Global Naija Info

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Development The Buhari administration has announced a fresh bid to rescue the abducted Chibok schoolgirls from Boko Haram. Addressing journalists on Friday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said previous efforts to bring back the girls were frustrated by in-fighting among the insurgents and middle men, who ‎exploited the process for pecuniary gains. Read the minister’s speech below: Good afternoon, gentlemen of the press. 2.Members of the public may recall that when the present administration came on board, Mr. President pledged to Nigerians to ensure the security of lives and property of every Nigerian, provide employment for the nation’s teeming youths and fight corruption. Since that time, the security agencies have been saddled with the responsibility of dealing with the threat of terrorism which has ravaged most parts of the Northern region. 3.You will also recall that from the physical ...

Former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema Wanted former Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, on Friday reported to the Abuja office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Investigations revealed that the former governor reported to the EFCC in the morning Shema was on Wednesday declared wanted by the anti-graft agency for allegedly diverting the sum of N76bn into his private account when he was governor. The ex-governor on Thursday condemned the anti-graft agency for declaring him wanted after honouring its invitation earlier. The ex-governor in a letter addressed to the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, explained that on getting to the Abuja office of the EFCC, he was informed by the anti-graft agency that the detective in charge of his case was not in town, adding that the commission failed to reschedule the meeting.

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Sunday depart for New York, United States, to participate in the five-day 71st session United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) beginning on Monday. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina. The statement said that the president would deliver Nigeria’s statement at the opening of the General Debate of the Assembly on “The Sustainable Development Goals: A Universal Push to Transform Our World.” Adesina revealed that the president would also attend a high-level summit to be hosted by the UN, on “Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants’’. “The summit, which is the first of its kind organised by the General Assembly at the Heads of State and Government level, is expected to come up with a blueprint for a better international response to enhance protection of migrants and refugees.’’ He also said that Buhari would deliver a keynote address on “Taking Climate Ac...

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The November 30 deadline for conclusion of admissions into higher institutions for 2016 remains effective, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said on Friday. The Registrar of the board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, reaffirmed the deadline in Abuja in his address at the opening of an Extra-Ordinary Technical Committee Meeting on 2016 Admissions to First Choice Institutions. The meeting held at the Baze University, Abuja. He said that the meeting was an indication that the board was ready to attend to legitimate requests of its stakeholders and clients in the collective quest for efficiency. Oloyede said that JAMB would be flexible except in cases where flexibility would be unethical or inimical to national interest. According to him, the meeting is in line with the board’s pledge to be consultative and all-inclusive in the discharge of its functions. “The First Technical Committee Meeting ...

Opposition political parties in Lagos have decried the delay by the Lagos State Government in conducting local government election. Some officials of the political parties who spoke on Friday in Lagos said the development had deprived local government councils of their freedom. The State Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), Mr Shola Omolola, said that the delay was not good for grassroots development. “I strongly feel bad about the delay. It is highly unconstitutional to deprive the third tier of government its independence and right to leadership. “Local governments should be in a position to meet the needs of their people and with this delay, is there going to be grassroots development?’’ Omolola said. The State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), Dr Akin Badmus, also said the delay would not allow the people to walk into the council and demand for accountability. According to him, the sole administrators will not oblige anyone details about anything concerning...

Solomon Dalung, Minister of Youth and Sports A High Court sitting in Bukuru, Plateau, has committed, Shehu Dikko, Chairman, League Management Company (LMC) and Salish Abubakar, its Chief Operations Officer, to 14 days imprisonment for contempt. The judge, Justice Ishaku Kunda, in his ruling, committed the duo to Jos Federal Prison on Friday for disobeying the orders of the court. Kunda, who gave the order of committal, also issued a warrant of arrest of Dikko and Abubakar. He said that the duo had brought court of competent jurisdiction to disrepute by blatantly refusing to appear before it when they were ordered to do so. The judge said that Dikko and Abubakar disobeyed the court order that ordered the suspension of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) pending the determination of a case before the court. The court had in August ordered LMC to reinstate Giwa Football Club after it was evicted from the NPFL by the LMC for failure to honour three fixtures in the league...

An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court on Friday remanded a 33-year-old hunter, Ganiyu Abdullaral, in prison custody for allegedly killing his friend who alleged ly changed into a pig. The Magistrate, Modupe Afeniforo, directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal opinion. Afeniforo adjourned the case till Nov.11 for further mention. Prosecutor Monica Ikebulo told the court that the accused shot at a bush pig which later transformed into his friend. Ikebulo said the accused committed the offence on Sept.9 at Iwaraji Camp via Efon Alaaye in Efon Alaaye -Ekiti. She said that the accused on the said date with eight of his colleagues now at large went for group hunting and unlawfully shot his friend, Iginla Oluwashina, with his Dane gun. The prosecutor applied for an adjournment to enable her duplicate and send the office to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice. Ikebulo said the offence contravened Section 319 of th...

BRT An operator of Lagos State Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme, Primero Transport Services, has recorded first road traffic crash on its night service. The lone accident which occurred at 3 a.m. involved the company’s blue-painted bus coded 405, with registration number EPE-97-XR. The bus was headed for Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) when it skidded off the outbound lane at Owode-Elede, less than 100 metres from Mile 12 market in Ikorodu. Most occupants of the bus were the company’s bus drivers, popularly called busmen, who were to resume work. Mr Fola Tinubu, the Managing Director of the transport company, disclosed that no life was lost in the incident. He said that the company would not rest on its oars to provide quality transport services for the public. “It was an accident and accidents can happen anytime but that will not stop us from our focus of delivering quality night and day service for the people. “We are committed to the night service and we will continue to provide w...

South Africa Airways State airline, South African Airways (SAA) on Friday, revealed a record loss of 4.67 billion rand (330 million dollars) for the financial year to March 2015. According to financial results presented to parliament, the Star Alliance sales during the period were 30 billion rand. In 2014, the company posted a loss of 2.56 billion rand. However, struggling SAA has delayed the publication of the latest results several times. Meanwhile, without state loan guarantees worth billions, the airline would have been declared bankrupt. In addition, the next financial results are also expected to show large losses, for the fifth year in a row. The leading opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has accused the government of President Jacob Zuma of serious mismanagement, and has called for the company to be privatised.

Buhari The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased to 17.6 per cent (year-on-year) in August from 17.1 per cent recorded in July. A report released by the NBS in Abuja on Friday stated that the CPI, which measured inflation, was 0.5 per cent points higher from the points recorded in July. The report noted that increases were recorded in all Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose divisions, which contributed to the headline index reflecting higher prices across the board. “The major divisions responsible for accelerating the pace of the increase in the headline index were Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuel, Education and Transportation Services. “The Food Index rose by 16.4 per cent (year-on-year) in August, up by 0.6 per cent points from 15.8 per cent recorded in July. “During the month, all the major food groups contributed to the increase in the Food sub-index. “However, the pace of increase was slowed by Fru...

First Nation Airways A group, the Aviation Round Table (ART), has called on the Federal Government to resist any pressure to offer bailout to ailing domestic airlines. President of the group, Mr Gbenga Olowo, made the call on Friday in Lagos. Olowo, who admitted that some of Nigeria’s airlines were currently facing challenging times, however, urged the government to pay serious attention to the aviation sector. He said, “Government should get serious with this sector of the economy; without airlines, there are no airports. “Airports are useless if you don’t have airlines; so, government should pay serious attention to the issue of airlines. “It is not a bailout issue. No airline should ask for bailout and there should be no bailout for any airline in any form “Anyway, government does not have such money to dole out to any airline for now.’’ According to him, the government should rather look into the issues of multiple taxation and scarcity of aviation fuel which are stifling ...

Godfrey Zaburoni An African acrobat accused of having unprotected sex with several Aussie women while being infected with HIV has had his Australian permanent residency cancelled and faces deportation. Peter Dutton, Spokesman for Australian Immigration Minister, said that 38-year-old Godfrey Zaburoni had failed the character test under section 501 of the Migration Act. He said as a result of this he is currently awaiting deportation to his native country, Zimbabwe. Dutton said that Zaburoni who arrived in Australia in 1997 was accused of having unprotected sex with at least 12 Australian women, between 2007 to 2008 including with his Gold Coast ex-girlfriend of two years, without informing them of his medical condition. The spokesman said that it was earlier reported that Zaburoni was diagnosed with the disease in 1998 while touring with a circus in Adelaide. He said that Zaburoni, a former Australia Got Talent participant was originally sentenced to a nine-and-a-half year’s jai...

NSCDC operatives The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps in Jigawa State said it had arrested two suspects over alleged armed robbery and cattle rustling. The Commandant of the corps in the state, Mr Muhammad Durumin-Iya, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Dutse that the suspects were arrested in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of the state. Durumin-Iya said the suspects hailed from Tukuda village, and that officials of the command arrested them in Kiyako village on Thursday. He explained that one of the suspects was arrested with a stolen cow, whose value was estimated at between N130, 000 and N150, 000. He disclosed that an informant accosted the suspect while he was trying to transport the cow to Azare in neighbouring Bauchi state. According to the commandant, the other suspect was arrested for aiding and abetting the suspected cattle rustler. He added that the command had been trailing the suspect since July 2016, after an alleged robbery in Birnin Kudu. ...

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has recalled the four commissioners, the Head of Service and the Special Adviser on Lands he suspended sometime ago. Information on the recall is contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, made available to newsmen on Friday in Port Harcourt. The suspended commissioners were Dr John Baziafor (Chieftaincy Affairs), Mrs Tonye Briggs-Oniyide (Culture and Tourism), Dr Fred Kpakol (Finance) and Mr Boma Iyaye (Sports). Also suspended were Mr Godwin Rufus (Head of Service) and Mr Anugbum Onuoha, the Special Adviser on Lands.

The gavel of justice A housewife, Toyin Adeola, has told an Akure Customary Court that her husband, Kayode, gives her N200 as daily upkeep allowance for the family of four. Toyin made the disclosure when she testified in her divorce proceeding where she begged the court to dissolve her eight -year-old marriage to her husband, Kayode, for alleged desertion for a year. She told the court that she had stopped having sexual intercourse with her husband because of his waywardness. The petitioner said “the irresponsible nature of her husband’ made the respondent to abandon his matrimonial home without showing kindness to his family. Kayode denied all the allegations and said that he left his family because of his wife’s persistent promiscuity. “I have caught my wife twice sitting on the lap of another man,” Kayode said. Ruling on the case, the President of the court, Chief Rotimi Olusanya, urged the two parties to maintain peace. Olusanya said that they should make themselves availa...

By Daniels Ekugo Charles Kie, Ecobank Managing Director Ecobank Nigeria has launched Ecobank MasterPass QR, a Mastercard global digital system that allows people to pay for services using mobile phones. The new platform will also enable micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria to receive digital payments from millions of customers. Ecobank Masterpass QR, makes electronic payments safe, simple and smart. It improves customer experience with a clean front-end design and a built-in sophisticated and secure supporting technology. Payments are made by customers scanning a Quick Response code displayed at checkouts on their smartphones, or by entering a merchant identifier into their feature phones. Ecobank Nigeria’s Managing Director, Charles Kie said, “The Ecobank Masterpass QR solution leverages smart technology that transforms mobile phones into safe and simple payment tools, and delivers services that will benefit all stakeholders in the payments ecosystem. This ne...

3D Electric powerlines The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said that the country’s power generation has increased from 3,810 megawatts recorded on Sept. 8, 2016 to 4,285.90 megawatts on Friday. The power generation record was reported in the website of “Nigerian Electricity System Operator’’ on Friday. TCN said that 4,285.90 megawatts was the total output by power generation companies, and had been transferred to the 11 distribution companies across the country. Electricity generation in the country has been stable in the last two months, rising from about 2, 983 megawatts to over 4, 000 megawatts. Although power has improved, many parts of the country have remained without power supply owing to problems with the distribution companies, including provision of pre-payment meters. Acting Chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr Anthony Akah, had recently disclosed that no fewer than four million electricity consumers in the country were awaiting ...

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has announced the recall of the four suspended commissioners, the Head of Service and the Special Adviser on Lands. Information on the recall is contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, made available to newsmen on Friday in Port Harcourt. Wike suspended the commissioners: Dr John Baziafor (Chieftaincy Affairs), Mrs Tonye Briggs-Oniyide (Culture and Tourism), Dr Fred Kpakol (Finance) and Mr Boma Iyaye (Sports). Also suspended were Mr Godwin Rufus (Head of Service) and Mr Anugbum Onuoha, the Special Adviser on Lands.

The bombing took place in the village of Butmana in the Mohmand tribal district bordering Afghanistan. A suicide bomber killed at least 16 people and wounded 35 others as they attended Friday prayers at a mosque in a northwestern Pakistani tribal area, officials said. The bombing took place in the village of Butmana in the Mohmand tribal district bordering Afghanistan where the army has been fighting against Taliban militants. “The Friday prayer was in progress at the mosque when a suicide bomber blew himself up killing at least 16 worshippers and wounding 35 others,” a senior tribal administration official told AFP. “The area is remote and so far I have received only this information from our sources via wireless,” he said. Another local government official confirmed the information. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Pakistani Taliban in particular routinely attack soft targets such as courts, schools and mosques. Taliban militants stormed a school in Peshaw...

Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria’s Finance Minister Annual inflation in Nigeria accelerated to 17.6 percent in August, a fresh 11-year high and the seventh monthly increase in a row, as the crisis in Africa’s biggest economy deepens. The rise from 17.1 percent in July reflected higher prices for electricity, gas, transport and food, a separate index for which rose to 16.4 percent from July’s 15.8 percent, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Friday. “During the month, the highest increases were seen in solid fuels, vehicles parts, books and stationery and clothing,” the NBS said in a statement obtained by Reuters. Africa’s most populous nation has seen its economy slide into recession for the first time in more than 20 years, largely due to the impact of low oil prices. Crude oil sales account for 70 percent of government revenue. These problems have been exacerbated by a spate of attacks since the start of the year that have cut oil production by around 700,000 bpd from 2.1 mill...

Mr. Leye Oyebade, Abia State Commissioner of Police Mr Leye Oyebade, the Commissioner of Police in Abia, on Wednesday, said that men of the command had rescued a 15-month-old baby girl allegedly stolen from her mother. Oyebade, who said this while briefing newsmen on some of the major achievements of the command, noted that the baby was stolen on Monday in Umuahia. He said that the suspected abductors, identified as Lawan Nuhu and Lawal Ahmed, took away the little Chinonye after drugging her mother, Mrs Chioma Chijindu at their residence at No. 8 Ohafia Street, Umuahia. He said that the suspects were arrested following a tip-off, while N170,000 cash and a 307 Peugeot car with Reg. No. AZ 166 KWL, were recovered from them. “During the investigation, the suspects confessed that they drugged the baby’s mother before escaping with the baby,” Oyebade said. He warned parents to be vigilant about the activities of their neighbours and strangers in their areas. The police commissioner ...

Gunmen on rampage A least 13 persons were reportedly killed by an armed robbery gang at Senga village in Katsina Ala Local Government Area of Benue State. According to Moses Joel Yamu, the spokesman for the Benue Police command, a five-man gang belonging to a wanted notorious criminal, Terwase Akwaza also known as Ghana, on Wednesday robbed at Senga village, an interior part of Katsina Ala LGA. The attack came barely one month after the state governor, Samuel Ortom, placed a N5m bounty on Akwaza, an ex-amnesty boss. According to Yamu, an irate mob had overpowered the bandits and lynched two of them – a lady and one other later identified as “Chemical”. Three others escaped to Gbishe village, where Ghana hails from and mobilized for reprisal. The police spokesman added that the robbers on reprisal, however, could not gain access to Senga because youths of the village had mobilized to protect their area. He explained further that the robbers diverted to a neighbouring Kenvenger ...

Brig Gen Paul Boroh (rtd) The Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), retired Brig.-Gen Paul Boroh, has said that stranded ex-agitators who graduated from a technical institute, in West Indies, will return to Nigeria on Monday. The ex-militants were trained in underwater welding at the CDA Technical Institute of the West Indies in St. Kitts and Nevis. But they ran out of funds to return home and had blamed PAP for their ordeal. Mr Owei Lakemfa, Head, Media and Communications, PAP, in Abuja on Thursday, quoting Boroh explained that the students, who graduated in August had yet to return because French authorities insisted that they obtain transit visas which were not available in the West Indies. “Arrangements have been completed to bring them back on Sept. 19,” he promised. Boroh added: “ Some students had complained about a six-week delay in their In-Training-Allowances or delay in returning home. “Such minor delays should not be a basis for protests or agreei...

Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri The Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri has said that the Federal Government would save $8billion through new storage technologies developed by the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin (NSPRI). This is contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Information in the ministry, Mrs Blessing Lere-Adams in Abuja on Thursday. The statement quoted Lokpobiri to have made the statement while receiving a team of researchers from the institute lead by Executive Director, Prof. Peters Olufemi in Abuja. Lokpobiri said that the institute had been able to fabricate and develop technologies that would reduce storage problems of all food crops in the country. He said the development would aid Nigeria’s target of self-sufficiency in food production through reduction in post-harvest losses. The minister said the initiative would also ensure that agricultural produce will be kept within the food supply chain. Lopkobiri recal...

NNPC Towers, Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) says it will support the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) to achieve its objectives of ensuring that the country derives maximum benefit from its huge gas resource base. The information is contained in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by NNPC’s General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Garba Deen Muhammad. It stated that the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Mikanti Baru, pledged the commitment of the corporation to support the NGA while receiving a delegation of NGA led by its President, Mr Bolaji Osunsanya. Baru said that the NNPC had a moral and strategic interest in ensuring the continuous existence and sustained growth of the association. He said that the NGA was a reflection of the development of the gas industry in Nigeria, adding that NNPC would continue to provide the association with human and material resources. The GMD thanked the members of the NGA for their advocacy in ensuring a review of ...

Patience Jonathan The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it is heading to court to file an application seeking the total forfeiture of $15,591,700, belonging to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. The money is currently lodged in the Skye Bank account of four companies: Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development & Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited. The EFCC had frozen the four accounts, which were linked to a former Special Adviser to the President on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa. However, Jonathan’s wife had claimed in a sworn affidavit that the money in the four accounts belonged to her even though there is no paper evidence to establish a link between her and the companies. She also urged the court to compel the EFCC to lift the restriction on the accounts. The EFCC had arraigned the four companies on Thursday and ...

Solomon Dalung, Minister of Youth and Sports A former Minister of Sports, Bala Ka’Oje, has said that the incumbent Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has no right to declare `state of emergency’ in the sector. Ka’Oje spoke in Abuja on Thursday following a recent comment by Dalung that he would declare a state of emergency in the sports sector. Team Nigeria’s poor outing at the Rio 2016 Olympics had necessitated the minister’s comment after the country won only football bronze at the Games as against the five medal he promised. Ka’Oje said that the minister declaring state of emergency in sports meant that he had enough money to pump into the sector and turn it around without necessarily involving President Muhammadu Buhari. According to him, only the president has the authority to declare state of emergency in any sector of the economy since he alone can approve the funds needed for any serious transformation. “It is good to declare a state of emergency bu...

MTN South African mobile phone operator MTN Group on Thursday scrapped its local mobile money business due to its high operating cost. MTN said, in a statement in Johannesburg, that the business was no longer viable in a country where around three quarters of the population already had a bank account. “The operating costs of providing a mobile money platform has become prohibitive,” MTN said. MTN said its decision did not mean a complete exit from financial services. “MTN is still committed to remaining a significant player in the financial services space and we are exploring opportunities in financial services space and other adjacent sectors,” it said. MTN launched its South African service in 2012 after the success of Safaricom’s M-Pesa in east Africa convinced some executives the service was the industry’s next growth area. However MTN, Africa’s biggest wireless phone group, now joins Vodacom in abandoning the service in South Africa. Both Safaricom and Vodacom are control...

Ikechukwu Anyene The Nigeria Union in South Africa said on Thursday that a Nigerian petty trader, Monday Okorie, was killed in Potchefstroom, North West Province of that country, on Tuesday. Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, the President of the Union, disclosed on phone from Pretoria, South Africa, that the victim was an indigene of Agwu in Enugu State. He said that on receipt of the report, some national officers of the union travelled to the North West Province to investigate the incident. Anyene said that initial investigation showed that some unknown assailants shot and killed Okorie. He said that the incident had been reported to the South African Police Department and other government agencies. According to Anyene, 20 Nigerians resident in the city were initially arrested by the police for protesting the murder and allegedly causing public violence. He said some of the Nigerians had been released after investigations while the nine charged to court were granted free bail. Anyene sta...

Rochas Okorocha, Imo State Governor Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has relieved the Commissioner for Information in the state, Dr Vitais Ajumbe of his duties. Also sacked from office are the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Enlightenment and Strategy, Mr kelechi Okpalaeke, and Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Justice Odika. According to a statement from the Principal Secretary to the governor, Mr Pascal Obi, in Owerri on Thursday, the sack is with immediate effect. The governor on the other hand has appointed Pastor Ralp Afoaku as the Director General of the state-onwed media, the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC). Afoaku replaces Mrs Esther Obong-Egbuna the former DG, who died three months ago. Okorocha also appointed Mr Hilary Opara, Deputy Inspector General of Police (retd) as Special Adviser on Security Matters, while Mr Ananyo Chukwu is the Special Adviser on Social Media. Also appointed is Mr Evan Enwerem (jnr) as the transition Committee Chairm...

Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria’s Finance Minister Nigeria sold N183.24 billion worth in treasury bills at an auction on Wednesday, with mixed yields on all the tenors, data from Debt Management Office showed on Thursday. The debt office raised N48.10 billion of three-month paper at 14 percent, down from 14.38 percent at Aug. 31, auction, sold 48.45 billion worth of the 6-month paper at 17.77 percent, higher than 17.50 percent previously. A total of 86.69 billion naira was sold in the 1-year debt at 18.48 percent against 18.42 percent at the last auction. -Reuters

Hillary Clinton, US Democratic presidential nominee In her return to the campaign trail after a bout with pneumonia, Hillary Clinton on Thursday said she did not want to take time off but that it turned out to be a “gift” that allowed her to reflect on the race. “It’s great to be back on the campaign trail. As you may know, I recently had a cough that turned out to be pneumonia. I tried to power through it but even I have to admit, some rest would do me good,” Clinton said during a rally in North Carolina. “I’m not great at taking it easy, even under ordinary circumstances. With just two months, sitting at home was pretty much the last place I wanted to be but it turns out having a few days to myself was actually a gift,” she added. Speaking with reporters after her rally, Clinton said her “senior staff” knew that she was diagnosed with the illness last Friday but did not say when running mate Tim Kaine was informed. She also said her campaign “could have been faster” in revealin...

Former Delta State governor, James Ibori, was convicted for corruption Jailed former Nigerian state governor James Ibori’s convictions remain valid despite evidence a British police officer took bribes during the investigation of his case, Britain’s state prosecution agency said on Thursday. Ibori, who as governor of oil-producing Delta State from 1999 to 2007 was one of Nigeria’s most powerful men, is serving a 13-year sentence in a British prison after pleading guilty in 2012 to 10 counts of fraud and money-laundering. He is the most senior Nigerian politician to have been held to account for the corruption that has blighted Africa’s most populous nation for decades, and his jailing was hailed as a high point in the international fight against graft. But the case has become an embarrassment for Britain since one of Ibori’s associates, convicted money-launderer Bhadresh Gohil, alleged that the judicial process was tainted because prosecutors had covered up evidence of police corr...