According to World Maritime News, quoting Moroccan media, “the kidnap occurred on July 31.

IMB Piracy Reporting Centre also confirmed the attack.

“The incident was reported to the Nigerian navy who responded and located the ship. It was reported that some crew members were missing,” the IMB said.

The Nigerian navy vessel reportedly towed the ship to a safe port for investigation.

Based on the latest report from the piracy watchdog, “pirates in Nigeria continue to dominate when it comes to reports of kidnappings, and vessels being fired upon”.

Recently, Nigerian pirates have held siege to 31 crews in five reported incidents.

The numbers include 14 crew-members that were taken from two separate vessels in the second quarter of the year.

The 1986-built vessel of 1,276 dwt and formerly known as Celia, is managed by Ocean Express of Congo.

The company is yet to make a comment on the attack.

NAN.

Visit http://spectascope.com/post/2045/Nigerian-Pirates-kidnap-Moroccan-crew for more details

President Muhammadu Buhari has written a letter to thank the President of Guinea, Mr. Alpha Conde, for the nationwide prayers held last week by Guineans for his swift recovery and good health.

The letter was dated July 24, 2017. President Buhari described the action of Conde, as “a gesture that I will forever cherish and treasure’’.

According to Mr. Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Buhari had earlier phoned Conde on the subject.

Conde is the current Chairman of the Assemblies of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

The contents of the letter:
“I thank you for your kind and thoughtful action in organizing nationwide prayers for my good health. It is a gesture that I will forever cherish and treasure”.

“Your Excellency will be pleased to hear that I am making good progress, and as soon as doctors advise, I shall return to my duties and continue serving the Nigerian people who elected me and are daily praying for my recovery.”

President Buhari had earlier written a letter to acknowledge his acceptance of nomination as leader of the “2018 AU Theme on the Fight Against Corruption”.

Buhari’s nomination came from African leaders at the 29th Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on July 4, 2017.

“While thanking you for the kind words and for the nomination,” the President wrote to Conde, “I wish to express my readiness to accept this new important role and to reiterate my commitment to contribute towards our collective efforts to strengthen good governance and development on the continent”.

“I, therefore, look forward to working closely with you in the realization of this objective.”

Buhari reportedly had a launch with leaders of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in London.

Reporting on the meeting, Governor Rochas Okorocha said President Buhari was very cheerful and has not lost any bit of his sense of humour.

Okorocha gave this report in a telephone conversation Reported by President Buhari’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

According to Adesina, the Imo state governor said the party delegation spent more than an hour with President Buhari over lunch, and it was very clear from the discussions that he followed developments at home very closely.

He said the President was delighted to receive the delegation and asked each governor about affairs in his state.

He also asked the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, about the state of the railways.

When asked to react to all the negative things being said about him, the President just laughed, describing such negative reports as lies.

Governor Okorocha said President Buhari was completely unperturbed by the cocktail of lies. He, instead, sent his best wishes to Nigerians.

According to the governor, “Nigerians don’t have to worry at all”. He added that “President Buhari will be back as soon as the doctors give him the green light”.

“By our visit to London today, the merchants of lies have been put out of business and Nigerians will not buy the garbage they have been selling. All those who look up to fake news can find better use for their time,” Governor Okorocha noted.

Governors Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa; Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna; Yahaya Bello of Kogi; and APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, were also in the delegation.

Read more at: http://spectascope.com/post/1818/I-shall-return-to-my-duties-and-continue-serving-Nigeria-Buhari-writes-to-Conde

http://spectascope.com/post/1697/BREAKING-Saraki-Gets-Approval-To-Declare-Buharis-Office-Vacant

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is set to declare President Muhammadu Buhari’s seat vacant, if the ailing President fails to show up, in the next 18 days.

This came into consideration on Wednesday, when a pro-democracy group laid bare plans to commence a daily sit-out at the National Assembly in 18 days, if the Legislature fails to respond to the health problem of Buhari, as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution.

In a statement released by its leader, Deji Adeyanju, and Secretary, Dr. John Danfulani, the group noted that “Buhari has now been absent from office, and from Nigeria for 72 days, and if the situation remains unchanged, it would commence the sit-out on the 90th day of his absence”.

“The Leadership of the National Assembly must choose between the Nigerian people and the cabal”, Concerned Nigerians declared.

“72 days is too long for a Commander-in-Chief to be away from his country, without any explanation to the people that voted him in”, the group said.

“We hereby, demand that the National Assembly invokes Section 144 (4) of the Nigerian Constitution, and direct the setting up of a Medical Panel, in conjunction with the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to ascertain whether the President is incapacitated”, the statement continued.

“If the President is found with any infirmity that renders him incapable of discharging his duties, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall officially declare him incapable of discharging his duties, and declare his office vacant, as prescribed in (2) of section 143”, the group declared.

The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, passed a vote of no-confidence yesterday on the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The reason for the group’s action towards the Ohanaeze’s was fixed on their alleged unserious attitude towards the dealings of Ndigbo and Biafrans in general.

MASSOB reported in a statement by its national Director of Information, Comrade Edeson Samuel that ‎they had recently discovered that the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo whom they thought felt the throbs of Ndigbo and Biafrans were pursuing personal and selfish desires.

“While, we disagree with the call for restructuring by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, MASSOB wishes to commend the South-east, South-south governors for coming together for their meeting held last Saturday in Enugu, even though the meeting to us was a total failure.

“The governors have indeed, this time taken a bold step for coming together which is important for the two regions”.

“The unity of these two regions is very important for us. We urge these governors to reactivate the dilapidated infrastructures and abandoned companies in the two regions, instead of relying and waiting in vain on the Federal Government of Nigeria to site any Federal Government project in these two regions, which it will not do because the of the hatred for the people of these regions who are mostly Biafrans”.

“We, the members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, under the leadership of Mazi Uchenna Madu have passed a vote of no confidence on the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo because of their lack-lustre attitude towards the affairs of Ndigbo and Biafra in general”.

“These men, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership whom we thought feel our pains before now, have shown us who they are and we have discovered that they are pursuing personal and egocentric desires. We never knew before now that they are not working for Ndigbo and Biafrans in general”.

“They want to destroy our future and in the process, have destroyed their own future because of their immediate need to enrich themselves. They have exposed themselves and we now know them better.”

According to MASSOB, “the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has proven that they cannot be trusted. Their opposition against referendum has shown that they do not have Igbo interest at heart”.

“While many respected Igbo leaders and leaders from other parts of the country are clamouring for referendum, it is very clear that the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has nothing to offer Ndigbo but using the organization to get contracts from Abuja”.

“MASSOB is warning Ohanaeze Ndigbo to retrace their steps towards Biafran issue because we will not allow them to jeopardize our future and that of our children. A lot of blood has been shed because of Biafra and we cannot let that blood be in vain”.

“MASSOB will never accept restructuring because there is no amount of restructuring that will save Nigeria from disintegration”.

”The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has failed Ndigbo completely. We are going to make Biafran land too hot for the shameless, greedy, self-centered politicians who cannot see the handwriting on the wall.”

Read more at:
http://spectascope.com/post/1532/Biafra-We-will-not-let-the-blood-shed-for-Biafra-be-in-vainMASSOB-

The House of Representatives has failed to swear in the new member elect, Hon. Dorothy Mato for Konshisha/Vandeikya Federal Constituency of Benue state.

Reports had it that this is the second time the House of Reps., have failed to carry out this duty.

Following the decision of The Supreme Court on June 25 to sack Hembe and Sen Sani Abubakar Danladi and ordered that Hon. Mato and Alhaji Shuaibu Isa Lau be sworn into replace them instantly, the swearing in of Hon. Mato is still pending.

While Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau had since been sworn in by the senate president, Hon. Mato’s swearing is still hanging in the House.

Mato is to replace the previous chairman of the House Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Herma Hembe.

Prior to the sack, the court had ordered the sacked legislators to refund all monies collected as salaries and allowances in the last two years.

The House Spokesman, Rep. Abdulrazaq Namdas, explained the delay in the official appointment last Thursday. He said the reason was that the member-elect could not be sworn in because she needed to complete certain documentations.

But a constituent of the lawmaker confirmed that Mato had done all the necessary documentations.

He said, “Mato, was kept in the office of the clerk to the house for hours waiting to be ushered into the chamber for swearing in, but to no avail.’’

Her constituents and supporters, who came to the gallery to witness her inauguration, left disappointed.

House of Reps., speaker, Yakubu Dogara was absent in the chambers and the house was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Lasun Yussuff.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the member-elect was seen loitering around.

Find out more at:
http://spectascope.com/post/1518/House-of-Reps-disregard-Supreme-courts-orders-fails-to-swearin-Dorothy-Mato

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo will soon brief the nation on the outcome of his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

Mr. Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, made this known on his twitter handle late on Tuesday night.

He described the meeting as “a very good meeting.”

He said: “We will soon share more information about Acting President’s London meeting with President Buhari. It was a very good meeting”.
“God bless Nigeria.’’

President Buhari on Tuesday summoned Acting President Osinbajo to a meeting with him in the United Kingdom where he is presently on medical vacation.

Osinbajo jetted out of Abuja soon after presiding over the Quarterly Presidential Business Forum on Tuesday morning at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Akande had earlier confirmed in a tweet on his twitter handle, that Osinbajo had left for London to meet the President but did not give details.

He added that the Acting President would return to Abuja immediately after the meeting.

NAN.
Find out more at:
http://spectascope.com/post/1517/Osinbajo-soon-to-brief-nation-on-meeting-with-Buhari

Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd. (EMTS) trading as Etisalat Nigeria on Tuesday informed its customers that the change of brand name will not affect its operations.

Mr Ibrahim Dikko, the Vice President, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, EMTS made this known in a statement.

Dikko said that EMTS was aware of recent news reports regarding Etisalat Group’s withdrawal of the right to the continued use of the Etisalat brand in Nigeria by EMTS.

He said that EMTS had a valid and subsisting agreement with the Etisalat Group.

According to him, the agreement entitles EMTS to use the Etisalat brand notwithstanding the recent changes within the company.

“Indeed, discussions are ongoing between EMTS and Etisalat Group pertaining to the continued use of the brand.
“EMTS will issue a formal statement once discussions are concluded.

“The final outcome on the use of the brand in no way affects the operations of the business as our full range of services remain available to our customers,’’ he said.

Dikko said that EMTS launched in Nigeria in 2008 with “0809ja’’ to affirm the “Nigerianness’’ of its origin and sphere of influence.

He said that in nine years of operation, the company remained a prime driver and avid supporter of the Nigerian spirit of excellence.

According to him, the telecommunications company will continue to stay true to its “Naijacentric identity’’.
“This notion is strongly reflected in our core messages and depicted in major projects and initiatives, which we have been known to support.

“All these initiatives have their foundation embedded in supporting key aspects of the Nigerian fabric: building Nigerian businesses and empowering Nigerians with a focus on the youth.
“Nigeria remains the soul of EMTS’ business and we have made the brand alluring to our teeming subscribers, who see a piece of the spirit and character of Nigeria in everything we do.

“EMTS is here to stay and we wish to assure our esteemed customers that our core values of youthfulness, customer-centricity and innovation will remain the pillars on which we operate.

“We thank our esteemed customers for their abiding faith in us,’’ Dikko said.

Reports had it that since the month of March, Etisalat Group has been having the issues with the consortium of 13 banks over the payment 1.2 billion dollar loan.

The group had on Monday given Etisalat Nigeria three weeks ultimatum to stop the usage of its brand name.

Find out more at:
http://spectascope.com/post/1515/Etisalat:-Change-of-name-will-not-affect-subscribers

The acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, said the current agitation for restructuring and Biafra are being financed by looters of the country’s treasury over the years.

Besides, Magu reminded those attempting to frustrate the Federal Government’s war against corruption to be battle-ready, insisted that the EFCC would not be deterred in the clampdown on all the criminally-minded persons in the country.

The EFCC chairman, who spoke yesterday at a stakeholder’s meeting in Kano, insisted if the country must move forward, Nigerians must be determined to fight corruption at all levels.

Magu regretted that the multiply effect of corruption is threatening the unity of the country and cautioned Nigerians to resist the temptation of corruption, while desisting from celebrating corrupt persons in their domain.

According to Magu: “Corruption is a threat to the unity of this country and we must fight, despite the stumblingly blocks”.

“Agitations of restructuring the nation, Biafra and even Boko Haram are being financed by looters of the country. The looters are ready to continue sponsoring all these violence against the state just to create confusion to distract attention against them. But that will not succeed”.

“I can assure you that the President and the Vice President are committed to the fight against corruption and we have this political will in our leaders. We would not be deterred; we will continue fighting the war against corruption in this country”.

“Again, those looting our wealth in this country are not more than 10,000 people and I don’t think there is any way the will of these people will prevail upon over the 150 million people of Nigeria.”

Magu explained that the purpose of the Kano meeting was to brief the civil society group about the fight so far and seek suggestions to further strengthen the commission.

Chairman of Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kabiru Ado Mingibir, lamented the economic impact of corruption, which he said has adversely affected the survival of workers, who are being owned several months of salary.

He assured the EFCC that workers in the state were ready to support the anti-corruption fight.

Meanwhile, the senate has insisted that its rejection of Magu nomination “still stands.

According to the Chairman of its Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Sabi Abdullah, yesterday, the senate has already made its resolution.

He added: “Most times, based on how we communicate, we don’t go to press immediately because somebody has made a statement; we usually discuss issues”.

“You know before we made that resolution, the issue was debated. It is not because the executive has said something, we will react to it. We discuss issues first.

“He was brought to us for confirmation and on the basis of damning reports from the DSS, we rejected him twice”.
“It is left for Nigerians to see and we have done our part. We are expressing the opinion of the Senate, its stand and its position”.

“We have given it a resolution. For now, that is what subsists and until we get a response, otherwise officially, we are not going back.”

This came in reaction to Thursday’s statement by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo that President Muhammadu Buhari has resolved to work with Magu to tackle corruption in the country.

The Guardian.
http://spectascope.com/post/1462/Biafra-and-Boko-Haram-are-being-financed-by-Looters-of-the-countryMagu

In the advent of recent talks about the restructuring and the political agitation by the south east under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu’s movement for liberation of the Igbos to have a Biafran state, as well as demanding a referendum, it is evident that the position of the Federal government against the plight of the Biafrans holds less weight and Nigerian youths are not willing to let this political tussle ruin their future.

A concerned Facebook user has used the medium to question the government; he enjoins the federal government and the citizens on the need for a rethink in areas that most affect the core of the nation’s future.

The post reads:
“For how long are "we" the "Masses" going to continue financing the extravagant, luxurious, glamorous, fabulous lifestyles of the POLITICAL and SPIRITUAL leaders........A poor man understands the need to stop spending on things he doesn't need in other to sustain her/himself. Imagine if these leaders would stop spending on personal interest and do what they ought to do for the community.

Every national fund spent on a new car, a party, a new house, a luxurious vacation all at the expense of the gullible tax payers is directly robbing a child of his/her future.

Why will a country so rich, be so poor?

The abundance of resources has led to mismanagement and corruption
The so called "elites" have refused to educate the people on a massive scale and slow their acquisition of true knowledge (education isn't only gotten from the race to acquire a B.Sc. or any other degree, that's the illusion the system has created) they keep us in the dark because that's the only way they can control us.

Now answer this:

1.With Nigeria’s vast and fertile land can she successfully feed her people for less? If properly managed?

2: With her rich mineral resources can she solve the high rate of unemployment?

3: Can her citizens have a better health package?

4: As a nation can we truly be united (we have been marrying ourselves inter tribe Hausa/Igbo, Yoruba/Efik, Edo/tiv the list is endless. So think about it if we can go that far against all odds including persecution, then what/who/whom is STOPing us from coming together as one. United we stand, divided we fall.

5: The epileptic power supply we are facing, can it come to an end with the right people in power?

6: Can we break these religious barriers that are creating subconscious state of hate amongst us, acting as a tool for division and not unity, just because most leaders are interpreting the "WORD" according to how it will benefit them, passing judgement as they please?

7: Are some people or tribe claiming brotherhood to their kinsmen and not extending that same hand to the real brother who is Nigeria ?

8: Are we neglecting the real leaders of tomorrow by embracing Patriarchy and treating the opposite sex as second class citizen...Do the younger generation accept the feminine gender as their equals or someone is preaching superiority?

Whatever the case may be or even the answer, you will accept that there is something seriously wrong with the way our nation is being handled, something wrong with the way we think, something completely wrong with our future.

"But I believe it isn't too late to change something no matter how little.
So my good people look inward and see that the only prison there is, is the one you created for yourself.....Break those chains and be free".

http://spectascope.com/post/1226/Nigerian-Leaders-A-Disgrace-To-This-Generation--Adah-Akay-Micheal-

Human trafficking by Nigerian crime gangs is one of the biggest challenges facing Britain’s anti-slavery Commissioner who expressed frustration at seeing the numbers of Nigerian women likely to be lured in few cases, and many others willing to consent to sex slavery, explode in the past two years.

Kevin Hyland, who was appointed Britain’s first Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner in 2014 as part of the widely lauded Modern Slavery Act, said a failure of authorities to work together to end trafficking has let criminal groups flourish in their trade.

Hyland said Britain’s ground breaking legislation may have caused a legal and cultural sea change against modern slavery but more needed to be done, both in the UK and internationally.
He said there has been an eight-fold increase in the number of women arriving from Nigeria into Italy between 2014 and 2016.

<b><i><blockquote>“Of the 11,000 Nigerian women recorded arriving in Sicily in 2016 it is estimated about 80 percent (8,000) showed signs of being trafficked, he said, with witchcraft or “juju” spells often used to bind girls to their traffickers who use them as sex slaves”.</blockquote>
</i></b>
Hyland said the issue needed to be tackled upstream before victims reached Europe. “Why are we just waiting until the victims arrive here, until they’ve been exploited?”
Hyland told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview to mark the second anniversary of the Modern Slavery Act. “We need to be a little bit more ambitious and stop it happening in the first place.”

Campaigners have hailed the Modern Slavery Act, which came into force on March 26, 2015, as a milestone in the struggle against a crime which affects as many as 46 million people worldwide, with up to 13,000 victims in Britain.

The act, seen as setting a global precedent, combines harsh penalties for traffickers with better protection for people at risk, and requires companies to disclose what they are doing to ensure their supply chains are slavery-free.

Source: BBC


http://spectascope.com/post/1218/Human-Traffickers-Use-Juju-and-Witchcraft-to-Bind-Girls-as-Sex-Slaves-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjcS3eN40w8

The parents of 10-months old Chris Gard and Connie Yates have been in a long legal battle to save their baby who is suffering from a serious genetic illness.

A European Human Rights Court has given its verdict on a case of human rights that will compel a couple to allow their sick baby to die.

The baby is currently on life support while treatment options were being considered.
Charlie was diagnosed with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome at 8 weeks old, and is considered to be only one of 16 babies worldwide with this disease.

<b><blockquote>His condition is progressive and currently incurable and eventually fatal.</blockquote>
</b>
Meanwhile, doctors are developing treatments for the various mitochondrial conditions, including the nucleoside treatment Charlie’s parents have been fighting for.
Charlie’s parents begged the court to determine if they, as parents, have the right to continue to provide medical treatments for their son or if he should be allowed to die.

The parents of the 10-months old baby wants the court to let them use a potentially life-saving drug from the U.S. on their son.
They believed that the drug (which is still experimental), would help their son’s genetic condition rather than allow him to die as doctors have recommended.

The court ruled against the application submitted by the parents However a June 27 ruling of the court held that the application by the parents was ‘inadmissible’.
The court said that the baby was being exposed to continued pain, suffering and distress in pursuit of treatments that were unsure.

It added that any additional treatment would continue to cause harm to the baby stressing that its ruling is “Final”.
“The EHRC also removed the interim measure to keep Charlie’s life support in place.

A spokesman for Great Ormond Street Hospital, where Charlie has been treated since October, has told the parents that there is “no rush” to remove Charlie’s life support.

The spokesman said that any future treatment will involve careful planning and discussion.”

The hospital has said that though there is a deadline in place for Charlie, they wouldn’t have to follow it exactly. The discussion and planning will take some days to work out.

Meanwhile, Charlie’s parents have so far raised over £1.3 million through a GoFundMe account for his treatment.
With the ruling of the court, the parents are unsure what they want to do with the money.

<blockquote>Charlie </blockquote>They plan to donate some to the U.S. hospital willing to treat Charlie, while the rest will be put into a charity for other children with similar mitochondrial conditions “so that nobody else ever has to go through what we have.”
She said, “We’d like to save other babies and children because these medications have been proven to work and we honestly have so much belief in them.”

Nan

http://spectascope.com/post/1211/Baby-Charlie-Sentenced-to-Death-by-Human-Rights-Court

Below is an interview with Charlie’s parents where they talk about their baby, saying they would not give up hope and let their baby die just like that.
<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EjcS3eN40w8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>