NIGERIA, THE 6TH KIDNAPPING-CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!

What an honor indeed? Nigeria is now ranked as the sixth (6) kidnapping country of the world! A sixth country where people are practically stolen from the streets and disappeared only to re-surface after a ransom is paid with the option to be forever gone with the wind! And who still wants to take a chance at being held for ransom and sometimes killed for failure to deliver the king's ransom? The tourist? The investor? The expatriate? The educator? The Foundations staffer? This blogger? You? Me? The list of people staying off is growing and who suffers most but the economy of Nigeria, which is bleeding off all these potential additional tourism revenue due to instability occasioned by fear of kidnappers and other sundry anarchists parading in the country.

Icheoku had written similarly on the kidnapping menace in Enugu State, urging a precise determinate action against such terrorists(kidnap and death of a high chief ); and will like to urge the Federal government of Nigeria to make the crime of kidnapping a death-penalty offence. Kidnapping or fear of it paints Nigeria in a very bad light and sabotages its economy which would otherwise benefit from extra foreign exchange receipts from visitors, tourists and investors wishing to come to Nigeria. With the price of oil, the main stay of Nigeria's economy, tanking, the government need to start taking in revenue from other sources including tourism and the kidnappers should not be allowed to stand in the way. No price is too much to pay to put a stop to this nightmare and Icheoku pledges to support whatever action aimed at stamping out this scourge. The government of Nigeria should therefore treat these miscreants as economic saboteurs and mete a dissuading justice to them accordingly. On the hierarchy of crimes, Icheoku says that kidnapping should rank amongst treason as it attacks the very essence of Nigeria sustenance and by extension, its existence!

Now ranked among such countries like Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechyna, Philippines, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico, Nigeria really need to press the accelerator to zoom out of this crowd fast. All the negative raps already heaped on Nigeria appear to be bad enough, but add kidnapping to it and Nigeria becomes a completely no-go area. Admitted that criminals masking as "businessmen" will always brave any condition whatsoever to see if they can ink one contract or catch a deal anywhere, even in Hell, but the real issue should be the standing of Nigeria in the eyes of the world, especially the tourists. Being tagged a kidnapping mecca of the world is a toga the Nigerian Foreign and Internal Affairs ministries should devote a greater percentage of their resources both in manpower, propaganda and money to wage a ruthless campaign against. They need to cleanse this insignia from Nigeria as the damage is unquantifiable both in revenue and reputation. Whatever it takes, let it be done including breaking some hands and legs if need be. Reputation is priceless and any nation without one is doomed!

Now take a little peek on how these top ten kidnapping-countries are viewed in the eyes of the world, in descending order:-

10. Haiti - It remains an unsafe place to visit, even considering the presence of the UN stabilization force. Kidnappers and street gangs are thriving in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The targets include rich Haitians, diplomats, aid workers and, of course, foreign tourists.

9. Iraq – It doesn't come as a surprise, considering the widespread civil violence, that Iraq isn't one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. Violence and kidnappings occur on a regular basis and are mainly aimed at foreigners. Once the home to the most ancient civilizations, Iraq is now a place where several distinct forces are competing for control.

8. Afghanistan – Afghanistan has been experiencing a lot of turmoil in the wars that have been raging on for over 25 years. Presently, several areas of the country remain unsafe for travelers, Attacks targeting foreigners are ever frequent, especially suicide bombings concentrated around foreign embassies. Visitors are recommended to avoid gatherings, avoid travelling alone or at night. Afghanistan presently has one of the most volatile situations.

7. Chechnya – Ever since the Russian empire collapsed in 1991, southern Russian has been marked by the conflict between the Chechen separatists and the Russian forces, thus reducing almost most of the province to sad ruins of a long war. Rich in petro-chemicals, natural gas and oil, the country’s economy and infrastructure have been experiencing a serious crash, due to the on-going conflicts. Tourists are not safe in the country.

6. Nigeria – Africa’s most populous nation has a fascinating mixture of over 200 ethnic groups that, coupled with an unstable economy, often leads to a volatile situation. According to news reports, over 200 foreign oil workers have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta, most situations being resolved with a ransom. It is not a paradise for tourists as they are easy targets of kidnappers.

5. Philippines – The archipelago consisting of 7,107 islands is a fascinating, laid back natural paradise, with friendly, engaging people. But there’s a reason we included Philippines among the countries where tourists are most likely to get kidnapped. North Cotabato, Mindanao, Zamboanga peninsula, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and the Sulu archipelago are just a few areas that a traveller should necessarily avoid. Apart from the usual robberies and kidnappings, foreigners also risk having a drug put in their drink that knocks one out immediately. Tourists are then either robbed, raped or have their kidneys taken. 10 hours are needed to wake up from the drug and another three days to remember what happened.

4.Venezuela – With some of the most spectacular landscapes and the longest waterfall in the world, Venezuela truly is a sight not to be missed, if you’re willing to leave aside street crime, kidnappings or political turmoil. If not, know that street crime is present on a daily basis throughout the country. Tourists in Venezuela are the easiest target for pickpockets; so try to look like anything but a tourist. Don’t wear jewelry, watches, avoid unfolding maps, taking pictures and stay away from poor areas.

3. Colombia – National parks, high mountains, cruise boats or soaring skyscrapers are just a few of the numerous attractions Colombia has to offer. Even though it might sound like an untroubled paradise, Colombia has its fair share of drug dealers, robberies and kidnappings. Even though safety has improved in recent years, Colombia still suffers from high kidnapping and homicide rates in urban areas. The extra violence is provoked by the guerrillas which operate mainly in rural areas – tourists are warned to be avoid the border areas with Ecuador and Venezuela.

2. Brazil – The largest country in South America, teeming with beaches and untamed forests, Brazil is one of the most vibrant and colorful places on the continent. As with the other countries on the list, the downside is the street crime present in big cities, where attacks against tourists have become frequent. Apart from the usual kidnappings, there are also a high number of muggings; so simply leave your valuables at the hotel and take with you only a small amount of money. To top it all off, Brazil experienced an increase in the number of yellow fever and dengue fever cases, so be sure to have your shots before entering the country.

1. Mexico – Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world. You’ll come across plenty of corruption and the usual street crime that comes with every big city. Kidnapping for ransom is fairly common, especially in border cities such as Tijuana, Nogales or Juarez. As with other cities on the list, try not to look like a tourist, avoid flashing shiny, expensive objects and you should be fine.

Icheoku says, President Umaru Yar'Adua of Nigeria should call his security council's meeting immediately to harsh out a permanent fix to this creeping ugly trend of kidnapping which is enveloping Nigeria. It does not bode Nigeria any good and if left unchecked will metastasize into another cancer in the body-fabric of the country. It should therefore be stopped forthwith and decisively. Any action or measure taken by the government to root it out will be a welcome development with Nigerians and the international community. Enough of these negative marks on Nigeria's image by a few miscreants; who are cashing in on the present spineless administration to cause more terror and apprehension amongst Nigerians and her visitors. Opportunity calls for Umaru Yar'Adua to rise and shine, and re-establish himself as an authentic Nigerian leader, if only he can muster the will and determination to be a little tough on crimes including kidnapping. Now is the time to seriously mean it and do it, (the fight against crimes) Mr. President!

NIGERIA, SOME HIGH-UP CORRUPTION CASES STILL PENDING?

The new year 2009 is lurking around the corner and the ever-dopey Nigeria President Umaru Yar'Adua has promised Nigerians that his now Supreme Court legitimized presidency will finally wake up from its slumber. Icheoku says, Mr. President if you must wake up, wake up to some of these high-up corruption scandals as it will give you the necessary boost needed, to once again make your presidency palatable to many Nigerians and the world at large. These are corruption scandals from the highest echelon of the Nigerian society involving the former president Olusegun Obasanjo family and a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Jubril Aminu! If these corruption cases are not taken care of, the inaction will be interpreted to the untouchable-status of these fellows involved and will once again portray your presidency as either being in the tank with corruption or you, as too wimpy to strike decisively.

1. Iyabo Bello Obasanjo's three (300) hundred million Naira bribery scandal:- the daughter of former president Olusegun Obasanjo was involved in a three (300) hundred million Naira Health ministry bribery scandal and to date, this matter appears to have been swept under the corrupt Nigerian carpet. Why would this be and yet Umaru Yar'Adua purports to be running an anti-corruption government? Icheoku is not saying that the daughter of your mentor must be jailed for dipping her hand in the Nigerian pie, no, but that the investigation into the alleged gratification be concluded one way or another. Nigerians need clarity of purpose as it appertains to this very scandal. First it involves a former first daughter and some accomplice to the crime, former Minister of Health Professor Adenike Grange and Gabriel Aduku as well as some other officials were fired because of this, so why treat Iyabo Bello Obasanjo differently as an untouchable? This question must be conclusively resolved by your government for its credibility. The 56-Count Criminal Charge of Fraud and Embezzlement of public funds levelled against Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello by the EFCC has not been adjudicated; since the prosecutor, James Binang read it out in court as follows: “That you, Iyabo Obasanjo Bello (now at large) sometimes between December 2007 and March 2008 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the high court of the Federal Capital Territory while serving as the chairperson, Senate Committee on Health in the National Assembly, dishonestly retained the sum of N10, 000,000 belonging to Federal Government of Nigeria, having reason to believe same to be stolen property thereby committed an offence punishable under section 317 of the Penal Code cap 352, Law of Federation of Nigeria (Abuja)1990.”

2. Senator Jubril Aminu's twelve (12) million dollars Siemens bribery scandal:- This serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from Adamawa State was a co-beneficiary of a twelve (12) million dollar bribery scandal which was extorted from Siemens as a condition precedent for winning some contracts in Nigeria. Ever since the scandal broke, the powers that be in Nigeria have been in an over-drive attempt to wish the matter away but to no avail. Icheoku is calling on Umaru Yar'Adua to show some example with this bribery scandal that no one, including a sitting Nigerian Senator is above the law. In the United States if America a long term Senator from Alaska Ted Stevens was convicted and forced out of office for receiving some gifts but in Nigeria, a senator who demanded and received bribe is still being sheltered by the government of Umaru Yar'Adua as a sitting Nigerian Senator?

Siemens paid a total bribe of approximately $12.7m to some Nigerian officials for four telecommunications contracts valued about $130m. Icheoku says that this twelve million dollars bribe was probably the amount by which that contract was extra over-valued as a company like Siemens will not take a loss in a contract - not from Africa, anyways! According to a high ranking official within Siemens Limited Nigeria, corrupt payments in 2000 and 2001 commonly reached 15 to 30% of the contracts’ value. It is instructive to note that Olusegun Obasanjo was the president of Nigeria at this period under review. The Siemens bribery scandal blew open in October 2007, after a Munich court had found the company guilty of bribing government officials in several countries and fined it 201 million Euros in penalties.

It is very hypocritical that subsequent to this scandal, the Umaru Yar'Adua's Federal Government of Nigeria "suspended" dealings with Siemens and the EFCC commenced investigations, but as soon as the euphoria died down, the Federal Government went back to doing business as usual with Siemens; without any fine being levied or paid by Siemens as was done in the US and Germany. Icheoku says, this is very instructive as to the seriousness with with Umaru Yar'Adua is fighting corruption in Nigeria; more-so since the implicated Nigeria Senator Jubril Aminu is still a serving Senator and chairs its' foreign affairs committee. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to been done. Senator Jubril Aminu should loose his seat at the senate and face prosecution in the spirit of charity begins at home anti-corruption stance of Umaru Yar'Adua's government. Anything short of this is unacceptable to Nigerians and the world at large who continually views Nigeria as a very corrupt country, where some highly placed government officials are corruption personified and are deemed untouchables.

3. NigComSat five (500) hundred million dollars junk Chinese satellite contract scandal:- the third in hierarchy of Icheoku's high-up corruption that demands the immediate attention of Umaru Yar'Adua in the new year is the 500 million dollars junk satellite, which failed less than 18months after it launched into orbit? Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited in conjunction with a Chinese company embarked on this white-elephant project, fully seized of the fact that it was ill-timed, ill-conceived, ill-equipped, ill-constructed by unskilled artisans, manufactured of sub-standard materials, ill-managed, not space-worthy, defective and not what the Nigerian populace needs at this time of abject hunger, joblessness, insecurity, election-rigging and general malaise pervading the country. The boyish, clean-shaved face T. Ahmed Rufai - the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT should be held to account on why he sunk Nigeria's whopping $500 million dollars in such a worthless enterprise. This becomes very imperative because the Chinese contractors to the satellite project has a litany of past sordid projects some of which failed and yet non of this unsatisfactory past performances were factored in before awarding such a huge contract to them.

Icheoku says of all the corruption scandals in Nigeria, including those involving former governors, these three enumerated corruption cases call for rapid attention of the anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria. President Umaru Yar'Adua must show Nigerians that he means business with his anti-corruption stance and that no one is untouchable in the fight. President Umaru Yar'Adua, please this is the time to act and act you must and decisively too; in order to validate yourself as a true anti-corruption president of Nigeria. Any other thing to the contrary will only perpetuate the perception that Nigeria is a very corrupt country, run by corruptible and contemptible fellows and yourself, inclusive!

ALASKAN GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN IS NOW A GRAND-MA!

The over-sexed teenage daughter of Alaskan's Governor Sarah Palin, the Senator John McCain's wanna be vice president, who got pregnant outside wedlock, Bristol Palin has delivered a bouncing baby-boy. His name, Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston.

The 7 pounds, 4 ounces little bundle of joy arrived this world on Sunday, December 28, 2008 to the waiting arms of Levi Johnston, the baby-daddy and Bristol Palin!

The composite picture above, shows Bristol Palin and the baby-daddy, Levi Johnston. It would be recalled that Levi Johnston is a high school drop-out, who now works on Alaskan's North Slope oil fields as an apprentice electrician.

To really understand how "pathetic and dysfunctional" this family is, Levi Johnston's mother was recently arrested on felony drug charges after state troopers served a search warrant at her Wasilla home. According to authorities, she sent text messages to two police informants in which she discusses making drug transactions involving Oxycontin, a strong prescription painkiller. While the parents of Bristol, Sarah and Todd Palin have five children strangely named Trig, Track, Willow, Piper and Bristol.

Icheoku says, good-luck on your new baby and pray that Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin find happiness in being teenage parents.

GEORGE FRANCIS, A METHUSELAH OF OUR TIME PASSES ON!

His name, George Francis and he lived to be one hundred and twelve (112) years old! George Francis died on Saturday December 27th, 2008 of congestive heart failure at a nursing home in Sacramento, California, United States of America. He was born in June 6, 1896, in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

George Francis, the nation's oldest man, lived through both world wars, man's first walk on the moon and the election of the first black president. "He lived four years in the 19th century, 100 years in the 20th century, and 8 years in the 21st century. We call him the man of three centuries," said his son, the younger Francis, 81. Icheoku says that longevity seems to run in this family considering that his son is now merely 81 years old. George Francs lived exactly 112 years and 204 days, according to University of California Los Angeles gerontologist Dr. Stephen Coles, who maintains a list of the world's oldest people.

With the passage of George Francis to the world beyond, Walter Breuning of Montana, who is 112 years, 98 days old, now becomes the country's oldest living man. At 114, Gertrude Baines of Los Angeles is the nation's oldest living person. The world's oldest person is Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who is 115 years, 109 days old, and the oldest man is Tomoji Tanabe of Japan, who is 113 years, 101 days, Coles said.

Francis George voted for the first time for President Franklin Roosevelt in 1930s and for the last time for Barack Obama in 2008. On his impression about President-elect Barack Obama, Francis George enthused, "Barack Obama is going to give black men a break in the world, and give them a better opportunity to live and make more money; for people who say voting doesn't matter, I think that's crazy."

Francis George is survived by three (3) daughters and one (1) son, eighteen (18) grandchildren, thirty three (33) great-grandchildren and sixteen(16) great great grandchildren. His wife, Josephine Johnson Francis, had predeceased him - as she died since 1964 of cancer.

Icheoku says, ADIEU PA GEORGE FRANCIS!

ISRAELI - PALESTINE CONFLICT, NO END IN SIGHT!

When will this madness end? When will this internecine war come to an end? When will enough be really enough in the Middle East? Every now and then there is a flare-up of age-long hostilities between biblical brothers and no one seem to have a handle on it? December 27th, 2008 so soon after the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, his kindred in Israel let loose their dogs of war and from the skies came bolts of fire to scotch the recalcitrant rocket-firing Hamas nuisance. A sledge-hammer being used where a scalpel may be needed, one might say?

No, says Icheoku, as the Hamas nuisance needs to and should be put to an end once and for all. According to an Israeli, Avraham Chen-Chatam, 57, the Israelis need to finish this once and for all and strike back as hard as it can be very painful to Hamas. The result, over two (200) hundred Palestines have been killed in retaliation for one Israeli killed by a Hamas-streaking Qassam rocket and there appears to be no end in sight. The bombardments continues despite calls from various world leaders to end hostilities. According to the Israeli government, the campaign is open-ended and is aimed at stopping Hamas rocket and mortar attacks that is traumatizing her population. This round of hostilities started so soon following the end of a six-month Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas; which truce ended just last Friday, December 26th, 2008.

Reports reaching Icheokudotcom, has it that Israeli warplanes dropped more than 100 tons of bombs on identified installations in Hamas-ruled Gaza on Saturday December 27th, 2008, in what is reputed as one of the bloodiest days in decades of the Middle East conflict. What does Hamas have to offer in response to fire and brimstone raining from the skies over Gaza from the under-bellies of United States of America supplied F-16 fighter planes but the chants of Allah Alkabr? But unknown to these "fanatics" they need to do more to protect themselves from a reaction to their provocation than simply calling on their god to come down and fight for them. A good starting point is to stop the provocative Qassam rocket firing into southern Israel which provoked this current retaliatory bombardment of Hamas infrastructures in Gaza strip. For every action, there is a reaction and there is always so much a people can take under such circumstance since the Israeli government has a duty to protect her citizenry.

Pictured below are some bodies of more than a dozen uniformed Hamas police, victims of Israeli air-strike as they lay dead on the ground at their Gaza City's main security compound; while above right is the lone fatality of Hamas Qassam rocket attack in the Israeli town of Netivot. Although Hamas vowed to fight on, saying they will continue the resistance until the last drop of blood, according to Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum; but Icheoku asks what is the wisdom behind such strategy?

This morbid mentality is very foolish as it is simply suicidal and the world is getting tired of the provocative antics of Hamas who continually fires rocket into southern Israel as agent provocateur of the conflict. Hamas should know that they are unevenly matched with the Israeli military hence a military solution to the conflict is not probable nor likely. A more savvy group would have used the least torturous means to negotiate a fair bargain for the people of Palestine instead of their present head-on collision approach with a far weightier military. What all these show is an unseriousness on the part of the leadership of Hamas and the Palestine people for a conclusive resolution of this problem; maybe they will lose the reason for their existence were a resounding solution ever reached, hence their choice of gun-powder confrontation.
How many Palestines and Israelis will have to lose their lives before Hamas and their rabid supporters realise that they are fighting an unwinnable battle against the mighty Israeli forces with the backing and tacit approval of Washington? Simply put, it is foolhardy.

Pictured here left is the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert who said that Israel knows how to give proper response, at the right time, in the right way and responsibly.

Icheoku says, the Israeli security agencies should consider decapitating some of the present crop of die-hard absolutist Hamas leaders and see if the incoming ones might play ball with a negotiated settlement of the intractable problems between both entities. Icheoku's position seem to be in tandem with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni who confirmed that Hamas' political leaders could soon be targeted. According to Livni, Hamas is a terrorist organization and nobody in Hamas is immune.

But the hard charging and loud-talking Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, in a show of "bravado" or rather defiance, declared that his movement would not be cowed. The other actor in this macabre theater, the Palestine President, Mahmud Abbas, pictured above right, is however walking a thin line not to be seen as sleeping with the "enemy" and at the same time secretly wishing that the Israelis could do a job he could not himself do - the overthrow of Hamas in Gaza. However the Israelis appears ready to fight with the Defence Minister Ehud Barak vowing to expand the operation if necessary. According to Barak, there is a time for calm and there is a time for fighting, and now is the time for fighting!

Unfortunately, despite the overwhelming Israeli show of force, it was not clear their offensive would halt the barrage of rocket-fire from Hamas controlled Gaza strip which Hamas took since June 2007. Some rockets got into Israel as at the time of this report despite the massive air bombardment of Gaza. Also similar Israeli past efforts such as their operation against Hezbollah never achieved their stated objective.

The United States of America on Saturday blamed the militant group Hamas for breaking a cease-fire and attacking Israel, which retaliated with strikes of its own during what became the single bloodiest day of fighting in years. According to White House spokesman, Gordon Johndroe, Hamas are nothing but thugs, so Israel is going to defend its people against terrorists like Hamas that indiscriminately kill their own people. The White House also called for the cease-fire to be restored saying that they need to stop the escalation. Continuing, the White House said, "we have said in the past that they have a choice to make. You can't have one foot in politics and one foot in terror."

That Israel has always hoped for and wanted quiet for the residents of the South and that they should enjoy genuine calm and be free of the threat of unceasing Qassam and mortar attacks that have disrupted life in the South for a very long period,"

Hamas with its 20,000 fighters is no match to the mighty Israeli military with its fighting prowess, which is now being accused of using disproportionate against the rocket firers. But shouldn't Hamas have known this fact all these months of provocative rocket firing into southern Israel?
Icheoku says the stated objective of Hamas and such other extremists of the Middle East to annihilate Israel and completely wipe Israel off the map is a mere wishful Utopian thinking of a deranged warped mind. It is not going to happen and this fact should get into their head, fast and sooner. The best solution is a negotiated settlement where the two feuding foes can live side by side in each identifiable independent communes or states. Until Hamas becomes rational and reasonable to realize that their belligerent and bellicose approach can only visit pain and suffering on her population, no meaningful peace can ever come to the middle east and the whole world will periodically wake up to the same cycle of mayhem going on between the Israelis and the Middle Eastern extremists as represented in Hamas and Hezbollah.

Play Video Video: Israel acts on threats, pounds Gaza Reuters
Air raids
Israeli F-16 bombers pound Hamas sites, over 200 dead

FATHER CHRISTMAS MASSACRES FAMILY!

What made a man so incensed, that he dressed up like Santa Claus, drove up to his former in-laws' house and sprayed them with bullets, killing 9 of them in the process? It was at a Christmas eve party at the home of his former in-laws, his ex-wife Sylvia Pardo's parents, Joseph and Alicia Ortega; which he thereafter demolished in an explosive blaze.

Icheoku says, it is rage! Rage against a society which have so much empowered women that they have turned men into the receiving receptacles of their every whims. Simply put, it is this rage that is now manifested in this Christmas-eve massacre in Covina California, United States of America! This unique and weird Father Christmas brought to his ex-in-laws, some Christmas present from the north pole made of hot leads. He was driven to the ends by a very nasty and bitter divorce, a job lost and a state of morbid hopelessness. He was simply speaking, forlorn!

His name was Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, 45, pictured above; and he does not even look like a typical mass-murderer! He looks more like the Scott Peterson type. BJP was simply RED and even holds a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering; and was employed at ITT Electronic Systems, Radar Systems, in Van Nuys before he was laid off.

BJP appeared at the ex-inlaws front door with only one mission in his mind - to completely eradicate his ex-wife's family from the face of the earth! In an executioner's style, BJP meticulously shot nine members of his ex-wife's immediate family to death, including his ex-wife, her parents, brothers and sisters as well as some other relatives and friends. To ensure that his vicious plan was completely carried out, after the shooting, he set the home ablaze, just in case anyone was hiding somewhere in the house beyond the reach of his bullet.

BJP wearing a Santa Claus suit, was armed with four guns and carrying a fuel-spraying device wrapped like a present, when he showed up at the home at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday December 24th, 2008 as the party of about 25 people was under way. BJP fired a shot into the face of an 8-year-old girl who answered the door and then systematically targeted relatives of his ex-wife, while seemingly permitting other non-family member guests to flee. BJP later retrieved a contraption which he had come with, that mixed carbon dioxide and/or oxygen with high-octane racing fuel. He sprayed it inside the house and ignited it, resulting to an explosion, completely destroyed the house and its contents including some of the gathered party-goers. Subsequently, BJP drove to his brother's home in a neighbouring city of Sylmar where he shot himself to death. However, before committing suicide, BJP booby-trapped his rental car which later exploded as a bomb squad tried to disarm it.

The stunning thing about this massacre was that BJP had no prior criminal record or any history of domestic violence whatsoever. He was known to his neighbours and friends as a friendly man who always walked his dog and who was also a volunteer usher at the local Redeemer Catholic Church in his city of Montrose, California. So whatever the trigger might have been, it must be so seething indeed to catapult him from his near and almost angelic status to such a savage beast that caused a family to simply cease to exist! Icheoku says that BJP possibly snapped following his just concluded nasty, bitter, contentious and costly divorce battle which he felt, dealt him a bad card unfairly. He couldn't take it and the result was a family that is now completely destroyed and wiped out! What a nightmare before Christmas!

To the intending or soon to be ex-wife, Icheoku says, please do not make the parting so bitter and acrimonious that some very unintended consequence results. Always think about the possible innocent third parties who may be hurt in a feuding war with your ex-husband. But to the so-determined ex-wife to be, while taking your ex-husband to the cleaners, please pause to ponder that he may be just another lunatic like Mr. Bruce Jeffrey Pardo of Covina, California who might come calling with guns and explosives for his jaundiced idea of a pay-back! So in any event, weigh your options very well and advise your actions accordingly and safely.

Play Video Video: New Details Emerge In Covina Massacre CBS 2 / KCAL 9 Los Angeles

Play Video Video: 'Santa Shooter' intended to flee to Canada AP

UMARU YAR'ADUA SAYS, 2009 IS IT!

"Long deferred, the promise of Nigeria shall not continue to remain just a potential. It will soon be redeemed. Our season of renewal has dawned". With these fighting words, President Umaru Yar’Adua of Nigeria promises to wake up from his slumber to start tackling the myriad of problems facing Nigeria. Whether Mister Slowman, the Sloth finally wakes up from his election-fraud induced stupor is a yet to be determined occurrence, which only 2009 will prove; but Icheoku will always keep an eye on him particularly on his promise of democracy-dividend for Nigerians.

President Umaru Yar'Adua pledged a renewed pace in governance and accelerated delivery of critical infrastructure to Nigerians in the coming year 2009; adding that many of his outstanding inaugural promises will also be fulfilled. Principal among which are his long anticipated power emergency plan, electoral reform and the oil and gas sector reform.

President Umaru Yar'Adua also thanked Nigerians for their patience and support for his administration to which Icheoku retorts that Nigerians were not patient but were merely confused, waiting to see if death or the Supreme court could put an end to his rudderless presidency. Now that the Supreme court has failed to act and death seem to have taken a hike (Umaru Yar'Adua appears to be recovering), Mr. President will now see the true colours of Nigerians, whose silence he misconstrued for patient and support. Icheoku says, Umaru Yar'Adua, BE PREPARED!

Continuing President Umaru Yar'Adua said that the challenges facing Nigerians may seem daunting, but that these problems are not beyond Nigerians as a people. Nigerians inflexible tenacity, their incredible passion for excellence and resilient search for a better future mark them out as a people. They are part of their national heritage to which Icheoku says these can only be said of Southern Nigeria as their Northern counterpart are simply antithesis to all the above nicely encapsulated attributes.

According to President Umaru Yar'Adua, this yuletide period is both a time for celebration and reflection; patronising Nigerians further he said that as Nigerians engage in this annual rite of renewal, that he wish them bountiful festive season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Further that as he joins Nigerians in celebrating God‘s wondrous gifts to them as a people and in embracing the New Year with renewed hope, he also joins them in reflection: not just on the past year, but also on his government's responsibilities to Nigerians. To the last limb of this statement, Icheoku says those responsibilities are legion and have been largely ignored; they remain mere hope. A cardinal responsibility of the government which is has almost been forgotten under President Umaru Yar'Adua, is the security of lives and properties of Nigerians which is now nearly non-existent! Hope this gives Mr. President, a head-start!

Icheoku says that she will be one voluntary watch-dog of President Umaru Yar'Adua 2009 promise to Nigerians. We shall keep him honest! We shall keep an eye on him! Our only regret is that Umaru Yar'Adua did not include a proviso to his 2009 firm offer to fix all that is broken in and about Nigeria. A reasonable and rational being with the chequered health-history of Umaru Yar'Adua would have included in his statement, provided my health improves and allows me to be a functioning president instead of trying to govern from various hospital beds around the world. In any event however, we shall see what changes in 2009 or will it be just another bone thrown to the dogs for distraction. Only time will tell, President Umaru Yar'Adua! Have a happy holidays.

NUHU RIBADU, FIRED!

We are breaking our holidays to announce that the new Nigeria Mafia Don, James Onanefe Ibori has fulfilled his third, in a four-prong promise to Nuhu Ribadu. At last this man who stood up against corruption in Nigeria, although lopsided, has been let go from the putridly-corrupt Nigeria police force, courtesy of James Onanefe Ibori, picture right here in suit. James Onanefe Ibori is the nemesis in chief of Nuhu Ribadu and the 9 billion naira he allegedly sunk in the presidential campaign of Umaru Yar'Adua has bought him unquestionable access and power in Nigeria. Nuhu Ribadu is now his victim number 1.

First James Onanefe Ibori promised Nuhu Ribadu that he will remove him as the chairman of EFCC and it came to pass. Second, that Nuhu Ribadu will be demoted from his Assistant Inspector General of Police position to deputy Commissioner of Police and it came to pass. Third, that he, Nuhu Ribadu, will be dismissed from the police and it has also now come to pass. Icheoku is now axiously waiting for the fourth promise that he, Nuhu Ribadu will be imprisoned to also come to fruition. Three out of four cannot be just a lucky chance and were it a prophet that predicted it, he/she would have his church thronged over-night like a bee-hive. Anybody still in doubt, including Nuhu Ribadu, of the ability of James Onanefe Ibori to bring about a promised cause of action needs to visit a shrink. The implication is that either Umaru Yar'Adua is absolutely corrupt himself or his indebtedness to James Ibori cannot be amortized in a safe and reasonable manner anyway, otherwise why should he stand silently yoked to this atrocious misbehaviour against Nuhu Ribadu?

It says a lot about the complicity of the very sick man of Katsina, Umaru Yar'Adua who pretends ignorance while encouraging his minions to have their devilish ways in Nigeria. Like the fabled Shehu Shagari's ignorance of the notorious escapades of Umaru Dikko in the 80's, today Umaru Yar'Adua is playing possum while the likes of fraudster James Onanefe Ibori is grinding Nuhu Ribadu up in a wood-chirper. If this leprechaun cannot govern Nigeria, can someone please ask him to resign or better still make him do so; or are Nigerians waiting for the sky to literally collpase on them before they would rise up against the institutionalisation of full-throttle evil in that country? Today it is Nuhu Ribadu but whose turn shall it be tomorrow or who knows for whom the bell tolls next? However and ironically though, there is a seeming good in this chastisement of Nuhu Ribadu, that for once a northerner is at the recieving end of corrupt and powerful men-induced trauma in Nigeria! It sounds more like a pop-fiction that in Nigeria, a northern mallam is being hounded by a southerner mafia? That appears really very cool in a country where these northern mallams have been parading themselves as demi-gods over the years since independence and dishing out their venomous torture on the rest of Nigerians to their hearts delight and with unrepentant arrogance. How the tide turns?

However, everybody in Nigeria especially the current men of power including James Onanefe Ibori, Mike Aodonkaa and Mike Okilo should look at the travails of Nuhu Ribadu and learn a prudent lesson therefrom on the triviality and ephemeral nature of power. The yesterday's man of power, Nuhu Ribadu has been reduced to a mere chicken-prey of today, by the newest power-brokers in Nigeria and the vicious circle goes on and on, round and round. Icheoku says it is a culture of inbred corruption in a society where criminals are crowned traditonal rulers; where criminal 419 operators are members of national and state houses of assemblies; where a fraud such as David Mark is the senate president and a democracy-subjugator Umaru Yar'Adua is the president! So what does one really expect from such awful society but a place where crimes are rewarded and honesty is punished just like the case in hand of Nuhu Ribadu!

Icheoku lays all the blame and responsibility for all Nuhu Ribadu's troubles culminating to his final sacking from the Nigerian police force, squarely on the desk of the weakilng Umaru Yar'Adua since as the president, all the buck stops on his desk. Umaru Yar'Adua is fully seised of all the trappings of Nuhu Ribadu saga and to pretend otherwise is ludicrous. Umaru Yar'Adua is a cold-hearted corroborator who previously corroborated with Olusegun Obasanjo to truncate democracy in Nigeria. Were that mega-drama of Nigeria "selection 2007" to be a penal criminal case, Umaru Yar'Adua would have been charged and found guilty of recieving stolen property - the presidency, which Olusegun Obasanjo stole from Nigerians and gave to Umaru Yar'Adua for keeps. This assertion is with all due deference to the abracadabra of the Nigeria Supreme court decision validating the mandate.

Anyway, goodluck Mr. Nuhu Ribadu as you await your promised prison sentence; but if Icheoku were to advise you, we urge you to immediately take flight out of Nigeria now; as the brave general is that general who comes back from war to tell his tales. Should you be stubborn and eventually find yourself in prison, you will not escape the fate which befell MKO Abiola. They will kill you off; so do not let them have their way, run for your dear life as he who fights and run away, lives to fight another day. Please Nuhu Ribadu, do not tempt the devil! Do not push your luck - now is the time to run for your life! Seek political asylum somewhere safe! Do it now!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU!

To our teaming world-wide audience, Icheoku says, have a very happy holidays! Whether you are a Christan, a Jew, an African, a Buddhist, a Muslim or a Pagan, it is that season of the year when loved ones are sincerely thought about. It is that season of the year when gifts are exchanged between loved ones. It is simply put, the season of giving in appreciation of what we received during the year which is drawing to a close. Whether it is Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or any other thing you may be celebrating, we say enjoy!

Icheoku will be taking a few days off for the holidays, and except in the event of a major breaking news or event to warrant our immediate take-on, we shall see you next year, probably with President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony commentaries. We also wish to thank you for making Icheokudotcom one of the fastest growing commentary-based website of our times and pray that you continue to make us your companion during the coming year, 2009.

Until then, have a jolly fun-filled holidays and may the new year 2009 bring a lot of joy to you, your family & friends. May all that you could not accomplish this passing year come through in the new year and make you a happy, fulfilled person. Salute! Ciao! So long! Arios! Bye-bye!

AFRICAN DESPOTS, ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!

Guinea’s long-time dictator, President Lansana Conte, is dead, dead as a door-knob! Conte, who took power in a military coup after the death of his predecessor, President Sekou Toure in 1984, died Monday December 22nd, 2008 at the age of 74 years of yet to be disclosed illness. It is widely known that this despotic general who strong-armed Guinea for about 24 years, was a lifelong chain-smoker and suffered from a litany of health problems including chronic diabetes, leukaemia, heart-condition and stomach ulcer. Icheoku says if non of these ailments killed him, at least death did and finally, his iron-grip of Guinea has come to an end. Like the way of all despots, Conte is no more!

Born in 1934 in the town of Moussayah Loumbaya, about 70 kilometres (43 miles) from the capital Conakry, Conte went through military training in Senegal and Ivory Coast before being enlisted in the French army. He served in the French army in Algeria, and left with the rank of sergeant when Guinea gained independence in 1958. He then worked his way up the ranks of Guinea's army, becoming captain in 1971 and later commander of the northern region of Boke. He took part in the independence war in neighboring Guinea-Bissau and his reputation as a man of rigour and integrity earned him the prestigious promotion to deputy chief of staff. For all his 24 years in power, Conte only succeeded in putting his tiny West African country of about ten million people, in the words of Captain Moussa Davis Chisapt Camara, in a state of "deep despair". What a legacy indeed!

Guinea, the bauxite mineral-rich but very impoverished country has been ruled by only two men since her independence from France in 1958. Just Conte and Toure! Conte came to power in 1984 through a military coup, following the death of President Sekou Toure, who had ruled Guinea since independence. Following the death of Conte, some other military adventurists in Guinea led by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, pictured here right in a beret, has purportedly taken over government in yet another military coup de` tat.

But reacting to the alleged military coup in Guinea, Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua condemned it, warning that “any government that emerges by undemocratic means will not be recognised,” to which Icheoku retorts, was it a democratic process that enthroned you, Umaru Yar'Adua? No one in the world takes Nigeria's Umaru Yar'Adua's democratic gospel serious because of the undemocratic manner he was smuggled into office in Nigeria by Olusegun Obasanjo led cabal; hopefully this Guinea military officers will not be an exception.

Mr. Conte's health and his undisclosed illness has been an issue of national debate in Guinea for so many years. Rumours of his death surfaced periodically, including in 2003 when he was forced to go on national television to deny them. Icheoku says here, Conte shared the same trait with Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua who will not tell nor disclose the nature of his health condition and the illness which is afflicting him almost to near incapacitation.

Also just recently, the editor of a local newspaper in Guinea was arrested after publishing a picture of the frail Conte struggling to stand up. A spokesman for the president went on television to lie to the people of Guinea that their Conte was not ill. The newspaper was ordered to print a photograph of Conte, showing him in a "very good health". Here again, Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua learned very well from the now dead master and Nigeria's Independent Newspapers is today at the receiving end of Umaru Yar'Adua's anger for refusing to distort the fact and not retracting its Umaru Yar'Adua's health-scare story.

Like the dead Conte, Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua, is flying to different overseas hospitals for treatment because of the comatose medical facilities in Africa; and like all atypical African leaders they do not care enough for their people to develop health-care facilities at home. Yet this privileged accessible health-care could not save him from death, the end of all beginning! Death has visited and Conte has joined his ancestors, story finished!

Icheoku does not care either way about the exit of this despot but pray that other sit-tight African despots like Egyptian Mubarak, Libya's Ghaddaffi, Omar Bongo of Equatorial Guinea and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe take a serious look at the kind of legacy they intend to live behind at their final call. Mother Africa is crying tears of sorrow over the type of inept leadership forced on her by heartless despots, which has led to her stunted growth ever! To the people of Guinea, the death of Lansan Conte should be seen as an opportunity to fix what was broken and hopefully you will find a true leader who really cares about Guinea and her people!

THEONESTE BAGOSORA, THE IDI AMIN DADA OF RWANDA!

Blood-thirsty African-leaders? First it was Idi Amin of Uganda; Charles Taylor of Liberia; Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Basher of Sudan and now a former senior defence official of Rwanda has been convicted of instigating Rwanda's 1994 genocide and sentenced to life in prison. His name, Theoneste Bagosora!

The African bloody-beast, Mr. Theoneste Bagosora masked in a suit left, led a very maniacal committee that plotted the massacre of ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus during the genocidal Rwandan war that claimed the lives of more than 800,000 Tutsis.

Bagosora, 67, and the two senior military officers were found to have organised, trained and armed the Interahamwe militia, which was responsible for most of the killing. His committee was also responsible for drawing up a list of Tutsis and moderate Hutus who opposed their vision of an ethnically pure Rwanda. Mr. Thoeneste Bagorosa was so maniacal that the Canadian General Romeo Dallaire, head of UN peacekeepers in Rwanda at the time, described him as a "known extremist" and the "kingpin" behind the genocide!

Bagosora assumed control of military and political affairs in Rwanda when the former President Habyarimana died when his plane was shot down in 1994 - the catalyst for the genocide. On the morning of 7 April, Bagosora in person is said to have given the order to a group of Interahamwe in Rennera to begin the extermination of the Tutsi civilian population. On this same day, he reportedly ordered Major Ntabakuze (Commander of the “Batallion Para-Commando”) Major Nzuwonemeye (Commander of the “Batallion de reconnaissance” - see "related cases"), and Lieutenant-Colonel Nkundiye ( former Commander of the Presidential Guard) to start the massacres. In addition he was said to have given the order to military groups, including units of the Presidential Guard and the “Bataillon Para-Commando”, to go ahead with selective killing of people whose names were on a list. Still on the same day, radio channels broadcast a communiqué from Bagosora inviting the population to stay home and await further instructions. This communiqué was said to have simplified the task of the military and the militias in eliminating the Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

On 11 April 1994, the military (which included units of the Presidential Guard and the Interahamwe) surrounded the Official Technical School to force out numerous Tutsis who had sought refuge there. Bagosora was reportedly at this location at the same time. After a forced march of two kilometres, the refugees were slaughtered by these military and militia units. From April until July 1994, Bagosora participated, with officers of the General Staff of the army, in daily meetings at which they were kept informed of massacres perpetrated against the Tutsi civilian population. They took no measures whatsoever to put a stop to these massacres, refusing categorically to intervene. In April 1994, Bagosora is said to have given the order to transfer funds from the National Bank of Kigali to Gitarama by the “Bataillon de reconnaissance”. Furthermore, he is reported to have negotiated arms purchases (from South Africa amongst others) in the name and for the account of the government. He is said to have continued, after he fled Rwanda (in summer 1994) to travel throughout Africa in order to purchase arms to fuel the Rwandan genocide. Considered to be the “mastermind of the genocide”, Bagosora was above all accused of having participated in the planning, preparation and execution of a plan which permitted a great number of atrocities to be perpetrated during the genocide. These crimes were committed by himself, by persons to whom he gave assistance or by his subordinates, either through his awareness of them or his acquiescence in them. Bagosora lived in Yaoundé from July 1995 until his arrest on 9 March 1996.

Icheoku says Mr. Theoneste Bagosora is another example of a black-eye for Africa! Gladly enough he has been put away for the rest of his natural life and in the solitary environment of the prison, he will pine away, tormented by the spirits of those he sent to their untimely gruesome end. Theoneste Badosora will be haunted by all the dead of Rwanda which he heralded. That hatred of another will so boil over as evidenced by this monster Theoneste Bagosora, to exterminate the lives of others is unfathomable. Our gratitude goes to the men of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), sitting in Tanzania, who convicted Theoneste Bagorosa and pray that their decision will discourage other lunatics of Africa from embarking on such blood-letting orgy in the future. Icheoku hopes also that the other African mad-man at Khartoum Omar Bashir, has been placed on notice by this decision as his genocidal action in Darfour has since been taken judicial notice of.

Profile: Col Theoneste Bagosora

LUCKY IGBINEDION, A CONVICT!

Icheoku says, what a welcome first step, the conviction for corruption of the erstwhile governor of Edo State, Nigeria, Mr. Lucky Osawaru Igbinedion! The take-home lesson here, is that for once a Nigerian ex-public official has been held accountable for the sins of official corruption. Bravo to the judiciary that made this possible and our thanks to the EFCC, the agent-provocateur!

As for the sentence of just fine and forfeiture without any prison term, Icheoku says it is acceptable to us; as the imperative here is that for once a hitherto deemed untouchable, fraudulent public official has been convicted of official corruption in Nigeria. Lucky Igbinedion, the scion of the powerful Igbinedion ESAMA family of Okada, Benin-Edo State, Nigeria is now a convicted felon! Lucky was not lucky this time and has been held responsible for his criminal corruption.

Precisely the former governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion, was on Thursday December 18th, 2008 convicted by the Federal High Court, sitting in Enugu for neglecting to disclose a bank account in the asset declaration form of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after he left office. Lucky Igbinedion was ordered to repay the sum of N3,579,524.16, being part of the proceeds of his official corruption, in a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) account number 4124013983110 back to the government. The court also ordered that Lucky Igbinedion's held company, Kiva Corporation pay a fine of N500 million for the N100 million stolen from Edo State Government. In addition, the court ordered that Lucky Igbinedion's Kiva Corporation winds up as required by law with all its assets forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria pursuant to Section 18 (2) of the Money Laundering Act. It also ordered Lucky Igbinedion to forfeit a landed property in Abuja, two plots of land in Benin City, a home of four bedroom apartments with boys' quarters, and another storey building and a bungalow.

But the EFCC in rejecting the sentence said it is believes that the essence of a plea bargain is not only for suspects to forfeit the proceeds of crime but that such should go with a sentence which will serve as deterrence. The Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs Farida Waziri while instructing the commission’s counsel to file an appeal against the verdict said, "the commission will rather go the long way of prosecution than to settle for a plea bargain verdict that has no bite or will not serve any deterrence purpose."

Icheoku says that the court's order is an agreeable very good first-step in the right direction; but that it should have made its order of forfeiture to benefit Edo State government, being the rightful victim of Lucky Igbinedion's pillage. However the judgment-properties may be distributed, the lesson of this verdict is that today a king who does not know Joseph has risen and called for rendering of accounts. Today, Lucky Igbinedion is a convict, a simpleton, a common-criminal, a 419 fraudster who defrauded his home state in breach of his fiduciary duty of trust, being the governor then. Lucky Igbinedion cannot vote nor be voted for anymore in any election in Nigeria, now that his criminal past has finally caught up with him. It is a standing rule of democracy that criminals like Lucky Igbinedion do not participate in the electoral process. Whether he can even have a driving licence is arguable. Icheoku believes that Lucky Igbinedion stashed away several other undiscovered looted millions of Naira somewhere, but the essence of his trial was not to impoverish him but to hold him responsible for official corruption! So, many thanks to the EFCC and the judiciary for a job well done! One down, many more to go!