Order
President Buhari orders IGP to reduce insecurity to barest minimum
President Muhammadu Buhari, has ordered Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to ensure insecurity is reduced to the barest minimum. This is even as the Police Council made up of the President, Vice President, governors, ministers of Police Affairs, Interior and the Federal Capital Territory, confirmed Baba as the IGP. Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, who confirmed the development at the end of the one and half hours meeting, said he was unanimously confirmed. President Buhari had on April 6, appointed Baba as acting the Inspector General of Police. Baba was a Deputy Inspector General of Police before his promotion. Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting held at the First Lady Conference Room, the main purpose of the meeting was to “get the appo...
Police arrest 10, recover firearms, ammunition in Enugu
The Police Command in Enugu says operatives attached to `Operation Restore Peace’ have arrested 10 criminal suspects for alleged kidnapping, armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearm and fighting in the state. The operatives recovered two firearms, four live ammunition of .9mm calibre, one expended cartridge, two vehicles, one tricycle, one machete and other incriminating items. The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Thursday in Enugu that the feat was in pursuance of `Operation Restore Peace’ mandates. Ndukwe said, “On May 28 at about 7am, operatives attached to Nimbo Police Division in synergy with Neighbourhood Watch Group, arrested Nnamdi Okweli, 26; Victor Nwakor, 23 and Chisom Nwankpa, 22 for suspected kidnapping, while others escap...
Nigerian government mulls deployment of GPS to monitor constituency projects, expenditure
The Federal Government, yesterday, considered the deployment of Global Positioning System (GPS) across the six geopolitical zones, in a bid to monitor constituency projects and expenditure. It also considered a bottom-up approach in the siting and location of zonal/constituency projects to enhance and ensure ownership by the constituents. This was contained in a communiqué issued at a 2-day stakeholders’ interactive forum organized by the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, yesterday in Abuja. The communiqué which was signed by Simon Tyungu, a Special Adviser to the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, George Akume, added that ICT platforms should be created for monitoring and evaluation of projects to reduce physical exercise. According to him, “...
Senate committee gets 14 days to process President Buhari’s N2.343 trillion loan request
The Nigerian Senate has given its Committee on Foreign and Local Debts 14 days within which to process President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for a fresh ₦2.343 trillion ($6.183 billion) for approval. Senate President Ahmad Lawan gave the directive at the commencement of Tuesday’s plenary session shortly after the Senate Majority leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, drew the attention of the Senate to the pending request. The Senator Clifford Ordia-led Committee on Foreign and Local debt had approved a total of $28 billion so far. The current request will take the total loan approved to $35.683 billion. Buhari had urged the Senate to approve N2.3 trillion ($6.183 billion) external borrowing. He said the loan was to finance the 2021 budget deficit of N5.6 trillion. The President indicated that the loan ...
Mali coup: Ghana to host Extraordinary ECOWAS Summit in Accra
Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has stated that the country will on Sunday, May 30, host an Extraordinary ECOWAS Summit in Accra. Addressing the press, Saturday, Mrs. Ayorkor Botchwey noted that the purpose of the meeting is to enable several heads of state, led by Chairman President Akufo-Addo to address the current political tensions in Mali. “In line with the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance, the President of the Republic, Nana-Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo in his capacity as chair of the ECOWAS authority of heads of state and government, following due consultations with his peers decided to convene this extraordinary summit. “The purpose of the Summit is to enable the authority to deliberate and take consequential decisions on the evolving polit...
Ex-President Obasanjo visits Chicks market in Ibadan, promises improved system
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday assured members of the Day Old Chicks Merchant Association of Nigeria (DOCMAN) of improved system and the backing of the government. Obasanjo gave the assurance during his surprise visit to the market, Obasanjo Day Old Chicks Market, located at Oluyole Estate in Ibadan. The former president, who arrived at the market at about 9.20 a.m, was conducted round the congested market by Deacon Sunday Agusa, the General Manager of Obasanjo Farms, Ibadan. Newsmen report that there was massive turnout of traders at the market to welcome the former president amidst pomp and pageant. Obasanjo said that his attention was drawn to the existence of the market by his staff member and the use of his name to grow the market to an international standard on day-ol...
President Buhari seeks international support for peaceful transition in Chad
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday called on the international community to support a peaceful transition from military to democratic government in Chad. He made this known at a summit put together to discuss recent developments in Chad after the death of President Idris Deby last April. At the summit, Mr Buhari called on: “development partners and countries particularly France, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Russia; the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union, as well as other friendly and partner nations to support the transition framework put in place by Chad’s Transition Military Council led by General Mahamat Idris Deby.” ‘‘The need to support the Chadian government to effectively carry out its planned 18-month transition is sacrosanc...
Minister urges media to create fact-checking desks against fake news
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has advised media organisations to set up special desks for fact-checking in order to guard against being misled by fake news and misinformation. He gave the advice in Abuja yesterday when he hosted the editorial board of the Guardian Newspaper on a courtesy visit. The minister urged media organisations in Nigeria to take his suggestion seriously, noting that establishment of a special desk for fact-checking will curb the problem of fake news and enable the citizens to separate fact from fiction. He said in the era of fake news and misinformation, the media has a duty to get its facts right and ensure that charlatans and hackers do not dominate the media space, as it is increasingly becoming the case in the country. Mohammed said: “...
Two ‘Bandits’ burnt to death in Niger
Few hours after 11 persons were kidnapped at Gauraka in the Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State, two suspected kidnappers were allegedly burnt alive by a mob in Madalla area of Suleja LGA of the state. Madalla is a few kilometers from Gauraka. The angry mob allegedly set the two suspected bandits on fire at about 10 a.m. yesterday. An eyewitnesses told newsmen that the suspected bandits were about to escape when the people in the area rounded them up and set them on fire with petrol and used tyres. It could not be confirmed if there was any link between the Gauraka kidnap incident and the burnt suspected kidnappers. In an early morning raid, bandits stormed Gauraka town in the Tafa LGA and kidnapped not less than 12 residents. The figure has now risen to 15, according to a credible g...
Rivers governor accuses predecessor of embezzling proceeds from aircraft, power projects
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has accused the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, of embezzlement of proceeds from the sales of the state aircraft and power stations. The governor offered to resign from office if Amaechi could mention any federal project he has attracted to Rivers State as a minister since 2015. Governor Wike made the remarks at the formal defection of two former chairmen of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr Davies Ikanya and Igo Aguma, as well as other chieftains of the opposition to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Port Harcourt on Saturday. The governor explained that Amaechi, the former governor, had claimed he sold a Dash 8 aircraft purchased by the administration of former Governor Dr Peter Odili to the Government of Cross River ...
Senator calls for removal of AGF over remarks on herdsmen
Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, has called for the immediate removal from office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Alhaji Abubakar Malami, SAN, over his argument, equating open grazing with Southerners’ selling spare parts in the North. Dr. Basiru, who spoke in his personal capacity as a patriot and Senator said that, “anyone who cannot rise above primordial sentiments and pursuit of parochial ethnic agenda need not occupy position of trust especially at this time of sectional agitations. It was not dignifying of the status of the nation’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice to make such remarks. The Senator said that equating the activities of nomadic herdsmen, destroying people’s means of livelihood with others, legitimately carryi...
CP: Hoodlums in military uniform killed police officer in Imo
The Imo state police command yesterday confirmed that hoodlums in military uniform killed one of its officers, Sergent Loveday Obilonu, at Ukwu Uratta road in Owerri, Imo state. The state Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, stated this to newsmen in Owerri, through the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana. Abutu said that Sergent Loveday was among the officers deployed to protect the citizens of the state against criminal elements. In their preliminary investigation, he added that the officer was killed by the hoodlums after they (hoodlums) had identified him as a police officer and was armed with his gun. However, the Imo police command has said that it has commenced investigations to apprehend the perpetrators. He said: “Attention of Imo State Police Command is drawn ...
