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Nigeria’s top nine banks that featured in the Banker’s top global 1000 banks 2012 have a combined tier one capital of $11.699 billion as against the $11.332 billion they had in last year’s top 1000 banks. This showed a slight improvement in the tier one capital of the Nigerian banks. However, the combined tier one capital of the nine banks is this time around slightly above the $9.842 billion of Standard Group of South Africa, the biggest bank in Africa and the 112th in the world. Standard Group’s tier one capital dropped from last year’s figure of $12.6 billion to this year’s $9.8 billion. This fact is contained in the 2012 edition of The Banker magazine top 1000 global banks, a publication of Financial Times of London. Bank of America which occupies the first position in the global ranking has a capital base of $163.626 billion. It is followed closely by JPMorgan Chase with a capital of $142.450 billion. The third position is occupied by HSBC, a British bank with...

At least 50 corpses have been discovered in the house of a pastor in Plateau State. The pastor is reported to belong to the Church of Christ in Nigeria. The corpses were suspected to be those who ran for safety in the pastor's house as they were being pursued by Fulanis. The discovery was made in Matse in Riyom area of the state. The state has been in crisis in the last few days with Fulani men attacking. As reported on Saturday, not less than 20 persons were killed in nine villages in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.

An Umuahia Chief Magistrate Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate, John Ukpai has sentenced a pregnant woman, Ijeoma Amarachi, 25 to 17 years imprisonment for conspiring to attack a man with acid in addition to stealing. In the first offence of acid bath, Ijeoma and another accused, Johnson Ndubuisi,  said to be her accomplice were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. In the second charge, Ijeoma and Kelechi Okorie were sentenced to seven years imprisonment each for stealing the sum of N14 million, property of their employers. On the whole, the pregnant woman would spend 17 years behind bars for acid bath and stealing, having been found guilty of the two offences preferred against her. The court found her guilty of conspiring with another to pour acid on one Anyalewechi Onwuchekwa, their fellow worker at Bawas Filling Station in an attempt to murder him, While in the second charge, she was found guilty with another for stealing the sum of N14 million. ...

ABEOKUTA – The absence  of the lead counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC ,  Rotimi Jacobs  in court on Monday stalled the resumption of the trial of the former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. Daniel  is currently standing trial on a 38-count charge of alleged stealing, false declaration of assets and fraudulent conversion of lands. At the resumed hearing of the trial at Ogun state High Court, sitting in Isabo,Abeokuta, Monday, one of the counsels of the EFCC, Tayo Olukotun informed the court that Jacobs was “unavoidably absent”. It was  however gathered that Jacobs who was one of the lawyers selected to be elevated to the position of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria was absent  in court because he had gone for an interview scheduled for all those qualified for the exalted position. At the last adjourned date penultimate Friday, a principal prosecution witness in the ongoing trial,  Babatunde A...

Former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dino Melaye, is one whose voice or person cannot be hidden on any major issue. So, given his frontal role in affairs of the House of Representatives in the last assembly where he played diametrically opposite roles with Rep. Farouk Lawan, he became a subject of interest in the review of the unfolding $3 million bribe scandal in the House. Melaye also spoke on the spectre of corruption in the country among other issues. Excerpts: This House seems to have resisted the lure to crisis more than  when you were were there. Can you say why? Dino Melaye The crisis was sponsored by the Integrity group headed by Farouk Lawan solely to humble Madam Patricia Etteh from office. But do not forget that it was the same Lawan who made it possible for Madam Etteh to become Speaker and when the same Lawan did not get what he demanded, that is becoming the Chairman of Appropriation Committee, he plotted to remove her from office. Rememb...

The crisis in Jos, Plateau State, worsened on Sunday as suspected Fulani herdsmen murdered a serving Senator, a member of the state assembly and others at the mass burial of 63 victims of Saturday’s attack. The Senate confirmed the death of Senator Gyang Dantong and the Majority Leader of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Gyang Fulani. “I can confirm that the Senator (Dantong) was a casualty of the attack. He was attending a burial of those who were killed on Saturday. We are also told that the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly of Plateau State was also killed,” spokesman for the Senate, Eyinnaya Abaribe, said on Sunday. Abaribe said the Senate would properly react to the incident later. Expectedly, President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday told security agencies to ensure that the killers of Dantong and the others were brought to book. The President, who spoke through his spokesman, Reuben Abati, described the killings as “cruel and regrettable.” “We shall con...

LAGOS — The House of Representatives Committee on Ethics investigating the $3 million cash for clearance scam involving Rep. Farouk Lawan and business mogul, Mr Femi Otedola, has been directed to reverse the decision to hold its hearings in secret. The directive from the House leadership came as it emerged that the Ethics Committee is to invite the Director General of the State Security Service, SSS, to shed light on the scam. The decision of the ethics committee to hold its sittings in camera came as a major reversal to the transparency and accountability profile that the Speaker Aminu Tambuwal-led leadership had itself sought to portray in its actions. The ethics committee which is investigating the alleged bribe offered by Otedola to Lawan to clear his name from the list of indicted beneficiaries of the administration’s subsidy regime got enmeshed in controversy last Tuesday after Otedola insisted that he must be heard in public and not in secret as the committee wanted. ...

A   Lagos-based female suspected robber  identified as Ikechukwu Abigael yesterday caused a stir at Ogun state governor’s office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta when she  attempted to steal a  car parked within the vicinity. Luck however ran against the middle-aged woman when men of the  Nigerian Security and Civil Deference Corp (NSCDC), Ogun state command burst the alleged robbery operation. Ikechukwu,32, was reported to have  attempted  to steal money from the  car which was parked at the governor’s office before she was apprehended. The robbery suspect  was said to have used a master key to open the door of the Mazda 626 car with registration number; (Lagos) CV 243 MUS belonging to Alhaji Imran Oke. According to an eye witness who pleaded anonymity,  the robbery  suspect  had stolen  a  sum of N98, 000 from the car parked at the portion of the governor’s office which housed the NSCDC and the State Universal Bas...

Maintenance work on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos will begin today, following a flag-off of the job yesterday by the Minister of State for Works, Bashir Yuguda. The 11.8 kilometres Third Mainland Bridge is the longest in Africa and the repair work that begins today would cost the government N1,055,477,608.16. The contractor, Borini Prono would mobilise to site today and the maintenance work is expected to be completed in November, this year, said Yuguda, who chaired a stakeholders' meeting before the flag-off. The minister said "security and traffic management issues had been addressed in the series of stakeholders' meetings held in anticipation of the repair work." He said alternative routes available for use during the period are; Ikorodu Road-Yaba-Oyingbo-Iddo-Lagos Island; Ikorodu Road-Western Avenue-Lagos Island; Agege Motor Road-Oshodi-Apapa-Lagos Island/Victoria Island and Apapa-Oshodi Expressway-Mile 2-Orile-Lagos Island/Victoria Island. Pres...

SSS has arrested some members of a gang who specialize in the making of fake currencies in Lokoja, Kogi State. The state Director, Mike Fubara who paraded one of them said the suspects were arrested after it was observed that fake currencies have been in circulation in the state. According to him, one of the gang members, Ugbeda Samuel Aba was the first to be arrested after depositing N40, 000 fake notes into an account in one of the new generation banks. Fubara further explained that the arrest of Ugbeda was used to lure other members of the gang which led to the arrest of another and one of their conveyors, Dada Gbenga, a graduate of Geology from the University of Ado Ekiti,(UNAD). Speaking with journalists, Dada who said that he was only used to convey money to their members across the country said one Iya Ibeji" was the one who asked him to give the fake N400, 000 of N1000 notes and $200 fake dollars to Abdul for onward transfer to Maiduguri. Unknown to Dada, the ...

An Umuahia Magistrate Court presided over by Mr. John Ukpai has sentenced a pregnant woman, Ijeoma Amarachi and Johnson Ndubuisi  to 10 years imprisonment for attacking Mr. Anyalewechi Onwuchekwa with acid. The court found them guilty of attempt to murder their fellow worker  by pouring acid on him.   Both Ijeoma Amarachi, Johnson Ndubuisi and Anyalewechi were staff of BAWAS Petroleum Ltd,Umuahia. Ijeoma Amarachi, 25 (F), and Ndubuisi Johnson 27 (M) were charged on two count charge of conspiracy and attempted murder of one Anyalewechi Onwuchekwe, all staff of Bawas Filling Station at Umuabali, Umuokpara in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia state. The prosecution claimed they committed the offence at Bawas Filling Station on September 13, 2008. Delivering the judgment, Chief Magistrate John Ukpai, said his court after reviewing the submissions by the prosecution and defence counsel was convinced that the accused persons committed the offence as charged. ...

Imo State government says it has, in collaboration with four foreign based universities, concluded plans to establish four new universities in the state this year. Disclosing this cheering news to newsmen in Owerri before he left for Lagos, Governor Rochas Okorocha said the arrangement was in line with the free education programme of his administration for Imo children. "The measure would help accommodate the overwhelming number of Imo indigenes seeking admission into institutions of higher learning in the country", Okorocha explained. Answering a question, the Governor said government has released the sum of N400 million in addition to what he termed "other logistics", to ensure immediate take off of the projects. Continuing, the Governor said his administration would in September this year; commence the distribution of free uniforms, sandals, desks and books to all primary and secondary school students, adding that this is part of the plan to encourag...

The Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in Kaduna/Katsina State, has paraded three persons, who allegedly smuggled drugs worth more than N50 million into the country. Alhaji Yusuf Umar, the Acting Comptroller in charge of the command, while parading the suspects in Katsina on Friday said that they were arrested at Danzabuwa village on Katsina-Kano Road. According to him, the NCS operatives trailed the suspects from Madarumfa town in Niger Republic to Danzabuwa village on Katsina-Kano Road, where they were apprehended. He said suspects concealed the drugs in sacks and cottons loaded in articulated truck with registration number, XS 925 SMK. “The seized drugs comprise Maxagrip cold caplet, Tramadol 100, Diarea Cure, Da Caps pain reliever capsules, Ivercin 5% for Animals and Gold Seal Cigarettes,’’ he said. He alleged that the suspects offered N5 million bribe to the customs officers, adding: “they brought to us N2 million cash and wrote an undertaking to balance t...

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - Former Argentine dictator Jorge Rafael Videla was convicted and sentenced to 50 years Thursday for executing a systematic plan to steal babies from prisoners who were kidnapped, tortured and killed during the military junta's war on leftist dissenters three decades ago. The baby thefts set Argentina's 1976-1983 military junta apart from all the others that ruled in Latin America at the time. Videla and the rest of the junta were determined to remove any trace of the armed leftist guerrilla movement that they felt threatened the country's future. The "dirty war" eventually claimed 13,000 victims according to official records. Many of them were pregnant women who gave birth in clandestine maternity wards. Argentina's last dictator, Reynaldo Bignone, also was convicted and received a 15-year sentence. Nine others, mostly former military and police officials, also were accused in the trial, which focused on...

BACKGROUND Omoni Oboli Sophie, the second of two girls was born in the historic city of Benin-City, Nigeria on the 22nd of April 1978. She is from Mosogar, a quiet and peaceful town in Delta State. Her primary education was at the Delta Steel Company Primary School 3, Ovwian-Aladja. Between 1989 and 1994, she attended the prestigious Delta Steel Company Technical High School (DSC THS) where had a chequered secondary education. A charismatic, natural leader, at various times, she held the positions of Head Girl (’94 set DSC THS), President Literary & Debating Society, Editor, Press Club & President, French Club all in her secondary school. Between 1995 and 1999, Omoni studied Foreign Languages (majoring in French) at the University of Benin, Nigeria. MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD Omoni had a whirlwind romance with her beau, Nnamdi Oboli. They got married in 2000 and now have 3 adorable boys – Tobe (6years), Gozi (5 years) and Chizi (3 years). CAREER Omoni began h...

Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade, said on Wednesday in Lagos the Lagos-Kano train service would be restored before the end of July. Sijuwade told the News Agency of Nigeria that although the commencement of the Lagos-Kano train service had been postponed twice, “it would surely be restored this July”. He said, “The railway engineers have just returned from the final inspection of the tracks; our contractors are now working on the minor adjustments recommended by the engineers. “We are going to begin trial runs very soon, and most likely, full restoration of train services between Lagos and Kano before the end of this month, July 2012.” The NRC boss said heavy rainfall in parts of the country, especially the South-West, damaged some of the facilities on the Lagos-Kano rail track, adding that repair work on the affected lines had been carried out. He also promised that the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri train service would be ready ...

The refusal of Mr Femi Otedola to testify before the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges has unnerved the committee members, claiming the decision was misguided and that no one can dictate to the committee how to carryout its investigation. The Chairman House of Representatives committee on Ethics, Gambo Dan Musa, described Mr Otedola’s decision not to speak before the committee as misguided, when he addressed a press conference after Otedola’s departure. According to the chairman, Mr Otedola refused to say anything to the committee and he claimed the oil mogul was just laughing whilst their short conversation lasted. Related Article: Otedola Refuses to Testify Before Reps “We did all that we could by explaining to him our power under the constitution and under our rules and…..further explained that nobody will dictate how we are going to conduct our meeting, yet Femi Otedola refused to answer questions and he said he could only do so when we ...

Chika, the gay Nigerian who lives in Germany and is married to German Mark Schwartz, claims he is pregnant. You can read more about them The interview between Chika and Stella was in Encomium mag last week. Too weird...read below..:-) Chika: I've been having some strange feelings inside me Stella: How? Chika: Waking up late, sleeping early. My waist is at times hurting me and I keep spitting and almost vomiting. As I am talking with you now, I am running a temperature, and the worst is my legs are heavy as if its swollen. I am not just myself as I always have fainting spells and I don't know what to do. Stella: What you are describing is like pregnancy symptoms but you are a man so how can you be pregnant? Chika: I don't know o my sister. I am afraid I don't want that because I have had it once and it was taken out and now again, after a year and some months, it's back again. Stella: You were pregnant before? Chika: Yes. Please pray for me. B...

  This is becoming unbearable, students are meant to go to school to study. Their teachers are meant to teach them, and what do we have these days? Teachers sexually abusing their students, this is so so sad. The other day, it was a video of an 11years old girl and a younger boy. Do mothers come online at all? How long will this continue? When will the right authority act fast on this? This and many more questions are waiting for reply. We will update you soon as we can on any info we get on this. Let us hope this didn’t happen in Nigeria, but then if it was Ghana? Isn’t it still a country? Aren’t we all humans? What is really going on these days?? But sincerely we shouldn't conclude on what we see on this picture, but rather think of what would be done to eradicate such acts. Don't forget that it takes two to tangle.     My Great Web page

A ray of hope flickered yesterday for a possible re-start of talks between the government and Boko Haram as National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki announced that he is planning to meet with the sect’s leaders. Dasuki, who spoke in Jos during a meeting with stakeholders in Plateau State, said he will meet with the group to push for a ceasefire and dialogue, but he did not give a date of when this will happen. “I was in Yobe and Borno states last week and I have got the telephone numbers and contacts of key Boko Haram members and I will meet with them,” the NSA said at the meeting, which was attended by Governor Jonah Jang as well as top traditional and religious leaders. “I saw the dangerous effect of Boko Haram in these states and what I saw was pathetic. But I have the mandate to put heads together with religious and traditional leaders as well as the state governments to ensure an immediate ceasefire.” Dasuki said that the declaration of a state of eme...