Blasts heard as French gunman siege enters second day

French police tried to flush out a 24-year-old gunman suspected of killing seven people in the name of al Qaeda, with explosions and gunfire heard outside his apartment on the second day of a siege in the southern French city of Toulouse.

4 suspected vandals arrested in Ibadan •Trucks with 132,000 litres of petrol impounded

FOUR suspected pipeline vandals have been arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State, by men of the state police command. The state Commissioner of Police, Mallam Tambari Yabo Muhammed, made the disclosure in his maiden press briefing in Ibadan on Tuesday, adding that four trucks with 132,000 litres of fuel were impounded.

Serve petroleum minister with court papers, judge orders •Over constitution of petroleum committees

JUSTICE Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola of a Federal High Court in Lagos has directed that court papers in respect of a suit challenging the powers of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, to transfer her duties and responsibilities to committees, be served on the minister and other defendants in the case.

UN finally agrees peace plan for Syria

As smoke drifted above the eastern suburbs of Damascus after a renewed attempt to crush resurgent rebel fighters yesterday, the diplomatic gridlock at the United Nations appeared to have eased when Security Council members agreed to pass a statement calling for an end to the violence in Syria.

Strike: Oyo labour leaders arrested, 7 injured• The struggle continues - Labour

THE caretaker committee chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State, Bayo Akande and four other officials have been arrested for their alleged roles in the ongoing face-off between the workers and the state government, over the non-implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage.

N30m bribery scandal: EFCC to quiz SEC DG, Hembe, others •Gathers other documents

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, disclosed that investigation was deepening in the alleged corruption accusation and counter-accusation rocking the public hearing on the activities of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by the House Committee on Capital Market and Other Institutions.

JAMB - We Didn't Cancel Exams Centres in Crisis States

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has denied reports indicating that it will cancel some centres in crisis-prone states for the forthcoming Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Police checkpoint gone forever, it’s colonial heritage – IG

Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, declared, yesterday, that the era of mounting of road blocks across the country by the police was gone and would not be reviewed.

Edo market women buy N4.7m guber form for Oshiomhole

IT was like a triumphant entry yesterday, when Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State arrived the Benin Airport from Abuja, where he had gone to pick his N4.7million governorship form of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, which reportedly purchased for him by market women in the state.

Senate Caucus Insists On Representation In PDP NEC

The PDP caucus in the Senate says its insistence on having National Assembly members in the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) is not aimed at reducing the powers of state governors.

Gunmen kill 4 officers in north Nigeria

GOMBE, Nigeria - (AP) -- Police say gunmen have attacked three banks and a police station in Nigeria's northeast, killing four policemen.

S.Africa apologises for turning away Nigerians

PRETORIA — South Africa on Thursday apologised for blocking 125 Nigerians from the country and unveiled new immigration procedures aimed at ending a diplomatic row between the continent's two powerhouses.

Senate to probe N2 trillion pension fund

THE Senate is set to probe the sum of N2 trillion paid to an unspecified number of pensioners, just as it implored states that have not joined the contributory pension fund of the Federal Government to join in time, in order to avoid delay during payment. 

Slain banker’s trial: Court admits weapon as exhibit

JUSTICE Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, admitted the alleged weapon (a kitchen knife) that was used to murder former Skye Bank staff, Omozoje Titilayo Arowolo, by her husband, Akolade Arowolo, in addition to some other exhibits tendered by the prosecution in the trial.

Nigeria: Again, NURTW Clash Claims 15 in Lagos

A clash between rival factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos brought business and normal activities to a standstill in the Lagos Island axis of the state , leaving 15 people dead and several others severely injured.

Corruption trial: Alao-Akala, others fight back

FORMER governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, his former Commissioner for Local Government, Senator Hosea Agboola and an Ibadan-based contractor, Mr Femi Babalola, currently on trial for corrupt practices at an Ibadan High Court, have asked the court to strike out the 11-count charge preferred against them because the charge did not disclose any offence known to law.

Nigeria: Court Stops Cross River Governorship Election

An Abuja Federal High Court yesterday restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from going ahead with Saturday's governorship election in Cross River State.

Stop 2015 campaigns, Jonathan tells PDP members, ministers

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday warned members of the Peoples Democratic Party and his cabinet to stop campaigning ahead of the 2015 elections.

Nigeria steps up security in restive Maiduguri

Nigeria on Tuesday stepped up security in the restive northeastern city of Maiduguri with the military launching patrolling, a day after radical sect Boko Haram launched a revenge attack killing 30 people.

Iran sets conditions for oil to European nations

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has laid out conditions for future oil exports to other European countries after halting sales to Britain and France earlier this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.