government
Oyo governor urges council chiefs to strengthen intelligence gathering in their areas
Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged local government chairmen in the state to upscale intelligence gathering in their respective council areas. A statement issued on Wednesday in Ibadan by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, quoted Makinde as stating this while closing a two-day retreat for local government chairmen, vice-chairmen and heads of local government administrations (HLAs), on Tuesday evening. Newsmen report that the retreat was held at Ilaji Hotel and Sports Complex, Akanran, Ibadan. The governor said that the local government chairmen needed step up their game on the issue of security and take responsibility for the security of their areas. Although he stated that security was the responsibility of everyone in the society, the governor, however, said tha...
Senate vows to expose MDAs refusing to account for public funds
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that the upper chamber will publish the names of government agencies that have refused to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to defend the interrogations of the Auditor-General for the Federation in the 2015 report. Lawan made this known in his remarks after the Senate considered the report of the Committee on Public Accounts on the annual report of the Auditor-General for the Federation on the accounts of the Federation for the year ended 31st December, 2015. According to the Senate President, any public official that refuses to account for public funds at their disposal must be shown the way out of office. He said, “This is one of our major responsibilities as a parliament, to hold the executive to account. “[And] whoever is given t...
‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero never joined rebels – co-accused
Paul Rusesabagina, the ex-hotelier immortalised in the film “Hotel Rwanda”, never belonged to a rebel group that sought to overthrow President Paul Kagame, one of the former rebels accused with him of terrorism told a court on Wednesday. “Rusesabagina was never a member of the National Liberation Front (FLN), he was a civilian … He is not a soldier,” former FLN spokesman Callixte Sankara told the court in Kigali. He said the prosecution had presented no evidence to substantiate its claim that Rusesabagina had given orders to the FLN, which has claimed responsibility for attacks in past years that it said were aimed at ousting the president. Sankara is one of 20 Rwandans being tried alongside Rusesabagina, who is 67. Prosecutors describe them as fighters for the FLN. Most were captured in s...
US universities admit about 13,000 Nigerians yearly
US Embassy in South Africa The United States Consulate’s Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Stephen Ibelli, has disclosed that about 13, 000 Nigerian students are admitted in US annually. Ibelli made the disclosure yesterday during the launch of the ‘Windows on America’ Hub at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka. He described Nigerians as one of the most dominant immigrant groups in the US. He said that the ‘Windows on America’ hub was aimed at providing Nigerian youths with educational opportunities available in U.S.A “Windows on America” are free spaces that offer services to students to learn about how to study in the United States and how to apply for scholarships to study abroad. “The hub will help to promote mutual understanding between the US and great youths of Nigeria to access inf...
Police: Jigawa man foils kidnap attempt by fake NDLEA operatives
The Police Command in Jigawa has arrested three kidnap suspects in Hadejia Local Government Area of the state, the command spokesperson, ASP Lawan Shiisu, has said. Shiisu, in a statement in Dutse on Wednesday, said the suspects were arrested after they allegedly attempted to kidnap one Cyprian Okechukwu on May 31. He explained that the suspects allegedly disguised as personnel of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and attempted to forcefully take the victim to their office. “On May 32, 2021 at about 1000hrs, one Cyprian Okechuku of Quarters reported at Hadejia ‘A’ division that on the same date at about 0800hrs, some hoodlums numbering about three in Volkswagen Golf car, light green in colour, came to his house, disguised as NDLEA personnel and forcefully tried to take him to th...
U.S. blocks websites linked to Iranian disinformation
The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday blocked some three dozen websites, many of them associated with Iranian disinformation activities, a U.S. government source said, adding an official announcement was expected. The source in Washington spoke after notices appeared earlier on Tuesday on a number of Iran-affiliated websites saying they had been seized by the United States government as part of law enforcement action. Iranian news agencies said that the U.S. government had seized several Iranian media websites and sites belonging to groups affiliated with Iran such as Yemen’s Houthi movement. Some sites later started to display as normal. The website of the Arabic-language Masirah TV, which is run by the Houthis, read: “The domain almasirah.net has been seized by the United States Governm...
Gunmen kill APC chieftain in Ondo
File Photo A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Hon Bamidele Isibor, has been killed by gunmen. The APC leader was shit dead along Ifon-Imoru road in Ose Local Government Area of the state while returning to Imoru after a political function. The state publicity secretary of the party, Mr Alex Kalejaiye confirmed the incident in a statement issued yesterday. He said the late APC leader who was a member of the State Executive Committee of the party was atacked in company of others, on his way from Imoru to Ifon. According to the spokesman of the party, the deceased died of gunshot wounds on Monday. “The party condemns the violent attack on its stalwart which led to his painful exit at the time the party is warming up for its congress,” he said. Kaleyaiye n...
APC group commends President Buhari, security agents for ‘decimating’ IPOB
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Legacy Awareness and Campaign has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and federal security agents for decimating separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The group, in a statement issued by the quartet of Barr Ismail Ahmed, Lanre Issa-Onilu, Tolu Ogunlesi and Salihu Moh Lukman, claimed that the country will in the next few months witness even more progress on all fronts. ‘On security, the fear that has gripped the nation in recent times is receding while confidence is being renewed as the security agencies are chasing down the criminals, taking the battle to the bandits, unknown gunmen, kidnappers, and other criminal elements who have been holding the country by the jugular and turning Nigeria to a killing field,’ the group stated. ‘From the...
NAFDAC tasks stakeholders on drug abuse eradication
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together towards eradicating the menace of drug abuse in the country. Prof. Moji Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director General, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja, at the 3rd National Youth conference on drug abuse, organised by Centre for Ethical Rebirth among Nigerian Youth (CERANY), an . Represented by the agency’s Director, Narcotics and Controlled Substances, Mr Musa Umar, she said all hands must be on deck to find solutions to the problem of drug abuse, adding that all should be determined to eradicate the scourge. According to her, the problem of drug abuse concerns everybody, saying cooperations must be strengthened to decisively deal with the problem. “Of all the crises f...
Lagos council boss passes on
The chairperson of Eti Osa local government, Rafiu Olatunji, has died on Monday night at his Sangotedo residence. He died from a long-term illness. Mr Olatunji is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos. He is the current chairperson of Eti-Osa LCDA and also won the APC primary to run for the forthcoming July 24 election. Confirming his death to newsmen, Oluseye Oladejo, the spokesperson of APC said the party received the news of his demise with shock. “The Lagos State APC commiserates with the entire leadership and membership of our party on the shocking and untimely passage of the chairman of Eti-Osa East LCDA, Rafiu Olufunmi Olatunji. “He was a committed party man who was totally committed to the development of his Local Council Development Area. “Our heart goes to his ...
MTN to invest N640 billion to expand broadband access
MTN Nigeria plans to invest N640 billion (approximately US$1.5 billion) over the next three years to expand broadband access across the continent’s most populous country, in line with the federal government’s 2020-2025 National Broadband Plan and in support of MTN Group’s strategy, Ambition 2025: Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress. ‘Nigeria is one of our most important markets. We have a proud history of partnering with Nigeria and Nigerians to drive faster and more inclusive growth through digital transformation,’ said MTN Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Mupita after a three-day visit to Abuja and Lagos, in which he met a number of key stakeholders. These included President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo; Minister of Communications...
House speaker: APC must be committed to its manifesto to succeed
The speaker of the house of representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be committed to its manifesto for it to succeed in governance. Gbajabiamila said members of the party must also not forget that they will answer for “what we have done with our time in government”. A statement from Lanre Lasisi, the speaker’s spokesman, quoted him as saying this at the progressives youth conference organised by the APC in Abuja on Monday. He described manifestoes as “statements of vision and vision is the foundation of all achievements.” “For a nation such as ours to succeed, we must first define a common vision that will inspire us, bring us together, and provide the focus that allows us to persevere through the inevitable difficult times,” the speaker said. “As i...
