Help ooo, Customs, Police Extorting Us – South East Traders

                 

The South-East Zone of the Amalgamated Market Traders Association has raised the alarm over the worsening cases of extortion by security officials on highways in the country.

The President of the association, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, who made the allegation while addressing traders at Oba, near Onitsha, accused men of the Nigeria Customs Service and the police of barricading highways to extort motorists and traders.

He said that the presence of customs men and police officers mounting road blocks to extort motorists and traders had made a mess of the anti-corruption campaign of the Federal Government.

OPEC Expects Non-Members To Increase Oil Output In 2017

                          

OPEC said Wednesday it expects some non-cartel producers to ramp up production next year, encouraged by oil prices which OPEC has fought to drive higher with a recent output cut deal.

Brazil and Canada — who did not sign the reduction agreement — and Kazakhstan are expected to be the main contributors to the non-OPEC supply growth, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said in its December oil market report.

N26m Dasuki Fund: Fani-Kayode’s ill Health Stalls Trial

                      

A Federal High Court in Abuja was unable to proceed with the trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani- Kayode, as scheduled on Wednesday because of the ex-minister’s ill health.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on November 11, 2016, arraigned Fani-Kayode on five charges involving alleged diversion of N26m which he allegedly received from the then National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, under the guise of payment for contract.

Look @ The Way Fayose Playing Politics With Courts’

A human rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has said the order of Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which ordered the unfreezing of the accounts of Governor Ayodele Fayose may not be of any benefit to the governor.

Justice Taiwo had on Tuesday ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to unfreeze the bank accounts of Fayose, which the anti-graft agency froze while investigating corruption allegations against the governor.

President Buhari Presents N7.298tn Budget for 2017

                        

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja presented a budget of N7.30tn for 2017 before a joint session of the National Assembly.

Buhari, who arrived at the assembly Chambers at 1.55p.m., apologised for shifting the time for the presentation of the appropriation bill from 10a.m. to 2 p.m.

He explained that the delay was informed by his sudden trip to The Gambia in an attempt to avert possible political in that country, occasioned by the insistence of President Yayah Jameh.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s Full Speech At 2017 Budget Presentation

 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presented a proposed N7.298tn budget for the 2017.

Click here for the full speech

Governor Of Borno State Orders Prosecution Of IDPs Rice Thieves

                   

Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima has asked for the immediate prosecution of those arrested for diversion of bags of rice meant for internally displaced persons in the state.

The directive was contained in a statement issued by the spokesman of the governor, Mallam Isa Gusau.

In the statement, the governor said the commissioner of police in the state should expedite action on the prosecution of some officials allegedly ‎involved in the diversion of 50 bags of rice meant for internally displaced persons.

One Lost His Life In Explosion near police station in C’ River

 

At least one person is said to have died after an explosion in a building in Adadama, Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday in a building housing many displaced persons near a vandalised police station in Adadama, was said to have injured about 30.

The people of Adadama and their Amagu neighbours in Nko LGA of Ebonyi State have for several years been engaged in violent fights over a parcel of farmland that had claimed several lives and displaced many families.

Senate Calls For Babachir Lawal Prosecution For IDP Fund Diversion

                              

The Senate has called for the resignation and prosecution of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, following alleged complicity in the diversion of North east humanitarian funds.

This followed the presentation of interim report of the Adhoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East, by the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Shehu Sani in Abuja on Wednesday.

The call for Lawal’s resignation followed alleged contravention of the provisions of Public Procurement Act and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to award of contracts.

Watch Live Sream: 2017 Budget presentation

 

 

Members of the National Assembly at the 2017 budget presentation

Reps Want Local Vendors In Oil, Gas Sector Paid

 

The House of Representatives on Wednesday called for the payment of local vendors in the oil and gas industry in the bid to save the industry.

This followed a motion by Rep. Henry Nwawuba (PDP-Imo), which was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote.

Moving the motion, Nwabuba explained that Local Content Act was primarily intended to promote local players in the oil and gas industry.

Buhari’s Experience Needed To Avoid Political Crisis In Gambia – Group

                      

The coalition of seven political parties that produced Adama Barrow, President-elect of Gambia, has enjoined President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy his vast experience, alongside other African leaders to resolve the political logjam in Gambia.

A statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the coalition made the call while speaking with newsmen during the high-level ECOWAS /AU/UN Joint Mission to The Gambia on Tuesday.

Finally, Senate To Screen Magu For EFCC Chairmanship

The Senate is finally set to screen the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, about six months after his nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly is to conduct confirmation hearing on Magu’s appointment on Thursday.
Buhari had appointed Magu as acting Chairman of the EFCC in November 2015, following the removal of Ibrahim Lamorde, and has remained in the acting capacity for one year.

Patience Patience Jonathan Gets Permission To Amend Suit Against EFCC

 

The wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, has obtained a court’s leave to amend the N200m lawsuit she filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and six others.

Patience filed the suit to challenge the ‘No Debit Order’ placed by the EFCC on four bank accounts domiciled with Skye Bank Plc.

The four bank accounts were opened in the name of four companies linked with a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa.

The EFCC froze the $15,591,700 found in the accounts in July while investigating Dudafa for money laundering.

Court Strikes Out Buhari’s Suit Against AIT

                             

The Federal High Court on Wednesday in Abuja struck out defamation suit filed by President Muhammadu Buhari against DAAR Communications, operators of the African Independent Television.

Justice John Tsoho held that the court was compelled to strike out the suit because it appeared abandoned.

According to him, no representations from the parties have been entered since the matter was assigned to the court.

Reps Reply OBJ, Say He’s Most Corrupt

                           

The House of Representatives has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the most corrupt Nigerian to have held a public office, deploring his tactic of always seeing himself as the only clean human being.

It made a formal reaction on Thursday to the ex-President’s latest attacks on the National Assembly, saying that he churned out “outright lies and falsehoods, and mischievous innuendo.”

On Wednesday, Obasanjo had attacked the legislature on several fronts, including their salaries/allowances and the alleged diversion of constituency projects.

He had stated, “Once you are a member, you are co-opted and your mouth is stuffed with rottenness and corruption that you cannot opt out as you go home with not less than N15million in a month for a senator and

Sack Justice Abang, Fayose Tells NJC

                    

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has called on the National Judicial Council to “save the judiciary by sacking Justice Okon Abang.”

Fayose, in his reaction to the Appeal Court judgment, which nullified Abang’s ruling of the October 14, 2016 and declared it as a fraud, said, “it is obvious that Justice Abang is representing the interests of some cabals.”

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor said, “In the face of these indictments by the appellate court, the NJC must wade in and save the judiciary from Abang.”

Senate Condemns 2017 Draft Budget, Says Assumptions Unrealistic

                          

The 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper sent to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari for legislative approval narrowly escaped being rejected again at the Senate on Wednesday.

The upper chamber of the National Assembly condemned the projections in the documents as unrealistic, even though it said the Presidency had set December 1 for the presentation of the 2017 Appropriation Bill to the legislature.

The senators, who took turns to criticise the new version of the MTEF/FSP as well as the officials who prepared the documents during the day’s plenary, submitted that it should be sent back to the Executive to include the “correct” figures showing the true state of the economy.

YABATECH Suspends Academic Activities As Fire Destroys Hostel

Academic activities at the Yaba College of Technology have been suspended for three days after the female hostel of the school was gutted by fire in the early hours of Wednesday, destroying 20 rooms.

The building, Bakassi Hostel, is a double wing four-storeyed structure occupied by female students. The affected wing has 72 rooms, 20 of which were razed.

It was learnt that the fire, which started around 5am, was caused by a surge from a faulty socket in one of the rooms.

No fewer than 30 students reportedly sustained injuries in a stampede that resulted from struggle to flee their respective rooms to safety.

OBJ Attacks Buhari, Knocks N’Assembly Members

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday came hard on President Muhammadu Buhari, urging him to fix the country’s economy as he promised during electioneering rather than expressing frustration at the gloomy economic situation.

Obasanjo spoke during a lecture he delivered at the First Akintola Williams Annual Lecture in Lagos titled, “Nigeria yesterday, today and tomorrow: Governance and accountability.’’

He said that it would have been needless for Nigerians to cry for a change of government if things were rosy in the country before Buhari took over.

A School Teacher On Trial For Trying To Sell 13-Year-Old Schoolgirl For $10, 000

 

A school teacher on Wednesday appeared in court in Ukraine after allegedly trying to sell a 13-year-old schoolgirl under her care for more than $10,000

Language teacher Galyna Kovalenko, 52, who has been charged with human trafficking, faces up to 15 years in jail if found guilty of targeting the girl who was a pupil at the state boarding school where she worked.

Kovalenko denies the charges and says she has been set up.

Why Nasarawa University To Increase Tuition Fees By 20%

                            

The Vice chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Mohammed Mainoma, says the institution has proposed a 20 per cent hike in students’ tuition fees.

Mainoma disclosed this on Wednesday when members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nasarawa State Council, visited him.

However, he said the proposal made by the management was still subject to approval by the governing council of the university and the State Government.

Actor Seun Egbegbe, Accused Of Stealing Nine iPhones

A mob at the Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos State, on Tuesday reportedly accosted and beat up a Yoruba film-maker, Seun Egbegbe, for allegedly stealing nine iPhones at a shop in the area.

However, the film-maker reportedly told policemen investigating the incident that he had no intention to steal the phones, but had stepped into his vehicle to pick some money when the sales boy raised the alarm.

omoade Metro learnt that Egbegbe had gone to the shop around 10am on Tuesday and had told the sales boy he met in the shop that he  wanted to buy some iPhones.

Court Rejects Patience’s Application To Restrain EFCC Over Frozen $15.5m

                         

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday rejected an application by the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, seeking to bar the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from tampering with a sum of $15.591 frozen in four Skye Bank accounts.

The EFCC placed a ‘No Debit Order’ on the four bank accounts in July while probing Jonathan’s former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, for money laundering.

But Patience, who had laid claim to the money, filed a fundamental rights enforcement action against the EFCC, Skye Bank, Dudafa and the four companies in whose names the accounts were opened.

She is urging the court to order the EFCC to remove the ‘No Debit Order’ on the accounts and to release the $15.5m to her.

An A Letter To President Buhari No Sensible president Continuously Travels Round The Globe While His Country Is In A Mess - Trump

No sensible president continuously travels round the globe while his country is in terrible hardship and economic mess - Trump to Buhari

Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner in the upcoming presidential election in the United has allegedly hit out at General Muhammadu Buhari's incompetent government. According to report by an online news media, RitaFamous, Trumped lashed at at Buhari's incessant foreign trips, describing it as insensible.

Forte Oil, Livestock Feeds, Total Top Losers’ Table

 

Nigerian equities market closed on a negative note on Tuesday as Forte Oil Plc, Livestock Feeds Plc, Total Nigeria Plc,

 Neimeith International Pharmaceutical Plc and Nascon Allied Industries Plc emerged the top five losers at the close of trading on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The market extended Monday’s loss position, as the NSE All-Share Index shed 0.15 per cent, dragging the year-to-date return to -11.11 per cent.

Stop Misleading Nigerians, Group Tells Opposition Parties

                   

     The Buhari Media Support Group has advised the opposition to stop peddling falsehoods that can promote disaffection and ill will towards the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

BMSG gave the advice while reacting to allegations that the Buhari’s administration donated $500m to the Hillary Clinton Campaign.

Drop Non Performing Ministers, APC Chieftain Tells Buhari

 

          Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress [APC] in Kaduna State, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to drop non performing ministers.
Baba-Ahmed in an interview in Kaduna on Sunday,  also urged the President to quickly push through, policies that would reduce current high level of poverty in the country.

US Says We Don’t Have Criminal Case Against Atiku

                    

         The United States Department of Justice has denied having any record that indicates that Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has a pending lawsuit in the US.

In an email to our correspondent on Friday, a spokesperson for the US DOJ, Peter Carr said, “Thank you for reaching out to us. I have checked the public court records, and they do not show cases filed against a defendant named Atiku Abubakar.”

I Was Never A Sex Worker, Says Trump’s Wife

                           

      Melania Trump, wife of US Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump, is suing a Slovenian journalist for defamation over claims that she previously worked with an escort agency, her attorney said Wednesday.

The suit, filed last Friday at a court in the capital Ljubljana, accuses journalist Tomaz Mihelic of defamation as well as making false and unverified statements against the Slovenian-born former model.

The claims were published in Slovenian celebrity magazine Suzy in August and repeated in Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, in which Mihelic was interviewed under the fake initials S.S.

Look @ All The Raunchy Photos From Jennifer Lopez And Iggy Azalea's New Video

Who has seen Jennifer Lopez new video for 'Booty' featuring Iggy Azalea? I don't which is worse, Nicki Minaj's Anaconda or this one.
 The raunchy video premiered yesterday and fans have been lambasting the two women, especially J Lo, saying the video is too sexual. It features 24 year old Iggy robbing her butt against 45 year old J-Lo while they are dressed in high-legged swimsuits.
If it worked for Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj, why not Jennifer Lopez? See the raunchy pics and video after the cut...

Goodluck Told Metuh How To Share N400m –Witness

           A witness, Mr. Richard Ihediwa, in the ongoing trial of former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisah Metuh, said on Thursday that the N400m Metuh got was disbursed as directed by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Ihediwa, led in evidence by the counsel to Metuh, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), told the Abuja High Court that Jonathan gave the directive on how the amount was to be spent.

He said that N21m was paid to former PDP Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, for a property acquired for use by the party as its media intervention centre.

Nigeria Customs Seizes N108m Imported Poultry Products

                         

          The Area Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone C Owerri, Mohammed Garba, has said that the Unit, on October 31, intercepted a DAF Truck loaded with 11,315 cartons of imported frozen poultry products with Duty Paid Value of N108,624,000.00.

This was said to be barely two weeks after he assumed office as the new Comptroller of NCS, FOU, Zone C.

Photos-- ISIS executioners stone two men to death for adultery

ISIS executioners took one of the most brutal decisions by stoning two men to death after they were reportedly accused of adultery in Syria. 

 The brutal killing saw over hundreds of people, including children gathered at the city of Abu Kamal, to witness the execution of the victims being stoned with heavy rocks. More photos after the cut.

Jimmy Jatt Reunites With Terry G

 

A months back, an altercation almost ensued between veteran disc jockey, DJ Jimmy Jatt and controversial singer Terry G, when the latter slapped the DJ’s apprentice during a show. Soon after, a circular was passed round the DJs in Nigeria urging all members not to play Terry G’s songs.

Knowing how that decision might have an adverse effect on his career,  the singer was quick to apologise for his conduct.

The Reasson Women Live Longer Than Men

From time immemorial, women have always been regarded as the weaker sex, when compared to men. But that seems to be nothing more than a cliché now as women appear to be increasingly outshining men in several things.

For example, scientists have proved that women are smarter, more intelligent, emotionally stronger and they make better leaders. But beyond these remarkable comparative advantages, it has also been shown that women live longer than men and the difference could be as high as 10 years.

Buhari’s Biographer Reveals Problem With APC Leaders

                           

The newly-published biography of President Muhammadu Buhari has given an insight into the crisis of confidence currently rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress, saying the President is largely seen as not being “a natural party politician.”

The book, “Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria”, written by Prof. John Paden, was presented to the public on Monday.

The author noted that many party chiefs always preferred to hold midnight meetings with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo inside his residence in Abuja to meeting with Buhari, who he said was being regarded as a “loner” and “outsider” within his party.

Recession: Governors Adopt Desperate Measures To Stay Afloat

From outright cut in the number of political appointees to reduction in their salaries and allowances and reforms of internally generated revenue system, state governors have adopted various measures to cut the cost of governance.

The economic recession, brought about by the drastic fall in the price of crude oil, seems to have succeeded in imposing the long sought fiscal discipline on state governors, according to investigation conducted by The Nation across the country.

APC Should Investigate Tinubu’s Anti-Party Moves--Gov Poll

It appears the All Progressives Congress may have initiated moves to investigate allegations of anti-party activities against the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and some of the party members believed to be loyal to him.

This is happening as the party appears to be in a dilemma over how to deal with the party leader over suspicion that he is backing the Alliance for Democracy in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election.

Tinubu is believed to be supporting Chief Olusola Oke, one of the governorship aspirants in the party’s

‘I won’t Forgive You If You Don’t Probe My Children If Corrupt, Buhari Tells EFCC

•Says ‘I won’t forgive you if you don’t probe any allegation against them’ 

The war against corruption may gather more steam soon, going by President Muhammadu Buhari’s latest pronouncement.

The President has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to probe even his own children or members of his family implicated in corrupt practices.

He said he would not forgive the anti-graft agency if it fails to pobe any allegation of corruption against his children and family members.

12 Problems Only Girls With Big Butts Understand

You like your big b*tt, but you cannot lie—it comes with some issues.

Let’s be real: There’s never been a better time to have a big b*tt. Booty celebration is everywhere you look,

 from Meghan Trainor’s hit song to Kim Kardashian’s new Paper magazine cover. So now more than ever, those of us with a little (or a lot) of meat on our behinds are being encouraged to shake it, show it off, and embrace what we’ve got. Awesome!

Still, all of this big booty love can’t erase the inevitable problems that come with the perks. Hey, with great

Nigeria Is Too Big To Fail, Says Adeosun

Nigeria took its economic survival struggle to the international financial audience yesterday and said it is too significant a country to fail.

Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun speaking on the sideline of the plenary session of the 2016 IMF/World Bank meeting in Washington DC said: “Nigeria is too big to fail and too significant in the region to underperform.”

Fayose Condemns Attack On Tinubu; APC Feud

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has condemned the alleged conspiracy against the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, by some elements in his party, saying the “humiliation of Tinubu is as good as the humiliation of the Yoruba race.”

The governor said that allowing the National Leader of the APC to be embarrassed like past Yoruba leaders, would not be in the interest of the race.

Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said, “Even though I am not a member of the APC and I will never be, I have elected to stand in defence of the Yoruba nation once again by saying no to the continuous dishonourable treatment being meted out to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, having paid his dues.

Airports Concession: Turkish Company, Politicians, Others Lobby FG

 

International and local companies, as well as politicians in Nigeria, have started lobbying the Federal Government in a bid to take over the management of the country’s airports that are up for concession.

It was learnt that many companies had already started making presentations to the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, and his team, despite the agitations and several protests by workers in the sector against the move to concession the airports.

In September, the Federal Government kick-started the concession process for the nation’s major airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano, with the inauguration of two committees — a Project Steering Committee, and a Project Delivery Committee.

13 Lost There Life In Niger Boat Accidents

 

Fewer than thirteen people, comprising 13 females and two males, have died in two separate boat accidents in Niger State.

Saturday PUNCH learnt , on Friday, that the accident involving the females occurred in the early morning of Tuesday when the boat they were travelling in capsized on the Kontagora River in Magama Local Government Area of the state.

Our correspondent learnt that 17 villagers were going to a farm to harvest groundnuts when the accident occurred.

Nigeria police smash ‘baby factory In Delta

 

peratives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a commercial bus driver and an estate agent for allegedly operating a ‘baby factory’ and child abduction.

The suspects, identified as Jennifer Obi and Osita Okafor, were arrested along with seven girls.

Six of the girls, according to the police, are currently pregnant.

The suspects, who were paraded in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, denied the allegations. They claimed to have been arrested at a maternity home where they were receiving treatment from a midwife.

Professor John Paden’s Book On President Muhammadu Buhari And His Dirty Little Lies

Professor John Paden, President Muhammadu Buhari’s official biographer, is a man that is very comfortable with distorting the truth and telling lies. He is also a man that has been doing so for virtually all his adult life.

Anyone that doubts that should read his biography on the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, which was written in 1986 and titled “Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto: Values and Leadership In Nigeria”, and which is essentially a self-serving and comprehensive compilation of Bello’s numerous virtues with little or no mention of his many vices.

‘Reasson Buhari’ll Keep Dasuki In Detention’

Why is former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki still in detention despite court orders that he should be released?

Dasuki, NSA in the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration, is standing trial for embezzlement of over $15 billion fund meant for equipment and other logistics to fight Boko Haram, the insurgent group troubling the Northeastern part of the country.

The ECOWAS Court on Tuesday  ordered Dasuki’s release. He went to the court after a Federal High Court’s order that he should be released was ignored.

N36.8bn Worth Of Gas Lost To Militant Attacks

The country and some oil companies lost at least N38.6bn in one month as gas production from joint venture assets and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company dropped by 40.9 billion standard cubic feet in July.

The loss was as a result of production disruptions occasioned by the recent upsurge in militant attacks in the Niger Delta, mostly targeted at onshore and shallow water assets.

The latest monthly report from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation showed that 139.58 billion scf and 17.70 billion scf were produced from JV assets and NPDC assets, respectively in July, down from 173.8 billion scf and 24.4 billion scf in January.