Donald Trump congratulates Hillary Clinton for her emergence as Democratic candidate

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yctRRj2IAMgItm9VQx5Vut1w19vibG_BKZMuFudYysu9d6-gnrndHIeA7jLtuwok2lZJInk5dxCQPCrXvL30PFe0RSIfHTJwA4Wv8FIhnvxPhYfxh5kgTvlGMIYqc2vmUQwznxmCtIQ/s1600/clinton+h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yctRRj2IAMgItm9VQx5Vut1w19vibG_BKZMuFudYysu9d6-gnrndHIeA7jLtuwok2lZJInk5dxCQPCrXvL30PFe0RSIfHTJwA4Wv8FIhnvxPhYfxh5kgTvlGMIYqc2vmUQwznxmCtIQ/s400/clinton+h.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Twitter blew up when Hillary Clinton formally accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination on Thursday. The following is a selection of reactions, from Clinton supporters and her Republican opponent Donald Trump:<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> President Barack Obama<br /> <br /> @POTUS<br /> <br /> “Great speech. She’s tested. She’s ready. She never quits. That’s why Hillary should be our next @POTUS. (She’ll get the Twitter handle, too)”<br /> <br /> Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate<br /> <br /> @realDonaldTrump<br /> <br /> “No one has worse judgement than Hillary Clinton – corruption and devastation follows her wherever she goes.”<br /> <br /> Senator Bernie Sanders, Clinton’s primary rival<br /> <br /> @BernieSanders<br /> <br /> “I congratulate @HillaryClinton on this historic achievement. We are stronger together.”<br /> <br /> Donald Trump<br /> <br /> @realDonaldTrump<br /> <br /> “Our way of life is under threat by Radical Islam and Hillary Clinton cannot even bring herself to say the words.” Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist<br /> <br /> @NickKristof<br /> <br /> “Hillary Clinton was never renowned for oratory, but tonight’s speech was the best I’ve ever seen her give–esp when standing up to Trump” Jon Lovett, TV writer and producer @jonlovett “Last week was a convention about Donald Trump. This is a convention about America. I like America better.”<br /> <br /> Bill Clinton<br /> <br /> @billclinton<br /> <br /> “More than ever, I’m with her, our next President.”<br /> <br /> Rich Galen, former press secretary to Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich<br /> <br /> @richgalen<br /> <br /> “How can it be that I am standing at my kitchen counter sobbing because of the messages being driven at the DNC? Where has the GOP gone?”<br /> <br /> Sam Tanenhaus, author<br /> <br /> @samtanenhaus<br /> <br /> “Her best speech –once she got to trump and loosened up. Didn’t shed the ‘trust’ baggage but no one trusted Nixon either and he won twice”<br /> <div><br /></div>

Latest-News Donald Trump congratulates Hillary Clinton for her emergence as Democratic candidate

Twitter blew up when Hillary Clinton formally accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination on Thursday. The following is a selec...

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Multi-national joint task force reclaims Damasak from Boko Haram

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKifP-lS3AvpwrfqfuDrotFCD3CL28CBNQ6F9gdis9vt_VrLxCm9qkjZYMnWIa5Td1-23I1pDwduiqKtCE4S0ZKCUV0P5aRiYOGyssaVnxMu_xlPCP8_zyt1eGghLzJZUBMDmMAvYUbc/s1600/Soldiers+tank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKifP-lS3AvpwrfqfuDrotFCD3CL28CBNQ6F9gdis9vt_VrLxCm9qkjZYMnWIa5Td1-23I1pDwduiqKtCE4S0ZKCUV0P5aRiYOGyssaVnxMu_xlPCP8_zyt1eGghLzJZUBMDmMAvYUbc/s400/Soldiers+tank.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Troops of the multi-national joint task force (MNJTF) hav recaptured the boundary town of Damasak in Borno state from Boko Haram insurgents.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Muhammad Dole, the force’s chief military public information officer, disclosed this in a statement, saying the troops have also cleared the sect members from the surrounding villages.<br /> <br /> “In continuation with clearance operation of the towns and villages by MNJTF, the troops of the sector 4 in Diffa (Niger) have successfully cleared Dutse Village, captured and occupied Damasak town today (Thursday) by 1000hrs,” he said.<br /> <br /> Dole said that the forces are coordinating to stabilise the immediate environs.<br /> <br /> According to him, the troops fought their way into the town with close air support by combined air operation from MNJTF member states.<br /> <br /> “While Operation Lafiya Dole is conducting operation to link up with sector 4 at the location,” he said.<br /> <br /> Damasak is one of the towns which Boko Haram turned to its stronghold during the height of insurgency.

Latest-News Multi-national joint task force reclaims Damasak from Boko Haram

Troops of the multi-national joint task force (MNJTF) hav recaptured the boundary town of Damasak in Borno state from Boko Haram insurgents...

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Leadership Crisis: Our convention will go on as scheduled, says PDP

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjra9PZc9HjZMXeIjTZsgVIWzFkViQPRsSiKpYBf3g7lxxpj9ZtOCavjO7Ms0WWok2zYFU2ftCBR__Hsk5iSDpxV-brR0pOB2wHcQjtHay7qKiXibXaYXcY3c-jNlT_6pr3fODA3_456EI/s1600/PDP-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjra9PZc9HjZMXeIjTZsgVIWzFkViQPRsSiKpYBf3g7lxxpj9ZtOCavjO7Ms0WWok2zYFU2ftCBR__Hsk5iSDpxV-brR0pOB2wHcQjtHay7qKiXibXaYXcY3c-jNlT_6pr3fODA3_456EI/s400/PDP-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the party’s convention scheduled for August 17 will hold as planned.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Okon Abang, a judge of the federal high court in Abuja had earlier ruled that the caretaker committee was illegal and could not conduct any function on behalf of the party.<br /> <br /> But in a statement issued on Thursday, Dayo Adeyeye, spokesman of the committee, accused Abang of “deliberately” engaging in acts capable of derailing the country’s democracy.<br /> <br /> “We have just received information that Justice Okon Abang of the federal high court in Abuja has granted an order of interlocutory injunction stopping our scheduled national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, but we want to state that the judgment of the 4th of July, 2016 supersedes any ex-parte order or interlocutory Injunctions,” he said.<br /> <br /> “So, our national convention will hold as scheduled in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.<br /> <br /> “He has penchant for abuse of court processes and actions of legal impunity. This judge Nigerians will recall, issued judgment against the governor of Abia State that led to INEC re-issuing another certificate of return to a man who did not contest election thereby causing unnecessary hardship on the people of that state.<br /> <br /> “He also issued an order to INEC to recognise senator Sheriff’s candidates in Edo and Ondo states before they could even plan their purported congress in Edo.<br /> <br /> “In today’s case, this same judge out rightly denied the PDP representation in court which is unheard of by serving the plaintiff (Sheriff & Co.) who instituted the case also as PDP (defendants).<br /> <br /> “His excesses are extremely absurd, strange and unbecoming of a judge who enjoys putting the judiciary on the spot. We therefore bring this matter before the highest level of Judiciary in the country to stop this judge forthwith from waging war against the PDP.<br /> <br /> “Finally, the party calls on all its members and teaming supporters nationwide to remain calm and law abiding and be rest assured that the PDP national convention will hold as scheduled and all preparation towards the August 17, 2016 national convention remains the same.”

Latest-News Leadership Crisis: Our convention will go on as scheduled, says PDP

The caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the party’s convention scheduled for August 17 will hold as planned. ...

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UN suspends humanitarian aid to Borno over Boko Haram ambush

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFu7pJcebjGXzV4ykr22kgtnsX3xb8NwEtT3bJITbR0y2RG2I6LIUhL7m69tR6rhu5Z0HXbrF-y58Anq1nUrV1ty1vb6_kF0319RIvW_rKWYD3yO26Y_OOXmz10pEut4MTVFz-8pD214/s1600/IDPs-NEMA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFu7pJcebjGXzV4ykr22kgtnsX3xb8NwEtT3bJITbR0y2RG2I6LIUhL7m69tR6rhu5Z0HXbrF-y58Anq1nUrV1ty1vb6_kF0319RIvW_rKWYD3yO26Y_OOXmz10pEut4MTVFz-8pD214/s400/IDPs-NEMA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The United Nations has “temporarily suspended” humanitarian missions to Borno state, the nerve center of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> A humanitarian escort duty and Nigerian soldiers were on Thursday ambushed and attacked by Boko Haram insurgents.<br /> <br /> The convoy which was en route Maiduguri from Bama, included staff from UNICEF, UNFPA, and IOM.<br /> <br /> A UNICEF employee and an IOM contractor were injured in the deadly attack which was managed and repelled by troops of the Nigerian Army<br /> <br /> According to Sani Usman, the Nigerian Army spokesperson, the terrorists were hiding in Meleri village, a few kilometres from Kawuri.<br /> <br /> “The gallant troops however, successfully cleared the ambush and exploited up to Afunori,” Usman said.<br /> <br /> “Unfortunately, 2 soldiers and 3 civilians were wounded in the ambush, among whom were staff of United Nations agencies and other international humanitarian organizations. The wounded have been evacuated to University of<br /> Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri and they are in stable condition.”<br /> <br /> UNICEF regretted that a humanitarian convoy was attacked while “returning from delivering desperately needed humanitarian assistance.”<br /> <br /> “UNICEF can confirm that a UNICEF employee and an IOM contractor were injured in the attack and are being treated at a local hospital. All other UNICEF, IOM and UNFPA staff are safe.<br /> <br /> “The convoy was in a remote area of northeastern Nigeria, where protracted conflict has caused extreme suffering and has triggered a severe malnutrition crisis. This was not only an attack on humanitarian workers. It is an attack on the people who most need the assistance and aid that these workers were bringing.<br /> <br /> “The United Nations has temporarily suspended humanitarian assistance missions pending review of the security situation.”<br /> <br /> Also on Thursday, the United Nations Security Council harped on the need to increase military cooperation between West African countries to fight against Boko Haram.<br /> <br /> The UNSC acknowledged the progress made in the implementation of the Joint Multinational Force and urged member states to “improve cooperation and military coordination in the region, refuse harbouring Boko Haram, facilitate the restoration of the rule of law” in towns liberated form Boko Haram and to “allow humanitarian access”.

Latest-News UN suspends humanitarian aid to Borno over Boko Haram ambush

The United Nations has “temporarily suspended” humanitarian missions to Borno state, the nerve center of the Boko Haram insurgency in Niger...

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50th anniversary: July 29,1966 counter-coup, Africa’s bloodiest coup d’état

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg232pOMV-vc5QtCU5lPcggE60W0D7Oim9nHO2lyGEeUmenIlS6VRu5m5O-8IG4HRI9N8JkaQzK4WwZVShkaKP5MezkLwcz4IlW-E6kXRp5so6giFNfLecas3Xjy7LuERm7SRMTV4v4ZXc/s1600/coup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg232pOMV-vc5QtCU5lPcggE60W0D7Oim9nHO2lyGEeUmenIlS6VRu5m5O-8IG4HRI9N8JkaQzK4WwZVShkaKP5MezkLwcz4IlW-E6kXRp5so6giFNfLecas3Xjy7LuERm7SRMTV4v4ZXc/s400/coup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The first shots shattered the peace of the night at the Abeokuta Garrison of the Nigerian Army a few minutes after midnight on July 29, 1966.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Three casualties lay instantly dead in the persons of Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Okonweze, the Garrison Commander, Major John Obienu, Commander of the 2nd Reece Squadron, and Lieutenant E. B. Orok, also of the Reece Squadron. It was the beginning of the much-touted revenge coup of Northern Nigerian army officers and men against the regime of Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi.<br /> <br /> By August 1, when Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon assumed power in Lagos as Nigeria’s second military Head of State, the bullet ridden bodies of both Ironsi and his host, Lieutenant Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, the military Governor of Western Nigeria, lay buried in shallow graves at Iwo, outside Ibadan.<br /> <br /> “Within three days of the July outbreak, every Igbo soldier serving in the army outside the East was dead, imprisoned or fleeing eastward for his life”, observed Professor Ruth First in The Barrel of a Gun: The Politics of Coups d’Etat in Africa [Allen Lane The Penguin Press, London, 1970, p317.] But Africa’s bloodiest coup did not stop at that stage, despite the shooting deaths of 42 officers and over 130 other ranks, who were overwhelmingly Igbo.<br /> <br /> The killing sprees and ever-expanding killing fields spread like wild fire across most of the country. There were three phases to the coup – the Araba/Aware massacres in northern Nigeria pre-July that called for northern secession, the July Army bloodbath, and the ethnic cleansing that went on for months after Ironsi had been assassinated and his regime toppled.<br /> <br /> The maelstrom prompted Colonel Gowon into making a radio broadcast on September 29, 1966. This was the kernel of what he said: “You all know that since the end of July, God in his power has entrusted the responsibility of this great country of ours into the hands of yet another Northerner.<br /> <br /> I receive complaints daily that up till now Easterners living in the North are being killed and molested, and their property looted. I am very unhappy about this. We should put a stop to it. It appears that it is going beyond reason and is now at a point of recklessness and irresponsibility.” Salutary intervention But Gowon’s salutary intervention changed nothing, as the massacres continued unabated.<br /> <br /> Northern soldiers and civilians went into towns, fished out Easterners and flattened them either with rapid gunfire or with violent machete blows, leaving their properties looted or torched. According to the Massacre of Ndigbo in 1966: Report of the Justice G. C. M. Onyiuke Tribunal, [Tollbrook Limited, Ikeja, Lagos] “…between 45,000 and 50,000 civilians of former Eastern Nigeria were killed in Northern Nigeria and other parts of Nigeria from 29th May 1966 to December 1967 and although it is not strictly within its terms of reference the Tribunal estimates that not less than 1,627,743 Easterners fled back to Eastern Nigeria as a result of the 1966 pogrom.” Counter-coup This is contemporary Nigerian history, only 50 years old.<br /> <br /> But when experts like Dr. Reuben Abati and Professor Jonah Elaigwu write about it, they lose all sense of numeracy and statistical acuity, and glibly state that the July 29, 1966 counter-coup cost “many” Igbo lives.<br /> <br /> Well, the truth is that the July 29 counter-coup appears to be the bloodiest in the world’s recorded history because the casualty figures it posted far outstrip those registered in decided bloody coups like the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in which King James II of England was overthrown by an invading army led by William III of Orange-Nassau; the 18 Brumaire of 1799 coup in which General Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the French Directory on November 9, 1799; the Wuchang Uprising of 1911 that overthrew the Qing Dynasty and led to the establishment of the Republic of China; the Bolsheviks October Revolution of 1917 that led to the creation of the Soviet Union; and the Iraqi coup d’état of 1936, the first among Arab countries. Each of these coups/revolutions led to war. But none of them managed anything near the sea of blood occasioned by July 29, 1966.<br /> <br /> Giving their interest in posting photographs and videos on the Internet by Instagram and Snapchat, and advertising mostly poor language on Facebook and other such portals, today’s Nigerian youths may know next to nothing about what led to the catastrophe of July 29.<br /> <br /> But the details follow here for those of them interested in learning. The problem sat rigidly on the superficiality of Nigeria, a geographical expression contrived by colonialist Britain.<br /> <br /> At Independence in 1960, the country operated a federal system of government with three powerful regions that didn’t take dictation from Lagos, the nation’s capital. A fourth region, the Midwest, with capital in Benin City, was created in June 1963.<br /> <br /> But destroying the very fabric of the artificial political entity were tribalism and corruption, corruption which by today’s standards, would seem like cloistered nuns delightfully engaging in a game of Ping-Pong! Controversial census There were the 1960 and 1964-1965 uprisings in the Tiv country of the Middle Belt, and fractious elections in Western Nigeria in 1964 and 1965.<br /> <br /> There was the highly controversial national census exercise of 1963, and there was the military action of Isaac Boro’s Niger Delta Volunteer Force. Then, the military moved in on January 15, 1966, having contracted the germ of the idea of military putsches running riot across the world.<br /> <br /> In Algeria, for instance, Colonel Houari Boumediene and Ahmed Ben Bella overthrew Benyoucef Benkhedda on July 3, 1962. Three years later, on June 19, 1965, Boumedienne overthrew Ben Bella. More: In Argentina, General Eduardo Lonardi overthrew President Juan Domingo Peron on September 16, 1955. On March 29, 1962, General Raul Pogi overthrew President Arturo Frondizi.<br /> <br /> In Brazil on March 31, 1964, Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco overthrew João Goulart to set up a 21-year-long dictatorship. In Indonesia General Suharto overthrew President Sukarno on September 30, 1965. First West African coup Inside Africa itself, coups were also trending.<br /> <br /> Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser had overthrown Muhammad Naguib as far back as February 27, 1954. The first coup in West Africa was on January 13, 1963, when Etiene Eyadema overthrew Sylvanus Olympio. Colonel Joseph (later Mobutu Sese Seko) toppled Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba on September 14, 1960 and “neutralized” all political parties in Congo-Kinshasa. In neighbouring Benin Republic, Christophe Soglo overthrew Hubert Maga on October 28, 1963. Soglo carried out another coup on November 27, 1965, toppling Sourou-Migan Apithy.<br /> <br /> Both coups happened when the country still bore the name of Dahomey. On New Year’s Day of 1966, Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa overthrew his cousin, President David Dacko in Central Africa Republic. Two days later, Lieutenant Colonel Sangoulé Lamizana overthrew President Maurice Yaméogo in Upper Volta, which was renamed Burkina Faso in 1984 by Marxist revolutionary Captain Thomas Sankara.<br /> <br /> But there was a difference between the rash of coups that occurred elsewhere and the one of January 15, 1966 in Nigeria. The Nigerian coup took an immediate ethnic colouration, and for reasons that were all too obvious. Of the five Majors that formed the innermost circle of the plotters, four were Igbo – Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna, Donatus Okafor, and Chris Anuforo.<br /> <br /> But there was also among them Major Adewale Ademoyega, a Yoruba. Then, there was also the more disturbing fact that most of the coup’s casualties were non-Igbo, like Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Northern Premier Sir Ahmadu Bello, Western Premier Chief Samuel Akintola, and Federal Finance Minister Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh.  No Igbo politician had lost his life in the bloody action.<br /> <br /> Further, in executing the coup, the military had turned against itself in the killings of the following Northern military officers: Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari (Commander 2 Brigade), Colonel Kur Mohammed (Chief of Staff, Army Headquarters), Lieutenant Colonel James Yakubu Pam (Adjutant-General), and Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Abogo Largema (Commander 4th Battalion, Ibadan). Two Yoruba officers were also victims: Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun (Commander 1 Brigade), and his deputy, Colonel Ralph Sodeinde. The coup was, in effect, as bloody as they come. Its very nature fanned the fiction that it was an Igbo coup.<br /> <br /> Chuks Iloegbunam (iloegbunam@hotmail.com), is the author of Ironside, the biography of General Aguiyi-Ironsi.<br /> <br />

Latest-News 50th anniversary: July 29,1966 counter-coup, Africa’s bloodiest coup d’état

The first shots shattered the peace of the night at the Abeokuta Garrison of the Nigerian Army a few minutes after midnight on July 29, 196...

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Man rapes fellow Redeem Church memebr during surprise birthday party

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpnNjmLkyMuFeqsX8c8fimiZu1jJziHUZqBgjTckRtUSXFECB0rLEkt-xi7b3DvMA61m1sgxrNdoYcybeN_F4JjRKJ3AlKx1V-14rbnLfDejbPo6Q75HdbjXSlv6R_uq20nnaXqk4qy4/s1600/rape11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpnNjmLkyMuFeqsX8c8fimiZu1jJziHUZqBgjTckRtUSXFECB0rLEkt-xi7b3DvMA61m1sgxrNdoYcybeN_F4JjRKJ3AlKx1V-14rbnLfDejbPo6Q75HdbjXSlv6R_uq20nnaXqk4qy4/s400/rape11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 31-year-old man, identified only as Damilola, for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman on Omole Estate, in the Ojodu area of the state.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> It was gathered that the victim and Damilola are members of a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and that the woman had invited the suspect to her birthday party on Tuesday, July 19.<br /> <br /> According to reports, the victim was allegedly told by the suspect five days after the birthday party that he had a surprise gift for her.<br /> <br /> <br /> The two were said to have gone to Damilola’s apartment on Otubor Street on Omole Estate.<br /> <br /> A neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Damilola had failed to show up at the victim’s birthday party and allegedly lured her to his house a week later.<br /> <br /> She said, “Damilola and the lady were church friends. The lady had her birthday on Tuesday, July 19, and she invited all youths in the church who were her friends. Damilola, however, did not come. He, thereafter, called her to apologise and promised to make it up.<br /> <br /> “On the following Sunday, Damilola called her that he had set up a makeup party and that the two were going to a restaurant. However, he took her to his house in the estate, and locked her up. He beat her up and raped her.<br /> <br /> “When the lady regained her freedom, she reported the matter at the police station. On Monday, she, accompanied by other church youth executive, went to the DSVRT office in Alausa to make another report.”

Latest-News Man rapes fellow Redeem Church memebr during surprise birthday party

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 31-year-old man, identified only as Damilola, for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman on Omo...

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Don’t think Nigeria is lawless – IGP warns

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsfXdsFOs-czmnApR11iAxM-81JKLZ2lR50qHtolt4qyiWeC49oRatSb3lCOMbjn8CBulY9LohYlxwDZ6SMxJN1i0lf4LF-g14a6uTF_xLfYF7q_rWJAEdhRvp-aVvKvmHSX_KdXLzfUD/s1600/Mr+Ibrahim+Idris+ig+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsfXdsFOs-czmnApR11iAxM-81JKLZ2lR50qHtolt4qyiWeC49oRatSb3lCOMbjn8CBulY9LohYlxwDZ6SMxJN1i0lf4LF-g14a6uTF_xLfYF7q_rWJAEdhRvp-aVvKvmHSX_KdXLzfUD/s320/Mr+Ibrahim+Idris+ig+2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> The Inspector-General of Police, Ag.IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni has warned criminals, especially kidnappers in the country never to think Nigeria is lawless. IGP Idris gave the warning when Operatives of the IGP’s Intelligent Response Team “IRT” arrested a notorious kidnapping gang known to have been terrorizing law-abiding citizens in Rivers State and its environs.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The gang met its end when they kidnapped a woman and her one year old daughter from her Port Harcourt home, demanding the sum of two million, five hundred thousand naira as ransom for their freedom. Based on credible technical intelligence generated by the IRT, this was however agreed as bait.<br /> <br /> But the end of the kidnapping gang came when in their attempt to claim the said sum of money at the agreed point; Operatives of IRT engaged them, rescued the victims and arrested four of the kidnappers who gave their names as: Herbert Oriminagbe, Chijioke Akah, alias Kottos, Kelechi Nwaordu, alias Seedof and Nelson Ajumogobia alias Ibios.<br /> <br /> In their confessional statements, the gang admitted that they were also responsible for the kidnap of one Undunobuk and other innocent Nigerians.<br /> <br /> Going through a laptop computer recovered from them, it was discovered that the real owner Undunobuk was once robbed in his Port Harcourt residence and later kidnapped to unknown seaside only to be released on the payment of one million, three hundred thousand naira ransom. The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris said the Nigeria Police Force has the technical and intelligence capacity and capability to reduce the perceived rise in crime, especially kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other forms of violent crime.<br /> <br /> He therefore charged Nigerians to always inform the Police when they perceived any act of criminality and avail necessary credible information.

Latest-News Don’t think Nigeria is lawless – IGP warns

The Inspector-General of Police, Ag.IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, NPM, mni has warned criminals, especially kidnappers in the country never to th...

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#SaveMayowa Controversy: LUTH vows to investigate

<br /> The Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Prof. Chris Bode, has said that the hospital’s management will investigate the controversy surrounding the medical treatment of one of its patient, Mayowa Ahmed.<br /> <br /> Bode said this when contacted by our correspondent about the raging controversy about the true state of Mayowa and the veracity of claims by her family that they needed funds to fly her abroad for further treatment.<br /> <br /> He, however, did not give further details about the patient.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Mayowa’s family, supported by Nollywood actress, Toyin Aimakhu, had launched an online appeal to raise funds for her cancer surgery in an Atlanta- based hospital in the United States.<br /> <br /> The campaign was said to have raised over N30m for her.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3SZWN7JrQOGR7V07sFzdS85R8udgrsS-nxnAXg8ra04y7sEfJkXw8joxOC-l-TXcX5kbyqDxp0RsdJ3qiVq_8k86orL9YuQMy8FpFndenNC0vu8NYLmHXoWUCZV9ih5pImvcRmle6fwJ/s1600/Mayowa-Ahmed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3SZWN7JrQOGR7V07sFzdS85R8udgrsS-nxnAXg8ra04y7sEfJkXw8joxOC-l-TXcX5kbyqDxp0RsdJ3qiVq_8k86orL9YuQMy8FpFndenNC0vu8NYLmHXoWUCZV9ih5pImvcRmle6fwJ/s400/Mayowa-Ahmed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> But online reports on Thursday claimed that Ahmed’s medical reports had stated that she did not require surgery for her condition and that no hospital could save her.<br /> <br /> However, Ahmed’s family in a statement on Thursday denied online media reports, which claimed that they had deceived the public.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The family in a statement on Thursday stated that Ahmed had been misdiagnosed by many hospitals in the country and it had sought funds for an alternative and better diagnosis abroad.<br /> <br /> The statement read, “As a family, we want to make these affirmative statements: Mayowa is presently at LUTH receiving treatment for her seven-hour trip to Abu Dhabi. We also engaged the services of Flying Doctors to accompany her on the trip based on recommendation by doctors in LUTH.<br /> <br /> “She is receiving treatment to allow her to be able to travel as advised by doctors. She’s been transfused to help improve her PCV.<br /> <br /> “The funds raised are solely for Mayowa’s treatment and for no other reason. We await her visa to commence the journey as we are in touch with the doctors abroad and they are awaiting her arrival. We appreciate the contributions made by Nigerians on this journey.<br /> <br /> “We have been misled by the so-called top hospitals in Nigeria and have only helped to make the issue worse. We require every support to help to give our dear Mayowa another attempt to regain her life and live the remaining as God as ordained.”

Latest-News #SaveMayowa Controversy: LUTH vows to investigate

The Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Prof. Chris Bode, has said that the hospital’s management will i...

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How Dogara diverted FG water project to his farm – Jibrin

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTL30OSZGu92TSfxqFsAi7BqZfH0g71Jv0GnrRvr7Ppz88w1pL73q_p2Y7DFnPTWeYhr0oLXzp1g-jYC4IOQNqShaGvmIttGYTz2n3mUNJbtuvKQ2wh3mojwnukSsXrAyq9z-kxR30VUw/s1600/Dogara+Jibrin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTL30OSZGu92TSfxqFsAi7BqZfH0g71Jv0GnrRvr7Ppz88w1pL73q_p2Y7DFnPTWeYhr0oLXzp1g-jYC4IOQNqShaGvmIttGYTz2n3mUNJbtuvKQ2wh3mojwnukSsXrAyq9z-kxR30VUw/s400/Dogara+Jibrin.png" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> A former Chairman, Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has vowed to continue making fresh allegations against the four principal officers until they were prosecuted.<br /> <br /> In his latest question, which he numbered 21, Jibrin accused the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, allegedly “diverted” a Federal Government water project to his farm in Nasarawa State.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> “Allegation no 21 to Mr. Speaker: why did you fraudulently divert a Federal Government water project to your farm in Nasarawa State? How are you funding the farm?” he asked on his twitter handle.<br /> <br /> Jibrin, who called himself an “accidental activist,” boasted that his dream was to reform the entire National Assembly, starting with the House.<br /> <br /> He explained, “When a new speaker emerges and the other principal officers replaced, I will write to the presiding officers of both chambers to commence a radical internal reform in the entire National Assembly beyond budget to cover performance assessment, running cost and allowances, investigations, etc.<br /> <br /> “If the reform so done on the National Assembly is not made public latest by December, I shall take it up and lay before the general public even if I am alone.<br /> <br /> “The idea is to do a cleanup, flush out corruption and corrupt members so that in 2019, only corrupt-free people, who want to serve, will come in.”<br /> <br /> Jibrin had alleged on Thursday last week that the four principal officers requested the inclusion of N40bn projects in the 2016 budget, besides sundry projects in sums ranging from N20bn to N30.<br /> <br /> He claimed that his refusal to oblige the four principal officers and his opposition to several financial infractions, were responsible for his sacking by Dogara on Wednesday, last week.<br /> <br /> Asked to react to the allegation that the speaker diverted a Federal Government water project to his farm, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, said it served no purpose responding to Jibrin’s allegations any further.<br /> <br /> Namdas said the House had made enough reactions to his allegations and would wait till resumption on September 13.<br /> <br /> “We will wait till we resume on September 13.<br /> <br /> “We won’t reply him again as we made adequate responses,” he told newsmen<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, members of the Gombe State Caucus of the House of Representatives on Thursday disassociated themselves from the allegations of “budget padding,” Jibrin made against Dogara, and three other principal officers.<br /> <br /> The other three are the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun ; the Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.<br /> <br /> The caucus said the 2016 Appropriation Act was duly signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, and could no longer be described as padded.<br /> <br /> It noted that it was “criminal” and “illegal” for anybody to call an existing law a padded law.<br /> <br /> “Failure to even implement any part of the Act is an illegality.<br /> <br /> “Mr. President himself, who signed the Act, knows it. The only way anything can be dropped from that Act is by referral to the same National Assembly to make any changes”, one of the members of the caucus, Mr. Yunusa Ahmad-Abubakar, told a news conference in Abuja.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, in his response to the Gombe lawmakers, Jibrin said they merely repeated the “lies” Dogara and the three others made his colleagues to believe.<br /> <br /> The former appropriation chairman, who advised them to read the text of his reply to Dogara, added that two members of the Gombe caucus were on the list he would forward to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation.

Latest-News How Dogara diverted FG water project to his farm – Jibrin

A former Chairman, Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has vowed to continue making fresh allegations against the four prin...

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Tension in Ekiti as cultists kill 5

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncpAZMr4pP19j16ECURJ7jyHnVuwp91928kU-lt9Yi6fH_4JW5YUEMHaSD_YqFFrHtlWwKCnjPaqtRoSvYf2VUbLzZf5QPG_kQfWJevoVoQlDev-PSmXEQxVxlM0ZkSys4rF4YG-7smOu/s1600/fayose+dd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncpAZMr4pP19j16ECURJ7jyHnVuwp91928kU-lt9Yi6fH_4JW5YUEMHaSD_YqFFrHtlWwKCnjPaqtRoSvYf2VUbLzZf5QPG_kQfWJevoVoQlDev-PSmXEQxVxlM0ZkSys4rF4YG-7smOu/s400/fayose+dd.png" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> There is tension in Ikere Ekiti where cultists believed to be students of higher institutions in the state have launched attacks on residents killing about five people within the week.<br /> <br /> Although the cause of the violence was still unknown on Thursday, a resident said five persons had been killed since the attacks started within the week.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> “The victims were hacked to death in Araromi area of the town,” the source added.<br /> <br /> But the traditional ruler of the town, the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu, said only one person was killed.<br /> <br /> It was learnt that about 20 suspects had been arrested by the community vigilante group and they had been handed them over to the police.<br /> <br /> Police have increased surveillance in the town by conducting stop and search on vehicles coming in and out of the town<br /> <br /> The situation has caused panic as residents now go to bed early while commercial activities have also reduced.<br /> <br /> Oba Adu, while confirming the death of one person, said the attacks were carried out by students’ cultists from Ado Ekiti.<br /> <br /> “I can only confirm to you that only one person has been killed, the attacks were carried out by suspected students’ cultists from Ado who invaded Ikere to carry out the attacks.<br /> <br /> “They were coming for another reprisal on Wednesday when 20 of them were arrested by the vigilantes in the town.<br /> <br /> “We are calling on the Police and other security agencies to be more vigilant and protect citizens carrying out their legitimate businesses and anybody having information that can assist security agencies should assist them in their investigation.”<br /> <br /> The state Police Public Relations Officer, Alberto Adeyemi, could not be reached on his mobile phone on Thursday.<br /> <br /> He had also yet to respond to a text message sent to him as of press time.

Latest-News Tension in Ekiti as cultists kill 5

There is tension in Ikere Ekiti where cultists believed to be students of higher institutions in the state have launched attacks on resid...

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Things were so hard, i almost fled to Cameroon during Jonathan’s regime – Lamido

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dX_EYwzLR-LZOlNDZ9xZvflVytIcHrSYsE2MTs5GM8XElyFNCvuPRF08XIOgLGzs-L3XO8iOoQg30DH00x6A9kwQtXhrgs4T2KM4rNX2Nqku4G5lFBeWjnitqI7H8WvJ_LJ-uATDrec3/s1600/lamido+adamawa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dX_EYwzLR-LZOlNDZ9xZvflVytIcHrSYsE2MTs5GM8XElyFNCvuPRF08XIOgLGzs-L3XO8iOoQg30DH00x6A9kwQtXhrgs4T2KM4rNX2Nqku4G5lFBeWjnitqI7H8WvJ_LJ-uATDrec3/s400/lamido+adamawa2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Lamido Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Mustapha, on Thursday in Yola, said insecurity under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan almost forced him into fleeing the country. He said his best option was migrating to Cameroon, which shares international boundary with Adamawa State.<br /> <br /> Mustapha however said the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last election halted the move.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Although he contemplated leaving the state and relocating to Cameroon, he said the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari and the determination of the administration to curb insecurity, and its success in that regards, helped to made him stay.<br /> <br /> Lamido Adamawa said this during the commencement of the construction of two major township roads in the state.<br /> <br /> The state Governor, Mohammed Jibrilla, led his deputy, Martins Babale, and other key members of his cabinet, including the state Commissioner for Works, Lilian Stephen, to officially unveil the construction of the Yolde-Pate link road, on Thursday.<br /> <br /> Speaking at the ceremony, Mustapha blamed the soaring insecurity under the administration of former President Goodluck as the factor that forced people to flee the area.<br /> <br /> “You will agree with me that just two years ago, all of us here were preparing to leave. I was also planning to leave for Cameroon. But God, in His mercies, brought us peace. He brought us Muhammadu Buhari and we can all attest to the works of his hands, especially in the aspect that has to do with the security of lives,” the top monarch said.<br /> <br /> Lamido also said that insecurity, which used to be a nightmare, literally disappeared under President Muhammadu Buhari.<br /> <br /> He said, “Insecurity, which used to be our worst night mare, has now become an issue that is now of less concern.<br /> <br /> “May God Almighty continue to guide everyone who is a part of this and keep them in good health and grant them peace, just as they are also working tirelessly to give us peace.”

Latest-News Things were so hard, i almost fled to Cameroon during Jonathan’s regime – Lamido

Lamido Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Mustapha, on Thursday in Yola, said insecurity under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonath...

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Jonathan released N15 billion for Mimiko’s re-election - APC

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfuq0-WhVzMm0yk4yCacNHIQqnUeAaINshtqcQDlW4gdP6ealC_2rprgccuEJ4SZOt2C106oU8sEcUPEqasGYXvfHE88qKjDEHPbEJEt7rNuG2Py-2SRVBSqE7X4rNLzwmaWX-OnroERI/s1600/APC-LOGO-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfuq0-WhVzMm0yk4yCacNHIQqnUeAaINshtqcQDlW4gdP6ealC_2rprgccuEJ4SZOt2C106oU8sEcUPEqasGYXvfHE88qKjDEHPbEJEt7rNuG2Py-2SRVBSqE7X4rNLzwmaWX-OnroERI/s400/APC-LOGO-17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> The Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the release of N15 billion accruable to the state from excess crude oil to Governor Olusegun Mimiko for personal purposes.<br /> <br /> The party said the money, which “purely belonged to the government”, was disbursed by Governor Mimiko to fund his re-election bid in 2012.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> It alleged that Mimiko received the funds in November 2012 through the bank accounts of his cronies through the Ministry of Finance from the Central Bank of Nigeria.<br /> <br /> APC said Mimiko’s alleged action was wicked, unlawful and unacceptable to the people.<br /> <br /> A statement by the party’s spokesman, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya, said: “We have it on good authority that Mimiko collected N15 billion from the Federation Account on November 15, 2012, which he personally signed for.<br /> <br /> It said the action was against due process and deliberately orchestrated to siphon public funds, which has gone into private pockets with no records of it in the state.<br /> <br /> The APC gave the governor seven days ultimatum to address the people on the alleged N15 billion and refund the money to the state treasury.<br /> <br /> It vowed that failure to meet the deadline will force the opposition party to “write petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to help the suffering people of Ondo State to recover the loots”.<br /> <br /> But the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Ayo Fadaka, said the APC was “prosecuting a disinformation agenda that is calculated to cause disaffection and commotion”.<br /> <br /> According to him, the opposition’s party allegations were mostly outlandish and pedestrian, even to the extent of being difficult for people to react to because of its ludicrous nature.<br /> <br /> Fadaka said: “To set the records straight, however, there is no iota of truth in the allegation. Dr. Jonathan did not give out any money to pursue the re-election of Governor Mimiko as alleged. It is a blatant lie from the pool of APC’s fallacies.”

Latest-News Jonathan released N15 billion for Mimiko’s re-election - APC

The Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the release of N15 billion accruab...

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Nigerian troops launch attacks on militants’ base in Arepo, Ibafo

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA02_8Y6TzVHEdweNNuv4qSBHRQnYcYkTJ0-uApNfhX8-6B3npmOoARBKTklJV45UP7ohUi_Ca12rF-xtJFDfczPiHAfc9wPVcv373VSWjrwJBmet2pW39gDf041IHJv8CiXhim5WIE7L/s1600/JTF-Niger-Delta-riverine_2-army+jtf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA02_8Y6TzVHEdweNNuv4qSBHRQnYcYkTJ0-uApNfhX8-6B3npmOoARBKTklJV45UP7ohUi_Ca12rF-xtJFDfczPiHAfc9wPVcv373VSWjrwJBmet2pW39gDf041IHJv8CiXhim5WIE7L/s400/JTF-Niger-Delta-riverine_2-army+jtf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Panic yesterday gripped residents of Ibafo, Arepo and other coastal communities in Ogun State as guns boomed in the creeks, fueling suspicion that troops might have clashed with militants.<br /> <br /> But the military head of operation reportedly assured that there was no cause for alarm and that lives and properties would be protected.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> It was learnt that military fighter Jets clamped down on militants at their base on the creeks yesterday evening, the fear of which made residents to make phone calls to their loved ones.<br /> <br /> “The operation won’t extend to the upland”, the head of the military operations was reported to have said.<br /> <br /> Troops have been deployed to man the waterways in Arepo, where vandals had damaged pipeline facilities to scoop petrol.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The police have also sent their men to strengthen security within the community following repeated attacks by hoodlums.

Latest-News Nigerian troops launch attacks on militants’ base in Arepo, Ibafo

Panic yesterday gripped residents of Ibafo, Arepo and other coastal communities in Ogun State as guns boomed in the creeks, fueling suspi...

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EFCC’s attention now on Ekiti, they desperately want to implicate me - Fayose cries out

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qiVsU302THOevejyxDZcQN2cyjXDOvr7QIYXWb64ZBPIioKXtIE5eo9dSM2frWraQvDMQ9cvRW7J-Qz8vpw4x-lmT_5Kv2OPTYrNfrW3pPaaV2X_ZlHmZxFsk7IWDpNYC3GB1ner8_hy/s1600/EFCC+fayose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qiVsU302THOevejyxDZcQN2cyjXDOvr7QIYXWb64ZBPIioKXtIE5eo9dSM2frWraQvDMQ9cvRW7J-Qz8vpw4x-lmT_5Kv2OPTYrNfrW3pPaaV2X_ZlHmZxFsk7IWDpNYC3GB1ner8_hy/s640/EFCC+fayose.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose alleged yesterday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shifted attention to the finances of the state.<br /> <br /> According to him, this followed the failure of the agency to establish any link between him and the funds from the Office of the National Security Adviser under Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd).”<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> He said the EFCC had been harassing banks in Ekiti, seeking for records of government finances and chasing contractors, claiming that the contractors gave him kickback.<br /> <br /> “They are on vendetta mission.They said I collected money from Dasuki and I have told them that I did not collect a dime from Dasuki. I have N300 million in my fixed Deposit Account in Zenith Bank and I declared it in my Assets Declaration Form.<br /> <br /> “I have challenged them to publish the statement made to the EFCC by Dasuki where he said he gave Senator Musiliu Obanikoro money to give me or where Obanikoro himself said he gave me money.<br /> <br /> “Since they have seen that the Dasuki money issue won’t offer them the implication of Fayose that they desperately needed, they are now harassing contractors in the State. But I can assure them that their efforts will come to nothing,” the governor said.<br /> <br /> The governor, who declared that he had no personal scores to settle with President Muhammadu Buhari, said; “I am not attacking Buhari, I am only telling him the truth. I was 24 year old when Buhari became military head of state, we queued then before we could purchase essential commodities, this is the same way things were difficult.”<br /> <br /> He reiterated his call to the federal government to declare emergency on agriculture, saying; “It is not enough to say people should go back to farming. The government must provide necessary farming equipment because you don’t expect the present day farming to be done with hoes and cutlasses.<br /> <br /> “Again, apart from the north, where do we have functional irrigation system? If our people must go back to farming, especially in the Southwest, we need the federal government assistance on irrigation.”

Latest-News EFCC’s attention now on Ekiti, they desperately want to implicate me - Fayose cries out

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose alleged yesterday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shifted attention to t...

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Sokoto Sultan blasts politicians for sharing $15billion arms cash

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN7p9xYRhUxfrfZze_F1vbI6Bim-YwhUL3RgOJLZDDv27AZHnEcFj1nGaI-kWP1XOLnjeOZ4JdNouN0eiRPJ8AcA-jM4-XiNsKrYQUmL9VbQlP0lXIRdR-Cnq-VRYUTjXo_9P4KdvbvYV/s1600/sultan-of-sokoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN7p9xYRhUxfrfZze_F1vbI6Bim-YwhUL3RgOJLZDDv27AZHnEcFj1nGaI-kWP1XOLnjeOZ4JdNouN0eiRPJ8AcA-jM4-XiNsKrYQUmL9VbQlP0lXIRdR-Cnq-VRYUTjXo_9P4KdvbvYV/s640/sultan-of-sokoto.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday condemned the sharing of cash from the Office of National Security Adviser (NSA) among some politicians, describing the act as ungodly.<br /> <br /> He endorsed the anti-graft war of President Muhammadu Buhari and sought more international support for the campaign.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> He spoke with some top officials at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington DC, according to a statement by Kogunan Sokoto, Malam Danladi Bako. Bako, a former Sokoto State commissioner for Information, was on the Sultan’s delegation to the United States<br /> <br /> Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki is awaiting trial for allegedly using his office to share billions of naira and dollars to politicians from the cash meant for the procurement of arms to fight Boko Haram.<br /> <br /> The government said the money shared by the ONSA under the immediate past administration was up to $15 billion.<br /> <br /> Many top politicians have been quizzed and others are either on trial or awaiting trial for their role in the matter. Some have also refunded money to avoid trial.<br /> <br /> The statement said: “The Sultan not only endorsed the war against corruption, but decried the conversion of funds meant for the purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram to personal use by past government official.<br /> <br /> “This was done with the connivance of some unscrupulous politicians. Such funds would have enhanced the capacity of the military to fast track the curtailment of insurgency in the north east of Nigeria.”<br /> <br /> It added: “The Sultan implored the international community to be patient with the Buhari administration in its agenda of improving on the economy, as well as the security situation in the country.”<br /> <br /> Speaking on other security challenges like communal clashes, the farmers and herdsmen clashes, the Sultan said the government was on top of the situation with the support of traditional and religious leaders.

Latest-News Sokoto Sultan blasts politicians for sharing $15billion arms cash

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday condemned the sharing of cash from the Office of National Security Adviser (NSA...

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How we took N1.2Billion to Fayose in Ekiti - Obanikoro's aide tells EFCC

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYCXKfjVAqLi4VhK_jwpJ-KTus9EcRsMbVDFdZ3lh6n_4tqZAlsoG6yDTJcWjNTC3bExKkp34OCg9k-dejqF0yiTeZU3RygjppYWdMzbnkXMy2yp5mw1O_qQJNjMYaeSnC9L2NPmPmVZx/s1600/fayose+obanikoro+d.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYCXKfjVAqLi4VhK_jwpJ-KTus9EcRsMbVDFdZ3lh6n_4tqZAlsoG6yDTJcWjNTC3bExKkp34OCg9k-dejqF0yiTeZU3RygjppYWdMzbnkXMy2yp5mw1O_qQJNjMYaeSnC9L2NPmPmVZx/s640/fayose+obanikoro+d.png" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Former Minister of Defence (State) Musiliu Obanikoro’s head of security has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) how his principal moved funds to Ekiti State for the June 21, 2014 governorship election.<br /> <br /> Lt. Commander A. O. Adewale gave a blow-by-blow account of the cash movement when he was grilled by some EFCC operatives.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The EFCC is investigating the N1.299billion cash taken to Governor Ayodele Fayose by Obanikoro in chartered flight before the election.<br /> <br /> The cash was part of the N4.745 billion paid into Obanikoro’s company, Sylva Mcnamara by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).<br /> <br /> Fayose’s associate, Abiodun Agbele, who received the cash from Obanikoro, is in EFCC custody awaiting arraignment in court. A court last week declared his dention illegal and ordered the EFCC to pay him N5million as damages.<br /> <br /> Some of those already quizzed by the EFCC over the cash movement are the General Manager of Gyro Air Limited, Jide West, a pilot Captain Ahmed Bashir Borodo, a bullion van driver, Omotoso Olaoluwa and some bank officials, among others.<br /> <br /> Lt. Commander Adewale told investigators how they started the Ekiti trip from Obanikoro’s Park View, Ikoyi, Lagos home on June 16, 2014.<br /> <br /> He said: “I was posted as the Flag Lieutenant to the Hon. Minister of State for Defence from March 2014 to September 2014. Thereafter I proceeded to Defence Intelligence School for my basic French Language course from December 14 to June 2015.<br /> <br /> ”As at when I was the Flag Lieutenant to the Minister of State for Defence, my schedule of duties was being in charge of Very Important Personalities (VIP) protection, organisation and administration of the escorts and also coordination of convoys for movement, organisation and administration of the escorts’ means.<br /> <br /> “I am responsible to all the security aides attached to the minister. Security aides include the personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force. I detail them on VIP protection.<br /> <br /> “During my tour of duty as the Flag. Lieutenant to the Minister of State for Defence, I was reporting to the Principal Staff Office, (PSO), Navy Capt. O.O. Fadeyi. During my period as the Flag Lieutenant to the Hon. Minister of State Defence, the then minister was Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.<br /> <br /> ”On assumption of duty as the Flag Lieutenant, I embarked on several trips with the Minister to several military and civil parastatals, some of which included several visits to Lagos, the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Military Pension Board, Air Force Base in Enugu, also visits to Ekiti State, Port Harcout, Bayelsa and the commissioning of the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Okpabana in the United States.<br /> <br /> “ During my tour of duty, I visited Ekiti twice with the minister. The first was the presidential rally held in Ekiti and the second trip was sometimes in June 2014.<br /> <br /> “The movement to Ekiti was by air through a chartered aircraft. It is not part of my duties to initiate movement for the minister. Every time, the minister informed me verbally of our intended movement, I complied.”<br /> <br /> Adewale, who gave insights into how the trip was arranged, said he prepared the manifest of passengers on board the chartered flight.<br /> <br /> He added: “A Gyro Air Limited passenger manifest dated June 16, 2014 with the departure DN MM with route DN AKR and the following passenger details, (1) the Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (2) Dr. Tunde Oshinowo and Lt. Commander A.O. Adewale was shown to me.<br /> <br /> “I recognised the manifest via my handwriting and my name is also on the manifest. The flight was organised by the minister and I was given the contact of Mr. Jide West (the General Manager of Gyro Air) to liaise with.<br /> <br /> “ On June 16, 2014, we left the house of the former minister at Park View, Lagos to the airport. It is pertinent to state that I did not arrange or pay for the chartered flight to Ekiti. I was given the number of Mr. Jide West by the minister for liaison of timing of takeoff.<br /> <br /> ”We got to the airport in the morning of June 16, 2014. On arrival via road from Park View at the airport, the minister’s son, Mr. Gbolahan was at the airport.<br /> <br /> ”A private discussion held between father and son. The minister then informed me of the delay in the movement to Akure. About an hour later, a bullion van pulled into the hangar where the chartered aircraft was parked. Shortly after, Mr. Gbolahan ensured that some bags were offloaded into the plane.<br /> <br /> “As at when the bullion van pulled into the airport, I was at the waiting lounge close to where the plane was parked. Shortly after, I boarded the plane with the minister and his civilian friend in person of Mr. Oshinowo as indicated on the manifest.<br /> <br /> ”On arrival at the airport, the minister had private discussions with some of his political friends who received him at the airport in Akure. I was not privy to the discussions.<br /> <br /> “However, a bullion van was driven down to the tarmac where the plane was parked. The bags were offloaded into the bullion van and the minister directed that we should escort the van to a particular Zenith Bank branch in Akure. I can recall the exact branch.<br /> <br /> “On arrival at the bank, the bags were offloaded by the bank staff under the supervision of a particular civilian who was in company of the minister at the Akure airport. I don’t know the man personally but with facial recognition, I can identify the man.<br /> <br /> “ After offloading the bags and the civilian took custody, the escorts thereafter proceeded to meet the minister.”

Latest-News How we took N1.2Billion to Fayose in Ekiti - Obanikoro's aide tells EFCC

Former Minister of Defence (State) Musiliu Obanikoro’s head of security has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) how ...

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No one in this world can prove I stole Rivers State money – Former governor, Rotimi Amaechi

<br /> <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBpOx1UuCNbYFAJircTnNFqcA5LV9P1PD5_xqMN0Xc8AQ3kyKRgBQZUo_QlyFMxv98lDbiqVamzVknmouNY0MD6ily64N7jegywTYS5bw0ZerqF1fefcm_sH53vPGnFZnmhIKUzcdTzY/s1600/Amaechi+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBpOx1UuCNbYFAJircTnNFqcA5LV9P1PD5_xqMN0Xc8AQ3kyKRgBQZUo_QlyFMxv98lDbiqVamzVknmouNY0MD6ily64N7jegywTYS5bw0ZerqF1fefcm_sH53vPGnFZnmhIKUzcdTzY/s320/Amaechi+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a>Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has denied allegations that he embezzled money meant for the development of Rivers state when he was governor. Amaechi said this while speaking at a stakeholders’ forum on corruption organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja today July 28th.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> “If you had followed the Rivers State government when I was governor, we were the first state to introduce the Public Procurement Law in the country. The state cabinet used to call the Director General of Public Procurement in the state as an alternative governor, that they wanted an amendment to that law. The reason they wanted amendment is that he (DG) refused to increase the threshold to one hundred million naira, per ministry, instead he reduced it to 10 million naira.<br /> <br /> I had a battle with him (DG BPE) and the world bank who insisted that we should not go for an amendment but should persuade him to increase the threshold.<br /> <br /> I remember the cabinet tried to go to court against him and I remember that he was also trying to go to court against Commissioners. In fact, the procurement DG wrote a memo that I felt was very incriminating requesting that since the law requires the governor to take any commissioner who doesn’t comply with the public procurement law to court, I should please take the commissioner of education to court for not complying… Everybody in the cabinet felt that he was an alternative governor, they felt that he was slowing the process,” he said.<br /> <br /> Mr. Amaechi said transparency in the use of public funds was key to his administration as governor, and that the Rivers community was fully briefed periodically on how funds were being utilised.<br /> <br /> “Within that period we insisted on engaging the indigenous communities on how much we received and how we spent the money. That is why I feel that after this ministerial appointment, I should do everything possible to stay away from government because in spite of all the forms of transparency I introduced in government, one man could begin to tell lies to Nigerians and Nigerians believe him. The governor of Rivers State said I squandered N3 trillion naira.<br /> <br /> I did not receive up to N1.8 trillion naira as governor both from IGR and funds from federal allocation. So, how could I have squandered money I did not even receive in the first place? You can see the politics of lies and lies. As Minister of Transportation, I run an open and transparent system. I believe in name and shame. What name and shame does is, if you name and shame those of them who don’t have conscience they won’t come to public functions. I do have conscience.<br /> <br /> In fact, it was the word corruption that brought me to this occasion because I wanted to see who will get up and say to me, ‘this is evidence that you are corrupt. We went to court against the Rivers State government on their allegation of corruption against me. The Court of Appeal said, produce that document that found this man (Amaechi) guilty of those crimes and up till today he (Wike) has not produced it,” he said.

Latest-News No one in this world can prove I stole Rivers State money – Former governor, Rotimi Amaechi

Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has denied allegations that he embezzled money meant for the development of Rivers state whe...

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Governor Fayose warns Ondo voters not to vote for APC

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFALe9ZeCziz0bz0I2NzSpenf4ThFRokientopRu7aqNcCEFO5kAMUUs1kvXYFrwZ108EwAwewnUDeddN9ULanKvZKAROrkYE6NNtmwKBgOSkc8p3d7Wwzni3rR1a8MFDMoyHIOQmikHT/s1600/fayose+apc+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFALe9ZeCziz0bz0I2NzSpenf4ThFRokientopRu7aqNcCEFO5kAMUUs1kvXYFrwZ108EwAwewnUDeddN9ULanKvZKAROrkYE6NNtmwKBgOSkc8p3d7Wwzni3rR1a8MFDMoyHIOQmikHT/s400/fayose+apc+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti has warned voters in Ondo not to vote for the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming governorship election, insisting the party was not a good option for people of the state.<br /> <br /> He advised the people to ensure the ruling Peoples Democratic Party retain the governorship seat after Governor Olusegun Mimiko.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Fayose who spoke on a radio programme in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, said the APC government had failed the people of Nigeria in the last one year of its rule.<br /> <br /> He advised voters in the state not to support any candidate presented by the APC.<br /> <br /> He said, “Don’t let me deceive you my people in Ondo State, don’t allow the APC to take over this state, if you allowed them, your condition would be worse than what you are passing through now, their government would be a disaster for you.<br /> <br /> “They have nothing to offer, all they know is propaganda, you can see what is happening in Nigeria now, if you vote for them what they are doing at the national level is what they would be doing here. You can see what is happening in all the states they are controlling.<br /> <br /> “Look at our condition in Nigeria, our condition is getting worse on daily basis, they have no solution to the economic problem facing the nation currently, yet they say they want to take over your state, I enjoined you, don’t allow them, they have nothing to offer. “<br /> <br /> The governor said he would not stop crticising the government until Nigerians enjoy the expected dividend of democracy from the Muhammadu Buhari-administration.<br /> <br /> “If I stop talking Nigerian masses will suffer, a government without an opposition will not do anything, they want to shut me up, but I will not stop talking, let them continue to abuse me, I don’t mind.<br /> <br /> “I am not attacking the President, I don’t hate the President but what I have been saying is truth and they too know I am saying the truth. I am saying the truth so that the President can do things that will benefit the people of this country. All of us cannot keep quite. “<br /> <br />

Latest-News Governor Fayose warns Ondo voters not to vote for APC

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti has warned voters in Ondo not to vote for the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming governorship elec...

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Turkey coup sponsors/terrorists own schools, hospitals in Nigeria – Turkish embassy warns

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PmXdL9-GF0S0DP6RpRWtpZtOytsCLIegd0kh73Rp2O7VsMGGul3nPhJ1lnvD2ZBJKt4I-ry7LslqC545MaYmW-gZkmwyZqtM_Eh7WLOJiWO74WlW22ADlbFJk5L_f_jofuzCuprdCKFw/s1600/Recep+Tayyip+Erdogan+turkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PmXdL9-GF0S0DP6RpRWtpZtOytsCLIegd0kh73Rp2O7VsMGGul3nPhJ1lnvD2ZBJKt4I-ry7LslqC545MaYmW-gZkmwyZqtM_Eh7WLOJiWO74WlW22ADlbFJk5L_f_jofuzCuprdCKFw/s640/Recep+Tayyip+Erdogan+turkey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The Government of Turkey, on Thursday, said it had alerted the Federal Government on the existence of schools and hospitals owned by suspected terrorists in Nigeria.<br /> <br /> It demanded that the facilities be shut down.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Turkey said it had officially notified the Nigerian government on the existence of the schools, which bear the name of the country but are not owned by it.<br /> <br /> The Ambassador of Turkey to Nigeria, Mr. Hakan Cakil, while speaking to the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Shehu Sani, when the latter paid the diplomat a visit at his Abuja office, said the owners of the schools sponsored the recent coup in Turkey.<br /> <br /> Sani was there in company with select journalists, including our correspondent.<br /> <br /> The envoy said the institutions, which ranged from schools to hospitals, were allegedly owned by the Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation allegedly founded by Fethullag Gulen.<br /> <br /> The Turkish government, which stated that the country does not own any school in Nigeria, said similar schools established in Turkey had been shut down.<br /> <br /> According to the ambassador, confessions by the coup plotters, who are currently under investigation, have indicated that the same syndicate which hatched the botched July 15, 2016, coup, own the schools in Nigeria.<br /> <br /> Cakil said the organisation and its investments had enjoyed wide acceptance by the public in Turkey until suspected coupists confessed to using the organisations for terrorist activities.<br /> <br /> He said all the schools owned by the organisation had been shut down by the Turkish government as of last week.<br /> <br /> But when contacted, the Director of Press and Public Communication, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Clement Aduku, said he was not aware of the letter by the Turkish mission.<br /> <br /> “I have not seen any such of communications yet, but will find out from our principals if they have seen or received any update on the matter,” he said in an SMS.

Latest-News Turkey coup sponsors/terrorists own schools, hospitals in Nigeria – Turkish embassy warns

The Government of Turkey, on Thursday, said it had alerted the Federal Government on the existence of schools and hospitals owned by susp...

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Hardship: Help calm Nigerians, Buhari begs clerics

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugKs6CVSxTCktD2VI0pB8YpGC3EqoqL1NniVqGH5xJnfuKb9WChHlD0x7FmZHq4nCrH-e4Y89BcMXOtoztAr3EB-ukCNwdguZa4dKYL0yhsvoYHa5pOCaIS0wFpaQ04SQqJQh5TtBCeJh/s1600/buhari+pray1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugKs6CVSxTCktD2VI0pB8YpGC3EqoqL1NniVqGH5xJnfuKb9WChHlD0x7FmZHq4nCrH-e4Y89BcMXOtoztAr3EB-ukCNwdguZa4dKYL0yhsvoYHa5pOCaIS0wFpaQ04SQqJQh5TtBCeJh/s640/buhari+pray1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Amidst growing complaints on the various challenges facing Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday appealed to Muslim clerics to help his administration calm Nigerians down.<br /> <br /> He said his government was aware of challenges facing the average citizen, hence the need for clerics to carry the message of hope to the people that things will improve.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President made the appeal during a meeting he had with the Council of Abuja Imams at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.<br /> <br /> “Keep calming the people. The leadership at various levels is trying to solve problems of poverty, unemployment and insecurity bedeviling the country,” Buhari requested religious leaders throughout the country.<br /> <br /> He explained to the clerics that the Federal Government chose to give priority to agriculture in order to create jobs for unemployed citizens and give the country food security.<br /> <br /> He said although efforts had begun, there was a bigger plan for the provision of fertilizers, insecticides and land preparations starting from 2017.<br /> <br /> The President requested state governments and community leaders across the country to organise the population into cooperative societies to key into the agriculture reforms programme, stressing that “extension services, not money will be provided.”<br /> <br /> Buhari also intimated the religious leaders on the efforts being put in place to improve power supply in the country.

Latest-News Hardship: Help calm Nigerians, Buhari begs clerics

Amidst growing complaints on the various challenges facing Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday appealed to Muslim clerics to...

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Nigerian Senate concludes ambassadorial nominees’ screening

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq3ZXZhJXZuFjB3Z5H8a_39fDBVHwjLkg_8qrd4yivrZ_RiokiG-1tGPl6lPvkjuPMNI1_vIqJfme6-Q5VY5J4UXUwU6JqEsnensz_djJg-a3udeODnGfpuyS60klZtjU_Wut6tH33Yvv/s1600/Senate-1024x683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq3ZXZhJXZuFjB3Z5H8a_39fDBVHwjLkg_8qrd4yivrZ_RiokiG-1tGPl6lPvkjuPMNI1_vIqJfme6-Q5VY5J4UXUwU6JqEsnensz_djJg-a3udeODnGfpuyS60klZtjU_Wut6tH33Yvv/s640/Senate-1024x683.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday concluded the screening of the 47 ambassadorial nominees.<br /> <br /> The screening, which lasted three days, took place at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu, commended members of the committee and the media for their efforts in ensuring the success of the exercise.<br /> <br /> “We give Glory to God that 47 people have been screened. The exercise was started on Tuesday.<br /> <br /> “On behalf of the Senate being led by our Senate President, Bukola Saraki, I will like to express my gratitude to my colleagues for sacrificing their time.<br /> <br /> <br /> “They laid petitions last week and discussed the petition and agreed to screen the 47 nominees.<br /> <br /> “This is a big sacrifice. We decided to cancel everything and put national interest first,” NAN quoted Sunmonu as saying on the matter.<br /> <br /> President Muhammadu Buhari on June 9 sent a list of 47 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for consideration and confirmation.

Latest-News Nigerian Senate concludes ambassadorial nominees’ screening

The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday concluded the screening of the 47 ambassadorial nominees. The screening, which last...

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Indonesia executes three Nigerians for drug crimes

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tU1hqRYQ-yyoLufOZ8W-hfNY5ugPRbeadtnNc4EGdYOV67KoSLov_KOTV_lkdaBZVEqmevwFli4mWm5CgJVmKoMlXl4xUXjZdiRAoZl_qctjsQV3ZaKZoOMOypo9-OzbxYFrb6s9Ufao/s1600/suicide+rope2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tU1hqRYQ-yyoLufOZ8W-hfNY5ugPRbeadtnNc4EGdYOV67KoSLov_KOTV_lkdaBZVEqmevwFli4mWm5CgJVmKoMlXl4xUXjZdiRAoZl_qctjsQV3ZaKZoOMOypo9-OzbxYFrb6s9Ufao/s640/suicide+rope2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Indonesia on Thursday executed some of the 14 people on death row for drugs crimes, Indonesian media has said.<br /> <br /> Those executed are three Nigerians and a local, an official said.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The drug convicts were executed by firing squad shortly after midnight local time, the BBC reports.<br /> <br /> Indonesia has faced intense criticism internationally for resuming executions.

Latest-News Indonesia executes three Nigerians for drug crimes

Indonesia on Thursday executed some of the 14 people on death row for drugs crimes, Indonesian media has said. Those executed are three...

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Super Eagles to get new technical adviser in August – NFF

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUOzhNQujdXH8SyfMV8eQsL3UNiI4wpNb8qACuyCgg3mcRaRGpRDJ7ehnuz-Ll_UYzTN436Vm50JbIMXfI3heRZoB-jNOueP_lGnE5dhr-0O-YgK207dVyKlVlJS_5dNBiiMYfid1qWJe/s1600/nff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUOzhNQujdXH8SyfMV8eQsL3UNiI4wpNb8qACuyCgg3mcRaRGpRDJ7ehnuz-Ll_UYzTN436Vm50JbIMXfI3heRZoB-jNOueP_lGnE5dhr-0O-YgK207dVyKlVlJS_5dNBiiMYfid1qWJe/s400/nff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will appoint a technical adviser for the Super Eagles in August.<br /> <br /> The Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Chris Green, said this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The NFF Executive Committee had given the committee seven days to name a technical adviser for the Super Eagles following the federation’s botched attempt to employ Frenchman Paul Le Guen as technical adviser earlier this month.<br /> <br /> “We are working to ensure that we finish with the other incidentals, because at the last time we didn’t do that.<br /> <br /> “We left it for the executive to do, which ordinarily should be their responsibility.<br /> <br /> “But when they now asked us to go and do it again, they told us to complete everything with the process and send recommendations.<br /> <br /> “And we are doing that now. We don’t want a situation where somebody will come out again and say this and that.<br /> <br /> “As I speak with you, we have made contacts, we have done interviews, we have asked questions and the rest of them – even verifying from every other person.<br /> <br /> “We have considered at a lot of people, but we have zeroed in on one person.<br /> <br /> “It may not be from the former list. It is a different exercise entirely, because as I speak to you, even when we have closed entries, some people are still applying,’’ Green told NAN.

Latest-News Super Eagles to get new technical adviser in August – NFF

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will appoint a technical adviser for the Super Eagles in August. The Chairman of the NFF Technica...

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Dogara invaded committee secretariat, seized computers – Jibrin

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKn-mN2_nGuYEjCYysMx-Iv2LQ2AsUCJHxazTrTjpILGH8Msq51d9ch20PLSVONwu-ieoZVbuUZtIp1c4Bh5pNUII2lY-y4rhhiHLtWM6Zv2vkmp5ltdOk1Sl5-IKzHQfc8BQokDL4Jgkh/s1600/Abdulmumin-Jibrin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKn-mN2_nGuYEjCYysMx-Iv2LQ2AsUCJHxazTrTjpILGH8Msq51d9ch20PLSVONwu-ieoZVbuUZtIp1c4Bh5pNUII2lY-y4rhhiHLtWM6Zv2vkmp5ltdOk1Sl5-IKzHQfc8BQokDL4Jgkh/s400/Abdulmumin-Jibrin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> The former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Thursday claimed that the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers he accused of inserting billions into the 2016 budget are attempting to obstruct justice.<br /> <br /> The lawmaker said Dogara and others are trying to obstruct justice by seizing information relevant to the allegation and impeding investigations.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> A statement issued by Jibrin on Thursday reads:<br /> <br /> “Speaker Dogara has ordered that all the computers in the appropriation secretariat be shut down and moved to his office as if that is the answer to the allegations I raised.<br /> <br /> “The secretariat workers are being harassed to keep quiet and suppress facts. There has also been an attempt to break into my office at the House.<br /> <br /> “I know he wants to tamper with documents critical to his and three others future investigation and prosecution but unfortunately for him we already have enough evidence in our possession. The security and anti -corruption agencies should kindly take note. ”<br /> <br /> Speaking on the press briefing organised by Gombe Reps Caucus which accused him of waging a “campaign of calumny,” he said:<br /> <br /> “Five members of the Gombe caucus addressed the press today (Thursday) in a show of shame and succeeded in only rehearsing the accusation of lies leveled against me by Speaker Dogara.<br /> <br /> “Two of them are part of the list of corrupt members I will be submitting to the EFCC. My response to them is they should simply read my full reply released yesterday and join the Transparency Group (TG), an alliance of hundreds of members to cleanse the House of corruption and corrupt members.<br /> <br /> “They should act honourably by calling on Speaker Dogara to listen to the call of Nigerians to reconvene the House immediately so that an independent investigation can commence.”<br /> <br /> When the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, was contacted on the issue, he declined to react to the allegation.

Latest-News Dogara invaded committee secretariat, seized computers – Jibrin

The former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Thursday claimed that the Speaker o...

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Keshi’s children lament FG withdrawal from burial

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGzGOzGGbdBMzrRJFYOwZ5FAbOUN7IOtlg1K9BvvxLoFprSWj_9UktDRqVqEEMu5hiAuWpHC3IMC0gCfME8IxvbU46wdd9Py2Jo5_7PuksdJS5CdSLGwh2BUgZNxEoTg-a2H868132_V_/s1600/keshi+rip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGzGOzGGbdBMzrRJFYOwZ5FAbOUN7IOtlg1K9BvvxLoFprSWj_9UktDRqVqEEMu5hiAuWpHC3IMC0gCfME8IxvbU46wdd9Py2Jo5_7PuksdJS5CdSLGwh2BUgZNxEoTg-a2H868132_V_/s400/keshi+rip.png" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> The children of the late former Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, have lamented the inability of the Federal Government to keep to its promises of giving their father a befitting burial.<br /> <br /> Keshi (Jnr), who spoke on behalf of his siblings at the indoor Sports Hall of the Stephen Keshi international Stadium, Asaba, said it is disheartening that the federal government pulled out of the burial at the late hours.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> They, however, commended Edo and Delta States for coming to their rescue.<br /> <br /> The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Brutu Otuaro, who represented the Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, said Keshi lived a fulfilled life, having paid his dues in Nigeria and abroad.<br /> <br /> The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Monday Igbiya and the member representing Aniochi/ Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Amaechi Mrskpor, urged Nigerians to always honour efficiency which the late Keshi was known for.<br /> <br /> Keshi’s body is currently lying in state at the palace of the Obi of Illah, before the interment.

Latest-News Keshi’s children lament FG withdrawal from burial

The children of the late former Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, have lamented the inability of the Federal Government to keep to its p...

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PDP to Oshiomhole: Stop threatening Ize-Iyamu with EFCC

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfZiuUWPvFz_i0GKp-FjUULHjxIULviJWPLe9pHXmHC47tuuOmnLfSTiLSt76UcaPhcA-4J5nu2RPhEPUeoUtG_QuTRre2fSo-Tsh74_c9_11kGRhEWHREMRLFnDDxvhIituJSRApKnRH/s1600/oshiomole+adams+s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfZiuUWPvFz_i0GKp-FjUULHjxIULviJWPLe9pHXmHC47tuuOmnLfSTiLSt76UcaPhcA-4J5nu2RPhEPUeoUtG_QuTRre2fSo-Tsh74_c9_11kGRhEWHREMRLFnDDxvhIituJSRApKnRH/s400/oshiomole+adams+s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday asked Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, to stop threatening the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Describing the threat as preposterous, the party said Oshiomhole is nervous and unsettled by the PDP’s moving train, which it said will uproot the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the state.<br /> <br /> In a statement issued by its caretaker committee spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party asked how it became the governor’s duty to dictate to the EFCC, wondering when Oshiomhole become an operative of the anti-corruption agency.<br /> <br /> The statement said, “We have observed in recent times the utterances of the Governor of Edo State during the APC’s gubernatorial campaigns ahead of the September 10, 2016 election in the state.<br /> <br /> “We wish to remind the Governor that he should maintain the sanctity of his office as an executive Governor of the state instead of directing the EFCC on who to arrest or prosecute.”<br /> <br /> The PDP further stated that Governor Oshiomhole’s threat confirmed the belief and the opinion of perceptible Nigerians that the anti-corruption war of the present administration is nothing but a partisan political agenda to intimidate, suppress and silence the PDP.<br /> <br /> “Governor Adams Oshiomhole is desperate to hang on to power through his imposed stooge, despite the fact that he has lost the trust and confidence of the people of Edo State,” the statement added.<br /> <br /> The party lampooned what it described as the despicable and uncouth language deployed by the governor against the person of Pastor Ize-Iyamu, which it said, was clearly unbecoming of the holder of the high office of Governor of a state.

Latest-News PDP to Oshiomhole: Stop threatening Ize-Iyamu with EFCC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday asked Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, to stop threatening the party’s governorship ca...

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Facts behind my EFCC invitation – Nwuche

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7uYuphIMJ6xYlE86O_a3SY8NpVEC9zr6lF3hbnhGoBsEebID8LkEKCLJHZMm9ndkrjr3Oj98XJX76Kb_H59G1F5y5jdJyR0I6DRMziFoRV45zQ29T0R7BYzBjqQYE1idRcpv2igm21hB/s1600/chi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7uYuphIMJ6xYlE86O_a3SY8NpVEC9zr6lF3hbnhGoBsEebID8LkEKCLJHZMm9ndkrjr3Oj98XJX76Kb_H59G1F5y5jdJyR0I6DRMziFoRV45zQ29T0R7BYzBjqQYE1idRcpv2igm21hB/s1600/chi.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, on Thursday cleared the air on his invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to explain how a N5 billion contract awarded to him by the Amnesty Office was executed.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> A statement from the Foundation for Youth Development, chaired by Nwuche, revealed the former Deputy Speaker’s involvement in the controversial contract.<br /> <br /> According to the statement, the problem started from the execution of second tranche of contracts by the Foundation.<br /> <br /> It reads, “Following the inception of Presidential Amnesty Programme, the Foundation for Youth Development was invited to mentor and train ex-militants from the Niger Delta. Hon Chibudom Nwuche is the Chairman of the Foundation. As a member of the Presidential Committee on the Niger Delta set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan, it was natural that Hon. Nwuche’s Foundation was considered to play a role in the training of the ex-militants.<br /> <br /> “The relationship, which dates to 2011, started with the initial award of three contracts for the training and capacity building for about 300 Niger Delta ex-militants in Sweden, Malaysia and Vietnam in shore-based and marine studies which it successfully executed.<br /> <br /> “This was to be followed up with provision of practical sea-time experience for the graduates. Following the successful completion of the training programmes, another set of three contracts were further awarded to FYD for which it was mobilised N2.7bn.<br /> <br /> “The present issues arose from the execution of the second set of three contracts.<br /> <br /> “The Foundation commenced the execution of these contracts by identifying the various schools outside Nigeria and also requested for the list of trainees from the Amnesty office in line with provisions of the contract.<br /> <br /> “During the course of mobilization for the contracts, requests for funds came from the Presidential Amnesty Office for assistance to pay some ex-militant leaders and stipends for their boys who were growing restive, as the Amnesty Office’s funding was delayed, with a clear understanding that the funds would be returned. FYD, as stakeholders in the programme obliged them. Written requests were made for the refunds but not honoured and the list of trainees was also not provided despite several documented reminders.<br /> <br /> “When it appeared that the amnesty programme was to be wound up, the Foundation approached the Federal High Court through a suit – No. FHC/ABJ/CS/769/2015, and demanded that Amnesty Office fulfil their part of the contract as well as to deposit the outstanding contract sums in the court, to be accessed by the Foundation on the completion of the contract. The Foundation also made a claim for special and general damages totalling N5bn.<br /> <br /> “This step was taken on the advice of the legal advisers to the Foundation who advised that in the event of winding down of the programme, the Foundation will suffer great losses, especially when the sums advanced to Amnesty Office was not captured officially and the outstanding sums due to the Foundation would go with the winding up.”

Latest-News Facts behind my EFCC invitation – Nwuche

Ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, on Thursday cleared the air on his invitation by the Economic and Fin...

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How Nigerian women can succeed in politics - Obasanjo

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksrrUMva2v4Ld6BIpsjLTKtC4OovkmJTYo2gLbTCaq_2g-g60RTvGRj4jW-qTA1vQ3Kl99PWhwN0igxuE_oSfm7cDy3xt3DtVAZHbo6xmrN5DSP1Pv_xMp5iRvqdkt5aDjDQ1NkkPKXmB/s1600/obasanjo+%25281%2529+obj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksrrUMva2v4Ld6BIpsjLTKtC4OovkmJTYo2gLbTCaq_2g-g60RTvGRj4jW-qTA1vQ3Kl99PWhwN0igxuE_oSfm7cDy3xt3DtVAZHbo6xmrN5DSP1Pv_xMp5iRvqdkt5aDjDQ1NkkPKXmB/s640/obasanjo+%25281%2529+obj.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday said women must be physically, emotionally and psychological prepared to succeed in politics.<br /> <br /> “If you are not strong physically, your chances are reduced, but you must also believe in God,” he said.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Obasanjo spoke in Lagos when he chaired the Women’s Power Lunch, an initiative of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF).<br /> <br /> It was jointly organised by the Women in Development Enterprise Across Africa (WIDEAA), co-founded by MMF’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode.<br /> <br /> Former Malawi President, Dr. Joyce Banda, who delivered a speech on the theme: Women in Solidarity, a new paradigm for inclusion, urged women to aspire for leadership.<br /> <br /> “We have to ensure that women issues move from the peripheral to the centre stage,” she said, adding that women must be economically empowered and not discriminated against.<br /> <br /> “Women need empowerment, while the girl-child needs education,” she said, urging women to unite rather than work against each other.<br /> <br /> During the question and answer session, Dr. Banda was asked if she attended political meetings held at “unholy” hours, such as 3:00am.<br /> <br /> She said: “If you don’t want to go through what men pass through, then you don’t want to be in politics.”<br /> <br /> Obasanjo added: “You must also make your own nocturnal meetings last longer than that of your opponents. It’s the way it’s done almost everywhere.”<br /> <br /> The former president joked that when he was in power, he once asked people who went for pilgrimage in Mecca to pray for the success of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “when PDP was PDP.”<br /> <br /> He recalled that someone added that not only would they pray for PDP, they would also listen to what the opposition party members were praying for.<br /> <br /> “You must be well equipped to succeed in politics,” Obasanjo told the women.

Latest-News How Nigerian women can succeed in politics - Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday said women must be physically, emotionally and psychological prepared to succeed in politic...

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We are correcting our lapses – President Buhari

<br /> <br /> President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday assured that lapses that had worked against Nigeria as a nation are being corrected.<br /> <br /> He gave the assurance while receiving a team led by Dr. Seth Berkley, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi and The Global Fund at the State House, Abuja.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said he was impressed with the patience and steadfastness of leading supporters of health care in Nigeria.<br /> <br /> He said: “Despite our shortcomings as a nation, we are making genuine efforts to correct the lapses. We are very serious about people behaving themselves, and being accountable.<br /> <br /> “We thank you for deciding to re-engage with us, despite our inefficiencies. You decided to be here, not minding our shortcomings. There are other countries that would bring less problems. We appreciate your commitment, and we will do our best to put ourselves in the best shape to help us.”<br /> <br /> Dr. Berkley, who noted that the three focal points of the Buhari administration – security, economic development, and anti-corruption were critical to the future of Nigeria, had raised issues at the way donor funds for health care were utilized in the past.<br /> <br /> He said Gavi and the Global Fund were disappointed when forensic audit revealed systemic weaknesses and corruption in the utilization of funds given in the past, adding that there is now a “breath of fresh air” under President Buhari’s leadership and fight against corruption.<br /> <br /> He said they are now willing to close the books of the past and look into future support.<br /> <br /> Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, who was also at the event, disclosed that those indicted in the audit of the donor funds in the past had been questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and would be arraigned in court soon.

Latest-News We are correcting our lapses – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday assured that lapses that had worked against Nigeria as a nation are being corrected. He gave the ...

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Governor El-Rufai dismisses three Directors

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjVpci1URPJszNFzdOWOMNogk9ccRih58-XhzB2mLyHo8WyVPDN4TmlcGHFrNBy7IyyOh5KrBuf-GxGAySLh7E12Go0Si8PULUx7TQOvEyLC0yUOek8j30Ar7fM-Jxr3gh7TvvcvPLF4f/s1600/el+rufai+kaduna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjVpci1URPJszNFzdOWOMNogk9ccRih58-XhzB2mLyHo8WyVPDN4TmlcGHFrNBy7IyyOh5KrBuf-GxGAySLh7E12Go0Si8PULUx7TQOvEyLC0yUOek8j30Ar7fM-Jxr3gh7TvvcvPLF4f/s400/el+rufai+kaduna.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Kaduna State Government has dismissed three Directors of Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA) and two others from the state Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) for abusing the revised Millennium City layout.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Letters of dismissal signed by Mrs. Grace Yusuf Bature on behalf of the General Manager KASUPDA, Saratu M.Haruna, have been delivered to Charles Akau Ibrahim, its Director of Urban Planning and Research, Adamu Aliyu Nuhu, Director of Development Control, and Philemon Mairabo, Director Urban Planning and Research.<br /> <br /> Their sack followed the state Executive Council’s deliberations of the report of a committee that investigated the role of some staff of the former Ministry of Land, Surveys and Country Planning and some traditional rulers in distorting the revised Millennium City layout.<br /> <br /> The letters reads: “Sequel to your suspension from the service via letter No.PER/SEC.351/VOL.1/006 dated 31st May 2016, I am directed to convey to you the State Council’s decision at its 17th meeting held on 9th May,2016 and to dismiss you from the service of the state government with immediate effect.<br /> <br /> “This is as per the report of the committee that investigated the role of some staff of Ministry of Land and Surveys and Country Planning, KASUPDA and Traditional Rulers in the Revised Millennium City Layout abuse TPO.833 which indicted you. You are further directed to hand over all government properties in your possession to the agency please.”<br /> <br /> Another letter signed by Ibrahim Hussaini, dated 19th May, 2016 said two staff of KADGIS, Mr. Jacob Makadas Kogi and Mr. Joshua A. Gambas were also suspended over abuse of Revised Millennium City Layout land.<br /> <br /> “Further to council decision on the report of the committee to investigate the roles played by you and traditional leaders in the abuse of the revised Millennium City Layout (TPO.833), I wish to inform you that your appointment has been suspended with immediate effect and subsequent dismissal from the public service by the State Civil Service Commission. You are to hand over all government properties under your custody to the surveyor general, please.”<br /> <br /> The dismissal followed the directives of Governor Malam Nasir El-rufai as decided by the state Council after its 17th meeting, which held on 9th May 2016,” the government saud in the letter.

Latest-News Governor El-Rufai dismisses three Directors

Kaduna State Government has dismissed three Directors of Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA) and two others from...

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I’M NOT WORLD BANK: Mikel Denies Donating $30,000 To U23 Team

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAM5iRRJnkPGRCnYxl1LpoerWD34NYvZlsvJE3QEkGazvDNVqI4UzEnsIVHSXiPv_Zs_1a42vwjUh4sFrkQueN1qGsRfGRM33dZk7QKxl4QCp7gSVDhtAAv3mXLwPk0sOpi1QPF4W9f45/s1600/mo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAM5iRRJnkPGRCnYxl1LpoerWD34NYvZlsvJE3QEkGazvDNVqI4UzEnsIVHSXiPv_Zs_1a42vwjUh4sFrkQueN1qGsRfGRM33dZk7QKxl4QCp7gSVDhtAAv3mXLwPk0sOpi1QPF4W9f45/s400/mo2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Captain of Team Nigeria to the Rio Olympics, Mikel Obi, has denied media reports doing the rounds in Nigeria that he gave $30,000 to his team-mates in the U-23 team presently camping in Atlanta, USA.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Speaking from the team's camp at the Hyatt Place, the Super Eagles captain said in a Nigeria Football Federation press release: "I was first told of this unfortunate story by a friend who called me from Nigeria. I thought he was joking until he sent me the link.<br /> <br /> "I don't know the source of this story which to me is all out to divide us as a team. I would have thought that stories that should be coming out in the media are stories that will unite the team instead of dividing us. Our target in Rio is to excel, but if they continue like this, then I wonder how we can be united."<br /> <br /> Mikel asked: "Tell me the players who are in this team that are so hungry that will be looking up to me for survival? Is it (William) Ekong, (Oghenekaro) Etebo, (Shehu) Abdulahi, (Daniel) Akpeyi, (Kingsley) Madu, (Okechukwu) Azubuike or (Stanley) Amuzie, who are my team-mates in the Super Eagles, that I will be donating to, or other players who are plying their trade abroad and are doing well for themselves? To me, this is just mere distraction that won't help this team going into a major tournament like the Olympics."<br /> <br /> The Chelsea midfielder then appealed to the sporting press and Nigerians generally to rally round the team and wish the players and officials well as they get ready for the men’s football tournament of the Rio Olympics.</div>

Latest-News I’M NOT WORLD BANK: Mikel Denies Donating $30,000 To U23 Team

Captain of Team Nigeria to the Rio Olympics, Mikel Obi, has denied media reports doing the rounds in Nigeria that he gave $30,000 to his...

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Rio Olympics: Bolt arrives in Brazil ahead of bid for historic triple-triple

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrT76KnFeR1HL38TzeVCvE30bB0mVlYtQYv-AvP2GPQH0CHciEwhXSWG76QgOY1EEwYfmJIGA-3SgZP-LhG5IUaRYWfERD62LNhkZnlBWco0k0b5NlRrTT1CIceJixOG0eDGggxT0JyhfA/s1600/us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrT76KnFeR1HL38TzeVCvE30bB0mVlYtQYv-AvP2GPQH0CHciEwhXSWG76QgOY1EEwYfmJIGA-3SgZP-LhG5IUaRYWfERD62LNhkZnlBWco0k0b5NlRrTT1CIceJixOG0eDGggxT0JyhfA/s640/us.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Usain Bolt is in Rio de Janeiro - for all the dramas and scandal surrounding the Olympics in Brazil, from drugs bans to stadiums being far from ready, the star attraction has arrived to give the build-up to the Games a welcome boost.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The Jamaican landed in Rio on Wednesday night ahead of his bid to win an unprecedented 'triple-triple' if he can defend the 100m, 200m and sprint relay titles he won in Beijing in 2008 and in London four years ago.<br /> <br /> After a less than ideal preparation for the Games, which saw him miss the Olympic trials with a hamstring injury but complete a comfortable 200m win at the Muller Anniversary Games in London, Bolt has insisted he is fit and ready to impress the world in Rio.<br /> <br /> "I know the sport needs me to win and come out on top," Bolt said, with athletics and a number of other sports embroiled in drug scandals that threaten to overshadow the Games.<br /> <br /> The world record holder in the 100m and 200m came through customs at Rio International Airport at about 9pm after a flight from London.<br /> <br /> He posed for a few quick photos, but was uncharacteristically quiet as he passed by the gathered media and a smattering of fans.</div>

Latest-News Rio Olympics: Bolt arrives in Brazil ahead of bid for historic triple-triple

Usain Bolt is in Rio de Janeiro - for all the dramas and scandal surrounding the Olympics in Brazil, from drugs bans to stadiums being f...

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BREAKING: Court stops PDP convention, affirms Sheriff as PDP National Chairman

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUT0TcVZtR0XL53u9a0Ukwt18YRjrDGgHNlf7MyD6YuPHXobZo0mxOrNjVfFClY0udIZFQTlTUjUlxVHRwmi-5GjHtqa9SVFx2LJiWhjocYpw5R4zFY-DeXonmJ2xAzOE9yx0tZdmsAR8/s1600/Breaking+NE+big1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUT0TcVZtR0XL53u9a0Ukwt18YRjrDGgHNlf7MyD6YuPHXobZo0mxOrNjVfFClY0udIZFQTlTUjUlxVHRwmi-5GjHtqa9SVFx2LJiWhjocYpw5R4zFY-DeXonmJ2xAzOE9yx0tZdmsAR8/s640/Breaking+NE+big1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> A federal high court in Abuja has granted the application filed by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop the convention scheduled to be organised on August 19 by the Ahmed Makarfi caretaker committee.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The plaintiffs are Sheriff; Wale Oladapo, national secretary; Dennis Alonge-Niyi, deputy national youth leader; Bashir Maidugu, deputy national legal adviser; Hanatu Ulam, deputy national women leader; Lawal Dutsima, Anchi deputy national auditor; Okey Nnadozie, deputy national organising secretary and Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary.<br /> <br /> Ferdinand Obi, counsel to the Ahmed Makarfi faction of party, challenged the court that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the motion seeking to stop the convention from holding. He further sought to disqualify Okon Abang, the judge.<br /> <br /> He argued that Bashir Maidugu, the erstwhile deputy national legal adviser of the PDP, could not be plaintiff and a second defendant in the same suit.<br /> <br /> Obi also told  the court that a federal high court in Port Harcourt recognises him as the counsel representing the PDP.<br /> <br /> He urged the court to recognise his appearance for the PDP based on a judgement by a high court in Port Harcourt.<br /> <br /> In opposition to Obi’s submission, Akintola counsel to the Ali Modu Sheriff faction referred the court to a ruling of June 30, which recognised him as the lawyer representing the PDP.<br /> <br /> “In one breath, he wants your lordship disqualified from the proceedings and in another breath he is challenging the jurisdiction,” he said.<br /> <br /> According to him, the motion to disqualify the judge did not exist as they have only been served with the application to disqualify the court.<br /> <br /> Falokun, counsel to the plaintiffs explained that the judgement from the Port Harcourt cannot override a judgement that has already recognised him as the representative of the PDP.<br /> <br /> In his ruling, Abang held that the caretaker committee was “illegal” based on the the Ikeja division of the federal high court and cannot take decisions on behalf of the PDP.<br /> <br /> While dismissing Ferdinand’s applications, he said the counsel to Makarfi would not be recognised as a representation of the PDP.

Latest-News BREAKING: Court stops PDP convention, affirms Sheriff as PDP National Chairman

A federal high court in Abuja has granted the application filed by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to st...

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Buhari greets Mbaka at priesthood anniversary

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GFGv98oZYMuMipzRPgQLE3vxEYXang1N-q2nRRCtZB2RqrbYdhOSpsv2GRCCChmHcyFM_RaVlMY97qWmni5VDkDgd87dJ-IbBhn579kvbaRpUbn-IzG-2aZx7zVACPjKe-GfBTDrIcEx/s1600/mbaka+buhari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GFGv98oZYMuMipzRPgQLE3vxEYXang1N-q2nRRCtZB2RqrbYdhOSpsv2GRCCChmHcyFM_RaVlMY97qWmni5VDkDgd87dJ-IbBhn579kvbaRpUbn-IzG-2aZx7zVACPjKe-GfBTDrIcEx/s640/mbaka+buhari.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, Director of Adoration Ministry, on the 21st anniversary of his ordination to priesthood in the Catholic Church billed for Friday.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, extended his best wishes to Fr. Mbaka’s family, congregation and well-wishers as they celebrate the special occasion with him “in his continued devotion to the wellbeing of others as a father, wise counselor, teacher and guardian.”<br /> <br /> He commended Fr. Mbaka’s steadfast devotion to his vocation and ministry as amply demonstrated in his love and service for his people, nation and God.

Latest-News Buhari greets Mbaka at priesthood anniversary

President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, Director of Adoration Ministry, on the 21st anniversary of his or...

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Any state owing salaries should not exist - Gov Amosun

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKyuGAEhX6_qXP6hCn6YDGAJWJ4nw6GGmFcOnyCjmItHect-pgGZqKIEQXTtt7n_1Lx73PwxTtDL0KlW1lMwyKckrgkYoOPi7QbjcYGU0RdLxe2GpkB5DiOOlHr9VLkO7MQqddd1Ta6I/s1600/AMOSUN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKyuGAEhX6_qXP6hCn6YDGAJWJ4nw6GGmFcOnyCjmItHect-pgGZqKIEQXTtt7n_1Lx73PwxTtDL0KlW1lMwyKckrgkYoOPi7QbjcYGU0RdLxe2GpkB5DiOOlHr9VLkO7MQqddd1Ta6I/s400/AMOSUN.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> The governor of Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has said that any states that do not pay their workers salary do not worth to exist.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Amosun made this known at a delegates’ conference organized by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria held in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital.<br /> <br /> The governor further said that Ogun state has been able to pay workers their June salary and is currently not owing any workers in the state both the local governments and the civil servants. Amosun said; “A state that is not able to pay their workers salaries is having a problem and does not worth existing.’’<br /> <br /> The governor however, solicits support and understanding of the civil servants , saying, without their support, he cannot achieve anything.<br /> <br /> While delivering his welcome address, the National President, association of senior civil servants of Nigeria and also the president, Trade union congress of Nigeria, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama said that the association might wage a solidarity war against the states that are unable to pay worker’s salaries in the coming weeks.<br /> <br /> The president further demanded that the federal government should kick start the process of paying workers at the federal level all their owned entitlements.<br /> <br /> He also called on the federal government to set up the negotiating platform that will negotiate a new national minimum wage in line with the recommendation of the palliative committee.<br /> <div><br /></div>

Latest-News Any state owing salaries should not exist - Gov Amosun

The governor of Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has said that any states that do not pay their workers salary do not worth to exist. ...

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