Islamic State: Second French jihadist seen in video

France has confirmed that a second Frenchman features in a video showing the beheading of Syrian prisoners, and a US hostage killed by Islamic State (IS).

He has been identified by French media as Michael Dos Santos, 22, an Islamic convert from an eastern Paris suburb.

Earlier, the government identified the first French militant as Maxime Hauchard, a convert from Normandy.

About 1,000 French jihadists are thought to have gone to Syria and Iraq.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said after a security meeting in Beauvais, north of Paris, that "close to 50" French citizens had died in Syria.

"Sadly, we are not surprised to learn that French citizens or residents of France are found at the heart of these cells and taking part in this barbarity," he added.
'Vigilance' call

On a visit to Australia, French President Francois Hollande told reporters in Canberra "there were two French people" in the video.

"One has been categorically identified and the other one is in the process of being identified," he said.

An official in the Paris prosecutor's office, Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre, said there was a "strong presumption" that it was Mr Dos Santos, from the Parisian suburb of Champigny-sur-Marne, in the video, AP news agency reports.

French broadcaster France 2 said (in French) that Mr Dos Santos had been identified by a friend, who recalled how the man had surprised his family when he suddenly converted to Islam.
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French media review - BBC Monitoring

Most news sites lead on the story with Liberation asking, "What is known about the second French jihadist in the video?"

Le Figaro describes Michael Dos Santos as a recent convert to Islam who had adopted the nom de guerre Abu Othman.

According to Le Monde, more than 1,100 French nationals may be involved in jihadist activity in Iraq and Syria, with more than 375 active in front-line fighting.

Le Figaro features a video on its front page of a young Frenchman who recently converted to Islam. He says that he was approached by Islamic State to join in their jihadist campaign as soon as he converted.
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Mr Hollande said officials had not established the "exact role" of the two militants.

He called for families to be given more information about the danger of jihadist websites and urged families to be "vigilant" in stopping young people from being recruited by extremists.

Earlier this week, Mr Hauchard was named by a French prosecutor as one of those leading Syrian prisoners to their execution.

Bare faces

In the latest IS video - unlike previous ones showing beheadings - several militants appear with their heads uncovered.
IS video grab of Maxime Hauchard Maxime Hauchard went to Syria in August 2013, French authorities believe

The footage showed 18 Syrian prisoners, described as soldiers, forced to kneel in front of the militants before being beheaded.

The men were described as pilots and officers loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Reuters news agency reported.

The video also shows the severed head of Abdul-Rahman Kassig, a US aid worker who was kidnapped in Syria last year.

IS said the video was shot in the Syrian town of Dabiq, which features in Islamic prophecies as the site of a final battle between Muslims and their enemies.

Analysts say the video was elaborately produced, but also reflected IS's weakness, as its militants had been driven off key sites by US-led coalition air strikes.
Foreign fighters
File photo: Armed police officers guard the entrance of the Brussels Jewish Museum, after the museum revealed a commemorative plaque for the victims of a shooting, in Brussels, 9 September 2014 A Jewish museum in Brussels was attacked by a French gunman in May and reopened in September

Concerns about the involvement of French citizens in the conflict were heightened after a gun attack earlier this year on a Jewish museum in Brussels.

The attack, in which four people were killed, was carried out by 29-year-old Mehdi Nemmouche, a Frenchman who had fought as a jihadist in Syria.

France has the largest Muslim community in western Europe outside Russia, and is thought to provide the biggest contingent of Western jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

More than 100 French citizens fighting in the Middle East have already returned to France, with the vast majority now facing charges under terrorism legislation, the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris reports.

Earlier this month, France convicted its first such returnee with a jail term of seven years, our correspondent adds.

The government has also given police new powers to confiscate passports, to prevent people travelling abroad to join militants.

Naira in free fall against dollar

By Babajide Komolafe
LAGOS—The fortunes of the national currency, the Naira took a sharp turn downwards yesterday as it fell by 270 kobo, with the parallel market exchange rate rising to N180 per dollar from N177.3 on Monday.

Since the beginning of the month, the Naira has fallen against the US dollar by N7.9 at the interbank market, and N10 at the parallel market.

Interbank and parallel market operators attributed this sharp depreciation to restrictions introduced by the CBN to curb foreign exchange demand at the official market. Falling crude oil prices, coupled with depleting Excess Crude Account has triggered palpable anxiety about the value of the Naira. Stocks have also been hit as a result.
Emefiele

Emefiele

On October 28, in addition to a 10-kobo margin limit imposed on intervention dollars, the CBN banned banks from selling dollars to Bureaux de Change (BDCs). Furthermore, on November 6th, the CBN excluded importation of six items from official foreign exchange, saying it would no longer sell official forex for their importation. The items included electronics, finished products, information technology, generators, telecommunication equipment and invisible transactions. According to the apex bank, the items would henceforth be funded from the interbank foreign exchange market only.

Thus, the apex bank unwittingly shifted forex demand for importation of the six items from the official market to the interbank market.

The two restrictions combined triggered sharp increase in demand for forex in the interbank market, and scarcity of dollars in the parallel market. Though the CBN was selling intervention dollars to banks, banks could trade with the dollars because of the 10 kobo limit. This, according to a foreign exchange dealer created a scarcity situation in interbank and the subsequent steady depreciation of the naira.

Why CBN imposed restrictions

The restrictions were imposed to stem the persistent decline in the nation’s external reserves following continued decline in price of crude oil. Within three months, the price of crude oil fell from $100 per barrel to $78 per barrel.

The sharp decline in crude oil prices occasioned apprehension among foreign investors, who believe that with decline in revenue from crude oil, and the CBN using the reserves to defend the Naira, it would not be long before the Naira suffered sharp depreciation. Hence they moved their money out of the country by divesting from the nation’s stock market and FGN bonds.

Scarcity of dollars behind Naira’s fall

Acting President, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe in a conversation with Vanguard said the depreciation was due to scarcity of dollars in the market. He said most of the banks are not selling dollars to BDCs, thus worsening scarcity in the market.

This was corroborated by Managing Director/Chief Executive, HJ Trust BDC, Mr. Harrison Owoh. He said that parallel market rate rose from N177.3 to N180 per dollar because there is no dollar in the market. He said the banks are not selling to BDCs, and the two banks that sold, sold at N179 per dollar and N178.4 per dollar respectively. He added that depreciation of the Naira is not limited to the dollar, adding that it has been depreciating against the Euro and Pound Sterling in recent times too. He said the exchange rate of the Euro has risen to N220 from N117 last week. Owoh said that the market is overwhelmed with uncertainty about the exchange rate.

“In fact, we don’t know what the rate of the dollar is now”, he said.

Hoarding

However, Vanguard investigations reveal that increasing scarcity in the market has prompted operators to resort to hoarding whatever foreign currency in their possession. It was gathered that BDCs that bought dollars from the CBN at N157 per dollar last week hoarded them, only to sell this week at N179/N180 per dollar.

CBN bows to banks

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday bowed to banks’ demand for the removal of the 10 kobo margin limit imposed on intervention dollars.

Meanwhile, the Naira depreciated to N180 to the dollar at the parallel market in response to scarcity of dollars in the market.

Intervention dollars

Further probes by Vanguard reveal that at a meeting between the CBN and chief executives of banks yesterday, the CBN agreed to remove the 10 kobo margin limit imposed three weeks ago on intervention dollars.

Intervention dollars are dollars sold directly to banks by the CBN to stabilise the exchange rate of the Naira in the interbank market.

“Funds purchased through the CBN interventions should be utilised within two working days of delivery at a rate not more than 10 kobo above purchase rate. Consequently, intervention funds not utilised within two working days of delivery should be returned to CBN at the original purchase rate”, the CBN said in a circular signed by Mr. I.O Gbadamosi, Director, Trade and Exchange Department.

The limit however made the intervention dollars unattractive to banks and as a result they stopped purchasing the dollars from the CBN.

Investigation further revealed that the banks deliberately shunned CBN’s request for the foreign exchange quotes or offer to sell intervention dollars.

This however frustrated efforts of the apex bank to curtail depreciation of the Naira in the interbank foreign exchange market, leading to N7.45 depreciation of the national currency last week.

To arrest this development, the apex bank called a meeting of chief executives of banks yesterday to discuss recent developments in the foreign exchange market and its effort to stabilise the exchange rate.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the bank CEOs made it clear to the apex bank the 10 kobo margin limit has to go for banks to purchase the intervention dollars.

While the meeting was in progress, the Naira continued to fall at the interbank market, with the interbank exchange rate rising to N177.3 per dollar by mid-day. It was gathered that this development and fears that the interbank exchange rate could hit N180 per dollar before the close of business yesterday prompted the CBN to accede to the request of the banks for the removal of the 10 kobo limit.

A senior foreign exchange dealer, who confirmed this development to Vanguard, said the decision to remove the limit was communicated to banks via the Reuters trading platform. In addition, the CBN and the bank captains agreed that the apex bank would continue to intervene in the interbank market.

Furthermore, the apex bank hurriedly sold intervention dollars to the banks, to arrest the free fall of the Naira in the interbank market. The move proved effective, as the interbank rate dropped sharply to N170 per dollar, before rising to close at N173.25.

Naira would continue free fall

According to Harrison Owoh, except the CBN increases dollar sale to BDCs, or allow banks to sell intervention dollars to them, the Naira would continue to depreciate in the parallel market.

“The $15,000 sold to each BDCs is inadequate to address the scarcity in the market. Once the CBN increases dollar supply to BDCs, the parallel market rate would fall significantly”, he said.

A senior foreign exchange dealer who spoke on anonymity however said the though the CBN would try to manage the situation, it is obvious that it would have to devalue the Naira very soon. He said there are increasing fears among foreign exchange dealers that the CBN surprise the market with a N15 depreciation of the naira at the official market. He said banks are already advising their customers who have dollar liabilities to move them into Naira to avoid the severe impact of a sharp devaluation of the naira.

But a former CBN Director who confided in Vanguard said that the CBN can avoid a sharp devaluation by adopting some measures. “To put a small halt to the sliding Naira, CBN should allow the market operate, since it operates RDAS, which is a post mortem fixing rate process. Secondly it should use moral suasion to manage supply by encouraging dollar earning parastatals to support the market.”

Kathy Griffin to replace Joan Rivers as Fashion Police host

Kathy Griffin and late great Joan Rivers have a similar sense of humour so I think this will work. According to a report by TMZ, the comedian is set to replace Joan Rivers as host of Fashion Police.

From TMZ

    Kathy Griffin will be Joan Rivers' replacement on "Fashion Police" ... TMZ has learned. Sources connected with the show tell TMZ it's a done deal. Kathy will join Melissa Rivers, Kelly Osbourne and Giuliana Rancic. We don't know the fate of George Kotsiopoulos.

    We're told the show will no longer be a weekly series. E! will roll it out during awards shows and other occasions as event programming. One silver lining ... the drapes will now match the carpet for sure.

Kenyan women protest harrassment of women over dressing

A video of a Kenyan woman being stripped naked by men on a street in Nairobi last week for dressing 'inappropriately' has sparked outrage in the country leading to several protests.

Several women, including celebs and politicians took to the streets of Kenya today to protest the harassment calling for it to be illegal and asking government to arrest the men shown in the video stripping the woman naked.

The protesters have also started a campaign called #MyDressMyChoice, saying undressing a woman in public is sexual harassment.

what do you think? Is this measure too drastic?

Ebola outbreak is a call to action says Bill Gates

Washington, United States – US philanthropist Bill Gates on Sunday announced he will donate over $500 million to fight malaria and other infectious diseases in the developing world, saying the Ebola outbreak is a call to action.

The former Microsoft CEO told the 63rd annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in New Orleans that his Gates Foundation is committing more than $500 million in 2014 “to reduce the burden of malaria, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, and an array of parasitic infections that are leading causes of death and disability in developing countries,” a statement said.

Gates also said that in addition to that pledge, his foundation has boosted its annual funding for malaria by 30 percent.

Gates described the Ebola epidemic that has killed more than 4,900 people in West Africa since the beginning of the year as a “critical moment in the history of global health,” and said the world’s largest outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever underscores the need for stronger efforts to stay ahead of disease threats such as drug-resistant malaria and dengue fever.

“The Ebola epidemic has shown, once again, that in today’s interconnected world, health challenges anywhere create health challenges everywhere –- and the best way to overcome those challenges is to dedicate ourselves to the great cause of reducing the global burden of infectious disease,” Gates said in his prepared remarks.

The Gates Foundation announced in September a $50-million commitment to help scale up efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak.

The more than $500 million announced Sunday includes over $150 million to the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative to advance development of next-generation malaria vaccines, and $29 million to the Clinton Health Access Initiative to support malaria elimination efforts in Southern Africa and the Greater Mekong Sub-region of Southeast Asia.

Gates said the rise in resistance to effective malaria drugs in Southeast Asia should serve as a warning, that better research and development is needed to “stay ahead of the natural evolution of infectious diseases.”

Other grants announced by Gates include $49 million to PATH Vaccine Solutions to develop new vaccines and combinations of vaccines against bacterial causes of diarrhea, and $18 million to the University of Maryland for studies in Mali, Kenya and Gambia on the impact of rotavirus vaccines on child health.

Other grants aim to help eradicate neglected infectious diseases, including $60 million toward finding treatments for a disfiguring diseases sometimes known as elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis) as well as sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis), and black fever (visceral leishmaniasis).

Gates said that eradicating malaria by the middle of this century is “both a necessary objective and an attainable one.”

What is needed are single-dose complete cures for malaria, more sophisticated diagnostics and a next-generation malaria vaccine, as well as more widespread and precise use of bednets, he said.

“We must remain committed to the eradication of malaria,” Gates said.

“Small steps won’t get the job done. History shows that the only way to stop malaria is to end it forever.”

Nigerian man charged for murder in the UK

A 21 year old Nigerian man, Sodiq Adebayo, who resides in Ilford, has been charged to court in the UK for the murder of 22 year old Noor Hassan Barre (pictured above).

According to London24 news, Sodiq and another man, 20 year old Kevin Mao stabbed Noor in the chest during a fight in the early hours of Friday October 31st at the Middlesex University in Hendon UK. Noor was rushed to the Northwick Park hospital where he died.

Sodiq and Kevin are scheduled to appear before the Barkingside and Wimbledon Magistrates court respectively tomorrow.

Read heartbreaking last letter Iranian woman wrote before she was hanged

 27 year old Reyhaney Jabbari was executed on Saturday October 25th by hanging in Iran seven years after she killed a man that she claimed had attempted to rape her. (read here). Before she was killed, Reyhaney wrote a very emotional letter to her mother, asking that her organs be donated to those who need them. See the full text of the letter after the cut...

The full text of the letter was translated by the National Council of Resistance of Iran:

    Dear Sholeh, today I learned that it is now my turn to face Qisas (the Iranian regime's law of retribution). I am hurt as to why you did not let me know yourself that I have reached the last page of the book of my life. Don’t you think that I should know? You know how ashamed I am that you are sad. Why did you not take the chance for me to kiss your hand and that of dad?

    The world allowed me to live for 19 years. That ominous night it was I that should have been killed. My body would have been thrown in some corner of the city, and after a few days, the police would have taken you to the coroner’s office to identify my body and there you would also learn that I had been raped as well. The murderer would have never been found since we don’t have their wealth and their power. Then you would have continued your life suffering and ashamed, and a few years later you would have died of this suffering and that would have been that.

    However, with that cursed blow the story changed. My body was not thrown aside, but into the grave of Evin Prison and its solitary wards, and now the grave-like prison of Shahr-e Ray. But give in to the fate and don’t complain. You know better that death is not the end of life.

    You taught me that one comes to this world to gain an experience and learn a lesson and with each birth a responsibility is put on one’s shoulder. I learned that sometimes one has to fight. I do remember when you told me that the carriage man protested the man who was flogging me, but the flogger hit the lash on his head and face that ultimately led to his death. You told me that for creating a value one should persevere even if one dies.

    You taught us that as we go to school one should be a lady in face of the quarrels and complaints. Do you remember how much you underlined the way we behave? Your experience was incorrect. When this incident happened, my teachings did not help me. Being presented in court made me appear as a cold-blooded murderer and a ruthless criminal. I shed no tears. I did not beg. I did not cry my head off since I trusted the law.

    But I was charged with being indifferent in face of a crime. You see, I didn’t even kill the mosquitoes and I threw away the cockroaches by taking them by their antennas. Now I have become a premeditated murderer. My treatment of the animals was interpreted as being inclined to be a boy and the judge didn’t even trouble himself to look at the fact that at the time of the incident I had long and polished nails.

    How optimistic was he who expected justice from the judges! He never questioned the fact that my hands are not coarse like those of a sportswoman, especially a boxer. And this country that you planted its love in me never wanted me and no one supported me when under the blows of the interrogator I was crying out and I was hearing the most vulgar terms. When I shed the last sign of beauty from myself by shaving my hair I was rewarded: 11 days in solitary.

    Dear Sholeh, don’t cry for what you are hearing. On the first day that in the police office an old unmarried agent hurt me for my nails I understood that beauty is not looked for in this era. The beauty of looks, beauty of thoughts and wishes, a beautiful handwriting, beauty of the eyes and vision, and even beauty of a nice voice.

    My dear mother, my ideology has changed and you are not responsible for it. My words are unending and I gave it all to someone so that when I am executed without your presence and knowledge, it would be given to you. I left you much handwritten material as my heritage.

    However, before my death I want something from you, that you have to provide for me with all your might and in any way that you can. In fact this is the only thing I want from this world, this country and you. I know you need time for this. Therefore, I am telling you part of my will sooner. Please don’t cry and listen. I want you to go to the court and tell them my request. I cannot write such a letter from inside the prison that would be approved by the head of prison; so once again you have to suffer because of me. It is the only thing that if even you beg for it I would not become upset although I have told you many times not to beg to save me from being executed.

    My kind mother, dear Sholeh, the one more dear to me than my life, I don’t want to rot under the soil. I don’t want my eye or my young heart to turn into dust. Beg so that it is arranged that as soon as I am hanged my heart, kidney, eye, bones and anything that can be transplanted be taken away from my body and given to someone who needs them as a gift. I don’t want the recipient know my name, buy me a bouquet, or even pray for me. I am telling you from the bottom of my heart that I don’t want to have a grave for you to come and mourn there and suffer. I don’t want you to wear black clothing for me. Do your best to forget my difficult days. Give me to the wind to take away.

    The world did not love us. It did not want my fate. And now I am giving in to it and embrace the death. Because in the court of God I will charge the inspectors, I will charge inspector Shamlou, I will charge judge, and the judges of country’s Supreme Court that beat me up when I was awake and did not refrain from harassing me. In the court of the creator I will charge Dr. Farvandi, I will charge Qassem Shabani and all those that out of ignorance or with their lies wronged me and trampled on my rights and didn’t pay heed to the fact that sometimes what appears as reality is different from it.

    Dear soft-hearted Sholeh, in the other world it is you and me who are the accusers and others who are the accused. Let’s see what God wants. I wanted to embrace you until I die. I love you

Oscar Pistorius given five years for Reeva Steenkamp death

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been given five years in jail for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Judge Thokozile Masipa also gave Pistorius a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms charge.

The parents of Reeva Steenkamp told the BBC they were happy with the sentence and relieved the case was over. The defence said it expected Pistorius to serve about 10 months in prison.

Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder.

Prosecutors had called for a minimum 10-year term, and the defence had argued for community service and house arrest.
'Feeling of unease'

Pistorius showed little reaction to the sentence other than to wipe his eyes before being led away to the cells downstairs.

He was then driven away from court in a police van to Pretoria's Kgosi Mampuru prison.

It is expected that he will be held in a one-man cell in the hospital wing.

Correctional services spokesman Manelisi Wolela later told AFP news agency Pistorius was "already accommodated at Kgosi Mampuru".

Defence lawyer Barry Roux said his client was expected to serve 10 months in prison, with the rest under house arrest.

Dup De Bruyn, a lawyer for the Steenkamp family, told Reuters that "justice was served", although he believed Pistorius would probably serve two years.
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At the scene: Andrew Harding, BBC News, Pretoria

Before he went down the stairs and out of court, Oscar Pistorius slipped off his expensive watch and handed it to a relative. It seems the athlete probably knew his sentence beforehand, which helps explains the subdued atmosphere in court today.

This case has revealed plenty about South Africa - its gun culture, the strengths and inadequacies of its police and prisons. But above all it has been a simple story, about the rise and fall of a global icon.

As the crowds and cameras drift away from the courthouse, what lingers is the sense of waste. Of lives and careers for sure. But of time too.

A man and a woman went into a bathroom. Only one came out alive. As the judge made clear - the trial should have been over in a matter of weeks. Instead it turned into a tortuous, overwrought epic.
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Pistorius's uncle, Arnold, said: "We accept the judgment. Oscar will embrace the opportunity to pay back to society."

He appealed to the media to "accept the ruling of court and let us move forward in this process and give us some degree of dignity and privacy".

He said the family would support and guide the athlete as he served his sentence.

The BBC's Nomsa Maseko, outside court, says opinion there was divided on the sentence, with some saying it was too light, others that it was fair.
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Reeva Steenkamp's mother, June, said she believed justice had been served
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"I hope Oscar will begin his own healing process" - Arnold Pistorius

Judge Masipa said she considered her sentence "fair and just, both to society and to the accused".

She said: "A non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message to the community. On the other hand, a long sentence would also not be appropriate either, as it would lack the element of mercy."

Judge Masipa said that nothing she could say or do could bring back Reeva Steenkamp, but "hopefully, this judgment on sentence shall provide some sort of closure for the family".

The judge begun reading her decision by saying there must be a balance between retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation.

In summarising the evidence, she described defence witness and social worker Annette Vergeer as "slapdash and disappointing".
Oscar Pistorius at the Pretoria High Court, 21 Oct Oscar Pistorius holds the hands of family members as he is led away
Oscar Pistorius leaves the Pretoria High Court, 21 Oct He was driven away in a prison van
Judge Thokozile Masipa, 16 Oct Judge Masipa has ruled in a trial that has captured public attention in South Africa and beyond

Ms Vergeer had argued Pistorius would be "a lot more vulnerable than the normal man" in jail.

But Judge Masipa said she was sure prisons were equipped to cater for the requirements of a special needs inmate.

She also said she had a "feeling of unease" at what she called an overemphasis on the athlete's vulnerability.

However, she said Pistorius had made an "enormous contribution to society", in his charity work and in changing the public perception of disability.

The judge also said: "It would be a sad day for this country if an impression were to be created that there was one law for the poor and disadvantaged, and another for the rich and famous."

The three-year suspended term was for unlawfully firing a gun in a restaurant, in a separate incident before the Steenkamp killing.
Reeva Steenkamp and Oscar Pistorius, Jan 2013 Oscar Pistorius shot dead Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year

The case may not yet be over, as both prosecution and defence have the right to appeal.

The prosecution service said it had not yet decided and the defence has not yet commented.

The International Paralympic Committee told the BBC it would not allow Pistorius to run at any of its events for five years, even if he were released early.

Pistorius, 27, an amputee sprinter who became the first athlete to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, killed Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.

He says he shot her by mistake, fearing there was an intruder in his house in Pretoria.

Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, reality TV star and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets fired by Pistorius through a toilet door.

Nigeria has defeated Ebola – WHO

Jonathan calls for sustained war against disease
By Sola Ogundipe, Favour Nnabugwu, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Chioma Obinna, Victoria Ojeme & Gabriel Olawale
ABUJA—In what has been described as a spectacular success story that shows that Ebola can be contained, the World Health Organisation, WHO, has officially declared Nigeria an Ebola-free nation, urging other countries currently faced with the challenge

of contending with the epidemic to learn from Nigeria’s experience.

Announcing the declaration through its representative in Abuja, Rui Gama Vaz, the global health body said after six weeks (42 days) with no new cases, Nigeria is now free from Ebola.
FREE—From leftMinister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu and Country Representative of World Health Organization, WHO, in Nigeria celebrating exit of Ebola in Nigeria, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

FREE—From leftMinister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu and Country Representative of World Health Organization, WHO, in Nigeria celebrating exit of Ebola in Nigeria, yesterday. AFP.

WHO pointed out that the story of how Nigeria ended what many believed to be potentially the most explosive Ebola outbreak imaginable is worth telling in detail.

This came as President Goodluck Jonathan urged a sus

tained war against the disease. Also, outgoing Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu described the declaration as a major milestone of the present administration.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, also commended the Federal, Lagos and Rivers State governments over the feat, saying it would change the negative perception of the country by the outside world.

Nigeria Ebola free — WHO

“Today, October 20, Nigeria reached that 42-day mark and is now considered free of Ebola transmission,” WHO noted in a statement, in which it also commended the Federal Government’s strong leadership and effective coordination of the response that included the rapid establishment of an Emergency Operations Centre.

The Ebola virus was introduced into Nigeria on July 20, 2014, when an infected Liberian, (Patrick Sawyer) arrived Lagos aboard an Asky Air flight and died in hospital five days later, setting off a chain of transmissions that infected a total of 20 people, of which eight died.

According to WHO recommendations, the end of an Ebola virus disease outbreak in a country can be declared once 42 days have passed and no new cases have been detected. The 42 days represents twice the maximum incubation period for Ebola (21 days). This 42-day period starts from the last day that any person in the country had contact with a confirmed or probable Ebola case.

When the first Ebola case was confirmed in July, health officials immediately repurposed technologies and infrastructure from WHO and other partners to help find cases and track potential chains of transmission of Ebola virus disease.

WHO, United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF and other partners supported the Nigerian Government with expertise for outbreak investigation, risk assessment, contact tracing and clinical care.

The body noted that strong public awareness campaigns, teamed with early engagement of traditional, religious and community leaders, also played a key role in successful containment of this outbreak.

Speaking in Abuja, WHO representative, Rui Gama Vaz, who urged other countries to learn from Nigeria said an aggressive government response and effective contact tracing helped keep the virus in check in Nigeria.

Be vigilant

“I will like to take this opportunity on behalf of the WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan, to congratulate the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through President Goodluck Jonathan. Many wealthy countries, with outstanding health systems, may have something to learn as well,” Vaz said, warning that Nigeria must continue to remain vigilant for any suspected case and adhere strictly to WHO guidelines.
A picture taken in Oshodi Heritage park in Lagos on October 20, 2014 shows an electronic information board on Ebola reading in pidgin English "No Shaking ! We go Chase Ebola Comot" which means "No cause for worry, we will chase Ebola away". Africa's most populous nation Nigeria was on Monday declared officially Ebola free but warned that it remained vulnerable as long as the virus was raging elsewhere in west Africa. The country representative of the World Health Organization, Rui Gama Vaz, said 42 days -- or two incubation periods of 21 days -- had elapsed without any new confirmed cases of the deadly virus. AFP PHOTO

A picture taken in Oshodi Heritage park in Lagos on October 20, 2014 shows an electronic information board on Ebola reading in pidgin English “No Shaking ! We go Chase Ebola Comot” which means “No cause for worry, we will chase Ebola away”. Africa’s most populous nation Nigeria was on Monday declared officially Ebola free but warned that it remained vulnerable as long as the virus was raging elsewhere in west Africa. The country representative of the World Health Organization, Rui Gama Vaz, said 42 days — or two incubation periods of 21 days — had elapsed without any new confirmed cases of the deadly virus. AFP PHOTO

The WHO representative noted: “While the outbreak now is officially over, Nigeria’s geographic positions and extensive borders make the country vulnerable to additional imported cases of the Ebola Virus Disease. It is therefore, necessary to continue vigilance for any suspected cases by strict compliance with the WHO EVD preparedness guidelines.

“Therefore, there is need to continue to work together with all states to ensure adequate preparedness and rapid response in case of any potential re-importation. It must be clear that the war has not ended, the war will only end when West Africa is also declared free of Ebola”, he reiterated.

Sustain war against Ebola — Jonathan

Reacting to the announcement, President Jonathan urged a sustained war against the disease as he welcomed the declaration of Nigeria as Ebola-free by WHO.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, the President dedicated the certification to patriotic health workers, volunteers and ordinary Nigerians who supported government to defeat the virus.

Jonathan noted that the country’s globally-acclaimed success against Ebola was a testimony to what Nigerians could achieve if they set aside their differences and work together.

“President Jonathan welcomes today’s declaration by the World Health Organisation that Nigeria is now officially Ebola-free after 42 days without any incidence of the Ebola Virus Disease.

“He dedicates the certification to the many patriotic health workers, volunteers and ordinary Nigerians who worked tirelessly, some of them paying the ultimate price, to stop the deadly virus in its track after it entered the country in July.

“The President seizes this opportunity to also reiterate his appreciation of the contributions of state governments, WHO and other international health organisations; relatives of infected persons and other Nigerians who either courageously underwent the rigours of being quarantined or complied with all directives issued by health authorities to defeat the virus.

“He believes that Nigeria’s globally-acclaimed success against Ebola is a testimony to what Nigerians can achieve if they set aside their differences and work together.”

The President urged all Nigerians to remain fully alert and vigilant to guard against a re-entry of the virus.

He shared the view of the WHO that the war will only truly end when West Africa, Africa and the world are declared free of Ebola.

“Health officials should continue to actively screen persons entering the country through its air, land and sea borders for any sign of the virus”, the president said. He also urged all Nigerians to continue to follow the anti-Ebola advisories on sanitation and personal hygiene issued by Federal and State Health authorities.

The golden rules against Ebola – Chukwu

On his part, out-going Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, said it was possible for any country to control and defeat Ebola for as long as it was in consonance with the golden rules.

He said: “Nigeria has won the battle against Ebola Virus but this world war rages on other fronts in other countries. The war certainly is not over. A reinforced Ebola Virus could still invade Nigeria.

“Given this risk of possible re-infection, there is need to maintain the state of high alertness at all our ports of entry. We cannot afford to lower our guard.

“Nigeria, like other countries, will not have the control over the presentation of the disease at any of its ports of entry.

“However, it is the responsibility of the country’s surveillance system to ensure that any case presenting at any of our ports of entry is rapidly identified and isolated.

“That is the only way the country will remain safe from the Ebola Virus Disease pending its global elimination. If any cases emerge in the future, it will be considered by international standards, a separate outbreak. If that happens, Nigeria will be ready and able to confront it exactly as we have done with this outbreak.

“I am indeed gladdened that by divine providence, this declaration coincides with my leaving office as Minister of Health. As the outgoing Minister of Health, this declaration symbolically presents a dignifying seal of the achievements of the Federal Ministry of Health during my tenure as Minister of Health of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Several people have asked me what I thought was the most critical success factor in the Nigeria’s containment effort against the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak. Undoubtedly, the most critical success factor was leadership — strong, effective, focused and committed leadership provided by President Goodluck Jonathan himself and replicated at various levels down the ladder.

“I am convinced that without this quality of leadership, it would have been extremely difficult for the EVD outbreak not only to be tamed but to be driven out of Nigeria. Next to leadership is a factor closely linked to leadership: Effective coordination of the various collaborating partners. Under a single leadership, all the contributing partners were moulded into a single, almost homogenous team. This is one factor that may be lacking in the control efforts of other countries. The private sector and the Media also played key role which greatly facilitated the containment of the disease.

“This risk and the risk to other countries can only be eliminated through the setting up of a system similar to the Nigerian one under the leadership of the United Nations but with the operational wing built around ECOWAS. The disease needs to be eliminated from every country of the world. It is only then that each country can heave a sigh of relief.

“As long as there is a case of EVD in any part of the world, every country of the world, every human being on this planet remains at risk.”

Lagos pledages N50m to FCMC

In Lagos, the Lagos State Government welcomed the development while disclosing plans to nip in the bud future outbreaks of EVD, even as it said the state may not be out of the woods yet.
Ebola Survivors: Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos(4th left) with survivors of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, during a visit to the Governor in Lagos, yesterday. From Right: Dr. Adaora Igonoh, Dennis Akagha, Fashola, Dr. Ibeawuchi Morris, Dr. Fadipe Akinniyi and Dr. Enemuo Kelechi

Ebola Survivors: Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos(4th left) with survivors of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, during a visit to the Governor in Lagos, yesterday. From Right: Dr. Adaora Igonoh, Dennis Akagha, Fashola, Dr. Ibeawuchi Morris, Dr. Fadipe Akinniyi and Dr. Enemuo Kelechi

Disclosing intention to present N50 million to First Consultant Medical Centre, Obalende, where the index case, Mr Patrick Sawyer died as well as undisclosed amounts to other Ebola causalities and survivors in the state as business support gesture, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, described the outbreak and the eventual containment of Ebola in the state and the country as phenomenal.

Idris, who addressed a joint media conference in Alausa, Ikeja, noted that significantly, till date Nigeria has contributed only 0.22 per cent and 0.18 per cent to global burden of suspected, probable, confirmed cases and deaths respectively.

He explained that 891 cumulative number of contacts were recorded nationally; 365 in Lagos and 526 in Rivers, while contacts that completed 21 days follow-up nationally was 890 — Lagos 365, and 525 in Rivers. A total of eight deaths recorded in all.

He said the gesture “is with a view to getting people, businesses back on their feet and for businesses to re-secure patronage of their customers.”

Health intervention mission to Sierra-Leone

  On the planned deployment of health workers to Sierra-Leone, Idris disclosed that the state government had written to the Sierra-Leonian authorities on its intention. According to him, 28 health workers have signified interest and readiness to go and assist in affected countries.

“I use this medium to urge and encourage private organizations who wish to join in this good work to come on board. This is the time to do so, especially those that had earlier indicated interest or made pledges while interested individuals or groups should contact the following help line: 08000-32652-4357 and the website, http://www.ebolaalert.org/.” Idris stated.

Atiku , others laud FG, Lagos, Rivers Govts

Meanwhile, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has commended the successful eradication of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria, saying the feat would change the negative perception of the country by the outside world.

Atiku, in a press statement issued by his media office in Abuja, yesterday, said the federal, Lagos and Rivers State governments should be commended for the remarkable achievement in the face of the grimmest medical crisis that the country found itself dealing with.

He said the successful eradication of Ebola and the declaration of Nigeria as Ebola-free zone was a clear demonstration of the outcome of collaboration, hard work and commitment of the governments of Nigeria, Lagos and Rivers states.

Atiku said he was superbly impressed with the amazing manner Nigeria had proved to the world that it had the will, commitment and human resources to deal with critical challenges of this nature.

He explained that when leaders work together for the common good of the society, there was always a ray of hope for the nation.

The former Vice President also extolled the virtues of the medical personnel during the battle to control the spread of Ebola. He said he was touched by the sacrifices of the medical personnel who sacrificed their lives to save others.

He, however, advised the entire country not to rest on its oars until the last vestiges of the Ebola virus were destroyed.

Atiku said every country must demonstrate the capacity to carry its fate in its hands, instead of relying on the outside world, adding that he was proud Nigeria demonstrated that capacity.

Survivor, Chinyere Enemuo appeals for assistance

However, a survivor of the EVD, Chinyere Enemuo, a sister to late Dr. Ike Enemuo, one of the medical doctors who lost his life to the virus, has raised alarm that the EVD frustrated her wedding plans and virtually destroyed everything in their family.

She, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to assist her family to overcome the negative effect of the EVD on the family and also support her restart her wedding plans which was disrupted and disorganized due to her contact with the EVD.

How it all started

The Ebola virus entered Lagos July 20, 2014 via an infected Liberian who died five days later. At the airport, he was visibly very ill, lying on the floor while awaiting the flight.

He was said to have vomited during the flight and again in the private car that took him to a private hospital in Lagos. The ECOWAS protocol officer who escorted him later died of Ebola.

At the First Consultant Medical Centre, he told staff that he had malaria and denied any contact with an Ebola patient. It was learnt later that his sister was a confirmed case who had died from the disease in Liberia.

The traveller visited his sister while in hospital and attended her burial ceremony.

As malaria is not transmitted from person to person, no staff at the hospital took protective precautions. Over the coming days, nine doctors and nurses became infected and four of them died.

The virus entered the country’s oil hub, Port Harcourt, on August 1, when a close contact of the index case flew there, seeking care from a private physician.

That doctor developed symptoms on August 10 and died of Ebola on August 23. Laboratory tests confirmed the city’s first case on August 27.

An investigation undertaken by a team of epidemiologists from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme and the State Ministry of Health, assisted by WHO, revealed an alarming number of high-risk and very high-risk exposures for hundreds of people.

Catholic synod: Gay rights groups say vote 'disappointing'

Catholic gay rights groups say the rejection by bishops of proposals for wider acceptance of gay people, backed by Pope Francis, is "very disappointing".

A draft paper issued at a Catholic Church synod in the Vatican had included text calling for greater openness towards homosexuals, and divorced Catholics who remarried.

But this failed to win two-thirds backing and was not in the final text.

The synod will reconvene next year.

The New Ways Ministry, a US Catholic gay-rights group, said it was "very disappointing that the synod's final report did not retain the gracious welcome to lesbian and gay people that the draft of the report included".

However, it said the synod's "openness to discussion provides hope for further development down the road".

Another group, DignityUSA, said: "Unfortunately, today, doctrine won out over pastoral need. It is disappointing that those who recognised the need for a more inclusive Church were defeated."
'A huge achievement'
Pope Francis prays as he opens the morning session of a two-week synod on family issues at the Vatican, 18 October 2014 Although Pope Francis' proposals were rebuffed, they still gained more than 50% of the votes

Correspondents say the text welcoming gay people and remarried Catholics had been watered down in the final version that was voted on - but it appears that they still met with resistance from conservatives.

All other parts of the draft report were accepted by the synod.

Christopher Lamb, from British Catholic journal The Tablet, told the BBC that the discussion at the synod was "a huge achievement in itself".

He said it was important to remember that many of the bishops at the synod were from countries where homosexuality is illegal.

"We have now got an acceptance that we need a new language in the Church when talking about gay couples and homosexuality in general," he added.
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Analysis: David Willey, BBC Vatican correspondent

Voting figures for the final document at the end of the synod show that Pope Francis received a rebuff in his attempt to persuade Church leaders to support his more merciful attitudes towards gay and divorced people. However, more than half still voted in favour of his proposed reforms.

Three crucial paragraphs in the final document all received more than 50% of the vote, although they failed to get the necessary two-thirds majority.

This allows the necessary leeway for further discussion before the synod reconvenes in Rome in an expanded form in a year's time.

Paragraph 55 of the final report, which has been rewritten many times during the past week, insists that although there can be no analogy between same-sex unions and marriage between a man and a woman, "men and women with homosexual tendencies must be welcomed with respect and delicacy".
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Speaking after the vote, Pope Francis told attendees that he would have been "worried and saddened" if there had not been "animated discussions" or if "everyone had been in agreement or silent in a false and acquiescent peace", AP news agency reported.

He also cautioned against "hostile inflexibility, that is, wanting to close oneself within the written word, and not allowing oneself to be surprised by God".

The earlier draft had said that homosexuals had "gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community".
Bishops and Cardinals attend a morning session of a two-week synod on family issues at the Vatican, 13 October 2014 The synod has revealed divisions in Church opinion over how to approach family issues

Conservative groups had described the earlier draft as a "betrayal".

Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier of South Africa told Vatican radio on Friday that "there were two issues that got people 'hot around the collar'. One was presenting homosexual unions as if they were a very positive thing."

The second issue related to broken marriages "and the fact that people should be facilitated to get access to the sacraments", he added.

Following the synod vote, the revised document only said that discrimination against gay people "is to be avoided".
Appeal to traditionalists

The Pope said the full draft document, including the rejected paragraphs, should be published.

"Keep in mind this is not a magisterial document….the Pope asked for it to be made available to show the degree of maturity that has taken place and that which still needs to take place in discussions over the coming year," Holy See press officer Tom Rosica said on Vatican Radio.

The two-week synod has revealed a fracture line in church opinion over how to adapt traditional church teaching on human sexuality towards 21st Century attitudes, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome.

Pope Francis had made a powerful appeal to traditionalists not to lock themselves within the letter of the law, but conservative cardinals and bishops carried the day at the end of the synod, our correspondent adds.

About 200 bishops had attended the two-week synod on family issues at the Vatican.

We’ll return Nigeria’s $15m soon – S-Africa

By Emma Ujah & Emma Ovuakporie
Abuja – South Africa has promised to return the $15 million arms deal money it earlier seized from Nigeria. The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Myakayaka Manzini, who featured in a programme on  African International Television, AIT, “Matters Arising”, yesterday, said the process of refunding the money was already on.

He said: “Both countries have decided on a political solution to the issue. Nigeria is a big ally and a brother.”

According to Manzini, South Africa will do everything to maintain cordial relations with Nigeria and would not do anything to hurt her national interests.

He added that South Africa had been selling arms to Nigeria and that his country was prepared to sell arms to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram.

The envoy, however, did not give the timeline when the seized money will be returned but assured that it will be very soon.

South African authorities had seized US$5.7 million arms money from Nigeria, just three weeks after another $9.3 million cash reportedly smuggled by two Nigerians and an Israeli for arms purchase from the country was confiscated, bringing the total amount seized to $15 million (about N2 billion).

The private jet conveying the $9.3 million stashed in three suitcases had landed at Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg, on September 5. The South Africa Revenue Service, SARS, said customs officers became suspicious when the passengers’ luggage were unloaded and put through the scanners.

The National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, in South Africa said there was an invoice for helicopters and armaments intended to be used in Nigeria.

The second transaction, was between Cerberus Risk Solutions, an arms broker in Cape Town, and Societe D’Equipments Internationaux, said to be a Nigerian company based in Abuja.

It was gathered that the deal, however,  collapsed after Cerberus which had earlier received from Nigeria R60 million (N1.02 billion) in its account at Standard Bank, tried to repay the money as it could not resolve its registration formalities with the South African authorities.

Cerberus was previously registered as a broker with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), but the registration expired in May this year.

The marketing and contracting permits also expired at the same time. The company has since applied for re-registration, but the application lay in the NCACC’s mailbox for more than two months.

It was said that an alleged attempt by Cerberus to pay the money back to the Nigerian company, alerted bank officials who became suspicious.

The Nigerian government, however, argued that both transactions were legitimate and there was nothing shady in the arms deal.

Cash-for-arms deal shady— APC

However, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has slammed the PDP-led Federal Government for what it called insulting and disingenuous explanation aimed at deceiving Nigerians over the US$9.3 million cash-for-arms deal that went awry in South Africa, saying everything about the deal was shady.

In a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the deal violates the foreign currency laws of Nigeria and South Africa; violates Nigeria’s Money Laundering law as well as the Public Procurement Act and makes a mess of the Federal Government’s cashless policy.

In addition, it said, all the circumstances surrounding the transaction were umbrageous, including the fact that the funds involved, though in cash, were neither declared before departure in Nigeria nor declared on arrival in South Africa.

“Based on these shady circumstances, one can safely conclude that the arms to be procured, if at all, were not meant for any Boko Haram fight as claimed by the government but perhaps a ploy to stockpile arms for the private militia of the PDP ahead of next year’s general elections.

“As we said in our earlier statements on this issue, the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, cannot and does not procure arms for the armed services. These services procure their own weapons. Therefore, it baffles that the office of the NSA issued the end-user certificate for the transactions. This is a shady deal,” APC said.

The party said in order to buttress its assertion that the whole deal was shady, there are questions that the Federal Government has bluntly refused to answer in connection with the ill-fated deal. These include why a private plane was used for a supposedly-official deal when there are over 10 aircraft in the Presidential Fleet.

“Nigerians are also eager to know why the money for the purchase of the arms was not transferred to the country’s Embassy in South Africa for onward transfer to the contractor, if indeed a contractor was used as claimed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or the money transferred directly to the contractor, and why the Nigerian government chose to deal with an arms contractor with questionable registration in South Africa.

“If indeed the transaction was clean and official, which representatives of the office of the NSA and the Chief of Defence Staff were on the dollar-ferrying plane? Who indeed was the arms meant for? And perhaps the most important information of all: Who and who were on the plane?

“Nigerians are more interested in who was on the plane rather than who was not on it, hence the government should stop hiding behind ‘national security’ and come out to identify those on the plane”, APC said.

The party said “irrespective of the feverish moves by the Federal Government, using less-than-sincere officials, to spin the whole shady deal and make it look clean and official, the truth is that even terrorists could not have been engaged in a shadier and more crooked deal to obtain weapons.”

Reps bicker over seizure of $9.3m

Members of the House of Representatives, yesterday, bickered over the seizure of  the $9.3million for the purchase of arms by the Federal Government.

At the centre-stage of the whole drama were the Deputy Leader of the House, Leo Ogor, PDP, Delta and the Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila,  who drew the first blood raising an order of privilege.

Gbajabiamila, who read extensively from a newspaper, said: ”Leo Ogor as a principal officer  is free to speak on his own without quoting the whole House and this issue has embarrassed the House”.

At this point Ogor raised a point of order but Gbajabiamila continued: ”If smuggling arms into the country is the only alternative to defeat the insurgents, we owe no apology to anyone.

“I want to extricate myself from this.

”Over the week, there have been many editorials concerning the conduct and position of the House on the smuggling of the seized $9.3million as voiced by the Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Leo Ogor, where he said that ‘WE’ (the House) owe no apology to Nigerians regarding our action to kill the motion on the matter during plenary.

”This matter raised serious concern to the extent that a constituent of mine challenged me saying that the House is a part of the problem bedeviling this country due to the comment of just one member who instead of speaking for himself choose to use the word, ‘WE’.

“Now, Hon. Ogor is a principal officer. But he does not have the right to speak for the collective interest of members except for himself. So, I take an exception to the use of the word, ‘WE’, when he should be speaking for himself”, he said.

Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal after he listened to Gbajabiamila, voiced consternation at the Minority Leader for raising the matter  at that stage.

Tambuwal said: “Hon. Femi, I’m surprised that you are bringing this matter up at this stage. Have you made any effort to reach Hon Leo Ogor, asking him  whether he actually said what was published?”

This did not go down well with Ogor who repeatedly shouted point of order until the presiding officer, Aminu Tambuwal repeatedly shouted “sit down gentlemen” sit down gentlemen” before he  granted him audience.

Leo Ogor said that he was disappointed  with Gbajabiamila.

He said that they had seen each other severally, and he (Gbajabiamila) never asked if he (Ogor) actually said the House owes nobody any apologies for killing the said motion on the $9.3m controversy.

”My respected colleagues, I want to start my submission by expressing my deepest disappointment at my colleague, the Minority Leader for seeing such a publication and never bothered to find out from me if really I granted the said interview or said what was being published”.

In order not to stress the obvious; Speaker Tambuwal  suspended further comment on the matter and ruled that both members see him in private after the plenary.

Italy to repatriate 700 Nigerian prisoners

Nigeria and Italy would soon conclude negotiations on a Prisoners Transfer Agreement to facilitate the return of over 700 Nigerian prisoners serving in various prisons across Italy.

Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Fulvius Rusticu, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.

Rusticu said Nigerian and Italian officials would meet in the first week of July in Rome to finalise the agreement and possibly work out modalities for the immediate return of the prisoners.

The ambassador explained that under the agreement, Nigerian prisoners who qualify for the transfer must return home to complete their prison terms.

He said that government was not obligated to help improve the condition of prisons in Nigeria as a pre-condition for signing the agreement.

“Each country is responsible for its prisons; the logic in signing a PTA is that we think that it is better for Nigerians and even Italians to serve their terms at home.

“Already to be in prisons is not a nice experience, being abroad is even worse, so given the prisoner the chance to return home is in their own interest.

“It is very rare for a prisoner to want to stay in a foreign country, we have cases of Italians serving in prisons abroad and they look forward, and are happy to return home,” he said.

According to official figures from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, no fewer than 15,316 Nigerians are in various prisons abroad with the largest number of 752 in the UK.

In January, Nigeria and the UK signed a PTA to repatriate some of the 521 Nigerians currently serving their terms in that country.

Prior to the signing, a major challenge on deportation had been the condition of prisons in the country.

But the UK had pledged one million pounds to Nigeria to help improve its prisons.

Russian billionaire to pay $4.5bn in world’s ‘most expensive divorce’

Russian billionaire, Dmitry Rybolovlev may lose half his wealth after being ordered to pay his former wife $4.5 billion in a settlement dubbed the “most expensive divorce in history.”

Elena Rybolovleva’s lawyer Marc Bonnant said the order from a Geneva court was unprecedented, and “this record judgment is a complete victory.”
However, Rybolovlev’s spokesman Sergey Chernitsyn said the divorce was still a “win” for the oligarch. The two had been battling over the settlement for six years, after Elena Rybolovleva, the oligarch’s wife of 23 years, filed for divorce.
Dmitry Rybolovlev and an unidentified woman

Dmitry Rybolovlev and an unidentified woman

Rybolovlev’s total wealth is estimated at $8.8 billion, according to the 2014 Forbes list of billionaires.
He made most of his money from the $6.5 billion sale of his stake in Russia’s largest potassium fertilizer company in 2010. Rybolovlev is also known as the owner of the Monaco Football Club, which plays in the top French soccer league.

Rybolovlev made headlines when he bought the Palm Beach Maison de L’Amitie from Donald Trump for reported $95 million in 2008. In 2012, the Rybolovlev’s then 21-year-old daughter Ekaterina bought Manhattan’s most expensive apartment — the penthouse on Central Park West which cost $88 million.
A trust set up in Ekaterina’s name also reportedly own Scorpios, the Greek island where Jackie Kennedy married the former owner of the island, Aristotle Onassis, in 1968.

The oligarch’s lawyers will appeal against the decision, questioning the sum. “There will definitely be a new appellate review and therefore this judgment is not final given the existence of two levels of appeal in Switzerland,” said Tetiana Bersheda, Rybolovlev’s lawyer.

List of world’s most expensive divorces
1. Michael & Juanita Jordan.
Settlement pending: Possibly more than $150 million. She filed for divorce last year.
2. Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey
Estimated settlement: $150 million. Divorced in 1994.
3. Steven Spielberg & Amy Irving.
Estimated settlement: $100 million.
Divorced 1984.
4. Harrison Ford & Melissa Mathison.
Estimated settlement: $85 million.
The couple divorced in 2004.
5. Kevin Costner & Cindy Silva
Estimated settlement: $80 million
Split in 1991.
6. Paul McCartney & Heather Mills.
Settlement pending: Possibly more than $60 million. By 2006 the pair split acrimoniously.
7. James Cameron & Linda Hamilton.
Estimated settlement: $50 million.
Married July 1997. Split 18 months later.
8. Michael & Diandra Douglas.
Estimated settlement: $45 million.
The couple split in 1998.
9. Lionel & Diane Richie.
Estimated settlement: $20 million.
Diane filed for divorce in 2004.
10. Mick Jagger & Jerry Hall.
Estimated settlement: $15 to $25 million.
Hall filed for divorce in 1999.

Boko Haram not a branch of al-Qaeda -US

The United States Government has said that the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, is not a branch of the global terrorist organisation, al-Qaeda.

President Goodluck Jonathan had during the France security summit on the menace of the insurgent group on Saturday, described the Boko Haram sect, as the “al Qaeda of West Africa.”

But the US said though terrorists groups around the world were known to have links, it cautioned that the sect should be treated as its “own terrorist group.”

A statement by the US Consul General in Lagos on Monday quoted the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Wendy Sherman, as saying this on the sidelines of the summit hosted by French President Francois Hollande in Paris on Saturday.

Sherman, who spoke to journalists alongside US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and the US State Department Counterterrorism Coordinator, Tina Kaidelow, said UN sanctions on Boko Haram could be as quick as this week.

She said, “Boko Haram is its own terrorist group, and the United States has designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. In this day and age, there is probably no terror group that does not have some links somehow, even if tenuous, to some other organisation. But for the most part, we treat Boko Haram as its own terror organisation.

“When you have sanctions at the UN, it does do asset freezes, travel freezes, a variety of things. It depends on how the designation is done. But I imagine this will happen rather quickly. Quite frankly, I can’t imagine any country who would not support this designation.”

Sherman added that the US was committed to supporting the Nigerian government in ensuring that the girls were brought back alive.

According to her, the abducted schoolgirls have become “the girls of the world, not just of Nigeria.” He added that all efforts were being put in place to ensure that the West Africa sub-region was not turned to a breeding ground for terror.

Insisting that the American people “are not putting boots on the ground” in Nigeria for the girls’ rescue, Sherman noted that only intelligence assistance would be provided.

However, the senior US official said she was unsure of the Nigerian armed forces capability to carry out a rescue operation in the event that the location of the abducted girls were tracked by the US and other allies.

“If it were to be a rescue operation, that’s a very specific skill set and not every army in the world has that skill set. I know that there are some training, that have gone on with units of the military in Nigeria to build those skills, in other words, special forces skills. Whether they’d be able to attempt a rescue, I think it would just depend on the circumstances,” Sherman said.

Observing that there were many ways to bring the “horrific” abduction to a close, Sherman frowned on negotiating with the sect under the guise of “ransom, exchanges and things like that,” saying the US views on these “are well known.”

On her part, Thomas-Greenfield, said the US was coordinating the joint efforts to rescue the girls very closely with the other teams.

“And the Nigerians have assigned a senior person who is their point of contact, and they’re working very, very closely,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

Nigerian girl steals show at US varsity

The United States First Lady Michelle Obama joins other dignitaries to celebrate Merrilyn Akpapuna, a Nigerian girl that emerged the best graduating student at the Dillard University, New Orleans, CHARLES ABAH reports

Like a giant masquerade in the market place, all eyes were on 20-year-old Nigerian, Merrilyn Akpapuna, two Saturdays ago at the Dillard University, New Orleans, United States.

The Psychology graduate not only obtained the highest academic honour Summa Cum Laude (first class), she also emerged the best graduating student in the ivory tower. As the institution’s valedictorian, she was on the same podium with the wife of the President, Michelle Obama, during its convocation.

Interestingly, three other Nigerians joined Akpapuna in the league of the best graduating students at the university. The three salutatorians are Victor Ogburie, Stephen Igwe, and Emole Anyadimgba. They also made a first class in their chosen disciplines.

Besides, Akpapuna won two other awards for highest academic achievements for the College of Arts and Sciences and College of General Studies.

In an online interview with our correspondent, the youngster says her success in the 155-year-old ivory tower was not without some challenges.

She notes, “When I first got to Dillard, I had to learn the differences in the spelling of certain words and adjust to a new metric system. These constituted challenges but I was able to overcome them by putting in extra time to study. I also faced some difficulties due to the difference in the education system. In Nigeria, the teaching system follows the British pattern, which is different from the system in the United States.

“However, despite these challenges, my cumulative grade point average is 4.0/4.0. In other words, I made an A in every course I took during my four years study in the university.”

But her stay in the US and particularly in the university was not all about academic work. She participated not just in student politics but also in other activities that affected humanity positively.

She adds, “My stay in the university was not all about studying. I took time out for my social life and made a great effort to ensure that my spiritual life did not suffer. I was also a student activist and a leader. I was the President of the African World Network Organisation and Lead Fellow of the Melton Foundation.

“At Dillard also, some of my awards and recognitions include the Daniel C. Thompson/Samuel Dubois Cook Honours Programme, Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honour Society, Dean’s List of Scholars, 1st Place for exceptional work in Algebra Relay, National Institute of Science, Beta Kappa Chi Honour Society, Alpha Kappa Mu national Honour Society, and Psi Chi National Honour Society.”

Again, for the youngster, her Dillard accomplishment is not just by a mere stroke of fortune. Excellence seems to be her middle name. Indeed, following her success at the Management Education Training, Ikeja where she took tutorials on Scholastic Aptitude Test, she received full scholarship to study in the university.

Before then, the third daughter of a dental surgeon, Emmanuel Akpapuna, had excelled in the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination, coming tops of her class at the Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary School, Yaba, Lagos.

The Delta State-born psychologist enthuses, “Upon graduating from secondary school, I took SAT classes in Management Education Training in Ikeja. I decided to come to the United States after I had received full scholarship offer for my tuition, room and board. In fact, I had scholarship all my four years in college.”

But being a female student, did she experience any case of sexual harassment from her lecturers and fellow students? Akpapuna, who says she wants to proceed immediately to the Western Michigan University for her graduate programme, says there was nothing of sort.

“Men did not disturb me on campus and no lecturer ever asked me for sexual favours. Again, let me tell you, the factors that brought about my success would have remained the same even in Nigeria. So, I believe I would have excelled in the same way if I had stayed in Nigeria,” she says.

Advising younger Nigerians who might want to follow her footsteps, she says, “Be ambitious and go for what you want and do not let anything stop you. Realise that there is time for everything. Set priorities and live by them.”

Appraising the case of the Chibok pupils abducted by the Boko Haram, Akpapuna describes the insurgents’ action as crazy.

“So, imagine 276 girls being abducted from a school in the city you’re living. How crazy is that? How is it that even after all this time, the government is still not able to make a concrete and accurate public declaration of what is being done to find the girls? This is very sad. Nigeria is my home but I would be just as enraged if this happened in any other part of the world.

“The terrorist organisation holding these girls has been committing several horrifying acts, especially in the Northern part of Nigeria, and nothing major has been done to stop them. These acts by the Boko Haram have been done to ostensibly stop western education, which is said to oppose Islamic tradition.

“We may not be able to physically save these girls but what we can do is talk. Our voice is our power and if everyone is talking about this, we increase the likelihood that something will be done about it,” she adds.

For 27-year-old Emole, who also obtained a first class with a cumulative grade point average of 4.0, the Dillard authorities also provided him full scholarship throughout his stay in the university.

According to the Computer Science graduate, he balanced his schooling with extra-curricular activities and participation in collegiate organisations such as the Rotaract Club and National Society of Black Engineers.

He adds, “I served in various leadership roles in the organisations, and through these student organisations, I learnt about community service and have been afforded the opportunity to participate in many community service projects. I also participated in some undergraduate research projects, which I presented to the school during my undergraduate research competition. I emerged the first place.”

On why he chose to study Computer Science in the US instead of Nigeria, Emole says there is no way one can compare the academic environments of the two countries.

He says, “Nigerian universities offer Computer Science but it cannot be compared to what obtains in American universities, which is why I decided to come to the United States. Again, I came to the US on the platform of a scholarship that covered my tuition, room and board.”

The US First Lady, during the convocation, urged the 226 graduands of the university to contribute to producing future geniuses.

“Imagine the impact you will make. You have no excuses to stand on the sidelines. Education is still the key to real and lasting freedom. It is up to us to cultivate that hunger for education in those coming after us.

“We got here today because of so many people who toiled and sweated and bled and died for us; people who never dreamt of getting a college education for themselves but who worked and saved and sacrificed so that we could be here today. We owe them. We owe them. And the only way to pay back that debt is by making those same kinds of sacrifices and investments for the next generation,” Obama, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the university, said.

Nurse jailed for infecting a boy with HIV

A Ugandan court has sentenced a nurse to three years in prison for negligence over the potential infection of a two-year-old boy with HIV.

BBC reports that Rosemary Namubiru, who is HIV-positive, was criminally negligent by using an intravenous needle, that she had accidentally pricked her finger with, on the child, the court ruled.

The child was not infected and HIV/Aids activists condemned the trial.

The case was keenly watched and some papers dubbed her the “killer nurse”.

The boy’s father, Daniel Mushabe, welcomed the ruling, saying he hoped the case would spur President Yoweri Museveni to sign into law a bill which criminalises the transmission of HIV.

Beware! Pregnancy after 35 years may put you at risk

By  Chioma Obinna & Gabriel Olawale

Pregnancy in the body is a traumatic event especially if the body is aging. According to medical experts, there are certain problems more apt to occur when childbearing is delayed. Achieving pregnancy may be more difficult for many reasons.

pregnant womanDue to aging, which can affect a woman’s eggs, pregnancy after 35 carries a higher risk of having a baby with genetic abnormalities.

The biggest obstacle for women age 35 or older may be getting pregnant in the first place. Fertility rates begin to decline gradually at age 30, more so at 35, and markedly at age 40. Even with fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization, women have more difficulty getting pregnant as they age.

Women also have more trouble staying pregnant as they get older: The rates of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy go up substantially with age.

Even after you get pregnant, age continues to have an effect. The older you are when you get pregnant, the more likely you are to have a chronic disease, such as high blood pressure or diabetes that may be undiagnosed and can affect your pregnancy.

First-time pregnancy after age 35 may have normal pregnancies, but research indicates that these women are at increased risk of having a cesarean delivery, when the newborn is delivered through a surgical incision in the mother’s abdomen, delivery complications, including excessive bleeding during labour, prolonged labour (lasting more than 20 hours), labour that does not advance and an infant with a genetic disorder, such as Down syndrome

Studies have also shown that high blood pressure, diabetes and problems with the placenta are a few conditions that are more likely to develop in older women during pregnancy.

During this period, medical experts advised that regular prenatal care is essential so that such conditions can be detected early, monitored and treated if necessary.

Older women are also more likely to enter a pregnancy with a pre-existing medical condition or may be on medications that could pose a problem for the pregnancy or the fetus. To ensure a good outcome for both mother and baby, discuss any medical problems you have with an obstetrician before becoming pregnant.

However, becoming, pregnant and having a baby is a huge adjustment for all first-time parents, but this especially seems to take older women by surprise.

Ukraine 'edging towards chaos', UN's Simonovic says

Ukraine is edging towards "the point of no return", a senior UN official says, amid rising tensions between security forces and pro-Russia separatists.

UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic told the BBC that the crisis had worrying echoes of the 1990s war in his native Croatia.

Reports from eastern Ukraine say clashes between government forces and separatist militants have continued.

The separatists have not taken part in EU-brokered talks to defuse the crisis.

On Saturday, they appointed a prime minister for what they call the People's Republic of Donetsk.

The man, Alexandr Borodai, said the self-proclaimed entity would apply to join Russia.

The separatists have taken control of government buildings across cities in south-eastern and southern Ukraine   
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    I firmly believe that there is a window of opportunity that should be used”

Ivan Simonovic UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights

Violence between the two sides has left dozens of people dead in recent weeks.

A new Ukrainian president is due to be elected on 25 May.

Mr Simonovic told the BBC: "What I'm really afraid is that country is approaching to a point of no return if there is no adequate and urgent action taken."

The UN says it has documented countless incidents of abduction, torture and murder in south and eastern Ukraine.

CNN's Jim Clancy supports GEJ not visiting Chibok, says its risky

One of CNN's respected news anchor, Jim Clancy has supported President Jonathan not going to Chibok, tweeting that the president can act without traveling there. Trust Nigerians, they responded. See their tweets after the cut...