

Four-year-old Rebecca (not real name) was a normal baby when she was born. She was bubbling with life, but following several sexual assaults on her by her 37-year-old father, identified as Ademola, little Rebecca has lost her voice. She has not been able to talk for the past few weeks.

She looked forlornly and occasionally fell asleep in the arms of her mother, Folake, 32, who was visibly distressed as she explained to reporters how her husband of 14 years had been molesting their daughter.

Blessed with four children; three girls, including a set of twins, and a boy, she reminisced about how they used to live as one (happy) family in the Igando area of Lagos before things took a grim turn and she caught her husband committing one of the most gruesome crimes against their second daughter – sexual assault.

DIEZANI MADUEKE, ERSTWHILE MINISTER OF PETROLEUM ARRESTED IN LONDON,.

The immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, was on Friday arrested in London.

The former minister, who was one of the most powerful officials of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, was arrested Friday morning alongside four other people by the UK National Crime Agency.

The identities of the four other people arrested along with her could not be immediately ascertained.

We learnt she was arrested for offences related to bribery and corruption being investigated by the UK National Crime Agency.

Maiduguri was thrown into pandemonium on Thursday evening, coinciding with the nation’s 55th Independence anniversary, as multiple bomb explosions disrupted the relative peace in the town.

It was gathered that over four suicide bombers attacked the town at about 7.15pm.

A source told our correspondent on the telephone that the attackers entered the Borno State capital at about 7pm from the Zajeri area and spread to other locations marked as targets.

KILLER - CHRIS HARPER-MERCER

The gunman who opened fire on students at Umpqua Community College has been identified as 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer according to law enforcement sources.

'He appears to be an angry young man who was very filled with hate,' one source told The New York Times.

The killer marched into the college campus in Oregon on Thursday armed with a rifle and three handguns. He opened fire - after asking many victims whether they were Christian - leaving at least ten people dead including himself.

14-YR-OLD GIRL RESCUED FROM 40-YR-OLD LOVER'S HOME IN LAGOS ESCAPES.

Two weeks after a 14-year-old girl, identified only as Rosemary, was rescued from the apartment of her alleged lover, 40-year-old Chukwu Nkenna, the teenager has gone missing again in the Agege area of Lagos.

We learnt that Rosemary, who hails from Jos, Plateau State, had been taken away from Nkenna’s apartment at Obelle Junction, Surulere, on Monday, September 8, by officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Our correspondent gathered that Rosemary, who reportedly came to Lagos State in January 2014, had been in the care of a non-governmental organisation interested in girl education, before she left in December 2014, due to financial challenges.

A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that he owes nobody any apology for describing Fulani herdsmen as tsetse flies and murderers.

Fani-Kayode was responding to tweets by the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria Chairman, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, who accused him of hate crime.

Odinkalu, had on Twitter on Wednesday, lashed out at Fani-Koyode, promising to lodge a complaint against him to the Nigerian Police Force.

President Muhammadu Buhari in his Independence broadcast on Thursday (today) assured Nigerians that his government was not persecuting anybody but said all must be ready to account for their deeds.

Borrowing from his inaugural speech on May 29, Buhari said, “I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should fear anything from me.

“We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view, to join me in working for the nation.”

Two persons, Festus Owie, 20, and Blessing Ebimor, 12, have been arraigned before an Egor Magistrate’s Court, for allegedly raping and assaulting a 12-year-old girl.

The defendants, who were arraigned on a three-count charge of defilement, rape and assault, were alleged to have committed the offense on October 26, 2014.

The court was told by the prosecutor that the accused persons conspired at about 5pm at 46, First Oromina Street, off Siluko road, Benin, where they not only assaulted the victim but also forcibly had sexual intercourse with her.

All is not well between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the man widely referred to as the “unofficial vice president”, Mallam Nasir el Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State. Proof: after a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) held on 17th September, 2015, el Rufai showed up in Osinbajo’s office and both took a photograph, all smiles; and splashed them all over the internet. Purpose: to debunk the “rumours” making the rounds that they had exchanged insults. To confirm the story further, a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) a couple of days ago tabled as an item for discussion/resolution the “face-off” between Osinbajo and el Rufai.

At last, Senate President Bukola Saraki Wednesday received the first twenty – one names of nominees to make President Buhari ministerial list , just as the names would be forwarded in batches.

It was learnt that former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and his counterpart in Lagos, Babatunde Fashola were among the names forwarded to the senate.

Others in the list are, former governors, Anambra, Chris Ngige; Abia State, Ogbonaya Onu, Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi; a one time APC governorship flag bearer in Taraba, Aisha Alhassan,