Man 75 sleep with my granddaughters

A 75-year old grandfather, who allegedly slept with his granddaughter, has told the police that he was lured into the shameful act by his daughter.

The Septuagenarian, Mr. Umoru Choji, who lives in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, was said to have had canal knowledge of two of his grand daughters before he was caught.

But speaking with newsmen, Choji, who was paraded by the police, said, “It was these girls that put me into this trouble. They were the ones who always come to me and they arose my interest in sex. I didn’t even know when I started having sex with them.”

The shameless old man said the young girls reported him to the police after he stopped them from coming to his house.

He said: “I am married, and my wife is still alive. These girls were the ones that lured me into the act. It was not my intention. I know I had sex with them many times, but I stopped them from coming to me. So, they went and lie against me, and the parents of the other girls reported me to the police,” adding, “I feel bad, I did not know they will tell people what we were doing. The children deceived me and they went and report me to their parents.”

While parading the suspect, the Police Commissioner, Nasiru Oki, said: “The suspect, Mr. Umoru Choji, aged 75, lived in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau state. The suspect had canal knowledge of his grand daughters several times before he was discovered.

“One of the grand daughter is just 11 years old, while the second daughter is 14-year old.

“The suspect, who is already in police net, will be charged to court as soon as all the processes are completed.”

In a related development, the police command paraded a young man who allegedly killed another man in the room of his girlfriend. The suspect said he had warned the other man not to come near his girlfriend.

The police commissioner said, “The suspect, Monday Pam stabbed to death one Christopher Vincent and dumped the corpse by the road side in Zawan village of Bukuru, Jos a South LGA of Plateau State.

“The police, through diligent investigation, arrested the deceased girlfriend, Magdaline Fidelis, on allegation of conspiracy. And on interrogation, the lady confessed to the police that the deceased was killed by Monday Pam over a misunderstanding.

“On interrogation, Monday Pam owned up to the crime, and he will soon be charged to court alongside the woman.”

However, the suspect, Monday Pam said, “I warned the man to stay away from my girlfriend, but he would not listen. I warned him several times to leave my girlfriend for me, but he kept coming there. We met in the house one day and we started fighting. But when he wanted to overpower me, I removed my knife and stabbed him,” he said.

Petrol tanker explodes kills five, injures 6 in Kebbi

A fully loaded petrol tanker on Saturday exploded at Dabi in Kebbi, killing five people and injuring six others.
The tanker was heading to Mahuta in Kebbi when the driver lost control of the vehicle on the hilly Dabai junction resulting in the fall of the vehicle and subsequent explosion.
The accident also left 12 houses and some vehicles parked by the roadside destroyed by the resultant inferno.
The Dabai-Suru and Dabai- Mahuta road junction also serve as a market, especially for fresh fruits.
The Kebbi deputy governor, who also hails from Dabai, Alhaji Samaila Yombe, was among early visitors to the scene of the accident.
Yombe condoled with relatives of the victims, the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Sani Sami, the Chairman of Zuru Local Government Area, Alhaji Ibrahim Rumu.
He pledged to offset the medical bills of the hospitalized.
The deputy governor said the State Emergency Management Agency had been directed to provide prompt relief material those who lost shops, household property, livestock and food crops to the inferno.
A resident of the area, El-Yakub Dabai, described the incident as unfortunate and hoped authorities would sensitise heavy duty vehicles on how drive through tricky terrain.

Dangote to spend $250m on rice, sugarcane production in Jigawa

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chairman, Dangote Group of Companies, is to spend 250 million dollars on the production of rice and sugarcane around the Hadejia River Basin of Jigawa.

Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa said this when he received the Country Director of African Development Bank (AfDB) for Nigeria, Alhaji Usman Dore and his team who came to seek for partnership with the state in agricultural development in Dutse on Friday.

Badaru said the initiative by the Dangote Group was in line with his priority on Transformation of Agriculture.

He said “the cardinal principles of my administration is agricultural transformation for human development that will make them to be self sustained.’’

He thanked the AfDB team for the visit and pledged to collaborate with the bank in the development of agriculture in the state.

Earlier, the Country Director of the bank for Nigeria said the team was in Jigawa to know the priorities of the governor and to seek for partnership with him in his areas of interests.

Dore said that the bank would spend N2 billion in farming activities in Hadejia River basin, while N43 million would be needed from Jigawa government for the project.

He explained that the money would be used to construct canals, road networks, building of markets, primary schools, training of agricultural extension workers, community health personals, provision of improved seeds, among others.

The country director said AfDB was in partnership with the Hadejia/Komadugu agricultural development initiative which comprises six states of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi and Plateau.

Ogunbote--Only win good for Shooting at Taraba

Coach Gbenga  Ogunbote has told his Shooting Stars wards that only a win against Taraba will be acceptable tomorrow in Jalingo.
“We need the victory badly so that we can quickly leave the ugly position we find ourselves at the moment. Every match is expected to be difficult especially against an opponent that just lost a home game to Wikki Tourists’’, Ogunbote told supersport.com.
“That is not our worry but to get ourselves prepared for the clash because whether anyone likes it or not the encounter will be played as scheduled. I think my players are fit and ready just few knocks here and there but nothing we can’t manage. We are ready for the match and I believe we won’t disappoint on match day,” said the former Sharks and Sunshine Stars coach.

PDP commends Osun lawmakers over move to impeach Aregbesola

The commendations was made in a press statement released by Osun State’s PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bola Ajao.
The statement read, “We want to commend the lawmakers for commencing the process of impeaching Governor Aregbesola in order to save the state.
“For us as a political party, our concern is beyond playing the traditional role of opposition party. It is about the people of Osun State. It is about men and women who are supposedly gainfully-employed but are now refugees in their own land, living on handouts from compassionate religious and corporate bodies.
“It is about the present and future of the state. It is about generations unborn and questions that would be asked us if we don’t act collectively now.
“Even members of Aregbesola’s party know that he spoke from his heart when he said he was clueless about how to rescue the state from imminent doom.
“The lawmakers will be writing their names in gold, irrespective of party affiliations, if they take the lead in rescuing their constituents from penury and impending economic catastrophe.
“History and posterity will not forgive the lawmakers if they allow the fading administration of Aregbesola to scuttle the impeachment process on the altar of political exigency and partisan conspiracy.
“We are aware of the tremendous pressure being brought upon the lawmakers by the insensitive leaders and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress within and outside of the state, but the lawmakers owe posterity and their generations unborn this moment of history to offer the state the last straw before it would collapse irretrievably.

“We have it on good authority that a deal had been reached between Governor Aregbesola and the leadership of the Assembly to kill the impeachment process by referring his response to Justice Oloyede’s petition to a Kangaroo committee of the Assembly that would rule that the governor has no case to answer on the weighty allegations raised by the petitioner.
“This is completely unacceptable to the traumatised people of Osun State and such shenanigan will be fiercely resisted.”

Scores of OOU Students killed in Lagos – Ore expressway accident

Over a dozen of students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Ago – Iwoye, were crushed to death k and others gravely injured on Friday when a container fell on a passenger bus conveying them.

The Nation gathered that the unlatched 20-feet container from a moving truck came off when the driver was driving àgainst traffic and in a bid to avoid an obstruction at the  Sagamu stretch of the Lagos/Benin expressway, the load tipped  and dropped lethally atop of the bus’ roof.

The weighty container press – pinned the bus to the ground in the accident, which occurred few meters away from the gate of a plastic manufacturing company situating near the Ilisha Remo junction.

The vehicles were a truck marked (LAGOS) BDG 779 XE and a Toyota Haiace passenger bus bearing (Lagos) XV 311 MUS.

It was learnt that the OOU students were travelling to Lagos state for the weekend when they met their untimely death.

The Ijebu – Ode Commander of the Ogun state Traffic Management and Compliance Agency (TRACE), Tommy Hamzat told reporters that the driver of the container laden drove against the traffic.

Hamzat added that the wrong driving made it difficult for the passenger bus driver to notice the approaching truck and eventually collided with it.

He explained that the container from the truck fell on the bus which caused the death of the passengers.

He said: “I was coming from Sagamu and saw the accident, I have to hurriedly parked my car, ran there to see if the passengers could be rescued but unfortunately all the occupants were dead including the driver.

“The bus is facing Lagos, though; I don’t know where it was coming from. The container truck with no load in it was coming from Sagamu side but was driving against the traffic and that resulted in the collision, which eventually claimed the lives of the innocent people.”

Also, the TRACE Commander in Sagamu, Kehinde Arode, who confirmed death of 12 people, said one person was badly injured.

Arode however, said that the injured person has been taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu, while the remains of the dead have also been deposited at the same hospital.

President Buhari Sacks Board Of NNPC

News of Buhari’s action to dissolve the governing board comes at a time when the NNPC has been at the center of the controversial “Missing $20 billion” scandal, which involves the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke
 has reliably learned that President Buhari has dissolved the governing board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The board was dissolved through a memo issued by Danladi Kifasi of the Head of the Nigerian Civil Service.

Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to Media and Publicity to President Buhari, told SaharaReporters that “you can’t make changes without having new leadership” and that the President remains “committed to cleaning up the system, and wants accountability and transparency in the oil industry.”

Mr. Adesina added that “people must be patient for the President’s next move.” Responding to public concern that the President is very slow to take action.

News of Buhari’s action to dissolve the governing board comes at a time when the NNPC has been at the center of the controversial “Missing $20 billion” scandal, which involves the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The President is expected to reconstitute the board with one of the 'cleaner' Deputy Managing Directors of the NNPC in a few weeks..

Terror attacked feared as one dead, several hurt in France

Terror attacked feared as one dead, several hurt in France
on june 26, 2015 at 10:52 am in news
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An attacker carrying an Islamist flag killed one person and injured several others Friday at a gas factory in eastern France, according to a legal source.
The suspected attacker entered the factory and set off several small explosive devices, the source said. A decapitated body was found nearby the factory, another source said.
“According to the initial findings of the enquiry, one or several individuals on board a vehicle, drove into the factory. An explosion then took place,” said one of the sources.
“The decapitated body of a person was found nearby the factory but we do not yet know whether the body was transported to the place or not,” added this source, adding that a “flag with Arabic writing on it was found on the scene.”
The attack came nearly six months after the Islamist attacks in and around Paris that killed 17 people in January that started with a shooting at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said he would go “immediately” to the scene, his office said.

Obasanjo urges Nigerians to celebrate fellow citizens

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigerians do not appreciate their best until outsiders take the lead in identifying such people for honour and celebration.

Obasanjo said human treasures abound in the country and urged Nigerians to make good use of them to foster unity, growth and development of Nigeria.

The ex-President spoke yesterday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at a luncheon organised by his family in honour of Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, who has just been appointed secretary-general of the World Anglican Communion.

The luncheon took place at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).

Obasanjo said: “One of the things we don’t often do well in Nigeria is that we don’t often see good in ourselves; and one of the things that God does fairly well for us is that He makes others to see the good in us.

“I believe that is what has happened in the life of the man whom we are celebrating and honouring today. I believe that Bishop Idowu-Fearon, who is now the Secretary-General for the Global Anglican Communion falls into this category.”

Rev. Idowu-Fearon described Obasanjo as a non-tribal and non-sectional Nigerian and leader, who has an undying passion to unite the country.

He said his relationship with the former leader has shown that he “is a Nigerian that takes everyone together irrespective of religion, tribe anything.”

In attendance at the event were the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Gbadebo Aremu Adedotun, the Onibara of Ibara, Oba Timothy Omolade, Ogun Deputy Governor Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, Archbishop of Abuja Diocese of the Catholic Church, Cardinal John Onaiyekan and publisher of the Leadership newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah.

Dollar scarcity hits banks

Banks are under pressure to meet customers’ foreign exchange (forex) demand amid scarcity of the dollar in the financial services sector.

This was the position of top bank executives who spoke yesterday at the “CEOS Roundtable: Banking & Oil Industries” organised by Bloomberg in Lagos.

The Group Managing Director/CEO, FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Bisi Onasanya, said forex scarcity was making it difficult for lenders to immediately meet the demands of importers requiring the greenback for transactions.

Manufacturers are unable to fund the importation of their raw materials because of the scarcity of dollars. “Banks are not getting forex. Forex is drying up from the market. I sympathise with the CBN at this time and we cannot keep supporting the naira at this rate,” Onasanya said.

Onasanya said many manufacturers had huge cash, but no forex to buy. He attributed the scarcity to the go down in oil revenues, which is expected to drop from $84 billion in 2014 to $55 billion this year. The bank chief said there was little the apex bank can do to reverse the trend, except to partner with other regulators and promote the diversification of the economy.

Zenith Bank Managing Director/CEO Mr. Peter Amangbo agreed with Onasanya. He said the CBN was yet to clear the backlog of forex demands from importers and until that is done, it will be unwise to allow market forces decide the fate of the naira.

Amangbo said: “We have a case of panic and that has clogged the market. There is no need to devalue the naira. But CBN needs to clear the forex backlog before allowing market forces to determine naira status. When the investment climate is conducive, investors will come in and boost dollar supply.”

He said the CBN’s forex policy, including ban placed on some commodities from accessing forex from the official window, could be positive in the long run because there are local substitutes for each of the products affected. “CBN acted well. When you have scarce resources, you allocate them to areas of importance. We’re not in a hopeless situation,” he said.

The naira yesterday suffered a major setback, 24 hours after the announcement of the new forex policy by the CBN. President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, said: “From a relative position of N221 to dollar, the naira nosedived to N225 to dollar yesterday. Also, the policy further creates room for speculation and hoarding. CBN needs to ensure adequate flow of forex to the real sector and create enabling environment to boost investors’ confidence.”

Uduaghan ‘bails’ stranded DELSUTH quadruplets with N.5m

Ex governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has come to the rescue of the first quadruplets delivered  at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area, by clearing their bills, following appeal for funds to the general public by their father, Mr. Ejike Anyanwu.
Mr. Anyanwu, an indigene of Enugu State had appealed for funds to enable him clear the hospital bills of his babies delivered on May 15 through caesarean operation.
The former governor, who had given N100,000 to the mother of the quadruplets during an earlier visit to the hospital two days to his exit from office, explained that having come across the report in the social media, he decided to render his assistance.

War at National Assembly Over Election Of Principal Officers

The House broke into two factions, one supporting the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, which seeks to choose the House principal officers, and another, backing the the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, who insists on defying the party.

The House and the Senate have been rocked by crisis over the election of their principal officers.

Thursday’s crisis started as the speaker arrived at the House to commence plenary.

Shortly after settling in, APC members began to raise points of order as some lawmakers rushed for the mace, the symbol of authority of the House.

CBN moves against importers of rice, cement

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that importers of rice, cement and other products will no longer have access to Foreign Exchange from the CBN, Banks and Bureau De Change for such importation.

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, who disclosed this at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, said the measure would prevent further depletion of the country’s foreign reserve.

He said the country was spending huge amount to import things that could be produced locally.

Emefiele said the apex bank would not continue to support the importation of such items through the use of the hard earned foreign exchange.

Some of the products include margarine, palm kernel, palm oil products, meat and processed meat products, vegetables, private airplanes and jets, Indian incense, tinned fish, galvanised steel sheet, roofing sheet and furniture.

“Importers who may want to continue importing these goods would have to sort their foreign exchange from their own private sources.

“The CBN will continue to be vigilant around this policy, keep reviewing the list of items as it becomes comfortable that these items can be produced locally if we apply ourselves sufficiently.

“This policy change is in line with the believe that Nigeria cannot attain its true potentials by simply importing everything into the country.

“We have to decide what we really want for our country and I believe that the time is now for that deep and honest conversation,’’ he said, adding that in spite of relative positive GDP growth over the past seven years, there was no corresponding reduction in unemployment and poverty.

He said bank’s analyses of the situation had compelled it to put to a stop forex access to some of these goods to encourage local production and consumption for economic development.

The CBN chief also said that the Federal Government was spending about N1.3 trillion on the average annually to import rice, fish, sugar and wheat.
“Why should we continue importing rice into Nigeria when vast amount of paddy rice produced by local farmers across rice belts are being wasted and ignored.
“What will it take for these importers to stop importation and go into processing this locally produced rice.

“Why are they not utilising large expands of arable lands for cultivation instead of importing rice into the country,’’ he said.

Emefiele said that Nigeria had been creating jobs for other countries, while importing rice into the country.

He said it was unfortunate that sardines, tooth picks, among others, were imported into the country.

Emefele said the apex bank had no power to ban the importation of the items, but noted that it would work hard to ensure support for local production.

He said local production would reduce poverty, unemployment and pressure on the reserve. “I believe that the current situation we found ourselves affords us a unique opportunity to embrace self sufficiency in Nigeria.
“We should also reduce our appetite for everything and anything foreign, conserve reserve and create jobs at home for our people.

“With full complement of the bank management, we would continue to look for areas which the bank can play a catalytic financial role to achieve the goal in the near future,’’ he said.

On lifting of ban on importation of textiles and furniture by the Nigeria Customs, he said CBN would not provide foreign exchange for people that would want to import such products.

US President Barack Obama will welcome his Nigerian counterpart to Washington next month, the White House announced Thursday, a symbolic show of solidarity after the country’s first ever democratic transition.
“President Obama will host Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari at the White House,” on July 20, the White House said. The visit will mark “our support for the Nigerian people following their historic democratic elections and peaceful transfer of power,” a statement added.
Obama’s administration had faced criticism for not planning to visit Nigeria during a two nation Africa tour, also slated for July. That trip will take in Kenya and Ethiopia, countries which have held highly questioned elections in recent memory.
May elections in Ethiopia resulted in the ruling party gaining all 546 parliamentary seats. A presidential visit to Kenya had been put on ice while President Uhuru Kenyatta faced charges — now suspended — of crimes against humanity for his role in 2007-2008 post-election violence.
Obama and Buhari themselves will have a packed agenda. The White House said they would discuss combating Boko Haram militants. The armies of Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon have been fighting a joint campaign against Boko Haram for several months, pushing militants out of captured towns and villages.

But village raids continue apace, often resulting in the deaths of dozens of women and children. Boko Haram has been fighting to establish a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria since 2009. Obama and Buhari will also discuss Nigeria’s economic and political reforms to “unlock its full potential as a regional and global leader.”

Shocking story of the murder of Benson Ogedegbe in Delta State by soldiers of the 19th Battalion.
Investigation revealed that members of the 19th Battalion have been working with, and protecting, criminal gangs in the area for years. Benson was a Chairman of a Vigilante Group, and a police informant, providing information on the criminal activities in the West Ethiope Area, and was murdered by the military for frustrating crime in the area.
We learned that a military officer in Delta State executed a police informant named Benson Ogedegbe, a resident of Ethiope West Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State, without trial or just cause. Our sources, including police officers in the area, said Mr. Ogedegbe was on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 shot at close range in broad daylight by Lance Corporal Obinna of the 19th Battalion, stationed at the Koko Military Base in in Delta State.

Our police sources said several people witnessed the extra-judicial murder Mr. Ogedegbe early on Tuesday morning.

According to a senior police source, “Lance Corporal Obinna carried out this murder on the orders of his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Umar.” Colonel Aminu Umar is also stationed at Koko Military Base. Also present during Mr. Ogedegbe’s extra-judicial execution was one Captain Femi and three other officers.

Several witnesses at the scene told us that Lance Corporal Obinna, Captain Femi, and three other military officials stalked Mr. Benson Ogedegbe on an expressway, stopped his car by shooting at it, pulled him out for severe beating before shooting him.

we obtained exclusive photos of Mr. Ogedegbe’s car with its windows shattered by gunfire. “We were there when the soldiers shot at the man’s car,” one witness said.

We spend N8bn on diesel annually, says MTN Nigeria

Telecoms giant, MTN Nigeria said it spent N8billion worth of diesel yearly to run their telecoms installations, especially the Base Station Transceiver Stations (BTS).
The cost, according to MTN Nigeria’s Corporate Services Executive, Mr Akinwale Goodluck was incurred annually to purchase diesel due to the absence of stable public electricity supply.
Goodluck lamented the inadequate supply of light which chopped off 60 percent of its operation cost of doing business in the country despite the fact that its operations depend wholly on stable power source, added that the telecom company has continue to stagger under heavy cost of diesel used to run generating sets at their cell sites.
MTN which was the sole sponsor of this year’s Nigerian Civil Service Day at the occasion in Abuja yesterday, deployed generating sets to power its base stations and BTS sites for about 17 to 20 hours a day
Confirming the huge cost of running base stations operations by the operators, Goodluck maintained that power issues had, indeed, necessitated the operator decision to install two generators at each of their sites.
“The huge amount spent on diesel, generating sets and other associated expenses could otherwise be spent on network expansion towards providing better services to the growing telecoms consumers,” he said.
“What we spend on diesel in Nigeria is two or three times higher than what we spend in other African countries.”
Though, he said the population of the country also happened to be a challenged which could have been surmounted of the proper amenities are on ground , stating that the telecom company is seeking to partner with small operators to for wide and better services.

Rick Ross arrested for kidnapping, assault

Popular South Florida based rapper Rick Ross is facing kidnapping and assault charges after the U.S marshals service fugitive task force and deputies arrested him at his mansion, south Atlanta early Wednesday, authorities said.
The rapper and a man reported to be his body guard were taken into custody in Fayette county, Jim Joyner , a supervisor with the marshals’ southeast regional fugitive task force, told pressmen.
Ross whose real name is William Roberts was being held in Fayette county jail on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, Joyner said. The body-guard, whose name yet to released faces same charges.

Breaking news: Armed men invade bank in Ikorodu

Suspected armed robbers Wednesday morning invaded a major commercial bank at Ogolonto area of Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, scaring people away with gunshots.
This attack is coming barely three weeks after a group of armed robbers attacked two commercial banks -First and Wema banks- in Ikorodu.
It was learnt that the bank is located close to Dangote factory in the area, just as sources said the hoodlums have held the area hostage for close to an hour.
Although a security source last week told The Nation that the hoodlums who invaded the two banks have been uncovered and would soon be arrested, there may be a possibility that the robbers could be the same people.

The Police in a tweet on its handle PoliceNG said ” #Ikorodu Lagos now secured after our officers responded to Bank robbery this morning. Police units remain on ground.

EFCC arraigns two for hacking into Enterprise Bank’s database

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned two men for allegedly attempting to hack into the database of Enterprise Bank Plc.

The suspects are Ola Lawal, Abass Ajide while the third person Olumide Kayode was said to be at large.
The defendants were arraigned on a four count charge  bordering on conspiracy to defraud, felony, stealing and forgery before the court presided over by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo.

According to the prosecution, Seidu Atteh, the suspects
conspired to defraud Enterprise Bank by hacking into the bank’s

US’ll assist us to recover stolen funds –Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said his administration had received firm assurances of cooperation from the United States and other countries in his quest to recover and repatriate funds stolen from Nigeria.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke while granting audience to members of the Northern Traditional Rulers
       Council led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III,

Robbers kill Lord’s Chosen Church pastor in Lagos

Armed robbers have shot dead a pastor of the Lord’s Chosen Church in the Ijesha area of Lagos.

The deceased, identified as Chukwuemeka Akpokpo, who was driving one of the church’s buses, was reportedly attacked by the robbers on Monday at Alakoso Avenue, off Ijesha bus stop.

The pastor was said to be returning with a sum of money collected from a bank at Apple Junction, FESTAC Town, when the incident occurred.

He was said to have been shot in the head, while the robbers

Female suicide bomber, nine others killed in Yobe blast

A teenage female suicide bomber hit a local market in Yobe State on Tuesday, killing herself and nine others.

23 people were also seriously wounded in the incident, eyewitnesses said.

The bomber targeted the grains section of the Wagir Market in Gujba local government area of the state and detonated the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) hidden in her body, killing herself along with other innocent traders at about 11:00am on Tuesday.

“She came and entered the grains market (Kasuwan Hatse) in the Wagir market where people gathered to purchase food stuff for the fasting and detonated the bomb in the middle of plenty people,” Mustapha Abdullahi who survived the attack told our

Kaduna – Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, on Tuesday reacted to criticisms over state government’s stoppage of gifts during festivities, saying it was due to poor finances of government.
El-Rufa’i said in a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Samuel Aruwan that the government was broke and needed to conserve resources for development.
The decision of the governor came under serious criticism from civil servants especially those in the lower cadre over the stoppage of the annual gift.
“Kaduna State is broke and needs to tighten its finances to serve the people better in a manner that befits their massive support for change,’’ the governor said.
He explained that the practice had been used to siphon “government resources in the guise of gifts to prominent politicians, public servants and famous figures, or the feeding of indigent persons during religious occasions.’’
The governor stressed that his administration would no longer play to the gallery to score cheap political goal and fraudulently enrich few individuals by continuing with the scheme.
“Findings have revealed how it is mainly prominent politicians and influential personalities that benefit from the Ramadan and Christmas gifts instead of the so called poor.
“Food stuffs, bought with public resources, are distributed to prominent government officials and other personalities, while the poor in whose name those foods are procured queue in droves for crumbs,’’ he said.
El-Rufa’i challenged prominent individuals benefiting from the gesture to deploy their wealth to support the poor instead of taking from them.
The governor said, he was coordinating with some of his friends to pool resources “to provide Ramadan feeding as private individuals to the vulnerable in our society.’’
“This is a healthy way of building a caring society, and if more widely adopted by people of means, will certainly provide for more persons than a fraudulent system of government provision that at best reaches only a few,’’ he added. (NAN)

'Titanic' Composer James Horner's Plane Crashes in California, Killing Pilot

Oscar-winning composer James Horner is feared dead after a single-engine plane registered to him crashed in Southern California on Monday, killing the pilot.

It was unclear who was piloting the aircraft but tributes and

US rap mogul Diddy arrested

American rap mogul Diddy was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday for assault with a deadly weapon — in this case, a kettlebell. Diddy — real name Sean Combs, 45 — likely will be moved to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Inmate Reception Center, officials said.
Entertainment website TMZ said that Combs attacked one of the trainers at the center. It was not immediately clear what transpired. But one of Comb’s sons has played special teams for the university’s squad.
“I’m thankful that our staff showed the level of professionalism that they did in handling this situation. This is an unfortunate incident for all parties involved,” football coach Jim Mora said in a statement.
“While UCPD continues to review this matter, we will let the legal process run its course and refrain from further comment at this time.”

Combs, who had a hand in the careers of artists including Mary J. Blige, Biggie, Usher and Lil’ Kim, has an estimated $700 million fortune. He has worked an a top artist, producer, actor, fashion designer, fashion brand owner and investor.

DJ Spinall becomes Smirnoff brand ambassador for Nigeria

Smirnoff, the iconic premium spirit brand from the stable of Diageo Nigeria Plc has announced DJ Spinall as its brand ambassador.

The signing of the ace DJ took place at Guinness Nigeria Headquarters in Lagos as part of activities to further entrench the brand among its esteemed consumers.

Smirnoff, renowned as the world’s number one party brand recently launched a new variant labeled Smirnoff Guarana at a thrilling Double Side party that took place at the Auto-Max Car care shop in Oregun, Lagos.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ms. Liz Ashdown, the Head-Marketing, Spirits and RTD, Guinness Nigeria Plc, explained the rationale behind the choice of DJ Spinall as its brand ambassador in Nigeria.

Smirnoff is recognised worldwide as the world premium vodka drink and also the world’s most renowned party brand where high energy parties are occasioned,” Ashdown said.

“The party experience gets more exciting when you have the right kind of music. DJ Spinall has demonstrated over time that he understands the essence of excitement as far as parties and gatherings are concerned.”

The official unveiling of DJ Spinall as the Smirnoff Brand Ambassador later took place at the Industry Nite held at Spice Route where “The CAP” himself was behind the wheels of steel. Performances from frontline artistes – Mr. Incredible M.I, Wande Coal, Burna Boy and Iyanya – added glam to the event as the guests were left asking for more.

Smirnoff and DJ Spinallwill tour various Nigerian cities, unleashing the best of grooves available at its #doubleside parties from July through December 2015.

PDP BoT in moves to form strong opposition against APC

BOARD of Trustees, BoT of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will meet tomorrow as part of moves to have a postmortem on the last Presidential election where the party lost to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
According to the Secretary, BoT, Senator Walid Jubrin, the meeting which is slated for Wednesday in Abuja would look at issues affecting the party, its present status as an opposition political party in Nigeria, how to form a strong opposition, to reposition the party, among others.
The BoT meeting according to a source would prepare grounds for the Sentor Ike Ekweremadu led Post election Assessment Committee which has now been given up till end of this month to submit its report.
It was however not clear if the party will also discuss on who should become the National Chairman of the party following the untimely resignation of its immediate past National chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu and his exit has allowed for his deputy, Prince Uche Secondus to take over in his capacity.
When Vanguard called the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh if there would be a meeting of the National Executive Committee, NEC, he note that NEC would not hold after the BoT meeting against the backdrop that the leadership of the party would have to wait for the report of Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s committee.
Meanwhile, PDP governors met in Abuja yesterday night to brainstorm on issues relating to how to restructure the party, just as it was gathered that the meeting discussed their position ahead of the meeting of all the governors who will today meet with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
Tuesday’s meeting is said to be at the discretion of the governors and the agenda as gathered was centred on the cash-crush presently being faced by the states and the cash-crunch has made it difficult for majority of them to pay salaries of civil servants in their states.
As at 10.56pm yesterday, the meeting was still on going.
Governors at the meeting were Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Darius Isiaku (Taraba), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), John Jonah (Bayelsa), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Idris Wada (Kogi), Nysome Wike (Rivers), Udo Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Dave Umahi(Ebonyi).

I regret inability to pay salaries — Aregbesola

Governor  Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has expressed regret over his inability to pay salaries for months now.
He however added that contrary to reports, he was not helpless about the unpaid salaries of civil servants in his state because he has Allah.
Delivering a Ramadan Lecture at the Women Development Centre, Abuja, the governor used the occasion to debunk reports that he ever said he was ‘helpless’.
He delivered a lecture titled : “Ramadan, Living in The Season of Positive Change”at the event organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society.
Aregbesola said, “It is extremely painful that I cannot pay salary. It is painful that I have to be in this condition.
“I am not helpless because I have Allah and the people with me. And whoever has Allah and the people has everything,” he said, assuring that he was making efforts to pay the outstanding salaries of the civil servants soon.
He noted that the state borrowed up to N25 billion from banks to support the allocation from the federation account to pay workers salaries but the banks have refused to continue lending him money.
He explained that the state’s wage bill was N3.5 billion monthly and his administration has found it difficult to pay in the face of dwindling allocation in spite of increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N900 million to N8 billion annually.

“I didn’t envisage that 400,000 barrels of crude oil would be stolen daily. But the whipping boys must be the governors and I am the ‘Chief’ of the whipping boys,” Aregbesola said.
He expressed delight with the re-emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s leader. Also, the governor hailed the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society which organized the event.
Aregbesola said “terrorism is a challenge to Islam and it is the Muslims who will solve it”.
He maintained that Islam does not support killing without judicial ruling.
Some of the dignitaries at the lecture included Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, wife of Nasarawa state governor, Mrs Mairo Al-makura, Senators Abubakar Sodangi and Khairat Gwadwabe as well as a former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Suleiman and many more.
Meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, in Osun State has described as insensitive and callous the statement credited to the ruling All Progressives Congress APC that workers in Osun state constitute less than one percent of the population.
Speaking on behalf of the party Prince Diran Odeyemi, the Director, Media and Strategy said the APC has publicly shown to the world that it has lost focus and not responsive to the plight of Osun citizens.
According to the party, “The APC arithmetic of 1% civil servant is a formular coined for them after the election forgetting that these hard working servants are financiers of over 90% of the populace in the state.

Alleged contempt: Kashamu misled court, say AGF, NDLEA

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss contempt proceedings initiated against them by Senator Buruji Kashamu, who they are seeking to extradite to the United States to face drug dealing charges.

Through his lawyer, AJibola Oluyede, Kashamu had filed a Motion on Notice for committal of the AGF and NDLEA Chairman Ahmed Giade to prison.

The applicant prayed the court to hold that the respondents are in criminal contempt by their alleged willful violation of a court judgment dated January 6.

He prayed the court to declare that the invasion of his home by NDLEA officials at the instance of the AGF, as well as the extradition proceedings which they commenced, constitute criminal contempt.

But counsel to the AGF, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), told Justice Ibrahim Buba yesterday that Kashamu’s application was an abuse of court process because similar prayers had earlier been moved and decided by another judge of the court, Justice Okon Abang on June 8.

“In his ruling, Abang granted the same reliefs being sought in the instant application. The same committal proceedings was filed before Abang – word for word – and he has dealt with it finally,” Ngige said, adding that Oluyede hid that fact before Justice Buba.

NDLEA’s lawyer Mr Joseph Sunday said there was nothing illegal about the agency’s actions to warrant being held in contempt. “There is nothing illegal about the actions of the second respondent,” he said.

He had earlier argued that Justice Abang never made any order restraining the agency from extraditing Kashamu.

“Your lordship was misled into thinking there are orders against extradition. What they asked before Abang is order against abduction, kidnap,” he said.

Besides, he said Justice Abang’s judgment of last year was on a suit by a group, the Concerned Citizens of Ogun State, adding that it had nothing to do with extradition.

“So, the applicant (Kashamu) misled this court by lifting some of the orders made in that case, which were restricted to that particular petition. Justice Abang never made any order restraining the extradition process.

“Kashamu does not want to submit to the enquiry on whether or not he should be extradited. The United States has made a request for his extradition. Should NDLEA fold its arms? How will that portray us to the international community? This application is a desperate attempt to put the security agencies in bad light,” he said.

However, Oluyede contended that it was not true that there was an extradition request for Kashamu from the United States. “That claim is false and that is to put it mildly,” he said.

He said if there was any such request, it would be addressed to the AGF, who would then apply to a court for extradition proceedings.

“There is nothing like that addressed to the AGF,” he said, adding that NDLEA would have had no business with any such extradition request if indeed it was made, as only the AGF would be the prosecutor.

But Sunday argued that based on Section 8 of the Extradition Act, any other person beside the AGF can make an application for a provisional warrant of arrest where there is an extradition request.

“We urge your Lordship to dismiss this application for being an abuse court process,” he said.

Earlier, Justice Buba dismissed Ngige’s application for stay of proceedings. The senior advocate had prayed the court to suspend further hearing of the case until his appeal against a ruling by Justice Buba barring Kashamu’s extradition is determined.

The judge held that he would not be “bamboozled” into granting the application when the appeal had not been “entered”, adding that the contempt proceedings was sui generis (of its own kind; unique) and therefore he was duty-bound to determine it without being distracted.

 Justice Buba also refused to set aside his order, and dismissed Ngige’s application for an adjournment to enable him file a further affidavit to prove that the contempt proceedings was wrongly initiated.

Oluyede, in the application, said the court on January 6, last year in suit FHC/L/ CS / 49/2010,  restrained security agencies from arresting Kashamu in respect of allegations contained in a petition dated December 18, 2009.

Oluyede claimed that the alleged contemnors willfully and deliberately violated the judgment and court order under the pretense of responding to a request for Kashamu’s extradition made by the US government regarding allegations of the applicant’s complicity in narcotic offences committed in the US in 1994, a matter which Kashamu said had been decided by a British Court in 2003.

He accused Giade of plotting  to preempt the judicial process by deploying about 50 fully armed NDLEA officials, pursuant to the verbal instruction of the AGF,  to invade Kashamu’s home around 4am on May 23.

Justice Buba adjourned ruling till today.

EU donates N4bn to B’Haram victims

The European Commission has provided €21m (about N4.7bn) to help the people in Nigeria and neighbouring countries that are affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

In a statement on Saturday, the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, while on a visit to Nigeria, said, “More than 1.7 million people have been displaced by the terror of Boko Haram. Many of them live in precarious conditions in other parts of Nigeria or the neighbouring countries where they have fled.

“Meeting some of them, I saw with my eyes the immense needs that the conflict is causing among civilians. We are stepping up our humanitarian response to the call of those in greatest need.”

Stylianides also expressed concern over the lack of humanitarian

Fayose rejects Mimiko as PDP Governors’ Forum chair

A fresh crisis appears to be brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has rejected  Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko as chairman of the party’s Governors’ Forum.

Fayose has rallied some other governors in the party to kick against Mimiko’s emergence.

He has petitioned the national leadership of the party to intervene before the matter degenerates into a full blown crisis.

A source at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja was

My probe by Wike a witch-hunt, says Amaechi

THE immediate past governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, broke his silence on recent development in the state, including the move by his successor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to probe his administration.

Amaechi in a statement signed by his media office in Port Harcourt on Sunday, described the Wike probe of his (Amaechi) administration as a sham and a fraudulent witch-hunt designed to deceive members of the public.

The former governor specifically said Wike was a ‘sick man’ who was obsessed with rubbing him with his (Wike) mud of corruption and trying to gain popularity with ‘concocted bogus’ stories of his (Amaechi) alleged corrupt practices.

He noted that Wike should have moved to Nollywood

Buhari moves into Villa

Twenty three days after taking the oath of office, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday moved into his official residence, the Aso Villa in Abuja.

Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo operated from the Defence House, Abuja after their inauguration to allow renovation of the facilities at the sprawling Villa.

Military President Ibrahim Babangida built the complex and was the first leader to occupy the place after moving the seat of government from Lagos to the Federal Capital Territory in 1991.

The movement of the capital to Abuja was proposed

NLC to lawmakers: slash N120b vote or face revolt

Labour insisted yesterday that federal lawmakers must further cut their N120 billion budget —in line with economic realities.

The Joe Ajaero-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) faction said the reduction of the National Assembly’s budget from N150 billion to N120 billion “is too token and not far reaching enough”.

It threatened a mass revolt should the lawmakers and the executive fail to bring down their recurrent expenses.

The faction’s Deputy President, Comrade Issa Aremu, who is also the General Secretary of the Textile Workers Union, advised  National Assembly members to appreciate the mood of the nation for leadership sacrifices, resource allocation for national development and common good as opposed to self-help.

Buhari may head Petroleum Ministry as he seeks Senate’s endorsement to appoint 15 advisers

ABUJA — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate seeking approval to appoint 15 Special Advisers.
This came as indications emerged, yesterday, that the President is likely to head the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in the emerging cabinet, rather than trust anyone else with the source of most of Nigeria’s revenue, his associates said.
Buhari, in the letter which was his first to the Senate after his inauguration, explained that the request was in line with Section 151 (2-3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The letter, which was signed by Buhari and addressed to the Senate President, David Mark and read at the plenary, explained that the 15 Special Advisers would

Mother of 7, ex-soldier’s wife arrested with hard drugs inside private part

Operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, arrested two housewives for ingesting about 2.635 kilogrammes of cocaine and hiding some quantity in their underwear and private part.
They arrested by the operatives while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to China.
One of the suspects, Mrs. Alaka Deburah Uzoma, 47, was found with 1.180 kilogrammes of cocaine as she inserted 260 grammes of substance in her private part and also ingested 60 wraps weighing 920 grammes.
The second suspect, Mrs. Chukwujekwu Chinyere Priscilla, a 45 years old housewife, was caught with 1.455 kilogrammes of cocaine as she packed 59 wraps

Five confirmed dead after eating dog meat in Rivers

At least five persons have  been confirmed dead at Woji, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, after eating dog meat from a popular inn in the area.
The mysterious death has raised tension in the community as people have begun to question the tragic result that has followed the eating of dog meat alleged to have been cooked by one Friday Dickson, popularly called Etiaba.

Reactions trial Sepp Blatter’s resignation

Pick of the reactions to Sepp Blatter’s shock announcement on Tuesday he would step down as president of world football’s governing body FIFA after 17 years in charge:
“It was a complicated conclusion, a brave decision, and the right decision.”
FIFA boss
FIFA boss
 UEFA president Michel Platini, who called on members of his federation to vote against Blatter in last Friday’s presidential vote.
“We highly respect this decision of President Blatter to step down and to initiate the necessary reforms – and to make way for a new leadership of FIFA to drive these changes.”
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach,
“Why didn’t he step down last

Fuel tanker fire wreaks havoc in Lagos

LAGOS — No fewer than 14 people were injured, while property worth millions of naira were demolished, yesterday, in Lagos as a tanker laden with 33,000 litres of petrol fell off Iyana-Ipaja bridge, which results in an explosion which triggered a fire that raged for about 10 hours.

Affected property include a popular recording company, Remi Odus; electrical cables, three buildings, 44 shops, six tricycles and 22 vehicles, among others.
The incident happened around 1a.m. when the tanker which was moving from Agege end of the road lost control and fell off the bridge at Iyana-Ipaja, spilling its contents which spread to five adjoining streets on the axis.
Scene of the explosion and the crowd. Photos: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor and Kehinde Gbadamosi. More pictures on Page 52.
Scene of the explosion and the crowd. Photos: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor and Kehinde Gbadamosi.
There were conflicting accounts about the cause of the

Buhari prepared to name Chief of Staff, SGF, other aides today

LAGOS — THE shape and faces to the Muhammadu Buhari administration will begin to unfold today baring any last minute change of mind by the president, Vanguard has learnt. Among those to be named are the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF and personal staff of the president and the vice-president.
Yesterday, the president requested the Senate to approve 15 special advisers for him. Meanwhile, the delay in the announcement of senior officials of the new administration, it was learnt yesterday, flowed from the delay by the former officials of Goodluck Jonathan administration in forwarding their handover notes to the transition committee constituted by Buhari.
Sources close to the President and the

Nigerians divided over Aisha Buhari's N10m watch

Since the photo of Nigeria's First Lady, Aisha Buhari, spotting an expensive Cartier Baignoire Folle 18-Carat White Gold Diamond Ladies Watch, proven to cost over N10 million, during her husband's inauguration, there has been a lot of debate going round.
The photo has since become viral and typical of Nigerians, the watch has been creating several talking points with many questioning her husband, Muhammadu Buhari's, resolve to run an austere government since his wife could wear such expensive piece of ornament.
But those who are in her support are of the view that there is no big deal actually over the watch since the photo was not taken while her husband is in power and

Native American student sues school district over right to wear feather

A Native American student took a California school district to court on Monday after his high school stopped him from wearing an eagle feather on his graduation cap, a civil rights group said.
The American Govt Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU) said Clovis High School senior Christian Titman, 18, had notified the court of the emergency lawsuit ahead of his Thursday graduation.
Titman, a member of the Pit River Tribe, and his parents have repeatedly asked that he be granted permission to wear the feather during the ceremony to represent his heritage and religion, and mark his academic achievement, but their requests were denied

How we discovered N8bn currency fraud – CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday explained how it discovered the N8 billion currency fraud. In a statement issued yesterday, Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu said, “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would like to inform the general public of the chronology of events that led the Management of the CBN to handover some unscrupulous staff to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.

“During a routine internal audit of the Bank’s Cash Destruction activities in September 2014, the CBN Briquetting Panel comprising Senior Bank Staff from different branches noticed some anomalies at the Ibadan Branch, and immediately reported this to the Bank’s Management.
On further investigation ordered by the Governor, it was discovered

Buhari meets Service Chiefs today over:Boko Haram

ABUJA — The fate of all the Service Chiefs will be determined today as indications emerged, yesterday, that President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces will meet with them.
Sources said the main agenda will be the battle against terrorism and the relocation of Command and Control Centre of the military to Maiduguri, Borno State capital. It was gathered that the Service Chiefs may be asked to voluntarily retire from service to give way to new appointees.

According to the source, the plan of President Buhari to relocate the Command and Control Centre to Maiduguri in order to put an end to terrorism did not receive the support of the military high command, hence he needs those who would be ready to