Author: Chief Editor

Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister of justice has explained why the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria was not released along with former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki and the publisher of Sahara Reporters Omoyele Sowore. Abubakar Malami insisted that the Nigerian government is not holding El Zakzaky. He said he is facing trial in a suit brought against him by Kaduna State. A high court in the state has ordered his release but the government refused to obey the order. Instead, more charges were brought against him. The justice minister said the Federal Government has no right to order…

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Rev Fr Matthew Hassan Kukah, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of nepotism. Kukah made the accusation Tuesday during a press conference at Saint Bakhitha Catholic Secretariat in Sokoto. The cleric explained that the behaviour and attitudes of the president is causing tension and anxiety in the country. “I’m not speaking because I’m a Christian but because I’m a Nigerian,” stressing that some appointments made by the president are lopsided, even some northern elite are not happy with some of his decisions. In his Christmas message from Pope Francis III, the Bishop urged Nigerians not…

For the third time, the presidency last night denied allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari was nursing a third term agenda. Reacting to repeated allegations by rights’ activist, Mr. Femi Falana, that the president has a third term agenda, presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, restated that Buhari had no such plan to elongate his stay in office beyond 2023. “All and every claim that is made that suggests President Muhammadu Buhari will stand for a third term in office is false,” Shehu said. He accused Falana of merely seeking personal media attention by his claim that the president was planning to…

The Minister of Power, Mr Sale Mamman has suspended the Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency, Ms Damilola Ogunbiyi. A statement by Mr Aaron Artimas, the Special Adviser to the minister on media and communication made this known on Tuesday in Abuja. Artimas said that following some apparent infractions in the agency, the minister directed the managing director to proceed on indefinite suspension with immediate effect. He said that Ogunbiyi had been directed to hand over to the next most senior officer in the agency. “Consequently, the minister has directed an immediate investigation into the activities of the agency towards…

Presidency has said the Human Rights lawyer Femi Falana’s claim that President Muhammadu Buhari is planning a third term in office is a plot to seek free publicity and media attention. “The popularly acclaimed human rights lawyer and formerly unsuccessful opposition candidate for governor of Ekiti state, Femi Falana, has boarded the free-publicity train, full of those seeking personal media attention in claiming the president is planning a third term in office,” Garba Shehu said in a statement on Monday. “To repeat: All and every claim that is made that suggest President Muhammadu Buhari will stand for a third term…

…Jonathan left Otueke for Yenagoa home just before invasion …Gunmen believed former president slept at home having been there 3 times on Monday More details of the lethal attack on the country home of former President Goodluck Jonathan by unknown gunmen in the early hours of Tuesday have continued to emerge as Nigerians express shock over the motive behind such brazen invasion. A family source confirmed to Vanguard in Abuja that the former president was not at the Otueke home when the gunmen struck around 3am on Tuesday. The member of the family told Vanguard that Jonathan…

The federal government has rejected the designation of Nigeria by the United States as a country that engages in or tolerates severe violations of religious freedom, saying that the “iniquitous tag’’ stemmed from an orchestrated narrative that has long been discredited. Meanwhile, the presidency has allayed fears that the US’ description of Nigeria as a religion intolerant nation could have consequences for the country, assuring the people that the US government’s decision to place Nigeria on its Watch List carries no immediate implication, stressing that the two countries would deliberate on the matter early next year. Minister of Information and…

The Presidency has explained why the tenure of former Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Babatunde Fowler, was not renewed saying the former chief revenue collector failed to meet set targets and generate enough revenue for the country. Fowler, whose term of office expired on December 9, 2019, was replaced by Mr. Muhammad Nami. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu, while speaking with journalists at the weekend in Abuja, also said that it was not a scandal for the federal government to borrow more money to finance infrastructure in the country. He…

Saying the brewing crisis between Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, could degenerate into serious tension that could disrupt the peace and security of the state and its neighbours, a group of Northern elders have constituted a committee to reconcile the two. The committee made up of 10 members is headed by a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), with a former Head of Service, Dr. Adamu Fika, as secretary. A statement by Fika and made available to THISDAY yesterday named Governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti State) and Aminu Masari…

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has maintained that he will not install his successor in 2023, adding that only God will determine who will succeed him. Wike, who explained that planning to plant a successor would amount to being selfish, called on those interested in the governorship position in the next dispensation to come out and inform the people of the state. The governor spoke on Sunday during the thanksgiving service of the lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Barinada Mpigi, at the Saint Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Koroma Town, Tai Local Government Area of the state. He said,…