Shi’ite Muslims on Saturday accused soldiers of the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State, of killing its members. The movement was reacting to reports that its members attempted to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai in Zaria. According to a terse statement on its website, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria said: “Soldiers in Nigerian Army Uniforms attacked Husainiyyah Baqiyattullah this afternoon and opened fire with life ammunition on beare (sic) handed brothers and sisters, killing and wounding many. They have also layed (sic) siege to it, with armored vehicles and soldiers”. The Shi’ite Muslims led by Sheikh…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Immediate past Senate President of Nigeria, David Mark (GCON); Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue state, Dr. Emmanuel Agbor; ex-Minister of Interior, Abba Moro and scores of political leaders in the state yesterday urged the people of Benue South Senatorial District to see the forthcoming rerun election as a necessary challenge to emancipate the Idoma nation from oppression. The PDP stakeholders spoke in Otukpo, Benue State, when the former Senate president was hosted to a warm reception by his supporters following the annulment of his election by the Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, on November 28, 2015. Senator…
A former Senate President of Nigeria in the Third Republic, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday denied his alleged involvement in the unraveling arms deal scandal, saying he never collected N345m from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to buy security equipment as reported. The former Senate president explained that whatever funds from the NSA Office remitted to a company he confirmed to have interest in, Starbriid Limited, were solely for the provision of consultancy services on security and electoral matters, not for procurement of hi-tech security equipment. “To the best of my knowledge, neither the company nor I deal…
The Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) on Saturday gave reasons why some of its members were yet to receive compensation money released to the body by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki. The publisher of ThisDay Newspapers and President of NPAN, Nduka Obaigbena, had said in his response to a letter of invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), acknowledged receiving N120million in March 2015 on behalf of the association and 12 newspapers. He said the money, contrary to speculation, was compensation to avert a class action lawsuit by the newspapers against the Nigerian military…
Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has issued a directive to state Ministry of Works to fix portholes in Calabar. In line with this directive, the ministry yesterday commenced ‘operation zero portholes’ in Calabar, the state capital. Gov. Ayade had given the ministry a seven-day ultimatum to fix all potholes identified in the 120 internal roads in Calabar metropolis to ensure free flow of traffic during the 2015 Calabar Festival celebrations that herald Carnival Calabar on December 28. Speaking at Ikot Eyo Street, in Calabar where the ministry has commenced rehabilitation work, Director of Civil Engineering Godwin Akeke, said the ministry…
As the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continues to dig deep into how the $2.1 billion arms deal funds was spent by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, a former Accounts Officer II, Ibrahim Idris Wambai has alleged that the Office of Former Vice President Namadi Sambo was on a monthly stipend of N20million from the ONSA. The accounts officer also fingered several presidential aides and firms as beneficiaries of the slush funds from the ONSA. Records of all cash payments to such individuals and organizations are still intact, Wambai claimed in a statement of Witness/Accused…
National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is assuring that the current fuel scarcity will soon come to an end. The South-West Chairman of the union, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, disclosed in Lagos yesterday that massive loading of petroleum products is ongoing in different depots in Lagos and other parts of the country. Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said on December 9 that N407.07 billion fuel subsidy had been paid to oil marketers. “There is massive loading of petroleum products in different depots throughout the country, and our petroleum tanker drivers are ready to go extra mile to deliver the…
Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State on Friday inaugurated the construction of an international cargo airport worth N17.5 billion in Lafia. The governor laid the foundation stone for the project at Kwandere village, about 10 kilometres from Lafia metropolis. He said the conception of the airport was informed by the desire of his administration to create a formidable platform for transportation of both domestic and international passengers. The governor explained that the project would be executed under Public-Private-Partnership, PPP, arrangement. He said the principal partner, a Chinese company, Tongyi Group, would provide 75 per cent of the cost of the…
United States Embassy has disowned the widely circulated text message purportedly emanating from the Embassy in Nigeria, which issued a security warning to American citizens resident in Abuja. In the message circulated through various channels on Thursday, the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, had purportedly called and emailed all Americans in Abuja to tell them to stay indoors, following information that three cars loaded with bombs were primed in some undisclosed locations in the capital city. The message, which was also shared on WhatsApp and social media, read: “Please, stay safe especially those in Abuja. I just got…
President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-graft campaign is bound to offend many, the Presidency has declared. The Presidency also pointed out that in prosecuting the anti-corruption war, big toes would be stepped on and personal interests cast aside. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu stated this in Kaduna State yesterday at the opening of a three-day retreat for State House correspondents. The retreat, organised by the Presidency and hosted by the Kaduna State Government, has as its theme, “Journalism and the Change Mantra: The State House in Focus”. Mr. Shehu maintained that the media could…