Nigeria says young women made sex slaves

ABUJA, Nigeria, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Nigerian officials say they have found thousands of young women working in brothels in Mali, lured there by the promise of European jobs.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons said many of the brothels are operated by Nigerian women, the BBC reported Wednesday. The agency said officials who made an exploratory trip to Mali last week found hundreds of operations, some of them with as many as 200 prostitutes.

"We are talking of thousands and thousands of girls," Simon Egede, the agency's executive secretary, told reporters in Abuja.

Egede said officials believe there are 20,000 to 40,000 young Nigerian women in Mali. He provided no information about how those estimates were made.

While Nigerian officials said they are working with their counterparts in Mali to halt the traffic and bring the women home, officials in Mali have made no comment.

Source:http://www.upi.com

Israel denies apartheid South Africa nuke talks

Israel "has never negotiated the exchange of nuclear weapons with South Africa," its president's office said Monday, after a British newspaper claimed such talks had taken place.
The Guardian published what it said were previously secret South African documents saying the two countries' defense ministers had discussed the possible Israeli sale of nuclear weapons to the apartheid-era state in 1975.
The newspaper said the documents were the first written proof that Israel had nuclear weapons.
Israel has always refused either to confirm or deny that.

Shimon Peres, pictured left in 1976 during his tenure as Israeli defense minister.

But Monday, President Shimon Peres' office issued a statement saying, "There exists no basis in reality for the claims published this morning by the Guardian that in 1975 Israel negotiated with South Africa the exchange of nuclear weapons.
"Unfortunately, The Guardian elected to write its piece based on the selective interpretation of South African documents and not on concrete facts," the statement said.
Peres was defense minister at the time of the alleged negotiations, and the Guardian says his signature is on one of the memos.
Part of that memo has been blacked out, but a part that is visible mentions "all information, know-how and materials," then has several words blacked out, followed by "schematics, plans and drawings supplied or transmitted... in the course of negotiations or in pursuance of any of the aforesaid agreements."
Much of the rest of the visible part of the document is about keeping the agreement secret. It makes reference to an "Annex A," which does not appear in the Guardian article.
The document, posted with others on the Guardian's website, is apparently signed by South African Defense Minister PW Botha and dated April 3, 1975. A signature appearing to be Peres' is not dated.
The document is stamped "Top Secret" and "Declassified 2006-05-30."
Another memo, apparently bearing Peres' signature and published on Israeli Ministry of Defense stationery, thanks South African Information Secretary E.M. Rhoodie for his "great efforts" in ensuring successful meetings between Israel and South Africa in December 1974.
The document says a "vitally important cooperation between our two countries has been initiated," but does not go into details.
A third document purports to detail talks between Botha and Peres.
Botha asks for "the correct payload" and Peres tells him it is "available in three sizes," according to the South African minutes of the meeting.
The documents -- all South African -- were obtained by a researcher, Sasha Polakow-Suransky, for a book on the close relationship between the two countries, the Guardian says in its article by Washington correspondent Chris McGreal.
The book, "The Unspoken Alliance: Israel's Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa," is due to be published Tuesday, according to Amazon.com.
Israel said the newspaper did not seek Israeli official comment before publishing the article.
Israel has long been assumed to have about 200 nuclear warheads.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com

Nigeria ex-governor James Ibori 'freed on bail'

James Ibori has already been acquitted of multiple corruption charges
Nigerian political powerbroker James Ibori has reportedly been freed on bail in Dubai, where he was arrested on corruption charges.

The former governor of oil-rich Delta state is accused of stealing $290m (£196m) by Nigeria's EFCC anti-corruption agency.

He has had to surrender his passport to ensure he does not leave the country, officials say.

The UK and Nigeria want to try him on corruption charges, which he denies.

Last month, a group of Mr Ibori's supporters attacked police and prevented them from arresting him in his home town of Oghara.

Some Nigerians are asking how he managed to leave the country and travel to Dubai.

Mr Ibori's spokesman Tony Eluemunor and an unamed Dubai police official said the former governor had been freed on bail.

He is a senior figure in Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) and played a key role in the 2007 presidential election victory of Umaru Yar'Adua, who died last week.

New charges

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) head Farida Waziri told the BBC that Mr Ibori had been arrested on Wednesday following the intervention of the international police agency Interpol.

It is not clear whether he will face extradition to Nigeria or the UK.

"We are consulting on the next line of action, whether the Metropolitan Police will want him to stand trial there in London. We also have a case here pending against him," Mrs Waziri said, reports Reuters news agency.

She also said that the EFCC wanted to press new charges against him, without giving any details.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed it wanted Mr Ibori to face trial in in the UK.

In 2007 a London court froze UK assets worth $35m (£21m) allegedly belonging to him. His annual salary was less than $25,000.

He had already left the UK when his assets were seized.

He was first arrested in Nigeria in December 2007.

Two years later, a court in Asaba cleared him of 170 charges of corruption, saying there was no clear evidence to convict, sparking the anger of the EFCC.

Under Nigeria's federal system, state governors enjoy wide powers.

Those running oil-rich states have budgets larger than those of some African countries.

They enjoy immunity from prosecution while in power, but several have faced corruption charges since leaving office after the last election in 2007.


Source :www.bbc.co.uk

Nigeria most wanted James Ibori, has been arrested in Dubai.

One of Nigeria's most influential and wealthy politicians, James Ibori, has been arrested in Dubai.
The former governor of oil-rich Delta state is accused of stealing funds worth $290m (£196m) by Nigeria's EFCC anti-corruption agency.
Last month, police were attacked by Mr Ibori's supporters while trying to arrest him in his home town.
For years, he has denied corruption allegations but is also wanted by police in the UK.
He is a senior figure in Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) and played a key role in the 2007 presidential election victory of Umaru Yar'Adua, who died last week.
New charges
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) head Farida Waziri told the BBC that Mr Ibori had been arrested on Wednesday following the intervention of the international police agency Interpol.
He is currently in custody but it is not clear whether he will face extradition to Nigeria or the UK.
"We are consulting on the next line of action, whether the Metropolitan Police will want him to stand trial there in London. We also have a case here pending against him," Mrs Waziri said, reports Reuters news agency.
She also said that the EFCC wanted to press new charges against him, without giving any details.
In 2007 a UK court froze assets allegedly belonging to him worth $35m (£21m). His annual salary was less than $25,000.
He had already left the UK when his assets were seized.
He was first arrested in Nigeria in December 2007.
Two years later, a court in Asaba cleared him of 170 charges of corruption, saying there was no clear evidence to convict, sparking the anger of the EFCC.
Under Nigeria's federal system, state governors enjoy wide powers.
Those running oil-rich states have budgets larger than those of some African countries.
They enjoy immunity from prosecution while in power, but several have faced corruption charges since leaving office after the last election in 2007.
Source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Son of Nigeria's Abacha challenges Swiss $350m order

An appeal by the son of Nigeria's ex-ruler Sani Abacha against a court order to return $350m (£236m) in illegally gained assets has begun in Switzerland.

General Sani Abacha may have stolen more than $2bn when in office

Abba Abacha was also convicted of being a member of a criminal organisation and given a suspended custodial sentence.
Switzerland began investigating the Abacha family in 1999 and has so far handed back about $700m to Nigeria.
Nigerian state lawyers believe Sani Abacha, who ruled from 1993 until his death in 1998, may have stolen $2.2bn.
The appeal started on Monday at a court in Geneva, officials say.

However, Swiss newspaper LeTemps reports that Mr Abacha, who is currently in Nigeria, would not be attending the hearing.
He was refused a visa to come to Switzerland because he did not apply for it in time, the newspaper says.
The Swiss authorities pursued Abba Abacha for six years before extraditing him from Germany in 2005.
He was finally convicted by a court in Geneva in November 2009.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk

Five Locals Contest in UK Polls

Five Nigerians are among the hundreds of contestants vying for seats in the British parliament as the country goes to the polls today.Among those vying for a seat in Parliament is Abiodun Akinoshun, who is standing as an independent candidate in Erith and Thamesmead constituency.

 

Also vying for seats are Chuka Ummuna, a Labour candidate for Streatham, Helen Grant, Conservative party candidate for Maidstone and the Weald, Kemi Adegoke, Conservative Party for Dulwich and West Norwood and Chi Onwurah, Labour Candidate for Newcastle Central.

Speaking in London, Helen Grant promised to initiate various development programmes in her constituency if elected.

"We need real change, to create a stable economy, restore jobs, unshackle our businesses, strengthen families, and form a safer more just society, one that respects and protects its citizens, especially the elderly.

"If I am elected as the next MP I will strive to achieve the changes we need with conviction, drive and determination and I will serve with integrity, honesty and sincerity," she said.

Kemi Adegoke, who is seeking to represent Dulwich and West Norwood constituency, promised to provide effective representation for his constituence if elected.

Chi Onwurah, a Labour party candidate for Newcastle Central, said she felt honoured to be selected as a candidate.

"I was honoured when the local members of Newcastle Central Labour Party, selected me to fight the next general election," she said.

She pledged to use her experience in business and technology "to place Newcastle at the centre of a new green revolution".

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