Author: Chief Editor

• He was ‘abducted’ in Kenya, says brother, IPOB • Respect Kanu’s rights, Abaribe tells FG • HURIWA asks court to impose gag order against govt officials The British Government has said it would provide consular assistance for the arrested leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. This was disclosed yesterday by the Head of Communications, British High Commission in Nigeria, Dean Hurlock. As controversies and speculations raged over where and how Kanu was arrested and extradited to the country on Sunday, the British High Commission had earlier dispelled rumours he was arrested in the United…

The House of Representatives at the plenary, Wednesday received a report on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) from its Adhoc Committee. The Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had on Tuesday announced that the lawmakers would pass the long awaited Bill before their summer break scheduled to begin middle of July. The final report was laid by Chairman of the Committee and Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno. Monguno said: “That the House do receive the Report of the Ad–hoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill on a Bill for an Act to Provide Legal, Governance, Regulatory and Fiscal Framework…

Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Tuesday, announced the dissolution of the state’s Executive Council with the Chief of Staff (CoS) and 17 Commissioners affected. The cabinet was constituted on August 14, 2019, following Makinde’s victory in the March 9, 2019, election. The remaining Council members who were not affected include the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Head of Service (HOS) and the Director General of Due Process office. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, said Makinde announced the dissolution of the Executive Council after a meeting of the body on Tuesday,…

South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma was in “high spirits” on Wednesday, a day after the country’s top court handed him a 15-month jail sentence, an aide said. In an unprecedented ruling, the Constitutional Court on Tuesday convicted Zuma for “egregious” and “aggravated” contempt of court after he refused to appear before graft investigators. If Zuma fails to turn himself in by Sunday, police will be ordered to arrest him and take him to prison. But his close associates said Zuma’s morale was good and his famously jovial energy was undimmed. “He is in high spirits, bouncing like a tennis…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has alerted the public to the activities of scammers taking advantage of the recent employment screening exercise to demand payments from shortlisted candidates for narcotic officers and narcotic assistants to facilitate employment. The agency had on May 12, and June 6, 2021, asked job seekers to be wary of messages from persons claiming to be acting on behalf of NDLEA and/or its officials demanding payments for employment. According to the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, “While the NDLEA is presently investigating telephone/bank account numbers linked to members of the job scam syndicate, intelligence gathered…

Urges Buhari to initiate, transmit restructuring bill to National Assembly The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday, lamented that Nigeria is bleeding in many parts as a result of terrorism and other vices bedeviling the country. The group said it would tour the Yorubaland and engage the traditional leaders in the region. Besides, the socio-political group has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to transmit a bill on restructuring to the National Assembly for legislative processes. It noted that Buhari should initiate the legal framework that would birth restructuring, having shown that “he has now favourably disposed to restructuring.” These were parts of…

The Senate, yesterday, said it would pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) tomorrow. The disclosure, made by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, was sequel to the submission of a report by the Joint Committee on Petroleum and Gas that had been processing the bill since October 2020. Yesterday, Lawan also directed that the report be circulated to all senators immediately. The last attempt to pass the piece of legislation was halted when President Muhammadu Buhari refused to give assent during the eighth Senate under ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki. A reason for rejection of the bill was that there were some sections…

• Signs audit bill into law, considers Audit Service Commission • As groups oppose gov’s plans to build a museum for returned artefacts Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has urged citizens to transcend politics and electioneering campaigns in the state and work with the government to realise his administration’s Make Edo Great Again (MEGA) agenda. Obaseki, who insisted that MEGA agenda was aimed at improving livelihoods and ensuring economic prosperity for Edo people, gave the charge while receiving new executive of the Ijaw Youths Council of Nigeria, Edo Chapter, who visited him at the Government House, Benin City. He said his…

• Court orders his remand in DSS’ custody, adjourns hearing till July 26 • Ohanaeze, Afenifere, Northern elders urge caution in prosecuting him • Kanu’s arrest, elimination won’t quench agitation, says the group • HURIWA: If you can arrest Kanu, nab all terrorists, bandits in the north Four years after the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, jumped bail and fled the country, he was yesterday re-arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja after his re-arrest by security agents. Presenting him before the court, counsel to the Federal Government, Shuaib Labaran, said Kanu was arrested through…

Sends faulting locomotive to Idu yards for repair The Management of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Monday tendered an apology to passengers on board KA2 train that left Rigasa, Kaduna state to Abuja but developed a mechanic fault resulting in its breakdown The Corporation, while tendering its apologies to all passengers on board, noted that the failure and consequent delay no doubt caused delays to subsequent train services from Abuja to Kaduna. Manager, Abuja-Kaduna Train Service, Mr. Pascal Nnoli, in a statement made available to Journalists in Abuja, said: “The failed Locomotive is currently receiving attention from our team of…