Violence visits Kano and Damaturu again

Renewed violence erupted Tuesday evening in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital as suspected members of Boko Haram clashed with the combined team of army and the police. Fierce gun battle between security agents and suspected militants was also reported by residents of Goron Dutse and Dala in Kano state. Witnesses claim gunmen launched attacks against the police station in Goron Dutse with explosives and guns. According to a Joint Task Force (JTF) source, who does not want to be named, the renewed hostility in Damaturu started around 6pm, Tuesday evening. The JTF official told Channels Television that explosions and gun shots were targeted at the Federal Polytechnic Damaturu and the personal residence of the state governor. The source also confirmed that three attackers were killed in the process as three arms were recovered. According to the source, a structure at the polytechnic was razed but the attack was repealed by operatives of the Joint Task Force that rushed to the scene. The police are yet to confirm the attack. A 24 hour curfew was placed on the city after the violence that erupted last Sunday but was later relaxed after a reasonable sense of normalcy returned to the north eastern city.

GEJ SACKED NSA OWOYE AZIZA, DEFENCE MINISTER

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday fired General Andrew Owoye Azazi as the National Security Adviser and the Minister of Defence,Bello Haliru. The presidency has appointed Colonel Sambo Dasuki as the new NSA.

Chris Brown And Drake Get Into a Fist Fight Last Night

Mediatakeout.com is reporting that Drake and his entourage got into a FIGHT with Chris Brown at the popular after hours NYC nightclub WIP. According to MULTIPLE MediaTakeOut.com sources inside, Chris and Drake have had a difficult relationship since three years ago.  That’s when Rihanna supposedly cheated on Chris, with Drake and Chris has held a grudge since. Last night at WIP it seems, Chris reportedly sent over a bottle of champagne to Drake’s table, as a sort of peace offering. Unconfirmed reports are saying that Drake sent the bottle back to Chris with a message to the effect of – “I’m f*ckng the love of your life [Rihanna], deal with it.” Whatever message Drake sent back caused Chris to immediately fly into a rage and he confronted Drake and his entourage which included another Chris Brown rival, rapper Meek Mill. Meek Mill also had a relationship with Rihanna. Apparently Drake punched Chris in the face and before Chris could retaliate, someone popped Chris in the mouth with a bottle, multiple times. And as a result, Chris was bleeding everywhere. Security immediately swooped in and broke up the fight. Drake and his entourage immediately left the club, before police arrived. Chris, we’re told left under his own power – and later went to the hospital, to get his face sewn shut and that’s where the took the above photo. What happened since?  Well Chris Brown turned to Twitter and here’s what Chris Brown had to say about his fight with Drake:

Tambuwal rejects plea to help retrieve $620,000 bribe

House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has rejected a plea by security agents to help retrieve the $620,000 cash businessman Femi Otedola gave a lawmaker, Farouk Lawan. The police have asked Lawan, chairman of the ad hoc committee which probed the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy scandal, to surrender the cash, which he admitted collecting. But the lawmaker says he will not give up the evidence that Otedola bribed him against his wish. Besides, he has not shown up at the police Special Task Force (STF) probing the matter to say all he knows about the bribe. Tambuwal is said to have rejected the request because, according to sources, “he does not want to be roped in”. The Speaker was said to have been suspicious of why security agencies were mounting pressure on him to get the cash from Lawan. A legislative aide said: “The Speaker turned down the request because security agencies might come up with a theory that Lawan kept the bribe with Tambuwal. “Although the security agencies were not happy with the Speaker’s attitude, the man said as a lawyer he has enough experience to know what could happen when you are turning in evidence. “He has fears that with a little shred of evidence, he might be roped in.” The police yesterday reached out to principal officers of the House and influential members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prevail on Lawan to appear before it today or face the consequences. The House and the Police were involved in a hide and seek game yesterday. The House said it on June 6 struck an unwritten agreement with the police hierarchy that Lawan could only be available in two weeks after it might have concluded its internal investigation into the matter. A source said in the presence of the principal officers of the House, the police hierarchy communicated the agreement to the investigating desk. Ahead of the police final decision on Lawan today, there were indications that five to 10 more lawmakers might be invited by the police based on audio tape of the conversation between Otedola and Lawan. The Nation learnt that the police may crack down on Lawan today, if he refuses to honour police invitation. A source said: “We have sent emissaries to Lawan; they are talking to him to honour police invitation. We are hopeful that this persuasion will work. “Let us see how it will go, but I think by the end of Thursday, Farouk must have chatted with the Police. We are just trying to be civil.” But a member of the House said: “When some of our principal officers met with the police team on June 6, they asked the hierarchy to give them two weeks to investigate the allegation before asking Lawan to report for interrogation by the STF. “The principal officers were obliged the two-week request. That is why Lawan has not appeared before the STF. We are only honouring our own part of the unwritten agreement.” The source went on: “That claim by some lawmakers appears strange because Lawan is in the country for his recess. We are not aware of any agreement. With the international dimension the matter has taken, does he need two weeks to report to the police to make a statement? “We have reached out to the House leadership through eminent Nigerians to allow Farouk to come to the police. That is the latest on this matter; let Farouk Lawan honour the police.” It was learnt that the House leadership was battling last night to find a solution to the issue between it and the police. A member of the House from the Northeast said: “For hours, Farouk Lawan met with Tambuwal and principal officers at the Speaker’s residence on Wednesday on how to handle police invitation. “A solution is being found in such a manner that it will not affect our relationship with the police. Let them be patient.” It was also learnt that five to 10 members of the House might also be invited by the police based on the audio and video tapes which were being shown some key House members yesterday. The police source added: “Yes, we may invite more lawmakers, but we want to hear from Lawan first; that is the logical order. Let everybody talk to him to report by Thursday or else it may be a different story.” The ongoing investigation has, however, created panic among House members following the rush to watch the video tape of the Otedola-Lawan game and listening to the audio tape by lawmakers A source said: “From the tape, the negotiation was higher Otedola did not start video-taping, until when the rate was reduced to $5million. Later Otedola reduced it to $3million. “There was another interesting aspect where Otedola told Lawan that the balance of the $3million was ready and the oil baron was asked to fly in the balance. “Otedola said as soon as he got to Abuja , he would call Lawan but the lawmaker could be heard loudly saying: ‘It is possible we might be in the chamber but I will give you the number of a trusted hand… (A member of the House). “The said member, who was a union activist before his election, was said to have come from a Yoruba speaking area in the North-Central zone of the country.”

Celebrities Who Married Young: These Musicians Rushed to the Alter (PHOTOS)

While Miley Cyrus' engagement last week shocked many the entertainment industry veteran -- it shouldn't have. Marrying young is a trend in Hollywood, with musicians and starlets alike walking down the aisle before they're even legal to drink! In the gallery below, we rounded up the most recent class of super-young newlyweds. Click below to see music's latest barely-legal brides (and grooms)!

FEMI KUTI @ 50: A man of many relationships

Foremost heir to the Afrobeat King’s throne, Femi Kuti in a never seen, no holds barred, exclusive interview with Channels Television, talks about a myriad of issues in his life as he clocks his golden jubilee. In this interview with our correspondent, Oluchi Uwajubogu, he talks on growing up with Fela, his many women, relationships and instruments. On being 50: There is nothing so special about being 50 years old people still see me as a young man. Music sojourn: In the past 33 years I have released 9 albums and I want to do about five more albums before I die. Fela’s inspiration: At the beginning I wanted to be like my father, I left my mother to stay with my dad. I started smoking, drinking but after he was locked up by the Nigerian government. I decided to make a name for myself. I had a beautiful childhood until when my dad was locked up for carrying Indian hemp, there was no where we go to that we will not be identified as Fela’s children. My dad didn’t want us to have the western education in 1979 he advised me to leave school. Obstacles: It’s been tedious till now. I remember in 1988, I was advised by my sisters to be a fisherman because there was no money. Musical Instrument: The first instruments I played ever was a trumpet and my father started playing a saxophone then I learnt and that’s what I play till now. Advice to young musicians: My advice to the young artiste is to try and play an instrument because that has helped me. Family: I have six kids, two of them are adopted and I do not mind them doing music. My first son Mide, has interest in music and he is schooling in the United Kingdom. Marriage: I got married on May 1995, even though, I never believed in marriage but I loved my wife and I knew she was going to deliver a boy as soon as she got pregnant. My marriage didn’t last because, my wife didn’t listen to me I told her I loved women. I like women around me and I will not be faithful to one woman. My wife wasn’t comfortable with my fame and the women in my life and that was why we had to part way. I don’t want to re-marry again, like I said, I never believed in marriage and I am right now into four different relationships. Two of them are very serious and they have kids for me. I am a very jealous lover Occupy Nigeria: It was a failure because I knew the Nigeria Labour Congress will give into the government and that’s what scattered it.

Senate Approves Renaming Of UNILAG To Moshood Abiola University (MAULAG)

The Nigerian Senate has despite numerous protests approved the renaming of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to the Moshood Abiola University of Lagos (MAULAG). President Goodluck Jonathan announced the name change on democracy day May 29th, 2012 during his address to the nation. His decision to rename the University of Lagos after MKO Abiola the winner of the 1993 elections was hailed by some but sparked a huge protest in the University of Lagos with students angrily opposing the change of their institutions name. According to a reliable source, the Senate approved the renaming bill which was sent earlier in the week by President Goodluck Jonathan to bypass any embarrassing rejection of the name-change in what many Nigerians saw as illegal and unconstitutional even with some supporters of the renaming calling it as ill-timed or politically motivated. Although The Nigerian Senate is on recess, the bill had been passed without delay but the Senate will make it publicly known after its members return from recess. Other institutions that were renamed in the same bill sent to the Senate were the Federal University of Technology Umudike which was renamed to the Michael Okpara University, Umudike and the Federal Univeristy of Technology, Yola renamed to the Modibbo Adamawa University. A law suit has been filed by students of the tertiary institution asking that the name-change was unconstitutional as it initially was done without parliamentary approval. A hearing date for the matter has not been fixed by the Court.

Kanye West Stops Show Over Laser Toting Fan

If you're going to a Kanye West concert and want to bring along your laser pointer, here's a tip don't do it. Because if you shine it at Yeezy and he sees it, he will stop the show to cuss you out. One fan at Kanye and Jay-Z's "Watch the Throne" show learned that lesson the hard way last night in Paris

Oba Olashore is dead

The Aloko of Iloko-Ijesha in Osun State, Oba Oladele Olashore, is dead. He died in the early hours of Saturday at the age of 77. The late monarch was a former managing director of First Bank of Nigeria Plc. He was also a former minister of finance. The deceased founded the Olashore International Schools, Iloko-Ijesha, where he was the pioneer chairman.

Queen's 60th jubliee party gets under way

Queen Elizabeth will kick off four days of celebrations to mark her 60 years on the British throne under way today with one of her favourite pastimes, a trip to the horse races, as tributes to the long-serving monarch pour in. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to descend on London over the next few days for Diamond Jubilee festivities, with millions attending street parties across the country as the nation marks the queen's personal milestone. "The queen has given incredible service," British Prime Minister David Cameron said. "She's never put a foot wrong, she's hugely popular and respected here and around the world and it's an opportunity for people to give thanks and to say thank you for the incredible service that she's given." Across Britain, red, white and blue Union Jack flags billow from street lamps, outside buildings, shop fronts and houses, and sales of patriotic souvenirs have rocketed ahead of the celebrations. To royalists, the occasion is a chance to express their thanks and appreciation to the 86-year-old Elizabeth, head of state for 16 countries from Australia and Canada to tiny Tuvalu in the Pacific Ocean, for her years of public service. For others, the chance of some extra days off work and to enjoy the sort of extravaganza and public ceremony for which Britain is renowned has made it a welcome break from austere times, pay freezes and deep public spending cuts. Republicans hope the occasion marks the last hurrah of a dying anachronism, while some 2 million people are leaving Britain altogether to go on holiday. "Original jubilees were invented in the 19th century by the popular press as modes of national celebration for which the monarchy and monarch was almost incidental," said royal biographer Robert Lacey. He said the jubilee was as much about society celebrating itself as it was about the head of state and the now largely symbolic institution of the monarchy. "They tend to work best in times of economic hardship. It provides a tonic for the country," Lacey told Reuters. Having acceded to the throne in February 1952 on the death of her father George VI when Winston Churchill was prime minister, Elizabeth is now the longest-lived British monarch. Only her great-great-grandmother Victoria spent longer on the British throne and she looks on course to overhaul her as longest-serving monarch in 2015. As well being head of the Commonwealth of nations mainly made up former British colonies, Elizabeth is also the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. "I think we've been enormously fortunate in this country to have as our head of state a person who has a real personality - a personality that comes through more and more, I think, in her public utterances," said the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the spiritual head of the Anglican Church. "Someone with insight and judgement, and with immense stamina and a depth of commitment that I think is immensely impressive to all of us." THAMES FLOTILLA The four days of celebrations begin on a fairly low-key note when the queen indulges her long love of horses by attending the Epsom Derby, one of the biggest events in the British horse racing calendar. On Sunday, there will be a flotilla of 1,000 boats assembled from around the globe travelling 25 miles along the River Thames featuring the queen and her 90-year-old husband Prince Philip on a royal barge, in the largest such pageant for 350 years. Thousands of street parties are also planned across Britain, including one on Downing Street outside Cameron's office, as part of a "Big Jubilee Lunch". The queen's London residence Buckingham Palace will play host to a pop concert on Monday featuring the likes of Paul McCartney and Elton John, before a network of 4,200 beacons will also be lit across Britain with more set alight around the Commonwealth. The celebrations culminate on Tuesday with a memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral, a carriage procession through central London and flypast by present and former royal air force aircraft. Huge crowds are expected for the events with estimates that about a million people will travel to London on Sunday alone. Not all will be cheering for the queen with banner-waving republicans staging a protest at Tower Bridge during the Thames flotilla. THOUSANDS OF STREET PARTIES

Officials say there are some 9,500 street parties planned in England Wales and ABTA, the British travel association, said almost 2.5 million Britons were expected to take part. London's Heathrow airport said some 780,000 people were due to arrive in the next few days, although ABTA said an estimated 2 million Britons were planning to head overseas to take advantage of the two extra public holidays. Retail groups say Britons are expected to spend £823 million, nearly double what they paid out on last year's royal wedding of the queen's grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton. Supermarket Tesco, the world's number three retailer, expected to sell 2.86 million flags by the end of the weekend, while rival Sainsbury's said it had sold 252 miles of bunting, enough to decorate the entire length of the Thames. But rather than a boon, the Bank of England and economists warn the extra public holidays will hit growth in the second quarter, bad news for an economy that has slipped back into recession and where growth remains elusive. "It is likely that there will be a significant hit to GDP in the second quarter, which will be partly recouped in the third quarter," said Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight. Last year's royal wedding and the extra public holiday that attracted was cited as one of the special factors that knocked up to 0.5 percent off GDP growth in the second quarter of 2011. Police said the weekend would include the largest royal security operation ever conducted. Some 13,000 officials including about 6,000 police officers will be on duty for the Thames pageant, which poses challenges never before encountered. "We're treating it as a unique event, to have that many dignitaries on that many boats moving along the Thames," London police's Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh told Reuters. He warned the capital's public transport system and roads would be stretched, but after 18 months of planning, police do not believe there was any major security threat. Attention-seekers posed the greatest problem, Kavanagh commented. In April, a protester disrupted the annual Cambridge versus Oxford university rowing race on the Thames by swimming into the path of the crews and police chiefs admit they cannot guarantee similar embarrassments would not occur. "There is no plan along that length of river, with that number of people on both sides of the Thames that can prevent anything happening," Kavanagh said. - Reuters

I’m Not Gay - Charly Boy

Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has denied a story published by two national dailies that he is gay and the head of Illuminati, a fratenity group.

He said, “I have never had to deal with such an insidious report that appears to be directly calculated to portray me in the worst possible light at a time such as this.” He added that “I want to assure Nigerians that I am NOT gay and I am NOT part of any organisation called the ‘Illuminati’ in any way, shape or form. I also categorically state that any reports of my alleged ‘confession’ to any newspaper is a figment of the imagination of my detractors, and a very insidious attempt to destroy my hard-earned reputation, and that of my Charly Boy brand, all in the mad rush of some newspapers.” He noted that “That would be par for the course for my brand and persona, which has been admittedly controversial over the years, due to my relentless pursuit of justice for the people, fight for the rights of musicians and my tireless energy in extending the boundaries of creative entertainment in my legitimate bid to maximise my creative talents.” He also promised to fight the writers of the story with the last drop of his blood, saying that he has instructed his attorney to instutite legal action against them. Source: Tribune