Global Naija Info

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State A 65-year old woman, who was in charge of ensuring proper sanitary condition of a mosque in llorin, Kwara was found dead inside a well at the mosque premises on Saturday. The incident occurred at AnsarulDeen Mosque, Osere area, Sawmill in llorin West Local Government Area of the state. Eye witnesses’ account revealed that the dead woman popularly known as “lya Majeobaje” fell into the well on Friday while fetching water to clean the mosque. They said that there was nobody within the vicinity of the mosque to rescue her when she fell inside the well at about 5p.m. None of the worshipers with the mosque took notice of any human being inside the well during the evening and early morning Saturday prayers. Some of the residents of the area who discovered the dead woman immediately alerted the state fire service in llorin. The Director of the State Fire Service, Mr Tiamiyu Raji, while confirming the incident said personnel from the Fire Servic

Ojo Maduekwe Eminent Nigerians from different spheres of life on Saturday bid farewell to late Chief Ojo Maduekwe, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs. The dignitaries at the commendation service at All Saints Presbyterian Church, Asaga-Ohafia, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the Minister of Transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha. Others were former National Chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Prof Jerry Gana, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu and PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Sen. Walid Jubrin. Also at the event were Senators, members of House of Representatives and a former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, The others were a former Minister of State for Defence, retired Col. Austin Akobundu and immediate past Chairman of PDP in Abia, Sen. Emma Nwaka. Ikpeazu in his speech, said that Maduekwe meant different things to many people, saying that “to the people of Ohafia, h

Dream Team Nigeria’s U-23 football team, the Dream Team this evening defeated Honduras 3-2 to win the bronze medal in the men’s football event of the Rio Olympic games. Details later.

L-R:Wife of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA boss, Mrs Christiana Olawale; Itire-Ikate LCDA boss, Mrs Samiat Raji, Miss Nigeria, Christiana Kalo, Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA boss, Felix Goke Olawale, Eti-Osa LG Boss, Princess Abiodun Elegushi and Council Manager, Mr Bashiru Kako at the event. Paul Iyoghojie The new Miss Nigeria, Christiana Kalo has paid a courtesy visit to the Sole Administrator of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Ikoyi, Lagos, Mr Felix Goke Olawale, to formally introduce herself. The visit was also to inform the local government boss of her Child Empowerment project she intends to execute for the vunerable, motherless and indigent children in the LCDA and all the local government areas in Lagos State during her one year reign. She was warmly received by the Sole Administrator and other senior officials. Other dignitaries in attendance includes the Sole Administrators of Eti-Osa LCDA, Princess Abiodun Elegushi, Itire-Ikate LCDA boss, Mrs Samiat Raji, Ikoyi-Obalende Council Manager, Mr Bashiru K

Steve Ayorinde, Commissioner for Information in Lagos State The Lagos State Government has announced its readiness to publicise “Brand Lagos” as the State continues to record successes in infrastructural development, investment drive and promotion of Arts and Culture. Consequently, the State will expand on its promotion of the State’s tourism brand next weekend with a three-day programme tagged “Love Lagos Weekend” holding between Saturday, August 27 and Monday, August 29, 2016 in London. The State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, made this known on Friday while receiving the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the London–based BEN TV, Dr. Alistair Soyode, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office. The Commissioner stated that the time was now right to begin to promote the Lagos Brand on the world stage in order to showcase the socio-economic and cultural strengths of the State. According to him, the state government had in the past one year u

FILE PHOTO: Mass wedding in Kano No fewer than 4,395 prospective couples wishing to participate in the Kano State Government’s mass wedding have so far registered for the programme. The state government had directed the Hisba Board to register all interested prospective couples in the state. Dr Abba Sufi, the Director-General of the board, made the disclosure in an interview in Kano on Saturday. Sufi said of the number, 3,117 couples were registered by Hisba offices in 41 local government areas of the state, while the remaining 1, 278 couples were registered at the state headquarters of the board in Kano. “As I am talking to you now, 4,395 prospective couples indicated interest to participate in the programme. He said as soon as the remaining three local government areas submitted their list, the board would write a comprehensive report to the government for necessary action. Sufi, who was giving update on the registration exercise, reaffirmed the commitment of the government t

Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II (left), Prof. Soyinka (middle) and a member of the British Parliament at the event. Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has disclosed that the services of international mediators will be sought to mediate between the Nigerian government and militants to resolve lingering crisis in the Niger Delta region. The Niger Delta Avengers and other militants in recent time have been bombing oil installations in the Niger Delta, thus, crippling the economy of the nation. Soyinka, who spoke at Westminster, London during the launch of two major African literature told the audience that all hope was not lost in Africa notwithstanding challenges of nation-building and difficult economic situations, some of which led to violence in the continent. He said the current violence in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and the blowing up of oil installation by some militants was an example of such economic frustration and a feeling of inequality among people who suffered m

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has suspended the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, Mr Samuel Okoronkwo. Umahi, who announced the suspension when he declared open the ITF programme in Abakaliki on Saturday, also disbanded the state’s Committee on Employment He said that the suspension was with immediate effect, adding that his administration would not tolerate any action that would take the state back to the dark ages. The governor, however, did not give reason for the commissioner’s suspension. “The Commissioner for Local Government is hereby suspended from office effective from now, the highest officer, a civil servant, should take over and be attending Exco until further notice. “This administration from day one has been built on the principle of justice, equity and fairness. “In some of our programmes, we do equality of local governments, but in this kind of empowerment, we do equality of w

FILE PHOTO: Pirates on the sea Chief Williams Mkpah, the Transitional Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area has said that sea pirates kidnapped eight fishermen fishing in Akwa Ibom. Mkpah confirmed the kidnap in an interview in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom on Saturday. According to him, Ibeno is prone to sea piracy activities. He said that “two nights ago six fishermen were kidnapped on Thursday night, Aug. 18 and two on Friday morning, Aug. 19 in the creeks of Ibeno and its environs. . “As I am speaking sea pirates are increasing in the Ibeno community and they want to ensure that that they stop fishermen from going to sea for fishing,’’ he said. Mkpah said that the sea pirates were demanding for millions of naira as ransom from the fishermen before releasing them. He explained that the fishermen were made to pay levies by the sea pirates before they go for fishing in the area. He alleged that “they have informant in our communities, who will inform them of the take off of a particula

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has charged the 197 Muslim pilgrims from the state to be good ambassadors of the state and the nation, urging them to respect the laws of the Holy land and shun prohibited items. Speaking at a meeting at the Government House, to send forth the pilgrims to the Holy land of Mecca and Medina, on Saturday, Governor Oshiomhole said, “when you get there, we expect you to be of excellent conduct. We expect you to use the opportunity to pray for yourselves, your family, for Edo State, for Nigeria. He also charged them to pray for President Buhari. Represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Julius Ihonvbere, Oshiomhole said: “You are also representing your communities. If you do anything bad there, people will mention your village to identify you. Then they will mention your local government. So, yourselves, your families, your communities and even your local governments will be in bad light, so

Arsenal XI: Cech, Bellerin, Holding, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Coquelin, Walcott, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez (ESPN)

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has urged officers and men of the Nigerian Army to ensure they update themselves in terms of knowledge apart from military basic training. Buratai spoke with newsmen at Kachia after he fired some shots in a mock war as one of the concluding exercises for graduating cadets. “They must be up to date, not necessarily getting the basic military training only, they must be up to date in terms of current affairs and in terms of global trend. “They must be current in Information Communication Technology and I am sure they will go places,’’ Buratai said. He said the exercise otherwise known as “Battle Inoculation’’, was good for the cadets as it would make them have war experience, especially what troops were facing in the North-East. On his participation in the mock war, Buratai described it as great and recalled that he engaged in such exercise more than 33 years ago, while graduatin

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau With the video released last Sunday purportedly by Boko Haram, showing some of the schoolgirls kidnapped from Chibok, who are still alive, Nigeria must keep the resolve to bring the girls home resolute. Since relatives have identified some of the abducted girls in the video, the government must, however, be cautious with the next step of action it has to take to rescue the girls alive. Having advertised its gross incapacitation, having demonstrated in word and deed its cluelessness over the whereabouts of the girls, the government must appreciate the gravity of the situation. The lives of Nigeria’s daughters are involved, and any faux pas will only make the traumatizing debacle worse, and hand the insurgents the propaganda victory they crave. The point must be made, with emphasis that the President must use all powers vested in him by the constitution to bring those girls home. The times call for strong and decisive leadership not empty grandstandi

Ademola Araoye Ademola Araoye In the end, through the eons the timelessness, limitlessness and endlessness of God reflect the distillation of an ageless universal humanity and the seamless organic unity of the many and unfathomable strands of all nature. It is in that immutable unity that every strand of the manifestations of God finds its validation as a constituent of or elemental to the totality of that one human spirit. In that unencumbered unity is included even the myriad concrete seemingly contradictory manifestations of the unbounded universal God. The concept of God is thus also an expression in the boundlessness or even the unbounded grace across the infinitely expansive universe. Any often convenient and contrived abridgement of the infinity and organic unity of humanity for reasons always far removed from the true essence of God has historically portended grave consequences. The curtailment entails the hollowing out by Mankind of the original infinity and incalculable hu

Buhari Dr Titus Okunronmu, a former Director, Budgetary Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has advised the Federal Government to monitor the use of funds released for capital projects to bridge the infrastructural gap in the country. Okunronmu told on Saturday in Ota, Ogun, said that effective monitoring of such funds would accelerate economic growth in the country. He noted that investment in capital projects was one of the catalysts that could boost national development and attract foreign investors into the country. The ex-CBN director lamented that proper monitoring by the past administration and corruption had hindered the infrastructure development and sustainable growth. “No nation can achieve a meaningful development without taking investment in capital projects as a priority in its agenda. “Massive investment in capital projects will lead to establishment of industries that would provide job opportunity for the unemployed youths and eradicate poverty in the cou

•FLASH BACK…Former Super Eagles striker, Rashidi Yekini, celebrating Nigeria’s first World Cup goal at USA ‘94 Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has hired a maid and a nurse to take care of the late Rasheed Yekini’s mother, Alhaja Sikirat Yekini. Saraki, represented by the Director of Football, Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC, Alloy Chukwuemeka, disclosed this on Friday in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of the state. He also donated a tricycle to the younger brother of late Rasheed Yekini, Hakeem. He said the visit was to meet with the family and see how they could be assisted to better their lots . Saraki said that he had financed the sinking of a borehole and renovated the residence of Alhaja Sikirat Yekini, upgraded her shop to a mini mart. The Senate President also announced an annual football competition for U-13 boys “so another Rasheed Yekini can be discovered among the youth from Ijagbo, Ira and Offa.” Saraki said that the competition will be sponsored yearly by him an

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun The Osun Government has declared Monday, Aug. 22 a public holiday to mark the annual Isese Day (Traditional Worshipers’ Day). This information is contained in a statement signed by Semiu Okanlawon, the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Governor’s Office, Osogbo, on Friday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Isese Day is the celebration of the peak of festivities among adherents of traditional religion, which is also known as,”Odun Nla”. The statement read, “The Osun Government wishes to announce that Monday, Aug. 22 is hereby declared a public holiday. “The holiday is in recognition of the annual Isese Day, which allows the adherents of traditional religion to come together for the annual celebration”.

Blessing Okagbare led women’s relay team. Team Nigeria relay team, led by Blessing Okagbare, on Saturday finished last in the women’s 4x100m relay at the ongoing Rio Olympics. The Nigerian quartet made up of Okagbare, Gloria Asumu, Jennifer Madu and Agnes Osazuwa, finished last in 43.21seconds. The event saw the U.S. team led by Allyson Felix, claim Gold in time of 41.01 seconds. Jamaica and Great Britain ladies won silver and bronze after crossing the finish line in 41.36 seconds and 41.77 seconds respectively. Germany, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine and Canada, all finished ahead of the Nigerian ladies. The U.S. gold came after it appeared dead when they failed the second baton pass in Thursday qualifier. The team however, got a reprieve after judges upheld their protest that a Brazilian runner bumped Allyson Felix as she was preparing to make a hand-off to English Gardner. The U.S. then took full advantage of their second chance, easily beating their target of 42.7 seconds i

Usain St Leo Bolt ended his Olympic career with another gold in the 4×100 metre relay race, anchoring his Jamaican team-mates to victory in 37.27 seconds, five metres ahead of Japan, that claimed silver. The victory gave Bolt a total haul of nine gold in three Olympic Games, a record he now shares with Finnish distance runner Paavo Nurmi and American sprinter and long jumper Carl Lewis. Bolt had earlier defended his 100 and 200 metres championships that he won in Beijing and London Olympics. Just after the race in which he led the Jamaican team comprising, Asafa Powell, Bolt’s training partner Yohan Blake and Nickel Ashmeade, Bolt, who will be 30 years on Sunday, penned an appreciation to his fans worldwide. The Jamaican who has 4.3 million followers on Twitter thanked the fans for believing in him: “My fans you guys never doubted me a min and for that I belong to you guys forever #blessed”, he said on his Twitter account @usainbolt. The relay race gave Bolt the Triple-Triple reco

A man by the name Stephen Shut Jang in Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, Jos, Plateau State, has been arrested for butchering his girlfriend, Justina Dusu Chado, and her elder sister, Simi Dusu Chado, when the duo went to confront him about the pregnancy of Justina, back in July. Jang had allegedly been ignoring Justina’s calls ever since he got her pregnant, forcing her elder sister, Simi, to intervene by dragging her to his house to address the issue. According to reports, when the sisters got to his house, he told Simi to excuse them so that he could have a heart-to-heart talk with Justina. Once Simi stepped out, he locked the door and reportedly started using a machete on Justina, while kicking her stomach. Justina started shouting for help and Simi came knocking, begging him to open the door, but his refusal to open the door forced Simi to break the door to enter the room. once Simi was in the room, Stephen turned on her and started butchering her with the same machete while Justina lai

The victorious German women’s team In the women’s soccer gold medal match, Germany defeated Sweden 2-1 on Friday. Both teams had missed scoring opportunities in the first half. Sweden had the first chance as Olivia Schough got on the end of the ball in the box, sending her shot over the goal. Then in the 21st minute, Germany’s Melanie Leupolz won a header in the box, but she could not put her attempt on frame. The best chance of the first half fell to Germany midway through the opening 45 minutes. Leonie Maier took a shot that was deflected away by Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl and the ball fell to Anja Mittag right in front of the goal. Mittag somehow was unable to get her shot on net. The teams went into halftime scoreless. The goals started coming early in the second half as Germany took the lead in the 48th minute. Dzsenifer Marozsan got on the ball at the top of the box and sent a curling effort just out of the reach of Lindahl to make it 1-0. Germany doubled its lead

Oby Ezekwezili, one of the leaders, addresses #BringBackOurGirls protesters in Abuja A group, Buhari Media Support Group, (BMSG), has appealed to the “BringBackOurGirls” to shelve its proposed demonstration to the Presidential Villa. The group in a statement signed by one of its members, Muhammad Labo on Friday, said this was necessary to avoid complications and anything capable of undermining efforts of the government to rescue the girls unharmed.‬ Labo noted that playing politics with the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls was unhelpful and embarrassing to the government and counterproductive to the silent efforts of the military to rescue them.‬ ‪He said the government would take serious exception to the mobilisation of the parents of the kidnapped girls to score political advantage or exploiting the tragedy to play to the gallery.‬ Labo said dragging the parents of the victims to Abuja for endless demonstrations would only compound a bad situation, and give them the impression that

Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has cautioned service providers, especially the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to tread cautiously in recovery of ‘huge debts’ from domestic airlines. This is contained in a statement by the association’s Chairman, Capt. Nogie Meggison in Lagos on Friday. Meggison noted that the current economic downturn being experienced in the country would cripple any airline that was expected to pay the already cancelled debts. According to him, the few surviving AON members are ready to pay their currently existing bills. He said the association was appalled by the move of the government agencies, and appealed to them not to run airlines out of business. “We strongly decry the ongoing action by the various government agencies, whereby they threaten to deny airlines services for their operations or completely ground them as this is likely to force airlines out of business. “Due to the economic har

Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, has been elected as the President of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB). Emefiele, who was elected at the 39th Ordinary meeting of the Assembly of Governors of the AACB, will be president of the association for the year 2016 to 2017. This is contained in a communiqué issued in Abuja on Friday., adding that he would succeed Lucas Nchama, Governor of the Banque des �tats de l’Afrique Centrale (BEAC). To work with Emefiele are the governor of the Bank of Ghana as chairman of the West African sub-region; governor of the Central Bank of Mauritania, chairman of the North African sub-region; and the governor of the Bank of Central African States, chairman of the central African sub-region. Also elected were the governor of Banque de la Republique du Burundi as chairman of the East African sub-region and governor of the Central Bank of the Kingdom of Swaziland as chairman of

Nigeria’s currency, the naira The Naira on Friday suffered further loss against the dollar at the parallel market as it lost one point to the U.S. currency. The naira exchanged at N395 to the dollar from N394 it posted on Thursday, while it traded at N505 and N442 to the Pound Sterling and the Euro, respectively. At the Bureau De Change (BDC) segment of the market, the currency closed at N395 at the trading, while to the Pound and Euro, it exchanged at N503 and N434, respectively. However, it strengthened at the official interbank market as it exchanged at N316.55, from N347.13 posted on Thursday. Traders at the market expressed hope that the naira would rebound in the coming weeks as banks were ready to sell foreign exchange to BDCs in the coming weeks.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on has withdrawn its notice directing members to begin a nationwide strike on Aug.22. The ASUP Coordinator Zone B, Abdullahi Yalwa, made the disclosure when he briefed newsmen in Lokoja on Friday. Yalwa said the strike was put on hold following the resolve of the Federal Government to engage the union in dialogue. ASUP National President, Mr Usman Dutse, would lead its delegation. He said the Federal Government had opted for dialogue with the leadership of the union to amicably address the demands that led to the issuance of the strike notice. The ASUP zonal coordinator, however, said the next line of action of the union would depend on the outcome of the deliberations between government and the ASUP team. According to him, it is unfortunate that government decided to wait this long to dialogue with the union. He said that the union presented its demands to the government since July, 2015 but being a peace loving union, ASUP had dec

Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has restated the Federal Government’s commitment toward sustainable reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery of the North-East region. Osinbajo spoke at the World Humanitarian Day with the theme ” One Humanity” organised by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at International Conference Centre, Abuja on Friday. He was represented by Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, Special Adviser to the Vice President on Monitoring and Evaluation of IDPs programmes. The vice president said the Federal Government had put in place several measures to reduce the adverse effects of the crisis by producing a guild for the restoration of the region. “Federal Government has further put in place several measures aimed at reducing the adverse effects of the crisis in the North-East through safe schools initiative, the Presidential Initiative for North- East and Victims Support Fund. “All these are aimed at supporting vict

Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State Some top politicians from Bauchi state on Friday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat in Abuja, alleged wrongdoings, including misuse of funds, against the state governor, Mohammed Abubakar. The politicians, led by Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, accused the governor of misusing the N8.6 billion bailout funds given to the state by the Federal Government. The politicians arrived at the APC secretariat at about 4.50 p.m. for a closed-door meeting with the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and some National Working Committee members. Before the group left the secretariat at 5.15 p.m., one of them, Sen. Ali Wakil (Bauchi-Central) told newsmen that issues discussed at the meeting revolved around non-payment of workers’ salaries and non-utilization of bailout funds. ”You know that Bauchi is an agrarian and civil service state and we must do