Military rescued 11,595 B’Haram captives under me –Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday disclosed that the military had so far rescued 11,595 persons held captive by the Boko Haram sect between May 29, 2015 when he was inaugurated and February 2016.He said since December 2015, the military had regained all territories hitherto occupied by the sect. Read more
N23bn Diezani bribe: 11 INEC officials admit receiving N120m
Eleven officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission who supervised the 2015 general elections in Gombe State have admitted to receiving N120m out of the N23bn ($115m) allegedly disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Read more
PIPELINE ATTACKS: Ijaw youths give condition for ceasefire
IJAW youths under the platform of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC has said the opening of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State for academic activities is the first condition for a roundtable discussion with the federal government. Read more
Return Nigeria’s loot or risk protest, CD warns Britain
The Campaign for Democracy on Friday called on the British Government to return Nigeria’s looted fund in its custody as a means of supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration on corruption.
The group in a statement by its President, Ifeanyi Odili, and Secretary, Abdulahi Jabi, said it agreed with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, who described Nigeria as a fantastically corrupt nation, but noted that the British government allegedly encouraged corruption in Nigeria. Read more
Economic crisis: Buhari, govs rule out elaborate anniversary
President Muhammadu Buhari and state governors have ruled out elaborate celebrations to mark this year’s Democracy Day and their one year in office.
Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that this decision was not unconnected with the current downturn in the nation’s economic fortunes. Read more
Children’s Day: Saraki, Dogara, Govs, Declare Zero Tolerance For Child Abuse
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of he House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and some state governors declared yesterday that perpetrators of child rights abuse will henceforth face severe sanctions. Speaking when he received children of various ages in his office, as part of activities to mark the 2016 Children’s Day, Saraki called for the strict implementation of the Child’s Right Act to guarantee security and safety for the Nigerian child. Read more
Jonathan’s National Coordinator May Dump PDP For APC
Former National coordinator of Transformation Agenda for Jonathan in 2015. Alh (Dr) Ado Adamu Bomboy is set to leave the People Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling party of All Progressives Congress (APC), Leadership learnt.
When contacted, Ado Adamu, simple replied that politics is a game, you know politics is all about give and take or what you stand to benefit. Read more
Issues As FRSC Begins Monitoring Of Vehicles Tyres
Worried by the recent road crashes in parts of the country, resulting to tyre blowout, the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC recently held a two-day stakeholders’ forum on Substandard and Used Tyres in Abuja. A communiqué issued at the end of the two-day forum attributed majority of road crashes to substandard and used tyres and said that it had become necessary to bring the issue to the front burner of national discourse. Read more
[email protected] one: Nigerians express mixed feelings, call for greater action
Coming to power on the mantra of change, President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, made a lot of promises. As they mark one year in office, Nigerians assess how well they have done in meeting their expectations. Read more
Illegal Recruitments In The Public Service
Recent reports about the illegal recruitment of nearly 5,000 people into the Federal Civil Service is the latest of such surreptitiously executed employment schemes into the public service during the last dispensation. The report also revealed that over a period of three years, between 2013 and 2015 specifically, 4,916 people were absorbed into the Federal Service outside laid down procedures. Read more
Adewale ‘Wally’ Adeyemo:US Deputy National Security Adviser
Since last year when United States President, Barack Obama, appointed Nigeria-born Adewale Adeyemo as the deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) for international economics, the ‘Ben Harper’ look alike has attracted the interest of many. In his remark, Obama had appreciated Adeyemo with flourishing words, saying the African-American had helped the US combat global economic recession which commenced in 2008, and therefore deserve the position. Read more
B’ Haram, Fulani herdsmen kill over 3,000 under Buhari
No fewer than 3,094 Nigerians have been killed by suspected Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani herdsmen since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on May 29, 2015, Saturday PUNCH investigations have revealed. Findings by our correspondents based on related killings as reported by the media show that at least 2, 569 persons were killed by the insurgents while 525 others were killed by the nomadic cattle rearers in the period under review. Read more
Wike Vows to Fulfill Electioneering Promises
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has vowed to fulfill all the promises he made to the people of the state before and after the 2015 general election. Wike stated this yesterday while commissioning Rumueprikom-Rumuolumeni and Elioparanwo Roads. Read more
BBOG Calls For Protection Of Nigerian Children
As the nation celebrated the Children’s Day yesterday, the #BringBackOurGirls group has called on the government to work towards the protection of the Nigerian child especially as they go in their quest for education. Speaking in an interview recently, the spokesperson of the group, Sesugh Akume stated that no Nigerian child should be allow to chose between going to school and being safe and protected. Read more
Ramadan: NASRDA predicts appearance of first moon crescent
The National Space Research and Development Agency – saddled with the responsibility of carrying out a scientific observation of the moon, which is the nearest celestial object to the earth – says it has successfully calculated and predicted that the appearance of the first astronomical lunar crescent for the month of June 2016 will commence on June 5, 2016. Read more
N’ Delta Avengers to Military, IOCs: ‘Watch out, something big about to happen’
AFTER blowing up additional gas and crude oil trunk lines belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in Delta State, in a twin attack, Thursday night, the Niger Delta Avengers yesterday issued a notice to the Nigerian Military, International and Indigenous Oil Companies, IOCs, to watch out for “something big. Read more
Father of five allegedly kills wife for money ritual
A bizarre incident occurred yesterday at Araromi Street in the densely populated Oshodi area of Lagos, following the killing of a mother of five by her husband. The suspect, Sogei Jafairu, who hails from Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo state, was suspected to have committed the act for ritual purpose. Read more
Strike: Labour storms Ekiti secretariat, whips erring workers
Ekiti State labour leaders on Friday stormed the old Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti, the state secretariat and other government offices to pursue erring civil servants out of their duty posts. The organised labour on Thursday began an indefinite strike to demand the payment of the outstanding five months salaries of workers. Read more
Nimbo massacre: I recorded killing to show my people our success –Suspect
Some chilling details have emerged on the April 25 massacre of residents of Nimbo community in Enugu State by Fulani herdmen following the arrest of a 24-year-old suspect, Mohammadu Zurai, by the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team. Zurai, who was arrested alongside four other suspects – Ciroma Musa (3), Sale Adamu (33), Suleiman Laute (43) and Haruna Laute (24) – told the police that at least 100 Fulani herdsmen from seven states took part in the massacre. Read more
Borno, AUW to offer scholarships to 100 female candidates
THE Borno state government and Ahfad University for Women (AUW) in Sudan; are to offer scholarships to 100 girls to pursue their degree programmes in various disciplines, including medicine and sciences.
The students are to be drawn from the state’s 27 councils by the Borno State Ministry of Higher Education. Read more
One year in office: AYCF, INC, MAN, LCCI, others bash Buhari
The last one year of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been traumatic and hurtful for millions of Nigerians. This is according to the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, KOWA party, Ijaw National Congress, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, and Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among others. Read more
Buhari Calls for End to Child Marriage
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for an end to all forms child abuse, including forced early marriage and exploitation The President made this plea yesterday during the National Children’s Day Celebration held at the Eagle Square, Abuja. The president, who was represented by the Minister of FCT Muhammed Musa Bello, appealed to parents and the society to protect children against any form of violence. Read more
Ugwuanyi Assures Enugu Children On Passage of Child Rights Bill
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State celebrated the Children’s Day with Enugu children in his office assuring them that he would urgently liaise with the members of the State House of Assembly to ensure that the Child Rights Bill now before the legislators was passed into law before long.
The governor who addressed members of Enugu State Children’s Parliament as well as other school children when they paid him a courtesy visit at Government House as part of the Children’s Day Celebration, noted that in view of the importance of the bill, his administration would do what was possible to get the bill passed into law with the urgency it deserved. Read more
‘Creating Grazing Zones ’ll Escalate Herdsmen-Farmears Conflicts’
Amid the rising spate of herdsmen’s attacks on farmers across the country, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has rejected a bill seeking to create grazing zones in all states of the federation, noting that the initiative would cause more conflicts.
The Chairman of National Council of Elders, Pastor. Israel Abatan said this at a news conference he addressed alongside the council’s Vice Chairman, Pastor Obadiah Mulero, Publicity Secretary, Pastor Ayodeji Olulani and a member RCCG Board of Trustees, Elder Kayode Ajayi among others. Read more
Igbo Group Lament Buhari’s Shut-out of South East Region
Notable leaders of the South-East geopolitical zone Thursday in Enugu reviewed the place of the Igbo people in the nation’s present political configuration, lamenting that unless the people came together to take their destiny in their hands, the future looked very bleak.
The leaders who spoke at the Anniversary lecture of Alaigbo Development Foundation, a Corporate body comprising eminent scholars, elders, public figures, clergy, youth and women committed to the rebuilding and development of the zone and the rebirth and advancement of the spirit of her culture and civilisation, delivered by the Arch Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Owerri, Dr. Anthony Obinna, entitled “Religion and Culture in the modern Igbo context: the Chukw-Kriti Dynamic”. Read more
Nok, Kagoro Hills To Become World Heritage Sites– el-Rufai
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai Thursday said the state is partnering foreign investors to upgrade Nok and Kagoro hills to world heritage centre.
Governor El-Rufai stated this through his Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Daniel Danauta while addressing a press conference at the Kaduna Correspondent Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ on the affairs of the Ministry in the last 365 days. Read more
As Government Goes Tough On Marauding Herdsmen
It seems the recent directive by President Muhammadu Buhari that activities of Fulani herdsmen should be curtailed is yielding result as five suspects allegedly involved in the Nimbo attack that occurred last month were apprehended by the police. According to the police, some gadgets including a memory card containing the community massacre were recovered from the suspects.
Although the number of suspects arrested seemed too small compared with the huge destruction and killings in Nimbo, the suspects were reportedly arrested following what the police called “credible technical intelligence.” The report noted that operatives of the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT), based on credible technical intelligence swooped on them. Read more
FG Finds Solution to Ravaging ‘Tomatoe Ebola’
The Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onu, on Friday, said federal government through the National Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria in Kaduna State, an agency under the ministry had developed a home grown solution to the ravaging tomato pest tuta absoluta, otherwise known as tomatoe ‘Ebola’. Read more
Wike: Nigeria Will Be Doomed if this INEC Conducts 2019 Election
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that Nigeria would be heading for disaster if the Professor Mahmood Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is allowed to conduct the 2019 general elections in the country. Read more
Niger State May Cut Workers’ Salaries by 70% or…
The Niger State Government is set to reduce the salaries of its workers by a minimum of 70% investigations by This Day in the office of the Head of Service has revealed. The decision to cut the emoluments of workers according to the investigation, followed the continued drop in the amount received by the state government from the Federation Account in the last couple of months. Read more
OOni Urges Children to Believe in Nigeria
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has urged Nigerian children to believe in Nigeria and be dedicated to the development of the country. The Ooni said this during the maiden edition of Children’s Day Celebration organised by the Ile Oodua and hosted by Olori Wuraola Otiti Ogunwusi, on Friday in Ile-Ife, Osun State. Read more
Bauchi First Lady urges Lawmakers to Enact Laws to Protect Children
Wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar has emphasised the need for both the National and State Assemblies to ensure the enactment of more laws to protect children and take all necessary steps to bring an end the rising cases of violence against children in Nigeria. Read more
Indimi: I Donated $900,000, Not $14 million
The chairman of Oriental Energy Resources, Alhaji Muhammadu Indimi, has denied media reports that he donated US$14 million to Lynn University in the United States. Rather, the amount he donated, according to him, was $900,000. Read more
Four Die in Bauchi Fatal Crash
Four people including a 16 month old baby have been reported killed and eight others injured in fatal motor accidents Thursday at about 3:28pm at Narabi village along Bauchi – Jos Federal Highway. Read more
Lagos’ Igando policemen extort money from us like criminals – Drivers, residents
The death of a commercial bus driver, Muyiwa Ijaduola, after he was alleged to have been pushed by a policewoman from Igando Police Station, Lagos, when he failed to give her a bribe on Sunday has opened a cankerworm of allegations on atrocities perpetrated by men of the division.
In a series of allegations by residents of the area, men of the Igando Police Division were said to have simply turned commercial bus drivers in the area to cash cows, whom they terrorise and extort money from at will. Read more
We need to know what happened to our murdered son – Family of corps member found dead on Lagos roadside
The case of 22-year-old national youth corps member, Ifiemi Igali, a graduate of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, has continued to perplex his family. They have therefore demanded explanation on how he could have ended up dead on the side of a road in Lagos.
According to Igali’s sister, who first shared the tragic news on Facebook, Igali, a Batch A corps member just posted to Benue State, told his family that he was travelling to his school, NDU, in Bayelsa but was curiously found dead very far from home. Read more
Economic downturn: FG to sell Eurobond, issue sukuk
The Federal Government is working out details for issuing a debut sovereign sukuk this year and may also sell a Eurobond, the Director-General, Debt Management Office, Abraham Nwankwo, has said. He said the DMO had yet to determine the size of a potential sukuk deal and was working with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Stock Exchange to build capacity. Read more
Dangote Disburses N40m Grants to Disadvantaged Lagos Women
To cushion the effect of the current economic downturn, the Dangote Foundation, yesterday, commenced the disbursement of N400 million micro grant to 40, 000 indigent women in all the local government areas in Lagos State. Read more
British Airways may exit Nigerian routes
British Airways is evaluating its routes to Nigeria, adding to aviation industry pressure on the Federal Government as sister carrier, Iberia, and United States competitor, United Airlines, halt flights to the country as traffic stutters and currency controls delay access to revenue. The United Kingdom carrier is struggling to repatriate its share of the $575m that Nigeria currently owes to airlines globally from tickets sold, according to the Country Manager for British Airways and Iberia in Nigeria, Mr. Kola Olayinka. Read more
Economic Crisis Force Foreign Airlines Out of Nigeria
Low value of Naira and the inability of foreign carriers to repatriate their revenues have forced United Airlines and others to withdraw services to Nigeria. As at March 31, 2016, foreign airlines funds trapped with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was about $575 million and there are strong indications that the airlines would lose substantial value of this money with the devaluing of the Naira by the federal government which has become imminent. Read more
Accenture seeks cost reduction by oil firms
Professional services company, Accenture Group Nigeria, says although upstream oil and gas operators have responded to the dwindling crude prices through various cost-cutting measures, more still needs to be done in that regard. The Senior Manager, Resources Group, Accenture Nigeria, Oyeleke Banmeke, in an analysis/presentation titled, ‘Crude Oil Price Decline: A Challenge or Opportunity’, said falling oil prices had led to production slow-downs, staff layoffs and delay or outright shelving of major investment projects. Read more
Iheanacho lifts Eagles over Mali
Nigeria on Friday beat Mali 1-0 in a friendly in Rouen, France. A goal from Kelechi Iheanacho in the 77th minute settled the match for the Super Eagles. Read more
Rio 2016: Asumnu joins Okagbare
Nigeria’s women 100m champion, Gloria Asumnu, during the week joined the country’s overseas-based athletes who have qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Asumnu ran a season’s best of 11.24secs to meet the qualifying standard of the women’s 100m at the Altis Invitational in Phoenix Arizona. She has therefore joined Blessing Okagbare and Peace Uko in sealing a spot in the event at the Games. Read more
Opeifa pledges more support for handball
A former Commissioner in Lagos State, Kayode Opeifa, has pledged more support for handball in the state. Opeifa said this at the finals of the 2016 Lagos State Secondary Schools Handball Championship, Opeifa Cup, last Saturday at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Complex, Rowe Park, Yaba, Lagos. Read more
Protesters clash with police outside Donald Trump rally in San Diego
Police in riot gear fired pepper-balls and beanbags at protesters outside a Donald Trump rally in San Diego, California, on Friday evening as unrest inspired by the presumptive Republican nominee continues to simmer.
Earlier in the day in Fresno, Trump denied that there was a major drought affecting the state, saying instead that when he becomes president he will “start opening up the water.” Read more
Operation Condor: Former Argentine junta leader jailed
Former Argentine junta leader Reynaldo Bignone has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for crimes committed under Operation Condor – a conspiracy between South America’s dictators. Bignone and 14 other military officers were found guilty by a court in Argentina after a three-year trial. Read more
Zika crisis: WHO rejects ‘move Rio Olympics’ call
The World Health Organization (WHO) has rejected a call to move or postpone this summer’s Rio Olympic Games over the Zika outbreak. Read more
