Global Naija Info

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State; his Osun State counterpart, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Representative of Ondo State Governor & SSG, Mr. Rotimi Adelola during the South-West Governors Economic Forum in Ibadan, on Monday, November 21, 2016. Southwest Governors met in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria on Monday to chat the way forward in the face of dwindling economic fortune of Nigeria and the region. At the meeting were Governors Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun),Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), while Ondo State Governor, Dr. Segun Mimiko was represented by his SSG, Rotimi Adelola.

President Muhammadu Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari is to attend the 4th Africa-Arab Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on Nov. 23. Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday. According to Adesina, the summit, which will be attended by Heads of State and Governments from Gulf and African countries, is expected to endorse the Malabo Declaration and Action Working Plan for 2017-2019 to promote trade and economic ties. The two-year plan seeks to implement priority projects in trade, investment, transportation, communication and energy in Africa. “In Malabo, President Buhari is also expected to hold discussions with Arab leaders aimed to review agreements to strengthen partnerships that bolster agriculture and infrastructure development in Nigeria through long-term concessionary loans and technological skills transfer.” Adesina stated that the President would also explore the opportunity of getting

Nigeria-police The Sokoto State Police Command on Monday confirmed the killing of a security guard at the personal residence of the House Leader of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Garba Bello, by suspected armed robbers. The Spokesman of the command, Mr El-Mustapha Sani, made the confirmation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)in Sokoto. Sani said the deceased, Zubairu Bello, was shot by the hoodlums when they struck at the house located along Sama road, Sokoto, at around 3 a.m. on Sunday. The Police Spokesman also said that the suspected armed robbers had scuffles with the deceased before they shot him. “The deceased told the invading hoodlums that his Master was not in the house. “They tried to gain entrance into the house through the roof,but they could not do so. “They later fled when some mobile policemen arrived the scene after the House Leader made a distress call. “None of them could, however, be arrested as they fled immediately they heard the g

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd left); Group Managing Director, Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Managing Director, Seven-Up Bottling Company PLC, Mr. Sunil Sawhney and Consultant, Lagos City Marathon, Mr. Bukola Olopade during a Press Conference on the Lagos City Marathon 2017 at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja, on Sunday. Kazeem Ugbodaga Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday said no fewer than 50,000 athletes from across the world are expected to participate in the second edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon billed to hold on February 11, 2017. Ambode, who stated this at Lagos House in Ikeja while addressing a world press conference on the marathon, said necessary logistics have been put in place to make the event hugely successful, and as well promote the tourism potentials of the State. The Governor said about 33,753 runners, including 65 elite marathoners from different parts of the world and over 100 local elite runners participa

Fayez al-Sarraj, Libya leader Ethnic fighting has left at least 20 people dead in the south Libyan town of Sabha after an incident with a monkey, medical sources say. The pet monkey assaulted a schoolgirl, leading her family to seek revenge. Three young men were killed along with the animal in initial fighting. Days of fighting followed between the Awlad Suleiman and Guedadfa groups. Casualties may be greater as the death toll is reportedly for the Awlad Suleiman group only. Reports suggest tanks, rockets, mortars and other heavy weapons were used in the fighting, in which at least 50 people were also wounded. The three men with the monkey at the time of the assault were from the Guedadfa community, the same as the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. It appears the monkey may have pulled off the girl’s headscarf as well as scratching and biting her. The relationship between the two communities is said to have been strained for many years. Sabha is a hub for trafficking in mi

Chief Godwin Obla, SAN. The EFCC has preferred a 30-count charge against a Federal High Court Judge, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia and Godwin Obla, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. In the charge listed as number LD/367/C/16, Ofili-Ajumogobia was listed as first defendant, while Obla was named as second defendant. The defendants were said to have committed the offence on May 21, 2015, by conspiring to pervert the course of justice with five million naira. The money was alleged to have been transferred to one Nigel & Colive Ltd. in relation to a charge number FHC/L/C/482/10. Ajumogobia is said to be a sole signatory to Nigel & Colive Ltd. Both defendants were said to have conspired to pervert the course of justice in contravention of the provisions of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011. In counts one to four, Obla was said to have offered gratification by transferring the money from his company’s account, Obla & Co., domiciled with the United Bank for Africa, to Nigel &

Chief Godwin Obla, SAN. A former prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Godwin Obla (SAN), on Monday, asked a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, to declare his continued detention by the commission, as unlawful. EFCC had preferred a 30-count charge of conspiracy to pervert justice for the sum of N5 million against Obla and Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of a Federal High Court. The commission had detained the duo in its custody pending the conclusion of its investigations. On Monday, Obla through his counsel, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), brought an application, praying the court to declare his continued detention by the commission as unlawful. In his argument, Adedipe urged the court to hold that the continued detention of his client and the seizure of his mobile phones constituted an infringement on his rights to liberty and ownership of property. He said his client, who was once a prosecutor for the EFCC was invited to the commission on Nov. 8 and

Donald Trump The British government is considering whether to invite President-elect Donald Trump to the UK for a state visit in 2017, a Downing Street spokesperson said. According to CNN “An invitation for a state visit is one of the things that is under consideration following the election of a new US president,” a spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Theresa May told reporters. State visits typically involve a meeting with the Queen. “One of the issues under consideration is the 2017 state visits.” Developing story – more to come

The Edo House of Assembly on Monday confirmed Justice Esohe Ikponwen as the new Chief Justice of the state. The confirmation was sequel to the consideration of the House Committee on Judiciary at the committee of the whole. Considering the report, the chairman of the committee, Mr. Patrick Iloube(PDP-Esan North East 1) said the nominee had an LL. B and a BL in Law in 1978 and 1979, respectively. Iluobe said the nominee was currently a judge at the State High Court since 1999 to-date. He added that the nominee was professionally and educationally qualified for the job. The committee, thereafter, recommended that the nominee be confirmed as the Chief Judge of the state. The house unanimously adopted the committee’s recommendation. The speaker, Justin Okonoboh, said the appointment would take effect from Jan. 26, 2017. Okonoboh directed that copies of the resolution be sent to the government, for immediate action. The current Chief Judge of the state, Justice Cromwell Idahosa, w

HIV/AIDS An NGO, the Global Fund, has commenced a five-day residential training for 25 health workers on HIV/AIDS counselling and testing in Jigawa. Mrs Stella Eked, a Counseling Psychologist from the Federal Ministry of Health, said at the training in Dutse on Monday that the participants were selected from various health centres in the state capital. Eked, who is also the Head of the training, said that the programme was being conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health. According to her, the training is aimed at building the capacity of the health workers on how best to conduct HIV/AIDS counselling and testing. Eked said that the participants would go to health facilities in rural communities to sensitise youths and women to the dangers associated with the disease. She urged rural dwellers to go for HIV/AIDS screening to know their status. “According to a recent survey, Nigeria is ranked third in tuberculosis in Africa, and Jigawa is among the first 22 s

Lagos State University The Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has identified insecurity as a major factor discouraging foreigners from enlisting in Nigerian universities. Fagbohun made the announcement on Monday in Lagos. He said that Nigeria’s education system, especially at the tertiary level had not been competitive because of the absence of foreign scholars and students. The vice-chancellor argued that in the past, most universities in Nigeria had foreign scholars and students, due to the congenial learning environment. “We must put our acts together if we want to be globally competitive in education. “We must not forget that in every area of life’s endeavour, security is critical. “One thing we need to do is for us as Nigerians to put up positive narratives that will convince the world about us. “For example, if you meet a Ghanaian or a Kenyan, he will not hesitate to paint a wonderful picture about his country, given the sli

Pix: Members of Lagos State Governor’s Office Correspondents [LAGOCO], during a walk in Lagos. Kazeem Ugbodaga Hundreds of journalists and gender-based activists on Monday staged a walk against domestic and sexual violence in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. The walk, which began at the Ikeja Local Government, through Awolowo Road in Ikeja terminated at the Lagos State Government Secretariat. All through the walk, thousands of leaflets were distributed to sensitise Lagos residents on the need to desist from engaging in domestic and sexual violence. The walkers were armed with placards, some of which read: “Women are no objects, respect and treat them rightly,” “Rape is not a joke, don’t do it,” “Don’t hit your woman, be a real man,” “There is no excuse, stop victim blaming” and “Say no to domestic and sexual violence.” The walk was organized by the Lagos State Governor’s Office Correspondents, LAGOCO in conjunction with The Counselling Ambassador Organisation, TCAO, as part of LAGOCO’s

Bags of rice Mr Ngo Hoan, Deputy Director-General at the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade, on Monday announced the Vietnamese government’s plan to facilitate rice exportation to Nigeria. Ngo told said on the sidelines of a Vietnam/Nigeria Business Forum in Lagos that his government and the Nigerian authorities were already discussing the proposal. The Ministry’s deputy director-general of South West Asia and Africa Market Department said that more Vietnamese companies were becoming interested in Nigeria’s big market for their products. “The Vietnamese government is currently working on improving the legal framework for strengthening business cooperation between Nigeria and Vietnam. “More importantly, we are currently working on the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria on rice trade into the Nigerian markets. “If this MoU is signed, Vietnam hopes to become the stable supplier of rice at reasonable prices to Nigerians,’’ he said. Ngo said

Gov Atiku Bagudu Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State would on Saturday inaugurate projects worth N464 million executed by the Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s (TETFund) intervention. The Rector of the Polytechnic, Malam Sani Zuru, said this in Birnin Kebbi on Monday during a pre-convocation news conference. Zuru said it would form part of the activities lined-up by the polytechnic to mark its 12th joint convocation. He said the projects would include the N120 million entrepreneurship centre, N250 million twin-lecture theatres and the N94 million Estate Management Department building. He said that Gov.Bagudu secured them for the institution while in the Senate. Zuru also said that 6,554 students who graduated between 2012 and 2015 would receive their certificates during the ceremony slated for Nov. 26. He said 1,759 of the students would be awarded the Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates in various disciplines, while 4,082 stude

keke-marwa Two commercial drivers, Adeleye Taiwo, 60 and Micheal Akinode, 22, who allegedly stole a tricycle valued at N600, 000 were on Monday in Lagos granted bail. An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, granted the accused persons N100,000 bail each and told them to provide two sureties each in like sum. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Alexander Komolafe, said the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government. Komolafe adjourned the case to Dec. 5 for mention. Taiwo, who lives at of No. 32, Alhaji Yusuf St., Ishasi Akute in Ogun and Akinode at No. 8, Modupe St., Ogba, Lagos, are facing a two- count charge of conspiracy and stealing. Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Joseph Ajebe, had told the court that the accused conspired with one Bankole Monday, who is still at large and committed the offences on July 5, at No. 14, Fadipe St., Ogba, Lagos. Ajebe said the complainant, one Mrs Angela Eki, sold the tricycle to Bankole on hire purchase for commercial purposes. “Eki r

Nollywood A Movie Director and Producer, Raphael Uche, says the emergence of the internet has not in any way affected the profitability of films, rather it is helping the industry to grow. Uche said on Monday in Lagos that streaming of films on YouTube and other internet channels had not reduced the profit on the films. “I must state that the fear that internet will reduce the profit on our films is unfounded; the fear is as a result of inadequate information about the use of channels on the internet. “For me, internet has greatly helped the film industry to grow in leaps and bounds. `As a producer, I have had good experiences with my films being on internet. “In fact, I prefer it now. “There is a movie that I produced and it was put on internet. It was on the YouTube that some researchers in Maryland University found the film and contacted me. “Thereafter, they called for a reproduction and it was done. Imagine if the film in question was not on the internet?’’ he queried.

Prof Wole Soyinka The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, has described Prof. Wole Soyinka’s literary ingenuity and contributions to the development of literature and dramatic arts as legendary. Muhammed said this at the command performance of “Death and the King’s Horseman,” one of the iconic plays written by of the Nobel Laureate, staged by the National Troupe in Lagos on Sunday. The event was organized by the ministry to celebrate Soyinka’s 30 years of being made a Nobel Laureate. He noted that Soyinka had continued to play vital roles in the development of arts, culture and democracy in the country and the world over. The minister said that the literary icon, “is one of Nigeria’s literary gifts to the world”. “I want to say that we will continue to count on his support in our quest to develop and promote our country’s creative industry to enhance its contributions to the nation’s economy. “I recall how this time 30-years ago, Nigeria was inducted into

Nollywood A Movie Director and Producer, Raphael Uche, says the emergence of the internet has not in any way affected the profitability of films, rather it is helping the industry to grow. Uche said on Monday in Lagos that streaming of films on YouTube and other internet channels had not reduced the profit on the films. “I must state that the fear that internet will reduce the profit on our films is unfounded; the fear is as a result of inadequate information about the use of channels on the internet. “For me, internet has greatly helped the film industry to grow in leaps and bounds. `As a producer, I have had good experiences with my films being on internet. “In fact, I prefer it now. “There is a movie that I produced and it was put on internet. It was on the YouTube that some researchers in Maryland University found the film and contacted me. “Thereafter, they called for a reproduction and it was done. Imagine if the film in question was not on the internet?’’ he queried.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State is presently holding a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa. Mimiko’s visit is the second to the Presidential Villa this month on the Ondo governorship election scheduled for Saturday. Details later.

LASU ‎The Lagos State University (LASU) says it plans to deploy its volunteer students to teach final-year secondary school students during holidays. Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Vice Chancellor of the institution, told a Forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos ‎that the programme was conceived under its Community Development Service (CDS). Fagbohun said the university planned to open study cells where its volunteer students ‎would teach and prepare final-year secondary school students for external examinations, free of charge. He said the programme would first begin in the Ojo area, but that more study cells would later come up in different parts of the state. “The coaching would be on the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and other external examinations,’’ he said. ‎According to him, the core subjects to be thought are English Language, Mathematics and the Sciences. Fagbohun said the idea was to take some

President-Buhari The Professional Insurance Ladies’ Association (PILA) on Monday urged the Federal Government to initiate a bill seeking to compel men – from 18 years – to take life insurance policy. The PILA President, Jocelyn Ogbuokiri, made the appeal in Lagos. Ogbuokiri said that such a bill had become necessary to reduce suffering of women and children due to loss of their bread winners. “Widows that are left without life insurance cover, most times, face hardships in several ways. “Girls that are part of that family sometimes take to prostitution while the boys become urchins,’’ she said. The PILA president said that, if passed into law, the bill would boost insurance penetration in the country. She regretted alleged lackadaisical attitude of Nigerians towards insurance policies, saying that the policies were in the interest of the citizenry. Ogbuokiri noted that life insurance policy was one of the pillars of personal finance, and deserved consideration by every househ

polio-victims Dr Kuden Kamshak, the Plateau State Commissioner for Health, on Monday, said the state had not recorded any case of polio since 2009. Kunden disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos. He said that the government would continue to maintain the trend by ensuring that all children were immunized with oral-polio vaccines. The commissioner said that the state was proactive by ensuring that its vaccines were well preserved, adding that the 17 local government areas had refrigerators that were solar powered. Kunden said this would go a long way in bridging the public electricity supply gap in the area and in areas without public electricity. He said that vaccines would lose their potency if they were not well preserved. The commissioner said that vaccines needed to be kept or stored at a cold temperature of plus one to plus eight for them to maintain their potency. “Many a time, vaccines that have lost their potency are administered to infants, but the

Just as Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State arrived the Presidential Villa Abuja to meet President Muhammadu Buhari on the coming governorship election in the state, hundreds of supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday marched to the INEC secretariat in Akure, the state capital, calling for a two-week postponement of the election. The PDP supporters, who are rooting for Mr Eyitayo Jegede of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the PDP, are calling for at least 2 weeks shift in the polls to allow the judiciary resolve the contentious issue of the party’s governorship candidate for the state. They want their candidate, Jegede, as the party’s flagbearer instead of Jimoh Ibrahim fielded by INEC as the party’s governorship candidate in the election. Full report later.

Aminu Masari, Katsina State governor Katsina State Government says all the moribund government owned industries in the state will soon be revived in collaboration with foreign investors. Alhaji Abubakar Yusuf, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Tourism, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Katsina on Monday. He identified that some of the industries to be revived as Danja Sugar Factory, Kankara Kaolin Factory and Daura Tannery, among others. Yusuf said that most of these industries would commence operation soon after they had been revived given the level of collaboration with the foreign investors. The commissioner said that these companies had been dormant for many years in spite of their importance to economic development, especially employment generation. Yusuf said that the state government had signed Memorandum of Understanding with the foreign investors and that they would soon start working. He said government had leased the Kankia Metal Works to an India

Prof Wole Soyinka The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, has described Prof. Wole Soyinka’s literary ingenuity and contributions to the development of literature and dramatic arts as legendary. Muhammed said this at the command performance of “Death and the King’s Horseman,” one of the iconic plays written by of the Nobel Laureate, staged by the National Troupe in Lagos on Sunday. The event was organized by the ministry to celebrate Soyinka’s 30 years of being made a Nobel Laureate. He noted that Soyinka had continued to play vital roles in the development of arts, culture and democracy in the country and the world over. The minister said that the literary icon, “is one of Nigeria’s literary gifts to the world”. “I want to say that we will continue to count on his support in our quest to develop and promote our country’s creative industry to enhance its contributions to the nation’s economy. “I recall how this time 30-years ago, Nigeria was inducted into

Philippines President, Rodrigo Duterte Children as young as nine could be jailed in the Philippines for certain crimes under a proposed law backed by the president, sparking concern Monday from the United Nations and rights groups. President Rodrigo Duterte’s allies have been pushing to pass laws by December that would restore the death penalty and lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 9. Duterte won May elections largely because of a vow to kill tens of thousands of drug dealers, also promising on the campaign trail to close a loophole in the juvenile justice system that he said allowed traffickers to use minors as narcotic couriers. “Adult criminals knowingly and purposely make use of youth below 15 years of age to commit crimes, such as drug trafficking,” Pantaleon Alvarez, one of the proposed law’s main backers, said in an explanatory note. While Duterte wanted the age threshold dropped to 12, his allies went one step further by calling for it to be low

court Three men, Adegbite Sadia (20), Shaeed Bakare (22), and Akinlabi Farouq (29), were on Monday brought before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun over alleged membership of a secret cult, known as “Aiye Confraternity”. The accused, of unknown addresses, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and belonging to an unlawful society. The Prosecutor, Cpl. Abdulkareem Mustapha told the court that the accused and others still at large, committed the offences on Oct. 7, at about 11.20 p.m., at Atan-Ota. Mustapha said that the accused and their accomplices are members of an unlawful society called “Aiye Confraternity’’. The offences contravened Sections 249,234 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge preferred against them. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Funke Odubanjo, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum. Odubanjo said that the sureties must be resident

Haruna Baba Jauro A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday fixed Dec. 13 for the continuation of the trial of a former acting Director General of NIMASA, Haruna Jauro, alongside others, facing a N304.1 million fraud charge. Jauro, who assumed leadership of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in acting capacity in July 2015, is charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He is standing trial alongside Dauda Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Ltd on 19 counts, bordering on the offences. They were arraigned on April 12 and had pleaded not guilty to the charge, while the court had admitted them to bail in the sum of N5 million each, with two sureties each in like sum. The suit, which was scheduled for the continuation of the trial, was stalled on Monday, following the absence of the trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun. No reason was given for her absence. The prosecution and defence counsels were present in court, and the trial is now

International-passport Muhammad Babandede, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has said that the President Buhari administration is considering extending validity period for international passports from its current 5 years to 10 years. Babandede said this to reporters in his office on Saturday. He added that the announcement will be made in the coming months. “We have submitted a memo to the president and we believe we’ll get a positive response to that soon,” Babandede said. According to PREMIUM TIMES, He said that this development is in response to several complaints from Nigerians and the international community. “We have received complaints that passports only take five years. The international community is not happy, wondering why passports will only be five years. They’re saying it should be 10 years and we’re already considering that. We need to make sure that we have age validity expansion. For example, in some places in the world, they say if y

The attacker was reportedly on foot when he entered this Kabul mosque. A suicide bomber has killed at least 27 people in a suicide attack inside a Shia Muslim mosque in the Afghan capital, Kabul, police say. Another 35 were wounded in the blast at the Baqir ul Olum mosque. The attacker was on foot and blew himself up among crowds inside the building, officials said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Afghanistan has largely been spared levels of sectarian violence seen by Pakistan and Iraq. But Shia, who make up about 15% of the population in Afghanistan, have been attacked several times in recent months. At least 14 people died in a gun attack on a shrine in Kabul in October. An attack in July, claimed by so-called Islamic State, killed 80 people at a Shia protest march in the capital.

med-lab A Medical Laboratory Scientist, Mr Chinenye Nwekpe, on Monday warned Nigerians against patronising quack laboratory services. Nwekpe, who is the former Chairman of Medical Laboratory Scientists Association of Nigeria, Enugu Chapter, gave the warning in Enugu. He noted that fake laboratory scientists jeopardise good healthcare delivery in the various rural communities, advising the public to report activities of quacks to the relevant authorities for appropriate sanctions. Nwekpe said that the Medical Laboratory Scientist Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) was the statutory regulatory body that was empowered by the MLSCN Act 11 (2003) to regulate the practice of Medical Laboratory Science in the country. He explained that any practitioner not duly certified by MLSCN is a quack and should be shunned at all costs by patients interested in quality health care. According to him, the quacks make patients suffer untold hardship and pains because they lack the requisite training to dis

Nigeria-police The Ebonyi Police Command says it will start impounding and prosecuting drivers of vehicles with factory fitted tinted glasses who have not obtained the newly approved permit. Mr. George Okafor, its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Monday that the new permit, with unique security features, was to prevent hoodlums from using such vehicles for crimes. According to him, the new permit contains bio data of the car owner which include the photograph, fingerprints, name and date of birth, among others. “The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on assumption of duty as the new IGP, left no one in doubt on his readiness to fight crime to a standstill, hence he came up with the idea of computerized tinted glass permit. “The idea is to enable the police to have vital information about persons being issued with the tinted car permit which will assist in checking usage of such cars for crimes. “Many suspe

Saudi-private-health-institution Saudi Health Ministry on Monday shut down 908 private health institutions for various violations in the last six months, a media report said. Reports say the close-down decision that covered hospitals, medical complexes and clinics were among 1,532 reported violations and warnings that the ministry issued in the same period. The closing down periods depend on the severity of the violations as some of those organisations remain closed until correcting their situations, the report from the ministry added. The violations vary from the licenses of the medical facilities and medics, shortages in medical equipment and poor infection, sterilisation and waste control,’’ the ministry said. Report says tough measures became necessary , as the country is fighting the transmission of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Corona virus that has killed hundreds of local and residents since 2012.

Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court was Monday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over corruption, He appeared before Justice John Tsoho. Details later

Nicolas-Sarkozy, France former President France’s first Republican presidential primary has ended in a surprising runoff between two former prime ministers and halted a political comeback by former President Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy came in third in the field of seven vying for the nomination for France’s center-right party. The shock winner was Francois Fillon, who staged a remarkable late surge to win the vote. He’ll contest Alain Juppe in a second-round vote for the party’s nomination on November 27. It’s assumed the winner will be the one to contest the leader of the far-right National Front, Marine Le Pen, for the presidency. Le Pen’s anti-Europe and anti-immigration stance has been gaining popularity among French voters, and in an interview with CNN last week, she said she’d been emboldened by Donald Trump’s recent victory in the United States. It “makes the French realize that what the people want, they can get, if they mobilize themselves,” she said. With more than th

Mr Bagudu Hirse Chief Alexander Mwolwus, a PDP Chieftain in Plateau on Monday appealed to the Federal Government to facilitate the immediate release of the abducted ex-foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Bagudu Hirse. Hirse who was on a condolence visit to the family of Malam Mamman Daura in Kaduna was kidnapped by gunmen on Sunday morning. The former minister’s whereabouts has yet to be known by security operatives and family members, who confirmed his abduction, as no word was heard from him or his captors as at the time of filing this report. Mwolwus, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Jos, described Hirse’s abduction as “very sad and unfortunate’’. “I am appealing to the Federal Government to rise to the challenge and ensure that Hirse is released by his captors with immediate effect giving the fact that he is an elderly man. “Our elder brother and father is an old man, a gentleman to the core, who does not deserve what has befallen him at this materi

Gov Atiku Bagudu The Kebbi State Government has called on the farmers who benefited from the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ agricultural loan programme to hasten repayment for others to benefit. Alh Garba Dandiga, the state Commissioner of Agriculture, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Monday. He said the beneficiaries were expected to repay the loans in cash or in kind, adding that “an individual farmer or group may repay in cash or with bags of paddy rice”. He said the loans were not free and warned the beneficiaries to hasten repayment to avoid sanctions, stressing that all those who received the loans must repay. Dandiga said the government had directed APC chairmen at local government and ward levels to deliver the message to the beneficiaries, adding that “we will soon begin media jingles on repayment of the loans”. He said 78,000 farmers benefited from the loans which were aimed at mass production of rice and wheat to boost foo

Gov Atiku Bagudu The Kebbi State Government has called on the farmers who benefited from the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ agricultural loan programme to hasten repayment for others to benefit. Alh Garba Dandiga, the state Commissioner of Agriculture, made the call in Birnin Kebbi on Monday. He said the beneficiaries were expected to repay the loans in cash or in kind, adding that “an individual farmer or group may repay in cash or with bags of paddy rice”. He said the loans were not free and warned the beneficiaries to hasten repayment to avoid sanctions, stressing that all those who received the loans must repay. Dandiga said government had directed APC chairmen at local government and ward levels to deliver the message to the beneficiaries, adding that “we will soon begin media jingles on repayment of the loans”. He said 78,000 farmers benefited from the loans which were aimed at mass production of rice and wheat to boost food security. The Federal Government is targeting productio

Motunrayo Famuyiwa-Alaka In this days when everything has gone ‘E’, Google appears to be getting more attention than it deserves. When you have a question; all you need do is Google it! From soft furnishing, to house prospecting, to job searching, to relationship building, to office etiquette – answers abound! Are you thinking about finding a mate, improving your relationship, getting married, getting pregnant, raising children, choosing the right school for your child or helping your ward out of a bad habit? It is Google to the rescue! Increasingly, Christians are searching the Internet for answers on having a buoyant prayer life, the fruit of the spirit, living a godly life and such like. Teachers of God’s word can even get a whole sermon booklet filled from Google searches. God forbid that we soon wake up in the morning and Google ‘what is God saying today?’ I discern that Christians (myself inclusive) are beginning to substitute the place of the Holy Spirit with the Internet.

Lagos-Ibadan expressway Mr Kayode Ibrahim, the engineer supervising section one of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reconstruction/rehabilitation contract, by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, said that the project was 32 per cent completed. Ibrahim told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that work had been completed on one section of the Long Bridge and on various critical sections. NAN reports that section one of the projects is from Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu Interchange and is being handled by Julius Berger. He said that more warning signs and crash barriers had been deployed to the highway to ensure a free flow of traffic and check accidents. “We will complete the repair of the long bridge by Dec. 15 and we will complete all palliatives to make the road motorable before the Yuletide. “The entire project is 32 percent completed. We have done earthworks, laid asphalt and base course, done culverts and drains on various changes between Redeemed Camp and the Sagam

Gov. Sani Bello of Niger State The Niger government has called on the state chapter of Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), to suspend its two day warning strike to protest against alleged multiple taxation. Mr Jonathan Vatsa, the state commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism made the appeal on Monday in Minna. He appealed to the organisation to embrace dialogue as government has promised to meet with the leadership of the association on Monday to find ways of resolving the issue. NAN recalls that the state chapter of NATA had on Friday embarked on a two day warning strike to protest against alleged multiple taxation on its members by the state government. “Government has appealed to NATA to suspend the strike to enable us meet with them on Monday to resolve the issue. “If there is any government policy on taxation that NATA don’t understand they should approach us for dialogue. “I believe that in the end we will reach an agreement on the issue, but don

Mosquito, agent of Malaria Mr Obinna Okenwa, the lawmaker representing Enugu South-Urban Constituency in Enugu State House of Assembly, has volunteered to fumigate Enugu South council area in order to stem the breeding of mosquitoes. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the council recently witnessed an upsurge in mosquitoes as well as residents coming down with malaria within the past one month when the dry season set in. Okenwa told NAN on Monday in Enugu that the move was to check the menace of mosquitoes and its attendant malaria that affect the people of the locality. “This is the right time to implement this programme of general fumigation of the council area especially the Enugu South-Urban, mostly affected by the menace. “I did promise to fumigate and attend to all health needs of this locality with the needed dispatch it deserved. “I would start the council-wide fumigation in few days because there is a need to move with speed to check this spate of mosquito i

Barack Obama Outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama says he can not guarantee that president-elect Donald Trump will not pursue some of his campaign rhetoric when sworn-in as president. Obama made the remark in Lima at his final international news conference as U.S. president after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum. The news conference was monitored by the correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York. “I can’t guarantee that the president-elect won’t pursue some of the positions that he’s taken. “But what I can guarantee is that reality will force him to adjust how he approaches many of these issues; that’s just the way this office (U.S. presidency) works.” The U.S. president, who had been assuring world leaders about a Trump’s presidency until now, however, asked them to adopt a “wait and see” approach about the president-elect. “What I expect from world leaders is the same thing that I have said in a number of press conferences, which is th