OBLONG MEDIA GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE is where independent minds meet to dissect politics, society, power, and global affairs without fear or filters. This is not mainstream media.
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President Buhari and Ibe Kachikwu must understand that the pro-corruption caterwauling oil workers trying to slow down Nigeria’s progress at NNPC cannot be handled the way you handle Dasuki or Alex Badeh. Alleged thieves like Dasuki and Badeh are billionaires. When their own corruption fights back, it is refined and civilized fighting. That is why you see them in court, all smiles, exchanging banter with journalists and lawyers, receiving phone calls, reading novels and newspapers, and watching Cossy Orjiakor on their phone screens during trial proceedings. They are contented thieves. They know Nigeria. They know that at the end…
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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) has announced the appointment of the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Mallam Garba-Deen Mohammed, as the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the corporation. According to a statement by the NNPC in Abuja, in addition to 53 other appointments, Deen-Garba takes over from Mr. Ohi. Alegbe, who is now the Group General Manager (GGM), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The NNPC said, “As part of the recent reorganization of NNPC, the management of the organization wishes to formally announce the following appointments, redeployments and secondments into key positions. These appointments…
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Nigeria’s third-most powerful politician appeared in court on Friday to face false declaration of assets charges, with 66 lawyers on his defence team. Senate President Bukola Saraki’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi, took about 10 minutes to read the long list of advocates and for them to acknowledge their presence at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Saraki is facing 13 counts of false declaration of assets relating to his time as governor of the north central state of Kwara. There was no immediate explanation about why so many lawyers were needed but it is not the first time in Nigeria…
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Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy is becoming less attractive to investors who are wary of the country’s economic future at a time the country’s currency is overvalued. According to a member of the central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee, having a fixed exchange rate when there is a plan to increase government borrowing just doesn’t work. Dr Adedoyin Salami, a faculty member of the Lagos Business School said the naira was 10 percent over-valued. The naira trades at more than 35 percent below the official rate on the black market versus the dollar. The academic, who is one of the 12…
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Boko Haram is still holding plenty of territory in Northern Nigeria, commander of the US Africa Command (USAFRICOM), General David Rodriguez, has said. General Rodriguez’s claim challenges Nigeria’s official position on the seven-year old insurgency that has so far claimed about 20,000 lives and displaced 2.5 million people. Rodriguez’s assertion comes almost two months after President Muhammadu Buhari told the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, that the terrorist group was no longer “holding any territory as we speak.” Buhari, who was speaking on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit in the UAE,…
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President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday, made good his threat to deal ruthlessly with top civil servants who altered figures in the 2016 budget thereby making nonsense of his zero budget plan. No fewer than 184 top budget officials were flushed out of budget duties and sent to establishments that have little or nothing to do with budget, as a punishment for their roles in padding this year’s fiscal document, now before the National Assembly. A top official in the Budget office confirmed that 22 top officers from the Budget Office of the Federation were affected in the mass deployment. The…
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Muhammadu Sanusi II, emir of Kano, has described the current system of government practised in Nigeria as wasteful, saying the country does not need to have 36 governors. Speaking in Lagos on Thursday during the inaugural lecture of Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebu land, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lamented that about 80 per cent of the country’s resources is spent on government officials. “You sometimes wonder if anyone needs to tell any group of persons that you don’t need 36 governors, 36 deputy governors, each with commissioners, special advisers, a president,…
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The governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson has reunited the leaders of the Imo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the leaders and elders unequivocally pledged their loyalty to the PDP National Executive Council (NEC). It would be recalled that following the resolve of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to unite its members and strengthen the party across the country, the national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff on March 8, 2016 set up a peace and reconciliation committee headed by Governor Dickson. In a communiqué made available to LEADERSHIP jointly signed by Mr Achike…
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Ali Modu Sheriff, the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has promised that candidates would not be imposed in the party’s forthcoming congresses and national convention. Sheriff gave the assurance when he received a delegation of PDP from Adamawa state led by its Chairman Joel Madaki at the Party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday. He said nobody in the National Working Committee led by him would be allowed to manipulate the process in any state in the forthcoming congresses. “We will conduct congresses that will not be manipulated by anybody. We will send people to local governments…
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According To Hope for Nigeria, Former Rivers state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi has written to Bancorp Bank in Minnesota in the United States that the alleged $757 million Dollars domiciled in an account in his name; was authorized by him in error; from a Rivers State Government Account with Access Bank Plc. The Nigerian most corrupt governor according to CNN letter reveals that a similar letter was also written to a bank in Switzerland; stating that a similar authorization was made in error. The letter stated that the said transfers to both banks were for the purchase of security Helicopters,…
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The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh (retd), to the tune of N2billion. Badeh is facing trial over allegation that he diverted about N3.9billion from accounts of the Nigerian Air Force within 2013. No handcuffs Badeh In a ruling this afternoon, trial Justice Okon Abang said he was minded to exercise his discretion in favour of the erstwhile military chief who has been in custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since February 8. Placing reliance…
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Senior and junior workers unions’ action to protest the unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, is already taking its toll as power generation dropped to 1,580.6 megawatts, MW, in the early hours of yesterday. Recall that generation capacity had inched up to 4,387MW on Friday, after crashing to 2,800MW prior to that from a peak of 5000MW due to gas pipeline vandalism, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. Data from the Nigerian Systems Operations Department of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, website,www.nsong.org, indicated that the situation had gone even worse, with generation peaking at…
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Lt. Gen Ayatollah T. Yusuf Buratai says he is the defender of democracy THE Nigerian Army Unit Commander stationed at Ovre-Eku community, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, Lt. E. D. Oworobo, has told a police source that the reason he ordered his men to flog the women who had embarked on a peaceful protest over a disputed land claimed by PRESCO Oil Company, was because they attempted to disarm his men. Oworobo and his men of the 4th Brigade Command, Benin-City, Edo State, had last Wednesday, flogged and kicked hundreds of women protesting at Ovre-Eku (Iwevbo) community…
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President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dakuku Peterside, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 governorship in Rivers, as director-general of Nigerian Maritime administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). NIMASA is under the supervision of the ministry of transport, which is headed by Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers state who spearheaded Peterside’s electioneering campaign. Yetunde Sonaike, director of public relations in the ministry of transportation, confirmed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday. She said the appointment was with immediate effect. The statement said Peterside holds a doctorate degree in Management Science from the…
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Former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, retd; yesterday owned up to fathering a love child with the late public relations expert, Princess Edith Ike Okongwu, bringing to an end the 48-year-old paternity dispute over Musa Gowon. Musa, who returned to Nigeria at the end of last year, was acknowledged by Gen. Gowon upon the report of a conclusive DNA test. The paternity dispute was the subject of a legal action that reached the Supreme Court in Nigeria, which Okongwu won. However, execution of the judgment was thwarted by the arrest of Musa by United States law enforcement…
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Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Femi Adesina, was guest on Radio Continental programme Friday last week (March 4,2016). Here are excerpts from the interview: Q: Fulani herdsmen have on several occasions been accused of ransacking places they pass through while they are herding their cattle. Nigerians are wondering and asking why there seems to be a very loud silence on the part of the federal government on the matter? A: If anybody says there is a loud silence, it means that person has not been listening. At times, it is so very easy…
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The house of representatives has given Lawal Daura, director-general of the Department of State Service (DSS), 48 hours to appear before it and explain the alleged invasion of the Ekiti state house of assembly by the DSS. The summon followed the unanimous adoption of a motion under matters of urgent public importance moved by Leo Ogor, minority leader, on Tuesday. Presenting the motion, Ogor condemned the action, saying such interference violated the principle of separation of powers. “It is a clear violation of the provisions of the constitution; it is unacceptable as it demonstrates interference with an arm of…
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The famous rapper and singer Akon (Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam.. yeah.. that’s his real name) in 2014 decided to give filling dance floors a break in favor of bringing solar energy to people living in rural Africa. The idea came when the researches showed that the continent averages 320 days of sunshine a year. So why not use this advantage? There are just so many people in Africa still living in darkness while the world fights over who has more followers on Instagram. It’s insane. Akon has decided to seriously diversify and set up charity “Akon Lighting Africa” in…
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The House of Representatives said on Wednesday that the N1.4trillion fine imposed on MTN by the Nigerian Communications Commission “must” be fully paid as against the N780billion the Federal Government negotiated with the telecommunications service provider. The House also expressed unhappiness over the role played by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, in the negotiations leading to a reduction in the $5.2billion fine. Its Committee on Telecommunications said at a meeting with the Minister of Communication, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, and top officials of NCC in Abuja that Malami usurped the powers of the…
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As labour takes responsibility for paying civil servants The Imo state government has decided to reduce the salaries and allowances of civil servants by 30 percent as a result of the agreement signed between labour and government recently. In the heat of the imbroglio between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Imo state government recently, government rescinded the decision to implement the sacking of about 3,000 workers in the various parastatals in the state. This was because the NLC consented to the use of 70 percent of the total revenue accruing to the state for the payment of…
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President Muhammadu Buhari just arrived the Washington DC, ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with US President, Barack Obama. Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who took to his twitter handle, tweeted: “Pres. @MBuhari has just arrived the Joint Base Andrews Int’l Airport, Washington DC for tomorrow’s meeting with President Obama.
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THE Senate has begun the process into the probe of the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to unbundle the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. In a point of Order by Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye on the floor of the Senate today, he drew the attention of other Senators to the unbundling of the nation’s agency in charge of the oil and gas sector in the country. Adeyeye who will formally present a motion tomorrow where there would be extensive debate at the plenary, described the exercise as illegal as the federal government did not consult the…
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The All Progressives Congress (APC) is experiencing financial distress and has been unable to pay the salaries of its staff. At a news briefing on January 25, John Oyegun, national chairman of the party, had admitted that the party was having financial challenges, but he added that the party did not want to bother President Muhammadu Buhari because it was not his constitutional duty to finance the party. “There has been this talk in the media but that goes to tell you that just like the economy, the party too is suffering from the stresses and strains of funding…
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The House of Representatives has summoned the Director General, Department of State Services, Mr. Musa Lawal Daura, over what it called the invasion of the Ekiti State House of Assembly. Daura is expected to appear within the next 48 hours. Officials of the DSS had arrested four members of the state assembly within its premises last Friday, drawing condemnation from members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The House resolution followed a motion sponsored as a matter of urgent national importance by the Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, who described the act as abuse of the sanctity of…
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Nigeria’s GDP Slows to 2.11% in Fourth Quarter as Oil Sector Contracts. Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate declined to 2.11 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year compared to 2.84 per cent in the third quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Nigeria’s economy grew at 3.86 per cent and 2.35 per cent in the first and second quarters of 2015. According to the fourth quarter report released yesterday by the statistical agency, the growth rate was lower by 0.73 per cent relative to the growth recorded in the preceding quarter…
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Following the alleged invasion of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and subsequent arrests of four lawmakers and appointees of Governor Ayodele Fayose by the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Bar Association and the organized labour have told President Muhammadu Buhari to drop the toga of dictatorship for the survival of Nigeria’s democracy . A statement by NBA Chairman, Dr Foluke Dada in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday said the body views the arrest and detention by the DSS as a sharp departure from the tenets of Democracy and a clear contravention of the Law setting up the Institution.…
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“Democracy lets all voices, even those against it, be heard. Democracy’s true strength is its ability to incorporate the needs and desires of a diverse population into a governing consensus over a long period of time.” (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOATIONS, VBQ p 36). Last week, this article started with a defence of the rights of Mr Kanu – the pro-Biafra leader. This is only a continuation of that and other instances in which the DSS might be exaggerating threats to the country and exacerbating crisis. Incidentally, the over-kill adopted by the Army in Zaria against the Shii’te Muslims is…
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Oil workers all over the country have shut down the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) throughout after the unbundling of the corporation ordered by the state minister of petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu. The members of staff and management of the corporation arrived their various offices on Wednesday morning to discover that they could not gain entrance. Staffs were told to return home as oil workers enforce total strike. More details on this to follow
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Ekiti State lawmakers have made a shocking revelation that they were offered $1 million dollars to impeach the incumbent governor of the state, Ayodele Fayose. Ekiti State House of Assembly members have made a shocking allegation as they revealed that they are being pressured to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose, and that a sum of $1 million was being promised some of the members that will be ready to be a part of the impeachment plot, Vanguard reports. The report states further that the Assembly members vowed that the 2006 experience, in which Assembly members in Ekiti State were forced…
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The Federal Government has unbundled the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation into seven divisions comprising 20 subsidiaries, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said. Kachikwu, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, also stated that the subsidy regime on petrol and kerosene had not been terminated by the Federal Government. He, however, noted that what the government had done was to modulate the prices of the commodities based on the fall in crude oil prices internationally. The minister, who spoke in details on plans and actions undertaken…
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The Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) and its mobile subsidiary (MTEL) are to employ 10,000 Nigerians, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications has been informed. The new owners of the once state-owned telecommunications giant, NATCOM, which is a consortium of seven local and foreign companies, made the disclosure at an investigative public hearing by the committee on over the weekend in Abuja. NATCOM chairman, Mr. Olatunde Ayeni, had told the House committee that having met all requirements and due diligence in the process leading to the acquisitions of NITEL and MTEL, the company has put in place a…
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says the implementation of the federal government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) is affecting its income generation as it can no longer invest savings to fund budget deficits. The commission made the assertion in a statement on its website titled ‘The Nexus between SEC and TSA’. It said that like many other initiatives, TSA came with teething problems, which include adjusting to the new ways and getting the procedures right. But most disturbing, SEC said, is the “inability of the commission to directly invest its savings as was the practice to generate interest income…
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The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Muhammed Aliyu, has been involved in a ghastly auto crash along Damaturu, Maiduguri road in Yobe State with some other officers. One General is confirmed dead with the GOC critically injured. The identity of the dead General is yet to be ascertained. The military were conveying the injured GOC to Jos, Plateau State for better medical attention. Yobe State Deputy Governor, Abubakar Aliyu, the Secretary to the State Government, Baba Malam Wali, State Police Commissioner, Zanna Muhammed were among the early sympathisers at the General Sani…
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The PDP NEC after exhaustive deliberations approved the extension of the tenure of office of all organs of the party at all levels until the conduct of Congresses and National Convention. This is however with the exception of Edo and Ondo States. The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP in its 69th meeting deliberated on critical issues as they relate to the party and the nation, and resolved as follows. A. Party Congresses and National Convention; 1. NEC approved the time-table for the party’s Congresses and National Convention. Congresses commence on Saturday, April 23, 2016 and culminate in…
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye, for an alleged N240m fraud. Oronsaye, who is already being prosecuted by the EFCC on 24 counts of money laundering, was arrested again on Tuesday based on fresh evidence. The former civil service boss is alleged to have abused his position as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force and obtained a sum of N240million from the Central Bank of Nigeria in the guise of assistance to the committee without the knowledge of other committee…
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Nigerians voted for change and to attain it there is a need to do things differently, in the recognition that doing what we have always done will only result in more of the same. That change has started with the ongoing offensive against corruption, which has had a huge and adverse effect on our economy. Much of the debilitating underinvestment in our infrastructure that has handicapped our economic growth has arisen because funds were diverted to enrich a few at the expense of the wider populace. At the lower levels, the waste, inefficiency and culture of non-performance have, like…
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There are three fundamental reasons why Nigeria should recalibrate its relations with South Africa. One, South Africa is now post-apartheid. Two, post-apartheid South Africa has been ungrateful to Nigeria. And, three, Nigeria is now by far the leading economy in Africa. After Nigeria secured independence from Britain in 1960, Africa immediately became the “centrepiece” of Nigeria’s foreign policy. This translated to automatic support of Nigeria for other African countries agitating for political independence. The struggle to end the apartheid system of political and social oppression of the black majority by the white minority in South Africa also gained Nigeria’s…
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It is now about nine years since Ibrahim Mantu, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, left office as deputy president of the Nigerian senate. During his tenure, Mr. Mantu was one of the most powerful politicians in the land, and was regularly described as the most trusted henchman of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the Senate. After he was defeated by a little known politician in 2007, Mr. Mantu slipped into political obscurity, building his business and strengthening his relationship with God, he says. In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES’ Musikilu Mojeed and…
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The Federal Government has amended the charges of preferred against a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The amendment which saw the number of the original counts filed against Orubebe reduced from four to one, has eliminated the charges bordering the acceptance of N70m bribe by the ex-minister. Only one out of the two counts bordering on false assets declaration in the former charges was retained in the new one Lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Mohammed Diri, told the Danladi Umar-led CCT on Tuesday that the amended charge was dated March…
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Outspoken Senator and businessman, Ben Murray-Bruce, representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, has said that it is unfair for President Muhammadu Buhari to ban foreign exchange for Nigerian students abroad, while his own children school abroad. Mr. Buhari during an interview granted to Al Jazeera said: “Nigeria cannot continue to subsidize the forex needs of everyone.” “Those who can afford foreign education for their children can go ahead, but Nigeria cannot afford to allocate foreign exchange for those who decided to train their children outside the country. We can’t just afford it. That is just the true situation,” he said.…
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Reports from the banking system have indicated that over $30 billion worth of unmet demand for foreign exchange have been piled up at the official window of the foreign exchange market maintained by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in the last six months. This came as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, challenged Federal Government to implement policies that would ensure a drastic reduction in the use of foreign raw materials, if the nation must achieve its manufacturing needs. This $30 billion represents bids submitted by importers through their various banks to CBN for foreign exchange allocation for…
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Dangote and Emir Sanusi II Black Rhino, an indigenous portfolio company of Blackstone Energy Partners, and Dangote Group of Companies, are to jointly invest up to $10 billion in energy infrastructure projects in Kano State and in East South Nigeria. The projects are with particular emphasis on renewable energy, power transmission and building of pipelines. Muhammadu Sanusi II, emir of Kano, who is the chairman of Black Rhino Group, disclosed that his group and Dangote Industries would contribute $5 billion each for the construction of a coal power plant and a solar energy project in Kano,…
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Only Boko Haram, Isis, and al-Shabab were deemed deadlier than the little-known militant group from West Africa The military has been stretched by recurrent attacks from Boko Haram and now the Fulani militants. The fourth deadliest known terrorist group has been named as the Fulani militant group operating in Nigeria and parts of the Central African Republic. The little-known group, formed of individuals from the semi-nomadic pastorial ethnic group Fula people existing across several West African nations, has seen a dramatic escalation of its activities in the past year. In 2013, the Fulani killed around 80 people in total –…
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Until the official AR is released, let’s take a 2nd look at these images: The front windshield and front windows are still intact though shattered. However the rear window/screens are gone. Note: The driver and Adc were most likely in the front section. *eyeroll* The rollover safety cage for the entire car is still intact and rigid. The roof didn’t cave in to crush any skulls even with the multiple somersaults. Miraculously, even the backseat head rests have clearance and appear relatively unscathed. Most cars sound seatbelt alarms for front seat passengers. It is therefore safe to conclude…
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Representatives of the Swiss government are expected in Nigeria on Tuesday to discuss with their Nigerian counterparts on the repatriation of another tranche of huge public funds stolen by late Head of State, Sani Abacha.The delegation would be led by the Swiss Minister for Foreign Affairs, Didier Burkhalter, who is expected to meet with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, over the repatriation of the $321million confiscated from the family of late former head of state, Sani Abacha. An official of the Swiss Embassy in Nigeria, Pascal Holliger, confirmed the visit exclusively on…
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Eng Chinedu Okpalanma was one of the founders of #BringbackGoodluck2015 & GIFT now coodinating #IStandWithBuhari campaign The Director-General of the #iStandWithBuhari campaign, Engr. Chinedu Okpalanma, has responded to Kayode Ogundamisi, the journalist and political commentator who accused him of being a fraud because of his past role as co-founder of the #BringBackGoodluck2015 initiative and GIFT(Goodluck initiative for transformation). He said he was dismayed by Ogundamisi’s “vicious campaign” against his character and person just so he could pull down a “nationalistic movement to which I and millions of well-meaning Nigerians have freely subscribed to via the affirmative statement #istandwithbuhari.” Okpalanma…
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, held its 69th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at its National Secretariat, Abuja. A communique signed by Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff and Secretary, Prof Adewale Oladipo, said the meeting deliberated on critical issues as they related to the party and the nation, and resolved as follows: “Party Congresses and National Convention; NEC approved the time-table for the party’s Congresses and National Convention. Congresses commence on Saturday, April 23, 2016 and culminate in the National Convention on Saturday, May 21, 2016. “NEC approved the party’s Guidelines for Congresses and the National Convention. National…
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Following the inability of the federal government to produce any of the eight witnesses scheduled to testify before the court, the defendants, through their lawyer, Chief Chuks Muoma, SAN, applied to be discharged and acquitted of the charge against them. They predicated their application on the provision of section 351(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Earlier, the DPP informed the court that the witnesses said they would not appear to testify against the defendants unless the are allowed to wear masks or their identities shielded from both lawyers and people observing the proceeding. ‘My lord…
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In the event of the unfortunate death of Nigeria’s minister of state for labour due to an accident occasioned by a tyre blowout and the fact that in Nigeria now-a-days, we have many untrained drivers, it has become pertinent for me to write this. There are 6 simple steps to take within a maximum of 2 minutes and you will be safe, these by the grace of God I have been familiar with for decades. They are as follow: (1) DON’T PANIC in the event of a blowout, calm yourself down fast because your car will start misbehaving and…
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Due to the uncertainties surrounding the conduct of court ordered rerun elections in Imo State, I deem it fit to suspend discussion on that till the electoral umpire must have come out with credible information on the date for the conduct of that election. However, the topic under discussion also has a lot to do with that, as it is expected to help the people arrive at a better choice as regards whom they will be electing to represent them at any level in the legislative chambers, especially, as it is that these elections are particularly to fill up…
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Court rejects ex-Defence Chief Badeh’s application for bail Ex-Defence Chief Badeh bought N1.4 billion mansion with public funds, EFCC claims A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has ordered a former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, remanded at the Kuje Maximum Prison, pending the determination of his bail application on March 10. Justice Okon Abang gave the ruling Monday after Mr. Badeh was arraigned for alleged fraud, relating to the diversion of N3.9 billion meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigerian military. Mr. Abang struck out the bail application filed by Mr. Badeh’s counsel, Samuel Zibiri,…
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Wife of Vice-President, Dolapo Osinbajo Dolapo, wife of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday lamented the various abuses women and girls are being subjected to in Nigeria. Mrs. Osinbajo, who spoke at a service to mark this year’s Mother’s Day at the Aso Villa Chapel at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, regretted that girls who are supposed to be mothers of tomorrow were no longer safe in the country. “The girls are under threat,” Mrs. Osinbajo said According to her, many girls in the country are passing through difficult times as they are being sexually abused, abducted and killed. The Vice-President’s…
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President Muhammadu Buhari says there are some persons in his administration who are not “100 percent loyal” to his government. Buhari was speaking in an interview he had with Al Jazeera during his recent trip to Qatar. He described the controversies surrounding the 2016 budget as unfortunate, saying those responsible for the embarrassment will not go unpunished. When asked if he meant there were those sabotaging his government, he replied: “Certainly!” He added that those who want to be fair to his government will appreciate the effort made in cutting the cost of governance. “I will like people to assess…
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I read somewhere that a recent poll has revealed that President Buhari’s popularity has gone down below 40%. This is just the beginning. Before 2019, it might drop further to less than 20%. I have said it several times that Nigeria’s political system is evil. It ruins people… Prof. Maurice Iwu had a rich CV in the world of academics. We gave him INEC Chairman and he became ruined. Goodluck Jonathan had a rich CV as a PHD holder in Bootany and Zoology and was former deputy governor, governor, Vice President, and became our breath of fresh air president,…
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Suspected kidnappers of the schoolgirls. The three abducted schoolgirls of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary in Ikorodu, Lagos, have been rescued by the police. It was gathered that the schoolgirls were rescued in an overnight operation by the police while some of the kidnappers were arrested. The Lagos State Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the rescue and arrests to our correspondent. “Yes, the girls have been rescued safely by the police in an overnight operation. We also made some arrests,” she said. The PPRO promised to get back to our correspondent with details of the operation. The pupils,…
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Is this the change you promised us? Actress, Regina Askia asks in an open letter to Buhari Dear Mr President… Thank you for all your effort at containing the corruption in Nigeria however unpopular. Nigerians elected you through serious acrimony , loosing several lives and facing deadly unrest but they chose you. Though you are from the North of OUR country you are president of all. How is it that violence and deaths still hold sway? My hope and prayer was that on your ascension you would deploy our military with fiat and alacrity armed to the teeth and…
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Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday supposedly regretted collecting the N26 billion bailout funds from the federal government. He said the monthly deductions, which will run for the next twenty years, have drastically affected the allocation of the state. Stating that the state was in dire financial strait, Okorocha explained after implementation of agreement with Labour, which left the state with 30 percent of the allocation, the salaries and entitlements of senior functionaries were slashed by 35%. He debunked insinuations that the bailout funds were diverted or misappropriated. The governor restated that the funds were used for payment of…
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Strong indications emerged at the weekend that security agencies probing alleged corruption in the nation’s judiciary have formally notified the leadership, through the National Judicial Council (NJC). Names of judges with “questionable” cash balance in their bank accounts were also said to have been made available to the judiciary leadership. A highly-placed judiciary source told our reporter that “administrative procedure of getting the affected judiciary personnel to explain their side of the story” might have been sanctioned. In plain language, the judges were to be queried regarding “material acquisition that is suspected to be above their legitimate earnings.”…
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Silent crisis rocking the leadership of the ruling All progressives Congress becoming messy as members of members of National Working Committee, (NWC) staged a walk out, insisting that the national Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun resigns. Last week, it was reported that Chief Oyegun handed over the mantle of leadership of the party to former Ekiti State Governor and the Deputy National Chairman of the Party, Chief Segun Oni, stating that he, Oyegun was going on 10 days vacation. According to our source, The development has grounded activities at the APC National Secretariat as all the National Working Committee (NWC)…
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Anytime you hear a Nigerian veer into a conversation whose nuances she/he can’t even grasp with “it is our culture and it is none of your business”, rush to the nearest clinic and take vaccination shots against stupidity before you move near this Nigerian again lest she/he infests you with the stupidity virus. The tragedy is that the Nigerian hardly ever mobilizes cultural alibis to defend what is good. Speak of Nigerian innovation, genius, creativity, etc, you will never hear, “it is our culture”. Mention anything untoward, any uncatholic thing or practice and onward soldiers of culture and religion will…
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Imo state governor Rochas Okorocha is reportedly involved in the alleged diversion of over N2 billion from the N26 billion bailout fund given to Imo by the federal government for the payment of civil servants salaries. After rounding up three senior aides to the governor who are believed to be connected to the diversion of the bailout funds by the EFCC, This Day says he may have absconded from the country. Dr Paschal Obi, a deputy director in the ministry of Health, in charge of optical services; director of finance, government house, Casmir Uzoho and the government house treasurer,…
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Taking a brief look at our history, the Native Authority (NA) system was the first colonial system of local government administration under which indirect rule and exploitation was the order of the day. This centralised local government system was established in Northern Nigeria before later being extended to Southern Nigeria, with varying degrees of success. The Native Authority system did not satisfy the needs and aspirations of the local people, hence there were intense agitations from the citizenry for greater participation in their own affairs. There followed a series of reforms as a result of the perceived failures of…
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Fellow Nigerians, something melodramatic occurred some days ago in Doha, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, where President Muhammadu Buhari dropped a bombshell inadvertently. And what was the matter? The President in his usual candour and uncommon honesty announced that one of his major campaign promises was no longer feasible and practicable; the plan to pay unemployed youths a paltry sum of N5,000 monthly stipend was thus summarily jettisoned. Or so it seemed. To be accurate, what Mr President said with a wry smile was that this was a campaign promise of his Party and was one of the cardinal points…
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…Says FG not in contempt of his bail order The embattled former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd, yesterday, failed to persuade an Abuja high court sitting at Maitama to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from prosecuting him on a 22-count criminal charge bordering on alleged diversion of N19billion arms fund. In a ruling yesterday, trial Justice Peter Affen, dismissed as lacking in merit, Dasuki’s application to be discharged by the court. Former National Security Adviser, NSA, to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki Justice Affen held that the continued detention of the…
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Agha Egwu is one of the top APC trained propagandist but he has decided to say the truth. Hear him as he confesses the truth about APC unrepentant liars: All of you in PDP always amuse me when you engage in these debates with trained APC e-rats. Your incredulity at the lies fascinate me. You think it’s a terrible thing and express shock. . Now I was in the APC, and probably still in the APC, as I have not formally withdrawn. The reason being I can’t even make the effort to withdraw. Can’t be bothered with political parties…
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The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has said the numerical strength of 317,000 of the Nigerian Police is not enough to effectively secure the country’s geographical space hosting over 170 million of its populace. However, he said the Nigerian Police is leveraging on the deployment of modern technology to fight crimes. “Since I came on board as IGP, I have tried to migrate from analogue to digital technology,” he said, adding that that is the best way the modern police force can go. Meanwhile, the Police and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have concluded arrangement to constitute…
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In what could be the biggest shake-up in the nation’s judiciary since independence, an all-inclusive probe of nearly all judges manning superior courts of records in the country has reportedly commenced. Already, all information relating to the judges’ bank accounts and transactions are said to have been obtained by security agencies handling the probe. The operation is reportedly tagged “total reform of the judiciary”. The information obtained on the financial transactions of the judges, including justices of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, are reportedly being processed by the probing security agencies, with a certain agency…
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The majority of Nigerians knew that this would be a tough year. Perhaps, they only underestimated the toughness that the year will bring. For many years, our economy was based on assumption that all was well and when an economy is built on unrealistic economic indices, it is just a matter of time before the bubble will burst. So, in our case, the shit has hit the fan and we are all in a mess. Help is not even in sight and we can only hope that the messy situation will not get messier. The last three weeks have…
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IFEOMA, now Aisha, is the daughter of Mr. Ndubuisi Nichodemus. She was living with her parents, in the midst of the Hausa community in Zaria, Kaduna State, until May, 2014. On that fateful evening, Ifeoma had left the house in protest against the authority of her mother to question her for returning late to the house on the day. She simply walked out of her parents’ compound into a neighbour’s house, and since 21 months ago to be precise, the family is yet to set their eyes on her. Ifeoma, now 16, might have been converted to Islam, even…
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Nigerian born, Dr. Osatohanmwen Osemwengie has been an integral member of the American armed forces, building drones for the United States Army. These drones are used for surveillance to gather important information, as well as take out terrorist camps. Dr Osatohanmwen working on drones Dr. Osatohanmwen Osemwengie, who comes from Benin, Edo state, joins the list of Nigerians making a difference around the world. Here’s what you should know about Dr. Osato Osemwengie: 1. He is a successful academic. Dr. Osemwengie has four graduate degrees, a Doctorate degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Cincinnati. He is…
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We have a particular bad habit back home, which is ignoring things until they get out of hand. The time for unlooking is over. John Anule was killed by people who accused him of cattle rustling. On what planet, and in what century is a human being less important than a cow? This is 21st century Nigeria! Many, in Lagos and Abuja are ‘blissfully’ unaware of what is happening in the Middle Belt. Maybe #BokoHaram fatigue. But we need to wake up and smell the coffee. It affects us. The prices of food in Lagos for example, have gone…
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The incumbent government of President Muhammadu Buhari is known for its constant faulting the previous government for all challenges Nigeria is currently facing. Chief Dele Momodu asks President Buhari to stop blame game and start working. HOW EX-MINISTER KEMA CHIKWE BROUGHT SANITY TO OUR INSANE AIRPORTS Fellow Nigerians, let us start today’s epistle with a real life story. Some years ago, a woman named Dr Kema Chikwe was appointed Minister of Aviation. Her mandate was to bring sanity to our insane airports across the country. It was as if we were a jinxed nation and nothing good could ever come…
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THE vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in charge of South South, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh has said that any party member that contemplates dumping the party for another or to form a new party, was not a loyal member. Ojougboh who spoke to The Guardian against the backdrop of some aggrieved PDP leaving to form a new party, said that the party hierarchy has taken a decision and that any member that acted contrary to the decision was not faithful. Some aggrieved alleged members of the PDP and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on Tuesday in Abuja;…
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President Robert Mugabe has come up with a solution to the growing rate of rape and child abuse cases. He said that castration of rapists and child abusers is the best way to stem the vice. The Zimbabwean president reportedly made this known while speaking during his 92nd birthday celebrations at the Great Zimbabwe Monuments on Saturday, February 26. Mugabe said he was confused by people who abuse minors. “What sex impulse is it which gets one to abuse a little child? I wonder what enough punishment for such people is,” he said. “Can you suggest how such brutal…
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The Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has disclosed that shortly after the civil war, the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, advised the Gen. Yakubu Gowon regime to deploy new wealth from oil to building human capital through the implementation of a nationwide free education programme. While pointing out that the government failed to act on that recommendation, he lamented that “Nigeria as a whole is still paying the price for that error.” El-Rufai disclosed this on Thursday at the Chief Obafemi Awolowo commemorative birthday symposium at Efunyela Hall of the late sage’s Ikenne country home organised by the…
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More revelations into the roles played by Police Zone 1 Command, over the abduction of the 14-year-old Ese Oruru to Kano State, by Inuwa Dahiru Bala, emerged yesterday. It was gathered that the inability of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 1, Shuaibu Gambo to effectively follow up the matter forced a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Bashir Wali, who is also an indigene of Kano to intervene. His intervention, however, did not yield any result. The retired senior police officer was said to have worked round the clock and promised to…
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On the recommendation of the committee established to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out further investigation into the misconduct established against the following retired and serving officers of the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army: (1)Air Chief Marshal AS Badeh (Rtd) (2)Air Marshal MD Umar (Rtd) (3)Air Marshal AN Amosu (Rtd) (4) Maj-Gen. ER Chioba (Rtd) (5)AVM IA Balogun (Rtd) (6)AVM AG Tsakr (Rtd) (7)AVM AG Idowu (Rtd) (8)AVM AM Mamu (9)AVM…
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EXPOSED ;The Mastermind of the Fulani Attack on Abugbe in Agatu revealed in a recorded conversation.
A taped telephone conversation between a Fulani herdsman appears to reveal an alleged complicity of Zakari Musa the aide to the Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam on the recent attack on Abugbe. He is an Idoma man from Agatu. Though we cannot yet independently verify the authenticity of this tape, If this tape is true it may be a game changer in Agatu crisis. Details soon…. Find below the Tape and the Transcript of the conversation in English for those who do not understand Hausa; Voice 1: Inaudible Voice 2: its important that you people should inform them…
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THE democratic credentials of former President Goodluck Jonathan have received yet another boost with Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars in the United States (U.S.) recognising him as the leader that provided the best moments for democracy in Africa in 2015. In its “The Year in Review” report for 2015, the Centre highlighted Nigeria’s 2015 elections and praised Jonathan’s classy role in ensuring a smooth transfer of power in Nigeria, which “became a big confidence boost for Africa’s mass movements for democracy.” The assessment was contained in two perspectives on elections and implications for Africa and U.S.-Africa relations presented…
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A sophisticated attack on a sub-sea pipeline in Nigeria’s Delta might herald a return to the kind of widespread militant violence that crippled the oil industry in Africa’s top producer less than a decade ago. Attacks on oil facilities have been on the rise in the swamps since President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to shake up a fraud-ridden amnesty program for rebels who stopped blowing up pipelines in 2009 in exchange for cash and generous contracts. Adding a new dimension, unknown militants – probably using divers – hit a Shell underwater pipeline last month, interrupting oil flows and forcing the…
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Nigeria has the highest prevalence rate of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in the world with an alleged number of between 400,000 and 800,000 women living with this scourge. There are anywhere between 12,000 and 20,000 new cases occurring annually, with 90 per cent remaining untreated. The implication of this is that an average of 55 women are infected by VVF on a daily basis and it is conservatively estimated that two million women suffer from obstetric fistula globally. Northern Nigeria has a disproportionate amount of VVF cases with over 85 per cent of these figures. VVF is an occurrence of…
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Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer. Nigeria’s loss-making state oil giant is to be broken up into 30 “profit-making” companies, the government says. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been mired in corruption allegations and losing money for many years. Despite pressure to sell it off, the government says that it can transform the NNPC into a profitable enterprise. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer, but the economy has suffered because of the declining oil price. Can Nigeria defeat oil corruption? Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said that the NNPC’s monthly losses have rapidly declined and now stand…
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While the attention of the Nigerian government is focused towards ending the violent Boko Haram insurgency in the country’s North East region, it has turned a blind eye to the equally devastating conflict, brewing in the North Central region, a report released on Tuesday has said. The report, titled “Terror in the Food Basket” published by SMB Intelligence, a data mining and research firm that provides analysis of Nigeria’s socio-political and economic situations, described the attitude of the Federal Government toward the Fulani herdsmen and host communities in the region as “head-firmly-in-the-sand”. SMB Intelligence stated that the report was…
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Former Director General of the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs (NIIA), Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, on Thursday said Nigeria loses approximately $7 billion annually as a result of poor bilateral relations with the Israeli government. He explained that Nigeria’s relation with the Jewish nation was categorised into political, economy and religion and it has suffered severely due to the non-committal posturing of Nigeria. Akinterinwa stated this at a one-day symposium geared towards promoting partnership on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) between the two nations. He argued that Nigeria-Israeli diplomatic relations remained lopsided, with only the religious angle flourishing, adding…
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Reports say the clash that started in the Mile 12, Ketu area of Lagos State, on Thursday, has spread to other areas in Kosofe this afternoon. The situation in Agiliti where the fracas started is still tense. People have been seen moving out in droves. In a series of tweets, residents have been beckoning on the police to come to their rescue. Bloody clashes in the Mile 12, Ketu area of Lagos State on Thursday left no fewer than 10 persons dead and about 100 others injured. Among the dead were two schoolchildren, traders, artisans and residents. A two-year-old…
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Donald Trump answered Mitt Romney’s public indictment Thursday of his front-running Republican bid by skewering the 2012 GOP presidential nominee as a “failed candidate” who “let us down” with his loss to President Obama. “Mitt is a choke artist,” Trump told supporters at a pre-debate rally in Portland, Maine. Trump went on to call Romney disloyal, claiming he begged Trump for his endorsement the last time around. “You can see how loyal he is. … I could have said Mitt, drop to your knees, he would have dropped to his knees,” Trump said. Click here for live coverage of the…
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The leftist media, the globalists, the millennia, the New World Order, the democrats and Republicans, LGBT communities are out to stop Donald Trump because he is a threat to their interests around the world. Here is the real deal behind why the media has to make you see Trump as a demon; Interesting take on Trump. William J. Bennett, Host of Bill Bennett’s Morning in America Show, is one of America’s most important, influential, and respected voices on cultural, political, and education issues. He has one of the strongest Christian world views of any writer in modern times. “They…
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The Fulani community in Benue State, accused of killing hundreds in Agatu in Benue State, said Thursday that the crisis started after 10,000 of cattle belonging to its members were killed by Agatu natives. Ado Boderi, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani community on Thursday, during a meeting between Agatu community, Fulani community and Police Inspector General Solomon Arase, said criminal elements from both sides escalated the crisis despite the quick intervention of the governor. He said that Fulani herdsmen were a peace-loving people, whose main concern was the problem of cattle rustling. Akpa Iduh, who spoke on…
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Abuja – The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Thursday said that a major overhaul of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) system would be announced in the next one week. Kachikwu stated that NNPC would be unbundled to four or five main operational zones comprising 30 companies to be headed by a director each. He stated this in his remarks at the 2016 Annual Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum organised by Society of Petroleum Engineering (SPE) Nigeria Council. “For the national oil company, a lot of work is going on; I am sure some of…
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President Muhammadu Buhari was in Qatar last week and the major news that came out of the visit was the signing of Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Qatar to pave way for direct flights between major cities of both countries. While I continue to wonder whether any due diligence was done by the relevant authorities before committing Nigeria to such an agreement, there are pertinent questions as to whose idea this BASA deal is. Since Nigeria currently has no national carrier, it stands to reason that Qatar initiated the idea and that is where the problem…
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The Federal Government of Nigeria is importing grasses that will be used to feed cows in the northern part of the country. Minister of Agriculture and rural development, Audu Ogbeh who made the disclosure Wednesday said this is to curtail the frequent clashes between arm bearing Fulani cattle breeders and farmers. According to Ogbeh, the Muhammadu Buhari government was setting up grazing areas in various states of the federation as a response to the clashes. “We can’t allow cows to be roaming around anyhow,” Ogbeh said this at the Unity Fountain Abuja while addressing his Idoma tribes people who…
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The Nigeria Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently check the circulation of arms around the country and retrieve them.This followed a motion by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDP Enugu North) on the high rise of arms in the country and the recurring clashes between herdsmen and farmers in many parts of the country. The legislators, who strongly condemned recent killing of farmers in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, called on the government to establish ranches and grazing reserves across the country and adopt other strategies to enable herdsmen settle to modern systems of livestock farming.…
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Hundreds of passengers were on Tuesday stranded at bus stops in many parts of the country, especially in Abuja, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Lagos states, as most commercial vehicles were not available to ferry passengers to their various destinations. In Lagos, many filling stations did not open for business, while the few ones selling the product had long queues of motorists. Some filling stations in Ikorodu and other outskirts of Lagos State, as well as Ota, Ogun State, sold the product for between N120 and N130 per litre. But the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation said it would restore normalcy between…
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The Nigerian Army Council has quashed the conviction of Brig. – Gen. Enitan Ransome-Kuti by a Special Court Martial and ordered his release from close custody. Ransome-Kuti was arrested in January 2015 and tried by a special court martial for cowardice, while serving as Commander of a Joint Multinational Task Force in Baga. A statement by Col. Aliyu Yusuf, Spokesman of the Army Headquarters Garrison, said the council confirmed the decision of the court martial but decided to review the punishment. Yusuf said the council commuted his dismissal from the Nigerian Army to demotion from the rank of a…
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Operation stop Trump well underway. Watch Mitt Romney’s full speech at the University of Utah on Thursday. Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney said Thursday that the prospects for a safe future are “greatly diminished” if Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee for president. Speaking at the University of Utah, Romney warned a packed auditorium that any of the other GOP candidates would be a better alternative to the billionaire businessman. “The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today, come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich,” Romney said of…
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FORMER National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and its candidate in the Anambra Central senatorial election, Chief Victor Umeh, has allegedly been arrested by men of the Department of State Services, DSS, over perceived support for the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. It was gathered that Umeh was invited to the headquarters of DSS at Amawbia at about 9 .00 am and after about two hours, was taken out of the office in a pick-up van en-route Abuja. Vanguard gathered that the security officials were said to have received petitions that Umeh was among those supporting the…
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Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, on Wednesday ordered the state’s human rights commission to investigate the alleged abduction of a 14-year-old girl by the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar. There were reports that Patience Paul, a pupil of Mohammed Zako Model Primary School, Sokoto, suddenly disappeared from home and was traced to the monarch’s palace. Her father, Paul Adaji, had raised the alarm after his daughter disappeared on August 12, 2015. He said a search revealed that hat she was being kept in the palace for unknown reasons. But the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Imam Imam,…
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