Geezwild - Latest Sport News, Australia News, New Zealand News and Pacific News

Geezwild

Our aerosol emissions are blocking a third of the climate warming

by Roheeni Saxena

The Arctic has seen the biggest proportion of our climate's warming.

NASA GISS

The climate is driven by a complicated interaction of factors. While greenhouse gases contribute to warming, other influences produce a cooling that may mask the full effects of greenhouse gases. We knew that aerosolized particulates produce a cooling effect, but it has been difficult to figure out how large this is, given the ongoing warming.

Research presented in Nature Geoscience now tries to put a number on the aerosol effect. Additional work on the same issue shows that recent changes to emissions regulations may have strongly accelerated the warming happening in the Arctic.

Aerosolized particles in the atmosphere scatter light and cool the planet by reflecting some of the Sun’s light back out into space. Additionally, these particulates may act as catalysts for the formation of clouds, allowing water droplets to accumulate around them. Clouds have a mixed impact on the climate, reflecting incoming sunlight while also insulating the planet to a degree. This particular interaction, between aerosols and clouds, remains a source of uncertainty in climate science.

Storelvmo et. al. use observational climate data from three data sets that span 1964 to 2010 to calculate how global temperature would have evolved if carbon dioxide emissions had remained at 1964 values. Their analysis shows that the cooling effects of aerosols masked approximately one-third of the global warming that is attributable to increased greenhouse gas concentrations; this masking effect is strongest before 1990.

Though global climate change is affecting the whole planet, the Arctic has seen accelerated warming compared to the rest of the planet. The reasons for this amplified Arctic warming are still not completely clear. A paper published by Navarro et. al. in the same issue of Nature Geoscience suggests that it, too, comes down to aerosols. The paper uses climate models to show that European emissions regulations, which reduced the output of aerosol particulates starting in 1980, may have inadvertently contributed considerably to Arctic warming by reducing the aerosol cooling effect.

Navarro et. al. simulate the global climate using the Norwegian Earth System Model to study this phenomenon. Their investigations incorporate sulfate-based aerosols by including the real emissions reductions that occurred in Europe between 1980 and 2005, comparing that to a scenario where those emissions reductions had not occurred (it fixes emissions at the 1980 levels).

The results show that an average of half the Arctic warming during this period may be explained by the reduction in emissions from Europe, which reduced aerosolized sulfates and their cooling effects. In other words, an action taken to protect the environment may have actually ended up causing some harm. The results are surprising because aerosolized sulfur particles typically do not last long in the atmosphere, so it was expected that the effects of these particles would be primarily localized to the area producing the emissions.

Taken together, these two articles demonstrate the profound effects of human emissions on the environment. The degree to which aerosol particulates can mask greenhouse warming has been unclear and may have been underestimated due to uncertainty about the effect of clouds. These papers suggest the impact has been significant and that, as we clean up aerosols, we may also be enhancing future warming.

Our aerosol emissions are blocking a third of the climate warming

Reviewed by Bizpodia

Geezwild

MH370: Mozambique debris 'almost certainly' from missing Malaysia Airlines plane

One piece of debris, possibly from MH370, was found by a South African tourist in Mozambique
Reuters

Two pieces of debris found in the African nation of Mozambique are "almost certainly" from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australian officials have said.

An investigation team from Malaysia found both pieces were consistent with panels from the plane, Australia's Transport Minister Darren Chester said.

If confirmed, it would represent only the second and third pieces of debris recovered from MH370, which went missing with 239 people on board in March 2014.

A piece of the wing from the missing flight, called a flaperon, was found in the Indian Ocean island of Reunion in July last year.

"The analysis has concluded the debris is almost certainly from MH370," Chester said.

"That such debris has been found on the east coast of Africa is consistent with drift modelling... and further affirms our search efforts in the southern Indian Ocean."

'Search continues'

One of the pieces recovered from Mozambique was found by a South African tourist, while the other was found separately by an American lawyer.

The two parts were flown to Canberra for

analysis,

while a third piece found in South Africa bearing the logo of the engine maker Rolls-Royce is yet to be analysed.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau commissioner Martin Dolan told the New York Times there were no serial numbers on the two parts.

"But we are very certain these are from MH370," he said.

The fate of MH370 remains one of aviation's biggest unsolved mysteries
Reuters

Flight MH370 was heading from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board when it vanished on 8 March 2014.

It is believed to have veered a long way off course before crashing in the southern Indian Ocean.

Chester added: "The search for MH370 continues. There are 25,000 square kilometres of the underwater search area still to be searched.

We are focused on completing this task and remain hopeful the aircraft will be found."

The three countries involved in the search for MH370 – Malaysia, China and Australia – have indicated that they will call off their search once they finish scanning the sea floor in a targeted area of the Indian Ocean.

Geezwild

Journalists in line of fire over reporting of terror attacks

Two controversies around the Brussels attacks have shown yet again the thin line the media must tread between breaking the news quickly and not compromising police enquiries.

Journalists gather near Brussels airport in Zaventem following blasts on March 22, 2016 AFP/John Thys

A journalist works at Brussels Airport in Zaventem on March 23, 2016, a day after triple bomb attacks in the Belgian capital killed about 35 people and left more than 200 people wounded AFP/Yorick Jansens

Journalists wait on the Saint-Denis place near the site where shots were fired in the southern Forest district of Brussels on March 15, 2016 during a major Belgian-French anti-terror operation in Brussels linked to the Paris attacks AFP/Laurie Dieffembacq

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (C) and Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur (R) speak to the journalists on the Place de la Bourse in central Brussels, on March 23, 2016 as people gather to pay tribute to the victims of the Brussels airport and metro bombings AFP/Aurore Belot

PARIS: Two controversies around the Brussels attacks have shown yet again the thin line the media must tread between breaking the news quickly and not compromising police enquiries.
Just two days before jihadists struck the Belgium capital Tuesday, the police had criticised "the irresponsibility of a certain outlet" which had published information "far too early" about the missing Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam, "causing us problems".
Hours before Abdeslam was arrested Friday after four months on the run, the French weekly news magazine L'Obs revealed that his fingerprints had been found in an apartment near Brussels.
Police moving in to arrest Abdeslam found the outside broadcast van of a Flemish-language TV channel parked only metres from his hideout.
Then on Wednesday two Belgian news websites had to retract reports claiming that an as yet unidentified third suspect involved in the Brussels airport bombings had been arrested.
It prompted the BBC's veteran Europe correspondent Chris Morris to tweet, "This morning's reporting an object lesson in why all should be careful about quoting anonymous sources secondhand."
INTERVIEWS WITH GUNMEN
To their credit, Belgian media had respected the news blackout demanded by police in Brussels as they carried out a series of raids days linked to the Paris attacks in November, in which 130 people were killed.
The French government watchdog had earlier praised the way its media had covered the Paris attacks after criticising several outlets' coverage of the Charlie Hebdo and kosher supermarket shootings which took place in January 2015.
Reporters then had managed to interview one of the Kouachi brothers who massacred some of the country's best known cartoonists as police besieged them, as well as Amedy Coulibaly as he held staff and customers hostage in the Hyper Cacher store in the east of the city.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve warned Wednesday that "the media need to be careful to avoid putting out information that is not accurate and could be exploited" for nefarious ends.
"But I don't believe that the news media is getting in the way of the investigators," he told AFP with an ironic smile.
More often than not the media "are late, or you are not very precise, or you haven't got the information," he said. "It is this lag which means the news media does not interfere with the police investigations."
On the ground, however, journalists confronted with a deluge of often unsourced material from social media as well as traditional sources find themselves wondering if they will be accused of not only endangering enquiries but also lives.
"We are in constant contact with the authorities to see if our leads are potentially dangerous (in these type of situations). In that case, we do not publish," said Corinne Audouin, a crime reporter on France Inter.
"Obviously when we are broadcasting live we don't say everything that we know in real time," she added.
- News blackouts -
The day several suspects linked to the Paris attacks were cornered in Saint Denis north of the city, one of the public radio's reporters learned that the police had stopped firing on the apartment because they had run out of ammunition.
"We decided not to broadcast this in case those inside were listening," said Matthieu Aron, an investigative journalist at the station.
Several British and American media commentators, however, were more concerned that the blanket coverage given to the Paris and Brussels attacks sent the wrong message while terror attacks elsewhere were not seen to be so newsworthy.

The Guardian's Roy Greenslade pointed out that suicide bombings that killed 44 in Beirut the day before the Paris attacks got only a tiny fraction of its coverage in the international media.

For Jean-Michel Decugis of the French rolling news television channel iTele, there are times when journalists have to kill their own stories.

"I always ask if the information I have will hamper the police. If they tell me it will, I pretty much always would not put it out," he said.

But such self-censorship in the name of public safety has been taken to extremes in Turkey, journalists there insist.

News and social media blackouts are often imposed by the government after terror attacks, which has already an unenviable record for locking up reporters.

"These censorship measures are always disproportionate and always very vague" like the one imposed after Saturday's Istanbul attack, said Johann Bihr of Reporters Without Borders.

- AFP

Journalists in line of fire over reporting of terror attacks

Reviewed by Bizpodia

Geezwild

US frustration simmers over Belgium's struggle with militant threat

Several US officials have said that security cooperation with Belgium has been hampered by patchy intelligence–sharing by Brussels and wide differences in the willingness of different agencies to work with foreign countries.

Belgian flags seen at a street memorial service near the old stock exchange in Brussels following Tuesday's bomb attacks in Brussels, Belgium, Mar 23, 2016. (Photo: REUTERS/Christian Hartmann)

WASHINGTON: Shortly after last November’s attacks on Paris by a Brussels-based Islamic State cell, a top U.S. counter-terrorism official travelling in Europe wanted to visit Brussels to learn more about the investigation.

When the official tried to arrange meetings, however, his Belgian counterparts were not welcoming, according to U.S. officials familiar with the events. The Belgians indicated it was a bad time to speak to foreign officials as they were too busy with the investigation, said the officials, who asked not to be identified.
Belgian officials declined to comment on the incident.
The brush-off was one small sign of mounting U.S. frustration over Brussels’ handling of its worsening Islamic militant threat.

Concern that the small European nation's security and intelligence officials are overwhelmed - and that its coordination with allies falls short - have again come to the fore following the Islamic State-claimed attacks on Tuesday that killed at least 31 people.

Several U.S. officials say that security cooperation has been hampered by patchy intelligence–sharing by Brussels and wide differences in the willingness of different agencies to work with foreign countries, even close allies.
One U.S. government source said that when American investigators try to contact Belgian agencies for information, they often struggle to find which agency or part of an agency might have relevant information.

Belgium has ordered a sharp increase in security budgets following the Paris attacks, despite being under steady pressure to limit its debt levels under euro zone rules. The government has promised to recruit around 2,500 more federal police, who pursue major crimes, to make up for a shortfall of close to a fifth of the full-strength force of 12,500.

It also says it thwarted a major attack in January 2015, and is eager to cooperate with European and U.S. counterparts.

"These attacks show that more coordination with the United States is clearly desirable," Guy Rapaille, the president of the committee that provides oversight of Belgium’s security and intelligence services, told Belgium’s state broadcaster RTBF.

“But you have to remember that big powers guard their intelligence very closely."

U.S. officials acknowledge the recent Belgian efforts to step up funding and recruitment.
Yet they say Belgian security services are outmatched by the threat in a country that, per capita, has supplied the highest number of foreign fighters to Syria of any European nation.

"They're way behind the ball and they're paying a terrible price," Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told Reuters.

Asked on Wednesday whether Belgium was too complacent over the threat posed by Islamic militancy, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said:

"I want to stay clear of saying that Belgium was somehow caught by surprise or not aware. You know, we collaborate, we work with Belgium closely."

Some U.S. counter-terrorism officials say much of the gap between Washington and Belgium - and some other European countries - is cultural. Europeans' deeper commitment to personal privacy sometimes prevents or delays sharing of information such as travel data - that is taken for granted in the United States.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. government radically reshaped its counter-terrorism agencies. It broke down walls between law enforcement and intelligence authorities, and created new coordinating institutions such as the Director of National Intelligence and National Counterterrorism Center.

Belgium, by contrast, is a patchwork country divided between French and Dutch speakers and with multiple levels of government.

Belgian security chiefs have repeatedly complained that they cannot handle up to 900 home-grown Islamist militants, among the highest per-capita rates in Europe. Belgium does not divulge the exact number of personnel in its security services and military intelligence, but security experts say they appear under-resourced compared to European counterparts.

"Add to that the problem of two languages (French and Flemish), lack of Arabic speakers, and weak coordination between national and local government, you have a huge discrepancy between threat and response," said former CIA official and White House advisor Bruce Riedel, now at the Brookings Institution.

- Reuters

Geezwild

NEWS WORLD

The Latest: Police ID suspect in fatal Michigan shootings

Associated Press

Police investigate the scene early Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016, where people were shot in vehicles outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Kalamazoo, Mich. A man drove around Kalamazoo shooting people at three locations Saturday, leaving six dead and three injured, two of them critically, police said. Police have arrested the suspect in the Saturday, Feb. 20, multiple shootings. (Mark Bugnaski/Kalamazoo Gazette) MANDATORY CREDIT

syndication.ap.orgPolice investigate the scene early Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016, where people were shot in vehicles outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Kalamazoo, Mich. A man drove around Kalamazoo shooting people at three locations Saturday, leaving six dead and three injured, two of them critically, police said. Police have arrested the suspect in the Saturday, Feb. 20, multiple shootings. (Mark Bugnaski/Kalamazoo Gazette) MANDATORY CREDIT

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — The Latest on the shootings in the Kalamazoo, Michigan, area (all times local):
2 p.m.
Kalamazoo shooting victim Mary Jo Nye is being remembered as a teacher who could help even the most reluctant students become better writers.
The 60-year-old retired teacher who lived in Battle Creek, Michigan, was identified by authorities as a victim in the shooting rampage.
Tara Egnatuk, assistant director of the Calhoun Community High School, said she worked for six years with Nye at the alternative school that serves many at-risk students.
Egnatuk says that Nye helped write the charter to create the school. Egnatuk spent hours in Nye's classroom and was mentored by her during the time they worked together.
She says Nye was able to get students to become better writers by taking "baby steps" to get them to open up. She adds that Nye "played a really integral part in a lot of kids' lives."
___
1:50 p.m.
Uber says the man suspected of going on a shooting rampage that left six people dead was one of its drivers.
But spokeswoman Nairi Hourdajian would not say whether 45-year-old Jason Dalton was driving for the ride-sharing service on Saturday when the shootings occurred outside an apartment complex, a car dealership and a restaurant.
Uber's Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan says the company is "horrified and heartbroken at the senseless violence" and that Uber has contacted police to offer assistance in the investigation.
Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting says authorities are investigating a Facebook post that the suspect was an Uber driver who was driving erratically around the time of the shootings. He would not elaborate because of the ongoing investigation.
Uber also released its firearms policy that prohibits both drivers and passengers from carrying firearms in an Uber vehicle.
____
1:30 p.m.
The next-door neighbor of a woman shot first in a rampage that left six people dead says she and her family heard the shooting, ran outside and her neighbor "was on the ground."
Tammy George tells The Associated Press that four bullets went into a closet of her apartment, where her son was playing video games with two friends a few feet away. George says her neighbor was lucky to be alive considering the number of shell casings authorities found.
The woman has not been identified. Police say she was shot multiple times and was seriously wounded in the rampage that began about 6 p.m. Saturday outside the apartment complex on the eastern edge of Kalamazoo County.
George says she made sure the woman's children were OK and told them that their mother was talking and asking about them.
Forty-five-year-old Jason Dalton of Kalamazoo County was arrested early Sunday in Kalamazoo in connections with the shootings.
____
12:40 p.m.
Authorities have released the names of four people killed inside two vehicles parked near a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Kalamazoo during a shooting rampage that left six people dead.
Michigan State Police say the victims were 62-year-old Mary Lou Nye of Baroda and 60-year-old Mary Jo Nye, 68-year-old Barbara Hawthorne and 74-year-old Dorothy Brown, all of Battle Creek. A 14-year-old girl also shot in the restaurant lot remains in critical condition.
State police say four of the victims were inside a Chevrolet Cruze and the fifth victim — Mary Lou Nye — was alone in an Oldsmobile minivan nearby.
The shooting happened shortly before 10:30 Saturday night and was the last of three separate shootings. The suspect in the shootings, 45-year-old Jason Dalton, has been taken into custody.
___
12:15 p.m.
A Michigan prosecutor says authorities are investigating a Facebook post that the suspect in a series of random shootings that left at least six people dead was an Uber driver who was driving erratically around the time of the shootings.
Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting says he is aware of the post regarding 45-year-old Jason Dalton of Kalamazoo County. Getting added that it is part of the investigation, but he was not prepared to discuss it.
Getting says Dalton likely will face multiple counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder in connection with the shootings Saturday. Dalton is expected to appear Monday before a judge in a Kalamazoo County courtroom.
He was arrested early Sunday in Kalamazoo.
Uber did not immediately comment but a spokesman says they are preparing a statement.
___
10:50 a.m.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says "the victims and their families — and the entire Kalamazoo area — should be in everyone's thoughts" after a shooting rampage that killed at least six people.
Prosecutor Jeff Getting says 45-year-old Jason Dalton likely will face multiple first-degree murder and attempted murder counts. Dalton was arrested early Sunday.
The shootings started Saturday evening outside an apartment complex where a woman was seriously wounded. A father and son were slain four hours later at a car dealership.
Four people were killed and a 14-year-old girl wounded 15 minutes later in a restaurant parking lot.
Snyder in his statement Sunday also lauded police, saying "their actions resulted in the suspect being caught before he was able to harm anyone else through these senseless and apparently random acts of violence."
___
8:55 a.m.
Authorities expect the suspect believed to be responsible for a series of random shootings in western Michigan that left at least six people dead will be arraigned Monday afternoon.
Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting says 45-year-old Jason Dalton of Kalamazoo County likely will face multiple counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder when he appears before a judge in a Kalamazoo County courtroom.
Dalton was arrested early Sunday in Kalamazoo. Police say he has no known criminal history.
Police say the rampage began about 6 p.m. Saturday outside an apartment complex on the eastern edge of Kalamazoo County, where a woman was shot multiple times and seriously wounded. A little more than four hours later and 15 miles away, a father and son were fatally shot while looking at vehicles at a car dealership.
Fifteen minutes after that, five people — including a 14-year-old girl — were gunned down in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel restaurant.
___
7:50 a.m.
Police have revised the death count in a series of random shootings in western Michigan that have left at least six people dead.
Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley says a 14-year-old girl who originally had been pronounced dead by medical officials is still alive. Hadley says Sunday morning the teen remained in serious condition.
Forty-five-year-old Jason Dalton of Kalamazoo County was arrested early Sunday in Kalamazoo in connections with the shootings. Hadley says Dalton has no known criminal history.
Police say the rampage began about 6 p.m. Saturday outside an apartment complex on the eastern edge of the Kalamazoo County, where a woman was shot multiple times and seriously wounded. A little more than four hours later and 15 miles away, a father and son were fatally shot while looking at vehicles at a car dealership.
Fifteen minutes after that, five people — including the 14-year-old girl — were gunned down in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel restaurant.
Dalton remained jailed Sunday.
___
6:50 a.m.
Police have identified the suspect they believe is responsible for a series of random shootings in western Michigan that have left at least six people dead.
Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley tells The Associated Press that the suspect arrested early Sunday in Kalamazoo is 45-year-old Jason Dalton of Kalamazoo County.
Hadley says Dalton has no known criminal history.
Police say the rampage began about 6 p.m. Saturday outside an apartment complex on the eastern edge of the Kalamazoo County, where a woman was shot multiple times and seriously wounded. A little more than four hours later and 15 miles away, a father and son were fatally shot while looking at vehicles at a car dealership.
Fifteen minutes after that, five people — including a 14-year-old girl — were gunned down in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel restaurant.
Dalton remained jailed Sunday.
___
6:30 a.m.
At least six people are dead after a series of western Michigan shootings in which authorities say they believe a gunman chose victims at random.
Authorities say a 45-year-old man was arrested early Sunday in Kalamazoo.
Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Paul Matyas says the rampage began about 6 p.m. Saturday outside an apartment complex on the eastern edge of the Kalamazoo County, where a woman was shot multiple times and seriously wounded.
A little more than four hours later and 15 miles away, a father and son were fatally shot while looking at vehicles at a car dealership.
Matyas says 15 minutes after that, five people — including a 14-year-old girl — were gunned down in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel restaurant.
Matyas described the killings as "random murders."

February 21, 2016

Geezwild

I'm not a founder or sponsor of Boko Haram sect - Ali Modu Sheriff Tony Nwajei's photo.

Former Borno governor Ali Modu- Sheriff who recently was appointed Chairman of PDP says he's not a sponsor or founder of Boko Haram. His emergence as the new PDP chairman this week was heavily criticized with Femi Fani-Kayode calling him the indisputable founder of Boko Haram.

Exonerating himself, Ali Modu- Sheriff - "Boko Haram wanted to kill me at a time because they believed that I was the one that reported them to President Umaru Yar’Adua to destroy their enclave.

"It was after I left government that they moved to their different camps and bushes. Why should they kill my brother? Why should they kill my family if I am a sponsor of Boko Haram? Is there anywhere in the world that you sponsor people to kill you?”

"Let me give you a typical example. Just a week ago, all the social media planted my picture showing me with the card of APC joining the party. At that time, nobody wrote that I was Boko Haram. They said Sheriff was going back to APC; they were showing a card when we registered with APC before I left the party. We went to our villages to do it; that village they are showing on the social media was a village that was taken over by Boko Haram for the past three years. So, how could I have gone there to register?

"Few days after I became the Chairman of the PDP, Ali Sheriff is now Boko Haram; so if you are in APC you are not a Boko Haram. Throughout my period in APC, nobody said I was Boko Haram. Immediately I left the APC, I was termed Boko Haram," he said.

"Nobody in my family or relation is Boko Haram or close to any Boko Haram member. These people that wanted to kill me, up till today, if they have the chance, they will kill me because they think I reported them to Yar’Adua who leveled their places of worship and along the line, their leader was killed.

"And that was my crime and why they wanted to kill me. But people that are afraid of me changed the story and they keep on doing it. Every day, they write different things but you and I know that nobody is above the laws of Nigeria. I believe that President Buhari, even if it is his son or blood brother that is a Boko Haram, he will arrest and prosecute him. So the allegation is the figment of the imagination of the writers," he said.

Source: Thisday

Geezwild

Nnamdi Kanu: Buhari should stop mocking democracy with ‘ojuju calabar’ (masquerade) trial – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described attempt by the Federal Government to secretly to try the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, by using mask-wearing prosecution witnesses as mockery of democracy, saying Nigerians must force President Mohammadu Buhari to purge himself of the blood and water of dictatorship flowing in his veins.

In a release issued on Saturday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said “it is shameful that the Federal Government could approach the court for witnesses in a criminal matter it is prosecuting to wear mask and be seen through screen.”

He said even the prosecuting counsel, who filed the application should be ashamed of themselves for making themselves available to be used as tools to subvert democracy.

“They want Kanu tried secretly. They also want the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) tried secretly. What are they afraid of?

How can the Federal Government ask the court to allow ‘ojuju calabar’ (masquerade) as prosecution witnesses when we are not under military rule?

“How would such witnesses be cross-examined by defence lawyers and can their real identity be ascertained?

“Should anyone make allegations that he cannot be bold enough to defend in the law court? Why are the witnesses afraid to testify in an open court if truly they are witnesses of truth?

“Clearly, this is mockery of democracy and the rule of law and Nigerians should know that it is their duty to purge President Buhari of dictatorship,” Governor Fayose said.

While hailing the judiciary for once again rising in the defence of democracy by saying no to the anti-democratic plot of using masquerade as witnesses, Governor Fayose said; “As it is now, only the judiciary can save Nigeria from the full-blown dictatorship that this Buhari-led APC government has become.

“Interestingly, they are not even sparing the bench from their regime of blackmail and dictatorship, and it has become necessary for our men of the bench to continue to stand firm against enemies of democracy and rule of law.”

Geezwild

NEWS WEIRD

Jonathan’s abducted nephew found dead in Bayelsa

Mr. Samuel Oki, a nephew of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was today found dead in a creek in Otuoke community, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The 35-year-old was reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday alongside the 72-year-old foster father of Jonathan, Chief Inengite Nitabai.

It was learnt that some fishermen from the former President’s community in Otuoke, discovered Oki’s decomposing body floating on Otuoke river while fishing, two days after the abduction.

Some indigenes of the community said though many were not aware of Oki’s whereabouts during the abduction of Nitabai, the discovery of his body in the creek has, however, heightened their fears of Nitabai’s safety.

Some community members claimed that the sound of gunshot heard during the abduction of the septuagenarian might have been targeted at the deceased.

A community source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said “We are worried about the safety of our uncle, Chief Inengite Nitabai. The men that abducted them have killed Oki and we pray they don’t touch our uncle.”

The deceased, community sources said, was always seen in company with Nitabai.

The villagers, who were reportedly seen discussing the sad incident, alleged that the young man (Oki) tried to resist the kidnappers.

According to them, divers and local fishermen had recovered the body and anchored it by the riverside to prevent the body from being washed away.

This is the second time Nitabai has been kidnapped. He was first kidnapped On February 28, 2014 and later freed by security forces on March 10, 2014.

Geezwild

Woman dies on Port Harcourt-Lagos flight

Two days after a middle – aged female passenger died at the toilet of the Lagos Airport, Friday another female passenger on board Arik Air’s Port Harcourt-Lagos flight was confirmed dead on arrival by medical personnel at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Domestic Terminal 1, Ikeja, Lagos.

The spokesman of Arik Air, Mr Adebanji Ola disclosed this Friday.

The lady according to the airline boarded the flight from Port Harcourt in company of her husband and cousin.

The cause of death is yet to be ascertained.

Meanwhile, Arik Air is increasing its frequency on the Lagos-Dakar (Senegal) route to a daily service up from six weekly flights commencing February 22, 2016.

The new schedule will operate with four of the Lagos-Dakar flights routed via Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire instead of the previous routing via Banjul.

The other three flights will continue to operate via Accra, Ghana.

The Lagos-Abidjan-Dakar service will operate on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday while the Lagos-Accra-Dakar service will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

With the new schedule, Arik Air will be able to provide its customers convenient access between Lagos, Abuja, Accra, Abidjan and Dakar markets.

The airline will also be increasing its frequency on the Lagos-Banjul route from three weekly to four weekly flights effective March 14, 2016. All the flights will be operated via Accra using a Boeing 737-700 Next Generation (NG) aircraft.

The Lagos-Accra-Banjul service will be operated on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, making Arik Air the only airline operating non-stop from Banjul to Accra. Additionally, Abuja passengers can connect conveniently to Banjul via Accra on all four days.

Arik Air’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Suraj Sundaram commented: “Being the largest airline in West and Central Africa comes with the responsibility to meet the increasing demand from our customers to improve connectivity in the region. We are committed to improving these connections to facilitate the movement of passengers and cargo seamlessly across our expanding network.”

Geezwild

Louis Vuitton hires private eye to catch rip-off merchants

Metro Reporter

Men caught by undercover detectives selling counterfeit designer goods — Muhammad Ali was caught selling a fake Louis Vuitton bag (Picture MENS Syndication)

Top designer firms like Louis Vuitton hired a private eye to track down counterfeit criminals pushing £1 million worth of fake good.
Officers went undercover as customers to catch out four shops in Cheetham Hill area of Manchester.
Retired DCI David McKelvey spearheaded ‘Operation Mordor’ at his investigation firm TM Eye Ltd.
They discovered the criminals were using WhatsApp to advertise the fake products.

One shop sold a replica red Mulberry handbag for £18 – genuine price £795.
A second shop sold a knock-off Louis Vuitton travel bag for £23 – genuine price more than £1,000.
On top of that, a police raid last December at a premises in Bury New Road and Harris Street was worth a whopping £1 million at genuine prices.
Four men who work in shops selling counterfeit clothes, jewellery, electrical items and accessories were arrested.
All four pleaded guilty to charges of selling or possessing counterfeit goods at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.

Manchester Magistrates Court Operation with raids on two premises in the Cheetham Hill area and the service of criminal summons on four suspects. Counterfeit goods valued at over £1 million were seized and filled an entire 40-foot container nPic Riasat Ali leaving court nn — Riasat Ali (Picture: MENS Syndication)

Riasat Ali, 42, of Crumpsall, Manchester, sold four fake Louis Vuitton compact mirrors and SuperDry jackets and t-shirts at a shop on Great Ducie Street in Cheetham.
He was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, with 200 hours of unpaid work.
Muhammad Ali, 38, of Manchester, was caught at a store on Great Ducie Street selling a fake Louis Vuitton bag that retails for £685.
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work.

Mohammadawa Nazari, 40 of Cheetham, sold fake Louis Vuitton handbags and earrings, Chanel earrings, a Mulberry clutch and a Jimmy Choo handbag from
a store in Harris Street.
Eraj Nezamuddin, 28, of Salford, was caught selling fake Mulberry and Louis Vuitton bags.
Both Nezamuddin and Nazari are due to be sentenced next month.
Mr McKelvey said outside court that the UK economy has lost around £100 million to this type of criminal activity.
At the slightest suspicion of any police or trading standards activity in the area, the shops close immediately.
The area is the effective hub for most of the fake goods that enter the UK.
The losses to the UK economy from this criminality in the period of Operation Mordor were vast, probably in excess of £100 million.

Prosector Sarah Wood told the court the men were ‘effectively acting as wholesalers’ and were employed to work by others.
Four more suspected sellers have now been issued with court summonses as the investigation continues.

February 19, 2016

Geezwild

METRO NEWS

Abuja-Kaduna train for launch May – Amaechi

The minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the Abuja-Kaduna rail project is 100 per cent completed and will be launched in May.

Mr. Amaechi announced this at Idu, Abuja, on Thursday, while inspecting the project along with the contractors, China Civil Engineering Construction Company.

According to him, before the launch by President Muhammadu Buhari, the rail would be test-run in March, adding that during that period, passengers will board for free.

“The essence of my tour is to enable us assess whether we are ready for commercial activities and I think we are. I will be travelling from Abuja to Kaduna tomorrow through the rail.

“In March, they should start the test-run of the rail services for free, then the proper commercial activity will start in May, where we expect the president to flag-off the use of coaches,” he said.

He said N150 billion would be used to execute the national rail project, with another N60 billion for the Lagos-Kano standard gauge and yet another N60 billion for the Lagos-Calabar project.

“What we are doing is implementation of what we met in office. We are not among those who will abandon good ideas.

“If we see an idea that is good, we will adopt it. The Lagos-Kano project was awarded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and we are flying with it.

“The Lagos-Calabar project was awarded by former President Goodluck Jonathan and we are also flying with it. What we are doing is implementing those projects that have not been implemented for so many years,” the minister said.

He further said Idu, the location of the rail, was too far from the city centre, adding that the contractor should make provisions for temporary stations in the city.

Mr. Amaechi suggested that since the Abuja light rail project was yet to commence, the tracks could be used to pick passengers from the city centre to Kaduna.

“The Abuja light rail is expected to start from Abuja and de-board passengers at Idu from where such passengers will move to Kaduna but since the Abuja light rail is not ready, we shall use their tracks to continue to pick passengers from Abuja until they are ready and then we will disengage the temporary facility.

“The role of the station is to convey passengers to Idu, where they will be transferred to the national rail line to proceed to Kaduna,” he explained.

He said the only challenge with the project was the fencing aspect.
(NAN)

Geezwild

NEWS WILD

I will leave no stone unturned to rid Nigeria of corruption - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday insisted that no stone will be left unturned in his stride to rid the country of corruption.

He made the remark during a reception for members of the diplomatic corps at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Stressing that Nigeria’s democracy is growing and gaining ground, he said that there is no alternative to democracy.

He said: “We are resolved to build a stable and prosperous Nigeria, a country that is inclusive of all her diverse peoples and a country that is at ease with itself.

“Building such a country will not be possible where corruption is pervasive. Mindful of this, it has become necessary to wage a relentless war against the cancer of corruption. So long as corruption holds center stage in the affairs of Nigeria, the country will continue to suffer incalculable harm.

“You are witnesses to the preliminary findings that have emerged in the past few weeks from our investigations into corrupt practices in different sectors of Nigeria’s Public Service.

“I will leave no stone unturned in the efforts to rid Nigeria of corruption. I must however, add that in doing this, we shall operate within the ambit of the law.

“In a similar fight in the past, and armed with the might of military muscle, I led a government that required persons presumed to be corrupt to prove their innocence. Today, as committed democrats, and in a culture of deepening democracy, we respect the law that presumes all persons innocent until they are proven to be guilty.” He said

The President added: “We are also convinced that there is no alternative to democratic governance, adherence to the rule of law, respect for human rights and adherence to constitutional order. Upholding these values remains the essential for peace, stability and development.”

He noted that the war against terror cannot be won by the military alone, but by soft approach that speaks directly to the human mind.

While stressing that the Armed Forces have been given specific instructions on rules of engagement to treat captured terrorists humanely and to avoid civilian casualties, he said that his administration has witnessed resurgence in the morale and will of the Nigerian Armed Forces to dislodge Boko Haram from their bases in the North East.

He said: “The changes in both command structure and operational tactics have brought about significant gains on the ground.

“It is worthy to note that when I assumed office on May 29, 2015, Boko Haram had full control of fourteen (14) Local Governments Areas in the North East, but today, the group holds no territory in Nigeria.

“They are hiding in Sambisa forest and occasionally undertake cowardly attacks on innocent citizens in soft targets.” He said

The President said that people who were once internally displaced from their homes for years are gradually returning to rebuild their homes, communities and livelihood.

“As the security situation continues to improve, and as more people return to their homes, government will spare no effort to support them with robust programmes and projects to hasten the process of rehabilitation and resettlement.” He added

Noting that the General T.Y Danjuma-led Committee has been saddled with the responsibility of coordinating the rehabilitation and resettlement efforts, he thanked friends and partners for their invaluable support towards Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram.

He said: “We are quite aware that the war on terror will not, and cannot be won by military means alone. We need a soft approach that speaks directly to the human mind. Poverty and hunger do not only incapacitate, but they can lead to desperation.

“We are also aware that poverty and marginalization, amongst other factors, can easily create room for indoctrination and co-option into violent extremism.

“Accordingly, we are paying attention to those economic programmes that will lead to empowerment of the people and thus provide an alternative lifestyle of fruitful engagement rather than resort to extremist and terrorist activities. Job creation and provision of quality education are key areas that are already receiving our attention.” He said

While saying that Nigeria has no choice and cannot afford to be an island in itself, he said that the Foreign Policy vision of his administration is anchored on meaningful engagement with Nigeria’s neighbors, the African continent and the world at large.

“We would continue to build strong partnerships, strengthen regional ties and promote global solidarity. Nigeria will remain a responsible and active member of the international community; promoting tolerance, accommodation, reconciliation and pacific settlement of disputes. We will also continue to shoulder responsibilities in peace keeping under the auspices of the United Nations.” He said

Noting that it is a duty not to hand down to the next generation a world that is deeply divided and threatened by nature, he commended the global adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

“Today we can celebrate these great achievements in the hope that full implementation and delivery on the promises of these frameworks, will lead to growth and development.” He said

He promised that Nigeria will accord priority to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and the commitments of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

He said: “We are under no illusion that achieving these objectives will be easy. We are however, undaunted in our resolve to overcome. We will continue to do all we can to make life safe for our citizens and all residents of Nigeria.”

To those interested in doing business in Nigeria, he said: “We are open for business. We invite those who are ready to come to invest in Nigeria. We will protect their persons as well as their investments.”

According to him, his administration will take the necessary steps to overcome new and old challenges in the country and enhance national unity, internal cohesion and give Nigeria the image that will be a pride to Nigerians, friends in Africa and beyond.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Dean of Diplomatic Corps who is the Camerounian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Saladeen Abbas, said that the reception was a milestone in the history of diplomatic corp in the country.

“The massive turn out of my colleagues is a testimony that we love Nigeria, we love Baba Buhari.” He said

He congratulated the President for the steps being taken to tackle the challenges facing the country.

Stressing that the President’s actions are already yielding results, he said that the international community will continue to support Nigeria.

Even with the falling oil prices at the international market, he was certain that there is light at the end of the tunnel for Nigeria with President Buhari at the saddle.

Geezwild

Again: President Buhari to leave for Egypt

President Buhari will depart Abuja on Friday February 18th for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt to participate in the Business for Africa, Egypt and the World Forum.

A statement by the Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, states that the forum, which opens in the Egyptian resort town on Saturday, February 20, 2016, is being organized by the Egyptian government under the auspices of the African Union Commission..

According to the statement,

"the forum's objective is to accelerate private sector engagement and investment within Africa and promote the development of African ties and partnerships". President Buhari, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt and the Presidents of Togo, Sudan, Kenya, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia are among confirmed speakers at the forum. Other confirmed speakers include the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and the President/CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote. President Buhari will be accompanied on the trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelama. He will return to Abuja at the conclusion of the forum.

Geezwild

Buhari apoints Tolu Ogunlesi as Special Assistant on Digital/New Media

President Muhammadu Buhari today appointed Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi as his Special Assistant on Digital/New Media.

The appointment was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.

Ogunlesi, who is a renowned blogger and journalist, graduated from the University of Ibadan in 2004, and obtained a Masters’ degree in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, UK, in 2011.

Before his appointment, Ogunlesi had worked as a Features Editor and Editorial Board member of NEXT Newspaper.

He also worked as a West Africa Editor for The Africa Report magazine from 2014 to 2015.

Ogunlesi is a two-time winner of the CNN Multichoice African Journalism Awards, and a 2015 New Media Fellow of the United States State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Programme.

Adesina said Ogunlesi will be assisted by Bashir Ahmad, who is a Personal Assistant to the President on New Media.

Geezwild

We have no reason to fail – Buhari

In a keynote address at the public presentation of a book, Nigerian Century written by Dare Babarinsa at the Shehu Musa Yaradua centre in Abuja, President Buhari said with the abundant human and natural resources in the country, with proper harnessing, the country would attain its greatness.

The president, who was represented by the former governor of Ekiti state and deputy chairman of the All Progressive Congress in the South, Segun Oni noted that only a Nigeria could have given meaning to the “indomitable spirit, boundless energy, collective creativity, cultural diversity and unique sense of enterprise” of Nigerians.

“Yes our land is blessed by Providence with riches in oil and gas, iron ore, gold, limestone and almost all the minerals of this earth. Our soil can grow almost any crop and our vegetation supports animal life as varied as creation can manifest.

Our rivers and coast lines are rich with fishes and various kinds of life. Yet, despite these bounties from nature, I have no doubt that the greatest blessings of Nigeria are the people of Nigeria, the wonderful people that gives expression to thegrandeur and majesty of our beloved country” he said.

President Buhari recalled that though Nigeria “was born in adversity, nurtured to adolescence in the turbulence of the colonial period and its majesty was forged in the furnace of hard experience of the post-colonial era” the country has been able to over come its challenges to emerge as the biggest economy in Africa.

“Today, our country has the fastest growing economy in Africa and one of the fastest in the world. Our dominance is not so much because of our wealth, but because of the tremendous energy and resourcefulness of our people. How many countries of the world can parade the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka, Jay Jay Okocha, King Sunny Ade and Alhaji Aliko Dangote literally under the same roof?” he asked rhetorically.

While paying tribute to the nation’s pre-independence leaders, the president equally hailed former presidents Olusegun , Umaru Yaradua and Goodluck Jonathan for nurturing the country’s democracy for the last sixteen years. “We are in debt to the Founding Fathers of our Republic, Herbert Macaulay, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and many other heroes of the anti-colonial struggle.

They hoisted for us the banner of freedom that we are still enjoying till today. As President, the experience of each of my predecessors as Chief of State have provided a guiding map for us in moments of hard decisions and when we have to embrace the loneliness of power. The twelve men; Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, General J.T.U Aguiyi-Ironsi, General Yakubu Gowon, General Murtala Muhammed, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, General Sani Abacha, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Mallam Umar Musa Yar’Adua and Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; each have had the unique experience of modulating and moderating the sometimes turbulent temper of our great country” he said.

President Buhari said though there are still challenges facing the nation, its leaders are equal to the task and are ready to deal with the challenges frontally.

“In a century, our country has travelled a long distance. Our resilience had been tested by the turbulence of the sixties, the bloodletting of the Civil War era and the inclement uncertainties of military rule. In the past 16 years, we have enjoyed uninterrupted democratic governance under my leadership and those of my three immediate predecessors, Chief Obasanjo, late Mallam Umar Musa and Dr Jonathan.

“We are still facing challenges that are providing new tests for our resilience and capability for growth, prosperity and sustenance in an atmosphere of security and strict adherence to the Constitution and the Rule of Law.

I can assure you that our great country and her leaders are equal to the challenges ahead. All the outstanding men and women featured in this historic compendium provide the evidence that our country must embrace her destiny which is greatness” the president said. In his remarks, former president Olusegun Obasanjo who was represented by Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi enjoined all Nigerians to contribute to the greatness of the country. According to President Obasanjo, “as long as Nigeria has life, we should give it hope.

We should all resolve to heal Nigeria” he said. The chief presenter of the book, former governor of Lagos state and national leader of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu called on the Nigerian government to discourage the teaching of foreign history in Nigerian schools, nothing that Nigerians children must be taught the history f their nation. He said the 500-page book, Nigerian Century is a “compendium that we can brandish that Nigeria is bigger than 419 and Boko Haram”. The book was reviewed by publisher of Ovation, Dele Momodu.

Geezwild

Nigerian troops clear more Boko Haram enclaves; rescue 195 persons, 300 Cows

Troops of 7 Division Garrison comprising 112 Battalion and Armed Forces Special Forces Battalion yesterday carried out a joint clearance patrol on suspected Boko Haram terrorists locations at Kwaptara, Mijigete, Garin Boka, Mosole, Ngubdori, Ma’asa, Dukje and Gulumba in Dikwa and Bama Local Government Areas of Borno State.

During the operation the troops also rescued 195 persons held hostage, recovered 300 cows, 200 sheep and 130 goats rustled by the insurgents. The troops also recovered military items such as camouflage uniforms as well as rifle magazines and grenades.

A statement from Army headquarters said, “The troops discovered Boko Haram terrorist’s camp, patent medicine outfit and major market at Gulumba. “Quite a number of Boko Haram terrorists were killed and several items were recovered.

This includes 2 logistic trucks, 180 motorcycles, 750 bicycles and various perishable and non-perishable items such as a 100 KVA Mikano generator and grinding machine” the statement signed by Col. Sani Usman said. “The unprecedented feat was achieved through the renewed cooperation and support of the public who provide timely information to the troops.

“Consequently, we would like to thank all those good citizens who provide the timely information and enjoin all to see the fight against Boko Haram terrorists as a collective responsibility to enable us clear the remnants of the insurgents in the north east and other parts of the country”, it added.

Geezwild

NEWS WEIRD

Man remanded in prison for allegedly raping 14- year-old orphan on Valentine’s Day

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday remanded one Abdulsalam Olayinka, 20, in prison for allegedly raping a 14- year-old orphan on Valentine Day.

Chief Magistrate Mr Tajudeen Elias ordered that the accused should be remanded in Kirikiri Prison and adjourned the case till Feb. 24 for ruling on the bail application.

The accused, a trader, who lives at 2, Amodu St., Agege, near Lagos is standing trial for rape. The prosecutor, Insp. Benedict Aigbokhan, told court that the offence was committed on Feb. 14 at No 5, Olanrawaju St., Agege. Aigbokhan told the court that the accused went to his friend’s house but that the friend was not around and he saw the girl in the house and raped her. “He called the victim and dragged her to the top of the house and raped her.

“The victim, who is an orphan screamed but no one in the house came to her rescue except her aged grandmother who stays with her,” the prosecutor stated. The offence according to the prosecutor, contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

Geezwild

PICTURES: Aisha Buhari celebrates her birthday in Aso villa

President Buhari's wife, Mrs Aisha Buhari turned a year older and she had a small party at Aso villa.

Geezwild

No going back on sacked VCs – FG

The Federal Government will not reverse the decision to sack 13 Vice Chancellors appointed by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the government said Thursday.

The government had last week announced the sacking of 12 VCs of federal universities as well as that of the National Open Universities of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Vincent Tenebe.

The decision, which has drawn protests from different groups and civil societies, has generated controversies within the academic circle.

But Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, at the flag off of the 2015/2016 annual school census in Abuja, reaffirmed the sacking of the VCs by the federal government.

Asked why the VC of NOUN Prof. Tenebe, whose tenure had not expired, was removed, the minister explained that he was removed because of the petitions against him.

He said: “Do you reverse government decision simply because somebody has criticized them? I don’t think there is any decision of government not going down well with everyone in the country.

“The ministry has received communications from some people who feel like this and we are looking at this.

“What I am saying is that they have already written to us. We are looking into their complaints. We will reply them.

Adamu said that all states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would be included in the school census.

He said that the exercise would aid educational planning, administration and inform decision making by government.

According to the minister, the current trend in the conduct of the annual school census was informed by the provision of the Nigeria Education Information System (NEMIS) policy of 2007 which provided for the collection of data from schools.

He said: “The Education Management Information System (EMIS) process has since been decentralized to the states to enhance efficiency in the collection, collation, management and dissemination of education data in Nigeria so as to ensure the availability of credible, reliable and timely education data.

“The states therefore conduct the ASC exercise while the Federal Ministry of Education through NEMIS co-ordinates and monitors the process.”

He said that the ministry has concluded arrangement to host the NEMIS software on the internet for real –time online data entry and processing.

“This will further ensure uniformity in data reporting so that end-users will have timely reports for decision making and research. I am optimistic that, beginning from this year, Nigeria’s education data, at the basic and secondary school levels, will be cleaner, more accurate, more accessible and up-to-date,” he added.

Earlier in his address, Minister of the FCT, Musa Bello, said that the census was required to keep up – to –date and comprehensive data in schools in terms of infrastructure, numbers of students and personnel.

“The annual school census is very important because it is the foundation upon which all our planning and therefore policy directions are built.

“I learnt that UNICEF has already supported the FCT’s 2016 school census by printing 7,234 census forms to cater for all public and private schools minus the tertiary institutions within the territory,” he said.