Tension In Ekiti NYSC Camp Over Robbery Operation

There was palpable tension yesterday at Ise/Orun/Emure Ekiti as armed robbery operation in one of the towns was mistaken for a terrorist attack on the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) orientation camp. The robbers, who stormed Orun Ekiti, with the intention of robbing a wholesale beer distributor in the town had their attempt foiled by some security men and youths.

Reps Say No Going Back On Power Privatisation

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Power, Hon Patrick Ikharhiale, has supported the federal government’s decision to privatise the power sector, saying that is the only way that Nigeria can break out of the shackles of irregular power supply.

NASS To Review BASA Agreements In Aviation

The senate committee on aviation said it was working towards the review of all Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) Nigeria has signed with other countries to make them favourable to the nation. This is coming following efforts by the aviation ministry to review some sections of the 2006 Civil Aviation Act to ensure effective and efficient regulation of the aviation industry in line with global aviation standards.

Dangote Begins Cement Export To Ghana

Dangote Cement has officially commenced export of cement from its Ibese Cement Plant, Ogun State to Ghana. The commencement of the export is coming on the heels of the meeting of national demand for cement by Nigerian cement manufacturers.

23 Years After: Landlords To Transcorp, Federal Secretariat, Abuja Millennium Park Demand Compensation

The original landlords of the large expanse of land where Transcorp Hilton Hotel, the Federal Secretariat and the Millennium Park are situated have demanded payment for their land, 23 years after they were forcefully acquired. Mr. Chawandana Kaura, an octogenarian, stated this at the weekend when he led his kinsmen to a public hearing on Compensation, Resettlement and Integration in the FCT, organised by Original Inhabitants Association of Abuja (OIDA) with the support of the Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE).

Fear Grips Enugu Residents Over Incessant Killing Of Policemen

Palpable fear has gripped residents of Enugu following the brutal murder of some policemen in the city by unknown gunmen in recent times. Our investigations revealed that hoodlums have killed more than three policemen, including the Kwara State Commission of Police Chinwike Asadu, since the beginning of this year.

Wukari Violence: TY Danjuma Foundation Gives Succour To Ravaged Communities

The TY Danjuma Foundation (TYDF) has lent a helping hand to people displaced from their homes following the recent violent conflict that engulfed parts of Wukari local government area (LGA) in Taraba State.

Saudi Arabia may stop beheading due to swordsmen shortages

A joint Saudi committee composed of representatives of the ministries of interior, justice and health is mulling the replacement of beheading with firing squads for capital sentences due to shortages in government swordsmen, Saudi daily Al-Youm reported on Sunday.

Nigerien Govt Honours Akunyili

The government of Niger has honoured Prof. Dora Akunyili with ``International Active Woman Trophy” (TIFAA NIGER) for her role in the regulation of drugs in Nigeria.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the award was part of activities by the Nigerien government to mark the International Women's Day.

Boko Haram Fawehinmi, Keyamo, Others List Conditions For Amnesty

Two human rights activists on Sunday gave conditions for granting of amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect while two political groups advised against granting amnesty to the terrorist group. The lawyers, Mr Festus Keyamo and Mr Mohammed Fawehinmi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that some conditions must be met before amnesty would be granted to the Boko Haram members.

Mechanics Appeal To Fashola To Re-Open Ladipo Market

Some mechanics and other auto technicians in Lagos State have appealed to Gov. Babatunde Fashola to consider re-opening the closed Ladipo Spare Parts Market. Making the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, the mechanics said that the continued closure of the market had impacted negatively on their businesses.

NIS To Tackle Fraudulent Claim Of Lost Passports – AC-G

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) says it has adopted tough measures to tackle fraudulent claim of lost passport by Nigerians, especially those previously denied visa to some countries. The Acting Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mr Rilwanu Musa, disclosed this in an interview with the Western Europe correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Londaon on Sunday.

Asari-Dokubo Condemns Illegal Bunkering

A Niger Delta activist, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has condemned illegal oil bunkering, saying that it does not just degrade the environment but kills it. Asari-Dokubo made the remark in an interview with newsmen in Buguma, Asari-Toru Local Government area of Rivers on Sunday.

Customs Destroys 597 Cartons Of Seized Poultry Products

The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Command, on Sunday destroyed 597 cartons of seized prohibited poultry products worth millions of naira. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the assorted products, comprising chicken, turkey, gizzard and sausage were set ablaze in the presence of other security agencies.

Employee loses arm, accuses CCECC of neglect

Mark Okilla, an engineering mason with Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Lagos State, whose right arm was chopped off by one of the company’s construction machines, has accused CCECC of neglecting him.

BlackBerry, Lagos to establish apps lab

BlackBerry and the Lagos State Innovation Advisory Council have endorsed a Letter of Intent outlining plans to build a BlackBerry Apps Lab in the state. The Managing Director, West, East and Central Africa, BlackBerry, Mr. Waldi Wepener, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, said “With over 250 Nigerian developed applications already available on the next-generation BlackBerry 10 platform, Nigeria’s software development community is clearly demonstrating impressive growth and innovation.

Fraudsters create 98 Goodluck Jonathan Facebook accounts

A Facebook search of Goodluck Jonathan springs up tens of profiles bearing the President’s photograph and his bio-data. The same applies to top government functionaries, politicians, Nollywood actors and actresses and other celebrities.

Ketu fire: LASG promises to help reconstruct market

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has assured traders at the Ifelodun plank market, Ketu, of his administration’s readiness to support them financially in rebuilding the market which was razed by fire last Thursday. Fashola, who spoke during an inspection of the market on Sunday, said the incident was unfortunate, adding that his administration was poised to assuage the losses incurred by the traders.

Robbery: Police search for rocket launchers, suspects

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command has launched a manhunt to recover two rocket launchers and arrest the seven suspects over Friday’s foiled robbery at a bank in Ajao Estate. Thirteen armed robbers were last Friday intercepted at Abule Egba junction along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, by three decoy teams of SARS after they received information about the robbery operation slated for that afternoon. The suspects were said to be approaching Lagos from Ogun State.

Sultan Seeks National Summit On Health

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on the federal government to urgently organise a national summit on health. The Sultan made the call when the minister of health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, paid him a courtesy call while on a two-day inspection and commissioning of 230 primary health centres built by the state government in Sokoto.

UK, Italy, Greece Condemn Killings Of Foreigners

Following reports of the killing of the seven abducted foreign hostages by Ansaru, a splinter group of Boko Haram, the United Kingdom, Italy and Greece governments have condemned the act in strong terms. British foreign secretary William Hague, who expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident, stated that the action was an act of cold-blooded murder.

2015: Plot To Discredit Amaechi Uncovered

Indications emerged yesterday that some powerful forces in the presidency were hatching a plot to discredit the Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Amaechi, an aspiring presidential hopeful, is presently embroiled in a cold war with incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and his cronies over the governor’s 2015 ambitions.

INEC Confirms Another Group’s Application As APC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that a group, African Peoples Congress (APC), has approached it for registration as a political party. The chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, My Kayode Idowu, who disclosed this last night during a telephone interview, said that the group had filed an application for registration as a political party only last week.

Baby shot by robbers dies after seven months

After seven months of battling with complications from a gunshot wound on the head, Taiwo Lawal, the one-year-old baby who was shot during a series of robberies in Lagos on September 9, 2012, has died. PUNCH Metro had reported that Taiwo was shot at his parents’ home in Gbagada during the robberies which occurred simultaneously in various parts of the state, an incident now remembered as Black Sunday.

UK vows to get killers of JAMBS hostages

THE United Kingdom on Sunday vowed that it would assist the Federal Government to bring to book the killers of seven foreign workers, including a British citizen, seized off a factory in Bauchi last month. The Political and Press Secretary in the British High Commission in Abuja, Hooman Nouruzi, said in a statement that the UK was determined to work with the Nigerian government to bring the perpetrators of the killing to justice.

NGF chairmanship: PDP govs to adopt consensus candidate

As Peoples Democratic Party governors meet in Abuja on Monday (today), there are indications that the issue of who leads the Nigeria Governors’ Forum will top their agenda. The meeting is coming ahead of the NGF’s election scheduled for May.

Yerima’s arrest: ACN, ANPP accuse FG of intimidation

Two major opposition political parties on Sunday raised the alarm over the arrest of former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Sani Yerima, saying the act was aimed at intimidating members of the opposition by the Federal Government.

Terrorists kill four in Kano drive-by shooting

Four persons were killed in drive-by shooting on Sunday by gunmen driving around on a tricycle in an area of Kano. It was learnt that the gunmen first struck at Dakata Bus Stop before moving to Dakata Kawaji area opposite a graveyard near the Custom’s barrack, where they shot two persons. One of the gunmen, it was learnt, carried an AK 47 assault rifle wearing a dark blue kaftan.