Burundi General overthrows President Nkurunziza

The situation in the African country of Burundi is tense amid conflicting reports of a coup against the government of President Pierre Nkurunziza.

Soldiers have stationed themselves outside the state broadcaster in the centre of the capital, Bujumbura.

Wednesday’s developments came after Reuters news agency reported, citing an army officer, that Nkurunziza and his government had been dismissed.

Burundi’s presidency, in a message posted on Twitter, said an attempted coup had “failed”.

“The situation is under control, there is no coup in Burundi,” the message read.

Agathon Rwasa, a leading opposition figure, told Al Jazeera he supported the move by military officials to remove Nkurunziza.

“I think it’s right to rescue the people and the nation … Nkurunziza is relying on his militia to slaughter innocent people,” Rwasa said.

Huge celebrations

Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb, reporting from Bujumbura, said that about 20 soldiers were deployed at the gate of the compound of the broadcaster.

“The road outside has been sealed off and journalists have been told to go inside,” he said, adding that state radio and TV were still broadcasting.

He reported huge celebrations and some gunfire, adding that it was not immediately clear if the shots were being directed at the demonstrators or were celebratory in nature.

It appeared that the army no longer had control of the state broadcaster and state-owned buildings, our correspondent said.

Major-General Godefroid Niyombare, who was fired by Nkurunziza as intelligence chief in February, reportedly announced the dismissal of the president at a military barracks.

He was surrounded by several other senior officers in the army and police, Reuters reported.

“Regarding President Nkurunziza’s arrogance and defiance of the international community which advised him to respect the constitution and Arusha peace agreement, the committee for the establishment of the national concord decide: President Nkurunziza is dismissed, his government is dismissed too,” Niyombare said.

Nkurunziza is currently in Tanzania where he was due to meet with leaders of the five-nation East African Community (EAC) – made up of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda as well as Burundi.

An adviser dismissed the news as “a joke”, Reuters reported.

Al Jazeera could not confirm the reports of Nkurunziza’s dismissal.

At least 19 people have died in Burundi since Nkurunziza announced his intention to run for a third term in elections due next month, prompting weeks of angry demonstrations.

Credit: Al Jazeera

See The Cutest Office Building Ever

How many companies do you know that have employees who work in the product that they sell? In Newark, Ohio, the employees of the Longaberger Basket Company work in a seven-story version of their product. The giant basket is 59 meters (192 ft) long by 38 meters (126 ft) wide at the base and 63 meters (208 ft) long by 43 meters (142 ft) wide at the top. Its handles weigh approximately 150 tons. Unsurprisingly, the seven-story Longaberger Basket Company headquarters holds the record for being the world’s largest basket.

The building was the dream child of Dave Longaberger, the company’s founder. Starting the company in 1976, Longaberger spent $30 million to build the office in 1996, and it took over two years to complete the structure. Originally, Longaberger planned to franchise the design, turning all of his company buildings across the US into versions of the company headquarters. Sadly, the dream passed away along with Longaberger. Right after the construction of the basket headquarters, Dave Longaberger died at 64 years old in 1999 from kidney cancer. However, his legacy lives on in both his company’s baskets and in one of the most bizarre company headquarters in the world.

DON’T MISTAKE MY DREADLOCKS FOR SPIRITUALISM—BEAUTIFUL NUBIA

The hair has always been a part of a person's personality. While it is a form of fashion for some, it is a form of spiritualism to others, especially when it is locked. That is why some people treat theirs specially.

But Nigerian folklore singer, Beautiful Nubia, whose real name is, Segun Akinlolu, has cried out that his dreadlocks is not tied to any spiritual meaning.

In an interview with The Nation, Beautiful Nubia explained that his mother once cut his natural dreadlocks when he was a boy. "My mother said I was born with them (dreads) and they were cut off by my first birthday, I think. So, I never knew I had locks.

"But as I grew up, I knew something was wrong with my hair because it was always just clumpy and very thick. And if I was at home for three days, like Friday to Sunday and I did not comb my hair, you will see it just lock up like that," he said.

Veterinary doctor-trained musician also said he decided to leave his dreads the day he quits paid employment.

"So, I said, the day I leave paid employment, I am just going to let this hair be and I am going to give it what I call fundamental hair right.

"And I did not twist it, I did not lock it, I did not add anything to it. I just left it. And this is what you are seeing 15 years later. All I do is I cut it because I do not want it to be too long," he said.

He added, “I don’t keep my hair for fashion. I am not keeping it for any cultural reason or any traditional reason. There is no spiritual reason. I just left my hair and it is just there. It does its own thing, I do my own thing."

MUYIWA ADEMOLA’S LOVE FOR OC UKEJE

Showing likeness for someone, especially a colleague is nothing bad, but what the Nigerian law may not like is people of same sex publicly showing affection for each other. That is not a case for today.

The gist you are about to read is on how star Yoruba actor, Muyiwa Ademola, better known as Muyiwa Authentic, admires his counterpart in core Nollywood, OC Ukeje.

Both actors were privileged to be on a programme recently and Muyiwa did not mince words in showering praises on the younger and handsome actor.

Muyiwa even confessed, “He (OC Ukeje) never knew I am a huge fan until a few hours ago. I adore his humility and simplicity."

DAUGHTERS BEAT DAD FOR DATING LATE MUM’S FRIEND

It was drama on Tuesday at an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos as two siblings were arraigned for assaulting their father because he was dating their late mother’s friend.

The suspects, Flora Ogidinta, 36, and Chiedoziem Ogidinta, 29, residents of Flat 18, Block 3, E-Close in 401 Road, Festac Town, Lagos State, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, attempt to murder and threatening violence.

They allegedly beat their father, Mr. Ihiomah Ogidinta of the same address on April 1, 2015, and tied rope on his neck(file image).

The prosecutor, ASP Soji Ojaokomo, told the court that the accused confessed that they allegedly meted out the punishment on their father because he was having an affair with their late mother’s friend.

AMAZING: WOMAN GIVES BIRTH TO TWINS WITH TWO DIFFERENT FATHERS

A US woman, who was applying to make a man pay child support for her twin daughters, had a shock when it was discovered he was only the father of one of them.

The woman, named in court papers only as “TM”, applied for public assistance in Passaic County, New Jersey, telling the Board of Social Services that a man she had been involved, “AS”, was the father of her twins born in January 2013 and should pay child support.

“The vast majority of times, twins with different fathers, it goes unnoticed,” said fertility expert Dr Cynthia Austin

The Board ordered AS to undertake a DNA paternity test and the medical oddity was discovered.

It transpired that TM had a brief liaison with another unidentified man while involved with AS, who impregnated her.

Obstetrician-gynaecologist Jennifer Wu explained that sperm can remain viable for up to five days and ovulating women can produce more than one egg, meaning a woman could become impregnated twice.

When both sets have the same father, normal fraternal twins result. When two different men are involved, the phenomenon is known as superfecundation.

Wu said that the phenomenon is on the rise due to a combination of factors, including the rise of fertility treatments such as IVF, particularly when gay men both contribute sperm towards a pregnancy.

“That’s why we’re seeing it more often than we were in the past, when we were relying on nature and women who have more than one sexual partner in the same cycle around the time of ovulation.”

Passaic County Superior Court Judge, Sohail Mohammed, said he had researched the subject and discovered two similar cases in the US, though experts believe the phenomenon is more common than many people realise.

Fertility expert, Dr Cynthia Austin, told CBS News that superfecundation is sometimes obvious, particularly when the babies are of different races, but that “the vast majority of times, twins with different fathers, it goes unnoticed”.

As a result of the court ruling, the father of one of the two girls, AS will only have to pay towards the upkeep of one child – believed to be $28 (£15) a week.

Tinubu can’t blackmail Buhari says former finance minister

A former Finance minister, Shamsudeen Usman has said party leader, Bola Tinubu can not 'blackmail General Muhammadu Buhari into making concessions because the south west contributed a 'little' to the victory of Buhari.

According to Usman who was National Planning minster under President Goodluck Jonathan, maintained that the votes in Zamfara alone drowned what Buhari got in the south west.

He said " Yorubas Must not blackmail Buhari. Tinubu should not think that controlling Lagos is same as controlling Nigeria.

"the entire South-West just contributed about 500,000 margin votes which is smaller as compared to what the entire Zamfara, delivered to GMB, not to even core states in the Northeast or Kano".

"So what's it that the region is bringing to blackmail Buhari into handing over the government to Tinubu who thinks controlling Lagos is same as

"Each time we talk about Buhari's administration, people are quick to remind us that without the South-west region, GMB wouldn't have emerged, that's a lie, with or without that region he would have, it was time for Jonathan to leave and nothing would have stopped him [GMB.]"
Similarly:

The Borno governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima made a similar statement last month, when he condemned Yorubas that are claiming that they are responsible or should be given credit for Buhari's victory.

Governor Shettima said that the real heroes of the Buhari victory are the Igbos in APC, who ensured that President Jonathan didn't get massive votes in the South East the way he received in 2011, not the South West.

Credit: POINTBLANKNEWS

SHOCKING!!!NORTH KOREA EXECUTES DEFENSE MINISTER FOR SLEEPING DURING PRESIDENTIAL MEETING

South Korea's spy agency says it has information that North Korea executed its defense chief for sleeping during a meeting and talking back to young leader Kim Jong Un.

Intelligence agency said he was killed by anti aircraft gun in April. The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, whose actions have shocked those in and outside North Korea.

The defence minister Hyon Yong-Chol was ordered killed by the supreme leader.

The NIS said the immediate cause of Hyon's killing was that the chief of the North Korea's People's Armed Forces, 66, may have been attempting to start a rebellion against North Korea's reclusive young leader.

According to South Korea's National Intelligence Agency, the Defense Minister was seen dozing off during a recent military event presided over by Kim and that Hyon had on several occasions challenged the young ruler's authority. Kim is around 32 years of age, although that has not been verified.

The NIS didn't specify how it obtained the information. Kim is thought to have been behind a number of high-profile purges of top North Korean officials in recent times, including, notably, his uncle Jang Song Thaek, killed in 2013 for alleged treason.

Meanwhile, Per Second News gathered from South Korean Agency Wednesday that the North Korean leader recently ordered his own aunt, a blood relative, to be poisoned.

"On May 5th or 6th of last year," says Park. a defector, "Kim Jong Un ordered his aunt, Kim Kyong Hui, to be killed. Only his bodyguard unit, Unit 974, knew this -- now senior officials also know she was poisoned."

Park says Kim Jong Un wanted to silence his aunt, who complained angrily for months after her husband and presumed No.2 in the country Jack Theak was killed in December 2103 from Kim's order.

Credit: Nigeriafilms.com

GOV OSHIOMHOLE SETS TO REMARRY ON FRIDAY

The Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, according to gist making the rounds, is set to finally have a First Lady again.

Recall that about five years ago, the Edo State number one citizen lost his beautiful wife to cancer.

It was reported that come Friday, May 15, 2015, the Governor will take his heartthrob to the altar to exchange marital vows.

Oshio Baba, as the former NLC leader is fondly called, has found love in a former air hostess identified as Lala Fortez.

Obasanjo attends Jonathan’s last Council of State meeting

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, were among living former Nigerian leaders who on Tuesday attended a meeting of the Council of State, held inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Council consists of the President (as the Chairman), Vice President, all former Presidents or former Heads of State, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, all state governors and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

That was the last time President Goodluck Jonathan would be presiding over the meeting, since he will be handing over to Buhari on May 29.

As at the time the meeting started at around 11am, former Nigerian leaders in attendance included Buhari, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan and Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar.

Obasanjo however joined the meeting at about 12:15pm.

Obasanjo and Buhari had been avoiding most of the Council’s meetings under Jonathan’s leadership.

The President-elect however made a surprise attendance at the last meeting held on February 5.

At that meeting, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, briefed members on preparation for the general elections.

Council members had then been divided over the desirability or otherwise of postponing the general elections from the earlier scheduled dates of February 14 and 28.

EFCC re-arraigns Ahmadu Ali’s son for subsidy fraud

Two oil marketers and an oil marketing firm were on Tuesday brought before a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over alleged N4.5bn fuel subsidy fraud.

The accused persons, who were freshly arraigned on an amended 49-count of fuel subsidy fraud, include Mamman Ali, son of a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmadu Ali.

Ali was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, alongside his two alleged accomplices: Christian Taylor and Nasaman Oil Services Limited, an oil marketing firm.

The three were dragged before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo by the EFCC, which alleged that they fraudulently obtained N4.5bn as fuel subsidy claim from the Federal Government on a purported importation of 30.5 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

The re-arraignment of Ali and the two others on Tuesday followed the running away of one Oluwaseun Ogunbambo, with whom they were first arraigned by the anti-graft commission on July 26, 2012.

Though in 2012 the four accused persons were charged with nine counts bordering on the offence, the amended charge brought to court on Tuesday, however, contained 49 counts.

The counts bordered on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and use of false documents.

The Tuesday’s proceedings commenced with the EFCC’s prosecutor, Seidu Atteh, informing the court of the amended charges and seeking the permission of the court to take the plea of the three accused persons.

“With the kind permission of My Lord, we apply that the amended charge be read to the accused persons,” Atteh asked.

Onigbanjo subsequently granted the prayer. But upon reading the charges to them, all the accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Atteh told the court that having freshly arraigned the accused, the anti-graft commission was ready to open its trial.

The prosecution, in the new charge, alleged that the accused persons committed the subsidy fraud between January 2011 and April 2012.

According to the anti-graft agency, Ali and the others allegedly forged a bill of lading and other documents to facilitate the fraud.

The prosecutor, Atteh, told the court that the accused, by their alleged fraudulent act, violated section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.

12 dead, 25 injured in Iraqi exlosions

Two bombs have exploded in the Iraqi capital, killing at least 12 people and injuring 25, Al Jazeera has learnt.

The first bomb detonated in central Baghdad’s Bab al-Sharji area near al-Nassir Square around 7.30pm Tuesday, killing at least 10 people and injuring another 18.

An Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Baghdad said separate police sources said the explosion was caused by a car bomb and a suicide bomber with a vest.

The attack appeared to target Shia visitors on their annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Kadhim.

In a second attack in Palestine Street in Baghdad’s east, a roadside bomb exploded, killing two people and injuring seven.

Baghdad has been rocked by several car bombs targeting Shia pilgrims in recent weeks.

Summit: Patience Jonathan denies blocking Buhari’s wife

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Tuesday denied media reports that her plan to host the 8th summit of the African First Ladies Peace Mission on Friday is designed to deny the wife of the President-elect, Hajia Aisha Buhari, the opportunity of becoming the President of the mission.

Mrs. Jonathan, who is the current President, had summoned a meeting of the mission during which new executive members are expected to emerge.

Media reports had it that the election would have been held in July but the President’s wife brought it back to May to allow her successor to emerge before her husband will cease to be President from May 29.

But a statement by Mr. Ayo Adewuyi, on Tuesday said there was no truth in the reports.

Adewuyi explained that Mrs. Jonathan was elected President in July 2012 and was meant to serve for two years, according to the group’s internal regulation.

He further said that while her tenure ought to have ended in 2014, when a fresh election should have held, the President’s wife drew the attention of her colleagues to the then forthcoming election in Nigeria, which preparation would not enable her host the summit.

According to him, Mrs. Jonathan therefore proposed that the summit should hold after the general elections, and it was accordingly agreed that it should be held in July 2015.

Adewuyi however added that there was an understanding among members that if President Goodluck Jonathan did not succeed in his re-election bid, the President’s wife would convene the summit in May to enable the election of a new President and ensure a smooth handover since her tenure has ended.

The statement read in part, “Arising from the above, it is therefore clear that this is not a personal matter nor specifically a Nigeria sole affair but a continental platform governed by its own rules and protocols just as similar international organisations.

“It would therefore be out of place for anyone to insinuate that it is intended to shut out the incoming First Lady. This cannot be farther from the truth.

“We state therefore without any iota of equivocation that it is mischievous for anyone to scheme to cause disaffection between the outgoing and incoming First Ladies, Dame Patience Jonathan, and Hajia Aisha Buhari.

“Let us therefore come together in our tradition of hospitality to heartily welcome our guests, the African First Ladies, as they arrive Abuja for the 8th Summit of the Mission.

“Let us always remember that the personal ambition of anybody is not worth destroying the image of the nation.”

Several dead in Philadelphia train derailment

An Amtrak passenger train with more than 200 passengers on board derailed in north Philadelphia on Tuesday night, killing at least five people and injuring more than 50 others, several of them critically, authorities said.

Authorities said they had no idea what caused the train wreck, which left some demolished rail cars strewn upside down and on their sides in the city’s Port Richmond neighborhood along the Delaware River.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter confirmed at a news conference that at least five people were killed in the accident. Fire officials said more than 50 others were taken to area hospitals, six of them critically injured.

“It’s an absolute disastrous mess,” Nutter said. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”

Amtrak said there were 238 passengers and five crew members aboard the derailed No. 188 train on route from Washington, D.C., to New York.

The rail line provided no other details about the circumstances of the accident. It said Amtrak service along the whole Northeast train corridor between New York and Philadelphia had been suspended.

CNN quoted the Federal Bureau of Investigation as saying there was no indication that terrorism may have been a factor in the derailment. The weather was fair at the time of the crash.

“We do not know what happened here. We do not know why this happened,” Nutter told reporters.

Television footage broadcast on MSNBC showed dozens of emergency workers scrambling around the wreckage with flashlights, with train cars strewn about in a zig-zag pattern. Photos from the scene showed emergency personnel loading injured people onto stretchers and backboards.

Former Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy, who was a passenger on the train, told MSNBC that his rail car flipped over, but he escaped with minor cuts and bruises.

NDIC moves to recover N34m debt from Okupe

Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe
The Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation has asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to place on the “undefended list” a suit it filed to recover an alleged debt of N34m from the Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, and two others.

A plaintiff usually applies to put a matter on undefended list when he believes the respondents have no valid defence.

Okupe’s co-respondents in the suit filed by the NDIC before Justice Saliu Saidu are Value Trust Investment Limited and its Director, Mr. Ray Ahazie.

The corporation had instituted the action in 2007 to recover the alleged debt being the outstanding of a loan facility obtained by the respondents from Gulf Bank Plc in October 2000.

The corporation, in a statement of claims by its lawyer, Dr. Abiodun Layonu (SAN), said the respondents obtained the loan from the bank to facilitate a contract to supply the Bayelsa State Government with 10,000 metric tons of imported rice.

It, however, stated that though the said rice was successfully imported on December 28, 2000, the ship was unable to berth at the Apapa Port in Lagos until January 3, 2001 because the port was then congested.

The corporation stated further that when the ship arrived at Port Harcourt on July 26, 2001, an unpaid agency fee in the sum of $155,000 prevented it from berthing.

According to the NDIC, the said delay in the delivery of the bags of rice led to some becoming caked and some becoming stained.

Bayelsa State Government was said to have refused to take delivery of the rice, following which Gulf Bank was forced to commence an open market sale of the goods and in the process discovering that a good number of the bags of rice were spoilt.

The bank said that at the end of the sale it was able to recoup only N454, 574,150 of the loan advanced to the defendants leaving an outstanding sum of N70,425,850.

The outstanding sum was said to have been attracting interest since 2001.

The matter was said to have been referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in September 2005 where the sum of N196,642, 996 of the debt with interest was waived, leaving only an outstanding of N44m.

The NDIC however claimed that following the waiver, the defendants were able to pay only N10m out of the N44m bringing the debt down to N34m.

But since then the defendants were said to have allegedly abandoned the debt or refused to liquidate it.

NDIC in its suit before the Federal High Court is seeking to reclaim the indebted sum with 21 per cent interest per annum till it would be finally liquidated.

The corporation also wants the court to put the cost of instituting the legal action on the defendants.

At the resumed hearing of the case before Justice Saidu, counsel for the NDIC, Mr. Oburume Ayeteno, informed the court that the corporation had filed an application to place the suit on the undefended list, adding that he was ready to argue same.

In response, however, Okupe’s lawyer, Mr. Yemi Gbonegun, said he had already filed a statement of defence to the claims.

The document was however not found in the court’s records following which Gbonegun sought for an adjournment to be able to re-file it.

The court adjourned further proceedings till July 8.

Nigerian immigrant’s son, Umunna, to contest UK Labour leadership

Barely a week after his re-election as a member of the British parliament, Nigerian-born Chuka Umunna has decided to take his political clout to the highest level in the United Kingdom.

Umunna   formally declared his intention on Tuesday to become the next Labour Party leader, a position that could land him on 10 Downing Street as Britain’s Prime Minister, if he defeats four   other aspirants for the post and Labour wins the general election in 2020.

The other aspirants   are Liz Kendall, Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Tristram Hunt.

Labour is expected to set out the timetable for the leadership election on Wednesday (today).

The 36-year-old Umunna, who is currently Labour’s shadow business secretary, is popularly referred to in the UK as Chuka Chucks and Britain’s Barack Obama.

The Nigerian-born Briton, in a video released   on   Facebook, said he could lead the party, which suffered a crunching defeat by the Conservative Party, back to power within five years.

He said, ‘‘I’m pleased today(Tuesday) to be announcing that I will be standing for the leadership of the party.

‘‘I think we can be winning in seats like Swindon. North, South, East and West. We can absolutely do it as a party.

‘‘Some have suggested in the last few days that this is somehow now a 10- year project to get the Labour Party back into office. I don’t think we can have any truck with that at all.

‘‘I think the Labour Party can do it in five years. I want to lead that effort as part of a really big Labour team, getting Labour back into office, building a fairer, more equal society that’s why we all joined the party in the first place.’’

Umunna had on Sunday said that   during the general election, Labour   concentrated its policies too much on the poorest and the richest, ignoring the majority of people in-between.

He had also said in an opinion article published by the Observer newspaper, that the Labour Party should be “on the side of those who are doing well” and that no one should be “too rich or poor” to be a member.

The Independent on Sunday reported late last year that Umunna had the private backing of former Prime Minister Tony Blair to be the party’s next leader.

He also told the British Broadcasting Corporation during a recent interview that Labour had to become the party of “aspiration” again and that to persuade people, it should back the “wealth creators” and those who “make the effort.”

The MP   said, “I think Ed(Milliband) was too hard on himself by saying that all the responsibility for the general election rested with him. I don’t think it did. I think it was a collective failure on the front team, so to speak.”

Umunna advised that Labour needed to address the aspirations of the people “all the way up the income chain,” adding, “I think at times we did not get that across strong enough.”

“With the Labour Party, the clue is in the name; we are about good, fulfilling work for those who put in the effort.

“But of course, you can’t be pro-jobs and pro that work unless you’re backing the wealth creators that create those jobs. Although we had a policy agenda that was, of course, going to help the wealth creators, sometimes people didn’t get that impression.”

The Nigerian-born Briton   has had   a speedy   rise in   politics since being elected to Parliament five years ago at the age of 31.

The suave-looking Umunna was promoted to shadow business secretary barely two years after   winning his Commons seat   – and quickly became one of Labour’s most high-profile figures.

Before entering Parliament, he studied Law at Manchester and on graduation got a  job at the top city law firm, Herbert Smith.

Umunna was born in London in 1978 to a Nigerian businessman, Benneth, and a wealthy British mother whose father was a high court judge.
moved to Britain to set up a successful import-export business – eventually earning enough to buy the family’s luxury holiday home in Ibiza.

Bennett Umunna, who was at a time the financier of Rangers International Football Club, returned to Nigeria to embark on a political career, as an anti-corruption crusader, but died in a road accident in 1992.

A society journal, Debrett’s, describes Umunna as a protege of Peter Mandelson, who is ‘‘always impeccably groomed (and) exudes an air of effortless success.’’

Buhari will ask looters to return money – El-Rufai

The Governor-elect of Kaduna State and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai, had said that the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari would ask corrupt politicians   to return every kobo stolen by them.

The governor-elect told executive members of the National Union of Textile Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, who visited   him in Kaduna, that such politicians must be ready to return all   ill-gotten funds after May 29.

He however said those (politicians) who were not corrupt had no cause to fear.

According to him, the measure was imperative because the All Progressives Congress-led government would be in a dire financial strait on assumption of office.

El-Rufai said, “We will politely ask those who stole government money to return the funds. This is because the people, who are in government now, are there to work for themselves. But the APC government is made up of people who are ready to work for the masses and the betterment of the country.

“We will work with the textile unions to ensure that the lives of the average Nigerians get better.”

The ex-minister also decried the poor state of the textile industry in Kaduna State and gave assurance that his administration would revamp it.

He lamented the current employment figure of 1,600 people in the textile sector, describing it as unacceptable.

El-Rufai added that the textile industry in Kaduna alone used to employ about 33,000 workers.

According to him , the APC government will revive the industry so that it can   generate employment and impact on the lives of the people.

He said, “We have met at a forum of northern governors-elect and we decided to ensure the revival of the textile industry. It is a shame that the largest economy in Africa imports textile materials from Senegal and other countries.”

The President of the union, Oladele Hunsu, recalled el-Rufai’s feat as minister of the FCT and urged him (el-Rufai) to take steps towards reviving the textile industry.