AU meets on force to fight Boko Haram

AU officials are finalising plans for a multinational force to fight Nigeria's Boko Haram extremists though there are questions about funding.

A UN official says senior officers from the UN peacekeeping department are attending the meeting that started Thursday in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital.

The AU last week authorised a 7 500-strong force from Nigeria and its four neighbours to fight the spreading Islamic uprising.

The official says the Africans want UN Security Council approval and money to fund the mission.

Chad troops killed in Boko Haram counter-attack

Thirteen Chadian soldiers were killed on Wednesday in a counter-attack by Boko Haram militants on the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol, Cameroon's defence minister said.

"After finishing the count in Fotokol, we... found 13 Chadian soldiers killed," the minister, Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo'o, said on Thursday.

Why Nollywood Can’t Lose Goodluck Jonathan

by Charles Novia

Let us admit it – we have never seen any President so besotted with entertainment like Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, especially the movie-making sector. And this is not a satire.

Yes, his detractors may point at “weakness” for entertainment as a signpost of an unserious mind frittering the commonwealth on ‘joli-joli’ matters! Even the opposition may grumble loudly that the lively engagement with the Nollywood is essentially exploitative and window-dressing – to the detriment of more important and critical sectors of the national economy.

Pastors taking bribe from Politicians, Change before its too late – Baba Adeboye

The respected General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has warned that pastors who are fond of collecting bribes from politicians risk the wrath of God.

Baba Adeboye said: “I read in the newspaper this morning that one of the serving governors in Nigeria said that some pastors in Nigeria collected N6bn from politicians for the purpose of influencing their members to vote a certain candidate in the coming elections. 

“May I humbly request that if there be any pastor or pastors who collected such money, they should please return such as quickly as possible before the fire of the Almighty consumes you.”

I've spoken; take my words serious for February 14 – Obasanjo

A former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said he will henceforth maintain silence on the state of the nation until after the forthcoming general elections.

He said this on Wednesday while addressing traditional rulers from Egbaland who were attending a seminar organised by a non-governmental organisation, The Village Network Empowerment Initiative. The seminar held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

The former president, who had in recent times criticised President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, said it was unfortunate that some people could misconstrue his good intention for the country.