YellowStone Media International

The Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) has lamented a 31 per cent cut in its 2019 budget, insisting that such will only double its serially increasing debt burden from one year to another. According to the NNMA, prior to the slash, the allocation from the federal government alone was grossly inadequate to meet its statutory demands, adding that with the shortfall, the agency will hardly survive 2019 without encountering financial hardship. Chairman of the governing board, Prof Shekarau Yakubu Aku who stated this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the 11th forum of the laureates of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) themed, "The Imperative of Unity in Diversity". He said the slash will further create untold hardship to the agency in fulfilling its mandate, and called on the federal government to give legal backing on the proposed NNMA policy group. The group, he maintained, has the ability to assist government at all levels in policy imple

  Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Thursday said the defection of his close allies from the All Progressives Congress   (APC) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) was borne out of the denial of his loyalists. Speaking at the Ake Palace in Abeokuta, state capital, where he had consulted with   the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Adedotun Gbadebo, and other traditional rulers from Ogun Central over his senatorial ambition, Amosun declared that the injustice meted out to his loyalists forced them to take refuge in the APM. According to him, "I am a member of the APC, but clearly like I have told you, our people (close allies) complained that they have not been fair to them. There is a form of injustice that was meted out to them which you are all aware of. For me, this is not what we have prayed for. If anybody has told me that this is how it was going to be, I wouldn’t have agreed. "But clearly, as a human being, God will show us wa

The police on Thursday said investigation of five suspects arrested over the murder of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, is still ongoing, and that the parade of the suspects would take place once investigation is concluded. Badeh was killed by gunmen on December 18, 2018, along Abuja-Keffi road while returning from his farm in Nasarawa State. The police had earlier scheduled December 27, 2018, for the parade of two principal suspects along with three others but had to suspend the idea in order not to jeopardise investigation, adding that other suspects are still at large. "On the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, the Joint Police Investigation Team (IG Intelligence Response Team and the Special Tactical Squad) mandated to within the shortest possible time arrest all those responsible for the killing of Badeh, two principal suspects who participated in the killing and three others are now

  The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, on Thursday charged Nigerians to work together towards enthroning a new Nigeria that will in turn take care of all the needs of Nigerians. Obi enumerated some of Nigerians' unmet needs which include provision of security through job creation to constant power supply. The former governor of Anambra State stated this during an interactive session among PDP faithful at Ekwunife Centre in Awka. He encouraged Nigerians to vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, saying from his rich pedigree of wealth creation, employer of labour as well as his political and administrative experience, he (Atiku) has the capacity of enthroning the new Nigeria that Nigerians yearn for. In her speech, the convener of the event, Senator Uche Ekwunife, who described Obi as "our project," said all Nigerians interested in the progress of the country must join hands to deliver Atiku and Obi. C

  The decision by the Akwa Ibom State Government to allow the ‘Nest of Champions’ stadium to be used by the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off in the state should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in the state. The Director-General of the Divine Mandate Campaign Organisation for PDP governorship candidate in the state, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, Thursday said the decision was evidence of a sound and mature leadership exhibited by the state Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel. Such humane disposition of the governor, he said, was a clear indication that the leadership of the state has respect for constitutional offices especially the office of the president. The one time military governor of the state observed that the way and manner the opposition interpreted the initial decision of the state government on the use of the stadium not minding the huge cost it would inv

Despite confidence-boosting measures, including promotions, new  postings and redeployment, the Nigerian Army has lost 24 more soldiers since the attacks and killing of 23 soldiers of the 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Borno State last November by  terrorists. Survivors of the  attacks have also continued to lament the freezing of their salary accounts and  lack of arms and ammunition with which to engage the terrorists.  Some of the soldiers, who spoke to the media, complained of difficulties accessing funds for feeding and other basic provisions. But unnerved by the setbacks, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, who described terrorist groups, Boko Haram, as "a band of criminals" in his goodwill message  at Christmas, asked soldiers in the theatre of war to remain alert and vigilant while deploying tactics obtained from "superior training" maintaining that the army had "superior firepower." This came on a day the Mi

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Wednesday disclosed that it posted a trading surplus of N9.85 billion for the month of September 2018, in its business.  It said the figure was higher than the previous month’s deficit of N3.90 billion.  The statement from its Group General Manager Public Affairs, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu,  said details of the trading surplus was contained in the newly released September 2018 edition of its monthly financial and operations report.  It indicated the improved performance was as a result of higher revenue by its upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).  According to it, NPDC’s production has been on the rise as a result of success recorded in repairs of vandalised pipeline in the Niger Delta and the resumption of crude oil lifting activities at Forcados Terminal.  It equally explained that total crude oil and gas export sale of $626.62 million was made in September, 2018 under the NNPC’s US do

A coalition of 10 political parties in Ogun   State on Wednesday debunked and rejected the reported endorsement of the state governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Hon Adekunle Akinlade, by the Intra-Party Advisory Council (IPAC). The parties under the aegis of ‘Political Parties Chairmen’ Ogun State forum which addressed journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital, included All Blending Party (ABP), Peoples' Progressives Party (PPP), Advance Congress of Democrats (ACD), Democratic Peoples' Congress (DPC) and Progressives Peoples' Alliance (PPA). Others are Better Nigerian Peoples' Party (NPP), Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), National Action Congress (NAC), National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP) and Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN). Spokesperson of the forum, Chief Olusegun Olufemi, dismissed a media report which claimed that 60 political parties in the state had adopted Akinlade, the preferred governorship candidate

The Owa Secondary School Alumni Association has disclosed its readiness to launch a N25 million Information and Communication Technology (ICT) project to facilitate teaching and learning for students of the school as the world is now driven by technology. The president of the Association, Mr. Nwokok Felix, stated this in a statement made available to Yellowstone Media on Christmas day. Felix noted in the statement that the project is a timely intervention to the secondary school aimed at increasing the awareness of ICT as the world is clearly been driven by technology, adding that the disruptive tendencies of digital age, if   properly harness, will reduced unemployment among the youths. The statement further revealed that the launching would hold in the school playground in Owa-Oyibu, Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State on December 31, 2018, by 10a.m. with some eminent personalities expected to herald the occasion to raise fund for the project.

A nursing and midwifery officer with the Niger State Government, Ms. Lois Adamu, has revealed that the power behind fragrances is beyond just inhaling the scent and the primary usage which is to smell good. She said it goes beyond the personality of the user as it is known to be divine, godly and with the power to build and foster relationships which is important in psycho-social health and well-being. The health officer stated this in Minna, the Niger State capital, on Wednesday when Totalprenure, a subsidiary of Total group of companies, and a non-governmental organisation, Aids for Women, Adolescents and Children International Organisation (AWACIO), empowered 44 youths after a six-week intensive training. Adamu said: "Perfume is divine and has the power to form and bond relationships. You might walk into a room of strange faces but because you wear a good fragrance, people are bound to look towards your direction and ask questions about yo

President Muhammadu Buhari has responded to the allegation of Aisha, his wife, that his government has been hijacked by a cabal. On several occasions, the wife of the president has said a few people are calling the shot in this administration at the expense of Nigerians who brought it into power. The first lady, while speaking at a leadership summit in Abuja earlier in the month, challenged Nigerians to fight the “two or three people who have dominated this government”. “Our votes were 15.4 million in the last elections and after that only for us to be dominated by two people… this is totally unacceptable,” she had said. “If 15.4 million people can bring in a government and only for the government to be dominated by two people or three people, where are the men of Nigeria? Where are the Nigerian men? What are you doing? “Instead of them to come together and fight them, they keep visiting them one after the other licking their shoes (I’m sorry to use those words).” But

  It has been confirmed that two people have been killed and 15 others abducted as kidnappers go on rampage in the Munya Local Government Area of Niger State. Reports just reaching Minna, the state capital, said the two people killed were attempting to escape from the kidnappers resulting in the killings. Five of those kidnapped, according to the report, were from Gwada town in the Shiroro Local Government Area and were said to be returning from Kaduna State while the remaining 10 were from Sarkin Paws in Munya Local Government Area. According to the report, the incident occurred at Mangwaro, a border community between Niger and Kaduna States, on Christmas day evening. The situation had created panic among the villagers in the local government area as they were said to be looking for every available means of protecting themselves against the kidnappers. The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Danjuma Sallau,

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Wednesday asked the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-rufai, to desist from any unwarranted threat against Christian pastors. In a statement issued by the Special Assistant (Media and Communications) to CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the organisation said any attempt to arrest or harass any pastor again will be considered as an attempt to silence the voice of the Church and reasoning in Nigeria. CAN was reacting to an alleged threat issued by El-rufai to arrest the Founder and Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, for his comment on the killings of Christians. "Our attention has been drawn to a threat issued by El-rufai in some online news media over his determination to get the Founder and Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Enenche, arraigned in Kaduna over ‘hate speech’ that he allegedly claimed escalated recent killings that rock

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, on Monday proposed N148 billion 'Budget of Rescue and Infrastructural Growth’ for 2019 to the state House of Assembly. Speaking at the occasion, Lalong said: "You will recall that on December 22, 2017, I presented to this honourable assembly a ‘Budget of Rescue and consolidation’. The underlining principle of the budget was to consolidate on the gains and achievements of this administration since the beginning of our ‘Rescue Mission’ in May 2015. The budget was also aimed at completing the ongoing projects as our first tenure is gradually coming to an end. "During the period in question, which also marked the third year anniversary of our administration, I made a state-wide address with the theme: ‘Integrity, Accountability and Transparency in Leadership’. This arose from my desire to further entrench these values as a standard in responsive and people-oriented governance. This ideal cannot be differen

Many domestic airlines at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on Monday experienced a drop in traffic of passengers and aircraft movement on the eve of Christmas. Media check revealed a low turnout of passengers due to a hike in prices of air tickets. Booking and check-in counters of all the airlines were very scanty. The Station Manager of Max Air in Abuja, Mr. Abdullahi Saroke, who spoke to journalists, stated that highest traffic was recorded in the last two days, adding that the eve of Christmas was not always busy especially if it was the beginning of the week. According to him, "The traffic was heavy last Friday, Saturday and Sunday when most airlines recorded upsurge and had full flights. He noted that Max Air has had full passengers since last Friday to all destinations but as at this morning (yesterday), "we only had full flights to Yola and Maiduguri, but in and out of Abuja and Lagos has been half load."

The immediate past Chief of Staff to the Ogun State Government, Chief Tolu Odebiyi, has adduced his resignation from the cabinet of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to his refusal to be seen as a mole following his insistence to stay put within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. Odebiyi, in an exclusive chat with select journalists at his Iboro country home in Yewa North Local Government Area of the state on Monday disclosed that he chose to pull out of the cabinet, "though a painful decision to go a separate way with Amosun, it has become a honest decision. "I decided to quit the cabinet of Amosun because I don't want to be seen as a mole. I don’t have any personal grouse with him. I have respect for the office and I have learnt a lot from him while working in his government.The main reason for going separate ways with Amosun was when the issue of going to a new party came up. Because the preferred governorship candidate of Amosun was not reco

Zamfara State Police Command on Monday said 23 suspects have been arrested over the crises erupted in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state. Spokesman of the police command in the state, SP Muhammad Shehu, said in a statement made available to journalists in Gusau, refuted claims by some peace loving people of the state that IDPs in Tsafe held a protest with a view to demonstrating their displeasure on government inability to tackle attack by Bandits in the area. This rumor is mischievous/ misleading and should be ignored. According to him , weapons recovered and will be paraded as soon as possible, no loss of life recorded. The statement added that the Command deployed additional Units of  mobile policemen and counter terrorism units and Conventional police Personnel along with police special forces to Tsafe to compliment the efforts of the existing Security deployment in the area.    He said normalcy has been restored in Tsafe and its environs, and that p

The police in Nasarawa State have said they have commenced investigation into the killing of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member by some youths in Akwanga Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Samaila Usman, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia, the state capital, on Monday. Samuel Makene, a 2018 Batch A corps member, whose place of primary assignment was Government Secondary School Ubbe in Akun Development Area, was reportedly stabbed to death on December 20 by some youths at the Akwanga residence of David Ombugadu, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. Usman described the incident as unfortunate, saying all efforts have been put in place to arrest the killers and bring them to justice. According to him, “We received a report on the incident and we have commenced full investigation to arrest the killers. “I want to assure y

The Nigerian  National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it had imported three billion litres of fuel to avert the scarcity of the product during the Christmas festivities, and well into 2019, indicating that it may have incurred a total of   about N75 billion as 'under-recovery'  cost. The Corporation now uses the terminology, 'under-recovery' to  describe the  cost of subsidising petrol imports, to retain the pump price at N145 per litre. The state oil company disclosed yesterday that under-recovery cost has   dropped from about N80 per litre which it was when crude oil price was high to N25  per litre currently. Going by this revelation,  the  imported three billion litres of petrol may have culminated in an under-recovery cost of N75 billion. Further  calculated on the basis of 60 days which the NNPC said the three billion litres would last Nigeria,  amounting to 50 million litres consumption per day,  the corporation may be recording an under-re

In her annual Christmas message, Queen Elizabeth reflects on the year as it comes to an end, and looks ahead to the future. Since 1957, the speech has been broadcast on television. The Queen's speech for 2018 urges listeners to "respect" one another, and to attempt to overcome even the "most deeply held differences." During last year's speech, the Queen welcomed Meghan Markle into the family. Every year, Queen Elizabeth addresses the world with her Christmas speech. The Queen delivered her very first Christmas broadcast on the radio on December 25, 1952, and now her speech is streamed live on the internet and broadcast on TV to people all over the world. Revealed a day early via the @kensingtonroyal Instagram account, in 2018, the Queen urges listeners to overcome their differences and to understand one another. She says, "Through the many changes I have seen over the years-faith, family and friendship have been not only a constant f

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu has ordered the interim forfeiture of assets and properties traced to a former Chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ngozi Olejeme. Justice Ojukwu gave the order on December 21, 2018, while ruling on an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking temporary forfeiture of the said assets pending the determination of a corruption allegation suit. “An order is hereby made attaching/forfeiting in the interim, all assets and properties set out in the schedule attached to this application, to the Federal Government of Nigeria, pending the hearing and determination of the trial in Charge No. CR/365/17 pending at,” she said. The order was made sequel to an ex-parte originating summons filed by the EFCC through its counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, on December 12, 2018, praying the court for the following orders. “An order of interim