nigeria news lead

28 June 2013 Guinea stadium massacre: Minister Claude Pivi charged   A government minister in Guinea has been charged in connection with a massacre at a stadium in 2009. Col Claude Pivi is charged with murder, rape and the destruction of property. At least 157 people died in the Conakry stadium when troops attacked people protesting against military rule. Scores of women were raped. Col Pivi, now in charge of presidential security, is the seventh military figure to be charged over the events. None has so far been tried. Rights groups have criticised President Alpha Conde for not moving fast enough to bring those responsible to justice. Col Pivi was a leading figure in the CNDD military junta led by Capt Moussa Dadis Camara at the time of the massacre on 28 September 2009. Eyewitnesses said people were shot, stabbed, bludgeoned or trampled to death and women raped and tortured. Human rights groups and victims' ...

29 June 2013 Obama hails Mandela 'inspiration' in South Africa visit US President Barack Obama has praised Nelson Mandela as "an inspiration to the world" while visiting South Africa. The US leader, who was speaking in Pretoria after talks with President Jacob Zuma, does not intend to visit the 94-year-old, who has been critically ill for nearly a week. But he met the Mandela family in private and spoke by telephone to his wife, Graca Machel. Riot police clashed with anti-Obama protesters in Soweto. The American leader was in Soweto to deliver a speech to young African leaders at the University of Johannesburg. According to Mr Zuma, Mr Mandela remains "stable but critical", and he added that he had "every hope that he will be out of hospital soon". However, South Africa's last apartheid president and the man jointly awarded the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with Mr Mandela, FW de Klerk, is to cut...

Bodun Sodeinde: My physical and spiritual attachment to ‘Welcome to Lagos’ statue June 29, 2013   By  DOTUN OLUBI and AKINSOLA OMIDIRE Renowned sculptor, Dr. Bodun Sodeinde, is a reporter’s delight any day. He is an artist personified and always cherish discussing it. He’s the man that created the now ubiquitous ‘Welcome to Lagos’ statue in the year 1991. In this interview, Sodeinde, revealed that although he’s proud of the creating the statue, at the entry of Lagos, stated that it’s causing him sleepless nights, as he had had cause to effect repairs on it from time to time. He spoke on his career, passion and others. Tell us what the ‘Welcome to Lagos’ statue stands for and how it came about? In 1989, Lagos State government commissioned me to erect a statue of unknown soldiers where they placed wreaths every January 15, sometimes in terms of making a bid by what had been identified by them. To do this, I was contacted,  with others, to put in...

Learn from Mandela, Facebook friends tell Jonathan June 28, 2013   Learn from Mandela, Facebook friends tell Jonathan Nigerians on social media say President Goodluck Jonathan has some lessons to learn from ailing former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. His friends on Facebook who lauded him for taking time out of his schedule on Thursday to wish Mandela a quick recovery on the social network, said the President should also replicate the giant strides made by Madiba  in the southern African nation. The message on the President’s Facebook page stated, “On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, I would want to let President Jacob Zuma, the government and the people of South Africa know that we are with you in prayers at this trying times. “We stand firmly with you, our South African brothers and sisters, and together wish our leader, the unequalled humanist, the great son of Africa, former President Nelson Mandela, Gods’ speed on the...

Budget: Jonathan sends details of amendments to Reps June 28, 2013 by John Ameh, Abuja   President Goodluck Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday sent the details of his amendment proposals to the 2013 budget to the House of Representatives. The development came barely 24 hours after the House rejected the amendment bill on the grounds that it was “silent” on the sections of the 2013 Appropriation Act the President wanted the National Assembly to amend. In a covering letter to the details, Jonathan told the House that there were several cuts in allocations to capital projects he would like the lawmakers to restore. He also expressed concern over cuts in allocation to personnel costs and the reduction of funds of the Subsidy Re-Investment Programme by N9bn from the original N27bn. The President wrote, “Against our proposal of N27bn, the National Assembly allocated N9bn. This cut will have the adverse effect of severely undermining our capacit...

$27m missing in Nigerian Embassy in US June 28, 2013   President of the Senate, David Mark The Senate on Thursday began an inquest into the alleged mismanagement of over $27m proceeds from the sale of Federal Government properties by officials of the Nigerian Embassy in the United States of America. This follows a petition to the President of the Senate, David Mark, by a non-governmental organisation, Transform Nigeria Movement, praying the Senate to conduct an investigation and make its findings known to the public. The petition, which was signed by Mr. Daniel Elombah, stated that between 2004 and 2007, the Nigerian Embassy sold four prime properties of the Federal Government located in Washington DC and Maryland. The petitioner alleged that the embassy also commenced the sale of other properties in San Francisco, California within the period. Elombah stated in the petition, “Out of those sales, Nigeria realised the sum of approximately $27m. All fu...

Applying the death penalty in Nigeria June 28, 2013 by Editorial Board   President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan THERE is hardly any law in Nigeria’s statute books that attracts views as diverse as the death penalty. While many believe that it is anachronistic and not suited to modern day realities, others feel strongly that the death penalty is still relevant in Nigeria, given the high rate of violent crimes in the country. This is why the recent call by President Goodluck Jonathan for its full implementation is likely to be controversial. But actions on a matter like this should be considered pragmatically, rather than emotionally. Significantly, the President’s call at a special church service to mark the 2013 Father’s Day came at a time when the list of people on death row had been growing, owing largely to the reluctance of state governors to sign the death warrants of condemned criminals. It is estimated that about 970 inmates are awaiting execution in vari...

June 12: OPC, Kalu, Odumakin demand social justice June 13, 2013   Leader of a faction of the Odua People’s Congress, Gani Adams The Oodua People’s Congress, former Governor Orji Kalu and President, Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, have demanded social justice, equity and fair play in Nigeria. They said this during a lecture to commemorate  June 12, 1993 presidential election won by late Chief MKO Abiola organised by OPC in Lagos on Wednesday. Specifically, Kalu, who was the Guest Lecturer, said Nigeria was a country built on injustice and inequity and which had been trudging on a faulty foundation. Speaking on the theme, ‘20 years after June 12: Options for Survival’, Kalu said June 12 was one exercise that had the potential of moving Nigeria forward but had sadly become its albatross. He  also urged the National Assembly to amend the electoral act to make all elections hold in one day, saying it is cheaper for the country. Kalu...