Nigeria and the Caribbean island of Jamaica are to finalise Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) in order to establish direct flights between Lagos/Abuja and Kingston, Jamaica within the the shortest possible time, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri told Nigerian Tribune in Abuja. According to her, the agreement will be finalised at the forthcoming third session of the Nigeria-Jamaica Joint Commission. She explained that in view of the almost zero trade and investment statistics existing between the two countries, it is believed that a direct flight from Nigeria to Jamaica will connect the Caribbean region to Africa…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Five people have been killed and scores injured after a suicide bomber targeting worshippers at a mosque in Konduga, Borno State, PMNews has reported, citing a security source. The anonymous source said the pick-up truck conveying the suicide bomber approached the mosque as Muslims were observing Friday prayers. A local vigilante group however stopped the truck to inspect it and the bomber then detonated the bomb a few metres from the mosque, he said. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, Islamist sect group Boko Haram has been suspected to be responsible. According to a witness, Mohammadu Sheriff…
A 21-year-old student of the Department of History and International Relations, Redeemer’s University, RCCG Camp, Ogun State, Tolani Ajayi has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for killing his father on Tuesday, July 3rd, PMNews reports. The body of Barrister Charles Ajayi, 60, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was found at a nearby bush at Canaanland Street at the Redeemed Christian Church of God Camp, Km 46 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The suspect was arrested the same day at his father’s residence, scene of the incident, at about 5:30 p.m. after the discovery of the corpse and Police preliminary findings.…
The 14-year-old bride, suspected to have poisoned her husband and three others in April has been charged with culpable homicide punishable by death by the Kano State Government. This came following the withdrawal of the case from the juvenile court to a Kano State High Court over what judicial sources attributed to “lack of jurisdiction by the lower court”. The charge sheet read: “Application to prefer a charge under Section 185(B) of the Criminal Procedure code Cap.105 Laws of Kano State 1991, signed on behalf of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice by a Senior State Counsel in the…
The pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo, has thrown its weight behind the purported plan by the Imo State Government to register northerners in the state and issue them identity cards. Shortly after soldiers arrested 486 northerners suspected to be Boko Haram members in Abia State and the eventual identification of a wanted key member of the sect among the travelers coupled with the failed bomb attempt on a popular Pentecostal church in Owerri, there were reports the Imo State Government had proposed issuance of identity cards to northerners in the state as a way of preventing insurgents from infiltrating the…
The lady who allegedly had an affair with Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of COZA, Ese Walter’s husband Benny Ark has come out and revealed why he took her to the alter. The Coolfm Abuja OAP told Sunday Sun: “Amazingly, the people around us were supportive and understanding. It was some outsiders who were not privy to a whole lot of stuff that were making some kind of remarks. But the truth is, we were just friends when she told me about what happened. I was pained and hurt because here was a man who I held in high esteem. I only…
The Nigerian Medical Association has punctured the claim by the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu that the ongoing doctors’ strike will end on Monday (tomorrow). The Minister, had on Friday expressed optimism that the nationwide strike, which began on July 1, would be immediately called off after the NMA’s Emergency Delegates Meeting slated for Monday. Prof. Chukwu was quoted as saying during a press conference in Abuja: “As I speak to you, the government has met its own side of the MoU and it is expected that the members of the NMA would from today (Friday) begin to respond…
CHIEF OF army STAFF, LT.- GEN. KENNETH MINIMAH, INSPECTING A PARADE, DURING APARADE IN HIS HONOUR, AT INFANTRY CORPS IN JAJI, KADUNA, ON FRIDAY (21/3/14). The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, said yesterday that the military is exercising maximum caution in the effort to rescue the over 200 school girls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents over two months ago. Anything short of that, according to the army chief, may end up in disaster. Speaking at the passing out ceremony of officers of Direct Short Service Course 21 at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji in…
The Kogi State Government has expressed worry over the issue of youths unemployment on the country, describing the trend as endemic and requires that government at all levels must begin to fashion out new ways to resolve the problem. The state Deputy Governor, Arc. Yomi Awoniyi, stated this while speaking at the recruitment exercise held by the Nigerian Army, Charimegumeri Barracks, in Lokoja. Mr. Awoniyi lamented the growing rate of youth unemployment in the country despite efforts by successive administrations to provide gainful employment. The Kogi State deputy governor also disclosed that the present administration under Captain Idris Wada (rtd)…
The 14-year-old child bride accused of killing her husband and three of his friends by poisoning their food in April, has been charged by the Kano State Government with culpable homicide punishable by death. The charge comes on the heels of the withdrawal of the case that has attracted local and international attention, from the juvenile court to a Kano State High Court over what legal experts have attributed to “lack of jurisdiction by the lower court”. According to the charge sheet, which was obtained by Sunday Vanguard, entitled, “Application to prefer a charge under Section 185(B) of the Criminal…
At least 50 members of the Boko Haram sect were killed on Friday night when they staged a daring attack on a military location in Damboa, Borno State, the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has said. The Director of Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, said the insurgents “stormed the troops’ bases and police locations while most of the troops were out on patrol of surrounding villages”. The statement reads in part: “A total of five soldiers and a senior officer were also killed while repelling the attack. A cordon and search of the locality is ongoing, while the bodies of the fallen soldiers…
National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has approved the release of “Half of a Yellow Sun”, a movie on civil war, after more than two months delay as the board said screening the movie in Nigeria could disrupt peace in the tension-filled country. The producers have now agreed to edit certain scenes. The film, based on the best-selling novel of the same name and starring Oscar-nominated British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, is about the 1967-1970 Biafra War which killed more than a million people, many from starvation. Screening had already started in Britain and the United States, with the film’s…
The mass movement of Nigerians of northern origin to the South-East and South-South geo-political zones of the country has prompted security agents to launch a probe with a view to find out if it has any link with the 2015 general elections. A security source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity with a select group of journalists in Abuja on Saturday, said the probe was as a result of the clamour by the North to reclaim the presidency by all means on the platform of the All Progressives Congress. The security source said this angle was being looked into…
The Caretaker Chairman of Ibadan North East Local Government of Oyo State, Hon. Ladi Oluokun, has said the victory of Governor Abiola Ajimobi will take his critics and the opposition by surprise in 2015. Oluokun, who stated this over the weekend while addressing some youths who visited him in his office, said the governor’s unprecedented performance will also ensure victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 elections across the state. “There is nobody that can defeat Governor Abiola Ajimobi in the next governorship election in the state. His achievements are unprecedented and unmatched by previous governments in the state.…
The Impeached Deputy Speaker of Edo state House of Assembly, Hon. Festus Ebea has vowed that his group of nine lawmakers will resist any ploy to deny them of their rights with the last drop of their blood. Ebea, who was first suspended alongside four other lawmakers before he was eventually impeached on allegation of misconduct and misdemeanor, Wednesday, also restated his claim to the deputy speakership position. Following his impeachment, the Assembly elected Victor Edoror in his stead. However, in his reaction to the entire episode in Benin City, the state capital, Ebea accused the Speaker, Hon. Uyi Igbe…
The Osun State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore, of encouraging a culture of terror by going about with a masked guard. The APC said the objective was to intimidate the electorate. In a statement signed by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, the state APC said that Omisore and the masked armed man have been spotted at campaign rallies. The party said: “While President Jonathan fights armed and masked terrorists in the North with Nigerian soldiers, the reverse is being done…
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State on Friday absolved President Goodluck Jonathan of blame in the impeachment saga initiated by the State House of Assembly. His comment comes on the heels of the setting up of a seven-member panel by the State Chief Judge to investigate the allegations levelled against the governor by the lawmakers. The panel is expected to be sworn-in on a yet-to-be announced date and its constitution is in line with the constitutional procedure for removing an elected governor. Reacting for the first time since the beginning of the impeachment drama, Nyako blamed ‘some senior citizens’ of…
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, on Friday denied that there was Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) foods in the country. He made the clarification in Abuja when a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) led by its Deputy Director-General, Dr. Kwaku Anings, visited him in his office. The minister, however, said Nigeria was ready to partner with IAEA to boost food production. Adesina said: “We must never be afraid of atomic technology in food production. We want to raise productivity, good health and environmental sustainability. We must not listen to those who want to…
It seems Nigerian artistes with kids are gradually involving their kids in their music business. After all, they say it’s better to teach me how to fish than giving me fish to eat. Cute Jamal is following his father’s steps as he made an appearance in his first music video The young son of Nigerian rapper — Ice Prince was a part of Ruby Gyang’s music video called ‘Good man’ filmed by Loppy Records. The two-year-old hangs with his father and recognizes the camera – pointing to the viewers.
Northern delegates to the ongoing National Conference have opposed the creation of additional state in the South-East zone of the country. Recall that the Conference, on Thursday, adopted the recommendation of its Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government for the creation of 18 additional states across the country as a way of meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the people. During debate on the recommendation for the creation of an additional state for the south-east zone to put it at par with other zones of the country, delegates unanimously voted in support. However, in what looks like an…