Doubts Linger Over Claims Of Boko Haram Leader's Death

A Nigerian military claim that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau was
dead was dismissed as propaganda on Thursday by analysts, who said
that even if true it was unlikely to undermine the militants.

The defence ministry said on Wednesday that Shekau was dead and that
one Bashir Mohammed, killed during recent clashes with troops, was a
lookalike who had been impersonating him in videos.

The announcement was the first time that the military high command had
said Shekau was dead, after refusing to confirm two previous claims
from police and a regional task force in 2009 and 2013.

Ordinarily, news of the wanted terrorist group leader's demise would
make headlines but reaction was muted.

"Military kills Abubakar Shekau 'again'," The Punch, one of only a few
Nigerian newspapers to give the announcement prominence, said in a
front-page headline.

The defence ministry did not disclose how or when the "original"
Shekau died and security experts said they had not provided any
concrete proof.

A photograph purporting to show Mohammed and put forward by the
military to the media as evidence on Wednesday was the same as one
circulating on social media for days, they added.

They also pointed to a precedent for videos featuring Shekau mocking
claims of his death to emerge after the previous claims.

- Shekau 'still alive' -

Ahmad Salkida, a Nigerian journalist who has previously been involved
in peace talks with Boko Haram, dismissed the new claim out of hand.

"Mark my words: I have it on authority that Shekau is well & alive,
the picture going round is NOT the person who torments us with his
group," he wrote on Twitter on September 22.

Alkasim Abdulkadir, from the Nigeria Security Network of analysts,
said Shekau, as spiritual and military commander, would not be
anywhere near the front line of fighting.

"I doubt the veracity of the death of Shekau and the claims by the
army," he told AFP by email.

"However, Bashir, whose pictures have gone viral, is indeed a BH (Boko
Haram) commander but he is not in any way Abubakar Shekau."

Another analyst with close links to security services claimed the
military had seized on online speculation about the photograph and
concocted its theory of a Shekau impersonator.

Nigeria's government last year demanded Boko Haram provide "proof of
life" for its commander before holding any discussion about the
possible release of more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped in April, he
added.

"Acceptable proof" was provided and seen by Nigeria's intelligence
services and President Goodluck Jonathan, he indicated, adding: "There
is no elaborate deception going on at BH's end.

"The Abubakar Shekau who was (Boko Haram founder) Mohammed Yusuf's
right-hand man is the very same person who has appeared in all the
videos BH has put out."

Ryan Cummings, of Red24 risk consultants, said the claims were likely
part of military propaganda.

Top brass have recently been trumpeting their apparent success in
recapturing territory lost to the militants, including uncorroborated
claims that 135 Boko Haram fighters surrendered.

- Little impact -

Cummings and others also suggested that even if Shekau were dead, it
has had little impact on the five-year insurgency, which has become
increasingly deadly.

"Even if he was (killed) on a previous occasion, it is quite evident
that Boko Haram has continued to operate with a degree of efficacy,
despite the purported loss of their so-called leader," he said.

Shekau is the head of Boko Haram's high command or Shura, with several
senior commanders thought to be responsible for strategic planning.

"In this regard, the potential loss of Shekau would unlikely transcend
into an operational decline of the sect, as there would be a command
structure in place to continue Boko Haram's strategic objectives,"
Cummings added.

Jacob Zenn, from the Jamestown Foundation thinktank in the United
States, said Shekau may well have been killed previously and that his
name had since been adopted by several commanders.

Close attention is sure to be paid to further Boko Haram videos which
emerge, particularly if they feature Shekau.

But Zenn said it was Boko Haram practice to use the same name to
designate one of its official roles, citing its former spokesman who
was reported killed in 2012.

"Like Shekau, there used to be multiple Abu Qaqas," he said. "This has
been part of BH's organisational structure."

Australia Commits N8.7 Million To Tackle Ebola Outbreak In Nigeria

The Australian Government says it has contributed ₦ 8.7 million to the
Nigeria Ebola Virus Emergency Appeal launched by the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

A statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Australian High
Commission in Abuja, said the donation would assist in purchasing
vital personal protection equipment for health workers combating the
deadly disease.

The Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Jonathan Richardson,
was quoted as saying that the funds would be used to improve training
in epidemic control techniques for Red Cross volunteers.

Richardson also said it would help to spread good messages on health
education and hygiene promotion across the country.

The statement by the High Commission explained that the funds came
from the country's Direct Aid Programme, which had already committed
seven million dollars to tackle the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The Nigeria Ebola Virus Emergency Appeal was launched by the IFRC on
Aug. 11, to help deal with the growing threat of Ebola to Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the majority of
Australia's contribution to prevent the spread of Ebola has been
through the World Health Organisation (WHO), in addition to the 17.5
million dollars it provides annually to support the WHO's global
health activities.

—(NAN)

More Than 3,000 Europeans With IS -Official

The number of Europeans joining Islamist fighters in Syria and Iraq
has risen to more than 3,000, the EU's anti-terrorism chief has told
the BBC.

Gilles de Kerchove also warned that Western air strikes would increase
the risk of retaliatory attacks in Europe.

US-led forces have launched nearly 200 air strikes against Islamic
State militants in Iraq since August and on Monday began targeting IS
in Syria.

The UK parliament is due to vote on possible air strikes in Iraq on Friday.

IS has seized large parts of Iraq and Syria in recent months.

Mr de Kerchove said the number of 3,000 included all those who have
been to the region, including those who have returned and those who
have been killed there.

The CIA estimates that IS may have up to 31,000 fighters in Iraq and
Syria - three times as many as previously feared.

Mr de Kerchove said that Islamic State's declaration of a caliphate in
June may have played a role in drawing more support from Europe.

"If you believe in this, probably you want to be part of it as early
as possible," he said.

He warned that air strikes by the US and its Western allies had
increased the risk of a violent response from militant Islamists
against European targets.

"I think we have to acknowledge that it will," he said.

"That was clear with the French because three days ago [IS] issued a
statement saying there would be retaliation against the coalition. A
French man was kidnapped in Algeria and he has been beheaded. So they
did what they announced."

Mr de Kerchove also warned that groups competing with IS, such as
al-Qaeda, may try to launch attacks in Europe to maintain their
profile.

"The rise of [IS] may prompt al-Qaeda to do something to show that it
is still relevant," he said.

On Wednesday, the UN Security Council adopted a binding resolution
compelling states to prevent their nationals joining jihadists in Iraq
and Syria.

On Thursday, the US military released footage and photographs of its
air strikes on oil refineries controlled by IS militants in eastern
Syria.

The raids, carried out by US, Saudi and UAE aircraft, targeted 12
refineries in Syria on a third night of air strikes against the
militants.

Sales of smuggled crude oil have helped finance the jihadists'
offensive in both countries.

Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said the purpose of the
strikes was "not necessarily to kill militants" but to destroy the
facilities, which were funding IS through the black market.

He said the strikes had been effective but not yet decisive.
"Even after the hits they've taken, and they have been hit, they still
have financing at their fingertips," Rear Adm Kirby added.

He said it was too soon to talk of "winning" against IS, adding that
they still "have plenty of weapons and vehicles and the ability to
move around".

UK votes on actionThe US says more than 40 countries have offered to
join the anti-IS coalition.

Later on Friday, UK MPs will be asked to support strikes against IS
militants in Iraq - but not in Syria.

The office of Prime Minister David Cameron said UK forces could
legally join the bombing of targets in Iraq after the Iraqi minister
of foreign affairs wrote to the UN seeking international assistance.

Mr Cameron told the UN on Wednesday IS was an "evil against which the
whole world must unite".

The Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, says his government will
decide in the coming days whether to join the air strikes in Iraq and
Syria.

Mr Abbott said it was in Australia's interest to play its part in what
he called the fight "against the murderous death cult".

22 Arrested For Killing Anti-Ebola Campaigners In Guinea

Guinea's Justice Minister Cheick Sacko said 22 suspects had been
arrested in connection with last week's killing of eight government
officials.

The eight officials were involved in sensitisation of the public
against Ebola Virus Disease in the southeast region of Wome.

"The suspected perpetrators of the assassinations will be charged
before a special sitting of the Conakry Court of Appeal," the minister
said on Wednesday in Conakry.

He said that those arrested included Labile Haba, a 30-year-old
hawker, who was believed to be the head of the operation.

Sacko said other suspects include two residents of Wome who had tried
to flee to Cote d'Ivoire, as well as their two colleagues arrested in
the town of Gueckedou in Guinea's southern region.

The justice minister said the suspects, who were arrested a day after
the killing of the eight officials, had been questioned by
investigators.

Nigerian Parents Mulling Funerals For Kidnapped Girls - Gordon Brown

The parents of girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria are
considering whether to hold funerals to mourn their loss, UN education
envoy Gordon Brown said Thursday.

"It's a Nigerian custom that if people are missing for four months or
more, then closure is required, funerals take place, a period of
mourning happens," the former British prime minister told reporters at
the United Nations.

"And this, tragically, is what is happening to parents in Nigeria who
are giving up hope that the children will be returned to them."

In April, extremist group Boko Haram abducted 276 girls from their
school dormitories in Borno state in northern Nigeria. A total of 219
are still missing.

The mass abduction triggered global condemnation and a social media
campaign that forced Nigeria into accepting foreign help to locate
their whereabouts.

Brown said he did not want the funerals to take place and as there is
every hope that the girls will one day return to their parents.

"All the information we have is that they are likely to be alive," he said.

The Nigerian government had been "unfairly criticized," Brown said and
was "doing everything in their power to recover the girls."

Brown, who wants to make education compulsory for children all over
the world, said 58 million children are out of school and that 10
million girls are married off each year as child brides.

He called for additional funding of $6 billion to help achieve 100
percent universal enrollment by the end of 2015.

Educating children would deprive extremist organizations of a fertile
recruiting ground, he said.

Brown said the world had failed to marshall resources to get nearly
400,000 Syrian children in school this term in Lebanon, leaving them
prey to extremist recruitment, trafficking, child labor and marriage.

Yet he said there was a global youth movement emerging to secure a
right to an education. "I think people 100 years from now will see a
global civil rights struggle underway," he said.

Meet Lillian Afegbai, Nigeria's Face At BBA Season 9

MNet has unveiled the first Nigerian housemate for Season 9 of Big
Brother Africa and her name is Lillian. The show tagged "Hotshots"
is scheduled to begin in South Africa on Sunday, October 5.

Lillian Afegbai is a 22-year old Nigerian model, actress and TV
presenter. She has appeared in Tinsel, an Mnet series and is a friend
to Denrele Edun, a media personality. She resigned her job in August
to be part of the Big Brother Africa, BBA, reality show.

Ibinabo Fiberesima's Birthday Message To Segun Arinze

Nollywood seasoned actor and former Actors Guild of Nigeria President,
Segun Arinze, added another year on Wednesday, September 24th and one
of the first persons to reach out to him in greeting was the woman who
took over from him, Ibinabo Fiberesima, the reigning AGN president.

In her Blackberrry broadcast message titled 'Tribute to Segun Arinze'
the actress eulogised the virtues of the birthday boy.

"Some people always inspire others even while facing tough times
themselves. I want to tell you, Segun Arinze that you are one of those
special kind of people. No matter how challenging things get, you
never seem overwhelmed or discouraged. You are always finding the good
in life and being grateful for everything you have. It's really a
blessing to know someone who has such a warm and positive spirit.
Happy Birthday my brother, friend and Apressy Segun Arinze" she wrote.

Recall that Segun Arinze has been one of the staunchest supporters of
the woman leader. Even when veteran actress, Clarion Chukwura picketed
Ibinabo as a self-serving president of the actors guild, it was Segun
that was most vocal in attacking Chukwura over her comments on the AGN
president.

Anita Joseph On Location In Atlanta

Curvaceous Nollywood diva, Anita Joseph is currently keeping the
wolves off her door in faraway Atlanta, Georgia, United States of
America on set of yet to be titled movie.

Contrary to earlier reports that the actress was on vacation, WG, can
authoritatively report that she travelled mainly for work reasons
while trying to catch her fun at the same time.

The actress who spoke with WG from Atlanta further revealed that it is
only the first part of the movie that is being shot in Atlanta,
stating that the concluding part will be shot in Nigeria as soon as
the Atlanta operation is concluded.

" It is a comedy drama that has a serious edge to it. In the movie I
play the role of a company boss who was dating his subordinate, that
is, the producer of the movie, Emma Odeli. Though I was married in the
movie but still sleeping with my subordinate in the office. Most of
the cast are from here in Atlanta. The guy who played my husband is
from Nigeria but lives here in Atlanta" she said.

Attack: CJ Orders Shutdown Of Ekiti Courts

All courts in Ekiti State have been shut down indefinitely on the
orders of the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayo Daramola, theNews Agency
of Nigeria, reports.

The Chief Registrar of the state judiciary, Mr Obafemi Fasanmi, stated
this in a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday.

Fasanmi said the decision was taken as a result of series of attacks
on the court premises by hoodlums since Monday which, he said, had
continued unabated.

He said the action of the Chief Judge had become necessary in order to
protect the lives of judges and other judicial officers, who were
being harassed and man-handled by thugs on a daily basis.

The Chief Registrar said a new date for the reopening of the courts
would be announced later.

Apple Responds, Says Bendy iPhones Are 'Rare'

Apple has responded to claims that its new handsets are prone to
bending by saying such damage would be "rare" during normal use.

Media outlets across the globe had reported that several iPhone 6
owners had complained of handsets becoming misshapen after being
carried in trousers pockets without a case.

Several of the US firm's rivals have also helped publicise the claims.

Apple said nine customers had told it their iPhone 6 Plus phones had bent.

In a statement the company noted that the handsets' shells had been
constructed out of "anodised aluminium, which is tempered for extra
strength" and also featured stainless steel and titanium parts to
reinforce the areas of the phones likely to experience the most
stress.

"We chose these high-quality materials and construction very carefully
for their strength and durability," it added.

"We also perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle.

"iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality
standards to endure everyday, real life use.

"With normal use a bend in iPhone is extremely rare and through our
first six days of sale, a total of nine customers have contacted Apple
with a bent iPhone 6 Plus. As with any Apple product, if you have
questions please contact Apple."

The BBC understands that one of the checks that Apple had carried out
before launching the models was a "sit test", which is designed to
simulate the effects of a user sitting down on a hard surface with the
phone in their back pocket thousands of times over the course of
several years.

The company also carried out a torsion test, which involved clamping a
phone at both ends and then applying a twisting force 8,000 times.

How To Get The Highest Price For Your Property

When it comes to selling a property the aim of most property owners is
to get as much as possible for their property. The motive is also
similar when it comes to leasing or letting a property by a landlord.
While this is possible it would only happen if the property owner
understands and applies some basic principles.

Every property has a price range and it is possible to sell or lease a
property for any price within the range. The higher up the ladder the
price expected, the greater responsibility that the owner must be
prepared to assume for making this happen.

Once in a while there are property owners who unilaterally fix a price
without any regards for the fundamentals. What usually happens is that
such properties will stay longer in the market and if such property
owners give it a thought they are actually losing money every day that
the property is not sold or leased.

It often helps for the property owner to identify upfront the reason
why he or she wants to sell. There are several factors that motivate
people to sell their properties. It could be the desire to move to a
bigger home or to move to a smaller home.

There are individuals who built and live in mansions with their family
and home staffs for several years. Then when their children are grown
up and move out of the property they suddenly discover that the
property has become too big for them and they may need to downsize.

It is also possible to suddenly discover that as one's family is
growing there is a need to move to a bigger home. It is also possible
for a property owner to decide to sell a property because of a need to
move to a better neighbourhood or to move to the village after
retirement or to raise funds to do something more pressing or more
important. As our circumstances vary our need to sell a property
varies.

While this decision is entirely a private matter it could influence
how far you are prepared to go in getting a particular price.

More often than not except for very prime properties, the higher the
price the more patience you need. And while it is good to test the
market I do not recommend it. If you have a professional working for
you and you trust their judgment then follow their advice rather than
changing your asking price.

Professionals dislike property owners who arbitrarily change their
mind on whether or not to sell after commissioning. Make up your mind
rather than waste valuable professional time.

First impression, they say, last long and we all know that this is
often true. We humans are very visual by nature. So when you are
thinking of selling your property you need to look at it through the
eye of the buyer. Unfortunately, many sellers are too emotionally
attached to their property to do this. But if you can, approach your
property from a distance on foot and look at it with a critical eye.
Observe all the deficiencies and take note of the various faults that
you can see.

Most potential buyers often view your property from the outside first
before requesting for an internal inspection. If they like what they
see from the outside they may be interested in taking the discussion
further.

It is always better for you to do the little fixings that are required
rather than have the possible buyer point them out or sometimes they
may just simply walk away and inspect another property.

You do not need to spend a lot of money to make a property a little
attractive from the outside.

The next area you should focus on is the inside. You need to focus on
cleanliness, odour and essential fittings that need repairs.

I once went with a friend to inspect a property in an exclusive estate
in Lagos. Externally the property was beautiful and was just about two
years old.

However, the inside was quite dirty with a lot of personal items and
pictures on the floor. In the masters bedroom was a smashed wedding
picture. Of course the turn offs were too many for the buyer to even
consider making an offer to buy the property. The owner and his agent
simply failed to realise that little things matter.

Before allowing someone to inspect a property, get rid of any
offensive odour in the compound or inside the building. Check to be
sure that the basic fittings are working well.

If it is a property that you are living in you may be comfortable with
the state of certain fittings but the buyer may not. We are not
recommending major repairs which often may not give you a significant
appreciation in price.

Rather it is important to ensure that the property has a welcoming
appearance and a neat atmosphere. Your option is to spend a lot on the
property and get a marginal increase in the price or sell the property
as it is but with a little discount. But if you want to earn top money
for your property you must be prepared to spend some money.

Third US Ebola Patient, Dr. Richard Sacra Discharged From Hospital

Former Ebola patient Richard Sacra attends a news conference at the
Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Neb., on Sept. 25, 2014. (Nati
Harnik/Associated Press)

Richard Sacra, the third American aid worker evacuated to the United
States from West Africato be treated for Ebola, has been discharged
from the hospital.

Sacra was treated at Nebraska Medical Center after contracting the
deadly virus in Liberia while he worked to deliver babies. He was not
treating Ebola patients.

"I am so grateful," Sacra said in a statement. "Just so incredibly
grateful to have gotten through this illness. Many were praying for
me, even people I did not know personally. During the time I was here,
there was a growing confidence that God was answering those prayers,
and that I was steadily improving."

Two other Americans have been discharged after they were successfully
treated for Ebola in the United States, including another medical
doctor, Kent Brantly, who later donated a unit of blood, or
convalescent serum, to Sacra.

Brantly's blood contains anti-bodies to the virus that might have
helped Sacra's immune system fight Ebola.

Sacra was also treated with an experimental medication, TKM-Ebola,
which stops the Ebola virus from replicating.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that two
separate blood samples taken from Sacra 24 hours apart found that
there was no Ebola virus present in his bloodstream.

"When he arrived three weeks ago, he was extremely ill with a virus
the world doesn't have a lot of experience treating," said Phil Smith,
M.D., medical director of the Biocontainment Unit at The Nebraska
Medical Center. "To know that we were able to play a role in helping
his body fight off the virus so he could be reunited with his family
and continue doing the work he's so passionate about makes the years
we've spent training and preparing for somethinglike this more than
worth it."

Immune System Of Newborn Babies Stronger Than Thought

Contrary to what was previously thought, newborn immune T cells may
have the ability to trigger an inflammatory response to bacteria,
according to a new study led by King's College London. Although their
immune system works very differently to that of adults, babies may
still be able to mount a strong immune defense, finds the study
published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Our immune system is made up of several different types of immune
cells, including neutrophils which play an important role in the
frontline defense against infection, and lymphocytes: B cells which
produce antibodies, and T cells that target cells infected with
viruses and microbes.

Up to now, it was generally believed that babies have an immature
immune system that doesn't trigger the same inflammatory response
normally seen in adults. Although babies need to protect themselves
from the harmful pathogens they are exposed to from birth, it was
thought that their T cells were suppressed to some extent to prevent
inflammatory damage to the developing child. Sceptical of this notion,
the King's-led study set out to characterize the properties of T
cells, examining very small samples of blood in twenty-eight highly
premature babies, as they developed over the first few weeks of life.

The team discovered that whilst T cells in newborn babies are largely
different to those in adults, it is not because they are
immunosuppressed; rather, they manufacture a potent anti-bacterial
molecule known as IL8 that has not previously been considered a major
product of T cells, and that activates neutrophils to attack the
body's foreign invaders.

Dr Deena GibbonsDeena Gibbons, lead author in the Department of
Immunobiology at King's College London, says: "We found that babies
have an in-built anti-bacterial defense mechanism that works
differently to adults, but nevertheless may be effective in protecting
them. This may also be a mechanism by which the baby protects itself
in the womb from infections of the mother. The next stage of our work
will be to better understand the pathways that result in the immune
cells of newborns being so different to those in adults."

This T cell activity could become a target for future treatments aimed
at boosting the immune system of neonates in intensive care, where
infection is a major risk for morbidity and mortality. Premature
babies are also at serious risk of developing inflammatory diseases
such as necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), where severe inflammation
destroys tissues in the gut. NEC is the most common gastrointestinal
surgical emergency in preterm babies, with mortality rates of around
15 to 30 per cent in the UK.

My Quotes

The triumph can't be had without the struggle. --Wilma Rudolph

Second Spanish Priest With Ebola Dies In Madrid

The Spanish missionary who was flown home to Madrid from Sierra Leone
after contracting the Ebola virus has died, according to hospital
sources.

According to the Spanish news agency Efe, Manuel Garcia Viejo died
from the disease at the Carlos III hospital in Madrid.

Viejo was a medical director of the Hospital Order of San Juan de Dios
and was working in the western Sierra Leonean city of Lunsar when he
caught the disease.

He was flown to Madrid in an isolation chamber by military plane and
received by doctors in fully protective biohazard suits.

Viejo is the second Spanish priest to die of the Ebola virus in the
space of a month, after Miguel Pajares died after being flown back to
Spain from Liberia.

The Ministry of Defence released pictures of Manuel Garcia Viejo's
arrival in Spain(Efe)

The Ebola outbreak, the worst in history, has killed more than 2,400
people in West Africa.

The deadly virus, which is spread via contact with infected body
fluids, has spread to Liberia, Guinea, Senegal, Sierra Leone and
Nigeria.

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that if
no effective measures were taken to stop the outbreak, between
550,000 and 1.4 million people could contract the Ebola virusby
January 2015 in Sierra Leone and Liberia alone.

According to the World Health Organization, around £614m is needed to
prevent the outbreak from turning into a human catastrophe.