Committee on National Security at the ongoing national conference has rejected President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposal to further extend the one-year state of emergency imposed on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. Describing the move as “undesirable”, the committee asked the president to explore other avenues of tackling the insurgency plaguing the northern part of the country, saying emergency, since its declaration a year ago has rather strengthened the activities of the insurgents. Chairman of the committee and former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Gambo Jimeta (rtd), at a news briefing at the National Judiciary Institute, NJI, said the state of emergency has…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Davido hit song “Skelewu” got the whole continent tapping their feet and dancing in unison but a school of thought believes all this is bad influence. These days, all it takes to do music is a couple of rhythmic beats accompanied by perspiration hip swinging sound and you have a hit. Read what he says: – Around the country, from buzzing speakers, today’s Nigerian music is replete with just anything but content. From Terry G’s Free Madness, Flavour’s Shake, Iyanya’s Your Waist, W4’s Control, D’ Prince’s Chop Banana to Dammy Krane’s Kunle, Wizkid’s Caro, Olamide’s Turn Up, Wande Coal’s Rotate, Kcee’sPullover, D’banj’s Don’t Tell Me Nonsense… the list is endless. On…
Newly wed Tee Billz is just recovering from the excitement of his wedding but has another anniversary to celebrate. Tee Billz’ daughter marked her birthday yesterday and got a long letter from her dad. Tee Billz took to his IG page and wished her a happy birthday with a very sensitive message Find his message below: – Happy Birthday To Daddy Dearest…………..Seven years ago when I held you, I looked into your eyes and my life forever changed. I held you close and all I saw was me being reborn. The greatest feeling ever was what I felt looking into…
It’s no longer news that Aliko Dangote is the richest man in Africa; with a net worth of nearly $21 billion, the Nigerian businessman’s Dangote Group controls vast holdings of commodities, real estate, and telecommunications projects. Anyways, here are 10 things you didn’t know about Aliko Dangote: – 1. He’s been a businessman since he was a child. While he was in primary school in the 1960s, the young Dangote would buy boxes of sweets and sell them at a profit to his fellow classmates. After studying business at the University of Cairo, he started the Dangote Group at the age…
The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the 2014 budget would soon be signed and presented to public after reconciliation of few areas of differences with the National Assembly. The minister gave the assurance at the post Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House. Maku said that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, briefed the council on the progress of the budget. He explained that what was delaying the assent of Mr President was the few areas of differences in the budget passed…
A heavily-laden ferry has capsized and sunk in central Bangladesh after being caught in a storm, leaving at least nine people dead and hundreds more missing, police and officials say. “We are receiving confusing figures on how many passengers were on board when it sank, but the number could range from 200 to 350,” said district government administrator Saiful Hasan. “Nine bodies have been recovered so far,” he said of the accident on the river Meghna in Munshiganj district, some 50 kilometres south of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka. Local police chief Ferdous Ahmed also confirmed the recovery of the nine…
The immediate past governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim narrowly escaped death when his Owerri residence was Thursday Bombed by unknown persons. According to the former governor who wept as he saw the ruins to which his house was reduced, he got a call from some security details in the area at about 1:30am informing him of the tragic incident. Ohakim alleged that some roofs were opened from outside the lobby before the suspected hoodlums threw in the bomb. “This is the only building I have in this state, I built it in 1992 when I was a commissioner,…
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Thursday called on the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan to reconsider his position that the federal government would not negotiate with terrorists for the release of the 234 girls abducted a month ago at Chibok, Borno State. In a speech he delivered Thursday in Abuja at the meeting of the National Executive Council of the association, NBA’s president, Chief Okey Wali, SAN, said that no option should be foreclosed in achieving peace. Several Nigerians have said it would be wrong to negotiate with the sect as that may start a series of events the federal government…
The Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Dirk Verheyen, said no fewer than 60 Belgium companies had indicated interest to invest in Nigeria. Verheyan, in a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, said that officials of the companies would be part of a Belgian Investment and Trade mission that would be in Nigeria in June. He said that the interest of the businessmen was stimulated by the success of the just-concluded World Economic Forum on Africa held in Abuja. He said that the rebasing of Nigeria’s economy showed its diversification and the relevance of the economic sectors, adding that the favourable…
US officials on Thursday slammed Nigeria’s “slow” response to the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls by Islamic militants and renewed criticism of its military over its human rights record. Democratic senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said Nigeria had been “tragically and unacceptably slow” to deal with the crisis, despite offers of assistance from the United States and other countries. “I have called on President (Goodluck) Jonathan to demonstrate the leadership his nation is demanding,” Menendez said. The militant Boko Haram group is currently holding more than 200 schoolgirls hostage after raiding the northeastern…
The Osun State Government has banned the indiscriminate use of siren in the state. The ban was announced in a press statement issued by Mr Sunday Akere, Commissioner for Information and Strategy and made available to journalists in Osogbo on Thursday. “The governor exercising the powers vested in him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), and Section 10(2) of the Police Act, Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010 has through this instrument prohibits the indiscriminate use of siren in the state”, the statement said. The statement stated that only the police,…
Nigerian artistes are beginning to make waves worldwide as some of our greatest entertainers have made made BETs lists. Nigerian singers Davido and Tiwa Savage have been made nominees in the BET ‘Best International Act, Africa’ 2014 Awards. The awards will hold on June 29th at the Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles. Beyonce tops the list with 5 nominations. Continue to see full lists; Best International Act: Africa Davido (Nigeria) Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)Mafikizolo (South Africa)Sarkodie (Ghana)Tiwa Savage (Nigeria) Toofan (Togo)Best Female R&B/Pop ArtistWho do you think deserves it……(Full List Below)BeyoncéJanelle MonáeJhené AikoK. MichelleRihannaTamar Braxton Best Male R&B/Pop ArtistAugust AlsinaChris BrownJohn LegendJustin…
The plan to have a simple secret wedding without the media getting wind of it has turned out successful. A few of the photos are seen above from Kelly Rowland and her hubby Tim Witherspoon private wedding ceremony which held at Guanacaste, Costa Rica, on May 9. The photos were obtained by RadarOnline and revealed that Beyonce and Solange attended the wedding together days after her sister’s attack on Jay Z.
Mallam Bashir Ibrahim the National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), has said that the party will contest all political offices in the 2015 general elections. “As long as the party has a candidate for any political office, we will contest the election”, Ibrahim said on Thursday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He however clarified that if the party does not have a candidate for an office it would not contest. He said that the party’s inconclusive membership registration caused by logistics challenges would not enable it contest the governorship poll in Ekiti. “As…
Senators from the northern part of the country yesterday opposed the request by President Goodluck Jonathan to extend the emergency rule in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states. President Jonathan had on Tuesday asked the Senate to approve the extension of the one-year-old state of emergency in the three northeastern states because of the rising insurgency attacks. Jonathan, who made the request through a letter he addressed to Senate president, David Mark, and read during plenary by the deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, said his request was based on the fact that terrorism was yet to abate in the affected states.…
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday insisted that the carrot and stick approach was the best option to adopt in dealing with the Boko Haram insurgency. According to the former president, having tried the “stick” approach without achieving commensurate result, it was time to try other available options, more so, as President Goodluck Jonathan “is overwhelmed” by the Boko Haram insurgency. Obasanjo, who spoke on a BBC programme, Focus on Africa, which aired a special edition on Nigeria’s insecurity last night, recalled that he took it upon himself in 2011 to go on a fact-finding mission when Boko Haram insurgency became…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will commence the issuance of the permanent voters cards (PVC) in ten states of the federation. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue, Alhaji Baba Yusuf, told journalists on Tuesday that the issuance of the cards would be between May 23 to May 25 while the continuous voters’ registration (CVR) would hold between May 28 and June 1. He said the commencement of the two exercises were a prelude to the 2015 general elections. Yusuf explained those eligible to register in the CVR included those who were not up to 18 years as at 2011 and those who were unable to register during the last exercise. “Those…
The Senate has suspended debate on President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for the extension of the state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States. The president had written to the National Assembly on Tuesday seeking their approval for the extension of emergency rule in the North-East states for another six months effective from when the current tenure expires on May 19. The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma- Egba (SAN), who was to move the motion for the extension of the emergency rule in the three states, however, asked his colleagues to step down the debate until another day, to allow the…
The Abuja Urban Mass Transit Company (AUMTCO) has taken delivery of 70 new High Capacity Buses promised by the FCT Administration to shore up its operation. Mr Abdulrazak Oniyangi, Managing Director of the company, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that they were part of the 100 buses ordered by the FCT Administration from China. The managing director said that they would be displayed at the Eagle Square on Friday. According to him, the remaining 30 are yet to be cleared at the Lagos State Sea Port, saying that they will be inaugurated next week. NAN recalls that the…
President Goodluck Jonathan will on Friday visit Chibok, the village where more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted a month ago by the Boko Haram sect, senior government officials said. Reuters reports that it will be Jonathan’s first visit to Chibok, the epicentre of a growing international effort to rescue the girls, since they were abducted. Officials said he will also travel to Paris, France, for a regional security summit where Boko Haram will be discussed.