Jonathan cautions the media, Judge Santa, bravest girl on 3 wheels & all the interesting news you should know today

Stop reckless scaremongering – President Jonathan urges national media

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by Isi Esene

President Goodluck Jonathan has decried reports in some sections of the national media taking his statement on the scourge of terrorism out of context.

In a statement made public by Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Jonathan accused the media of unnecessary sensationalism insisting that it is most unlikely that he, who has done so much to fight terrorism, could make a statement to the contrary.

According to him, “It is apparent that in their indecent haste to cast the most sensational and negative headlines, some editors never paused to consider that it would have been most absurd for a President whose administration has done so much to reverse the tide of terrorism, to publicly assert the contrary.”

Read the full statement below:

Reports in a section of the media today which quoted President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as saying at a Christmas church service on Wednesday in Abuja that “terrorism has come to stay” in Nigeria are completely untrue and a mischievous misrepresentation of the President’s remarks.

President Jonathan’s verifiable remarks at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp Abuja were to the effect that in comparison with some other countries which have experienced the scourge of terrorism, Nigeria has made remarkable progress in dealing with the security challenges posed by terrorism and insurgency.

Headlines such as “Terrorism Has Come to Stay” and “Insurgency Far From Over – Jonathan” are therefore most incongruous with the thrust of the President’s remarks and amount to taking extreme editorial liberties with his comments at the church service.

It is apparent that in their indecent haste to cast the most sensational and negative headlines, some editors never paused to consider that it would have been most absurd for a President whose administration has done so much to reverse the tide of terrorism, to publicly assert the contrary.

While speaking at the Church where he worshipped, along with members of his family, his aides and some Ministers, President Jonathan only pointed out that whereas terrorism remains a global challenge and a source of continuing concern in some countries, Nigeria has done comparatively better in reducing the incidence of terrorist attacks within its borders to a “reasonable level”.

Interpreting those remarks, which are clearly in tandem with facts available to all objective observers of Nigeria’s war against terrorism, as an expression of defeat or helplessness, amounts to reckless scaremongering which can only serve the purpose of needlessly instigating fear among the populace and bolstering the confidence of criminal and unpatriotic elements.

Once again, we urge the media to eschew undue negativity and join hands with the government to patriotically promote peace, national security and political stability.

The war against terrorism is very winnable and President Jonathan’s administration is steadily winning it in Nigeria. The Federal Government, the Armed Forces and national security agencies will continue to build on the successes they have achieved so against terrorists, insurgents and their sponsors.

The bravest girl on three wheels: Sheer delight of five-year-old who survived meningitis as she enjoys tricycle she wanted for Christmas 

The first thing you notice as Charlotte Nott rides the tricyle she found under the Christmas tree is the sheer delight on her face.

It’s only at second glance that her battle to do the things other children take for granted becomes apparent.

Charlotte, five, beat incredible odds to survive meningitis almost three years  ago.

Triumph: Charlotte Nott, who lost both legs and arms after contracting meningitis, riding her tricycle Christmas present

But doctors had to amputate her arms and legs below the elbow and knees during her fight for life.

After her ordeal there was no way she could ride the bike her parents, Jenny and Alex, had bought for her around the time she became ill.

 Only a month before she was rushed to hospital, the schoolgirl had fallen in love with a bike and Jenny, 32, and Alex, 32, had secretly bought it, hoping to surprise their oldest daughter on Christmas day.

Full-time mum Jenny, who is now separated from Alex, said: ‘Charlotte had never had a proper bike of her own before she became ill.

‘But she’d fallen in love with cycling after being given a little tricycle by her cousin. She used to spend hours on it, pedalling for miles and miles.

Strong support: After £400 was raised through a fund to help her through life after the 2011 operation, Charlotte is able to ride her very own first bike, specially made to her measurements, that works with her new prosthetic legs
‘Before Christmas we took her on a shopping trip and she set her heart on a little bike she spotted in one of the shops. It was lovely – blue with yellow flowers and bees on it.

‘As soon as she got on it she was zooming off all over the shop. She loved it so much we couldn’t get her to leave. In the end we had to carry her out kicking and screaming.

‘Alex and I bought it secretly and couldn’t wait to give it to her. We were probably more excited than her that year.

‘But we didn’t get the chance because Charlotte was rushed to hospital and she didn’t come out again until January.’

Charlotte had been a normal, healthy two-year-old before meningococcal septicaemia struck.

Two weeks before Christmas Day 2011, Jenny discovered the purple marks associated with the infection on Charlotte’s chest and she was rushed to nearby John Radcliffe hospital.

Within hours, the little girl suffered multiple-organ failure and doctors were fighting to save her life.

As the infection spread, Charlotte developed gangrene from septicaemia and medics were forced to amputate her limbs in January 2011.

Jenny said: ‘It’s hard to recall everything that happened because I was in shock. It was like I was on another planet.

‘One thing that I do remember doing is going to pick up Charlotte’s bike from the shop and taking it to the hospital on Christmas day.

Start of a dream: Charlotte Nott riding a tricycle during National Paralympic Day in London, England
‘We got permission from the doctors to put it by her bed in intensive care. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

‘Charlotte was barely conscious and wasn’t really aware it was there – it was more for us. We wanted to see her with her present.’ Charlotte left hospital in January and, since then, she has shown incredible courage adapting to life as a quadruple amputee.

But she has never been able ride the bike she had fallen in love with that Christmas three years ago.

Jenny said: ‘Charlotte tried desperately hard to ride the bike. She would spend an hour just trying to cycle three metres.

‘It was incredibly difficult for her – no matter how much effort she put in, she struggled to turn the pedals with her prosthetic legs.

‘It was one of her biggest frustrations, but she was determined.

She added: ‘In the years since, she has asked for a bike every Christmas and every birthday. It’s the only thing she really wanted.

‘We looked everywhere and Charlotte tried out so many bikes but nothing seemed to work. There was almost a point when I did feel like we’d have to give up.’

After years of searching, Charlotte’s dreams were finally answered this August when the family attended National Paralympic Day in London and Charlotte’s eyes fell on three-wheeled bike, made by Pashley.

Jenny said: “The last thing we looked at was the bike area, which was run by Bikeworks.

Support: Charlotte's mother Jenny, 32, was able to give her daughter the 'trike' thanks to her fund

“They were packing up for the day but we asked if Charlotte could have a go on a three-wheeler that she had spotted.

“The next thing you know, she’s on the bike and she’s cycling up and down like there’s no tomorrow.

“It was absolutely incredible. We’d waited so long but we’d finally found a bike that was the right fit for Charlotte.” After doing some research online, Jenny discovered a Pashley stockist close to her home.

Using £400 raised through Charlotte’s trust fund, she was able to buy a three-wheeler that was custom made to her daughter’s measurements.

Incredibly, she even managed to convince Pashley to break with tradition and make the bike pink – Charlotte’s favourite colour.

The design was completed just in time to be wrapped and placed under the tree for Christmas.

And today Charlotte can’t hide her delight as she zooms along the cycle path close to her home, turning the pedals with her brand new sparkly silver legs, which were also made just in time for Christmas by Dorset Orthopaedic.

Jenny said: “Charlotte has waited so long and she’s been so patient so it was so incredible to be able to finally give her her first bike this Christmas.

“The look on her face when she’s riding it is just pure delight. It’s so heart-warming to see.

“It really has cheered us all up too. It shows how far we’ve all come since that day in December three years ago.

“Everyone remembers getting their first bike but I think Charlotte will really treasure this moment for the rest of her life.”

Read more: Daily Mail

 

‘Call me Santa Claus’: What judge told three thug brothers as he spared them jail for attacking two men in a fight 

 

Judge David Fletcher spared three brothers from jail after they admitted to wounding two men, telling them: 'Call me Santa Claus'
Judge David Fletcher spared three brothers from jail after they admitted to wounding two men, telling them: ‘Call me Santa Claus’

A judge spared three brothers from jail then told them: ‘Call me Santa Claus’.

The  trio had admitted wounding two men in a fight over the installation of a safety fence at  a building site.

Despite their previous convictions for violence, the siblings were shown goodwill by Judge David Fletcher who handed down suspended jail terms so they could be with their families for Christmas.

As they left the court to celebrate, Judge Fletcher told them: ‘Call me Santa Claus because you have been very lucky.’

Last night campaigners criticised the judge for favouring criminals over their victims.

Adam Fouracre, of the charity Stand Against Violence, said: ‘It shouldn’t matter what time of the year it is – the crime is still the same. If people are allowed to get away with offences like this, offenders will not learn their lesson.’

Mr Fouracre, who set up the charity after his brother, Lloyd, 17, was beaten to death in the street while walking home from a birthday party in 2005, added: ‘Locking people up is not always the answer, but a judge has to protect society and the law-abiding people within it. Prison is supposed to be a deterrent.’

Margaret Lockwood-Croft, a former chairman of the Victims’ Voice charity, said: ‘This is dreadful. The judge has done little  to punish those responsible,  while failing the victims at the same time.’

A court was told the brothers left their victims with extensive cuts to their faces, requiring stitches, after trouble flared as the two men tried to put up a safety fence.

Prosecutor Phillip Beardwell said Craig Tomkinson and Daniel McGing had been working for a development company on a building site in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, when they were attacked after James Bowden arrived with a digger and demanded that the fencing was taken down.

His brothers Ben and Jonathan then arrived and waded in to the dispute last February. Mr Beardwell told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court: ‘Ben Bowden attacked Mr Tomkinson with his fists. James Bowden attacked Mr McGing. Jonathan Bowden joined in.’

James Bowden, 34, of Audley, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding Mr McGing. Ben Bowden, 26, of Bignall End, and Jonathan Bowden, 30, of Silverdale, both in Staffordshire, admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Tomkinson.Simon Warlock, defending James and Jonathan Bowden, said: ‘Men in their 30s rolling around on a building site is not an attractive proposition. James went to sort it out, but tempers were lost on both sides. This is not just one person acting in a pretty immature  manner – the same might be said of all of them.’He added: ‘James does digger work and there’s a family skip hire business. He has three children. It is Christmas and all three men are thinking of their children.

‘Jonathan has two children. He heard what happened and he was there out of loyalty.’

Elizabeth Power, defending Ben Bowden, told the court: ‘It was a very stupid act.’

Mr Beardwell told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court: 'Ben Bowden attacked Mr Tomkinson with his fists. James Bowden attacked Mr McGing. Jonathan Bowden joined in'James and Ben Bowden were both sentenced to 15 months in prison suspended for 24 months. They were also ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and told to pay their victims £750.

Jonathan Bowden was given a  12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 240 hours’ unpaid work, and ordered to pay £750 compensation.

Judge Fletcher told the brothers: ‘This ridiculous idea that you go together as brothers to sort  out problems with your fists is, frankly, pathetic.

‘This was about nothing but someone doing their job and putting up a fence.’

 Read more: Daily Mail

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