Nigerians on different social media platforms on Saturday asked President Barack Obama to give a vaccine, ZMapp, being developed in the United States to treat a Nigerian nurse, Justina Ejelonu, reportedly infected with Ebola.
On such websites as Facebook and Twitter, the petitioners begged Obama to release the vaccine to Ejelonu and other Africans suffering from the virus. The petitions were made on the White House website.
Ejelonu, who is one of those that were infected with the Ebola virus after treating the Liberian victim, Patrick Sawyer, has said she did not have direct contact with Sawyer’s body fluids.
The deadly virus, which leads to death in humans within days from infection, is transmitted through sweat, urine, blood, and other fluids from the body.
Ejelonu recounted her encounter with Sawyer in a report on a website, www.southeastnigeria.com.
According to the website, she said she had checked his vitals and helped him with food because he was too weak, and that the mode of transmission could be from touching the same surfaces as the Liberian.
She said, “I never contacted his fluids. I checked his vitals, helped him with his food (he was too weak). I basically touched where his hands touched and that’s the only contact — not directly with his fluids.
“At a stage, he yanked off his infusion and we had blood everywhere on his bed. But the ward maids took care of that and changed his linens with great precaution. Every patient is treated as high-risk. If it were air borne, by now wahala for dey (there would have been trouble). I still thank God.”
Ejelonu added that the workers’ uniforms and Sawyer’s bedding were burnt afterwards, saying the staff were under surveillance and off-duty till August 11.
She said, “Our samples have long been taken by the World Health Organisation and so far, we have been fine. Kudos to my hospital management because we work professionally with every patient considered as high-risk — that’s the training.”
The health worker noted that if it were a public hospital, the outcome might have been different, adding that she was however grateful to the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government for their support.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The company behind a potential Ebola drug is red-hot again.
Canadian biotech firm Tekmira Pharmaceuticals (TKMR)announced that the Federal Drug Administration knocked down a key barrier to its medicine, TKM Ebola, reaching some patients. The FDA moved the drug from a "full hold" to a "partial hold," which means Tekmira can use the drug in limited experiments.
"We are pleased that the FDA has considered the risk-reward of TKM-Ebola for infected patients," said CEO Mark Murrayin a statement. "We have been closely watching the Ebola virus outbreak and its consequences, and we are willing to assist with any responsible use of TKM-Ebola."
The company's stock spiked 45% Friday, sending shares to their highest price since April.
Investors have been keen to find a way to put money into an Ebola cure. Tekmira shares jumped in price Monday as news of the drug became widely known. But the stock fell back after officials at the Emory University hospital treating two Ebola patients used another company's drugs.
Investors think the drug could still become a big moneymaker for Tekmira, and the FDA upgrade in status is being viewed as added confirmation of the potential for the treatment.
Jason Kolbert, an analyst with the Maxim Group, told CNNMoney earlier this week that Ebola's sudden and rapid spread moved federal officials to try out a number of Ebola treatments in development, so Tekmira still has a shot at a payday.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Pankaj Parakh commissioned the shirt that weighs more than four kilos
Made his fortune establishing a multi-million pound textile business in India
An Indian textile magnate who made a fortune from his clothing empire is making sure the rest of the world knows about his success – by having a shirt made out of pure gold.
Although he left school without any qualifications Pankaj Parakh created a multi-million pound textile business in India.
And now, to celebrate his upcoming 45th birthday on Friday, he has commissioned the solid gold shirt that weighs more than four kilos.
An Indian textile magnate who made a fortune from his clothing empire is making sure the rest of the world knows about his success – by having a shirt made out of pure gold
Although he left school without any qualifications Pankaj Parakh still managed to make a fortune after establishing a multi-million pound textile business in Indi
He said: 'I wanted to wear something special when I say my thanks for my success at a thanksgiving visit to the Siddhivinayak Temple of the Hindu elephant god in Mumbai.'
And after paying just £127,000 to buy the gold and have it turned into a golden shirt, he thinks he got a good deal.
According to local media the gold shirt has really got him noticed as he marched along the streets of his home in Yeola, 260 km from the city of Mumbai.
He says he gets both admiring looks from women and envious looks from men.
He said: 'I never go out with less than two to three kilos of gold jewellery.
And now, to celebrate his upcoming 45th birthday on Friday, he has commissioned the solid gold shirt that weighs more than four kilos
'I have always been fascinated with gold since I was five-years-old and studying in school. And over the years that interest has become a real passion. So it was logical that I would want to make my 45th birthday a golden affair.
'In fact even on my wedding 23 years ago a lot of people said it was embarrassing that I was wearing more gold than my bride, but I just love the Royal metal.'
The shirt that has seven solid gold buttons is due to be officially modelled by the clothing magnate on Friday, but he tried it on in advance after collecting it from the Shanti Jewellers at Parel in Mumbai, where a team of around 20 craftsmen collectively spent 3,200 hours over the past two months to 'stitch' it together.
The gold used in the shirt has an 18-22 carat purity, without any other metals, and he added: 'Before the taxman starts coming round, I can guarantee that every bit is properly recorded in my company accounts.'
Last year wealthy Datta Phuge has splashed out £14,000 on a solid gold shirt to make sure he's a 24 karat hit with women in central India
Despite being made of gold the shirt has been so carefully made that it is as flexible as a normal shirt, he claims, and also just as comfortable because there is a thin cloth lining the inside.
He said: 'It is easily washed and can be hung up to dry just like a normal piece of clothing, and a good a lifetime guarantee with it so that if it's torn or damaged it will quickly be repaired.'
After leaving school early before graduating he had thrown all of his efforts into developing the family garments business in Yeola, a town of some 60,000.
He is married to wife Pratibha and has sons Siddharth, 22, and Rahul, 19, both now in college, and added: 'I am the only one in the family that seems so passionate about gold, the rest of my family is neither impressed or interested in gold. They just accept that it's my passion and it's part of our domestic life. My more extended family however think I'm a bit weird but I guess that's families.'
He is a local politician himself and despite criticism that he flaunts his wealth among people who are poorer, he is actively involved in community projects and recently funding 120 operations for polio suffers at the Narayan Seva Sansthan Hospital of Udaipur in Rajasthan.
'I spend at least a week each year offering voluntary services at the 1,000-bedded hospital, the biggest and best for polio treatment in India. I also arrange for any requirements of the poor patients like food, medicines, surgery and blankets, from which I get immense satisfaction,' Parakh said.
And he added: 'I admit you need to be brave to wear a shirt like this, brave and also in possession of a gun like my fully licensed revolver which I also carry with me every time I go out.'
And the cost of the gold shirt is reportedly a fraction of what he has splashed out to make sure the birthday party is a spectacular affair, with hundreds of guests including Maharashtra tourism minister Chhagan Bhujbal of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and around a dozen MPs from various parties and Indian celebrities.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The U.S. gambled on local militias to keep ISIS in check. The president’s authorization of airstrikes is an admission that bet didn’t pay off.
Friday morning, with a humanitarian mission already underway, the United States began airstrikes on ISIS in northern Iraq. What had been the U.S. policy—to rely on local forces to contain ISIS while waiting for a new Iraqi government to reach a political solution—is finished. The new policy is still taking shape, but it may eventually lead to more involvement from the special operations troops who have been in Iraq for weeks.
President Obama said Thursday night he had authorized airstrikes to protect American personnel and the Yazidi minority group stranded by ISIS on top of Mt. Sinjar. A senior administration official later stressed to reporters that U.S. forces were not launching a “sustained campaign” against ISIS in Iraq.
But with the Kurds, America’s closest allies in the fight, recovering from heavy losses, some analysts and military veterans say that airstrikes alone may not be enough to turn the tide. A sustained—if small-scale—campaign may be the only way to achieve that.
The Peshmerga, the Kurdish military, had been acting as a bulwark against ISIS, keeping the group tied up on a northern front while it also battled against the Iraqi military in the south and west.
Then, starting on Saturday evening, came the waves of ISIS attacks on positions in northern Iraq. A senior administration official described it as “a multi-pronged attack across hundreds of kilometers in northern Iraq.” This official said ISIS “acted with tremendous military proficiency.”
The Kurds were overrun. The surviving religious minorities and other vulnerable groups who had lived under their protection fled into the mountains to escape ISIS.
And now these vulnerable groups—especially the Yazidi, trapped around Mt. Sinjar without food or water before an American airdrop—are at risk of being slaughtered.
That’s what triggered the current humanitarian crisis and the growing threat that impelled the U.S. to act. The airdrop mission consisted of a C-17 and two C-130 aircraft that were escorted by two F-18 fighters. The cargo planes dropped food and water for 8,000 people, according to a senior administration official, who added that there were no U.S. personnel on the ground on Mt. Sinjar.
No one questions the Kurds’ willingness to fight, but their military prowess appears to have degraded in the years since the U.S. military stopped training them and withdrew from Iraq.
Though the Kurds have begun a counteroffensive with assistance from the Iraqi Air Force, ISIS has continued its march, seizing new towns and critical infrastructure—including a major dam near Mosul. For the first time, some observers believe that the Kurdish homeland itself, where the U.S. embassy and military forces are stationed, is under threat.
President Obama said late Thursday that he would authorize air strikes to protect those personnel. “When the lives of American citizens are at risk, we will take action,” Obama said. “That’s my responsibility as commander in chief.”
The Peshmerga have long been considered the fiercest fighting force in the region.
Since ISIS began its rampage through Iraq in early June, both the U.S. and Iraqi governments have tacitly bet on the Kurds’ ability to repel ISIS advances in the north. But betting on the Peshmerga to hold the line now looks like a riskier proposition after ISIS broke through Kurdish defenses and set in motion the current crisis.
In truth, it was never that safe of a bet. Since early June, representatives of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government have warned the United States that the Kurdish Peshmerga were not positioned to protect the Yazidi and Christian minorities in the Kurdish region.
“We have significant interests and assets in the region,” one senior Kurdish official told The Daily Beast in June, describing the message to the U.S government. “But also more worryingly, we have a Yazidi and Christian populations that are gravely under threat right now.”
At the time, the Kurdish Peshmerga did take up positions in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, where they remain to this day. But in the case of Kirkuk, there was a strong Kurdish interest in repopulating the city with Kurds who were driven from it by Saddam Hussein.
The consensus among ex-CIA analysts, former military officers, and Iraq veterans who spoke with The Daily Beast is that the Peshmerga’s abilities were overrated. No one questions the Kurds’ willingness to fight, but their military prowess appears to have degraded in the years since the U.S. military stopped training them and withdrew from Iraq.
Douglas Ollivant, a former Army officer who advised Gen. David Petraeus in Iraq and served under two presidents in the National Security Council, expressed a view common among military and intelligence officers: “I think the general consensus among the American military people in country is that the Kurds just aren’t any better than any other military force in Iraq, and we shouldn’t be surprised that they’re having the same lack of success as the rest of the Iraqi army.”
A former Special Forces officer in Iraq who maintains extensive contacts among the Kurdish forces points out another factor affecting their performance. “The Kurds’ biggest weakness is the size of the border they have to protect from ISIS and the imperative they are under to yield nothing,” he said. “ISIS can give up territory, but the Kurds cannot.”
Air strikes against ISIS targets can weaken the group, buy time, and prevent it from massing on Kurdish forces, but according to military and CIA veterans, air power alone will not be decisive.
“The advisors need to be pushed out, if they haven’t been already,” said Nada Bakos, a CIA veteran who led the team analyzing the terrorist network that was ISIS’s predecessor in Iraq. The advisors she referred to are the special operations troops who have so far stayed away from the battlefield, offering intelligence and advice from headquarters in areas remote from the fighting.
A former Special Forces officer and Iraq veteran described how the troops currently on the ground, some 800 elite special operations soldiers, could impact the battle: “If SOF [special operations forces] advisors moved to the front, they would be able to help organize and plan the maneuver of Peshmerga, provide up-to-the-minute intelligence to protect line units, and give greater speed and fidelity to close air support. It would also give a tremendous morale boost to Peshmerga units under fire.”
That could be a great boon to the Peshmerga, but not without costs. Moving U.S. special operations forces onto the battlefield, even as advisors, “greatly raises the profile of American involvement and will eventually lead to highly visible American casualties,” according to the Special Forces veteran.
President Obama made his political career, in part, on his opposition to the Iraq war. Those casualties are something he is desperately trying to avoid. But the situation on the ground in Iraq may leave him no choice.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A Los Angeles man is seeking damages from the estate of Michael Jackson, alleging that the late "King of Pop" sexually abused him as a child during the late 1980s, court documents show.
James Safechuck, 36, said Jackson abused him on about 100 occasions over a four-year period after the two appeared in a Pepsi commercial when he was 10-years-old.
Filings by Safechuck's attorneys alleged that Jackson, who died in 2009, "brainwashed" the youngster into believing the abuses were "acts of love."
The documents said Safechuck regularly shared Jackson's bed during the singer's "Bad" tour in 1988. Safechuck said the abuse continued until he reached puberty.
A hearing has been scheduled in Los Angeles for September 4 before judge Mitchell Beckloff.
Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for the Jackson estate, said Safechuck's claims should be dismissed.
"Mr Safechuck's request to file a late claim against the Jackson Estate so he can recover money from Michael's beneficiary will hopefully be rejected," Weitzman said.
"This is a person that made his claim five years after Michael died, more than 20 years after the incidents supposedly happened and has given sworn testimony that Michael never did anything inappropriate to him."
Last year, a 31-year-old Australian, Wade Robson, launched a similar claim on Jackson's estate, alleging he was abused by the singer as a child.
Jackson, who died on June 25 2009 after being given an overdose of the anesthetic propofol, faced multiple allegations of child sex abuse during his lifetime.
He was acquitted of abuse at a 2005 trial in California and paid a $15 million court settlement in 1994 over allegations involving another child.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Oh you gotta give it to her: Michelle Obama tried. But even in her chic cowl neck number she still could not over shadow the lady in red (and leading fashionista) in the photo above: Chantal Biya, 39, first lady of Cameroon. Out of the dozens of "couple" photos to emerge last week, Biya's is the only one that caught my attention.
And yet, this red number (with matching red hair) is but a toned down version of Biya's legendary glitz and glam. A quick scan of photos snapped of Cameroon's first lady reveal a woman who has cultivated a particular brand of fabulosity which can only be described as: bold, brazen and – yes, beautiful.
As you can see from these photos, Biya loves a combination of traditional and western gear. In the past, she's mentioned Dior and Chanel as her favorite European labels, while the traditional African outfits she dons are custom made, designed and sewn by tailors. No matter the origin of her ensembles though, it's almost guaranteed to inspire the same reaction: an open-mouthed, wide-eyed stare. Whether posing with Paris or kneeling in front of the Pope or greeting the paps, she always steals the scene. What makes her unique in her chic is that all elements of her ensemble – from hair to to makeup to garments – seem to battle each other for attention. It's never clear which wins.
As I type this, my mother, a proud and stylish African woman herself, is almost embarrassed at my level of enthusiasm. In her opinion, Biya generally looks tacky, a point I won't argue. Yet, while she may be no where near as polished in her presentation as M.Obama, she is every bit as passionate about fashion. In Cameroon, her wardrobe has made her so popular she routinely launches trends and has a hairstyle, the Chantal Biya, named after her. Exotic ensembles, trend setting hair styles, and a dedicated following: if these do not a fashion icon make, then I don't know what does.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
CNN’s criticism of the “lavish” lifestyles of American archbishops is hypocritical given the vast income gap between the network’s executives and its staffers, the leader of a prominent Catholic group says.
Bill Donohue, who is president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, responded to a recent CNN article titled “The lavish homes of American archbishops” in which the network reported that 10 of the 34 American archbishops live in buildings worth at least $1 million.
That opulence is at odds with the Catholic Church’s teachings as well as Pope Francis’ calls for more austerity, according to the CNN piece.
“How I would like a Church which is poor and for the poor!” Pope Francis said last year shortly after his election.
According to CNN’s analysis of U.S. archbishops’ living conditions, New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan “leads the pack with this 15,000-square-foot mansion on Madison Avenue, in one of the priciest corridors of Manhattan.”
The abode “is reportedly filled with thick red carpets and priceless antiques, with three other priests.”
But Donohue defended Dolan and the other archbishops while calling out CNN for failing to practice itself what it preaches.
“He is living in a house that is attached to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, was built more than a hundred years ago, and cannot be sold separately because of its landmark status,” wrote Donohue of Dolan’s allegedly too-luxurious domicile.
The house “also houses offices, living quarters for other priests, guest rooms, a dining area, etc.,” continued Donohue.
What’s rich, according to Donohue, is CNN’s double-standard
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, has said although President Goodluck Jonathan may not have been involved in the attempt on the life of a former Head of State, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), the assailants may be Jonathan’s sympathisers. He subsequently urged the Federal Government to carry out a comprehensive investigation as the attempt on Buhari’s life might be connected to the 2015 general elections.
Igbokwe said this in a write-up titled, “Who Wants General Buhari Dead?”
He said had the assassination attempt been successful, it would have become easy for Jonathan to win next year’s election.
He recalled that a former National Security Adviser, General Owoye Azazi (retd.), once said that the Boko Haram crisis was a fallout from the zoning debacle in the Peoples Democratic Party.
He warned the Federal Government to revisit Azazi’s theory as this could go a long way in addressing the security situation in the country.
He said, “I am running away with the thinking that the crisis bedevilling the nation cannot be divorced from President Jonathan’s ambition to rule Nigeria beyond 2015. While this inordinate ambition is being pursued left and right, front and back, up and down, the nation is left bare at the mercy of insurgents, and mass murderers.
“If the truth must be told, Nigeria has to remain a political entity for somebody to become the President. President Jonathan should look inwards pronto. Those who targeted Gen Buhari may be playing real politics for President Jonathan’s 2015 ambition. It may be right to push the blame to Boko Haram but nobody is a political idiot here.
“All things considered, General Buhari remains the greatest threat to President Jonathan’s ambition in 2015 and the handlers of Mr. President know this very well. Once Buhari is out of the way then it is a walkover for the President. But one basic truth is self-evident here: General Buhari of 2003, 2007, and 2011 is no longer the same Buhari. Time, space, and history has strategically positioned the man differently today and woe betides anybody who will not see the difference.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Muhammad Buhari Stage Assassination Attempt To His Life. it is another Chibok Scam !!!!!!!
On Wednesday July 23rd 2014, terrorists allegedly attempted to assassinate Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna. The statement from The Buhari Organization had it that all the cars in the Buhari convoy were destroyed while three of his security aides suffered minor injuries. According to their reports, a Toyota Sienna had to be summoned to ferry Buhari out of the ground zero of the blast. Curiously, a video of Muhammadu Buhari which was shot in the immediate aftermath of the bombing has surfaced.
It is surprising that traumatized survivors of a large scale terrorist bomb attack which killed tens of innocent bystanders had the presence of mind to film the immediate aftermath of the incidence and send it to media houses in Nigeria.
In the said video, Muhammadu Buhari appeared unhurt and looked composed as did those around him. The vehicle in the video appeared intact and showed no sign of damage in contradiction to their press statement. The only sign that it may have been involved in an attack such as was reported was a broken rear side window.
After this video was released, the Buhari Organization launched a whisper campaign spearheaded by Malam Nasir Elrufai, attempting to link the attack to Buhari's statement warning that the President had declared war on Nigeria which was published two days earlier. The above facts call for a deeper investigation of the entire episode especially when it is coming less than two weeks after reports (published on July 12, 2014) that a Member of the British parliament, Mr. Andrew Rosindell, had asked the British Government to investigate links between the All Progressive Congress, APC, and the Boko Haram terror sect.
It may be recalled that 24 hours after Andrew Rosindell's call was published, the APC rushed out a knee jerk statement (published on July 13, 2014) calling for an international probe to unmask the identities of Boko Haram's sponsors. Muhammadu Buhari has a history of playing the victim in order to deceive constituted authority. It is documented in former President Shehu Shagari’s book ‘Beckoned to Serve’ and in the memoirs of the late Solomon Lar, how Buhari was confronted with a security report alleging that he was ring leader of a coup plot against the Shagari regime. Buhari feigned being hurt almost to the point of tears. He told the then President that he was heartbroken and thus would resign his commission since Shagari had lost confidence in him. Shagari recounted that he was remorseful after this encounter with Buhari and apologized. He also ordered the investigation closed. Weeks after this encounter, Buhari toppled Shagari.
Interestingly, the security report was instigated by Shagari’s confidante, Umaru Dikko. Buhari never forgot or forgave Dikko for that act.
Muhammadu Buhari’s mastery of subterfuge is well known in international intelligence circles as a result of the Umaru Dikko saga when a plot he personally hatched to kidnap Umaru Dikko, sedate him and crate him back to Nigeria was blown open by British intelligence. It would be recalled that Buhari was able to co opt former Mossad agents, Alexander Barak, Felix Abitbol and Dr Lev-Arie Shapiro into his plan. These men were arrested, tried and imprisoned when the plot was foiled. But the point remains that Buhari has the ability and the finances as well as the will to co opt rogue foreign intelligence officials into any plot he chooses to execute. The recent attack on Muhammadu Buhari by suspected terrorists may well be what it appears to be on the surface. However, recent events, which show that the APC was rattled by Mr. Rosindell's call leaves strong room to suspect that the incidence may have been a false flag operation staged to deflect international suspicion that there are links between the APC and Boko a Haram.
Only a thorough investigation can unravel the truth.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Nigeria and recommends that U.S. citizens avoid all travel to Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states because of the May 14, 2013 state of emergency proclamation for those three states by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The security situation in the country remains fluid and unpredictable. The U.S. Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens in Nigeria to keep personal safety and health in the forefront of their planning. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning for Nigeria dated January 8, 2014.
The ability of the Mission to provide assistance to U.S. citizens remains severely limited. The Department continues to recommend against all but essential travel to the following states due to the risk of kidnappings, robberies, and other armed attacks: Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kano, and Yobe States. The Department also advises travelers to exercise additional caution while traveling in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, and Zamfara States. Based on safety and security risk assessments, the Embassy maintains restrictions for travel by U.S. officials to those states listed above; officials must receive advance clearance by the U.S. Mission for any travel deemed as mission-essential. U.S. citizens should be aware that extremist groups could expand their operations beyond northern Nigeria to other areas of the country.
The U.S. Mission advises all U.S. citizens to be particularly vigilant around government security facilities; churches, mosques, and other places of worship; locations where large crowds may gather, such as hotels, clubs, beer parlors, restaurants, markets, shopping malls; and other areas frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers. Security measures in Nigeria remain heightened due to threats posed by extremist groups, and U.S. citizens may encounter police and military checkpoints, additional security, and possible road blocks throughout the country.
Boko Haram, an extremist group based in northeast Nigeria and designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the Department of State, has claimed responsibility for many attacks, mainly in northern Nigeria. This includes two recent vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices detonated in Nyanya, a suburb of the capital of Abuja, that resulted in approximately 100 combined deaths in April and May of 2014. The first months of 2014 have seen a continued increase in Boko Haram attacks and clashes with Nigerian government security forces in northern Nigeria. Boko Haram has also targeted women and children for kidnapping, reportedly kidnapping women in northern states for marriage as “slave brides,” and kidnapping more than 200 school girls from a private school in Borno state. Boko Haram is known to descend on whole towns, robbing banks and businesses, attacking police and military installations, and setting fire to private homes. In 2013, extremists also targeted both Nigerians and foreign nationals involved in polio eradication efforts in northern Nigeria, leaving several U.S. government partner agencies working on public health development activities in northern Nigeria to curtail their vaccination efforts. Furthermore, U.S. citizen missionaries in northern Nigeria have received specific written threats to their safety and well-being.
Various curfews are intermittently in effect in several states in the North. All U.S. citizens should remain aware of current situations including curfews, travel restrictions, and states of emergency in the areas you are in or plan to visit. This information is commonly announced via the news media, but at times it can change with very little notice. Please take the time to find out this information for your area.
Kidnappings remain a security concern throughout the country. Since the beginning of 2013, there have been multiple reports of kidnappings involving U.S. citizens. Kidnappings of foreign nationals and attacks against Nigerian police forces in Lagos State and the Niger Delta region continue to affect personal security for those traveling in these areas. Criminals or militants have abducted foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens, from off-shore and land-based oil facilities and maritime vessels, residential compounds, and public roadways. Ansaru, an offshoot of Boko Haram, has specifically targeted foreigners in the north for kidnap in the past few years with lethal outcomes.
Violent crimes occur throughout the country. U.S. citizen visitors and residents have experienced armed muggings, assaults, burglaries, armed robberies, car-jackings, rapes, kidnappings, and extortion. Home invasions also remain a serious threat, with armed robbers accessing even guarded compounds by scaling perimeter walls, accessing waterfront compounds by boat, following residents or visitors, or subduing guards to gain entry to homes or apartments. Law enforcement authorities usually respond slowly or not at all and provide little or no investigative support to victims. U.S. citizens, other foreign nationals, and Nigerians have experienced harassment and shakedowns at checkpoints and during encounters with Nigerian law enforcement officials. The Department advises against traveling outside of major cities after dark because of crime and road safety concerns.
Cell phone service has, at times, been disrupted in Nigeria, particularly in areas where a State of Emergency has been declared. Extremists have also been known to attack cellular telephone towers, leading to further disruptions. U.S. citizens should attempt to arrange for multiple means of communication in case of need during emergencies.
The Embassy is not able to offer medical treatment to travelers; however, it can provide a list of medical facilities that may be able to treat U.S. citizens with medical emergencies. As of April 22, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that there are cases of Ebola virus in Guinea and Liberia. There have been NO confirmed cases in Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Mali, The Gambia, or Nigeria to date; however, U.S. citizens are advised to monitor the WHO website.
The Department strongly advises U.S. citizens who travel to or reside in Nigeria to enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). U.S. citizens without internet access may enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
The U.S. Embassy in Abuja is located at: Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, and can be reached by telephone, including after-hours for emergencies, at 234(9)461-4000. The Embassy is open Monday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The U.S. Consulate General in Lagos is located at: 2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, and can be reached by telephone, including after-hours for emergencies, at 234(1)460-3600 or 234 (1) 460-3400. The Consulate is open Monday – Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for up-to-date information on any restrictions.
Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444 if calling from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). You can also stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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