CLON LESLEY

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has accused some northern Islamic elites of indirectly sponsoring the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents. Speaking on ‘the Muslim agenda for Nigeria: challenges of development and good governance’ at a conference organised by the Islamic Welfare Foundation at the Fountain University, Osogbo, Kukah said the fresh agitation for an Islamic state by Boko Haram could be traced to the promise made by northern leaders to ensure the total implementation of Sharia law. He said, “A hypocritical elite continues to believe that it can claim the benefits of democracy but use it only to consolidate its hold on power. This is what has laid the foundation for what is now Boko Haram. “We must locate the current crisis of Boko Haram within the context of the inability of the northern Muslim elite to live by their own dubious creed of being Muslims. They preached Sharia Law but only for the poor. They preach a religion that encourages education, y...

There has been some controversies surrounding the sexuality of Will and Jada-Pinketh Smith's daughter. Recently MTO, a webloid published a story claiming that the young singer came out of the closet on Instagram. The star posted on instragra a photo of herself and a female friend with the words "I love beautiful girls". However, a close source to the Smith family has told Gossip Cop that MTO's story was false. Stating that Willow was simply complimenting a close friend. Willow and her brother Jaden has had their sexualities questioned after Jaden revealed that he likes wearing dresses and telling a guy on twitter "I think i love you.....".  Their clothing line "MSFT" which encourages cross dressing hasn't helped matters either. Willow was once quoted as saying; "I don't want to wear this because I'm a boy . . . or because I'm a girl, so I have to act this type of way." No one knows what or who to believe. But till they...

Rampaging militants on Sunday night engaged Nigerian troops in a fierce battle in their new bid to take over Gulak, the administrative headquarters of Madagali in northern part of Adamawa State. Security and local sources say the insurgents, who came in three vehicles brandishing guns, burnt down a military base as they also burnt down three artilleries and carted away guns. “They came around 7 p.m. and started firing on the soldiers during which all the soldiers ran away. “There was pandemonium, people scampered for their lives, many slept in bushes, they killed one soldier during the fierce battle. “Our local vigilantes had tried by staying back, until another troops were deployed from Madagali town and Shuwa, they engaged them, if not they would have recaptured the town for the second time,” said James Ularamu, former chairman of Madagali. The former Council chairman, and a local vigilante who did not want to be named, said there were heavy gun battles. The local vigilante, wh...

 Former President Goodluck Jonathan this morning allegedly narrowly escaped an attack by some men suspected to be militants working for the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State. The men who intercepted and drove into a short motorcade conveying the former President from the Julius Berger bridge area of the State capital Yenagoa, trailed the chased the motorcade to the entrance of the Yenagoa private residence of the former President in the Kpansia area of the town, before they were overpowered and arrested by a combined team of security men attached to the former President. Members of the arrested gang are now being taken to the headquarters of the Bayelsa State Police Command where they’re to be handed over to the police authorities for more investigation. A report from the Police Commissioner however denied that it was an assassination attempt. According to him, the youths who waylaid the former president 's convoy mistook him for one of the gubernatorial candidates. And...

The original 23-man list has been reduced to just three names and includes two Barcelona players, with the winner to be revealed at a ceremony in Zurich on January 11, 2016  Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar will contest the 2015 Ballon d'Or competition after the shortlist was whittled down from 23 names to just three. Messi is the favourite to land the accolade, having led Barcelona to a famous treble last season, while Ronaldo is looking to defend his crown and draw level with the Argentine for overall wins. Were he to pick up the Ballon d'Or at the ceremony in Zurich on January 11, 2016, it would be Messi's fifth World Player of the Year title, more than any other player. This year he is joined on the podium by Barca team-mate Neymar, who netted 10 goals en route to Champions League glory, including scoring in the final against Juventus in Berlin. The Brazilian was also the joint-third top scorer in La Liga last season with 22 goals – and already has 14 th...

This baby was found alive buried in a hood in Compton.

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Federal, State and local governments “to do more in the area of employment” as too many Nigerians are suffering the consequences of poverty.  Obasanjo warned that “if there is no job for the unemployed to feed themselves and also to contribute to the development of the country then, we will all be sitting on gun powder.” Speaking very frankly, Obasanjo insisted:- “If University education was not for development then, it was not serving any useful purpose, insisting that “It must be for development, personal, local, national and even global and that is very important.” The former President who spoke at the 10th anniversary and 6th and 7th convocation ceremonies of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.  He stated that education should be a meal ticket for anybody that has it, adding that it is also a means for one to break the poverty circle.  Obasanjo advised “I believe in life...

Sporadic gun shots have been reported in the Ajaokuta area of Kogi state as the supporters of late APC gubernatorial candidate Abubaka Audu took to the streets to protest the choice of the party as his replacement. More info later.

Pope Francis traveled to Uganda's holiest shrine on Saturday, paying tribute to 19th century Christian martyrs killed for their faith, including for protecting young boys in the royal court from abuse by the king. Francis, on the second leg of his first African tour, said Mass for tens of thousands of people huddled on muddy hillsides surrounding the soaring modern shrine made of iron and cone-shaped to resemble a hut of the Baganda tribe. Twenty-five Anglicans and 22 Catholic converts where killed during the persecutions, mostly by being burned to death, between 1884 and 1887 on the orders of King Buganda Mwanga II. The most famous of the Catholic converts was Charles Lwanga, a prefect in the royal court who was in charge of the boy pages and was killed because he tried to protect the children from the sexual advances of the king. After their conversion they tried to spread the faith to other groups. Catholics now make up about 40 percent of the population. Churches run many schoo...

Buhari has said that those who looted the nations treasury under Jonathan's administration have started returning the funds. Though he has refused to mention who they are or how much they stole. Speaking at a forum with Nigerian community in Tehran, Iran, Buhari said those accused of corruption would be prosecuted, adding however that the accusation must be thoroughly investigated in order to gather enough evidence for them to face trial'. According to The Miiror he said: “On corruption; yes, they are still innocent. But, we are collecting documents and some of them have started returning something voluntarily. But we want all. “When we get those documents, we will formally charge them to court and then we will tell Nigerians to know those who abused trust when they are entrusted with public funds. So, the day of reckoning is gradually approaching.” President Buhari also said the sabotage and theft of gas were undermining the efforts of government to increase power supply i...

Dear Mr. President, It cannot be gainsaid that the Buhari brand, in the most recent decades, has achieved groundbreaking successes trailed by a few popular failed strategies. This was overly emphasized by your easy overthrow as an army general and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the back-to-back failure in your history of democratically contesting for the top seat of the country. A review of this and your seemingly slow first six months as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made it expedient for me to sound a loud alarm that your journey with long swinging strides of popular failed strategies has clogged your seat as Mr. President with a fast-ticking failure time bomb. I know that many, especially optimists, life coaches, and critical entrepreneurs, must have argued in your favour that it is not always about how many times failure is recorded, but more about whether or not success is eventually attained. This may be correct. But in the case of the Buh...

Few hours after the Military buried the bodies of over 100 soldiers killed by the deadly terror group, more soldiers were confirmed dead. Bringing to about 150 the total casualties on the side of the Nigerian army. Remember it is barely 36 days to the deadline issued by the presidency for the elimination of Boko haram.

PSV fans will show support for Luke Shaw in tonight's champions league clash between the Dutch giants and Manchester united at old trafford.

Putin calls Turkey 'accomplices of terrorists' after Russian jet shot down. On the downing of the Russian plane, Obama says it has the right to defend its territory and its airspace, and stresses the importance of Turkey and Russia working to de-escalate the situation. He says if Russia concentrates on Isis there would be fewer chances of mistakes. “The problem has been Russia’s focus on propping up Assad rather than concentrating on Isil.”

Exclusive: Army buries decomposed bodies of 105 missing soldiers in Maiduguri. http://nigeriantimes.ng/news/exclusive-army-buries-decomposed-bodies-of-105-missing-soldiers-in-maiduguri/ The bodies of about 105 soldiers killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State have been secretly buried by the Nigerian Army at the military cemetery in Maiduguri this morning. Nigerian Times gathered exclusively that the decomposed bodies of the men who were killed in an encounter with the terrorists last week Wednesday were brought to Maiduguri Monday evening in body bags and were confirmed by the Brigade Commander, Army Engineering Corps. The military in an attempt to cover up the development has denied that any soldier was missing and described an exclusive story published Thursday by Premium Times as “a fabrication from the imagination of those sympathetic to Boko Haram ways of life.” Military spokesman, Colonel Tukur Ismail Gusau said insurgents attacked the location of ...