Pakistani Suspect in custody in NY car bomb attack.

A suspect in last weekend's failed car bomb attack onTimes Square was taken into custody late Monday while trying to leave the country, a law enforcement official said.

The suspect, a Pakistani, was identified at midnight Monday at John F. Kennedy International Airport and was stopped, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press early Tuesday on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

The suspect has not been named. He was being held in New York.

Law enforcement officials say the suspect recently returned from a trip to Pakistan and bought the 1993 Nissan Pathfinder used in the failed car bomb three weeks ago and paid cash. The officials spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case.

The SUV was rigged with a crude propane-and-gasoline bomb. It had cheap-looking alarm clocks connected to a 16-ounce can filled with fireworks.

Police said the bomb could have produced "a significant fireball" and sprayed shrapnel with enough force to kill pedestrians and knock out windows.

The SUV was parked on a street lined with Broadway theaters and restaurants and full of people out on a Saturday night.

The SUV was captured on video crossing an intersection at 6:28 p.m. Saturday. A vendor pointed out the Pathfinder to an officer about two minutes later. Times Square, clogged with tourists on a warm evening, was shut down for 10 hours. No one was hurt.

New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne confirmed Monday that investigators had spoken to the SUV's registered owner.

The vehicle identification number had been removed from Pathfinder's dashboard, but it was stamped on the engine and axle, and investigators used it to find the owner of record.

"The discovery of the VIN on the engine block was pivotal in that it led to the identifying the registered owner," Browne said. "It continues to pay dividends."

Investigators tracked the license plates to a used auto parts shop in Stratford, Conn., where they discovered the plates were connected to a different vehicle.

They also spoke to the owner of an auto sales shop in nearby Bridgeport because a sticker on the Pathfinder indicated the SUV had been sold by his dealership. Owner Tom Manis said there was no match between the identification number the officers showed him and any vehicle he sold.

Source: news.yahoo.com

Dele Momodu joins Presidential race

One of Africa’s most famous publishers and THISDAY columnist, Bashorun Dele Momodu, is set to move from publishing to politics. According to sources, the publisher of Ovation International, a leading celebrity magazine, was provoked by the decision of former President Ibrahim Babangida to join the presidential race.

THISDAY checks revealed that Momodu has actually been travelling round the world to mobilise young Nigerians to support what he calls “a mission to clean up Nigeria.” His friends believe he’s one of the few Nigerians who have managed to build “a global brand against very daunting odds.” He enjoys a large following of Nigerian youths on Facebook and Twitter.

Momodu was a major supporter of Bashorun Moshood Abiola’s presidential bid in 1993. He was detained at the Alagbon detention camp, Ikoyi, Lagos, between July and August 1993 for his political activities. In 1995, he was forced into exile by the General Sani Abacha Military Government, and lived in England as a refugee for three years. He was accused of being one of the brains behind the pirate radio station that was attacking the dictatorship in Nigeria, an allegation he denied vehemently.

He started Ovation International during that period, and was a regular Yoruba presenter on the pirate radio broadcast, Radio Freedom, which later became Radio Kudirat, under the pseudonym of Saliu Elenuugboro. He decided to support the pirate radio since he was already punished for being a member of its clandestine operations.
He returned from exile in 1998 and expanded his publishing outfit from England to Ghana and Benin Republic where Ovation International is now translated into French. The widely-travelled publisher has been able to build a larger-than- life image and he has a one-on-one relationship with Presidents, international figures, business gurus, students’ organisations, civil societies and political groups.

When THISDAY contacted him in Ghana last night, Momodu said that there were incredible pressures on him to contest next year’s Presidential election. “My supporters are of the firm belief that Nigeria needs a fresh beginning and that that fresh air can only be guaranteed by someone who has not been tainted in anyway by government office and cannot be accused of pilfering government money,” Momodu said. He added that when he eventually announces his intention to run, “the decision would have been aided by the challenge thrown at us by former President Ibrahim Babangida that he can’t see any young Nigerian who can lead Nigeria out of the current political doldrums which was largely created by him.”

Asked on what political platform he hopes to contest when the time comes, Momodu confirmed that he has been a card-carrying member of Labour Party because his father was an ordinary Nigerian who worked most of his life as labourer.

“Most of the men from my Afenmai tribe of Edo State were labourers, and I come from that proud unionist tradition of dignity in labour and service to humanity.” Also, his growing up in Ile-Ife, Osun State taught him the values of hard-work in an environment where most people were poor.

Bashorun Momodu’s presidential bid is certain to add colour and excitement into a usually dull race because of his firm grip on the entertainment and showbiz industry in Africa.  

Mike Ezuruonye is set to marry his long term fiancée.

Mike Ezuruonye

Mike Ezuruonye, handsome Nollywood actor, is officially engaged to his lover of two years. Ezunronye who told his fans last year that he was ready to quit bachelorhood made good his promise. Mike Ezuruonye who is an investment banker turned Nollywood actor won a lot of award in 2009. He is also Glo ambassador. 

Mike Ezuruonye has been able to manage his fame and celebrity status professionally. He has been able to stay away from baby mama drama.

We wish  Mike and his fiancée the very best in life.

Ekiti Election tribunal: Tension as Ekiti tribunal delivers verdict tomorrow

Mr. Segun Oni and Dr. Kayode Fayemi

Who won the April 25, last year Ekiti State rerun governorship election? The knotty question will be resolved tomorrow, the day the Governorship Rerun Election Petitions Tribunal has fixed for its verdict in the dispute.

A massive security cordon has been thrown around Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, and some major towns, following the notice of judgment.

• 6000 policemen deployed to Ekiti state.

The judgment notice, signed by Tribunal Secretary Polycarp Nwachukwu, has been sent to all parties to the petition filed by the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

The notice reads: "Take notice that the above-mentioned petition has been listed for judgment on Wednesday, 5th day of May 2010 at Court No 1 of Ado-Ekiti High Court at the hour of 9.00am in the forenoon."

The notice is dated May 3, 2010.

Fayemi is challenging the declaration of Governor Segun Oni of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The judgment day marks exactly one year Oni was announced winner of the highly controversial poll.

The first petitioner is challenging the results emanating from six wards of Ifaki 1, Ifaki 2, Usi, Orin/Ora in Ido/Osi Local Government Area and Ipoti A and Ipoti B in Ijero Local Government Area.

The respondents are: Oni (1st), PDP (2nd), INEC (3rd), Resident Electoral Commissioner (4th), Ido/Osi Returning Officer (5th), Ijero Returning Officer (6th), Nigeria Police Force (7th) and Inspector General of Police (8th).

The petitioners (Fayemi and AC) are challenging the result from the six wards because, according to them, Oni was not duly elected by the majority of lawful votes cast and his return was invalid by reasons of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2006.

In all, 47 witnesses gave evidence in favour of the petitioners. Oni had 67 witnesses testifying in his favour. PDP called 31 witnesses. INEC and REC called 32 witnesses.

One witness appeared for the 5th respondent. The 6th, 7th and 8th respondents did not call any witness.

More detachments of riot policemen arrived in Ekiti yesterday.

Police spokesman Mohammed Jimoh said over 6000 policemen are to maintain peace on the judgment day.

Jimoh disclosed that every person and vehicle coming into or going out of the state would be thoroughly searched to prevent illegal importation of arms.

The massive security build-up is not unconnected with the violence that erupted on April 13, when parties to the suit adopted their written addresses.

The mobile policemen, many of whom were drafted from neighbouring states, paraded the streets of Ado-Ekiti in a show of strength to warn potential troublemakers.

Members of the state’s chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), who are on strike, have refuted the claim of the state government that they are being used by the opposition.

Dismissing the government’s allegation in a statement yesterday, JUSUN lambasted the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Affairs, Mr. Dare Ofere, for claiming that their strike had a political undertone.

According to the statement signed by the state JUSUN Chairman, Mr. Michael Ibiyemi, and the Secretary, Mr. Tayo Owolabi, Ekiti court workers described Ofere’s allegation as "spurious", saying the repeated announcement on the state radio and television is "diversionary".

The union said it embarked on the strike, in accordance with the directive of its national body, adding that four of its six state chapters in the South-West are on strike over a similar issue.

The body also challenged the state government to publicise the report of the seven-man panel, if it was sure that it actually implemented its mandate.

The union claimed that Ofere came to the court premises on April 29 and told the chairman and secretary of the union that Oni would be the last governor in the South-West to grant the union’s demands.

JUSUN also refuted the claim by Ofere that the union got wind of the outcome of the governorship petition, saying Ofere, by his conduct and pronouncement during his meeting with the leaders of the union on April 8, actually showed that he had seen the judgment.

According to the union, Ofere had pleaded with its members not to go on strike "so that Governor Segun Oni could collate his appeal document after the tribunal judgment". "Ofere should tell the public how he knew that the judgment would not favour the governor, if he had not got wind of it already," the union said.

Source: www.thenationonlineng.net

Isaac Arowosaye: A Medicaid scam artist and an Ekiti State gubernatorial aspirant

Isaac Arowosaye

The owner of a home health care agency in Orange was arrested Monday on charges he submitted a false application to become a Medicaid provider and fraudulently billed Medicaid for $5 million in services that were never rendered or were authorized with forged physician signatures.


Olasehmdeme "Isaac" Arowosaye, 53, of West Orange, the operator of Be Kind Health Care Services Inc., was charged with second-degree health care claims fraud, third-degree Medicaid fraud and third-degree tampering with public records, according to state Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Riza Dagli,


Arowosaye was arrested as the result of a cooperative investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor and the state Office of the Medicaid Inspector General.


Investigators arrested Arowosaye near his home. They also executed a search warrant and seized records at the offices of Be Kind Health Care Services at 289 Reynolds Terrace. He is being held in the Essex County Jail in Newark in lieu of $150,000 bail.


Be Kind Health Care Services is owned by Arowosaye. The company employs personal care assistants to provide services such as bathing, medical care and assistance with everyday activities to incapacitated patients in their homes.


Be Kind Health Care Services billed Medicaid a total of $4,970,359 for services purportedly rendered between July 2005 and July 2008. However, the investigation revealed that Arowosaye, who is CEO of the company, and Be Kind Health Care Services allegedly billed Medicaid for services that were never rendered, as well as services that were not medically necessary and were authorized by Medicaid based on forged documents.

His involvement in Ekiti State's Politics
Isaac Arowosaye, an Ekiti State gubernatorial aspirant. Isaac's political campaign website, www.isaacarowosaye.com, states that he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Master’s degree in Political science from Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. 


Isaac Arowosaye's flamboyant lifestyle
Arowosaye's campaign website reveals the flamboyant lifestyle that Mr. Arowosaye and his family are living. The cars in their garage are Ferari, Rolls Royce, Bentley and BMW. 





Source: www.newjerseynewsroom.com

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lists el-Rufai’s allottees in Abuja land grab scandal

Mallam Nasir el-Rufai

Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are set to interrogate former Minister of Federal Capital Territory Nasir el-Rufai over sales of government houses and allocation of 51,133 plots of land.

Some of the plots were allegedly allocated to his wives and relatives.

But el-Rufai’s lawyer, Mr. A.U. Mustapha, said the ex-Minister is ready to clear his name.

After several attempts, the EFCC yesterday succeeded in serving el-Rufai a notice of his invitation through one of his friends, Othman.

According to the invitation letter, signed by the EFCC’s Director of Operations, Steve Otitoju, el-Rufai is expected today at 10am.

A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: "Initially, we had it rough serving el-Rufai a letter of invitation on Monday. Each time we went there, the police in his house and the domestic staff said they were told not to receive any letter.

"We eventually got a friend of the ex-Minister to receive the letter and he promised to deliver it to him.

"The EFCC chairman has already raised a team that will interrogate el-Rufai on the allegations against him.

"We are hopeful that the ex-Minister will honour the invitation of this commission as he has always pledged."

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the invitation was delivered to el-Rufai on Monday.

He said: "We are expecting the former Minister on Tuesday."

Another source in the commission said the ex-Minister may be questioned on sales of government houses and allocation of 51,133 plots of land in the FCT during his tenure.

The allegations border on alleged reallocation of a parcel of land, No 1201, in Asokoro District and Plot 3352(Maitama District) by el-Rufai to his wife, associates and a company in which he had vested interest.

Some of the parcels of land were originally designated in the FCT Master Plan for power transmitting sub-station by the Power Holding Company (PHCN) and the Nigeria Postal Service.

A document obtained by The Nation revealed the identities of el-Rufai’s relatives who allegedly got choice plots in Asokoro, Wuse II, Maitama, Jabi, Kubwa, and Utako districts.

On the list are: Hadiza Isma el-Rufai (Plot 3379 Asokoro); Bashir el-Rufai(Plot 1381 Wuse II); Aisha Ahmad el-Rufai(Plot 3376 Asokoro); Ibrahim el-Rufai(Plot 3677 Maitama); Binta Ahmed el-Rufai( Plot 871 Jabi); Hadiza Isma el-Rufai (Plot 1417 Kubwa); Tijani Ahmed el-Rufai(Plot 4062 Bwari); Rufai Hanga (Plot 1132 Utako); Ali Rufai (Plot 3861 Asokoro); and Sani Ahmed Gwadu (Plot 363 Utako).

The ex-minister had appeared before the Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, which investigated the sale of all Federal Government houses in Abuja, demolition of structures, revocation of titles and concession of properties between 1999 and 2007.

The Committee, led by Senator Abubakar Danso Sodangi, indicted the el-Rufai.

But el-Rufai went to court to challenge the panel’s report.

The EFCC arraigned el-Rufai before a Federal High Court, Abuja on an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office.

Speaking with The Nation last night, el-Rufai’s counsel, Mr A.U. Mustapha, said: "The ex-Minister does not have anything to hide. As a matter of fact, it was el-Rufai that wrote the EFCC on his readiness to appear before the commission whenever it is convenient for them.

"If as a counsel my client can ask me to write, what does he have to hide? He is not hiding anything; he is ready to answer any allegation. We are ready for the EFCC; we will be with the commission on Tuesday.

"Also, el-Rufai will be in court on Thursday in respect of the charges against him."

el-Rufai accused the EFCC of shifting the allegation against him from N32billion missing funds to N1.6billion.

He explained why he would honor the EFCC’s invitation, in a statement by his media consultant, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, in Abuja.

The statement accused the EFCC of mounting a campaign of falsehood and innuendo against el-Rufai.

The statement said el-Rufai would be in court on Thursday, which is the next adjourned date for the case the Federal Government has filed against him (FRN v. El Rufai; ABJ/CR/60/2009), pending before Justice Bello. "There is no need for precipitate haste on the part of the EFCC to arrest him on this matter," it said.

It said el-Rufai would like the "vexed issue of N32 billion" addressed. Hence, he went to court to seek its declaration that no such funds went missing under his watch. "The EFCC has been misleading public opinion on this matter by persistently insinuating that it has evidence that N32 billion is missing from the proceeds of the sale of public houses.

"After two years of lying, it is now saying that only N1.6 billion is missing. There is no doubt that the perverse fiction that contrived the tale of N32 billion, then shrank it to N1.6 billion, will ultimately collapse and be displaced by the fact that no such funds disappeared. Malice can only go so far!" the statement said.

It went on: "This N32 billion saga was supposed to be the trump card in the failed attempt to destroy el-Rufai. It first reared its head during the Senate committee hearings on the FCT in 2008.

"But because there was no substance to it, the allegation did not even feature in either the committee’s final report or in the decision of the entire Senate on the committee’s report.

"The government had in late 2008 also announced that it had recovered the said monies from the banks in which el-Rufai’s successor as FCT minister had placed them.

"The next adjourned date for this matter, el-Rufai v. EFCC & 12 ORS (FHC/ABJ/CS/69/08) is 14 June 2010, and Mallam el-Rufai would be there on that day as well."

Source: www.thenationonlineng.net

David Boreanaz Admits Cheating on Wife

David Boreanaz

Bones star David Boreanaz, 40, is the latest star to confess that he has been unfaithful to his wife of nearly nine years, Jaime Bergman.

"Our marriage has been tainted with my infidelities," the actor tells People.com. "I just want to be open and honest. I was irresponsible."

Boreanaz is coming forward, he says, because a former mistress, whom he declines to name, contacted an attorney and threatened to contact media outlets. He says he's now "working" on his marriage.

Source: www.usatoday.com