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Showing posts from July 12, 2016

Breaking News: Bernie Sanders endorses Hillary Clinton

Bernie Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton at a campaign event Tuesday morning. The two appeared together at a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday finally offered his long-awaited endorsement to presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, saying he would work hard to help her win the White House in November. “Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, and I congratulate her for that,” Sanders told a cheering crowd at a rally in New Hampshire, with Clinton at his side. “She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States.” Now, Sanders didn’t announce that he’s suspending or ending his campaign. Regardless, though, this event effectively brings a long and often contentious Democratic primary to a close and unifies the party around the shared goal of defeating the Republicans and their presumptive nominee Donald Trum

EFCC woos NBA, vows to go after money launderers

Ibrahim Magu, the acting EFCC chairman The Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu has called on legal practitioners to join hands with the Commission in its bid to free Nigeria of corruption. He gave this charge on Tuesday at the opening of a one-day workshop organised by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in collaboration with the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, PACC at the Rockview Hotel, Abuja. According to Magu, the EFCC cannot stamp out corruption in the country without the support of all stakeholders. “We consider everybody a stakeholder, as the EFCC does not have monopoly of knowledge to defeat all shades of graft”, he said. The anti-graft czar urged legal practitioners to always play by the rule and avoid being used by corrupt elements to pervert justice adding that, “what is important is the interest of the nation which should be placed above any other interest.” Magu, who commended the bar for being good partne

Army financially, logistically prepared against Boko Haram, others

Army Spokesman Col. Sani Usman The Nigerian Army says it is financially and logistically prepared in its operations against insurgency, cattle rustling, kidnapping and the criminals. Army Spokesman, Col. Usman Kukasheka, made the statement while addressing journalists in Gusau on Tuesday. Kukasheka said the Federal Government had not failed the military in any way. “None of our officers or men, especially those on special counter-terrorism and peacekeeping operations is omitted in the payment of salaries and all other entitlements. “When one talks about logistics, anyone can testify to the fact that we have been able to crush all forms of terrorism particularly the Boko Haram in the North-East region, and we are battle-ready to contain any form of such threats in all parts of the country. “We have been able to achieve this following the operational support given to us by the federal government especially in the last one year,” he said. He said soldiers were presently spread al

Lagos votes N20b to revamp health, education

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday said his administration has concluded plans to revamp the health sector by voting N10bn to upgrade health facilities across the state. Governor Ambode, who spoke at the 4th Quarterly Town Hall Meeting held at the Muslim Community Praying Ground in Badagry, said modern equipment would be procured to facilitate treatment, while government would also invest massively in capacity building of the medical staff, all in a bid to provide world class health care for the citizenry. “We have commenced a comprehensive action to rehabilitate and upgrade the facilities in all our hospitals. Modern equipment will be procured to facilitate treatment and we will invest in capacity building of our medical staff. We intend to spend over N10bn on our hospitals across the State before December this year. We will recruit and train medical professionals in areas of rare specialization and special needs,” Gover

Fayose declares 3-day prayers for repose of dead students

Gov. Ayo Fayose has declared three-day statewide prayers for the repose of the souls of students of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, who died in a road mishap on Monday night. Fayose made the declaration on Tuesday while on a sympathy visit to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH). The death toll in the accident has risen to seven from the initial five. He said that the prayers were meant to forestall a recurrence of such incident. He expressed regret that the accident claimed a total of seven students while the two remaining occupants of the vehicle were still battling for life. A NAN correspondent who visited the hospital and the university, observed a gloomy atmosphere and a feeling of despondency as no one was ready to comment on the development. The fatal accident occurred in front of the university.

Lagos uncovers 459 staff operating multiple salary accounts

Governor Ambode Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government has uncovered 459 civil servants illegally operating multiple salary accounts. This is contained in the report from the State Treasury Office, STO, Lagos State Ministry of Finance. The government said in consultation with the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, NIBSS, using the Bank Verification Number, BVN of active employees, it discovered that 459 employees operate multiple salary accounts. The report said the discovery of the illegal multiple accounts had saved the State a total of N1.8 million per month. The government said disciplinary measures would be taken against the affected staff. “The officers would face necessary disciplinary action in line with the Public Service Rules,” the government said. Meanwhile, the state government disclosed that the STO, in collaboration with the Office of Finance in the last three months processed and facilitated the collection of Development Policy Operations, DPO III, which

Pictures: Buhari receives outgoing US ambassador

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, 12 July, received the outgoing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle at the State House Abuja. Photos by Sunday Aghaeze R-L; President Muhammadu Buhari in a hand shake with the outgoing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James F. Entwistle during a farewell audience with the President at the State House in Abuja. R-L; President Muhammadu Buhari, the outgoing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James F. Entwistle and US embassy deputy Head of Mission, Mrs Maria Brewer during a farewell audience with the President at the State House in Abuja. R-L: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Haijya Khadija Ibrahim Bukar Abba, President Muhammadu Buhari, the outgoing United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James F. Entwistle and US embassy deputy Head of Mission, Mrs Maria Brewer during a farewell audience with the President at the State House in Abuja. R-L: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Haijya Khadija Ibrahim Bu

Okebukola criticises FG’s new criteria for admission into varsities

Prof. Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), has criticised the recently announced method of admitting students into tertiary institutions, saying it amounted to admitting candidates blindly. Okebukola made the assertion on the sidelines of the 2016 Speech Day and Prize Giving ceremony of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, on Monday. He said that the current criteria or guidelines put in place for admission of candidates into the country’s tertiary institutions would only allow unqualified candidates to be admitted. Okebukola, who was reacting to the recent cancellation of the Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the Federal Government, said the criteria were still unclear to stakeholders. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had on July 10, clarified that the 2016 admissions would be conducted purely on the three existing admission pillars of merit, catchment area and educationally less developed states

Oyo court imposes N250,000 fine on NUT over assault on bailiff

The National Industrial Court in Ibadan on Tuesday imposed a N250, 000 fine on the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State branch, for assaulting a court bailiff. The bailiff was allegedly assaulted at the NUT secretariat on June 23 when he tried to effect service of a court process in a suit by instituted by the Oyo State Government against the union for embarking on strike. Justice Faustina Kola-Olalere said the incident had been occurring frequently and the court would not fold its hands and watch the image of the judiciary being ridiculed. Kola-Olalere said that teachers, who were supposed to inculcate etiquette, were now maltreating a court bailiff for doing his lawful job, saying this attitude was highly condemnable. She said that the fine must be paid on or before Aug. 12 to serve as a deterrent to others. Other defendants in the suit are the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Oyo State branch. At the last hearing, Mr Seun Abimbola, Attorney-Gen

News: Pokémon Go Users Are Reporting Injuries, Car Crashes and Sunburns in Their Quests to 'Catch 'Em All'

Pokémon Go Users Are Reporting Injuries, Car Crashes and Sunburns in Their Quests to 'Catch 'Em All' http://ift.tt/29BCfu3 @Peoplemag

News: My Giant Life's 6'7" Haleigh Hampton Isn't Sure if She'll Move with Her 5'8" Husband to Tennessee

My Giant Life's 6'7" Haleigh Hampton Isn't Sure if She'll Move with Her 5'8" Husband to Tennessee http://ift.tt/29BBLnL @Peoplemag

Updated: Death toll hits 20 in Italy train crash

The death toll from a train crash in southern Italy has risen to 20, a regional official told reporters on Tuesday, adding that dozens of people were in a hospital, some with serious injuries. The previous toll was initially put at 10. The head-on collision between two trains happened on a single stretch of track in the countryside between the towns of Corato and Andria, in the southern heel of Italy. An aerial image showed train carriages were smashed and crumpled by the head-on collision, with debris spread out on either side of the track. “I believe there are many dead,” said Riccardo Zingaro, captain of the Andria fire brigade. “There was a head-on collision on a single track, several carriages were completely crushed and the emergency workers are pulling people out of the train, there are many injured.” According to a report, rescue workers are pulling victims from the rubble, including a small child who was alive. National police and Carabinieri couldn’t immediately give d

Pastor, accomplice jailed 14 years for forex scam

Pastor Emmanuel Anga The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured the conviction of Pastor Emmanuel Markus Anga and Atin Victor Generous before Justice Abubakar Jauro of Gombe State High Court on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence. Anga and Generous were alleged to have in November 2013, deceived David Madison, into believing that they were employees of Gora Commanding Resources, a foreign exchange investment concern allegedly owned by Philemon Gora (who is still at large) and tricked their victim into expecting that his investment of five hundred thousand (N500, 000.00) would yield 10 percent interest on a monthly basis. He only received the 10 percent interest in the first month of his investment, while all the efforts to recover his money proved abortive. Atin Victor Generous Count two of the charge reads, “That you, Pastor Emmanuel Markus Anga, Atin Victor Generous and Engr. Philemon Gora (Now at large) sometime

TUC threatens mass action in Oyo

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Oyo State has decried the living condition of workers in the state, vowing to embark on mass action if the situation persisted. The TUC Chairman, Mr Emelieze Andrew, in Ibadan on Tuesday said that urgent steps must be taken by states and the Federal Government to tackle the development. He also said TUC would embark on a mass protest at the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum it issued on Monday. Lamenting that the economic challenges were biting hard on Nigerian workers, Andrew advised governors finding it difficult to pay salaries to rise up to the challenge or consider resignation. He recalled that Monday’s protest in Ibadan was against the backlog of arrears of promotion entitlement, gratuities and pension owed Federal Government workers. “The economy is bad to the extent that a litre of kerosene is now N200 and people are no longer finding it easy to cope with life. “This is the reason why we are pleading with President Muhammadu Buhari to work

Pictures: Buhari receives outgoing Canadian ambassador

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, 12 July received the outgoing Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria at the State House Abuja. Here are some pictures taken during the event. Photo: Sunday Aghaeze R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari receives the outgoing Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Perry John Calderwood during a farewell audience with the President at the State House in Abuja. R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari receives the outgoing Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Perry John Calderwood during a farewell audience with the President at the State House in Abuja. R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari presents a parting gift to the outgoing Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Perry John Calderwood during a farewell audience with the President at the State House in Abuja. R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari and Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Perry John Calderwood during a farewell audience with the President at the State House in Abuja. R-L; Nigeria

Suspected kidnappers of Sierra Leonean envoy arrested

The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday arrested 11 suspected kidnappers of the Deputy High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria, Maj-Gen. Alfred Claude-Nelson. Claude-Nelson was kidnapped on June 30 along Kaduna-Abuja Road by suspected gunmen and freed on July 5. Presenting the suspects, the Force spokesman, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Don Awunah, said that the suspects were arrested through coordinated police operation. “In a coordinated operation based on intelligence and technical support, the intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police has smashed an 11-man kidnap gang. “This coordinated operation led to the arrest of 11 members of the notorious gang that has been terrorising the North Central states of the country,” he said. Awunah said that the gang’s mode of operation included mounting of road blocks on highways in military uniforms and surprise attacks on unsuspecting motorists. Others include relocating their victims from one point to the other in the forest to a

Okebukola criticises FG’s new criteria for admission into varsities

Prof. Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), has criticised the recently announced method of admitting students into tertiary institutions, saying it amounted to admitting candidates blindly. Okebukola made the assertion on the sidelines of the 2016 Speech Day and Prize Giving ceremony of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, on Monday. He said that the current criteria or guidelines put in place for admission of candidates into the country’s tertiary institutions would only allow unqualified candidates to be admitted. Okebukola, who was reacting to the recent cancellation of the Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the Federal Government, said the criteria were still unclear to stakeholders. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had on July 10, clarified that the 2016 admissions would be conducted purely on the three existing admission pillars of merit, catchment area and educationally less developed states

Nigerian facial surgeon discovers possible cure for malaria

The adult human facial sebum (oil) contains potent mosquito repellent properties, says a Nigerian facial surgeon, Dr. Bayo Aluko-Olokun. Aluko-Olokun, a Facial Surgeon at the Department of Facial Surgery, National Hospital, Abuja, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja. The expert said he made the discovery after conducting studies at the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria, Lagos, in 2015, by testing the reaction of life mosquitoes to sebum-coated paper. According to him, he applied the sebum to a piece of paper and placed beside another with no substance applied in a transparent 70ml glass bottle. “Evidence of mosquito bite is often seen on the face of children in the third world. This is rarely seen in adults as adults produce copious facial skin sebum in contradistinction to children. “Five live mosquitoes were introduced into the bottle and the highest number of mosquitoes standing on each piece of paper at any point in time was noted over 50 minutes. “The total l

No Nigerian involved in South Africa’s human parts incident- Union

Mr Collins Mgbo, the Secretary, Nigeria Union, Limpopo Province chapter in South Africa, said on Tuesday that no Nigerian was arrested for trafficking in human parts in the area. The police in the province had arrested some persons caught with human parts on Sunday, with rumours making the rounds that Nigerians were involved. Mgbo, however, said at Polokwane, Limpopo Province, that no Nigerian was among those arrested by the police. “There was a story in that direction but it was false information. There was no Nigerian involved. “I went to the police station to make inquiry and the officer in charge told me that no Nigerian was involved. “The officer also confirmed that only one local was involved,” he said. Mgbo said the union in the province decided to follow up the case because locals could react negatively against Nigerians. The secretary also said the chapter had written a report on the incident and sent to its national body for appropriate action. “Nigerians living in Li

Fans hail Tiwa Savage for bagging award

Fans of popular Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have continued to pour encomiums on the star for bagging the “Hero of the Month” award. Savage was bestowed with the award by a South African media house, Reel Africa. The former Mavin Records singer was presented with a plaque of honour on Friday, July 9, in a brief ceremony which held in South Africa. Nene Udo, a hairstylist at Petals Hair and Spa, congratulated the singer, saying it was nice that an organisation recognised Savage for her good works and great personality. “Tiwa Savage is a strong woman and one that continues to set great examples for us all. “I am really happy that she was awarded as the hero of the month and that she has been recognised at such an international level. “I just pray that she continues to grow and not derail from her inspirational path,” Udo said. Simi Ogundipe, an aspiring television personality said that she was happy for the singer, adding that its like the “b

250 displaced by Fulani/Gbagyi clash in Niger

No fewer than 250 people have been displaced due to a clash between Fulani herdsmen and Gwagyi farmers in Niger state. The clash led to the death of four persons and destruction of property in Bara-kuta in Bosso Local Government Area on Friday. Malam Ahmed Inga, Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), made this known in Minna on Tuesday. He said the displaced people were being resettled in a school in Bosso while reconciliation was ongoing toward returning them to their homes. “The State Government has established links with the herdsmen and the farmers toward restoring lasting peace in the area to enable the Gwagyis go back to their homes and attend to their farms. “We have to do everything possible to make sure that peace returns to the community to ensure the security of lives and property”, he said. Inga explained that the peace initiative was being brokered by the state’s Commissioner for Sports Development, Alhaji Mamman Bosso, the Emir of Minna,

10 dead, dozens injured in Italy train crash

No fewer than 10 people died while dozens are injured after two passenger trains collided in the middle of an olive grove in southern Italy, a spokesman for the fire brigade said. Police said the accident happened on a single stretch of track between the towns of Corato and Andria, Reuters reports. An aerial image showed train carriages were smashed and crumpled by the head-on collision, with debris spread out on either side of the track. “I believe there are many dead,” said Riccardo Zingaro, captain of the Andria fire brigade. “There was a head-on collision on a single track, several carriages were completely crushed and the emergency workers are pulling people out of the train, there are many injured.” According to a report, rescue workers are pulling victims from the rubble, including a small child who was alive. National police and Carabinieri couldn’t immediately give details about the extent of the crash, saying they were in the middle of responding. Italy’s prime ministe

Mother tried for killing four of her children

The parents of eight babies found dead in a house in southern Germany went on trial in Coburg on Tuesday with the mother charged with murdering four of them and the father of aiding and abetting her crimes. The infant bodies were discovered in November wrapped up in towels and plastic bags at the family home in Wallenfels in the state of Bavaria. The prosecution accused the mother of the premeditated murder of four of the children. Report says it is not clear if the other four children had survived the birth and were viable. According to the prosecution, the parents did not want to live with the burden of additional children. The couple, who separated before the bodies were found, has three living children together.

Government advised to promote girl-child education policies

Mrs. Olayinka Ojomo, the Executive Director, Girl-child Right Awareness Initiative in Africa, has advised governments at all levels to evolve education policies that will enhance qualitative education for the girl-child. Ojomo on Tuesday in Osogbo said that the measure became necessary in order to build an egalitarian society. She said that the only way the society could be sanitised and become sophisticated was to educate the custodians of families from the beginning and prepare them for better future. Ojomo explained that young girls of today would eventually become wives and mothers that would be in charge of families, hence the need to make them more enlightened and educated. “Family is the smallest political unit in any society and it plays a critical role in nation-building,” she said. According to her, the trend of total dehumanisation of the girl-child in the recent time is inimical to the quest for an egalitarian society and socio-economic growth. She implored government

Ginger association wants plants to process produce for export- Official

Dr Florence Edwards, the President of Ginger Growers and Marketers Association, has said that the greatest challenge facing the association is the lack of processing plants to make the product meet international standards. Edwards, who made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday, pointed out that the only processing plant in Kaduna State was not functional. “We need to have processing plants to be able to dry ginger rather than spreading it by the roadside which is not healthy. “When ginger is dried by the roadside, lots of dust and dirty things go into it which makes it not to meet international standards,’’ she said. Edwards said ginger could be cultivated anywhere in the country against the belief that it could only grow in the north. She said the association was carrying out demonstration farming of ginger in all states in the southern part of the country to create awareness that it could grow in all parts of Nigeria. Edwards said that the association had planted ginger in Okada i

Woman robbed of her car and baby in Delta

A woman was on Sunday, left in pains as hoodlums attacked her and made away with the car she was driving with her baby inside, along the robbery-prone Soko Estate Road, Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State. Residents in Soko Estate Road, a link between Jakpa Road and Airport Road in Effurun, live in daily fear of armed gangs, who attack and rob victims at random with impunity at several bad spots on the road. According to Vanguard, an eyewitness, simply identified as Mrs. Juliet, said the robbers in the Sunday incident were swift in dispossessing the unidentified victim of her vehicle and zooming off with her baby in a matter of seconds. The worried residents of Soko Estate Road and adjoining streets, therefore, implored Delta State government to intensify security in the area and urgently address the poor state of the road to ensure security of lives and properties in the area.