YellowStone Media International

Boko Haram insurgents have killed over 27,000 civilians since 2009 when the sect launched a campaign of violence. Edward Kallon, United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, said this at the UN building in Abuja during a remembrance of 10 years of crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. The programme took place on Wednesday. Kallon said rising insecurity in the country had pushed over 130,000 people into displacement with most of them seeking refuge at internally displaced persons camps. Expressing condolences to the families of aid workers who had lost their lives in the north-east and other states, Kallon said their memories will continue to live on in the hearts of all humanitarian aid workers. He said the humanitarian community will continue to do its best to assist those affected by crisis. The sect has also killed many security operatives on the battlefront. Efforts to put Boko Haram in check have not yielded the desired result. On Saturday, Boko Hara

Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Wednesday condemned the attack on journalists covering the ongoing screening of commissioner nominees in Ebonyi State House of Assembly by political thugs numbering over 40 with dangerous weapons. The thugs, who were allegedly led by the member representing Afikpo South West state constituency in the assembly, Nkemka Onuma, allegedly assaulted a pregnant female journalist, Mrs. Grace Egbo of Tribune Newspapers, and also inflicted injuries on Ogochukwu Anioke of the Nation Newspapers and Samson Nwafor of the Pilot Newspapers while other journalists scampered for safety through the high perimeter fencing of the assembly complex. Onuma, during the incident, threatened to prevent journalists from covering the state assembly, describing them as touts. THISDAY gathered that the trouble started when journalists accosted one commissioner nominee, Stanley Okoro, to give more clarification on the controversial disparity of his

Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has been called upon to as a matter of urgency investigate Customs Pre-shipment Inspection cancelled by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) during the tenure of Alhaji Dikko Inde as Comptroller-General as a means of fighting rising insecurity in the country. A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Social Integrity Network (SIN), in a petition sent to the leadership of the Senate, noted that the Pre-Shipment Inspection that was cancelled has further paved way for bandwagon effects, including illegal importation of dangerous weapons. According to the group, “We want to categorically ask: ‘was the cancellation approval granted by the President, the leadership of the National Assembly, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice or by their personal decision? “It is on record that the manufacturers have been clamouring for the return of Pre-Shipment Inspection but unfortunately, no attention has been given to their request while

Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, member House of Representatives, representing Bebeji/Kiru federal constituency, has been suspended by All Progressives Congress (APC), Bebeji Local Government chapter in Kano State over alleged anti-party activities. A statement signed by the Chairman of APC in Bebeji, Alhaji Sulaiman Sabo Gwarmai, made available to reporters in Kano on Wednesday late evening, said Kofa was suspended having confirmed that he carried out various anti- party activities contrary to the provision of the party’s constitution. According to the statement, the embattled Kofa was suspended based on the recommendation of a seven man committee which was constituted after he was petitioned by a concerned party faithful. The statement further urged the state APC Executive to recommenced to the National   Executive for the expulsion of Kofa from the party.    The statement read in part: “Upon  a petition received by the APC executive committee of Bebeji Local Government, a

The Federal University of Wukari, Taraba State, has been shut down by the university authorities following a protest by students over the abduction and killing of three of their colleagues and a staff of the institution in the lingering crisis between Tiv and Jukun tribes. This is coming as the Benue State Government on Wednesday evacuated over 812 students from the university. Three students of the school and a staff were abducted on Wukari-Katsina Ala road last Tuesday and were eventually killed by their abductors. The incident triggered a massive protest by students of the institution forcing the university authorities to suspend academic activities and shut down the school. The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Abubakar Kundiri, who approved the suspension of academic activities and closure of the institution on Wednesday in a statement signed by the school Registrar, Mr. Magaji Gangumi, in Wukari, noted that the suspension has become imperati

Revelations have continued to emerge at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), as witnesses called by President Muhammadu Buhari in defence of his victory continued to make startling revelations on the controversial issue of his academic qualification to contest the February 23 presidential election. Buhari's academic qualification has since 2015 been enmeshed in one controversy or the other. Although he insisted he possess the requisite academic qualification for the presidential election and that his certificates were with the Nigerian Army, the Army have since dismissed the claim, stressing that Buhari's personal file with them does not contain any of the certificates he claimed to have possessed. The first revelation was made by Maj. Gen. Paul Tafa (rtd), who claimed to have been enlisted in the Nigerian Army with President Buhari on April 16, 1962. He listed some of their colleagues to include Brigadier Ola Oni, Major General Duro Ajayi,

Bandits last Tuesday night reportedly launched a fresh attack on four communities in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, leaving two soldiers with varying degrees of injuries. This is coming as the Governors of Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara States are to meet today in Katsina to strategise and strengthen efforts in tackling security issues in their various states. The fresh onslaught on the communities, according to locals, lasted for over two hours, forcing security personnel in the state to intervene. The hoodlums, who invaded Wagini, Shekawa, Chambala and Yar-Laraba, were also said to have injured one vigilante, two residents and set ablaze three operational vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Army in the state. A resident of the areas, who pleaded anonymity, said: "Up till now, we can't say how many people were killed or injured by the bandits who came in a large number on motorcycles, shooting sporadically to sca

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), on Tuesday said the increasing rate of kidnappings, banditry and armed robbery in the country has been compounded by the deplorable state of roads across the country.  To this end, the union urged the federal government to blacklist construction companies that carry out sub-standard road projects.  In his speech delivered at the 36th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, the National President of SSANU, Samson Ugwoke, said  Nigerian roads have become dead traps with the attendant loss of lives on a daily basis.  According to him,  why it is easy to kidnap people on the highways  is because of the bad roads. "If you check where we have the military and police checkpoints and recently the Federal Road Safety Corps checkpoints, they are all at the bad portions of the roads. So you must slow down, when you slow down you are u

A total of 11 people have been confirmed dead in fresh violence that erupted in Benue and Taraba States on Tuesday. Eight people were killed and several others injured yesterday in Takum in Taraba State as irate youths went on rampage to avenge the killing of a man in his farm on Takum-Wukari road. In Benue State, no fewer than three persons were also on Tuesday reportedly killed in a renewed hostility between two communities of Okpoga and Edumoga districts in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state. The farmland where the man, whose name is yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing the report, was killed in Taraba State, has been in dispute for several years and the other parties to the dispute were fingered by the youths to have executed the killing. A resident of the town, Nathaniel Jato, who spoke to journalists on the telephone, said eight bodies were recovered at the General Hospital Junction as well as Wukari road roundabout by Ze

Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, on Tuesday apologised to women in the state for their inadequate representation in his government through appointment to key political positions. He assured them that the women would be handsomely compensated with the inclusion of many of them in the various boards of state agencies which will be inaugurated in the state soon. In apparent reaction to criticism of the fact that only one woman, Mrs. Florence Alatan, would be in the state executive council, the governor said women would be “adequately accommodated in the various boards that would soon be constituted-Local Service Commission and other boards.” While congratulating the 17 commissioners after administering the oaths of office and allegiance to them, Okowa urged them to make humility their watchword even as he solicited the sincere support and cooperation of the Deltans in the discharge of the onerous task of adding value to the governance of the state. T

The Ondo State House of Assembly on Tuesday fought back on the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu's accusation that the assembly was out to blackmail the state on the snake saga, stating that the state lawmaking complex was the worst in the country in terms of infrastructure. The lawmakers, who held parliamentary meeting in the official residence of the Speaker, Hon Bamidele Oloyelogun, said the current administration of Akeredolu and the previous administrations in the state had failed to release money for the renovation of the complex . In the communique read at the end of the meeting by Hon Success Torukerijo of   Ese Odo state constituency, the legislators said the video released to the public on the visitation of Akeredolu to the assembly complex was doctored to ridicule the legislative institution. The lawmakers had last week through the Chairman Assembly Committee on Information, Gbenga Omole, said a snake was found inside the hallow

President Muhammadu Buhari has described the late MKO Abiola as a “bridge builder” who could have prevented the religious and tribal issues besetting the country from happening. When he received elders from Ogun state at the presidential villa in Abuja on Tuesday, Buhari said had the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election been allowed to rule, Nigeria would have been better for it. The delegation led by Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun state, had visited Buhari to thank him for honouring Abiola with the title of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). Buhari had conferred the honour on Abiola on June 12, 2018. The delegation, which presented a big talking drum to the president, also used the opportunity to solicit the rehabilitation of some federal roads as well as other critical infrastructure in the state. They explained that this will decongest the gridlock occasioned by the movement of consignments along the Apapa – Oshodi expressw

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Akwa Ibom State, on Tuesday accused the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly embarking on media campaigns to smear the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Mike Igini, in the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in the state. INEC in a statement signed by its Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Don Etukudo, stated that the APC petitioners were busy playing the victim card in the media instead of concentrating their energies and resources in proving their cases at the tribunal. “For some time now, the INEC in Akwa Ibom State has refused to be drawn into making comments or reacting to unbalanced reportage of the proceedings of the tribunal. “In spite of this resolve not to join issues with anyone, the commission wishes to note that the state chapter of the APC and Senator Godswill Akpabio had since identified state REC, Igini, as the man they must demonise if they are to win their cases