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We were merchandise, says former sex slave
When Isoke Aikpitanyi left Nigeria in search of a new life in 2000, she thought she was going to work as a fruit vendor in a market in London.

Update 1-s.africa's Mtn Posts Lower Fy Profit, Users Up 28 Pct
Quote ), Africa's biggest mobile operator by subscribers, posted lower 2009 profit despite its new customers increasing by 28 percent to 116 million. The country's second-biggest mobile phone oper...

African Markets - Factors To Watch On March 11
March 11 (Reuters) - The following company announcements, scheduled economic indicators, debt and currency market moves and political events may affect African markets on Thursday.

Retaliation Fears Stalk Nigerian City After Clashes
Sporadic shooting rang out overnight in the central Nigerian city of Jos and witnesses said at least one person was killed by soldiers enforcing a curfew days after attacks on three nearby Christian v...

Jury Deadlocked In Case Of Nigerian Immigrant Accused Of Killing Toddler
For 502 days, Victor Fakoya has been behind bars at the Clark County Detention Center, accused of killing a toddler boy living in his home. For the past 30 days, he has been on trial in District Cour...

Update 1-oil Slips Below $82; Opec Expected To Maintain Output
SINGAPORE, March 11 (Reuters) - Oil fell below $82 on Thursday pulling prices from an eight-week high a day ago on expectations that OPEC members would keep pumping crude above quotas in the second...

Nlc Tackles Lukman Over Deregulation
ABUJA— THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has taken exception to the report credited to the Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, that  fuel scarcity would persist unless the downstream sector ...

National Team Line Up Four Pre-world Cup Friendly Matches
The Nigerian Football Federation has confirmed four pre-World Cup friendly matches for the Super Eagles. The NFF says the team will play against North Korea, Paraguay, Colombia and Ukraine on dates t...

Nff Invites Tuface, Basket Mouth, Others To South Africa
Nigeria Football Federation has secured an entertainment venue at the 2010 World Cup and the federation plans to spice up Nigeria's participation in the 'football village' to be opened in Durban, Sout...

Jonathan Sends Unedited Uwais Report To National Assembly
Abuja — It emerged yesterday that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has forwarded a copy of the report of the Justice Mohammed Uwais-led Electoral Reforms Committee to the National Assembly une...

49 To Be Charged With Murder After Jos Crisis, Police
THE police said, yesterday, that 49 people are to be charged with murder after communal violence left scores of villagers dead. Most of those facing charges are Muslims from the Fulani group, police s...

Oil Slips From $82; Opec Expected To Maintain Output
SINGAPORE, March 11 (Reuters) - Oil fell to below $82 on Thursday on expectations for OPEC to keep pumping above quotas in the second quarter, pulling prices down from eight-week highs reached a da...

The Imperatives Of Sustainable Development In Niger-delta
Deputy Political Editor Watchers of the post amnesty programme truly heaved a sigh of relief when the Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan told the nation that his administration was determined to...

Textile Workers Laud Jonathan Over Sack Of Nsa
KADUNA — National Union of Textile Workers has commended the Acting President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for sacking the former National Security Adviser, NSA, General Sarki Mukhtar (rtd) following serie...

Steer Clear Of Edo Politics, Group Warns Reps
BENIN-CITY—A GROUP,  Vanguard for a Better Edo,  VBE, has accused the leadership of the House of Representatives of trying to  frustrate the positive changes Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s gove...

Arrests Made In Nigeria Killings
Pope denounces violence Earlier Pope Benedict XVI denounced the "astrocious" violence. As new gunfire added to the tensions around the flashpoint city of Jos, the head of the Roman Catholic...

Nigerian Soldiers Open Fire On Crowd Of Youths; 2 Killed
JOS, Nigeria -- Soldiers opened fire on a crowd after curfew and killed two people, witnesses said Wednesday, just days after fighting between Christians and Muslims in the area left more than 200 dea...

Sec Launches Probe Into N7.5trn Equities Crash
•Inquiry to look at role of brokers; US to advise on reform provisions Nigeria’s new securities regulator has launched a sweeping investigation into alleged abuses that contributed to a $50bill...

Nigerians Demand End To ‘invisible Presidency’
•SNG calls for dissolution of federal cabinet, electoral reform Thousands of Nigerians joined members of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) in a protest march to “so that presidential powers will be ...

Forex Round-tripping Reignited As Parallel, Official Rates Disparity Widens
•Experts seek CBN intervention Unless the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) takes proactive action in narrowing the gap between the official and parallel foreign exchange rates, dealers face the temp...

Why Bpe Director General Was Suspended
Indications emerged on Wednesday that Christopher Anyanwu, director general of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) may have been suspended as a result of alleged diversion of proceeds of the sales of S...

Duke Woos Nigerians In U.s. Over 2011 Presidential Bid
The immediate past governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, is in the U.S. canvassing for the support of Nigerians living there on his planned presidential bid in 2011. A group, ‘Friends of Don...

Paralysis Of African Heavyweights - Nigeria Security Chief Sacked In Presidential Tussle
Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s acting president, has landed a significant blow in the struggle for control of the world’s 10thbiggest oil exporter by sacking a security chief and reinstating a wily ...

Ibori Held Uk Accounts, His Agent Was Prosecuted For Fraud, Uk Court Hears
Evidence unveiled in the on-going London trial involving James Ibori’s associates on Wednesday showed that the former Delta State governor held multiple UK accounts, and one of his agents was prosec...

Black Out Imminent As Shell Announces Temporary Closure Of Gas Plants
•Restates commitment to domestic gas supply Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has alerted Nigerians to get prepared for another round of imminent black-outs, following the tem...

Nlc Urges Jonathan To Punish Perpetrators Of Fuel Scarcity
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday called on Acting President Goodluck Jonathan to probe the recent nationwide fuel scarcity with a view to punishing those responsible for it, to serve as ...

Agriculture Key To Nigeria’s Growth Plans, Says Jonathan
…government to invest N242bn in sector Agriculture and manufacturing will make a greater contribution to Nigeria’s economic growth in the coming years as it seeks to reduce its dependence on cr...

Reappearance Of The President Has Worsened The Political Paralysis - And The Splits In The Pdp Government
Nigeria: Yar'Adua Goes into Extra Time - The Reappearance of the President Has Worsened the Political Paralysis ? and the Splits in the PDP Government

Nigerian Sentenced To Death For Drug Dealing
Osonwa Okey Noberts, a Nigerian who was charged with drug trafficking, stands trial with his girlfriend, Zhang Dongxiang, and two others accused of the same crime at Dongguan Intermediate People’s C...

Detained Herdsmen Tell Of Roles In Nigeria Killings
JOS, Nigeria — Dispassionately, the baby-faced young man recounted his killings: two women and one man, first beaten senseless with a stick, then stabbed to death with a short knife.

Militia's Hunt For Guns Renews Fears Of Nigeria Violence
Fears that sectarian violence could spread across Nigeria increased yesterday after it emerged that militia leaders from Jos, where at least 200 people were massacred on Sunday, had been attempting to...

Rivers’ Youths Threaten Oil Firms
PORT HARCOURT— MULTINATIONAL oil firms operating in Onelga Local Government Area of Rivers State have been told to be alive to their corporate social responsibility or risk the angry reaction of the...

Why Jos Is Different
WHILE a debate on the latest round of killings in the Jos area raged, someone asked: Can a person be a settler in his own country? Can a Nigerian citizen be a settler in any part of Nigeria? The answe...

Massob Protests Uwazurike’s Detention
AFIKPO—THOUSANDS of members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, took to the streets of the ancient city of Afikpo in Ebonyi State, in a peaceful pr...

Onovo, Senate And Benin – Lagos Expressway
- ASP Alozie Ogugbuaja to the author, at Ikeja Sheraton, April 27th 2000. The arid programs running on the NTA International was punctuated by the news. The Inspector General of Police, was in an ope...

Adoption Of N-delta Technical Report, The Way Forward — David-west
Professor Tam David-West, a former Minister of Petroleum and a social critic insists that despite the amnesty programme, the adoption of the Niger-Delta Technical Report, is the way out. He spoke to V...

Sudan rebukes U.N.-AU force over Darfur ambush
KHARTOUM, March 10 (Reuters) - Sudan summoned the acting head of international peacekeepers in Darfur on Wednesday to express concern over a rebel ambush last week in which vehicles and equipment b...

Grillo Pavilion honors Bruce Onobrakpeya…
The Yusuf Grillo Pavilion in Ikorodu will on April 3 celebrate the contemporary Nigerian art icon, Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya, as it’s star artist. Last year at the official opening of the gallery, the g...

How not to kill George Azubike’s art…
They say that teachers rewards are  in heaven. But the state of the economy and the way teachers are neglected in Nigeria have forced many teachers to reject that promised heavenly promise by insisti...

Lagos employees receive furniture allowance boost with mixed feelings
“It is exactly a thousand days this morning that I took the oath of office before God and Lagosians to use all my best endeavours to deliver a bright and rewarding future. Although our work is not ...

Why we picked Lagerback, by Ekeji
larger Chief Patrick Ekeji, the Director_General of National Sports Commission while declaring open yesterday the Nigeria Football Federation organised seminar for Nigerian coaches at the Fifa Goal Pr...

NDE, firm partner on training
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and a private firm-Prosec Systems (Nig) Limited- have began exploratory talks with a view to collaborating in the area of the establishment of Hi-Tech Trai...

FG deploys Chevron gas as Shell shuts plants
LONDON – THE Federal Government, yesterday, deployed gas from the operations of Chevron Nigeria Limited to cushion the impact of temporary closure of the Sapele and Oben gas plants operated by Shell...

Ivory Coast grab Hiddink
Experienced coach Guus Hiddink has agreed terms with the Ivorian Football Association to coach Les Elephants during the World Cup, according to a report from Dutch national broadcaster NOS.

Don’t politicise list of localities in Nigeria, says NPC
THE National Population Commission, NPC, Wednesday warned against politicisation of the compilation of the compendium of localities in Nigeria to be conducted by the commission. Chairman of NPC, Chie...

Ondo earmarks N200m for health care
ONDO State government has earmarked N200million as health assistance scheme for persons suffering from different ailments in the state this year. Consequently, over 500 persons have applied for assis...

NFF invites Tuface, Basket Mouth, others to S/Africa
Nigeria Football Federation has secured an entertainment venue at the 2010 World Cup and the federation plans to spice up Nigeria’s participation in the ‘football village’ to be opened in  Durb...

Pope Condemns Jos Mayhem, as Police Set to Charge 49
Catholic papal Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday condemned the "atrocious" mayhem in Jos where over 500 people were massacred at the wee hours of last Sunday, also police said 49 people responsible would...

Task Force on Niger-Delta Destroys Illegal Refineries, Arrests 6 Suspected Oil Thieves
The Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta have destroyed fresh 500 illegal crude oil refineries and arrested six suspected oil thieves at Egbekebor and Gbelekumor communities in Delta State. Also...

UK court ups divorce pay out awarded in Nigeria
LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - A British citizen who was unhappy with a divorce settlement awarded to her by a Nigerian court is eligible to receive a much larger lump sum payment, Britain's highest ...

INTERVIEW-Egypt's Raya uses tech skills to diversify
Quote ) aims to diversify into logistics to tap demand in a relatively virgin market as it shifts away from its main technology businesses, the firm's chairman said.

Nine drown in Cameroon shipwreck
Yaounde - At least nine people have drowned and 15 were missing on Wednesday after a small boat capsized off Cameroon's coast while on its way to neighbouring Nigeria, a gendarmerie officer said. A...

EFCC quizzes LG boss
A Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Abass Aleshinloye has been invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegations of misappropriation of council funds. Alhaji Aleshinloye ...

Tight security for guests
Globacom officials have said that arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of all the guests to the 2009 Glo_CAF Awards at the State House Banquet Hall in Accra, Ghana. Mohamed Jameel, Globac...

Jonathan, govs, PDP leaders in crucial meeting
THE Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, will hold an expanded national caucus meeting at the Presidential Villa, Thursday. Vanguard gathered that it is an expanded meeting because governors who wer...

Lagerback proposes Switzerland camp
Nigeria Technical Adviser Lars Lagerback has proposed a camp in Switzerland to ensure adequate altitude training ahead for the Super Eagles ahead of the World Cup. The Swede sent an email to the NFF ...

Experts warn of more road accidents
Weather experts at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, have warned of increase in the rate of road accidents during the rainy season unless the relevant authorities heed the warning and act on ...

South Africa Airways to operate 24-hr flight for World Cup
South African Airways (SAA) has concluded plans to increase capacity to operate a 24-hour flight schedule to accommodate the various match times and people wanting to move around for the FIFA 2010 Wor...

Ivory Coast grab Hiddink
Experienced coach Guus Hiddink has agreed terms with the Ivorian Football Association to coach Les Elephants during the World Cup, according to a report from Dutch national broadcaster NOS. The repor...

Army fights back, Says Gov Jang’s statement embarrassing, display of naivety
The Nigerian Army High Command hit back at Plateau State governor Jonah Jang Wednesday over comments he made on Tuesday attributing last Sunday’s violence in three villages of Jos South local govern...

Students, villagers besiege airstrip for Imoke
OBUDU—Bebi Airstrip, about 45 Kilometres from Obudu Mountain Resort, was besieged by the rural communities and students of Federal College of Education, Obudu, as Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River...

Ex-militants fault Reps on council chiefs’ suspension
BENIN CITY—EX-MILITANT leaders in Edo State have condemned the resolution passed by the Federal House of Representatives condemning the suspension of two local government council chairmen by Governo...

Koko elders, leaders apologise to Uduaghan
KOKO—Leaders of Koko community, with Chief Victor Nana at the head, have apologised to Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, over what they conceded as misguided protest over the development o...

2 movie stars killed in Benin
BENIN—COMMERCIAL activities were almost brought to a standstill in Benin yesterday, as two Benin-based local actors, Mr. Erhauyi Ogheide, a.k.a Ukeke and Eghosa Idehen, also known as Erejiro, were T...

Bill giving priority to Nigerians in Oil industry for Jonathan’s assent
The Oil and Gas Content Bill giving priority to Nigerians in employment and contracts in the oil industry may become the first bill to receive the assent of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan. The co...

Northern Reps blame crises on poverty
The Northern caucus in the House of Representatives Wednesday blamed the recurring religio-cultural crises in Jos Plateau State and other parts of the Northern region on poverty and frustration. Besi...

OPS lauds CBN’s N500b package for manufacturing sector
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture(NACCIMA), arms of the Organised Private Sector (OPS), have lauded th...

Nine drown in Cameroon shipwreck
Yaounde - At least nine people have drowned and 15 were missing on Wednesday after a small boat capsized off Cameroon's coast while on its way to neighbouring Nigeria, a gendarmerie officer said. A...

Lamentations as militia invades, sacks communities
Makurdi To say that Yooyo and Mbayongo council wards in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State are now ghost communities is an understatement. This is no thanks to the activities of a notor...

‘Why we’re wooing foreign investors to Delta’
MR Dafe Sama is the Vice President of a Non-Governmental Organisation, the Captain Dafieko Sama Foundation. In this interview with Vanguard, Mr Sama explains the proposed seminar slated to hold in Del...

FG acquires hectares of land for new town development in N’Delta
Determined to aggressively pursue the imple mentations developmental projects under the amnesty programme, the Federal Government has secured hectres of land from the nine state governments which made...

Jang declares three-day fasting
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has declared a three-day fasting to seek God’s intervention in the recurring violence in the state. The declaration came even as the police said about 200 suspe...

AC Leaders Decamp to PDP in Adamawa
Yola — Three members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly elected on the platform of Action Congress, AC, have dumped the party and pitched tent with the People's Democratic Party, PDP. The m...

Nigeria protesters demand to see ailing president
Hundreds of protesters in Nigeria's capital are demanding to see the ailing president, who has not appeared publicly since returning from hospital treatment abroad last month.

Agriculture key to Nigeria growth plans -Jonathan
ABUJA, March 10 (Reuters) - Agriculture and manufacturing will make a greater contribution to Nigeria's economic growth in the coming years at it seeks to reduce its dependence on crude oil, Acting...

Nigeria asset management bill passes another hurdle
ABUJA, March 10 (Reuters) - Legislation to create a Nigerian asset management company (AMC) to soak up bad bank loans passed a second reading in the Senate on Wednesday, bringing it another step cl...

STOCKS NEWS AFRICA-Ghana stocks up on AngloGold, financials
Financial stocks also continue their advance on recent good earnings and a flow of funds exiting bonds after last months' central bank interest rate cut.

SON sets up anti corruption unit, trains staff
Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has set up an anti-corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit (ACTMU).  Accordingly, the organisation in conjunction with Independent Corrupt Practices and Ot...

2009, difficult year for brewery industry, NB
Nigerian Breweries PLC, has described 2009 as one of the most difficult year for the brewery industry in Nigeria, saying “the economy slowed down significantly.” Managing Director Michiel Herkemi...

What future for Cadbury Nigeria Plc
With the recent bought over of Cadbury UK by US food giant Kraft Foods Inc. for $14 billion, what future awaits Cadbury Nigeria PLC? , Reports Franklin Alli Management, staff and shareholders of Cadb...

New decisions on education emerge at NCE summit
Operatives of the nation’s education system at the federal and state levels as well as stakeholders from all parts of the country gave approval to a number of initiatives that are critical to effect...

Outsourcing war at Oceanic Bank as drivers embark on strike
Activities at the Lagos corporate office of Oceanic Bank were, on Monday, paralyzed  as drivers shut down operations to protest management’s attempt at handing them over to an out sourcing  agency...

Okebukola seeks accountability, transparency for Nigerian varsities
THE chairman of the Governing Council, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof. Peter Okebukola, has called for accountability and transparency in the management of Nigerian Universities to enable them ...

Sam Egwu’s conduct at the 56th Council session
Many dignitaries who came from different parts of the country for the 56th NCE meeting had thought that the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu would not arrive on time to flag off the minister...

Africa should address longer term challenges to growth,IMF
With recovery getting under way, Africa should now address longer term challenges to the continent’s future, including governance issues and climate change, to be able to press ahead with the region...

Akunyili tasks students on nation building
Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili has counseled Nigerians to concentrate more on the good aspect of our people in order to correct the wrong impression we have over t...

African Alliance buoys NSE’s transactions by 45%
Transaction on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) was driven, Thursday, by activity in the shares of African Alliance Insurance as it boosted market turnover by  44.96 per cent. In particular, equity...

Audio-visual aid to boost learning in Akwa Ibom
Ten resource centres for the use of public schools in Akwa Ibom State have been put in place by MultiChoice, bringing the total number of beneficiary schools in 19 States of the federation to 161. Th...

AOCOED holds first ever productivity award for staff
Four staff members of Adeniran Ogunsanya Colege of Education (AOCOED), Otto/Ijanikin, Lagos, have been honoured for the contributions to their growth and development of the institution. It was the fir...

NUC’ll not approve varsities on temporary site — Okojie
The Executive Secretary of  National Universities Commission, NUC,Prof Julius Okojie said that it would not accredit any universities operating on temporary site in the country. He said this recentl...

Govt moves to ease guidelines on private schools
For prospective proprietors seeking to establish private schools in Lagos State, the processes involved in obtaining approval are not as cumbersome as before. Mr. Ibikun Daramola, Deputy Director, Pr...

Oxford Business Group set to promote Nigeria’s investment potentials
Oxford Business Group (OBG), a global publishing, research and consultancy firm has launched a comprehensive report that is designed to showcase and promote Nigeria’s growth and investment potential...

Frequently confused words Synonyms
Examples: He opened the letter with trembling hands. First thinking of the accident makes me shudder. His voice quivered with emotion. Her lip quivered and she started to cry. She was quaking in ...

Nigeria’s cargo throughput shoots up one million tonnes in 2009
Despite the economic down turn, the nation’s  cargo throughput shot up by one million tonnes to stand at 66 million tonnes last year from the 65 million tonnes that was recorded the previous year. ...

Oyo Police recover 24 arms, 600,000 ammunition
OYO State Police Command Wednesday recovered 24 assorted arms and 600,000 ammunition from some suspected criminals paraded at the Headquarters of the command, Eleyele Ibadan. Also paraded were 36 sus...

Southern Villages Emptying as Drought Bites
Tanout — "Empty" increasingly describes the southern Niger town of Tanout in Zinder Region: Water wells and pastures, fields and food banks - and slowly - entire villages, are emptying. Of the ...

What's Behind the Conflict
The hundreds of villagers killed with machetes near the central Nigerian city of Jos on Sunday have thrown the sectarian problems of Africa's most populous nation into the spotlight again. Nigerian of...

Nigeria protesters demand to see ailing president
Hundreds of protesters in Nigeria's capital are demanding to see the ailing president, who has not appeared publicly since returning from hospital treatment abroad last month.

Nigeria protesters demand to see ailing president
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - Hundreds of protesters in Nigeria's capital are demanding to see the ailing president, who has not appeared publicly since returning from hospital treatment abroad last month. P...

Southern villages emptying as drought bites
TANOUT, 10 March 2010 (IRIN) - “Empty” increasingly describes the southern Niger town of Tanout in Zinder Region: Water wells and pastures, fields and food banks - and slowly - entire villages, ar...