The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai Wednesday paid a visit to Gajigana, Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State to assess troops location that was attacked by Boko Haram terrorists last Sunday. A statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said the Army Chief was received and conducted round troops’ deployment by the Commander 5 Brigade and the Commanding Officer of 243 Battalion. The statement said Gen. Buratai, while fielding questions from journalists that accompanied him, stated that he was there to see things for himself, assess the situation and give necessary directives.…
Author: Wale Adebayo
The U.S. says it has concluded plans to begin the implementation of the Security Governance Initiative (SGI), a comprehensive security master plan aimed at defeating terrorism and security threats in Nigeria. The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, retired Lt. Gen. Abudulrahman Dambazau. The SGI is an initiative of the U.S. Government that offers enhanced approach to security sector assistance beginning with six African countries, including Nigeria. The envoy said that a crack team from the SGI would be arriving Nigeria in…
Since 1999, at least 14 audit reports sent to the Public Accounts Committees (PAC) of both chambers of the National Assembly by the Office of Auditor General of the Federation (AGF), have been gathering dust without being presented to the plenary for consideration and action. The Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at a two-day retreat between OAuGF and Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of the Senate and House of Reprsentatives, in partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The audit reports exposed fraudulent practices in federal ministries, department and agencies. Mr.…
Ahead of his assumption of office as the new President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Emmanuel Kachikwu, has made the issue of volatile oil price the focus of his tenure. Kachikwu took over from immediate past Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who made history as the first female President of OPEC at the 166th Ordinary Meeting of the organisation in November 2014. While unfolding his plans for OPEC, Kachikwu, who doubles as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), promised to do his best…
The Nigerian Army has said that its troops are pursuing escaping terrorists and also moving to further block any incursion by the terrorists in the North East. This is contained in a statement issued by the Acting Army Spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, on Wednesday in Maiduguri. Usman said locations recently attacked by terrorists had also been reinforced and the troops were poised to contain any eventuality. He said the coming weeks would be critical in the operation geared toward destroying all known locations of the terrorists. “As we enter the month of December, it is important to state that we…
In a radical departure from the past, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will only convene the Federal Executive Council (FEC) once every two weeks. The FEC meeting, which is usually presided over by the president or vice president, in the absence of the former, used to hold every Wednesday under the past administrations since 1999. The FEC is the highest decision-making body of the Federal Government. According to a source in the Presidency, the FEC would resume meetings next Wednesday. The source further stated that the meeting would “now be holding once in every two weeks”. It would be…
MTN has fired its CEO in Nigeria Michael Ikpoki and head of regulatory and corporate affairs, Akinwale Goodluck. “This revised structure and strengthened leadership will improve operational oversight and increase management capacity,” said MTN group executive chairman Phuthuma Nhleko in a statement. The the Nigerian Communications Commission had imposed a fine of $5.2 billion on MTN in October for failing to meet a deadline to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered subscribers slumping the company’s shares by 23 percent of their value since then. Chairman Phuthuma Nhleko took an executive position in November and led negotiations with the NCC after Chief Executive…
The Lagos State Government, through the state Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has urged parents and guardians to warn their children and wards against the use of fireworks, popularly called “banger” during this yuletide season. General Manager LASEMA, Mr. Michael Akindele who gave the warning yesterday, in his Alausa office, said that a special team consisting of the agency, the police and other security operatives has been mobilized to apprehend offenders for prosecution. He also warned dealers and end users of fireworks to steer clear of the state because of the potential hazard of the item to the people and the…
The former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has expressed shock over media reports that the Rochas Okorocha-led administration in Imo State has earmarked over N600 million for Christmas and New Year decorations in the state. A statement by Ihedioha’s media aide, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, quoted the former Deputy Speaker as questioning why Imo should spend such huge sums at a time the people of the state are going through untold hardship arising from over 20 months of unpaid salary arrears and pensions. “There are several unresolved industrial disputes, while the state’s infrastructure base has collapsed.…
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, has dismissed suggestions that the attack on former President Goodluck Jonathan in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital on Tuesday was an assassination attempt. The IGP made this known while speaking with journalists at the Ministry of Interior in Abuja on Wednesday. It would be recalled that the Ijaw National Frontiers (INF) on Tuesday accused the Bayelsa Police Command of covering-up the alleged assassination attempt on the former president by saying those arrested were mere thugs, who mistook Mr. Jonathan’s convoy for that of one of the governorship candidates in the Saturday’s election.…
The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Wednesday, disassociated themselves from acts of arson and violence that culminated in the razing down of Onitsha Central Mosque and burning of some vehicles. Over 40,000 members and sympathizers of MASSOB and IPOB, had last Tuesday, shut down commercial and business activities in the south-east geopolitical zone as they maintained their stance for the creation of the sovereign State of Biafra due to perceived injustice, marginalization and neglect meted to the people of the region. In a statement made available to newsmen…
A bill seeking a two-year jail term for any person who makes allegation or publishes any statement or petition in the newspaper, radio or any other medium against another person, institutions of government or any public office holder, passed second reading in the Senate, yesterday. It provides for an option of N4 million fine for the aforementioned offences. According to the bill, anybody or group of persons who send any false text message or post false message on the social media against another person shall be jailed for two years upon conviction by the law court with an option of…
The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Wednesday cleared the air over speculations that a suspected terrorist invaded the tarmac of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Some air travelers earlier today reported seeing a man trying to latch on to a taxing aircraft on the tarmac of the airport, expressing fears that he might have been a terrorist. Several witnesses also confirmed seeing the man get knocked down by strong wind from the aircraft’s engine and later fleeing from the tarmac with some bodily injuries. Explaining what happened at the airport in a statement, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs…
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has assured Nigerians that the biting fuel scarcity in the country will be over in a matter of days, following the approval of the extra-budgetary allocation for subsidy payment by the National Assembly. “We can confidently announce here today that the scarcity will end in a few days. Subsidy payment till the end of the year has been approved by the National Assembly. As you know we can’t spend money without approval”, the Minister was quoted as saying when he paid a visit to the headquarters of the Daily Trust newspaper…
The acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has dismissed the claim by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors that the APC had finalized plans to clone the permanent voter’s cards and infiltrate the security agencies using party agents in fake security uniforms in order to win this Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa State. The acting APC spokesperson, who denied the allegations in an interview with Daily Trust on Wednesday, said President Muhammadu Buhari would never allow the militarization of the poll because “he is a lover of democracy and a democrat”. The governors under…
Leader of the disbanded Niger Delta Vigilante, Chief Ateke Tom, has denied any link with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta MEND, saying there was no time he took a decision under the aegis of MEND, to endorse Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State for a second term. The former militant leader, who said this in a statement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Tuesday, expressed shock at the inclusion of his name among those that endorsed Dickson for a second term under the banner of MEND in several online sites. Dickson is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)…
Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has decried what he described as the unacceptable state of the Benin Airport despite the millions of naira allegedly spent on the renovation of the airport by the past Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led federal government. He, therefore, appealed to the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to make the Benin Airport one of its priorities for the safety of Nigerians. Oshiomhole, who made the plea in an address to students and staff of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, yesterday said, “In this country, we need militant citizenry to continue to interrogate those in power. The Benin…
Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the lawyer to Chief Raymond Dokpesi, founder of African Independent Television (AIT), has denied knowledge of the alleged N2.1 billion paid to his client by the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki. He also denied media reports that Dokpesi was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged payment, saying the media mogul voluntarily turned himself in to the anti-graft agency after receiving a call from its chairman. “I am not aware the chief collected any money”, Mr. Ozekhome said in apparent reference to Mr. Dokpesi. “The…
Over a week after the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu allegedly escaped an assassination attempt in Abuja, a socio-political organization based in Enugu State, Greater Awgu Forum (GAF), has warned that it will not fold its arms and watch should any harm befall Ekweremadu. The group expressed outrage that since Ekweremadu, who is Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament emerged as Deputy President of the Senate last June, the polity has been unnecessarily heated, with the climax being the latest attempt on his life. The GAF told South-East Voice, led by the National President, Chiedozie Ogbonnia, Secretary, Cletus Akalusi…
A group of professionals of Kogi State origin yesterday appealed to Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, the deputy governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State and his supporters to let sleeping dogs over the inconclusive governorship election in the state. Hon. Faleke has vowed not to relinquish the mandate given to him and the late governorship candidate of the APC, Prince Abubakar Audu, by the electorate, even as he rejected the party leadership’s choice of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the replacement for the late Audu. The professionals, who spoke under the aegis of Kogi Renewal Group, asked Faleke…