Nigeria to probe generals over arms fraud

welve senior Nigerian army officers have been handed over to the anti-corruption agency for their alleged involvement in an arms scandal.
The army did not name them, but said they included six serving generals.
If the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) finds enough evidence against them, they would be tried in a military court, the army said.
A presidential inquiry last year found that fake contracts worth $2bn (£1.3bn) were awarded by last administration.
It alleged that the money, which was meant to buy arms to fight the Islamist Boko Haram group, has gone missing.
The former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, was charged in December in connection with the case involving $68m that is alleged to be missing. He was accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy helicopters, fighter jets and ammunition, which he denied.rmy spokesman Colonel Sani Usman said the 12 officers referred to the EFCC included three serving major generals, one retired major general, three brigadier generals, four colonels and a lieutenant colonel.
The army's announcement follows President Muhammadu Buhari's order last month to investigate 20 former military chiefs and officers over the alleged arms procurement fraud.

Suspects released

Several close associates of former President Goodluck Jonathan are also facing trial in connection with the scandal.
During the fight against Boko Haram, many soldiers reported that they did not have enough equipment to take on the insurgents.
Mr Buhari, who came to power last May, was largely elected on a promise to tackle corruption.
Meanwhile the army has released 275 people arrested on suspicion of being members of Boko Haram in the north-eastern Borno state after they were found to have no links with the Islamist group.
They included 142 men, 49 women, 22 boys and 50 girls, a spokesman for the state governor, Usman Kumo, told the BBC Hausa service.
It is not clear how long they were in detention.
Last year, Amnesty International accused the military of maltreating detainees and said since 2011 more than 8,000 people had died in custody during the fight against Boko Haram.
Earlier this month, the UK-based campaign group criticised the reinstatement of an army general it accuses of committing war crimes.
The military said the allegations were being investigated.

'We are not criminals' Nigerians tell their president

It's the home of the "419" scam - the infamous online swindle named after a Nigerian anti-fraud law - and it's no secret that this country's international reputation has been tainted by allegations of criminality.

But it's not something Nigerians expected to hear from the mouth of their president himself, especially while he was on an official visit to the UK.
In an interview with the Telegraph newspaper, President Muhammadu Buhari said that Nigerians abroad have "made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking."
"We have an image problem abroad," he said. "And we are on our way to salvage that. We will encourage our countrymen to stay at home, work hard and make a respectable living at home."
Nigerians reacted to his remarks by the thousand - with rage, humour and some insightful self-reflection too.
Opposition senator Ben Bruce-Murray was one of the first to respond, urging people to get the hashtag #IamANigerianNotACriminal trending.
That hashtag rapidly evolved into the snappier #NigeriansAreNotCriminals which was used more than 35,000 times in a couple of days. There were a slew of tweets criticising the president for slandering the reputation of his own people. 
And even more celebrating honest, hard-working Nigerians at home and abroad.
Including some tweets from the president's political opponents.

It's a thorny issue for Nigerians living abroad who feel they sometimes have to deal with stricter immigration checks and visa restrictions than people from other parts of the world. And some who believe they face heavier oversight and regulation when it comes to working in the banking and finance sectors because of their nationality.
Nigeria is in the middle of an economic crisis. Dropping oil prices mean there is less money around for investment and the value of the naira is falling rapidly.

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Some people believe President Buhari's comments may make things worse, putting off investors from abroad at a time when the country really needs them.

And Nigerians feel that in many respects the reputation just isn't justified. According to UK police statistics, shared by Senator Murray-Bruce, Nigerians in the UK have faced fewer arrests than immigrants from other, smaller European countries.
Despite the backlash, there was some support for what President Buhari said. The president has a reputation for plain speaking. He was voted into power last year, in a mostly fair election, on a platform of fighting corruption. As an army general in 1984 Buhari overthrew a civilian government, replacing it with a military dictatorship and made a promise to stamp out "indiscipline". He was overthrown not long after. But his reputation survived.

This latest controversy has given Nigerian politicians a chance to do on social media what they do best, slinging insults and abuse at each other - as one tweeter shrewdly pointed out in this, a 'tale of two tweets'.

The president has now responded to the criticism via his spokesman Garba Shehu, said that Buhari's comments to the Telegraph have been misconstrued.
In a statement he said it would be absurd to think that the president, a Nigerian himself, would think all Nigerians were criminals. He said that the president had been very specifically responding to a question about Nigerians who falsely try to seek asylum in other countries.
"People may play politics and online games with the President's comments, but the fact of the matter remains that Nigeria's reputation abroad has been severely damaged by her own citizens," Shehu said. "These Nigerians who leave their country to go and make mischief on foreign shores have given the rest of us a bad reputation that we daily struggle to overcome."

EPL: Chelsea are back with gusto

– Ighalo’s Watford in contention up to eight
– Victor Moses inspired West Ham comeback
– Chelsea humiliates Newcastle
– Resurgent Southampton wins again
We review the round 26 of the EPL. The Champions are BACK! With a comprehensive thrashing of hapless Newcastle and the beleaguered Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal plunged into further crisis with a defeat at lowly Sunderland.
Ighalo’s Watford climbed to eighth and with a fighting chance of European football while the resurgent Southampton registered another victory without conceding a goal.
The Hammers came back from the brink to snatch a late draw – thanks to the introduction of Victor Moses and Adebayor’s first goal was unable to rescue the goal-shy Palace.
Sunderland 2-1 Manchester United
Manchester United lose more ground on the top four, plunging their beleaguered manager Louis van Gaal deeper into crisis. This United side looked anything but a top four side despite all the millions spent.
The home team came flying out of the box and quickly converted the first opportunity that came their way.  Wahla Khazri opened the scoring with a well taken free-kick from over 25 yards that eluded everyone to slot home.
United enjoyed most of the possession in the first half without making any in-roads. Martial eventually struck the equalizer in the 39^th minute with a delightful chip over Mannone after he parried his save from Mata to him.
Sunderland fully deserved the victory on their second-half performance alone, courtesy of a firm header by Lamine Kone who proved what all the fuss was all about over his on and off January transfer saga. Khazri whipped in a fantastic corner into the box with Kone jumping the highest to plant a firm header which De Gea spilled into his own net.
It was a moral boosting and hugely vital victory for the home side to greatly enhance their survival bid  from relegation.
Swansea 0-1 Southampton
The first half was not the best in terms of quality but a very tight contest with both teams attempts either wayward or blocked.
James Ward-Prowse’s lofted pass 20 minutes before the final whistle gave all the three points to the resurgent Southampton with Shane Long who jumped the highest to steer a strong and precise close-range header past Lukasz Fabrianski, giving him no chance.
READ ALSO: Exclusive: Enyimba’s Aloma discusses defeat to Vipers SC
Swansea are still entwined with the relegation battle while it is onwards and upwards for the Saints.
Bournemouth 1-3 Stoke City
New signing, Gianelli Imbula set the ball rolling with a brilliant shot just outside the box from a rebound, and beyond the reach of Artur Boric.
Ibrahim Affelay doubled the scoring from the edge of the box with a tentative but accurate effort that went inside the right post from a pass by Jonathan Walters.
Joselu gave Stoke an unassailable lead with a close-range header, planted into the left side of the goal from a perfect cross by Shaqiri.
Bournemouth reduced the deficit when Matt Ritchie latched onto Charlie Daniel’s pass. He showed a good awareness inside the box with a first-time strike which went inside the post.
It was a welcomed victory for the away side after recent deep and losses.

Deeney of Watford

Crystal Palace 1-2 Watford
Troy Deeney, Watford’s Captain fantastic stole the show to send the Vicarage road outfit to a dizzy height of eight in the EPL table and a touching distance of Europe.
Watford’s performances are going unnoticed due to Leicester City’s exploits but what they have been able to achieve so far this season borders on unbelievable.
The home side’s fans can at least be relieved to witness one of their strikers register a goal from open play after a long wait when Adebayor finally broke that dock with his first goal for Palace.
Palace could have won this tie on chances created but wasted, only for Watford to inflict a classic smash and grab on the hosts.
Watford opened the scoring from the spot when Deeney was brought down by Jedinac before tucking in the resulting penalty. Adebayor restored parity with a cushioned header, from Wickam’s floated cross.
Deeney’s ninth goal of the season came in the 82th minute from a cross by former Palace midfielder Ben Watson. He had time to take a touch before firing home.
Norwich 2-2 West Ham
Victor Moses turned this match on it’s head with a stunning performance after his introduction as a substitute.
The host must have been dreaming of three points after going two goals ahead, another two points lost in the jaws of victory with Liverpool’s late comeback last week.
Jerome gave the home side the lead when he caught Michail Antonio napping on the ball, advanced 10 yards before curling a the ball unerringly beyond Adrian with his weaker foot. Hoolian’s clip doubled the advantage with a clip past Adrian.
Dmitri Payet turned the ball home from a rebound by Moses before Mark Noble fired delightfully from the edge of the box to restore parity.
Both sides could have won the game but the Hammers will be the happier of the two with a point from the jaws of defeat.
Chelsea 5-1 Newcastle
The champions are back to their championship winning best in the rout against the hapless Newcastle at Stamford bridge.
Chelsea played with the gusto they are renowned for in their EPL winning season. Despite the huge outlay in the January transfer window Newcastle were made to look a pauper.
It truly was men against boys, the magpies dysfunctionality was a depressing sight to behold that must put the managers tenure into question – a sixth successive away defeat.
Costa seven goals in eight games in the fifth minute set the stall for the rout, Pedro double the tally with a crisply taken shot just outside the area, Willian easily made it three nil from Costa’s pass.
Pedro completed his brace after collecting a lofted pass from Fabregas to dispatch a fault, Traore added the fifth before a pointless Townsend reply.

Nigerian Air Forces discovers possible location of Chibok girls

The Nigerian Air Force has said that it has been able to identify possible locations of the abducted Chibok school girls.
-The force director of public relations stated that Nigerian air force was currently abstaining from attacking the areas to ensure the safety of the girls
The Nigerian air force has said that it has been able to identify possible locations of the abducted Chibok school girls.
The director of public relations of the force, Group Capt Ayodele Famuyima disclosed this while speaking with Channels television on Friday, February 12.
Famuyima while explaining some of the tactics used in locating the girls maintained that the force is currently abstaining from attacking the area to ensure the safety of the girls.
He explained that the latest aerial bombardment of Sambisa forest had been aimed at the logistics base of the Boko Haram sect and not areas where the Chibok girls could be located.
He said: “We have no fears that the girls are not there because hat particular location has been under surveillance for quite a while and we suspected maybe its a kind of ammunition depot or maybe a workshop that they are using as their logistics place.
“Once you take off the logistics base, of course you gradually weaken the resolve of the enemy to be able to prosecute any campaign.”
“The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has become a force multiplier for us because its cheaper to run these platforms, you are not putting men there (and) the risk of  losing human beings is greatly reduced.
“Again the UAVs have the capability to be airborne for up to eleven hours and its quite cheap to maintain. So, we have been able to employ the UAV to a great extent to carry out reconnaissance and surveillance basically for intelligence gathering on the activities of the Boko Haram.”
He said that the UAVs have also helped the Air Force to understand the terrorists’ pattern of movement and “how to be able to counter them should they want to strike or spring any surprise,”  he added.
Meanwhile, the Boko Haram terrorists have attacked Shuwari village in Konduga local government area of Borno state killing at least four civilians.

Nigerian govt. sacks 13 University Vice Chancellors

The Federal Government has sacked the Vice Chancellors of 12 federal universities established by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Also affected by the sack is the Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, Prof. Vincent Tenebe.
In the statement announcing the sack, the government gave no reason for the action.
A short statement by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu in Abuja, on Saturday, simply said President Muhammadu Buhari, had approved the appointment of new Vice Chancellors for the Universities.
But the decision is already generating ripples, with some members of the intelligentsia claiming that it is only the Governing Council of NOUN of which Mr Tenebe is a member, that could only remove him.
A human rights organisation, Coalition of Civil Society Groups has protested against the sack in a letter to Buhari, demanding the reversal of the decision in which the NOUN VC was replaced with Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu of the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano.
The substantive Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Prof. Mohammed Kundiri, was transferred to the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
The CCSG in its protest letter to Buhari signed by its President, Etuk Bassey Williams and Secretary-General, Ibrahim Abubakar, said the action contravenes the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No.11 of 1993 (as amended) by decree No.25, 1996 and further amended in 2003 and 2012 respectively and other agreements as contained in the 2009 FGN staff union agreement.
The petitioners said that four out of the twelve appointed VCs are from Kano University, an action they said, was a clear violation of the federal character principle.
“While this does not come as a surprise owing to the influence of one of the Special Advisers to the Minister of Education in orchestrating the appointments of his friends and cronies without following due process, we are however concerned about the constitutional breach and the resultant litigation battle this action may cause, which in turn may generate unnecessary distractions to your focused administration”, tcoalition said.
The petition reads, “We are compelled to call your attention owing to the illegality in the removal of Vice Chancellors of 13 Federal Universities including the National Open University of Nigeria and the hasty appointment of friends and cronies in place of those illegally removed from office.
“While we are not unmindful of the fact that you would have acted on the recommendation of the Minister of Education in approving their removal, it is pertinent to know that in the pursuit of ambition driven by unguided passion and greed, impunity becomes inevitable as the end irrespective of the means is all that matters and in this case, the removal of these Vice Chancellors is the outcome of an unguided passion and greed by the Minister of Education and his Special Adviser.
“The constitution is quite clear on the procedures to be followed in the appointment and disengagement of Vice Chancellors and none of these procedures were followed in the above case.
“The appointment of Vice Chancellors is a tenured appointment, which presupposes that every appointee is expected to serve the prescribed number of years as stipulated by the Acts governing the institutions.
The organisation regretted that none of the Vice Chancellors were allowed to complete their tenures and were all removed without following due process of the law.
The CCSG said that in the event that a Vice Chancellor was to be removed from office before the expiration of his tenure, it is the Board of the Governing Council that is empowered to recommend or effect that removal of an erring Vice Chancellor before the completion of his term in office.
The group said, “In the above case, the Minister already dissolved the Board of the Governing Council with the statutory powers to recommend or effect the removal of a Vice Chancellor from office thereby making the removal of these Vice Chancellors illegal, null and void.
“In appointing new Vice Chancellors or any public officer for that matter, it is an offence and a breach of the Federal Character principle for one third of the total appointees to come from a particular State.
“The action of the Minister is greeted with sadness as it is considered a breach of the provisions of the University Amendment Act or legislation and to a large extent a gross violation of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which guarantees universities autonomy in Nigeria.”
According to the public statement conveying the sack of the VCs, a former Head, Department of International Relations at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Kayode Soremekun, who was said to be on Sabbatical in NOUN is the new Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
While the Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State has Prof. Auwal Yadudu of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano as its new VC; Prof. Fatima Batoul Muktar of the Department of Biology, North West University, Kano, is the VC of Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State.
A lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Haruna Abdu Kaita is the new VC of Federal University, Dutsin Ma, Katsina State, while Prof. Andrew Haruna of the Department of Linguistics, University of Jos will now function as VC, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State.
While another lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy, ABU, Zaria, Prof. Magaji Garba, will now be VC in Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, Prof. Alhassan Mohammed Gani of the Institute of Maritime Studies, Federal University, Kashere in Gombe State has been elevated to the position of VC in same University.
A lecturer in the Department of Physics, Federal University, Lafia, Prof. Muhammad Sanusi Liman will henceforth be VC of same institution.
For Prof. Angela Freeman Miri of the Linguistics Department, UNIJOS, her new portfolio is the Federal University, Lokoja where she will now be VC.
The Federal University, Ndifu-Alike, Ebonyi State, now has Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba of the Post-Graduate School, Imo State University, Owerri, as its VC, while Prof. Seth Accra Jaja of the Department of Management, University of Port Harcourt is now the VC of Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

Syrian army intends move into IS stronghold of Raqqa province: source

The Syrian army intends to advance into Islamic State-held Raqqa province having captured positions at the provincial border of the jihadists' stronghold, a Syrian military source said on Saturday.

A move into Raqqa province would reestablish a foothold for Damascus in a region where it has had no presence since August 2014, and complicate any attempt by Saudi Arabia to send ground forces to the area to fight Islamic State.

The military source who was briefed on the matter said the operation had been going on for a number days. The army had captured several positions from Islamic State at the provincial border between Hama and Raqqa in the last two days.

"It is an indication of the direction of coming operations toward Raqqa. In general, the Raqqa front is open ... starting in the direction of the Tabqa area," the source said. Tabqa is the location of an air base captured by Islamic State in 2014.
The army had moved to within 35 km (20 miles) of the base.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war, earlier reported the army's had advanced to the provincial borders of Raqqa.
Saudi Arabia, which wants Assad gone from power, has said it would be willing to send in troops as part of any U.S.-led ground attack against Islamic State.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Friday he expected Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to send commandos to help recapture Raqqa.

U.S. allied Kurdish militia are also fighting Islamic State in Raqqa province, advancing into the province from the northeast last year with help from U.S.-led air strikes.

Homeowner Gets Revenge On Commuter Parked In Her Drive

A fed-up homeowner got sweet revenge on a commuter who parked on her drive by blocking his car with a one tonne bag of gravel.

Infuriated Julie Geue parked the bag behind the unwelcome car after the commuter had left his vehicle on her drive in Crowborough, East Sussex, before heading to a nearby train station.

Geue’s driveway was due to be gravelled when the man parked in her drive, meaning works could not carried out.

So the 48-year-old took her retribution by using the gravel meant for her four-car driveway for an entirely different reason.

It was two days before the hapless commuter moved his car.
Geue said the driver, who returned to his car after work claimed he was meant to be parking at a friend’s house, but got confused.

But Julie said: “The offender in this case claims to have made a genuine error and got confused about which house he should be parking in front of.

"Unfortunately, after over ten years of putting up with lazy, obnoxious and rude, often threatening, people doing the this I no longer care if it’s a genuine mistake or not.”

She even posted a note, attached to a trowel in the gravel, which said: “Happy digging, at least it’s not raining.”

Turkey strikes Kurdish militia in Syria, demands it withdraw

Turkey's military shelled Kurdish militia targets in northern Syria on Saturday and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu demanded that the group withdraw from the area in a move that further complicated the conflict across the NATO member's border.
The shelling took place after Kurdish YPG fighters backed by Russian bombing raids drove Syrian rebels from a former military air base, south of the town of Azaz and near the Turkish border.
"Today retaliation was taken under the rules of engagement against forces that represented a threat in Azaz and the surrounding area," the prime minister told reporters in comments shown live by state broadcaster TRT Haber.
A Kurdish official said the Menagh base which was hit had been captured by the Kurdish-allied Jaysh al-Thuwwar group rather than the YPG. Both are part of the Syria Democratic Forces alliance.
The shelling came amid growing anger in Ankara with the United States for supporting the YPG, which Ankara regards as a terrorist organization, in its fight against Islamic State militants.
The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which backs the YPG, controls most of the Syrian side of Turkey's border and Ankara views it as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade-old insurgency for autonomy in southeast Turkey.
U.S. State Department spokesperson John Kirby urged both Turkey and the Syrian Kurds to step back, saying they should focus instead on tackling a "common threat" of Islamic State militants who control large parts of Syria.
"W‎e have urged Syrian Kurdish and other forces affiliated with the YPG not to take advantage of a confused situation by seizing new territory," Kirby said in a statement.
"We have also seen reports of artillery fire from the Turkish side of the border and urged Turkey to cease such fires.‎"
Davutoglu demanded that the Menagh base be evacuated and said he had spoken to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to make that point and stress that the PYD was an extension of the PKK and a direct threat to Turkey.
"We will retaliate against every step (by the YPG)," he said after a visit to the eastern Turkish city of Erzincan. "The YPG will immediately withdraw from Azaz and the surrounding area and will not go close to it again."
Turkey's disquiet has been heightened by the tens of thousands of people fleeing to the Turkish border after attacks by Russian-backed Syrian government forces, swelling refugee numbers in the area to 100,000.
Turkey, which already hosts 2.6 million Syrian refugees, has kept the latest arrivals on the Syrian side of the border, in part to pressure Russia to cease its air support for Syrian government forces near the city of Aleppo.
Davutoglu earlier condemned the attacks in Aleppo as "barbarity, tyranny, a war strategy conducted with a medieval mentality" and said hundreds of thousands faced the danger of starvation if a humanitarian corridor was not opened.
"We will help our brothers in Aleppo with all means at our disposal. We will take those in need but we will never allow Aleppo to be emptied through an ethnic massacre," he said.
NATO-member Turkey is one of Assad's most vehement critics and an ardent supporter of opposition forces.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was reported as saying on Saturday that Saudi Arabia would send aircraft to Turkey's Incirlik air base for the fight against Islamic State.

30 dead in two Nigeria village raids: vigilantes

At least 30 people have been killed in fresh Boko Haram raids on two villages in northeast Nigeria, vigilantes told AFP Saturday, again calling into question President Muhammadu Buhari's claim that Nigeria had largely defeated the jihadist group.

Gun and knife-toting assailants on bikes and in vans stormed the remote villages of Yakshari and Kachifa on Friday and Saturday, said Mustapha Karimbe, a local vigilante assisting the military in the fight against Boko Haram Islamists.

"The attackers killed 30 people in two separate attacks on the two villages last night (Friday) and this morning (Saturday)," Karimbe told AFP adding that they also looted and stole cattle.

The village of Yakshari was attacked at around 9:30 am on Saturday, with the assailants slaughtering 22 residents "by slitting their throats before emptying food stores and taking away all the cattle", Karimbe said, speaking from the town of Biu approximately 120 kilometres (75 miles) from the village.

Late Friday evening, meanwhile, Boko Haram Islamists also raided nearby Kachifa village, killing eight people.
"We believe the same gunmen carried out both attacks on the two villages," Karimbe said.
Dozens of people have been killed in Boko Haram attacks in recent weeks near Maiduguri, capital of northeast Borno state, despite Buhari's December boast that the jihadist group had been more or less defeated.
Since then the militants have killed dozens in raids and suicide attacks, including across the border in Cameroon.

On January 30, at least 85 people died when insurgents stormed and torched one village, while on Thursday two female suicide bombers killed at least 58 at a camp for people made homeless by the insurgency.

Rights group Amnesty International has also accused the military itself of committing war crimes and possible crimes against humanity in the course of its operations against the group.

Boko Haram, which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has killed some 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since the start of its insurgency in 2009.

As it is now most Nigerians still doubt the will power and ability of the present Nigerian Government to fight boko haram as a terrorist group. The Nigerian government and the people are facing a kind of war that is very new to them, in a nation that has three predominate religions of many languages and tribes

Saudi Arabia to send planes to Turkey for Islamic State fight: media

Saudi Arabia will send aircraft to NATO-member Turkey's Incirlik air base for the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was reported as saying on Saturday.

Saudi Arabia has resumed its participation in air strikes against Islamic State in recent weeks and U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Thursday welcomed its commitment to expand its role.

"Saudi Arabia is now sending planes to Turkey, to Incirlik. They came and carried out inspections at the base," Cavusoglu told the Yeni Safak newspaper, adding it was unclear how many planes would come and that the Saudis might also send soldiers.

Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for comment
on Cavusoglu's remarks.
U.S. President Barack Obama has ruled out sending U.S. ground troops to Syria. But Saudi Arabia this month offered ground forces to fight Islamic State and Cavusoglu said Turkey and the Saudis would support a coalition ground operation.
"We said that if there is such a strategy, Turkey and Saudi Arabia can join a ground operation," he told the Yeni Safak paper on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich.
Major powers agreed in Munich on Friday to a pause in combat in Syria, but Russia pressed on with bombing in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad, who promised to fight on until he regained full control of the country.

Four months of Russian air strikes in Syria have helped Assad wrest back territory from rebels fighting government forces, alarming Gulf Arab states who back the insurgents.

Asked if Saudi troops could enter Syria from Turkey, Cavusoglu said: "This is a wish, not a planned thing. Saudi Arabia is sending planes and says, 'I can send soldiers for a ground operation when it is necessary'".

'No shortcuts' in Africa's war against jihadists: US special forces chief

African states must brace for a long-term fight against jihadist organisations, which are developing new tactics, recruiting more fighters and learning from each other, the US special forces chief in the continent said.

"This kind of warfare is long term and there's no shortcuts to it. You've got to stay on course and it requires everybody cooperating. You can't underestimate their ability to resurge," General Donald Bolduc told reporters in Dakar.

Bolduc's comments late Monday came as the United States launched an annual military exercise dubbed Flintlock, which will see 1,700 special forces personnel from some 30 countries take part.

With jihadists in Africa increasingly resorting to attacks on markets and security forces, the latest round of training would focus on improving police and military preparedness, particularly for urban warfare.

"The most important training that we can do is connect that military training to the police," he said.

Despite losses in the battlefield, extremists are becoming more "proactive" across the continent, Bolduc warned.

"They have transferred tactics, techniques and procedures, particularly in improvised explosive devices, and they have traded ideas and concepts on how to message and present themselves in public, solidifying their ideology and what they stand for."
With Nigeria leading a regional offensive against Boko Haram's Islamist insurgency since last year, the group has resorted to carrying out a string of suicide and bomb attacks in and around Africa's most populous country, leaving thousands of civilians dead.
In Burkina Faso and Mali, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility for deadly attacks on hotels popular with foreigners in November last year and on January 15 this year.
In east Africa, Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shebab insurgents have lost ground since being routed from Mogadishu in 2011, but they continue to stage regular shooting and suicide attacks.
- IS 'reaching out' -
Bolduc said a key part of governments' fight against jihadists should be "countering the narrative" of extremists, as their rhetoric is an essential part of their recruitment strategy.
He meanwhile warned that IS -- to which Boko Haram has pledged allegiance -- now poses a more direct threat than ever in Africa.
A US-led coalition has since 2014 been carrying out air strikes against IS targets in Iraq and Syria, where the radical group holds large swathes of territory.
Now IS "is reaching out to Al Shebab, it's reaching out to Boko Haram, it's reaching out to AQIM. In some cases, it's directly supporting AQIM. It's influencing Al Shebab, it's influencing Boko Haram, not directly supporting it, but influencing it with its ideas," Bolduc said.
On Tuesday, Nigeria's intelligence agency announced the arrest of a recruiter for IS who was preparing to go to Libya, which has slid into chaos since the fall of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Fears have been expressed about a link-up between IS fighters in Libya and Boko Haram as well as Al-Qaeda affiliated jihadist groups in places such as Mali and elsewhere in North Africa.

To date there has been little evidence of the use of foreign fighters in Boko Haram's insurgency, which has left at least 17,000 dead and displaced more than 2.6 million people since 2009.

ISIS's First Step: Conquer Rome, Defeat Christianity

The Islamic State has a plan to conquer Rome. Yes, it might sound crazy, but ISIS believes the conquest of Rome is central to its mission.
They believe it is necessary to fulfill what Islam teaches was the prophecy of Muhammed and to prepare the return of the Muslim messiah: the Mahdi.
"ISIS thinks that Rome is one of its primary goals and is in its timetable," Robert Spencer, author of The Complete Infidel's Guide to ISIS, said.
"It has a timetable where in the 10 years, by the year 2025, it hopes to bring about Armageddon, the final struggle between good and evil or between the Muslims and the non-Muslims," he explained. "And that one of the chief stepping stones to that Armageddon battle is the conquest of Rome, which they think they're going to be able to do with the next five years, by 2020."
Two Cities, One Mission
Muslim scholars say Muhammed prophesied that the two great Roman cities would be conquered: Constantinople and Rome. Constantinople is now Istanbul, a Muslim city.
Rome remains to be conquered.
"Once Rome is conquered, in this view, within the next five years, then Israel will follow shortly after. They also believe that during this time period they're also going to conquer Saudi Arabia and Iran," Spencer said.
Now, before you laugh, consider that phase one of the Islamic State's plan to take Rome may already be underway: flooding Europe with ISIS fighters under the cover of the current refugee crisis.
"They're not talking about doing it by conventional armies; they're talking about doing (it) by overwhelming these lands with sympathizers from within, and in influx of people from outside," Spencer said.
"And that's something we see happening right now in Europe. And so it's not that far outside of the realm of possibility that they could at least make these attempts," he continued.
The Islamic State reveals part of its plan in its publication "Black Flags From Rome." It will use sleeper cells and expects to get help from Muslims serving in European armies and from non-Muslim sympathizers.
It also wants to fire missiles into Italy that it has captured on the battlefield.
Islamic Armageddon
This is a threat that is hard for Italian and foreign policy expert Emaneule Ottolenghi to be concerned about. He said Europe has more pressing problems because of ISIS.
"The concern should be commensurate to the reality of the threat," he said. "The Islamic threat does not pose that kind of threat today. My main concern is with the lone wolf terrorist who plots a terror outrage against a school, against a supermarket, against a shopping mall, against an airport."
And it certainly is hard to see how ISIS could conquer Rome, a city of 3 million people in a nation of 60 million people. But it is not hard to see ISIS attempting it.
The conquest of Rome has been a primary goal since the beginning of the Islamic State.
"They think that the conquest of Rome will be the complete sign of Islam's superiority over Christianity and defeat of Christianity," Spencer said.
They also see the fall of Rome on an eschatological timeline that will culminate in a battle against the infidel armies near Dabiq, Syria; their version of Armageddon, according to Spencer.
"And they think that once this battle takes place at Dabiq, this final battle which they see coming 10 years from now 2025, then the Muslims will battle the non-Muslims in this town in northern Syria," Spencer said.
"And then Jesus, the Muslim prophet, and Mahdi will return to the Earth, and they will together conquer and Islamize the world," he said.
Celebration by Killing
If their plan for Rome succeeds, ISIS says it will throw homosexuals from the top of the leaning tower of Pisa.
But the main event, as they see it, will be the beheading of the Pope in St. Peter's Square, broadcast and live-streamed to a horrified international audience.
Spencer said a member of ISIS recently said "'Once we take Rome we are going to carry out mass beheadings in St. Peter's Square."
"And so this is the plan, to convert St Peter's Square into a huge site of executions to people judged to be enemies of Allah, chief among them the Pope, in order to cow and frighten the rest of the world into submitting to their rule," Spencer said.
It's a plan that, for now, has little chance of success.
But in his new book, The ISIS Apocalypse, author and expert William McCants says ISIS has recently taken a longer term view of the conquest of Rome and the return of the Mahdi, and is willing to wait in order to build up its forces.
ISIS is now next door to Italy in North Africa. More importantly, Islamic State fighters are reportedly already inside Italy, some posing as refugees, going about their lives, waiting for the day when the battle for Rome begins.

45% Increase In Electricity Tariff: What A way To Exploit Nigerians.

 The BabaTunde Fashola begged Nigerians to accept the painful pill, which all consumers have to swallow; but i have to hard this...it is not only painful, it will destroy most lives.What a way to exploit exploited Nigerians all over again. It is reasonably illegal and unjustifiable in all sense. It is taking Nigerians for granted as fools, that anyone can dump rubbish on.
  The minimum wage in Nigeria for the past Five years is #18,000.00, though there are private companies and firms paying as low as #7,000.00 to their workers. How can people earning so low cope with the increment, inflation will hit the market, prices of goods and services will go up, house rents and  cost of living will become  so unbearable, crime will increase. People will do all  sort of things to survive.
  It is like the government is seriously clueless about governance and its challenges, especially those the country is facing now. Nigerians lack good roads, food, water, security, jobs, infrastructures and amenities and others not mention. Now the increment will bring a bigger blow to the people. Come to think of it, will there be increase in the quality and quantity of power supply, will there be good equipment ( unlike in some cases where the communities buy the transformers poles and cables ) and adequate distribution of power.
  The Government must learn to realize that the current situation in the country need no more painful experience for the people. The hearts of people are now restless enough of all these suffering theories or painful pills.
 

Intelligence officials: IS determined to strike US this year

Leaders of the Islamic State are determined to strike targets in the United States this year, senior U.S. intelligence officials said Tuesday, telling lawmakers that a small group of violent extremists will attempt to overcome the logistical challenges of mounting such an attack.

In testimony before congressional committees, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and other officials described the Islamic State as the "pre-eminent terrorist threat." The militant group can "direct and inspire attacks against a wide range of targets around the world," Clapper said.

Marine Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said the Islamic State will probably conduct additional attacks in Europe and then attempt the same in the U.S. He said U.S. intelligence agencies believe IS leaders will be "increasingly involved in directing attacks rather than just encouraging lone attackers."

Clapper also said al-Qaida, from which the Islamic State spun off, remains an enemy and the U.S. will continue to see cyber threats from China, Russia and North Korea, which also is ramping up its nuclear program.
North Korea has expanded a uranium enrichment facility and restarted a plutonium reactor that could begin recovering material for nuclear weapons in weeks or months, Clapper said in delivering the annual assessment by intelligence agencies of the top dangers facing the country.
Clapper said that Pyongyang announced in 2013 its intention to refurbish and restart nuclear facilities, to include the uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon and its plutonium production reactor, which was shut down in 2007. He said U.S. intelligence had assessed that North Korea has expanded Yongbyon and restarted the plutonium production reactor there.
Clapper also told the Senate Armed Services and intelligence committees that North Korea has been operating the reactor long enough that it could begin to recover plutonium "within a matter of weeks to months."

Both findings will deepen concern that North Korea is not only making technical advances in its nuclear weapons program, following its recent underground test explosion and rocket launch, but is working to expand what is thought to be a small nuclear arsenal. U.S.-based experts have estimated that North Korea may have about 10 bombs, but that could grow to between 20 and 100 by 2020.

North Korea on Sunday launched a rocket carrying an Earth observation satellite into space. The launch followed a Jan. 6 underground nuclear explosion that North Korea claimed was the successful test of a "miniaturized" hydrogen bomb. Many outside experts were skeptical and Clapper said the low yield of the test "is not consistent with a successful test of a thermonuclear device."

Clapper said that Pyongyang is also committed to developing a long-range, nuclear-armed missile that is capable of posing a direct threat to the United States, "although the system has not been flight-tested."
On the cyber threat, Clapper said U.S. information systems, controlled by the U.S. government and American industry, are vulnerable to cyberattacks from Russia and China.
Clapper said China selectively uses cyberattacks against targets Beijing believes threaten Chinese domestic stability or regime legitimacy.
"We will monitor compliance with China's September 2015 commitment to refrain from conducting or knowingly supporting cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property with the intent of providing competitive advantage to companies or commercial sectors," he said.
North Korea "probably remains capable and willing to launch disruptive or destructive cyberattacks to support its political objectives," he said.
Moscow "is assuming a more assertive cyber posture" that is based on its willingness to target critical infrastructure and carry out espionage operations even when those operations have been detected and under increased public scrutiny, Clapper said.
Clapper also said Moscow's incursion in Ukraine and other "aggressive" moves around the globe are being done in part to demonstrate that it is a superpower equal to the United States. He said he's unsure of Russia's end game but is concerned "we could be into another Cold War like-spiral."
"I think the Russians fundamentally are paranoid about NATO," Clapper said. "They're greatly concerned about being contained and are of course very, very concerned about missile defense, which would serve to neuter what is the essence to their claim to great power status, which is their nuclear arsenal."
On Afghanistan, Clapper said the country is at "serious risk of a political breakdown during 2016." He said waning political cohesion, rising activities by local powerbrokers, financial shortfalls and sustained attacks by the Taliban erode stability.
On Syria, Stewart said he does not think the Syrian government of Bashar Assad is likely to collapse or be defeated in the near term because of increased support from Iran and Russia. He said Assad's forces will likely regain key territory in some key areas. "He certainly is in a much stronger negotiating position that he was just six months ago," Stewart said.

He predicted, however, that Iranian and Russian interests in Syria will likely diverge because they won't share the stage there as a regional power. For now, however, Iran wants to maintain its relations with Moscow so it can purchase Russian arms without preconditions.

Here are 13 predictions that Baba Vanga made for 2016 and the future

She is called the Nostradamus of the Balkans, and with good reason. Baba, Vanga, the blind Bulgarian clairvoyant, who died 20 years ago, is believed to have predicted the rise of the ISIS, the fall of the twin towers, the 2004 Tsunami, and the global warming, among a host of other events. “Horror, horror! The American brethren will fall after being attacked by the steel birds.“ “The wolves will be howling in a bush and innocent blood will gush,” is, according to her followers, what she said about the fall of the twin towers. 

Born as Vangelia Pandeva Dimitrova, in Strumica, Macedonia, Baba Vanga, mysteriously lost her eyesight when she was 12, during a massive storm. She went missing for a few days, and it is during one of these days, that she had her first vision.  Baba Vanga rose to popularity as she started to make predictions, and developed a healing touch, during the World War II. Several dignitaries visited the mystic during the years that she was active, including the Bulgarian tsar, Boris III. Before she died in 1996 from breast cancer, she had said that her gift would be passed on to a 10 year old girl, living in France, who will then take on from her. Her house has since been converted into a museum.
Here are 13 predictions that the Blind Baba made for 2016 and beyond:
Barack Obama will be the last president of the US: Baba Vanga had predicted that the 44^th US president would be an African American, but she had also added that he would be the last one. According to her, he would leave office at a time when the country would be in economic ruins, and there would be a huge divide between the northern and southern states – as was the case during the American Civil War.
Europe will cease to exist: According to Baba Vanga, the continent will cease to exist by 2016, and all that would remain will be empty spaces and wasteland, nearly devoid of any form of life. She is reported to have said that chemical weapons would be used by extremists against Europe.
Muslims will invade Europe: The blind mystic had also predicted that Muslims will invade Europe, and there will be widespread destruction by extremists, which will go on for many years, until the continent ceases to exist. She had also predicted that a Great Muslim War will begin in Syria.
China will become the new super power: As per her predictions, China is set to become the new superpower in 2018, bringing an end to the United States and its economy. According to her, the exploiters (the developed nations) will become the exploited (the third world). In 2011, the International Monetary Fund had also predicted that China’s economy will overtake that of the US in 2016, emerging as the new superpower.  
Hunger eradication: Baba Vanga has predicted that hunger will get eradicated sometime between 2025 and 2028.
On to Venus: Humans will travel to Venus, according to the Baba, in search of new energy sources. They might even set up a colony there.

Rome as the capital of the Islamic caliphate: Islam will finish invading the whole of Europe by 2043, and Rome will be the capital of the new caliphate.

Ice caps melting: According to the Baba, ice caps will melt by 2045. The rate at which the ice caps are melting already due to global warming, does seem to suggest the same.  

Cloning of organs: As per Baba Vanga’s predictions, body organs will be cloned in 2046, and that would be the easiest method of treatment.

US attacking Muslim dominated Europe: By 2066, the US will attack Muslim dominated Europe using climate change weapon, and will try to retake Rome and bring back Christianity.

The return of Communism: By 2076, communism will return to Europe and the rest of the world. 

Underwater civilisations: By 2130, civilisations will learn how to live under water, with the help of aliens. 

The death of the Earth: By 3797, everything on Earth will cease to exist. However, humans will be advanced enough to move to a new star system.