Facebook deploys AI to fight terrorism on its network

Facebook has started deploying its artificial intelligence capabilities to help combat terrorists' use of its service.

Company officials said in a blog post Thursday that Facebook will use AI in conjunction with human reviewers to find and remove "terrorist content" immediately, before other users see it. Such technology is already used to block child pornography from Facebook and other services such as YouTube, but Facebook had been reluctant about applying it to other potentially less clear-cut uses.

In most cases, Facebook only removes objectionable material if users first report it.

Facebook and other internet companies face growing government pressure to identify and prevent the spread of terrorist propaganda and recruiting messages on their services. Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Theresa May called on governments to form international agreements to prevent the spread of extremism online. Some proposed measures would hold companies legally accountable for the material posted on their sites.

The Facebook post — by Monika Bickert, director of global policy management, and Brian Fishman, counterterrorism policy manager — did not specifically mention May's calls. But it acknowledged that "in the wake of recent terror attacks, people have questioned the role of tech companies in fighting terrorism online."

"We want to answer those questions head on. We agree with those who say that social media should not be a place where terrorists have a voice," they wrote.

Among the AI techniques used in this effort are image matching, which compares photos and videos people upload to Facebook to "known" terrorism images or video. Matches generally mean that either that Facebook had previously removed that material, or that it had ended up in a database of such images that Facebook shares with Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube.

Facebook is also developing "text-based signals" from previously removed posts that praised or supported terrorist organizations. It will feed those signals into a machine-learning system, over time, will learn how to detect similar posts.

Bickert and Fishman said that when Facebook receives reports of potential "terrorism posts," it reviews those reports urgently. In addition, it says that in the rare cases when it uncovers evidence of imminent harm, it promptly informs authorities.

But AI is just part of the process. The technology is not yet at the point where it can understand nuances of language and context, so humans are still in the loop.

Facebook says it employs more than 150 people who are "exclusively or primarily focused on countering terrorism as their core responsibility." This includes academic experts on counterterrorism, former prosecutors, former law enforcement agents and analysts and engineers, according to the blog post. - 

Trump sells Qatar $12 billion of arms days after accusing it of funding terrorism

While President Trump berates Qatar for sponsoring terrorism at the highest levels, he is simultaneously authorizing the country to purchase over $12 billion of U.S. weapons. 

One part of the deal was inked on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., when Qatar's Defense Minister met with U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis.
"We are pleased to announce today the signing of the letter of offer and acceptance for the purchase of the F-15QA fighter jets, with an initial cost of $12 billion dollars," read the Qatari Defense Minister's statement on Wednesday afternoon. 

"We believe that this agreement will propel Qatar's ability to provide for its own security while also reducing the burden placed upon the United States military in conducting operations against violent extremism."

The Qatari ambassador to the U.S. tweeted a photo of the signing. 

The State Department describes this sale as fermenting U.S. efforts to "strengthen the security and defense architecture of the region." They point out that it does not directly conflict with the current regional dispute as it will take years to complete and fill the sale in full. 

"We are confident that Qatar can address its remaining issues within this timeframe, prior to delivery," explains a State Department official. 
Qataris had scheduled Wednesday's trip to formalize portions of this arms deal with the U.S. government about two months ago, according to Qatari and State Department officials.  They want these weapons. So, despite growing tensions and Mr. Trump's repeated hardline stance against their support of Iran and regional terrorist groups, the Qataris came because they want the weapons. 

"We are working on the process related to the signing," said one Qatari official on Wednesday morning. "It is normal. We are in the stage where we want to finalize this deal."
Qataris say the deal demonstrates the "long standing commitment" Qatar has to working with the U.S.

The full arms sale, of over $20 billion, was notified in November 2016. This means it had already been authorized by congress and the executive branch, when President Obama was in office, before the Trump administration came into office. Eventually, Qatar is set to receive 36 American-made F15s.

In the face of the escalating tensions Qataris came to D.C. with a large entourage -- expecting to break ground on the escalating regional standoff. But there is no sign of progress. The State Department has yet to extend an official request for a joint meeting between representatives that are in the nation's capitol from Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Qatar says have still not received the list of demands that the countries have for them. The U.S. has not played a role in passing along request, either.

On Tuesday morning, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubier. He stood silently as Jubier declared to reporters that there "is no blockage of Qatar." Tillerson will have a working dinner with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday night. 

There has been nothing on his public schedule with Qatari leaders. Though Qatar has sent a team, including individuals from Qatar Central Bank, to the State Department to discuss the matter at a technical level. Last week, Tillerson called for an easing of the Qatari ban - but hours later, Mr. Trump did not echo those sentiments.

"The nation of Qatar has unfortunately been a funder of terrorism, and at a very high level," Mr. Trump said on Friday at the White House. He added "the time has come to call on Qatar to end its funding."  

There are more than 10,000 U.S. service members at the U.S. central command base in Qatar. The U.S. commander there has said there are "no plans to change our posture in Qatar" amid a Gulf diplomatic crisis. Qatar is quick to remind the U.S. of this working relationship.

"When no one wanted to host your troops after 9/11, we did. We protected them. Saudi Arabia asked you to leave," said Meshal bin Jamad al Thani, the Qatari ambassador to the U.S. Qataris believe that the blockade of their country is politically motivated by the Saudis in an effort to flex their muscle in the region.

Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the U.S., has suggested that the U.S. consider moving their base there. Qatar has received no indications of U.S. plans to do so, and they are not asking them to leave or change their operations in any way.

"None of our people attacked the U.S.," said al Thani, a nod to the Saudis who were involved in the Sept 11th terrorist attacks. - CBS News 

Kansas man who robbed bank to avoid wife given probation

 

A 70-year-old man who said he robbed a Kansas City, Kansas, bank so he could get away from his wife blamed his actions on depression.

A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced Lawrence John Ripple to probation.

Ripple went to the Bank of Labor — a block from police headquarters — last September. He gave a note to a teller saying he had a gun and was demanding money. After he was given it, Ripple waited for police.

Court records indicate Ripple wrote the robbery note in front of his wife and told her he would rather be in jail than at home.

The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/2sy6BIk ) reports Ripple told the judge Tuesday that heart surgery left him depressed and unlike himself before he robbed the bank.

Serbia president names gay woman as premier in Balkan first

Serbia's president on Thursday named Ana Brnabic as the next prime minister, making her the first openly gay premier in the conservative Balkan region and the first Serbian woman in the top job.

Brnabic, 41, will take up the top job less than a year after she entered politics, becoming public administration minister last August.

The appointment makes her Serbia's first female prime minister and the first openly gay premier in the Balkans, where homosexuality remains a taboo in many parts of the region.

"I decided to propose Ana Brnabic as a prime minister-designate to the parliament of Serbia," President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters.

"I believe that Brnabic has professional and personal qualities to be prime minister... and that along with other ministers she will work on improvement and progress of our Serbia," he said.

Serbia, home to about seven million people, most of them Orthodox Christians, has been eager to show increased tolerance after coming under pressure to improve protection for minorities, including the LGBT community, since it began talks to join the European Union.

At Belgrade's Gay Pride march in 2010, 150 people were injured as hardline nationalists attacked participants and clashed with police, prompting officials to ban the parade for the next three years.

Since then the annual marches have passed without incident, though they are guarded by an extensive security presence.

In interviews since she became Serbia's first openly gay government minister last year, Brnabic expressed hope that people would look beyond her sexual orientation.

"Why does it matter? I don't know why it matters," she told the regional RTV channel last week.

"What is important is whether someone is capable, professional, hard-working, honest, likes their country and wants to work in its best interest."

She is expected to take office as prime minister in the next few weeks.

- A telling choice -

Vucic had been serving as prime minister himself since 2014 until two weeks ago, when he became head of state after winning the presidential vote in April.

While he has won praise from abroad and led Serbia into the EU accession talks, at home he has been accused of authoritarian rule and clamping down on media freedoms.

The presidential job is largely ceremonial, but analysts expect that Vucic will move to consolidate his influence.

Before Thursday's announcement, his SNS party -- which has a comfortable majority in parliament -- said he would make the decision on his successor.

When he appointed Brnabic to his cabinet last year, Vucic said that he was interested only in her work and that "her personal choices do not interest me".

"Vucic is trying to show that Serbia is a free liberal country in which civic freedoms are at a high level," political scientist Boban Stojanovic told AFP.

"That could of course be just a 'camouflage' of the situation as the reality is nowhere near that," he added.

Stojanovic also said that Vucic "wanted to show to all other political actors in Serbia that he is the most powerful person in the country and that no other politician is close to him."

Brnabic, who is not officially affiliated with any party, told RTV last week that the president has "a certain role as a mentor to the prime minister, at least in the first few months".

The premier-designate entered politics after a career in the business sector and local development programmes.

She has an MBA in marketing from Britain's University of Hull and worked as a director at the renewable energy firm Continental Wind Serbia.

Everton signs Pickford from Sunderland for $38.3 million

Everton has signed Jordan Pickford from Sunderland for a club-record fee that could rise to 30 million pounds ($38.3 million), making him third most expensive goalkeeper of all time.

Everton announced the signing of the 23-year-old Pickford on Thursday on a five-year deal, following Sunderland's relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.

Pickford has only had one full season at senior level, having represented England at every level from Under-16s to Under-21s. He received his first call-up to England's senior squad in October.

Among goalkeepers, only Juventus star Gianluigi Buffon and Ederson — who recently joined Manchester City from Benfica — have cost more.

Ranieri signs for 2 years with Nantes

 Former Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri has signed for French club Nantes on a two-year deal.

The Ligue 1 club announced Ranieri's arrival on its website Thursday. The move was expected after the French league earlier approved the hire — required because Ranieri has reached the coach's age limit of 65.

Leicester fired Ranieri nine months after he led the club's fairytale ride to the English Premier League title in 2016. At Nantes, he replaces Sergio Conceicao. The Portuguese coach left to take charge of FC Porto.

Nantes won the last of its eight titles in 2001. Ranieri has already coached in France, from 2012-14, when he won the Ligue 2 title with Monaco and then led the Principality side to a runner-up finish in the topflight.

Biafra: Turkish diplomat visits Nnamdi Kanu [PHOTOS]

The President of the International Nations Commercial Association in Turkey, Abdulkadir Erkahraman has visited the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in his home town in Isiama Afara, Umuahia, Anambra State.

Kanu, while receiving Erkahraman said the Turkish citizen’s visit was in line with IPOB’s plan to solidify the actualization of Biafra.

The IPOB leader said the agitation of the freedom of Biafra has become so loud that the international community cannot fail to recognize the efforts by the group.

Kanu said, “There will come a time when they will say, please come and take these people and go.”

Reacting to the quit notice by Northern youths asking Igbos to vacate their region, the IPOB leader said, “I said it in August 2009, I told you people they will tell you people to leave the north, now it is happening.”

“Biafra must come; Biafra has risen never to fall again. This kingdom has risen never to fall again.”
See photos below…








Daily Post

Update : I Would Never Have Been Arrested If My Charms Didn’t Fail Me - Billionaire Kidnapper Evans

Notorious billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans, said in a recent interview that he would never have been caught, except that his charms failed at the last minute. 

He made this known yesterday during an interview with newsmen.
He disclosed that he has a native doctor resident in Nnewi, Anambra State who prepares charms for him and gives him so much courage in its efficacy.

According to a  New Telegraph report, Evans revealed that the native doctor is a traditional ruler and is the power behind his criminal activities. He said he had promised him that no policeman born of a woman could ever arrest him. Evans got anxious when policemen stormed the Igando residence where he keeps his victims so he ran to the native doctor for help and the man assured him that he had nothing to fear.

He said:

“The native doctor resides in Nnewi, Anambra State. He is a traditional ruler. After police busted our Igando hideout, he told me to have no fear. He said nothing would happen. He told me that nobody would be able to catch or arrest me. I believed him. I don’t know what went wrong.”

This new revelation comes on the heels of the news that Evans’ mother, Mrs Chinwe aka Lady Nwosu, has gone into hiding.

Hazard happy 'at one of the best clubs in the world'

Eden Hazard has indicated that he will remain at Stamford Bridge next season, amid reports linking him with a transfer to Real Madrid this summer.
Hazard has long been linked with a move to Madrid but an ankle injury has ruled him out of the start of the season and put any move away from the club in doubt.
Despite the injury, Hazard told the club’s official website, as reported by the Mail Online, that he is happy at Chelsea:

“Hopefully next year it is the same, we win the league and then I win Player of the Year. Obviously winning the league is what we want most, and this award is just a bonus.”

“We started this season well and we won the league but next year we have to work as hard as we have this season.”

“We have to be ready every year at the same level to stay at the top.”

“I’ve been here for five years now and I’m so happy. I’m at one of the best clubs in the world, so I’m very happy to play for such a big club like this.”

“After five years I know everything about the club. Even if I’m still only 26, I have a lot of experience now.”

“I started playing at 16 in France so I’ve been professional for 10 years. In terms of games and experience, I’m one of the oldest ones.”

“I like this club because it’s like a family. I have a lot of friends and we all talk to each other.”

 The Belgian international seems to be settled in London, and the likelihood of him leaving the club this summer is becoming increasingly unlikely.
Hazard was influential during the club’s title-winning season under Antonio Conte and rediscovered his best form under the Italian.
Chelsea are determined to keep their star, and they are willing to pay whatever it takes to ensure that he stays. Real Madrid will either have to provide Chelsea with a great offer or look elsewhere.

A visit by the Dalai Lama is dividing a US campus where 14% of students are from China

This Saturday (June 17), the Dalai Lama will deliver a commencement address at the University of California San Diego, where a good portion of the student body will consider his very presence an affront to the peace and unity he preaches.

Many overseas Chinese students at UCSD view the Dalai Lama not as a messenger of world harmony, as many around the globe do, but as a separatist keen on splitting China and as a symbol of their country’s feudal past. It’s a view promoted by the Communist Party of China, which strictly controls within its borders what can and cannot be said about Tibet and the Dalai Lama, along with the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and relations with Taiwan, among other issues.

Which is why many of the students think the invitation was insensitive to them.
Two weeks ago, members of UCSD’s chapter of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), a collegiate organization with branches all over the world, staged a demonstration against the Dalai Lama’s planned appearance at the commencement ceremony, which will follow a public address delivered on campus on Friday (June 16), to an estimated audience of 25,000. The uproar began when the visit was publicly announced in February. The school has a sizable presence (pdf) of Chinese foreign students, nearly 14% of the student body.

Posters disseminated at the protest (and viewable online) display quotes from Chinese students calling the Dalai Lama a “fraud, criminal, and power-obsesser.”

This is not the first time Chinese organizations overseas have protested the Dalai Lama. But the events at UCSD are important because they sit at the junction of several trends. As Chinese students study in ever greater numbers at US colleges, they’re blending elements of US campus politics and party-backed worldviews into their own form of cross-border influence, demonstrated by a number of events this year.

At Durham University in the UK, Chinese students notified the local Chinese embassy about an appearance from Chinese-Canadian human rights activist Anastasia Lin. This prompted the local Chinese embassy to request her disinvitation. Later, in May, when University of Maryland graduate Shuping Yang spoke out in favor of “the fresh air” of free speech and democracy, at commencement, she was publicly shamed on Chinese social media.

These incidents have come as campus activism swells across the United States. Protesters at the University of California Berkeley and Middlebury have prevented guest lecturers they considered hateful from speaking to students, at times resorting to violence. Students at Yale have rechristened a college once named after an ardent proponent of slavery. And students at Evergreen State protested and called for the firing of a professor who spoke out against a diversity-related school tradition, with events there culminating in a phone threat that forced the campus to shut down for a day.

Are the Chinese students’ grievances comparable to those expressed on campus by American counterparts? Some will argue not at all. Many academics and experts believe that the students’ actions are prompted by the Chinese government, which uses CSSA and overseas students as proxies to export its own censorship regime (and perhaps, some argue, engage in espionage). It’s possible, some might say, that the students are merely pawns in a larger war of information. But that view puts the sincerity of the students’ motivations in doubt—which isn’t quite fair.

More strikingly, especially in the case of the Dalai Lama visit to UCSD, students are framing their grievances under the banners of “respect” and “diversity.” These sacred values are difficult for universities to abandon, and they’re the same values held up by protestors combating racism and sexism on campus.

As Chinese students continue to enroll in overseas universities, these clashes look set to continue.
For a glimpse at what might unfold, look to Australian National University, where about 60% of its international student population is from China. In October, in advance of a campus celebration of China’s National Day, CSSA students reportedly tore down posters about the Tiananmen Square massacre. At a related event, private, plainclothes security forces reportedly harassed a student journalist. These incidents and manyothers have prompted at least one Australian professor to call for the government to take action against CSSA.

Moving forward, universities and Chinese students both will be placed in difficult positions. The former will feel pressure to both accommodate the demands of its Chinese students, but also show they are standing up against unreasonable ones. If they don’t find a way to manage that balancing act well, administrations could appear as though they have betrayed their commitment to multiculturalism, risk losing swaths of students that pay full tuition, or face accusations of allowing excessive foreign influence.

The students, meanwhile, will face pressure to publicly prove that they are “not brainwashed”—a difficult task, when many times (but not always) their views do conform to the ones promoted by their government. Meanwhile, Chinese students like the University of Maryland’s Shuping Yang, who publicly express views that are not pro-party, risk alienation—or worse—when they return back home.

While the Dalai Lama will be ringing in graduation this year, when it comes to campus propaganda wars, we’re still in orientation. - Quartz

EFCC Arraigns Man Who Allegedly Wrote Exams For Rep

The case of certificate forgery against the federal House of Representatives member, Nse Ekpenyong, continued Thursday at the Federal High Court, Uyo, with the arraignment of a man who allegedly wrote WAEC examinations for the lawmaker.

Mr. Ekpenyong is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and represents the Oron Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State.

He was first arraigned on March 30 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on nine count charges for allegedly forging WAEC certificate and a diploma certificate of the Abia State Polytechnic.

According to a court document, the lawmaker filed the “forged” documents with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, when he contested the House of Representatives election in 2015.

His alleged accomplice, Okon Bassey, was put in the dock, alongside the lawmaker as the court read out an amended 16 count charges against them.

The EFCC lawyer, Ahmedu Arusha, told the court that the amendment of charges was necessitated by the arrest and arraignment of Mr. Bassey.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A mild drama occurred in the courtroom when the EFCC lawyer, Mr. Arogha, applied for adjournment of the case on grounds of “fairness” to Mr. Bassey whom he said was just being served with the charges, but Mr. Bassey’s lawyer, Inibehe Edet, opposed the application, saying they were ready and willing that the case should go on.

Mr. Ekpenyong’s lawyer, Ekpenyong Ntekim, also opposed the EFCC’s application for adjournment.
Mr. Ntekim said the second defendant, Mr. Bassey, had been in the EFCC’s custody since May 22 and that the Commission had enough time to prepare and prosecute the case. Premium Times

China kindergarten blast kills 7, injures dozens

An explosion rocked a kindergarten in eastern China on Thursday, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens, authorities said, as state media published images showing bloodied and unconscious victims.

The blast occurred near the kindergarten and victims were taken to hospital, according to the Fengxian county government in Jiangsu province.
Images circulating online showed that the force of the blast tore people's clothes off and one woman was seen clutching her child, who is in tears.

An explosion rocked a kindergarten in eastern China on Thursday, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens, authorities said, as state media published images showing bloodied and unconscious victims.

The blast occurred near the kindergarten and victims were taken to hospital, according to the Fengxian county government in Jiangsu province.
mages circulating online showed that the force of the blast tore people's clothes off and one woman was seen clutching her child, who is in tears.
Xinhua news agency, citing the emergency office of Xuzhou city, said the explosion happened at the gate just as children were leaving the school in the afternoon.

An official at the police station in Fengxian county told AFP that the cause of the blast was under investigation.
At least seven people were killed and 66 injured, including nine seriously, according to Xuzhou city government. Two died at the site of the explosion and five while being treated.

Pictures of the scene showed more than a dozen people outside a building, many lying on the concrete and some appearing to be unconscious, including a small child.

Another video posted by the People's Daily shows emergency workers arriving at the scene with gurneys. Another shows people lying in a hospital.
Online media reports cite a business owner near the kindergarten as saying that around 5:00 pm (0900 GMT) he heard a "bang", and found that there had been an explosion at the kindergarten entrance only 100 metres away.

- Knife attacks -

It is the latest tragedy to strike a kindergarten in China in recent weeks.
A school bus packed with kindergarten pupils erupted in flames inside a tunnel in eastern Shandong province on May 9, killing 11 children, a teacher and the driver.

Officials later said the fire was intentionally set by the driver, who was angry at losing overtime wages.

There have also been knife attacks at schools in recent years.

In January a man armed with a kitchen knife stabbed and wounded 11 children at a kindergarten in southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
In February last year, a knife-wielding assailant wounded 10 children in a schoolyard in Haikou, in the southern island province of Hainan, before committing suicide.

In 2014 state media reported that a man stabbed three children and a teacher to death and wounded several others in a rampage at a primary school that refused to enrol his daughter.

That followed a March 2013 incident in which a man killed two relatives and then slashed 11 people, including six children, outside a school in China's commercial hub Shanghai. - AFP

I procured fake visas out of desperation – Suspect

A 34-year-old woman, Modupeola Afolabi, has been arrested by operatives of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, for procuring fake United Kingdom and Chinese visas as well as fake Heathrow Airport’s entry/exit stamps.

Afolabi was paraded by the spokesman for SFU, Lawal Audu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), alongside two suspected visa racketeers, Sesan Awolola, 31, and Adebayo Ajase, 28, who allegedly specialised in cloning visa payment slips and receipt.

The woman, who claimed she was a university graduate, told journalists that she resorted to procuring fake UK and Chinese visas after she was denied United States visa twice.
The woman said when she contacted a visa agent, she was told that her application was rejected her because she had a virgin passport.

Afolabi said: “The agent, Olawale told me there was something he would do so that when my documents are sent again, the U.S people will grant my visa request. He told me that the U.S Embassy doesn’t verify the authenticity of visas from other countries and so, I agreed to do it.
“I paid him N70,000 for the fake visas and stamps. I badly needed to travel to America to buy clothes for sale. I usually shopped online and I felt if I started travelling to America to buy, it would be cheaper for me.

“I have a registered business and I think I have enough money in my account but they rejected me twice. They found out when they were asking me questions during interview that I have not been to the UK and that was how I was arrested.”

According to Audu, the SFU received a petition from the U.S Embassy last year lamenting the amount of money it was losing to fraudsters, who use Corel Draw application and Microsoft Word to clone old receipts and present them for use by other visa applicants.

Following the petition, Audu said the SFU commenced an investigation which led to the arrest and arraignment of three suspects, including one Ismaila Adefile before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court, Igbosere. The Nation

Police arrest Septuagenarian for defiling six years old girl

A 72 years old man, Isiaka Obadairo, has been arrested by the Police in Ogun State for defiling six years old girl.

The Septuagenarian who lived in the same vicinity with the parents of the girl at Ijamodo Estate, Ota, was said to have lured the victim to his room and raped her.

The arrest of Obadairo followed a complaint by the girl’s mother, Mrs Comfort Ajayi, who informed the Sango Divisional Police Headquarters about the incident.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement stated that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ogunwale Akinsola, dispatched a team of detective to the area as soon as they got the report and arrested the culprit.

He noted that the victim has been taken to hospital for treatment while the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has directed the transfer of the suspect to the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for proper investigation and possible prosecution.

High court okays ‘secret trial’ for Dasuki

A federal high court in Abuja has granted the request of the government for the shielding of witnesses in the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA).

The government, which is prosecuting Dasuki for money laundering, had through its counsel, Dipo Okpeseyi asked Ahmed Mohammed, the judge, to order the shielding of its witnesses in the trial for their own safety.

The prosecution led by Okpeseyi had argued that some of its witnesses were former staff of Dasuki, and that they could be at risk if there identities were made public. According to him, the defendant has sympathisers across the country by virtue of the sensitive position he held in government.

But in defence, Ahmed Raji, counsel to the accused person, asked the court to dismiss the request because it was baseless. He said his client was not facing terrorism or treason charges; hence it is pointless shielding witnesses in his trial.
However, in his ruling, Mohammed held that the offence for which Dasuki was being prosecuted required the protection of witnesses according to law.

He, therefore, ordered that prosecution witnesses be shielded  with a screen during trial. - Cable Nigeria

Nigerian Man Steals 6,500 Euro From Pastor Who Accommodated Him in Austria (Photo)

A Nigerian man of God based in Salzburg, Austria, who thought he was doing his homeless country a world of favour by accommodating him, is now in pains after the man absconded with his money running into €6, 500, according to a report by Pulse.

 

Pulse reported that the thief identified as Taiwo Abayomi had approached the fellow Nigerian Pastor, claiming he was a born again Christian who was stranded and had nowhere to stay.

 

Explaining further, Anthony Titus narrating to Pulse said that out of pity for a fellow Nigerian and Christian, the man of God decided to accommodate him with the approval of his wife and children but after staying in the household for two weeks, Abayomi decided to pay back the pastor's kindness in the most callous way by stealing his money and absconding while they were away in church.

 

This is how Titus captured the incident:

 

"A Nigerian pastor who lives in Salzburg, Austria, accommodated this young man in his house because he claimed to have no home.

Last Sunday, he was told to come along to the church service but he claimed he had an appointment and when they left him, he made away with the Pastor's €6, 500.

 

"When they called him, he said God had directed him to another place and up till now, no one has heard from him... Please if you can help rebroadcast."

 

The aggrieved Pastor himself also posted this appeal for anyone who knows Abayomi to forward to him:

 

"Hello everybody; I want everyone to take a proper look at this young man. He identifies himself as a Christian and as someone who needs help. So I decided wit the audience of my wife and children, to accommodate him in our home.

 

After staying for two weeks, he took the money I kept in my bedroom and ran away with it. Please if anyone knows him, tell him to restore what he has stolen from me.

 

"His name is Taiwo Abayomi."