Sabinews Evening News Update for June 3, 2015

Vatican appoints Kukah into advisory council

CATHOLIC Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, His Lordship Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah has been appointed a member of the Abdullahi Ibn Abdulaziz International Council for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue Advisory Board with headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

By this appointment, Bishop Kukah will represent the African continent and serve along with other Catholic Bishops representing Asia, Europe, Middle East and the United States of America as the official Vatican representatives in the Council. Read more

Nelson Mandela’s grandson fined for assault

Nelson Mandela’s oldest grandson was on Wednesday in Mthatha, Cape Province, South Africa sentenced to pay a fine of 817 dollars or to serve two years in prison for assault. Mandla Mandela, legislator for the ruling African National Congress (ANC), was found to have attacked a teacher, Mlamli Ngudle, in a 2013 road rage incident in Mthatha.

The prosecutor said Ngudle had allegedly bumped a parked vehicle belonging to one of Mandela’s friends. Some witnesses said Mandela threatened Ngudle with a gun. The prosecutor said even the court in Mthatha during the trial confirmed that the legislator was arrogant and evasive during his testimony. Read more

My life in danger for attacking Sylva – APC leader

The All Progressives Congress leader in Bayelsa State, Mr. Richard Kpodo, has alleged threat to his life for attacking a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Kpodo had allegedly revealed in a recent interview that Sylva, who is the APC leader in the state, planned the stoning of President Muhammadu Buhari when the latter was campaigning in the state in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change. Read more

Edo Assembly okays sacking of suspended LG boss

The Edo State House of Assembly has approved the sack of the Chairman of Owan West Local Government, Godwin Aigbodion, who was suspended on allegations of financial misconduct. It also approved the confirmation of the acting ‎Chairman, Reginald Okohn, as the substantive Chairman.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole had, on April 15, suspended the former LG chief ‎over allegations of “financial mismanagement and other administrative irregularities.” Read more

US urges stiffer opposition to Nkurunziza’s third-term bid

The United States has urged East African countries to send high-level representatives to Burundi to reiterate their opposition to President Pierre Nkurunziza’s third term bid and to press for free and fair elections.

State Department spokesman, John Kirby, said the US opposed Nkurunziza’s decision to run for another term. His ambition is in breach of the Arusha agreement that brought an end to the country’s civil war in 2005. Read more

Buhari capable of leading Nigeria – Edwin Clark

A former Federal Commissioner of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has once again canvassed support for President Muhamadu Buhari. He described the President as being capable of leading the country and therefore should be supported by all Nigerians.

Clark, who was one of the staunch supporters of former President Goodluck Jonathan, spoke in Abuja on Wednesday at his residence when he received a group known as Probity Ambassadors Organisation of Nigeria. Read more

Ondo policemen kill driver in custody, label him armed robber

A member of the Ondo State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, identified as Gbenga Omolo, has died after being allegedly tortured by some policemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the state Police Command.

A source in the union told our correspondent on Wednesday that the 70-year-old man was arrested by SARS last Thursday following a misunderstanding between him and a police officer, whose name was not disclosed, leading to the duo engaging blows at the Arakale area of the town. Read more

S’Africa’s business operators lament as outage worsens

The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry said on Wednesday the country’s business confidence slumped to a 16-year low in May.

SACCI said in a statement that the drop was due to power supply shortages weighed on output in sectors such as manufacturing. Read more

Court stops A’Ibom, ministry from collecting tolls

The High Court of Akwa Ibom State, sitting in Uyo Judicial Division, has ordered Akwa Ibom State Government and the Ministry of Transport to stop collecting tolls from commercial vehicles. The tolls include regular motor park fees and other charges usually collected from commercial motor vehicle operators in the state.

The court ruled that it was not for in the power of the state government or the ministry of transport or their agents to collect such charges. Read more

Senate passes 46 bills in 10 minutes

The Senate on Wednesday passed 46 bills into law within 10 minutes. The bills were earlier passed by the House of Representatives in the outgoing Seventh Assembly. The bills were introduced by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang.

The development generated arguments and side talk but the Senate President, David Mark, had his way when he called for a voice vote, and ruled in favour of those in support of the passage. Read more

AI wants Badeh, Ihejirika, others tried for war crimes

Amnesty International has called on the Federal Government to commence a “prompt, independent and effective investigation” of former and serving service chiefs for their responsibility in war crimes during the fight against Boko Haram in the North-East.

The organisation said that these crimes included the killing of 8,000 persons, who were “murdered, starved, suffocated and tortured to death.” Read more

(UPDATED) Senate okays Buhari’s request to appoint 15 advisers

The Senate on Wednesday, through a unanimous voice vote, approved the request of President Muhammadu Buhari, for the appointment of 15 Special Advisers, who will assist him to carry out his functions as President.

The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, requested that the Senate should debate the request at a Committee of the Whole but Senate President, David Mark, said the debate was not necessary. Read more

Merkel says Blatter exit will help FIFA transparency

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday hailed the shock resignation of world football boss Sepp Blatter as a step to help restore transparency in its corruption-tainted governing body FIFA.

“I think that for … billions of football fans it is an important message for all of us who like football — and I, too, am a fan — that the world football organisation can be run according to the standards we wish for,” she said. Read more

Boko Haram: Obama Urged To Accept Buhari’s Calls For Assistance

A former envoy of the United States to Nigeria, Ambassador John Campbell, on Wednesday urged the US president, Mr. Barrack Obama, to urgently accepted the offer from President Mohamadu Buhari to partner with the American government in a bid to totally curb Boko Haram insurgents.

John Campbell, a major critic of the immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan made this appeal in his press statement which was made available to our correspondent in New York. Read more

Morocco Expels 2 French Nationals Over ‘Obscene Video’

The Moroccan authorities on Tuesday arrested and expelled two French nationals for shooting an “obscene video” at a historic site in the capital Rabat.
A video posted on a social media depicts the two topless women, who belong to the feminist Femen activist group, kissing with the slogan “in gay we trust” painted on their bare chests. Read more

UN Ambassador Urges Youths To Hold Governments Accountable

A UN Youth Ambassador in the Netherlands, Jilt Schayik, on Wednesday urged youths in different countries to begin to monitor and hold their governments accountable on sustainable development goals.

Schayik and Teun Meulepas, two Dutch cyclists, had arrived Lagos on Monday on their cycling trip of about 17,000 kilometres from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Cape Town, South Africa. Schayik said at a news conference in Lagos that they embarked on the journey to sensitise young people on the importance the UN proposed 2030 Sustainable Development Goals to them. Read more

Abia APGA Opposes Plan To Postpone Inauguration Of 6th Assembly

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia has opposed plan by the state government to postpone indefinitely the inauguration of the 6th House of Assembly.

The Clerk of the house, Mr John-Pedro Irokansi, had in a statement on Tuesday, announced an indefinite postponement of the inauguration earlier scheduled for June 8. Read more

Pope Prays For China Cruise Ship Disaster Victims

Pope Francis on Wednesday offered prayers for the victims of a major cruise ship disaster on China’s Yangtze River.
More than 450 people were on board the Eastern Star vessel when it sank on Monday in bad weather in Jianli in Hubei province.
According to local reports so far 14 people had been rescued while 12 were confirmed dead.
“I am close to the Chinese people in this difficult moment due to the ferry disaster on the Yangtze River. Read more

Rider Docked For Alleged Attempt To Sell Stolen Tricycle

The police in Lagos on Wednesday arraigned a tricycle rider, Polycarp Awuya, in Lagos, for allegedly attempting to sell a stolen tricycle to an unsuspecting buyer.

The accused, whose address was not stated, is standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on stealing and fraud at the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos. Read more

Man Fleeces Employer’s N1.1m, Docked On Two-counts

A 27-year-old employee , Agbo Samuel, was on Wednesday docked at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly converting his employer’s N1.1 million to his own use.

The accused, an indigene of Ijede in Ikorodu area of Lagos State , is standing trial on a two-count charge of stealing and a breach of the peace. Read more

Thugs beat Punch correspondent in Ekiti

The Ekiti State PUNCH Correspondent, Kamarudeen Ogundele, was attacked in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday and beaten to a stupor by thugs suspected to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party, who continued to lay siege to the All Progressives Congress lawmakers.

He had gone to gauge the mood in town when the thugs descended on him, beating him to a pulp, while trying to take the picture of women praying for peace in the state. Read more

Taraba Gov, Ishaku, Appoints SSG, Media Aides

THE Taraba State governor, Darius Ishaku, has approved the appointment of Anthony Jellason as the Secretary to the State Government. Jellason, a Commissioner for Agriculture under former Governor Danbaba Suntai, was sworn in on Tuesday June 2, 2015 by the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Josephine Tuktur. Speaking at the swearing in ceremony in Jalingo, Ishaku urged the new SSG to put in his best in coordinating government activities for effective running of his administration. Read more

Kidnappers abduct Regent, three others in Ondo

The Regent of Akungba-Akoko community in Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Princess Oluwatoyin Omosowon, and three of her aides were kidnapped along the Owo-Oba Akoko Expressway on Tuesday evening.

It was gathered that the hoodlums carried out the operation at about 3.30pm while the Regent and her aides were going to the Federal University Technology, Akure, to attend the 65th Inaugural Lecture delivered by the Vice Chancellor of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun. Read more

Turkey cooperating with Nigeria on Ibrahim Uwais, says envoy

OUTGOING Turkish ambassador to Nigeria, Mustafa Pulat, said yesterday in Abuja, that Turkey is cooperating with Nigerian authorities on the issue of 41 year-old Ibrahim Uwais, son of former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, who was reported to have joined the ISIS jihadist group.

He also urged both Turkish and Nigerian authorities to ensure protection of investments of both countries. Read more

Court to rule July 8 in Synagogue Church building collapse inquest

THE coroner court conducting investigation into the collapse of a building belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN)‎ has fixed July 8, 2015 to deliver judgment in the inquest.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Oyetade Komolafe, fixed the date yesterday after parties made their final submission on the matter before the court. Read more

Anti-impunity group seeks assets forms of Buhari, Osinbajo

A coalition against impunity known as Stop Impunity Nigeria Campaign has asked the chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to make available to it the assets declaration forms submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo last week.

In an application pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, which was delivered to the CCB office chairman office on Monday, the group, comprising the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Community Life Project (CLP), Human Development Initiative (HDI) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA), is asking for copies of the following documents in the custody of the bureau, namely: Read more