TARABA GOVERNOR NOT DEAD Contrary to earlier reports in the media that Taraba state governor Dambaba Suntai and five others died in a plane crash, the aviation ministry and the state government say the governor and others survived survived the incident. StanleyIbekuPage learnt that the governor will be flown abroad for treatment once he is stable to endure a plane trip.

GOVERNOR FEARED DEAD IN PLANE CRASH A northern governor is beleived to have died in a plane crash at the Yola Airport in Adamawa state. StanleyIbekuPage scooped from multiple reliable sources that the aircraft is a small plane and not a commercial one. One account says the governor was flying the plane himself. About 2 persons survived the crash.

POPE BENEDICT NAMES ONAIYEKAN AS CARDINAL Catholic pontiff Pope Benedict the sixteenth has named 8 new cardinals from around the world. In the list includes Nigeria's Archbishop John Onaiyekan. Onaiyekan is the archbishop of Abuja archdiocese. A statement from the Vatican confirmed this. Other new cardinals are from US, Lebanon, India, Phillipines, and Colombia.

SSS ARRESTS MAN WHO CAUSED BOMB HOAX ABOARD ARIK AIR The State Security Service (SSS) tuesday arrested a man Aminu Galadima who caused panic aboard an Abuja bound Arik Air aircraft. The aircraft took off from Maiduigiri, mid air, the man started acted strangely. He was said to have started shouting 'Allahu Akbar' which means God is great. On the suspicion that he may be a suicide bomber trying to blow up the aircraft, fellow passengers rushed and grabbed him. The pilot immediately radioed Airport security. The plane landed safely and the man was arrested by the SSS. StanleyIbekuPage learnt that nothing incriminating was found on him. A statement from the aviation ministry signed by the minister's media advicer Joe Obi dismissed that the man was a suicide bomber.

FG DECLARES THURSDAY, FRIDAY PUBLIC HOLIDAYS The federal government has declared thursday Oct. 25 and friday Oct. 26 public holidays to mark this year's El del Kabir. A statement from the ministry of interior signed by the permanent secretary Mrs. Nwaobia unbehalf of the minister Abba Moro on monday enjoins Nigerians to use the ocassion to pray for the nation.

BISHOP OYEDEPO ACCUSED OF EXPLOITING BRITISH WORSHIPPERS A british newspaper Mail on Sunday today published a report accusing Nigerian richest pastor and general overseer of Living Faith Worldwide also known as Winners chapel Bishop David Oyedepo of exploiting church members in the guise of donations and tithes. An undercover reporter posed as a member of the church and he was being issued slips alongside other church members, for payment of different donations. The church in Uk alone raked in about 16 million pounds through donations. Mail on Sunday wrote that Oyedepo owns private jets, Roll Royce Phantom and other stupendous properties.

ONDO GUBER: MIMIKO LEADING IN 12 LGAS Incumbent governor of Ondo state and Labour party's standard bearer for yesteday's gubernatorial election Olusegun Mimiko is leading in 12 out of the 18 local govt areas of the state. This fact is coming from citizen reporters and through results collated so far. StanleyIbekuPage learnt that the election was largely peaceful. Mimiko needs to win at least 11 Lgas to be declared winner.

FOUR CORPS MEMBERS DIE IN CALABAR Four members of the 2011 batch C NYSC programme died during the service year, StanleyIbekuPage has learnt. This was disclosed thursday by the Cross River State coordinator of NYSC Mrs. Nkeremeke at the passing out parade. She said out of 1,997 members posted to the state, 20 of them distinguished themselves and will receive the state awards.

FIRST LADY'S ARRIVAL: PDP WOMEN FLOOD AIRPORT Ahead of the arrival from Germany of the first lady Dame Patience Jonathan today, scores of PDP women and other party stalwarts are already at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport. The women were conveyed in busses to the airport with some of them clutching posters and banners with the first lady 'praises' on them. Dame Patience has been in a german hospital since August for food poisoning cases although presidency officials say she is on 'rest'.

PETER RUFAI SLUMPS, HOSPITALISED Former Nigeria's goalkeeper Peter Rufai slumped at his office in lagos monday night. He was rushed to Toki hospital, off Adeniran Ogunsanya. A Tv journalist Kayode Tijani posted this in his facebook wall. Kayode said he was informed of the incident by Rufai's younger brother. Rufai lost his mother, Christiana lastweek and it is beleived that the unfortunate incident left him devastated. Peter Rufai played for Nigeria between 1983 and 1998.

FIRST LADY PATIENCE JONATHAN RETURNS FRIDAY Impeccable presidential source says ailing first lady Dame Patience Jonathan barring any last minute change of plans, will return to the country friday. The source told Saharareporters that an aircraft will be sent to Germany to fly back the first lady. Dame Jonathan has been away six weeks ago in a german specialist hospital. She is being treated of food poisoning even as the presidency has maintained that she went on a rest. Last saturday President Jonathan visited her in company of his two kids and vicars from the Presidential chapel. A three-minute video was released after the visit apparently to show that Dame Patience is hale and hearty.

BAKASSI GONE FOREVER With expiration of the deadline on tuesday for the appeal against the 2002 ICJ judgment ceding the Bakassi peninsular to Cameroun, the area has now been ceded completely to Cameroun. The Federal Government said, in a statement that the case would be lost if pursued. Attorney-general and minister of justice Mohammed Adoke said considering the time contraint, the case will not be in Nigeria's favour. Protests have greeted the government's decision not to appeal against the judgment. Hundreds of people stormed the national assembly on tuesday protesting the inaction of the government. It was learnt that the government had wide consultations with stakeholders before taking the decision.

UNIPORT KILLINGS: SCHOOL CLOSED, HOUSES BURNT AS PROTESTS CONTINUES Following the killing of four students of the University of PortHarcourt last friday and the violent protests by students of the school tuesday, the university senate has announced the closure of the school indefinitely. Students were asked to vacate immediately. The students were said to have been beaten and burnt alive on allegation that they are robbers. The villagers of Aluu community, one of the communities close to the campus accused them of stealing laptops, phones and terrorising the community. The jungle justice has since triggerred anger and rage in the country as the video of the gruesome execution has since been uploaded on the internet.

WE DIDN'T KILL STUDENTS IN MUBI, SAYS BOKO HARAM Islamic sect Boko Haram tuesday denied murdering over 40 students in Mubi, Adamawa state last week. A man who claimed to be a senior member of the group told PREMIUM TIMES, an online news portal that the group was not responsible for the attacks. Over fourty students were massacred last week monday in Mubi area. While some were shot, others were slaughtered with some having their throats slit, according to witnesses. Boko Haram says it has nothing with the students adding that if they wanted they would have attacked school buildings and properties not the students.

JONATHAN DONATES N17 BILLION TO FLOOD VICTIMS In a national broadcast tuesday morning, President Goodluck Jonathan donated N17 billion to states affected by flood. The president assured the victims that the government will do everything in its power to ameliorate their sufferings. The states were categorised. Some will recieve N500 million, some N400 million while others will get N3000000, N2500000 and N2000000 respectively. Already, about 147 people have perished while some others especially farmers committed suicide as a result of the floods.

MARTINS OLOJA APPOINTED ACTING EDITOR OF THE GUARDIAN

One of the nation's best journalists, Martins Oloja was on friday named the acting editor of  Nigeria's most influential nespaper- The Guardian by the Board of Directors of the company. Oloja was before now the paper's Abuja bureau-Chief. He will be taking over from Debo Adesina who has been the newspaper's editor for 14 years.
Oloja is a product of the University of Lagos. He is a former Bureau-Chief of Abuja's premier newspaper- ''Abuja Newsday'' where he rose as the editor.

GUNMEN KILL 35 POLYTECHNIC STUDENTS Unknown gunmen monday night invaded off-campus residences at the Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa state killing about 35 people suspected to be students of the polytechnic. As at the publishing of this report the school is yet to make statement. No group has claimed responsibilty of the gruesome attack. Emergency and security agencies have been mobilised to the scenes of the incident. Source: Saharareporters.

BOKO HARAM DECLARES WAR ON EMIRS, GOVERNORS, NORTHERN LEADERS The dreaded islamic sect Boko Haram has declared war on Emirs, northern governors and other leaders from the northern extraction. In a video posted on Youtube, the group said the leaders have messed up and so will be visited. The message was delivered in Hausa language. The group acknowledged that their members have been killed by security agencies. They specifically mentioned that JTF has targeted their female members, the group therefore vowed to attack female members of the security agencies. The group also debunked the allegation that their spokesman Abu Qaga was killed by the JTF. In the video, they said Abu Qaga is alive and so also members of the sect's leadership.