Explosions Heard As Fire Rages At N2 Garage Complex

imageDurban (South Africa) — The Shell garage complex on the N2 northbound between Ballito and Stanger has been evacuated as firefighters tackle a blaze which started behind a Steers outlet on Sunday morning.

IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Samantha Meyrick told News24 several minor explosions have been heard, suspected to be gas bottles stored on site.

“Three trucks and trailers are on fire. One of them is a tanker,” she said.

No injuries have been reported and the area has been evacuated, Meyrick said.

Two fire trucks and their crews are at the scene battling the inferno, while traffic officials and Intertoll staff are also on site.

curled from news24.com

Nigerian Insecurity: Senior Army Officer Abducted In Kaduna

Iliya Kure

imageKaduna (Nigeria) — Nigerian Army says one of its senior officers, Colonel Samaila Inusa, has been kidnapped.

Col. Inusa works with Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji, near Kaduna, in northwestern part of the country.

A statement by an Army spokesman, Col. Usman Abdul, says the officer was kidnapped in Kamazo area, near NNPC junction, Kaduna.

According to the statement, the kidnappers dropped off Inusa’s wife and left with him in his car “headed towards Abuja.”

It requests that, ”Anybody with useful information or assistance should please assist in tracking these abductors.

“They are in a Mercedes Benz, GLK Black colour with registration number Abuja, KUJ 154 TZ. This happened at about 7:30pm on Saturday 26 March 2016.

“The following numbers could be reach for further contact.
a. 08033865572
b. 08030489203
c. 08023445961
d. 07038025282
e. 08058130703″.

The military statement did not state whether a ransom had been announced by the kidnappers or not.

Kaduna has in the past few days recorded increased cases of kidnaps, the last being that of President of HEKAN Church, Pastor Emmanuel Dziggau and two other church members, about a week ago.

Enugu Fair: PAN Showcases Locally Made Automobiles

By Mohammad Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) has unveiled made-in-Nigeria high-tech and innovative vehicles at the opening of 27th edition of Enugu International Trade Fair.

PAN Zonal Sales Manager, South East, Mr. Gerald Ikejiofor said PAN was at the fair to showcase the locally assembled automobiles.

According to him, The vehicles showcased include the new 508, 301 and the Expert Tepee from PAN Kaduna plant.

A statement by PAN Head, Corporate Communication, Nura Idris Maska, says various models of cars on display attract high traffic to PAN Pavilion from the first day.

Also on display along with the various models of cars, were genuine spare parts and after sales service, which Peugeot offers to their clients across the nation and beyond.

He revealed that PAN has put everything in place and working round the clock to achieve the target of 60,000 annual output, under the agreement signed with PSA on the 301 CKD production which commences soon.

Mr Gerald thanked the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ENCCIMA) for the opportunity to showcase the Peugeot new products which are currently competing favourably with an edge in the market, noting that such initiative will work out a rewarding and a lasting business relationship in the Nigerian auto Industry.

The Zonal Manager called on prospective customers particularly the low income earners, to embrace the Peugeot Vehicle Acquisition Finance Scheme (PVAFS) currently going on with Access Bank, FCMB and JAIZ Bank to grab a life time opportunity of owning and riding a high flying, durable and quality brand new car.

The PAN group has also taken an innovative step to present some technical skill acquisition programmes available in PAN Learning Center; a subsidiary of PAN group.

The 27th edition Enugu international trade fair with the theme; “Diversification of the Nation’s Economy from Rhetorics to Coordinated Action” was declared open Friday by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah who was the Special Guest of Honour.

The Minister was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Investment, Chief Sam Egwu.

The Minister assured participants of government’s continuous support in business activities through a strong partnership and providing conducive atmosphere for commerce to thrive.‎

I Never Apologised to Oritsejafor, Oyedepo, Others — Pastor Dikwa

By Iliya Kure

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Executive Director of the Voice of Northern Christian Movement (VNCM), Pastor Musa Dikwa, has faulted media reports that he has apologised to Pastor Oritsejafor, Oyedepo, and others, as claimed by Pastor Bosun Emmanuel at a press conference in Abuja.

“One fellow called Bosun Emmanuel told news reporters that, I Pastor Musa Dikwa, apologised to him about the N7 billion bribe that they collected during the 2015 general election from former President Jonathan. I want to state clear that I never met Bosun Emmanuel in my life, but I knew one friend of Bosun, called Rev. Isaac O. Wusu, working with one International Christian Organisation [Voice of Christian Martyrs], which says it provides relief to Boko Haram victims and other victims of religious crises.

Pastor Dikwa says he still maintains his position on the N7 billion campaign money, adding that “not only money were they given, but also Toyota Jeeps – about nine. Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor took 2; Rev. Musa Asake, the General Secretary took 1; Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau took 1; Rev. Okoye took 1 and others shared the rest.”

“I wrote ICPC since September last year, they said they will call me to adopt the letter, up till now I am still waiting.”

He told AFRICA PRIME NEWS that the purported press conference by Pastor Bosun was to smear his name (Dikwa) and integrity over their (Bosun and Co) untoward behaviour that is shameful to the body of Christ.

“If the meeting he was talking about took place in August 2015, what took him seven months to come out to talk? It means, he is hiding something.

“He organised the press conference simply because I attacked their motive in the recent kidnap of Christian leaders in Kaduna.

“When I saw what Bosun posted (on the internet), I quickly challenged it and sent the information to the security agencies to arrest Bosun, Oritsejafor, Asake and Oibe, because they knew something about the kidnap of TEKAN/ECWA leader and truly they are the ones who planned that. Bosun is trying to cover their criminality through creating lies”

According to Pastor Dikwa, the posting by Pastor Bosun says “It is believed that the kidnap is not unconnected with subterranean moves being made by some forces in the country to influence the election of the next president of CAN. The incumbent President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, is expected to leave Office in July 2016. Rev. Dr. Dziggau, according to people close to him, has consistently resisted pressures to support undue the next President of CAN, a stand which has drawn the anger of some Christians in government. He has been heard to express his neutrality openly..”
The Jos Meeting

“The meeting he was talking about, was totally unrelated to the money issue. I raised a corruption matter with Voice of Christian Martyrs, who says it deliver relief items to victims of Boko Haram. Being an indigene of Borno, I am not happy that someone collects money in the name of my kinsmen and not serving them well. So this man, Rev. Isaac came to Jos with his group, about a year ago, and pleaded with me, that I should not expose the matter to the press, or take them to EFCC – that I should give him time, so that he can dismiss the people that looted the NGO funds, and this is what Isaac did. He dismissed 2 persons that looted the NGO money, and sized their properties in Jos!

After Rev. Isaac ceased the properties of the 2 persons in Jos. Some of them that were working in the office of the International Christian Organisation in Jos, came to me and told me that even Rev. Isaac has looted the NGO money and bought properties in Lagos and Abekuta, Ogun State.

After I met Rev. Isaac and his group andI left, one of their members later told me that Bosun Emmanuel was among them.

“The NGO has its headquarters in the US, but the Nigerian branch is headed by one Isaac who led the delegation that came to see me. I am from Borno, and I discovered that what they were doing was just collecting money in the name of these victims and buying property for themselves. I said I was going to report them to EFCC and the parent NGO, so they came begging. Isaac said, he was going to take action, and he fired two of the directors. These are things anyone can go and verify.

“All this things Bosun Emmanuel is doing is to cover their corrupt activities and I’ll like to advise the members of this type of Church leaders that let them know the type of criminals leaders that they have in their Churches!

“Why are people using God’s name and rubbishing people? Bosun accused APC during the last campaign/election that APC is a branch of Egypt’s Brotherhood Party and APC will Islamise Nigeria; I have the CD.

“I am calling on Nigerian Christians to be careful with some of the people that are using Church and Bible to do business for personal interest in the name of preachers.” He said

 

The Abuja Press Conference by Pastor Bosun

On Thursday, Pasotr Bosun Emmanuel in a press confernce in abuja told reporters that Pastor Musa Dikwa had in a private meeting admitted lying against the CAN leadership on collecting N 7 billion, and apologised to the leadership.

Below is a full text of Pastor Emmanuel’s statement at the Abuja press conference.

“It would be recalled that during the electioneering campaign leading to the 2015 elections, Musa Dikwa addressed a press conference in which he claimed three ministers of the gospel, the President of CAN (Oritsejafor), Bishop David Oyedepo, and myself [Pastor Bosun Emmanuel] received N7 billion from the Jonathan administration to mobilise ministers of the gospel nationwide to campaign for his re-election.

“The story was started by the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi who claimed the sum of N6 billion was given to pastors to campaign for Jonathan’s re-election. It was the story of Amaechi that Musa Dikwa latched onto and insisted that it was not N6 billion but N7 billion and proceeded to mention the names of the three ministers of the gospel. As we could recall, Rotimi Amaechi was the director of the campaign for the election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, now President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We met Musa Dikwa personally in Jos on Wednesday 12th August, 2015. I sat directly facing him for almost three hours and Musa Dikwa did not know he was talking to the pastor he lied against. We were interested in finding out, “Were you there when the money was being shared”? No, he was not.

“Was the money shared in Naira?” “No, it was in dollars”. It was the conversion that made it N7 billion. “So, if you were not there, how did you know money was being shared and the purpose for which it was shared?” He was informed by a CAN official in Abuja who told him to come quickly and collect his own share.

“Ironically, the CAN official Musa Dikwa mentioned as the informant was also one of the people who got Musa Dikwa arrested by DSS for carrying unsubstantiated story, and the same man is also one of the five respondents in the N300 million suit of Musa Dikwa against Department of State Security Services (DSS). (He gave us photocopies) The big question is, if the man Musa mentioned as the source of the N7 billion Naira story is truly the source, why would the same man invite DSS to arrest him, and why would Musa join the man as a respondent in a N300 million lawsuit? Musa Dikwa claimed that the DSS violated his Human Rights by arresting him.

“Now, see who is heading for court? What right does he have to complain of the violation of his rights? What if I should sue Musa Dikwa N500 million for defamation of character?

“Anyway, he apologised for including the name of Pastor Bosun Emmanuel in the story and even assured us that he would call another press conference to clear Pastor Bosun. So far, he has not done that. The implication is that even the inclusion of CAN President and Bishop Oyedepo in the campaign of calumny could also be false.

“The following day, 13th August, 2015, Musa came again to meet us at our lodging and disclosed the name of the person who specifically instructed him to include my name. He mentioned the name of one of the APC pastors based in Lagos. So it became clear what happened. My name was included to discredit the WAKE UP CALL CD, while, (I think) Bishop Oyedepo was included because he came out openly to declare support for Jonathan and the president of CAN was mentioned to divide the church. It was a classical APC campaign by deception.

“It is not impossible that some clerics collected money to campaign for politicians on both sides during the elections. That could have happened amongst Muslim clerics and Christian clergy. But, this N7 billion story is hogwash. I can say categorically that I have never collected a kobo from a politician or government official in my life to do Christian ministry. Musa Dikwa LIED against me, but thank God, he confessed.

“For now, I will allow the issue to rest and I will encourage Musa Dikwa to remember all the admonitions and counsel that ministers of the gospel gave him during the meeting. A member of the body cannot be doing injury to the body. Peddling false information is not a Christian virtue.”

Sign: Pastor Bosun Emmanuel
March 24, 2016

Football: Nigeria To Improve On Team’s Weakness For Return Leg In Egypt

Longtong Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – Nigeria’s Super Eagles Coach, Samson Siasia, has promised to improve on the team’s weakness before the March 29th return leg match in Egypt.

Siasia said this shortly after the Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Egypt, at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna, North-west Nigeria.

According to him, the Eagles played well, and they needed to be corrected in some little ways before the next match, “We will try to see what went wrong and do a proper check before playing our next match so that we can win in Egypt.

“The players did well, but I don’t know what went wrong at the last three minutes that the Egyptians equalised.

“That is football for you, when you play well, it can end up being a draw or loss, but this guys play a fair play; with this outcome, we will try our best to win in Egypt because in football everything is possible. We cannot move backwards but forward as we are going to put ourselves together and see how we are going to win the match,” he pointed out.

Nigeria’s Oghenekaro Etebo scored the goal for Nigeria at the 60th minutes of the game, while Mohammed Salah scored at the 90th minute for Egypt.

Labour Vs El-Rufai: Nigerian Workers To Converge On Kaduna On Solidarity — The Penmaster

Following alleged anti-labour policies of Governor Nasir-El-Rufai in the governance of Kaduna State, the TUC and NLC are now poised to mobilize their members from other parts of the country to Kaduna in solidarity with their colleagues.

To this end, a 7-day ultimatum has already been handed down to the Governor to drop the policies seen by the labour, as unfriendly.

A similar action had been carried out in Owerri, the Imo State Capital when Governor Okorocha dared the labour, announcing the sack of thousands of workers.

Although the issues in contention in Kaduna State include deregistration of workers from unionism and the endless verification exercise, forms have already been distributed to workers to fill and indicate “yes or no” whether they would belong to labour or not.

This is the move, the labour foresees as a way and means of weakening it or create “divide and rule” tactics. Both NLC and TUC have therefore drawn up a battle line with El-Rufai to either have a change of mind or ready to face the anger of the nation’s labour movement.

Other issues in contention, according to the workers, are the nonpayment of salaries and non compensation to families of their colleagues who were killed during a verification exercise in Zaria last year, despite the promise by El-Rufai.

imageAddressing thousands of workers’ representatives who converged on the state NLC Secretariat in Kaduna on Wednesday, the National President, Comrade Ayuba Waba enjoined the workers to be ready to make sacrifice, be prayerful, active and determined.

“The entire Nigerian workers stand by you, fill the forms, photocopy it and keep it,” Waba said.

The NLC President announced that a meeting of the Central Working Committee would be convened during the 7-day ultimatum given to the Governor to take decision on the next line of action in solidarity with the workers in Kaduna State.

Comrade Waba said the labour would continue to assert its independence as acknowledged by the International Labour Organization, ILO.

His counterpart of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Bala Bobboi Kaigama spoke in the same vein assuring the workers of his members’ solidarity with their “plight.”

Kidnap Of Christian Leaders In Kaduna Has No Relationship With Coming National CAN Election — Northern CAN

By Iliya Kure
The recent kidnap of President of United Church of Christ in Nigeria, Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau, ‎and two other church members by unknown gunmen in Kaduna, North West Nigeria, is taking another dimension, with rumours making the round, that the act may be related to forthcoming national election of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

But the newly elected Public Relations Officer of Northern CAN, Rev. Joseph Hayab is faulting the rumours saying, “there is no relationship between the two.”

Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau, ‎and two other church members were last Monday kidnapped along Kaduna – Abuja expressway, when the three were clearing the church crusade ground for a coming retreat.

Rev. Hayab’s reasons were based on the fact that the rising insecurity situation in Kaduna State is worrisome, where quite a number of people were frequently being kidnapped.

“With the insecurity cases in Kaduna, how would you relate the two? Even members of his family are faulting that idea, saying if his own is related to the coming national CAN election, what then would you associate the other cases of kidnap to.”

“It is people who think they will not win the election that are trying to associate the kidnap to the coming elections, just to create disaffection among members”

AFRICA PRIME NEWS also observes that it is easy to relate the kidnap with the forthcoming national CAN election because, Rev. Dziggau is the leader of ECWA/TEKAN bloc – one of the five blocs that forms the CAN structure.

Chairman of Northern CAN, Rev. Yakubu Pam called on the kidnappers to release the Christian leaders, saying it was “a shameful act for them to keep men of God for a N100 million ransom”

“This kind of act will keep investors away from coming to invest in the country.” He said.

Similarly, General Secretary of the Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (TEKAN), Rev. Moses Ebuga, while addressing journalists in Jos, Central Nigeria, called on the kidnappers to release the victims immediately and unconditionally.

Spokesman of Nigerian Police in Kaduna, DSP Abdullahi Zubairu told AFRICA PRIME NEWS “we received a report of the kidnap and have already sent our men into the surrounding bush where the kidnap took place. As I speak with you, our officers from Abuja and Kaduna are in the area conducting search to rescue this people safe.”

“There is also a recent case of a pastor kidnapped at about 11pm in Kudenda in Kaduna sub urb, when we got that report we swung into action, and we got him back and reunited him with his family.

“There’s also the case of a 70year old man that was kidnapped in Danja [Katsina State], we received the report that the people entered from Kaduna axis. Our officers in Zaria swung into action, and we got the man.

“We are working hard to contain the increasing cases of these kidnappings. We have recently arrested 12 persons and investigation is ongoing, once concluded, they would be charged to court.”

Nigerian Muslim Clerics Celebrate Easter With Christians To Promote Peaceful Coexistence

By Mohammad Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) — In an effort to strengthen peaceful co-existence, inter -religious dialogue and Tolerance in Nigeria, a team of Muslim Clerics have joined their Christians brothers to celebrate the Easter season in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria.

The Muslims clerics also congratulated christians over the successful completion of the 40 days fasting and prayers, with a call on Almighty God to accept their prayers and bring peace and unity in Kaduna State, Nigeria and world over.

The clerics also visited founder of Peace Revival and Reconciliation Ministry in the country, Pastor Yohanna Buru to celebrate with him.

Nigerian authorities have declared Friday 25 and Monday 28 March as Public holidays throughout the country to enable christians celebrate Good Friday and Easter Monday with love ones.

Alaramma Abdulrahman Mohammad Bichi who led the Muslim delegation said the reasons for the visitation to christian scholars and preachers was to congratulate Christians world over on the successful completion of Forty days Lenten season.

“Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. The Lenten season is a time when many Christians observe a period of Fasting, Repentance, moderation, self-denial and spiritual discipline and the purpose for this is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ , his suffering, sacrifice, life, death and resurrection,” he said.

Alaramma Abdulrahman said during Muslims 30 days fasting period in holy month of Ramadan, “Pastor Yohanna Buru brought other christian brothers to join us in breaking fast at our Homes, Mosques and also attended Ramadan Tafsir lectures.

“We are here to extend our Goodwill messages and congratulations to all Christians world over and to wish them happy Easter celebrations. We also call on Federal and State governments to provide adequate security at churches, Parks, market, and social gathering areas in other to avert any means of security breach.

“Three Pillars of the lent are Almsgiving, prayer and daily fasting for Forty days and we are wishing them all the best of the completion of the season and happy Easter to all christians” he said.

Receiving the Muslim delegation, Pastor Yohanna Buru who is also the General Overseer of Christ Evangelical Intercessary Fellowship Ministry said Muslims and Christians must join hands to end all form of ethno-religious, political differences and pray for peace, unity and stability of the country.

He explained that religious leaders need to redouble effort in preaching peace and encouraging religious tolerance among their followers.

Pastor Buru said, every years, Christ Evangelical Ministry usually join muslim scholars in breaking their Ramadan and also join muslims in celebrating the Birth of the Holy Prophet Mohammad.

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