Abuja
Police commences investigation into murder of ex-UniAbuja student
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command said it has commenced an investigation into the murder of one Miss Blessing Otula. Otula, a former student of the University of Abuja, was murdered by her assailants who dumped her body inside the gutter along the Iddo Village axis of the FCT. Public Relations Officer for the command Yusuf Mariam, who made this known in a statement, condemned the gruesome act and called on residents to be vigilant and report all suspicious movement to police. The statement reads: ‘The FCT Police Command condemns in totality the murder of one Blessing Otula a former student of the University of Abuja, whose body was found along Iddo Village axis and was killed by unknown assailants. ‘Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Ciroma, has ordered a fu...
Coronavirus: Nigerian government declares 90 travellers ‘persons of interest’ for violating protocol
The presidential steering committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has declared 90 travellers as ‘persons of interest’ for violating the protocol for passengers arriving Nigeria from selected countries. The federal government had mandated travellers who arrived Nigeria within 14 days of visiting Brazil, Turkey and India, to embark on isolation. The directive was given in view of increase in the spread of the virus in the affected countries. In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, the PSC said it will also sanction the travellers by disabling their passports for at least one year, while foreigners will have their visas cancelled. The affected travellers — who arrived Nigeria from Brazil, India and Turkey between May 8 and May 15 through...
House mourns army chief, others
Members of the House of Representatives have expressed sadness over the death of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and his entourage in an air crash in Kaduna. Attahiru, along with six senior officers and four crew members were onboard Nigerian Air Force Kingair 350 from Abuja to Kaduna, ahead of today’s passing out parade of soldiers from the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria, when the crash happened amid torrential rainfall, on Friday evening. The Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, in a statement issued on Saturday described as shocking and sad the death Attahiru and others involved in the plane crash. Gbajabiamila said the death of the Army Chief was unfortunate coming at a time that the Nigerian military was finding solutions to the security challenges in the country...
Cross River PDP stakeholders: We’re not defecting with Governor Ayade
File Photo The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Federal Lawmakers and Stakeholders Forum in Cross River have pledged not to follow the State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The lawmakers and the PDP stakeholders forum at a news conference on Friday in Abuja, promised to remain in PDP, saying Cross River remained a stronghold of the party. Sen. Geshon Bassey, who spoke on behalf of the lawmakers, said that Ayade did not consult them before his defection, adding that “even if he did, we will not follow him. “As far as I know, till date, the National Assembly caucus remains intact. I don’t see any of us leaving. We are legacy members of the party, who have been in this party for the past 15 to 20 years. So, we are not going anywhere. “We were not consulted and...
Strike: Kaduna government, NLC reach agreement
The Kaduna State Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress have reached an agreement on the plan by the state government to lay off workers. The NLC has since Monday led workers to protest against the plan by the Kaduna government to lay off the workers. The late Thursday agreement between the two parties was brokered by the federal government in Abuja. Part of the agreement was that the Kaduna government will follow due process and the “principle of redundancy,” as stipulated in Section 20 of the Labour Act, in its Public Service Revitalization and Renewal Programme, which is expected to lead to the retrenchment and sack of workers. The parties also agreed that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) twill no longer continue with its industrial action while no worker shall be victimized by the...
Niger governor mourns as Senator loses father
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has commiserated with the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouq Bahago, and the entire Minna Emirate over the death of Iyan Minna, the late Alhaji Musa Tanko Bawa, father of Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, representing Niger East senatorial District. Alhaji Musa Tanko Bawa died in Abuja yesterday at the age of 87 years. His remains were interred at the Angwar Daji Muslim burial ground after a funeral prayer at the Emir of Minna’s palace. According to the statement signed on behalf of the Governor by his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel Berje, the governor described the death of late Iyan Minna as a great loss to Minna Emirate and the state. He pointed out that his wise counsel and fatherly advice would be greatly missed. According to the Governor “I want...
Nigerian government determined to eradicate poverty, unemployment – minister
The federal government has reiterated its determination to eradicate poverty as well as tackling unemployment in the country to the barest minimum, saying its many programmes designed to tackle the issues have had tremendous success. The government said the alarming rate of out-of-school children witnessed some years ago had considerably reduced due mainly to some of its initiatives, among which it said, was the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme. The government’s position came as it inaugurated an expanded committee on National Home Grown School Feeding Programme with a task on members to make meaningful contributions to stamp the problems out of the country. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, speaking at the event i...
Nigerian anti-graft agencies urged to beam searchlight on professional bodies
Human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), members of civil society groups and others have called on anti-graft agencies to beam their searchlight on professional bodies in the country if the fight against corruption must be successful. Falana and others are of the opinion that until members of professional bodies who are found to have aided crimes and criminality are sanctioned, corruption will continue to be on the rise. Falana, Chairman, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Olarenwaju Suraj, and Executive Secretary, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC), Mr Sadiq Radda, argued that professionals such as lawyers, accountants, bankers etc should be made to face the same punishment alongside their criminal clients. They made the suggestions on Wednesday...
NDLEA intercepts 4.9 million capsules of Tramadol
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday said it intercepted 4,995,200 capsules of tramadol weighing 2,498.2kilogrammes at the Onne port, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja. He said efforts by the NDLEA to block access and availability of illicit substances led to the interception of the container conveying the illicit drugs. Babafemi said the seizure of the illicit drug concealed in 1,387 cartons on Tuesday, May 18 followed a joint examination by NDLEA operatives and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) personnel. He said the drugs were concealed in a container marked MRKU 0764717 which had been on the agency’s watch list. In another development, a 42-year-old man, Muntari Hamidu, has been arrest...
House asks FCT councils to suspend illegal taxes on businesses
The House of Representatives has declared illegal, levies being imposed on businesses by area councils in the Federal Capital Territory, ordering the task forces to suspend their activities. A member of the House from Kogi State, Mr Tajudeen Yusuf, had moved a motion calling for the suspension at the plenary on Tuesday. It was titled ‘Investigation of Alleged illegal Levies by the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils on Business Outlets and Premises in the Area Councils.’ Yusuf said, “Business outlets and private enterprises have been under threats, intimidation, and coercion by task forces operating in the Federal Capital Territory area councils under different guises, forcing business owners to pay illegal levies which are not remitted into the government coffers but private pockets o...
APC: PDP governors’ meeting ‘mere jamboree’
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has described Monday’s meeting of governors of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP as a jamboree and a complete waste of time, accusing the state executives of engaging in name calling and abuses. National Secretary of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe disclosed this in a statement issued Monday in Abuja. The statement reads; “Going by the communique issued by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Governors’ Forum, at the end of its meeting on Monday, it is unfortunate that the PDP governors chose to engage in misplaced name calling and abuses instead of seizing a golden opportunity provided by the meeting to offer meaningful and patriotic contributions on the review of the state...
Anambra guber: I’m not President Buhari’s anointed aspirant – Dozie Madu
An All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election, Hon Dozie Madu, has dismissed speculations that he has been anointed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking after picking the declaration of interest and nomination form at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, he said that he is comfortable with any mode of primaries approved by the party’s national leadership. Asked to substantiate the claims that he is anointed by the President, he said: ‘I don’t understand what you mean. How can the President give a governorship aspirant a ticket? It is the people, I disagree with you, it is false. If you look at my dossier, you should know that I can’t involve myself in this kind of thing.’ On how he can do better compared to other former g...
