Sunday, December 31, 2017
Photo: Dubai King, Sheikh Mohammed's #NewYear message
The Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum just took to his official Twitter page to send these 2018 vibes.
Happy New Year sir, from all of us at TBW to you and all Dubai residents.
‘We Made Mistake In Appointing Dead Persons As Board Chairmen’- Federal Government Begs
The Presidency rose yesterday in its own defence over the inclusion of the names of some dead persons as chairmen or members of newly constituted boards and parastatals.
It said it was all a mistake which would be rectified in due course.
No fewer than three of the appointees -Chief Frank
Okpozo, Mr. Donald Ugbaja and Christopher Utov – were already dead when the list of 209 chairmen and 1258 board members were released by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, on Friday night.Okpozo was named as Chairman of the Nigerian Press Council; Ugbaja, a retired deputy Inspector General of Police, was listed as a member of the Consumers Protection Council while Utov was included as a board member of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER).
The development sparked heavy criticism of government especially on social media.
Speaking to reporters yesterday on the issue, the Senior Special Assistant to the on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said that the list was prepared before President Muhammadu Buhari took ill and was released by the SGF without any alteration.
The President, he said, had requested 50 names from each of the state chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.
The nominations were harmonized by the national secretariat of the party which then submitted the list to the immediate past SGF, Babachir Lawal.
Shehu said: “However, complaints arose from some governors who felt they were not carried along in the process.
“To answer this, the president constituted a committee under the vice president to review and reflect the interest of the governors.”
He said that the report submitted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was delayed because of President Buhari’s illness and his subsequent medical vacation abroad.
“The president’s trips for medical attention slowed down completion of the process,” he said.
The president only decided to revisit the matter recently and therefore directed the new SGF to release the list, he said.
“The current SGF was only directed to complete that process by releasing the list which he apparently did without altering it.
“The new SGF did what he was asked to do. There is nothing scandalous or extraordinary about what has happened.”
The SGF in a statement attached to the list of the appointees said the constitution of the boards was “very necessary, so as to provide a proper governance and oversight structure for government agencies and parastatals.”
He added: “The constitution of the boards with the appointments is a demonstration of this government’s efforts aimed at building strong institutions of governance, and by extension, improving the quality of policy formulation and supervision.
TRAGIC! 4 Die In Benin-Asaba Road Crash
Four persons have been confirmed dead in an auto crash that occured along the Benin-Asaba road.
The crash involved a commercial Toyota Hiace bus and a truck.
The Public Relations Officer of Edo State Command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. George Oshoke, told NAN that the accident occurred on the Abudu Bridge in Orhiowon Local Government Area of the
state.Oshioke said in Benin on Saturday that six persons were involved in the accident, but added that four persons, comprising two males and two females, lost their lives on the spot.
He stated that the other two persons sustained severe injuries and have been been taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.
The spokesman attributed the mishap to over-speeding, adding that the remains of the victims have been deposited in a morgue,
Barrack Obama Emerges The Most Admired Man In America
Former US president Barack Obama, has been named the most admired man by Americans.
According to results from an annual Gallup poll, Obama emerged top defeating current president Donald Trump with Hillary Clinton emerging as the
most admired woman in America.Obama led with 17% while Trump, came second with 14%.
Third most admired man on the poll went to Pope Francis earning the spot with 3%.
Michele Obama with 7%, is the second most admired woman, while Oprah Winfrey came third.
Husband From Hell: This Is The Man Who Tried To Electrocute His Own Pregnant Wife In Their Home
A man who tried to electrocute his own wife who was pregnant with their baby, is being made to suffer severe consequences for his action.
Michael Scott Wilson, a 32-year-old man tried to electrocute his pregnant wife in a sick plan after rigging the front door of their home with cable, it is
alleged.According to a report by The Sun UK, Michael Scott Wilson was charged on Thursday with attempted aggravated battery on a pregnant woman and grand theft of a firearm.
In what the County Sheriff called “one of the most bizarre domestic violence cases” he has ever witnessed, Wilson reportedly attached electrical devices to the lock and handle of their Florida home.
In an alarming twist, Wilson also changed his Facebook relationship status to “widowed.”
Anyone who opened the door would be electrocuted, causing serious injury and even death.
Cops were alerted to the horrifying plot when the father of Wilson’s wife became suspicious after his son-in-law said children should be kept away from the door.
When they arrived, they found the door barricaded and it rigged with electrical cords, wiring and car battery charger.
In the rest of the house, they uncovered pictures of a sonogram on the kitchen table, love letters in the bedroom with a photo album of the couple together – and Wilson’s wife’s smart cameras dumped in the toilet.
She had installed the cameras after her husband was involuntarily hospitalised for mental evaluation.
Wilson was found by cops in Tennessee, and is being extradited to Florida, held on a £110,000 bond.
County Sheriff Rick Staley said: 
Not only did this man try to electrocute his wife, but he could have injured a deputy or any person attempting to enter this residence.
Not only did this man try to electrocute his wife, but he could have injured a deputy or any person attempting to enter this residence.Thankfully this man was found and taken into custody before he could cause the harm he intended.
Scores Flee Cross River Over Violent Clash
The communal crisis, which started late Monday and continued on Friday, was said to have claimed more than four lives.
There are conflicting reports as to the cause of the hostility, but sources said the problem started after an unidentified policeman was killed by some youths from Uyanga on the suspicion that the slain cop was taking arms to Ojor.
In June 2017, both communities were involved in a bloody communal clash that left several persons dead, while many houses were destroyed.
The warring communities had failed to embrace peace after that encounter before the Monday clash started.
It was learnt on Thursday that scores of villagers were fleeing their homes to neighbouring communities in order to avoid being caught in the ongoing mayhem, which has led to destructions of homes.
Uyanga is located along the Calabar-Ikom highway, while its neighbour, Ojor, which is off the highway, could only be accessed through a road from Uyanga.
A commuter, Imoh Bassey, told our correspondent that many houses had been set ablaze while commuters plying the road were stranded on Wednesday.
“These two neighbouring communities have held themselves hostage. Many are being locked inside their houses without an escape route. Some persons, who managed to escape, are going to neighbouring communities to avoid being killed in the fight,” he said.
An indigene of Uyanga, Mr. Eugene Aidam, said the slain policeman was caught carrying arms to Ojor when he was nabbed and killed.
He noted that despite warnings from the police authorities that all communities should remain in their domain during the Yuletide, the Ojor people threatened the peace, which led to the latest violence.
Aidam said, “The commissioner of police wrote to inform all communities in Akamkpa to remain in their homes. I saw the letter from the clan head. On December 25, the Ojor people said they were embarking on a road walk, but the Uyanga youth resisted them."
“The Ojor youths went back to reinforce and came back to attack Uyanga. In the process, a man who was later identified as a policeman wanted to drive into Ojor with arms and ammunition."
“The youths intercepted his Toyota Sienna at the junction. He resisted being searched and his tyre was shot and he was eventually killed. They searched his vehicle and saw so many arms. He was said to be married to an Ojor woman and was taking arms to them."
“The Ojor people immediately came and started attacking Uyanga. I heard the slain policeman was from Adim. So the Adim people have joined them to attack us (Uyanga). They invaded Uyanga and killed three persons on Wednesday. Those killed were Ekpo Clement, Barnabas and the third one is Paul.”
But an Ojor youth, Mr. Andrew Ikumo, denied the claims, saying that Uyanga youths struck first without being provoked.
Ikumo stated, “One of our in-laws from Adim was on his way to pick his family from Ojor when he was held hostage at Uyanga by some youths on the grounds that he carried arms. They probably thought he was an Ojor person. They brought him out from his car and beheaded him before burning his body. They took his rifle and set his car on fire."
“That same day, another Ojorboy was coming from Biase LGA. They held him and took him to their shrine. He was also beheaded. So, Ojor people got angry and attacked some persons from Uyanga. The head of the policeman that was killed has been recovered."
“Uyanga people were actually planning to hit Ojor people when this whole thing played out. There had been series of peace meetings, but the Uyanga people had refused to attack."
“They have been killing people who attempted to go to Ojor. The Ojor people had to retaliate. They have attacked the Uyanga community and burnt down some houses.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Irene Ugbo, confirmed the death of the policeman.
She said the policeman was killed when he tried to mediate in the scuffle.
Ugbo, however, said that a detachment of mobile policemen had been deployed in the area and added that calm had been restored.
Sahara Reporters
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