Bankole is standing trial on a 16- count charge of contract fraud proffered against him by the EFCC.

Ahmed, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, attached to the investigations unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told the court that after addresses of the companies allocated the contracts were obtained from the Corporate Affairs Commission, all efforts to trace the addresses proved abortive. He told the court while being led in evidence by prosecution witness, Festus Keyamo.

According to Ahmed “On June 16 2010, my colleagues and I were called by our unit head and our attention was drawn to a petition written against the accused person. The petition was written by Hon. Dino Melaye and some other members. It bordered on the procurement of capital running in 2010 where it was alleged that there was a diversion of public funds, abuse of office and abuse of due process. As soon as the case was referred to us, we commenced investigation by going to the assembly, especially the house of representatives where we accosted those concerned with regard to the contract awarded in 2010. The documents made available to us include bill of quantity, invitation to tender, award letters, agreements, acceptance letters and payment vouchers.

“Letters were written to the clerk of the national assembly and the AGF for details of funds released to the house of representatives in respect of the 2010 budget. A letter was also written to the DG of BPE for the current prices of the items mentioned in the petition. Having collated the responses, addresses of the companies were obtained from the CAC and we decided to do a physical verification for the companies but we could not locate the companies.”

He also added that letters of invitation were written to the Managing Directors of the companies and given to the EFCC dispatch unit, but the letters were returned about three weeks later indicating that the addresses could not be traced.

” After this, we invited the national assembly director of finance, chief accountant, chief driver and the secretary and confronted them with our findings and obtained statements from them. The accused person was equally invited and he voluntarily gave a statement,” he added.

Keyamo thereafter sought to tender Bankole’s statement in the court, but the defence lawyer, Olawale Akoni (SAN)objected on the ground that the statement was a duplicate copy.

The prosecution thereafter asked for an adjournment to enable him furnish the court with certified documents already mentioned by prosecution witness at the next adjourned date.

The trial judge has adjourned the case till April 3 for continuation.

A dependable source in the EFCC told ireports-ng.com that Babalakin was arrested in Lagos on Saturday and detained at the agency’s facility located off Awolowo road, Ikoyi, Lagos where he was interrogated till the following day, Sunday. A source in the team of operatives that quizzed Babalakin said the lawyer turned businessman was interrogated for allegedly providing his company bank accounts through which Ibori transferred over N1.6 billion to offshore accounts.

The funds were said to have been moved from Delta state government accounts through companies owned by Babalakin under the guise of purchasing a jet which was never bought. The senior lawyer turned businessman is the Chairman of Bi-Courteny Aviation which owns the terminal two of the Lagos airport, Ikeja.

The latest information linking Babalakin to funds stolen by Ibori was said to have been provided by the Met Police in London which wants more evidence to prosecute Ibori over money laundering charges in a Southwark court. Ibori’s wife,Nkoyo; his sister,Christie; his mistress, Udoamaka and lawyer have already been convicted and serving various jail terms in the UK.

Though Babalakin has been granted administrative bail on Sunday, there are indications that he may be invited for further questioning if the Met Police that needs his statement is not satisfied with the information already obtained from him.

The Boko Haram kingpin, Kabiru Sokoto had been handed over to Biu in January for further investigation. The suspect however escaped in a controversial circumstance, a development that led to the sack of former Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim. Biu and five other policemen have been facing probe since then. While Biu’s fate was determined by the PSC today,after a five hour meeting,the Nigeria Police will determine the fate of the other five policemen.

On a day the PSC is dishing out punishment to an officer, the Commission also announced appointment of seven new Deputy Inspectors-General of Police. While two of the new DIGs were promoted from the Assistant Inspector General of police rank, the other five were moved from the rank of Commissioner of Police, CP. The lucky AIGs include Suleiman Fakai and Atiku Yusuf while the fortunate Cps moved to DIGs include Marvel Akpoyibo; John Haruna; Emmanuel Kachi; Ude Orji; Abdulrahman Akano and Peter Yissa Gana. A statement from the PSC today confirmed the development. It reads in part:

“The Police Service Commission during its 26th Plenary Meeting held on the 22nd of February, 2012, and in exercise of its constitutional mandate, deliberated on a wide range of issues. The meeting which was presided over by Mr. Parry B.O. Osayande, DIG (Rtd), CFR, OFR, NPM. mni, Chairman of the Commission, took far-reaching decisions aimed at repositioning the Nigeria Police Force for effective service delivery to the Nigerian Nation.

“The Police Service Commission, after due consideration of the role played by Commissioner of Police, Hassan Zakari Biu, in the escape of the Boko Haram suspect, Kabiru Sokoto, today 22nd February, 2012 approved the dismissal of Mr. Hassan Zakari Biu from the Nigeria Police Force with effect from February 22, 2012.

“Also the Commission approved the appointment of seven (7) Deputy Inspectors General of Police. They are:
1) Suleiman Dauda Fakai
2) Atiku Yusufu Kafur
3) Emmanuel Kachi Udeoji
4) Haruna John
5) Peter Yisa Gana
6) Marvel Akpoyibo
7) Abdurahaman O. Akano

“Similarly, the Commission also confirmed the promotion of thirteen (13) Commissioners of Police to Assistant Inspectors General of Police. They are:
1. Solomon E. Olusegun
2. Michael E. Zuokumor
3. Orubebe Gandhi Ebikeme
4. Philemon I. Leha
5. Jonathan Johnson
6. Dan’azumi Job Doma
7. Joseph Ibi
8. Muktari Ibrahim
9. Suleiman A. Abba
10. Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe
11. Saliu Argungu Hashimu
12. Solomon E. Arase
13. David O. Omojola

“Furthermore, the Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim A. Lamorde has been promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police.

“Finally, the Chairman of the Commission called on all personnel of the Nigeria Police Force to rise up to the security challenges confronting the nation as the Commission would not hesitate to wield the big stick on all who would not put in their best towards the furtherance of the Nigeria Police Reform.”

The eminent figures at a public lecture organised as part of the activities marking the 3rd year anniversary of the Mimiko government in Akure,, the state capital on Wednesday, echoed their opinion and urged the people of the state to ensure Mimiko is re elected to enable him take the state to its place of destiny.

Among those who canvassed fresh mandate for Mimiko were retired Anglican Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, former Governor of old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae and former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).

Others included former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong, foremost industrialist, Chief Oba Otudeko, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Olujimi Akinkugbe as well as Ganiyat, the wife of late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi

They spoke at the anniversary public lecture entitled “Of Stated Goals and Proven Performance” chaired by the Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi.

The Lecturer at the event, Professor Akinkugbe, in his lecture said the people will no doubt register their approval and gratitude to Mimiko with their votes in due course because of the pace of progress in all sectors of human endeavour in the past three years.

Saying that though he has no gift of prophetic wisdom, “the visionary instincts that are currently incubating such profound initiatives as the Sunshine City, public private partnerships on power, agro-business, seaport development and so on, gives me the gut-feeling that citizens of Ondo State are not unmindful of the hurricane (not just the wind) of change and will no doubt register their approval and gratitude in due course.

“The way Mimiko has been prosecuting his assignment these past three years demonstrates clearly that he must have embarked on the think-through logistics of good governance even whilst he was still trying hard to retrieve his political mandate.
“He was thinking, he was planning but now he is doing, – through vision-driven Agenda (The Caring Heart), through Quality Assurance in Education, through Agricultural Villages, through Water and Sanitation, Rural Infrastructure and Housing, through urban renewal and bottoms-up rural development programmes. All these and many more constitute what I can now confidently refer to as the building blocks of good governance and the veritable damp-proof course (DPC) of true democracy. They simply do not come about in a weekend.

The former Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan lamented that Nigeria ’s top-level executives and administrators often fall short of meeting society’s highest expectations.

“I have heard it lamented, for instance, by eligible voters queuing at various polling stations at election time, that once the exercise is over, the winner goes on to govern in spite of his promised mandate and not necessarily in keeping with that mandate. And there are few opportunities to challenge him as he journeys through his tenure, sometimes even with impunity. The platform of positive engagement gives way to a litany of unmonitored “achievements” and community’s aspirations are thus short-changed and expectations remain largely unfulfilled.

While applauding the administration’s initiative in tackling maternal mortality, Akinkugbe believed that its adoption by African countries will achieve the targeted reduction in maternal mortality rate by 2015.

“Although many of the stated “millennium goals” relate to health, it is the ones that address infant and under 5s mortality rate (Goal 4) and maternal mortality ratios (Goal 5) that Ondo State decided these last few years to engage aggressively, and achieve an impressive outcome. The ABIYE concept and Mother and Child Centre are perhaps the ones that have put the State on the global map, won laurels for effective leadership and made it a reference point on how to plan, execute and measure the effectiveness of a well-designed health strategy.

“The fact however remains that the “Sunshine strategy” has resonated so effectively within a short space of time that Sub-regional, Regional, Continental and Global parts of the developing world are already applauding, having been seized with its dramatic health dividends. It would be interesting to assess how rapidly these measures, if implemented, will ensure a steady progress toward realizing the targeted two-thirds reduction of under 5s mortality rate and three-quarters of maternal mortality ratio by 2015.

“In every department of life in Ondo State , we have witnessed impactful changes, some immediate and palpable, others medium and long-term, less obvious but no less profound. In it, you can see a combination of redefinition of old strategies (avoiding loopholes), positive interventions and novel initiatives to meet modern challenges” Akinkugbe maintained.

Speaking at the event, Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi blamed Nigerian adults for the country’s woes and traced the bane of good governance in the country to sycophancy and praise-singing .

Acknowledging the robust contributions of his Ondo State counterpart to the development of the country in general, Governor Obi described Mimiko as a national figure whose contributions to national issues are always fundamental at the Governors Forum.He added that most members of the forum have found the template of his initiatives in Ondo state useful as some of the works are already being replicated by some of the governors.

In Akwa Ibom State, it is very terrible situation while our government tries a lot to make a window dressing as if nothing bad is going on; and the very the church that causes this whole problem is trying to blame humanists and atheist groups for the very problem that they initiated in 1999, brainwashing people with films such as “END OF THE WICKED,” “ESCAPE ROOT” and “The COVEN” And books like ”The Seat of Satan Exposed” ”UNVEILING THE MYSTERY OF WITCHCRAFT” written by Apostle Helen Ukpabio. The latter states, in part: “If a child under the age of two screams in the night, cries and is always feverish with deteriorating health he or she is a servant of Satan.” This is however a common phenomenon in the rustic Nigerian communities where malaria epidemic is nothing to write home about and given the avalanche of mosquitoes from pot holes, stench-emitting blocked gullies and garbage heaps

Years back, we witnessed how aged people were accused of witchcraft, causing unheard-of atrocity were abused, neglected or killed openly, (Remember Akpan Ekwong who led the killings of people in the early eighties?); no child was ever accused of being a witch. But after such films, music and pulpit theology laced with fear of witchcraft and how children have taken over the witch world, the fate of Akwa Ibom child changed for the worst. In every 2 children accused of witchcraft in Nigeria 1 is from Akwa Ibom. Outside Nigeria, in every 4 children accused of witchcraft, 1 is from Akwa Ibom State. But we continue to downplay on the magnitude of this problem and castigate those who dare to work or campaign to reverse this ugly and dangerous trend. Thank God that this very story is not written by an Akwa Ibom person otherwise they would have referred it to blackmailing Akwa Ibom State government at the detriment of child

As I write this piece, inside my mind, I frown at Aniekan Umanah, the present Akwa Ibom State Information Commissioner, for lying to the world that no child has ever being harmed or hurt on account of witchcraft while children continue to face death penalty in churches and their family homes. As we walk the streets daily we see more and more children on the Street because the misinforming, sorry LIAR Commissioner of Orientation and Information has disoriented the people and not help to enlighten his society. I frown at him for not educating the people about the wicked brainwash of these vile and renegade churches.

Some journalists who had reported about the true child witch story to expose the atrocity of these churches and the parents, have been paid by Aniekan Umanah and the Liberty Gospel Church to write a reverse story. With time, I believe we will work with some human right lawyers to face his paid journalists for the monumental deceit. All is not yet Uhuru for them. Let them get paid and tell lies about the fate of children of Akwa Ibom origin. But I must strongly commend some of the journalists and right groups who stood their ground and refused to be paid with blood money to sacrifice our children. Those who see the truth and tell it the way it is; those who have refused to be bought to tell lies. I condemn in the strongest possible terms the News Watch magazine and The News for misleading the public with their paid job to belch cannon of lies about the right groups that work to rescue and protect these vulnerable children. Those who are here knows the truth and cannot be deceived

As I write now, one child is facing jungle justice out there for no crime he or she has committed. Her only crime is that she was born to an Akwa Ibom person, or perhaps in a poor family. The Akwa Ibom Child Fate is that of witch branding, stigmatisation, torture, abandonment, suffocation, trafficking, rituals and DEATH. The government has not done anything to enlighten the folk and religious groups on the superstitious belief of child witchcraft simply because most government officials believe that those children deserve such fate since they are guilty as charged. They pay much attention to buy the media to tell the world that those who campaign for stoppage of child stigmatization; torture and killing are doing so for pecuniary reason without offering an alternative.

Thank goodness, the federal government of Nigeria through Dr Idris Kuta, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development recently issued a statement acknowledging child witch palaver and made a strong condemnation on those stigmatised and torture children in the name of witchcraft.

I just read in media how the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio is working with the state House of Assembly to gag the media with headlines such as “Gov Akpabio’s Akwa Ibom Assembly arrogating Power to Itself to Gag Journalists.” “Akwa Ibom Govt moves to gag media over critical reporting of Governor Akpabio”

While I am yet to come to term with this, I will no doubt encourage government to pay attention to the myriads of problem that bedevilled the fate of stigmatised children and do more to curb the menace instead of wasting time establishing repulsive laws that will attract more criticism and cynicism. I agree that the law has been passed since 2008, but how many pastors or parents have been prosecuted. Not a single one! Rather we eulogise them and expect every body to do same. Unfortunate! Apart from the mere arrest and bail-out no one has ever face prosecution. Those who report such pastors to the government or its agency, risk being gunned after, blackmailed, even by same government agents with tacit support from the executive government. Akpabio and his government agents have been very infamous in launching vicious and calumnious attack on the right groups backed up by organisation such as Liberty Gospel Church that invented the child witch imbroglio and indeed phenomenon in Nigeria.

The Story of Victoria from Akwa Ibom State whose parents work in INEC and live in Karu, Abuja tells you that Akwa Ibom Child is not save any where in the world with brainwash launch by the Christian fanatical groups and government inaction or lack of intervention. Victoria’s story reminds me of the Good Samaritan who wasn’t a Christian but stopped to rescue the dying Christ. Barrister Aja N. Aja who rescued Victoria is not from Akwa Ibom and may not be a Christian but dovetailed to help Victoria who is an Akwa Ibom Child.

Apart from the Child’s Right and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) whose, founder (Sam Itauma) and members are Christians all other right groups that are today campaigning for the end to Child stigmatisation are not Christian by inclination or concept but they work tirelessly to save the lives of children who are manacled in churches and starved to death in the name of exorcism and the streets. So what the fusses about atheist and humanist groups when Christian groups have failed us? What the fuss when churches have failed us; when pastors, evangelist, Apostles, Bishop, Prophets have failed us?

I recently attended the attended a UNICEF advocacy meeting here in Akwa Ibom, where a government representative stood up and argued that some of the accused children might be witches. If a government official made such remarks in a high profile advocacy meeting like that, what does one expect how such children will be treated by the an ordinary person?

Such helpless children continue to dot the streets, taking refuge in abandoned structures and becoming prey to human traffickers and ritual killers. What could have happed to all these children if these groups did not step up campaigns to protect them? Reporting such abuse, torture or killing of children on the media is seen as fighting the government. The Akwa Ibom government continues to flaunt its bloated ego sweeping such cruelty on children under the carpet with the archaic cliché “Akwa Ibom Ado Ok”. Meaning Akwa Ibom is Ok! And now, it is “the Uncommon Transformation!” But whatever transformation that may have set in, while the human trafficking business in Nigeria or Africa continues to boom because the syndicates know Akwa Ibom State is a repository of abandoned children only compared to Nepal as a whole, makes such transformation a lip-service.

Truly if the Channel News TV that aired Victoria’s story was in Akwa Ibom, it would not have gone unscathed. The TV anchorman would have been under crucible investigation now by the government security agents. No doubt Governor Akpabio is working round the clock to gag the press using the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly as a puppet, defying the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill that was passed into law by the federal government of Nigeria.

While appreciating the fact that state government had enacted the child protection law, I bemoan bitterly as the implementation still remains a mirage. How many of these pastors or parent have so far been prosecuted, apart from the arrest and bail? One strong question that refuses to depart the lips of many is: What would have happened to the thousands of children stigmatised children if the civil society and right groups had taking to sitting on the fence? Clearly, with about 50 thousands churches in Nigeria, only one church is leading a campaign against witch hunting; with zero tolerance to witchcraft belief. This is Solid Rock Kingdom Church with Apostle John Okoriko. Can other churches and pastors borrow a leaf here?

To this end, I wish to dole out my Diadem of Honour to the right groups and civil society organizations with the following acronyms for working hard to save the witch children of Nigeria: CRARN, UNICEF, NAPTIP, SSN, YHN, CEHRD NHM and indeed the initiator of Anti Child Witch-Hunt Campaign Mr. Sam Itauma for donating time, resources and love for the ostracized children right to life.

Mecky I. Peters writes from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

A statement by the BH Public Policy Forum Chairman, Prof. George Obiozor, stated that Governor Aliyu’s acceptance to speak at the event was a demonstration of his commitment to the unity of Nigeria and peaceful co-existence of the various ethnic and religious groups of the country. He noted that Aliyu has been a strong promoter of the oneness of Nigeria, especially since the beginning of the security challenges that confront the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Other dignitaries to grace the occasion are Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State as Special Guest, while Prof. Anya O. Anya will chair the session.The theme of this month’s Public Policy Forum, according to Obiozor, is “Governance, Social Conflict and the Imperative of Communal Harmony.”

Public Policy Forum is a civic outreach programme organized by Business Hallmark to provide a platform for eminent policy makers to articulate their views on diverse socio-political and economic issues.

Some eminent Nigerians who addressed the Forum in the past include Gov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State; Dr Joseph Odumodu, Director-General, Standards Organization of Nigeria; Dr Oscar Onyema, Director-General, Nigerian Stock Exchange; Mr Osita Chidoka, Corps-Marshal & Chief Executive, Federal Road Safety Corps, among others.

Mr Jonathan expressed his concern about the economic agenda after noticing
copies of the SURE document were being distributed to party chieftains
at the 58th Peoples’ Democratic Party National
Executive Committee meeting held at the party’s national secretariat,Abuja today.

The president went a step further by directing that the document be
withdrawn,stressing that current realities have made nonsense
of the goals articulated in the SURE programme.

According to him, “I think as I came in I saw this SURE book being distributed, we
are withdrawing it, this is the old one, we develop this with the
expectation that we are going to completely deregulate the downstream
of the oil industry, hundred percent removal of subsidy, you know we
could not achieve that though there is increase in the pump price.

“So this has to be adjusted, I don’t want this thing to be
distributed, it will give a wrong impression, Nigerians will start to
say that Jonathan government you promise this, what have you done!
We are working on a new document based on the reality, but we don’t
want to promise what we will not achieve. Those who have it please,
withdraw it, we cannot realize the money that are stated there, but we
will still come up with a document base on what we get ’’.

Mr Jonathan also warned PDP leaders to avoid secret meetings on 2015,
adding that such is constituting distractions to his government.
He advised members of his cabinet interested in 2015, to resign.

His words: “Let me also plead with us those who are interested in the general
elections in 2015, I have noticed that some people have just started
some meetings, it is too early to hold meetings. It is too early to
hold meetings, the idea is that people who were elected into the
offices as governors and President be given some time to work.

“In a situation whereby a governor has not even stayed for a year, the
President has not stayed for a year, you started harassing people for
2015 is another way of saying everything is about elections.
There must be time to work, at the federal level if you are holding a
political office and I notice that you are involved in meetings for
2015 election I will ask you to leave and go and hold your meetings,
because that meeting is too early, government must not be distracted.

“Nigerians are interested on what we put on ground for them, not how
many elections will conduct and we win’’

The deafening sound of the explosions shook the entire city to its foundations as residents especially those around the Baga market scampered for safety.

Spokesman of the military task force,JTF, Lt Colonel Hassan Mohammed who confirmed the incident said some gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram invaded Baga market in the metropolis at about 12 noon and shot three people.

“This afternoon at Baga market, some gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect stormed the market, attacked and shot three civilians. The JTF immediately went to the area and then saw Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). We succeeded in detonating the explosives and killed eight members of the sect,” Mohammed told journalists, adding that three wounded civilians were already receiving treatment at the hospital.

He insisted that no soldier was injured in the attack, adding that a “condone and search operation” by the JTF was going on within the area. A source at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) however disclosed that two bodies were brought to the hospital in a van escorted by a military patrol vehicle after the attack.

It was learnt that the market might have been attacked by the sect to avenge the arrest of one of their members last Tuesday. A lone gunman was said to have strolled into the market located on the outskirt of the metropolis last week and had attempted to pull the trigger of his AK 47 rifle before some traders reportedly grabbed him and handed him over to JTF.

I came upon her story in the course of offering free legal services to a public interest radio program called BEREKETE, which used to air on Kiss FM, but now domiciled in Love FM. She had been cut adrift by her father and his current wife, from Kogi, who held the belief that she was afflicted with witchcraft. They subjected her to sordid ordeals, including waking her up in the dead of the night, lighting candles all around her, forcing her to stand nude in the middle of a circle drawn on the floor with native chalk while ringing bells and chanting, all ostensibly meant to exorcize her.

Her brilliance in school only added to her misery as her parents would interpret her coming first in class as a confirmation of her demonic nature. They spread the news around the neighborhood that she was possessed, even taking it to her school. She thus became a pariah, avoided by her peers and ostracized by her folks. Parents never failed to warn their wards to stay away from her. At a point, her tender shoulders could not carry the burden of parental neglect and social alienation, and she rebelled by withdrawing into herself and refusing to eat or partake in any domestic chores.

Goaded by his Kogi wife, the father shoved her off, claiming he had disowned her. She ended up in a sympathetic neighbor’s home.

The woman, a labour leader in the employ of the NNPC here in Abuja, tried to mediate between father and daughter, but the man would have none of it. He even accused his preteen daughter of being responsible for his failing health. In fact, when I saw the man, my conclusion was that he was afflicted with the VIRUS, but I may be wrong. The matter dragged even to his office where he formally insisted on disowning her.

At length, he formalized it by writing and signing on a pad that she was no longer his child. That was just before the general elections. INEC then took her where nobody knew. It was at that point that the sympathetic neighbour brought the story to the radio show, and that was how I got involved.

I invoked administrative remedies first by writing to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons whose mandate included child abuse. The Agency dawdled and snagged bureaucratic lines all in an effort to appear to be doing something. The long and short of it is that the Agency discovered that INEC dumped her at the motherless home and continued as if nothing happened. All this time, I had not met the unfortunate kid. Then Channels TV was doing a feature on the phenomenon of child witches, and my name came up as a resource person. I gave an interview and then arranged for us to go see the child in person. We did and the story aired.

At a point, she was asked if she would return home to which she retorted: OVER MY DEAD BODY. When pressed for a reason as to why she did not want to return to her father, she said she had found happiness with her friends at the home. I was moved to tears. A child preferring the warmth of strangers to the coldness of her own home!

While reflecting on the impending valentine yesterday, I suddenly remembered her. I called the Channels correspondent and she expressed joy at what I had in mind, regretting that she might not be able to join us due to her frantic schedule. However, she sent her driver with some money as her contribution to the venture. My boss showed tremendous understanding when I let him into my plans, allowing me to work a half day. I bought a couple of gifts and headed for the Karu Children’s Home, where the children were already having a ball, a show having been staged to enable them join the Valentine groove.

My plan to take her out was not to be as the authority insisted all of them had to be at the show. All the same, I presented my gifts to her, which included a beautiful teddy with pink and red ribbons festooned to commemorate the occasion. On sighting it, she beamed, and my heart glowed. I put a call to the Channels person and both of them spoke. As she was about to run in to their show, she bent low, gave me a peck on the cheek and asked if I would come again. Of course I said YES.

Her name is Victoria and she is my Valentine. How did you spend yours?

By Barrister Aja N. Aja

Though details about the explosion are still sketchy, ireports-ng.com learnt that the car bomb was planted by yet to be identified persons,who are suspected to be Boko Haram militants, in a car in front of the Church which headquarters is based in Oregun area of Ikeja, Lagos state. The church is headed worldwide by controversial miracle Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA has however warned residents to steer clear of the area over fears that some unexploded bombs might still be in hidden places in the area.Today’s blast is coming barely two months after Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the bombing of St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, near Suleja on Christmas day . No fewer than 44 persons were killed in the blast.