Terrorist Attack French Satirical Magazine

PARIS — Authorities identified three suspects in a deadly shooting attack on a French satirical newspaper that killed 12 people Wednesday as thousands jammed a public square for an evening vigil in support for the victims.
French police officials said they identified three men as suspects in a deadly attack. Two officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, named the suspects as Frenchmen Said Kouachi and Cherif Kouachi, in their early 30s, and Hamyd Mourad, 18, whose nationality wasn't immediately clear. One of the officials said they were linked to a Yemeni terrorist network.
At least 15,000 gathered at the Place de la République for a vigil after the three gunmen, wearing hoods and armed with Kalashnikov automatic rifles, stormed the offices of Charlie Hebdo shouting Islamic phrases and killing 12 people. The publication is a satirical newspaper that has caricatured the prophet Mohammed in the past.
"They wanted to put France down on its knees but we will show them solidarity and unity," Ilan Scialom, 30, vice president of "COEXISTER," an interfaith group in Paris that promotes tolerance, said at the Paris rally. Thousands turned out for similar vigils in Lyon and elsewhere across Europe. Some held signs saying, "Not afraid."
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the midday attack, the deadliest on French soil in more than 50 years.
In a brief televised address, French President Francois Hollande called for a day of mourning Thursday, saying "nothing can divide us, nothing can separate us."
"We will win. Nothing will make us renounce our determination," he said. "Long live the republic. Long live France."
The rampage began around noon when the suspects killed a receptionist to gain entrance to the offices in central Paris, then opened fire on a second-floor editorial meeting, killing 10 people, including eight journalists, prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters. A police officer was killed during the suspects' getaway.
Eleven others others were injured, including four who were listed in serious condition.
President Francois Hollande called it a terrorist act "of exceptional barbarism," and said that other attacks have been thwarted in France in recent weeks. Fears have been running high in France and elsewhere in Europe that jihadis returning from conflicts in Syria and Iraq will stage attacks at home.
In a sober address to the nation Wednesday night, Hollande pledged to hunt down the killers, and pleaded with his compatriots to come together in a time of insecurity and suspicion.

Molins said the attackers shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great") and the "prophet is avenged" before fleeing in a stolen black Citroen, exchanging gunfire at least twice with police outside.
Cartoonist Corine Rey, also known as "Coco," told the weekly Humanité that she was forced at gunpoint to allow the men inside the building.
"They shot (cartoonists) Wolinski, Cabu … it lasted about five minutes," she told the newspaper, according to France24. "I took cover under a desk … they spoke perfect French … they said they were al-Qaeda."

Stephane Charbonnier.(Photo: Michel Euler, AP)

The dead included Stephane Charbonnier, the weekly newspaper's editorial director known as Charb, spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre of the Paris prosecutor's office confirmed. Charb's bodyguard — assigned to him after previous death threats — was among those killed, said Christophe Crepin, a police union spokesman. Four cartoonists whose work included controversial drawings of the prophet Mohammed were also killed.
In response to the death threats, Charb, according to France24, told colleagues at one point, "I am not afraid of retaliation. I have no kids, no wife, no car, no credit. It perhaps sounds a bit pompous, but I prefer to die standing than living on my knees."

Demonstrators in Marseille, France, hold a banner that reads, "I am Charlie" during a demonstration against a terrorist attack at the Paris office of the "Charlie Hebdo" newspaper on Jan. 7.Twelve people were killed when gunmen attacked the publication that had often outraged Muslims with controversial cartoons of the prophet Mohammed. (Photo: Claude Paris, AP)

One police officer was shot execution-style on a sidewalk. The gunman, in a chilling video taken from a second-floor balcony, opened fire on a police officer, who collapsed. One of the gunmen then calmly walked up the officer and killed him, before returning to the getaway car with his fellow assailant.

Armed gunmen face police officers near the offices of the French satirical newspaper "Charlie Hebdo" in Paris on Wednesday.(Photo: Anne Gelbard, AFP/Getty Images)

The newspaper's editor, Gerard Biard, escaped the attack because he was in London.
"I am shocked that people can have attacked a newspaper in France, a secular republic," he told France Inter: "I don't understand it."
Only hours before the attack, the newspaper published a new cartoon on Twitter that appears to show Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The militant group has captured large parts of Iraq and Syria.
The publication, whose barbs are aimed at a wide range of religious and political institutions, has been heavily criticized by Muslims for years. In 2011 its offices were firebombed after a spoof issue featured a caricature of the prophet on its cover.

RCCG PRAYER POINTS FOR 40-DAY FAST

RCCG PRAYER POINTS FOR 40-DAY FAST
(02/01/15 - 10/02/15)

The prayer points have been updated based by the RCCG Directorate of Prayer Ministry.

May the Almighty God accept our fast and answer our prayers speedily in Jesus Name, Amen.

From the Directorate of Prayer Ministry, RCCG, Redemption Camp, Lagos Nigeria 

The year 2015 has the number five at its end, and five (5) indicates grace.

In  this year, the grace of God will see you through, protect you, cover you from all dangers, promote you, prospers you and put an end to every form of disgrace. These are the contents in the package of prophecies just released by our father in the Lord at the Crossover night. Hence, as we pray these forty days, may we see the manifestation over our nations, our lives and ministries, in the name of Jesus . God Bless you.

PRAYER POINTS FOR 40 DAYS FASTING AND PRAYER PERIOD

1.  Thank God for being the God over your life Ps124: 1-82.
2.  Praise the name of the Lord for bringing you into a bright new year
3.  Thank God for providing for your family throughout the past year Ps 23: 1-6
4.  Thank God for defending your home Ps 20: 1-3, Ps 145: 1 -21
5.  Bless the name of the Lord for His mercies over your life and family members Ps 136: 1-26, Ps 51: 1-19
6.       Please God's mercy for all your shortcomings Ps 51: 1-14
7.       Thank God for His ultimate power that established RCCG
8.       Bless the name of the Lord for the obedience of Late Pa Josiah Akindayomi, and Pastor E. A. Adeboye, to the voice of the Owner of ultimate power.
9.       Ask God to remove everything that is acting as a hindrance to your prayers and progress
10.   Ask God to arise in His wrath and destroy every satanic plan against your life.
11.   Pray that God would be glorified in your life from now on and forever
12.   Ask God to encourage you all the way in 2015 like never before.
13.   Ask God to make your life attract millions of people unto
14.   Him14.   Pray for all round  peace  throughout 2015.
15.    Father, let me enjoy joy unspeakable and fill my life with your glory throughout the New Year.
16.   Please, fill my mouth with laughter and give me a lot to dance and shout about in the year 2015
17.   Lay your hands on your head and decree, you my head, you are destined to be the head anywhere you go. As from today, begin to take your headship position in Jesus name.
18.   Father, I decree  destruction  upon every power magnetizing me away from your will, in the name of Jesus
19.   Father, in this year, make a way for me where people said there is no way.
20.   Father, take your church to her next level of explosion
21.   Father, because I believe in you, let shame be far from me in the name of Jesus.
22.   Lift your hand to the Almighty and say, "Father, please lift me to such a height that no one can ever pull me down".
23.   Father, among the multitudes of people, single me out for miracles
24.   Ask God to make His Power of Resurrection shake RCCG and make every dying life, resurrect,  in the name of Jesus.
25.   Ask God to send His ultimate Power upon RCCG and revive every dead virtue in the name of Jesus. Matt 28: 6
26.   Let the Power of Resurrection descend upon RCCG worldwide and rend every veil of sin and disobedience that is shielding people from  favour. Matt 27: 51a
27.   Ask for the Power of God from heaven to go before His Church and grind every rock of opposition to powder, in the name of Jesus. Matt 25: 51b
28.   Command the grave to receive the power of Resurrection and vomit every virtue of the Church swallowed by it. Matt 27: 52-53.
29.   Let the ultimate power of God to do exploits in ministry rest upon all the Ministers in RCCG and transform them for good. Matt 28: 18-19
30.   Ask the Lord for more grace and boldness to witness and win souls for Christ for every worker in RCCG Mat 28: 19
31.   Ask God to be merciful and release grace to say NO to sin into His Church Ps 1:1-2
32.   Ask the Lord Jesus, to have mercy and baptize His Church with grace to obey His voice, as  sheep   obeys the shepherd. Ps 23:11
33.   Let the ability to be a disciple and to disciple others operate freely in every RCCG Church worker, from now. Matt 28: 20
34.   Ask the Lord to anoint all His children in RCCG and other living churches with the ability to abide in His teachings forever and to make heaven. Matt 28: 20.
35.   Ask God to arise on behalf of His Church, and let every enemy of the Gospel be scattered.
36.   Ask God to arise and let every pit dug for His servants swallow up the digger. Ps 35: 7-8
37.   Ask God to contend with those contending with the servants of God in RCCG. Isa 49: 24-26
38.   Pray that every enemy of revival in RCCG shall dry up from its roots, in Jesus' Name.
39.   Pray that the 40-day fasting shall be fruitful for all participants, their families, our Nations and the Church.
40.   Pray for Open Heavens for showers of blessings and testimonies throughout the year
41.   Let us pray for bumper harvest   of souls like never before this year42.   Ask God to give you a new song in 2015
43.   Ask God for rapid and steady progress Ps 125: 1-5
44.   Ask God to bless your family more abundantly Ps 128: 1-6
45.   Ask God for full restoration of losses of yesteryears. Joel 2: 25-27, Ps 126: 1-6
46.   Ask for the grace to become broken in God's hands. Ps 15: 1-6
47.   Ask God to help you stop your leaking vessels. Ps 40: 1-2
48.   Pray to God to reward your holiness with blessings. Ps. 128: 1-6
49.   Thank God for full restoration. Joel 2: 25-27, Ps 126: 1-6
50.   Thank God for  answered  prayers. Ps 20: 1-9

Prayer for Daddy & Mummy G.O.
 1.       Father, please pray for Your son the General Overseer, in this era of testimonies, increase his strength, anointing and wisdom in Jesus name.
 2.       Let us pray for Daddy and Mummy G.O. That
God will empower them the more to cope with their ministerial assignment in RCCG. Isa 41: 10-18
3.       Let us pray that God in His mercy will silence every evil personality that us making the ministerial assignments uneasy for Daddy G.O. Ps 143: 11-12
4.       Let us pray that God will fortify the strength of Daddy and Mummy G.O. Isa. 41: 13-14
5.       Ask God  to fortify Pastor E. A. Adeboye more with His ultimate power.
6.       Let us ask God's protection on Daddy G.O's family Ps 125: 2
7.       Let us ask God to contend with those contending with Pastor E. A. Adeboye and his family Isa 49:24-26
8.       Let us ask that God will baptize Pastor E. A. Adeboye and his family with the special anointing that automatically sends evil arrows back to their sender.  Gen  12:3
9.       Let us ask God to increase Daddy G.O.  and  his family in all their  endeavours. Isa 60: 22
10.   Let us pray for Daddy G.O.'s children that God will anoint them to fulfill destiny and also be in divine health. Ps 128: 3
11.   Let us ask God's special hand of   favourto   rest on Daddy and Mummy G.O.  That  they will flourish and will never fall nor fail in life. Ps 27: 1
12.   Let us pray that God will help Daddy and Mummy G.O.
finishstrong  in God's own time. Ps 90
13.   Let us pray for Daddy and Mummy G.O.  that
God will help them to break more new grounds for RCCG worldwide.
14.   Father, whenever Daddy and Mummy G.O.  call   unto
you , please answer them . From RCCG - Directorate of Prayer

More prayers:

THANKSGIVING 
 1 Thank you Lord for all You have done in our lives, in our homes, in His Church, in our nation Nigeria. (1 Chron.16:8-¬‐9)
2 Thank you Lord for all Your provisions to us as individuals, as families and as a church. (Deut.8:10)
3 Thank you Lord for our salvation and for our heavenly inheritance. (Col.1:12)
4 Thank you Lord for forgiving us our sins Psalm.103:3
5 Thank you Lord for divine health enjoyed throughout 2014 Ex.15:26
6 Thank you Lord for delivering us from all forms of destruction in 2014. Ps.103:4
7 Thank you Lord for all the good things you have satisfied me with in 2014. Ps.103:5
8 Thank you Lord for not allowing us to be preys to our enemies. Ps.124:6
9 Thank you Lord for causing us to escape all the traps the enemy set for us in 2014. Ps. 124:7
10 Thank you Lord for fighting all my battles for me in 2014. Ex.14:14

INDIVIDUALS  
1 Father God, please make this year a year of rest for me and my family in Jesus name. 1 Kings 5:4; 2 Chron 14:7
2 O Lord, in your mercy, release me from every judgement that I deserve in Jesus name. Ps. 25:7; Ps.94:18; Ps.145:8
3 O Lord, in this year of release, please set me and my family free from every form of bondage -¬‐  spiritual, physical, financial and emotional in Jesus name.  Ex.2:23-¬‐25; Ex.20:2; Is.10:27
4 Father God, please cancel all my debts supernaturally and let there be a transfer of the wealth of the heathen and the unrighteous into my storehouses in Jesus name. Deut.28:12;  Zech.14:14; Is.61:6-¬‐7
5 O Lord, let there be a restoration of all the assets -¬‐  land, property, investments, deposits that I have lost to creditors and fraudsters in Jesus name.   2 Kg.8:5-¬‐6; Joel 2:25-¬‐26
6 Father God, let there be peace, unity, love and reconciliations in my family in the mighty name of Jesus. Ps.133:1-¬‐3;  Gen.11:6
7 Father, make this year a year of divine scholarship for me. Cause me to reap and to benefit from where I have not sowed or laboured in Jesus name.  Deut. 6:10-¬‐11
8 O Lord, please protect me from every destruction and calamity reserved for the dsobedient this year in Jesus name.   Job 31:3; Ps.55:23
9 O Lord, please annul and set me free from every agreement or contract designed to shortchange me or frustrate me in Jesus name.   Gen.31:7-¬‐9
10 Every prison door and every ancient gate between me and my breakthrough, be lifted up in Jesus name. Psalm 24:7

RCCG 
1 Oh Lord, grant the RCCG Leadership (the General Overseer -¬‐ Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the Governing Council, the Elders, the Provincial Pastors/Asst. Provincial Pastors/Pastors) wisdom and deep revelation in the knowledge of Him. Eph.1:17-¬‐19; Phil.1:9-¬‐11
2 O Lord, please be a wall of fire around the RCCG Leadership and safeguard them against all forms of satanic attack. Lk.22:31; Zech.2:5
3 O Lord, we take authority against everything that the enemy would want to use to threaten the UNITY of RCCG. Psalm 133:1-¬‐3
4 O Lord, in RCCG, give us pastors that will shepherd the flock with INTEGRITY of heart. Psalm 78:72;
5 Father, let your FRESH ANOINTING be upon all our Pastors. Psalm 23:5b; Psalm 92:10;
 6 O Lord, we ask for WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING in the lives of all our parish/area/provincial pastors to lead the flock aright   Col.1:9-¬‐11
7 O Lord, let there be the full operation of the revelational, vocal, and power gifts in the lives of all RCCG ministers 1 Cor.12:6-¬‐10
8 O Lord, manifest your power and glory in all Holy Ghost Services, Conventions, Congress, Shiloh and Divine Encounter Programmes this year 2015.   2 Chron.5:14; Acts 16:26
9 O Lord, let there be great expansion of your Kingdom through the parishes both in Nigeria and all nations of the earth.   Mark 1:28
10 O Lord, let nothing bring your Name or the name of RCCG into disrepute. Matt.5:13; Rom.2:24

 NIGERIA 
 1 O Lord, let our land Nigeria experience rest this year in Jesus name. 1 Kings 5:4; 2 Chron 14:7
2 Father Lord, let your will be done in the forth-¬‐coming general elections. Give us leaders after your own will. Let your counsel alone stand.   Matt.6:10; Prov.19:21
3 O Lord, give us God-¬‐fearing leadership at local government, state & federal levels. 1 Timothy 2:2; Proverbs 29:2
4 O Lord, deliver Nigeria from all forms of violence and acts of terrorism. Isaiah 60:18
 5   O Lord, deliver Nigeria from every form of natural disasters. Psalm 91:1-¬‐10
6 Father, expose every form of corruption in our land and cause the nation to recover all that has been stolen through corrupt acts.  Amos 5:11-¬‐12; Ezra 7:26
7 O Lord, Revive all the dead sectors of our economy. Ezekiel 37:1-¬‐14;
8 O Lord, cause Nigeria to be a debt-¬‐free nation. Deut.15:6; Deut.28:12
9 O Lord, deliver Nigeria from all froms of financial waste Isaiah 61:4
10 Father, please restore Nigeria’s prominence as a leading economy in Africa Joel 2:25-¬‐26: Deut.28:13

Presidential Contest A Do-Or-Die Affair - Governor Fayose

An inaugural meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Southwest was held in Akure on Saturday with the objective of outlining a strategy for winning the 2015 elections in the area, with Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose reiterating the party’s old mantra that the presidential contest is a “do or die” affair.
 

The returnee-governor said the party must be prepared to use its control of the army and the police, which it currently controls, to ensure victory for President Goodluck Jonathan at next month’s polls.
The meeting was organized by the PDP South-West co-ordinator, Gov. Olusegun Mimiko, who shared the high table with Senitor Iyiola Omisore, Mr. Kolapo Ogunjobi, Senator Musilu Obanikoro, Governor Ayo Fayose and various leaders from the zone.
Governor Fayose underlined that the presidential election was critical, advising that the party should forget about governorship elections and concentrate on the presidential contest.  According to him, once President Jonathan was re-elected, everything else would fall into place and the party could declare the governorship candidates of PDP in various States as it likes.
Minutes of the meeting obtained by SaharaReporters shows that some delegates advocated de-emphasizing rallies as campaign strategy, preferring that the PDP should focus on propaganda aimed at tarnishing the image of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari.   Some of the delegates wanted to use the media to dent the image of General Buhari.
In that connection, Senator Omisore expressed support for the extensive use of propaganda against Buhari, joining Governor Fayose in stressing that the all efforts should be mobilized to win the Presidency because the PDP would be nothing without the presidency.
Mr. Fayose disagreed with the propaganda strategy, describing it as a waste of time.  Stressing that attack is the best form of defence, he said that the PDP in general and the South-west PDP should be valiant to face the Tinubus anywhere they are.
He underlined that the PDP cannot afford to lose its control of the police and the army, which it will without Jonathan being the president.
On Fayose’s description of the presidential election as a “do or die” affair, Gov. Mimiko, obviously aware that the outburst could be used against the PDP, countered that it should not be a “do or die” but rather a “do-and-win” affair.
One of the decisions taken by the meeting was to set up a number of committees, including Security, Contacts, Traditional, and INEC.
The committee on Security is saddled with the responsibility of working with the police and the army.  The party leaders also further tasked the students at both the national and regional levels to monitor various institutions and polling booths to make sure that the election goes in favour of President Jonathan.  It was also stated that a national student body had submitted a proposal for a youth conference that will hold in FUTA this month where the South-west students would adopt Jonathan as their presidential candidate.

 Soldier Narrates how 203 of them were dismissed after secret trial

One of the sacked soldiers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the soldiers were dismissed for asking for support equipment, following the army’s plan to convey them in a tipper for an operation in Bama and Gwoza, two strongholds of Boko Haram insurgents.
The soldier, who is originally of the 19th Battalion in Okitipupa in Ondo State, but attached to the 7th division in Maiduguri, said the army detained them for over 90 days before dismissing them after a midnight trial. He said they are owed up to five months in unpaid salaries.
Narrating the event that led to their dismissal, the soldier said his unit reconvened in Maiduguri last August, after they were dislodged by the insurgents in Damboa in an operation where their commanding officer and several other soldiers were killed.
He said they were given two weeks pass and that at the expiration of their pass, they were issued new uniforms, boots and 30 rounds of bullets each as opposed to the statutory 60 rounds. And were going to be conveyed in a tipper lorry to Gwoza and Bama for an operation.
He said having engaged the insurgents in several past battles, majority of the soldiers argued that the operation would be fierce, and therefore requested support equipment.
“So we asked for support weapons. No support weapon was provided. Our CO (Commanding Officer) said he would discuss with the GOC (General Officer Commanding) of the 7 Division at the headquarters. When he came back, he said we should stand down. We thought all was well,” our source said.
But the request made by the soldiers fetched them more than they bargained for.
The next day their new CO, Mohammed A, a lieutenant colonel from 195 battalion, Agenebode, ordered them to submit their weapons and uniforms or be charged with mutiny.
“On the morning of 16 of August, after the GOC briefing, our commander started calling our names and he said anyone whose name is called should submit their uniform and weapon. He added that anyone who failed to do that would be charged for mutiny. We were surprised at what was happening.
“He started from the most senior soldier among us, a warrant officer who had served for almost 30 years. They asked us to go back to the barrack. It is a war zone and our weapons had been taken from us. Staying around was of no use so we left Maiduguri back home.”
The next order from the army hierarchy was for the soldiers to report to the 4th Brigade headquarters in Benin where they were detained for three months.
“They kept us in the fenced field at the officers’ mess in 4th battalion headquarters. When we first arrived at Benin they took statements from us and took it to Maiduguri. The original charge against us was for deserting but after our statements were taken they changed the charge to disobedient to particular order. They said we disobeyed the CO’s order. They seized our phones, we couldn’t communicate with our families for the 90 days we were kept in detention,” our source said.
After they were released on December 24, they were conveyed to their various units. The soldier said on getting to their units, a court martial was set up at about 11.30 p.m. where they were tried and dismissed. He said the next morning, they were evicted from the barrack with their families.
“It was dismissal without benefits. After 17 years in service. Even people that served for 30 years were dismissed without benefits. We had no legal representation.”
Army spokesperson, Olajide Laleye, a Brigadier General, could not be reached for comments on Thursday. Calls and messages to his telephone were not answered or returned.
The dismissal of the 203 soldiers followed a wave of court-martialling of other soldiers for mutiny and other offences.
On December 24, a military court-martial that sat in Abuja sentenced four soldiers to death by firing squad for alleged mutiny.
That judgment came just about a week after another batch of 54 soldiers were condemned to death for refusing to fight the deadly Boko Haram sect.
The 54 soldiers belonged to the 111 Special Forces battalion attached to the 7 division of the army in Maiduguri. They are to die by firing squad, the military court ruled.
The soldiers were accused of disobeying a direct order from superior officers to take part in an operation aimed at dislodging Boko Haram terrorists from Delwa, Bulabulin and Damboa in Borno State.
The soldiers said they refused to take part in the operation because the Army did not provide them with the required combat and support equipment needed for such operations.
Earlier, in September, 12 soldiers were sentenced to death for allegedly shooting at a car conveying their commanding officer, Ahmed Mohammed, a Major General.
The attack occurred May 14 at the army’s 7 Division, Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri, headed at the time by Mr. Mohammed.
Others were also sentenced to life in jail for criminal conspiracy and attempt to commit murder.
The soldiers revolted after some of their colleagues were ambushed and killed by Boko Haram extremists, an attack they blamed their commander for.
Yet, more soldiers remain on trial for their conducts in the fight against the extremist sect, and face being sentenced to death.
On December 23, another batch of 118 soldiers were transported from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to face charges in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
It is not clear when the troops would be arraigned before the military court, but our sources said unlike their colleagues who were convicted December 17, the 118 soldiers are accused of offences less than mutiny.
Also, 22 top officers, including a brigadier general, are being held at the Ikeja Military Cantonment in Lagos, preparatory to being arraigned for yet unclear offences.
They could not be arraigned on December 22 because the court was not properly constituted.
Their arraignment has now been scheduled for a date in January.
The convicted soldiers, apart from the four that were sentenced  December 24, have been moved to Lagos to await appeal, pardon or execution.