UPDATE ON AREPO: Deceased, his family are into illegal bunkering – Police

Reuben...

Hello Friends!

The officer in charge of Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit, Friday Ibadin,spoke with ENIOLA AKINKUOTU on Sunday on the pipeline explosion.

What are the challenges police are facing as regards pipeline vandalism in the area?

You heard what the governor said, if we can have proper platforms as well as swamp boogies, we will be able to patrol the area effectively but because the area is swampy and there are no platforms, it is hard to police it (area).

How many suspects have you arrested so far?

We arrested three suspects; one Sunday Reuben, Bimiwe Akpasimore and a medical doctor, Odusina Adegboyega, who was conveying Reuben to a hospital for treatment.

Is there cooperation from the villagers as regards pipeline vandalism?

In Arepo, pipeline vandalism is like a family business. Reuben’s father was one of those arrested for the murder of the three officials last year while his mother actively involved in the pipeline vandalism that caused the explosion on Saturday.

What is the situation now?

Reuben died on Sunday morning at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital but Akpasimore is still at the emergency ward at the hospital and the doctor is claiming that he has no case to answer because he was honouring his Hippocratic oath but investigations are ongoing.

Will more arrests be made?

Most of the survivors have fled. When we visited the area again, we saw some bodies floating. We also recovered a camouflage jacket but we are still carrying out surveillance because some of those hoodlums may still be around.

Culled from The Punch Nigeria.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

Mr SexyBack is back! Justin Timberlake releases new single Suit and Tie...

Suit and Tie: Justin Timberlake released his latest single Suit and Tie on his website on Sunday night...

Hello Friends!

Justin Timberlake has released his first new single since 2006 after making a highly anticipated return to music. 

The star returned to his roots, as he called it, on Sunday with a new track called Suit and Tie.

In recent years, the talented 30-year-old starred in a series of high grossing films, including the award winning Facebook biopicThe Social Network; created a popular high fashion clothing line called William Rast; and married his long time girlfriend, Jessica Biel.

But he is once again focused on music, co-writing and co-producing the single with Timbaland, who produced much of the 2006 Grammy-winning FutureSex/LoveSounds.

In an open letter to fans, Justin announced that the song will be on an upcoming album called The 20/20 Experience, due out later this year.

Justin had been coyly hinting at the announcement, starting with a series of cryptic tweets on Wednesday and a video of himself in the studio on Friday.

The social media saavy singer created a new website to host his surprise - countown.justintimberlake.com - as well as a number of Twitter hashtags, including #AreYouReady, #JT2013, #SuitAndTie and #YouNeverKnow.

Classy: The upbeat jam, which features Jay Z, has disco, soul and jazz influences
At precisely midnight on Friday he timed a tweet, which read, 'To whom it may concern...I think I'm READY! #JT2013'
The tweet led to his new website, which only featured countdown so Sunday night and a video of himself titled 'I'm ready.'
Just hours before the reveal, the former N'Sync member tweeted links to his site, saying, 'Can't wait. Too stoked! #SuitAndTie'

High note: The star shared a video of himself back in the studio

Upon opening the site, fans are greeted with a video of the new single, Suit and Tie, which features Jay Z.
Showing only an image of a man's torso wearing a black suit and matching bow-tie, the song starts off slow with Justin and Timbaland repeating the song title with a slow and light drum beat.
The tune then takes a more funky and soulful beat, bringing in disco influences with a touch of trumpets and glittering piano notes with Jay Z rapping the chorus.

Didn't know what to expect: Justin said he went into the studio with no expectations

Along with the video, Justin also posted an open letter for fans to read: 'Back in June of last year, I quietly started working on what is now my next journey with that thing I love called music.'
The letter continued: 'The inspiration for this really came out of the blue and to be honest, I didn't expect anything out of it. I just went into the studio and started playing around with some sounds and songs.

'It was probably the best time I've ever had in my career... Just creating with no rules and/or end goal in mind.'

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

Gaga under fire over her assault-rifle bra: Singer performs with plastic guns just a month after Sandy Hook shooting...

Lady Gaga...Going Gaga...

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She once wore a dress made out of strips of beef and has also angered critics with a pink-dyed fur stole. Now Lady Gaga has courted further controversy by wearing a bra with plastic assault-rifles for cups on stage. 

It comes only a month after gunman Adam Lanza shot dead 20 children and six teachers at Sandy Hook junior school in Connecticut.

Singer Lady Gaga has worn a black bra with plastic assault rifles in each cup during her latest tour in North America

The 26-year-old singer has been seen in the outfit during the North American leg of her Born This Way Ball tour. 

She teamed the bizarre bra with military green trousers and platform boots at a concert in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday.

Lady Gaga is involved in a bitter feud with Sharon Osborne, who has criticised the singer for wearing fur and raw meat.

Mrs Osborne said she was ‘sickened’ when she saw Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress at the 2010 MTV Music Video Awards. ‘When I see you wearing fur, and using it as a fashion statement, the fact that defenceless animals have been killed so you can get your picture in the press is abhorrent to me,’ she said in a letter to the singer.

‘ Shouldn't you be teaching your “little monster” fans to respect animals and life?’

But Lady Gaga has defended her outfit choices, saying: ‘I am choosing not to comment on whether or not the furs I purchase are faux fur-pile or real. You see a carcass, I see a museum pièce de résistance.’

'She's the reason I'm standing here': Underdog Ben Affleck praises wife Jennifer Garner as Argo scoops top Golden Globe honours after Oscars snub....

Ben Affleck at the Golden Globes on Sunday after his film Argo won Best Motion Picture Drama. He also scooped the Best Director gong...

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His Iran hostage thriller Argo was a surprise best drama winner at Sunday's Golden Globes, beating out the Civil War epic Lincoln, which had emerged as an awards-season favourite.

Argo also claimed the directing prize for Ben Affleck, a prize that normally bodes well for an Academy Award win - except he missed out on an Oscar nomination this time.

And as he took the stage to claim the prizes, there was one woman to whom he had immense thanks for supporting him throughout the trials of its production: his wife, Jennifer Garner.

Victory is his! It was a double win for Ben Affleck at the Golden Globes on Sunday after his film Argo won Best Motion Picture Drama. He also scooped the Best Director gong...

Tribute: Jennifer looked bashful as Ben credited her for his success...

Loving couple: Affleck grabbed Garner for a quick kiss, and thanked her when he made his speech for Best Director

'I want to thank my wife who is the reason why I'm standing here,' he said after giving her a kiss and claiming the prize.

'I adore you. I love you so much. Thanks for sitting through this. You are my everything. Thank you,' he added. 

Affleck's now in an unusual position during Hollywood's long awards season, taking home the top filmmaking trophy at the second-highest film honors knowing he does not have a shot at an Oscar.

And the night left Argo taking home the top prize at the Globes but standing as a longshot for best picture at the February 24 Oscars, where films almost never win if their directors are not nominated.

Cast call: Affleck with the cast and crew of Argo, including George Clooney, far right, and producer Grant Heslov holding the award onstage

In a breathless, rapid-fire speech, Affleck gushed over the names of other nominees presenter Halle Berry had read off: Steven Spielberg for Lincoln, Ang Lee for Life of Pi, Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty and Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained.

'Look, I don't care what the award is. When they put your name next to the names she just read off, it's an extraordinary thing in your life,' Affleck said.

Luckily Garner, who presented an award after her husband's win, was able to thank some people Affleck forgot to mention.

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

xoxo

Simply Cheska...

Pastors encouraging corrupt leaders – Bakare...

Pastor Tunde Bakare...

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Convener, Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has accused some church leaders in the country of aiding and abetting corruption.

The Serving Overseer of The Latter Rain Assembly also said some churches not only encourage and harbour corrupt individuals, but also receive ill-gotten money from them.

He said this while delivering a speech in preparation for the first anniversary of the Occupy Nigeria Protest in Lagos on Sunday.

He said, “The church has failed the nation. Worst oppression is going on in the churches today. Most churches encourage corrupt leaders by failing to tell them the truth and collecting their money.”

Speaking on the theme, ‘Corruption and the Soul of the Nation’, the lawyer regretted that corruption had robbed the country of the chance to realise its potential.

He said, “It cripples a nation’s character and drains her of substance. We are confronted daily with news and reports of executive corruption in high places, assaulted with a legal system that has long lost respect for the sacredness of justice.

“We have resorted to worshipping and preserving certain sacred cows and even their sires. We have a social system that makes a mockery of a country and her feeble efforts at self-reclamation to the end that even her entire existence becomes a running joke.

Arepo: Bodies of vandals float on creeks...

Bodies of vandals float on creeks...

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The bodies of four suspected vandals were found at the scene of Saturday’s pipeline explosion at Arepo, Ogun State on Sunday.

The bodies, which were found in the swamp around the explosion site, had little sign of burns.

Even though the fire had reduced when our correspondents got to the scene on Sunday, emergency workers said the situation was still precarious as there was need to completely put out the fire.

Spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, said evacuation of the bodies would begin later on Sunday.

He said, “Our assessment show that more bodies will still be inside the swamp. This is why we cannot give a specific number of casualties at the moment.

“Two of the bodies found seemed to have floated up from the water. It is likely that more bodies may float later. But we will start the recovery of the bodies found as soon as Red Cross officials and medical team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation arrive.”

Farinloye said there was a technique that could be applied to make the bodies of other casualties that had sunk in the water to float.

He, however, explained that it was necessary for the state in which the pipelines were domiciled to contribute to tackling the menace of vandalism “instead of shifting blames.”

“The state is expected to mobilise traditional institutions and residents, who know the terrain to assist in intelligence gathering,” he said.

Deputy Manager, NNPC, in charge of Pipeline Rights of Way, Mr. Obinna Otuu, explained at the scene that the repair of the damage on the pipeline would take less than a day.

“Fuel supply through the damaged point has been shut off since Saturday, but the repairs will be concluded before tomorrow (Monday). So, there won’t be any fuel scarcity,” he said.

Otuu, who is in charge of all pipelines in the South-West, said fuel marketers might start hoarding fuel to create scarcity if the pipeline was not repaired on time.

The Man- Aaron Swartz: Defender of the Freedom to Connect..

Aaron Swartz...

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Aaron H. Swartz (November 8, 1986 – January 11, 2013) was an American computer programmer, writer, archivist, political organizer, and Internet activist.

Swartz was a member of the RSS-DEV Working Group that co-authored the "RSS 1.0" specification of RSS, and built the Web site framework web.py and the architecture for the Open Library. He also built Infogami, a company that merged with Reddit in its early days, through which he became an equal owner of the merged company. Swartz also focused on sociology, civic awareness and activism. In 2010 he was a member of the Harvard University Center for Ethics. He cofounded the online group Demand Progress (known for its campaign against SOPA) and later worked with US and international activist groups Rootstrikers and Avaaz.

On January 6, 2011, Swartz was arrested in connection with systematic downloading of academic journal articles from JSTOR, which became the subject of a federal investigation. Swartz disliked the fact that JSTOR charged to access articles but, rather than compensating the authors, JSTOR compensated publishers instead. JSTOR's fees limited access to works produced by America's colleges and universities.

On January 11, 2013, Swartz was found dead in his Crown Heights, Brooklyn, apartment, where he had apparently hanged himself.

Swartz was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Susan and Robert Swartz. Swartz's family lived in Highland Park, Illinois. His father founded a software company, and from a young age Swartz was interested in computing, ardently studying computers, the Internet and Internet culture.When he was 13, Swartz was a winner of the ArsDigita Prize, a competition for young people who created "useful, educational, and collaborative" non-commercial Web sites. The prize included a trip to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and meetings with Internet notables. At the age of 14 Swartz was collaborating with experts in networking standards as a member of the working group that authored the RSS 1.0 Specification. 

Writing inYahoo! News, Virginia Heffernan said about Swartz, "he agitated without cease—or compensation—for the free-culture movement." Swartz attended North Shore Country Day High School, a small private high school in Winnetka, Illinois.