The Government says it only rented a portion of the land to the Lagos State.
The Ogun State Government on Monday denied speculations that it ceded its land in Egua, Yewa Local Government Area to the Lagos State Government.
The Ogun government explained that the expanse of land was allocated for agricultural purpose to fast track development in the area and it only rented a portion of the land to the Lagos State Government.
It also said it is a pilot scheme which it plans to replicate in all the three senatorial districts of the State.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ronke Sokefun, who made the clarification in Abeokuta at a meeting with stakeholders from the area, explained that the decision was part of the current administration’s strategy to ensure that development reaches every nook and cranny of the State.
Ms. Sokefun disclosed that the land in question had long been acquired for agricultural purposes by past administrations in the State, adding that the current government only gave the Lagos State Government a fraction of the total it requested for and that like in every lease agreement, there is a period for which Lagos State would operate on it.
“The land had long been acquired for agricultural purpose by past administrations in the state. There was a strategic reasoning behind our allocating part of it to Lagos State for rice planting. We only gave them one-tenth of what they requested for,” Ms. Sokefun said.
On the derivable economic benefit, the commissioner assured that the terms of agreement are unambiguous as the parties had agreed that rent would be paid to Ogun State Government and that indigenes would be employed in the programme.
“Part of the agreements we entered into was that they will not use the land for any other purpose other than cultivation of rice and that indigenes of the community must be considered first for engagement on the farmland. This is a pilot scheme,” the commissioner said.
Ms. Sokefun, who lamented the inability of past administrations to take advantage of its proximity to Lagos, said that “the current administration will take that advantage to the fullest.

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Eritrea’s national football team has disappeared in Uganda in what would be potentially the fourth team to abscond from their authoritarian country, officials said Monday.
Ugandan police were alerted after 16 football team members disappeared after losing to Rwanda 2-0 in a regional tournament, according to the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA).
“The police have been notified,” said Ugandan CECAFA official Moses Magogo, adding that the players failed to return to their hotel after a shopping trip in the capital, Kampala.
Thousands leave the Red Sea nation every month, according to the United Nations, fleeing conscription and a hardline government that jails critics in harsh desert labour camps, and is ranked worst in the world for press freedom.
In 2007, six national players sought asylum in Angola after a game there, while in 2009, 12 Eritrean national football players sought asylum after a game in Kenya.
Last year 13 members of Eritrea’s Red Sea football club asked for asylum in Tanzania.
“When they flew in there was an alert from CECAFA secretariat about the history of attempts to disappear by the team,” Magogo said. “We shared the information with the Ugandan police to keep an eye on them.”
Eritrean officials did not respond to calls.
Courtesy AFP

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Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdisi, a well-known advocate for President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, has resigned and is headed for London, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday.
“Makdisi was pressured by people inside the presidential palace, but not the president himself, to resign. He is now on his way to London,”
Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman added that he had left with his family from Beirut international airport.
“The entourage of the president was disturbed by frequent media appearances by Makdisi and some of the statements he made,” Abdel Rahman said of the diplomat, who maintains an official Twitter account.
A native Arabic speaker and fluent in French and English, Makdisi conducted his thesis in London while working for the Syrian embassy.
The Christian native of Damascus was called back to the Syrian capital soon after an uprising against Assad broke out in March last year to assume the post of foreign ministry spokesman.
He later relocated his wife and two children to Beirut, where he would
visit them on the weekends.
Makdisi had come under criticism of late by the ministry, the cabinet and by state media officials at the presidential palace, according to friends. However, he maintained his loyalty to Assad.
Courtesy AFP

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A two hour closed door meeting between the leaders of the executive and the legislative arms of government on Monday ended without a statement from the participants.
The Senate President, David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi met with President Goodluck Jonathan inside his office at the State House.
After the meeting both Mark and Tambuwal refused to speak to State House correspondent who rushed to get an interview from them. They left in the same vehicle with Governor Amaechi.
Amaechi, who was spotted entering the vicinity of the President’s office, came a little bit after Mark and Tambuwal had already gone into Jonathan’s office.

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Following the recent criticism by former President Olusegun Obasanjo of President Goodluck Jonathan handling of the Boko Haram insurgency and the riposte by Jonathan over Obasanjo handling of the Odi invasion in 1999, there has been palpable unease within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the growing feud between the two.
Of particular concern, a top member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party told journalists yesterday in Abuja that the party was worried over the preponderance by President Jonathan’s aides to encourage the president to engage in verbal diatribes with the former president on the pages of newspapers.
In expressing the concerns of the party, the NWC member said it would be wrong for the president to fall out with Obasanjo.
He said: “The former president might have his faults, he is not a saint, but taking on Obasanjo on the pages of the newspapers is not good for the party,” advising Jonathan to tread softly because of the stature of Obasanjo.
“He was a former military head of state and was also president for eight years,” he said.
The NWC member said anyone advising Jonathan to take on former President Obasanjo was not helping matters.
“We are concerned about this feud between the president and Obasanjo, two critical members of the party.
“The president must be careful. It is dangerous for him to take on this man, who is very close to the northern oligarchy.
“Jonathan should rather seek his advice as a father because of his second term ambition. This is not the time to start fighting people like Obasanjo.
“He (Jonathan) should not make Obasanjo, a hero. It was this same Obasanjo who appealed to restive members of the party at the Eagles Square when Jonathan picked the party’s presidential ticket.
“That time, the North was very angry that the party did not follow the zoning formula as enshrined in its constitution following the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua,” the source said.
According to the source, “The party is working too hard to smoothen the relationship between the presidency and the National Assembly and now this. We can’t win the 2015 presidential election like this. We need a united party for things to work well for us.”
When contacted, the National Secretary of the PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, said there was no rift between Jonathan and Obasanjo.
According to the National Secretary of PDP, “The issue of Odi killings will not cause hostility between the two leaders of our party.”
The National Publicity Secretary added that Jonathan and Obasanjo were “working together towards deepening democracy in Nigeria.”
However, the NWC source said that it was in order to contain such unnecessary face off that the party wants to constitute its Board of Trustees (BoT), so that they can mediate in such disputes between leaders of the party.
“We need elders that can look at both senior members of the party and tell them the truth, instead of playing into the hands of the opposition. If we allow such bitter quarrels, what will the opposition parties do?” asked the NWC member.
He blamed the recent disagreement between Jonathan and Obasanjo on what he described as “some of the overzealous aides of the president.”
Courtesy This Day

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King Juan Carlos I of Spain has been discharged from hospital after undergoing reconstructive surgery of his left hip joint.
The 74-year old was admitted to a Madrid medical facility on November 12 for the operation to improve his overall mobility, and on Sunday December 2, doctors released him from their care.
Joking with journalists as he left the centre, the monarch promised he would “take things very easy” while he recuperates. Medics expect Carlos to make a full recovery.
This is the latest in a string of health problems for the royal – in April, he injured his right hip joint on an African safari and over the past few years, he has undergone knee surgery and an operation to remove a benign lung tumor.
Courtesy MSN, AP

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SUSPECTED Boko Haram gunmen Sunday attacked the Divisional Police Station in Gambouru/Ngala, Borno State, killing two officers, while residents fled into the bush for safety.

Gambouru/Ngala is a border town with Chad Republic; and 150 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the state capital.

The morning attack came barely two days after a similar assault at Damasak, a town in the state, that left some security officers dead.

However, President Goodluck Jonathan also Sunday insisted that the country remained safe in spite of bombings, and urged Nigerians not to entertain any fear in their daily activities.

Jonathan, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, stressed that insurgents worldwide audaciously attack institutions to kindle maximum fear among the citizenry.

On Sunday’s attack, a resident, Bukar Aisami, said about 50 gunmen in vehicles and motorcycles attacked the police station, 700 metres from a military post, with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol-bombs, chanting “God is great” in Arabic, before killing the two policemen.

He said no civilian was killed, as most of the residents fled into the bush, adding: “We had to run for our lives, because we don’t know who these gunmen were targeting, as they came in high number to attack us and the security personnel here in Gambouru/Ngala.”

In neighbouring Yobe State, the Joint Task Force (JTF) uncovered a bomb-making factory in Damaturu, the capital, another hot-bed of the Islamist group.

The discovery followed the security task force’s “cordon and search” operation in the early hours of yesterday at the Buhari Housing Estate, on Gashua-Maiduguri Ring Road.

In Damaturu, the JTF’s spokesman, Lt. Lazarus Eli, said a decomposing body was also found buried within the factory premises, stating that it could be that of a suspected terrorist that died from gunshot wounds in a recent cross-fire.

He said other items recovered from the factory included bomb-making materials, arms and ammunition, magazines, as well as military, police and immigration uniforms.

He added that after a thorough search of the premises, two rifles, medical supplies and teargas canisters were also recovered.

He appealed to residents to be vigilant and report suspected persons to security agents for appropriate action to save people’s lives and property.

President Jonathan, who recalled when the Irish Republican Army (IRA) bombed the hotel in which the then British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher and core members of her cabinet were holding a meeting, said it was not surprising that such strategic places were attacked in Nigeria.

According to him: “It is not surprising therefore that as a consequence of the recent activities of the insurgents; some dailies reported that ‘nowhere is safe in Nigeria.’ In truth and in reality this statement is not correct.

“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, wishes to assure Nigerians that in spite of this situation, the country is still largely safe and secure.

“President Jonathan wishes to state categorically of his unwavering commitment and determination to fight insecurity wherever they are found in Nigeria.”

He assured that the Jonathan-administration was prepared to enhance and ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigerians, irrespective of their locations within the country.

Okupe explained that government has acquired and deployed highly sophisticated security equipment and members of the security agencies have received and continue to receive adequate training such that intelligence gathering capacity has witnessed a monumental increase in recent time.

Okupe stated that this was responsible for the reduction in over 70 per cent of the activities of the Boko Haram and other sinister plans before they occur.

He said unfortunately, such feats are not made known to members of the public. He also urged the media to join hands with government and key-in into the transformation agenda, while ensuring that sensational reports that could tarnish Nigeria’s image and bring the country into disrepute and create anxiety and panic are avoided.

He added: “We should not allow fear and despair to overcome us rather we should draw strength from our well-known spirit of nationalism and forbearance to support the government and the security agencies in their effort to curb the menace.

“This government is committed to moving the country forward. The reform in the power and agricultural sectors and current infrastructural rehabilitation and development are taking shape and these will encourage the growth of local enterprise and increase in foreign direct investment in an unprecedented manner which will in turn provide more jobs, create wealth among the citizenry and reduce tendencies towards criminality and other social malaise in our nation.

“The President wishes to assure Nigerians that government will not rest but continue to work tirelessly with all the security agencies to bring to a complete end as soon as possible, cases of insecurity, while those found guilty to have perpetrated criminality and acts of terrorism either by promoting it actively or passively, are made to face the full wrath of the law.”

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From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba

A kidnapped victim in Delta State, Elder Paul Odili Chima has reportedly died three days after he breathed the air of freedom from his abductors’ den.

Said to be residing in Asaba, the state capital, Elder Chima, 65, was the Asaba branch President of Aboh Development Union (ADU). He was also the National Treasurer of the community-related union.

Besides, the deceased was the chairman of Delta State chapter of the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN).

He was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in Asaba and taken to unknown destination where he was said to have spent seven days in captivity.

His abduction was said to have unsettled his family members and close associates who rallied round to secure his release after paying N1.5 million ransom.

Celebrations greeted his release from the kidnappers’ captivity, but the joy was short-lived, as he was said to have complained about pains, following the torture he received from the hoodlums during the days he was held hostage.

According to a family source: “Elder Chima died barely three days after his release from the hands of his kidnappers. Before his death, he complained of pains all over his body and was nursing a gunshot injury inflicted on him by the kidnappers.”

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For allegedly preventing budget audit…

By IHEANACHO NWOSU and CHUKS AKUNNA, Abuja

The House of Representatives has summoned the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) Governor, Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Director-General of Budget Office in the Presidency, Dr. Bright Okongwu, over allegation that they prevented the audit of the 2012 budget. The trio who are expected to appear today before the House Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for allegedly withholding over N4billion earmarked for the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, resulting to the latter not having enough resources to audit the outgoing year’s budget.

The Auditor-General, Mr Samuel Ukura, claimed at the weekend during a session with the PAC that the Ministry of Finance allegedly released a paltry N892.5million out of the N5.2billion provided for the budget audit. The revelation led the lawmakers to reach a consesus to invite Okonjo-Iweala, Sanusi and Okongwu, who he alleged frustrated the release of the allocation to his office. Ukura also told the committee that there was a zero allocation to his office in the 2013 budget for the auditing of the Federation Account.

The Auditor-General, who was appointed on October 16, 2010, accused the Finance Ministry of frustrating the audit allocations to his office, lamenting that the situation was threatening to make the Audit Office redundant. Right now, he said that his office cannot audit certain ministries owing to lack of funds. Ukura said, “with the meagre allocation to our office, we cannot even audit some ministries”. For instance, he disclosed that his office managed to “audit only 44 out of 97 foreign missions, because of paucity of funds this year”. Incensed by the revelation, members of the committee headed by Hon. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (ACN-Lagos), lashed out at the Ministry of Finance, demanding financial autonomy for the Auditor-General’s Office.

According to a member of the committee, Hon. Pally Iriase (ACN-Edo State), “if you look at this budget (of Auditor-General), it shows how unserious we are about tackling corruption in this country”. He said, “this budget ought to signpost our seriousness in tackling the issue of corruption headlong, but the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office in their own strange wisdom have decided that the best thing to do is to frustrate the Office of the Auditor-General” Also, Hon. Karimi Sunday (ACN-Kogi) said, “there is a continuous attempt to frustrate and render the Office of the Accountant-General redundant.

They (Ministry of Finance and Budget Office) don’t want the office to do their work, but there is the need for this committee to do their work”. Chairman of the committee, Hon. Adeola, said the findings of his panel indicated that “the Auditor-General of the Federation is not even given the opportunity of fair hearing”. He claimed that the” Minister of Finance and the D-G, Budget Office sit together to draw budget for the Auditor-General without giving him the opportunity to defend it”. The committee, however deferred consideration of N1.6billion as the committee’s budget in 2013 as proposed by the ministry.

Posted by mosvin bami.

From relative obscurity, Zainab Kuchi has been catapulted into national reckoning and today, it is likely that she is one of the most well known ministers
One of the Ministers of Power (there are two of them) was quoted as telling a South African delegation that evil spirits were preventing Nigeria from achieving sustainable electricity. The minister, Hajiya Zainab Kuchi, was even quoted as recommending exorcism – “We must resolve to jointly exorcise the evil spirit behind this darkness”. Okay, I concede that Nigerians, especially the ‘collective children of anger’, as usual might be tempted to twist her statement beyond its basic intendment. It therefore did not come to me as a surprise to observe that Cyberia (this is courtesy Prof. Pius Adesanmi) went into overdrive, latching onto this patriotic recommendation of the minister, twitting it, facebooking it and what else – 2going it. From relative obscurity, Hajiya Zainab Kuchi has been catapulted into national reckoning and today, it is likely that she is one of the most well known ministers.
I however share a different view. I affirm that the minister is right. It could however be a dangerous error to attempt exorcism of these evil spirits when we are yet to identify the type that have turned PHCN and the ministry of power into such a permanent abode of demons thereby arresting and undermining the noble efforts of ministers. There is no doubt about the intention of these evil spirits – to keep Nigerians in the dark, permanently. Come to think of it, does it appear as ‘ordinary’ that the nation would spend a record sum of twenty five billion US dollars only to move from 4,200megawatts in the early days of the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration to 4,100megawatts in 2012? Even when some are likely to feign ignorance of the recorded sighting of blood sucking demons in the nation’s aviation industry, genuine patriots must take serious words coming from the informed minds of ministers very seriously. It is the person in charge that has seen the in and out of the power ministry and it is my view that rushing to condemn such persons is a display of ignorance and an underestimation of the devilish power packed by demons.  This is why we must move beyond uninformed responses and see the patriotic flavour in the simple and well intentioned recommendation of Hajiya Zainab Kuchi who spoke bluntly and frankly.
After a thorough consideration of the issues at stake and knowing that we have no other country to call our own, I have reluctantly taken it upon myself to help Hajiya Kuchi so that we can bring a closure to this issue once and for all time.  Even though my great grandfathers would have burdened madam with numerous and costly matters of sacrificial items such as those suggested by Kayode Ogundare viz – “N1.2bn only for Akuko adiye (cock), N2bn for epo pupa (palmoil), N1.3bn only for igan aso funfun (piece of special white cloth from Pakistan. Digression; the Minister of Agric likes Pakistan and has secured the assurance of Pakistan to teach us the secret of textile so that Nigeria can break into the world’s textile business arena currently being dominated by the likes of Pakistan), N700m for eye owiwi (adult owl), N300m for eye adaba (an egret), N1.5bn for ewe jenwitemi (a special leaf named ‘freedom of speech’) and N5bn round figure for awon nkan miran ta gbodo so (other stuffs that we must not mention in the public). Total estimates for sacrifice to the spirits if there must be uninterrupted power supply would thus be (N12bn)” – my patriotism will propitiate for this.
Thus, because of the great urgency and mighty significance of uninterrupted power to national development as well as the realization, as admitted by the minister, that the nation has expended several billions of dollars (the minister calls this ‘huge tax payers resources’) already, I have decided to reveal this secret in the interest of the nation – after all, oju lon r’oju s’anu (we must empathize with one another).
When Hajiya Zainab Kuchi gets to work next week, she should go to her senior Minister and request of him to urgently summon the Permanent Secretary (PS), director generals (DG) of all parastatals in the power ministry and the directors of the various departments of the power ministry. She must ensure that all government appointed heads of the 18 successor companies of the PHCN are invited. She may even ask the minister to invite her predecessors and previous PSs, DGs, directors etc. She must not forget the contractors either.
While the invitations are being sent, she must quickly ask the senior minister to order a brand new ‘jigi’ (large life-size mirror) from Jabi market in Abuja. Once these eminent people have all assembled and the mirror positioned upright in the conference hall, she must then check her watch to be sure it is 12noon in the afternoon (that is when the sun is up above the head). Now, this is the moment we have been waiting for. Hajiya must now request each of the oga patapata (from current senior Minister, past Ministers, PS etc to the most junior director) to step forward and stand upright in front of the mirror one person at a time. As they take turn, Insha Allah, each of the horrific evil spirits responsible for the nation’s darkness will appear to each of these eminent men – life and direct.
Each person must however test the spirit to be certain that what he or she sees is indeed real. The test of the spirit is easy. Once a VIP (very important person) is standing firmly erect in front of a mirror, he must raise one of his hands and make a gesture as he deems fit. If the spirit that appears perfectly and simultaneously imitates the VIP, then ‘ifa jana’ (the oracle strikes truth). That horrific being in the mirror that is pretending to be an angel of light is one of the evil spirits.
It is only when these spirits have been properly identified that the process of exorcism as recommended by the minister can now commence in earnest. Even the Christian Bible indicates that it was after the ‘Legion’ spirit has been identified that the Messiah, Jesus, began the process of exorcism, not before.
I know that the ‘collective children of anger’ might want to dismiss this. Haven’t most of them embraced the white man’s religion at the expense of Ifa and Amadioha? The Minister has suggested that we need spiritual intervention. I agree with her. My prescription will identify the evil spirits. If they insist that they do not want to have anything to do with our traditional method, then I suggest that after the evil spirits might have been identified, they could go ahead and invite the nation’s foremost spiritual fathers, such eminent people like Sheikh Alfa Muhammed Bashir, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Abdul Akeem Yayi Akorede, the Chief Imam of Akure Kingdom, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor etc for the exorcism proper. This might even provide a perfect opportunity for Bishop Kukah and Bishop Oritsejafor to iron out their recent differences over the small matter of a private Bombardier jet.

Posted by mosvin bami.

Ten Christians had their throats slit and militants killed two police officers during attacks on churches and border posts in a fresh wave of violence in northern Nigeria, officials reported Sunday.
The Islamist group Boko Haram was thought to be behind the slaughter of the Christians late on Saturday in the northern town of Chibok, local officials said.
“The attackers came in around 9:00 pm chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’, which made us suspect they are Boko Haram,” said a local government official on condition of anonymity.
“They moved into selected homes in the predominantly Christian part of the town and slaughtered 10 people like sheep,” the official added.
“Who else apart from Boko Haram members would go into homes and slit the throats of 10 people?” said another local official.
“They came armed with guns but decided to butcher their victims.”
Local resident Ezekiel Damina said: “The men came in large numbers and went into homes which… were carefully selected, and slaughtered 10 people while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is Greatest).
“They then set houses in the area on fire. They just sacked the neighbourhood.”
The group was also suspected of being behind a series of attacks Sunday on churches and border posts in northeastern Nigeria, which according to residents left at least two policemen dead.
Around 50 gunmen in cars and on motorcycles carried out attacks on three churches and border posts with neighbouring Cameroon, opening fire on police, residents said.
Among the security posts burned were offices for immigration, customs and the secret police and a quarantine building in the city of Gamboru Ngala, about 140 kilometres (80 miles) from the Boko Haram stronghold of Maiduguri.
Gunmen went into town “chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and burned down the divisional police station and three churches,” said Hamidu Ahmad, a resident.
“I saw two bodies in police uniform not far from the police station. One of them was sprawled by the roadside while the other was seated in a police van,” another resident, Sani Kani said.
Another local witness gave the same report but said it was not immediately clear whether worshippers had been in the churches at the time of the attacks.
Residents reported gun battles between the assailants and police reinforcements who arrived from Maiduguri.
Police and the army could not immediately be reached for comment.
Boko Haram has often targeted churches in its bloody insurgency, as well as police and other symbols of the establishment in Nigeria.
On November 25, 11 people were killed in twin suicide bombings targeting a church at a military barracks in the northern town of Jaji.
Violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency in northern and central Nigeria is believed to have left some 3,000 people dead since 2009, including killings by the security forces.
Two weeks ago leaflets were circulated around Gamboru Ngala by suspected Islamists saying that women were required to wear the Muslim veil and banning the sale of cigarettes, residents said.
“A tailor named Adamu was shot dead last week by some suspected Boko Haram members for making clothes for women the group consider obscene,” said resident Hajara Umar.
Boko Haram, which can be loosely translated from the northern Hausa language as “Western education is a sin”, has claimed many attacks in northern and central parts of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and top oil producer.
Nigeria’s population of some 160 million is roughly divided between the mainly Muslim north and the predominantly Christian south. [AFP]

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