The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, yesterday called on both Christians and Muslims to take adequate security measures at their respective places of worship during the New Year celebrations. In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Olabisi Kolawole, yesterday, the police boss also urged operators of motor parks, shopping malls and recreational centres to work very closely with the police and other security agencies in the efforts to ensure adequate security in the respective places. “Against the backdrop of security challenges in the country and the general preparation for the New Year Celebrations,…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Igbo youths under the umbrella of the youth wing of pan-Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned what it called molesting of Easterners traveling home for Christmas and New Year celebrations at Onitsha Head Bridge, Anambra State allegedly by soldiers from the 302 Battalion of the Nigerian Army. The group, which made the allegation in a statement by its National President, Mazi Okechukwu, said: “The officers and men of the 302 Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Onitsha appear to have a different agenda in that town. They appear to be there for [alleged] ethnic cleansing. In the past one month,…
What else does South-East want after CBN, Petroleum, Labour Ministries’ top jobs? That was the questions President Muhammadu Buhari thrown out to the people from South-East Nigeria who are alleging the president of marginalisation. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday dismissed claims that his administration marginalized the South East geo-political zone in political appointments. The president, who was personally reacting to alleged marginalization of the South-East for the first time, stated that Igbo occupied strategic positions in his cabinet including heading the Ministries of Petroleum, Labour, Science and Technology as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Biafra agitators had hinged…
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, during his first media chat since becoming president, said none of his 36 ministers is corrupt and challenged anyone who has a contrary view to present evidence against such a minister. The president said: “I don’t think I tolerate corruption, I don’t think I picked anybody that I know will embarrass my government. But if you have any evidence about any of my ministers, I accept responsibility for the 36 ministers that I have.” “I don’t think I took anybody among the ministers who has got a case in court. Tell me one out of the…
Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Majority leader of the House of Representatives, has said the 8th National Assembly has passed 327 bills between June and December 2015. Gbajabiamila, who represents Surulere Federal Constituency on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, made the disclosure in Lagos while addressing journalists on the scorecard pf the 8th House or Reps in Lagos on Wednesday. According to the lawmaker, a total of 327 bills were sponsored within the period under review as against 132 similar bills that were presented within the first six months of the seventh assembly. “From the 327 bills, 264 had…
Federal High Court in Abuja has slated the the trials of a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Dr. Haliru Mohammed Bello and his son, Abba, for January 5, 2016. The date was fixed due to an undisclosed illness, which the former PDP chairman is being treated for at an undisclosed hospital in Abuja. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had slammed a four count criminal charge on Mohammed and his son, for allegedly collecting N600 million from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd). They are to be arraigned alongside BAM Projects and Properties Ltd. Mohammed…
National Leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday disowned all its members recently arrested and arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over their alleged involvement in the diversion and theft of about $2.1 billion funds for arms purchase. In a communique issued by the party’s body of national vice chairmen at the end of a meeting in Abuja, the party also reiterated its support for the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s campaign against corruption. It, however, urged him to beam his anti-corruption searchlight on some members of his cabinet, who have been alleged to be involved in corrupt practices prior to…
The National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has described the Federal Government’s announcement on Tuesday that new pump price of petrol would be N86/litre as a continuation of the All Progressives Congress, APC’s government by deception. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on Tuesday said following the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu’s approval of a revised pricing template, petrol will sell for N86 per litre at all Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) outlets. Others will sell at N86.50k as against the present N87 per litre. The new pump prices will be effective…
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday, held a meeting with the youth volunteers assisting the Nigerian security forces in the war against insurgency popularly known as “Civilian JTF”, during which he commended their gallant efforts and unveiled welfare packages for them. The meeting held at the Multi-purpose hall of the Government House, Maiduguri. The governor held closed door discussions with leaders of the volunteer group focusing on enhancing community policing. Speaking during the open session with majority of the Civilian JTF, Governor Shettima paid glowing tributes to them for sacrificing their lives towards complementing the efforts of the armed forces…
The President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for commencing the process of reorganising the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with the appointment of former Rivers State Commissioner of Information, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, as acting Managing Director for the commission. Eradiri, who spoke with newsmen in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital yesterday, said that since President Buhari has commenced the process of reorganising Nigeria, the NDDC was key for restructuring, adding that if the appointment was geared towards that purpose, the president deserves to be commended. Eradiri urged President Buhari not to allow the NDDC…
Kaduna-based renowned Islamic scholar, Sheik Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, yesterday reflected on the recent deadly between the Nigerian Army and Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as Shi’ites in Zaria, saying he had earlier warned the sect’s leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky against blocking the highways during Arbaeen. He said the Shi’ite leader had been running a parallel government in most parts of the North in the past 40 years just as he described the confrontation between the movement and security forces over two weeks ago as ‘divine intervention’ to prevent what he termed a catastrophe in the mould of Boko Haram. The…
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday disclosed how the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government would fund the N5,000 monthly welfare payment to vulnerable Nigerians. According to him, beneficiaries of the N5,000 monthly payment would be required to meet certain conditions, including enrollment into the country’s development agenda. What we want to achieve by our social intervention of which the conditional transfer is just one part, is to move out millions of Nigerians from poverty. That is why we have this half a trillion naira social intervention. Part of what we intend to do with the half…
The Governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Jibrilla Bindow, has disclosed his reasons for dumping former Governor Murtala Nyako’s camp and pitched tent with former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Governor Bindow, who was elected governor under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) was widely regarded as a stooge of Mr. Nyako, who was impeached in controversial circumstances in 2014. According to the governor, his decision to switch loyalty from Nyako to Atiku was because of a lofty cash donation the former vice president made to his governorship campaign. He made the disclosure when he hosted indigenes of Jimeta at the Government House, Monday. “I…
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has announced plans to establish a data centre across the three senatorial districts in the state to give room for rural participation in governance. In addition, the civil servants in Ogun State will from 2016 enjoy free Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone calls to enhance productivity and hitch-free communication in the discharge of their official duties, courtesy of the state government. The Director of Information Technology in the Bureau of Information Technology, Olatundun Adekunte, made this known while speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the state capital. According to Adekunle, the device would be…
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, has described the recent Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Adamawa states as disheartening and a slap on the face of the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu-Buhari-led Federal Government, saying that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed must explain to Nigerians how the same Boko Haram he said had been “technically defeated”, could carry out such daring and deadly attacks. Governor Fayose, who condoled with the government and people of Borno and Adamawa states, especially those who lost their loved ones in the attacks, said; “In other countries of the world,…
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari will today address current national issues as he holds his first Presidential Media Chat at 7:00pm Nigerian Time. According to a statement issued in Abuja by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the media chat will be broadcast live on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). Adesina stated that in the course of the programme, President Buhari would answer questions from a panel of journalists on a broad range of current national issues. “The Presidential Media Chat will begin at…
Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has assured the state civil servants that he would neither slash the N18,000 minimum wage nor sack any worker. The statement was made to clear the air about rumour of plans to downsize the state’s workforce, saying that despite the adverse economic situation, Abia has not entered what he termed “relegation zone”. According to the governor, though the federal allocation to the state in the last six months has been between N2.2 and N2.4 billion, which he said was “hardly sufficient for the overhead”, he has no intention to slash salary or sack workers. Ikpeazu, therefore,…
The National Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday condemned President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC-led government, saying with government’s proposed plan to borrow N1.84 trillion to finance the 2016 budget deficit, Nigeria as a country was going the way of Greece. While speaking with journalists yesterday in Abuja, Metuh, noted that a breakdown of the N1.84 trillion shows that Nigeria would be borrowing N5 billion a day for the next 365 days, starting from January I, 2016, without what he termed, a corresponding provision for economic production and…
Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary General of Commonwealth of Nations, has said the year 2016 inspires hope of real change for the better in Nigeria’s national circumstances. He made the remark in a signed statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja. The elder statesman expressed hope that the pervading insecurity in Nigeria would be brought under control. He also expressed hope that corruption which had remained the greatest bane to national development would be effectively tackled. “The infrastructural deficit in power supply, transportation including roads, education and health will receive attention. Youth unemployment together with the widespread poverty of the masses will be…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kwara State has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to distribute looted public funds recovered from political office holders to states to help them address their financial challenges. The State Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Yekeen Agunbiade, gave the advice in Ilorin over the weekend, while having a chat with journalists on the state of the nation. “The distribution of such looted funds to the 36 states of the federation would assist states to meet challenges in the payment of outstanding monthly salaries to their workers,” said Agunbiade. He decried the current situation…