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Mixed reactions on Sunday in Lagos trailed the passage by the National Assembly of the bill prescribing death penalty for acts of terrorism.

The National Assembly at its sitting on Thursday approved the death penalty for acts of terrorism following the recommendations of a Conference Committee’s report of both houses.

The Committee’s report harmonised the different versions of the Amendment Bill passed by both the upper and lower legislative chambers.

The Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (Amendment) Bill, 2012, was passed by the House of Representatives on Oct. 11 and by the Senate on Oct. 17.

The Senate version prescribes life imprisonment for offences under this clause, while the House of Representatives prescribes death penalty.

NAN recalls that after deliberations, the House of Representatives version on death penalty was adopted by the Conference Committee.

Speaking to NAN in an interview, Mr Godfrey Lemchi, Lagos State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, described passage of the bill as ``appropriate’’.

According to him, terrorism is a grievous crime against humanity.

``It is the worst form of seeking redress by any group; therefore the penalty for such inhuman act both for the financiers and executors is capital punishment," he said.

He said that ``any unpunished terrorism breeds a family of terrorists''.

Bishop Gabriel Omoruyi, the spokesman of Lagos chapter of All Nigeria Peoples Party, also described the passage as ``a step in the right direction’’.

``No one has the right to take the life of another illegally. Those who do so should squarely face the law.

``A situation where people enter Churches and Mosques to kill must stop,’’ he said.

Omoruyi said that if this was done, it would surely bring orderliness back to the society.

Mr Sunny Moniedafe, the former Chairman of the FCT chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, also supported the bill.

``In as much as I want to support the death penalty, I have my reservations and posers for the Senate as to what has led some young Nigerians into terrorism.

``Has the leadership of our dear nation given them enough reasons to deviate from such acts? he queried.

Moniedafe, however, urged the Senate to focus on good governance and eradication of injustice.

Mr Unimke Nawa, a former Publicity Secretary of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, said death penalty would not solve the problem of terrorism in the country.

``Despite the severity of the act of terrorism, the death sentence is not the panacea for abating the crime.

``We have had the death sentence for armed robbery for years without it checking the crime," he said.

The Northern Speakers' Forum has announced the postponement of its meeting in Kaduna in honour of former governor Patrick Yakowa, who died in a helicopter crash on Saturday.

Alhaji Aminu Jega, the acting Chairman of the Forum and Speaker, Kebbi Assembly, said in a statement on Sunday in Kaduna that the death of the former governor was a loss to the region.

``The speakers' forum meeting was supposed to hold in Kaduna on Saturday but was postponed because of the sudden death of the governor.``

He said the forum was shocked by the sudden death of the governor and urged Nigerians to pray for the repose of his soul.

Jega condoled with the deceased's family and the entire people of the state over the loss and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss.

The wife of late Gov. Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State,  Amina  has described the last moment spent with her husband as a ``blessed one.’’

She stated this on Sunday in Kaduna, during the Eucharistic Mass at St. Patrick’s Chaplaincy, Government House.

Amina said the usual routine for them was to offer private prayer every morning, before joining the daily celebration of mass at 6 am at the chaplaincy.

She said that on Saturday, she was unable to say the usual prayers with her husband because she was down with catarrh, which made her very weak.

The bereaved widow said the late Yakowa then woke her up, urged her to get well soon so that she can join him in the thanksgiving service of the President's wife, Dame Patience Jonathan scheduled to hold on Sunday, Dec.16.

She described her marriage to the late governor as a happy one.

In his homily, the Archbishop of Kaduna, Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, described the late governor as a dedicated man who used his position to promote peace, unity and development in the state.

Ndagoso advised the family and people in the state not to despair, but rather be positive as the late governor had lived a good life worthy of emulation.

The archbishop  tasked Yakowa’s successor  to continue with the projects initiated by his predecessor.

On his part, Mr Joseph Hayab, the Special Adviser, Christian Affairs, to Yakowa, described the late governor as an incorruptible, hardworking and dedicated person.

The Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris on Sunday described the late Gov. Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna state as a distinguished administrator and patriot, who served humanity well. The Emir, who is the Chairman of the State Council of Chiefs, said Yakowa ha...

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, on Sunday said 116 suspects were arrested with 5, 697.9 kg of illegal drugs between January and November, 2012. Mr Suleiman Jadi, the State NDLEA Commander, told the News Agency of Ni...

Nigerians living in the U.S on Saturday  urged President Barack Obama and the U. S Congress to step up measures  towards curbing the rising wave of  violence in the country. The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation-Americas (NIDOA) made th...

Dating online has many down sides, but in this day of technology, no aspect of your life should be left behind. However, a lot of women make some online mistakes they should ordinarily not. Blessing ukemena writes, with report from YourTango.com.

There are so many chat forums and applications to choose from that one gets confused along the way. It used to be just Yahoo Messenger in the past, but it has been dumped for the latest ones, such as Facebook, 2go, Whatsapp and many other chat apps. Any youth that is not online in this age must be living under a rock.

It can be interesting to make new friends online, but people have got into wrong association through these media. Like the case of Cynthia, who was murdered after meeting some guys through one of these social media. So, in order not to attract ritualists,  killers and every weird people out there, here are some tips to note when doing social networking:

Extensive lists of what you want or don’t want: Now, women tend to get a lot of attention on dating sites. You probably think you’re weeding out the guys you don’t want to deal with. However, when you make a long list about how the guy you want to meet needs to be; like being friendly, confident, not into playing games, have a good job, love kids, etc., what you may not realise is that you’re actually chasing off the kind of guys you’re trying to meet.

This is happening because this comes off as being picky and judgemental, and this mentality will eventually make men pull away when you're in an actual relationship.

Porn star usernames: this can get really annoying sometimes. Often, a woman can accidentally send the wrong message by picking a username like “Looking4Fun” or “NaughtyButNice". You might think that you’re being flirty, but really you’re sending a message to all the sex-focused guys out there that they need to approach you with their lewd comments and messages.

Instead, you should be classy about your username. Being flirty is great in person, but be careful how you do it online, where people can often misinterpret the written word, and first impressions count.

Boring profiles: Have you ever looked at other women’s profiles? If you have, you may have noticed that the vast majority of them all look the same. “I’m down for whatever”, or “I love going out with my friends”. Ladies should learn to put nice and interesting things on their profile. A good start will be to put up thoughtful quotes and changing it at intervals. Even the ladies online will appreciate this.

Talking about your ex: When you pick your photos for your profile, don’t post any photos of you with your ex-boyfriend. Any guy that sees this will immediately feel threatened and turned off. And this includes photos of your brother, gay friend, or any other man.

Without getting to know you first, a man has no idea who the other guy is, and may be put off by the idea you're still friends with your ex. Just go out and take some photos of you by yourself that showcase who you are.

Pretending to be what you are not: Lots of women make the mistake of not really giving a guy a reason to want to get to know them. Additionally, you want to showcase your positive qualities, and no, not just talking about your legs, cleavage or your sexy little dress. You’re going to have to go beyond looks alone if you’re hoping to meet a quality man.

Actually, show your personality and what you have to offer to any potential dates. When you do this, don’t just say something like, “I’m a really nice person.” Or that you are too sex-addicted. Show him that you are a real person with good personality by what you say online, the good guys may just notice it.

The wrong attitude: Stop thinking that “I can’t believe I’m signing up for a dating site”. You might feel ashamed that you’re on a dating site, but when you say this, you are indirectly turning the good guys off.

Nothing will repel the good guys more than you acting judgemental and shaming them – plus, admitting that you’re desperate.

Maybe online dating was kind of weird back in 2002, but everyone is doing things online now. Just embrace the fact that you’re online and go in full-force.

Don’t worry about the creeps, losers, and social degenerates, they will always exist, but remember to keep your dignity and delete anybody that talks back at you or promises too much online.

Do you know that the easiest way to warm the body after that hard day’s work is through the use of an air conditioner? Air conditioner is recommended for both the old and the young, but it should be used at a minimum temperature to avoid acc...

Green peas contain twice the protein of most vegetable, and they are a healthier substitute for meat. Three-quarter cup of peas provides 6 grammes of protein, plus thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and 645 units of vitamin A.

It comes in different species such as snow and sugar snap peas. It's one of the ancient cultivated vegetable grown for their nutritious green pod. Green peas can be used in the preparation of vegetable salads, jollof rice, fried rice and snacks.

Health benefits of green peas
According to healthdiaries.com, the high amount of iron and vitamin C in green peas has been found to help strengthen the immune system.

Being low in calories, green peas are good for those who are trying to lose weight.

Green peas are rich in dietary fibre, making them good for those suffering from constipation.

Studies have indicated that green peas might be beneficial for those suffering from the problems associated with high cholesterol.

The lutein present in green peas helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

Green peas slow down the appearance of glucose in the blood, and thus, help keep the energy levels steady.

It has been found to aid energy production, nerve function and carbohydrate metabolism.

Green peas provide the body with those nutrients that are important for maintaining healthy bone.

The folic acid and vitamin B6 in green peas are good for promoting the cardiovascular health of an individual.

Being rich in antioxidants, like vitamin C, green peas can help keep cancer at bay.

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