EXPOSED: Immigration Officer, A Boko Haram Member?

Nigerians have consistently maintained that the dreaded sect Boko Haram must surely have sympathisers in government and security agencies, considering how effective their attacks have been. Finally, there is proof.
A high profile Boko Haram member, who is an officer of Nigeria’s Immigration Services, Ahmed Grema Mohammed, has named some security personnel among those carrying out terrorist attacks in the country. His confession came after he was arrested by the men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Mohammed, who is an officer of the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) attached to the Nangere office of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Yobe State, was apprehended at a checkpoint on the Maiduguri-Damaturu road while on his way to kill a former special adviser to the immediate past governor of the state.
Most of the personnel named by Mohammed have been arrested, while security agencies are on the trail of others.
The news of Mohammed’s arrest was contained in a JTF statement signed by the task force spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa.
According to the statement, Mohammed had been on the wanted lists in the country and was arrested on August 17, this year for impersonating a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army.
“Mohammed confessed to be actively involved in the killings of some senior civil servants, security agents, and politicians in Damaturu who spoke against the activities of Boko Haram, particularly the former chairman of Damboa Council, Alhaji Lawal Kawu.
“He also took part in the attack on the old Police Headquarters in Damaturu, where some policemen were killed and large quantity of arms and ammunition carted away.
“In addition, he was among the terrorists that attacked Damaturu Prison, burnt some primary schools, the State CID office and the Police Safety Vehicle, among others.
“The suspect revealed to JTF that he and 15 other members of the organization were intensively trained for three months on G3 and AK 47 rifles, as well as in assassinations and special operations in Niger Republic.
“He also revealed names of some security personnel that participated in terrorists’ attacks in Borno and Yobe states.”
Source: JTF

FACTS: The End Of Boko Haram Is Near

The declaration of ‘war’ on Boko Haram extremists by African leaders at a security summit in Paris is a major step to tackle the regional threat posed by the group as well as help end the insurgency if properly implemented, analysts say.

“It’s a good thing that the leaders have agreed to work together to fight Boko Haram,” said Nwolise Osisioma, a professor and head of political science and international relation at the University of Ibadan, southwest Nigeria.

“But the leaders must have the political will to execute the decision with one mind. If they do, it will go a long way in checkmating Boko Haram,” he said.

“The leaders will also have to tackle the issue of logistics, that of intelligence gathering. Nigeria for instance, has military capability to fight Boko Haram. What is lacking is intelligence,” he said.

“We hope, France as the facilitator of the summit, will assist with intelligence and satellite.”

Osisioma said he believed dialogue rather than force was a better option.

“If the government had entered into negotiation with Boko Haram and met their demands in 2009 when they started their rebellion, the crisis would not have festered to this point.

“The lesson is that when internal groups make demands, government should attend to those demands. If not, those demands can transform into other things which can be more devastating,” he said.

“The inability of the Nigerian government to meet the initial demands of the group such as reconstruction of their damaged Mosque, compensation for their slain leader and release of their members in custody has emboldened it to be more violent.”

Dapo Thomas of Lagos state university sees the Paris deal as a “game changer” in the five-year-old Boko Haram violence.

“It will see an end to the Boko Haram menace if the agreement is faithfully implemented,” he said.

“There is no way Nigeria can win the battle alone. It needs the cooperation of neighbouring countries,” he said.

He said it had been established that Boko Haram fighters usually flee across the borders after launching their deadly attacks in Nigeria.

“It is not a coincidence that most of the Boko Haram attacks in the northeast occur around the border areas and a joint military operation along those frontiers will go a long way in stemming such attacks,” he said.

“With the Paris accord, the days of Boko Haram are over.”

Thomas said there are speculations that the kidnapped schoolgirls were being held around the border with Cameroon.

He therefore called for a full implementation of the Paris deal.

“The leaders should put aside their individual differences and ensure that the terms of the agreement are implemented to the letter,” he said.

Simon Kolawole, a columnist with the independent daily ThisDay said it was “a shame” that it took the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from the remote northeastern town of Chibok by Boko Haram extremists before the leaders could agree to work together.

“President Goodluck Jonathan had in the past sought the intervention of French President Francois Hollande to talk to our franccophone neighbours, especially Niger, Chad and Cameroon where the militants gain access to Nigeria,” he lamented.

“Better late than never, and I think the Paris summit has redefined the war against Boko Haram,” he said.

“It is now left for the countries to draw up their strategies and show sincerity and commitment to the war,” he added.

Last month’s abductions of the teenage girls and the Nigerian government’s slow response to the incident sparked global outrage and street protests in Nigeria and across the world.

Hollande, who hosted the regional summit at the instance of Jonathan, slammed the Islamist group, with the African leaders declaring war on the sect, blamed for 2,000 deaths this year as well as the abduction of girls.

Just hours ahead of the summit, the Islamists carried out another brazen attack, this time killing one Chinese worker and kidnapping 10 others in Cameroon — underlining the regional threat posed by the group.

“We have seen what this organisation is capable of,” Hollande said at the close of the half-day summit on Saturday.

“We are here to declare war on Boko Haram,” Cameroon President Paul Biya said, while his Benin counterpart Thomas Boni Yayi added: “Religious intolerance has no place in Africa.”

Chad’s Idriss Deby warned: “Terrorists have already done enough damage. Letting them continue would run the risk of allowing the whole region to fall into chaos.”

Jonathan stressed his commitment to find the abducted girls.

“We are totally committed to finding the girls, wherever they are,” he said.

“We’ve been scanning these areas with surveillance aircraft,” he added, saying Nigeria had deployed 20,000 troops to find the girls.

“Boko Haram is no longer a local terror group,” he said.

“From 2009 to today it has changed and can be described as Al-Qaeda in western and central Africa,” he said.

The countries also agreed to push for UN sanctions against the leaders of Boko Haram and another Nigerian Islamist group, Ansaru.

Source: PM News

Photos of Police averted bomb blast incident in Kano this morning

This afternoon, the Nigerian Police released a press statement claiming to have averted what could have been another devastating bomb blast in the ancient city of Kano this morning. Read that here.
Well, they've just released photos from the incident.

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima has replied Asari Dokubo

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima has replied Asari Dokubo who has in recent times alleged that the missing Chibok girls is all a scam and the handiwork of the governor. In a statement by the Governor's spokesperson, Isa Gusau, Shettima described Dokubo as a jester who no serious minded Nigerian should take serious. The statement below...

"Governor Shettima is too serious minded to reply Asari Dokubo who is just a joker as most Nigerians regard him. As a onetime journalist covering the Niger Delta, I had come in direct contact with Asari when he organized a rally in support of late Gaddafi in Port Harcourt and also when he organized the 2011/2012 Isaac Boro lecture in Port Harcourt which he kept interrupting, taking over the microphone from people like respected lawyers like Festus Keyamo, intermittently speaking without protocol and without shame like a child. He is just a joke, no reasonable Nigerian takes him serious. He was reported saying Chibok abduction was a sham, I won’t be surprised if by next week the same Asari Dokubo leads another rally to counter the one he just held. Last year, Asari was reported speaking against Presidency, then he changed tune now we don’t know what happened but that is how he is, he uses the media for personal interest and some sort of blackmail." Continue...

“He wants to be regarded as a hero but I tell you that no one sees him as such in the Niger Delta that I had covered. He is trying to force unwilling public to see him different from who he is but like a say goes, ‘you can fool some people all the time, you can fool all the people sometime but you cannot fool all the people all the time. Asari dubiously took advantage of Isaac Boro event which attracts participants to say what he said so that the procession would seem like a support base for his isolated opinion. I saw some pictures of some girls in one house displaying some placards, from the faces, I think he probably assembled some of his immediate and extended family members and gave them placards. One person wrote on all the cards, the same writing, all of which look like a sort of Mickey Mouse scene in cartoon series. How can Governor Shettima reply a jester, how can he respond to such a play by Asari that falls far below the standard of Nollywood when he is busy working very hard with all relevant bodies finding ways on how to secure the freedom of his and Borno’s precious daughters in captivity?” Gusau said.

Gusau advised the President to distance himself from Asari...

Spinach

Spinach is loaded with vitamins A, K, D and E and is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.  It also has anti-cancer properties and is loaded with antioxidants, besides alkalizing the body and nourishing the eyes. Read on to learn more about the health benefits of spinach.

Like green, leafy vegetables, spinach is an excellent source of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant, which can reduce one’s risk of developing cataracts. Studies show that it also fight heart disease and cancer.

Spinach also contains phytochemicals, which helps prevent age-related macular degeneration and lipoic acid which may regulate blood sugar levels.

It is also a good source of dietary magnesium, which is necessary for muscle and nerve function, heart rhythm and maintaining a healthy immune system.

Spinach in packed with vitamin A, which is necessary the growth of bodily tissues, including skin and hair. It also helps build and maintain collagen, which provides structure to the skin and hair.

What Causes Menstruation Pain

Menstruation Pain

Menstruation brings about a number of unpleasant symptoms such as cramps, mood blues, bloating etc. Not many know but these menstruation symptoms are influenced by the food you eat. In order to keep a check on them and get through your periods with the least amount of pain, avoid the following foods.

Caffeine: Caffeine is a stimulant and can worsen mood blues, menstrual pains and can also disrupt sleep. It is recommended that you control your caffeine intake or avoid it completely during menstruation. Caffeine rich foods include coffee, tea, energy drinks and chocolates.

Fatty meat: The fats found in meat are saturated and can influence and worsen pain and inflammation during menstruation. If you can’t avoid meat completely, make sure you only consume lean meat and not the fatty kind.

Snacks and chips: Although snacks and chips may seem like the perfect comfort food, avoid them during your menstruation days. These snacks contain sodium, which can cause bloating and discomfort. Instead, opt for healthy snacks like salt-free nuts and seeds or even fruits.

Sugar: Sugary foods also seem like the ideal comfort food. But sugary foods like candy, cookies or cakes only cause a temporary mood elevation and can soon cause a crash in your mood. Apart from that sugary foods can also worsen cramps. If you need to munch on something sweet, try fruits like melon or mango.

Alcohol: Avoid alcohol completely during menstruation as it causes the blood to thin out, thereby increasing your flow. Alcohol also increase other PMS symptoms like cramps and pain. 

Is Soy a Fertility Food?

Does soy increase fertility or deplete your baby making potential?

Several weeks ago, I received a generous thank you note from a holistic practitioner who works with fertility issues. She was thanking me for clearing up some conflicting information on fertility foods and soy products. Her note note made me realize just how contentious a subject soy is, even among experts in the fertility field. So I thought it might be useful to offer a quick summary of what I have come to in the last two  decades of observing my own, as well as my clients’ response to soy.

Over eighty percent of the women I’ve worked with as a fertility educator, wrestle with various levels of digestive difficulties. A large percentage battles impaired thyroid function.

The good news is that as we begin to view food-related adjustments not as restrictions but as a source of power, dietary changes become easy. A baby is the one shiny apple, most of us will do just about anything, to reach.

During the pre-conception cleansing phase—fresh, live, high-water-content, easily digestible combinations of fertility foods (see recipe section of The Fertile Female), a close attention to individual nutritional needs and a supplementation with specific high potency, absorbable fertility supplements—is where we begin.

My article Fertility Supplements documents some of my research on the link between supplements and fertility.

As far as soy goes, my clients do best with fermented soy products such as tempeh, tamari, miso and nato.

The protease inhibitors in unfermented soy foods, such as soy milk, tofu, processed soy cheeses, inhibit the key enzymes that help us digest protein and can cause bloating, intestinal disorders and impaired pancreatic function. Fermentation on the other hand adds beneficial microorganisms that help break down complex proteins into highly digestible amino acids and fatty acids.

Women who, like myself, have been diagnosed “irreversibly infertile” due to high FSH and low estrogen levels, and generally most women over 35, do well with incorporating fermented soy in their food plan.

Fermentation also deactivates the soy’s mineral depleting phytates and other anti-nutrients. Otherwise the impaired mineral absorption—of calcium for example—especially for women with fertility challenges such as depleted ovarian reserve, can be a serious concern.

Women with thyroid related issues have done well with a moderate amount of fermented soy, combined with iodine rich foods such as seaweed. (See the Hijik Joy Salad recipe and other fermented soy recipes in The Fertile Female.)

Of course, no fertility food adjustments or fertility supplements will “get to where the trouble is” unless our entire Holy Human Loaf cooperates with the repairative process. Which is why I passionately encourage using the Ovum tools around food to reveal the hiding places of our inner Orphans, learn to love them through the choices we make, and call on our Visionary and the Ultimate Mom to plan the menu of the day. When we do that, the perfect “fertility diet” unfolds for us one bite at a time.

Last night in our fertility food-centered Visonary Mom Teleconference we decided to make one Visionary-rooted change that involves food. I am letting go of the Organic Nectar Pistachio Gelato I’ve been attached to lately. It’s great stuff, non-dairy, agave sweetened and there is really nothing wrong with a treat, but just as an experiment, I want to see what comes up for me as I let go of it for a while.

Perhaps you want to embark on an experiment of your own, making one fertility enhancing food change as you plan your menu for tomorrow.

Whatever you ultimately choose to place on your dinner table, let go of guilt and eat it with pleasure and gusto, and it will become the most potent fertility food!

By Julia Indichova.