Global Naija Info

Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, PDP Candidate for the just concluded Edo governorship election. Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the just concluded gubernatorial election in Edo, on Friday, said God told him to recover his mandate. Ize-Iyamu said this in Benin while addressing some protesters. He alleged that INEC robbed him and his party the PDP when it announced Mr Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the state governorship election. He said that the alleged robbery of the Edo peoples mandate would not stand, adding that he had been seeking God’s intervention in the past few days. Ize-Iyamu said his supporters had refused to be violent despite the alleged fake result announced by INEC. He said that it was lamentable that those who were given the victory by INEC were ashamed of celebrating the victory. The state PDP Chairman, Mr Dan Orbih, said the party was going to put everything in place to defend democracy. Orbih

Dr Victor Oye, National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Victor Oye, has said that he is still in charge contrary to speculations in some quarters. Oye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Friday that there was no substance in the speculations, adding that APGA was growing more formidable under his leadership. Reacting to the speculations, the party chieftain described its authors as saboteurs and dissidents who were working with those against the progress of APGA to destroy it. Oye said the party just concluded its monthly working committee meeting with all 29 members in attendance and wondered why just four members could generate such report even when they attended the meeting. “The report about my suspension or sack is rubbish; it holds no substance whatsoever. I am talking to you from my office where we just had our NWC meeting attended by all members. “I am surprised that

Joshua Dariye, former Plateau State governor. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau said the recent defection of Sen. Joshua Dariye to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was criminal. Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Damishi Sango, stated this while addressing newsmen on Friday in Jos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Dariye in a letter to the Senate, read by President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, at plenary few weeks ago, announced his defection to the APC. Sango said that the movement of Dariye from PDP to APC was unconstitutional. “It is criminal to carry the mandate of a party to another party. “So, Dariye’s defection from PDP to APC is not only criminal but unconstitutional. “Dariye rode on PDP’s back to become a senator, but he worked for the APC during the last general elections. “All this while, we knew he is PDP in the day time, but APC at night; so, we were not surprised when he defected,” he said. Sango said that PDP would take leg

Dr Victor Oye, National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Victor Oye, has said that he is still in charge contrary to speculations in some quarters. Oye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Friday that there was no substance in the speculations, adding that APGA was growing more formidable under his leadership. Reacting to the speculations, the party chieftain described its authors as saboteurs and dissidents who were working with those against the progress of APGA to destroy it. Oye said the party just concluded its monthly working committee meeting with all 29 members in attendance and wondered why just four members could generate such report even when they attended the meeting. “The report about my suspension or sack is rubbish; it holds no substance whatsoever. I am talking to you from my office where we just had our NWC meeting attended by all members. “I am surprised that

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has said that he was called by God to govern Cross River to provide needed dividends of democracy to the people. Ayade made the statement on Friday while addressing thousands of supporters who came to receive him at Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar on arrival from Abuja. The supporters besieged the airport in solidarity with Ayade ahead of the Dec. 9 Supreme Court judgement in a case of alleged falsification of his age. The case was instituted by Mr Joe Agi, Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Agi, who contested the 2015 PDP governorship primary with Ayade, had challenged the eligibility of the governor to contest the primary. Ayade told his supporters at the airport that since power comes from God, he was called by God to govern the state at this particular time. He said: “I was preparing to run election for the senate when God called me and said I should come and be governor. I am a servant of God and

Waripamo-Owei Dudafa A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday dismissed an application by former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, seeking to reverse a guilty plea of four companies charged with him. Dudafa is being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside two others; Amajuoyi Briggs and Adedamola Bolodeoku, and four companies, over alleged $15.5 million fraud. The Presiding Judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, in his ruling, described Dudafa’s application as an abuse of court process and therefore dismissed it. The accused were arraigned by the EFCC on Sept. 15. The four companies joined in the charge are Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd; Seagate Property Development Co. Ltd; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd and Avalon Global Property Development Company Ltd. Dudafa and the two other accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the four companies pleaded guilty to the charges. The companies admi

ships Fifteen ships are currently discharging petroleum products and other commodities at Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Friday. According to NPA shipping position, other commodities the ships are discharging included general cargoes, wheat, fertilizer, frozen fish, yellow corn, base oil, containers, gypsum, butane, diesel and petrol. It said that 36 ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods were expected to arrive in Lagos ports between Oct. 7 and Oct. 21. NPA said that the expected ships would also ferry into the country, bulk sugar, frozen fish, bulk gypsum, base oil, tugboat, containers, bulk charcoal, diesel, crude palmolein, bulk wheat and petrol. NAN also reports that 28 ships were expected on Oct. 4; 25 ships on Oct. 5 and 31 ships on Oct. 6. The document noted that nine ships had arrived at the ports, waiting to berth with petrol, container and bulk fertilizers.

Joshua Dariye, former Plateau State governor. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau said the recent defection of Sen. Joshua Dariye to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was criminal. Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Damishi Sango, stated this while addressing newsmen on Friday in Jos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Dariye in a letter to the Senate, read by President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, at plenary few weeks ago, announced his defection to the APC. Sango said that the movement of Dariye from PDP to APC was unconstitutional. “It is criminal to carry the mandate of a party to another party. “So, Dariye’s defection from PDP to APC is not only criminal but unconstitutional. “Dariye rode on PDP’s back to become a senator, but he worked for the APC during the last general elections. “All this while, we knew he is PDP in the day time, but APC at night; so, we were not surprised when he defected,” he said. Sango said that PDP would take leg

Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria’s Finance Minister The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, on Friday, called on G-24 countries to back Nigeria’s agitation for multinational corporations to pay fair share of taxes in the country. Adeosun made the call while briefing newsmen in Washington D.C on the outcome of a closed-door meeting of G-24 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting on the sideline of the ongoing IMF/World Bank meeting. The minister, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele and Deputy Governor, Economic Policy of the CBN, Mrs Sarah Alade, attended the meeting on behalf of Nigeria. She said that Nigeria lost huge amount of money yearly from tax evasion, mostly by multinational corporations who were infamous around the world for tax evasion. She said that Nigeria had been clamouring for the companies to pay right and fair taxes, because it was determined to block revenue leakages and streamline it to develop infrastructure and create jobs. “We w

…meets APM Terminals Representatives In London Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday met with representatives of APM Terminals to advance the development of the Badagry Deep Sea Port project, restating his administration’s key strategic imperative to creating a friendly environment to encourage private sector participation in driving economic development in the State. Governor Ambode at the meeting which took place in London, United Kingdom, said the Badagry Deep Sea Port Project with an estimated investment of over $2.3billion would address the infrastructure enhancement and urban renewal agenda of the State. Governor Ambode, who expressed appreciation on the resolve of the investors to stay the course with the project, said the facility on completion would generate over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs. He assured that the State Government would spare nothing to see the project to realization, while pledging that the interest

The police in Osogbo on Friday arraigned a 55-year-old man, Olusegun Kareem, who allegedly posed as a colonel to dupe citizens seeking to join the Nigerian Army. Kareem, of unknown address, is facing charges of impersonation and fraud before an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court. The prosecutor, Insp. Taiwo Adegoke, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Sept.18 at about 1:30a.m., at Favour Guest House, Kobongbogbie, Osogbo. Adegoke said that Kareem posed as a colonel to dupe members of the public intending to join the military. He said that the accused defrauded Mr Godspower Nnamdi of N500,000 in the pretext of assisting him to purchase an auctioned vehicle from the Nigerian Customs Service. The prosecutor added that the accused was in possession of fake identification cards, military uniforms and other documents with which he claimed to be an army officer. Adegoke said that the offences contravened Sections109, 428(d), 419 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osu

children-in-school Some educationists, on Friday in Lagos, called for the sensitization of children to child’s rights, through books that portray such rights. According to reports, when children knew their rights, early enough, it would be difficult for anybody to trample on them. Dr Olabisi Adedigba of the University of Ilorin, said that the best way to sensitize children on their right was through books with story lines on child’s right. She told NAN in Lagos that children, through such method, would easily talk about their rights with their parents, teachers and even decline any injustice against them. The don said that there was no adequate awareness on the rights of the child among children and parents. According to her, such awareness can be promoted through literature books. Adedigba said that she had passion to protect child’s rights as an early childcare education instructor and was already working on how to develop story books on such rights. “Some parents and child

Royal Philips logo Leading health technology company, Royal Philips, has announced a new partnership with the World Heart Federation (WHF) to help people manage their heart health. Philips’ objective is to encourage the public to take personal responsibility for leading heart-healthy lives and raise awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD). “Philips is dedicated to providing personalized, integrated cardiology solutions with a focus on prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Our new partnership with the World Heart Federation is an important element of our commitment to drive prevention of CVD by making clear the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease and to help people, including Nigerians, make better choices and develop healthier habits for life,” said Carla Kriwet, Business Leader of Patient Care and Monitoring Solutions at Philips. CVD is the leading cause of death worldwide, resulting in more than 17.5 million deaths in 20151 and accounts for more costs than any

Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa State The Jigawa Government says it has spent about N700 million to pay for 2016 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) registration fees for all indigenous students in the state. The state Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Rabi Ishaq, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Friday. Ishaq said that the money was used to pay registration fees to the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO), and National Business Technical Examination Board (NABTEB). She said that the gesture was to expand access to education and ensure that poverty did not hinder indigent ones from completing their education. The Commissioner said that the state government had approved the establishment of five remedial colleges to cater for students who did not do well in SSCE examination. According to her, there is also a plan to establish 27 remedial centres in all the local government areas i

FILE PHOTO: Protesting Corps Members. The 2015 Batch ‘B’ National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed to Sokoto State have protested the non-payment of their four months state allowances amounting to N49.04 million. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesting Corps members were being owed state allowances between July and October 2016. The Corps members, who concluded their service year on Thursday, marched from the NYSC Secretariat at Kalambaina, Sokoto, to Government House. The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Bashir Garba, who received them on behalf of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, pleaded with corps members to be patient. Garba assured the protesting Corps members that the money would be paid latest Oct. 7. The Chairman of NYSC Governing Board in the state, Alhaji Muhammad Ladan, confirmed the story. Ladan told NAN in Sokoto on Friday that “as we speak now, the payment for the months of July to September, 2016 is ongoing, adding that the amount inv

Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) The Nigerian Youth Chamber of Commerce (NYCC) said on Friday that the 16,000 jobs created by the Kaduna State Government through its school feeding programme could be multiplied to 100, 000. The chamber’s Acting Director-General, Mr Isaac Udem, said this in Kaduna. Udem said that the chamber had already written a proposal and would soon submit to the Kaduna State Government on how it could be achieved. “For example, the food vendors have been organised into cooperatives. All the state needs to do is to make entrepreneurs out of the vendors. “Empower them with the needed skills to pool resources together, attract additional support from Bank of Industries or Bank of Agriculture for them and the cooperatives could create massive jobs. “One of them could go into tomato production and supply to other cooperatives, another could go into egg production and others could produce beans, yams and all other inputs needed for the programe. “On

Saleh Dunoma, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Mr Saleh Dunoma, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has urged the agency’s members of staff to work assiduously toward increasing its revenue generation capacity. Dunoma, according to a statement in Lagos on Friday, gave the charge at the annual performance review meeting of the Directorate of Commercial and Business Development in Calabar. The statement was signed by FAAN’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr Yakubu Dati. Dunoma described the dwindling fortunes arising from the negative impact of the present economic realities as a wake-up call to respond to President Muhammadu Buhari’s charge to “think outside the box”. He said: “There must be a major paradigm shift in our business model. “This will provide us the opportunity to collectively carry out a forensic audit of our activities, processes and values in the pursuit of our vision to be among the best airport gr

NDLEA operatives The Edo Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confiscated illicit drugs valued at over N10.7 billion in Benin. The State Commander of the Agency, Mr Buba Wakawa, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Benin, that seven suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure. Wakawa, who gave a rundown of the command’s achievements during the third quarter of 2016, said the seven suspects were arrested with 34.2 Kilogrammes of Methamphetamine. He described Methamphetamine as more dangerous and harmful than cocaine, adding that it was not commonly known to ordinary people on the street. According to him, the confiscated drug has a street value of about 700,000 dollars per kilogramme, which translates to 23.9 million dollars for the 34.2 kg confiscated. The commander also put the estimated value of the seized drug at about N10.7 billion. He disclosed that the suspects, who concealed the substance in 102 cartons of HP computer printer

LASU Graduates are flocking to the Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo campus to beat the Oct. 21 deadline set by the institution for them to pick up uncollected certificates or pay more. Mr Adekoya Martins, acting Head, Centre for Information ‎, Press and Public Relations, LASU, disclosed in Lagos on Friday that graduates had started showing up in their numbers. LASU, on Sept.30, said that 24, 734 certificates of graduates who left the institution over the last 10 years were lying uncollected at its registry. The university said following the backlog of uncollected certificates, it had decided that affected graduates who failed to collect theirs before Oct. 21 would have to pay ‎N 15,000 before doing so. It said the collection of the certificates had commenced since Sept. 26 but the turn out by the graduates had been very poor. Martins said that the situation had changed since the beginning of the week as graduates who finished at the university years back had been rushing in to

Hurricane wreck havoc in Haiti Millions of Americans evacuated coastal areas of three states in the South-Eastern U.S. ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Matthew on Friday. Hurricane Mathew is a powerful storm that ravaged the Caribbean earlier in the week, killing at least 283 in Haiti. The governors of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina have ordered people living near the coast to leave their homes and made the flow of traffic on some major highways outbound only to facilitate the exodus. “This storm will kill you,” Florida Governor Rick Scott said at a press conference. He called on residents along the Florida peninsula’s east coast to evacuate and advised the residents not to take chances saying “get out now.” “As of 6 a.m., Matthew had weakened slightly to a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 195 kph,’’ the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre said. It was moving north-west at a speed of 22 kph, with the centre of the storm located 80 km South-East of C

Saraki and Ekweremadu An FCT High Court on Friday struck out the Federal Government’s forgery charges against Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu. The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), which brought the charges, also withdrew the charges against the former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi. In his ruling on a motion filed by the prosecution team, Justice Yusuf Haliru, held that the court struck out the charges against the defendants on request of the prosecution team. “I have heard the application presented by the Mr Aliyu Umar (SAN), the Prosecuting counsel, asking for the withdrawal of forgery charges against these four defendants. “I have also listened to the positions of the counsel to the defendants and to the effect that objections were not raised. “The court, therefore, has no option but to grant the prayer sought. The initial charges and the amended charges are hereby struck ou

Oredo Magistrates’ Court in Benin on Thursday sentenced a 35-year-old woman, Mrs Oduwa Egbenayabuwa to two years imprisonment for allegedly assaulting police officers while performing their lawful duties. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. RacheaI Ogbevoen who convicted the accused person, after finding her guilty of a two-count charge of related assault, however, gave her an option of N30,000 fine. Earlier, the police prosecutor, Inspector Patrick Agbonifo said the offence was committed on October 31, 2015, with the accused person, Egbenayabuwa assaulting Inspector Isaikpere Alfred by giving him a slapping on his back while he was performing his lawful duty. He said that the accused person also gripped F/No 502635 P/C Wose Azubike uniform and tore it while he was also on his lawful duty. The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 356(2) of the Criminal Code Cap. 48 Vol. 11 laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976 now applicable in Edo. Earlier, the accused person appeal

LAGOS MODEL COLLEGE, IGBONLA-EPE Oba Cajetan Adekoya of Ibonwon Community in Epe, Lagos, has blamed the abduction of some students and teachers in the town on the neglect of the school by the State Government. Adekoya, the Oduntan II of Ibonwon, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that Lagos State Government should immediately provide adequate security in Epe to prevent more of such an ugly incident. NAN reports that the principal, a teacher and four students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, were abducted at about 8a.m. on Thursday. “This issue of abduction of innocent children from schools is getting too much; it is time security is beefed up at schools in the outskirts. “These schools are property of the government and should be taken care of; there should be full presence of security personnel in Epe because of its peculiar nature,” he said. According to the traditional ruler, the bushy state of the area was a sign of neglect by the authorities which g

A cross section of the Federal and State civil servants in Yobe have called on the Federal Government to make the contributory pension scheme more workable in order to curb corruption. A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Damaturu, revealed that both the Federal and State Governments’ civil servants were not comfortable with the present contributory pension scheme. Mr. Musa Mohammed, a staff of the Federal Ministry of Education, said the contributory pension scheme was working against the interest and welfare of retirees. “The general arrangements and the accessibility of retirees to their savings, have been made cumbersome, thereby making the system work against the interest of the retirees,” he said. Aliyu Mustapha, a retiree, said the new pension scheme had created more fears of the uncertainty of life after service than it ought to address and it could encourage corruption in the service. “The experience of every pensioner has not been palatable

Daniel handing over the award to Olawale at the ceremony Paul Iyoghojie The leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, have honoured the Sole Administrator of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Mr. Felix Goke Olawale with the National Outstanding Leadership award. The award ceremony took place at the YMCA hall, 77 Awolowo road, Ikoyi, Lagos. Residents of Obalende trooped out to witness the event. Speaking at the event, the national vice president of NANS in charge of special duties and awards, Comrade Oloyede Oluyomi Daniel said: “Lagosian must thank the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode for appointing responsible, dedicated and hardworking sole administrators in all the local councils in Lagos State, among who is Mr. Felix Goke Olawale, the Sole Administrator of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA.” “Before we decided to honour Olawale, NANS embarked on an assessment research in all the 20 LGAs and the 37 LCDAs in Lagos State and at the end we found out that Olawale is the on

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State The Enugu State Government has commenced repairs of the Old Premier’s Lodge, Nsukka, once occupied by Nigeria’s First President, the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, for its tourism potential. Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had announced the plan for the upgrade after a visit to Azikiwe’s’ Onuiyi Haven residence in Nsukka in September. The Project Coordinator, Mr Agu Chukwuemelie, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the upgrade of the building had reached advance stage. He said the upgrade of the building would be completed in the next one month if the work was not disrupted by the rains. Chukwuemelie said that the project derived from Ugwuanyi’s intention to turn the building into a world-class tourist site. “We would be done in the next one month; we want to have that place as a heritage and tourism site. “It is something we want to do in remembrance of the Great Zik of Africa, we want to remodel and beautify it without making it look so modern,” he

The suspect in police custody Paul Iyoghojie. The police at the Lion Building division, Lagos Island, Lagos have arrested an unrepentant handset thief, Damilola Joseph Sarumi, 26, who claimed to be a 400-Level student of Computer Science in one of the universities in Lagos. The suspect was arrested for allegedly obtaining four phones from four women under false pretence. The police alleged that the suspect obtained the phones from the complainants under the pretext of securing jobs for them as ushers at a popular hotel on Victoria Island, Lagos. The suspect, it was alleged, collected the expensive phones from the victims, sold them off and escaped. Also arrested with him in connection with the crime was the alleged receiver of the stolen phones, Toheed Fatuga, 32. The suspect, a resident of Okesuna area of Lagos Island, was first arrested by the police in January, 2016 for allegedly obtaining six expensive phones from seven women at various hotels on Lagos Island with the pretex

NSCDC operatives The Sokoto State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has declared two men wanted for allegedly amputating the hands and legs of one Shafiu Aminu Arzika in Sokoto. The state commandant of the corps, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, made the disclosure on Friday in Sokoto in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He named the two men as Abu Alayin and Hassan Dan Asano. He said that the incident took place around Digar Agyare area of Sokoto city on Saturday night. Aliyu said that the victim had been referred to the Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala in Kano, for treatment. He said that the command had commenced investigation to track the men. “We will do everything humanly possible to track the suspects, arrest them and bring them to book,” Aliyu promised.

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun The Osun Government on Friday said the state would be open-defecation-free by the year 2023. The Permanent Secretary, Osun Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, Water Resources, Rural and Community Affairs, Mr. Muftau Oluwadare, said this in Osogbo. Oluwadare spoke at the debriefing meeting on the review of Water Sanitation and Hygiene documents held at the ministry. He said the state government was providing toilets along major highways towards making the state open defecation free. The permanent secretary called on stakeholders in the state to support the efforts of the government to realise this objective. Mr. Ademola Olanrewaju, the Project Coordinator of European Union Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme, said that there must be concerted efforts to achieve the set objective. Olanrewaju presented the resolutions of the retreat on the water policy, water law, water supply and hygiene monitoring, evaluation framework and ope

The Benue Commissioner for Works, Transport and Energy, Mr Emmanuel Manger, said on Friday that the State Government had commenced a process to generate 10 megawatts of electricity. Manager, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Markudi said the move was part of the state’s industrialisation policy. The commissioner said it had become necessary for the state to source extra power supply to boost its industrial drive. “The main challenge of industrialisation remains poor electricity supply. When completed, the project will benefit the industrial layout in Makurdi and increase power supply to other parts of the state,” he said. The commissioner said that the ministry would set up a department of energy to ensure the success of the scheme. “We have had meetings with investors and they are willing to invest in the state for green energy supply,” Manager stated.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has ordered 51 corps members under Batch ‘B’ Stream 1 to repeat their service year in four states in the country for violating various rules. The cases of indiscipline were recorded in Nasarawa, Sokoto, Niger and Enugu states. Eleven erring corps members were affected by the disciplinary action in Nasarawa and Sokoto states, while Niger and Enugu states recorded 24 and 5 cases, respectively. The management of the NYSC explained that the offences included failure to report for service after documentation, absenteeism and truancy at places of primary assignment. Mrs Habiba Bappah, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Nasarawa state, made this known to newsmen in Lafia during the passing out event of the corps members. According to Bappah, 1,936 Batch B stream 1 corps members in the state successfully passed. She said the 11 corps members were among the 13 ordered to extend their service in various degrees for various offences they committed duri

South African students protest increase in school fees South African students protesting high tuition fees have demanded that all universities be shut until the government provides free education, Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) said on Friday. The protests have forced Wits and Cape Town universities to suspend classes twice in less than a month. However, Wits was aiming to reopen on Oct. 10 after police earlier this week clashed with student demonstrators on the campus. The institution said that it had no agreement from the students that the academic programme will continue on Monday. Wits suspended a general assembly scheduled for midday Friday to thrash out differences. The cost of university education, prohibitive for many black students, has become a symbol of the inequalities that endure in South Africa more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

FILE PHOTO: Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia The Director-General, Sokoto State Pilgrims’ Welfare Agency (PWA), Alhaji Ibrahim Umar,said the state had lost three pilgrims during the just concluded Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Umar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Friday that the pilgrims lost their lives in Mecca,after successfully completing the pilgrimage. He said the deceased comprised two females from Goronyo and Bodinga local government areas and a male from Sokoto North Local Government Area. “All of them had been buried according to Islamic rites in Mecca, while their families were duly informed about their demise. “Another male pilgrim from Sokoto North Local Government is currently receiving medical attention at a Mecca hospital. “He will be transported back to Nigeria through the Aminu Kano International Airport by the Saudi authorities when he gets well,” Umar said. The director-general further said that the nineth and last flight of 532 pilgrims from th

Ademola Oni A former banker with Wema Bank Nigeria Plc, Ademola Oni was on Thursday October 6, 2016 convicted and sentenced to twelve years imprisonment for conspiracy and money laundering by Justice Joyce Abudmalik of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State. The court also ruled that he forfeits all his properties and cash in various banks as proceeds of crime. Among properties forfeited by the convict are: an empty plot of land fenced with black gate located along the road beside Secam church, Providence Estate, Sango Eleyele Expressway, Ibadan; a Honda Accord Car, 2014 model, with registration number AGL 12 CX; another empty plot of land located at Alao Akala Estate, along Akubu Ojuirin, near Apostolic Church, Ikolaba, Ibadan; a storey building located at Aminu Olaniran Street, Ikolaba behind the Apostolic church, Ikolaba Assembly, Ikolaba, Ibadan; three acres of land at Okuna Village, Along Akufo Village, by Fumakson filling station, Ido Local Government Area, Ibadan; an empt

The FCT High Court has revoked an earlier bail granted Solomon Ndam, an ex-staff of defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) standing trial on multiple allegations of fraud. Justice Jude Okeke revoked the bail on Thursday following an application and withdrawal of his surety, Mr. Tijani Haruna, from rendering the services. Okeke remanded Ndam in Kuje prison pending the time he would get a new surety. “In the light of this, all documents belonging to Haruna are to be returned to him, by this ruling, therefore, the applicant sizes to be responsible to the accused in a manner earlier agreed,” he said. Ndam is standing trial on a 13-count charge of forgery, impersonation and obtaining N5.5 million by false pretence from an unsuspecting victim. The Counsel to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Samuel Okeleke, entered his fielded his fifth prosecution witness, Mr. Olushola Adewumi. Adewumi, a staff of the First Bank of Nigeria Plc., said he received a subpoena

A UN human rights watchdog On Friday called on Saudi Arabia to end “severe” discrimination against girls and to repeal laws that allowed stoning, amputation, flogging and execution of children. Bandar Bin Mohammed, Chairman of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, said that the committee on the Rights of the Child condemned the Saudi-led coalition’s air strikes in Yemen. It said that air strikes killed and maimed hundreds of children, and its “use of starvation” as a tactic in that war against Iran-backed Houthis. The committee’s 18 independent experts examined the kingdom’s record of compliance with a U.N. treaty protecting the rights of people under the age of 18. The Saudi delegation to the committee’s review told the body that Sharia, Islamic law, was above all laws and treaties. The U.N. experts voiced deep concern that Riyadh “still does not recognise girls as full subjects of rights”. That it has continued to severely discriminate (against) them in law, practice and to impos

Sunday, the car thief 22-year-old Samuel on Sunday walked into the Living Faith Church, popularly known as ‘Winners Chapel,’ located at Sango-Otta, Ogun State, not to worship God, but with another motive. Nobody knew he came into the worship centre to steal a car. Thus, while others were singing and praising God, Sunday was frantically searching for the perfect vehicle to steal. His perfect vehicle would be one, whose owner forgot the gate pass inside the car because whenever church members were driving into the church premises, security guards at the gate would give them a gate pass. Nobody is allowed to drive in or out of the church premises without the gate pass. Just when Sunday was almost giving up hope of ever finding the perfect car, he got wind of a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) whose owner, apparently in a hurry, and left the gate pass in the car. He successfully broke into the car and was struggling to undo the security device of the car, in order to turn on the ignition

Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos talks during a news conference after a meeting with Colombian former President and Senator Alvaro Uribe at Narino Palace in Bogota, Colombia, October 5, 2016. REUTERS/John Vizcaino Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a surprise choice after Colombians voted “No” to an agreement he signed with Marxist rebels to end 52 years of war. Santos has promised to revive the peace plan even though Colombians, in a referendum on Sunday, narrowly rejected the accord. Many voters believed it was too lenient on the FARC guerrillas. “The award should also be seen as a tribute to the Colombian people,” committee leader Kaci Kullmann Five said when announcing the prize. Voters did not say “No” to peace but to the agreement, she said. The award pointedly excluded FARC guerrilla leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko, who signed the deal with Santos. Some Nobel watchers had taken Col

Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s call on John Odigie-Oyegun to resign as National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly derailing from the path of progressives continues to generate diverse opinions in the polity. The call, rather than being misconstrued by Tinubu’s antagonists should be seen for its altruistic value and content. It is about saving the soul of a ruling party that is still in its embryo. But, while waiting to see how circumstances eventuate, some questions keep bothering me and if they are answered dispassionately, they may help put the understanding of the issue in proper perspective. Before all else, was Tinubu wrong in endorsing a candidate? Better put, did he, as the National Leader of a foremost party, do something he ought not to have done by allegedly asking all the aspirants to work for his preferred choice (Punch, September 3, 2016)? Also, and, in fairness to the facts, is Tinubu gradually losing out in Nigeria’s political space and what is the way out?