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Thursday, June 30, 2011

IFRA Issues Fragrance Standards Update



International Fragrance Association (IFRA) issues standards update


The 46th amendment to the IFRA code of practice has been issued by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA), as part of the industry’s ongoing safety program.
IFRA, along with the industry’s scientific centre, the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) makes sure fragrance standards in accordance with scientific recommendations, are being put in to practice by member companies.

RIFM’s scientific information is evaluated by an independent panel consisting of an international group of dermatologists, pathologists, toxicologists and environmental scientists, none of whom have any ties with the industry.

Code of Practice


As part of the code of practice, six new restrictive standards have been set in to place and one new standard of prohibition; the new standards have been based on the Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA).

The following chemicals have been placed under restrictive use in fragrances:

alpha-butylcinnamaldehyde;
2-Heptylidene cyclopentan-1-one;
o-methoxycinnamaldehyde;
3-methyl-2-(pentyloxy) cyclopent-2-en-1-one;
2-nonyn-1-al dimethyl acetal;
1(2,4,4,5,5-pentamethyl-1-cyclopenten-1-yl)ethan-1-one.
The chemical 2,4-octadienal has been prohibited from use in fragrances, due to a lack of adequate data.

Safety program


The safety program consists of testing fragrance materials and either establishing safe use levels or prohibiting their use based on studied potential effects of people and the environment.

Currently, the safety program has 186 standards, restricting or prohibiting the use of selected fragrance materials.

Furthermore, the IFRA has a compliance program – every year 50 products, chosen at random from stores in ten different countries are tested, to ensure the fragrance industry complies with safety standards.

Quantitative Risk Assessment

Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) was introduced in 2005 by IFRA in order to restrict materials which have a potential of inducing contact sensitization.

This approach apparently provides more precise guidance on use levels of materials depending on the situation and product in which they are used; thus better protecting the consumer from being sensitized to a specific material.


Africa LNG Market Outlook - New Opportunities, Trends and Drivers


Photo Credit: GOGE

30 Jun 2011 07:30 Africa/Lagos


ReportsnReports - Africa LNG Market Outlook - New Opportunities, Trends and Drivers to 2020

DALLAS, June 30, 2011/PRNewswire/ --

ReportsnReports announces it will carry 'Africa LNG Market Outlook - New Opportunities, Trends and Drivers to 2020' [http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/90228-africa-lng-market-outlook-new-opportunities-trends-and-drivers.html ] Report in its store

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Report Summary

A 150 page LNG Reports publication of July 2011, this report is a comprehensive report on current and future Africa LNG Market [http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/90228-africa-lng-market-outlook-new-opportunities-trends-and-drivers.html ] & business environment. It identifies all possible opportunities of contracting and investing in African markets. The report provides all major trends and drivers driving the industry growth to 2020. It forecasts country wise LNG capacity, LNG exports and natural gas production to 2020. In addition to monthly trade volumes from January to December 2010, it also provides annual LNG trade data from 2000 to 2020 by country.

Monthly LNG price data is provided for Algeria, Nigeria, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea and Libya for 2010. The report 'Africa LNG Market Outlook - New Opportunities, Trends and Drivers to 2020' also analyzes the trade pattern and the typical contracting terms followed in sale purchase agreements with supporting data. Key LNG strategies of 6 leading players in Africa are detailed. Further, the report also provides capacity addition details through new terminals and expansions. Current status of all the planned terminals in Africa is detailed along with all the latest developments in Africa LNG industry.

Research Highlights:


- African nations earn a sales revenue of $17.6 billion
through LNG exports in 2010
- African total LNG sales stood at 42.66 mtpa, with Europe
importing more than 68% of it.
- October witnessed the largest LNG exports from Africa, while the
annual average LNG price stood at $8.04/MMBtu
- All the African nations will increase their liquefaction
capacities over the next decade, resulting in capacity growth of 76.4
mtpa between 2010 and 2020
- Over 25% of African LNG production is traded in spot and short
term markets
- Africa will have surplus natural gas production of 135.3 Bcm in
2020, adequate enough to meet all the LNG export contracts
- Nigeria, with a total LNG production of 59.43 mtpa, will remain
the largest LNG producer in Africa
- South Africa and Kenya plan construction of LNG import plants
- As a part of its mid term strategy, Sonatrach plans to
strengthen its foothold in pacific basin markets
- Most African nations preferring construction of medium sized
liquefaction trains
- Around 70% of LNG contracts are signed on Delivery- on Ex-Ship
basis
- 33.4 mtpa of capacity to be added through expansion of existing
LNG terminals


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- Africa LNG Industry Outlook to 2020 - Analysis of Trade
pattern, pricing, supply-demand, capacity, competition, technology and
terminals
[http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/90230-africa-lng-industry-outlook-to-2020-analysis-of-trade-pattern-p.html ]
- Monthly Global LNG Trade & Price Database, 2010
[http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/90229-monthly-global-lng-trade-price-database-2010.html ]
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Industry Dynamics, Market Trends and Opportunities, Marketing Spend and
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Kobo Essay Contest Features Power Lunch With Author Kelly Cutrone



29 Jun 2011 19:09 Africa/Lagos


Kobo Essay Contest Features Power Lunch With Author Kelly Cutrone

Entrants Across North America Asked to Describe "How Normal Has Gotten Them Nowhere"

PR Newswire

TORONTO, June 29, 2011

TORONTO, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kobo, a global leader in eReading with more than 4 million users worldwide, today announced the launch of a new essay contest in which the winner will enjoy a private power lunch with television personality and New York Times' bestselling author Kelly Cutrone.

Today through July 8, 2011, Cutrone fans can visit http://facebook.com/kobo and write a short essay answer to the question: "How has normal has gotten you nowhere and how are you ready to make new moves?"

Open to residents of the continental United States and Canada (excluding Quebec), the winning essay will be chosen by Cutrone. The winner will be flown to Toronto to power lunch with the author. Cutrone will share her unique brand of no-nonsense wisdom to help the winner move forward in his or her life.

"Kelly was recently in Toronto and expressed her love of Kobo as well as her desire to work with us in a way which would be truly meaningful for her fans. Kelly loves Canada and was keen to partner with Kobo on this content," said Liz Ridout, vice president of marketing at Kobo.

"Toronto stole my heart. Anytime I can come to Toronto to see my friends and fans is a good day!" said Cutrone.

Cutrone has been a force in the fashion industry for more than 25 years. She quickly moved from industry icon to media maverick, originally appearing on MTV's hit shows The Hills and The City. She executive produced and appeared on the Bravo series Kell on Earth and is a special contributor on the syndicated Dr. Phil show. Cutrone has penned two books: national and New York Times' bestseller "If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You" and "Normal Gets You Nowhere," released in May 2011 by HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins.

To enter the contest, visit http://facebook.com/kobo. Deadline for entry is July 8, 2011. No purchase is necessary to compete in this contest. The winning entry will be made available on Kobo's Facebook page after being selected.

About Kobo, Inc.

Kobo is a global eReading service with more than 2.4 million eBooks, magazines and newspapers – one of the largest eReading catalogues in the world. Kobo believes consumers should have the freedom to read any book on any device and has attracted millions of readers from over 100 countries across the globe. Kobo has top ranked eReading applications for iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows and MacOS, and is the eReading application of choice for leading tablet OEMs. Kobo eReaders are also available at leading retailers including Indigo, Walmart, Best Buy, Borders and WHSmith. Kobo's innovative Reading Life is an industry-first comprehensive social eReading experience – Kobo users can earn awards simply for time spent reading and encouraging others. Kobo is backed by majority shareholder Indigo Books & Music Inc, Cheung Kong Holdings, and institutional investors.

Contact:
Wendy Zaas/Karina Tang
Rogers & Cowan

310.854.8148/212.445.8419

wzaas@rogersandcowan.com

ktang@rogersandcowan.com

SOURCE Kobo




Click here to buy "Normal Gets No Where"

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time

30 Jun 2011


29 Jun 2011
























Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Sylvia Nduka is the new Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria


Sylvia Nduka, the winner of the 2011 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) Beauty Pageant

Black beauty Miss Taraba , Sylvia Nduka is the new Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN). She was the choice of the judges and by the popular votes of the public who had a challenging task of selecting from the bevy of 34 final contestants from different states in Nigeria.

The new beauty queen was crowned Saturday night at the Eko Expo Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos. She also got a brand new Hyundai car and N3 million cash prize and will also represent Nigeria at the 2011 Miss World Beauty Pageant in London, UK.

The following are respective winners in other categories of the beauty pageant.

MBGN Tourism 2011 – Obioma Isiwu (Miss Enugu)
MBGN ECOWAS 2011 – Grace Ndam (Miss Lagos)
MBGN 2011/BellaNaija Miss Photogenic - Tobi Banjoko (Miss Ondo)
MBGN 2011 Miss Amity – Delphine Okobah (Miss Ebonyi)
MBGN 2011 Miss La Casera – Nwando Ebeledike (Miss Adamawa)
MBGN 2011 Model - Oluchi Okafor (Miss Kogi)
MBGN 2011 Face of Select Pro - Gabriella Ndu (Miss Abia)




© 2011 - Supple Communications Limited/International Digital Post Network (IDPN) Limited.
All text, image and other materials contained or displayed on any Supple Communications Limited/International Digital Post Network (IDPN) Limited website or log are proprietary to the two duly incorporated companies and constitute valuable intellectual property. No materials from any part of any the websites and blogs are authorized or intended by Supple Communications Limited/International Digital Post Network (IDPN) Limited to be downloaded, transmitted, broadcast, reproduced or in any other way used or otherwise disseminated in any form to any person or entity, unless said person or entity has license to do so. All unauthorized duplication or any other use of materials from Supple Communications Limited/International Digital Post Network (IDPN) Limited websites or blogs, including, but not limited to, use on other websites, or in offers to resell Supple Communications Limited/International Digital Post Network (IDPN) Limited products using similar names or descriptions, shall constitute intentional infringement(s)of Supple Communications Limited/International Digital Post Network (IDPN) Limited's intellectual property and shall further constitute a violation of our trademarks, copyrights, and other rights. Without further notice we will prosecute to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Copyright Infringement Warning

If you are thinking about borrowing (stealing) someone else's material. You should read this!

Copyright laws provide for penalties of up to $150,000 per infringement. That is ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!

This is not just some arbitrary number, keep in mind that this amount was just recently increased from $100,000 per infringement in order to give the copyright law even more teeth than it already had.

So, let's say you go to a someone's website, download one of their pictures, or copy their text, and then use it on your website without permission.

In order to save a little time and maybe a few bucks, you have just opened yourself and or your company up to a $150,000 liability for each infringement. And when the rightful owner finds you (and they will), the legal "cause of action" that lands on your desk (a subpoena) will be seeking $150,000.00 for EACH infringement. Hiding behind that corporate shield won't help you either, because copyright infringement is a criminal act.

Stealing copyrighted material is not only unfair to us, but it is also unfair to our good customers who follow the law and pay us for the use of our copyrighted material. We have an obligation to protect our customers.

Because it's so easy these days for one person to "steal" the creative work of somebody else, lawmakers have recognized that for copyright laws to be effective, they must have teeth. If you use our copyrighted material without permission we will utilize the law to it's fullest extent. We prosecute every copyright infringement, no questions asked, and we will always seek the maximum fine of $150,000 when we file suit.

You can have a great web site designed using professional copy writers and artists for a thousand dollars or less. There is no need to steal other peoples copyrighted material. However, if you really think that stealing that one image, or that one catchy phrase is worth a $150,000 gamble then you must know that time is not on your side. Sophisticated spiders can easily match copied text and identify stolen images. Theses spiders work 24/7 and you WILL get caught.

New Working Order for Legal Profession



Robert Half Legal Research Highlights Management Practices Transforming Legal Field

MENLO PARK, CA, June 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — As the economy regains momentum, it’s not a return to business as usual in the legal field. A just-released industry report from Robert Half Legal outlines how strategies developed during the downturn are now guiding the business and customer relationship management models for law firms and corporate legal departments.


Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal


The report, Best Practices for a New Era in the Legal Profession, is part of Robert Half Legal’s eleventh annual Future Law Office project, which also includes video interviews with leaders in the legal field, and is available at www.futurelawoffice.com.

For its Future Law Office project, Robert Half Legal surveys lawyers from among the largest law firms and corporations in the United States and Canada, interviews leaders in the legal field, conducts research to assess how law offices might operate in the future, and obtains the insights of key Robert Half Legal staffing and recruiting professionals throughout the company’s branch network in North America.

Key Findings

* Firms are playing a more strategic role in their clients’ businesses. As corporate clients seek more return for their investment in legal services, the ability for law firms to address the needs of their clients is essential. A thorough understanding of clients’ businesses and the issues they face, along with flexibility on fees, are forming the cornerstone of many law firms’ new customer service models.
* Most law firm revenue growth is expected to stem from current clients. Eighty-five percent of lawyers surveyed said their law firms do not plan to launch new practice groups to increase revenue in the coming year. Eighty-six percent of lawyers said their firms were hoping to obtain more business from existing clients.
* Lateral hiring is more prevalent. More lawyers are making lateral career moves as law firms recruit them to bring their expertise and client contacts. Firms also are focusing on retaining top employees who are at risk of being recruited by other law firms looking to broaden their areas of specialization.
* New fee structures gaining ground. Law firms are offering clients alternatives to the traditional billable hour. More than half (56 percent) of lawyers surveyed said their clients request flat or fixed fees the most. Volume discounts and discounted fees followed, with each receiving 43 percent of the response.
* Compliance, cost-containment taking center stage. The top challenges facing legal departments include “compliance or regulation issues,” “controlling litigation or outside counsel costs,” “increased workloads” and “budget reductions.” Many general counsel are keeping more work in-house and using project teams to control spending on law firms and meet business demands.

Changing Business Models to Improve Service Levels

According to the research, corporate clients are demanding greater efficiencies from their law firms. General counsel are specific about what they are willing to spend on outside counsel and the outcomes they expect. As a result, law firms are implementing new approaches to deliver quality legal services while containing costs to clients. “Many firms are renewing their focus on customer service and capturing new business by showing a willingness to adapt to their clients’ changing needs,” said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal.
Law Firms Pursue New Growth Strategies

Law firms increasingly are taking a measured and strategic approach to growth, expanding their client bases through lateral hires and mergers or acquisitions to enhance their service offerings and increase revenue.

“The most successful law firms in this new working order are focusing on improving efficiency, flexibility and responsiveness to their clients,” said Volkert.

Retaining top performers and hiring senior- and partner-level lawyers with client portfolios in high-demand practice areas remains a priority while long-standing practices, such as lockstep pay and the billable hour, are being re-evaluated, the research shows.
Corporate Legal Departments Seek Greater Value from Outside Counsel

With compliance, discovery and litigation-related expenses continuing to escalate, general counsel are striving to minimize risk while managing spending on law firms. “To keep costs in check, many corporate legal departments are handling more work in-house and using external project teams assembled for specific case work, along with managed review solutions, in order to gain immediate access to specialized expertise,” Volkert said.

Added Volkert, “Many corporate clients want to partner with outside counsel to find the best approach for legal matters, whether that involves obtaining the firm’s advice on risk management and alternative business strategies, or coming up with creative solutions for resolving issues.”

To download a complimentary copy of the complete report, Best Practices for a New Era in the Legal Profession, watch the video, or find more information about the Future Law Office project, please visit www.futurelawoffice.com.

About Robert Half Legal
Robert Half Legal provides law firms and corporate legal departments with project and full-time professionals, including lawyers, paralegals and legal support personnel. Robert Half Legal offers online job search services at www.roberthalflegal.com.

# # #

Media Contact:
Lisa Hamilton
(650) 234-6234
lisa.hamilton@rhi.com



A Catalog of Pastors Deaths by Boko Haram Militants

A Catalog of Pastors Deaths by Boko Haram Militants

As anxiety is mounting over the activities of Boko Haram group, some Muslims are defusing the fear as misplaced. They see the group as only a new breed of young Muslim activists who have aggressively embraced a stricter version of Islam, rejecting anything Western and Christian. Boko Haram began life as a peaceful group focused on the study of the Koran, according to Abdulmumin Sa’ad, a Muslim scholar and professor of Sociology at the University of Maiduguri.

“The idea was that there is a lot of sin in the larger society and their parents had amassed a lot of ill-gotten wealth,” says Sa’ad, who taught some of the militants. “There is widespread immorality, and so the best thing to do is to remove themselves and camp elsewhere, where they can concentrate on their religion, mediate, reach out and begin to form a fellowship.” Sa’ad claims that group turned violent when authorities harassed it.

In retaliation, the group had killed about 16,000 policemen and was responsible for the death of pastors in Christian circle. Worried about the safety of Christians and pastors in Nigeria, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, asked the federal government to curb the growing trend of terrorism in parts of the country. “We can no longer allow this group of disgruntled elements to get away with these acts of terrorism in Nigeria,” he said.

The catalogue of death of pastors by Boko Haram militants is raising alarm immediate change. Pastor David Usman, 45, and church secretary Hamman Andrew of the 'Church of Christ in Nigeria' in the troubled city of Maiduguri on the 7 June and Pastor Solomon Uzor of Trinity Chapel in Bauchi on the 10 May were among the latest casualties in what local Christians called "an upsurge of Islamic militancy" in these states.

Evangelical Christians said the two men were shot and killed by members of the Boko Haram sect near an area of Maiduguri, known as Railway Quarters, where their church is based. Hours earlier the gunmen also participated in blasts and attacks that left at least ten people dead, police said. A Catholic church, which was also targeted in the attacks, has been badly shattered, according to witnesses.

The same incident was reported in Lagos where Boko Haram members allegedly killed Pastor Daniel Okolu with two other people in November 2010. Pastor Michael Madugu, had just returned to his medicine store when his assailants pounced on him. Eyewitnesses said: “Two motorcyclists just stopped in front of the shop around 7.00pm and started shooting into the air to scare away people before they opened fire on Madugu. His assailants then moved immediately to the next medicine store where one Obinna and his brother were also shot to death. Unlucky James, another victim, who was about to enter Obinna’s store to buy medicine was also shot dead .

It was gathered that Michael Madugu, a district pastor in charge of Hausa church, was killed by a gang of four fundamentalists in his pharmaceutical shop while dispensing drugs to customers at about 7.05 p.m., leaving his wife and seven children to mourn him.

On December 24, armed men suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect stormed some churches including the Victory Baptist Church at Dala-Alamderi and shot to death the resident pastor, Rev. Bulus Marwa (37), Christopher Balami, a lecturer in the state-owned polytechnic, Paul Mathew, Philip Luka and a tea hawker, Yohana Adamu. The rampaging gunmen also set the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) in Ruwan Safi ablaze. A Deeper Life pastor, 3 others were killed in Maiduguri by suspected members of Boko Haram Jan 20, 2011.

Danjuma Akawu, who survived the attack on the Baptist church, said “they hacked the two choir members using knives and petrol bomb before heading to the pastor’s residence, where he was killed.”

On 26 July, 2009 the girl identified by CSW only as Mary was in church with her pastor, his brother and an older Christian woman when a group of fifty militants broke in. She and her pastor hid as the group killed the pastor’s brother and dragged the older woman out of the room. On discovering their hiding place, the militants cut off her pastor’s hand to stop him holding on to her, then hacked him to death with machetes before setting him on fire.

The girl and the woman were dragged to Boko Haram's compound in Maiduguri's Railway district, and were placed in a room with around 100 other Christian women and girls. They were all asked to renounce their faith or face continued imprisonment, while Christian men were given the choice of renouncing their faith or dying.

Mary vividly describes how she was forced to wash the blood stained clothing of Boko Haram fighters. She was in the camp for four days, but managed to escape with a few others when military forces intensified their attack on the compound.

Mary's pastor was one of three Christian ministers targeted and killed by Boko Haram during that week's violence. "Local Christians have also expressed disappointment that some western media have disregarded the targeted nature of attacks on their community, and the brutal murders of Christian pastors. "Unless this aspect of the violence is recognised by all and dealt with effectively, people in Northern Nigeria will continue to suffer because of their religious beliefs.”

One of the victims of that week’s attack by the Yusufiya sect in Borno State has given a shocking account of how the Islamic extremists killed three pastors who were captured along with other victims on the second day of the insurgence 28 July 2009. The victim was among those held hostage in Yusuf’s enclave.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Sun in Maiduguri, the eye witness who preferred anonymity disclosed that the three pastors were beheaded on the instruction of the sect leader, Mohammed Yusuf shortly after bringing them out of his inner chamber.

“The pastors alongside one Ibo man were asked to change their faith to Islam like they did to other people taken as hostages. And there was an argument by one of the pastors which gave the others some level of confidence to also resist accepting Islam.

“The Yusufiya men who were armed on that Tuesday afternoon were not comfortable with the pastors and they took one of them to the sect leader in his inner chamber. They came out later to the courtyard within the compound and cut their heads one after the other and thereafter, shouted allah akbar in wild celebration accompanied with several gun shots,” the eye witness disclosed.

Corroborating the account of the killing, a Senior pastor with Good News Church, Wulari Maiduguri Rev. Baba Gata Ibrahim told Daily Sun in an interview that a pastor in his church, Pastor George Orjih was beheaded on the instruction of the Boko Haram leader because the clergy man refused to accept Islam.

The late Pastor George Orjih was said to have arrived Maiduguri last week from Jos where he was doing his Masters programme in Theology. Described as a fearless, hardworking, and intellectually sound, his care for the welfare and well being of his family allegedly contributed to his capture and eventual death. “He was mindful of his family and their welfare. He was really out of the house but thought to go back again. That was how he was captured by the Boko Haram before he was killed,’’ the senior pastor added.

“An eye witness who was also captured by the Islamic militants gave us details of how the pastor was killed. He told us they were persuading him to accept Islam and he said over his dead body. He was even said to have preached Christ to Mohammed Yusuf and that reportedly angered the sect leader who then as he ordered that the pastor and others be killed immediately,” he disclosed.

He said the hostages numbering about 50 within the area of the execution of the pastors and another fair complexioned man which he could not identify, were gripped with fear as non could foretell the outcome of their stay at the enclave of the fundamentalists. He was however lucky to escape as he was freed in the night with others with a warning not to mix with kafrici (infidels).

Late Rev. Sabo Yakubu, slain COCIN Church pastor, was assassinated in Bauchi by Boko Haram militants March 2011. The late pastor had once complained about the activities of Boko Haram, saying that unless the Nigerian government faced up to the challenge of its attacks, the extremist group would consume the lives of innocent persons, according to Gongchi. But Reverend Titus Dama Pona of the Evangelical Church Winning All in Maiduguri said local Christians remain concerned about their future. He told reporters that Christians can no longer worship freely for "fear of becoming targets of these unprovoked attacks" by Muslim militants.

A statement was issued by pastor Ladi Thompson, the founder of the Living Water Church, Anthony Lagos that the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Ogun State is an obvious target of the Islamic fundamentalist group, Boko Haram. This is not just a possibility but one of the deadly plans of the fundamentalist group, according to a Christian cleric, Pastor Ladi Thompson.

He particularly advised the leadership of the RCCG to beef up security as the fundamentalists are angry that in the build-up to the last election, President Goodluck Jonathan who visited the camp knelt down for prayer before the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.

Pastor Ladi advised authorities of the church not to allow worshipers come into its worship hall with more than their Bibles. He also cautioned the church against allowing people to enter the camp with paper bags or other suspicious containers.
When the group launched its attacks in July 2009, Pastor Ladi had alerted the government that what happened then was just a tip of the iceberg and revealed that the Islamic fundamentalists had been at plan since early 1990s, fully backed by some northern former military leaders, Emirs, intellectuals and Imams.

According to Umaru’s declaration the acting leader of the sect in 2009 said: For the first time since the killing of Mallam Mohammed Yusuf, our leader, we hereby make the following statements-

*That the Boko Haram is an Islamic Revolution which impact is not limited to Northern Nigeria, in fact, we are spread across all the 36 states in Nigeria, and Boko Haram is just a version of the Al Qaeda which we align with and respect. We support Osama bin Laden, we shall carry out his command in Nigeria until the country is totally Islamised which is according to the wish of Allah.

It must be recalled that the Islamic group that goes by such names as Boko Haram and Jama’atu ahlus-Sunnah Lidda’awati wal Jihad had made an open declaration of war on the 28th of December 2010 after several bombs were exploded in the city of Jos, along with various Islamic killings in Kano, Bauchi and Maiduguri on the Christmas Eve. Abu Mohammed also known as Abubakar bin Mohammad Shekau the leader and spokesperson for the group said;

“I want to tell the Muslims in this country and the whole world that they need to know that this is a war between Muslims and non-Muslims… this is not a tribal war, nor is it similar to the wars of the pre-Islamic era, it is not a war for financial gains, it is solely a religious war. We did not start this war so it would not end in one week, or one month or one year. Only when we are completely annihilated and nobody chooses to continue with our struggle may be that could be the end. Or we establish a system where [Islamic] religion has the final say or [Islamic] religion determines everything, that will be the end of this war…” He went further to boast that “We are ready for anyone willing to face us, whether it is a group of people or even the government because we know who supports us, God the Creator of the universe, Allahu Akbar. Therefore, we are warning every Muslim who believes in the religion of Islam that he should never help a non-Muslim in this war. If he helps any non-Muslim and in so doing, a fellow Muslim suffers due to that, he should know that he is a dead person.”

The Police Commissioner Mohammed Abubakar admitted a security lapse on the part of his divisional police officers, whom he said had been told to watch out for Boko Haram members. The activities of the Islamic extremist Boko Haram, whose names means “Western education is sin,” were crushed by police in 2009 with the arrest of many of its members and the killing of its leader.

Lagos Police command beef up security to prevent the dastardly incident happening in Lagos, the state command yesterday beefed up security around its environs. Anti-bomb operatives from the Bomb Disposal Squad unit, Ikeja, were spotted at the entrance of the Lagos State Police Headquarters, the force Annex headquarters in Moloney, the Special Anti-robbery squad, Adeniji-Adele and the Special Fraud Unit, Milverton, Ikoyi, screening vehicles that were entering the premises. Even people on foot were not spared as they were thoroughly frisked.

The general superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, demanded the arrest and prosecution of the Boko Haram members and others to serve as a deterrent.

“A situation in which feuds easily lead to the burning of churches and the endless killings of church ministers and innocent citizens is an abhorrent trend which must not be allowed to continue,” Pastor Kumuyi said. “The initiative rests on the doorsteps of the security agencies to bring this unfortunate trend to an end.”
The attack on the National Police Headquarters in Abuja last week was a slap and insult on the part of the security forces. Ndigwe said the attack on the Force Headquarters "is a very strong signal that nobody is safe in this country because if the seat of the nation's Police Force could be easily attacked without any resistance, then there is serious danger for the nation.

According to the report from the sect spokesman Abu Zaid: The man who bombed the Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja on June 16 was a fairly well-to-do businessman who was actually on a suicide mission on behalf of the Islamic sect the Boko Haram, Blueprint can authoritatively report.

Mohammed Manga was a 35-year-old married man with five children who drove overnight from Maiduguri to Abuja in order to carry out the morning attack which left about five people dead, including a police officer, and many cars incinerated in the blast. He had left N4 million in his will for his five children – two girls and three boys – before embarking on the fateful journey to the nation’s capital.

There was proof also that Manga was accompanied on the deadly mission by at least a collaborator in the plot, who took his last photograph alive as he drove through the streets of Abuja. The collaborator(s) might have disembarked from the car before Manga reached the Louis Edet House headquarters of the Nigerian Police.

Blueprint can also authoritatively report that, contrary to a claim by the police authorities that the bomber had used a Mercedez Benz ‘V Boot’ car in his terror mission; he actually used a Honda 86 model.

These shocking details and others were made exclusively available to this newspaper by the leadership of the Islamist sect, Jama’atu Ahl-Sunnati Lil Da’awati wal Jihad, popularly called the Boko Haram, in a telephone interview in the Hausa language, fielded by the group’s spokesman who goes by the name Abu Zaid.

The group also e-mailed to our Borno State correspondent startling photographs of a grinning Manga as he undertook the revenge mission. It was the first time it was giving a glimpse into its operations.One of the most startling information given by Abu Zaid was that the attacker was one Mohammed Manga, who was better known and addressed by his friends and business associates as Alhaji Manga.“He is originally from Adamawa State but he was born and brought up in Maiduguri, where he embraced the teachings of the late Mohammed Yusuf,” the spokesman said.

Mohammed Yusuf was the leader of the group and was killed by the police in 2009 following the bloodiest clash involving the Boko Haram in which thousands of the sect’s members and other people died.Blueprint was also told by the sect that Manga was Fulani by tribe and that he started both as a commercial and private driver at different times in his adult life. A few years before the July 2009 Boko Haram uprising, Manga began to travel to Cotonou in Benin Republic and later Dubai frequently in order to buy all kinds of goods.He was a major contributor to the Boko Haram’s arms build-up.

Abu Zaid also confided in this newspaper that Manga left a will of over N4 million to his two daughters and three sons and urged fellow believers to sacrifice their lives for the sake of Allah. This, the group said, is evident in the last-minute pictures of Manga, believed to have been taken at a camp somewhere in Borno State.The man’s last will and the photographs are proof that Manga was on a suicide mission and that his death at the Louis Edet House headquarters of the police was not an accident.
“He was calm and never hesitated or showed fear,” Abu Zaid recalled, adding that everyone at the scene that night on the eve of the attack was envious, wishing it was their chance to act and gain entry into paradise.

According to him, the planning of the attack targeting the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, was not in any way different from the way and manner they plan other attacks around the country, insisting that the only difference was that this mission was abruptly brought closer in response to the remarks made by Ringim that he would eradicate the Boko Haram within weeks.The IGP had on June 15 boasted, while receiving10 armoured personnel carriers donated to the police by the Borno State government, that the Boko Haram’s days were numbered.

“Now that the (general) elections are over, our attention would be concentrated and I want to assure you that the days of the Boko Haram are numbered,” Ringim had told a gathering at the Government House in Maiduguri, with the state governor Kashim Shettima present.

Abu Zaid also claimed that the bomb his group used in the attack was a ready-made one, which the sect acquired from abroad. “And we are going to use several of them in future attacks,” he warned.The group dismissed media reports and commentaries that suggest it might not have planned a suicide attack but that the bomb blast was merely an accident in which the attacker was trapped, insisting that it was really pre-planned.“Everyone had waited patiently for the outcome of that operation,” said Abu Zaid.

According to him, the car that was used was not a Mercedes Benz ‘V-Boot’, but an ash-colour Honda 86 model.“I was surprised when the police said the car was a Mercedes ‘V-Boot’,” he said. “It was never a Mercedes. The car used for the attack was an ash-colour Honda 86. We are surprised over the way the police are confused anytime we strike.”

Meanwhile, the group has discredited the conditions for dialogue ostensibly given by the Boko Haram by one Usman Al-Zawahiri and others, challenging them to give a single proof that they are with the authentic group.

“We don’t know Al-Zawahiri; he is not with us,” Abu Zaid said.
“In fact, our investigation revealed that he is an SSS (State Security Service operative) and was brought in to discredit what we are doing and give an impression that we are divided. There is no faction in our group.”

Giving a reason why the Boko Haram chose Blueprint correspondent for breaking the news, Abu Zaid remarked: “You were the first journalist who repeatedly wrote about us when we were not known to the world; you were the first journalist who reported when our brothers were shot at on their way to a funeral procession by members of a security outfit setup by the Borno State government, known as ‘Operation Flush.’ We see you as an objective writer who is never afraid to say the truth; that is why our leader approved the idea to give you the final evidence that we were solely behind the suicide attack at the police headquarters.”

The Boko Haram is believed to be headed by one Malam Abubakar Shekau, the deputy of the late Mohammed Yusuf.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) calling on President Jonathan to urgently re-strategise and tackle the current security challenges which had become a major threat to his administration, Ndigwe said that the Ohanaeze would soon convene a meeting to discuss the security of the nation and come up with a position because "the bombings in Iran, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East started like this."


Source: Chidi Ahmed, Blueprint Correspondent.

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28 Jun 2011





Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Political Quote of the Week



“There is enough money in the Fedeation Accounts for the state governors to pay the new minimum wage without passing the burden to the masses.”

~ Engr. Hamman A.Tukur, mni, OFR, former Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC), Page 4, The Guardian, Monday June 27, 2011.




Nigeria will be fourth most populous country in the world by 2050


Nigeria is currently the most populous country in Africa and seventh most populous in the world with 154,728,890 people as at 2009. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.

Nigeria will become the fourth most populous country in the world by 2050 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

See the detailed report in the following news release.

27 Jun 2011 15:10 Africa/Lagos

U.S. Projected to Remain World's Third Most Populous Country Through 2050, Census Bureau Reports

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2011

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Through 2050, the United States is projected to remain in third place behind India and China among the world's most populous countries, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These findings are derived from the population estimates and projections for 228 countries and areas released today through the Census Bureau's International Data Base. This release includes revisions for 19 countries and provides information on population size and growth, mortality, fertility and net migration.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110428/DC91889LOGO)

"The Census Bureau has been preparing individual country population estimates and projections for more than 50 years," said Loraine West, a demographer in the Census Bureau's Population Division. "Current estimates and projections are provided through 2050 and are routinely updated as new data become available."

Although the United States will maintain its third place position, the ranking of the countries with the 10 largest populations in the world (see table) is expected to change over the next few decades.

The top 10 countries each currently have at least 125 million inhabitants. Russia and Japan are projected to soon fall out of this group because of persistent low fertility rates, which have already caused their populations to decline. Russia's decline is also due in part to relatively high mortality.

The countries expected to advance in the rankings are those with high fertility. Ethiopia, in particular, with an estimated fertility rate of 6.0 children per woman in 2011, is projected to vault from 13th to seventh on the list of most populous countries by 2050, tripling in total population from 91 million to 278 million. Nigeria also has a relatively high estimated fertility rate of 5.7 and is projected to more than double its population by 2050 from 166 million to 402 million.

Currently seventh on the list of most populous countries, by 2050, Nigeria is projected to climb to fourth.

Other developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Brazil and Indonesia, while continuing to grow, will drop slightly in the rankings given that their fertility already is lower than Ethiopia and Nigeria.

China and India, the only countries with more than a billion people, are expected to continue to occupy the top two positions, although their order is projected to switch by 2025 when India is expected to overtake China as the world's most populous country.

By 2050, the Philippines will round out the world's most populous countries, reaching 10th on the list with a projected population of 172 million.

The 19 countries included in this update are Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Comoros, Curacao, French Polynesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Netherlands, Nigeria, Qatar, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Suriname, United States and the British Virgin Islands.

The Census Bureau's International Data Base includes projections by sex and age for countries and other areas with populations of 5,000 or more. Population projections incorporate assumptions about future trends in fertility, mortality and migration. In general, fertility and mortality are projected based on recent trends and migration for each country typically reflects recent trends but also considers longer-term levels of migration. The level of uncertainty is greater for projections further in the future.

Detailed tables

Editor's note: The data can be accessed at http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/ .

Follow @uscensusbureau on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and Ustream.

Tom Edwards
Public Information Office
301-763-3030/763-3762 (fax)
e-mail: pio@census.gov

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

Web Site: http://www.census.gov

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Monday, June 27, 2011

Chris Brown, 2Face Idibia and D'Banj shine at 2011 BET AWARDS



Sensational American R&B singer Chris Brown was the star of the night at the 2011 BET AWARDS Sunday night at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, hosted by Kevin Hart. Chris went home with the awards for Best Male Artist, Coca-Cola Viewer's Choice, Best Collaboration, and Video of the Year Awards.

Popular Nigerian artistes 2Face Idibia and D'Banj shared the Best International Act award.




Chris Brown


The following is the full report.

27 Jun 2011 07:55 Africa/Lagos


CEE LO GREEN CHANNELS HIS INNER PATTI LABELLE IN FULL COSTUME DURING HER TRIBUTE PERFORMANCE FOR THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
JUSTIN BIEBER FLIRTS WITH NICKI MINAJ ON STAGE
ALICIA KEYS PERFORMS NEW SONG "TYPEWRITER" AND SHARES STAGE WITH BRUNO MARS AND RICK ROSS
STEVE HARVEY INSPIRES THE AUDIENCE AS THE HUMANITARIAN AWARD RECIPIENT

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, June 27, 2011

NEW YORK, June 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The hilarious Kevin Hart kept the crowd laughing out loud as a Hollywood House Husband during the BET AWARDS '11 opening act with Bobby Brown , Jermaine Dupri , Anthony Anderson , Nelly, and Nick Cannon . Chris Brown's powerful performance medley of "She Ain't You," "Look at Me Now," and "Paper Scissor Rock" illustrated just why he was named the 2011 Best Male R&B Artist, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration, and Coca-Cola Viewer's Choice Award winner when he took to the stage in two performances collaborating with Busta Rhymes and Big Sean. Later, a precocious Justin Bieber propositioned Nicki Minaj on stage when he said, "I'm all grown up now. I turn 18 next year so...what's up?"

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO )

Legendary songstress and diva extraordinaire Patti LaBelle was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award and her tribute was a performance unlike anything ever seen before. Beginning with a special introduction from another musical icon, Gladys Knight , Cee Lo Green took to the stage in a throwback Patti LaBelle costume performing "Somebody Loves You Baby," while Marsha Ambrosius jazzed up the room with her spot on rendition of "If Only You Knew," before the great Shirley Caesar took the crowd—and Patti LaBelle —to tears singing "You Are My Friend." But it was Patti herself that brought the house down performing two of her greatest hits, "Love, Need and Want You" and "Lady Marmalade." Steve Harvey uplifted the audience in his acceptance speech for his Humanitarian Award.

The cast of the Five Heartbeats movie surprised the audience with a reunited performance with R&B crooners After 7 with the famous hit, "Nights Like This," for the 20-year anniversary of the film. The beautiful Kerry Washington graced the stage for BET's Shine A Light moment to honor individuals who make the world a better place for young people.

Celebrating the 10-year Anniversary of her first album, Songs In A Minor, Alicia Keys graced the BET AWARDS '11 stage for a medley of her hits with Bruno Mars and Rick Ross as well as for the world premiere her latest song, "Typewriter."

Additional highlights of the 14 performances include: Trey Songz sexy, shirt-ripping rendition of "Making Love Faces" and "Unusual," and was later joined by Kelly Rowland to perform her smash hit, "Motivation," Donnie McClurkin, Deitrick Haddon and Mary Mary uplifted the audience with their rendition of the gospel hit, "Thank You Lord," in tribute to the late Walter Hawkins; Mary J. Blige , Anita Baker , DJ Khaled, and Jadakiss kicked off the show with a monumental mix of hits "All Night Long," "Joy," "Happy," Dreams," "Real Love," "Rapture," and "Over Til It's Over"; Jill Scott performed a soulful rendition of "Rolling Hills" with actor and DJ Idris Elba ; DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Drake and Lil' Wayne amped the crowd performing "I'm the One"; and Beyonce closed the show singing "Best Thing I Never Had" and "End of Time" via live telecast from Britain's Glastonbury Festival.

This year's In Memoriam tribute celebrated the lives of Cali Swag District member M-Bone, Clarence Clemons , Teena Marie , Gil Scott Heron and Nate Dogg with performances and appearances by Doug E. Fresh and Cali Swag District, Queen Latifah, Ledisi, Scott Mayo, Snoop Dogg and Warren G.

In continuing the good that BET's S.O.S.: Saving Ourselves initiative has made over the years, the BET AWARDS '11 contained a special moment to show support for the victims of the tornadoes in the Southeast through a special message from Rev. Al Sharpton .

In addition to all of these spectacular moments, the full list of BET AWARDS '11 winners are:

* Best Female R&B Artist: Rihanna
* Best Male R&B Artist: Chris Brown
* Best Group: Diddy-Dirty Money
* Best Gospel Artist: Mary Mary
* Best Female Hip Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj
* Best Male Hip Hop Artist: Kanye West
* Best New Artist: Wiz Khalifa
* Best Collaboration: Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes "Look At Me Now"
* Video of the Year: Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes "Look At Me Now"
* Video Director of the Year: Chris Robinson
* Best Actress: Taraji P. Henson
* Best Actor: Idris Elba
* Young Stars Award: Jaden Smith and Willow Smith
* Best Movie: For Colored Girls
* Subway Sportswoman of the Year: Serena Williams
* Subway Sportsman of the Year: Michael Vick
* Centric Award: Marsha Ambrosius "Far Away"
* Best International Act: 2Face Idibia (Nigeria) and D'Banj (Nigeria)
* Coca-Cola Viewer's Choice Award: Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes - "Look at me Now"
* Humanitarian Award: Steve Harvey
* Lifetime Achievement Award: Patti LaBelle


About BET Networks:

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

SOURCE BET Networks

CONTACT: Marcy Polanco, +1-212-975-3327, marcy.polanco@BET.net, Zabrina Horton, +1-310-481-3737, zabrina.horton@BET.net, both of BET Networks; or Simone Smalls of Simone Smalls PR, Inc., +1-917-388-3890, simone@simonesmallspr.com; or Michelle Huff, +1-212-239-1732, michelle@huffent.com, Debbie Asrate, +1-212-239-1732, debbie@huffent.com, both of HUFF Events & PR; or Charlie Guadano of Simone Smalls PR, Inc., +1-917-388-3890, charlie@simonesmallspr.com

Web Site: http://www.bet.com


Sunday, June 26, 2011

LG Mobile Breaks Through 3D Barriers, Highlights Future of 3D Technology at 3D Entertainment Summit




LG Mobile Executive Tim O’Brien Showcases LG THRILL™ 4G exclusively on AT&T, Bringing Glasses-free 3D Smartphone to the United States

NEW YORK, June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Tim O’Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile, addressed an audience of entertainment industry insiders and influencers yesterday during the 3D Entertainment Summit in a keynote session that examined the importance of technology and innovation in the industry’s 100+ year history. While highlighting consumer insights paving the way for the future of entertainment, LG put the spotlight on mobile 3D. Held in New York in conjunction with Consumer Electronics Week, the Summit is devoted to examining and analyzing the burgeoning confluence of 3D and entertainment.


LG Mobile Executive Tim O’Brien

O’Brien’s keynote illustrated technology’s important role in the evolution of entertainment and culminated with the presentation of LG’s latest technological breakthrough, the LG THRILL™ 4G exclusively on AT&T.



From early forms of entertainment such as black and white TV to the growing popularity of smartphones as today’s hot entertainment platform, O’Brien stressed the importance of the need for continued advancements in technology. LG Mobile will lead the way, contributing to 3D technology adoption with the barrier breaking LG THRILL 4G.

“The objective of the entertainment industry has always been to make the experience more real and life-like,” said O’Brien. “LG will change the game again by giving everyone an easy and accessible way to interact with the content they love – and do it in a more realistic and authentic manner than any 3D experience we’ve seen yet.”

Continuing the trend of technology pushing the boundaries of entertainment, LG Mobile is focusing on addressing the three main barriers to the mass adoption of 3D technology: accessibility, technology and content.

* Accessibility: 3D devices are currently thought of as too expensive, but LG THRILL 4G will be competitively priced for wider accessibility.
* Technology: Using new mobile 3D parallax barrier technology, the LG Thrill 4G eliminates the need for expensive and bulky 3D glasses, making the 3D experience seamless. Additionally, LG THRILL 4G enhances smartphone features with tri-dual configuration technology, including a 1GHz dual-core processor with dual-channels and dual memory, to enhance speed and performance.
* Content: LG consumer insights indicate users most often interact with entertainment on their mobile phones through user generated content and gaming. In a strategic partnership between LG Mobile and YouTube, handheld users will be able to create and share their own 3D content in new and exciting ways. Additionally, in partnership with Gameloft, 3D games come preloaded on LG THRILL 4G.

“With each new technological breakthrough, entertainment becomes more genuine and believable,” acknowledged O’Brien. “3D enabled mobile devices will be the next step in the natural evolution of entertainment technology, and breaking accessibility, technology and content barriers will be crucial in helping make sure all consumers have access to this next generation entertainment platform.”

For additional details about Tim O’Brien’s 3D Entertainment Summit keynote address, please visit: ny.3d-summit.com. Also, visit www.lg.com for the latest news about the LG THRILL 4G, available this summer in AT&T stores nationwide.

# # #

About LG THRILL 4G

The ideal handset for on-the-move entertainment enthusiasts looking for the best of home while on the road, LG Thrill 4G features a 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen and 1GHz dual-core/dual-channel RAM for powerful mobile processing, flawless viewing and effortless multitasking. LG Thrill 4G also delivers a revolutionary, glasses-free 3D LCD display that creates a unique opportunity for consumers to capture life-like images, video and experience real 3D gaming. Dual 5MP stereoscopic 3D cameras and included microSD card allow users to capture crystal-clear 3D images and view 720p HD 3D video playback. The first device to support the YouTube™ 3D mobile platform, LG Thrill 4G allows users to share 3D content with anyone anywhere in the world. LG Thrill 4G owners will have access to view and upload 3D content directly to YouTube 3D via Thrill’s dedicated “3D Space” user interface. HDMI-out and DLNA features offer wireless content streaming options, making sharing 3D content with the people and networks that matter most, easier than ever.
About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 93,000 people working in over 120 operations around the world. With 2010 global sales of 55.8 trillion Korean won (USD 48.2 billion), LG comprises four business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solutions. LG is one of the world’s leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines, and refrigerators. LG has signed a long-term agreement to become both a Global Partner and a Technology Partner of Formula 1™. As part of this top-level association, LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official consumer electronics, mobile phone and data processor of this global sporting event. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.
About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company

The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a leading global mobile communications and information company. With its cutting-edge technology and innovative design capabilities, LG creates handsets that provide an optimized mobile experience to customers around the world. LG is pursuing convergence technology and mobile computing products, while continuing its leadership role in mobile communication with stylish designs and smart technology. For more information, please visit http://www.lgmobilephones.com.


Media Contacts:
LG Electronics Inc.
LG MobileComm U.S.A., Inc
Elizabeth Latham
(858) 805-6701
Elizabeth.Latham@lge.com
LG-One
Erica Samadani
(310) 280-2456
Erica.Samadani@lg-one.com



Saturday, June 25, 2011

Why Boko Haram bombed the Nigeria Police Headquarters in Abuja



Nigeria: Boko Haram Terrorism Threats: Police Headquarters Bombing and our security

I must confess that I am neither surprised by the brazen attack on the headquarters of the Nigeria Police, the almighty Louis Edet House in Abuja, by members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, nor by the reaction of President Goodluck Jonathan. Why?

I was in Maiduguri and Bauchi August for over a week in 2009 after the Boko Haram attacks that set Borno and Bauchi States ablaze, literally. The level of destruction was unprecedented. I visited the prison and police stations that were sacked. I went to the police college where senior police officers on course were slaughtered while sleeping. I saw churches that were bombed. I went to the sect’s headquarters located at the Maiduguri Railway Terminus Areas (MRTA) that had been destroyed and taken over by security men. I was told of the atrocities committed in that very compound and shown what was alleged to be the killing chamber of the sect’s leader, Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf, who was summarily executed by the police after his arrest.

I visited the compound of Yusuf’s father-in-law, the 72-year-old Alhaji Baa Fugu Mohammed, who was alleged to be one of the financiers of the sect. The man was also executed, his compound destroyed. I interviewed two young women – 22-year-old Patricia Ibe, who was an accountancy student then and 14-year-old Chidinma Obigwe. Two of them watched as three of their religious brethren had their throats slit.

They were taken away as spoils of war, only rescued when men of the Borno State special security outfit, Operation Flush, invaded the sect’s headquarters where they and over 1,500 other people, mostly women, were held hostage.

I spoke to Rev. Dr. Daniel Egboka, Assistant General Superintendent of the National Evangelical Mission and Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (Borno State chapter), who was also the Pastor of the National Evangelical Mission Wukari Headquarters, Maiduguri. Not only was his church burnt down, his Assistant Pastor, Sylvester Nseobong, his brother who visited from Akwa Ibom, Patrick James, and the church’s security man, Elijah Gambo, were the three men Patricia and Chidinma watched their gory execution.

Pastor Egboka showed me the bones of his fallen colleagues; still at the very spot they were burnt. As at the time of the interview, his wife had fled Maiduguri, vowing never to set her foot again in the state or any part of the North. I interviewed the then state Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, whose former Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Buji Fai, resigned his appointment to join the sect. Buji was also summarily executed. There were insinuations then that the Governor ordered the execution of Mohammed and Buji to stop them from spilling the bean. Sheriff denied the allegation vehemently, claiming that he was also a target. The Commander of the Operation Flush 11, Colonel Ben Ahanotu, who I met in the Governor’s office, spoke off record, detailing the enormity of the crisis and the atrocity committed by the sect members.

The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbal El-Kanemi, who only assumed office on May 31, 2009, barely two months before the mayhem, spoke. He said the irreverent Yusuf embarrassed not only the state but the entire Muslim community.

The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) was filled to capacity with victims – men, women, children and the aged. I spoke with soldiers and policemen with all manner of wounds. The mortuary was overflowing. As a result, corpses were being dumped at the car park of the Umaru Shehu Ultra Modern Hospital, Bulumkutu.

Police denied me access to the arrested Boko Haram members, who were in detention, but I spoke to members who were not detained and they vowed revenge. I spoke to many other victims of the madness and came out with the impression that the sect’s capacity for violence was almost infinite. Scarier was my perception that they had the capacity to sustain the insurrection. I saw a people whose thirst for blood was insatiable.

In Bauchi, it was the same level of atrocity committed by the sect members. Many young people are now in their early grave as well as religious and political leaders. I interviewed sect members arrested by the police and vowed to wage war on the nation. Both traditional and religious leaders have been displaced. Bishop A.T Moses was mentioned as the enemy to their mission as well as Pastor Sunday I. Peters.

Since 2009, I have watched as they carried out attacks with astounding precision, knocking off high value targets almost effortlessly.

So, when the group issued a statement last Wednesday, boasting that their warriors had “arrived Nigeria from Somalia where they got serious training on warfare,” and vowing that they would “wage jihad on the enemies of God and his Messenger,” I sensed an escalation in the paroxysm of violence that had gripped the
country. The vow was a reaction to the Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim’s boast that the days of Boko Haram were numbered after receiving 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from the Borno State government the previous day.

It is instructive that Ringim’s office was bombed a day after the group made its vow. It is also helpful, but by no means comforting, to note that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, the first time ever in Nigeria, after Boko Haram’s claim that their fighters had returned from Somalia.

I was also not surprised by Jonathan’s response when he visited Louis Edet House on Saturday. “Let me use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that it happens all over the world, no country is safe,” the President said. How the knowledge that terrorism is a global phenomenon can assuage the anxiety of distraught Nigerians, only the President can explain.

But I was not surprised because that was the same answer he gave after the gruesome murder of the Governorship candidate of the Borno State All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Modu Fannami Gubio, who until his death was the Commissioner for Finance. Six other people killed in that brazen attack on January 28 included the Governor’s brother, Alhaji Goni Modu Ngala, who was former chairman of Ngala local government.

Since terrorism had become global merchandise, Nigerians have nothing to complain about, the President seemed to have suggested. But that is too simplistic a solution coming from him. No Nigerian is going to be comforted by the fact that bombs are also exploding in other parts of the world including the United States and Europe.

The fact of the matter is that Nigeria has become a haven for terrorists and this should give the President serious concern. Sadly, he doesn’t seem to appreciate the enormity of the crisis because if he does, he would have appreciated the significance of the bombing of the police headquarters. It is an audacious attack executed strategically to send a clear message that if the security of the seemingly impregnable police headquarters could be easily breached, then nowhere, not even Aso Rock is safe.

Leadership is not an easy task. It is only in Nigeria that people grow younger and look more robust when they are elected or appointed into public office. In other climes the reverse is the case because leadership exerts its toll on those who occupy public office. Anyone who is in doubt should look at President Barack Obama; how much he has aged in three years.
Presidency is not a feel good job. Jonathan must roll up his sleeve and work. We have full-blown terrorism on our hands. And the successful attack on the Louis Edet House, where the Inspector General of Police, Ringim, escaped death by the whiskers, is a morale booster. It is disturbing that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the country thinks that terrorism can be wished away which is what his statement that, “Nigeria is also having some ugly incidents lately but surely we will get over it and people should not panic at all,” seems to suggest.
However, it was learnt that preliminary police investigations into the 16/6 bombing showed that the Police High Command and the top leadership of the nation’s security agencies came to that initial conclusion from reading the footages of the incident from the Close Circuit Television at the Louis Edet House. The impact of the bomb, which destroyed about 77 cars in the IG’s parking lot and reduced the Honda to an engine stump, killed the suspected bombers right inside their car.
Journalists who went to the police headquarters shortly after the blast last week observed so much confusion among the police about the particular car that actually carried the device. A good number of the policemen pointed to a mangled car whose two tyres were on a culvert in the car park as the car driven by the bomber. It took a lot of protest from the journalists to get a close photograph of the car when the rescue team comprising men of the Red Cross and National Emergency Management Agency got the human parts from the car into some black cellophane bags.

It took a four-man team of journalists from the PUNCH close to one hour to extract that piece of information from a police officer who lost his car to the blast and two of his junior colleagues to disclose the real car that carried the bomb. However, the police have said that the ongoing investigations would soon unveil the sponsors of Boko Haram.

Boko Haram is a determined foe. It must be fought decisively and even if not totally vanquished, at least defanged or we should all consider ourselves dead.


Source: Emeka Owoniyi (JNCR)