Cheat Sheet Week 47 2008

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Monday 10 November 2008

MEND free 4 hostages, keep Britons:

MEND in an e-mail statement announced the release on Sunday of a Ukrainian and three Nigerians kidnapped September 9 but also said it would hold the 2 Brits until British Government stops offering training and materials to Nigerian armed forces later adding to hold them also parallel to the period of detention of Henry Okah.

Gunmen kill four military personnel, Shell worker in Bayelsa:

In an apparent political clash 4 military personnel and an employee of SPDC, were killed in an attack on the naval patrol boat, Nembe waterways Bayelsa State.

Related:

The JTF has raised alarm over attempts to derail the peace in the Nigeria Delta, referring to s ‘provoking attack’ on 5 November on military formation at Clough Creek in Ekeremor, Bayelsa State by militants.

Gunmen attack army at Chevron facility:

 Gunmen in speedboats attacked the military at Chevron’s Robert-Kiri flow station, leaving 1 naval personnel and several attackers dead, the facility was not affected said Ltn. Colonel Sagir Musa, while a private security source said several navy officials died.

Six navy personnel killed in gun battle:

At least six navy personnel were killed in a political clash in Nembe, Bayelsa state on Thursday, one of their colleagues said Friday. He was undergoing treatment for a gunshot wound, adding that also some gang members died in the violence. Navy authorities were unavailable to confirm.

President sues over health reports:

President YRD asked his lawyers to sue Leadership newspaper over the published health reports, which he described as untrue and a plot to embarrass him and destabilize his administration. This morning Leadership ran a public apology to YRD.

Investors urge government to solve Niger Delta crisis:

International and local investors, at the end of the Honorary International Investors Council, urged the FG urgently solve the lingering crisis in the Niger Delta, saying that the crisis hindered the nation’s quest for influx of foreign capital, especially in the area of oil and gas.

HRW tasks German president on corruption in Nigeria:

HRW has implored German president, Horst Koehler, visiting Nigeria, to put corruption on top of the agenda, as well discuss with YRD alleged human rights abuses, political and inter-communal violence, extra-judicial killings, torture, extortion by security operatives, as well as the poor state of education and healthcare delivery in the country.

419ers penetrate Facebook:

 Social networking site Facebook is reportedly now riddled with Nigerian scammers using compromised accounts to con users out of cash.

Tuesday 11 November 2008

MEND threaten violence if attacked:

MEND in a statement yesterday threatened to end the unilaterial ceasefire and renew attacks under the name Hurrican Obama because it believed the JTF was planning attacks on two of its camp in Delta and Bayelsa States. Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Musa, spokesman for the military task force in Bayelsa, denied any plan to attack militant camps.

JTF troops placed on alert in Bayelsa, Rivers:

The JTF already placed its troops in Bayelsa and Rivers on red allert, following clashes over the weekend and reiterated its warning that it was determined to maintain peace and security and safeguard strategic national assets.

Bakassi hostage update:

General AG Basuo of NDDSC said the 10 hostages were healthy and unshackled refusing to comment on negotiations to free the hostages, instead outlining the rebel group’s original motivation.

Militants attack Soku:

Armed militants in six boats on Monday attacked Soku facility, Rivers, but were repelled after a 45 minutes fight and lost eight of their men in the raid, Colonel Musa Sagir told reporters

Ukraine confirms hostage release:

 Ukrainian Embassy in Nigeria confirmed the release of a Ukrianian seized on 9 september 2008. The release of the man and two Nigerians had been announced by MEND on Sunday.

Top officer orders probe of attack on woman:

Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike, Monday directed the Naval Headquarters to carry out “a full and thorough investigation” into the brutal beating of a woman, Miss Uzoma Okere, by six naval ratings in Lagos last week for allegedly blocking their bosses’ convoy.

World Bank proposes new lending facility of $3 billion:

The World Bank, has proposed a new loan of $1 billion with, zero interest rate, yearly between 2009 and 2011 to address the infrastructural gap in the country, mainly because of the massive improvement in the economy. The Minister of State for Finance, Remi Babalola, had earlier said that Nigeria needs about $100 billion to address its infrastructure problems.

We won’t donate money to churches -

Rivers: Governor Rotimi Ameachi said Rivers State government will no longer donate money to churches, organizations or individuals, because state funds will now be used in building infrastructures such as, roads, hospitals and housing as well as pipe-borne water”.

And then this…

Amaechi also announced that a factory that would convert scrap metals, including used cars, to useful materials was being built in the state. He made a particular point of emphasizing that on completion all scrap, including used and abandoned vehicles found along the road, would be sent to the factory for recycling.

Wednesday 12 November 2008

Court sacks governor:

 Tuesday an appeal court sacked governor Oserheimen Osunbor (PDP) of Edo state and declared Adams Oshiomhole (AC) as the winner of the April 2007 governorship poll.

Cameroon rebels release hostages:

Rebels in Cameroon have freed 10 hostages, mostly French, seized October 31 from an Bourbon oil vessel off Bakassi. A French official said there had been no rescue operation and no ransom had been paid.

Presidential panel asks MEND to free British hostages:

Apparently, the Presidential Committee on Niger Delta Peace and Conflict has appealed to the MEND to release the two remaining British hostages kidnapped from the MV Blue Ocean 65 days ago.

German leader ‘concerned’ about Niger Delta:

 Visiting German President Horst Kohler has expressed concern over the crisis in the Niger Delta region, asking the National Assembly to urgently do something to deliver democracy dividends to the people.

Uncertainty in YRD’s cabinet worries investors:

President YRD needs to put a new cabinet in place, quell insecurity in the Niger Delta, and tackle severe power shortages in order to restore investor confidence in the country diplomats and analysts say. Months of uncertainty over the new cabinet have brought government business in the country to a virtual stand-still and led foreign investors to put decisions on hold.

Related:

 The creation of a new ministry for the Niger Delta is still being delayed and the promised announcement of national emergeny on power has not been declared yet.

Population to rise to 296m in 2030:

The United Nations Population Fund has said that with current growth rate of 3.2 per cent, Nigeria’s population will increase to 296m in 2030.

Woman sends $400,000 to 419ers :

Janella Spears who fell for the famous 419 e-mail scam ended up sending an amount of $400,000 to Nigerian scammers.

Thursday 13 November 2008

INTELS boss assassinated in Port Harcourt:

 

The Deputy General Manager of INTELS, Ltd.
Mr. Chuks Ihuoma was shot dead at point-blank range a the entrance of his house , in Rumubekwe Housing Estate at about 9.30 p.m. Port Harcourt, by unknown gunmen.. He was without his police security detail.

Cameroon rebels exchanged hostages for prisoners?:

 Cameroon released 13 political prisoners in exchange for the 10 hostages released earlier this week, several sources said.

Satellite battery dead, not lost in space:

 Contrary to reports by the media earlier the government said yesterday that its $340 million communications satellite was not lost in space,but that it was suffering from a flat battery.

Related:

 Nigerian Internet users have already been battling with service problems after damage to the South Atlantic Terminal III (SAT-3) underwater cable, the main gateway to the country for international calls and Internet connections.

Man with 86 wives released:

 A man who had been arrested 59 days ago over having 86 wives has been released on bail from police custody, while the charge of unlawful marriage has been dropped.

OPEC must consider if further cut needed:

 Oil Minister Odein Ajumogobia said on Wednesday that OPEC needed to assess whether the market was oversupplied before deciding on a furtherproduction cut, saying other factors may be driving price volatility.

Access to potable water low, says World Bank:

 According the the World Bank Nigerians’ access to portable water, average of 47%, has fallen way below Africa’s average being 58%.

Military recorded 94,000 cases of HIV/AIDS in five years:

The Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday in Abuja that 94,000 HIV and AIDS cases were recorded in its 24 medical centres in the last five years of which 7,000 cases reported were receiving treatment and counselling.

And then there’s this…Nigeria safe for tourists and investors:

 Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Co-operation (NTDC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has said that Nigeria is safe for foreign tourists and investors to do business, quoting “Nigeria is the safest place in the world.

Friday 14 November 2008

JTF warns militants in N’Delta:

 The JTF issued a statement “Enough Is Enough’ yesterday saying: “The JTF is by this release warning all militants and their cohorts to stop forthwith their unprovoked attacks and unpatriotic activities, as the JTF is prepared and ready more than ever before to respond to anybody or group that may attack its locations again.

Main phone gateway almost repaired :

 Repairs of SAT-3, the main gateway for Nigeria’s international telephone calls and Internet connections are expected to be completed Saturday at the latest

Last-minute changes to 2009 budget plan:

 Budget officials are making last-minute changes to the spending plans for 2009 in the hope they will meet little resistance from lawmakers and be quickly approved, government sources said on Thursday. The draft 2009 budget had been due to go before parliament last month but a sharp drop in world oil prices has played havoc with the key assumptions on which the spending plans are based.

Shell contains oil spill caused by sabotage:

Saboteurs used a hack-saw to cut through the Shell Adibawa delivery pipeline in Okordia-Zamara community Bayelsa on Tuesday, but the company said it had managed to contain the resulting spill. It’s the 10th time the pipeline has been sabotaged since January this year.

WHO renews polio immunisation drive in north:

 The WHO has decided to train local chiefs to activily participate in the fight against polio, which is on the rise in northern Nigeria. The polio immunization campaign started Thursday in Gezawa village, 20 kms north of Kano.

Shell, FG lose N1.4 trillion in Ogoni:

SPDC and the FG would be posting a cumulative loss of not less than N1.4 trillion or $7.65 billion by December 31, 2008, when the Dutch oil giant finally hands-off its oil blocs in the troubled Ogoni area of Rivers State.

This Chief’s Briefs Cheat Sheet was compiled for your review by OOL Member: homealonemum
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