The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to embark on strike if the ongoing divestment in the oil sector by some multinationals was not halted. . Mr Igwe Atuche, the President of NUPENG, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday. . Atuche deplored the ongoing divestment, saying it was intended to sabotage the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition the petroleum sector. . He said that the situation had raised concerns about the sincerity of government to refocus the sector. . Atuche urged the government to demonstrate…
Author: David Folami
The Commissioner of Police in Abia, Mr Ibrahim Adamu, on Friday assured the people of his readiness to improve on the security of the state. . Adamu, who assumed duty five days ago, gave the assurance when he paid a visit to the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). . ‘’We will improve on the tempo we met on ground because with me, we will deal ruthlessly with criminals in the state. . “I want to use this opportunity to warn youths to shun crime and criminality as this command will not leave any stone unturned to…
An Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Friday sentenced a 19-year-old woman to two months imprisonment for stealing eight Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards. . The Magistrate, Mr B.A. Sonuga, however, gave Bola Ibrahim an option of N10,000 fine. . The teenager, who resides at No. 18, Bayeku Last Bus Stop, Igbogbo Road, Ikorodu, had pleaded guilty to stealing the ATM cards as well as N6,000. . The Prosecutor, Sgt. Iyabo Johnson, had submitted that Ibrahim was caught when she was about to jump out of an apartment which she burgled at No. 8, Daddy St., LFI Estate, Bayeku, Igbogbo.…
An Egor Magistrates’ Court, Benin, on Friday sentenced a 62-year old pastor, Alfred Idonogie, to two years imprisonment for defiling a 10-year old girl. . Chief Magistrate Taye Omoruyi found Idonogie guilty of the offence after the prosecutor presented five witnesses who testified in proof of the charge. . The prosecution witnesses included the victim’s grandmother, the girl, the investigating police officer and a medical doctor, who established that there was penetration into the little girl’s private part. . The court said that the accused committed the offence on June 25, 2 013 at Onaghino Street, medical stores road, Benin…
The case involving an ex-Oyo State Head of Service, Alhaja Kudirat Adeleke, and 11 others, over alleged N5.6 billion fraud was stalled on Friday at the Oyo State High Court. . The case was stalled following the claim by counsel to the EFCC, Mr Gbolahan Latona, that he had not been served with the motion for stay of proceeding by the counsel to the defendants. . Latona said that it had become habitual for the defence counsel to be serving him with processes in the court, adding that this was not the normal procedure. . He said processes should not…
The Federal Government has approved the restructuring of six Federal Training Centres to tertiary institutions to offer Monotechnic programmes. . This is contained in a statement signed by Dr Tope Ajakaiye, the Director of Communications, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF) on Friday in Abuja. . The statement quotes the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, HOCSF, Dr Jamila Shuara as saying this while handing over to her successor, Alhaji Mohammed Abbas. . In the statement, Shuara, said the centres are Calabar, Enugu, Ilorin, Kaduna, Lagos and Maiduguri. . Shu’ara, while recounting her achievements…
The Court of Appeal, Lagos, on Friday disallowed an appeal filed by former governor Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo State, seeking to quash a criminal charge preferred against him by the EFCC. . Delivering the lead judgment at the appellate court, Justice Saheed Bagir, upheld the powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute offenders under the money laundering Act. . Bagir held that the provisions of Section 14 of the Act gave the commission the power to prosecute persons charged with the offence of money laundering. . Besides, the court also held that by the provisions of…
The 24th Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) Games will be formally declared open on Saturday by President Goodluck Jonathan, an official said on Friday. . The biennial event which commenced on Wednesday with the arrival of student-athletes and accreditation will end on Feb. 22, Cecilia Arinye, a NUGA Council member has said. . Arinye, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the president was expected at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun for the ceremony. . She said: “The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Bolaji Abdullahi is also among the expected dignitaries at the opening…
Respite came the way of the erstwhile Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole, Friday, as the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, discharged and acquitted him over allegation that he used fake companies and defrauded the federal government to the tune of N894 million while he was in office. . While upholding a no-case-application that was filed before the court by the former Speaker, Justice Evoh Chukwu, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, failed to establish a prima-facie criminal case against the accused person. . Consequently, Justice Chukwu, quashed the entire 16-count charge…
President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday, urged the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to promote national unity and development. . He made the call in his address to mark the passing- out of Batch `A’ 2013 corps members across the country, after the one-year compulsory national service. . The ceremony is taking place simultaneously nationwide. . The president enjoined the corps members to spearhead the transformation of the country and promote harmonious interaction among ethnic groups. . He reminded the corps members that their passing out marked the end of one phase of service to their fatherland and the beginning of…
Prof. Atahiru Jega, Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said the commission would not just sanction any of its officials without clear evidence of misconduct. . Jega said this at the Osun Stakeholders’ Forum for 2014 Governorship Election held in Osogbo. . The INEC chief told representatives of political parties that the state Electoral Commissioner, Mr Rufus Akeju, could not be removed as being demanded because the case was still in court. . Reports have it that protesters stormed the venue of the event at Leisure Spring Hotel Osogbo carrying placards with anti- Akeju inscriptions. . Some of…
At least 9 soldiers were feared killed in a deadly ambush by gunmen suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, in the border areas of Izhe in Madagali Local Government of Adamawa state. . Confirming the incident, chairman of Madagali, Mr Maina Ularamu, who could not ascertain the number of casualty said that the soldiers were on a mission to repel an attack. . ”The soldiers were going to repel a planned attack at Izhe border village when they were ambushed by the heavily armed insurgents. . ”As I am talking to you, most villagers at the…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says sales of nomination forms for Ekiti and Osun state governorship elections slated for this year, will begin on Feb. 24 and March 14, respectively. . This is contained in a timetable made available to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa Metuh. . According to the timetable, return of the nomination forms for the Ekiti governorship election would be from March 3 to March 6 while screening and appeal by candidates would take place on March 10. . Ward congresses, appeal, primary election and electoral appeal…
AHEAD of the 2015 general elections, a former senatorial aspirant of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Edo State, Mr. Theophilus Okoh, has vowed that the All Progressives Congress, APC, will do its best to ensure none of the current Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Assembly members from Edo Central senatorial district returns. . Okoh, who fielded questions from journalists in Benin, yesterday, however, blamed the party’s failure in the last senatorial election on internal wranglings, adding that the party had eliminated all pitfalls.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has suspended the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Nma Onyechere, “with immediate effect”. . Confirming the development in a telephone interview, the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant, SSA, Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, explained that the suspension followed the unwarranted physical assault the woman unleashed on a serving Commissioner in the Local Government Service Commission, Chief Emeka Okoronkwo. . “Governor received a complaint that the suspended Commissioner physically assaulted a serving Commissioner in the Local Government Service Commission, Chief Emeka Okoronkwo”. . According to Mr. Onwuemeodo, it was the considered opinion of the…
The Federal government yesterday said it has not commented on the controversy between the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation over alleged non-remittance of some money into the federation account because it believes the disagreements would be solved at institutional level. . Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi had accused the NNPC of failing to remit $20 Million from oil sales into the federation account, an allegation the NNPC vehemently denied. . But asked why the government has kept mute about the allegation from the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, the Minister of…
The former Chief of Army Staff (COAs), Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, has tasked officers and men of the Nigerian Army to be steadfast in their dedication, commitment and loyalty to work. . Ihejirika made the call on Wednesday night at a valedictory dinner to mark his retirement from service. . He encouraged the officers to prove themselves in any appointment given to them, adding that it was the only way forward. . “You cannot be loyal to the COAs if you are not loyal to your General Officer Commanding or directors. So loyalty is continuous, if you skip one you miss…
Two female hostels in the Yauri Government Girls Science Secondary School were on Monday destroyed by fire, Alhaji Garba Kangiwa, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technical Education, said on Wednesday. Kangiwa made the disclosure in an interview in Birnin Kebbi. . He said the hostels were destroyed by an early morning inferno when the students were at the assembly ground. . He added that though no life was lost, many personal belongings of the students were destroyed. . The permanent secretary said an alternative accommodation had been provided for the 400 students displaced. . He said the source…
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), yesterday, raised fresh alarm over the renewing killing of people, particularly the Christians in the northern region of the country. . The Christian national body noted that from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, and Kaduna states, the gory stories of killings through sporadic shootings, burning of Christian houses and their churches remain the same, and the situation was getting worse every day. . Giving its account, CAN said only in Plateau state, it recorded death of over 100 Christians in one month between 6 January to 6 February this year. .…
NORTHERN leaders yesterday engaged in war of words over the allegation that the Presidency was behind the emergence of the newly-formed Northern Elders’ Council, NEC, headed by former Presidential Adviser, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai. . Vice President Namadi Sambo, whose office is alleged to have bankrolled the NEC has however denied sponsoring the group, arguing that there is nothing wrong with its formation and identification with the present administration. . The emergence of the NEC on the political arena, has altered permutations for the 2015 and divided the northern support for and against the presidential ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan. .…