N4Billion Loan: Former LG Chairmen Threaten To Expose Amaechi (DETAILS)

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi

Fear of imminent arrest has propelled some former Rivers State Local Council Chairmen loyal to the All Progressive Congress, (APC) to threaten to reveal how they spent the N4 billion agricultural loan released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

According to a political organisation, Support NEW 2015, the recent stance of the Rivers State judicial commission of inquiry on the alleged embezzlement of the funds may have set the council chairmen and the former Commissioner for Agriculture; Emma Chinda against their boss; Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

The former chairmen who claimed that they were merely used as conduits to siphon these funds, said they were stunned at the figures, dished out by the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture.

The Asari Toru Cooperative Society said it only received N13.5 million Naira grant as against the N54.8 million Naira which the Ministry of Agriculture claimed it received .

In a similar vein, the chairman of the Port-Harcourt Cooperative Society, Nnamdi Uche said: “Though I was asked to sign for N134.6 million Naira, what actually got to me was N34.3 million Naira grant, and when I asked for the balance, the commissioner for Agriculture said that was what the governor (Mr. Rotimi Amaechi ) approved for me.”

Furthermore, the chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government cooperative, Hon. Augustine Ahiamadu, vehemently stated that he would not allow himself to be punished for a crime he did not commit.

He said “I will not perish for a crime committed by another person. If I’m invited by the commission, I will save my head. You can’t believe I got a paltry sum of N5 million Naira out of the N64.3 million Naira I was asked to sign. This is wickedness.”

It was gathered that other APC former local government chairmen are threatening to testify and expose Amaechi, before the Judicial commission of inquiry to avoid arrest and possible prosecution.

Meanwhile, the former Commissioner for Agriculture, Emma Chinda and the LG chairmen failed to honour the invitation by the judicial commission of inquiry probing into the alleged embezzlement.

Their action propelled the panel to issue a warning for their arrest if they fail to appear before them on Friday, August 28, 2015.

After Shooting, Alleged Gunman Details Grievances in ‘Suicide Notes’

Ex-Employee Caught in Connection to On-Air Shooting

A man claiming to be Bryce Williams called ABC News over the last few weeks, saying he wanted to pitch a story, and wanted to fax information. He never told ABC News what the story was.

This morning, a fax was in the machine (time stamped 8:26 a.m.) almost two hours after the shooting. A little after 10 a.m., he called again, and introduced himself as Bryce, but also said his legal name was Vester Lee Flanagan, and that he shot two people this morning. While on the phone, he said authorities are “after me,” and “all over the place.” He hung up. ABC News contacted the authorities immediately and provided them with the fax.

In the 23-page document faxed to ABC News, the writer says “MY NAME IS BRYCE WILLIAMS” and his legal name is Vester Lee Flanagan II.” He writes what triggered today’s carnage was his reaction to the racism of the Charleston church shooting:

“Why did I do it? I put down a deposit for a gun on 6/19/15. The Church shooting in Charleston happened on 6/17/15…” 

“What sent me over the top was the church shooting. And my hollow point bullets have the victims’ initials on them."

It is unclear whose initials he is referring to. He continues, “As for Dylann Roof? You (deleted)! You want a race war (deleted)? BRING IT THEN YOU WHITE …(deleted)!!!” He said Jehovah spoke to him, telling him to act.

Later in the manifesto, the writer quotes the Virginia Tech mass killer, Seung Hui Cho, calls him “his boy,” and expresses admiration for the Columbine High School killers. “Also, I was influenced by Seung–Hui Cho. That’s my boy right there. He got NEARLY double the amount that Eric Harrisand Dylann Klebold got…just sayin.'"

In an often rambling letter to the authorities, and family and friends, he writes of a long list of grievances. In one part of the document, Williams calls it a “Suicide Note for Friends and Family."


He says has suffered racial discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying at work

He says he has been attacked by black men and white females

He talks about how he was attacked for being a gay, black man

“Yes, it will sound like I am angry...I am. And I have every right to be. But when I leave this Earth, the only emotion I want to feel is peace....” 

“The church shooting was the tipping point…but my anger has been building steadily...I’ve been a human powder keg for a while…just waiting to go BOOM!!!!”

EXCLUSIVE - Caught on camera: The moment Russian serial killer 'cannibal Granny Ripper' carries the severed head of her victim downstairs in a SAUCEPAN

Tamara Samsonova, 68, is suspected of murdering 11 people in Russia

Accused of severing the head of her final victim and hiding it in a saucepan

CCTV footage shows her carrying the pensioner's 'head in a cooking pot'

So-called 'Granny Ripper' kept a depraved diary detailing 10 more killings

'Mild mannered' Samsonova drugged or poisoned her victims, it is claimed

This is the chilling moment a pensioner, dubbed 'Granny Ripper', leaves a flat carrying the severed head of her last victim in a saucepan.

Shocking CCTV pictures show alleged Russian serial killer Tamara Samsonova holding the cooking pot as she walks downstairs of an apartment block in St Petersburg, Russia.

Samsonova, 68, is suspected of murdering 11 people and eating them.

She was arrested last month after human limbs and other body parts were found strewn around her neighbourhood.

Samsonova has confessed to killing 79-year-old Valentina Ulanova, for whom she was a carer, and using a hacksaw to cut up her body, it is reported in Russia.

She is said to have carried the dismembered body parts belonging to Mrs Ulanova out of her apartment block in plastic bags, put her victim's severed head into the cooking pan and carefully carried it downstairs.

Police in Russia have still not found the head or the saucepan, which may have been thrown in the rubbish and taken to landfill.

Granny Ripper carries severed head of victim in saucepan

Gruesome: CCTV footage caught serial killer Tamara Samsonova (pictured), 68, carrying a saucepan which is said to contain the severed head of one of her victims down the stairs

Hiding the evidence: Footage shows her carrying the saucepan, with the head inside, down the stairs of her apartment block in St Petersburg, Russia

Graphic violence: Samsonova (pictured) confessed to killing Valentina Ulanova, whose head she hid inside a saucepan, and hacking her body parts off with a saw

Murdered: She allegedly killed Mrs Ulanova in her apartment block (pictured) in St Petersburg and then hid the head and saucepan somewhere

Caught on camera: Samsonova is also believed to have dumped her pensioner victim's body parts in plastic bags around St Petersberg

'Granny Ripper': Samsonova kept depraved diaries in which she detailed her many killings and described how she ate her victims' body parts

Victim: The police have yet to find the decapitated head of her final victim Valentina Ulanova (pictured), 79, whose head was inside the saucepan

The grainy footage - obtained exclusively by MailOnline - shows the pensioner at one pointing put down the pan on the steps before opening the external door and taking it outside.

When police raided Samsonova's flat they discovered a grisly diary, written in three languages, where the former hotel worker had apparently confessed to ten more killings over a 20 year period.

Detectives are investigating whether her rambling diary entries link to suspicious deaths in the city.

Police records show that at least two diary entries, in which she confessed to the murders of two male lodgers, appear to be genuine, they have said.

They are also investigating whether she cooked and ate human organs from her victims.

Natalia Fedotovskaya, friend and neighbour to Mrs Ulanova, told MailOnline: 'The head which she took out in the saucepan is not found yet.

'I know that police brought Tamara Samsonova here to search for it, and she was taken around the area with policemen. This was in the first days of August, after her arrest.

'Later, rumours started appearing that Valentina's head had been found not far from the local school, but this is not true.

'I think police spread this rumour because they want people here to calm down and stop thinking about this head.

'In fact, it is very likely that she threw this saucepan with the head into the garbage skip, which is usually taken away on a Saturday morning.

Scene of the crime: Samsonova was taken back to the grounds of the St Petersburg apartment block (pictured) to help search for the severed head in August

Unhelpful: It is understood that Samsonova, seen searching for the head with police, is not fully cooperating with the authorities

Accused: Samsonova (pictured) was arrested last month after human limbs and other body parts were found strewn around her neighbourhood

'So it seems the head has gone with the skip. It will be hard to find it now.'

Several days ago, Mrs Fedotovskaya attended keen gardener Mrs Ulanova's funeral, she said.

'We buried her body parts without the head, which hasn't been found,' she said, adding that they had been neighbours for 40 years.

'Poor Valentina, I hope she will rest in peace.'

Police had 'allowed the burial, but not a cremation, because they may need to exhume her remains later', she added.

A police source said this week they were 'not keen to discuss the matter' of the victim's severed head.

It is understood Samsonova is not fully cooperating with officers.

Mrs Fedotovskaya said the saucepan in the CCTV footage appeared to be from Mrs Ulanova's kitchen.

Her friend had used it to make homemade soups.

Meanwhile, Marina Krivenko, 53, a neighbour of the alleged killer, said: 'I do believe she committed all these horrible murders right on the other side of my wall.'

Despite this, she said: 'I can't remember a single case when she was aggressive. No hint of it. She never even even spoke in loud voice.

'I try to explain it to myself, and I think it was some kind of call she heard in her head from time to time which made her kill.'

Two of her other alleged victims were her male lodgers.

'I keep thinking about those tenants,' she went on.

Tamara Samsonova arrested on serial killer charges in Russia

Chilling: Samsonova (pictured) blows a kiss to reporters from inside court before telling them: 'I knew you would come'

Home: MailOnline has obtained footage which shows the pensioner dubbed the 'Granny Ripper' leaving Mrs Ulanova's apartment block (pictured) with the saucepan

Identified: A neighbour of Samsonova's final victim has said the saucepan in the CCTV footage appeared to be from Mrs Ulanova's flat (front door pictured)

'We often saw either young men or women who lived in her flat.

'And now police says some of them are missing. I know nothing is proved yet, but I can't stop thinking all this was happening just on the other side of my wall.'

Mrs Krivenko was previously quoted suggesting that Samsonva may have modelled herself on notorious Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, aka the 'Red Ripper', who was executed in 1994.

He was the Soviet Union's worst ever 'maniac', a bloodthirsty 'vampire' who murdered, sexually assaulted and cannibalised at least 55 in a reign of terror stretching over a dozen years.

This psychopath violated the bodies of his victims, chopping off their tongues, bursting their eardrums, and gouging out their eyes which, he feared, had logged his image.

The neighbour said Samsonova was 'very interested in maniac Chikatilo', according to reports in St Petersburg.


Detained: Samsonova (centre), who is suspected of murdering 11 people, was arrested last month after human limbs and other body parts were found strewn around her neighbourhood

Confession: In a grisly diary, written in three languages, the former hotel worker (right) appeared to admit to other killings over a 20 year period

'She gathered information about him and how he committed his murders,' she said.

Samsonova 'was also obsessed with black magic literature', she claimed.

There are also concerns that Samsonova's husband, who disappeared around ten years ago, could be another victim.

One of the bags of Mrs Ulanova's remains lay in the bushes near the apartment block.
I killed my tenant Volodya, cut him to pieces in the bathroom with a knife, put the pieces of his body in plastic bags and threw them away in the different parts of Frunzensky district
Tamara Samsonova

Dogs started sniffing it, said neighbours.

'I found out later that the contents of the bag were human remains,' said a local man called Mikhail.

'The rest were scattered all over the neighbourhood,' he said.

Samsonova's diary - kept under wraps by police - was written in Russian, English and German.

Reports say the police see the diary as a 'puzzle' which they are seeking to decipher.

The diary also includes poems, songs, lyrics and her thoughts on life.

But one macabre passage that has been released reads: 'I killed my tenant Volodya, cut him to pieces in the bathroom with a knife, put the pieces of his body in plastic bags and threw them away in the different parts of Frunzensky district.'

Neighbours say Samsonova was strange, but they are shocked that she has confessed to being a killer.

Usually she remained at home during the day, only venturing out at night.

Her technique was to poison or drug victims, it was claimed.

'Granny Ripper' filmed 'carrying dismembered body parts'


Mystery: Police are investigating whether a diary kept by Samsonova links up to to suspicious deaths in St Petersburg


Shocked: Pictured is the front door of suspected serial killer Tamara Samsonova. Her neighbour said: 'I do believe she committed all these horrible murders right on the other side of my wall'

When they were comatose she started backing them into pieces, police believe, but neighbours never heard screams or any other unusual sounds from her flat.

Senior investigator in St. Petersburg, Mikhail Timoshatov, said of the Ulanova case: 'Tamara Samsonova says that at first she made her friend sleep - and then cut her into pieces.'

Sources in Russia's powerful Investigative Committee, equivalent of the FBI, indicated internal organs, in particular lungs, were removed from the bodies of victims.

Asked if she was a cannibal, a police source said: 'It is not excluded.'

Samsonova was detained after the headless body parts of Mrs Ulanova was found near a pond on Dimitrova Street in St Petersburg.

A headless, armless and legless man's body was found on the same street 12 years ago, and evidence found in her flat, including a business card for the victim, links her to the crime, as do the diary entries mentioning the man's tattoos, say police sources.

during a sudden argument,' said a police statement.'The woman is incriminated in the murder of her tenant, a 44 year old native of Norilsk, who was renting a room in her apartment, on 6 September 2003, during a sudden argument, said a police statement.

'After that she dismembered his body and took it outside.'

She has admitted at least one more murder to police, another tenant whose dismembered body was dumped in plastic bags around Frunzensky district of the city.

In court after being remanded in custody until next month Samsonova told assembled journalists: 'I knew you would come.

'It's such a disgrace for me, all the city will know.'

Later she blew a kiss to the reporters.

The Mail

Virginia shooting: Gunman filmed moment he shot TV journalists

The video shows the gunman raise his weapon before opening fire on presenter Alison Parker as she interviews Vicki Gardner on live TV

A gunman who shot dead two TV journalists filmed the moment he murdered them.

Alison Parker, 24, and Adam Ward, 27, were gunned down during an interview at a shopping centre in Virginia this morning.

The 41-year-old suspected shooter, identified as Vester Lee Flanagan II, was believed to be a disgruntled former employee of the TV station, say police.

He shot and killed himself after a police pursuit.

A shot of the gunman was caught as the camera fell to the ground (Picture: WDBJ7)

Moment gunman opens fire during live TV broadcast

Vester Flanagan AKA Bryce Williams (centre) with Alison Parker and boyfriend Chris Parker

Parker and Ward were murdered during a live segment from the Bridgewater Plaza, near Smith Mountain Lake, at around 6.45am local time

Vicki Gardner, the local chamber of commerce director who was being interviewed, was shot in the back and taken to hospital.

Sickening footage filmed by the gunman shows him raise a handgun as Parker conducts the interview.



Unaware of their impending fate, he lowers the weapon and pans the camera around, before raising it once moment and firing.

The gunman then appeared to post on Twitter saying he filmed the shooting and uploaded it to Facebook.

He made comments about his unhappiness with the TV station.

Metro

Alleged N1trn diversion: Senate Committee walks out EFCC officials

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

Mr Ibrahim Lamorde

***Iam disappointed in the Senate, Lamorde cries out, begs for more time

SENATE Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions at its sitting, Wednesday, to hear a petition against the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde over allegation that the Commission fraudulently diverted over N1trillion proceeds of corruption recovered by the anti-graft agency, walked out the Representatives of the Commission.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, PDP, Imo who announced that the Director, Legal of the EFCC, Chile Okoroma, representative of Lamorde, Barrister Osuagwu Ugochukwu and other staff of the EFCC should leave the hall against the backdrop that having written to be given enough time, ought not to have been present at the meeting.

Anyanwu’s action came when Okoroma made frantic efforts to respond to the petitioner, Mr. George Uboh who had alleged that Lamorde under remitted the money he recovered from some Nigerians as well as traded with the money.

Lamorde was however absent as Chairman of the Committee read a letter where the EFCC boss pleaded for enough time to respond to the issues raised by the petition.

Meanwhile, Lamorde’s representative, Barrister Ugochukwu who spoke to Journalists shortly after he was walked out along side others, said that the EFCC boss asked him to represent him( Lamorde) at the hearing, just as he expressed his disappointment on the Senate Committee.

Details later

Vanguard

Politics: Akpabio’s rejection of EFCC probe “declaration of war” against Nigeria – APC

Godswill Akpabio

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom State chapter, has said that the position of Senate Minority Leader and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, on the decision by the Senate to probe the alleged diversion of over N1trillion of stolen funds recovered from looters by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, is “a declaration of war on not just President Muhammadu Buhari but on Nigeria”.

The Senate committee on Ethics and Privileges is investigating Mr. Lamorde, after it received a petition from George Uboh, the Chief Executive Officer of an Abuja based firm, Panic Alert Security Systems, the EFCC boss of fraud amounting to over N1 trillion.

In his reaction through a statement signed by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Mr. Lamorde said he had no fear for the Senate probe or “request for information regarding its activities by individuals, groups or organs of government; so far as such requests followed due process of law”.

But the PDP Senate Caucus, in a statement signed by Mr. Akpabio and other principal officers belonging to the party on Monday, advised the Ethics committee to shelve the probe.

“The PDP leadership in the Senate is not against any committee of the Senate performing its oversight duties and or functions but we feel that this is not the appropriate time to embark on the most important assignment, particularly since the same action was mooted and had failed at previous plenary session.

“We therefore urge the committee to suspend its public hearing on this particular matter until further notice,” they said.

In its response, on Tuesday, the APC said the rebellion against the planned probe by the PDP caucus in the Senate “on the orders of Akpabio is a litmus test to the Buhari led administration to prove that it is ready and determined to fight corruption, irrespective of who is involved”.

The party also said the objection to the planed probe of how over N1trillion said to have been recovered from a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; and a former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun was diverted by Lamorde, in connivance with other EFCC officials thereby short-changing the Federal Government in the remittance of funds and property recovered “is a perfect opportunity for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to choose whose side of the divide he belongs”.

“We find it hypocritical for Akpabio to say that his PDP led minority caucus in the Senate is not against any committee of the Senate performing its oversight duties but feel that this is not the appropriate time to embark on the most important assignment.

“We hereby state categorically and for the records that now than ever is the best time to probe not just the N1trillion diversion but also how Akpabio himself as Emperor of Akwa Ibom between 2007-2012 looted over N4 trillion,” the APC said.

It added: “Akpabio’s call on the Senate committee to suspend its public hearing on this uncommon fraud until further notice is the highest degree of legislative irresponsibility by the PDP Senate Minority Leader and goes further to show the world the character and mindset of the calibre of some people who temporary smuggled their way into the National Assembly to make laws for Nigerians. It is ridiculous that Mr. Akpabio could play to the gallery by asserting that Nigerians need peace at this period of economic challenges precipitated by the falling of oil prices and actions when in reality the greatest threat to national peace and security is any attempt by any person or group of persons to undermine the efforts of the government to bring to book the likes of Mr. Akpabio and his co-travellers who looted the state with great impunity”.

The party called on the president not to treat Mr. Akpabio’s threat to National peace and stability and his conspiracy “to undermine the administration’s war against corruption” with levity but to rise up to the challenge of giving the anti-corruption crusade the attention, urgency and political will it deserves if the change he promised Nigerians is to be realised.

The party also called on the Senate President, Mr. Saraki, to prove that he is on the side of the government and the Nigerian people or be ready to face a mass revolt from the masses.

The APC appealed to the president to overhaul the EFCC for greater efficiency and effectiveness, noting with dismay that a situation where by the head of such a strategic anti-corruption agency is in itself corrupt, shows the corruption war is dead on arrival.

The statement called on the Presidency to go all out to probe Messrs. Lamorde and Akpabio and bring them to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

“We want to use this medium to remind Akpabio that the era of impunity is over, likewise the era where stealing and looting of public funds was considered a directive principle of state policy as was witnessed in Akwa Ibom in the last eight years. Rather than dissipate energy over a lost battle, we urge Akpabio to go and defend his election before the tribunal,” the party added.

PT

Fatal accident on Lagos-Ore road leaves many dead (Graphic pics)

Full load of God is Good motors this morning collided with a Dangote truck heading to Lagos. The commercial bus was from Lagos heading to the East when it got involved in a head on collision at Ore Sagamu Expressway with the truck that was heading to Lagos. All passengers in the bus died.. and the photos are sad and very graphic so be warned. More photos after the cut...

       
       
        

Lindaikeji Blog

Virginia TV reporter, photographer killed in shooting during live interview -CNN

Virginia TV reporter, photographer killed in shooting during live interview

Alison Parker's mentor gets choked up remembering her

General manager: 'Devastated' over Virginia shooting

Video posted to Facebook shows gunman approach journalists with gun drawn before firing
Reporter Alison Parker was "rock star"; photographer Adam Ward engaged to marry, colleagues say
Two local TV station employees killed during a live interview near Moneta, Virginia, station WDBJ-TV says

(CNN)Police are seeking a former WDBJ-TV reporter in connection with the shooting deaths of a reporter and photographer on live television Wednesday, a representative of the Augusta County Sheriff's Department said.

Vester Flanagan is driving a 2009 gray Ford Mustang, the sheriff's representative said, stopping short of calling Flanagan a suspect.

Flanagan worked at WDBJ as a reporter for about a year using the on-air name, Bryce Williams, according to a former WDBJ employee.

Flanagan was fired from the station, though the reason was not made public, the ex-employee said.

It is believed that Flanagan is still in the Virginia area, a law enforcement source briefed on the search said.

Two videos posted on a Twitter account under the name, Bryce Williams, show someone walking up to the WDBJ news crew and pointing a gun at them.



Another tweet says, "I filmed the shooting." The Facebook and Twitter account were suspended shortly after the tweets.

One of the videos shows the gunman approaching WDBJ reporter Alison Parker and photographer Adam Ward as Parker conducted a routine interview about a local story outside Moneta, Virginia.

Ward's back is to the gunman. Parker is in profile, and the interviewee is facing the gunman. The shooter appears to take his time aiming the gun, presenting it and then withdrawing it, before composing the angle of his video. He opens fire on Parker first. Both Parker and the interviewee scream.

On air, the audience saw the camera fall to the ground and caught the briefest glimpse of a man who appeared to point a gun toward the downed cameraman.

The station cut away to a shocked anchor, Kimberly McBroom, back in the studio.

Parker, 24, and photographer Adam Ward, 27, were killed at Bridgewater Plaza near Moneta, the station reported later.

Ward's fiancée was in the control room and saw the shooting, WDBJ General Manager Jeff Marks told CNN.

The woman being interviewed, Vicki Gardner, executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, was shot in the back and is in surgery, said Barb Nocera, the chamber's special projects manager said.

The gunman is believed to have fired six or seven times, Marks said.

He remains on the loose. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has joined in the manhunt, while the ATF and FBI are participating in the investigation. Area schools are on lockdown.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe told WTOP radio in Washington that the suspected gunman may be a disgruntled employee of the TV station.


Authorities know the identity of the man believed to be the shooter, a law enforcement official told CNN.

"We do not know the motive," Marks said. "We do know the Franklin County sheriff ... they are working very diligently to track down both the motive and the person responsible for this terrible crime against two fine journalists," he said during the station's coverage of the shooting.

"Our hearts are broken," Marks also said. "We have people walking around here in tears, lots of hugs."

McBroom described Parker as a "rock star" and said, "You throw anything at that girl and she could do it."

After photographer Adam Ward was shot, he managed to capture a brief image of the suspected gunman.

Another journalist at the anchor's desk said Ward was engaged to be married to morning show producer at WDBJ, Melissa Ott, and Ward recently told her, "I'm going to get out of news. I think I'm going to do something else."

Ward joined WDBJ in 2011 after graduating from Virginia Tech with a degree in communication and media studies, according to his Facebook page. He enrolled at the university in 2007, the same year a gunman went on a deadly rampage, leaving 32 people dead.

In April, days before the eighth anniversary of the campus massacre, Ward changed his Facebook profile photo to an image of the Virginia Tech logo with a back ribbon.

Parker was the morning reporter for the Roanoke station and a native of Virginia, having spent most of her life outside Martinsville. She started with WDBJ as an intern, her biography on the station's website says.

She previously worked with another CNN affiliate, WCTI-TV, in Jacksonville, North Carolina, near Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

She was a graduate of James Madison University's School of Media Arts and Design in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Chris Hurst, a reporter for the station, tweeted that he and Parker "were very much in love" and had just moved in together after dating nine months, "the best nine months of our lives. We wanted to get married. We just celebrated her 24th birthday."

He continued, "She was the most radiant woman I ever met. And for some reason she loved me back. She loved her family, her parents and her brother."

Hurst described himself as "numb."

Parker and Ward worked together every day, Hurst tweeted. "They were a team. I am heartbroken for his fiancee," he wrote.

"You know, you send people into war zones, you send people into dangerous situations and into riots, and you worry that they are going to get hurt. You send somebody out to do a story on tourism and -- how can you expect something like this to happen?" Marks told CNN.

A local pastor, "a friend of the newsroom," is at the station, consoling Parker's and Ward's co-workers, he said.

CNN's Jason Hanna, Lee Smith, Ashley Fantz, Carol Costello, Brian Stelter and Mariano Castillo contributed to this report.

Migrant crisis: 'Scores of bodies' found on Libya boat

The Swedish coastguard ship Poseidon, pictured after a migrant rescue operation earlier this summer, is part of an EU-led mission in the Mediterranean

About 50 people have been found dead in the hold of a boat carrying migrants intercepted off the coast of Libya, the Italian coastguard says.

About 430 people had been rescued alive from the boat, a spokeswoman told Reuters news agency.

The rescue operation was carried out by a Swedish vessel, Poseidon, working with the EU's Frontex border agency.

Thousands of migrants have died and many thousands more have been rescued after setting sail from Libya recently.

Wednesday's rescue operation was one of 10 such missions currently taking place in the waters off Libya, the Italian coastguard spokeswoman said.

Smugglers based in Libya are believed to be taking advantage of calmer seas to send more boatloads of migrants towards European shores.

European officials have described the plight of migrants, almost 250,000 of whom have crossed by boat to the continent this year, as "beyond urgent".

So far this year, more than 2,000 migrants have died trying to cross the sea to Europe, the UN says.

BBC

LASU senate has nothing to do with students’ mass failure – Authorities

Entrance of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo , Lagos.

Authorities of the Lagos State University (LASU) on Wednesday said that the non-sitting of the institution’s Senate was not responsible for students’ mass failure in General Studies (GNS) and some other courses.

Prof. Kabir Akinyemi, the Dean, Students Affairs, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the problem with the result ought to have been rectified by the former director of the GNS unit.

“The Senate had reduced the GNS courses from six to four, while collapsing two courses; but the same content was still used by the lecturers.

“So, the problem is that the changes were not reflected in the university’s internet platform.

“All the students need do, is to get the right code for the courses, to assess their result.

“ Senate sitting has nothing to do with mass failure,” he said.

Akinyemi said that some of the students actually failed, but were just making a case out of nothing, to blame the new director of the unit.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of LASU’s Students Union (LASUSU), Mr Adebanjo Fatai, told NAN that over 400 students had registered their names on the list for the mass failure.

Fatai said that since the result had already been uploaded on the university’s website, no solution was within the purview of the director for GNS, except with the Senate.

“It is only the senate that can sit to reconsider and upgrade the result before it is approved.

Nigeria: Suicide bombers kill Air Force officer in Maiduguri

Boko Haram

Witnesses say two suicide bombers killed an Air Force officer at a checkpoint in a late-night attack in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri.

They blamed the attack on Boko Haram Islamic extremists responsible for a slew of such attacks that have killed hundreds this year in Nigeria and neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
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Tuesday night’s explosion occurred hours after Nigeria’s military ordered officers to report for duty to a new multinational army based in N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, to launch a long-delayed offensive against Nigeria’s home-grown insurgents.

A self-defense fighter said a lieutenant died and a woman was injured when two suicide bombers approached a checkpoint and one exploded. He insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

Orubebe is a disgrace, afraid of probe – Oshiomhole

*Orubebe

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says former Minister of the Niger Delta, Mr Godsday Orubebe is afraid of President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned probe of several billions of naira squandered on the East-West road and on the Amnesty programme under his watch as Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, adding that this is the basis for his latest outburst in the media.

The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria said the incompetence of people like Orubebe contributed to the dismal failure of the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan.

He said: “Our attention has been drawn to the latest outburst of one clown called Godsday Orubebe in his attempt to taint the image of the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

“It is no surprise that the former president, Goodluck Jonathan failed woefully because he surrounded himself with such charlatans as Godsday Orubebe, whose only credential is his ethnic origin and the large size of his bowler hat. 

“Here was a man whose un-ministerial conduct at the election nearly plunged the nation into an avoidable crisis 

“Does Orubebe really think Nigerians are fools, does he truly believe Nigerians have forgotten so soon the ignoble role he played in his attempt to truncate the release of the election results and announcement of the eventual winner of that election, a move which could have plunged the nation into another civil war? 

“Is it not a shame that Orubebe who should be cooling off his heel in jail for that failed plot to truncate democracy has now found a convoluted voice? 

“We are not surprised at the timing of Orubebe’s latest outburst. It is no doubt unconnected with the planned probe by President Muhammadu Buhari of the billions of naira allocated to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, even as the East-West road remains in bad shape and the probe of the fleecing of amnesty funds under his watch.
“We are aware that Orubebe, the perpetual noise maker has raised the decibel of his noise a notch higher so that he would have a ready-made defence of witch-hunting if he is indicted in the planned probe of Amnesty funds. 

“Orubebe is a yesterday’s man. We could have chosen to ignore him like his Delta brother, Mr. Sunny Onuesoke, an unknown entity who doesn’t know the arithmetics of financing, but decided to delve into a matter of a World Bank loan, something completely beyond his mental and intellectual capacity, but we simply can’t let Orubebe have the last say. 

“We are not unaware that it has now become the fad for drowning and neophyte politicians to take cheap shots at the impeccable character of the Comrade Governor just to gain cheap publicity. However, Orubebe’s image, as he himself knows, is beyond redemption. 

“Is it not laughable that Orubebe, the clown, accused Oshiomhole of biting the fingers that fed him? Pray, how did Jonathan feed Oshiomhole? Did he feed Oshiomhole by supervising over a government that fleeced the nation of trillions of naira, thereby denying Edo State her rightful share of funds for development? Or did he feed Oshiomhole by canvassing votes for him! 

“Our candid advice is for Orubebe, a perpetual failed Governorship aspirant, to go to his family and apologise for the irreparable damage done to the family name with his infamous outburst beamed live to the whole world, before coming forward to confront Governor Adams Oshiomhole who is not in any way in the same class as him. 

“It is no wonder that Nigeria was at a state of near collapse until President Muhammdu Buhari came on a rescue mission and rendered people like Orubebe irrelevant. 

“Never again will characters like Orubebe take us on the path of Golgotha; never again will they hold sway in the affairs of Nigeria and ruin the collective aspiration of the people.”

Vanguard 

Can you guess which country smokes the most cannabis?

Perhaps this is why mums really go to Iceland.

The country ranks the highest in the Europe and north America for people getting off their faces on pot.

A new series of maps, created by Recovery Brands, reveals that Iceland has the largest proportion of cannabis users with between 160 and 190 people smoking spliffs per 1,000 adults.

The drug isn’t even legal in the country – although anyone found with the drug given a fine rather than face jail.

It is believed the reason for the high usage of the drug is due to the price of alcohol being high, due to beer only being legalised 25 years ago.

Surprisingly, The Netherlands doesn’t even make it onto the top five in the list – despite marijuana being decriminalised. The UK meanwhile has between 40 and 70 people every 1,000 who like to spark up some dope.

The maps show Spain has the highest number of cocaine users



Opiates such as heroin and morphine are used the most in north America



North America also has the most users of amphetamine-type stimulants



And Norway has the highest number of alcohol drinkers



Spain is considered a gateway for drugs to enter Europe, due to its 1,864 mile-long coastline, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCCDA) said, going some way to explain its prevalence in the country.

And almost 94 per cent of banknotes have traces of the drug.

The data in the maps is based on date collected by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) between 2003 and 2014.

(Picture: Rex Shutterstock)

Metro