Fresh News

The military on Wednesday declared war on the menace of militancy in the Niger Delta, just as the Nigerian Army said it has procured six communication vehicles for the prosecution of the war against insurgency in the North-east. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin, the service chiefs from the Nigerian Navy (NN) and the Nigerian Army (NA), Vice Admiral Ibok Ette-Ibas and Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai respectively, made this disclosure at different military functions in Lagos. The CDS, who was the guest of honour at the navy’s 60th Diamond anniversary in Lagos, said the military would continue its onslaught against militancy in the Niger Delta and insurgency in the North-east. At the end of the two-day maritime conference organised by the navy to mark its anniversary, Olonisakin said the military has stepped up its game against the militants in the Niger Delta because of the recent attacks on the nation’s infrastructure. Warning those involved in the

·     AFC, J.P. Morgan, Access Bank to fund the project About 24 hours after it unveiled its plan to construct Oshodi Transport Interchange at a cost of $70 million, the Lagos State Government on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of investors to fund and construct the 4th Mainland Bridge. The consortium, which agreed to fund and construct the bridge at N844 billion, comprises Visible Asset Limited, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Hi-tech Construction Limited, J.P. Morgan, Eldorado Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Westminster Dredging and Marine, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Access Bank. Designed to cover a distance of 38 kilometres, the project will be constructed under a build, operate and transfer (BOT) concession and the state’s public-private partnership programme for a period of 40 years. The agreement was signed at the State House, Alausa, Lagos, by assigned representatives of all the corporate organisations making up the consortium that partn

·     Senate laments economic recession, summons finance minister, CBN governor Goddy Egene, Obinna Chima in Lagos, Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Nigerian equities market appreciated to about five-month high wednesday as positive sentiments continued to trail the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) plan to introduce a flexible foreign exchange policy. But feeling that the economy was regressing, the Senate yesterday summoned the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, and the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to brief it on the monetary and fiscal policies the executive arm had adopted to salvage the economy. In the equity market, however, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index surged 3.8 per cent to close at 28,260.61, while market capitalisation added N353.4 billion to be at N9.7 trillion. The market had gained 0.80 per cent on Tuesday when the decision was taken. However, the naira dipped on the parallel market in reaction to the central bank’s pronouncement as

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, appointed the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of six parastatal agencies under the Ministry of Information and Culture. The appointments were announced in Abuja, on Wednesday, by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. A statement issued by Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Adviser to the Minister, named Mr Bayo Onanuga, as Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The statement also named Mr Yakubu Mohammed, as Director-General of Nigerian Television Authority and Mr Osita Okechukwu, as Director-General of Voice of Nigeria. The Federal Government, on Wednesday, appointed the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of six parastatal agencies under the Ministry of Information and Culture. The appointments were announced in Abuja, on Wednesday, by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. A statement issued by Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Adviser to the Minister, named Mr Bayo Onanuga, as Mana

The Federal Government on Wednesday announced the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Buba as the Chairman of Petroleum Products ‎Pricing Regulatory Agency. Buba, a former Managing Director of Petroleum Products Marketing Company, was appointed following the demand labour that government should reconstitute the board of the agency. The Board of PPPRA which has the statutory role of determining and fixing the prices of petroleum products has not been constituted ‎for over four years. Labour had argued that had the board been in place, the issue of the misunderstanding in the price regulation would not have arisen. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, who made the announcement after the meeting held in his office with the Ayuba Wabba faction of Nigeria Labour Congress, said President Muhammadu Buhari, had approved the appointment.    The meeting was to review issues involved in the new pump price of premium motor spirit, also known as petrol, whi

  ABUJA—President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria made a costly mistake by depending on oil as the mainstay of the economy. President Buhari The President said the country was in for the worst times for failing to save or diversify its economy, which had been greatly affected by the crash of oil prices. Speaking while bidding the outgoing Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Saeed Koozechi, farewell in Abuja, President Buhari said he was convinced that with greater diligence, hard work and patriotic determination, Nigeria would achieve self-sufficiency in most of the goods on its import list. He said his government is vigorously pursuing the diversification project. For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.

  The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, yesterday, met with former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Modu Sheriff and the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi ostensibly to help douse tension that has enveloped the party since Sheriff was removed at the party’s convention in Port Harcourt. Meanwhile, more support for the Makarfi-led caretaker committee came yesterday after the PDP Senate caucus, eight of the 12 members of the just dissolved National Working Committee, NWC and the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, pledged support for the committee. Sen. Ali Modu Baba A member of the Makarfi Committee who confirmed the meeting told Vanguard that the police chief told them to maintain peace and carry out their protests within the ambit of the law. It would be recalled that the day after the conventions of the party in Port Harcourt and Abuja, policemen were drafted to the party’s national secretariat where they prevented bot

An agency of the Federal Government, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), has revealed that Dangote Industries Limited generates more mineral resource revenue for the government than the rest of the nation put together. Aliko Dangote In its reports made available to the press yesterday, Dangote Cement was responsible for 53 per cent of the government revenue, that is, N15.9 billion of the total N33.86 billion accrued that year to the Federal Government. The report revealed that 93 per cent of the total government revenues from solid minerals sector were from five companies: Dangote, WAPCO, Ashaka Cement, Unicem, CCNN and others. The report states that: “53 per cent of the country’s revenue from the solid minerals sector was paid by Dangote Cement Plc to the Federal Government.” NEITI says Nigeria has about 52 solid mineral resources across all states of the federation, with every state possessing at least two mineral resources. But of all 52, limestone wa

  With the worst over between the Federal Government and organised Labour over the recent steep hike in petrol prices,  Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has served notice that the FG would soon revoke the refinery licenses that are not ready to set up shop. Between 2002 and 2014, about 25 licences were issued to private investors to capitalise on the high volume of consumption in the Nigerian market and establish a variety of refineries. However, despite the series of price hikes on petroleum products which have taken place since the beginning of the liberalisation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry some fifteen years ago, only one venture – the Dangote refinery – appears to be aggressively on course. The argument of the prospective investors has always been that unless the sector is deregulated to enable the forces of demand and supply  determine the true market values of refined products, it will be impossible to risk private capital on the

  Finalists have emerged in both Boys Under-12 & Girls Under-16 of 4th MRS Kids Cup slated for Friday,May 27th at the Campos mini Stadium, Ajele,Lagos,after the completion of semi-final matches. K&B Ace, Dopemu trounced YS Ace,Apapa 4-2 in the first semi-final to set up a final clash against Young Boys Ace,Ajah who defeated Tao United,Oke Afa 3-1 in the second semi-final of the Boys category at Ojo Oniyun playing ground, Ebute-Meta,Lagos The Girls Under-16 final will be between Mary Ace,Sabo and Alara Girls,Epe, after both teams eliminated their respective opponents in the semi-finals. Mary Ace secured their place in the final,after defeating MM Queens, Igando 5-4 on penalties after both sides their tie goalless at the end of regulation time. For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.

  Watford FC of England star forward Odion Ighalo was the first player at the Super Eagles’ camp in France on Tuesday night, but has since been joined by 16 others as the three –time African champions prepare for a friendly international with Mali’s Les Aigles at the Stade Robert Diochon in Rouen on Friday night. Iheanacho The list of 17 players includes the nine who left from Abuja aboard an Air France flight on Tuesday: Ogenyi Onazi, Brown Ideye, Abdullahi Shehu, Umar Aminu, Kingsley Madu, Elderson Echiejile, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Etebo Oghenekaro and Musa Muhammed. There are also England –based goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, Germany –based defender Leon Balogun, Arsenal of England’s Alex Iwobi and Belgium –based forward Moses Simon. For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.

ENUGU—The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has accused the North of allegedly raising false alarm that Fulani herdsmen were being killed in the South East in a bid to start another round of slaughtering of southerners in the area. IPOB said the false allegation of killing of Northerners in the South was being orchestrated by a “faceless Northern Consensus Movement,” pointing out that this style was used by the north to prepare the grounds for the pogrom that followed the January 1966 coup d’état in the country. The statement entitled “Déjà vu 1966,” and jointly signed by IPOB Spokespersons, Mr Emma Mmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya read: “50 years ago, faceless groups sprung up in Zaria, Kaduna, and Kano among others; all  alleging that the January 1966 coup d’état was an ethnic coup. Northerners, they claimed, were being killed in the East. “These sponsored groups, stoked the embers of hatred and prepared the ground for the horrendous pogrom of May 29; June 2; July 29; August 2;   Sep

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai, has said the Nigerian Army Medical Corps parades brilliant men and officers capable of addressing medical challenges facing the Nigerian Army. The army chief, who made this known during the pull-out parade in honour of 14 retired generals of the Army Medical Corps held at the parade ground of the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, urged the officers and soldiers to dedicate themselves to serving the nation by going the extra mile when the need arises. The retired officers were one full General, five Major-Generals and eight Brigadier Generals. For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.

  Former Military Governor of Kaduna State and Minister of Communications, General Tanko Ayuba (rtd.), is dead. He died yesterday of an undisclosed ailment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos. Details of his death were sketchy at press time, but Vanguard gathered from sources at the hospital that prior to his death, Ayuba had been on admission at a private hospital for about two months. File: Maj. Gen. Tanko Ayuba (retd) It was further gathered that while on admission, Ayuba was regularly visited by a number of high profile Nigerians, including Governor Bagudu Atiku of Kebbi State, who visited about a month ago. Often described as an ex-officer, a gentleman and a politician of high morals, Ayuba was appointed Governor of Kaduna State in August 1990 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.

ABUJA — THE House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation, yesterday, stopped the proposed sale of the nation’s three refineries by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. They are Port-Hacourt, Kaduna and Warri refineries. The committee made the pronouncement after engaging officials of the NNPC and the Bureau of Public Enterprises,BPE, on the exercise and   declared that NNPC violated the provisions of  BPE Act Section 11 of 2009 During the interactive session, members of the committee accused the NNPC of acting unilaterally by going ahead with the exercise without involving other stakeholders as contained in the Act. Exchange  of words Before making the declaration, chairman of the committee, Ahmed Yerima, said there was an exchange of words between the Group Executive Director of the NNPC in charge of refineries, Mr Anibor Kragba, and the members of the committee which led to abrupt adjournment of the sitting. Before the sitting commenced, members of the committee wer

 For the second time in a month, United Kingdom and Australia, yesterday, jointly deported 40 Nigerians for various immigration offences. The deportees, males and females, arrived the Hajj camp area of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on chartered aircraft. It will be recalled that last year, more than 40 Nigerians were similarly deported from UK for what the United Kingdom government called immigration offences. Switzerland also deported some Nigerians. Back home: Deported Nigerians from the United kingdom and Australia at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. The latest deportees came on two separate chartered flights. One of the chartered aircraft, with registration number ZTA -4741, arrived Lagos Airport with 36 Nigerians: 29 males and seven females. For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.

 A Lagos Island Customary Court on Wednesday dissolved the 17-year-old marriage between a transporter, Haruna Amunikoro, and his wife, Alimotu, after he complained that his wife built a house without informing him. Granting the husband’s request, the court President, Mr Awos Awosola, said that the effort of the court to reconcile the parties had failed, as Amunikoro insisted on divorce. “The marriage between the two parties is hereby dissolved with effect from today in accordance with the Lagos State Customary Court Law, 2011, Order 3, Rule 7, as amended. “The custody of the first child and only son, Anus, 15, is awarded to the father while that of the two girls, Simiyat, 10; and Aishat, 7, remains with the wife. “The petitioner should pay the children’s feeding allowances of N10,000 on a monthly basis through this honourable court and should also be responsible for the children school and hospital bills. “However, both parties are granted unhindered access to the child/children at