FRESH 4RM GIM

In a surprise development that may end the persistent uprising that has resulted in the killing of innocent people and destruction of property worth billions of naira in the last three years in north eastern part of Nigeria, the radical Islamic sect Boko Haram whose operations have crippled the economy of Borno and neighbouring Yobe states have announced a surprise cease fire today in Maiduguri the Borno State capital. DESERT HERALD had hours earlier broken the news that the sect will today formally announce a cease fire with some conditions. Conservatively, the violence in the northern part of Nigeria had killed more than two thousand people while many more are left permanently incapacitated either due to the terror attacks (suicide bombing) by the sect or due to torture and sometimes even gun shots by the members of the Joint Task Force (JTF).

Mariah Carey is reportedly ready to call it quits with her rapper husband who put bed rumors last month that they had issues of infidelity. While that may not have been the problem, one source made it clear that they’re no longer happy in their paradise. “Mariah’d cut him loose right now. But she’s worried about him making a grab for a huge chunk of her $515 million fortune,” one insider told America’s OK! Magazine. “Nick feels burned that Mariah is ready to pull the plug. They have a pre-nup, but after Nick tells his side of the story Mariah will most likely settle with him financially and realize her once beautiful marriage has evaporated.” According to the Huffington Post, things went downhill for the couple after the release of Cannon’s album White People Party Music. While promoting the album the America’s Got Talent host made a few comments his wife did not like, that included discussing their sex life and his past relationship with the soon to be Mrs. West. It is said that...

A 22-year-old female worker of a local custard manufacturing company in Aba, Abia State, Miss Chizoba Nwachukwu, has allegedly been stabbed to death by her colleague, following a dispute. It was gathered that prior to the incident, both girls who worked in the factory located on Obohia Road in the commercial city, had a quarrel over the  use of one of the appliances. Sources stated that the quarrel started when Chizoba’s colleague, Chiamaka  (surname withheld), who had been absent from work for two weeks, resumed duties on the fateful day and found out that the deceased was using a plastic appliance she usually worked with, and confronted her. What began as an argument later snowballed into a quarrel as a result of which, the deceased allegedly hit Chiamaka with a plastic container on her cheek. In retaliation, Chiamaka allegedly reached out for a knife and stabbed Chizoba, who died instantly.

Governors of the South East were absent at the  service of songs organised yesterday in Enugu for the late former president of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue. The service, which took place at the secretariat of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had many Igbo leaders in attendance, but the governors shunned the event. Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, was the only governor from the South East who was represented at the event by the Abia State commissioner for Petroleuim and Solid Minerals Chief Dom Ubani. Uwechue, who died on March 13 at the age of 78, was the immediate past president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. In his opening remarks, the chairman on the occasion, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, recalled the part Uwechue played during the Nigerian civil war when he was Nigeria’s ambassador to France but left the position and joined the Biafran Diplomatic Mission in protest of the treatment being meted to Ndigbo. Amaechi described Uwechue as a gr...

Former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, has condemned the threat by Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, as released in a video, describing it as “a manifestation of the mindlessness of the bigots.” In a statement yesterday, on the abduction of Borno schoolgirls, the second in about three weeks, Buhari called the insurgents “misguided persons masquerading as adherents of Islam,” while stating that they should not be allowed to threaten the sovereignty of the country. “That horrific video posted on the Internet is a clear manifestation of the mindlessness of the bigots. It shows them for whom they are. Such men cannot threaten nor should they be allowed to violate our sovereignty. It is clear from what they profess that they are not followers of God. They do not mean well for our country and her citizens. I am a Muslim. I am versed in the teaching of Christianity and I understand both religions to seek peaceful co-existence of all humanity,” Buhari said.

Leonardo DiCaprio has been warned by his friends to slow down and stop taking on work projects. The 'Wolf of Wall Street' star has been told to slow down by his friends as they fear his hectic work schedule is having a negative effect on his health and personal life. A source told RadarOnline.com: ''Leo has been working like a demon over the past three years - and it's now starting to come back and haunt him. ''He's pretty burned out at the moment and suffering from insomnia from pushing himself so hard. ''Everybody is begging Leo to slow down but he's just very focused on making a lot of money right now -- to the exclusion of almost everything else.'' However, it appears the 39-year-old actor has been investing his money wisely as he recently spent $10 million on a new four-bedroom apartment in New York. He also splashed out $8 million on an apartment adjacent to a $4 million home he already owns in the eco-friendly 2 River ...

Barely three days after the massacre of over 200, Boko Haram destroyed the link bridge between Gamboru-Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State and Cameroon. The Defence Headquarters however said last night that it was a partial destruction of the bridge by the sect members to slow down the pursuit of their fleeing members. A military source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The affected bridge is a vital one connecting Nigeria with Cameroon. The fleeing sect members destroyed the bridge in anger to frustrate troops from pursuing them. “The way they destroyed the bridge, only light vehicles can manage to pass. The damage will not allow armoured vehicles to pass through. The target is to halt the movement of troops across the border. “This development has confirmed intelligence report that the insurgents have a well-established base in Cameroon.” The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said: “The bridge was partially destroyed to slow down troops pur...

A man was said to have been swept away with his car during a torrential rain in Ibadan on Thursday while another man identified as Ayuba also lost his life. An eyewitness said the motorist was travelling along Omotara Agboola bridge when he missed his way and drove into the river below. The narrow bridge was flooded but several vehicles and commercial motorcyclists were eager to pass through as the downpour continued. At a point, drivers and motorcyclists stayed away but the victim decided to move on despite pleas by others who were stranded. “He was among the many drivers that were trapped at both ends of the bridge. We don’t know why he decided to drive through even though the bridge was submerged,” said a witness, who identified himself as Biola. “The tyre of his car fell off the bridge and suddenly, he was gone. He fell into the river and we could not do anything to save him,” he added. Biola said efforts were made to locate the car and the occupier on the other side ...

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi tells SuperSport he is not aware some of the 30 players selected for the World Cup are injured You  stuck with Gombe United goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim, despite national outcry for his exclusion following his poor outing at the 2013 CHAN. Why? Agbim is a good keeper. That he did not have the best tournament at the CHAN does not make him a bad goalie overnight. Basically, I stuck with the goalkeepers I have been using since I took over in 2011. Daniel Akpeyi is a good young keeper and we want to see what he can do. Elderson Echiejile made the list despite playing just two league games for AS Monaco this season. Are you not worried he may be targeted as the weakest link in Brazil? First things first; Echiejile only made the provisional list. There is no guarantee that he will make the final list. The same applies for all the other 29 players called up. Having said that, I will not pretend that I do not know he’s not been playing regularly ...

One of Vladimir Putin's most influential supporters was up early on Thursday explaining to puzzled Russians why the president has softened his stance on Ukraine. Vladimir Solovyov, the outspoken host of a popular radio call-in, enthusiastically portrayed Putin's unexpected appeal to separatists in east Ukraine to suspend a planned autonomy referendum as a masterstroke. "This is a very clever and strong move in the game of chess over Ukraine," he told listeners. "Putin has again become peacemaker number one." Dismissing a caller's concerns that it might seen be as a sign of weakness, he said: "Putin has forced the Ukrainian authorities into a dialogue ... He's massively raised his support in Europe." When another listener dissented, the acid-tongued host told him he was listening to the wrong channel and, inventing a name, told him to "go and listen to 'Voice of the Enemy'." If ever Putin needed supporters like...

Mozambique's opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama on Thursday registered to vote in the next presidential election, a pre-requisite step to contest the October polls. The leader of the former rebel Renamo party registered the day before the deadline after the government announced a last-minute 10-day extension. Dhlakama, who has not been seen in public for over six months, registered near his group's former headquarters of Casa Banana in Gorongosa, in central Mozambique. In a call for peace and reconciliation in the restive country, Dhlakama told reporters after he registered that Africa needed more leaders like South African anti-apartheid hero  Nelson Mandela .

The Federal Government on Thursday said forensic auditors have been appointed to carry out a detailed investigations on the activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala disclosed this while speaking during a debate at the 24th edition of the World Economic Forum for Africa. The forum with theme ‘Forging inclusive growth , creating jobs’ is being attended by over 1,500 delegates from about 80 countries. She explained that an accounting firm – PriceWaterHouse has been appointed to carry out the exercise. She said the move followed the recent revelations by the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Lamido Sanusi that the sum of $20bn was not remitted to the federation account by the NNPC. Sanusi had come under attacks following his letter to President Goodluck Jonathan that the sum of $49bn was not remitted to the federation account by the NNPC. But following the controversy which the letter generat...

SOME 1200 security operative are on duty to provide security in Abuja, the Nigerian Political capital as it hosts over 1000 international businessmen and women around the world, in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa. A top security operative disclosed  that of this number, 200 personnel are drafted from the Anti-bomb squad of the Military and that of the Nigeria Police Force. Similarly, over 300 are drafted from the terrorist troupe of the Police Force and the military too. It was also gathered that the Federal Government of Nigeria would be spending some N1.2billion on security alone. The remaining personnel, are under-covers, they would not wear uniform, “but they are well armed and have been scattered all over Abuja and environs, since Friday last week.” “Abuja is a fast growing city with so many entry and exit points. Be that as it may, we have been able to map out all these routes, both the conventional ones and the unconventional and admixture of security person...

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday expressed  optimism that the abduction of over 200 school girls in Chibok, Borno, would be the end to terror in the country. The President said this at the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum on Africa holding in Abuja. Jonathan, who said that Nigeria was proud to host the event for the first time it was coming to West Africa, thanked participants for coming at a time Nigeria was facing terror attacks. Jonathan thanked China, the U.S., United Kingdom and France who volunteered to assist Nigeria in the rescue efforts of the girls and in fighting the terrorists “Let me specially thank all of you for accepting to come. Especially this time that as a nation we are facing attacks from terrorists. “Let me appreciate you individually and collectively for your support and your sentiment.