The Nigeria Immigration Service needs about 5,000 personnel annually for the next five years to meet its manpower capacity, its comptroller-general, Martins Abeshi, has said. Mr. Abeshi said this Thursday in Abuja when the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, visited the NIS as part of his familiarisation tour of parastatals under his ministry. On the botched recruitment where some applicants lost their lives, the comptroller-general said the NIS was ready to conduct and absorb new officers as soon as it got directive from the Federal Government. He pledged to ensure professionalism in the service in line with international best practice and…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has raised alarm over an alleged diversion of N4.5b belonging to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to fund the governorship campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva. The director of publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, in a statement on Thursday, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the matter. The RCO is the political machinery of the PDP candidate in the December 5 governorship election, Governor Seriake Dickson. The statement alleged that the said funds were diverted through “illegal” awards of contracts to…
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Taraba State Governor Ishaku Darius have no one but themselves to blame for their current predicament, a group known as Taraba for Good Governance, said on Thursday. The group, in a statement signed by its president, Abdullahi Sule in Jalingo, while hailing the recent tribunal ruling which sacked Ishaku of the PDP and returned Senator Aisha Alhassan, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), as governor, faulted the claim by the Taraba Mandate Group, that some non-indigenes of the state were responsible for the development. The TGG specifically faulted an allegation that former Vice President Atiku…
Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has said that arrangements have been finalised for Henan Province of China to begin construction of a $10 billion project in the state. This is in addition to a new China City to be built in Cross River State by the same Henan provincial government. Fielding questions from newsmen on arrival at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport Calabar, Governor Ayade disclosed that the state will also witness the arrival of 100 investors from Henan who will set up various companies and industries in the state. According to him, other team of investors would…
Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly (OYHA) have suspended legislative duties until the state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi settles all their outstanding allowances. It was learnt that the government is owing the 32-member House of Assembly furniture, car allowances and two months running cost. One of the aggrieved lawmakers, who spoke to VANGUARD on condition of anonymity, said that despite the cash crunch being experienced across the country, some state governors still manage to settle their lawmakers wondering why Oyo should be an exception especially in the whole of the South West. “We understand that the crash in…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, on Thursday, said APC remains the best platform to bring the desired change in the state just as he has dismissed claims by his rivals that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is an Ijaw party. Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, Sylva urged the Ijaws to embrace the APC, declaring that the state has a history of aligning with the ruling party at the centre. He described as cheap sentiment, the claim that the PDP is “Ijaw…
A former Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) Afakriya Gadzama, has said corruption is undermining efforts of security agencies fighting insurgency. Mr. Gadzama made this known yesterday in a paper he delivered at a graduation lecture on “visioning and leadership: ISS as tool for national security and development”, at the DSS Institute for Security Studies, Abuja. The graduation was for the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 2015 for senior and mid-level officers from security and paramilitary agencies. The former DSS boss noted that another factor that seriously weakened the counter terrorism operations during the last administration was…
At least 20 people were feared killed on Friday in Kura Local Government Area of Kano State in a suicide bomb attack. According to Daily Trust, the suicide bomber infiltrated a religious procession of Shi’ite Muslims, injuring more than 50 others in the process. Spokesman of the group, Ibrahim Usman said the incident happened around 2:30pm.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the March 28th senatorial election for Kwara central senatorial district, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasak, has urged the Court of Appeal to nullify Dr. Bukola Saraki’s election. The PDP candidate also prayed the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election for the seat on the ground that the one that produced Saraki, who was the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, as winner, was marred by “substantial irregularities and corrupt practices”. Abdulrasaq said he was not satisfied with the ruling of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal led by Justice Josiah…
The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has said that the Nigeria police need at least N12.7 billion to fight insurgency and rebuild the 56 stations, formations and facilities destroyed by the Boko Haram in the Northeast. Arase said this during an interactive session with the Haliru Jika-led House Committee on Police Affairs at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Thursday. Arase broke down the sum, saying that while N8.7 billion is required to checkmate the Boko Haram insurgency, N4 billion is needed to rebuild the 56 police stations, formations and facilities destroyed by the sect in the region. “The present devastative…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and all the agencies under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has just two weeks to end petroleum products’ scarcity in the country. This is according to the Senate which gave the order on Thursday. The red chamber also said notable sharp practices including discrepancies in prices of petroleum products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and hoarding of products should be stopped forthwith. Giving the order at a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its parastatals in Abuja, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Lilian Ekwunife insisted that Nigerians…
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Oyo and Osun field office has sealed off more than 50 petrol stations in Ibadan and environs for hoarding and selling the product above government approved price. A filling station allegedly belonging to a former senator from Oke Ogun part of the state was among those sealed off by the DPR. Another said to be owned by a former governor from Ogbomosho, which was sealed off few weeks back was also one of those compelled to reverse its sales to government approved price during the inspection. Some of those sealed off Thursday in Ibadan…
The Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta as the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Ahmed Lawan Kuru as the Managing Director, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). Danbatta was appointed in acting capacity by President Muhammadu Buhari on August 4 following the expiration of the tenure of Dr. Eugene Juwah. A statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, said the confirmation on Thursday followed “thorough screening by the Senator Gilbert Nnaji -led Communication Committee, before the Committee of the whole affirmed Prof.…
Nigerian Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy, may be on his way to jail in South Africa following reports that he refused to comply with the country’s laws on financial records. According to News 24, Pastor Chris is among other pastors who the South African Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities is investigating for failing to release their financial records. “We are forced to take the legal route because some of them are not complying and we cannot be held [to] ransom by a few,” “Some of these religious leaders will face prison if…
The factional leadership of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), yesterday, accused the South-East governors, members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other Igbo leaders in the country of betraying the interest and demands of Ndigbo in the current political dispensation. In a statement in Abakaliki, the National Director of factional MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu stressed that the position taken by the Igbo leaders, despite the continued detention of Radio Biafra Director, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Department of State Service (DSS) was a reflection of their inferiority complex and loyalty to their oppressors. “The governors, Ohanaeze…
Federal Government has announced the establishment of an Efficiency Unit (E-Unit) to monitor its agencies and ensure all expenditures are necessary and represent the best possible value for money. This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Press, Federal Ministry of Finance, Marshall Gundu, on Wednesday in Abuja. The E-Unit is domiciled at Federal Ministry of Finance and is expected to review all government overhead expenditure, to reduce wastage, promote efficiency and ensure quantifiable savings for the country. Mr. Gundu said the E-Unit would work across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to identify and eliminate wasteful spending, duplication and…
As the problem of fuel scarcity persists across the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has partnered the Department of State Services (DSS) and Economic and the Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to help check the unwholesome practice of hoarding and diversion of petroleum products, by some unscrupulous marketers. The partnership with the security agencies is also meant to assist in the monitoring of nationwide fuel truck-out to retail outlets. The NNPC spokesman, Mr. Ohi Alegbe made this known in a statement Wednesday. While apologizing to commuters, motorists and the general public for the noticeable hardship faced in accessing petrol…
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has rejected in very strong terms the purported ban on Hijab in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps. NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, on Tuesday announced a ban on the use of “long hijab” by female corps members, citing security concerns. But MURIC, in a statement by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said the ban is unacceptable to Muslims and accused the NYSC DG of Islamophobia. “The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) rejects the purported ban. It is reckless, baseless and preposterous. No public officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should speak in…
A group known as The Patriots Alliance (TPA) has commended organizers of the Rivers Black Day, slated for Monday, November 30, saying it is indeed a noble idea to honour the memory of election violence victims in the state. The day was set aside by the Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) to remember all those that were killed during the last general elections in the state. It was learnt that over 10,000 Rivers indigenes and residents are expected ti turn up for a candlelight procession and interdenominational memorial service in honour of the “over 100 persons killed…
The remains of Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, wife of the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, were on Wednesday finally laid to rest beside her husband’s, at the family compound in Ikenne, Ogun State. The burial of Mrs. Awolowo, who died at the age of 99, followed a church service held at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, which had in attendance 35 Bishops, and many other clerics. Also in attendance were senior government and public figures in Nigeria, prominent among them, President Muhammadu Buhari. President Yemi Osinbajo, who is a son-in-law of the deceased, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former military leader, Yakubu Gowon,…