Global Naija Info

Governor Bello signs the budget Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi state on Monday signed the state’s 2016 appropriation bill of N99.9 billion into law. He characterised it as a budget of change. It comprised N41.71 billion as capital and N58.228 billion as recurrent expenditure. Assenting to the bill in Lokoja, Bello promised its full implementation. According to him, a budget monitoring implementation committee will be set up to coordinate and monitor its full implementation. Governor bello: signing the N99.9 billion budget of change He said that government was fully aware of the implication of the drop in the allocation from the Federation Account. He said the state Internal Revenue Service had been directed to embark on aggressive revenue collection to address the shortfall. Bello promised to be fair and transparent in the management of the state’s scarce resources and commended the state House of Assembly for ensuring its speedy passage in spite of unnecessary distractions. Th

The ever outspoken former Minister of Aviation and Campaign Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, has been reportedly remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday evening. Sources within the anti-graft body confirmed this development to SaharaReporters who reported that Mr. Fani-Kayode was forced to present himself at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja today after uniformed agents stormed his home Abuja over the weekend. Courtesy: SaharaReporters According to reports, Mr. Fani-Kayode during today’s interrogation learned that the EFCC actually has three cases of financial crime against him. Speaking with newsmen, the confidential source who spoke with newsmen said: “He will be in our custody for a few more days because we have multiple fraud charges against him”. When asked whether Mr. Fani-Kayode was as confident in the interrogation room as he has been in public, the EFCC source replied saying, “He now knows th

Two teenage girls wearing explosives died on Monday in Northern Cameroon after being stopped at a checkpoint, an official said. The girls, aged 13 and 15, were headed for crowded areas in Mora when they refused to allow themselves to be controlled at a checkpoint, according to regional governor Midjiyawa Bakary. Vigilance groups manning the checkpoint shot the 13-year old dead, while the 15-year old blew herself up. The girls, who had crossed into Cameroon from Nigeria, were believed to have been sent as suicide bombers by the Boko Haram.

Unknown gunmen have kidnapped a naval officer and a rating in the Rumuji axis of Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State. The officer and the rating, whose name could not be ascertained immediately, were said to be on their way to Sapele in Delta State before they were waylaid and taken away by the unknown gunmen. According to reports by The PUNCH through a source, the incident occurred at about 4pm on Monday afternoon and they have been taken away by their captors to a yet-to-be identified destination. An inside navy source, who spoke with The PUNCH confirmed the abduction of the officer and the rating while confirming that the duo’s whereabouts is yet to be ascertained. The source further explained that a call has since been put across to the naval base of the victims while the search for them continued. In his words, “I received a call today and was told that a naval officer and a rating were kidnapped. The officer and the rating were on their way to Sapele when they were

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Monday hosted 1, 604 National Youths Service Corps ( NYSC) members to a `royal’ lunch, to welcome them to Sokoto State. The event, which was held at the palace of the Sultan, was graced by all members of the Sultanate Council. The Sultan told the Batch ” A” corps members currently in camp in Sokoto, that they must utilise their stay in the state to broaden their knowledge of Nigeria and its people. He said that the scheme would continue to remain a veritable tool of national unity and cohesion. Abubakar advised the 1, 604 corps members to utilise the opportunity to develop life-long relationships and leave a legacy of hard work, selfless service and sacrifice during their stay. The monarch, who described the NYSC scheme as “indispensable and crucial” to Nigeria’s unity, ordered District Heads in the state to take good care of corps members posted to their areas. The Sultan assured the c

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State Abiodun Onafuye, AbeokutaThe Ogun State Ministry of Health has closed down twelve privately owned hospitals in the state to check quackery. Seven of the hospitals were shut in Ijebu-Igbo while five were closed down in Ijebu-Ode. Also, an illegal mortuary located at Ago-Iwoye in Ijebu-Igbo, was also closed by the monitoring team from the state’s Department of Hospital Services. The team was led by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Nafiu Aigoro. Commenting on the closure of the hospitals, Ipaye said:, “The step was taken in order to stamp out quackery in the state health sector. Any facility found operating without validation by the state government would be deemed as operating illegally. “The state government would no longer condone the activities of quacks in the health sector. “The quality of services provided, qualification of the owner of the facilities and

Jethro Ibileke, Benin: In spite of the presence of policemen at the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly on Monday, history was made with the swearing-in of the first female Speaker of the House, Elizabeth Ativie. A combined team of policemen, officials of the Department of State Security and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, had in the morning laid siege on the House to forestall a possible break down of law and order among the feuding lawmakers. More than 10 Hilux patrol vehicles and an armoured personnel carrier were strategically positioned around the assembly complex but this did not deter the majority lawmakers who filed in and swore in the Speaker. Ativie’s emergence as Speaker followed the impeachment of the former Speaker of the House, Victor Edoror and his Deputy, Bright Osayande, last Tuesday over alleged financial recklessness, high-handedness, dictatorial tendencies, among others. The House also elected new Principal Officers and new heads of House

Dr Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and GMD of NNPC The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Monday warned major and independent fuel marketers to refrain from diverting petroleum products to neighbouring countries. Mr Bassey Nkanga, the DPR Operation Controller in charge of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, gave the warning in an interview in Calabar. “We will not hesitate to seal any filling station that diverts its product to neighbouring countries. “Just two weeks ago, we sealed the NNPC filling station in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River for fuel diversion. “Petroleum products meant for the station was allegedly being diverted to Cameroon before it was intercepted by our men. “The truck was conveying 40,000 litres of fuel and heading to Bakassi Local Government Area from where it would be taken to Cameroon through the Ikang border,’’ Nkanga said. He said further that the filling station would remain sealed for 90 days until its management

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has fined Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) 5,000 dollars for overcrowding at its 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Kaduna against Egypt. The fine is one of several sanctions handed out by CAF’s Disciplinary Committee. An estimated 40,000 fans had taken over the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna, which was designed to hold just 16,000 spectators, as the Super Eagles drew 1-1 with Egypt. Nigeria were also warned of further sanctions if similar incidents occur. Egypt were fined the same amount for the “excessive use of lasers’’ in the return leg against Nigeria in Cairo four days later. DR Congo, Sudan, Comoros, The Gambia and Kenya were also sanctioned. Kenya were fined 10,000 dollars for “players severely contesting referee decisions, supporters throwing stones and police having to use tear gas to disperse crowd’’. The incidents happened as they lost 0-1 in Nairobi in a Nations Cup qualifier against Guinea Bissau on March 23

an Aero aircraft Nigeria’s domestic carrier, Aero Contractors, on Monday said limited supply of JET A1, also known as aviation fuel, has disrupted its flight operations in the country. The airline made this known in a statement signed by its Media Consultant, Mr Simon Tumba, in Lagos. Some passengers of the airline travelling from Lagos to various destinations on Sunday night and Monday morning were delayed for several hours at the Murtala Muhammed Airport. The airline attributed the disruption of services to the scarcity of aviation fuel. The statement read: “Aero wishes to apologise to its dearest customers over the delay and cancellation of flight operations last night and this morning. “We are experiencing fuel scarcity as our contract fuel suppliers are unable to supply fuel to us, while the other suppliers are unable to supply fuel to us due to scarcity of aviation fuel. “We are taking appropriate measures to address this issue as soon as possible by engaging other suppli

Lekan Shonde: arrested Mr. Lekan Shonde, on the run for the alleged killing of his wife, has been arrested. The circumstance of his arrest was not clear. The Shondes: Lekan and Ronke While the police claimed that he was tracked down and arrested, The PUNCH reported that the fugitive voluntarily surrendered himself to the police. The fugitive had  boasted early today that he could hide in Lagos for 30 years without being apprehended. The Punch, quoting  police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, said  he will be transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation at Panti,

Femi Fani-Kayode Former Minister of Aviation and Spokesperson of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in the 2015 presidential election, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, is currently undergoing interrogation at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Abuja. Fani-Kayode arrived headquarters of the commission this morning in a police convoy and was taken upstairs by EFCC officials for interrogation. The EFCC had on 6 May formally invited the former minister through a letter to appear before it in connection with a criminal and money lauding matter it was investigating involving Joint Trust Dimension Ltd in which Fani-Kayode’s name featured prominently. The former minister who arrived the Commission in a blue native attire around 9.45am was invited over an alleged N840m he received during the campaign. The money was said to have emanated from the account of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Before his invitation by he EFCC, there were reports that he was

Michel Platini: au revoir from UEFA Michel Platini, the suspended European soccer boss will resign as head of governing body UEFA in a matter of days, after losing a top level appeal against a FIFA ban for ethics violations. One of the finest players of his generation who went on to become a powerful sporting official, Frenchman Platini was suspended after his dealings with fallen world soccer chief Sepp Blatter dragged him into the scandal which engulfed governing body FIFA. Sport’s highest tribunal, The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), upheld Platini’s suspension on Monday, although it reduced the term from six years to four. Platini however said he would continue his fight to clear his name. “The CAS Panel was of the opinion that a severe sanction could be justified in view of the superior functions carried out by Mr. Platini (FIFA Vice-President and UEFA President), the absence of any repentance and the impact that this matter has had on FIFA’s reputation,” the CAS state

Solomon Arase, Inspector General of Police The Police on Monday cordoned off the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) to avert possible breakdown of law and order. More than 10 Hilux patrol vans and an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) were strategically positioned within and around the state assembly complex. There were also regular and mobile police operatives positioned at the three entrances to the assembly to prevent access into the complex. Already, workers of the house of assembly have been prevented by the police from getting to their offices. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Abiodun Osifo said that the action was taken to “avoid repetition of what happened last Wednesday at the complex”. Crisis erupted on Wednesday after 16 members of the assembly removed the erstwhile Speaker of the House, Mr Victor Edoro. Edoro was replaced him with Mrs Elizabeth Ativie. Suspected thugs, loyal to both sides, had after the speaker’s removal, took over

Olusegun Obasanjo and Presidend Goodluck Jonathan President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to investigate the $16 billion spent by the Olusegun Obasanjo and the Goodluck Jonathan administrations in the power over the years. Despite the huge investment in the sector by the previous administrations, Nigerians are still grappling with poor power supply and most companies have closed down or relocated to other countries, due to non availability of electricity for production. President Buhari made this known in an interview in Katsina monitored on radio and television. While reiterating his administration’s desire to improve power supply in the country, President Buhari disclosed that he would look into the investment in the sector by previous administrations. “It is a must for us to look into the investment in the power sector because nothing will work without adequate power supply in the country. The problem of the power sector is like that of the petroleum industry. We will look at how

Lekan Shonde: accuses wife of infidelity Depot worker, Lekan Shonde, who allegedly killed his wife in the Egbeda, Lagos area, and vanished thereafter has spoken from his hideout, revealing what may have provoked the tragic incident. Shonde told PUNCH Metro that his wife, Ronke provoked him by describing vividly how her lover slept with her in a hotel in Abuja. He said his wife of eight years changed after she allegedly started dating the general manager of a publishing company. The Abeokuta, Ogun State indigene, said he regretted marrying Ronke, explaining that his late mother had warned him against the union, but he never listened. Lekan and his wife, Ronke, lived on Tiemo Close, Off Awori Street, in the Egbeda-Idimu area. The marriage, which was blessed with two children, aged six and four, was said to have been marred with domestic violence. The crisis culminated in the death of Ronke on Thursday, after which her husband fled the house and locked up the children with their d

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has promised to encourage and support President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office. Okorocha who made this promise while inspecting projects in Owerrri, also assured that he would not contest against President Buhari in the 2019 election. Okorocha said since assumption of office, Buhari had exhibited unparalleled leadership qualities. “What the president therefore needs in the circumstance is to be supported and encouraged to continue the good work even after 2019. For that reason, I have decided to keep my presidential ambition aside,” the Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum said. He said Buhari had provided a courageous, visionary and people-oriented leadership, stressing that within one year of coming to power, Buhari succeeded in opening the doors of the world for Nigera because of his courage, confidence, maturity and strong leadership. The Imo governor who was among APC chieftains who challe

The Mossack Fonseca law firm offices in Panama City The Panama Papers scandal will deepen around the world today when the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists puts most of the digital cache of documents online, accessible to all. The ICIJ said it will release the documents in a searchable database at 1800 GMT on Monday accessible to the public at offshoreleaks.icij.org. The US-based organization said the release “will not be a ‘data dump’” of the sort the Wikileaks group became known for. But it will reveal names and information on 200,000 offshore entities set up by wealthy individuals around the world. The documents are from 2.6 terabytes of data given to a German newspaper, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, over a year ago by an anonymous source using the name “John Doe.” Senator Bukola Saraki: Panama files now open to the world – Data from ‘John Doe’ – The data came from nearly four decades of digital archives of one Panamanian law firm specialized in creating and r

Inside Governor Okorocha’s convoy The convoy of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State was blocked for 30 minutes at the weekend by herdsmen. It happened on Amakohia Orlu Road in Owerri the state capital. the cows after they were sent off the road The Governor was on his way to inspect a project with some journalists when his convoy ran into the herdsmen and their cattle. They were however cleared from the road by the governor’s security detail. Are the herdsmen trying to pass a message to him?

•Wizkid Top Nigerian pop singer Wizkid Ayo continues to enjoy global stardom. The 25 year-old Nigerian was recently at number 11 on itune/Spotify world artistes, but in two days he jumped to the 3rd spot, ahead of well known artistes such as Justin Bieber, Kanye West and Sia. Only Drake, at No 1 and Rihanna at No 2 are now ahead of the Nigerian star. Spotify is a Swedish commercial music streaming, podcast, and video service that provides digital rights management–protected content from record labels and media companies. It is available in most of the Americas, Western Europe, and Oceania. Music can be browsed or searched by artist, album, genre, playlist, or record label. Spotify operates under a freemium business model, with two music streaming tiers: Spotify Free and Spotify Premium. Benefits of the Premium subscription include the removal of advertisements, improved audio quality, and the user can download music to their device for offline listening. Spotify was launched i