#and especially gideon really gets to me because we see in her narration that she views this as a complete rejection! its so sad

[tinytrainworld]

what no i’m fine. i’m just thinking about how harrowhark chose to lobotomize herself and remove all memories of gideon to preserve gideon’s soul, and how ianthe chose to kill naberius and consume his soul instead of corona’s soul. and i’m just thinking about how both harrow and ianthe did this - refused to consume gideon's and naberius' souls- out of a twisted love they held for their cavaliers. because harrow wanted to retain any chance she had of bringing gideon back, and because ianthe wanted her sister to live. and i’m thinking about how neither gideon nor corona saw this as love but instead as rejection (gideon saying “i gave you my whole self and you didn’t even want it,” corona saying “she could have taken me”) and anyway it’s just fucked up but i’m fine

[sepulchritude]

ianthe and Coronabeth are soooooo normal. it kills me that harrow genuinely just did not want to become a lyctor. She was SO unenthused. She would do anything to get 5% bonus credit on a test but not this. The toxic codependency is real as fuck. “GOD I miss Gideon’s narration” is the fandom mood!!! (For some nonzero portion of HTN/NTN, that may be all of it, and also may be only part of it, depending on whether Gideon IS gone-gone or not, which you don’t know). We ALL just wanna hear about biceps, broadswords, and broads. also. We can probably trust horrible godman. I bet he’s, like, cool and normal about people and events. Also unironically he’s one of my faves. At the time I finished GTN it was my greatest hope to have more Ianthe Activities and I will not specify to you whether that hope was fulfilled or not

Okay so I’ve kept this in my inbox specifically so I could reply once I know more (approx halfway through htn rn) and god!! Okay so.

Ianthe and Coronabeth. I wanna put them in a jar and shake them, I’ve seen spoilers that Coronabeth comes back at some point but not whether she and Ianthe get to be in the same room as each other. I guess I can see why Ianthe couldn’t take her as her cavalier (too toxically codependent to risk never seeing her again and living like that) but I stand by my point that now Ianthe has to exist in unholy fusion with Babs of all people

And okay like I don’t know things yet but I’m hearing the 2nd person/3rd person switches between current vs past events, and I’m hearing snippets of Gideon-like phrasing in the 2nd person narration and Harrow’s thoughts, and I’m very 👀👀👀 about it. I know lobotomy brain hemorrhage etc etc spoilers so I’m thinking Gideon is existing in her brainspace someway that’s imperceivable to Harrow. But I don’t know what exactly the past Harrow knew that made her do things the way she did. Gnawing on drywall about it tbh

And I love all of the “is this really how it happens?” in the flashbacks, no idea what’s actually going on with them (I thought it was just Harrow’s scrambled brain attempting to make sense of the events without Gideon but they seem too detailed and divergent for that at this point tbh!) but I love the slow horror of everything being different in confusing ways! When Palamedes and Camilla died I was like ohhhh, uh oh we’re in for something weird here!

And then poor Harrow is just so wretchedly alone in a way she’s never had to be and it highlights how much of a pillar Gideon was in her life! Her and Ianthe’s dynamic is everything to me though, absolute perfection. I didn’t know I needed more Ianthe after reading gtn but I’m delighted to get it.

And the soup scene was *chef’s kiss* incredible especially because Harrow at the time was so fucked up she was staring at a spoon trying to divine its purpose and then forgot the word for bone marrow. Mercymorn said “I can’t tell if you’re a once in a lifetime genius or a brain damaged imbecile” and I was grinning because, both! :D

And then God. Based on spoilers I’ve seen I think I haven’t really seen everything John’s got going on, but I’ve been struck the whole time I’ve been reading htn by the sheer charisma he has. He says all the right words, he gives all the right praise, he’s empathetic he’s kind he’s supportive—he has clearly spent the last 10000 years developing a level of diplomatic personable grace that works on damn near everybody. I saw a post about how another reader kept expecting it to be a facade that he would drop eventually and show himself as a manipulative villain, but that the truth is more banal and somehow worse because of it. Idk I don’t remember the rest because I didn’t have context at the time, but something about “how can you just sit there and eat peanuts after everything you’ve done?” And I’m really looking forward to seeing how that all comes together, I want to see what’s going on with this wretched little man.

[rosysreadingrefugium]

Review: Nona the Ninth

read from 11 June to 18 June

Okay, so first, damn me for reading an unfinished series. Alecto the Ninth will (hopefully) come out this October and I can barely wait for that.

Second: what the actual hell was that fever dream of a book? Did I love Nona? Of course. Did I know what was going on 99% of the time? No. Did I still enjoy this book? Absolutely!

Basic facts

Title: Nona the Ninth (#3 of the Locked Tomb series)

Author: Tamsyn Muir

Pages: 496

Synopsis: Her city is under siege. The zombies are coming back. And all Nona wants is a birthday party. In many ways, Nona is like other people. She lives with her family, has a job at her local school, and loves walks on the beach and meeting new dogs. But Nona's not like other people. Six months ago she woke up in a stranger's body, and she's afraid she might have to give it back. The whole city is falling to pieces. A monstrous blue sphere hangs on the horizon, ready to tear the planet apart. Blood of Eden forces have surrounded the last Cohort facility and wait for the Emperor Undying to come calling. Their leaders want Nona to be the weapon that will save them from the Nine Houses. Nona would prefer to live an ordinary life with the people she loves, with Pyrrha and Camilla and Palamedes, but she also knows that nothing lasts forever. And each night, Nona dreams of a woman with a skull-painted face...

Review / Rambling (maybe kinda spoilery)

After the fever dream that was Harrow the Ninth, I really did not know what to expect - I certainly did not expect Nona.

In the beginning, I was so confused, who Nona actually was and what was happening. But the worldbuilding and setting were as intriguing as in GtN and HtN - I especially loved the spin of the zombie trope as well as the urban setting. I am not well versed in Science Fiction so I cannot comment on whether the setting was derivative but it certainly was fun to read. Also, necromancers in space. And Noodle. 5 stars for worldbuilding/setting.

The plot was more clearcut than in HtN and it actually made sense. I loved the headings of the parts (5 days until the Tomb opens etc.) because it set up the ending so well. Tamsyn Muir is definitely a fan of "spoiling" the ending but who am I to complain (I am a sucker for this plot structure). Also NtN had one of my favourite tropes of all time: domestic living in a SFF-world/city. I cannot get enough of that trope! I did not particularly like the John-focused chapters - it gave some context to the whole story but the whole climate crisis felt a little too real haha. 4 stars for the plot.

As for characters, I loved, loved, loved Nona. You usually do not have a "child" protagonist in SFF, so it was really refreshing looking through the eyes of one. I loved how she told the story and how she did not really have a clue what was going on 99% of the time (very relatable hehe). I also adore Camilla and Palamedes, so I was happy to see more of them, although not together of course. I liked the family dynamic between Nona, Camilla/Palamedes and Pyrrha. As I have already said, I am a big fan of domestic living in SFF-cities, so that ties in perfectly. Also - Gideon is back (kind of, maybe, idk) and she is as funny as ever (also a bit creepy). Only downside of the book regarding characters: often, I had no idea who these people were because the names were so confusing. Also, Harrow was not there for the most part. 4 stars for characters.

I have seen some people critiquing Tamsyn Muir for not having a consistent tone throughout the series. I actually really loved world. In my opinion, there were a lot of cringey jokes in the first book and although I like Gideon, I am glad that we see different people as narrators. I loved the second book for its mysterious "vibey" writing style. I loved the third book for the child-like writing. The new perspective really helped me with immersing myself more in the book. 4 stars for writing style.

The overall vibes of the book were definitely there and I really enjoyed reading the book. +1 star for overall vibes.

final rating: 5 stars

[if-th3n-else]

My theory is that since Harrow conveniently forgetting about Gideon and can't access to her to protect her body, fight etc. , despite completing the lyctoral process in gtn, is that Gideon is obviously alive somehow. I mean so far it's not really gonna be a "omg she's alive" revelation when I get to the part that confirm that. Gtn made it very clear that Gideon is not an ordinary human and survived since childhood stuff she shouldn't have (including a literal genocide to give birth to Harrow wtf is this book) so obviously she is alive somehow. Also they conveniently didn't find her body, and every fiction enthusiast knows the rule: no body, no confirmed death (and I mean it's a necromancy book so even with a body I wouldn't be convinced lmao).

I think it has something to do with her soul... Which Harrow's parents couldn't sacrifice, Harrow can't access etc. But I can't begin to process how she's alive, where she is, and how exactly she is special. And especially I don't understand why Harrow would be falsifying her own memories, if she's doing this to herself which I believe because of the notes she left to herself. Like what is the purpose of all of this master plan? She already ascended and she got the promise from the Emperor to save the Ninth House. Let's just hope the day he learns she opened the not so well locked tomb he won't get too pissed because I can see several massive problems incoming lmfao. Also there's a lot to unpack here but right now it's not the main problem so I'll get to that later.

Also I'm starting to think the second person POV is Gideon. I'm not entirely sure, but sometimes some words or sentences just remind me of her. Especially when it comes to swords and fighting. The emphasis on the fact that Harrow knows nothing about it, but the narrator always has the right word and it seems a bit proud about it I guess? But also it severely lacks of snarky and smutty remarks so I'm not sure... But if she's supposedly somehow still connected to Harrow's body, which she should be after the lyctoral process... It would makes sense. But we're back to problem number one: if she's really into Harrow's head why can't Harrow reaches to her argghh???? It's hard to know cause we don't have other POVs but from the other Lyctors descriptions, it seems like Harrow really is alone in her brain and she doesn't have Gideon's eye colours, which seems to be the clear indicator of the lyctoral process being fully completed.

The whole problem imo really resolves around who the f is Gideon really or what is she? But how the fuck are we supposed to try and gather stuff about her to guess what the hell is happening when Harrow herself forgot about her? Like where do I start digging?

But anyway my main personal problem is that I want to see her alive, butch-y as ever, with a sword kicking ass, annoying and teasing Harrow 😭

[taylorrama]

The Locked Tomb + mewithoutYou pt. 7/17

"And if it comes as some sort of a surprise", she said "That I seem so composed I've kept this moment closer to my eyes", she said "Than the glasses resting on the edge of my nose"

TW: suicide mention

Song: Wolf Am I! (And Shadow) Album: Brother/Sister

Despite Brother/Sister being my favorite mewithoutYou album and one of the two I usually recommend people to start with, only this song has enough going on to make any decent Locked Tomb connections. And we get a relevant image right away in the first verse.

It's the smell of hot summertime trash It's the city noise of a busy street It's a train derailed and a two car head-on freeway crash Each time we meet "And if it comes as some sort of a surprise", she said "That I seem so composed I've kept this moment closer to my eyes", she said "Than the glasses resting on the edge of my nose"

The metaphors in the first three lines are exact descriptions of Griddlehark lol. Like that is their relationship dynamic. Smells gross. Is loud. Is destructive. The dialogue portion is easily, easily something Gideon could very well say to Harrow in Alecto the Ninth in whatever way they'll be able to speak to each other, but we'll see.

The chorus.

Shadow am I! Shadow am I! A question of a person, no said reply Wolf am I! Wolf and Shadow cast on the sheep as I pass by

The extended metaphor throughout this song is the wolf in sheep's clothing, which could easily apply to Jod. This shadow imagery + question of a person idea is giving Platonic forms, but I think in a TLT context, we can think of "a question of a person" being necromancers and Lyctors. In Nona the Ninth, they're called zombies, so their personhood is clearly in question. Similarly, we can look at Lyctors and wonder what personhood is for them, especially for the one whose body is dead.

Verse 2.

She was graceful and green as a stem But I walk heavy on delicate ground Oh there, I go showing off again Self-impressed by how well I can put myself down! And there I go again, to the next further removed level Of that same exact feigned humility! This for me goes on and on to the point of nausea

I see this largely as Harrow POV. In that case, the first line is about the Body with the second and third lines being about Harrow. Poor child hates herself so much that she knows it and hates herself even more for it. "Feigned humility" isn't my first thought when it comes to Harrow. She is very aware of her power, her prowess, and her intelligence and doesn't hesitate to ensure that others know it. But I think her deep wounds actually do align somewhat to this idea of feigned humility. She puts herself down because she feels personally responsible for the deaths of all the Ninth House children and her parents' suicides. As a result of this deep guilt, she put up this front of piety to keep the Ninth House running, including puppeting her dead parents.

The chorus again, but different.

Shadow am I! Like suspicion that's never confirmed But it's never denied Wolf am I No, "shadow”, I think is better As I’m not so much something More like the absence of something

In the song, the narrator is deciding whether they're a shadow (of a person) or a dangerous wolf. That conflict is clearer in this part of the chorus, where the narrator decides that they're a shadow and explains why.

I think Harrow has a similar conflict. Knowing that she exists because all the Ninth House children are dead means she doesn't really have her own identity, making her a shadow (of a few hundred children). Because she blames herself for this, she views herself as a wolf.

And then of course as the series goes on, there are various ways in which Harrow can perceive herself as being "the absence of something." Quite literally in book 2 by not remembering Gideon, but also sensing that something is missing.

So shadow am I! The whole material world seems to me Like a newspaper headline- It explicitly demands your attention And it may even contain some truth Of what's really going on here

The "material world" of The Locked Tomb is this system/universe of a necromantic empire and there's a certain understanding of how it all works: you have the King Undying and his heroic Lyctors. You have all these different houses with different branches of necromancy. And this empire is expanding to other planets to "save" them. But, "what's really going on here" isn't at all apparent until the characters come too close to it and then they can't go back.

One day the water's gonna wash it away One day the water's gonna wash it away One day the water's gonna wash it away And on that day

This is more or less the entirety of the outro, which I'm just leaving here because. The River. I don't have much to say about it now because I think I missed quite a bit about the River on my first read, other than the basics of how it works. And there's still an entire book left to possibly explain it more, so I don't want to make any conclusions about what it all means at this point.

---

TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 1; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 2; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 3; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 4; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 5; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 6; TLT + mewithoutYou pt. 8

[sylvanas-girlkisser]

I do feel that some of your criticisms surrounding gideon, while valid, are resolved better within the sequel. Especially when it comes to how death is viewed. Its also important to not that this whole series is tied up in mysteries that slowly get revealed, a lot of gideon the ninth doesnt make sense, such as character motivation, because we havent fully seen the bigger picture.

Gideon the ninth is only a small part of a wider series / world, and its limited scope is very intentional.

Hey nonnie, I get that you don't mean this to come off as patronizing, but you're like the third person today who has told me that I'm just not seeing the bigger picture with regards to the story/character motivations, and until you give me the spoilers for what specific examples you're referring to its hard for me to respond.

Also, this feels like its not really understanding my criticisms, like I don't know how to say this in a polite way, but this is not my first novel. I know that I'm supposed to read between the line, I know the narrator is unreliable and that I won't get a complete explanation of character motivations up front. These are by now pretty standard aspects of modern fantasy, and aspects I really enjoy, my problem is with the execution.

To bring back the moment that annoyed me most: We're told, from the get go, Harrow hates Gideon, because Harrow is an ass. Obviously anyone who has read anything more challenging than stucky ABO can tell "that is not the whole story", and to confirm that there are clues literred throughout the story to confirm this. The takeaway here however is that Gideon clearly thinks Harrow hates her because Harrow is an ass, we are told repeatedly that Gideon sees Harrow as a hateful little creature incapable of compassion.

But then we get to Gideon's meeting with the Eighth, and Gideon explains that, no actually, her and Harrow have always been at each other's throat, but there was a specific moment when they were kids were that seemed to have escalated. That is a significant reveal, it changes the entire nature of their dynamic, however the fact that its not brought up until then, makes it come out of left field. Yes on a second read through you can tell that Harrow's parents and all the other kids being dead tie into this reveal, but on a first read through you have no means of knowing that there is information Gideon has, which the reader is not privvy to.

And this could relatively easily be solved, either by:

Making it clearer that the narrator is not, to use a fancy lit term, focalized through Gideon, by making sure their language was more distinct from that used for Gideon, and by having them occassionally downright contradict Gideon.

Making cryptic alussions to there being shared history, by adding a line somewhere in the story along the lines of "This reminded Gideon of that time she preferred not to think about with Harrow, so she quickly distracted herself".

wrt. It becoming more thoughtful about death, I will look forward to that in HtN, but remain frustrated that it didn't have a chance to fit into GtN. I guess that's the thing about new authors.

[catharsis-in-a-bottle]

Gideon the Ninth was scary. I've said this before - the worldbuilding, the body horror, the sheer lack of knowing - it was mildly terrifying at times. And you know one way I could tell that Tamsyn Muir delivered an epic sequel, even with the usual pervasive fear of sequels being rushed? Harrow the Ninth terrified me even more.

And this book scared me for so many reasons. Yes, there was still the worldbuilding. There was the River, which was straight out of a fucking horror movie. There was the constant underlying knowledge that the Empire was crumbling, and that a war was being waged for some unknown reason - had been waged, in fact, for nearly a myriad. There were the Resurrection Beasts, which were straight up Eldritch horror, Cthulhu-like things - we didn't even get to see one and they still fucking scared me. That kind of horror was addictive. And there was the body horror and Mercymorn's knowledge of each and every one of your bones, glands, muscles, the ancient Lyctors who possessed so much grief and knowledge that their point of view was almost incomprehensible to think about. There was the confusion, the not knowing, the dying to know the real plot.

But another kind of horror got added, and as you know it was purely psychological. We learned that Harrow had been struggling with psychosis for most of her life, that she was traumatized in so many ways, that she was an unreliable narrator because of all this, that she did not trust herself. And as someone who hasn't experienced any such thing, I realized how fucking terrifying it has the potential to be. Harrow's feelings of helplessness struck me right in the gut, especially with the addition of Ianthe gaslighting her conveyed experience.

And then there was John McFucking Gaius. Another gaslighter of Harrow, the enactor of deeds we don't even know the full scope of yet. A source of emotional conflict for Harrow, who breaks upon him telling her he'd have liked her as his own child. Harrow shatters because of him, and she bows before a man who has lied for a myriad. He scared me, too. I loved him so much and then he turned around and scared the absolute shit out of me, because his own point of view was also incomprehensible - almost all powerful, thousands of years old, keeping secrets.

There were just so many different kinds of scary in Harrow the Ninth, and the fact that they were mixed in with memes really struck me because I was still fucking scared, even with wild shit like none House with left grief thrown in there. I loved it. So, so much. I have discovered my love of being slowly, fictionally, and incrementally terrified.

[annikasafternoonread]

Hello all! It’s been a few days (okay it’s been a whole ass week) -- I’m sorry for the wait, but I had a surprisingly hard time starting this wrap up. Part of that was just being busy with life, but I also just… felt like I didn’t know what to say. Or maybe I didn’t know how to say it. These books are deeply complex, which is part of what makes them so captivating, but it also can make it hard to describe or respond to or explain. So much is left unanswered or unexplored or unknown. How can I sum up something so multi-faceted, that I know I’m only scratching the surface of understanding?

So, Harrow the Ninth. I want to preface this post by saying I did enjoy this book a lot, and I’m glad I read it. Tamsyn Muir is a very talented writer, I love the characters and the world, and the story is really cool. But although I liked the reading experience as a whole… I seem to have a lot of things I wasn’t totally happy with in the book itself. 

Tamsyn Muir’s books are fascinating, but they are also challenging. I’m sure that description doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has read them. It is both a strength and a weakness, part of what makes these books so intriguing and surprising, but also something that I know can turn off potential readers. I remember shortly before I started reading Harrow the Ninth, someone told me that the book itself is really hard to read, especially at the beginning. I remember that during the book, someone else told me that they had read Gideon the Ninth and started Harrow the Ninth, but wound up not finishing because the second person was too confusing. 

Neither of those was my experience. I didn’t mind the second person, or the confusing nature of the first sections. It was what I expected from this book at this point, and while it was unusual, it worked. The world they exist in is incredibly complex, the writing style is quite unique, but none of that really fazed me. For me, the ending was what felt... a lot of things. Confusing, incomplete, unresolved… and for me at least, a little unsatisfying. Again, I get that it’s kind of the point, but I just… 😒 is the best way I can describe the emotion. Like, okay I guess, but also no. 

The good news is, this book as a whole answered a lot of my questions from the previous book. Not all of them, but a good few. We know a lot more about this universe, about the history leading to this point, about who and what they’re fighting against, about what Lyctors are and how they work and what they do. And we know why Gideon didn’t die from the gas 🤯 

This book also hit a lot of the themes I was hoping for, many of which are concepts I’m quite interested in. In my opening post, I guessed that we’d be seeing a lot of focus on the ideas of: identity, duty, loyalty, morality, and truth. Granted those are kind of generic and open-ended, but I think they were all pretty on the nose. Harrow’s identity shifts with her memory, with her sense of who she is and what she is supposed to do and be. We explore duty and loyalty through her relationship with Lyctorhood and especially with the other Lyctors’ actions. Morality is a constant undercurrent, never really brought to the surface by most of the characters (well, I guess with regards to becoming a Lyctor it’s explicitly explored, but with regards to killing planets and the BoE and such it isn’t really touched much) but always there and very intentionally so. The narration doesn’t engage with it because the characters don’t question it, but it’s clear that we the reader are supposed to. And truth -- well, there sure are a lot of lies on that ship. I was even spot on that truth circles back to identity, though granted not in the way I initially expected. 

But while this book answered a lot of the questions from last book, it of course introduced many more of its own, and many of those weren’t resolved either. Some of those I expect to be answered later, like: How did Mercy and Augustine connect with the Blood of Eden? Why did they want to break open the Locked Tomb? What’s up with Original Gideon (OG) and did he (or someone else) fuck with his brain? Some of these it makes sense to leave unresolved to heighten the drama, like: What exactly is God and why and how? What exactly is the Blood of Eden and what do they want and how much should I trust or distrust them? What exactly is up with the Body? Some of these are small but still bother the heck out of me, like: What was up with Ianthe’s arm after all? How did the Commander get into that sword? Did Harrow hallucinate before she became a Lyctor, or was that a false memory too, part of the dreamscape? 

But some of them are big. Some of them matter. Some of them feel like I’m supposed to think they’re answered, but I just… don’t. Like, why did Mercy and Augustine break with God? I get the surface level reason that they’re talking about, but it doesn’t make sense to me, there has to be more to God or Lyctorship or the Resurrection or something. Or at least, I have to believe that, because honestly if there isn’t, I think that would be more unsatisfying to me. I’m also deeply curious about how all the different souls and ghosts inside of Harrow interacted -- did they fight each other, layer with each other, influence each other, braid each other’s hair? For instance, who told Harrow to keep the two-handed sword close -- was it Gideon or the Commander or Harrow or some other reason? 

And then there was the scene with Camilla and Judith and Coronabeth. Like, I get that this scene served quite a few purposes -- introducing the idea of a River Bubble, letting us (sort of) meet the Commander, getting to see some of Harrow’s letters, setting up the next book (as per the epilogue), and let’s not ignore the value of getting to say hi to some favourite characters, but at the same time it just… it feels so out of place. Like a weird crossover, except these characters actually do go here? But they’re not supposed to? They show up once, their presence is not explained, and then they disappear into the plot of the next book. A cameo within their own world.

There were of course plenty of things I liked. This world is fascinating and we got to know a lot more about it, about history and necromancy, about how this society views death and destiny, about their conflicts and challenges and triumphs and fears. We got to see a lot of new party tricks. Like in the previous book, we got plenty of unapologetic queerness and enjoyment of titty fiction. The writing style is engaging and makes me laugh at the most unexpected moments. I love a lot of the characters and seeing how they think and interact. I want to know more about this world and these people and this story. 

But if I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure I’ll read the next book. Not because it’s challenging to read, but just… I don’t know if it’ll give me the payoff I want. Especially given the amount of effort and brainpower these books do take. I want to know I’ll get something back for my investment. Not eventually, when the series ends, but in the book I’m actually reading. Maybe the incomplete ending is supposed to cliffhanger me into desperately wanting the next book. But I don’t want to jump. I just want to land. And with this book, I guess I just don’t feel like we stuck the landing here. I don’t feel like we landed. I feel like we’re still in freefall. I’m definitely not ruling out reading it, I’m sure I’ll be drawn to it and like I said I do want more from this universe. But I just don’t know. 

I feel like this is one of my more critical wrap up posts, and I feel a little bad for that because I know so many of you guys love these books. And I’m glad for you! They’re great books! Well worth loving! If someone asked me if I recommended them, I’d absolutely say yes. I enjoyed them a lot, and my lukewarm response to the conclusion doesn’t take away from all that I did love. It just means I’m wary of that happening again with the next book. 

But that’s a problem for next year! In the meantime, I’m going to have to read something else :) The contenders for our next read are An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green, Most Likely by Sarah Watson, or Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce -- any of them are still in the game, so let your voice be heard! I hope to start reading on Saturday, so see you then!

And as always, thank you for joining me on this journey. It means the world to have you along, and you guys make it so much fun. I love doing this, and I love sharing it with you. Thank you. I hope to see you on the next journey :)

[boneempress]

Have some indulgent griddlehark-adjacent analysis re: Harrow and the body below the cut if you wish!

Note that this is just my interpretation based on my reading(s) of GtN/HtN and the fact that the narration, while not trying to directly deceive the reader by lying to them in the traditional way, is often unreliable in the sense that it reports things as our perspective characters perceive them rather than how they actually are; such as, Gideon thinking of herself as disobedient in spite of her obediently keeping a vow of silence for half an entire book. So I don’t quite believe the book when it says that she fell in love with the body in the tomb (during a chapter where Gideon was “erased,” notably) and I especially don’t trust Gideon’s fervent belief that Harrow is in love with tomb girl based on their exactly one conversation about it. But, onward.

Chapter 3 of HTN alludes to at least two separate occasions when Harrow tries to get into the tomb, when she is feeling suicidal enough for it to seem reasonable; the first time, after a particularly bad fight with Gideon (who else on the Ninth would she get bloody fists from fighting with? or would leave her with a bruised heart thinking that “everyone” [who mattered] hated her?):

This longer process is consistent with her description in the pool scene in GTN of having spent a year trying to walk six steps inside:

The second (and more important) time she gets into the tomb is when she actually makes it all the way in and sees the body of Alecto lying there. This is what she tells John about, which he doesn't believe, because he put unbreakable blood wards on the tomb which can only be bypassed with his own blood - or, as we learn later, Gideon Nav's. This is the time that Gideon knows about and tells Palamedes about in GTN.

"Gideon had been witness to that fact" - in fact, Gideon's fight with Harrow when Harrow was ten and Gideon was eleven, was also the reason why Harrow tried to break into the tomb the second time as well as why she was able to do so (again, with Gideon's blood on her fingers!). “Was that the day you decided you wanted to die?”

What's the point? Well, both times Harrow tried to enter the tomb were after particularly bad, distinctly hurtful fights with Gideon, the one living human being on the Ninth who isn’t a constant source of trauma for her. (”They were the only two children in a House that was otherwise busy getting gangrene.”) As we know from the pool scene she immediately becomes obsessed with the body lying there as soon as she sees it. When her knowledge of Gideon is suppressed - so that she literally can’t think directly about her lest she grievously injure herself - she has visions of The Body in which it, of course, has newly yellow eyes, and is a source of comfort and familiarity for her throughout, and is the object of her sexual fantasies. After she regains her memories of Gideon it is eventually directly implied in this small but crucial bit from Act 5 of HTN - here I’ll emphasize that this is the only time Harrow thinks about tomb girl at all as she is about to die, out of the whole of Act 5 - that she associates the body in the tomb, pointedly, with Gideon:

Of course, Priamhark and Pelleamena’s suicides immediately after she makes it all the way into the tomb cause an incredible amount of trauma for Harrow and drive a huge wedge between her and Gideon; having grown up on the Ninth, she’s presumably never acquired any remotely healthy ways of processing any of this, so she doesn’t. But Gideon and Harrow remain the most important people to each other - “Nonagesimus, you hating me always meant more than anyone else in this hot and stupid universe loving me.” I would posit that perhaps Harrow never really actually hated Gideon so much as wildly misinterpreted Gideon’s meaning to her / their meaning to each other, and vice versa for Gideon (Gideon’s endless capacity for denial is another post for another day) and that until they arrived at Canaan House and were forced to work together and to help and protect each other - all things they fall into imperfectly but pretty immediately as if they just needed a push - they had no positive outlets or, certainly, healthy models for it.

Finally, one last allusion to her end:

It had bewildered her, back at Canaan House, how the whole of her always seemed to come back to Gideon. For one brief and beautiful space of time, she had welcomed it: that microcosm of eternity between forgiveness and the slow, uncomprehending agony of the fall. Gideon rolling up her shirt sleeves. Gideon dappled in shadow, breaking promises. One idiot with a sword and an asymmetrical smile had proved to be Harrow’s end: her apocalypse swifter than the death of the Emperor and the sun with him.

The whole of her, always. Gideon, the last three syllables out of her mouth as she lay dying.

tl;dr: Harrow was maybe never really in love with a chilly weirdo in a coffin, but (subconsciously) used tomb girl as a way to project and deal with her feelings for Gideon :)

[angieschiffahoi]

Ok, alright. I finished Harrow. 

First off, I have to give it to this series: this is the first time in I don’t even know how long I have started - let alone finished - the second book in a series. And, unless things change in whatever time left before Alecto comes out, I am planning to finish the series. Something that hasn’t happened since I was still in the good side of my twenties (I mean, I don’t think Homo Sacer counts as a series, does it?). 

Now. To the review! Haha, just kidding. Probably just yelling and incoherent mumbling. 

Obviously, spoilers. 

The writing: As I already pointed out in some of my posts, this is a more mature novel and it proves that the author wasn’t just throwing in slang because she couldn’t commit to a writing style. This is a fantasy space opera which mocks Greek tragedies, so it had to have a unique style. I have to admit, though, that the leap from book 1 to book 2 is... quite ambitious. The first is a 400 pages book that feels like it’s 200 and this one is a 500 pages book that feels like it’s 900. It’s mostly because it is pretty confusing and it is not a light summer read. There’s great attention to detail in the writing and, therefore, there must be great attention to detail when reading. I should have marked stuff with post-its but I was reading on my Kindle. I probably should’ve bought a hard copy as well, because I really wanted to go back and read some bits, but on the Kindle it is not as easy (for example all of those notes by Wake Harrow kept reading). It was very clever to write in third and second person, both for sentimental reasons and comprehension purposes. It was a bit jarring when we switched to first person in the later chapters, but I got used to it. It is a style that sometimes pulls you out of the story, it is ambitious, sometimes a bit tedious (especially during the fights that drag on), but I don’t mind when authors finally break those rules that make all new novels identical. This is a writing experiment and I enjoyed it. The “Miette” joke, while funny in a fanfiction, may have been a bit too much even for me, though. 

The plot: I was a bit disappointed with the final reveal. The whole book I kept saying “Nah, Gideon’s not the Emperor’s daughter,” because it was a bit cliché. I really was hoping she was the lovechild of two Lyctors, but the “Hi, I’m Not Fucking Dead. I’m Dad.” was worth it. Now can I start referring to Gideon as Hercules? And, no, she’s not Heracles. She’s obviously Disney’s Hercules (except that she has a “mortal” mum). Also, while the last few chapters of Gideon wrapped up all of the mysteries nicely and kept some stuff for the sequels, ending this on three cliffhangers was a bit too much (for me). But second installments in trilogies tend to do that. I’m just afraid I won’t remember half of the things I will need to understand Alecto and I really hope the narrative in that will be a little simpler than in Harrow. The question was never “will I finish it?”, because it is a compelling book, but “how exhausted will I be?” And I kind of was. I got to admit though that, as usual, all of the plot twists felt earned and it feels like a thoroughly planned trilogy. I still can’t understand half the lore, though. I don’t know if it’s because I was a bit tired while reading, but I couldn’t really picture the Resurrection Beasts and the “planet killing” subplot (it didn’t feel like main plot). The Ortus/Gideon Prime trying to kill Harrow every fifteen minutes was a bit silly and, yes, it added tension and drama, but it was a bit too much (not unnecessary, because of the link to the Emperor trying to fix her, but it played a bit cartoonish).

The genre: while Gideon was hardly sci-fi and this one is far from being hard sci-fi, it was nice to see more space elements. The first book had a fantasy, mystery, thriller feelings (up to the main battle at the end, which felt like a boss battle in a fantasy video game). This one was way more science-fictiony but with Greek tragedy elements and it had a lot more horror and gore. 

The characters: I missed Gideon so much. Even in the chapters she was narrating, it didn’t really feel like her, mostly - I believe - because the author wanted to maintain the mystery of who the narrator was. But I feel it was a bit of a disservice to Gideon, because she has such a distinct voice that it didn’t feel like her, until she showed up in Harrow’s body. I loved seeing all of my faves from the first book and I have a feeling we’ll see them again. Especially, Palamedes who’s clueless in his bubble. I’m glad Camilla is alive and Abigail Pent is the MVP. Took me a while to get who Commander Wake was and I still don’t really understand her connection to the Emperor and the Lyctors (and how she got the name? I mean, it’s funny, but you have to explain that). Ianthe was... interesting, but I really don’t want her near Harrow. She may have a crush, but she’s manipulative and doesn’t really know how to act on it. Harrow really became her own character and I’m glad the two protagonists now are fully explored. I liked the Emperor. John Gaius is my dude, I’m sorry. Maybe he’s evil, maybe he’s not but he makes dad jokes and I love him. Mercy, Augustine and Ortus/Gideon were... a bit forgettable honestly. A bit of a caricature, but they reminded me a lot of petty Greek gods. Nobody touch Ortus Nigenad. He’s my baby, too. The Sleeper (in the River bubble) was a very creepy character and it reminded me of Russel T. Davis era Doctor Who antagonists. 

All in all, there were a lot of great moments. It isn’t a book for everyone and I understand that. I still feel like the people criticizing the series are doing it for the wrong reasons and focusing too much on the writing style, while there is something that does not fully convince me, but it’s not the writing. I think people - especially in fantasy - are getting too used to third person limited. Using different points of view is fun and more writers should experiment. There are a lot of compelling books written in first person and terrible books written in third person omniscient. The talent of a writer isn’t in how “by the book” they are, but if they make a well written, compelling story with three dimensional characters. The Locked Tomb, so far, has all three. 

I may have missed something, but the book was very full and I’m not very good at remembering things. 

[profoundlyxbonded]

12 signs a storyteller is building romantic and sexual chemistry

Dean/Cas FOR SURE hits 9/12 of these and arguably 11. DESTIEL IS REAL.

LOONG POST AND THE FANDOM EXAMPLES AREN’T SPN , BUT IT’S WORTH THE TIME.

THE BOLDED SPN EXAMPLES ARE MINE.

When it comes to possible romances in popular work, fans and storytellers do a lot of finger-pointing. People have varied tastes and can view the same interaction differently, causing fights over whether the romantic or sexual chemistry in a story was intentional. These feuds are particularly likely in cases where storytellers may be taunting queer audiences.

However, the question of whether chemistry was inserted by the storyteller isn’t as subjective as you might think. Storytellers use the same tactics over and over again when developing a romance. Let’s go over twelve of the most common. You can use them to analyze your favorite stories or to build chemistry yourself. To make things simpler, I use the term “peer” to indicate people who are similar in age and aren’t closely related. In other words, they qualify for a non-platonic relationship.

Let’s start with signals that could be platonic if used in isolation and count down to ones that are almost never platonic.

12. Banter & Teasing

Multiple episodes during seasons 4 and 5. Bickering and acting as if married after that.

When the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy came out, fans felt the chemistry between a pair of people that Peter Jackson probably didn’t expect: Legolas and Gimli. However, Jackson should have seen it coming. These contrasting characters start as natural adversaries, and once they’re on the same team, that transforms into competitive banter. This makes for fun and endearing scenes between them.

Even though banter can be platonic, there’s a very blurry line between banter and flirtation. That means interactions between peers that are familiar and yet have that teasing edge are particularly effective at building sexual and romantic chemistry.

If banter is all there is between the characters, the storyteller may not be creating that chemistry on purpose. However, in popular stories where everyone knows that fans want those characters to hook up, storytellers who include teasing are at least willing to encourage it. For instance, Merlin and Arthur on BBC’s Merlin are also known for their banter, and since it’s obvious that the show’s writers were cultivating chemistry, it’s very likely that banter was part of their strategy.

11. Staring & Close Eye Contact

Multiple episodes ARE YOU F- ING KIDDING ME??

In the Star Trek: Next Generation episode The Big Goodbye, Dr. Crusher dresses up in a 1940s outfit to join Picard’s Dixon Hill game on the holodeck. When Picard sees her there, he first stops, stares, and then has a close face-to-face conversation. The scene even has cheesy romantic music.

While that example is over the top, storytellers can do this with a lot more subtlety if they want to. Visual storytellers typically have a character conversation in almost every scene, and it’s easy to nudge characters closer together or have them stare a little longer. However, some shows like Star Trek are also in the habit of making their actors talk really close together all the time. That makes the line between what is romantic and what is platonic really blurry.

Building chemistry via staring isn’t limited to visual works. In narrated works, description is used to focus the camera and show what the viewpoint character is paying attention to. The choice to describe the eyes of a peer, assuming they aren’t supernatural looking, creates romantic chemistry. Using a disproportionate amount of description on a peer, especially if that description makes them sound attractive, will also be interpreted as non-platonic. While narration can also describe how close characters are together, it won’t have the same subtlety as it would in a visual story.

10. Domestic Activities

(”Co-parenting”Jack/ being two of his three four dads.)

In season seven of The 100, viewers discover that Octavia spent ten years stranded with her former enemy, Diyoza. They took shelter in an abandoned home, and since Diyoza was already pregnant, they ended up raising her child together. For many years, Octavia tries to leave and go back to her brother, but Diyoza tells her that she shouldn’t abandon her family. Diyoza finally sabotages Octavia’s efforts to leave, but Octavia quickly forgives her. That sure sounds like a love story.

While characters don’t have to be romantic to be roommates, making peers into roommates is likely to get fans invested in a hookup. This is partly because living together is associated with romantic partnerships, but it also means that the characters are around each other a lot. The more they are together, the more opportunities they have to build chemistry.

Aside from that, simply seeing characters handle (or refuse to handle) domestic tasks like cooking, doing dishes, or house cleaning builds romantic chemistry between them. This goes double if the characters raise a kid together.

9. Bonds of Magic or Destiny

Multiple episodes ARE YOU F- ING KIDDING ME??

In BBC’s Merlin, a wise dragon tells the titular Merlin that it’s his destiny to protect Arthur so that Arthur can bring about a new golden age. The dragon refers to them as two sides of a coin, and it emphasizes more than once that their fates are intertwined. Because he wants to stay close to Arthur, Merlin spends the entire show hiding his magic and working as a lowly manservant.

Our culture has countless stories about characters thrust into roles that make them essential to both the world and each other. These characters might be magically linked together, perhaps even hearing each other’s thoughts. The bond might be one of prophecy, with the characters needing each other to save the world. Or their society might make a big deal out of the two interdependent roles the characters play. For instance, in Gideon the Ninth, lots of time is spent describing how important a necromancer and their cavalier are to each other. Often, characters with these special bonds will gain abilities that can only be used when they’re together.

Storytellers have used this trope so many times in their romances that it carries a strong romantic connotation. While the trope can also be used for platonic relationships, a storyteller doing that may need to explicitly state that the relationship is platonic.

8. Voicing How Much They Care

Multiple episodes ARE YOU F- ING KIDDING ME??

In Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the students Albus and Scorpius form a close relationship that is forbidden by Harry himself. This relationship is of central importance to the play, and it includes a conversation where Albus tells Scorpius “you make me stronger” and Scorpius responds “I didn’t much like my life without you in it either.” This sounds like a conversation from a romance novel with the direct “I love you” lines conveniently clipped out.

Friends and siblings in popular stories don’t spend much time talking about how they are friends and siblings. Most platonic relationships in stories are also not as emotionally intense, and they come across as less needy and codependent than romantic ones.

As we get more deep and meaningful platonic relationships in popular stories, these conversations may be less associated with romance in the future. Even so, having peers spend time discussing their relationship or what they mean to each other definitely builds romantic chemistry. And since we can’t credit most popular storytellers with caring about meaningful platonic relationships, conversations like this one between Albus and Scorpius are a strong sign that the storyteller is creating romantic chemistry on purpose.

Storytellers who are covertly building romantic chemistry are particularly fond of using the word “love” in ambiguous ways. They know interested audiences will interpret this as “in love,” while others will interpret it as platonic love.

7. Activities Associated With Dating

Multiple episodes - meals together

The Good Omens miniseries added original scenes for the fan-favorite demon and angel pair, Crowley and Aziraphale. The series shows them meet for the first time, go through ups and downs together, and as a secondary concern, deal with the events of the actual plot. They’re shown drinking wine at a fancy restaurant together more than once. When things look bad, Crowley practically begs Aziraphale to run away with him. After Aziraphale’s shop burns down, Crowley invites Aziraphale to come home with him. Aziraphale often appears scandalized by Crowley’s advances, which only makes those scenes more suggestive.

While two friends could have a candlelit dinner together, storytellers don’t depict characters having candlelit dinners for the purpose of developing a platonic relationship. That’s why in a story, just having two peers eat at a restaurant by themselves implies a romance in progress. Other dating-associated activities might include watching the sunset together or dressing up to attend a fancy event together.

This category also includes any outing referred to with the word “date” – even if it is a “friend date.” Your friend date in real life might not be romantic, but storytellers choose that word for a reason.

6. Absent Clothing ?

(09x06)  There’s Cas’ discarded vest and unbuttoned shirt during the scene in the car outside Nora’s.

In The Last Jedi, director Rian Johnson decided to develop a romance between Rey and Kylo by giving them a magical bond in the form of long-distance telepathy. But Johnson must have decided the obviously romantic implication of this connection was too subtle, so Kylo also happens to be shirtless in one of these scenes.

Fictional clothing doesn’t just evaporate in storyland. If a character is bathing, is in their underwear, is missing their shirt, or even just has buttons undone, the storyteller has chosen to create sexual tension. This isn’t always to develop sexual chemistry specifically between two characters. In visual media, it might be to give the audience some eye candy. But if one peer’s shirt goes missing when the other appears, that’s a big sign.

Perhaps the most common method of doing this is putting characters in the same room when one of them is changing. Injuries are another common excuse for clothing removal and close contact. A remarkable number of characters have trouble applying their own bandages; somehow, they always need first aid from an attractive peer.

5. Flirtation & Flattery

Multiple episodes - (5x22) Dean outright flirting with Cas before saying yes to Archangelic possession and just Dean’s body language in other episodes.

X-Files was notorious for taunting viewers with a possible romance between its two leads, something that started right with the pilot. One of the many tactics used to build up a possible romance was for Mulder to inappropriately hit on Scully while they were working. In one scene where they are undercover as a married couple who just moved into the neighborhood, he tells a neighbor that he and Scully spooned like kittens all night. Generally, Mulder’s advances are disguised as jokes, and when he’s too serious to be joking, Scully treats his comments as if they were jokes.

It’s obvious that when one character hits on another, they have sexual or romantic interest. The only question is whether that interest is being used to develop romantic or sexual chemistry. Many stories have a scene where a minor male character hits on a female protagonist only for her to turn him down, and it’s supposed to be funny. Since most women do not find this funny, these scenes aren’t as common as they once were. Occasionally, a male antagonist will make threatening advances. That’s even worse.

However, it’s different when a relatable protagonist is initiating the flirtation. Even if the subject of their affections isn’t interested, being turned down will create sympathy. The scene may still be written as though it’s funny, but then it’s humble or self-deprecating humor. Failed flirtation establishes that the protagonist is looking for romance, creating the expectation that they will hook up with someone. If they’ve tried to flirt with a recurring character, it’s almost certainly a romantic setup.

4. Emphasis on Hugs and Physical Contact

Multiple episodes  ARE YOU F- ING KIDDING ME??

Many fans of the show Teen Wolf wanted Stiles and Derek to hook up. Stiles is the fan-favorite character, Derek is really hot, and the two have some great banter scenes. Unfortunately, the writers of the show wouldn’t create a romance between them, but at the end of the show’s long run, they decided to give these fans something to remember. How did they do that? With the bridal carry. Even though the scene was written to be humorous, this specific hold has incredibly romantic connotations.

While the bridal carry is pretty blatant, storytellers will use all kinds of physical contact between peers to create romantic and sexual chemistry. One of the most common is hugging. Yes, friends hug, but visual stories don’t include extended shots of friends hugging. Narrated works don’t spend a whole paragraph describing the way friends hug. If a hug between peers is rendered in artistic loving detail instead of as a casual and brief aside, that was intentional chemistry-building.

Other blatant signs of non-platonic physical contact include showing whether their hands are close enough to touch, making one character fall on top of another (classic), hair tucking, and, for storytellers with no shame whatsoever, mouth-to-mouth such as CPR or “water transfer.”

3. Blushing

In Netflix’s She-Ra, the characters Bow and Glimmer start off as best friends and hook up in the final season. In depicting this transition, She-Ra gives us a beautiful reversal, in which this straight romance is much more subtle than the central queer hookup. Because they were already friends, some viewers might miss that Bow and Glimmer end the show as a couple. However, close observation of one scene in particular leaves no room for doubt. In it, Glimmer praises Bow’s music, and they both blush.

Blushing is a little odd because it doesn’t appear in live action for practical reasons. But in animated, illustrated, or narrated works, storytellers use blushing to communicate that a character is experiencing non-platonic feelings. While it occasionally indicates general embarrassment, context almost always makes it clear which is which. If the character blushes after dropping all their books in the middle of class, it’s embarrassment. If they blush after speaking to or staring at a peer, it’s romance.

Since blushing is involuntary, it’s particularly useful when characters aren’t willing to show their feelings. This means it often gets used as early buildup to a romance or to create chemistry between characters who will never admit their feelings at all.

2. Jealousy ?

OPEN TO INTERPRETATION BUT - (4X10) Cas’ reaction to Dean and Anna.

In Gideon the Ninth, Harrow is a necromancer and Gideon is her cavalier. However, at the beginning they’re almost enemies. When they’re summoned to an abandoned castle to train for a great honor, Harrow goes off on her own. This leaves Gideon to socialize with the other nobles present – in particular, the lovely and kind Dulcinea. As Gideon and Harrow begin to make up, Harrow increasingly voices her displeasure with this association, finally forbidding Gideon to see Dulcinea. While Harrow insists it’s because Dulcinea is dangerous, Gideon accuses Harrow of being jealous.

In stories, jealousy is an obvious sign of romantic feelings. That’s simply because while the vast majority of romances in popular stories are monogamous, friendships are never exclusive. Someone who wants to be a friend doesn’t have much reason to get jealous. Factor in conscious choices by storytellers, and platonic jealousy is rare indeed.

Characters rarely admit to being jealous, so storytellers who want to clarify usually have another character say it. Even if it looks like that character could be wrong, the storyteller wouldn’t have used the word “jealous” unless they wanted their audience to think about it. The romantic chemistry that comes with this is intentional.

Unlike other items on this list, I don’t recommend using this one yourself for romantic buildup. Like other negative emotions, occasional jealousy is natural. However, it’s not a sign of a healthy relationship, and it’s associated with domestic abuse. When storytellers use it in romances, they are encouraging everyone to think of jealousy as romantic. That can have deadly consequences.

1. Onlookers Assume They’re Dating

Multiple episodes - Meg, Balthazar, and others making joking (or very serious) comments about their relationship.

In the BBC Sherlock episode A Study in Pink, Watson and Sherlock have dinner together at an Italian restaurant. For those who’ve been paying attention so far, that’s a dating-associated activity. The waiter is an old associate of Sherlock, and he casually refers to Watson as Sherlock’s “date.”

I cannot count the number of times I have seen this used as early buildup in straight romances. The likely couple goes out together – often to a restaurant but not always – and some stranger assumes they’re a couple. Embarrassed, they hurriedly correct the stranger. Several episodes later, they’re admitting their feelings for one another. In BBC Sherlock, this trick from the old romantic playbook was clearly not enough for the show writers. Following this is a conversation where Sherlock concludes that Watson is interested in dating him. He says he’s flattered, but he’s “married to his work.”

The denial of the characters doesn’t cancel out the intentional romantic chemistry. If the storyteller didn’t want the audience to think about the pair hooking up, they wouldn’t do this song-and-dance in the first place. In fact, if the denial is enthusiastic, it just indicates these comments about being a couple are hitting close to home.

For all the other signs I’ve listed here, I can at least conceive of a situation in which a plot would call for something similar between people intended as platonic. These little snippets of dialogue have no such cover. They are irrelevant to the plot at hand, inserted entirely for the character moment they create. They are the furthest thing from organic, especially with a same-gender pairing. The storytellers can claim they’re jokes (homophobic ones), but they have many jokes at their disposal that do not build romantic chemistry. They chose a joke that would.

When these romantic or sexual signals are used on same-gender pairings, it may fly under the radar for audiences with a heteronormative gaze. However, these signals don’t end up in the story by accident. That goes double if this is a big-budget story in a visual medium, where the story has been written, animated, or filmed, and finally edited under supervision. Remember: it’s a storyteller’s job to shape the response that audiences have to their story. They may not be perfect, but they still know what they’re doing.

[lilacmoon83]

Dreaming Out Loud

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 123: Quest for the Key, Pt 2

After seeing the others off to Transylvania, of all places, Regina and James had returned to their castle. She always enjoyed watching Snow's children playing in the garden with the other children that James' parents and Eli were watching, but today, her smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Mom?" Henry called, as she turned to him.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"That was kind of my question to you," he replied and she smiled at him, before hugging him close. At almost fourteen now, he was growing far too tall for her liking.

"I'm fine…" she fibbed.

"That's a lie," James commented, as he entered the room.

"You hush," she scolded.

"You're worried about all that stuff Greg said, aren't you?" Henry asked.

"Maybe a little," she replied.

"Mom...you've earned your happy ending. Both of you have. Grandma was right. He could choose to find his own happiness if he gave up revenge, but he won't," Henry argued.

"I was the same as him for a very long time, Henry. I missed out on my own happiness until I finally let go of revenge," she reminded.

"Which is why he's an idiot for not following your example," James chimed in.

"What he said," Henry agreed. She sighed.

"I appreciate your faith and confidence in me, but there was no mistaking that many of the people were in agreement with him. I destroyed so many lives. What right do I have to the happiness I've found?" she questioned.

"You can't think like that, Mom. You have earned your second chance," Henry insisted.

"Maybe so honey...but we may still have a problem if that footage is on the Internet now. Even if it gets popular, most people are still going to think it's some kind of movie trailer or something," James reasoned.

"You better hope so," another voice interjected, as Rumple and Belle approached with Gideon in tow. Belle put their son down to play with the other little ones and then stood up.

"The video that retired detective made has gone viral," Belle said, as she showed them the video and there were already thousands of comments.

"And even if some do think it's some kind of movie or something, that rat bastard narrated the whole thing and even told them roughly where we are in Maine," Eli added, as he was scrolling through comments on his own tablet.

"There is already groups of people planning trips to Maine," Rumple added.

"But...they still can't get in, right?" James asked.

"As far as we know...no, but that might not hold," Belle answered.

"What do you mean?" Robert asked, as he took his attention away from the children for a moment.

"I'm afraid that the Dragon...or Mushu has capitalized on this. Not everyone is believing him, but he now has quite an online following and he claims he can lead everyone in," Belle said, as she showed him what she had found on her tablet.

"This could get bad...really bad," Regina said.

"Especially if the authorities do take an interest," Rumple reminded.

"Then you think the FBI might be on their way too," she said. He nodded.

"Greg and his new friend probably gave them coordinates. Even if they decided not to send someone to investigate this without this video out there, it won't take them long to realize that it's the same location that a supposed murder happened. We may be facing a full exposure to the world," he said gravely.

"No...we have to fix this! We have to...because I'll be damned if I let them take my wife to some prison!" James shouted and she put her hands on his arm to soothe him.

"Not to mention that there is no telling what they'll make of all this. It could go so many ways and none of them are good. I've been reading up on the government and it's not going to be good," Belle said.

"Then we need a fix and we need one fast," Eli replied.

"What if you and me brew a massive amount of memory erasing potions? I mean, it would take a ton of time to brew that much, but it could work," Regina said, directing her question at Rumple.

"It's a possibility, though finding a way to administer it to the masses that may come with Mushu is another issue. But that still doesn't solve the problem of that video being out there," he answered. So she turned her attention to Neal.

"Neal...you've been in this world longer than us. Can that video still be destroyed?" she asked. He shook his head.

"No...it's out there on the Internet. There's no taking it back once it's on the Internet, short of an act of the Gods maybe. Even then, I'm not sure Persephone would even have that kind of power, especially out there. There's no magic," he replied.

"But it could be possible to discredit it, right?" Belle asked. He shrugged.

"I suppose...I can go talk to Annie and Adrian. I mean, if their family has been keeping up the illusion that our world is just stories for centuries, then they may know something of how to keep people in the dark or subvert them," he replied. They nodded.

"It's worth a shot. I can go with you," Eli offered and he nodded.

"Can I come?" Henry asked with interest.

"Sure kid," Neal replied, as he saw no possibility of danger in this task.

"There has to be a way to put this genie back in the bottle," James lamented, as he started to pace and Regina grabbed his hands, clasping them in her own.

"There might not be and we have to face that," she said bravely.

"We might have to face the very real possibility of my incarceration," she said, as she swallowed thickly, but he shook his head with vehement.

"No...no there has to be a way. If I've learned one thing from my twin brother it's that you fight for love and you never give up. I won't give you up...not happening," he said. She nearly crumbled at that, as he hugged her fiercely and held her tightly.

"When Persephone gets back...we can ask her if she knows anything that help fix this. As Supreme Goddess, she may have insight that we do not," Belle reasoned Rumple nodded curtly in agreement.

"Until then...we must prepare for outsiders, possibly in staggering numbers and with our supreme Sheriff and Storybrooke's Sheriff temporarily gone, it falls to you and my son to lead that front," Rumple said, as he looked at James.

"I'll do whatever I have to in order to protect us in my brother's absence. But they better get back soon, because unlike my brother, I don't have Promethean fire to keep everyone in line," he said.

"I doubt they'll be spending anymore time in Transylvania than necessary. Let's just hope they get back soon and hope that the author may have some insight," Belle agreed.

They barely had any time to understand what was happening when the roof to the tavern was literally ripped off and winged monsters dove on them with blood curdling screams. It was quickly seen that these winged creatures were humanoid and judging by the fangs they were sporting, it was clear they were a variety of vampires.

"Great...vampires that fly…" Emma complained, as she swiped at them.

"Well, you don't really think they glitter, do you?" Van Helsing quipped and Emma balked at the that, surprised that he even knew that reference.

"Yeah...I frequent the Land Without Magic occasionally," he added, as he speared one of the female creatures in the chest with a silver spike. She screeched an awful sound, before she slowly turned to ash.

Snow fired several arrows at a very persistent one and finally succeeded in killing her with an arrow between her eyes, just as she dived toward her and the ash fell upon them. Snow shuddered and shook the ash off, before returning to firing arrows.

Hades blue fire consumed three of the oncoming minions, but he knew these were just the underlings they were dealing with and the real threat was still on its way.

David sliced through several of the oncoming minions, as they truly seemed frenzied and almost in a mindless state hunger.

"Are we really making them this crazy or they just like this all the time?" he asked.

"A bit of both," Van Helsing offered, as he fired his crossbow in rapid succession.

"That's why we were reluctant to bring the three of you," Persephone said, as her lavender magic filled the sky and obliterated a dozen at a time. But it didn't seem to matter, for their seemed to be no end to the stream of blood sucking minions.

"This isn't working…" she said.

"I told you...they smelled these three the minute they got here!" Van Helsing scolded, as he sensed a powerful entity coming at them.

"Get them out of here now...he's coming," he snapped to Hades.

"Who is he talking about?" Emma asked.

"The King of vampires himself...I thought you killed him during the last siege!" Hades shouted to the monster hunter.

"If the Gods can't kill that bloody bastard...do you really think I can?" Van Helsing snapped back.

"No matter what I do...that monster doesn't die," he said.

"Are we really talking Dracula here?" Emma questioned, as she swiped through another flying monstrosity.

"Yes...but forget pretty much everything you know about him from pop culture," Persephone warned.

"Yes...he's not some caricature or just a monster with a funny accent," Hades added.

"He's a ruthless, blood sucking demon that for all intents and purposes is quite possibly the worst plague to ever inflict humanity," Van Helsing added.

"He makes Deimos and the Chernabog seem tame," Hades said, making Snow shudder.

"Okay...but if I remember from movies and stuff, can't a werewolf kill him? Like Ruby?" Emma asked.

"In theory...yes, but he's slain every werewolf to ever try before they can even attempt to tear him apart. I've lost hope that even a werewolf can kill him," Van Helsing said, as he shot several more.

"No...but that's what we thought about the Black God...turns out we were wrong," Hades said, as he took pot shots with blue fire at several in the sky, enjoying watching them explode like clay pigeons.

"Wait...you killed the Chernabog?" Van Helsing asked with great interest.

"Not us...our son-in-law," Persephone replied.

"Turns out Promethean fire could kill it all along, a nice little nugget of information that Hermes kept from us," Hades said.

"Wow...can't believe he managed to keep that from you for so long," Van Helsing replied.

"In our defense, Prometheus is picky and his fire hasn't ever chosen a champion. But David and Emma meet his high standards," Persephone said.

"They both seem like natural warriors," he agreed, as they continued to battle the creatures.

"So...you think Promethean fire…" Van Helsing started to say, but Persephone cut him off.

"No...they are not fighting him," she snapped.

"As bad as the Chernabog was, you know how vicious and evil the King of Vampires is," she added.

"Are you really going to lecture me about that demon?" Van Helsing growled.

"I am the one stuck in this endless loop of fighting a monster that won't die!" he hissed.

"I manage to keep him from decimating the population, but that's it. Clearly, I'm not the one meant to kill him or I would have done it already," he added.

"We're not here to fight your battles. We just need the key and we'll be on our way," Hades said.

"Yeah...not with the King out and about. He stays in the castle mostly and you're going to help me at least put him back there or no deal," Van Helsing growled, as the minions in the sky cleared, as four figures appeared in the sky.

"Dammit...they're here," he said, as he gripped his silver sword.

"They?" Emma asked.

"The monster himself and his three wives," he replied.

"Three wives? Seriously?" Emma quipped, as the three figures descended from the sky and landed before them. Honestly, they were a lot more frightening than she imagined, but she supposed she should have expected that. Movies had, for all intents and purposes, glorified vampires recently. But it was very clear that the beings before them weren't misunderstood creatures or even people that might have been good at one time. They were demonic monsters, their soulless, glowing red eyes said that alone. Vampire lore had also gotten the pale skin correct, though it wasn't beautifully fair like her mother's skin or her own, which had the beautiful glow of life behind it with the blood coursing through their veins. But this pale skin was almost transparent and difficult to look at, for no blood of life coursed in the veins of these monsters. The fangs were much more pronounced than she expected as well, doing nothing to hide what they really were and their sunken eyes and cheeks almost made them look frail, but she knew nothing could be further from the truth.

The three females, one blonde, one brunette, and a redhead probably were aesthetically pleasing at one time. But their pale skin that didn't hide the veins or bone beneath their thin, almost leathery skin made them difficult to look at without cringing. Their eyes and fangs marred their probably once attractive faces though and added to their frightening appearance.

But he was even scarier to witness, as his eyes seemed to almost literally be bleeding. His fangs were more pronounced, but retracted momentarily, as he touched down on the ground. His skin was much like the others, almost transparent and hard to look at and he oozed evil in a way she had never experienced. And considering all that they had seen, that was saying something.

"My my...it seems we have very esteemed guests," he said in a tone that was regal and that seemed foreign coming from one such as him, considering his savagery.

"Lord Hades…" he greeted.

"If you enjoy your immortal existence...then you would be wise to stand down," he warned. Dracula chuckled.

"You could not even challenge your brother for his Throne and it was he that banished Transylvania away from the other realms, because even he feared me," he drawled.

"Banishing was one of Zeus' best moves...but he is dead. I am Supreme Goddess," Persephone announced. The demon seemed surprised by that and a smile spread across his face.

"Queen Persephone...you are a vision as always. But do you really expect me to believe you unseated Zeus?" he questioned.

"Believe it or don't...she did and she is far more powerful than my stupid brother ever was," Hades snapped. Dracula chuckled.

"Yet still not powerful enough to destroy me," he said, as his attention turned to the other three with him and a very hungry gleam passed over his features.

"Hybrids…" he breathed.

"Such lovely little morsels...their scent entranced me the moment they stepped into this realm," he said, as he looked at David.

"And this one...not a hybrid, but there is something quite different about him. No ordinary mortal this one…" he added.

"He makes our mouths water like no other, husband," the redhead whispered to him.

"May we share him?" the brunette asked, making Snow gasp and clutch her husband's arm. The blonde one was silent, but her scrutinizing stare on David was unsettling to say the least.

Persephone and Hades stepped in front of them and she put her arms out.

"They are mine…" she said fiercely.

"You touch even one hair on any of their heads and a thousand lightning bolts will reign down upon this realm," she growled. He chuckled.

"Hybrids...the raven haired one. She is the child you conceived with a mortal. The fairest of them all," he guessed, surprising Snow that he knew any of that.

"She must be...it is the only thing that would make you threaten to kill all the mortals in an entire realm," he said.

"These people are just food to you...I'd be doing them a favor and without a food source, trapped in this fallen realm with no blood to drink...that might be the thing to finally end you," she threatened. He chuckled.

"You won't do it...you don't have the gumption," he challenged.

"Try me...because there is nothing I will not do to protect my family," she countered. He started to cackle again and his fangs extended.

"Then start protecting...because I am going to feast on Demi-Goddess blood before the night is out," he hissed, as the four of them attacked.

Quantico

Since the mysterious video had gone viral, claiming that everything people thought was just fiction was actually real and existed in Maine of all places, police stations across the nation and the FBI had been fielding all kinds of calls. People were going crazy over the video and already flocking to the woods in Maine. It had caused such an uproar on the Internet that the FBI already had their analysts working around the clock to poke holes in the supposed authenticity. It should have been easy. The video was ridiculous in its claims, with footage of magic and dragons, fairy tale characters, and Greek Gods of all things.

"No Sir...dragons aren't real. Please go about your normal life. The video is just a hoax," the supervisor said, before she slammed the phone down on the cradle.

"I want confirmation that this damn thing is just some kind of movie trailer and I want it now!" she bellowed.

"None of the Hollywood studios are claiming responsibility, but they're all jealous of the special effects," one of her agents informed, as he hung up the phone.

"Ma'am...didn't you send agents O'Bryan and Quinn to Maine?" another agent asked.

"I did, agent Cade, what's your point?" she snapped.

"I'm just looking over the original case file on the Kurt Flynn case. According to his eight-year-old son at the time, they encountered a small town with magic and the woman that took his father was holding a heart in her hand," agent Cade said, as she read from the original report.

"Which is obviously complete nonsense from the imagination of a traumatized eight-year-old with an overactive imagination," she dismissed.

"But supposedly the disappearance of Kurt Flynn happened in the same place as being advertised in this crazy video. This...Storybrooke. It's the same town that little Owen said they were staying in when his father disappeared over thirty-years-ago," agent Cade argued. Her superior sighed.

"I'm not saying that I believe anything in this video, but it's curious that the video and this thirty-year-old murder are naming the same town. Maybe we should join agents Quinn and O'Bryan," Cade suggested.

"Okay Agent Cade, you make a good point. Wheels up in thirty, team," she called, as she and four other agents prepared for a trip to Maine.

Mushu felt himself be lifted off the ground and choked, as Hyde wrapped a firm hand around the man's neck. And in a Land Without Magic, there was little he could do to thwart the super strength of Edward Hyde.

"This situation does not bode well for our operation, lizard," Hyde said, as he finally dropped the ancient being to the floor.

"I did not think such a video would entrance the masses so...but I assure you that the authorities will find a way to convince the majority of society that this is a hoax. The Order of the Jackal has people on the inside," Mushu stressed.

"They have gone through great lengths over the years to convince the masses that anything supernatural is pure fiction. We have not worked this hard to keep down the threat of the supernatural to fail now," he added.

"Yes...and how is it that you came to be involved with this sect?" Hyde inquired.

"I mean...you're from there and to these people, they may consider you to be one of the monsters they seek to keep down, much like me. Yet here we are...leading them. Some might say it leaves their values and tenets...much to be desired," he continued.

"You're right...I'm from a land of mystical wonders and magic," the Dragon said.

"I was a revered guardian to a long line of heroes. But those heroes tossed me out like trash the moment I made a mistake," he continued.

"And then I conceived a powerful child with a Goddess and instead of rewarding me with the Immortality and worship I deserved, they cast me out too and banished my daughter to this wretched world," he said.

"It always comes back to revenge, doesn't it?" Hyde drawled.

"I received some satisfaction when Zeus was wiped from existence, but my daughter and I still remain outcasts and they imprison her out of fear," he replied.

"Well, if the authorities in this land do not keep their noses out of the magical realms, then your revenge may go up in smoke," Hyde warned.

"These insignificant mortals cannot begin to understand magic. For now, Persephone and her precious bloodline rule. But when we discover what my ancestor hid in this world...I will take power," Mushu said.

"Then I will be a God and rule all the realms. I will have the author's pen...and I will control the narrative," he added.

"Then I will never be cast out or mocked again. I will never have to resort to living in this wretched, magic-less world, selling magical cures and parlor tricks to make ends meet," he said.

"Just make sure you find me some stronger test subjects. The weak people of this realm have all failed and I'm still bound to the tedious, insufferable Dr. Jekyll. I cannot risk traveling to the United Realms with Persephone in power," Hyde reminded. The Dragon smirked.

"I am a man of my word. When I left Storybrooke a few days ago, I brought a gift with me," he said, as he motioned to two subordinates that dragged two people forward.

"Who are they?" Hyde asked.

"Just some simple villagers. One from Arendelle and another from Oz. I think you'll find their hearts are a bit stronger than your typical mortals of this land," the Dragon replied.

"Excellent…" Hyde said, as he felt an oncoming headache.

"I must return to the Land of Untold Stories now," he said, as he used his key to open a door and shoved the two frightened and bound people through the gateway, before following himself.

"Welcome to the Asylum," he told them, as he forced them to walk toward the dreary building before them; a place that would likely be the last place they would ever see...

[i-patrick6971]

"Dark skinned girls are naturally dirty especially the fat ones" – Nigerian lady

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"Dark skinned girls are naturally dirty especially the fat ones" – Nigerian lady

Men are one of the reasons why ladies begin to tone or bleach their skin to become fair or light skinned.Although, some decide to bleach or tone up their skin based on inferiority complex.

Many ladies assume that Nigerian men actually prefer a light skinned lady to a dark skinned one and based on that assumption, they begin to use costmetic products that would change their skin colour.

Some of Nigerian female celebrities have gone through skin tranformation in other to please the man in their life.

Screenshot from Joy Bells Facebook page

A Facebook user Joy Bells has voiced her opinion about dark skinned girls, saying "So is it just me.But I say DARK SKINNED GIRLS ARE NATURALLY DIRTY…esp THE FAT ONES"

READ ALSO: I don’t bleach my skin, I lighten it - Actress Khanyi Mbau reveals

Few minutes after posting, she came back on Facebook to apologize for saying the above to dark skinned girls. She claimed she just wanted to get on the nerves of a few girls on a certain group but it got out of hand with the post from blogs which made her feel bad.

She also admitted to not being naturally light skinned and that the post came up due to an arguement she had with her cousin and a few friends .

Screenshot from Joy Bells Facebook page

Read her apology below;

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I'm so speechless I don't know what to say RN. I never saw it coming. Nobody did I guess . TBH I've been laughing all through last night even till this morning..I'm still surprised s**t didn't get to me.. maybe bc I was actually kidding tbh. Wanted to get on the nerves of few girls on that group even tho I LATER told em I was kidding.. but no bloggers already did their jobs.perfectly well. Chaaii. I got to blogs,.i felt the pains. I felt sadness in their comments. I felt bad,I saw this comment on IG. The girl said"I've always been DARK SKINNED,even tho I don't like it and I got a really low self-esteem on my complexion and you type this to make me feel bad?what if I'm not currently Wii boo, heaven knows what I would av done to myself"".. geez IM SO SORRY Y'ALL DARK SKINNED GIRLS. I never meant any of what I typed. I'll never do such in my right senses.I can be really rude sometimes but TBH I DIDN'T MEAN TO LOOK DOWN ON THE DARK SKINNED GIRLS..not like I'm even Fair or some sort.. I guess I was carried away by d arguments between I my cousins n some friends yesterday dat prompted such post. I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE,, PLEASE FORGIVE ME.. IM SO SORRY. DARK SKINNED GIRLS ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRLS,NEVER LOOK DOWN OR AV A LOW SELF ESTEEM ON UR COMPLEXION. Y'ALL NOT DIRTY ONE BIT. PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES.not everyone would see THIS but please to those seeing it. FORGIVE ME.

Even tho I didn't cry but TBH I felt sad. bc I was even shouting "FUNKE, AYELE,JESU ," to myself bc comments were so d**n hilarious and crazy.n maybe bc it wasn't my complete real name that went viral. I'm so sorry

And To all my mockers esp some of my friends adding pepper.lol tanks 4 d comments. "KEEP YOUR CIRCLE SMALL AND REALLY CLOSE THEY SAY". It's not just a quote tho..those that had to scold me,those that called,sent me links,those dat were pissed at me via inbox on here, WhatsApp and on IG.IM SO SORRY. Those that took my side.please never do such again.its bad if I'm not sensible enough I'd think I actually did d right thing... Thanks to Y'ALL THO. PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES. IM DEEPLY SORRY Y'ALL.. PLEASE?

Nigerian girls and their quest for supremacy based on skin colour. Dark or light skinned, which do you prefer?

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Can you answer this? What do women really want from men? Watch NAIJ.com video for what Nigerian women say they want

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Amazing! SEE photos of bicycle that operates with generator engine

A Nigerian man in Borno state has constructed a local bicycle that operates with a generator engine.

NAIJ.com gathered that the bicycle was spotted in Maiduguri the capital of Borno state. An unidentified man was spotted riding it.

The generator engine powered bicycle is built like a tricycle with three tyres, two at the back and one in the front.

It was constructed like any other bicycle except for the engine that was fixed at the back between the two tyres at the back and another that was fixed under the sit.

Talented Nigerian man constructs bicycle that uses motor engine Photo Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Nigerian graduate sells snails for a living (photos)

According to the Facebook user who spotted the bicycle, the invention would be extremely useful in a state such as Borno which is still affected by motorcycle ban due to Boko Haram insurgents.

This invention would develop Borno state Photo Source: Facebook

The user said: "A young talented guy in Nigeria made a local bicycle that uses a motorcycle engine in Maidiguri, Borno State. This bicycle is powered by a generator engine which helps driving without the use of pedals."

"This unique technology will surely help in especially the State which is still affected by motorcycle ban as a result of Boko Haram."

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Meanwhile, another female Nigerian talked to NAIJ.com TV about how she makes a living recycling waste. Watch below:

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It is ungodly for Christian women to wear high heels - Nigerian pastor says

A Nigerian pastor has come out to say that high heel shoes is not the solution to keeping a marriage or living a happy life.

He placed the the christain woman side by side with her adornment and the value it brings to her and her home. He termed a christian woman wearing heels as "married to the world".

Using Nigerian celebrity ladies as a yard stick, he claimed that the ones that have more heel shoes and do more make-ups have ended up divorced.

In his Facebook post, he said that some ladies are living hell on earth because of what they wear and the importance they place on it which has not stopped their spouses from cheating on them.

Screenshot from Gideon Akande's Facebook page

READ ALSO: I feel insulted - Nollywood actress Ify Okeke blasts Pastor Ibiyeomie

Read his Facebook post below:

"If high heel shoes, makeups and downs were to be the solution for happy life and marriage, many ladies of these days would be living paradise on earth life, but rather they are living hell on earth. With all the makes, devil still make mess out of their lives and marriages, with the high heel shoes, their husbands still cheat on them and abuse them, living in uncertain fear and persistent depression even with all outward beauty.

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"For example, the celebrities with the highest heel shoes and makeups have the highest rate of divorce. Can you see it is not by wearing high heel shoes that will make you march the enemy of your soul which is devil? You need Jesus Christ in your life genuinely!"

Looking through his Facebook page, we found out that his wife is not wearing earrings and as well might not be using an heel shoe.

See their picture below:

Gideon Akande and his wife (Source: Facebook)

Do we blame it on religion or doctrine?

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Fadeyi Oloro to become a pastor soon? Watch NAIJ.com video for details

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Lady shares her experience with once-chance operators, reveals their method of operation (photo, video)

- A Nigerian lady has shared her experience with one chance operators

- She revealed the new method used by people in defrauding unsuspecting victims

A Nigerian lady identified as Christy Glo has taken to her Facebook page to share her experience with once chance operators. The young lady made a video and explained the new method used by fraudsters in defrauding innocent people.

According to her, she had boarded a taxi on her way to the office when the lady sitting at the back of the car with her wanted to alight. The woman was said to have given the driver N500.

It was at that point he driver started asking her if she was the owner of the Ghana must go bag in the boot. She claimed the bag was hers and the driver asked why she did not say so before. He then went on to question her saying why would she keep such an amount in the car.

Christy Glo, the young lady who narrated her encounter eith one chance operators. Source: Facebook, Christy Glo.

READ ALSO: Bisola, ex BBNaija housmate, reacts after being called ugly, says it is her ugliness (photo)

The driver and the woman communicated for a while with him asking her about the money. He said the police could have checked the boot with that kind of amount in there. The poster then said the woman started begging.

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She revealed that she and some other people served one Alhaji that has just passed away. She, along with the others, had taken what they could and had left. According to her, she just left Abuja.

Glo claimed to have started the video lately and could not cover most of the things they said. She said the driver noticed she was recording and asked her to get down from the car. He also asked the passenger sitting in front, a man, to get down.

Check out the initial post made by the lady to see what went down in the car:

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The poster claimed the moment she stepped down from the car, the driver drove ahead and the man who was asked to get down from the car joined the car again.

Glo concluded the story by lamenting over not having a car as she claimed she would not have had that kind of experience.

Have you ever had an encounter with these one-chance operators? Share your experience with us in the comment section.

Watch the NAIJ.com TV video below to see what this lady mechanic is up to in Abuja:

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Bisola, ex-BBNaija housemate, reacts after being called ugly, accepts the ugliness (photo, video)

- Bisola Aiyeola has responded to being called ugly by a follower

- She shut the follower up by embracing the remark stating it is her ‘ugliness’

Bisola Aiyeola, the second runner up of the 2017 Big Brother Naija reality show has given an epic response to a follower who called her ugly after she posted a video of herself on Instagram without wearing makeup.

Bisola who is well loved by Nigerians was doing her usual thing and reaching out to people around her with the resumption of children on holiday drawing near. As a mother herself, Bisola understands what this season means for many parents.

Therefore, her message focused on the financial status of people around her as she prayed for them saying may they have enough to cater for their families.

Bisola, the ex-BBNaija housemate. Source: Instagram, Iambisola.

READ ALSO: 31-year-old pretty lady set to wed drowns in Anambra (photos)

The ex-BBNaija housemate made the video with her bare face. She even drew the attention of many to the pimple on her forehead stating it has built a duplex on her forehead and they should try not to look at it.

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However, Bisola’s message was of no relevance to the follower who decided to look beyond it and focus on her face. The user called her ugly and acknowledged the fact that wearing makeup does a lot for her.

Check out the screenshots from the comment section:

1. Being vindicated

Source: Instagram, Iambisola.

2. Niiamonogie being trolled

Source: Instagram, Iambisola.

3. Bisola reacts

Source: Instagram, Iambisola.

4. Niiamonogie apologises

Source: Instagram, Iambisola.

This remark seemed not to sit well with Bisola’s ardent supporters who took up the case and trolled the follower. The follower who operates under the name Niiamonogie had a lot of responses from people who considered her outburst to be rude and unnecessary.

Bisola herself was forced to respond to the follower. She went on to say ‘it is my ugly and I loveeeeee it.’ This epic response even made her other followers praise her as they kept saying they wanted more of her.

Watch the video made by Bisola below:

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Niiamonogie was called names which ranged from attention seeker to a lover of publicity. Others merely ignored the remark and keyed into the prayers made by the Big Brother star.

What is your stake on this? Do you really think Bisola is ugly or was the follower just being a hater? Let your opinion count in the comment section.

Watch the NAIJ.com TV video below to catch up on our exclusive chat with Debbie-Rise:

more info...

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Current career opportunities at American University of Nigeria

Some of the frequent online job searches in Nigeria recently include searches like lecturing jobs in Nigeria, teaching jobs in Nigeria, vacancies in Nigerian universities, etc. So, if you came across this post looking for a decent vacancy in one of the best Nigerian universities, you have clicked on the right post. Keep reading to find out more information about American University of Nigeria jobs.

The American University of Nigeria is one of the best universities in Nigeria. Choosing this educational institution as a place to build a career, will very likely give you job satisfaction and it will also boost your teaching career. Just read a little about the AUN or skip down to see the current vacancies at the university. At least if you decide to work somewhere, you should have a sound knowledge of the place.

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American University of Nigeria (AUN) was founded in 2003 by the former Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar. It is located in Yola, Adamawa State. The university was established to serve as the first development university in Africa. The mission of the university is to train, educate, and build leaders who are well equipped and ready to challenge the societal and economic problems in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

AUN is a career-oriented and first-class institution with the goal of being the agent of change in the development of Africa. The method of training and education is designed according to the American universities’ curriculum. They have a strong commitment to enriching their students with the leadership skills and essentials needed for solving Africa’s economic and social problems. The University admitted its first set of 124 students and employed twenty professors in 2005. Since then, American University of Nigeria has become a model for many universities in Nigeria and West Africa.

A perfect place to build a successful career, doesn't it?

American University of Nigeria job vacancies

READ ALSO: GTBank recruitment 2017

Professor/Associate/Assistant Professor of Communications and Multimedia Design

Department of Arts and Social Sciences.

Summary of job/responsibilities

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The employee will be responsible for teaching, carry out researches, and will also get involved in community service based on the instructions from the dean. He/she will work with other department team members to teach students to be critical thinkers, applied, and practical problem solvers. Teach courses at introductory and advanced levels relating to Communications and Multimedia Designs. Also, instructing and supervising students to carry out high-quality research works.

Basic requirementsCandidate must possess a Ph.D. degree in Communications and Media Studies or any discipline related to it.Must have job experience in American methods of higher education.Must have job experience at a prominent higher institution.Must be well trained with expert knowledge in at least one of the following areas:

- News Media: Animation, Design Principles, Multimedia Design, Web and graphic design, Video and Special Effects, Social media.

- Communication Studies: Communication Theories, Communication Research (qualitative and quantitative approaches), International and Intercultural Communications.

An excellent record of teaching and research with career stage stated.Publications in prominent and relevant journals.Professor/Associate/Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences

Department of Arts and Social Sciences.

Summary of job

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The university is searching for a motivated person who will be responsible for instructing biomedical science courses and courses related to biomedical science both at the introductory and advanced levels. Will be responsible for teaching, carry out researches and gettong involved in community service based on the instructions from the dean. Work with other department team members to teach students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. Instruct and supervise students to carry out high-quality researches.Basic job requirementsCandidate must possess a Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology or any other discipline related to it.Must have job experience at a prominent higher institution.Must have job experience in the American system of higher education.Teaching experience in biology courses with laboratory components.Must be an expert in at least one of the following fields: Biochemistry, Immunology, Genetics, and Microbiology.Records of a good number of publications in prominent and relevant journals.Professor/Associate/Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences

Departments of Arts and Social Sciences.

Summary of jobThe successful applicant will be saddled with the responsibility of instructing environmental science courses and other advanced courses related to both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The applicant will be involved in teaching, carrying out researches, and getting involved in community service as may be instructed by the dean. He/she will cooperate with other department team members in order to make students become critical thinkers, applied and practical, as well as problem solvers. He/she will be responsible for instructing and supervising students to carry out high-quality researches.Basic requirementsCandidate must possess a Ph.D. degree in Environmental Sciences or any other related discipline.Must have job experience at a prominent higher institution.Must have job experience in the American system of higher education.Must know how to develop and deliver a problem-centered approach to learning and teaching.Must be an expert in at least one of the following fields: Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Risk Assessment, Environmental Policy and Risk Management, Environmental and Occupational Health, and Environmental Impact Assessment.Record of a good number of publications in prominent and relevant journalsProfessor/Associate/Assistant Professor/Instructor of Economics

Department of Arts and Social Sciences.

Summary of job responsibilitiesThe successful applicant will be saddled with the responsibility of preparing, developing and teaching economics courses especially financial and monetary economics modules both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.Carry out research works and publish papers in reputable peer-reviewed journals.Promote and supervise scholarly and research works in the department.Be a leader or an active member of other committees responsible for curriculum development, promoting research, staff welfare, etc.Basic requirementsCandidate must possess a Ph.D. degree in Economics with specialization in monetary economics.An excellent record of outstanding teaching and research work with career stage included.A good record of publications in relevant and reputable journalsApplicant must have completed an MSc. Degree in Economics with focus on Development Economics.

For more information on the vacancies and how to apply, visit the university’s career portal at http://ift.tt/2vkPFan. If you are eligible for any of these positions, then don’t waste time. Visit the university portal for more information and useful details.

READ ALSO: Public health jobs in Nigeria 2017

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5 useful tips for easy GTB Internet banking registration

In this article, we are going to tell you how to make your life much easier! Let’s look through the main benefits of using GTB Internet Banking and how to register your account!

Guaranty Trust Bank Internet Banking

It is good to know that GTB Internet Banking provide useful services to its clients in Nigeria and across the world. One of them is to carry out a range of financial transactions via the GTBank official website. It will make the process of accessing banking services much easier, and you will not have to visit a GTBank office.

If you are a GTB account holder and you are interested in the GTB Internet Banking, you will have an amazing opportunity to try banking from home, at work or anywhere else really.

READ ALSO: GTBank online account opening: Step-by-step guide

GTBank Internet banking registration

Actually, it is rather easy to request for GTBank Internet Banking. So, just follow GTBank Internet banking registration tips and enjoy this useful service:

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1) Simply go to the nearest GTBank branch in your neighborhood if you are a current GTBank customer and appeal for the Internet Banking Application and Request Form. As for new customers, they can open any GTBank account of their choice and apply for the Internet Banking as well. Also, you can download GTBank Internet Banking form from the official website of the bank. Click on the "Products", then choose "Internet banking".

2) Then click on "To register" and choose "Internet banking form". Fill in the form carefully.

3) Submit the Internet Banking application form to the bank in person when you're done or send a scanned copy of the application, properly completed by you, to the following email address: internetbanking@gtbank.com.

4) If your application is accepted, GTBank will send the login information to your email address.

5) After this, you need to go to the GTBank Online Banking Platform http://ift.tt/2xFSv6A and enter your login information (User ID and Password), which were sent to your email address by GTBank.

Now you can discover all the advantages of this service after your successful GTBank Internet Banking registration. Basically, you will require a special token which is a digital tool that consists of specific numbers that will help you to make 3rd party online money transfers to other banks.

Receiving a token is optional for Internet Banking, but it is necessary if you want to transfer funds to other bank accounts online. The token costs about N3,000.

The main advantages of GTB Internet Banking

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After GTB Internet Banking registration, you will receive some benefits;

Easy access to all your GTB account(s) from anywhere world;The ability to monitor your account online;The privilege of carrying out banking transactions from your office or home;Assured safety for all your online transactions;An easy access to bank products and information;Easier, effective, and cheaper way for GTB clients to communicate with banks;A twenty-four hours a day, and seven days a week access to your account.

After following all the steps above, you can enjoy your Internet Banking experience. Just feel free to share your problems, comments, experience, advice, and tips you have with the GTBank Internet Banking.

READ ALSO: First Bank mobile money transfer: Step-by-step guide

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Be ready to fight, nobody should be afraid of police or army - Governor Wike tells followers ahead of 2019 election

- Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike has vowed to lay down his life if needed during the upcoming 2019 election

- Wike said he is aware that the opposition party is planning to take over his state in the coming election

- He urged his followers to disregard the police and 'be ready to fight'

The governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, has vowed that he would do anything to stop the All Progressive Congress (APC) from winning election in 2019.

Wike vowed to lay down his life if it would stop the opposition party from winning in his state during the upcoming election.

In what sounds more like a call to violence, the governor urged the people to ignore the army and police and 'be ready to fight'.

According to the governor's spokesperson, Simon Nwakaudu, Wike made the statement at a Thanksgiving Service in honour of Senator George Thompson Sekibo at the St Thomas Anglican Church in Diobu on Sunday.

READ ALSO: Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Nnamdi Kanu

Wike accused the APC of bringing disaster into the country and using the security operatives to oppress the opposition.

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He said: “Instead of bringing change as they promised, things are getting worse. They have introduced extreme fraud in the country, especially denying the people their mandate.

“2019, they will not succeed. As far as pee are concerned, we have no senator in Rivers East. The man going there has no capacity to represent us. All of us should be ready. We should be praying to God, but ready to fight”.

The governor ordered his followers to not be afraid of the Police and the Army in the defence of their mandate in 2019.

“Nobody should be afraid of the Police or Army, because liberty comes with a price. They have nothing to campaign with outside the use of security. I am ready to place myself on line, nobody will take Rivers state."

Meanwhile, the Rivers state chapter of the APC said it has taken note of the threats of Nyesom Wike, governor of the state.

The APC spokesperson in the state, Chris Finebone said: “Rivers people and Nigerians are fed up with the governor’s antics of praising the judiciary when judgements favour his interest and lampooning the judiciary when otherwise happens.

“The APC has taken notice of his subtle threat of violence come 2019. We can only remind him that 2019 won’t be 2015. Never. A word is enough for the wise, they say.”

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the APC in Rivers state reacted to an allegation by Governor Wike that the party played politics during the visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Osinbajo visited Rivers state on Thursday, July 27, and inaugurated a fertiliser plant built by Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Limited and two other projects by the state government.

Wike, however insisted that the Rivers APC prevented Osinbajo from inaugurating the remaining projects executed by his administration and even tried to prevent him (Osinbajo) from coming.

The governor said he wondered why the APC leadership would discourage the Acting President from inaugurating other projects in the state.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV Video of man describing APC as the worst party in Nigeria:

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Location of Royal Ceramic Tiles in Abuja

Royal is a product of West African Ceramics Limited, a leading manufacturer of Ceramic, Vitrified and Roofing tiles in Nigeria.

The company has been serving the needs of building material industry in West Africa since 1994.

Starting with a single unit production facility of only ceramic tiles at Suleja, Niger state, the company moved on to a bigger production facility at Ajaokuta, Kogi state, by presenting an array of products in Wall and Floor Tiles in both ceramic, vitrified categories and also roofing tiles.

Products on display at a Royal Ceramics showroom. Photo credit: royal-cermaic.com

The company has since doubled it’s initial production capacity in order to meet consumers needs and demands.

READ ALSO: Where can I buy armhole ruler in Abuja?

Product designs of the company includes Lapato Finish, Leather Finish, Wood Finish, Stone Finish, Rustic and Metallic Finish of Tiles.

The company has a wide distribution network of 200 distributors and 3 depots across the country.

There are also stores tagged - ROYAL Experience Centers in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt. The stores help the company to take its full range of product and services to the door step of its discerning consumers.

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In Abuja you can get Royal Ceramics at Office Everything, close to the Lake side. In the Central Area, you can get it at Jet Ceramics Limited, while in Garki, you can get the product at Fezel Nigeria Limited.

In Kuje,Eze Joshua C.N Orji & Company Kuje is the best place to get the product, while for those around Gwarimpa, Dutse and Bwari, HPS Stores Coated Roof Tiles is the place to go.

Watch NAIJ.com TV video on lady mechanics in Abuja:

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War against Corruption: Looters are worse than armed robbers - EFCC cries out

- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has described corrupt Nigerians as being worse than armed robbers

- The Commission assured Nigerians that it was working really hard to ensure a logical conclusion of all corruption cases

- Nigerians were further urged to place all hands on deck in prosecuting the war against corruption; as the Commission noted that this was the only way it would succeed

Corrupt Nigerians have been described as being worse than armed robbers, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to reports, the Commission made its comments through its deputy head, Ibadan zonal office, Mr. Kazeem Oseni, while speaking at the 13th Biennial Conference of the Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA), Ibadan chapter themed 'Fight Against Corruption: Where are the religious leaders and institutions?'

READ ALSO: Investigative report unearths the real truth about the Biafra Secret Service

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Speaking on the topic, 'Corruption in Nigeria: An overview and the efforts of the EFCC in fighting the scourge', Oseni stated: “Quite frankly, the enabling and operating environment in Nigeria vis-a-vis anti-corruption war, has not been very encouraging.

“Issues such as legal technicalities, lack of cooperation from some states and local governments, public attitude towards corruption, the phenomenon of corruption mentality in Nigeria; as well as slow judicial system occasioned by tactics of defense lawyers and interlocutory appeals, seriously undermine the commission’s efforts in taming corruption.”

Oseni assured Nigerians that the EFCC was working hard to ensure a logical conclusion of all corruption cases.

This was in response to claims that the Commission had not lived up to expectations.

He stated that most of the cases people assume as having died down, are in fact still being investigated.

In his words: “It is very, very difficult for the EFCC case to die expect it is concluded. If you see a case, maybe investigation is still ongoing”.

Oseni further stated: “In conclusion, all hands must be on the deck to ensure we succeed in the fight against corruption.

“We consider everybody a stakeholder, as the EFCC does not have monopoly of knowledge to defeat all shade of graft.

“We all have a role to play as individuals, and it is when we all change our attitude that we can see it reflected in the society.

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“No doubt, all stakeholders and functional institutions are crucial in the maintenance of a high quality of moral values within the social system; and the success or failure of our fight against corruption will depend on our willingness to take the fight through an ethical path.”

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Nuhu Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said Nigeria is almost getting back on track in the fight against corruption.

Speaking during an interactive session with journalists at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, Ribadu said the current political leadership is extremely strong when it comes to fighting corruption.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV video of EFCC staff staging a walk against corruption

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Close shave! Fayose's elder brother escapes death along Abuja road

- Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose's elder brother has been involved in a road accident

- The road crash occurred along Abuja road on his way to Ekiti to celebrate the chieftaincy title conferred on Fayose

- Although the car crash was indeed terrible, the occupants survived with minor injuries

Otunba Emmanuel Fayose, the elder brother of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state came out unscathed from an terrible road accident on Friday, August 25.

He was headed traveling along the Abuja road on his way to Ekiti state to witness and celebrate the Udiroko and Chieftaincy title conferred on his brother Ayo Fayose.

His younger brother Isaac Fayose shared the news on Facebook saying:

"In this season of strange occurrence and politically motivated missiles we thank God for I nearly lost my brother Otunba Emmanuel Fayose in a terrible car crash on the Abuja road coming for the udiroko and chieftaincy title conferred on our brother his excellency Ayo Fayose! We remain prayerful for the lord is our only protector!

"Help me to thank the lord he came out unscathed."

Otunba Emmanuel Fayose and his crashed car Source: Facebook, Isaac Fayose

READ ALSO: Fayose's 'stomach infratructure' photos surface 13 years after

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Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose has expressed delight over the return of President Muhammadu Buhari from medical treatment in London.

Fayose during the chieftancy ceremony Source: Facebook, Isaac Fayose

The president returned to the country on Saturday, August 19 after spending more than 100 days outside of the country for medical treatment.

NAIJ.com gathered that the Ekiti governor spoke after a brief meeting with some Peoples Democratic Party governors and leaders on Monday, August 21.

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Fayose’s reaction was quoted in a statement issued by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state where he said Buhari’s return was a welcome development.

Watch this NAIJ.com video on Fayose and President Buhari below:

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Sallah: Muslims lament as economic downturn bites hard on ram sales

- Some of the ram markets across Nigeria are experiencing low patronage as Sallah period draws near

- The low patronage in ram markets have also been attributed to economic downturn in Nigeria

- Some Muslims have also said they will ditch rams for either goats or cows shared collectively among neighbours

As preparation for the celebration of the Eid-El-Kabir is in full gear, some of the ram markets across Nigeria are experiencing low patronage.

Premium Times reports that a visit to Zango Market in Tudun Wada, the ‘yan Tumaki ram market Kawo,’ and some other market show that there is relatively low turnout due to the present economic downturn in Nigeria.

The celebration of Eid-El-Kabir which begins on Friday, September 1, as announced by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'ad Abubakar, is associated with killing of rams.

READ ALSO: Northern youths feeling cheated and angry with old men from Nnamdi Kanu’s place - Northern elders

However, as sellers flood the markets, they decry the growing low patronage on the ram business.

One of the ram sellers, Kasimu Sani, said that the outcome of this year's sale is 'scary'.

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Sani said: “We are not happy at all this year. What is scary about this year is that many people have collected their salaries in Kaduna and yet nobody is coming here. People are saying they would rather make food available during the festivities than doing Layya which is optional.”

He added that the sellers are careful not to irrationally increase the prices of rams.

“This year, we tried as much as possible to make the rams as cheap as possible. Rams goes for as low as N20,000 for now. If the demand increases, the prices will increase and we are looking at the next two to three days," Sani said.

READ ALSO: Top Boko Haram commander who led Chibok girls abduction surrenders, reveals how the girls were kidnapped

Others who spoke on the plight said they believe the prices of rams will be low this year.

A civil servant, Sanusi Danladi, said the size of the rams can no longer be a problem.

Danladi who revealed he was used to buying big rams as an act of 'Ibadah' said he no longer thinks the sizes are an issue.

“I used to buy big rams every year but since last year, size does not matter anymore. It is an act ‘Ibadah’ and what I can afford is what I will buy," he said.

A farmer, Hassan Karami, said he will not be making ram sacrifices this year due to lack of funds.

Karami said he invested all his money into his farming business and he's currently left with nothing.

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READ ALSO: Mother of 10-year-old boy who was killed in Owerri bursts into tears as PDP visits (photos, videos)

He said: "I have no money now and the little I have will be for food that I will provide for my family during the Sallah time.”

It was also gathered that some Muslims have settled for goats rather than rams as an option for their Sallah sacrifices while other a contributing money to buy cow and share.

Sa’idu Bala, a Kaduna resident, said: “I have settled for a goat which I have paid for already. I paid N12,000 for it and that is settled. My neighbours contributed N18,000 each to but one cow for the sacrifice.”

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the Sultan of Sokoto had announced that all Muslims in Nigeria would observe Friday, September 1, as Sallah day.

The Sultan said the announcement followed the sighting of the new moon of Zulhijja on Tuesday, August 22.

He also prayed all and wished Muslims Allah's guidance and protection throughout the period.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of how Ramadan affected price of items in the market:

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Costs of yam, meat, others soar as inflation rate drops for 7th consecutive month

- Nigeria's inflation drops for the 7th consecutive month to 16.05% year on year and 1.21% month on month

- Prices of food commodities also increased year on year but dropped month on month

- There was increase in prices of bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, coffee, tea and cocoa, potatoes yam and other tubers and vegetables

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in a report released today Monday, August 28, said Nigeria's inflation had dropped for the 7th consecutive month to 16.05% year on year and 1.21% m on m.

The bureau also reported that prices of food commodities continued to increase year on year but dropped month on month.

It said the the rise in the index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, coffee, tea and cocoa, potatoes yam and other tubers and vegetables.

READ ALSO: Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Nnamdi Kanu

Going further, NBS reported that the ''All Items less Farm Produce'' or Core sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce eased by 0.30 percent during the month to 12.20 percent points from 12.50 percent recorded in June.

The report read in part:

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"The Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 16.05 percent (year-on-year) in July 2017.

"This was 0.05 percent points lower than the rate recorded in June (16.10) percent making it the sixth consecutive decline in the rate of headline year on year inflation since January 2017. Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yield the Headline Index."

"On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.21 percent in July 2017, 0.37 percent points lower from the rate of 1.58 percent recorded in June.

"The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve-month period ending in July 2017 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve-month period was 17.47 percent, 0.11 percent point lower from 17.58 percent recorded in June 2017.

"The Urban index rose by 16.04 percent (year-on-year) in July 2017, down by 0.11 percent point from 16.15 percent recorded in June, and the Rural index increased by 16.08 percent in July from 16.01 percent in June. On month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.25 percent in July 2017, down by 0.35 percent point from 1.60 percent recorded in June, while the rural index rose by 1.18 percent in July 2017, down by 0.39 percent point from 1.57 percent in June.

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"The corresponding twelve month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index increased from 18.69 percent in June to 18.43 percent in July, while the corresponding rural index also increased from 16.56 percent in June to 16.60 percent in July.

"Food price pressure continued into July as all major food sub-indexes increased. The Food Index increased by 20.28 percent (year-on-year) in July, up by 0.37 percent points from the rate recorded in June (19.91 percent).

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"This represents the highest year on year increase in food inflation since the beginning of the new series in 2009.

"The rise in the index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, coffee, tea and cocoa, potatoes yam and other tubers and vegetables.

"On a month-on-month basis, the Food sub-index increased by 1.52 percent in July, down by 0.47 percent points from 1.99 percent recorded in June.

"The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending in July 2017 over the previous twelve month average was 18.25 percent, 0.38 percent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in June (17.87)percent.

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"The ''All Items less Farm Produce'' or Core sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce eased by 0.30 percent during the month to 12.20 percent points from 12.50 percent recorded in June as all key.

"On a month-on-month basis, the Core sub-index increased by 1.00 percent in July, 0.32 percent points lower from

"1.32 percent recorded in June. The highest increases were recorded in clothing materials and articles of clothing, furniture and furnishing, books and stationary, medical services, glassware, tableware & household utensils, accommodation services and household textiles.

"The average 12 month annual rate of rise of the index was recorded at 15.80 percent for the twelve-month period ending in July 2017, 0.42 percent points lower from the twelve month rate of change recorded in June."

NAIJ.com had also reported that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said that the FCT and Lagos state reported a total of 58,566 crime cases in 2016.

The NBS stated this in a Crime Statistics: Reported by Type and State in 2016 and posted on the bureau’s website in Abuja.

Meanwhile, in the video below, Naij.com visited markets recently to discover that despite President Buhari's return, prices of goods are still on the high side.

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What you must do after God snatched you from the jaws of death - Ex-Jonathan's aide sends message to Buhari

- Doyin Okupe has advised President Buhari to organise a thanksgiving for surviving his illness

- He said many people did not expect him to survive his illness

- The former presidential aide advised him to use the opportunity to change the country for good

Doyin Okupe has written an open memo to President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to thank God for saving his life and “snatching him from the jaw of death.”

In the memo which he posted on his Facebook, Okupe noted that many people did not expect the president to survive but he did.

READ ALSO: Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Nnamdi Kanu

He advised the president to make moves that will benefit the country and restore faith in him.

Read the memo below

Your Excellency,

You are welcome back from your long sojourn outside the country on account of your illness.

Many, including those around you, and others currently felicitating with you had given up on you and actually started working on plans based on their assumption that you were not likely to come back alive.

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In truth, for which you can bear witness yourself, God Almighty snatched you from the jaws of death. This was not because you were president, or the millions you spent, or the extra competence of your doctors; since great people succumb to death, even in the UK and despite their medical expertise.

You survived purely by the mercy of God, the creator of all flesh. That is why I was surprised that on your return, you thought it was more important to satisfy the demand of those who did not wish you well, or derided you for your ill-health.

Your Excellency, what you needed to do, and you should still do, is to show appreciation to God who preserved your life and kept you alive against all evil expectations.

On your instruction sir, glory must be given to God Almighty. All mosques should praise and thank God on your behalf on a chosen Friday. You may participate in this with family and close associates in the Villa Mosque. Your vice can lead a thanksgiving service at the Villa and this can be done throughout the country on the Sunday that follows.

God has brought you back for a purpose; pray to know that purpose and ask for health and strength to achieve it.

As our leader, and a God-fearing nation, let us begin to acknowledge God in our national affairs, so that He may direct and prosper our ways.

However, in your long absence, a lot has happened in the country.

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The country is in dire straits economically and sharply divided like never before; geopolitically and also along religious lines.

Your broadcast has not helped. But you are an elected president and you can broadcast to the nation as many times as you deem fit if you feel there is a need to make certain corrections in the previous broadcast. You don’t even have to go through the elaborate and strenuous route of the LIVE TV broadcasts because of your health.

I know that your last 6 minutes broadcast may have taken 1 hour or more to get it right.

You can achieve more in radio broadcasts which you can actually do weekly from the comfort of your home; with the least stress.

This way, you can talk to the nation less formally and from your heart, on your perspectives, your vision and dreams, your hopes and plans for its teeming masses. People will concentrate more on your message than your person. Ronald Regan and Obama used this broadcast tool most effectively with a positive impact on the citizens.

I am not one of your fans or avid supporters. In fact, I did all I could to stop you from becoming an elected president. I have no regrets. It was a competition, in which I had my own candidate, but God and the people of Nigeria have decided in your favour and as far as I am concerned, the matter has been long settled.

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However, your Excellency, you and your administration have so much to accomplish but unfortunately, the time is now very short.

The presidential elections are in February 2019. That is barely 18 months away.

However, by June/July next year (just 10 months away), activities of government wind down and the nation goes into full swing mode of politicking and preparing for the February elections.

NAIJ.com had reported that Okupe said it will be wrong for the acting president, Yemi Osinbajo, to run for presidency if anything should happen to President Buhari.

Okupe in an interview with Nigerian Tribune said the northern region of Nigeria will feel cheated out if Osinbajo runs for president in 2019, citing the case of a former president, late Umaru Yar'Adua,

Okupe said the northerners are scared that what happened in 2010 after Yar'Adua's death might happen again.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Nigerians speaking about the Buhari administration:

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What's UNIAbuja electrical engineering cutoff mark?

There are many Universities in Abuja, but most of them are private Universities, leaving just University of Abuja as the only existing Federal University in the Federal Capital Territory for now.

The University was actually established on January 1, 1988. The University took off from a temporary site, made up of just three blocks of building meant for a primary school in Gwagwalada, tagged the "mini - campus."

University of Abuja main agate. Photo credit: logbaby.com

Just like every other school in Nigeria, the University of Abuja has its cut off mark for students to be admitted into the school program for any course.

Cut off mark is an agreed score to be attained before students are given admission into any school.

For students to gain admission into UNIAbuja electrical engineering department, 180 is the approved cut off mark.

READ ALSO: N-POWER management commends community project of volunteers

First off, aspiring students must have also scored 180 in JAMB, to have a great chance of been granted admission in university of Abuja.

Apart from electrical engineering, UNIAbuja offers several professional courses including law, medicine and engineering, all of which also have 180 as their cut off marks.

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The University prides itself as a prestigious school, with great effort towards academics teaching and even the environment for learning is perfect.

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Ohanaeze under fire from northern elders for opposing Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest

The newspapers for Monday, August 28, focus on the feud between the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and Ohanaeze Ndigbo over the leader of IPOB, Nnmdi Kanu.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has criticised the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, for warning against the re-arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The forum on Sunday, August 27, condemned Ohanaeze Ndigbo for being opposed to the federal government’s plan to re-arrest Kanu.

The Punch reports that the chairman of NEF Paul Unongo, said the northern elders were disappointed that Ohanaeze had trivialised a criminal matter.

The Punch newspaper for Monday, August 28, 2017, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

NEF flayed the Ohanaeze for comparing the ultimatum issued by the northern youths to the actions of Kanu.

The forum said: “Leaders should be careful about what they support. This is the kind of thing that happened when our young men from the North, feeling cheated and angry with the old men from Kanu’s place for not cautioning Kanu, did what they did (ultimatum).

“But I came out immediately and said Nigerians have inalienable right to reside anywhere. I did that even to the detriment of my friendship with some people.

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“But what Ohanaeze members are doing is that they are giving the impression that if someone commits a crime and is from their tribe, he shouldn’t be tried. I don’t understand.

“Are they saying he (Kanu) should not be tried until someone from another part of the country is arrested? That will invite chaos to the country.”

The Nation newspaper reports on the confessions of a member of Boko Haram, Auwal Ismaeela, who said he led the kidnap of 276 schoolgirls from the government secondary school in Chibok, Borno state on April 15, 2014.

The Nation newspaper for Monday, August 28, 2017, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

Ismaeela, who has surrendered to the military, also stated that he led other major operations and said he regretted his actions.

The PRNigeria report said: “Ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid-Kabir coming up by the weekend, a top Boko Haram commander who played a major role in the abduction of Chibok girls and killing of youths in Madagali has surrendered and confessed to several acts of bloodletting on innocent people and destruction of properties across the length and breadth of the North-eastern part of the country.

“In an interview with PRNigeria at a military facility for the repentant and surrendered Boko Haram members in the Northeast, the ex-terrorist leader said he regretted the atrocities he was forced to commit against humanity.

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“The commander, Auwal Ismaeela, is currently cooperating with the Nigerian military with useful information on locations and hideouts of other top commanders of the deadly sect. He regretted his actions which, according to him, run counter to several Islamic injunctions.

In a related development, a former commander of the Boko Haram group, Abdulkadir Abubakar, has claimed that two factions of the group are ready for talks with the federal government.

Vanguard reports that Abubakar, also known as Abu Muhammad, was the chief intelligence officer of the Boko Haram group and one of its top commanders, until his arrest in June by the military in Buni Yadi in Gujba Local Government area of Yobe state.

Vanguard newspaper for Monday, August 28, 2017, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

Abubakar said at his cell in Maiduguri that Albarnawi and Mamman Nur factions of Boko Haram were willing to dialogue and cooperate with the government to defeat the most visible leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau.

Abubakar revealed deep divisions and power struggle among the insurgents, claiming the Albarnawi and Mamman Nur factions were opposed to Shekau’s leadership style and bloodthirstiness.

According to him, Shekau, whose capture, dead or alive, the military high command has ordered, has been the major obstacle to peace, since the insurgency began in 2009.

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Abubakar’s claim about the readiness of the factions to dialogue with the Nigerian authorities could not be verified as he had been incarcerated since June. But he insisted that the groups are predisposed to a peaceful resolution of the eight year-old crisis.

Meanwhile, as part of measures to battle global warming, Nigeria may ban petrol and diesel vehicles within the next decade being a signatory to the Paris treaty.

The Guardian newspaper for Monday, August 28, 2017, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

The Guardian reports that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Paris agreement earlier in the year to reduce greenhouse gases emissions. Experts said petrol and diesel vehicles are leading causes of pollution across the world.

In the video below, NAIJ.com TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra.

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The real truth about the Biafra Secret Service; how it is funded and how members are recruited (Special Report)

- According to an investigative report, there is much more to IPOB’s newly inaugurated security outfit, Biafra Secret Service (BSS)

- The investigation unearthed how the group has a dual purpose of protection and investigation (against activities of saboteurs)

- BSS recruiters reportedly look out for individuals who can speak foreign languages and honor top candidates with awards at the end of the training programme

- Salaries are reportedly paid out based on ranks; with senior officers being paid more than those in lower levels

A recently published in-depth investigative report has revealed that there is more to the newly inaugurated Biafra Secret Service (BSS), than meets the eye.

The investigation which was carried out by Daily Trust, revealed that the idea to form the group was conceived immediately the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was released from jail.

READ ALSO: Niger Delta militant groups reject withdrawal of quit notice by Arewa youths

Even though the group has stated that it will employ a non-violent approach to achieve its goals, the report shows that the members of the group are also prepared to respond otherwise.

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At a drill session held at Kanu’s home, one of the group’s commanders, Mr. Aguoche Obidike, was allegedly heard saying, “We are Biafra Secret Service men that have volunteered to defend Biafran land.

“Like our leader will rightly say, we are here to restore Biafra.

“We have come in peace but if the option given to us to restore Biafra is violent, without fear, the men and women are ready to take the land of Biafra from invaders and looters.”

The investigation unearthed how the group has a dual purpose of protection and investigation.

While charged with the responsibility of protecting Nnamdi Kanu, the group also investigates ‘criminal activities’ like plans of sabotage against IPOB.

It was further revealed that BSS members are selected based on qualifications from diverse backgrounds of individuals based in ‘Biafra land’ and all over the world.

The recruiters reportedly look out for people who can speak foreign languages.

According to a source, “This requires that the applicant should be able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social and professional topics.

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“At the completion of all required training and graduation from the BSS training program, the graduating students would be posted to various offices while the best graduating student would be given an honorary award.”

A recruitment advert seen by the investigative reporter stated the following: “Candidates must be Biafra citizens and must submit to urinalysis screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment.

“All Secret Service positions require a Top Secret security clearance.

“All applicants must undergo a full, Secret Service-specific, Top Secret clearance process regardless of who you are; certain positions may also require the applicant to successfully complete OATH of trust and medical examination.

“Age, vision and excellent physical condition requirements may also apply and more.”

The advert reportedly bears no provisions for passport photos and identification cards are not issued to the successful recruits.

A member of the group who joined from Rivers state, Nelson Madu, stated: “Before you talk about joining the Service, you must be an IPOB member and you must believe in all its tenets and principles.

"You must be an able-bodied man or woman and be ready to render selfless service to Biafra-land.

"You must be loyal to our leader and be ready to obey your superiors.”

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On the issue of payment, the investigation revealed that salaries are paid out based on ranks. This is despite the fact that the service rendered by members ought to be voluntary.

Junior officers are reportedly paid N10, 000, while senior officers receive between N25,000 to N30,000 monthly.

One member of the group, a certain Obidike Bright, however disclosed that BSS activities are funded using the N500 monthly dues contributed by members of the outfit.

To receive a pair of uniforms which consist of a red beret, a pair of black shoes, white belt, black trousers, mostly jeans and customized polo, members are charged N1,000.

Others allege that the group is funded by foreigners.

BSS members are usually seen crowding around various newspaper stands, trying to convince people to support the IPOB agitation.

They are also allegedly positioned strategically at various ‘security checkpoints’ to restrict movement of people.

The group’s members take day and night shifts; during which, different dishes are reportedly cooked and served.

Under a condition of anonymity, a member of the group stated: “Members were placed under oath not to divulge information about the organization to any member of the Zoo community (Nigeria).”

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Nnamdi Kanu who is the leader of the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB), said that he set up the Biafra Secret Service so as to provide security for Igbhe set up the Biafra Secret Servico people.

Kanu spoke shortly after his visit to Senator Enyinna Abaribe in Abia on Tuesday, August 22.

The Biafra leader claimed the federal government had failed to protect the people, which was why he set up a secret service to do so.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV video of Nigerians reacting to the news of the Biafra Secret Service set up by Nnamdi Kanu:

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Abdullahi Ganduje reveals secret behind withdrawal of Arewa quit notice

- Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano state governor has reacted to the withdrawal of Arewa quit notice issued to the Igbo living in the norther part of Nigeria

- He said the decision was an outcome of President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement

- Ganduje however commended the group for withdrawing the quit notice

Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano state governor has said that the withdrawal of quit notice by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), given to the Igbo living in the North is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech.

Governor Ganduje made this known over the weekend in Abuja where he had a meeting with Shettima Yerima, CNG chairman, Daily Trust reports.

NAIJ.com gathered he however, advised all the tribes in Nigeria to come together and manage their differences in a positive way.

READ ALSO: Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Nnamdi Kanu

The governor said since Nigeria was blessed with different ethnic nationalities and languages, each tribe must have its comparative advantages.

He said: ''They have formally withdrawn the quit notice. Weeks back, we hosted ezes from the 19 northern states together with the coalition.

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''We were in Kano together. We provided conducive environment. A committee of 10 was constituted, five persons from each side.

''Last Wednesday’s decision was the outcome of that meeting with the withdrawal of the quit notice given to the Igbo''.

He commended the efforts of both the Igbo and northern leaders which led to the withdrawal of quit notice.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), described the withdrawal of the quit notice issued to Igbos in the northern part of the country by the Arewa youths as inconsequential.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV video what many Nigerians are saying about restructuring in the country:

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BREAKING: OurMumuDonDo protesters storm EFCC, ask Buhari to repatriate Diezani

- Charly Boy's group is currently protesting at the headquarters of EFCC

- The protesters are demanding the repartriation and prosecution of former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Maduake

- Diezani is being investigated by the EFCC over alleged theft of public funds

Ace musician, Charles Oputa, also known as Charlyboy, alongside his OurMumuDonDo protesters have stormed the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja to demand the repatriation of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

NAIJ.com gathered that the former minister who served during the administration of ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, is undergoing investigations over alleged fraud committed while she was in office.

Charly Boy's group demands for repatriation and prosecution of Diezani Alison-Maduekwe. Photo credit: Punch

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against Buhari’s CoS Kyari

Recently, a Lagos Federal High Court ordered the forfeiture of some property linked to Diezani because they were believed to have been acquired using proceeds of stolen wealth.

Charly Boy's group demands for repatriation and prosecution of Diezani Alison-Maduekwe. Photo credit: Punch

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that a report that the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has frozen a £10million (over N4billion) worth of London property allegedly bought for Alison-Madueke.

Charly Boy's group demands for repatriation and prosecution of Diezani Alison-Maduekwe. Photo credit: Punch

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Watch the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stage an anti-corruption walk on the streets of Abuja on NAIJ.com TV:

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Ohanaeze is right, you are biased against Nnamdi Kanu - Group blasts FG

- A pan-Igbo group has condemned the move by the federal government to re-arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra

- The group said the federal government has shown that its is biased against the activities of the Biafra agitators

- The group also called on Igbos across Nigeria to remain calm as it begins a legal process against FG in the United States of America

A group, Igbo Renaissance Agenda (IRA), has condemned the move by the federal government to re-arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The group in a statement signed by its coordinator and secretary, Jude Ndukwe and Amaka Ekwo, accused the federal government of bias as it claimed it looked the other way when the Arewa youths issued a quit notice to the Igbos living in the north.

IRA throwing its weight behind Ohanaeze Ndigbo said the Coalition of Northern groups committed serious crime in their issuance of quit notice to fellow citizens living in the north.

READ ALSO: Northern youths feeling cheated and angry with old men from Nnamdi Kanu’s place - Northern elders

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The group also said the federal government has shown, "undue emotional and physical brutalization of innocent Igbos while treating confirmed terrorists from the north as royals”.

IRA in its statement also queried the northern leaders, elders and youths obsession with Nnamdi Kanu whom they said has never been known to carry arms against the state.

The group said: “We find it unacceptable that groups ranked the first and fourth deadliest terrorist organizations respectively in the world are of the Hausa/Fulani stock from the north and are being allowed a field day to kill innocent Nigerians with reckless abandon while Nnamdi Kanu who has been a victim of gross abuse of his rights and the killing of his IPOB members without any provocation or reprisal of any kind on his part is being threatened with re-arrest and his IPOB group vindictively labeled and treated like a terrorist organization that it is not by government officials and Arewa youths who are obviously playing out a script written for them by their elders and leaders."

The group further said it finds it irrational that the federal government is only concerned about stoking the heat in an already flaming polity.

The group said the federal government should be focused on finding ways to douse the rising tensions across Nigeria.

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READ ALSO: Top Boko Haram commander who led Chibok girls abduction surrenders, reveals how the girls were kidnapped

“Even the UN in a recent release has expressed its grave concern ‘about the proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property’, yet, no one has been arrested for such treasonable offences," IRA said.

The IRA also urged all sons and daughters of Igbo extraction to remain vigilant as it is currently exploring legal processes in the United States of America on yhe gross abuse of the rights of the Igbo people.

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the IPOB leader had insisted that anyone who made attempt to arrest him would die.

Kanu while speaking at the Boys' Technical College in Aba said that the agitation for Biafra is a mandate from heaven.

He also anyone agent of the federal government that attempts to arrest in in 'Biafra land' will not leave the area alive.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Nigerians speaking about Kanu's Biafra secret service:

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JAMB cut-off: Federal University of Gusau sets 170 mark

- Federal University Gusau has announced a cut-off mark of 170 for the 2017/2018 academic session

- There has been a lot of outcry regarding the JAMB cut-off mark of 120 recently introduced to Nigerian students

- The decision to set 170 as minimum cut-off marks was taken after getting statistics on the candidates who applied for admission

Following the announcement of the 120 cut-off mark, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned candidates that it does not guarantee automatic admission into higher institutions.

Their statement read: “The 120 cut off mark doesn’t mean an automatic ticket for admission. Institutions will still admit using established criteria of merit and others."

According to NAN, the Federal University Gusau has announced 170 as minimum mark for the JAMB cut-off marks for admission into the university for the 2017/2018 academic session.

On Saturday, August 26, Umar Usman, the information officer of the university disclosed that the university management had arrived at the decision to set 170 as minimum cut-off marks after getting statistics on the candidates who applied for admission into the institution.

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READ ALSO: NANS demands JAMB cut-off mark to be reversed

He said the university was only given a quota to admit 1,500 students through JAMB and Direct Entry for the coming academic session.

According to him, over 5,000 applicants applied for admission into the University.

“If we will stick to the 120-minimum cut off marks given by the JAMB, majority of applicants who are going to attend the University’s aptitude test for the admission will not get it.

“We decided to minimize the difficulty by raising our points to 170 so that most of those that will pay for post UTME in the university will get the admission,” he explained.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com also reported that JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has said that in the last one year that the exam body has regularised over 400,000 admissions for students who had scored below cut-off marks, among various irregularities.

The registrar speaking in an interview on Friday, August 25, said many universities and other tertiary institutions had engaged in the irregular admission of candidates for 10 years.

Watch this NAIJ.com video on registration for JAMB in Nigeria:

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Stop wishing Buhari dead - Okowa warns Nigerians

- Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has warned Nigerians against wishing President Muhammadu Buhari dead

- He said that God has put to shame those wishing the president dead with his safe return to Nigeria

- Buhari had on August 19 returned to Nigeria after spending more than 100 days in London to treat an undisclosed ailment

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has stated that the recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari from ill health deserved to be celebrated.

NAIJ.com gathered that Okowa said those ‎who have been wishing the president dead were only heartless because God had put them to shame by bringing the president back alive.

The governor also called on Nigerians to promote what would unite the country rather than vices that would rather tear the nation apart.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

Okowa stated this on Sunday, August 27 during an inter-denominational anniversary thanksgiving service to mark the 26th years of the creation of the state at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Asaba, the state capital.

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Okowa said: “We must be cautious of the statement we make because, the unity of this country is what all of us must work to sustain; we must learn to partner ourselves and engage in actions that will deepen our love for one another.

“We thank God for the return of Mr. President to the country, death is not a thing that one can wish any one and the return of President Buhari deserves to be celebrated. Nigerians have come to realise that it is better for us to remain united as a people.”

The governor, who also expressed joy at the return of peace to the creeks of the state, added that there was every reason for the people to celebrate the creation of the state 26 years ago.

He said: “As a people, as a state and as a government, we have every reason to celebrate because, if not for any other reason, from August last year when we marked our silver jubilee to this year, there is reasonable restoration of peace especially in our creeks where there is no longer destruction of pipelines.

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“Though the impact of the peace that has returned to the creeks may not have been felt in our economy, because, the state did also suffer from the effect of consistent low price of oil for more than 38 months. We were not just affected by the price going down and the quantum produced but, there is hope that it will be better.”

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that among the governors that met with Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, August, 25, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state would not forget in a hurry how the president made him laugh wholeheartedly.

Watch this NAIJ.com video and see the way Buhari's return was recently celebrated:

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UN urges FG to investigate and prosecute Northern youths behind ‘quit notice’ and hate song against Igbos

- UN experts denounce ultimatum and death threats targeting Igbo in the north

- The UN also urged the federal government to investigate and prosecute the Northern youths behind the ‘quit notice’

- According to the UN, incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities

The United Nations has called on the federal government of Nigeria to investigate and prosecute people behind the ultimatum against Igbos in the norther part of the country and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message.

The UN made this known in a publication obtained from the office of the United Nations high commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The UN which strongly condemns the ultimatum and hate songs said hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

The statement read in full:

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"An ultimatum telling Nigeria’s Igbo minority in the north of the country to flee their homes is of “grave concern”, a group of United Nations human rights experts* has warned.

"The experts also deplored a hate song and audio message being circulated on the internet and on social media. The Hausa-language audio message urges northern Nigerians to destroy the property of Igbo people and kill anyone who refuses to leave by 1 October, the same date given in the ultimatum.

“We are gravely concerned about this proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property, especially considering the previous history of such violence,” the experts said.

“The government must be vigilant, as hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.”

"The ultimatum was issued on 6 June 2017 during a press briefing by the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum in the city of Kaduna. It called for sustained and coordinated campaigns to remove the Igbo population from the northern region.

"The human rights experts noted that some local and national figures, as well as some media representatives, had publicly denounced any form of hate speech and incitement, but said other officials still needed to follow suit.

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“We are deeply concerned that some prominent local leaders and elders have not condemned the ultimatum, hate speech and the perpetrators,” the experts stressed.

“We call on the Government, media and civil society representatives, and local and religious leaders, to reject and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms.”

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"The UN experts said any incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence had to be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and punished. “This includes the people behind the ultimatum and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message,” they added.

NAIJ.com had reported that the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups (CNYG) had withdrawn the “quit notice” issued Nigerians of the Igbo extraction to leave the 19 Northern states by October 1.

The CNYG’s decision to withdraw the quit notice followed series of meetings with numerous stakeholders, TVC has reported.

Watch IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu speak on the activities of the group on NAIJ.com TV:

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Nnamdi Kanu says anyone who tries to arrest him in Biafra land will be killed by IPOB

- Nnamdi Kanu says anyone who tries to arrest him will not leave Biafra land alive

- He said this while speaking at Boys Technical College (BTC) in Aba, Abia state

- The IPOB leader also claimed that the struggle for Biafra began at Christ the King Catholic Cathedral

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra on Sunday, August 27, insisted that there will not be election in Abia state unless a referendum which his group has been clamouring, is conducted.

Kanu while speaking at Boys Technical College (BTC) in Aba, Abia state, said that the agitation for Biafra is a “message from heaven.”

The IPOB leader who is aware that the federal government has commenced process to have him rearrested said that anyone who tries to arrest him will not leave Biafra land alive, the Cable reports.

“Where we are, is Biafra Land. Aba is the spiritual capital of Biafra land. We started in Aba in 2015 at CKC (Christ the King Catholic Cathedral),” Kanu said.

“That day, heaven authenticated our move that IPOB will restore Biafra and that’s what we’ve come to do. We died in Aba; at National High School.

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“They shot and killed us in other places in Biafra land when they were protesting for my release. As our people rest in the grave, we’ll never rest until Biafra is restored. I don’t care what they say in Abuja. I don’t care what they say in Lagos.

READ ALSO: My father would have been proud of Nnamdi Kanu’s Biafra agitation - Ojukwu’s son speaks

“I’m a Biafran and we are going to crumble the zoo. Some idiots who are not educated said that they’ll arrest me, and I ask them to come. I’m in Biafra land. If any of them leaves Biafra land alive know that this is not IPOB. Tell them that’s what I said.

“Tell Buhari that I’m in Aba and any person who comes to arrest Nnamdi Kanu in Biafra land will die here. I’ll never go on exile I assure you.

“Some people talk about restructuring, are we doing restructuring of Nigeria now? Are we doing fiscal federalism? Are we doing devolution? What we want is Biafra!

“Forget all the nonsense they write about us. We are not slowing down and no man born of a woman can stop us.

“They thought we are joking and God gave us a simple message that no one can stop us. The movement to restore Biafra is unstoppable.

“The message of heaven is what I bring to you. Don’t be afraid. The plans of our enemies are not going to be actualized. The enemies are planning, but we are formidable.

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“We are going to boycott Anambra state election. After Anambra 2017, in 2019, there’ll be no elections in Biafra land. Signed and sealed. My message is that there’ll not be election in Biafra land ever again until they give us date for referendum.”

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Meanwhile, as the federal government commences process to rearrest Nnamdi Kanu leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over his alleged flout of bail conditions, NAIJ.com list the conditions given to Kanu by Justice Binta Nyako.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Nigerians speaking about Kanu's Biafra secret service:

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Captured Boko Haram commander reveals where Abubakar Shekau is currently hiding

- A former chief intelligence officer of the Boko Haram group, Abdulkadir Abubakar, says two factions of the group are ready for talks with the federal government

- Abdulkadir Abubakar, also known as Abu Muhammad, states that Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has been the major obstacle to peace, since the insurgency began in 2009

- Abu Muhammad expresses willingness to give the military useful information to crush the insurgents and arrest Shekau

A former Boko Haram commander, Abdulkadir Abubakar, has disclosed that the elusive leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, has left his enclave in Sambisa forest and is currently hiding in Mandara Mountain.

READ ALSO: Aso Rock CABAL stages comeback following Buhari’s return

Abdulkadir Abubakar, also known as Abu Muhammad, was the chief intelligence officer of the Boko Haram group and one of its top commanders, until his arrest in June by the military in Buni Yadi in Gujba local government area of Yobe state.

He said two factions of the group were ready for talks with the federal government.

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Abubakar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at his cell in Maiduguri that Albarnawi and Mamman Nur factions of Boko Haram were willing to dialogue and cooperate with the government to defeat the most visible leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau.

According to him, Shekau, whose capture, dead or alive, the military high command has ordered, has been the major obstacle to peace, since the insurgency began in 2009.

“Shekau is not willing to surrender due to his high handedness. Unfortunately, the government and military authorities accorded priority on dealing with Shekau, who is blood thirsty.

“Albarnawi has indicated interest to dialogue with the government to end insurgency and provide a lasting solution to the crisis. Albarnawi discusses this with members of his circle. And I can assure the government that he would cooperate to achieve peace.

“The two factions are willing to cooperate with Nigerian Government to defeat Shekau,” he said.

Abubakar’s claim about the readiness of the factions to dialogue with the Nigerian authorities could not be verified as he had been incarcerated since June. But he insisted that the groups are predisposed to a peaceful resolution of the eight year-old crisis.

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Abubakar claimed to have undertaken various espionage missions and provided intelligence to the insurgents, which enabled them to hit a long list of targets, among which were the abduction of 275 students at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok and the killings of students at federal government College, Buni Yadi. Over 20 students were murdered at Buni Yadi.

He also claimed to have been involved in other attacks on schools in Maiduguri, Damaturu, Postikum and Mamudo.

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The detained Boko Haram commander expressed his willingness to give the military useful information to crush the insurgents and arrest Shekau.

“I am cooperating with the military and I am ready to provide information on the whereabouts of Shekau. Shekau has left his enclave in Sambisa and moved deep into Mandara Mountain. I know the area where he is hiding and willing to provide a guide to the military.

“The intensified military offensive has weakened Shekau’s position and that of the other groups,” he added.

Abubakar revealed deep divisions and power struggle among the insurgents, claiming the Albarnawi and Mamman Nur factions were opposed to Shekau’s leadership style and his bloodthirstiness.

He also blamed Shekau for many attacks on civilians by the Boko Haram insurgents.

“During the early days of the insurgency we fought for what we thought was a just cause, to establish a caliphate where human beings are valued, cherished and respected.

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“After annexing vast territories, Shekau began to demonstrate his cruelty and atrocities against humanity.

“In view of the high level atrocities committed by the group, some of the top commanders including myself, Albarnawi and Mamman Nur challenged Shekau, demanding an immediate end to the ugly saga.

“Thereafter, Albarnawi and Mamman Nur parted ways, and formed their groups. Shekau is responsible for bombings and attack on soft targets in the North-East.

“The Albarnawi and Mamman Nur groups never attacked schools, religious places of worship, markets, women and children. Our fight was strictly with security forces. Even the kidnapped oil workers would not be killed by the group,” he said.

According to him, both Mamman Nur and AlBarnawi opposed the abduction of the Chibok school girls, women and children.

“Shekau is fond of using the girls and other abducted women as toys, and bombers. He kills on the pretence of punishing for lies, theft, and rebellion. Shekau kills without justification.

“Shekau arrogated to himself the powers to accuse, prosecute, convict and punish in total contradiction to Islamic teachings. Children and women also starved to death in Sambisa due to Shekau’s cruelty,” he said.

Meanwhile, a top Boko Haram commander who co-led the operation that resulted in the abduction of about 276 girls in the town of Chibok on April 14, 2014, has surrendered to the Nigerian army.

The commander, Auwal Ismaeela, is currently helping the Nigerian Military with useful information on locations and hideouts of other top commanders of the sect.

Ismaeela, who also led several Boko Haram operations in the northeast which resulted in the killings of innocent people and destruction of properties said he regretted his actions.

In the video below, Nigerian Air Force gives an update on operations against Boko Haram in 2017.

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Arewa youths have replaced quit notice with calls to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu - Niger Delta militants reject withdrawal of quit notice

- Various Niger Delta militant groups have come together to reject the recent withdrawal of the October 1 quit notice issued to Igbos by Arewa youths

- The groups alleged that the action glaringly shows that government and security heads from the north were the brains behind the earlier announcement

- The agitators further reiterated their request that all oil blocks in the Niger Delta given to prominent outsiders, be returned to the region

The recent withdrawal of the October 1 quit notice issued to Igbos by Arewa youths, has been rejected by Niger Delta agitators, Vanguard reports.

The groups described the move as an attempt to deceive Nigerians, and laughed over the fact that the withdrawal occurred alongside plans by the federal government to re-arrest and prosecute the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

READ ALSO: Medical doctor allegedly beats his wife to stupor in Bauchi

They accused the federal government and security chiefs from the north as being the masterminds behind the quit notice, while restating their call for Hausas and Yorubas to vacate the Niger Delta region before October 1.

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Their comments were contained in a statement signed on Sunday, August 27, by General John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs and Convener, Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators); General Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers); General Osarolor Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors); Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters); Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom Fighters); Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta Movement for Justice); Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network); Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta Freedom Mandate) and Major-Gen. Ibinabo Tariah (Niger Delta Development Network).

It read: “The recent gathering of the Arewa Youths in Transcorp Hilton, Abuja to announce the suspension of the quit notice issued to Igbos in the North is one action that glaringly shows that government and security heads from the North were the brains behind the earlier announcement.

“It is laughable that the Arewa Youth group thinks it can fool the rest of Nigerians, particularly those of us in the Niger Delta part of Nigeria, by replacing the quit notice with calls for the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu.

“Today the Federal Government has met-up the demand of the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups by filing a motion in court to revoke Nnamdi Kanu’s bail.”

The agitators further reiterated their request that all oil blocks in the region which were given to a former president, former military heads of state among other personalities, should be returned to the Niger Delta.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the National coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) warned that the matter of the quit notice issued to Yorubas in the Niger Delta by militants must be duly taken care of.

Adams urged leaders of the region to call to order the militants, who under the umbrella of Niger Delta Agitators (NDA), had asked Yorubas and Hausa-Fulanis living in the region to leave on or before October 1.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV video about the quit notice issued by Arewa youths to Igbos living in the north:

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Politics is responsible for poverty and hunger in Nigeria - Dino Melaye

- Senator Dino Melaye, lawmaker representing Kogi west senatorial district revealed why Nigerian leaders have failed their younger generation

- Melaye said that the politics is responsible for poverty and hunger in the country

- He also said politicians can spend their last penny to win elections even though there is hunger in the land

Senator Dino Melaye, lawmaker representing Kogi west senatorial district has claimed that Nigerian politicians, including himself, have failed the country and their younger generation.

Reports have it that Melaye made this known while speaking at the Osasu show symposium in Abuja on Friday, August 25.

NAIJ.com gathered that the symposium themed ''The new economy and its impact on less priviledge citizens''.

He said: ''When you speak the truth, you die, when you lie, you die; so it is better to speak the truth and die.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

''I may sound very unpopular but I will speak the truth. Apart from militocracy, politics is responsible for poverty and hunger in Nigeria.

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''Unfortunately, we the leaders, myself inclusive, have failed this nation and have failed the younger generation, myself inclusive.

''The reason why we are where we are today is because there is a disconnect between leadership and followership.

''As I speak to you, the problem why we are where we are is because of trust. There is no trust between the governed and those governing.

''Once there is no trust between the followership and the leadership, it will definitely have a negative concomitant effect on the economy, and every other facet of our national life.

''Hunger and poverty have no political party, hunger and poverty have no religion. To have brought people to discuss on the line of APC or PDP is not correct, because the poor PDP man and the poor APC man all go to the same market.

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''What we should fix is democracy; Democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people. What we have is greediocracy; government of the greedy by the greedy, for the greedy.

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''We the leaders want to win elections at all cost, so we spend money to win elections. The followership also is greedy, they accept money to vote. So, head or tail, there is a need for attitudinal change and this is affecting everything.

''Today, we are talking about recovery of our economy, we are talking about poverty and how to fight it. The only way to fight poverty is for we leaders to build trust among the people''.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Melaye is currently on vacation with his kids in an undisclosed location.

Watch NAIJ.com video of a lady speaking about her relationship with Dino Melaye:

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Ijaw youths issue warning to President Buhari over alleged plans to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu

- The IYC criticises the federal government for the way it handled the quit notice issued by a coalition of Arewa youths to Igbos residing in the north

- The group claims the Buhari administration would have handled the issue differently had the threat emanated from another tribe

- The IYC faults the government for detaining several Niger Delta youth activists when the Arewa youths are being treated differently

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has said the plan by the Buhari administration to re-arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for allegedly violating his bail would set Nigeria in flames.

READ ALSO: Repentant BH commander narrates how Chibok girls abduction occurred

The IYC, according to Sahara reporters, criticised the federal government for the way it handled the quit notice issued by a coalition of Arewa youths to Igbos living in the north.

The group claimed that the Buhari administration would have handled the issue differently had the threat emanated from another tribe.

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“It is the height of nepotism and sectionalism for the Buhari administration to treat the Arewa youth leaders who committed a serious offense bordering on a threat to national security with kid gloves while the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is being threatened with arrest and several Niger Delta activists are languishing in detention,” the IYC said.

The IYC faulted the government for detaining several Niger Delta youth activists such as Ezekiel Daniel, Alex Odogu, ex-militant leader Bonny Gawei, and several others in underground detention cells while the Arewa youths were enjoying state dinners.

The group said the government should not re-arrest Kanu or any other agitator in other part of the country until appropriate action is taken against Arewa youths for issuing a quit notice to Igbos residing in the northern region.

“We wish to state clearly that the Buhari administration has lost the justification to threaten to re-arrest Mr. Nnamdi Kanu or any other agitator in the southern part of Nigeria. Nigerians ought to be treated equally irrespective of their place of origin or ethnic background. We also strongly advise against the planned revocation of the bail and arrest of the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. Arresting Nnamdi Kanu would set Nigeria in flames,” the IYC stated.

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Meanwhile, Nnamdi Kanu on Sunday, August 27, insisted that there will not be election in Abia state unless a referendum which his group has been clamouring for is conducted.

Kanu while speaking at Boys Technical College (BTC) in Aba, Abia state, said that the agitation for Biafra is a “message from heaven.”

The IPOB leader who is aware that the federal government has commenced process to have him rearrested said that anyone who tries to arrest him will not leave Biafra land alive, the Cable reports.

In the video below NAIJ.com TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra.

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Presidency dismisses rumours that Osinbajo has been sidelined by a cabal

- The presidency has reacted to media reports accusing a cabal of running the affairs of Aso Rock

- The report specifically mentioned the president's Chief of Staff (CoS), Abba Kyari

- The report also stated that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been sidelined in the scheme of things in government circles

The presidency has alerted the public on an orchestrated campaign to smear the good name of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, by a section of the press.

Malam Garba Shehu, the president’s senior special assistant on media and publicity stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, August 28.

According to him, some allegations being levelled against the president’s CoS are indirectly aimed at rubbishing the successes being recorded by the Buhari administration.

He described those behind the campaign as mere blackmailers and extortionists who were bent on creating unnecessary but imaginary division and misunderstanding between President Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the CoS.

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“A careful assessment of some these allegations with a rational mind will show that there is an orchestrated campaign to smear the CoS and indirectly the president.

“If I can speculate on the matter, I will say that the problem Malam Abba Kyari has with most people is that he, like the president he serves, will not throw money at people in order to please them.

“As CoS, Malam has refused to keep cash imprest and has turned down a monthly grant of N200 million customarily given to the office.

“This is money freely spent because they were not required to account for what they did with it,’’ he said.

The presidential aide further noted that when the president was away on the medical vacation, the CoS rallied the presidency behind Professor Osinbajo because he knew that his boss, President Buhari expected nothing less.

He said: “As Acting President, Vice President Osinbajo enjoyed the support of the Villa Staff and the entire cabinet. Otherwise he would not have succeeded and earn the praises of the President.

"These are just a few among the false and illogical accusations making the CoS larger than life, with the aim of pulling him down. No Chief of Staff including this one can create hurdles for a president and survive the next day.

“The roles and duties don’t warrant the kind of falsehood being spread.’’

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Shehu therefore dispelled the false notion that some individuals had tried to undermine the vice president when he acted in the absence of the president.

The presidential spokesman also dismissed as “absolutely nonsensical and absurd’’ to write that in one week of the President’s return, Osinbajo had been sidelined.

He stated that, “quite to the contrary, the vice president remains the confidante and the closest adviser to the president.”

He noted that Vice President Osinbajo had attended all the president’s engagements all through the week with the exception of two: one, the VP was away to Taraba state and two, the Juma’at Muslim prayer because he is a Christian.

Shehu also dismissed the assertion in some quarters that President Buhari was being manipulated by the certain cabal in the Presidential Villa.

“It is difficult to understand what anyone wants to achieve peddling such falsehood that the President, himself a former military general and Head of State and Commander-In-Chief is subject to undue influence and manipulation.

“It is both ridiculous and inconceivable.

“As someone who works very closely with President Buhari, I can testify to how my years of experience as a newspaper editor are often put to the test by the sheer thoroughness with which the President edits every single document brought to his desk.

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“Every memo, statement, speech, is subject to his intense scrutiny, right down to the placement of commas and full stops.

“Therefore, alleging that President Buhari signs memos brought to him by government officials or a so-called cabal without reading them, immediately casts doubts on the credibility of the ubiquitous unnamed sources that the reporters of these articles quote.

“But, of course, the president cannot do everything. He cannot micromanage every task.

“That is why he needs close officials, whom he trusts, who will be willing to offend others in the process of ensuring his own safety and wellbeing, and the advancement of his vision for Nigeria,’’ he added.(NAN)

READ ALSO: President Buhari meets with APC, PDP leaders (photo/video)

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has agreed to set up a committee to review the minimum wage for workers.

The committee is expected to include representatives of the government, Nigeria Labour Congress and employers.

Watch NAIJ.com TV vox pop where some Nigerians suggest which of President Buhari's appointees should be sacked:

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Afenifere takes side with Nnamdi Kanu, blasts FG for not arresting Arewa youths

- Afenifere has advised the federal government to be fair in dealing with all Nigerians

- The group said Nnamdi Kanu should not be re-arrested, warning that it will heat up the polity of the nation

- The group pointed out that it was clear the government had double standard

The Pan-Yoruba sociology-cultural group, Afenifere, has issued a warning to the federal government not to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu as doing so ill heat up the polity of the country.

There has been report that the federal government was planning to arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and The Punch reports that Afenifere accused the government of double standard.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

Yinka Odumakin who is the publicity secretary of the group advised the government to engage in dialogue with the group rather than trying to fight them.

He said: “The idea of re-arresting Kanu will overheat the polity, more so when youths in the north that issued a notice to quit were not arrested. Even after the Kaduna State Governor and the Vice President ordered their arrest, the police did nothing.

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“The Minister of Internal Affairs said the youths were not arrested because they claimed they were misquoted, but a few days ago, the youths in the presence of some governors withdrew the order.”

He advised the government to apply law equally rather than using different measures for peoples based on their states of origin.

He said: “The government is giving the impression that what is red line for someone from a particular region is green line for someone in another part of the country; I think it is better the government engaged to bring down the tension rather than strong-arm tactics that would overheat the polity.

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“There is a clear double standard and that is not good for inclusiveness. What the government should do is ensure even application of the law and engage more youths more rather indulge in sabre-rattling.”

Meanwhile, Bianca, the widow of the late Biafra warlord, Odumegwu Ojukwu, called on those asking residents of Anambra state to boycott the forthcoming governorship election to have a rethink or face the consequences.

Bianca also asked the agitators to commence the boycott in their own states and leave Anambra alone.

She, however, complained about the near-absence of the federal government in Anambra in the area infrastructure.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Kanu speaking about his Biafra agitation:

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Nnamdi Kanu says anyone who tries to arrest him will die, Nigerians react

The federal government of Nigeria, on Friday, August 25, asked a court to revoke the bail granted to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu, in a reply to the report, vowed to deal with anyone who attempts to arrest him again and Nigerians have a lot to say about Kanu's reply to the federal government.

Below, NAIJ.com brings to you some of Nigerians' reactions to the federal government's plan and Kanu's reply:

Facebook user, Chimelum Ajanma, thinks Nigeria might be plunged into a war should Kanu be re-arrested.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

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Watch NAIJ.com video of Nigerians reacting to the new Biafra Secret Service (BSS) inaugurated by Nnamdi Kanu:

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Serious jubilation in Spain as Barcelona finally unveil top French superstar that will replace Neymar (photos, video)

- Ousmane Dembele has been unveiled by Barcelona

- The Frenchman will replace Brazilian star Neymar

- Dembele joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund

Spanish giants Barcelona have officially unveiled Frenchman Ousmane Dembele after the 20-year-old striker completed a mega million move from Borussia Dortmund.

It was a colorful ceremony at the Nou Camp as fans gathered to welcome the superstar who will replace Brazilian star Neymar.

Dembele is expected to add pace to Barcelona attack as he will support the attacking duo of Argentinian Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

See photos and video below

Barcelona finally unveil Ousmane Dembele as a replaement for Neymar (photo: Array)

Fans gather outside to welcome Dembele (photo: Array)

READ ALSO: Arsenal star Alex Iwobi ruled out of Nigeria v Cameroon clash in Uyo

Barcelona finally unveil Ousmane Dembele as a replaement for Neymar (photo: Array)

Watch NAIJ.com video below of reactions to Neymar's move to PSG

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Finally! Arsene Wenger responds to fans calling for him to quit Arsenal, talks about future with club

- Arsene Wenger has responded to fan calling for his resignation saying " If i am the problem, then i am the problem"

- Arsenal were thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool on Sunday August 27

- Wenger admitted that he sorry for the terrible defeat and will bounce back stronger

Arsene Wenger has responded to Arsenal fans calling for his resignation after the ridiculous defeat his side suffered to Liverpool by admitting "if I am the problem then I am the problem".

Wenger signed a fresh two year deal this summer following prolonged negotiations throughout last season - and an almost constant barrage of "Wenger Out" chants and banners.

However, despite his immediate future being confirmed, a section of Gunners fans called for the Frenchman to depart the club after their poor start to the season.

Arsene Wenger responds to ‘Wenger out’ chants “If I am the problem, then I am the problem” (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Arsenal were thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool on Sunday August 27, which makes it a back-to-back defeat after their shock loss to Stoke at the Britanna stadium last weekend.

READ ALSO: Tottenham 1 Burnley 1: Stubborn Burnley share spoils with Tottenham at Wembley

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Wenger who masterminded a topsy-turvy victory over Leicester on the opening weekend via 4-3 win has not been enough to keep the honeymoon going.

"Well I don't want to answer that, that is part of the crowds feeling of some people,'' Wenger told Sky Sports.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest sport news on NAIJ.com sport app

"If I am the problem then I am the problem. I am sorry that I am the problem.

"I believe we should all be together when we lose and we want our fans to be together when we lose, even in a performance like that.

"The only thing we can do is come back and give them a better level of performance."

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com recently asked Nigerians to give their thoughts on Neymar's move to PSG in this video below;

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Serious trouble for Gernot Rohr as Super Eagles most important player ruled out of Nigeria v Cameroon clash (photo)

- Arsenal striker Alex Iwobi has been ruled out of Nigeria v Cameroon clash

- The first leg of the two duels will come up in Uyo on Friday, September 1, 2017

- Iwobi sustained injury while training with his Premier League club in London

Nigeria have suffered a major blow ahead of their crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against African champions Cameroon in Uyo as Arsenal striker Alex Iwobi has been ruled out of the duel.

According to the report just reaching NAIJ.com, the forward withdrew from the squad after suffering a thigh muscle strain while training with his Premier League team.

Iwobi was also out of Arsenal's squad that were completely decimated by Liverpool on Sunday, August 27, in a tough Premier League tie at Anfield.

Arsenal star Alex Iwobi ruled out of Nigeria v Cameroon clash in Uyo (photo: Goal)

He will also miss the Super Eagles' return leg encounter with African champions Cameroon on September 4, 2017 in Yaounde.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles handler Gernot Rohr has replaced Alex Iwobi with CSKA Moscow striker Aaron Samuel and he is expected to arrive at the Eagles camp on Monday, August 28.

READ ALSO: Liverpool defeat Arsenal in a tough Premier League duel at Anfield

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Nigeria are currently leading the Group B of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers African zone with 6 points after winning their first two games against Zambia and Algeria.

Watch NAIJ.com video of the Super Eagles below

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Nigeria's D'Tigress crowned champions of Africa after tense final against Senegal

- Nigeria's D'Tigress defeated rivals Senegal to win the 2017 Afrobasket championship

- The national team has qualified for next year’s world championship as African champions

- This is the third title Nigeria will be winning having also won in 2003 in Mozambique

The D’Tigress, Nigeria Senior Women’s Basketball team have won the 2017 Afrobasket Championship.

Sam Vincent's team defeated Senegal 65 - 48 in the final played on Sunday, August 27.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest sport news on NAIJ.com sport app

Nigeria’s D’Tigress celebrate their win over Senegal in the final. Photo: Making of Champions/Twitter

D’Tigress last won the biennial championship in 2005. This is also their third title having won in 2003 in Mozambique.

The team all seven games enroute to the final. The Senegalese team won the first quarter 18-12; but D’Tigress clawed their way back and by half time it was Senegal 28 -33 Nigeria.

D’Tigress built on their lead in the 3rd quarter before securing the win in the fourth quarter with the game ending 65 - 48.

READ ALSO: Serious embarrassment for Arsene Wenger as merciless Liverpool thrash Arsenal at Anfield

The team will be one of two teams to represent Africa at next year’s world championship.

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Meanwhile you can watch NAIJ.com's video on Nigeria's strongest man;

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Tottenham 1 Burnley 1: Curse of Wembly strikes again as Burnley grab late equaliser

- Tottenham were stunned by a late equaliser from Burnley at Wembley

- New signing Chris Wood was the hero for the visitors as he got on the score sheet in the 92nd minutes

- Spurs are yet to record a win at Wembley stadium

Last season EPL runners up, Tottenham's ‘Wembley curse’ continued on Sunday as they drew 1-1 with Burnley, conceding a late equaliser.

Chris Wood scored a 92nd-minute equaliser on his Premier League debut for Burnley to secure a 1-1 draw and continue Tottenham's problems at Wembley.

The North London club had lost seven of their last 10 matches at Wembley prior to Sunday's game, having been beaten 2-1 by Chelsea last time out thanks to Marcos Alonso's last-gasp winner.

READ ALSO: Liverpool defeat Arsenal in a tough Premier League duel at Anfield

Mauricio Pochettino's men looked on track for a narrow victory thanks to Dele Alli's scrambled opener before Wood's late impact from the bench.

Chris Wood, a club-record arrival from Leeds United earlier this week, scored the equaliser in the second minute of added time by thumping home a low finish from Robbie Brady's brilliant pass.

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Alli had put Spurs ahead four minutes into the second half, smashing in a loose ball after the visitors failed to clear Christian Eriksen's corner.

After Harry Kane, who has failed to score in 13 Premier League appearances in August wasted a string of chances, Wood came up with a priceless leveler for his side.

Bunley had defeated Chelsea on the opening weekend at Stamford Bridge on their last away league outing.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com recently asked Nigerians to give their thoughts on Neymar's move to PSG in this video below;

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Current career opportunities at American University of Nigeria

Some of the frequent online job searches in Nigeria recently include searches like lecturing jobs in Nigeria, teaching jobs in Nigeria, vacancies in Nigerian universities, etc. So, if you came across this post looking for a decent vacancy in one of the best Nigerian universities, you have clicked on the right post. Keep reading to find out more information about American University of Nigeria jobs.

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The American University of Nigeria is one of the best universities in Nigeria. Choosing this educational institution as a place to build a career, will very likely give you job satisfaction and it will also boost your teaching career. Just read a little about the AUN or skip down to see the current vacancies at the university. At least if you decide to work somewhere, you should have a sound knowledge of the place.

American University of Nigeria (AUN) was founded in 2003 by the former Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar. It is located in Yola, Adamawa State. The university was established to serve as the first development university in Africa. The mission of the university is to train, educate, and build leaders who are well equipped and ready to challenge the societal and economic problems in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

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AUN is a career-oriented and first-class institution with the goal of being the agent of change in the development of Africa. The method of training and education is designed according to the American universities’ curriculum. They have a strong commitment to enriching their students with the leadership skills and essentials needed for solving Africa’s economic and social problems. The University admitted its first set of 124 students and employed twenty professors in 2005. Since then, American University of Nigeria has become a model for many universities in Nigeria and West Africa.

A perfect place to build a successful career, doesn't it?

American University of Nigeria job vacancies

READ ALSO: GTBank recruitment 2017

Professor/Associate/Assistant Professor of Communications and Multimedia Design

Department of Arts and Social Sciences.

Summary of job/responsibilities

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The employee will be responsible for teaching, carry out researches, and will also get involved in community service based on the instructions from the dean. He/she will work with other department team members to teach students to be critical thinkers, applied, and practical problem solvers. Teach courses at introductory and advanced levels relating to Communications and Multimedia Designs. Also, instructing and supervising students to carry out high-quality research works.

Basic requirementsCandidate must possess a Ph.D. degree in Communications and Media Studies or any discipline related to it.Must have job experience in American methods of higher education.Must have job experience at a prominent higher institution.Must be well trained with expert knowledge in at least one of the following areas:

- News Media: Animation, Design Principles, Multimedia Design, Web and graphic design, Video and Special Effects, Social media.

- Communication Studies: Communication Theories, Communication Research (qualitative and quantitative approaches), International and Intercultural Communications.

An excellent record of teaching and research with career stage stated.Publications in prominent and relevant journals.Professor/Associate/Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences

Department of Arts and Social Sciences.

Summary of jobThe university is searching for a motivated person who will be responsible for instructing biomedical science courses and courses related to biomedical science both at the introductory and advanced levels. Will be responsible for teaching, carry out researches and gettong involved in community service based on the instructions from the dean. Work with other department team members to teach students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. Instruct and supervise students to carry out high-quality researches.Basic job requirementsCandidate must possess a Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology or any other discipline related to it.Must have job experience at a prominent higher institution.Must have job experience in the American system of higher education.Teaching experience in biology courses with laboratory components.Must be an expert in at least one of the following fields: Biochemistry, Immunology, Genetics, and Microbiology.Records of a good number of publications in prominent and relevant journals.Professor/Associate/Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences

Departments of Arts and Social Sciences.

Summary of jobThe successful applicant will be saddled with the responsibility of instructing environmental science courses and other advanced courses related to both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The applicant will be involved in teaching, carrying out researches, and getting involved in community service as may be instructed by the dean. He/she will cooperate with other department team members in order to make students become critical thinkers, applied and practical, as well as problem solvers. He/she will be responsible for instructing and supervising students to carry out high-quality researches.Basic requirementsCandidate must possess a Ph.D. degree in Environmental Sciences or any other related discipline.Must have job experience at a prominent higher institution.Must have job experience in the American system of higher education.Must know how to develop and deliver a problem-centered approach to learning and teaching.Must be an expert in at least one of the following fields: Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Risk Assessment, Environmental Policy and Risk Management, Environmental and Occupational Health, and Environmental Impact Assessment.Record of a good number of publications in prominent and relevant journalsProfessor/Associate/Assistant Professor/Instructor of Economics

Department of Arts and Social Sciences.

Summary of job responsibilitiesThe successful applicant will be saddled with the responsibility of preparing, developing and teaching economics courses especially financial and monetary economics modules both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.Carry out research works and publish papers in reputable peer-reviewed journals.Promote and supervise scholarly and research works in the department.Be a leader or an active member of other committees responsible for curriculum development, promoting research, staff welfare, etc.Basic requirementsCandidate must possess a Ph.D. degree in Economics with specialization in monetary economics.An excellent record of outstanding teaching and research work with career stage included.A good record of publications in relevant and reputable journalsApplicant must have completed an MSc. Degree in Economics with focus on Development Economics.

For more information on the vacancies and how to apply, visit the university’s career portal at http://ift.tt/2vkPFan. If you are eligible for any of these positions, then don’t waste time. Visit the university portal for more information and useful details.

READ ALSO: Public health jobs in Nigeria 2017

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5 useful tips for easy GTB Internet banking registration

In this article, we are going to tell you how to make your life much easier! Let’s look through the main benefits of using GTB Internet Banking and how to register your account!

Guaranty Trust Bank Internet Banking

It is good to know that GTB Internet Banking provide useful services to its clients in Nigeria and across the world. One of them is to carry out a range of financial transactions via the GTBank official website. It will make the process of accessing banking services much easier, and you will not have to visit a GTBank office.

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If you are a GTB account holder and you are interested in the GTB Internet Banking, you will have an amazing opportunity to try banking from home, at work or anywhere else really.

READ ALSO: GTBank online account opening: Step-by-step guide

GTBank Internet banking registration

Actually, it is rather easy to request for GTBank Internet Banking. So, just follow GTBank Internet banking registration tips and enjoy this useful service:

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1) Simply go to the nearest GTBank branch in your neighborhood if you are a current GTBank customer and appeal for the Internet Banking Application and Request Form. As for new customers, they can open any GTBank account of their choice and apply for the Internet Banking as well. Also, you can download GTBank Internet Banking form from the official website of the bank. Click on the "Products", then choose "Internet banking".

2) Then click on "To register" and choose "Internet banking form". Fill in the form carefully.

3) Submit the Internet Banking application form to the bank in person when you're done or send a scanned copy of the application, properly completed by you, to the following email address: internetbanking@gtbank.com.

4) If your application is accepted, GTBank will send the login information to your email address.

5) After this, you need to go to the GTBank Online Banking Platform http://ift.tt/2xFSv6A and enter your login information (User ID and Password), which were sent to your email address by GTBank.

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Now you can discover all the advantages of this service after your successful GTBank Internet Banking registration. Basically, you will require a special token which is a digital tool that consists of specific numbers that will help you to make 3rd party online money transfers to other banks.

Receiving a token is optional for Internet Banking, but it is necessary if you want to transfer funds to other bank accounts online. The token costs about N3,000.

The main advantages of GTB Internet Banking

After GTB Internet Banking registration, you will receive some benefits;

Easy access to all your GTB account(s) from anywhere world;The ability to monitor your account online;The privilege of carrying out banking transactions from your office or home;Assured safety for all your online transactions;An easy access to bank products and information;Easier, effective, and cheaper way for GTB clients to communicate with banks;A twenty-four hours a day, and seven days a week access to your account.

After following all the steps above, you can enjoy your Internet Banking experience. Just feel free to share your problems, comments, experience, advice, and tips you have with the GTBank Internet Banking.

READ ALSO: First Bank mobile money transfer: Step-by-step guide

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Be ready to fight, nobody should be afraid of police or army - Governor Wike tells followers ahead of 2019 election

- Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike has vowed to lay down his life if needed during the upcoming 2019 election

- Wike said he is aware that the opposition party is planning to take over his state in the coming election

- He urged his followers to disregard the police and 'be ready to fight'

The governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, has vowed that he would do anything to stop the All Progressive Congress (APC) from winning election in 2019.

Wike vowed to lay down his life if it would stop the opposition party from winning in his state during the upcoming election.

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In what sounds more like a call to violence, the governor urged the people to ignore the army and police and 'be ready to fight'.

According to the governor's spokesperson, Simon Nwakaudu, Wike made the statement at a Thanksgiving Service in honour of Senator George Thompson Sekibo at the St Thomas Anglican Church in Diobu on Sunday.

READ ALSO: Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Nnamdi Kanu

Wike accused the APC of bringing disaster into the country and using the security operatives to oppress the opposition.

He said: “Instead of bringing change as they promised, things are getting worse. They have introduced extreme fraud in the country, especially denying the people their mandate.

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“2019, they will not succeed. As far as pee are concerned, we have no senator in Rivers East. The man going there has no capacity to represent us. All of us should be ready. We should be praying to God, but ready to fight”.

The governor ordered his followers to not be afraid of the Police and the Army in the defence of their mandate in 2019.

“Nobody should be afraid of the Police or Army, because liberty comes with a price. They have nothing to campaign with outside the use of security. I am ready to place myself on line, nobody will take Rivers state."

Meanwhile, the Rivers state chapter of the APC said it has taken note of the threats of Nyesom Wike, governor of the state.

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The APC spokesperson in the state, Chris Finebone said: “Rivers people and Nigerians are fed up with the governor’s antics of praising the judiciary when judgements favour his interest and lampooning the judiciary when otherwise happens.

“The APC has taken notice of his subtle threat of violence come 2019. We can only remind him that 2019 won’t be 2015. Never. A word is enough for the wise, they say.”

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the APC in Rivers state reacted to an allegation by Governor Wike that the party played politics during the visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Osinbajo visited Rivers state on Thursday, July 27, and inaugurated a fertiliser plant built by Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Limited and two other projects by the state government.

Wike, however insisted that the Rivers APC prevented Osinbajo from inaugurating the remaining projects executed by his administration and even tried to prevent him (Osinbajo) from coming.

The governor said he wondered why the APC leadership would discourage the Acting President from inaugurating other projects in the state.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV Video of man describing APC as the worst party in Nigeria:

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Location of Royal Ceramic Tiles in Abuja

Royal is a product of West African Ceramics Limited, a leading manufacturer of Ceramic, Vitrified and Roofing tiles in Nigeria.

The company has been serving the needs of building material industry in West Africa since 1994.

Starting with a single unit production facility of only ceramic tiles at Suleja, Niger state, the company moved on to a bigger production facility at Ajaokuta, Kogi state, by presenting an array of products in Wall and Floor Tiles in both ceramic, vitrified categories and also roofing tiles.

Products on display at a Royal Ceramics showroom. Photo credit: royal-cermaic.com

The company has since doubled it’s initial production capacity in order to meet consumers needs and demands.

READ ALSO: Where can I buy armhole ruler in Abuja?

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Product designs of the company includes Lapato Finish, Leather Finish, Wood Finish, Stone Finish, Rustic and Metallic Finish of Tiles.

The company has a wide distribution network of 200 distributors and 3 depots across the country.

There are also stores tagged - ROYAL Experience Centers in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt. The stores help the company to take its full range of product and services to the door step of its discerning consumers.

In Abuja you can get Royal Ceramics at Office Everything, close to the Lake side. In the Central Area, you can get it at Jet Ceramics Limited, while in Garki, you can get the product at Fezel Nigeria Limited.

In Kuje,Eze Joshua C.N Orji & Company Kuje is the best place to get the product, while for those around Gwarimpa, Dutse and Bwari, HPS Stores Coated Roof Tiles is the place to go.

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Watch NAIJ.com TV video on lady mechanics in Abuja:

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War against Corruption: Looters are worse than armed robbers - EFCC cries out

- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has described corrupt Nigerians as being worse than armed robbers

- The Commission assured Nigerians that it was working really hard to ensure a logical conclusion of all corruption cases

- Nigerians were further urged to place all hands on deck in prosecuting the war against corruption; as the Commission noted that this was the only way it would succeed

Corrupt Nigerians have been described as being worse than armed robbers, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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According to reports, the Commission made its comments through its deputy head, Ibadan zonal office, Mr. Kazeem Oseni, while speaking at the 13th Biennial Conference of the Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA), Ibadan chapter themed 'Fight Against Corruption: Where are the religious leaders and institutions?'

READ ALSO: Investigative report unearths the real truth about the Biafra Secret Service

Speaking on the topic, 'Corruption in Nigeria: An overview and the efforts of the EFCC in fighting the scourge', Oseni stated: “Quite frankly, the enabling and operating environment in Nigeria vis-a-vis anti-corruption war, has not been very encouraging.

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“Issues such as legal technicalities, lack of cooperation from some states and local governments, public attitude towards corruption, the phenomenon of corruption mentality in Nigeria; as well as slow judicial system occasioned by tactics of defense lawyers and interlocutory appeals, seriously undermine the commission’s efforts in taming corruption.”

Oseni assured Nigerians that the EFCC was working hard to ensure a logical conclusion of all corruption cases.

This was in response to claims that the Commission had not lived up to expectations.

He stated that most of the cases people assume as having died down, are in fact still being investigated.

In his words: “It is very, very difficult for the EFCC case to die expect it is concluded. If you see a case, maybe investigation is still ongoing”.

Oseni further stated: “In conclusion, all hands must be on the deck to ensure we succeed in the fight against corruption.

“We consider everybody a stakeholder, as the EFCC does not have monopoly of knowledge to defeat all shade of graft.

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“We all have a role to play as individuals, and it is when we all change our attitude that we can see it reflected in the society.

“No doubt, all stakeholders and functional institutions are crucial in the maintenance of a high quality of moral values within the social system; and the success or failure of our fight against corruption will depend on our willingness to take the fight through an ethical path.”

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Nuhu Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said Nigeria is almost getting back on track in the fight against corruption.

Speaking during an interactive session with journalists at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, Ribadu said the current political leadership is extremely strong when it comes to fighting corruption.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV video of EFCC staff staging a walk against corruption

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Close shave! Fayose's elder brother escapes death along Abuja road

- Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose's elder brother has been involved in a road accident

- The road crash occurred along Abuja road on his way to Ekiti to celebrate the chieftaincy title conferred on Fayose

- Although the car crash was indeed terrible, the occupants survived with minor injuries

Otunba Emmanuel Fayose, the elder brother of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state came out unscathed from an terrible road accident on Friday, August 25.

He was headed traveling along the Abuja road on his way to Ekiti state to witness and celebrate the Udiroko and Chieftaincy title conferred on his brother Ayo Fayose.

His younger brother Isaac Fayose shared the news on Facebook saying:

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"In this season of strange occurrence and politically motivated missiles we thank God for I nearly lost my brother Otunba Emmanuel Fayose in a terrible car crash on the Abuja road coming for the udiroko and chieftaincy title conferred on our brother his excellency Ayo Fayose! We remain prayerful for the lord is our only protector!

"Help me to thank the lord he came out unscathed."

Otunba Emmanuel Fayose and his crashed car Source: Facebook, Isaac Fayose

READ ALSO: Fayose's 'stomach infratructure' photos surface 13 years after

Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose has expressed delight over the return of President Muhammadu Buhari from medical treatment in London.

Fayose during the chieftancy ceremony Source: Facebook, Isaac Fayose

The president returned to the country on Saturday, August 19 after spending more than 100 days outside of the country for medical treatment.

NAIJ.com gathered that the Ekiti governor spoke after a brief meeting with some Peoples Democratic Party governors and leaders on Monday, August 21.

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Fayose’s reaction was quoted in a statement issued by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state where he said Buhari’s return was a welcome development.

Watch this NAIJ.com video on Fayose and President Buhari below:

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Sallah: Muslims lament as economic downturn bites hard on ram sales

- Some of the ram markets across Nigeria are experiencing low patronage as Sallah period draws near

- The low patronage in ram markets have also been attributed to economic downturn in Nigeria

- Some Muslims have also said they will ditch rams for either goats or cows shared collectively among neighbours

As preparation for the celebration of the Eid-El-Kabir is in full gear, some of the ram markets across Nigeria are experiencing low patronage.

Premium Times reports that a visit to Zango Market in Tudun Wada, the ‘yan Tumaki ram market Kawo,’ and some other market show that there is relatively low turnout due to the present economic downturn in Nigeria.

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The celebration of Eid-El-Kabir which begins on Friday, September 1, as announced by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'ad Abubakar, is associated with killing of rams.

READ ALSO: Northern youths feeling cheated and angry with old men from Nnamdi Kanu’s place - Northern elders

However, as sellers flood the markets, they decry the growing low patronage on the ram business.

One of the ram sellers, Kasimu Sani, said that the outcome of this year's sale is 'scary'.

Sani said: “We are not happy at all this year. What is scary about this year is that many people have collected their salaries in Kaduna and yet nobody is coming here. People are saying they would rather make food available during the festivities than doing Layya which is optional.”

He added that the sellers are careful not to irrationally increase the prices of rams.

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“This year, we tried as much as possible to make the rams as cheap as possible. Rams goes for as low as N20,000 for now. If the demand increases, the prices will increase and we are looking at the next two to three days," Sani said.

READ ALSO: Top Boko Haram commander who led Chibok girls abduction surrenders, reveals how the girls were kidnapped

Others who spoke on the plight said they believe the prices of rams will be low this year.

A civil servant, Sanusi Danladi, said the size of the rams can no longer be a problem.

Danladi who revealed he was used to buying big rams as an act of 'Ibadah' said he no longer thinks the sizes are an issue.

“I used to buy big rams every year but since last year, size does not matter anymore. It is an act ‘Ibadah’ and what I can afford is what I will buy," he said.

A farmer, Hassan Karami, said he will not be making ram sacrifices this year due to lack of funds.

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Karami said he invested all his money into his farming business and he's currently left with nothing.

READ ALSO: Mother of 10-year-old boy who was killed in Owerri bursts into tears as PDP visits (photos, videos)

He said: "I have no money now and the little I have will be for food that I will provide for my family during the Sallah time.”

It was also gathered that some Muslims have settled for goats rather than rams as an option for their Sallah sacrifices while other a contributing money to buy cow and share.

Sa’idu Bala, a Kaduna resident, said: “I have settled for a goat which I have paid for already. I paid N12,000 for it and that is settled. My neighbours contributed N18,000 each to but one cow for the sacrifice.”

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the Sultan of Sokoto had announced that all Muslims in Nigeria would observe Friday, September 1, as Sallah day.

The Sultan said the announcement followed the sighting of the new moon of Zulhijja on Tuesday, August 22.

He also prayed all and wished Muslims Allah's guidance and protection throughout the period.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of how Ramadan affected price of items in the market:

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Costs of yam, meat, others soar as inflation rate drops for 7th consecutive month

- Nigeria's inflation drops for the 7th consecutive month to 16.05% year on year and 1.21% month on month

- Prices of food commodities also increased year on year but dropped month on month

- There was increase in prices of bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, coffee, tea and cocoa, potatoes yam and other tubers and vegetables

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in a report released today Monday, August 28, said Nigeria's inflation had dropped for the 7th consecutive month to 16.05% year on year and 1.21% m on m.

The bureau also reported that prices of food commodities continued to increase year on year but dropped month on month.

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It said the the rise in the index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, coffee, tea and cocoa, potatoes yam and other tubers and vegetables.

READ ALSO: Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Nnamdi Kanu

Going further, NBS reported that the ''All Items less Farm Produce'' or Core sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce eased by 0.30 percent during the month to 12.20 percent points from 12.50 percent recorded in June.

The report read in part:

"The Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 16.05 percent (year-on-year) in July 2017.

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"This was 0.05 percent points lower than the rate recorded in June (16.10) percent making it the sixth consecutive decline in the rate of headline year on year inflation since January 2017. Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yield the Headline Index."

"On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.21 percent in July 2017, 0.37 percent points lower from the rate of 1.58 percent recorded in June.

"The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve-month period ending in July 2017 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve-month period was 17.47 percent, 0.11 percent point lower from 17.58 percent recorded in June 2017.

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"The Urban index rose by 16.04 percent (year-on-year) in July 2017, down by 0.11 percent point from 16.15 percent recorded in June, and the Rural index increased by 16.08 percent in July from 16.01 percent in June. On month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.25 percent in July 2017, down by 0.35 percent point from 1.60 percent recorded in June, while the rural index rose by 1.18 percent in July 2017, down by 0.39 percent point from 1.57 percent in June.

"The corresponding twelve month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index increased from 18.69 percent in June to 18.43 percent in July, while the corresponding rural index also increased from 16.56 percent in June to 16.60 percent in July.

"Food price pressure continued into July as all major food sub-indexes increased. The Food Index increased by 20.28 percent (year-on-year) in July, up by 0.37 percent points from the rate recorded in June (19.91 percent).

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"This represents the highest year on year increase in food inflation since the beginning of the new series in 2009.

"The rise in the index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, meat, fish, oils and fats, coffee, tea and cocoa, potatoes yam and other tubers and vegetables.

"On a month-on-month basis, the Food sub-index increased by 1.52 percent in July, down by 0.47 percent points from 1.99 percent recorded in June.

"The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending in July 2017 over the previous twelve month average was 18.25 percent, 0.38 percent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in June (17.87)percent.

"The ''All Items less Farm Produce'' or Core sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce eased by 0.30 percent during the month to 12.20 percent points from 12.50 percent recorded in June as all key.

"On a month-on-month basis, the Core sub-index increased by 1.00 percent in July, 0.32 percent points lower from

"1.32 percent recorded in June. The highest increases were recorded in clothing materials and articles of clothing, furniture and furnishing, books and stationary, medical services, glassware, tableware & household utensils, accommodation services and household textiles.

"The average 12 month annual rate of rise of the index was recorded at 15.80 percent for the twelve-month period ending in July 2017, 0.42 percent points lower from the twelve month rate of change recorded in June."

NAIJ.com had also reported that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said that the FCT and Lagos state reported a total of 58,566 crime cases in 2016.

The NBS stated this in a Crime Statistics: Reported by Type and State in 2016 and posted on the bureau’s website in Abuja.

Meanwhile, in the video below, Naij.com visited markets recently to discover that despite President Buhari's return, prices of goods are still on the high side.

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What you must do after God snatched you from the jaws of death - Ex-Jonathan's aide sends message to Buhari

- Doyin Okupe has advised President Buhari to organise a thanksgiving for surviving his illness

- He said many people did not expect him to survive his illness

- The former presidential aide advised him to use the opportunity to change the country for good

Doyin Okupe has written an open memo to President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to thank God for saving his life and “snatching him from the jaw of death.”

In the memo which he posted on his Facebook, Okupe noted that many people did not expect the president to survive but he did.

READ ALSO: Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Nnamdi Kanu

He advised the president to make moves that will benefit the country and restore faith in him.

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Read the memo below

Your Excellency,

You are welcome back from your long sojourn outside the country on account of your illness.

Many, including those around you, and others currently felicitating with you had given up on you and actually started working on plans based on their assumption that you were not likely to come back alive.

In truth, for which you can bear witness yourself, God Almighty snatched you from the jaws of death. This was not because you were president, or the millions you spent, or the extra competence of your doctors; since great people succumb to death, even in the UK and despite their medical expertise.

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You survived purely by the mercy of God, the creator of all flesh. That is why I was surprised that on your return, you thought it was more important to satisfy the demand of those who did not wish you well, or derided you for your ill-health.

Your Excellency, what you needed to do, and you should still do, is to show appreciation to God who preserved your life and kept you alive against all evil expectations.

On your instruction sir, glory must be given to God Almighty. All mosques should praise and thank God on your behalf on a chosen Friday. You may participate in this with family and close associates in the Villa Mosque. Your vice can lead a thanksgiving service at the Villa and this can be done throughout the country on the Sunday that follows.

God has brought you back for a purpose; pray to know that purpose and ask for health and strength to achieve it.

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As our leader, and a God-fearing nation, let us begin to acknowledge God in our national affairs, so that He may direct and prosper our ways.

However, in your long absence, a lot has happened in the country.

The country is in dire straits economically and sharply divided like never before; geopolitically and also along religious lines.

Your broadcast has not helped. But you are an elected president and you can broadcast to the nation as many times as you deem fit if you feel there is a need to make certain corrections in the previous broadcast. You don’t even have to go through the elaborate and strenuous route of the LIVE TV broadcasts because of your health.

I know that your last 6 minutes broadcast may have taken 1 hour or more to get it right.

You can achieve more in radio broadcasts which you can actually do weekly from the comfort of your home; with the least stress.

This way, you can talk to the nation less formally and from your heart, on your perspectives, your vision and dreams, your hopes and plans for its teeming masses. People will concentrate more on your message than your person. Ronald Regan and Obama used this broadcast tool most effectively with a positive impact on the citizens.

I am not one of your fans or avid supporters. In fact, I did all I could to stop you from becoming an elected president. I have no regrets. It was a competition, in which I had my own candidate, but God and the people of Nigeria have decided in your favour and as far as I am concerned, the matter has been long settled.

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However, your Excellency, you and your administration have so much to accomplish but unfortunately, the time is now very short.

The presidential elections are in February 2019. That is barely 18 months away.

However, by June/July next year (just 10 months away), activities of government wind down and the nation goes into full swing mode of politicking and preparing for the February elections.

NAIJ.com had reported that Okupe said it will be wrong for the acting president, Yemi Osinbajo, to run for presidency if anything should happen to President Buhari.

Okupe in an interview with Nigerian Tribune said the northern region of Nigeria will feel cheated out if Osinbajo runs for president in 2019, citing the case of a former president, late Umaru Yar'Adua,

Okupe said the northerners are scared that what happened in 2010 after Yar'Adua's death might happen again.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Nigerians speaking about the Buhari administration:

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What's UNIAbuja electrical engineering cutoff mark?

There are many Universities in Abuja, but most of them are private Universities, leaving just University of Abuja as the only existing Federal University in the Federal Capital Territory for now.

The University was actually established on January 1, 1988. The University took off from a temporary site, made up of just three blocks of building meant for a primary school in Gwagwalada, tagged the "mini - campus."

University of Abuja main agate. Photo credit: logbaby.com

Just like every other school in Nigeria, the University of Abuja has its cut off mark for students to be admitted into the school program for any course.

Cut off mark is an agreed score to be attained before students are given admission into any school.

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For students to gain admission into UNIAbuja electrical engineering department, 180 is the approved cut off mark.

READ ALSO: N-POWER management commends community project of volunteers

First off, aspiring students must have also scored 180 in JAMB, to have a great chance of been granted admission in university of Abuja.

Apart from electrical engineering, UNIAbuja offers several professional courses including law, medicine and engineering, all of which also have 180 as their cut off marks.

The University prides itself as a prestigious school, with great effort towards academics teaching and even the environment for learning is perfect.

Watch NAIJ.com TV video on lady mechanics in Abuja:

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Ohanaeze under fire from northern elders for opposing Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest

The newspapers for Monday, August 28, focus on the feud between the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and Ohanaeze Ndigbo over the leader of IPOB, Nnmdi Kanu.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has criticised the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, for warning against the re-arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The forum on Sunday, August 27, condemned Ohanaeze Ndigbo for being opposed to the federal government’s plan to re-arrest Kanu.

The Punch reports that the chairman of NEF Paul Unongo, said the northern elders were disappointed that Ohanaeze had trivialised a criminal matter.

The Punch newspaper for Monday, August 28, 2017, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

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NEF flayed the Ohanaeze for comparing the ultimatum issued by the northern youths to the actions of Kanu.

The forum said: “Leaders should be careful about what they support. This is the kind of thing that happened when our young men from the North, feeling cheated and angry with the old men from Kanu’s place for not cautioning Kanu, did what they did (ultimatum).

“But I came out immediately and said Nigerians have inalienable right to reside anywhere. I did that even to the detriment of my friendship with some people.

“But what Ohanaeze members are doing is that they are giving the impression that if someone commits a crime and is from their tribe, he shouldn’t be tried. I don’t understand.

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“Are they saying he (Kanu) should not be tried until someone from another part of the country is arrested? That will invite chaos to the country.”

The Nation newspaper reports on the confessions of a member of Boko Haram, Auwal Ismaeela, who said he led the kidnap of 276 schoolgirls from the government secondary school in Chibok, Borno state on April 15, 2014.

The Nation newspaper for Monday, August 28, 2017, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

Ismaeela, who has surrendered to the military, also stated that he led other major operations and said he regretted his actions.

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The PRNigeria report said: “Ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid-Kabir coming up by the weekend, a top Boko Haram commander who played a major role in the abduction of Chibok girls and killing of youths in Madagali has surrendered and confessed to several acts of bloodletting on innocent people and destruction of properties across the length and breadth of the North-eastern part of the country.

“In an interview with PRNigeria at a military facility for the repentant and surrendered Boko Haram members in the Northeast, the ex-terrorist leader said he regretted the atrocities he was forced to commit against humanity.

“The commander, Auwal Ismaeela, is currently cooperating with the Nigerian military with useful information on locations and hideouts of other top commanders of the deadly sect. He regretted his actions which, according to him, run counter to several Islamic injunctions.

In a related development, a former commander of the Boko Haram group, Abdulkadir Abubakar, has claimed that two factions of the group are ready for talks with the federal government.

Vanguard reports that Abubakar, also known as Abu Muhammad, was the chief intelligence officer of the Boko Haram group and one of its top commanders, until his arrest in June by the military in Buni Yadi in Gujba Local Government area of Yobe state.

Vanguard newspaper for Monday, August 28, 2017, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

Abubakar said at his cell in Maiduguri that Albarnawi and Mamman Nur factions of Boko Haram were willing to dialogue and cooperate with the government to defeat the most visible leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau.

Abubakar revealed deep divisions and power struggle among the insurgents, claiming the Albarnawi and Mamman Nur factions were opposed to Shekau’s leadership style and bloodthirstiness.

According to him, Shekau, whose capture, dead or alive, the military high command has ordered, has been the major obstacle to peace, since the insurgency began in 2009.

Abubakar’s claim about the readiness of the factions to dialogue with the Nigerian authorities could not be verified as he had been incarcerated since June. But he insisted that the groups are predisposed to a peaceful resolution of the eight year-old crisis.

Meanwhile, as part of measures to battle global warming, Nigeria may ban petrol and diesel vehicles within the next decade being a signatory to the Paris treaty.

The Guardian newspaper for Monday, August 28, 2017, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com

The Guardian reports that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Paris agreement earlier in the year to reduce greenhouse gases emissions. Experts said petrol and diesel vehicles are leading causes of pollution across the world.

In the video below, NAIJ.com TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra.

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The real truth about the Biafra Secret Service; how it is funded and how members are recruited (Special Report)

- According to an investigative report, there is much more to IPOB’s newly inaugurated security outfit, Biafra Secret Service (BSS)

- The investigation unearthed how the group has a dual purpose of protection and investigation (against activities of saboteurs)

- BSS recruiters reportedly look out for individuals who can speak foreign languages and honor top candidates with awards at the end of the training programme

- Salaries are reportedly paid out based on ranks; with senior officers being paid more than those in lower levels

A recently published in-depth investigative report has revealed that there is more to the newly inaugurated Biafra Secret Service (BSS), than meets the eye.

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The investigation which was carried out by Daily Trust, revealed that the idea to form the group was conceived immediately the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was released from jail.

READ ALSO: Niger Delta militant groups reject withdrawal of quit notice by Arewa youths

Even though the group has stated that it will employ a non-violent approach to achieve its goals, the report shows that the members of the group are also prepared to respond otherwise.

At a drill session held at Kanu’s home, one of the group’s commanders, Mr. Aguoche Obidike, was allegedly heard saying, “We are Biafra Secret Service men that have volunteered to defend Biafran land.

“Like our leader will rightly say, we are here to restore Biafra.

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“We have come in peace but if the option given to us to restore Biafra is violent, without fear, the men and women are ready to take the land of Biafra from invaders and looters.”

The investigation unearthed how the group has a dual purpose of protection and investigation.

While charged with the responsibility of protecting Nnamdi Kanu, the group also investigates ‘criminal activities’ like plans of sabotage against IPOB.

It was further revealed that BSS members are selected based on qualifications from diverse backgrounds of individuals based in ‘Biafra land’ and all over the world.

The recruiters reportedly look out for people who can speak foreign languages.

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According to a source, “This requires that the applicant should be able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social and professional topics.

“At the completion of all required training and graduation from the BSS training program, the graduating students would be posted to various offices while the best graduating student would be given an honorary award.”

A recruitment advert seen by the investigative reporter stated the following: “Candidates must be Biafra citizens and must submit to urinalysis screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment.

“All Secret Service positions require a Top Secret security clearance.

“All applicants must undergo a full, Secret Service-specific, Top Secret clearance process regardless of who you are; certain positions may also require the applicant to successfully complete OATH of trust and medical examination.

“Age, vision and excellent physical condition requirements may also apply and more.”

The advert reportedly bears no provisions for passport photos and identification cards are not issued to the successful recruits.

A member of the group who joined from Rivers state, Nelson Madu, stated: “Before you talk about joining the Service, you must be an IPOB member and you must believe in all its tenets and principles.

"You must be an able-bodied man or woman and be ready to render selfless service to Biafra-land.

"You must be loyal to our leader and be ready to obey your superiors.”

On the issue of payment, the investigation revealed that salaries are paid out based on ranks. This is despite the fact that the service rendered by members ought to be voluntary.

Junior officers are reportedly paid N10, 000, while senior officers receive between N25,000 to N30,000 monthly.

One member of the group, a certain Obidike Bright, however disclosed that BSS activities are funded using the N500 monthly dues contributed by members of the outfit.

To receive a pair of uniforms which consist of a red beret, a pair of black shoes, white belt, black trousers, mostly jeans and customized polo, members are charged N1,000.

Others allege that the group is funded by foreigners.

BSS members are usually seen crowding around various newspaper stands, trying to convince people to support the IPOB agitation.

They are also allegedly positioned strategically at various ‘security checkpoints’ to restrict movement of people.

The group’s members take day and night shifts; during which, different dishes are reportedly cooked and served.

Under a condition of anonymity, a member of the group stated: “Members were placed under oath not to divulge information about the organization to any member of the Zoo community (Nigeria).”

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Nnamdi Kanu who is the leader of the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB), said that he set up the Biafra Secret Service so as to provide security for Igbhe set up the Biafra Secret Servico people.

Kanu spoke shortly after his visit to Senator Enyinna Abaribe in Abia on Tuesday, August 22.

The Biafra leader claimed the federal government had failed to protect the people, which was why he set up a secret service to do so.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV video of Nigerians reacting to the news of the Biafra Secret Service set up by Nnamdi Kanu:

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Abdullahi Ganduje reveals secret behind withdrawal of Arewa quit notice

- Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano state governor has reacted to the withdrawal of Arewa quit notice issued to the Igbo living in the norther part of Nigeria

- He said the decision was an outcome of President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement

- Ganduje however commended the group for withdrawing the quit notice

Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano state governor has said that the withdrawal of quit notice by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), given to the Igbo living in the North is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech.

Governor Ganduje made this known over the weekend in Abuja where he had a meeting with Shettima Yerima, CNG chairman, Daily Trust reports.

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NAIJ.com gathered he however, advised all the tribes in Nigeria to come together and manage their differences in a positive way.

READ ALSO: Northern elders attack Ohanaeze over Nnamdi Kanu

The governor said since Nigeria was blessed with different ethnic nationalities and languages, each tribe must have its comparative advantages.

He said: ''They have formally withdrawn the quit notice. Weeks back, we hosted ezes from the 19 northern states together with the coalition.

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''We were in Kano together. We provided conducive environment. A committee of 10 was constituted, five persons from each side.

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''Last Wednesday’s decision was the outcome of that meeting with the withdrawal of the quit notice given to the Igbo''.

He commended the efforts of both the Igbo and northern leaders which led to the withdrawal of quit notice.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), described the withdrawal of the quit notice issued to Igbos in the northern part of the country by the Arewa youths as inconsequential.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV video what many Nigerians are saying about restructuring in the country:

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BREAKING: OurMumuDonDo protesters storm EFCC, ask Buhari to repatriate Diezani

- Charly Boy's group is currently protesting at the headquarters of EFCC

- The protesters are demanding the repartriation and prosecution of former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Maduake

- Diezani is being investigated by the EFCC over alleged theft of public funds

Ace musician, Charles Oputa, also known as Charlyboy, alongside his OurMumuDonDo protesters have stormed the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja to demand the repatriation of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

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NAIJ.com gathered that the former minister who served during the administration of ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, is undergoing investigations over alleged fraud committed while she was in office.

Charly Boy's group demands for repatriation and prosecution of Diezani Alison-Maduekwe. Photo credit: Punch

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against Buhari’s CoS Kyari

Recently, a Lagos Federal High Court ordered the forfeiture of some property linked to Diezani because they were believed to have been acquired using proceeds of stolen wealth.

Charly Boy's group demands for repatriation and prosecution of Diezani Alison-Maduekwe. Photo credit: Punch

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that a report that the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has frozen a £10million (over N4billion) worth of London property allegedly bought for Alison-Madueke.

Charly Boy's group demands for repatriation and prosecution of Diezani Alison-Maduekwe. Photo credit: Punch

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Watch the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stage an anti-corruption walk on the streets of Abuja on NAIJ.com TV:

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Ohanaeze is right, you are biased against Nnamdi Kanu - Group blasts FG

- A pan-Igbo group has condemned the move by the federal government to re-arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra

- The group said the federal government has shown that its is biased against the activities of the Biafra agitators

- The group also called on Igbos across Nigeria to remain calm as it begins a legal process against FG in the United States of America

A group, Igbo Renaissance Agenda (IRA), has condemned the move by the federal government to re-arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

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The group in a statement signed by its coordinator and secretary, Jude Ndukwe and Amaka Ekwo, accused the federal government of bias as it claimed it looked the other way when the Arewa youths issued a quit notice to the Igbos living in the north.

IRA throwing its weight behind Ohanaeze Ndigbo said the Coalition of Northern groups committed serious crime in their issuance of quit notice to fellow citizens living in the north.

READ ALSO: Northern youths feeling cheated and angry with old men from Nnamdi Kanu’s place - Northern elders

The group also said the federal government has shown, "undue emotional and physical brutalization of innocent Igbos while treating confirmed terrorists from the north as royals”.

IRA in its statement also queried the northern leaders, elders and youths obsession with Nnamdi Kanu whom they said has never been known to carry arms against the state.

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The group said: “We find it unacceptable that groups ranked the first and fourth deadliest terrorist organizations respectively in the world are of the Hausa/Fulani stock from the north and are being allowed a field day to kill innocent Nigerians with reckless abandon while Nnamdi Kanu who has been a victim of gross abuse of his rights and the killing of his IPOB members without any provocation or reprisal of any kind on his part is being threatened with re-arrest and his IPOB group vindictively labeled and treated like a terrorist organization that it is not by government officials and Arewa youths who are obviously playing out a script written for them by their elders and leaders."

The group further said it finds it irrational that the federal government is only concerned about stoking the heat in an already flaming polity.

The group said the federal government should be focused on finding ways to douse the rising tensions across Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Top Boko Haram commander who led Chibok girls abduction surrenders, reveals how the girls were kidnapped

“Even the UN in a recent release has expressed its grave concern ‘about the proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property’, yet, no one has been arrested for such treasonable offences," IRA said.

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The IRA also urged all sons and daughters of Igbo extraction to remain vigilant as it is currently exploring legal processes in the United States of America on yhe gross abuse of the rights of the Igbo people.

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the IPOB leader had insisted that anyone who made attempt to arrest him would die.

Kanu while speaking at the Boys' Technical College in Aba said that the agitation for Biafra is a mandate from heaven.

He also anyone agent of the federal government that attempts to arrest in in 'Biafra land' will not leave the area alive.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Nigerians speaking about Kanu's Biafra secret service:

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JAMB cut-off: Federal University of Gusau sets 170 mark

- Federal University Gusau has announced a cut-off mark of 170 for the 2017/2018 academic session

- There has been a lot of outcry regarding the JAMB cut-off mark of 120 recently introduced to Nigerian students

- The decision to set 170 as minimum cut-off marks was taken after getting statistics on the candidates who applied for admission

Following the announcement of the 120 cut-off mark, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned candidates that it does not guarantee automatic admission into higher institutions.

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Their statement read: “The 120 cut off mark doesn’t mean an automatic ticket for admission. Institutions will still admit using established criteria of merit and others."

According to NAN, the Federal University Gusau has announced 170 as minimum mark for the JAMB cut-off marks for admission into the university for the 2017/2018 academic session.

On Saturday, August 26, Umar Usman, the information officer of the university disclosed that the university management had arrived at the decision to set 170 as minimum cut-off marks after getting statistics on the candidates who applied for admission into the institution.

READ ALSO: NANS demands JAMB cut-off mark to be reversed

He said the university was only given a quota to admit 1,500 students through JAMB and Direct Entry for the coming academic session.

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According to him, over 5,000 applicants applied for admission into the University.

“If we will stick to the 120-minimum cut off marks given by the JAMB, majority of applicants who are going to attend the University’s aptitude test for the admission will not get it.

“We decided to minimize the difficulty by raising our points to 170 so that most of those that will pay for post UTME in the university will get the admission,” he explained.

PAY ATTENTION: Watch more videos on NAIJ.com TV

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com also reported that JAMB registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has said that in the last one year that the exam body has regularised over 400,000 admissions for students who had scored below cut-off marks, among various irregularities.

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The registrar speaking in an interview on Friday, August 25, said many universities and other tertiary institutions had engaged in the irregular admission of candidates for 10 years.

Watch this NAIJ.com video on registration for JAMB in Nigeria:

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Stop wishing Buhari dead - Okowa warns Nigerians

- Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has warned Nigerians against wishing President Muhammadu Buhari dead

- He said that God has put to shame those wishing the president dead with his safe return to Nigeria

- Buhari had on August 19 returned to Nigeria after spending more than 100 days in London to treat an undisclosed ailment

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has stated that the recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari from ill health deserved to be celebrated.

NAIJ.com gathered that Okowa said those ‎who have been wishing the president dead were only heartless because God had put them to shame by bringing the president back alive.

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The governor also called on Nigerians to promote what would unite the country rather than vices that would rather tear the nation apart.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

Okowa stated this on Sunday, August 27 during an inter-denominational anniversary thanksgiving service to mark the 26th years of the creation of the state at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Asaba, the state capital.

Okowa said: “We must be cautious of the statement we make because, the unity of this country is what all of us must work to sustain; we must learn to partner ourselves and engage in actions that will deepen our love for one another.

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“We thank God for the return of Mr. President to the country, death is not a thing that one can wish any one and the return of President Buhari deserves to be celebrated. Nigerians have come to realise that it is better for us to remain united as a people.”

The governor, who also expressed joy at the return of peace to the creeks of the state, added that there was every reason for the people to celebrate the creation of the state 26 years ago.

He said: “As a people, as a state and as a government, we have every reason to celebrate because, if not for any other reason, from August last year when we marked our silver jubilee to this year, there is reasonable restoration of peace especially in our creeks where there is no longer destruction of pipelines.

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“Though the impact of the peace that has returned to the creeks may not have been felt in our economy, because, the state did also suffer from the effect of consistent low price of oil for more than 38 months. We were not just affected by the price going down and the quantum produced but, there is hope that it will be better.”

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that among the governors that met with Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, August, 25, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state would not forget in a hurry how the president made him laugh wholeheartedly.

Watch this NAIJ.com video and see the way Buhari's return was recently celebrated:

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UN urges FG to investigate and prosecute Northern youths behind ‘quit notice’ and hate song against Igbos

- UN experts denounce ultimatum and death threats targeting Igbo in the north

- The UN also urged the federal government to investigate and prosecute the Northern youths behind the ‘quit notice’

- According to the UN, incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities

The United Nations has called on the federal government of Nigeria to investigate and prosecute people behind the ultimatum against Igbos in the norther part of the country and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message.

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The UN made this known in a publication obtained from the office of the United Nations high commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The UN which strongly condemns the ultimatum and hate songs said hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

The statement read in full:

"An ultimatum telling Nigeria’s Igbo minority in the north of the country to flee their homes is of “grave concern”, a group of United Nations human rights experts* has warned.

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"The experts also deplored a hate song and audio message being circulated on the internet and on social media. The Hausa-language audio message urges northern Nigerians to destroy the property of Igbo people and kill anyone who refuses to leave by 1 October, the same date given in the ultimatum.

“We are gravely concerned about this proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property, especially considering the previous history of such violence,” the experts said.

“The government must be vigilant, as hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.”

"The ultimatum was issued on 6 June 2017 during a press briefing by the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum in the city of Kaduna. It called for sustained and coordinated campaigns to remove the Igbo population from the northern region.

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"The human rights experts noted that some local and national figures, as well as some media representatives, had publicly denounced any form of hate speech and incitement, but said other officials still needed to follow suit.

“We are deeply concerned that some prominent local leaders and elders have not condemned the ultimatum, hate speech and the perpetrators,” the experts stressed.

“We call on the Government, media and civil society representatives, and local and religious leaders, to reject and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms.”

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"The UN experts said any incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence had to be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and punished. “This includes the people behind the ultimatum and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message,” they added.

NAIJ.com had reported that the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups (CNYG) had withdrawn the “quit notice” issued Nigerians of the Igbo extraction to leave the 19 Northern states by October 1.

The CNYG’s decision to withdraw the quit notice followed series of meetings with numerous stakeholders, TVC has reported.

Watch IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu speak on the activities of the group on NAIJ.com TV:

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Nnamdi Kanu says anyone who tries to arrest him in Biafra land will be killed by IPOB

- Nnamdi Kanu says anyone who tries to arrest him will not leave Biafra land alive

- He said this while speaking at Boys Technical College (BTC) in Aba, Abia state

- The IPOB leader also claimed that the struggle for Biafra began at Christ the King Catholic Cathedral

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra on Sunday, August 27, insisted that there will not be election in Abia state unless a referendum which his group has been clamouring, is conducted.

Kanu while speaking at Boys Technical College (BTC) in Aba, Abia state, said that the agitation for Biafra is a “message from heaven.”

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The IPOB leader who is aware that the federal government has commenced process to have him rearrested said that anyone who tries to arrest him will not leave Biafra land alive, the Cable reports.

“Where we are, is Biafra Land. Aba is the spiritual capital of Biafra land. We started in Aba in 2015 at CKC (Christ the King Catholic Cathedral),” Kanu said.

“That day, heaven authenticated our move that IPOB will restore Biafra and that’s what we’ve come to do. We died in Aba; at National High School.

“They shot and killed us in other places in Biafra land when they were protesting for my release. As our people rest in the grave, we’ll never rest until Biafra is restored. I don’t care what they say in Abuja. I don’t care what they say in Lagos.

READ ALSO: My father would have been proud of Nnamdi Kanu’s Biafra agitation - Ojukwu’s son speaks

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“I’m a Biafran and we are going to crumble the zoo. Some idiots who are not educated said that they’ll arrest me, and I ask them to come. I’m in Biafra land. If any of them leaves Biafra land alive know that this is not IPOB. Tell them that’s what I said.

“Tell Buhari that I’m in Aba and any person who comes to arrest Nnamdi Kanu in Biafra land will die here. I’ll never go on exile I assure you.

“Some people talk about restructuring, are we doing restructuring of Nigeria now? Are we doing fiscal federalism? Are we doing devolution? What we want is Biafra!

“Forget all the nonsense they write about us. We are not slowing down and no man born of a woman can stop us.

“They thought we are joking and God gave us a simple message that no one can stop us. The movement to restore Biafra is unstoppable.

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“The message of heaven is what I bring to you. Don’t be afraid. The plans of our enemies are not going to be actualized. The enemies are planning, but we are formidable.

“We are going to boycott Anambra state election. After Anambra 2017, in 2019, there’ll be no elections in Biafra land. Signed and sealed. My message is that there’ll not be election in Biafra land ever again until they give us date for referendum.”

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Meanwhile, as the federal government commences process to rearrest Nnamdi Kanu leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over his alleged flout of bail conditions, NAIJ.com list the conditions given to Kanu by Justice Binta Nyako.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Nigerians speaking about Kanu's Biafra secret service:

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Captured Boko Haram commander reveals where Abubakar Shekau is currently hiding

- A former chief intelligence officer of the Boko Haram group, Abdulkadir Abubakar, says two factions of the group are ready for talks with the federal government

- Abdulkadir Abubakar, also known as Abu Muhammad, states that Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has been the major obstacle to peace, since the insurgency began in 2009

- Abu Muhammad expresses willingness to give the military useful information to crush the insurgents and arrest Shekau

A former Boko Haram commander, Abdulkadir Abubakar, has disclosed that the elusive leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, has left his enclave in Sambisa forest and is currently hiding in Mandara Mountain.

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READ ALSO: Aso Rock CABAL stages comeback following Buhari’s return

Abdulkadir Abubakar, also known as Abu Muhammad, was the chief intelligence officer of the Boko Haram group and one of its top commanders, until his arrest in June by the military in Buni Yadi in Gujba local government area of Yobe state.

He said two factions of the group were ready for talks with the federal government.

Abubakar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at his cell in Maiduguri that Albarnawi and Mamman Nur factions of Boko Haram were willing to dialogue and cooperate with the government to defeat the most visible leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau.

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According to him, Shekau, whose capture, dead or alive, the military high command has ordered, has been the major obstacle to peace, since the insurgency began in 2009.

“Shekau is not willing to surrender due to his high handedness. Unfortunately, the government and military authorities accorded priority on dealing with Shekau, who is blood thirsty.

“Albarnawi has indicated interest to dialogue with the government to end insurgency and provide a lasting solution to the crisis. Albarnawi discusses this with members of his circle. And I can assure the government that he would cooperate to achieve peace.

“The two factions are willing to cooperate with Nigerian Government to defeat Shekau,” he said.

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Abubakar’s claim about the readiness of the factions to dialogue with the Nigerian authorities could not be verified as he had been incarcerated since June. But he insisted that the groups are predisposed to a peaceful resolution of the eight year-old crisis.

Abubakar claimed to have undertaken various espionage missions and provided intelligence to the insurgents, which enabled them to hit a long list of targets, among which were the abduction of 275 students at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok and the killings of students at federal government College, Buni Yadi. Over 20 students were murdered at Buni Yadi.

He also claimed to have been involved in other attacks on schools in Maiduguri, Damaturu, Postikum and Mamudo.

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The detained Boko Haram commander expressed his willingness to give the military useful information to crush the insurgents and arrest Shekau.

“I am cooperating with the military and I am ready to provide information on the whereabouts of Shekau. Shekau has left his enclave in Sambisa and moved deep into Mandara Mountain. I know the area where he is hiding and willing to provide a guide to the military.

“The intensified military offensive has weakened Shekau’s position and that of the other groups,” he added.

Abubakar revealed deep divisions and power struggle among the insurgents, claiming the Albarnawi and Mamman Nur factions were opposed to Shekau’s leadership style and his bloodthirstiness.

He also blamed Shekau for many attacks on civilians by the Boko Haram insurgents.

“During the early days of the insurgency we fought for what we thought was a just cause, to establish a caliphate where human beings are valued, cherished and respected.

“After annexing vast territories, Shekau began to demonstrate his cruelty and atrocities against humanity.

“In view of the high level atrocities committed by the group, some of the top commanders including myself, Albarnawi and Mamman Nur challenged Shekau, demanding an immediate end to the ugly saga.

“Thereafter, Albarnawi and Mamman Nur parted ways, and formed their groups. Shekau is responsible for bombings and attack on soft targets in the North-East.

“The Albarnawi and Mamman Nur groups never attacked schools, religious places of worship, markets, women and children. Our fight was strictly with security forces. Even the kidnapped oil workers would not be killed by the group,” he said.

According to him, both Mamman Nur and AlBarnawi opposed the abduction of the Chibok school girls, women and children.

“Shekau is fond of using the girls and other abducted women as toys, and bombers. He kills on the pretence of punishing for lies, theft, and rebellion. Shekau kills without justification.

“Shekau arrogated to himself the powers to accuse, prosecute, convict and punish in total contradiction to Islamic teachings. Children and women also starved to death in Sambisa due to Shekau’s cruelty,” he said.

Meanwhile, a top Boko Haram commander who co-led the operation that resulted in the abduction of about 276 girls in the town of Chibok on April 14, 2014, has surrendered to the Nigerian army.

The commander, Auwal Ismaeela, is currently helping the Nigerian Military with useful information on locations and hideouts of other top commanders of the sect.

Ismaeela, who also led several Boko Haram operations in the northeast which resulted in the killings of innocent people and destruction of properties said he regretted his actions.

In the video below, Nigerian Air Force gives an update on operations against Boko Haram in 2017.

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Arewa youths have replaced quit notice with calls to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu - Niger Delta militants reject withdrawal of quit notice

- Various Niger Delta militant groups have come together to reject the recent withdrawal of the October 1 quit notice issued to Igbos by Arewa youths

- The groups alleged that the action glaringly shows that government and security heads from the north were the brains behind the earlier announcement

- The agitators further reiterated their request that all oil blocks in the Niger Delta given to prominent outsiders, be returned to the region

The recent withdrawal of the October 1 quit notice issued to Igbos by Arewa youths, has been rejected by Niger Delta agitators, Vanguard reports.

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The groups described the move as an attempt to deceive Nigerians, and laughed over the fact that the withdrawal occurred alongside plans by the federal government to re-arrest and prosecute the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

READ ALSO: Medical doctor allegedly beats his wife to stupor in Bauchi

They accused the federal government and security chiefs from the north as being the masterminds behind the quit notice, while restating their call for Hausas and Yorubas to vacate the Niger Delta region before October 1.

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Their comments were contained in a statement signed on Sunday, August 27, by General John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs and Convener, Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators); General Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers); General Osarolor Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors); Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters); Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom Fighters); Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta Movement for Justice); Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network); Major-Gen. Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta Freedom Mandate) and Major-Gen. Ibinabo Tariah (Niger Delta Development Network).

It read: “The recent gathering of the Arewa Youths in Transcorp Hilton, Abuja to announce the suspension of the quit notice issued to Igbos in the North is one action that glaringly shows that government and security heads from the North were the brains behind the earlier announcement.

“It is laughable that the Arewa Youth group thinks it can fool the rest of Nigerians, particularly those of us in the Niger Delta part of Nigeria, by replacing the quit notice with calls for the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu.

“Today the Federal Government has met-up the demand of the Coalition of Northern Youth Groups by filing a motion in court to revoke Nnamdi Kanu’s bail.”

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The agitators further reiterated their request that all oil blocks in the region which were given to a former president, former military heads of state among other personalities, should be returned to the Niger Delta.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the National coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) warned that the matter of the quit notice issued to Yorubas in the Niger Delta by militants must be duly taken care of.

Adams urged leaders of the region to call to order the militants, who under the umbrella of Niger Delta Agitators (NDA), had asked Yorubas and Hausa-Fulanis living in the region to leave on or before October 1.

Watch this NAIJ.com TV video about the quit notice issued by Arewa youths to Igbos living in the north:

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Politics is responsible for poverty and hunger in Nigeria - Dino Melaye

- Senator Dino Melaye, lawmaker representing Kogi west senatorial district revealed why Nigerian leaders have failed their younger generation

- Melaye said that the politics is responsible for poverty and hunger in the country

- He also said politicians can spend their last penny to win elections even though there is hunger in the land

Senator Dino Melaye, lawmaker representing Kogi west senatorial district has claimed that Nigerian politicians, including himself, have failed the country and their younger generation.

Reports have it that Melaye made this known while speaking at the Osasu show symposium in Abuja on Friday, August 25.

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NAIJ.com gathered that the symposium themed ''The new economy and its impact on less priviledge citizens''.

He said: ''When you speak the truth, you die, when you lie, you die; so it is better to speak the truth and die.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

''I may sound very unpopular but I will speak the truth. Apart from militocracy, politics is responsible for poverty and hunger in Nigeria.

''Unfortunately, we the leaders, myself inclusive, have failed this nation and have failed the younger generation, myself inclusive.

''The reason why we are where we are today is because there is a disconnect between leadership and followership.

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''As I speak to you, the problem why we are where we are is because of trust. There is no trust between the governed and those governing.

''Once there is no trust between the followership and the leadership, it will definitely have a negative concomitant effect on the economy, and every other facet of our national life.

''Hunger and poverty have no political party, hunger and poverty have no religion. To have brought people to discuss on the line of APC or PDP is not correct, because the poor PDP man and the poor APC man all go to the same market.

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''What we should fix is democracy; Democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people. What we have is greediocracy; government of the greedy by the greedy, for the greedy.

''We the leaders want to win elections at all cost, so we spend money to win elections. The followership also is greedy, they accept money to vote. So, head or tail, there is a need for attitudinal change and this is affecting everything.

''Today, we are talking about recovery of our economy, we are talking about poverty and how to fight it. The only way to fight poverty is for we leaders to build trust among the people''.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Melaye is currently on vacation with his kids in an undisclosed location.

Watch NAIJ.com video of a lady speaking about her relationship with Dino Melaye:

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Ijaw youths issue warning to President Buhari over alleged plans to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu

- The IYC criticises the federal government for the way it handled the quit notice issued by a coalition of Arewa youths to Igbos residing in the north

- The group claims the Buhari administration would have handled the issue differently had the threat emanated from another tribe

- The IYC faults the government for detaining several Niger Delta youth activists when the Arewa youths are being treated differently

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has said the plan by the Buhari administration to re-arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for allegedly violating his bail would set Nigeria in flames.

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READ ALSO: Repentant BH commander narrates how Chibok girls abduction occurred

The IYC, according to Sahara reporters, criticised the federal government for the way it handled the quit notice issued by a coalition of Arewa youths to Igbos living in the north.

The group claimed that the Buhari administration would have handled the issue differently had the threat emanated from another tribe.

“It is the height of nepotism and sectionalism for the Buhari administration to treat the Arewa youth leaders who committed a serious offense bordering on a threat to national security with kid gloves while the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is being threatened with arrest and several Niger Delta activists are languishing in detention,” the IYC said.

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The IYC faulted the government for detaining several Niger Delta youth activists such as Ezekiel Daniel, Alex Odogu, ex-militant leader Bonny Gawei, and several others in underground detention cells while the Arewa youths were enjoying state dinners.

The group said the government should not re-arrest Kanu or any other agitator in other part of the country until appropriate action is taken against Arewa youths for issuing a quit notice to Igbos residing in the northern region.

“We wish to state clearly that the Buhari administration has lost the justification to threaten to re-arrest Mr. Nnamdi Kanu or any other agitator in the southern part of Nigeria. Nigerians ought to be treated equally irrespective of their place of origin or ethnic background. We also strongly advise against the planned revocation of the bail and arrest of the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. Arresting Nnamdi Kanu would set Nigeria in flames,” the IYC stated.

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Meanwhile, Nnamdi Kanu on Sunday, August 27, insisted that there will not be election in Abia state unless a referendum which his group has been clamouring for is conducted.

Kanu while speaking at Boys Technical College (BTC) in Aba, Abia state, said that the agitation for Biafra is a “message from heaven.”

The IPOB leader who is aware that the federal government has commenced process to have him rearrested said that anyone who tries to arrest him will not leave Biafra land alive, the Cable reports.

In the video below NAIJ.com TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra.

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Presidency dismisses rumours that Osinbajo has been sidelined by a cabal

- The presidency has reacted to media reports accusing a cabal of running the affairs of Aso Rock

- The report specifically mentioned the president's Chief of Staff (CoS), Abba Kyari

- The report also stated that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been sidelined in the scheme of things in government circles

The presidency has alerted the public on an orchestrated campaign to smear the good name of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, by a section of the press.

Malam Garba Shehu, the president’s senior special assistant on media and publicity stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, August 28.

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According to him, some allegations being levelled against the president’s CoS are indirectly aimed at rubbishing the successes being recorded by the Buhari administration.

He described those behind the campaign as mere blackmailers and extortionists who were bent on creating unnecessary but imaginary division and misunderstanding between President Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the CoS.

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“A careful assessment of some these allegations with a rational mind will show that there is an orchestrated campaign to smear the CoS and indirectly the president.

“If I can speculate on the matter, I will say that the problem Malam Abba Kyari has with most people is that he, like the president he serves, will not throw money at people in order to please them.

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“As CoS, Malam has refused to keep cash imprest and has turned down a monthly grant of N200 million customarily given to the office.

“This is money freely spent because they were not required to account for what they did with it,’’ he said.

The presidential aide further noted that when the president was away on the medical vacation, the CoS rallied the presidency behind Professor Osinbajo because he knew that his boss, President Buhari expected nothing less.

He said: “As Acting President, Vice President Osinbajo enjoyed the support of the Villa Staff and the entire cabinet. Otherwise he would not have succeeded and earn the praises of the President.

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"These are just a few among the false and illogical accusations making the CoS larger than life, with the aim of pulling him down. No Chief of Staff including this one can create hurdles for a president and survive the next day.

“The roles and duties don’t warrant the kind of falsehood being spread.’’

Shehu therefore dispelled the false notion that some individuals had tried to undermine the vice president when he acted in the absence of the president.

The presidential spokesman also dismissed as “absolutely nonsensical and absurd’’ to write that in one week of the President’s return, Osinbajo had been sidelined.

He stated that, “quite to the contrary, the vice president remains the confidante and the closest adviser to the president.”

He noted that Vice President Osinbajo had attended all the president’s engagements all through the week with the exception of two: one, the VP was away to Taraba state and two, the Juma’at Muslim prayer because he is a Christian.

Shehu also dismissed the assertion in some quarters that President Buhari was being manipulated by the certain cabal in the Presidential Villa.

“It is difficult to understand what anyone wants to achieve peddling such falsehood that the President, himself a former military general and Head of State and Commander-In-Chief is subject to undue influence and manipulation.

“It is both ridiculous and inconceivable.

“As someone who works very closely with President Buhari, I can testify to how my years of experience as a newspaper editor are often put to the test by the sheer thoroughness with which the President edits every single document brought to his desk.

“Every memo, statement, speech, is subject to his intense scrutiny, right down to the placement of commas and full stops.

“Therefore, alleging that President Buhari signs memos brought to him by government officials or a so-called cabal without reading them, immediately casts doubts on the credibility of the ubiquitous unnamed sources that the reporters of these articles quote.

“But, of course, the president cannot do everything. He cannot micromanage every task.

“That is why he needs close officials, whom he trusts, who will be willing to offend others in the process of ensuring his own safety and wellbeing, and the advancement of his vision for Nigeria,’’ he added.(NAN)

READ ALSO: President Buhari meets with APC, PDP leaders (photo/video)

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has agreed to set up a committee to review the minimum wage for workers.

The committee is expected to include representatives of the government, Nigeria Labour Congress and employers.

Watch NAIJ.com TV vox pop where some Nigerians suggest which of President Buhari's appointees should be sacked:

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Afenifere takes side with Nnamdi Kanu, blasts FG for not arresting Arewa youths

- Afenifere has advised the federal government to be fair in dealing with all Nigerians

- The group said Nnamdi Kanu should not be re-arrested, warning that it will heat up the polity of the nation

- The group pointed out that it was clear the government had double standard

The Pan-Yoruba sociology-cultural group, Afenifere, has issued a warning to the federal government not to re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu as doing so ill heat up the polity of the country.

There has been report that the federal government was planning to arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and The Punch reports that Afenifere accused the government of double standard.

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READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

Yinka Odumakin who is the publicity secretary of the group advised the government to engage in dialogue with the group rather than trying to fight them.

He said: “The idea of re-arresting Kanu will overheat the polity, more so when youths in the north that issued a notice to quit were not arrested. Even after the Kaduna State Governor and the Vice President ordered their arrest, the police did nothing.

“The Minister of Internal Affairs said the youths were not arrested because they claimed they were misquoted, but a few days ago, the youths in the presence of some governors withdrew the order.”

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He advised the government to apply law equally rather than using different measures for peoples based on their states of origin.

He said: “The government is giving the impression that what is red line for someone from a particular region is green line for someone in another part of the country; I think it is better the government engaged to bring down the tension rather than strong-arm tactics that would overheat the polity.

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“There is a clear double standard and that is not good for inclusiveness. What the government should do is ensure even application of the law and engage more youths more rather indulge in sabre-rattling.”

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Meanwhile, Bianca, the widow of the late Biafra warlord, Odumegwu Ojukwu, called on those asking residents of Anambra state to boycott the forthcoming governorship election to have a rethink or face the consequences.

Bianca also asked the agitators to commence the boycott in their own states and leave Anambra alone.

She, however, complained about the near-absence of the federal government in Anambra in the area infrastructure.

Watch a NAIJ.com TV video below of Kanu speaking about his Biafra agitation:

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Nnamdi Kanu says anyone who tries to arrest him will die, Nigerians react

The federal government of Nigeria, on Friday, August 25, asked a court to revoke the bail granted to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu, in a reply to the report, vowed to deal with anyone who attempts to arrest him again and Nigerians have a lot to say about Kanu's reply to the federal government.

Below, NAIJ.com brings to you some of Nigerians' reactions to the federal government's plan and Kanu's reply:

Facebook user, Chimelum Ajanma, thinks Nigeria might be plunged into a war should Kanu be re-arrested.

READ ALSO: Presidency raises alarm over campaign of calumny against President Buhari’s CoS, Kyari

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Watch NAIJ.com video of Nigerians reacting to the new Biafra Secret Service (BSS) inaugurated by Nnamdi Kanu:

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