Photo of the Day - A Family on a Suicide Mission

These folks can never try this in Nigeria, not with our Road Safety and VIO officials on alert... well, they could be excused if they are in a hurry to beat Lagos every hour traffic or Abuja closing hour traffic or Port Harcourt morning hour traffic or Kano mosque hour traffic... Thank God it's Friday. lols!

New Pictures From The Massive Bomb Blast In Abuja

A massive bomb exploded on Friday within the compound of the United Nations building in Abuja killing about 20 persons and wounded several others.  My office is not too far from the scene and it was not funny, the volte of blasts reverberated several kilometres away, with significant impact on doors and windows around.

Eye witnesses have it that the driver ("suicide bomber") of a big truck forcefully drove through the security exit gates into the compound and went straight into the basement, before the vehicle exploded... This is the second time such incident will be recorded in the FCT, the first being at the Police headquarters.  May the souls of the departed rest in peace. Amen!

'Boko Haram' Strikes Again, Kills Pregnant Woman

A pregnant woman, Hajiya Yakaka Abubakar, has been shot dead by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram in Maiduguri.  Relatives of the deceased said Mrs. Abubakar was killed while trying to protect her husband from being killed by the assailants.

Mallam Babakura Ibrahim, in-law of the deceased, described the incident thus: ''At about 9.30 p.m. about three strange persons invaded the area, so individuals started making contact with the police to inform them of the suspicious movements. But within a short period they broke into the house and shot my brother in the chest and his right hand.''

He said the wife who was about seven months pregnant bounced on one of the attackers from behind and tried to take his gun. “It was in the process of trying to wrestle the gun from him that his colleagues shot her in the stomach severally at close range. And she died shortly after being rushed to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for help,'' he added.

The husband, a staff of Stanbic IBTC Bank, is however receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the town... I really don’t know what to say again about these wicked acts. Why take a life that you cannot give?

Yvonne Nelson is Mercy Johnson’s Chief Bridesmaid

It is a known fact that Mercy Johnson‘s “controversial” wedding to Prince Odianose Okojie is this Saturday. But her fate seems to still hang in the balance as regards Christ Embassy’s endorsement or otherwise of the wedding due to the criticisms it continue to attract.

Here is a glimpse of how the occasion is expected to turn out, all things being equal:

The traditional wedding would take place at the residence of the Johnsons in Iyana Iba, Lagos, amidst tight security. The reception takes place at the popular 10 Degree Event Centre.

Ghanaian movie star, Yvonne Nelson, is the Chief bridesmaid and Kenneth Kadiri is the best man, while Comedian AY is the Master of Ceremony.

We are watching the unfolding events and will fill you in, accordingly.

Toni Payne Sacks Olamide Over “Misconduct”

9ice estranged wife, Toni Payne, has dropped young rapper, Olamide, from her talent management outfit. Insider sources say the mother of one terminated the contract because she was no longer sure of the artiste loyalty to her firm.

It was alleged by those who should know that Toni Payne had caught the young rapper performing and collecting fees at shows without her consent on several occasions.  However, crux of the matter was said to be a disagreement the two had about a Coca Cola-sponsored event. She had boycotted the show for some undisclosed reasons and had instructed him to do same, a source alleged, only for her to later find out that he indeed attend.

As at the time of publishing, neither of the parties were willing to give their own side of the story to the press. Toni Payne simply told a reporter: “I don’t want to talk about it. I won’t say anything about it,” while Olamide’s manager said: "No comment."

You may wish to know that the kid, known for his street anthem - Eni Duro - released his debut album tittled Rapsodi in March 2011 and got four nominations in the forthcoming Hip-Hop World Awards (The Headies).

Governor Fashola Signs Lagos Tenancy Bill Into Law

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has finally signed the much talked about tenancy bill into law, despite the controversies that have trailed the concept from virtually all strata of the society.

Although the law does not address what landlords would charge per se, but the length of time the charged rent is meant for. Some critics argue that the caveat in the law does not protect tenants enough from greedy landlords, while landlords are also complaining that the law will give tenants the opportunity to exploit them.

By the provision of the law, any landlord that collects rent in excess of six months from a sitting tenant and one year from a new tenant would either be jailed for three months or pay a fine of N100,000 on conviction. In the case of forceful ejection of a tenant which involves the landlord going to remove the roof or doors to the apartment, the landlord would be jailed for six months or pay a fine of N250,000... etc, etc.

I believe Abuja residents will be more than glad to have such a law in place within the federal capital territory to help put some guys in check with the heartless and mind-blowing rents they charge fellow Nigerians.

China Blacklists Offensive Songs From Lady Gaga

Tracks by Lady Gaga and Beyonce take the lead among 100 songs that have been placed on an internet blacklist by China's culture ministry. Music websites have been given until 15 September to remove all such offending tracks, which officials say harm "national cultural security".

The internet in China is tightly controlled, with content deemed inappropriate often blocked or removed. A notice posted on the culture ministry's website said the 100 songs had not been submitted for official approval.

Those that fail to comply with the directive risk being prosecuted by the Chinese authorities... No doubt it is high time Lady Gaga is put to check with all these weird stuffs she pushes to the public sphere.

Difficult Times Ahead for Cigarette Companies

Cigarettes are not only harmful to smokers, but everyone around them. It’s not a new message, but it will be delivered in a new way come September as being championed by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Graphic warning labels are to cover the top 50 percent of cigarette packs, both front and back, and must also make up 20 percent of any tobacco advertisement. The nine images include blackened lungs, yellowed teeth, a man wearing an oxygen mask, another with smoke coming out of the tracheotomy hole in his neck and a dead man with an autopsy scar over his chest.

“Consider this, a pack a day smoker will see these labels more than 7,000 times a year and kids who are under the impression that smoking is cool or glamorous will be confronted by a very different reality when they are tempted to pick up a cigarette pack,” said Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the FDA.

However, four of the nation’s five top tobacco firms have filed a lawsuit against the FDA, claiming the warnings violate their right to free speech. Philip Morris is the only company not participating in the litigation.

Cigarette smoking kills an estimated 443,000 Americans each year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and it is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States... This 'thing' is killing everywhere and a lot of youths are deceived into it due to lack of proper information, hence the new advert is a welcome development.

NDLEA Impounds Tanker Loaded With Indian Hemp

A petrol tanker conveying about 656Kg of Indian hemp has been impounded by men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the Kpasham Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The Adamawa State director of the agency, Hassan A. Zungeru, paraded the driver, the conductor and one Godiya Linus, the suspected dealer before newsmen. According to him the suspects were arrested with 79 bags of the drug loaded in a petroleum tanker, coming from Owo, Ondo State.

“The drugs were meant for distribution in Ngurore, which is now being referred to as a hard drug depot,” Mr Zungeru said, adding that the arrest was made possible by intelligence and a prior clampdown on the area.

The NDLEA, which said it recently recovered 104 bags of Indian hemp, with monetary value put at over 2million Naira, pointed out that it is worried about the origin of most of the drugs that is traceable to a particular state in the South West.

Why EFCC Cannot Fight Corruption in Nigeria

Nigeria's anti-graft agency, set up in 2002, was supposed to crack down on corruption in Africa's most populous nation but it has failed to deliver, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday.

"There were high hopes for the EFCC as Nigeria's most promising effort to tackle corruption since the end of military rule. But its efforts have fallen short because of political interference, institutional weakness, and inefficiency in the judiciary that cannot be ignored," said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

The organisation said in its report that endemic corruption has fuelled political violence, fraudulent elections, and other human rights violations in the country, as living standards have fallen despite Nigeria's vast oil wealth.

Nigeria is regularly ranked by international agencies as one of the most corrupt countries in the world... But the EFCC through its spokesperson is telling anyone who cares to listen that the report is being misinterpreted. Well if you ask me, I don’t see what’s not clear about the Human Rights Watch’s position on this issue of endemic corruption in our society. It’s everywhere and everyone can perceive it.