Global Naija Info

FILE PHOTO: A pipeline destroyed by Niger Delta militants now known as ‘Avengers’ Suspected Niger Delta militants have struck again. Today, they blew up a crude oil trunkline belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) in Batan community, Warri south west council area of Delta State. A community leader in the community, Dickson Ogugu, confirmed the attack. It happened around 1am on Monday, he said He lamented the effect of such attacks in the region and appealed to the militants to sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue. He recalled that earlier in the month, militants destroyed an oil facility in Batan. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest incident, as the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the group at the heart of recent attacks on oil assets, has not made any comment regarding the attack. The site of the attack has been cordoned off by security personnel

President Buhari The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, which came to power on the plank of anti-corruption and good governance, will fully comply with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act and other extant laws as they relate to the submission of budget proposals of Federal Government agencies and corporations to the National Assembly. A statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, he said the President has lived up to this commitment of accountability and transparency with the recent submission of the proposed budgets of CBN, NNPC, Nigerian Ports Authority and others. “The transmission of budgets for the MDAs to the National Assembly, particularly those regarding the Central Bank and the NNPC behemoth is clearly unprecedented. “The President is determined to make the budgeting process more transparent and participatory. “It is all part of the re-engineering of the entire processes of governance for the benefit o

Senator Oluremi Tinubu Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has written the acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, seeking his protection from attack by Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi west senatorial district. In the letter written to Idris, Senator Tinubu representing Lagos Central in the red chambers, described Senator Melaye as a threat to her life. The duo clashed in the Senate last week where Senator Melaye threatened to beat up and impregnate the Lagos senator. But Melaye also accused Tinubu of calling him a thug during a closed-door session of the Senate. In the letter to the IGP, Senator Tinubu wrote: “I am Senator Oluremi Tinubu representing the Lagos Central Senatorial District of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “During the proceedings of the senate on Tuesday, July 14 2016, I had cause to contribute to a matter of national importance. Apparently dissatisfied with my contributions, Senator Dino

Rochas Okorocha, Imo State Governor The management of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (AIFCE), Owerri, has announced the indefinite closure of the institution following a protest by the students on Monday. The provost of the institution, Dr Blessing Ijeoma, confirmed the closure. She said with the destruction of the institution’s administrative block and no fewer than nine government vehicles, the management had to issue a directive for students to vacate the school. “We have approved an indefinite closure of AICE following today’s students’ protest and we have directed that every student should vacate the school premises,” she said. The students staged a violent protest against the management of the institution over the hike in both tuition and acceptance fees. The students said that the management decided to increase the acceptance fee from N10,000 to N30,000 without consultation. They also alleged that the management raised the school fees from N30,000 to N70,000.

Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, acting Inspector General of Police The Nigeria Police Force has directed its personnel to promote and respect the rights of citizens in the discharge of their professional duties. Mr Emmanuel Inyang, Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Training and Development, gave the order on Monday in Calabar during a sensitisation workshop for police officers in Cross River. Represented by Mr Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, the Cross River Commissioner of police, Inyang said that the training became necessary following complaints in some quarters that the police were violating the human rights of the civil populace. The workshop was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union. According to him, the workshop is organised to offer police personnel with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes to effectively discharge their duties in accordance with the rule of law and in compliance with human rights best practices

Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has announced the cancellation of the interview test for National Common Entrance Examination (NCCE) into Federal Government colleges. A statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education on Monday in Abuja said that the cancellation of the test for NCCE would take effect from the 2017/2018 academic year. The statement signed by Mr Bem Goong, the Deputy Director, Press, said that the minister could not establish the rationale for second test for NCCE organised by the National Examination Council (NECO). “The second test is an unnecessary additional financial burden on parents/guardians. “The era of multiple examinations attracting prohibitive fees cannot be accommodated by the Buhari administration, especially against the backdrop of government’s determination to increase access to education as a platform for breaking the cycle of poverty,’’ the statement quoted Adamu as saying. The statement sai

Senator Bukola Saraki The Court of Appeal on Monday in Abuja adjourned until October 6 to hear an appeal filed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, challenging his criminal trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Justice Abdul Aboki leading four other Justices of the Court, gave the date at the instance of counsel to the parties. Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Mr Rotimi Jacob (SAN) represented Saraki and the Federal Government respectively. At the resume hearing, Agabi had urged the court to adjourn the matter on account of the convenience of the presiding justices. “My Lordships, it is glaring that the court is over worked and this is telling on the postures of your Lordships. “If we say we should press on because of the exigency of this appeal we could all be dead. “We shall at this juncture be urging your Lordships to adjourn hearing on this appeal after you have returned from the annual break,’’ Agabi said. Meanwhile, the presiding judge interjected to assure parties of the

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Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State The Delta Police Command on Monday confirmed the abduction of Mr John Odogun, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state. According to the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Celestina Kalu, the CSO was kidnapped by gunmen on Sunday. The police spokesperson said that efforts were, however, being made to track down the criminals. The victim was said to have been abducted on his way to the Rainbow Christian Assembly Church, around the NNPC Housing Complex in Ekpan community. Family sources also said that the victim was alone in his car, and that the incident occurred at about 7 a.m. The source further said that the family had not been able to establish contact with the kidnappers. The PTI Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Brown Ukanefemoni, also confirmed the incident. He added that the institution’s management was working with the police to ens

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode The Lagos State Government on Monday assured residents of the State that it was working hard in conjunction with security agencies to address the recent cases of kidnapping and armed robberies in some parts of the State. It disclosed that security intelligence had revealed useful leads towards identifying notorious syndicates behind the heinous crimes and their accomplices. In a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, the state government said it is alive to its core responsibilities of protecting the citizens as the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would not shirk from its function of protecting the lives and property of its citizens in every part of the state. The government, while reassuring citizens of their safety in the State, said it was collaborating with security agencies to put in place upgraded security measures that would guarantee safety of lives and property. “We would like to inform Lagosians that

FILE PHOTO: Fijaborn Fijabi poses with his N1m money prize Fans favourite and two-time winner of the N1million cash prize for the best boxer at GOtv Boxing Night, Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, has vowed to mess up the face of his next opponent, Joseph “Blacky Joe” Adeniji, when they clash at GOtv Boxing Night 8. The two are billed to take on each other in a national light welterweight challenge bout at the event holding on 30 July at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos. “What is Blacky Joe? I will redesign his face when we meet. He needs to be warned that when I step into the ring, I am a completely different person. I will mess his face up so much that he will forever be afraid of looking in the mirror,” boasted the national light welterweight champion. Sponsored by GOtv, which will be broadcast live by SuperSport in 47 African countries, is supported by MultiChoice, Paragonis Multimedia LImited, KSquare Security, Complete Sports, Brila FM, Bond FM and Newsbreak.ng

Buzzing on EW.com Empire: Taye Diggs to join season 3 The third season of Empire just got even hotter: EW can reveal that Taye Diggs (Murder in the First) is joining the Fox hit. The actor, who also... Published on July 18, 2016 at 03:34PM Shared at 757 shares/hour Read more: http://ift.tt/29OQVVH

efcc logo Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday, granted bail to Olugbenga Obadina, Managing Director, Almond Projects Limited who allegedly collected money to the tune of N2.4 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, under Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) purportedly for a phony contract. He was arraigned on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside his company, Almond Projects Limited, on an eight-count charge for allegedly collecting N2,417,000,000 paid into his company’s account in tranches, between 2013 and 2015 from the account of the ONSA under Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) without contract award. The offence is contrary to Section 15(2), (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act. Ruling on his bail application, Justice Dimgba admitted the defendant (Obadina) to bail in the sum of N500 million which will be for

Current AU Commission President Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was due to stand down but leaders were unable to agree on a successor to lead the executive branch of the continental body during its 27th summit meeting, being held in the Rwandan capital. According to an official, the African heads of state meeting in Kigali failed on Monday to elect a new head of the African Union and will try again in January. “Black smoke billows from the 27th AU Summit as no winner emerged. Commission elections postponed till next summit,” Dlamini-Zuma’s spokesman, Jacob Enoh Eben, said on Twitter, referencing the smoke signal that precedes the naming of a new pope. None of the three candidates was able to muster the two-thirds majority required to win in the secret ballot. Ahead of the vote many states had expressed dismay at the “lack of stature” among the little-known candidates from Botswana, Equatorial-Guinea and Uganda and, in the end, 28 of the 54 member states abstained from the final round of vot

FIFA, which has struggled to find commercial partners since it was battered by a corruption scandal last year, named a Russian bank as its first regional World Cup sponsor. The global soccer body on Monday said Alfa Bank would “activate sponsorship initiatives” around the 2018 World Cup, which is being hosted by Russia. FIFA said that, under a new commercial strategy for the World Cup, up to four packages were being offered for regional sponsors in each of the five regions. It listed the regions as Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa, and Asia. It said there was a growing interest in the approach. FIFA was thrown into turmoil last year after criminal investigations were launched into the sport in the U. S., where several dozen former soccer officials have been indicted, and Switzerland. It was also forced to reform its bidding process after a December 2010 vote awarded the 2018 and 2022 tournaments to Russia and Qatar respectively. Gianni Infantino was e

Malam Muhammad Bello, Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) said on Monday that it had started disconnecting FCT hotels` sewer lines over non-payment of waste disposal bills. Mr Shehu Lawan, the Chairman, FCT Ministerial Special Taskforce on Recovering of Debts owed AEPB, disclosed this in Abuja in an interview. Lawan said that the board had submitted a report to the FCT Minister, Malam Mohammad Bello, complaining that some FCT residents were refusing to pay their waste management bills. He added that the money owed by some residents had accumulated to about N9 billion. He said the minister constituted the special task force on May 25 and saddled it with the responsibility of recovering the N9 billion from the board`s debtors in the territory. According to him, FCT residents are not paying their bills, especially hotels in the territory. “All the hotels have not been paying their service bills since 2012 and we are already ta

A cross section of the protesters Scores of women in Lagos State on Monday stormed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s office to protest Senator Dino Melaye’s verbal assault on Senator Oluremi Tinubu and demanded apology from the senator. Melaye had recently told Tinubu, who represents Lagos Central Senatorial District at the Senate that he would beat her up and ‘impregnate’ her. The women, under the aegis of Concern Group came to the Governor’s office to protest what they termed an assault of womanhood and delivered a letter to President Muhammed Buhari through Ambode to express their grievances over the attack on Tinubu. The protesters were armed with placards, some of which read: “Tinubu, we are behind you,” “Saraki, call Dino Melaye to order,” and “Say no to abuse, say no to Dino Melaye.” Spokesperson of the protesters, Mrs Anike Adekanye condemned the action of Melaye, describing it as disgraceful, disgusting, irritating, shameful and embarrassing to the collective psyche of not onl

Ikedi Ohakim,former Imo State governor. The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday granted the former Governor of Imo, Ikedi Ohakim permission to travel abroad for medical treatment. Vacation judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba granted the permission following an application made by Ohakim’s counsel Mr Gordy Uche (SAN). Uche had, in the application, asked the court to release the passport of Ohakim to allow him travel abroad for routine medical check up. The prosecuting counsel, Mr Festus Ukpe did not oppose the application and the court granted it as prayed. Ohakim is to return his passport to the registrar of the court not later than 48 hours upon his return in August. The substantive case against Ohakim is before Justice Adeniyi Ademola but he approached Justice Dimgba’s court because of the court’s vacation. Ademola had on June 30, dismissed a no case submission filed by Ohakim over alleged corruption and money laundering saying he had a case to answer. Ademola in dismissing the ap