The first batch of the result of Liberia’s Presidential election conducted on Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 is to be released today by the country’s National Election Commission, chidi opara reports learned.
Incumbent President, Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is seeking second term in office. John-Sirleaf is a co-recipient of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.

Madam President’s main opponents are Winston Tubman and ex rebel leader, Yomie Johnson.
chidi opara reports also learned of whispers in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital city that the President is already leading by a fairly good percentage.

Over one million Liberians were reported to have registered for the election. Going by the countries electoral laws, if no candidate wins a majority, the candidates in the first and second positions will go for a run-off  in November. A total of sixteen candidates contested the election.

Voting was reported to be peaceful in most voting centres in Monrovia, except for some minor incidents.  Liberia, the first West African country to become Independent have a population of about four million people

Nigeria’s Attahiru Jega, is the head of an observer mission for the election inaugurated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The death of a Nigerian soldier from the bomb blast suspected to have been detonated on a military patrol vehicle by Boko Haram in Maiduguri, Borno State  on Sunday 9th October, 2011 have enraged soldiers who[b] chidi opara reports[/b] learned went on rampage, burning homes and shooting indiscriminately in some parts of the Borno state capital.

The bomb blast also wounded three soldiers and killed a roadside petrol hawker, while about nine parked vehicles were burnt.
Efforts by chidi opara reports to get comments from the appropriate military authorities were not successful at the time of preparing this report. A military officer in Maiduguri who declined to be named however denied the incident.

Residents reportedly abandoned their homes while the shootings were going on in the early hours of yesterday. The situation has however been normalized at the intervention of the military high command.

Residents revealed that the military have been harassing innocent citizens whom they always accuse of being Boko Haram sympathizers.

About ten suspects are being interrogated in connection with the bomb blast.

Suspected Boko Haram operatives yesterday bombed a military patrol vehicle in the Gwange area of Maiduguri, capital city of Borno State.The bomb, chidi opara reports learned was planted by the roadside and went off as soon as the patrol vehicle reached the spot, fueling speculation that the bomb was remotely detonated.

We also learned that as soon as the bomb exploded, gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram fighters opened fire on military the patrol vehicle. chidi opara reports could not ascertain so far if lives were lost, eye witnesses however revealed that the patrol vehicle was slightly damaged.

The attackers successful evaded arrest, although a security Condon was noticed around the University of Maiduguri specialist hospital and its environs.

Boko Haram rejected negotiations with and a proposal for amnesty.

The group’s spokesperson on 27th September, 2011 said that Boko Haram would continue with what it called jihad.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is seeking a first time International bank loan of $1.5 billion, chidi opara reports learned. The facility would be a five-year syndicated loan.

International financial giants, Standard Chartered Bank, Standard Bank and BNP Paribas are known to have submitted bids to source for the loan, which NNPC is yet to approve. The Nigerian Oil and Gas giant is expected to decide on the bids soon.   

NNPC spokesman, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, commenting on this development said, "We are always looking at alternative funding sources, where we suffer shortfalls because of competing demands. This is a large country with a lot of needs,"

"We have a lot of talks with highly regarded international banks who are looking to be involved in our deep offshore and other projects," Ajuonuma further revealed.

NNPC management last year denied reports that the Corporation was broke.
Nigeria's lower Parliament, the House of Representatives recently ordered the Corporation to commence repayment of the over four hundred billion naira owed the Nigerian government.

The Committee inaugurated by the Nigerian Presidency to look into the Boko Haram saga has recommended negotiations with the radical Islamic sect. This recommendation is however on the condition that Boko Haram renounces violence,

More on: http://chidioparareports..com/2011/09/news-report-committee-recommends.html

A New Oil and Gas pressure group based in Warri, Delta State  of  Nigeria, named Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change (NDIMRC), have announced that they are mobilizing to cripple operations of Oil and Gas majors whom they accused of stalling implementation of the Nigerian Content Act 2010,

More on: http://chidioparareports..com/2011/09/news-report-new-group-threaten-showdown.html

Culled From: chidi opara reports

Authorities at the headquarters of the Amphibious Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt yesterday arrested a man they said was suspected to be in possession of harmful materials.

The unnamed man was reported to be attempting to drive into the barrack, famously known as Bori Camp. The barrack also serves as the headquarters of the Joint Security Task force (JTF), an adhoc security outfit comprising the Army, Navy, Air force, Police and the State Security Service (SSS).

Brigade spokesperson, Major Aminu Iliyasu told the media that "The man is in our custody and we are still investigating."

"Disclosure of the identity of the suspect, items found and where he comes from will surely jeopardise investigations for now." Major Iliyasu opined further.

chidi opara reports have however gathered that the suspect is a middle aged man from one of the states in northern Nigeria.

There have been fears of attack on Port Harcourt and other major cities in the oil rich Niger Delta region by the Boko Haram Islamic sect.
Bori Camp has a high percentage of civilian residents, especially in its two mammy markets. Most civilian residents are petty traders, artisans and technicians, who could not afford to pay the exobitant rents charged in the Rivers State capital city.

Civilian residents were expelled in 2006 when the Movement For The Emancipation Of Niger Delta(MEND) exploded a bomb in the barrack. The civilians, chidi opara reports learned, returned when the barrack authorities pressured the Army authorities to rescind the expulsion order “because of the money they collect from civilians as pass”.

Military personnel in Port Harcourt have been known to indulge in indiscriminate arrests of civilians on flimsy reasons, whom they always refuse to hand over to the Police and some of whom they put through series of torture to extract confessions for serious offences not committed.

The Family of Muhammed Yusuf, The late Boko Haram leader said yesterday that their meeting with former President Olusegun Obasnajo would only be fruitful if federal government listens to the demands of Boko Haram.
Obasanjo  was in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno State with one Shehu Musa, of the Civil Liberty Liberties Organization(CLO)

chidi opara reports gathered that Obasanjo and his entourage were received by the eldest son of late Yusuf’s father-in-law, at their home in Maiduguri. The meeting held privately.
Babakura Alhaji Fugu, the family spokesman told reporters that "Indeed we received president Obasanjo in our house yesterday, his mission was very clear. He said he came to condole with our family over what happened during the 2009 Boko haram insurgence, especially the extra-judicial killing of our father and the wanton destruction of our family house.

He promised that he would convey our plight to Mr. President within a week or two and thereafter will get back to us directly or through an emissary. Although he said categorically that he was not sent by the federal government; he said he came to us on his own. We were made to be aware of his coming through the National Human Rights Commission which intimated us of his intentions."

Babakura, further revealed that "we have told him our predicament, especially the destruction of our family house, and also the need for the state government to abide by the court order which ruled that a compensation of N100 million be paid for the extrajudicial killing of our father; and also to tell the security agencies to stop harassing and intimidating our family members over issues related to Boko Haram".

"There is still need for government to honour the demands of the sect members especially on the withdrawal of the Joint Task Force". He added.

chidi opara reports also learnt that the mother of late Alhaji Buji Fai, was also at the meeting, she requested Obasanjo to inform the Nigerian government to provide the late Buji Fai’s children with financial assistance. Fai was also killed in the 2009 Boko Haram crisis.

As the Garden City Literary Festival(GCLF), holding in Port Harcourt, capital city of Nigeria's Rivers State enters into its second day, United States Of America's leading civil rights activist, Revd. Jesse Jackson would be addressing a news conference at the Hotel Presidential at about 6.00pm today.

The civil rights leader, whom chidi opara reports learned arrived Port Harcourt in the early hours of today, would be addressing the news media on current national and International issues, especially, the current security situations in Nigeria, Africa and the world. The news conference, according to the Festival's modified programme, obtained by chidi opara reports, would also be attended by guest authors, partners and the Festival team.

A senior Festival official, identified as Mrs. Akele, when approached for confirmation of the specific location of the news conference in the hotel complex, said that it would be announced later, a precaution we gathered was taken for security reasons.

Efforts by chidi opara reports to have an exclusive chat with Revd. Jackson have so far been politely turned down by Festival Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Koko Kolango.

Culled From: chidi opara reports

The wrists of Auwalu Abubaka(23) and Lawalli Musa(22) would  be amputated in public, a court in Zamfara State in northern Nigeria have ruled.

The sentence would be carried out according to Islamic laws which some predominantly Moslem states in northern Nigeria adhere to. The court also ruled that the convicts could appeal the sentence.

Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar who heard the case said that the convicts pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing a bull.

"Based on the admission of guilt by the two of you of trespassing into the house and stealing a bull whose worth is well above the minimum value to warrant amputation, I hereby order that each of you should have his right wrist amputated," Muhammadu Abubakar ruled.

Abubakar also ruled that the sentence would take place on "market day for members of the public to witness".

Zamfara state incorporated Sharia laws into her legal system in 1999.

Culled From: chidi opara reports

The Nigerian Presidency has denied that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s name was on the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) list of corrupt governors, when he was the governor of Oil rich Bayelsa State. The Presidency was responding to a lead report in today’s edition of “The Daily Trust”, a Nigerian daily newspaper. The said report was purportedly authored by an official of the United States Embassy about two years ago.

The release signed by Dr. Reuben Abati, the President’s Chief Publicist said that it is a matter of public record that no charge of corruption was made against Dr. Goodluck Jonathan while he served as Governor of Bayelsa State.

The release also stated that attempts were made to impugn the President’s integrity by referring to the alleged corrupt conducts of the First Lady which has been denied by Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, the former Chairman of EFCC.

The Presidency said that the incident of seizure of $13.5million from Mrs. Patience Jonathan at the Lagos Airport never happened.

The release advised reporters to follow the dictates of the Freedom of Information and request for EFCC records to establish the truth of the matter.

Mr. Ribadu had on 13th of October, 2010 stated that: "We investigated it and there was nothing connected with Mrs. Jonathan. Even as at that time those who were desperately looking to make a political mile out of every opportunity decided to use that to link it with them simply because they wanted to kick them out of office at that time".

Culled From: chidi opara reports

Pope Benedict XVI has made an appeal to terror groups to choose dialogue and respect for life, instead of violence.

This appeal was contained in telegrams sent to the United Nations’ Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, and the Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

In the telegrams signed by the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone,  Pope Benedict XVI appealed "to those who choose death and violence to embrace, instead, life and respectful dialogue."

The identical telegrams further stated that the Pope "was distressed to learn of the terrorist attack upon the United Nations offices in Abuja and of the terrible loss of life among both local citizens and United Nations' personnel."

The message also said that the Pontiff’s prayers are with those killed, the mourners and the injured. The message advised "courage and strength."

Culled From: chidi opara reports

By Nelson Ekujumi

The legal profession in any clime is a noble and honourable profession that society adores. However, recent happenings in Nigeria with regards to the shameful conduct of some members of the bench and their accomplices in the bar is capable of eroding the confidence of the society and may ultimately lead to a state of anarchy if urgent steps are not taken by its practitioners and society at large to correct this observed anomalies.

Recently the Nigerian judiciary was brought to opprobrium by the conduct of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN) Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu working in tandem with some conscienceless elements in the National Judicial Council (NJC) to assault the course of justice and their oath of office by suspending and recommending the removal from office of a judicial officer,  President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami for refusing to tender apology for swearing to an oath that the former CJN attempted to induce him to assault justice with regards to the unprecedented anomaly of the Supreme court raping justice with their interference in the Sokoto State Gubernatorial election petition.

When the Supreme Court dismissed the Sokoto State Gubernatorial election petition before the Court of Appeal in utter violations of the constitution and the electoral Act since all election matters terminates at the Court of Appeal, legal pundits and observers were taken aback by this absurdity. we  knew that there was more to this matter than meet the eye and our amazement was further confirmed when Justice Katsina Alu attempted to move Justice Salami to the Supreme Court so that he can consolidate unhindered with his cash and carry justice. Our suspicion as to what could have been responsible for the anti-judiciary ethics of the Supreme court was unearthed when Justice Salami sued the former CJN and the NJC and even swore an oath that Justice Katsina Alu tried to induce him to divert the course of justice in the Sokoto Gubernatorial election petition.

The absurdity being perpetrated in the judiciary by Justice Katsina Alu and the NJC was taken to the height when the NJC that is supposed to be the bastion of justice refused to be served court papers on a suit against it by Justice Ayo Salami only to turn round and come up with a lame excuse when its embarrassment of the third arm of government got to the peak. Even when the NJC accepted the court summons, it still went ahead with its unconstitutionality in contempt of court having been assured of the complicity of President, Goodluck Jonathan in this illegality.

Well, as we speak today, the hatchet job of the former CJN Katsina Alu, NJC and President Goodluck Jonathan in their unconstitutional method of removing Justice Salami from the bench so that they can desecrate the institution at will has been carried out but the onus is now on persons of goodwill to ensure that this jungle justice and return to stone age crudity by the directionless federal government does not stand.

This writer in a previous write-up called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), for posterity sake and as a matter of urgency, to step in to restore the already sagging image of the judiciary after all, Katsina Alu, President Jonathan, NJC and their ilk’s were determined beyond all reasonable doubt to destroy any institution that stood in their way to return Nigeria to a culture of impunity. In hearkening to this patriotic call, the NBA ordered its members to boycott the illegal investiture of SAN’s by the out gone CJN who brought the legal profession to its lowest ebb in history.

However, men and women of goodwill were taken aback when it was reported that the recipients of Senior Advocates of Nigeria(SAN) turned up for the ceremony in disregard of the call by their parent body. This made persons of conscience to wonder whether  these SAN recipients are the Judases of the legal profession. Is the investiture as SAN more important than the legal position itself? If the legal profession is destroyed by Katsina -Alu, NJC and President Goodluck Jonathan, would it be possible for anybody to practice law, more so claim to be a SAN? Can these lawyers in all sincerity still accept to be addressed as “learned” if they can behave this way? These and many other questions are in need of answers from these recipients of SAN.
It is in this regard that the whole world is watching with keen interest to see what disciplinary actions would be meted to these rebels in the legal profession by the NBA to serve as a deterrent to others who are in the Katsina-Alu school of thought. What the lawyers have done in disregarding a legal and rightful order by their parent body is not only a rape on justice but also an assault on the legal profession and ought to be condemned by all lovers of freedom.

(Ekujumi is Executive Chairman, Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM))

Culled From: chidi opara reports

Nigeria’s secret service, famously known as State Security Service(SSS) have today in Abuja declared one Mamman Nur wanted in connection with the recent bombing of the United Nations' building in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

In the news release made available to chidi opara reports and other news media, the spokesperson of SSS, Mrs. Merlyn Ogar described Mamman Nur as “a notorious Boko Haram element with Al Qaeda links, who returned recently from Somalia”.

Mrs. Ogar revealed that the Security Service had earlier arrested Messrs Babagana Kwaljima and Babagana Mali, acting on ‘Precise Intelligence” received before the bomb blast.

The SSS spokesperson said that the news release was intended to douse “various speculations and misrepresentations in the media”.

The release also described Nigeria as “currently being threatened”.

Culled From:[url=http://chidi opara reports] chidi opara reports[/url]

President Goodluck  Jonathan have congratulated the Moslem faithful in Nigeria on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

According to a news release by the President’s Chief Publicist, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President believes that God will grant the prayers of Nigerians for peace, and progress.

The President used the opportunity to also reassure Nigerians and foreigners living in Nigeria of his government’s efforts to enhance national security.

The release further stated that President Jonathan have directed the nation’s security agencies to develop strategies to effectively enhance Intelligence gathering and cooperation with other nations engaged in the global war against terrorism.

The President assured Nigerians of the full implementation of his government’s Agenda for National Transformation in spite of the present security challenges.

The release further stated that with the new national economic management team established and functional, Nigerians will begin to see the fulfillment of the President’s promise of socio-economic revitalization, job creation and renewal of national infrastructure.

The President also promised to continue to give Nigerians leadership and direction for unity, stability and progress.

When terror begets terror
We hang “legitimate” tag
On one terror,
On another terror
We hang “illegitimate” tag,
We select the truths we speak.
When palaces are burnt,
Our biles boil.
We continue our strolls
Unperturbed
When shanties are burnt.

http://mundanemuses..com/2011/08/truths-we-speak.html

Former Head of State and Presidential Candidate of Congress for Progressive Change, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari has condemned Friday bomb attacks at the United Nations building in Abuja in which many lives were lost and several others wounded, http://chidioparareports..com/2011/08/news-release-buhari-condemns-attack-on.html

Medal of magic labeled miracle
On the beastly neck adorn,
Hood of sainthood
In beatification bestowed.
The beast beam
With beatific mirth.
The priest pray
And pronounce
Beatification of the beast.
Hell heave relief,
Heaven hiss.
The horde holler,
“Hail the beast!”
Bombs begin to blast again
Masticating even minors,
Even manhood is manacled.
The main matador is murdered
And other matadors,
Mellowed by the mob
Melt away to masturbate.
“Hail the beast!”
The holler heighten.

http://mundanemuses..com/2011/05/beatification-of-beast.html

Pan African Youth Movement (PAYM) in conjunction with Campaign For Workers’ Rights (CWR) will be holding a 50,000 man march in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, on the 5th of September 2011. Our take off point will be Imo State Civil Service Secretariat Port Harcourt Road Owerri   to Government House Owerri. On the 6th of June 2011, Owelle Rochas Okorocha the governor of Imo State goofed by announcing  the sack of 10,000 workers who got job placement  before he came into office. PAYM and CWR have noted that the disengaged workers were duly employed by the Imo State Civil Service Commission, http://chidioparareports..com/2011/08/news-release-invitation-for-fifty.html

Outraged by recent outbursts by two of Nigeria’s past leaders, Spaces for Change (S4C) is demanding for the trial of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and former president Olusegun Obasanjo for crimes of civil, political, social and economic nature committed against the Nigerian people between 1985 – 1992 and 1999 -2007, http://chidioparareports..com/2011/08/news-release-spaces-for-changes4c-says.html

Muammar Gaddafi, facing a major revolt against his rule, is the Arab world's longest serving leader. With no official government function, he is known as the "Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution", http://chidioparareports..com/2011/08/special-report-facts-about-muammar.html