Global Naija Info

Aliko Dangote, President Dangote Group The Chairman of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote on Sunday promised to mobilise additional support towards assisting victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. Dangote made the pledge shortly after visiting the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Dalori and Bakassi in Maiduguri. He described the situation on ground as “pathetic” promising to make contact with partners towards alleviating the problems of the IDPs. Dangote was accompanied on the trip by Mr Paul David-Hewson, a former British pop star, and other philanthropists. He also promised to offer more financial and moral support to the state government in its quest to handle the challenges caused by the problem. Dangote also interacted with some former Boko Haram women who had been de-radicalised and promised to lend a helping hand towards completing their rehabilitation. Also speaking, Gov. Kashim Shettima thanked Dangote for the gesture disclosing that

High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi Chief Raymond Dokpesi, a national chairmanship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the party zoned the position to the South, not South-West. Similarly, he said that the presidency slot of the party had been given to the North.Dokpesi stated this on Sunday while speaking with newsmen in Nasarawa, Nasarawa state. “I think the media are helping in confusing the matter regarding the national chairmanship position of our party, PDP, as there was no time that the leadership of the party at the national level zoned the chairmanship position to anybody. “Chairman of caretaker committee made it clear that as the presidency is zoned to the three geo-political zones in the North for 2019, so national chairmanship is zoned to the three geo-political zones in the South. “That is the position that will be sustained and maintained up till the convention in Port Harcourt. “I am contesting for this chairmanship position so as to unite all memb

FILE PHOTO: A herdsman in Nigeria The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has condemned the brazen murder and killing of innocent citizens in some South East communities in attacks by alleged herdsmen. The Chairman of CLO in the South East, Mr Aloysius Attah, said in a statement that the killings were “pure acts of barbarism and terrorism against the people. “This latest incident at Attakwu community in Enugu State after the shock of the Nimbo, Uzo Uwani killings is callous, provocative, wicked and premeditated. “It smacks of a clear intent to decimate a particular ethnic group even in their own fatherland. “It is quite painful and disheartening that a seminarian who will have played critical roles in drawing souls to God on his ordination should be mowed down in such grueling circumstances. “No one knows their next target because as it stands now, various communities in Enugu State and other parts of the South East have become endangered species,” the statement said. The state

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the Tokyo Conference on African Development (TICAD) had the potential to fast-track the development of African continent. Ban’s message to the sixth edition of the ongoing TICAD in Nairobi, is contained in a statement issued by the Japanese Embassy in Abuja on Sunday. According to Ban, the African continent deserves development like any other part of the world. “The UN will continue to support TICAD partnership and all initiatives designed to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Africa. “What is good for Africa is good for the world,” the UN chief said. He said that a key programme of the Fifth TICAD which held in Yokohama in 2013 focuses on the African Business Education Initiative for Youth and the One Stop Border Post Project. The UN Scribe said TICAD V summit contributed significantly to the incorporation of African perspectives in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ad

The Society of St. Vincent De Paul Old Peoples and Destitute Home in Abakaliki has lamented the death of its inmates due to lack of medical care. Its caregiver, Mr John Lekpa, on Sunday in Abakaliki said that four inmates died between December last year and June this year due to lack of access to healthcare. Lekpa said that the death of the foursome, Emmanuel Igwe, Egwu Mba, Regina Mba and Dennis Ikenyi, resulted from inadequate medical attention. “The home is accommodating 16 inmates and our greatest worry is that we are not adequately equipped to give them medical care. “We are aware that the country is experiencing harsh economic conditions but our greatest challenge is how to tackle the poor medical condition of some of the inmates,” he said. The caregiver expressed the worry that the state government had withdrawn its free medical care for the inmates while assistance from the public had also not been forthcoming. “We are appealing to the government and the public to assist

Some Lagos-based lawyers have condemned parading of arrested suspects by the police, saying it is unconstitutional and damaging to the person involved. They said that often those paraded were innocent and in the event of their being pronounced innocent by the courts of competent jurisdiction, the police never re-parade them. Mr. Olawale Apanisile said that parading suspects undergoing investigation was illegal and could not be justified. Apanisile said that parading suspects before the public and media as criminals was damaging to the reputation and personality of the individual. He said that it was a violation of Section 34 (1) and 36 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. According to Apanisile, Section 34 states that every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person and (1) (a) no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment. “In a bid to show to the public that the police are working and are up to the

General Igbudu and some of his gang members killed by the police Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt Residents of Ahoada community and environs went into spontaneous jubilation when they learnt that the police had killed ‘General Igbudu’, a notorious kidnapper who had kidnapped and killed many people within the community. The traumatized residents celebrated ‘General Igbudu’s death because they believed it would end the violence in their area. The Rivers State Police Command confirmed that its anti-robbery squad gunned down the suspected cult leader and some members of his gang members who have been terrorising Ahoada East, Ahoada West and Ogbe/Egbema Ndoni local government areas. The Police in statement issued by its spokesman, DSP Omoni Nnamdi, explained that last night at about 8.40 p.m., there was a distress call about an armed robbery attack at Ihuike axis of the East/West Road in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State. “In a swift response, the Ahoada Division led by t

Some of the Chibok girls Barrister Aisha Wakil, 48, who was recently declared wanted alongside Ahmad Salkida, Ahmed Bolori for allegedly aiding Boko Haram, has revealed how Michelle Obama’s involvement in the BringBackOurGirls campaign frustrated the rescue of the abducted girls. According to Premium Times, when Wakil was asked about the prospect of rescuing the rest of the Chibok girls, she said: “Assuming I had clue that they were going to kidnap the girls, I would have been in Chibok sleeping. Then I would have been in that hall and everybody would be kidnapped. I didn’t know about it. When I heard about it, I told the government to calm down. They should keep quiet. I was able to pass the message across. I said ‘please start releasing them’. It did not take time before some of the girls were released. So by the time I knew it, the whole thing was in the media. Boko Haram now called me and said mama we are no more releasing. The Chibok girls have become diamond and gold. I ask

Rescuers bringing out a man from the rubble in Italy after the earthquake Rescuers believe they have located more bodies in the ruined town of Amatrice, five days after a devastating earthquake struck central Italy, killing at least 290 people. Residents of the hill town said up to 10 people were still missing and emergency services said they might have located three corpses in Amatrice’s Hotel Roma, which, like much of the historic center, was wrecked by Wednesday’s quake. “I am certain there is one more person (in the hotel), because it is my uncle,” said Deputy Mayor Gianluca Carloni. “It is absolutely vital to finish as soon as possible this initial (search) phase to make sure that there are no more bodies under the rubble,” he said. The Civil Protection Department lowered the official death toll on Sunday to 290 from a previously given 291. A number of foreigners were among the dead, including 11 Romanians, the foreign ministry in Bucharest said. Many Romanians work in Ita

FILE PHOTO: President Xi Jinping of China shake hands with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria A Non-Governmental Oganisation (NGO), Initiative of African Friends of China, says it has concluded plans to start the teaching of Chinese language in some centres in Nigeria. President of the organisation, Mr Fred Ogwazu, announced this while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DBS Media Ltd, a Nigerian creative media content agency on Sunday in Lagos. He said that the plan, which would be extended to other African countries, was aimed at boosting the relationship between Africa and China. “To further boost this advocacy, we have already concluded plans to commence the teaching of Chinese language in some centres across Africa, starting from Nigeria. “The Nigeria centre for the teaching of Chinese language will be located in Abuja with business men and other interested persons as our target, while others will be cited in African countries such as Ethiopia and South Afric

Harry Purwanto, Indonesia ambassador to Nigeria The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Harry Purwanto, said the volume of trade between Nigeria and his country reduced to 1.75 billion dollars in 2015 from four billion dollars in 2014. Purwanto made this known in an interview in Abuja on Sunday. He said that the signing of economic and technical agreement in 2001 had been of benefit to both countries, but added that interactions between the countries were slowing down. “From 2001 till now is some period of time and I think up till 2014, there are many things we have done in following up our technical and economic agreement. “However, after 2014, because of difficulties in the global economy, both countries have focused on their domestic affairs and it looks like the interaction between our countries is slightly slowing down. “And what we have seen are more explorations rather than manifestations of real and concrete cooperation between two countries. “It is rather disc

Angela Merkel, German Chancellor German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s domestic popularity has declined, a poll showed on Sunday, with 50 per cent of Germans against her serving a fourth term in office after a federal election next year. A series of violent attacks on civilians in July, two of which were claimed by Islamic State, have focused attention on Merkel’s open-door migrant policy, which allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere into Germany last year. Half of the 501 people questioned in the Emnid poll for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper were against Merkel staying in office beyond after the 2017 election, with 42 percent wanting her to remain. In November, the last time Bild am Sonntag commissioned a survey on the issue, 45 per cent had been in favour of Merkel serving a fourth term, with 48 per cent against. The head of Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Frank-Juergen Weise, told the newspaper that he expect

A cross section of pickpockets arrested Kazeem Ugbodaga The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested a self-acclaimed Chairman of pickpockets in Oshodi, Ibrahim Kasali, and 20 other suspects alleged to be involved in stealing and robbing innocent members of public in the area. The raiding, which took place at about 4:30 a.m. and ended at 6:35 am on Friday witnessed the operatives combing Mosafejo, Bolade, Oshodi Oke, and Oshodi Under Bridge, arresting the hoodlums and social miscreants waiting for early rush to rob passers-by and passengers. The suspect who is popularly known as ‘Ibrahim Babangida’ of Oshodi, was nabbed during the operation while being chased by passengers of a bus which he boarded to pickpocket. It was gathered that Kasali is feared by his colleagues for his ruthlessness and popularity. “some of his colleagues earlier arrested gave him out as their leader, and that he is the one who goes around to collect items stolen or snatched from passers-by to

Niger Delta Militants Tony Ogunlowo Ever since oil was discovered in the Niger Delta more than sixty years ago, the lives of the people there have been blighted by widespread ecological and environmental pollution. It has reduced people’s life expectancy, led to the abandonment of their primary occupations as farmers and fishermen as oil pollution has destroyed both land and fishing grounds. There is widespread unemployment and general unrest. This has led to general dissatisfaction amongst the people and is partially to blame for the renewed calls for the re-establishment of the defunct Biafra republic. Disillusioned and unemployed youths have taken to arms destroying pipelines and installations and kidnapping oil workers in a bid to get something back. These groups go by many names and the notable of all, presently, is the Niger Delta Avengers – who are currently negotiating with the government. Apart from frequently wreaking havoc on oil installations they also frequently battle

Tunji Bello, SSG Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government on Sunday read the riot act to all owners of illegal structures, shanties, street hawkers and those who have converted walkways into trading points and food courts in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and the Lagoon Front of Lekki, just as it issued a 14-day ultimatum for them to remove the illegal structures. In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello, the state government warned that if such illegal structures were not removed after the 14 days grace, the State’s Special Taskforce on the Clean Up of the areas would move in to enforce the laws. “The owners of all illegal structures, shanties, abandoned buildings and all those who have converted road median to commercial uses in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki have between today (Monday) and two weeks’ time to comply or have the State Special Task Force on the Clean Up of the areas to contend with,” the SSG warned. The statement added that

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), flanked by Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson (right) and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ajibada Caster Bade-Adebowale (left) during the Governor’s inspection of the ongoing construction of multifaceted expansion projects at Berger Bus Stop, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, at the weekend. Kazeem Ugbodaga Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode at the weekend issued December ultimatum to the contractor handling the multi-faceted expansion projects at Berger bus stop area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. The governor carried out extensive inspection of on-going projects across the State, among which is the multi-faceted expansion projects at the ever busy Berger Bus Stop. Ambode, who ordered contractors to work day and night on the projects to ensure completion by December 2016, said the directive became imperative in view of the strategic importance of the axis being th

Babatunde Adejare, Commissioner for the Environment Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government has allayed the fears of residents over the torrential rainfall witnessed in the State on Sunday, saying that necessary steps had been taken to avert any incidence of flood disaster in the State. The State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, in a statement on Sunday said that the state government had in recent times carried out intensive tour of some flood prone communities in the State to clear up blocked drainages and canals. The commissioner wondered why any right thinking person would be dumping refuse on water courses and drainages created for free flow of storm water, saying the numerous campaigns against such practice was for the interest of the residents. “Canal is a storm water channel for the conveyance of storm runoffs, they are God’s natural protection for holding water during massive flood and it is not a place for anybody to build a house or dump refus

L-R: Prof. Folabo Soyinka-Ajaji; Dr. Habib Jafaar; Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and his wife, Folake Soyinka at the press conference in Lagos to unveil the exchange programme between the Wole Soyinka Foundation and Cedars Institute, Notre Dame University, Lebanon on Thursday in Lagos. Kazeem Ugbodaga The Wole Soyinka Foundation is partnering with the Cedars Institute, Notre Dame University, Lebanon on an exchange programme that will see Nigerian students travel to Lebanon on an intensive course designed to broaden their world perspectives. The exchange programme will see five Nigerian students, selected by their faculties from universities across the nation, depart for Beirut, Lebanon. There they will unite with their peers from other countries in an intensive, interactive course on a syllabus designed to broaden their world perspectives. They will be introduced to a modern Middle-Eastern nation with a complex history, filled with scenic surprises, a rich and fascinating cul

Turkey has massed tanks along its border with Syria. Source: AP At least 25 people have been killed in the latest round of Turkish air strikes in Syria, near the city of Jarablus. Turkish authorities said the dead, killed in shelling and air strikes on Sunday, were all Kurdish militants. Separately, a monitoring group said at least 35 civilians and four militants were killed by Turkish strikes in villages near Jarablus on Sunday. It is not yet clear whether the two reports were referring to the same incident. The strikes came on the fifth day of a Turkish military operation to target so-called Islamic State (IS) militants and Kurdish militia inside Syria, dubbed Operation Euphrates Sword. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people died in strikes on Jeb el-Kussa and another 15 were killed in a separate bombardment near al-Amarneh. Four local fighters were also killed, the Observatory reported. Turkey’s military said in a statement that it had killed 25 me

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA) has reassured the displaced Bakassi people currently in temporary camps within the state of a permanent resettlement for them. The Director-General of the agency, Mr John Inaku, gave the assurance in an interview in Calabar on Sunday. Thousands of Bakassi returnees have been in temporary camps in the state since 2010, following Nigeria’s ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon the previous year. The Federal Government and Cross River Government had promised to provide permanent resettlement centre for the returnees and rehabilitate them adequately. Inaku, however, said that the returnees’ wish for a permanent resettlement in Dayspring Islands, where they could continue with their fishing, was not realizable now due to the current poor economic realities. According to him, the Cross River Government has been giving succour to the returnees and plans to provide houses and alternative

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State Uhi community in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo, has urged the state government to provide electricity to it, saying the community had been in darkness for two years. Residents of the community disclosed in Uhi on Sunday that aside electricity, they also lacked portable water, healthcare facilities and other amenities. They said that their children travelled five kilometres daily to Ehor, a neighbouring community, to attend primary school, while the only secondary school in the area had just two blocks of three-classrooms each. One of the residents, Mr Gabriel Imasuen, said that the level of government’s neglect of the community was high. According to him, in these days, it is hard to believe that there still exist a community without functional primary and secondary schools in Edo but our community is an example of that. “It is no joke, and it is very painful that I have been spending about N300 daily as transport fare for each of

President Muhammadu Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the preparedness of the Federal Government to discuss the release of Chibok girls with the Boko Haram insurgents, who abducted them in 2014. A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Malam Garba Shehu, the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said that Buhari made the reaffirmation in an interview with journalists in Nairobi, Kenya. The president spoke to the newsmen at the sidelines of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI). He said that the Nigerian government had since expressed its readiness to dialogue with bonafide leaders of the terror group, who knew the whereabouts of the girls. ‘‘I have made a couple of comments on the Chibok girls and it seems to me that much of it has been politicised. “What we said is that the government which I preside over is prepared to talk to bonafide leaders of Boko Haram. “If they do not want to talk to us directly,

President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to deal with Niger Delta militants responsible for the destruction of the country’s petroleum infrastructure the same way he dealt with Boko Haram in the Northeast. The Nigerian president stated this at a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, on the sidelines of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Nairobi. According to a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the president told the Japanese leader that “with the defeat of the Boko Haram terrorists by the military, attention of my administration is now focused on stopping the destruction of the country’s economic assets by militants in the Niger Delta’’. He said that the militants must dialogue with the Federal government or be dealt with in the same way like Boko Haram. “We are talking to some of their leaders; we will deal with them as we dealt with Bo

President Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari says the Federal Government will sustain concrete measures to diversify the economy by devoting more resources to agriculture in the 2017 budget. Speaking to reporters in Nairobi, Kenya at the weekend on the margins of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), President Buhari said African countries had a lot to learn from Japan on developing agriculture. ‘‘This year, in Nigeria, we started an aggressive farming programme that entails organising farmers into cooperatives in the second and third tier of government. ‘‘We intend to put more resources in our 2017 budget, especially in the procurement of machinery for land clearing, fertilizers, pesticides and training of less-educated farmers, as farm extension instructors. ‘‘We have already registered some success this year in a number of states, we identified some 13 states that will be self-sufficient in rice, wheat and grains before the end of 2018. ‘‘

Reuben Abati Reuben Abati Last Friday, my phones rang again and again (thank God for dead phones gradually playing Lazarus), but what triggered that ring-ring was the article: “The Man Who Named His Dog Buhari” (August 26) in which I had indicated all the positive attributes of a dog and why a man naming his dog Buhari should not generate a community and legal trial or so much stress in the public space. One caller kept me on the phone for close to two hours. He said he was proceeding right-away to buy a dog and name it Reuben Abati and that he would bring that dog to my neighbourhood, with the name inscribed on both sides of the dog and he would in my presence call out the dog: “Reuben Abati, come and eat, Reuben Abati, stop shouting, Reuben, stop being stupid, Reuben, you this idiotic dog!” and he’d like to see my reaction. I laughed. He said it was not something to be amused about, because although I had argued that a dog is a man’s best friend, and that in other societies, a do

0 Comments Sahara Reporters How Dogara And Other House Leaders Looted N10 Billion In Illegal Allowances 7 Hours Ago

Amaju Pinnick, NFF President Godfrey Gaiya, a former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports has blamed the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the resignation of U-23 Coach Samson Siasia. Siasia, who led the Dream Team VI to win Nigeria’s only medal (Bronze) at the Rio Olympics, cited “a disrespectful football system” as reason for his action. Siasia said that he decided to quit his job after a turbulent and incredible outing in Brazil which the sports authorities in the country never appreciated. According to him, he has reached a point where he has to say enough is enough considering that he has gone about five months without salary. Gaiya disclosed in an interview on Saturday that Siasia’s action was an indication that the Amaju Pinnick led board of the NFF cannot manage the national teams. “Siasia is not the first person to resign; Sunday Oliseh also resigned his appointment. “Stephen Keshi also resigned and if you recall, my commit

Samson Siasia: U-23 Dream Team oach Samson Siasia, who helped Nigeria to men’s football bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, says he no longer want to have anything to do with the game in the country. The Dream Team VI coach said in an interview that he no longer wanted to be involved in what he described as “a disrespectful system’’. Siasia, who also won a silver medal at Beijing 2008, claimed he had gone unpaid for five months by his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He recalled that he and his players had “a turbulent and incredible campaign in Brazil’’ during the Olympics and he had now had enough. “I have reached that point where I have to say I have had enough,” Siasia, whose contract expired with the end of the Olympics, said in the interview. “I’ve gone several months without getting paid, and also years of being derided and disrespected by the sports authorities in Nigeria. But I am done already. “It’s sad that after all we went through to get to Brazil a

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government has read the riot act to land grabbers in the state, saying it will not hesitate to prosecute them over undue encroachment on people’s property. The government also charged residents of the state to be law abiding, support the present administration and protect government’s facilities in their domains. The Alternate Chairman, Lagos Sate Special Task force on Land Grabbing, Akinjide Bakare, said this at the weekend during the monthly interactive meeting organized by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs for the Community Development Committees (CDCs), Community Development Association (CDA) and Neighbourhood Watch security outfit with other stakeholders across the State, held at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. He said the importance of the taskforce could not be over emphasized as the law on land grabbing would finally put a stop to the menace of land grabbers across the st

Malam Muhammad Bello, Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT The continuous rainfall in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that started on Friday to Saturday morning has cut off Kuchiyakwo community from other neighbouring communities in the area. The heavy rainfall has flooded some houses and washed away the road linking Kuchiyakwo Ecwa Church and its extension in the community. Some residents of the community who spoke on Saturday described the state of the road as devastating and called on Kuje Area Council authorities for immediate action. Mr Abraham Gado, a resident whose house was flooded, attributed the havoc to lack of standard drainage and improper building by some residents. “The district head and some stakeholders of the community have had series of meetings to find a lasting solution to this road but have yielded no result. “The road has no drainage and some have built their houses very close to the road instead of giving some space. “The community leader and t