Abacha’s son, Abba, still on criminal trial in Switzerland – Swiss ambassador

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Late Gen. Sani Abacha

Switzerland is battling hard to shake-off the image of the go-to country hiding looted funds. Several dictators, including Nigeria’s former president, Sani Abacha laundered public funds into Swiss vaults during their tenure in government.
In this Punch Newspapers interview, Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Hans Rudolf Hodel, talked about the ongoing trial involving Abba Abacha, son of the late Nigerian ruler, and the $700m so far returned to Nigeria by the Swiss government.

The Swiss banking system is famous for its secrecy. Some have argued that this has given rise to various forms of abuse, what is the situation today?
Our banking secrecy protects the privacy of bank clients, but it is not unlimited. If there are suspicions of criminal activities such as

In Pictures: President Jonathan kneels for blessings

Jonathan kneels down for blessings from Pastor Enoch Adeboye at the Holy Ghost Festival at the Redeemed Church Camp, Lagos-Ibadan expressway Friday night

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Photo shots from the Holy Ghost Night at the Redeemed Church Camp, Kilometre 30, Lagos Ibadan Expressway.

President Goodluck Jonathan came with a retinue of aides. Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko also came with his wife.

The Holy Ghost Night boasts of attracting one million worshippers in the yearly event.

Here are some scenes recorded by State House Cameraman, Kola Oshiyemi

Jonathan kneels down for blessings from Pastor Enoch Adeboye at the Holy Ghost Festival at the Redeemed Church Camp, Lagos-Ibadan expressway Friday night

Mama Adeboye dancing during the session

A cross section of Pastors at the event

the large choir band at the Holy Ghost Night

President Goodluck being welcome to the event

Head of REDEEMED Church, ADEBOYE, GOODLUCK, FOLU adeboye AND OBIOMA

Hear, See, and Say it

Excruciating pain: Man in Ibadan attempts suicide twice over left eye that pushes out of its socket (PICTURED)

Taofeek Muraina

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A bricklayer in Ibadan, Taofeek Muraina was saved from death after a neighbour caught him trying to take poison.

This is the second time he is attempting

Russia says Syrian opposition could defeat Assad’s government

Bashar al-Assad, Syrian president

The violence has killed about 40,000 people.

Rebel forces are gaining ground against the Syrian government and could win the war against President Bashar al-Assad, the Kremlin’s envoy for Middle East Affairs said on Thursday.

Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, also said Russia was working on plans to

No one listens to me! – TB Joshua laments that he foretold the tragic deaths of Yakowa, Azazi

Prophet T.B. Joshua

Prophet T.B. Joshua, not one to stay on the side-lines allegedly claimed to have foreseen the death of Kaduna State governor, Patrick Yakowa who died in a helicopter accident with former National Security Adviser, Andrew Owoye Azazi, and four others.

On Sunday December 16, 2012, Joshua spoke to a live

“Okonjo-Iweala should not be punished for toiling for Nigeria”

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

Kinsmen of the Okonjo family, under the Umu Anioma Foundation Worldwide have come out strongly against the kidnap of Prof Kanene Okonjo, mother to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala. They have also demanded that security forces ensure her immediate release.
“Once again, the image smear on Delta State has been brought to

Pants down: Police arraign 4 women and 5 men for prostitution in Lagos

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Patronising commercial sex workers is becoming a risky venture in Lagos as 4 men and 5 women were yesterday arraigned on charges of prostitution, unlawful gathering, breach of peace and loitering before an Ojokoro Magistrates’ Court.
The women were suspected to be commercial sex workers while the men were arrested for patronizing them.
The arraigned suspects are: Emeka Chukwuma, 28; Paul Okon, 26; Fabian Sunday, 26; Shedrach John, 30 and Angel David, 27.
Others are: Destiny Moses, 30; Chinyere Mbadiwe, 27; Gift Okon, 29, and Edith David, 27.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge.
Magistrate K.O. Ogundare granted each of them bail in the sum of N100, 000 and a surety each.
According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Clara Olagbaiye, the defendants committed the offences on November 4 at the Wisdon Bar Hotel, Ikotun/Igando road around 8:30p.m.
“The nine of them gathered unlawfully and conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace, “ she said.
She reportedly said that the women were loitering and soliciting for sex, while the men were some of their customers.
The court case has been adjourned till January 11.
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Policeman who said "I'd volunteer to assassinate President Obama resigns amids investigation

A Jacksonville police officer has quit after admitting he told colleagues that he would volunteer to assassinate President Barack Obama. The 57-year-old retired earlier this month while facing an internal investigation into his comments to other officers after the election. He told them that if an order came to kill Obama, he “wouldn’t mind being the guy.” When questioned by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office integrity unit, he said he also didn’t care if a nuclear explosion killed everyone in the Northeastern U.S because they supportedObama. He told the investigators his comments were hyperbole and not actual threats. Hear, See, and Say it Hear, See, and Say it Hear, See, and Say it

Saudi Arabia now has electronic tracking system for women

Denied the right to travel without consent from their male guardians and banned from

Baby died from head injury after being bitten by dog, police say

Harry Harper, who is thought to have been bitten by the family's pet jack russell.

A week-old baby who was killed after being bitten by a dog died from a

Ojukwu’s Eldest Son Sues Bianca 

Chief Debe Odumegwu-Ojukwu, eldest son of the late Biafran warlord, Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (Eze Ndigbo Gburugburu) has slammed a

Man lost penis to olive oil

Health officials on Friday told Thai men size does not matter after a patient had to have his genitals removed following a botched attempt to enlarge his penis by injecting oliveoil into the organ. The risky and unproven method using the oil - although bees wax, silicone and even paraffin are often also used - is common in Thailand with one Bangkok hospital receivingabout 40 patients a month concerned about side-effects. The 50-year-old man, whose genitals were removed this week after he reported a severeinfection, underwent several olive oil injections over a number of years, a spokesperson for the Bangkok-based Police General Hospital told AFP. He was diagnosed with cancer prompting thedrastic surgery. "This is the biggest (genital) surgery we have ever done as we found cancer", Sirikul Jiaranaikhajorn said, adding normally the twoor three patients they treat each week suffer from infections only but there is no evidence that the procedure causes cancer. The man had the injections done at a clinic and was accompanied by friends, she added, despite public warnings that such penis enlargement methods are highly risky. "It only brings bad results -- people misunderstand (that it works)," the spokeswoman said, explaining men attempt the procedure after listening to friends. "A woman will love a man not because of the size," she added. Hear, See, and Say it

Church of England says no to female bishops

The Church of England voted on Tuesday against legislation that would have allowedthe ordination of women bishops, the culmination of more than 10 years of divisive debate. The General Synod, the legislative body of the Church which is made up of separate houses for bishops, clergy and laity, failed to reach the two-thirds majority required in all three houses to pass the measure. "It was carried in the house of bishops and clergy, but lost in the house of laity. The motion having been lost ... we do not proceed any further," said Archbishop of York John Sentamu. Women already serve as Anglican bishops in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, but the Church of England, mother church for the world's 80 million Anglicans, has struggled to reconcile the dispute between reformers and traditionalists on whether to allow them inEngland. Church of England to vote on women bishops The Church had already voted to allow women bishops in theory but Tuesday's vote, on provisions to be made for conservatives theologically opposed to senior women clergy, needed to pass before women could be enthroned as Anglican bishops in England Hear, See, and Say it

The Indian state of Rajasthan is taking a novel approach to a pervasive, unsightly and very unsanitary problem among its citizens. Beginning Monday, volunteers in 34 villages in the Jhunjhunu district will police city streets with drums and whistles -- their aim, to shame citizens found peeing and defecating in public. Operating in groups of four or five, the volunteers will "shout, beat drums or blow a whistle" at anyone seen relieving themselves in the open, according to the BBC. Repeat offenders may even be asked to pay a fine. The Los Angeles Times reports that 40 percent of the world — that's equal to 2.6 billion people — poops in public . The practicecontributes to the spreading of a variety of diseases including dysentery and tapeworms,and causes an estimated 2 million preventable deaths a year. Many of those people live in India, as it turns out. Close to half of India's 1.2 billion people own a cell phone, but have no indoor toilet , according to the BBC. India's minister of Rural Development, Water and Sanitation Jairam Ramesh recently pleaded with women to take the issue into consideration when weighing marriage proposals . "Don't get married in a house where there is no toilet," he said in a recent speech, according to the Global Post . "You should also look whether there is a toilet at your groom's home before you decide to get married," Ramesh said, and cited the slogan"No toilet, no bride." While men peeing in public is a common sight in many areas the practice is far more taboo for women, forcing them to make tough choices. For example,in Kusumpur, a slum area in Delhi, there is only one public toilet for every 500 women , according to TheNew York Times. The situation necessitates unpleasant solutions like the “flying toilet,” according to the Times, which is the use of a plastic bag that is thrown away later. Officials say cultural and traditional factors, a lack of education and a toilet scarcity all contribute to the public defecation problem, according to the BBC. The drumming brigade is just one solution that has been attempted. In Bangalore, street artists recently launched their own outreach program called the "Pee Project," by posting toilet-themed artwork which organizers hopewill encourage men to reconsider before dropping trou on a public corner. Hear, See, and Say it

Chika Unigwe Wins Nigeria Prize for Literature

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Just as TheNEWS magazine predicted, Chika Unigwe, the Nigerian Internationally acclaimed writer has

Amaechi Bought The $45m Private-Jet For Safety

 The Rivers State Government has confirmed the purchase of a brand new Bombardier Jet for Governor Chibuike Amaechi at a cost of

US Secret Service agent 'kills himself' amid inquiry

A US Secret Service agent assigned to President Barack Obama's security detail has died in an apparent suicide, law enforcement sources have said.

Special agent Rafael Prieto was

It pours: ‘Okada’ rider charged to court for ‘throwing’ policewoman off his bike

Mustapha Babagana, 25-year-old commercial motorcyclist in Lagos was on Wednesday arraigned in an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for

See Pic Of Robber Burnt To Death In Calabar

 

A SUSPECTED member of a five-man robbery gang was on Wednesday burnt to death by residents of Calabar, Cross River State.

The suspect and four members of his gang were caught in the act, attempting to break into a multipurpose shop on IBB Way in the capital city.

The gang was said to have terrorized shop owners and traders at the