Melania Trump Unveils Christmas Decorations At The White House (photos)

Melania Trump unveils White House Christmas decorations for the last time as US first lady.

#uselection

UN Withdraws Claim That 110 Farmers Died In Borno Boko Haram Attack

The United Nations on Monday recanted an earlier claim that 110 farmers were killed by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Zabarmari community, Borno State.

Local media had published a report on Saturday quoting officials of the Borno State government saying at least 43 farmers lost their lives in an attack by insurgents on a rice field.

On Sunday, the Borno governor, Babagana Zulum, had during a mass burial of the deceased farmers, told journalists that 43 farmers were killed.

Later on Sunday evening, the UN issued a statement which quoted the head of the UN System in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, saying that at least 110 farmers were killed in the said attack.

The UN version of the death toll from Koshobe rice field went viral.

In the initial UN statement, signed by Eve Sabbagh, UN’s Head of Public Information at the OCHA in Nigeria, Mr Kallon said he was “outraged and horrified by the gruesome attack against civilians carried out by non-state armed groups in villages near Borno State capital Maiduguri.”

He added that “at least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack.”

Withdrawal
In a new release on Monday, the UN said its initial statement was inaccurate.

The UN’s head, public information, said the earlier numbers quoted by Mr Kallon were not correctly sourced.

In an email circulated to reporters, Ms Sabbagh asked journalists to disregard the earlier statement.

“Please note the number of 110 civilians killed on Saturday’s attack is an unconfirmed number and the correct version of the statement by the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator is the one published yesterday on Reliefweb and used on OCHA Nigeria’s Twitter account:

In the fresh statement, the humanitarian agency replaced the portion where it quoted “110 deaths” with “unspecified figure”.

This time around, Mr Kallon was quoted saying “tens of civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack.”

The remaining paragraphs of the one-paged statement remained the same.

The UN did not, however, add how it got the earlier figure it released and which was quoted by at least one international media outlet.

Meanwhile, sources in Zabarmari had confirmed to newsmen that a search party was still combing the bushes for other missing farmers at the time newsmen visited the farm.

“The number of death remains the same,” he said. “We have not had any other corpses other than the 43 we buried yesterday; even though we know about 70 farmers were involved in the incident.”

#nairaland

El-Rufai: Policemen Who Should Be Fighting Bandits Carry Bags Of VIP Wives


Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has lamented that a sizeable number of officers of the Nigeria Police Force who should be fighting criminal elements in the country are involved in non-police duties like carrying the bags of the wives of Very Important Personalities.

El-Rufai said he is frustrated over the killings in his state, adding that the situation at hand has overwhelmed the police.

He urged the National Assembly to see to the amendment of the Nigerian Constitution to give states control of the police.

The governor argued that the state governments are presently responsible for the day-to-day operational cost of the police, insisting that the states have the capacity to run the police.

El-Rufai spoke on Monday night while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme monitored by The PUNCH.

He said, “We’ve always made a very strong argument that one centralised police in a federation does not work. Nigeria is the only country in the world that is a federation that has only one police force.

“We have made the argument that states should be allowed to have their own police and that even local governments should be allowed to have their own community policing.

“The number of policemen we have in Nigeria is inadequate; it is less than half of what we need and a lot of them are engaged in non-police duties like carrying the handbags of the wives of very important people.

“We need to have a large footprint of policing in Nigeria and the only way to achieve that in a fast-track manner is to amend the constitution and put police on the concurrent list as recommended by the APC True Federalism Committee so that we have more policing.

“In any case today, more state governments are responsible for the running cost of the police. The Federal Government only pays the salaries of the policemen but the running cost, the logistics, their vehicles, their fuel are all the responsibilities of state governments.

“So, what are we afraid of? Let us just amend the constitution and allow state policing and in fact, go further and allow the local governments to have their own police. That way, we will have more security footprints.”

There are over 300,000 policemen in the country but a number of them are attached to VIPs and government officials.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in an apparent move to boost the Force responsiveness to crime, had earlier in the month ordered the withdrawal of police personnel attached to 60 VIPs.


#punchng

Yul Edochie: Sam Dede Laid The Foundation For My Successful Acting Career

Nollywood actor Yul Edochie has said that his senior colleague Sam Dede was his lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Igbere TV reports.

The 38-year-old said this in a tweet while wishing Sam a happy birthday.

He also said Sam laid the foundation for his successful acting career.

“He was my lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt, Theatre Arts Department. He taught us Acting. He laid the foundation for my successful acting career,” he wrote on Monday.

“How can you fail when you have such a Legend as your lecturer. Happy Birthday Boss. The Great @samdedesdx More yrs ahead.”

#yuledozie

Court To Restrain GTB From Deregistering As A LLC To Avoid ₦32 Billion Debt

..
As Innoson seeks an order restraining GTB from transmuting to a Private and a Financial Holding Company until GTB pays it over N32Billion Judgement debt

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has struck out GTB’s motion filed to set aside its earlier decision/order made on 27th February 2019 dismissing GTB’s appeal against Court of Appeal judgement of 6th February 2014 in favor of Innoson Nigeria Ltd

Recall that The Federal High Court, Awka Division on March 27th, 2019, pursuant to Supreme Court dismissing GTB’s appeal, granted leave to Innoson Nigeria Ltd to enforce and execute the judgment and Garnishee Order Absolute made by the court coram Shakarho, J at the Ibadan Judicial Division on the 18th of May 2010 and the 29th of July 2011 respectively. This order was concurrently affirmed by the Court of Appeal in the judgment of 6th February 2014 and by the Supreme Court in its judgment of 27th February 2019.

As Innoson Nigeria Ltd commenced the tedious act of the execution, GTB rushed to the court vide its desperate motion on notice seeking orders staying or suspending the execution embarked by Innoson Nigeria Ltd and also seeking orders setting aside the exparte Orders made by the Court granting Innoson leave to enforce the judgment and to issue the processes of executing same.

Whilst resfusing GTB’s application and staying further proceedings the court further held that the order it made on March 27th, 2019 in favor of Innoson Nigeria Ltd granting it leave to enforce the judgment and issue processes of execution of the judgment are valid; also that all the steps taken to levy executions in pursuance of that order are still valid and are not vacated; whilst all the prayers by GTB in its motion of 1st April 2019 are not granted.

GTB however rushed back to the Supreme Court and applied for an order setting aside the Supreme Court’s judgement dismissing its appeal against the above judgement. However, the Supreme Court struck out the motion on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020.

While Innoson Nig Ltd awaits GTB to come up with a payment plan for it’s over N32Billion Judgement debt, GTB resorted to a scheme of de-registering itself as a public limited liability company and re-registering itself as a private limited liability company and a financial holding company as well. Innoson Nig Ltd, as its creditor, has as a result sued GTB at the Federal High Court and therein seeks the following order of perpetual injunctions:

(a) restraining the 4th Defendant (Corporate Affairs Commission) from deregistering the 1st Defendant (GT as a public limited liability company and or re-registering the 1st Defendant (GT as a private limited liability until it-GTB- pays the outstanding judgment debt of N32, 875, 204, 984.38k arising from Suit Nos: FHC/L/CS/603/2006 and No. FHC/AWK/CS/139/2012 respectively affirmed by the appellate courts in appeal Nos. CA/1/258/2011, SC.694/2014 and CA /E/288/2013 to Innoson Nig Ltd;

b. an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 4th Defendant (Corporate Affairs Commission) from registering or re-registering the 1st Defendant (GT as a holding or financial holding company whether as a public or private limited liability company until it- the 1st Defendant(GT -pays Innoson Nigeria Ltd the outstanding total judgment debt of N32, 875, 204, 984.38k (Thirty two Billion, Eight Hundred and seventy Five Million, Two Hundred and four thousand, Nine Hundred and Eight Four Naira, Thirty Eight kobo) arising from suit Nos. FHC/L/CS/603/2006 and FHC/AWk/CS/139/2012 respectively affirmed by the appellate courts in Appeal Nos. CA/1/258/2011, SC.694/2014 and CA/E/288/2013:

c. An order cancelling the 1st Defendant’s (GTB’s) special resolution and or any other of its resolution that it should be deregistered as a public limited liability company and or be re-registered as a private limited liability company and or a holding company until it -the 1st Defendant (GT- pays Innoson Nig Ltd the total outstanding judgment debt of N32, 875, 204, 984.38k (Thirty two Billion, Eight Hundred and seventy Five Million, Two Hundred and four thousand, Nine Hundred and Eight Four Naira, Thirty Eight kobo) arising from suit Nos. FHC/L/CS/603/2006 and FHC/AWk/CS/139/2012 respectively affirmed by the appellate courts in Appeal Nos. CA/1/258/2011, SC.694/2014 and CA/E/288/2013:

d. an order setting aside the 3rd Defendant’s (Security and Exchange Commission) No -objection to 1st Defendant’s proposal to be re-registered as a private limited liability company and as a holding or a holding financial company:

e. an order setting aside the 2nd Defendant’s (Central Bank of Nigeria) approval -in- principal granted to the 1st Defendant (GT to operate as a holding or a holding financial company.

f. an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd Defendant (Central Bank of Nigeria) from granting the 1st Defendant (GT a financial holding company license and or a final approval to operate or carry on business as a financial holding company whether in its present name or as a private limited liability company until it, the 1st Defendant(GTB )pays the Plaintiff(Innoson Nig Ltd) the total outstanding judgement debt of N32, 875, 204, 984. 38k (Thirty Two Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Five Million, Two Hundred and Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Four Naira, Thirty-Eight Kobo) arising from suit Nos. FHC/L/CS/603/2006 and FHC/AWK/CS/139/2012 respectively affirmed by the appellate courts in Appeal Nos. CA/1/258/2011, SC.694/2014, and CA/E/288/2013.

Cornel Osigwe
Head of Corporate Communications and Affairs
IVM Innoson Group

Hycent Ukwayi Proposes To His Girlfriend In Church (Photos)

A Nigerian man, Hycent Ukwayi proposed to his girlfriend outside the church after the Sunday Mass in Calabar, the Cross River state capital, IgbereTV reports.

Mr Ukwayi is said the be the Special Assistant to the Cross River Governor, on Equal Opportunity.

His friends posted photos from the public proposal on Sunday, November 29, with some poking fun at him, saying that the ''Holy Spirit finally arrested him after running away countless times.''

Ferdinand Akwaji Ayakpo, wrote:

If God want to catch you, there is nothing anyone can do about it. And for the Holy Spirit to arrest a man in the church is something worthy of note.

Just as in the case of Jonah and SAUL who later became PAUL, Hycent Ukwayi has evaded arrest countless times but at the appointed time, God did his work and got him converted.

Brother, may you forever remain a preacher of the gospel and winner of souls for Christ. Receive the grace to live a life worthy of your calling #husband_material."
https://www.facebook.com/10000....3459324783/posts/252

Another friend, Mathias Unimke wrote:

"Hello church members, our brother who has been running away from pumping the big question, I prayed for him as Daddy G.O and the holy spirit arrested him to ask that big question and sister said yes.
Let's congratulate them.
Hallelujah!!
Congratulations husband material Hycent Ukwayi"

Why eight states landed in financial distress —Report

FOR their inability to generate enough revenue to pay workers, other debts, and prioritizing recurrent over capital expenditures, eight states in Nigeria have landed in financial distress.

Fresh report published by BudgIT showed that their respective total revenue was not enough to fund their recurrent expenditure obligations (salaries, overhead, debt service obligations) and meet their respective loan repayment schedules that were due in 2019.

According to BudgIT, the worst hit of these eight states are [i]Osun, Bauchi , Plateau, Gombe, Adamawa, Ekiti, Kogi and Oyo State.[/i]

“This could indicate early signs of distress particularly for states in this category who have very low revenue generation capacities. “Without cutting down certain components of their recurrent expenditure or radically growing their internally generated revenue, the affected states may have to borrow to fund parts of their recurrent expenditure. Finance experts describe financial distress as any situation where an individual’s or company’s financial condition leaves them struggling to pay their bills, especially loan payments due to creditors. Severe, prolonged financial distress may eventually lead to bankruptcy,” the report read in part. In its 2020 Revised State of States Reports, which measure epidemic preparedness of states, BudgIT stated that soaring debt burden, imprudent fiscal planning, and nearly a decade of misplaced expenditure priorities have beaten a clear path to fiscal crisis for a majority of Nigeria’s 36 states.

In the 2020 Fiscal Sustainability Index, some states ranked higher than others, but most are still below the sustainability point, except for Rivers State which occupies the number one position on the index. It noted that Rivers State is able to meet its recurrent expenditure with only internally generated revenue (IGR) and value added tax (VAT).

It also has a total revenue greater than its total debt and prioritises capital over recurrent expenditure. It further stated that states already face significant human development issues – poverty, unemployment, underemployment, avoidable disease outbreaks (excluding COVID-19) and a host of third-world problems.

“To solve these issues, each state needs to, first and foremost, be a sustainable subnational entity – that is, the state is generating enough revenue to pay its workers, its creditors and still have significant left over to cover capital expenditure interventions for solving development issues,” the organization advised.

Based on their fiscal analysis, only five states in the country, according to BudgIT, are prioritising capital expenditure over recurrent obligations.

They are Rivers, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Kebbi. “However, the quality of the capital expenditure still leaves much to be desired as explored in the narratives for the respective state profiles.

“The remaining 31 states in the country prioritised recurrent expenditure according to their 2019 financial statements.

“Recurrent expenditures are not necessarily a bad thing especially when skewed towards sectors like health and education which have expenses like payment of teachers and doctors salaries that are recurrent in nature.

“However, of the states in this category, 11 had overhead costs that were larger than their capital expenditures. These 11 states are: Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Ekiti, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba,” the report read in part.

Turkish police storm RCCG church in Istanbul to arrest members for allegedly flouted COVID-19 social distancing rules (video)

A video making rounds online captured moment some Turkish police officials stormed a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) building in Istanbul, to arrest members for allegedly flouting COVID-19 social distancing rules.

The Turkish police officers were seen effecting arrests in the viral video as those present questioned why such action will be taken in a church.

A lady who was also heard speaking in the background, expressed gratitude of being one of the lucky ones who escaped from the church.

Facebook user and Istanbul-based entertainer, MC Merriment who shared the video wrote;

Live in Istanbul @ RCCG

PASTOR LAZARUS MUOKA’S SECOND SON TIES THE KNOT.

HEARTY CONGRATULATION TO PASTOR CALEB AND HIS WIFE, SISTER JOY EZE , AS THEY START THEIR MARITAL JOURNEY

It is another beautiful day in The Lords Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, today Saturday November 28, 2020.

The Wedding of Pastor Caleb Muoka to Sister Joy Eze is a match made in Heaven. The congregation were agog in jubilant praises to Jesus Christ, the God of Chosen.

In the characteristic simplicity of the General Overseer, the wedding ceremony was simple, glorious and well attended. The children of our General Overseer have continued to follow suit in this pattern.

On behalf of all Chosen brethren worldwide, we celebrate with this beautiful couple and the family of our General Overseer.

May God continue to nourish Pastor Caleb & Sister Joy Muoka and preserve them as the apple of God’s eye in Jesus Christ name. Amen.

#gossip

PASTOR LAZARUS MUOKA’S SECOND SON TIES THE KNOT.

HEARTY CONGRATULATION TO PASTOR CALEB AND HIS WIFE, SISTER JOY EZE , AS THEY START THEIR MARITAL JOURNEY

It is another beautiful day in The Lords Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, today Saturday November 28, 2020.

The Wedding of Pastor Caleb Muoka to Sister Joy Eze is a match made in Heaven. The congregation were agog in jubilant praises to Jesus Christ, the God of Chosen.

In the characteristic simplicity of the General Overseer, the wedding ceremony was simple, glorious and well attended. The children of our General Overseer have continued to follow suit in this pattern.

On behalf of all Chosen brethren worldwide, we celebrate with this beautiful couple and the family of our General Overseer.

May God continue to nourish Pastor Caleb & Sister Joy Muoka and preserve them as the apple of God’s eye in Jesus Christ name. Amen.

#gossip