Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Solomon Arase, on Monday called for adequate funding of the Nigeria Police to ensure operational efficiency. Arase made the call at National Security Conference on: Community Partnership Approach to Internal Security and Crime Management organised by Police and Sun newspapers, in Abuja. He said it was only through adequate funding that the huge logistic demand of the police can be met. Arase noted that modern policing was a cost-intensive venture of which the benefits far outweigh the value of budgetary investment. “Through effective funding, the welfare of police personnel will be met and the challenge…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson on Monday gave reasons for the defection of some politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. The former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nditimi Alaibe; suspended chairman of Bayelsa PDP, Col. Sam Inokoba, and former Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, were among prominent politicians in Bayelsa that defected to the APC at the weekend. They were received by the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Speaking with journalists on the sideline of the 2015 National Security Summit organized by the Nigeria…
A member of the House of Representatives in the 7th National Assembly, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, has cautioned the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, over his “relentless attack” on President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB). The All Progressives Congress chieftain instead urged Fayose to face the task of governance and stop dragging the name of Ekiti in the mud. Faparusi pointed out that the governor’s attack on the president was becoming a recurring decimal, even when it was glaring that governance under him “had suffered a colossal damage and entrenched beggary in Ekiti”. The Ekiti governor had in a statement on…
President Muhammadu Buhari has accepted the resignation of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi. Buhari’s approval of Abdullahi’s request dated August 14, was sequel to an earlier letter dated August 3, in which the customs boss notified the president of his desire to proceed on voluntary retirement from Tuesday (tomorrow). President Buhari thanked the NCS boss for his services to the county in the last six years. The president’s letter was titled “Voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service”. The approval read, “Dear, Alhaji D.I. Abdullahi. I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter…
The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum has expressed condolences to the government and people of Borno State over the death of the Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha. Mustapha died in his sleep on Saturday in Yola, Adamawa State, while on official assignment in the neighbouring state. A statement issued on Monday in Abuja by the coordinator of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, said the governors were shocked and saddened by the sudden death of the deputy governor. The statement said, “The PDP Governors’ Forum condoles with the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, the…
Just after being crowned the Best Female Artist in Africa at the 2015 MTV Africa Music Awards – “Nagode” and “Johnny” singer – Yemi Alade is back on Coca-Cola Coke Studio Africa TV Show for a second time! This year, Yemi has been paired with top Kenyan acts representing afro pop and genge genres on the Coke Studio TV show – set to premiere soon. Yemi Alade, worked on a Coke Studio Africa mash-up collaboration with Sauti Sol, the successful Kenyan music group, which recently attracted international media attention after having President Obama dance to their song Sura Yako, during…
President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to recover stolen funds from officials of the past administration on Sunday received the backing of the Nigerian Labour Congress. The NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said Mr. Buhari should note that he was elected based on his integrity and promise to clean the rot in the system, adding that he should not cave in to any pressure from anybody or group to stop the anti-corruption war. “One person who will serve as good example for all Nigerians is the president and he must be ready to lay a good example. “We are aware that some…
The Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party’s acting chairman, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, has lashed out at former members of the party, who recently defected, describing them as politically irrelevant people with zero electoral value. Dokubo-Spiff, who made this known in a statement in Yenagoa, the state capital on Sunday, was apparently referring to the mass defection of some PDP members to the All Progressives Congress at a mega rally held at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, Saturday. Over 2,000 supporters of the PDP led by the suspended Chairman of the party in Bayelsa, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd.), a former…
The Nigerian Air Force yesterday smoked out more Boko Haram elements from their fortified bunkers deep inside Sambisa Forest in Borno State. It was also gathered that the military has uncovered the insurgents’ new trick of operating make-shift bunkers covered by logs and tree trunks. In a statement on Sunday by PRNigeria, the covert consultancy firm that handles the Nigerian military propaganda machinery, the raids were part of efforts aimed at enforcing the marching orders issued by President Muhammadu Buhari to the service chiefs to crush the deadly terrorists and end their operations in three months. The statement said: “In…
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Sunday said it has not pulled out its personnel from the battle front, insisting that they are still part of the counter insurgency forces fighting Boko Haram in the Northeast. The Adamawa State Commandant of NSCDC, Muhammadu Durumin-Iya, who was reacting to a media report, denied ever saying anything to indicate such. “The publication on NSCDC withdrawal is false and misleading and is against the ethics of journalism”, he said. Durumin-Iya reiterated the resolve of the corps to discharge its responsibilities in line with its mandate, calling on the media to…
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has said that prayer remains the best weapon against terrorism. The former military ruler, who is also the founder of Nigeria Prays, said this on Sunday at the National Prayer Rally, which held at the Olive Tree Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ikoyi, Lagos. According to Gowon, Boko Haram insurgency had been the most disturbing of all the problems bedeviling Nigeria. “There is need for Nigerians to begin to change their orientation and begin to pray according to the will and purpose of God. The only way prayer can…
Nigeria’s former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan at the weekend stormed Kenya’s Maasai Mara Games Reserve in two chartered planes. In one of the aircraft was his protection detail made up of Kenya State Security while the second carried the former Nigerian leader, his wife Patience and two of their children. Mr. Jonathan is reportedly at the reserve for a three-day tour to witness the world famous wildebeest migration. The former Nigerian first family were booked at the new Angama Mara Lodge at the Oloololo conservancy. They were received by Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, who also doubles as the Council of…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has denied rumours making the rounds that it is behind the recent call for the probe of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s predecessor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN). Nonetheless, the PDP urged Governor Ambode to probe the immediate past administration of Fashola. The PDP, which denied having complicity in the alleged acrimony rocking the All Progressives Congress in Lagos, however, advised the APC leaders in the state to face the allegations instead of blackmailing or dragging the opposition party into its internal strife. It also reiterated its commitment to providing vibrant opposition to the incumbent administration.…
Former military President Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd) has expressed confidence in the ability of President Muhammadu Buhari to pull Nigeria out from the woods and put her back on a sound economic and social footing. The former military president described the Buhari administration as focused, having identified the problems plaguing the country and strategising on how best to proffer enduring solutions to them. Mr. Babangida gave the assessment yesterday at a news conference to mark the anniversary of his 74th birthday. He spoke at his Hilltop residence in Minna, Niger State. He said: “I am confident that they (the…
The 8th Senate has described the present sharing formula of funds from the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) where the Federal Government receives 56 percent while state government and the local government councils get 24 and 20 percent respectively as archaic. The lawmakers will, therefore, carry out a holistic review of the process. “The 8th Senate is poised to review the archaic existing arrangement. More so, Sections 313 and 315 of the 1999 Constitution call for the periodic review of the revenue sharing formula,” the upper chamber of the National Assembly noted as part of recommendations contained in the report…
An oil spill currently ravaging Jesse and other adjourning communities in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State is brewing fresh crisis, 17 years after the biggest pipeline explosion in the country happened in the community and killed over a thousand persons. President General of Jesse community, Chief Austin Omonode, who spoke with Vanguard, yesterday, attributed the spill to a ruptured pipeline passing through the community, hinting that local vigilantes from the area, noticed the spill on Friday. “We can’t really tell the content of the spill but I think its a mixture of oil which has affected aquatic…
Former governor of Nasarawa State, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would rapidly transform Nigeria. In an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday, Adamu said: “God, in His infinite mercy, has given Nigerians a new leadership that will deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians”. He, therefore, urged Nigerians to support the present administration in its efforts to rebuild Nigeria and restore the confidence of the public in governance. According to him, the ruling All Progressives Alliance (APC) is centred on progressive ideas that stands the test of time which will deliver…
Nigerian banks would be losing about N2 trillion deposits to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) following the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) in compliance with last week’s order by President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB). According to the directive from the Presidency, the implementation of the TSA by all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) is to enable compliance of MDAs with the provisions of the constitution. This is also in line with the Presidency’s directives to the National Economic Council (NEC) to ensure full compliance of MDAs to relevant laws on accounting, allocation and disbursement of public funds. In…
The immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied the allegation by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Alhaji Muhanned Bashar, that the China-Exim Bank loan for the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Kano rail line was diverted by the last administration. Alhaji Bashar had told President Muhammadu Buhari during the ministry’s briefing session, last week, that only $400 million of the $1 billion loan meant for the project was spent. According to him, only $400 million was released by the Ministry of Finance for the project. However, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said, yesterday, that there was no such…
Nigeria’s most elusive criminal and leader of the blood-thirsty terrorist group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has resurfaced. The terrorist leader declared once more that reports he had been killed, deposed or badly injured were false. In an eight-minute Hausa-language audio message released Sunday and confirmed by security experts to be that of the Boko Haram leader, Shekau rebuffed the statements by President Idriss Deby of Chad that he had been replaced and called the Chadian leader a “hypocrite” and a “tyrant”. “It is indeed all over the global media of infidels that I am dead or that I am sick…