America Finally Grants Atiku Abubakar Entry Visa!

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has finally been issued a visa to the United States, reports indicate

It was confirmed that the former vice-president has left Nigeria for the UK, where he will spend some time before flying to the US.

TheCable also understands that former president Olusegun Obasanjo played a “critical” role in getting the American government to issue the visa to his former deputy with whom he was estranged for almost 15 years.

The trip marks another chapter in the controversy that has rocked the former vice-president for over a decade.
Atiku, who is widely travelled, has not been to the US in 13 years, intially fueling speculations that he might be avoiding possible arrest or prosecution.
His political opponents had used his absence from the US not just to taunt but to discredit him.

His row with the US authorities began after the FBI investigated a bribery scandal involving William Jefferson, former US congressman, in 2004.

Atiku was accused of demanding a bribe of $500,000 to facilitate the award of contracts to two American telecommunication firms in Nigeria.

The FBI had searched his residence in the posh neighbourhood of Potomac, Maryland, but no money was found.

The investigators had videotaped Jefferson, who was the congressman representing Louisiana, receiving $100,000 worth of $100 bills which he claimed was meant for Atiku, but the former vice-president has consistently denied the allegation.
Despite Atiku’s claim to innocence, the controversy raged.

Two months before he declared interest in the 2019 presidential race, Atiku granted an interview to Dele Mommodu, celebrity journalist, where he clarified his absence from the US.

“It is the sole prerogative of America to determine who they want in their country or not,” he said.
“I’m not running away from America. I applied but wasn’t issued a visa.”
He said the US did not categorically deny him visa.

“They’ve only said my application is going through administrative process,” he said.
On Thursday, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, had warned the US to be cautious in granting visa to the main opponent of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

Asked to comment on Atiku’s visa status on Friday, Rusell Brooks, spokesman of the US consulate in Lagos, had said issuance of visa to Nigerians irrespective of their status is strictly a confidential matter.

He said the US government would not discuss such confidentiality in public.
Some All Progressives Congress (APC) members had alleged that Brian Ballard, publicist of US President Donald Trump, was working towards relaxing the visa ban on Atiku.

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HEALTHWISE: Sitting Too Long Can Harm You!

Dr Joe Ugwu, a Neurologist with a private hospital in Abuja, on Thursday said excessive sitting could lead to cardiovascular diseases and early mortality.

Ugwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that sitting was a form of inactivity which slowed the body’s metabolism.

He said that sitting affects the ability to regulate blood sugar, increase blood circulation and break down fat.

“Although a slow metabolism is not hazardous to health; it only becomes a problem if one remains seated for a long period of time without any form of physical activity.

“You do not burn calories and the body begins to store up fat. This is when you give room for different kinds of diseases to also be at risk of premature death.

“A balance need to be struck through increased physical activity.

“Those who live sedentary lifestyle where they need to be seated for a long time should try to walk around at intervals; also rather than use elevator they can use the stairs.

“This will allow them to put in some activity even while living a sedentary life and help increase their metabolism and heart rate which is necessary to maintain a healthy life,’’ he said.

Ugwu also advised that people should see exercise as a way to keep fit and healthy rather than strictly for weight loss.

He added that this was not to burn fat but also to enable the body perform optimally. 

-NAN

ARMY: "Why We Shut Down Rivers' Neighbourhood Watch Training Camp"

Troops from 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt on Thursday shut down the training camp for the newly recruited youths of Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency at Nonwa Gbam in Tai Local Government Area of the state.

About 2,000 youths engaged by the Rivers State Government to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in providing security in all parts of the state were undergoing training at the camp before they were dispersed and the facility shut down by soldiers from the 6 Division.

In a press statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Aminu Iliyazu, said the camp was shut down because its men discovered that the facility is being used to train militias.

He said the men of the Division while on a routine surveillance at Nonwa Gbam, discovered an illegal militia training camp where over 100 recruits are undergoing military type of training.

He said preliminary investigations into the discovery have commenced in conjunction with sister security agencies in the state to fish out the sponsors of the militia and the training camp.

He noted that similar illegal militia training camps were discovered and disbanded in Benue and Taraba states earlier in the year saying that measures were promptly taken to forestall breach of security and safety of citizens.

In a swift reaction, however, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Barrister Emma Okah, described the actions of the Army as an insult to the Government and People of Rivers state saying that it was unprovoked and unnecessary.

2019 Elections: Political Parties To Sign Peace Accord Dec. 11

As part of measures to ensure the success of the 2019 general elections, all registered political parties will on December 11 in Abuja formally signed a peace accord for the conduct of the elections.

The National Peace Committee headed by a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) said this in Abuja on Thursday at the end of a marathon meeting with the parties and other stakeholders.

While presenting the resolutions of the meeting, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Kukah, said the parties have resolved to adopt the same principles that guided the success of 2015 elections as a template for ensuring that all stakeholders commit themselves to peaceful conduct of the 2019 elections.

He said the committee and political parties discussed extensively on the need to ensure that politicians create a favourable and conducive environment for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

“We discussed the theme of trust as a key ingredient in the conduct of our affairs.

“In the end we have resolved to adopt the same principles that guided the very successful in 2015 elections and therefore commit ourselves to run issues-based campaigns at national, state and local government levels.

“In this, we pledge to refrain from campaigns that will involve religious incitement, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by ourselves and by all agents acting in our names,” Kukah said.

The committee said political parties and politicians must refrain from making or sponsoring public statements, pronouncements, declarations or speeches that have the capacity to incite any form of violence, before, during, and after the elections.

It said that the parties are also expected commit themselves to monitoring the adherence to the provisions of the peace accord and to support institutions of government and the security agencies to act and be seen to act with impartiality.

The committee said the parties and politicians are to forcefully and publicly speak against provocative utterances and oppose all acts electoral violence whether perpetrated by supporters or opponents.

NFF Doles Out Super Falcons $10,000 Each Ahead Final Match

The Nigeria Football Federation has opted to double the winning bonus of the Super Falcons as a big incentive ahead Saturday’s 11th Women Africa Cup of Nations Final against the Banyana Banyana of South Africa in Accra.

President of the NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, made the pledge when he met with the players and officials at the AH Hotel, Accra on Thursday, as he delivered the good wishes of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) and the football –loving populace of Nigeria to the Cup holders.

The Falcons had earned $3,000 for a win in the group phase but were earmarked for $5,000 each for victory in the Final.

“I want to let you know that the Government and the good and great people of Nigeria are happy with your performance in the championship so far. They are looking forward to you retaining the trophy by beating South Africa on Saturday.
“Let me commend the lofty commitment, dedication and resilience that you have displayed so far in the championship, alongside that unique Nigerian spirit that was most in evidence against the Cameroonians in the semi final. You are indeed true champions, and we believe you will retain the Cup on Saturday. Go out there and win on Saturday and earn yourselves $10,000 each, as against the $5,000 that the NFF earlier promised.”


The two captains, Onome Ebi and Rita Chikwelu on behalf of the team expressed gratitude to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), the NFF, the Nigeria media and football –loving Nigerians at home and in the diaspora for their support to the team, and pledged that they will overcome the Banyana Banyana in Saturday’s final in order to return to Nigeria with the trophy.
Ebi said: “We have the World Cup ticket now, which was always our first target here. 

The second is winning the Cup for a third successive time and ninth time overall. It is a mission we are determined to accomplish on Saturday.”


Nigeria defeated South Africa 2-0 in the final of the second edition of the competition in Johannesburg in 2000, to retain the Cup they had won at the inaugural edition in Nigeria two years earlier.

Mob Kills SARS Police Who Shot LASTMA Officer Dead in Lagos

An officer of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) named Adeyemo Rotimi was in the evening of Wednesday, 28th November, 2018, gunned down on duty by a police inspector attached to the FSARS in Ikeja, Lagos.

Eyewitnesses said that the victim who is popularly known as 'Baba Ibeji' had stopped the police inspector who was driving a cream coloured Highlander jeep with registration number plate LSR 277 BJ so he could free the traffic from other routes but the policeman reportedly shunned his directive and zoomed through the traffic in anger. His action reportedly shocked the LASTMA officer who reportedly scolded him.

According to sources, the policeman who felt insulted by Adeyemo's warning allegedly pulled a pistol and shot Adeyemo in the eye. He reportedly died on the spot.

Sources said that when the police officer realized what had happened, he made an attempt to flee by lunging his car through the gathering crowd but was stopped by the mob before causing more damages.

However, policemen from Moshalashi division reportedly rescued the FSARS officer whose name was given as Prince Oki Joseph (police say his name is Olakunle Olonade) from the angry crowd.

When this reporter visited Moshalashi police station for an update, a policewoman who didn't want her name in print confirmed that the FSARS officer was brought to the station but has since been moved to 'Aguda'.

The LASTMA head of operations in Iyana Ipaja, Mr Dipeolu Folagbade, under whose supervision Adeyemo was posted before his death, confirmed the incident to this reporter. He, however, was hopeful that the authorities would handle the case appropriately.


Meanwjile, the SARS police was reportedly been killed by people after he attempted to flee the crime scene.

Sources said that, in a reprisal attack, an angry mob inflicted serious beating on Olonad

e, who was thought to have been an armed hoodlum. He was later rescued by some policemen dispatched to the scene, but he died in the hospital due to complications from the beating. 

Sources said that when the policeman's car was searched for identification, various types of guns were recovered including fake 1,000 naira notes, ATM card, church ID card, business ID card and FSARS documents.

Ogun APC Crisis: Gov. Amosun's Guber Candidate Moves To APM

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s anointed successor, Adekunle Akinlade, has defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Allied People’s Movement (APM).

This is coming a month after Muhammad Ndabawa-led APC electoral committee in October, declared Dapo Abiodun winner of the direct governorship primary of Ogun APC for the 2019 gubernatorial election as against the wish of Amosun.

While the party had been in crisis following adoption of Akinlade as a consensus governorship candidate by the Amosun-led faction of the party ahead of next year’s governorship election, grievances from the party’s primary election remains unsettled.

Although the governor and other members of his faction moved for an indirect primary election mode, but five APC aspirants rejected the indirect primary mode. APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) adopted the direct primary election mode instead.