NIGERIA: Armed Forces Ready For Any Crisis - Minister

Soldiers operating an armour tank during Combat Arms Training Week at Victor Kure Firing Range in Bauchi on Thursday (17/5/12). NAN Photo

ABUJA—Defence Minister, Dr. Bello Mohammed, said, yesterday, that the Armed Forces were in a state of combat readiness needed to surmount all issues of insecurity, internal or external. He said government has ensured this by funding the requirements of the different arms of the military.

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BIAFRA: On The 45th Anniversary Of The First Shot

May 30, 1969: In New York, at United Nations building, American Bruce Mayrock burned himself to death carrying a placard on which he wrote: "Stop Genocide, Save Nine Million Biafrans," on Biafra's second Independence Anniversary. Prior to Mayrock, on March 30, 1969, a French woman in Paris, France, burns herself to death near the Nigerian Embassy in protest against Yakubu Gowon's-led genocidal campaign against the Igbo nation. May they continue to rest in peace and may their death not be in vain!

Half Of A Yellow Sun Begins Shooting In Nigeria

The UK Film Council and the British Film Institute responsible for the financing and sponsorship of the filming of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Orange Prize-winning novel "Half Of A Yellow Sun," has begun shooting in Calabar, Nigeria. The book, which was originally published in 2006 by Knopf/Anchor, tells the story of two sisters, Olanna and Kainene, during the Nigeria-Biafran war which claimed the lives of about 3 million people, and lasted about 3 years (1967—1970). The novel, upon its release, received critical acclaim and went on to win literary awards, among them the 2007 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction. Casts in the film includes: Chiwetal Ejiofor, Joseph Maule, Thandie Newton, John Boyega, Genevieve Nnaji, Zack Orji, Onyeka Onwenu, Noni Rose, among others. The movie's soundtrack will be produced by Cobhams Asuquo and Keziah Jones. The feature film will be produced by Andrea Calderwood and Gail Egan; and directed by Biyi Bandele

Disco Diva Donna Summer Dead At 63

Paul Jabara, holding his Oscar for Best Original Song ("Let's Dance"), poses with singer Donna Summer, who sang the song at the Academy Awards show. Date: April 09, 1979. Location: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles.

Donna Summer was an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She had a mezzo-soprano vocal range, and was a five-time Grammy Award winner. Summer was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the US Billboard chart, and she also charted four number-one singles in the United States within a 13-month period. Summer died on May 17, 2012. AP reports that she died in the morning at her home in Key West, Florida at age 63 following a battle with breast cancer and lung cancer.

Donna Summer's Walk of Fame Star on Hollywood Boulevard.

Nigeria: Sacked Doctors

People protest against the sacking of doctors during a hearing at the Industrial court in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, May, 16. 2012. The mass firing of doctors in Nigeria's largest city is exposing the downfalls of the nation's failing medical system. Lagos state, which is home to the megacity of Lagos, recently fired 788 doctors who had been on strike and protesting their wages. On Wednesday, lawyers for the doctors and the government appeared in an industrial court to argue about the case. Image: Sunday Alamba/AP

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BIAFRA: On The 45th Anniversary Of The First Shot

"It was clear even to the most undiscerning observer that civil war as Murtala predicted months before, was inevitable...It is true that on July 6th, 1967, Nigeria fired the first formal shot in the civil war.".........Patrick A. Anwunah

"I want see no Red Cross, no caritas, no World Council of Churches, no pope, no missionary and no United Nations delegation. I want to prevent even one Igbo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the center of Igbo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that don't move".........Benjamin Adekunle

It was a shocking realization. It was beyond comprehension. Women were raped. Pregnant women were eviscerated. Men were forced to drink their own urine before being hacked to death. Men were lined up and shot execution style; the ones that escaped drowned. Women, infants and children were desperately starved to death. Churches were burnt down to the ground. Market stalls were were plundered and demolished. When it was over, three million souls had perished...

BIAFRA: Chief Akpan Bassey Press Interview In London

The following is an abstract from ITN on Chief Akpan Bassey's Interview with the press conducted August 31, 1967, in London, England, asking Britain to be mediator in peace talks with the Nigerian federal government.


Lead in Q: Who would you like to act as mediator?

Akpan Bassey: Well, I have every confidence that Britain could be a possible mediator, failing that America....

Q: But you've accused the British of siding with the Federal Nigerian Government, can you expect her to mediate in these conditions?

Akpan Bassey: It is not too late for Britain to withdraw and then to come in with us, we still have confidence in Britain and that Britain can still track back what has happened in the past, we are prepared to allow it, and then go on with the....

Q: But you have said that Britain has sold arms to the Federal Nigerian Government, does this accusation still stand?

Akpan Bassey: It is not a matter of - it is true, it is a fact that Britain sold arms, and they've admitted that by representative from Whitehall. So it is a fact. But not withstanding the fact that they've sold arms, we've asked them to stop now and talk about mediation.

Q: Now presumably Biafra has also been able to get arms from somewhere, can you say from where?

Akpan Bassey: We do a lot of local manufacture, we make our own bombs, we make our own rockets and we make our rifles.

22 Japanese Firms Visit Nigeria For Investment Opportunities

Twenty-two Japanese firms are presently in the country on an investment opportunities seeking mission. This was disclosed, on Tuesday, by Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Godwin Agbo, when he led a Japanese trade mission to the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortom. He said the visit was in response the federal government's foreign investment drive which was meant to stimulate economic growth and job creation.

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Nigeria: Robbers Kill DPO, Five Policemen, Two Soldiers. Three Civilians

The Ughelli-Asaba Expressway in Delta State was turned to a no-go-area on Monday as armed robbers massacred the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in-charge of Abraka Police Station, Abraka, Ethiope-East Local Government Area of the state, five other policemen, two soldiers and three civilians.

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Nigeria's Economy 'll Collapse Unless -- Eze

ABUJA—chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Senator Ayogu Eze, yesterday, raised alarm that unless the Federal Government took urgent measures on the deplorable situation of the nation’s roads, the economy stood the risk of imminent collapse.

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Nigeria: Airtel, Etisalat, Globacom and MTN Fined

A man ride on a motorbike taxi past a giant advertisement bill board of Nigeria Globacom in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, May, 13. 2012. Nigeria has fined four mobile phone carriers a total of $7.3 million over poor service and call quality in Africa's dominant market. Reuben Muoka of the Nigeria Communications Commission said Sunday that Bharti Airtel Ltd. of India, Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat, local firm Globacom Ltd. and South Africa-based MTN Group Ltd. all had been fined. Image: Sunday Alamba/AP

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