President Jonathan’s Remarks – The Meeting Premiere

This is unedited text of President Goodluck Jonathan’s speech during the premiere of the movie ‘The Meeting’ last Friday October 19, 2012 at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos. The remarks of His Excellency, President Jonathan at the premiere, as delivered by the Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR, ON THE OCCASION OF THE PREMIERE OF A NOLLYWOOD FILM ‘THE MEETING’, IN LAGOS, ON FRIDAY, 19TH OCTOBER, 2012 PROTOCOLS

1. Let me begin by thanking The Audrey Silva Company, Rita Dominic, Mildred Okwo and the entire team for the fantastic work you have done with The Meeting, which we have just seen. This movie will be much talked about in our country and our continent in the weeks ahead.

2. What you have done with The Meeting, reaffirms an indigenous progression in the movie industry that continues to inspire hope and helps to set agenda for our arrival as a nation of great reckoning.

SSS Summons Senator Zanna Over Boko Haram Commandant

The State Security Service has summoned a serving Senator, Ahmed Zanna, over his alleged involvement with the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

The summons is in connection with the arrest last week of a suspected member of the group, Shuaibu Bama, in a house believed to be the senator’s.

The Joint Task Force had arrested Bama in the building along Damboa Road in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, last Friday after soldiers stormed the House.

The JTF had claimed that Bama was one of the commanders of the sect, who had been under watch.

Zanna, who represents Borno-Central Senatorial District, confirmed the summons to newsmen on Sunday.

He admitted being aware of a text message from the Director-General of the SSS, Mr. Ekpenyong Ita, inviting him to the SSS headquarters on Monday (today).

Customs Arrest FAAN Staff for Money Courier

The Nigeria Customs Service says it has arrested a member of staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for alleged money courier.

The staff, identified as Adetula .A. with duty tag number 32120 posted to Gate D41 boarding gate of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos was arrested for illegal courier of $1.4 million.

The Comptroller of Customs, Airport Command Lagos, Mr Charles Edike confirmed the arrest to a columnist, Bola Frazer, explained that the service had been on the trail of some airport officials who aid the courier of local and foreign currencies to beat security checks.

Mr Edike however added that the suspect and currency have been handed over to officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Boko Haram Commander is my Nephew - Senator Ahmed Zanna

Senator Ahmad Zanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Borno Central Senatorial District, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service yesterday,  revealed that  the Joint Task Force in Maiduguri  was referring to him when they claimed that they arrested a ‘Boko Haram commander’ at a ‘senator’s residence.’  Though he claimed that he knew the supposed ‘Boko Haram commander’ Senator Zanna denied that the arrest was made at his residence. Below are excerpts from the interview:

What do you have to say about the arrest of a Boko Haram commander at a senator’s residence?

The JTF said they arrested the man at a house belonging to someone in the Senate.  I am a member of the Senate and I am the only one living on the Dambuwa Road.  So, the JTF didn’t arrest the man (Boko Haram commander) in my house. They went to my house and carried their investigations, but they did not come up with anything. Since they did not get anything, they arrested some boys in the house and asked them out. They forced them to sit under the sun. The soldiers started beating them. They asked them if they knew someone called Shuaibu Bama. The boys told JTF that ‘yes, they knew him.’  One of the boys then led JTF to where Shuaibu was.

Nigerian Female Pilgrims Swindled in Saudi Arabia

Some Nigerian female pilgrims in Saudi Arabia were reportedly raped in the holy city of Madina and Mecca as they were heading to the grand mosques for prayers.

The perpetrators are yet to be arrested by police. Already, 12 Nigerians have so far died in Saudi Arabia since the pilgrimage began on September 19.

According to the report, a cab driver used a knife to force the first female pilgrim victim into a dark place where he forced himself on her.

The woman (name withheld) was said to have accepted an offer from the man to lift her to the grand mosque after telling her he was also going for prayers.

“Instead of taking her to the mosque, the man took the victim to an unknown destination, where he raped her,” a pilgrim from Katsina explained.

Ondo State Governorship Election: Mimiko Wins by a Landslide

After months of intense politicking and anxiety, the Ondo State governorship election ended yesterday with Governor Segun Mimiko  of the Labour Party emerging victorious.

The announcement of the results by the Independent National Electoral Commission began at 2:55am today and ended at 4:30am when the process was discontinued.  One of the INEC officials told the gathering of electoral officials, party agents and security agents that more declaration of the results would resume at 10am.

As of the time the announcement was stopped, the results from 15 Local Government Areas had been announced. The results clearly showed that  Mimiko’s victory at the poll was all but assured.