YellowStone Media International

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday granted leave to a Civil Society Organization (CSO), the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), to commence legal action against the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja over allegations bordering on fraud and non-remittance of Internally Generated Revenue ( IGR) to the purse of the federal government. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu granted the permission while ruling in an application for an order of mandamus against the VC. The court also gave the centre the nod to institute another legal action against the director-general, Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) over alleged failure to remit certain percent of the commission's IGR to the government. The court compelled the respondents to grant to the applicant access to the details of documentation evidencing the remittance to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the sum of N603,446,911: 37 (Six hundred and three million, four hundred and forty-six thousand, nine hundred and eleven

The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the federal government to give marching order to the Broadcast Satellite Service providers, particularly DSTV, to reverse the recent June 1, 2020, subscription price hike, and revert to the old price. The House Ad-hoc Committee investigating the non-implementation of the pay-as-you-go tariff by Broadcast Satellite Service Providers in Nigeria made this known at a hearing, saying there is no going back on the decisions of the parliament. The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Uyime Idem, stated that this was not the best of times to increase the prices of services no matter the reasons for such increase, taking into consideration the ravaging effect of COVID-19 on the economy of Nigerians. He urged the federal government to come up with a strategy to break the monopoly and open up the industry for larger participation. The lawmaker also asked the federal government to implement Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) tariff regime for the digital TV

Power distribution companies (Discos) on Tuesday rejected insinuations that they connived with the National Assembly to force the postponement of the review of extant electricity tariffs paid by consumers in the country. Describing the report as a “conspiracy theory,” the Discos stressed that the call for the suspension of the proposed service reflective tariffs was initiated by the National Assembly last Monday due to their concerns on its timing and what they saw as lapses in the internal workability of the plan within the sector. The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) made the clarification in a statement signed by its Executive Director on Research and Advocacy, Mr. Sunday Oduntan, in response to a report published by a national daily that he wrongly claimed that the Discos lobbied for the postponement. He said while several attempts at justifying the conspiracy theory are being cooked up, what is actually being insinuated is that the leadership of the

Labour unions in the Nigerian aviation industry have utterly kicked against the plan by the federal government to concession the country’s airports and bring in the private sector to invest in the development of the facilities. The unions in a world press conference held on Tuesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos vowed to frustrate the government’s plan, saying they represent the interest of ordinary Nigerians, and therefore, would not support the handing over of the country’s wealth to few individuals. Last week, the federal government announced that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) had given the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the certificate of compliance to concession four major airports in the country, including that of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano. Aviation unions, comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE); Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN); Association of

A digital hub for female entrepreneurs and professionals, Accessing Grants for Startups (AGS), has raised a total of N22.170 million from its members to ensure the education of the two children of late Olamide Alli, who was allegedly murdered on June 21, 2020, by her fiancé. AGS, a pan-African community, built to connect and build the capacity of young entrepreneurs and professionals, started the fundraising after the suspect, Chris Ndukwe, brutally murdered his fiancé, Ali, a mother of two. Ndukwe would afterwards commit suicide by allegedly drinking a poisonous pesticide, after allegedly stabbing his 25-year-old spouse to death with knives. AGS in a report issued yesterday by its founder, Ifedayo Durosinmi-Etti, on her Instagram page, confirmed that late Alli, was their member. According to her, "In the early hours of June 21, Olamide Alli, a lady very dear to our community, was horrifically killed by her fiancé, Chris Ndukwe, who was the father of her two ch

An Ilorin High Court in Kwara State on Tuesday sentenced a 19-year-old Chemistry student of the University of Ilorin, Mr. Ajayi Joshua Oluwatobi, to nine month's imprisonment for defrauding three students seeking accommodation. The Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed the court case against the affected student. According to the charge sheet presented against the student in court by the EFCC, "That you, Ajayi Joshua Oluwatobiloba, in the month of November 2019 in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this court, did cheat by deceiving one Anjorin Oluwabukolami Eniola, a University of Ilorin student, when you fraudulently induced her to pay N45,000 into the GT bank account 045262140 of one Hassan Adefemi Daniel for hostel accommodation, a representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 320 of the Penal Code and punishable under section 322 of the same law." Justice Sikiru Oyinl

The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has threatened to sue the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, if the police failed to investigate and take action on the killing of seven policemen from the Bayelsa State Police Command by members of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ughelli, Delta State, last month. Speaking at a press conference in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Tuesday, the state Chairman of CLO, Nengi James, and civil rights activist, Morris Alagoa, said the organisation, like many other well-meaning organisations and individuals, would not allow the matter to be swept under the carpet. The seven policemen, made up of sergeants and corporals, attached to the Bayelsa State Police Command were two weeks ago allegedly shot dead in Ughelli by some men of the FSARS, who alleged that they were involved in armed robbery. But some other accounts had alleged that the deceased were caught in the middle of an arms deal that went awry and were executed.

A political pressure group, Edo First for Growth, has called on the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the screening committee for the Edo State governorship primaries and the appeal committee which disqualified the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to tender a public apology to the Edo people or be ready to face litigation. The group, in a statement signed by its Convener, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, on Tuesday noted that now that the courts has discarded all the suits challenging the efficacy of Obaseki's certificates, the Prof. Jonathan Ayuba-led Screening Committee must apologise to the Edo people for defaming the character of their governor. A part of the statement read: "The whole world can now see the hatchet job which Adams Oshiomhole used Ayuba and his committee members to achieve. In the process, they offended the sensibilities of the Edo people; impugn our integrity and made our state a cheap talking point in the Nigerian

The President of the eighth Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who is also the board chairman of the Africa Political Institute, yesterday publicly spoke glowingly of his tenure as the Senate president, stating that his life in the Senate was devoted to making the parliament relevant to all Nigerians. He said: "My life in the eighth Senate was devoted to making the parliament relevant to Nigerians of every social class and in every field of endeavour. I worked for us to have a ‘People’s Parliament’, and that was what we had. "I know it was the best way to get the people to understand, support and get involved in the work of the parliament. I have the belief that we will be securing the future of our democracy if this is achieved. The parliament remains the critical barometer to measuring the success and growth of democracy." Speaking on Tuesday on the International Day of Parliamentarianism, which was organised by the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Saraki said:

The Lagos State Police at the weekend said they arrested three men, Eke Kanu, 61, and Chibuike Kalu, 33, who both allegedly raped their daughters; and Chinedu Obi, 26, for allegedly raping twin sisters, who are minors. According to a statement signed by the state police spokesperson, DSP Bala Elkana DSP, "On June 6, 2020, at about 3:30p.m., the Ikorodu Police Station received a complaint from a member of FIDA that one Eke Kanu, 61, of Ebute road, Igbogbo in Ikorodu was having unlawful sexual affair with his 19-year-old daughter (name withheld). "The survivor stated that her father started having sexual intercourse with her when she was a little girl, and threatened to deal with her if she told anyone. "She further stated that when her father discovered that she was pregnant, he took her to a chemist where she was administered some drugs and injection to abort the pregnancy. "The survivor was taken to Mirabel Centre by the police for medical attenti

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said more companies are relocating to the state because of the attractive investment climate. He told journalists after an inspection tour of some on-going projects in the state that a deliberate implementation of strategic policies has brought the investments to the state. The governor stated that the improvement in the state security architecture with the help of security agencies and the provision of critical infrastructure are responsible for the turnaround. He also reiterated the resolve of his administration to return Port Harcourt to its garden city status. "I can tell you now that more companies are coming into the state. The security has also improved so much with the help of security agencies, and the people feel safer to invest in the state. "I have also resolved to leave Port Harcourt far better than what I met on ground. Everybody can see that it is not easy, considering the present economic situation in the country.

Former Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, has objected to a recent call by former United Kingdom Prime Minister, David Cameron, to set up a separate body aside the World Health Organisation (WHO). Cameron, who expressed his disappointment in the operations of the WHO, had called for the setting up of a separate body outside the WHO to deal with the challenges of COVID-19, while expressing his worries over the operations of the global health body. Reacting to Cameron’s comment on WHO, Akinyemi said the call by the former prime minister showed that he (Cameron) was only focusing on the wrong issue. According to him, his comments could be likened to a situation of leaving leprosy to attack a less infectious disease like eczema. “He is saying that he is not satisfied with the way WHO is handling COVID-19 in terms of giving early and sufficient notices to allow different governments to put the appropriate measures in place, but the truth is that even after WH

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc (EEDC) has said it will commence the implementation of the new service reflective electricity tariff effectively from July 1, 2020. The Head of Corporate Communications of EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, who made the disclosure in a statement, said the new tariff became necessary to improve the efficiency of EEDC in delivering quality service to its customers, and to equally ensure the sustenance of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) in view of the prevailing economic realities, such as the high rate of inflation and the depreciation of naira, which have largely impacted the foreign exchange rate. According to him, “This development is consistent with the feedback received from customers during the various stakeholders’ consultations for extraordinary tariff review application held in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States in February and March this year. “The new tariff, which is service reflective, is designed to ensure that the com

Plateau State Government has said its COVID-19 enforcement teams will wage a robust action on defaulters of protocol to curtail the spread of the virus from today. Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Danladi Atu, who addressed journalists in Jos at the weekend, said the enforcement team would commence in six local government areas of Jos North, Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Mangu, Kanam and Kanke. Atu said the state government has viewed with dismay the non-compliance with regards to the wearing of face masks, social distancing, hand washing and the use of sanitizers and others outlined measures despite the increasing cases. He said: “We have since commenced enforcement, and as you are aware, last week, we sealed some places and arrested violators. This was the pilot phase where we measured the impact of our strategies. “This is because the state government is worried about the increase in the number of cases in the state. This means that the risk of COVID-19 is s

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the weekend described as outright lie by the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, that some PDP governors are planning to defect to the ‘crisis-ridden’ All Progressives Congress (APC) as childish, laughable and pathetic. The party stated that such peddling of falsehood explains why nobody in Nigeria and beyond takes Bello seriously. The PDP lampooned the governor's claim as a desperate attempt to divert public attention from the imminent mass exodus from the APC. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan said Nigerians are aware that among the ranks of APC governors, Bello has no personal relationship with up to three of his colleagues, stating further that: "No APC governor is ready to associate with Bello openly. In other words, not up to three APC governors take him seriously." Moreover, PDP said: "Governor Bello has no relationship of any sorts with any governor elected on the platform o

The Provost of Kwara State College of Education(CoED), Ilorin, Professor Yusuf AbdulRaheem, at the weekend hinted that the authorities of the institution have discovered about 2,000 fake National Certificate of Education (NCE) allegedly issued in the name of the institution. He, however, said some of the certificates were tendered as genuine in government agencies and establishments for employment. AbdulRaheem dropped the hint to journalists in Ilorin while speaking on the state of education in the country. He alleged that some staff members of the institution were responsible for the issuance of the counterfeit results. The provost stated that the college had detailed the Department of State Service (DSS) to trail one of the suspects, who he identified as a dismissed staff of the institution. He stated that the institution had requested the state Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board and the state Teaching Service Commission to undertake ver

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has cautioned the government against ‘hasty’ reopening of schools, saying the lives of teachers and their pupils should be seriously considered before such action is taken. The Principal Assistant Secretary of the Union in Niger State, Labaran Garba, gave the advice in Minna at the weekend after conducting journalists round the ultra-modern state secretariat of the organisation. According to him, "We should not rush into it (opening of schools) so as not to draw pupils into the pandemic "Teachers are more prone to contacting the diseases because they are closer to the pupils, as they are the first to meet the pupils in the event of either a pupil or teacher has contacted the disease, and that will aid the spread easily." Garba said the Union has submitted a memoranda to the Niger State Government on steps to take before the reopening of school, urging the government to, apart from critically looking into the submission, org

Contrary to speculation that some members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly are harbouring ill-feelings against the state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the lawmakers have clarified that their relationship with the governor remains strong and cordial. The 26 lawmakers, who were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the state executive and legislature have mutual respect for each other, adding that this will be deployed to overhaul every sector of the economy to benefit the masses, rather than sabotaging the system. The Assembly stated this is a statement in Ado Ekiti at the weekend responding to a caustic comment allegedly made by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, while appearing on a radio programme. During the interview on a local radio station, Ojudu was said to have claimed that some unnamed members of the state House of Assembly were availing with documents of wrongdoings allegedly per

Following the long absence of schooling in the state as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL) has flagged off the non-destructive test exercise on public school infrastructure to prevent any possibility of collapsed buildings and to ensure safety of pupils, students and staff of the institutions. The General Manager of the agency, Mr. Abiodun Afolabi, who disclosed this at a ceremony held at Omole Senior Secondary School, Omole, Ikeja, where the integrity exercise was flagged off, said it is another significant effort that affirms the commitment of the present administration to reform the Education and Environment sectors in line with the ‘T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda’. According to him, “We are flagging off the commencement of this exercise, which will be carried out in phases. The first phase includes the conduct of non-destructive test on 25 selected primary and secondary schools across the state, which will last for two weeks.” Ex

The Federal High Court in Benin-city, Edo State, on Monday adjourned the ruling to July 6, 2020, to decide either to hand off or to go on with the case on the direct mode of primary adopted by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the nomination of the party's governorship candidate. The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, adjourned the suit filed by the factional state Deputy Chairman of the party, Pastor Kenneth Asekomhe, and one of the disqualified governorship aspirants of the party, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, challenging the decision of the party's NWC to adopt direct primary election for the nomination of its governorship candidate. The defendants in the suit are APC, Adams Oshiomhole, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inspector General of Police (IG. The plaintiffs had earlier filed an ex parte motion restraining the party from adopting the direct mode of primary. They also prayed the court to rest

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said the demolition of the Nigerian High Commision in Ghana has further shown how Muhammadu Buhari presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) incompetence has destroyed the respect and honour other nations had for the country. The party said the embarrassing situation in Ghana has again highlighted the poor rating of the Buhari presidency by other nations; exposed its lack of capacity to exude the nation pride as well as its failure to meaningfully engage other world leaders on diplomatic issues. The PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described as disheartening that since the incident, President Buhari and the APC have not demonstrated the littlest effort to preserve Nigeria’s integrity beyond the tepid statements by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema. Ologbondiyan said: "Our party holds that the demolition of our country’s embassy is a huge contempt, whic

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Uche Secondus, on Monday said the party would not impose candidate on the people ahead of the October 10, 2020, governorship election of Ondo State. Secondus made the promise in Akure, the state capital, when he led some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to welcome the state Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, back to the PDP from All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP chairman said his coming to the state and of the NWC was not to endorse any aspirant. "PDP shall not do anything contrary to its constitution. We have the constitution of Nigeria, we have the constitution of the party and we have the party rule. "Everybody is equal in the party. Agboola Ajayi is like any other aspirant in the party. He is not asking that the rule should be bent for him. He has not come to alter the rule, but to contest under the rule. "We are going to conduct free, fair and

The famous Oba Market in Benin-city, capital of Edo State, was on Monday gutted by fire. The fire, which was said to have started in the midnight of yesterday, affected mostly the areas where wears are sold. The Oba Market fire is the forth in the series of markets in the city razed by fire. Other market like Spare Parts Market at Uwelu; Santana Market, Ekiosa Market and now the Oba Market have experienced such ugly incident. This is coming three days after the sellers relocated to the market due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to media report, the fire which began at about 12 midnight raged till about 6 a.m. before fire service from the state and Asaba, Delta State, in conjunction with the NPDC and Nigeria Air Force fire services brought the situation under control. Recounting their losses, one of the traders who sells clothes in the market, Edith Amayo, said she couldn't salvage any of her wares as her shop was completely burnt down. She said: "

.Reiterates position on high cost of governance Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has flayed the present presidential system of government practised in the country under which a few privileged public officials including federal legislators earn bogus salaries. He is also canvassing for the conduct of a referendum for the nation to switch from presidential to parliamentary system of government as a means of cutting down the high cost of governance in the country. Ndume, who spoke on Sunday, wondered why a few selected public officials including federal legislators will be paid fantastic salaries as against the pittance being paid an average public worker. He said: "In the current system, workers are not being paid living wages whereas a privileged few are earning luxury wages. The National Assembly members, including me for instance, are paid luxury wages. "How can we live comfortably when only a few of us are living a life of luxury when the majority are livin

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) on Sunday warned that the National Assembly will be lockdown over the detention of the spokesperson of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere by the police. Recently the House at the plenary resolved to take legal actions against Ugochinyere for alleging that the lawmakers collected $10 million bribe from American billionaire, Bill Gates to pass the Control of Infectious Disease Bill. Addressing journalists in Abuja, the CNPP Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu said Ugochinyere was arrested by policemen last Thursday in Abuja, allegedly on the orders of the leadership of the House of Representatives, despite an existing Order of Court which had been served on the police. He said Ugochinyere’s life is currently in danger, as he is kept in a crowded cell of about 40 people and the police authorities should be held responsible if he tests positive for COVID-19 after 14 days of his release.

As the number of the COVID-19 cases across Nigeria continued its upward movement at the weekend, two top-ranking members of the Delta State Government have tested positive for the novel Coronavirus. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, who disclosed this in a statement in Asaba on Sunday, said that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Chiedu Ebie, and the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu had been confirmed to have been infected with the disease. The two functionaries have be on the frontline of the state government efforts to contain the COVID-19 since the index case on February 7, 2020 not only at the planning and strategy levels but also in intensified enlightenment campaign and state-wide monitoring of citizens' compliance levels with medical protocols. Only last week, the information commissioner disclosed that he had taken the test for the disease while appealing to the people of the state to take the pre

A 34-year-old man, Ifeanyi Apusiobi in Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State on Sunday reportedly killed his daughter and son, when injuring his 72 years old father. A resident of the area said the man suddenly went berserk early at about 1am on Sunday and attacked his children in their sleep, killing them. "I can't just say what happened to him. Maybe he took something that made him run amok. I can't just say. It's painful. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Haruna Mohammed who confirmed the incident said the man killed the children, Chinecherem and Obinna with a wooden pestle in their sleep, while injuring his aged father on the head. Mohammed said, "At about 1am on Sunday, police operatives attached to Ogbunike police station arrested one Ifeanyi Apusiobi, aged 34years of Azu Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State. "Suspect allegedly ran amok in circumstances yet to be ascertained and

The authorities of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, have intercepted two Indian nationals for illegally entering Nigeria without proper documentation. The Indian suspects, who entered the country through land border, would be prosecuted by Immigration Service. Lagos Airport Comptroller of the NIS, Abdullahi Usman, made this known at the weekend in his briefing, stating that the two Indians, both male, were intercepted during the screening of Indian nationals that were being evacuated from Nigeria through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos. Usman also disclosed that while profiling the men, it was discovered that they entered Nigeria through the land border and had visa on arrival application approval, which they failed to present to Immigration at the border. He further disclosed that the men had been in Cotonou, Benin Republic, for a month as they had the stamp of that country dated February 9, 2020, wh

Sunday Okobi In an effort to bridge the seeming inequities in the education sector for indigent primary and secondary school pupils in Nigeria, telecommunications operators in the country have been urged to provide free internet access to aid virtual learning amid the COVID-19 lockdown on schools. Making the appeal in a statement issued and made available to THISDAY yesterday, a leading Nigerian Techpreneur, Mr. Joel Popoola, said this is the best period for telecoms operators to make learning easy for indigent pupils by providing free internet access on learning resources. Popoola, who stated that the coronavirus pandemic has forced schools globally to switch to online learning, lamented that millions of children in Nigeria have been left behind “because they have no access to remote-learning,” adding that telecoms operators should urgently bridge the digital-divide. The digital democracy campaigner averred further that: "That is why we’re pleading with the Ministe

Anambra State Government last Tuesday barred journalists from visiting the site of the proposed cargo airport project in Umueri, Anambra East Local Government Area. The journalists, who were on an independent investigation to find out the level of work at the site, were stopped by youths who insisted that they had the order of the state Commissioner for Works, Marcel Efejiofor, not to let journalists into the site. The state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, had flagged off the $2.2billion Umueri Cargo Airport project in April 2017, with a promise to complete the project in 18 months. He had added that the project was being undertaken by a Chinese Company, Sinoking International on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement, with the state donating land as its only contribution to the project. The project remained undone, while its delay was blamed on seizure of a drone meant for aerial surveillance by the federal government. Obiano, however, budgeted N6billion for th

Captain Sam Owonaro, one of the leaders of the 1966 12-day revolutionary war led by late Major Isaac Adaka Boro to free the Niger Delta from Nigeria, is dead. Reacting to the death of Owonaro, who was the Chief of Staff to Boro during the war, the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, said the Ijaw nation has lost a giant. In a statement issued yesterday by his acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the governor expressed sadness over the passing of Owonaro, whom he described as a giant, father, hero and one of the greatest leaders of modern Ijaw in Nigerian history. Diri said Owonaro's steadfastness and dedication to the cause of the Ijaw nation was a source of inspiration and motivation to him just as it was a guiding light to millions of people. While extending his condolences to the Owonaro family of Kaiama, the people of Kolokuma/Opokuma and Bayelsa State in general, the governor said he was comforted by Pa Owonaro's legacy of self-denial, commitment

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday berated the federal government over attempts to hoodwink Nigerians by concealing official documented data on debts and the alarming state of the country’s economy. According to the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, "Our party insists that it is in public knowledge that our country's economy has been mismanaged arising from excessive borrowings by the President Muhammadu Buhari's administration." The PDP described as scandalous, disgraceful and highly irresponsible that the Buhari-led administration attempted to disprove already known facts as presented by former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that the Nigeria’s debt profile under the Buhari administration has risen to 99 percent of the revenue profile in the first quarter of 2020. PDP said it is reprehensible that the federal government, through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, would deny that its first

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has come under criticism from the federal government for portraying an apocalyptic scenario about the country’s debt profile. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, likened Atiku's prophetic submission to one anchored on a false premise. Mohammed said although the federal government is open to constructive criticism, such must be based on verifiable facts rather than conjectures and innuendos. ''There is no doubt that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar loves our country and wishes it well, otherwise he would not have sustained his serial quest for the country's highest position. One can only hope that his resort to the use of such words as 'precipice', 'foreclosure' and 'economic ruin' does not reflect anything but best wishes for the country at this time,” Mohammed said. The minister punched hole in the figure of Nigeria’s debt to rev

The Managing Director of Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA), Abba Garba, has lamented that Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east region has displaced no fewer than 10,000 farmers within the Chad Basin. Garba, who spoke to journalists on Wednesday in Maiduguri, further decried that the terrorists also destroyed farming equipment and infrastructures worth billions of naira belonging to CBDA during their siege on the Basin. He said the CBDA remains the largest casualty of Boko Haram terrorism in the country, with its projects in Marte, Ngala and other parts of the region completely grounded and equipment totally vandalised. Garba, who spoke on the planned return of the CBDA to the vandalised and subsequently abandoned projects in the Chad Basin towards enhancing food security in the Northeast region and the country in general, lamented that most of the registered farmers who were displaced in 2014 when the terrorists struck their project sites are living as internally displace

Edo State High Court in Benin-city on Wednesday adjourned hearing till June 19 in the suit seeking to restrain the All Progressives Congress (APC) from recognising Osagie Ize-Iyamu as an aspirant in the party's governorship primary election scheduled for June 22, 2020. ‎ Justice Emmanuel Ahamioje, the presiding judge, who gave the defendants 24 hours to file their response, subsequently adjourned the matter till June 19. Recall that the court had earlier refused to grant exparte application seeking to restrain the APC from recognising Ize-Iyamu as an aspirant in the party's governorship primary election scheduled for June 22. The suit instituted in the court by the state factional Deputy Chairman of the party, Kenneth Asekomhe; Benjamin Oghumu, Mathew Ogbebor and Unweni Nosa is challenging the membership waiver granted to Ize-Iyamu. But the defendants in the suit, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, and Osagie Ize-Iyamu), are saying the court has no jurisdiction to meddle in the in

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Muhammad Babagana Mungono (rtd), said Nigeria would soon overcome security challenges facing it. Mungono disclosed this on Wednesday at the Government House in Sokoto State when he led a delegation to commiserate with the state Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and the people of the state over the recent bandits attack which claimed the lives of 74 persons. He added that he was in Katsina and Sokoto States in the instance of President Muhamnadu Buhari on assessment and consultation visit. According to the NSA, the president was extremely worried about the security situation in the North-west region, stressing that security matter is a collective efforts of all stakeholders. He said insecurity in some parts of the country has brought lack confidence in the system, adding that President Buhari has assured Nigerians that he would do everything humanly possible to curb the menace. "We are not dampening hope yet

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is Nigeria’s major problem, noting that the ruling party has proven to be nothing but a “despotic platform; a soulless mob and political virus that has no interest in the wellbeing of Nigerians.” The PDP berated the APC leadership over its unwarranted tirade against River State Governor, Nyesom Wike’s unflawed comments on the overbearing conduct of APC leadership, particularly in trying to impose itself on the people of Edo State. The PDP, however, in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, noted that the outburst by the vindictive APC leadership under Adams Oshiomhole does not reflect the views and opinions of majority of APC governors and democratically-minded leaders in the APC, who are completely averse to the unbridled impunity being exhibited by the national leadership of the party. According to him, "Our party invites Nigerians to note that

Students of the Federal University Otuoke in Bayelsa State are in crisis with the youths of the community after the youths in the area publicly flogged a 300-level student of the institution for making a post on Facebook that they felt was offensive to their community. The student, Obi Nezie, had allegedly described Otuoke, the university town, as a small community in a literary piece he posted on Facebook. But the youths considered that the description disparage their community. So they found him, tried him, found him guilty and flogged him severely. Otuoke is also the hometown of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Nezie described the town thus: “Otuoke is a small place. A very small place! It might seem big, but it's a small place.” The action of the youths, media check revealed, is raising tension between students and the community youths. The youths, it was gathered, had stormed Nezie’s hostel and dragged him to the community town hall where he was given a dose of t

As the world celebrates the Day of the African Child 2020, it is estimated that Nigeria is facing a child rights crisis with more than 36,000 children being identified as victims of violence, including 5,693 survivors of sexual violence. This was disclosed by UNICEF Nigeria in a statement signed by Communication Specialist, Geoffrey Njoku, and made available to journalists on Tuesday in Bauchi. The statement said the victims were identified and documented in seven states of Nigeria since 2017, stressing that “very few of those cases made it to the courtrooms, let alone resulted in justice for child-victims.” It further said the number of children awaiting trial for what are often petty crimes is estimated to be more than 1,000, with children often held in detention with adults and in conditions that no child should live in. While lamenting the plight of the children in such situations, UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, said: “Access to a child-friend

Three people, including a 50-year-old landlord, were killed in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, when some people suspected to be cultists attacked a drinking joint last Monday evening. Several other people were injured in the attack. The attackers were suspected to be on a reprisal mission at the drinking spot on Customs Road in the state. The landlord, Mr. Niceman Agonebi, popularly known as ‘Honorable’, was an in-law to former Deputy Governor of the State, Hon. Peremobowei Ebebi. The owner of the bar, popularly called Madam Odey, had her jaw shattered by stray bullet. The gunmen had arrived at the place in a tricycle at about 8p.m. and opened fire on their target, who was in the midst of other people at the joint. They continued shooting their way as they escaped, wounding many passersby. Although the police and Bayelsa State Vigilante Service and Volunteer went after the gunmen, they could not get them. The acting Chairman of the State Vigilante Service, Hon. Doubiye Alag