Global Naija Info

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State More commendations have continued to greet the prohibition of private revenue collectors announced by Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, in his new year broadcast. The ‎Conference of Non Governmental Organizations (CONGOs) urged the governor to sustain the ban and never yield to intimidation from any quarter. Several individuals and bodies have commended Obaseki for his bravery in putting the private revenue collectors contracted by his predecessor in office, Adams Oshiomhole, out of business. Obaseki in the new year broadcast, had said: “I must quickly mention that one issue that continues to agitate Edo people is the lawless activities of some individuals who persist in harassing and extorting innocent citizens under the guise of collecting taxes and levies. “The laws of our country vests the responsibility for collecting taxes exclusively on the 3-tiers of government, that is, Federal, State and Local Governments. “Consequently, with

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State Governor Nyesome Wike of Rivers State is angry. He is angry over the dismissal of six police officers attached to him by the authorities. The governor in a statement through his spokesman, Dr. Austin Tam George, described the dismissal of his security aides as political and vowed to resist the satani agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. The governor said the dismissed police officers only stopped an alleged attempt to assassinate him. “These officers committed no crime, other than stopping a carefully planned assassination attempt on the life of Governor Wike. “The officers are the latest victims of the medieval authoritarianism of the APC government that seems to lurch blindly in the miasma of its own incompetence. “We urge Nigerians to demand the immediate reinstatement of these officers, and for the Inspector General of Police to allow an independent inquiry. “The APC government has never hidden it’s desperation to

The Bank of Industry (BoI) says it disbursed N3.1 billion to 14 microfinance banks under its Bottom of Pyramid (BOP) scheme. The scheme is among others designed to enhance the financial inclusion of micro-entrepreneurs in the country. Mr Waheed Olagunju, the Acting Managing Director of the bank, made the disclosure at the presentation of cheques to LAPO Microfinance Bank, Fortis Microfinance Bank and Lotus Capital Ltd in Lagos on Friday. The Bottom of Pyramid scheme is an on-lending initiative using the services of microfinance banks as channels for credit delivery to the under-served and under-banked micro-entrepreneurs. Olagunju presented a cheque each of one billion naira to LAPO Microfinance Bank, N500 million to Fortis Microfinance Bank and N500 million to Lotus Capital. He said that the bank had previously disbursed N1.1 billion to 11 microfinance banks under the scheme. According to him, the bank has approvals of N1.13 billion for nine other microfinance banks presently u

The dismissed police officers The Nigerian police have sacked six police officers attached to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike for exhibiting gross misconduct in the last rerun election in Rivers. At a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah said after thorough investigation, the police officers attached to Wike had been dismissed for being over-zealous and exhibiting act of misconduct in the discharge of their duties. The officers are: Inspector Eyong Victor, Sgt Peter Ekpo, Sgt Oguni Goodluck, Sgt. Orji Nwoke, Sgt. Okpe Ezekiel and Sgt. Tanko Akor. According to Awunah, the action exhibited by the police officers were capable of bringing the entire Nigeria Police Force to disrepute and portrayed the Force in a very bad light as a lawless organization not guided by the rule of law. “These Police personnel while in the convoy of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Rivers State Barr. Nyesom Wike on the date of election, 10th Decem

Prince James Uche in Hospital bed Well meaning Nigerians have not seen it all as every day different ailing Nollywood actors spring up begging for financial support. Sometime in July 2016 it was Leo Mezie another well known actor pleading for N10m to enable hi fly abroad as he was suffering from Kidney failure, of which his colleagues also solicited funds on his behalf and today he is hale and healthy as Nigerians came to his aid. Few months back as well it was Baba Suwe. Although Nigerians have since said Nollywood should support their colleagues and stop disturbing poor Nigerians who are trying to cope with the recession our economy is suffering from, we do hope and pray Prince James Uche gets help soon. His son has since cried out for help. see post : “Good morning Nigerians home and abroad, I want to sincerely thank you, who have donated to save my father’s life,my family and i appreciate you all, U will never fall ill amen… Today(Jan.3rd) is a day i will never forget in my

DOGNAPPED For their first feature-film collaboration, KayKas Studios, Drama King Productions and Reel Laif Productions present Nigeria’s first live-action animated comedy film titled Dognapped. Dognapped is a family comedy about the life of an upcoming comedian Andy who forms a relationship with a talking dog, Bruno. Join them on this roller-coaster ride as they conquer their fears, battle their enemies, fall in love and rise to fame. Dognapped stars Julius Agwu as the voice of Bruno, Odunlade Adekola, Tope Tedela, Lota Chukwu, Senator the Comedian, Funnybone, WofaiFada, Comedian Ebiye, Brutus Richard, Paul Utomi, Olive Amaechi, Aisha Sanni-Shittu, Promise Williams and Tunji Centric. Dognappped is produced by Temilola Adebayo and written and directed by Kayode Kasum. It is expected to hit movie theatres in the first quarter of 2017. This is the first official teaser for the movie. More teasers will be dropped towards the release of the movie in 2017. DognappedTheMovie (Cast)

Prince James Uche in Hospital bed Well meaning Nigerians have not seen it all as every day different ailing Nollywood actors spring up begging for financial support. Sometime in July 2016 it was Leo Mezie another well known actor pleading for N10m to enable hi fly abroad as he was suffering from Kidney failure, of which his colleagues also solicited funds on his behalf and today he is hale and healthy as Nigerians came to his aid. Few months back as well it was Baba Suwe. Although Nigerians have since said Nollywood should support their colleagues and stop disturbing poor Nigerians who are trying to cope with the recession our economy is suffering from, we do hope and pray Prince James Uche gets help soon. His son has since cried out for help. see post : “Good morning Nigerians home and abroad, I want to sincerely thank you, who have donated to save my father’s life,my family and i appreciate you all, U will never fall ill amen… Today(Jan.3rd) is a day i will never forget in my

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom-Emmanuel emmanuel udomSocio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of a newspaper publisher, Nsibiet John arrested on the orders of the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Moses Ekpo. SERAP said in a statement today signed by its Senior Staff Attorney Timothy Adewale that “Nsibiet John who publishes a local newspaper, The Ink, was ordered to be arrested for allegedly publishing defamatory materials against the deputy governor. Mr John was arrested on Thursday morning by police detectives from the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia.” The statement reads in part: “SERAP unequivocally condemns this abuse of power and harassment and intimidation of a journalist simply doing his job. Journalists who allege officials’ abuse of power or report on things deemed unfavourable shouldn’t face unlawful arrest and retaliation.” “It’s unacceptable for the government of Akwa Ibom State to har

Femi Kuti on stage at the awards The 2016 Glo/CAF Awards held on Thursday in Abuja. Leicester City and Algeria forward, Riyad Mahrez clinched the top prize of the night after being named African Player of the Year and African Woman Footballer of the Year, 2016, went to Super Falcon striker Asisat Oshoala. There were mind-blowing performances by music stars from Nigeria, South Africa and others. Here are some pictures taken at the event by Femi Ipaye in Abuja. African Women Footballer of the Year 2016, Asisat Oshoala thanking the organisers African Footballer of the year, Riyad Mahrez, accepting the award African Footballer of the year, Riyad Mahrez African Women Footballer of the Year 2016, Asisat Oshoala thanking the organisers African Women Footballer of the Year, 2016, Asisat Oshoala receiving her award Femi Kuti performing during the Glo-CAF awards Femi Kuti on stage at the awards Flavour on stage Flavour on stage

Prices of second-hand clothes, especially cardigans, socks and sports wears have gone up in Kano as the intensity of harmattan increases. A check by the News News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sabon Gari Market on Friday showed that cardigans for adults which cost N700 before the harmattan is now being sold at between N1,000 and N1,200. Similarly, cardigans for children now cost between N600 and N800 as against N400 before the season. NAN check revealed that people particularly women have continued to troop to the two major second-hand clothes markets at Kofar Wambai and Kofar Mata to buy the commodity. One of the second cloth sellers at wambai market, Malam Kabiru Pele, said there was low patronage but he made a lot of sales in children cardigans and socks because of their high demand. Pele said people, particularly women, like wearing socks to prevent dryness and to keep their legs from dust. “Few months back a pair of socks cost N100 as against its current price of N200 dependin

Naira A lawyer and activist, Mrs Theresa Mbanefo, on Friday, appealed to state governors to ensure prompt and consistent payment of workers’ salaries in 2017. Mbanefo made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. She said that it was crucial for states chief executives to reverse the previous unfortunate trend of non-payment of salaries. “A labourer is deserving of his wages and families should be spared the ordeal; a situation where workers are owed unjustifiably and for no fault of theirs is indefensible. “In fact, let the vociferous change campaign of the present government begin with the settlement of salaries. “Let there be a reassessment of priorities; trying to achieve massive infrastructural development to the detriment of workers’ welfare is uncalled for. “These workers must not be forced into poverty,’’ the lawyer said. Mbanefo stressed that governors must be creative enough to improve on internally generated revenue drive to honour t

Nasarawa State Government has revoked 36 ongoing contracts, awarded by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for flouting contractual agreements. Mr Yakubu Ubangari, Executive Secretary of SUBEB, told newsmen on Friday in Lafia, that the revoked projects were located across all the 13 local government areas of the state. According to him, the state government, through the board revoked the contracts after serving the contractors with several notices of warning to adhere strictly to the terms of the agreement. “We served the defaulting contractors with several notices of warning to resume work at site and continue their work but they failed to resume,“ he said. He said that the projects were at different levels of completion, ranging from 30 per cent to 80 per cent. “This decision also entails that the defaulters would have to refund the monies already paid to them from the board for those projects as soon as possible,” Ubangari said. He said that the state governor r

Normalcy on Friday returned to Total Nig. Plc Blending Plants, Lagos, after four days of protest by the NUPENG members working at the lubricant section over anti-labor activities of the company. The workers resumed after suspending their protest on Thursday evening following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Total management and the labour contractor, Jomog Nig. Ltd. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited the blending plant situated at Kirikiri Road, Apapa, observed that the two trailers used to block the entrance had been removed. Workers were seeing at their different posts in their offices. Mr Gude Michaels, the NUPENG Chairman, Total Blending Plant, confirmed to NAN that workers of the plant had resumed work. Michaels said that the leadership of NUPENG had signed a MoU with the Total Nig. Plc and Jomog Nig. Ltd., the labour contractor handling staff recruitment for the company. “As a result of the agreement reached between the union represe

DOGNAPPED For their first feature-film collaboration, KayKas Studios, Drama King Productions and Reel Laif Productions present Nigeria’s first live-action animated comedy film titled Dognapped. Dognapped is a family comedy about the life of an upcoming comedian Andy who forms a relationship with a talking dog, Bruno. Join them on this roller-coaster ride as they conquer their fears, battle their enemies, fall in love and rise to fame. Dognapped stars Julius Agwu as the voice of Bruno, Odunlade Adekola, Tope Tedela, Lota Chukwu, Senator the Comedian, Funnybone, WofaiFada, Comedian Ebiye, Brutus Richard, Paul Utomi, Olive Amaechi, Aisha Sanni-Shittu, Promise Williams and Tunji Centric. Dognappped is produced by Temilola Adebayo and written and directed by Kayode Kasum. It is expected to hit movie theatres in the first quarter of 2017. This is the first official teaser for the movie. More teasers will be dropped towards the release of the movie in 2017. DognappedTheMovie (Cast)

federal-high-court Nasarawa workers under the aegis of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Area Court Judges and Members Association of Nigeria (ANJUMAN) have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike from Jan. 9. The workers, including judges and magistrates, said the action became necessary to press home their demands among others, “illegal deductions” from their salaries. Mr Jemo Musa, the JUSUN State Chairman, told newsmen on Friday in Nasarawa after a joint congress of the unions that all the courts in the state would be shut on Monday if the government failed to reverse the deductions. “If the illegal deductions from our salaries are not discontinued and the previous month’s deductions refunded before Monday, we will embark on an indefinite strike. “From today till Monday, Jan. 9, if these demands are not met all courts in Nasarawa State would be shut indefinitely,’’ he said. He said apart from the deduction