Paschal Eronmose emerges winner of Gulder Ultimate Search 9

Paschal Eronmose has emerged as the winner of the Gulder Ultimate Search 9. The 24-year-old Edo indiegene, was almost beaten to the grand prize by the last female contestant, Onyinye Udodi, who would have become the first lady to win the reality show.
As this year’s winner, Eronmose will receive N9 million, N500,000 for ‘swagger allowance’ and a brand new 2012 SUV. The runner-up, Onyinye, will get N4 million as total prize money.
The other contestants who had been evicted earlier included: Uzor Osimpka, Ifet Iniobong, Priscillia Ezeh, Michael Ogbuefi, Patience Bornford, Ujam Emmanuel, Ayo Ojueromi and Kofya Brown.

The Ultimate Man

DailyPost

Nigerian student emerges best student in Ghanaian University

Just few weeks ago, DailyPost released a report on a Nigerian student who broke the World record for scoring 4.0/4.0 in Turkish University. Another Nigerian student has shown that Nigeria is indeed the giant of Africa by emerging the best graduating student in Ghana University of Technology for the 2010/2011 academic year, thereby making the country proud again.
Excited Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Ademola Oluwaseyi, disclosed this to a delegation from the university, led by the President, Prof. Clement Dzidonu, who paid a courtesy call on him in Accra recently.
Ambassador Oluwaseyi expressed his heart felt joy on how Nigerian students are making good grades and making the country proud in the Diaspora, commending their persevering spirit and dedication to studies.
He emphasised that Nigerian students can excel academically anywhere in the world.
He advised that Ghana University of Technology should be a preferred choice to parents seeking university admission for their wards in West Africa, noting that this will strengthen the cordial relationship between the two countries.
DailyPost

Aluu Killings: Tears as Toku is buried

It was another festival of tears and lamentation in the Garden City of Port Harcourt on Friday as remains of Lloyd Toku Mike, one of the four University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) students, who was lynched in Aluu clan was committed to mother earth.
The remains of the deceased was interred in Port Harcourt City cemetery, opposite Free-Town Street, off Aggrey Road Rivers State.
Until his painful demise on October 5, 2012, the late Lloyd was a 200 level Engineering student of UNIPORT and first son of his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Toku Mike. His dad is an Assistant Director of Programmes, Rivers State Broadcasting Service.
Bereaved friends and family members mourned uncontrollably when the casket bearing Lloyd’s remains arrived their residence at No. 29 Captain Amangala Street, Town,Port Harcourt.
On sighting the vehicle bearing the corpse, a Ford Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) with a Lagos registration number, BDG 485 AS, the tear-soaked mother muttered, “My baby is here,” touching the ambulance bearing the body of her beloved son.
In his sermon, pastor Promise Jeremiah of Salvation Ministries reminded sympathizers not to forget that one day people would also gather to mourn them like Lloyd. He called on them to repent in other to be found in the lamb’s book of life.
The cleric who read from Luke 16:22-30, said in life, people must belong to, either, Lazarus’ camp or beggar’s camp, heaven or devil’s camp.
The emotion-laden father, Mr. Toku Mike, while lamenting that his son promised to come home the very day he was brutally killed said Lloyd occupies a special place in his heart.
Tearfully he said: “Lloyd, you called and wished me happy birthday on Thursday, October 4, 2012. You promised you would come home on Friday, October 5, 2012 after lectures but you never did. Little did I know that your birthday wish was your goodbye to me, your mother, and your younger brother.
Continuing, Toku mourned: “Lloyd, why, why and why did you abandon us the way and manner you did? Lloyd, we loved you so very much. Word alone can’t explain how much love we had and still have for you even in death.”
He further lamented that money and tears are not enough to bring him back to life if not they would not have stopped crying, and would have also gone extra-mile to borrow money in other to bring him back to life and to complete his education.
However, mourners who were present during the interment blamed president Goodluck Jonathan and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi for not sending representatives to the burial ceremony.
While calling on relevant security agencies to bring the killers to book, they also warned them to guard against future reoccurrence.
Meanwhile, the students’ union leaders of UNIPORT also blamed the authorities of University of Port Harcourt for not ensuring that the murdered students get justice.
DailyPost

Maryam Abacha Floors Chief Launcher’s Donation At Book Launch

The organizers would be wishing she was made the Chief launcher as well as mother of the day after former First lady, Mrs Maryam Abacha, yesterday stole the show at the launch of a book written by her former Military press secretary, Colonel John Adache (rtd).
Mrs Abacha strolled into the conference Hall of the National Defence Collage, NDC, named after her husband Sanni Abacha, in company of her son, Mohammed and a retinue of well-wishers.
At the launch of the book on ‘The Military and Public Relations; Issues Strategies and Challenges’, the Chief launcher donated N2 million, but the former First lady who is the mother of the day announced, her family’s donation of N5 million and threw the whole hall into loud ovation, with everyone believing the highest donation of the night would be the Chief launcher’s.
Commandant of the National Defence Collage Rear Admiral Thomas Lokoson, while speaking at the event said the military must continue to engage in vigorous public relations and information management activities in the interest of national security
While urging the military to continue to live up to the challenge through making strides in research and scholarship, the Commandant noted that the Collage will continue to hold its place prominently amongst its pears globally.
He added that the publication of the book was very timely as public relations practiced by most complex organizations are being given greater impetus especially with the advent of globalization enhanced by varied modes of modern communications. He added that the military cannot afford to be left behind.
InformationNigeria.org

60 Nigerians deported from the UK

It is being reported that at least 60 Nigerians resident in the United Kingdom have been deported because of various criminal offences. While some of the deportees had contravened immigration rules, others were deported for their involvement in crimes such as Molestation, stealing, smoking and selling of hard drugs. Some were also deported because they used fake visa or engaged in fake marriages.
Some of the deportees at the airport said they had lived in the UK for long but could not get residence permit. They narrated their experiences to PM News and gave reasons for their deportation.
Bathlomew Sunday, an indigene of Anambra State, southeast Nigeria, said that he lived in UK for nine years but could not get residence permit. Sunday said he had to engage in a contract marriage to get the permit but was later caught by the British immigration, which deported him to Nigeria. He said he was not allowed to take any of his possessions before he was deported, adding that it was at the airport that he discovered other Nigerians were also deported. Sunday explained that the British government made it difficult for immigrants, especially Nigerians, to get residence permit, saying that they didn’t plan to stay there illegally.
Another deportee, Daniel Uche, who hails from Enugu State, said that the global economic meltdown has made it difficult to get jobs in the UK, thus many Nigerians are struggling to survive. Uche said there are no jobs for foreigners in UK, and to survive, many engage in shady businesses.
Also, Peter Nkwocha from Delta State said he travelled to UK about seven years ago, but he was arrested and later deported because he was wrongly accused of Molestation. Though he said he denied the allegation, he was arrested and later deported when the British authorities discovered he had a ‘contract’ marriage during investigation.
From their accounts, it is clear that they knew they had committed some offences – staying in UK illegally without residence permit, having ‘contract’ marriages, engaging in shady businesses and more. Isn’t it sad that Nigerians have to resort to committing such crimes just because they want to live in foreign countries such as the UK.
 DailyPost

Woman Claims Jesus And Mary Told Her To Kill Her Husband

Tammi Estep

 Woman Claims Jesus And Mary Told Her To Kill Her Husband (Tammi Estep)
Tammi Estep, a South Carolina woman has been arrested for stabbing her husband on Friday Nov 9, 2012.
According to The Smoking Gun reports, 36-year-old Tammi said she fatally stabbed her husband after “Jesus and Mary told me to kill him because he is Satan’s spawn!” in report from Police.
Around 6:45am on Friday Nov 9, Police officials in Horry County received a distress call from the Estep’ residence.
On their arrival, Temmi Estep told police officers “She was sent to save the world.”
Tammi Estep’s son informed the police officers that his mom fatally stabbed his 43-year-old father.
The woman was immediately transferred to a medical hospital in the area where she was sent to a mental health Detention Center.
She has been charged with attempted murder.
Lord have mercy! This world is full of unbelievable happenings.
NaijaGists.com

Halliburton Bribery Scam: Million-Dollar Bribes Were Wired To Abdulsalami Abubakar, Julius Berger, And Obasanjo

Abdulsalami Abubakar

By SaharaReporters, New York

A report published today by Vanguard newspaper has uncovered a list of some of the foreign banks used to funnel close to $200 million in Halliburton bribes to Nigerian officials, including two former heads of states.
Under pressure from the United States, President Goodluck Jonathan recently directed that the files on the $180 million Halliburton bribery scam be reopened and the principal suspects re-arrested for prosecution.

Even though the Vanguard report failed to mention the former Nigerian heads of state implicated in the scandal, SaharaReporters has learnt that the principal targets are former military ruler Abdulsalami Abubakar and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Mr. Abubakar’s share of the illicit bribe funds, a total of $37.5 million, was wired to him through accounts in the American Express Bank Annex at the Towers World Financial Centre, New York, the Seaway National Bank, Chicago, and the Bank of New York.

Mr. Abubakar, who served as military ruler after the death of General Sani Abacha, operated several bank accounts that period included A/C No 187765 Chips VID 250517 (in the name of Maizubi Holdings, Minna), A/C No 0074952045, Routing Number 071001216, Foundation Inc., A/C No 9800263826 Swift/Sort Code GHBAGRAA001 and A/C No 0039342923-21 Routing Number 052001533.

The bribery deals were overseen by Jeffrey Tesler, a lawyer and dual citizen of the UK and Israel who served as a consultant to KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton that sought to secure construction contracts worth $6 billion. Mr. Tesler was arrested in the UK in 2009. In 2011, he struck a plea bargain with US authorities that sent him to jail for 21 months. In addition, he forfeited $150 million to the US government.

Mr. Tesler reportedly used several fronts, including former Air-Vice Marshal Abdul Dominic Bello, to distribute bribe sums. A source indicated that Air-Vice Marshal Bello played a role in funneling funds to several Nigerian government officials. Bribes of over $68 million were wired to him using accounts at several banks. These included Lloyds Bank of London, A/C No 736827, Bank of Credit and Commerce International, London, American Express Bank, A/C No 2101653, HSBC, A/C No 31505024, and Lloyds Bank, A/C No 0737041. All transactions were done using a company called Tri-Star.

Vanguard disclosed that the various bribe sums were shared with the active knowledge and connivance of Sena Anthony, the company secretary of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG). Ms. Anthony’s role earned her an arrest, detention and prolonged interrogation during the first investigation. Subsequently, Nigerian investigators decided that she was key to unraveling the complete list of the bribery beneficiaries.

Vanguard learnt that Mr. Obasanjo used a variety of cronies to collect a total of about $39 million in bribe funds. Mr. Obasanjo reportedly used construction giant, Julius Berger, as a go-between. He purported that the huge sums of money were invested in the PDP, whereas only a minute fraction of the funds actually got to the party.  Mr. Obasanjo's assistant, Bodunde Adeyanju, was briefly arrested and detained by Nigerian law enforcement.

The source also disclosed that Malabo Oil, which is owned by former Minister of Petroleum Dan Etete, received some $2 million from the bribery scam. In addition, Nigeria’s former spy chief, Umaru Shinkafi, also received $1.65 million of the Halliburton bribe. The cash was wired to him through the American Express Bank in London and in a joint account he operated with Ashiru Bisiji Aliyu.

Another big-time beneficiary was Abdulkadir Abacha. A brother of former dictator Sani Abacha, he received various sums amounting to about $13 million. The funds were sent through account names Headway Eng. Ltd. (A/C No 68579222), Strategic Ind. Ltd. (A/c No 76434366), and Action Investment Intern Ltd.

Ibrahim Aliyu, a former federal permanent secretary, used Union Bank Plc London office at Copt Avenue with account No 02101/01/010 312/ Swift Address UBNIGB31A.

M.G. Bakari, owner of Sherwood, reportedly acted for himself and a former head of state. He received huge sums through various accounts including Bank HSBC, Euston Road, London, A/C No 39067293 Sort Code 40-04-07, Swift Code MIDOGB; A/C No 024002112100; Monument Trust, Channels Island, Sherwood A/C No 024002112001 through which the sum of Euro 664, 020. 83 was wired to Sherwood.

President Jonathan’s order to re-open the Halliburton bribery scandal involving prominent Nigerians followed subtle criticism by the US. US officials recently told Mr. Jonathan that the Barack Obama administration would not authorize release of about $130 million in the Halliburton case until Nigeria demonstrated seriousness in prosecuting Nigerian officials who accepted bribes from Halliburton.

A source at the Presidency said Mr. Jonathan is not interested in prosecuting the former heads of state involved in the scam, despite soured relations between him and former President Obasanjo. Mr. Jonathan recently heaped praise on the prime suspect, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, describing him as the person who stabilized Nigeria's democracy.

Our source said Mr. Jonathan was upset over Mr. Obasanjo’s increasingly biting criticism of his administration, but doubted that the current president could risk taking on his predecessor and benefactor. “Don’t forget that Chief Obasanjo put him where he is,” said the source.

There are unanswered questions about the whereabouts of the $26.5 million returned by construction giant, Julius Berger, in a plea bargain arrangement with Mohammed Bello Adoke, Nigeria’s current Attorney General. A top aide to Mr. Jonathan asserted that Mr. Adoke misappropriated the funds with the help of some lawyers who were also involved in the case. The source disclosed that the funds were then used to set up an airline known as “Izzy Air,” a private charter airliner.