Eko Electricity proposes $150m new investments on electricity infrastructure

The management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) on Tuesday said that about 150 million dollars (N42.3 billion), has been proposed as new investments in the company in the next few years. Mr Oladele Amoda, Chief Executive Officer of EKEDC, disclosed this during the visit of the House Committee on Privitisation and Commercialisation to the headquarters of EKEDC in Lagos.

UCL: Cech out, Terry, Hazard in, says Mourinho

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech will not be fit to face Atletico Madrid in Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg despite returning to training, manager Jose Mourinho said on Tuesday.

UN, Microsoft launch computer lab for environmental issues

Microsoft Research and the UN Environment Programme launched open source technology that allows scientists to simulate how all organisms on earth interact in a changing environment. The technology, Madingley, launched by Microsoft’s Computational Science Lab and UNEP’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre could help scientists and policy makers will now be able to answer crucial questions previously unanswerable.

Bombs kill two Iraq election commission workers— Army

Two roadside bombs in northern Iraq killed two employees of the country’s Independent High Electoral Commission as the public voted in national elections on Wednesday, an army general said. The bombs targeted the same area of a village northwest of the ethnically-mixed city of Kirkuk, and also wounded two security officers, according to army Major General Mohammed Khalaf al-Dulaimi.

Spain dreams of all-Madrid Champions final

Spain dreamed Wednesday of an unprecedented Madrid derby final to the Champions League, as the nation’s sporting press gloated over Real Madrid’s demolition of the mighty Bayern Munich. “Worst thrashing in history!” boasted the front-page of Spain’s biggest selling sports daily Marca after Real Madrid wreaked havoc in Munich with a 4-0 away leg win delivering a 5-0 aggregate crushing of Bayern.

Ukraine crisis: Don’t go to war; Nigeria warns US, Russia, others

Nigeria has warned that a civil war in Ukraine can destabilise the international community and wants all concerned parties to resort to dialogue to resolve the conflict. Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Joy Ogwu, made this known in New York on Tuesday night at a meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in Ukraine. Ogwu, who is currently the president of the Security Council for the month of April, spoke in her national capacity as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the UN.

Going Down Memory Lane : Today in History

Today is Tuesday, April 29, the 119th day of 2014. There are 246 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On April 29, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon announced he was releasing edited transcripts of some secretly made White House tape recordings related to Watergate.

Vanguard hosts Editors Lab Hackdays

The much-anticipated Nigeria’s edition of Editors Lab Hackdays by the Global Editors Network, GEN, begins today at Vanguard Newspapers, Lagos. Journalists, web designers, developers and other media practitioners from top media houses, including ThisDay, Daily Trust, The Nation, The Nigerian Tribune, Channels Television, TVC, Tell Magazine, The News, Leadership, The Sun newspapers, Nigerian Info Radio and Premium Times will participate in the two-day event. Editors lab hackdays held in Warsaw Poland on April 1-2.

US-set Middle East peace deadline expires

A US deadline for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians has ended without an agreement being reached. Direct talks had resumed in July after a three-year hiatus but quickly became strained. The latest round was halted last week after the main Palestinian factions announced a political pact. US Secretary of State John Kerry, who brokered the talks, has meanwhile issued a statement denying he called Israel “an apartheid state”.

Strike: ASUP, COEASU and civil society groups embark on street protest today

ACADEMIC Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, are set to embark on a street protest today to pile pressures on Federal Government to respect the agreement reached with both unions.

FG vows to stop corruption in public procurement system

The Federal Government has vowed to clean up the public procurement system in order to install a more transparent and honest way of doing business. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, disclosed this on Monday, in Abuja, at a forum with contractors, consultants and service providers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.

Court affirms arrest warrant against wanted oil marketer

A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Monday, dismissed an application by a serial fraud suspect, Mr. Oluwaseun Ogunbambo, seeking an order to discharge the warrant of arrest issued against him. Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo held in a ruling that the application was misconceived.

New US sanctions target Russian officials, companies

The US has imposed sanctions on seven Russian individuals and 17 companies it says are linked to President Vladimir Putin’s “inner circle”. The White House said the move was a response to “Russia’s continued illegal intervention in Ukraine”. Those targeted include Igor Sechin, head of oil giant Rosneft, and Sergei Chemezov of the hi-tech firm Rostec.

MTN donates mobile clinic to Delta govt

The MTN Foundation on Monday donated a mobile clinic to the Delta Government as part of its contributions to efforts of the state government to improve health care delivery. Handing over the facility to the state government, Ms Nonny Ugboma, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, said that the gesture was to provide ready access to maternal and child health care services. Ugboma said the mobile clinic also had tips on prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Syria conflict: Barrel-bombed Aleppo ‘living in fear’

A BBC team has witnessed the devastating effects of air bombardment on Syrian civilians after gaining rare access to rebel-held areas of Aleppo. Emergency rescue teams told the BBC the city was living in “danger and fear”. Thousands of people are reported to have been killed or maimed in a campaign of aerial bombardment in northern Syria this year.

Resignation of South Korean PM: Nigerian leaders must hold themselves to higher standards – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on those in charge of the country’s affairs, led by President Goodluck Jonathan, to hold themselves to higher standards of conduct as a way of ensuring good governance and winning global respect for the country.

Ethnic clashes kill 34 in Nawasara

Clashes between rival tribes have left at least 34 people dead with homes and barns torched in a village in centralNigeria, the state government told AFP on Sunday. The violence erupted Saturday when a militia from the Eggon tribe attacked the Gwandara village of Egan following a dispute over farmland, said Nasarawa state spokesman Sani Musa Mairiga. “All the victims were from Gwandara tribe whose village came under sudden attack from Ombatse cult members from Eggon tribe,” Mairiga said.

No work, no pay: ASUP, COEASU continue strike

Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union on Sunday vowed to continue with their strike action. The unions said they will not succumb to blackmail of the Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike who had continued to treat them as second class workers in the education sector.

Memo: Address Nyako’s allegations, northern elders tell FG

The Prof. Ango Abdullahi-led Northern Elders’ Forum on Sunday advised the Federal Government to tackle the issues raised in the memo to the northern governors by Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, over the activities of insurgents in the North.

Creation of more states not solution to Nigeria’s problems – Ahmed

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has said that the creation of additional states should not be seen as solution to the socio-economic problems of the country. He stated that rather, good governance and optimum utilisation of resources should be seen as the panacea to some of the nation’s development challenges.

APC warns FG against sacking Adamawa, Yobe, Borno govs

The All Progressives Congress has warned the federal government against sacking the APC governors and other elected political officials in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. APC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated that it would not be in the interest of Nigeria for the Federal Government to sack those elected officials.

Insurgency: Civilian JTF vows to support military in Borno

Members of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Borno, have vowed to support the military to end terrorism and bring back peace to the state. Two members of the youth vigilance group made the promise on Sunday in Maiduguri in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria. Mr. Abubakar Mamuda, the chairman of the group in Gomari-Airport Area of Maiduguri, said they were compelled to join the military to fight the insurgents because Borno was their state.

Chelsea close on leaders Liverpool

Chelsea remained in the hunt for a Premier League and Champions League double after a 2-0 win against leaders Liverpool on Sunday. Victory saw Jose Mourinho's men close to within two points of top spot in the Premier League with two games to play. However, third-placed Manchester City will be just three points off the summit, with a game in hand on both Liverpool and Chelsea, if they win away to Crystal Palace later on Sunday. Senegal striker Demba Ba put Chelsea ahead in first-half stoppage-time when a slip by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard allowed him to charge through and beat Reds goalkeeper Simon Mignolet in a one-on-one. Chelsea put the result beyond doubt in added-on time at the end of the match when, with the hosts pressing for an equaliser, former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres led a counter-attack before squaring the ball to substitute Willian for a simple finish. Chelsea face Atletico Madrid in the second leg of a Champions League semifinal at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday after a goalless initial encounter in Spain. Earlier on Sunday, Sunderland climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone with a 4-0 win at home to 10-man fellow strugglers Cardiff. Connor Wickham headed Sunderland, who kicked off bottom of the table, into a 26th-minute lead at the Stadium of Light but the match turned decisively in favour of the home side on the stroke of halftime. Wickham burst clear and was bearing down on goal when his shirt was tugged by Cardiff centre-back Juan Cala, whose poor back-pass had let him in. Phil Dowd played an advantage after Wickham stayed on his feet but, when that didn't lead to a goal, the referee blew for a penalty and sent off Cala. Fabio Borini, as he'd done in Sunderland's shock win over Chelsea, scored from the spot. Emanuele Giaccherini put the result beyond doubt by making it 3-0 in the 76th minute before Wickham headed in his second goal four minutes from time. Sunderland's victory saw Gus Poyet's side move above Norwich, who dropped into the relegation zone on goal difference, with a game in hand on the teams around them at the foot of the table. Defeat plunged Cardiff to the bottom, two points shy of safety with two games to play. An elated Wickham told the BBC: "I'm over the moon. I can't ask for much more. "We're out of the relegation zone and we'll keep fighting to stay there." Saturday saw Ryan Giggs launch his reign as interim Manchester United following the sacking of David Moyes with a 4-0 thrashing of Norwich at Old Trafford, Wayne Rooney and substitute Juan Mata scoring two goals apiece. Everton missed the chance to go above Arsenal in the race for fourth position, and a place in next season's Champions League, after two own-goals condemned them to a 2-0 loss at Southampton. Arsenal will move four points in front of Everton with two games to play if they beat Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium on Monday.

Afghan election set for run-off

The Afghan presidential election will go to a second round, after no candidate reached the 50 per cent needed for an outright win, preliminary results show. Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah won most votes with 44.9 per cent. Former World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani came second with 31.5 per cent. They are now expected to face a run-off vote on May 28. Final official results are due to be announced on May 14 after a period for adjudication of complaints. The BBC’s David Loyn in Kabul says there are increasing claims of fraud. Full preliminary results were due two days ago. The delay has fuelled allegations on all sides that ballot boxes were stuffed and the count was rigged, our correspondent says. Abdullah and Ghani could now form a power-sharing deal, or choose to go to a second round. Before the results were announced, both men promised to fight in a run-off. “We have not talked or negotiated with anyone about forming a coalition government,” Abdullah told reporters on Thursday. Millions of Afghans defied Taliban threats to take part in the election. Turnout was double that of the previous presidential election in 2009, despite a number of attacks in the run-up and bad weather on polling day. Current President Hamid Karzai was constitutionally barred from standing for a third term. The next president will face several challenging issues, including the expected withdrawal of foreign combat troops later this year and attacks by the Taliban.

Giggs’ United reign off to flyer

Ryan Giggs saw his first match as interim Manchester United manager end in a 4-0 thrashing of PremLeague strugglers Norwich City at Old Trafford on Saturday. Wayne Rooney and substitute Juan Mata scored two goals apiece as the soon-to-be-dethroned English champions left the Canaries just a point above the relegation zone with two games remaining. Giggs, who decided against naming himself in the starting side or on the bench, saw Rooney give United the lead with a 41st-minute penalty after Danny Welbeck went down in the box. England striker Rooney made it 2-0 seven minutes after the break with a curling shot from outside the box as Norwich's defence backed off. Mata put the result beyond doubt in the 63rd minute when he turned in Phil Jones's cross before adding a second goal 10 minutes later as Norwich retreated again. United great Giggs, previously a player-coach, was put in caretaker charge for the final four games of the season when former manager David Moyes was sacked on Tuesday. Moyes was dismissed just 10 months after replacing the retired Alex Ferguson following a 2-0 defeat by Everton – his former club – made it mathematically impossible for United to qualify for next season's Champions League. Earlier, Everton suffered a huge blow in their own quest to join European club football's elite after a pair of own-goals saw them beaten 2-0 away to Southampton. Everton remain a point behind Arsenal, who currently occupy the fourth and final Champions League spot, ahead of the Gunners' match at home to Newcastle United on Monday. But Everton manager Roberto Martinez insisted the Merseysiders, whose final two league games of the season are against title contenders Manchester City and FA Cup finalists Hull City, had not given up on a Champions League place. "Not at all, from our point of view it doesn't change at all," Martinez told BT Sport. "Today was a real setback, but we'll be ready for next Saturday." Everton fell behind in under a minute at St Mary's when Antolin Alacaraz headed a cross from Southampton's Rickie Lambert past goalkeeper Tim Howard. And the visitors went 2-0 down in the 31st minute when Seamus Coleman diverted Nathaniel Clyne's cross into his own net. Fulham missed the chance to climb out of the relegation zone after Hull came from 2-0 down to secure a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage. Ashkan Dejagah curled in a 55th-minute shot and the west London side then doubled their lead through Fernando Amorebieta's header three minutes later. Nikica Jelavic pulled a goal back for Hull in the 75th minute and they equalised three minutes from time when Shane Long headed in Sone Aluko's cross. "It was very disappointing," said Fulham manager Felix Magath. "If you are leading 2-0 at home, you have to see it through." West Bromwich Albion moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win at home to West Ham United. Saido Berahino scored the only goal at The Hawthorns when he turned in Morgan Amalfitano's centre in the 11th minute. "I think that we need to win one of our final three games to be safe," said West Brom manager Pepe Mel. Aston Villa were left just four points above the drop after a 4-1 loss away to Swansea City. Wilfried Bony opened the scoring for Swansea before Gabriel Agbonlahor briefly drew visitors Villa level in south Wales. However, midfielder Jonjo Shelvey restored Swansea's lead in the 26th minute with a stunning volley from inside the centre circle that dipped over the head of back-pedalling Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Pablo Hernandez made it 3-1 before Ivorian striker Bony converted a late penalty for his 24th goal of the season. Tottenham Hotspur moved to within three points of fifth-placed Everton with a 1-0 win at Stoke City, courtesy of Danny Rose's 33rd-minute header. Stoke were reduced to 10 men in the second half when Ryan Shawcross was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a studs-up challenge on Rose. The race for the title will intensify on Sunday when leaders Liverpool face second-placed Chelsea, five points behind, at Anfield. Third-placed Manchester City, six points off the summit but with a game in hand on the top two, are away to Crystal Palace. At the other end of the table there is a relegation clash when bottom of the table Sunderland host fellow strugglers Cardiff City.

FG earmarks $300m risk guarantee for power investors

The Federal Government says it has set aside 300 million dollars as a partial risk guarantee to protect investors in the power sector. The partial risk guarantee is a risk-sharing mechanism that provides banks with a partial coverage of risk exposure against loans made for energy efficiency projects. This is contained in a statement issued by Mr. Olawale Rasheed, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of State for Power, Alhaji Mohammed Wakil on Saturday in Abuja. The statement quoted Wakil as saying this at a discussion on Power Sector in Africa organised by the U.S. Department of Commerce in Miami, Florida. According to the minister, the fund is domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the World Bank. The minister, in his keynote address at the event, said the Federal Government had lined up series of incentives to strengthen investors’ confidence and guarantee return on investment in the sector. He said that waivers and tax holidays had also been put in place for power equipment importation for generation, transmission and distribution. He assured investors that return on their investment was guaranteed, saying that very attractive tariffs regime had been put in place for investors in renewable energy sector. “The government of Nigeria has achieved what industry experts described as one of the most holistic, ambitious and transparent privatisations of power assets in recent times. “The distribution and generation assets have all been successfully handed over to the private sector since November 2013,” the minister said. On the Power Africa initiative sponsored by the U.S., he said that Nigeria was poised to take advantage of the initiative as a strategic opportunity for securing the much-needed investment in the sector. Wakil explained that a Power Africa Desk had since been established at the Federal Ministry of Power to serve as a one- stop-shop for stakeholders in the industry. According to him, the desk is to attract investments to the Nigerian power sector based on funding and technical assistance provided by the Government of the U.S. The statement quoted the U.S. Department of Commerce as saying that next month, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, would embark on a trade mission to Nigeria, Ghana and Ethiopia to promote U.S. exports to Africa. “This is with a view to helping U.S. companies launch or increase their businesses in the energy sector in West Africa,” it said

Words Of Wisdom

Feeling down?? Thinking its over?? Get your spirit going with this words of wisdom “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”—Ambrose Redmoon “It is your decisions not your conditions that truly shape the quality of your life.”—Anthony Robbins “Life is found in the dance between your deepest desire and your greatest fear.”—Anthony Robbins “How do we keep our inner fire alive? Two things, at minimum, are needed: an ability to appreciate the positives in our life - and a commitment to action. Every day, it’s important to ask and answer these questions: ‘What’s good in my life?’ and ‘What needs to be done?’”—Nathaniel Branden “The price of excellence is discipline; the cost of mediocrity is disappointment.”—William Arthur Ward “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”—Anne Bradstreet “Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.”—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe “Even if you encounter opposition, have conviction and finish what you start. In the end, people will understand.”—Kotaku Wamura (Mayor of Japanese village who built a sea wall, against many protests, which recently saved the town when the tsunami hit NE Japan) “My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.”—Indira Gandhi “A moment of choice is a moment of truth. It’s the testing point of our character and competence.”—Stephen Covey “If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it!”—Jonathan Winters “If doubt is challenging you and you do not act, doubts will GROW. Challenge the doubts with action and YOU will grow.”—John Kanary “Those who turn good organizations into great organizations are motivated by a deep creative urge and an inner compulsion for sheer unadulterated excellence for its own sake.”—Jim Collins “Compromise: The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.”—Sherry Rothfield “We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails.”—anonymous “Life’s not about waiting for the storms to pass... it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”—B.J. Gallagher

Russia calls for ‘urgent measures’ to de-escalate Ukraine crisis

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday called for “urgent measures” to de-escalate the Ukraine crisis, in a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry. Lavrov “stressed the need for urgent measures to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine, above all to stop military operations against protesters and to put an end to the aggressive activities of the ultra-nationalist Pravy Sektor,” or Right Sector movement, Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement. The nationalist paramilitary group was at the forefront of the pro-European uprising that led to the fall of Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych. The two men also discussed “the measures taken to resolve the situation” regarding a group of international OSCE observers who were abducted on Friday in eastern Ukraine by pro-Kremlin rebels during the US-initiated phone call. In a separate statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said Lavrov had held another phone conversation with the OSCE’s current chairman, Swiss President Didier Burkhalter. Burkhalter “thanked the Russians for their efforts to secure the release of the (OSCE) observers”, the ministry said

Pope promises to help Ukraine

Pope Francis told Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Saturday that he would “do everything possible” for the country, amid fears that Russia could be about to invade. Yatsenyuk said he asked Francis “to pray for Ukraine and for stability in Europe” and told him he was grateful for the support. He said the Vatican had already averted wars during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and the Argentina-Chile territorial dispute in 1978. The Vatican said in a statement that Francis and Yatsenyuk had discussed the “specific role” that religious organisations could play “in fostering mutual respect and harmony”. “Mention was made of possible further initiatives by the international community in this regard,” the statement said. Yatsenyuk’s spokeswoman said the premier was cutting short his trip to Rome and will miss the canonisation of John Paul II and John XXIII, as tensions mount in the eastern part of the ex-Soviet country and Western nations threaten sanctions. Yatsenyuk spent 18 minutes behind closed doors with the pope, who had urged the international community to “prevent violence” in Ukraine in his Easter Sunday message. At an exchange of gifts, Yatsenyuk presented Francis with a photograph of Maidan square in Kiev on New Year’s night. “This is where Ukrainians fought for their freedom and rights. Millions of people,” he said. The pope in return offered the Ukraine leader a pen, saying “I hope this pen will sign the peace”, to which Yatsenyuk replied “I hope so.”

United dismiss Van Gaal deal reports

Manchester United have dismissed press reports in the Netherlands that the club had agreed a three-year deal with Louis van Gaal for him to replace the sacked David Moyes as coach. Popular broadsheet De Telegraaf said on Saturday that "the national coach (Van Gaal) late last (Friday) night reached a deal with the top British club," to take over as manager after the World Cup. "The man who's the absolute No 1 to replace axed coach David Moyes will immediately take up the job when the Dutch Eleven is knocked out of the World Cup in Brazil," the paper added. Van Gaal, 62, who has been on holiday at his villa in Portugal's Algarve "has been in talks with Ed Woodward, lawyer for club owners the Glazer brothers for a multi-year, multi-million contract," it said, without citing any sources. But United, who have put veteran player Ryan Giggs in charge until the end of the season, quickly denied the reports. "There is nothing to report. We have not signed a new manager. When we have something to report, we will announce it," a club spokesman said. Any move for Van Gaal would now appear to run against the wishes of former manager Alex Ferguson, a club director who is still hugely influential. The Scot, whose retirement teed up the appointment of Moyes - a decision he was a driving force behind - on Friday appeared to put his weight behind Giggs getting the job on a fulltime basis. "I think that he [Giggs] is the one man they should go to really,'' Ferguson said at a charity dinner, according to the Daily Telegraph. "He's got 20-odd years of experience at Manchester United. I signed him as a kid at 13 years of age. He's gone through the gamut of emotions at the club - he's experienced all the highs and lows." The Dutch press report said that included in the deal would be a 100 million euros ($138 million) fund in transfer fees to beef up United's flagging fortunes. Van Gaal – whose stylish way of football and no-nonsense attitude has earned him the nickname the "Iron Tulip", quickly emerged as a front-runner to take over the hot seat at Old Trafford. The Dutchman brings with him a long list of successes including several Dutch titles with top club Ajax and unfashionable AZ Alkmaar, a Bundesliga crown with Bayern Munich and Spanish championship with Barcelona. Van Gaal – who has long said he wanted to move to British football after the World Cup – has in the past also been linked a possible deal with Tottenham.

Jonathan lauds cement industry’s contribution to economy

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday said that the cement industry had attracted six billion dollars about N960 billion local and foreign investments into the country. Jonathan made this known at the ground breaking ceremony for the expansion of Ashaka Cement Company in Ashaka, Gombe State. Represented by Dr Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Investment, Jonathan said the industry had also created about 1.6 million jobs in the country. According to him, the cement industry also serves as the fulcrum for the housing and construction sectors. “These sectors now contribute about 11.3 per cent of Nigerian’s forecast Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2013,” he said. The president said the feat was something Nigerians should be proud of, and commended the players in the industry for their focused implementation of government policies. He said the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan launched recently by government sought to diversify the sources of government revenue and economy away from oil. Nigeria, he added, must produce what it consume as well as consume what it produced. He commended the company for the expansion programme, adding it would further enhance job creation as well as increase production. Jonathan assured all industrialists that government would continue to provide level playing field for the growth of industries. The company’s Board Chairman, Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga, said the expansion was to increase the firm’s production capacity from one million to four million tonnes per annum. Kwairanga said the expansion would cost N100 billion, in addition to the building of a 64MW power station, which would gulp N20 billion. He assured the staff of the company that their welfare, training and retraining would be given priority. On host communities, he said the company had provided water, health, education, and other facilities to them, adding that it would be sustained

Nigeria, Benin customs establish new vehicle transit regime

In a bid to beat smugglers at their game, the Seme Command of Nigeria Customs Service and its Benin Republic counterpart on Friday established a new vehicle transit regime. The Area Controller of the Seme Command of the NCS, Mr. Willy Egbudin, said at the inauguration of the new regime in Badagry that the measure would reduce the smuggling of vehicles. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that there is a park in Cotonou, near Seme, where vehicles coming into Nigeria are parked to pay N5,000 per vehicle for easy passage. NAN also reports that the process gives fillip to the smuggling of vehicles into the country. According to Egbudin, with the new vehicle transit regime, the Benin Customs will hand over imported cars from Benin to Nigeria Customs. “A fixed location for the formal handling over was mutually accepted to be at the front of the Gendarmerie Office at the Seme border complex,’’ he said. “We have been working on various ways to strengthen the relationship between Nigeria Customs and our Beniniose counterpart and this has gone a long way in doing that. “We know the importance of synergy between the two customs administrations in revenue collection, anti smuggling and facilitation of legitimate trade, the Seme area controller said. According to him, the new vehicle transit regime will drastically reduce smuggling of vehicles and boost revenue for government. “My joy knows no bounds because this transit arrangement will reduce the loss of lives of our officers and smugglers.’’ Egbudin said that the regime would reduce the security challenges in the country. “With this, we will be able to conduct proper examinations on the vehicles to ensure that arms and ammunition are not smuggled into the country. “This will also help to reduce the rate at which youths in this area engage in smuggling because the vehicles will be handed over directly to the customs,” he said. Imorin Idrisso, the Chef de Brigade in Charge of Enforcement of Customs in Cotonou, said that the Benin Government was committed to assisting Nigeria. “Issues in Nigeria are also our issues, so we are always glad to help Nigeria in the little ways we can. “This is part of the reasons why the Benin Government decides to officially relate with the Nigerian Customs because we are committed to strengthening the relationships between both parties,” he said. Mr Lawrence Obisakin, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, said the handing over would bring transparency and help in boosting the economy of Nigeria. “The benefits of today’s ceremony will formalise and record the bilateral trade that represents about 10,000 vehicles per week; it will increase transparency and boost Nigeria’s economy. “It will enhance our bilateral trade with Benin which is a key gateway to the ECOWAS market and encourage Nigerian exporters too,” the ambassador said

Flying Eagles coach warns players against complacency, overconfidence

Flying Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer, Francis Ewulu, on Friday urged old and new players in the team to either “shape up or ship out.” Ewulu gave the charge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, after the team thrashed FC Abuja, a Nigeria Nation-Wide League side 7-2 in a test match. The match was played at the FIFA Goal Project pitch, located at the package `B’ of the National Stadium, Abuja. Ewulu told NAN that the team was gradually improving on its performance as it continued to use test matches to perfect strategies for next month’s African Youth Championship qualifiers. He said, “It is our duty to let them know that they have graduated from U-17 to U-20, where you have a different standard altogether. “They must raise their game and know that it is tougher here in U-20; the psychological aspect of it we are also working on it, for them to understand that. “The noticed the aspect of overconfidence. We have been talking to them to understand that the game of football should never bring overconfidence.’’ Ewulu added, “We are going to meet a tougher opposition in the African qualifiers and you know that it is always physical. “So, we are trying to let them understand what they are going to see and that is why we are bringing them up toward that.’’ He noted that Benin Republic U-20 national team was chosen for their last international friendly match before their main game against Kenya or Tanzania, in the African qualifiers because of their physical strength. “I think Benin is good and they play almost the same type of football with the Kenyans and the Tanzanians; they are physical. “So, that is why we need to play Benin. I think it is a good choice and it will afford us the opportunity to see exactly what the game will look like,’’ Ewulu added. NAN reports that the Flying Eagles are scheduled to face the winners of the first round of the AYC qualifier between Kenya and Tanzania ,which will be decided this weekend. Both team played to a goalless draw in Kenya two weeks ago. The AYC is scheduled to hold in Senegal in 2015

Mourinho rules himself out of Manchester United job

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has ruled out the possibility of him succeeding David Moyes as the next manager of Manchester United. The Portuguese coach was reportedly in the running to take over at Old Trafford last summer following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. However, United instead opted to follow the recommendation of the outgoing manager by appointing Moyes, who this week lost his job following a dismal 10 months in charge. Mourinho, though, says he remains committed to his current club, who are still in the hunt for both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League crowns this season. When asked if the Chelsea fans had cause for concern, he responded: “Of course not. “I don’t know how anyone could think about it. I left Real Madrid specifically to come to Chelsea and I signed a four-year contract. “I told Chelsea they never have to worry about me because I don’t want to leave. So I will stay here as long as the club want me to stay. “There isn’t any job that would move me from Chelsea.” Mourinho’s side face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday in a game that will go a long way to deciding who claims the Premier League title this season. League-leaders Liverpool hold a five-point gap over the Blues with three games to go, with third-placed Manchester City six points off top spot with a game in hand. Mourinho courted controversy this week by suggesting he would rest some players for the trip to Anfield in order to keep them fit for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with Atletico Madrid the following Wednesday. However, he refused to confirm or deny whether he would field an under-strength side at Anfield, saying that both his decision and the club’s views on the matter were “private”. He added: “I want to win on Sunday. We will go to try and win. Nobody goes to a game to try and lose. If you wait until Sunday you will see my team.” Mourinho did confirm that captain John Terry and PFA player of the year nominee Eden Hazard would not be fit for Sunday’s game and could also miss Wednesday’s European tie at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho was one of three Chelsea staff charged by the Football Association this week for their actions during the recent 2-1 loss to Sunderland. The Blues boss was charged with misconduct for his post-match comments, in which he congratulated both referee Mike Dean for his performance and head of refereeing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited Mike Riley. Chelsea made it clear that the charge would not discussed at Friday’s press conference, although Mourinho did add: “Every time I speak there is a consequence. “Even if I say that a referee was amazing that was a reason to be with a charge. I can’t say the truth. I don’t feel free at all. If you want a better press conference, speak with the FA.”

OMG!!!!!!!! Nigerian Muslim clerics recruiting Boko Haram members - Cameroon Govt

Nigerian Muslim clerics living in the border

towns of Cameroon and Nigeria are recruiting Boko

Haram members in their mosques, the government

of Cameroon has alleged. Worse still, government

officials in the North East states of Yobe, Borno and

Adamawa collaborate with the terrorists and take

bribes from them, thereby, hindering the fight

against the terrorists. Governors of these states

also capitalise on their civilian fears to berate the

army and the federal government.

We"ll survive Boko Haram attacks - Shettima

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno

State said, yesterday, that the Boko Haram

insurgents would not emerge victorious in their

continued killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians.

2015: Tinubu has no plans to impose any candidate, says Lagos APC

Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives

Congress, APC, has described insinuations making

the rounds that the former Governor of Lagos State,

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu plans to impose a governorship

candidate on the party ahead of the 2015

governorship election in the state as false,

unfounded, baseless and mere rumours.

Unemployment in Nigeria, a time bomb — PENGASSAN

PETROLEUM and Natural Gas Senior Staff
of Nigeria, PENGASSAN,  has described the
unemployment situation in Nigeria as a time bomb
that can explode any moment, calling on all tiers of
government, especially the Federal Government, to
be practical in its quest for job creation.
A statement by its National Public Relations Officer,
Mr. Seyi Gambo, yesterday, in Lagos, said the only
way to win the war against crime was tackling
unemployment challenges.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

With a thankful heart i just want to praise my maker the creator of heaven and earth who has added another year to my years on earth in good health and sound mind and has also granted me the strength, ability, wisdom, ideas and talents to do great exploit..... Glory and Honor to your name.

Telecom activities may keep Nigeria's rebased GDP green

Information and Communications Technology, ICT,

once again, showed its economy- boosting

potentials when the statistician-general of the

Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale recently released the

rebased Gross Domestic Product, GDP data for

2013.

Best motivational quotes about love, life

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t,

you’re right.” – Henry Ford

“Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not

a destination.” – Roy Goodman

Nyanya bomb blast: Why we’ve not released 12 corpses —Hospital mgt

THE management of National Hospital,

Abuja, where some victims and corpses of last

Monday bomb blast were taken to, said it had only

released three of the 15 corpses that were

deposited at the hospital’s morgue because of the

medical processes involved in case government

decides to compensate the relations of the

deceased.

FG’s N151bn debt threatens fuel importation— marketers

Indications have emerged that the current

fuel scarcity across the country will not

come to an end soon, following the

Federal Government’s N151 billion

indebtedness to oil marketers.

When will the drum beats of revolution start in Nigeria?

When some of us were in secondary school, a

grade one WAEC certificate will make you

unacceptable for employment in a Nigerian bank

and most companies in Nigeria.

OMG!!!!! Delta uncovers teenage gay cult in Warri

Delta State Government, yesterday, said

that a cult of teenage homosexuals patronised by

gay men exists in Warri.

APC postpones State Congresses for governors to attend meeting

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday

postponed its state congresses, scheduled for

Wednesday, April 23, to allow its governors to attend

the rescheduled expanded National Security Council

meeting.

Gunmen attack secondary school staff quarters, kill 5-year-old

Police in Bauchi State said suspected gunmen set

ablaze some houses in the staff quarters of

Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Yana,

killing a five-year old girl on Sunday.

EASTER WISHES TO ALL OAB READERS

Easter is a promise God renews to us in each spring. The feeling does not end, it signals a new beginning of nature spring and brand new life of friendship. The Lord came to earth with a life to give so each one of us may continue to live.. Happy Easter.

Rolando eager to stay at Inter

Portuguese defender Rolando wants to remain at Inter beyond the 2013-2014 Serie A season.

MH370 search at ‘critical juncture’ – Malaysia

The search for missing flight MH370 is at a “critical juncture”, Malaysia’s transport minister said Saturday, two days after Australia’s premier said a submersible device had one week to find wreckage from the plane in the Indian Ocean.

NNPC donates medical consumables to Abuja explosion victims

The Nigerian National Petroleum

Corporation (NNPC) on Thursday delivered medical

consumables worth millions of naira to victims of

Abuja bomb blast at Asokoro, Nyanya and National

hospitals in Abuja.

CONFAB: We may ask for extension - Kutigi

AFTER four weeks of plenary sessions the National Conference will dissolve into committee sessions next week Tuesday when they return from the Easter break. This was one of the decisions delegates took yesterday before adjourning.

Chelsea can cope with double bid, says Cech

Petr Cech insists Chelsea can

cope with the demands of challenging for a Premier

League and Champions League double as the Blues

face Sunderland at the start of an eight-day period

that could define their season.

Innovation for National Vision 20:2020: Unlocking Nigeria’s potentials in education, agriculture

BY the time the just concluded Nigerian Innovation

forum 2014 was drawing to a close, there were

positive signals from discussants that ICT led

innovations have the potentials of driving Nigeria’s

competitiveness in education and agriculture for

global competitiveness.

Military spreading lies on our children’s rescue – Parents

Anxious Nigerian parents

demanded answers on Thursday about the fate of

their daughters after the military claimed that 121

schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamic

extremists were now free.

FULANI/JUKUN CLASH: Soldier, 50 others killed in Taraba

No fewer than 50 people, including a soldier, were reportedly killed and several others injured in Wukari, the headquarters of Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State yesterday, following a bloody clash between the Fulani herdsmen and Jukuns in the area.

IBORI: Judge adjourns for ruling on retrial

Judge Anthony Pitts of Southwark Crown Court in London has adjourned the confiscation proceedings of former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, to give his ruling on whether to start the case afresh as being sought by the British Crown Prosecution or continue with the hearing that started last year, which would only require him giving a ruling on the confiscation proceedings.

Police - "We have links to Nyanya bombers"

Two days after the Nyanya Motor Park bombing by terrorists, which claimed the lives of over 100 persons, police have said they now have links that will possibly lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the crime.

Northern govs condemn attack

The Northern States Governors Forum,

NSGF, yesterday, condemned the bomb attack

which killed over 100 people and injured several

others at a bus terminal in Nyanya, Abuja, Monday.

Nigeria Civil Defence deploys 100,000 Personnel for Easter

The NSCDC asked the public to report all suspicious characters and movement to security agencies for intervention.

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, on Tuesday said it has deployed 100,000 personnel in preparation for the Easter celebration.

'No mass burial for Abuja bomb victims’

Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu has said that there would be no  mass burial for victims of yesterday’s  bomb explosion that rocked Abuja,  the nation’s capital.

US Navy donates N416m materials to charities in Nigeria

The United States (US) Navy, under its Project

Handclasp, on Tuesday donated materials worth

$2.6 million (about N416 million) to three Nigerian

Charity organisations.

Jonathan Urges Other Geo-Political Zones To Emulate South-West On Religious Tolerance

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday advised geo-political zones in the country to emulate the religious tolerance in states in the South-West.

Former Chelsea Boss Grant Tips African Teams for Success in Brazil

Former Chelsea boss Avram Grant says African teams have all it takes to clinch “this summer’s Fifa World Cup in Brazil”, but stresses the need for a “strong mental strength” in order to stand a chance against the world’s best.

Ibinabo Fiberesima, Genevieve Nnaji, Chika Ike, others mourn Abuja bomb victims

Movie stars have poured out their condolence

messages to victims of the bomb blast that

occurred at Nyanya motor park in Abuja yesterday.

Fire Guts PDP Press Centre, Metuh Rules Out Sabotage

The national headquarters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Wadata Plaza in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, was last night at about 8:15pm gutted by fire. A section of the building, which serves as the party’s press centre, was completely razed in the inferno.

Abuja Explosion: Death toll hits 70

The death toll from Monday explosion at Nyanya

Bus Park has hit 70.

A NAN correspondent who got to the scene shortly

after the blast, counted about 70 corpses.

The huge explosion left a big crater at the scene of

the blast.

Security Beefed-up at the National Conference Venue

Following the early morning suspected bomb blast at the Nyanya Bus Park, a nearby suburb in Abuja, security operatives increased the tempo of their operations at the National Judicial Institute, venue of the National Conference.

Every vehicle entering the conference was searched very closely and the surroundings are also being policed by security men.

National Conference condemns Abuja explosion

Over 50 people are believed to have died in the early Monday morning explosion.

The National Conference has passed a motion condemning Monday’s explosion in Abuja and resolved to send condolences to the families of those who died.

Fact-checking journalism gains momentum

The facts are the focus as part of a trend in journalism spreading from the United States to many places around the world.

Journalists have always faced up to facts, but a new wave of fact-checking journalism has gained prominence in the past decade to counter misleading or outrageous claims of political figures.

'Dozens' killed in Nyanya, Abuja bombing, says NEMA

Twin blasts at a packed bus station in Nigeria’s
capital killed “dozens of people” on Monday, a
spokesman for the state-run emergency services
said.

Explosion rocks Abuja bus Park

Blast Again???????

Bomb blast rocks crowded bus station

near Abuja the capital city of Nigeria, official said .

A loud blast rocked a bus station packed with

commuters heading to the capital Abuja on Monday,

with many people feared injured, the rescue agency

spokesman told AFP.

“This morning there was an explosion at the Nyanya

Motor Park,” Manzo Ezekiel of the National

Emergency Management Agency said. “Rescue

teams are already on ground. There were so many

people there at that time, so we think there must

have been some injuries,” he added. The cause of

the blast was not yet known.

Mini-sub deployed to scour ocean depths in search of MH370

Missing Malaysian jet update

 Australia was Monday deploying a

mini-sub to scour the Indian Ocean seabed for

missing Malaysian jet MH370 at the daunting depth

of 4,500 metres (15,000 feet), abandoning the

search for black-box transmissions six days after

the last ping was heard.

CBN Raises Supply of Lower Naira Denomination

As a result of complaints of scarcity of lower denomination naira across the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), yesterday indicated that it had increased the supply of banknotes to deposit money banks (DMBs).

Millions of naira lost as rainstorm wreaks havoc in Lagos

Rainstorm destroyed property worth millions of naira in Lagos on Sunday following an early morning downpour.
Correspondents, who monitored the situation, reports that property affected, included public and private buildings, churches, shops and mosques.

Mkhitaryan- Bayern win has lifted our heads

The Armenian forward has predicted a surge in confidence after they secured a comprehensive win, believing they have already put their Champions League exit behind them

Henrikh Mkhitaryan believes Borussia Dortmund's impressive win over Bayern Munich on Saturday has given them an edge in securing second spot.

The Armenian striker opened the scoring at the Allianz Arena on 20 minutes, with Marco Reus and Jonas Hofmann adding to the visitors' tally as they earned a 3-0 win against the newly-crowned champions.

Adeboye tasks youths on hard work

General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church Of God, (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye on Sun-day advised youth to be diligent, hardworking, and always exhibit the fear of God in order to succeed in life,
Adeboye made the charge at a special thank-sgiving/prayer service organized for students by the national headquarters of the church, Throne of Grace, Ebute Metta.

Why Jonathan must contest in 2015 - N4GG Director

As the controversy over the eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan to recontest in 2015 rages, Network for Good Governance (N4GG) insists that Jonathan must vie in the next presidential election in order to complete the good work he has started.”

UTME candidates killed in Ondo auto crash

TWO candidates who sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yesterday, lost their lives in a multiple road crash along Owo-Ikare road in Ondo State.
Sunday Vanguard learnt that the auto crash involved a tipper, a Nissan car and a Peugeot J5 vehicle.

The PDP, APC war in America

The policy forum on Nigeria’s plans and preparations for the 2015 round of elections in Washington D.C, USA, on Monday, presented Nigerian politicains as the lot quick to agree on the basic tenets of democracy, but, perhaps, only on foreign soil.

NITDA gets new DG

Federal Government has approved the appointment of Mr Peter Jack as the Director-General of  the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
His appointment, which took effect from the April 7, 2014, was for a first term of four years. Jack holds a BSc. in Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA, both from the University of Lagos.

Police arraign 2 hawkers for stealing cell phone

The police on Friday arraigned two hawkers at a Grade 1 Area Court in Kado, Abuja, for allegedly stealing a Nokia cell phone valued at N3,500.
The accused persons, Nasir Usman, 19, and Hussaini Awess, 21, are arraigned on a two- count charge of joint act and theft.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Simeon Ibrahim, told the court that on April 3 one Mr Zubairu Hassan of Mabushi lodged a report against the accused at the Utako police station.
He said that the accused persons stole a Nokia cell phone from the complainant while he was sleeping on a bench outside his house.

Samsung Galaxy S5 launched in South Africa

Korean technology giant Samsung last night launched the Galaxy S5 into the local market with a gala dinner in Johannesburg. Constructing a special structure at Wanderers cricket stadium, media, celebrities and delegates were treated to a glamorous show, after which the device was made available for closer inspection.

Killings by Fulanis, mere speculation, Fulanis do not attack any body – Bello

FORMER minister of Defence, and a delegate representing Kebbi State, Dr. Haliru Bello Mohammed yesterday described reported cases  and statements that Fulani herdsmen engage in massive killings in some parts of the country especially in Benue state as mere speculations.
The former Acting National Chairman, who raised a point of Order following issues earlier raised by a delegate and former Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Terseer Tsumba over the killings of his people by the Fulanis, said, “There is serious suspicion that some people are masquerading and trying to cause dissension between peace-loving people of northern Nigeria. This has not been investigated. The fact that these people come dressed as Fulanis is immaterial because anybody can dress as Fulanis.

Power outage stalls hearing in Sanusi’s case

Power outage at the Federal High Court Complex in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, stalled hearing in a suit filed by suspended Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Sanusi is seeking an order of the court to stop the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) from investigating him.
The trial judge, Justice James Tsoho, therefore, adjourned the case to April 17, for hearing.

Prosecution claims Pistorius tailored evidence

The prosecution angrily accused Oscar Pistorius of tailoring evidence and overplaying his deep fear of crime Friday to justify shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

EFCC secures 773 convictions in 11 years

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday said it had secured more than 773 convictions and recovered billions of naira since its inception in 2003.

If you are HIV positive, please don’t pass on the virus — VC pleads with students

Prof. Charity Angya, the Vice-Chancellor, Benue State University, Makurdi, on Thursday advised students of the institution to go for HIV and AIDS test to know their health status.
Angya, who gave the advice at the university’s 22nd matriculation ceremony, also advised them against unprotected sexual encounters.
“If you check your status and you are already infected, please go for treatment and do not pass on the virus,” she said.
Angya also advised them against vices such as cultism and avoid taking drugs.
She told the students that administration of matriculation oath was a covenant between them and the university.
The vice chancellor said that the institution matriculated 4,900 students.

Real-Bayern, Atletico-Chelsea in Champions League semis

Holders Bayern Munich will play nine-time winners Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid were pitted against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals draw made on Friday.
The first legs are on April 22/23 with the return legs on April 29/30.
The final is in Lisbon on May 24.

Manu: I will be disappointed not to beat Morocco

Flying Eagles coach Manu Garba has said he will be “highly disappointed” were his team not to beat Morocco in Casablanca in a second friendly on Friday.
Both teams played out a 2-2 draw in the first match played in Rabat on Wednesday.
They are both preparing for 2015 African Youth Championship qualifiers early next month.
“I will be highly disappointed if we didn’t win the second match as this will help team confidence,” said Manu.
“This is a team who want to win always and so I expect us to improve on what we did on Wednesday by converting our chances and correct our mistakes.
“We need to improve on our goal scoring and also work on our defence.

Inter make Mikel move during Chelsea visit

Inter are planning to continue their Premier League recruitment drive with a move for Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel.

Inter president Erick Thohir is understood to have been in attendance at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night for the Blues’ 2-0 Champions League triumph over Paris Saint-Germain.

I will tell Nigerians if I am leaving APC – Femi Fani Kayode

Former Minister of Aviation and one of the fiercest critics of President Goodluck Jonathan, Femi Fani Kayode yesterday visited the Presidential Villa where he held discussions with the President.
Though he declined to divulge what he discussed with the President, Femi Fani-Kayode told state House Correspondents that every Nigerian who feel strongly about an issue should be able to discuss with the president about it.

FEMI FANI KAYODE
“This is a presidential villa, the president is a president of Nigeria every single person in this country that is a Nigerian is entitled to come here from time to time, when the doors are open to come and pay their respect to the wonderful people that are here as a Nigerian I have done that today and I’m delighted to be here.
“I have always believed that every Nigerian regardless of the side of the political divide they belong, and as a Nigerian myself I have believed that we disagree on an issue from time to time. The most important thing is for us to be able to resolve these issues come together to move this country forward. And I think every right thinking responsible person should be able to do that. They should also be able to come to the villa from time to time to see how they can help to move the country forward .
On if he is leaving APC, Femi Fani-Kayode said “the step that I will take will be made known to Nigerians at the right time. The most important thing, and I think you are fully aware of this, is that I cannot and I will not be associated with a situation whereby any group of people is promoting a religion above another. I think all of us have gone past the stage of religious politics in this country. We must treat the Muslim community with utmost respect and we must that Christian community in the same way and even the non-religious” he said.

Man, 42, charged with defrauding medical doctor of N1m

A 42-year-old man, Victor Folorunsho, who allegedly obtained N1 million on the pretext of assisting a medical doctor to buy a car, was arraigned on Tuesday in Lagos.
Folorunsho, 42, who resides at No, 2, Ifelodun St., Ilasamaja, a Lagos suburb, is facing a charge of obtaining money under false pretences and theft at an Itire Magistrates’ Court.
The prosecutor, Insp. Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the accused committed the offences sometime in August 2013 at No. 40, Araromi St., Mushin, Lagos.
He said the complainant, Dr George Chikezie, met the accused through Folorunsho’s wife, a nurse at the hospital where he works.
According to Ayorinde, Folorunsho claimed that he could help the complainant to buy a car from the Nigeria Customs Service.
He said the accused obtained the money from Chikezie between July and September 2013.
“Folorunsho had been on the run since last year until he was apprehended recently.’’
The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 312 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
The Magistrate, Abegunde Davis, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to May 27.

Anyim renews call on Nigerians abroad to participate in nation building

The Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has called on Nigerians living abroad to play active roles in the process of nation building.

FG to introduce herbal medicine course in varsities

 

Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, has said the federal government has concluded plans to introduce herbal medicine studies in universities.
Prof. Chukwu disclosed this at the 3rd Annual Guest Lecture organized by Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, in Abuja.
He said:  “ They say we cannot achieve universal health coverage unless herbal medicine practitioners are involved. But I say they must be trained.
“Finally, a committee has submitted a curriculum which we are going to take to the National Council on Health, NCH, very beautiful curriculum. We are taking herbal medicine to the university.
”Without it, there is no integration. This is because if you are a herbal practitioner, you are a doctor. A herbalist is a doctor. But the first function of a doctor is to take a diagnosis.
“Is it Lassa fever or Ebola?  Or is it Dengue or is it malaria or typhoid? You have to get the answer before you begin to give that herb
“ You cannot do that unless you learn those sciences that will enable you get the results- physiology, pharmacology, pathology, anatomy, biochemistry and all others. If you don’t learn them, you will not know anything about the human body.
“The herbal practitioners are working with me because they saw what we are doing. Hopefully, once the NCH approved it, it is possible that by next year, in Joint Admission Matriculation Examinations, JAMB, some people may be filling to read herbal medicine.”
Chukwu further argued that for the health sector to attain the desired progress, there was need for dominance   and high participation of non-government practitioners in the sector.

CWG, MAG Tech move to curb cyber attacks in financial sector

In an attempt to reduce the level of threat and Cyber- attack in the financial sector, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG PLC), and MAG Tech, a specialized information security and intelligence company, recently organized information security session in Lagos.
During the session  all the decision makers charged with security in financial sector, and technology experts converged to deliberate on the new concept that will curb Cyber-attacks and fraud in the industry.
The session with the theme:   ‘Security Operations Centre (SOC) – Financial Services in the Cyber Attack Era’ created an avenue for stakeholders to extensively discuss and understand the new  concept, Security Operations Centre (SOC) as the ultimate information security platform required to drastically minimize Cyber-attack and threats currently being encountered by financial institutions.
James  Agada, the Chief Technology Officer of CWG while speaking at the forum  said that CWG as a technology company goes beyond enabling businesses with products and solutions to concepts that will ensure 100 percent security of all the customers’ transactions.
According to Agada, product and product knowledge are not adequate to achieve the end result of any business solution, and hence the need for the new concept, which is centered on how to detect and react to fraudulent transactions.
Agada further expressed that 50 percent of the transactions in the industry are running on the servers that are being managed by CWG’s seasoned and trained engineers. “Our aim is to ensure that these skills are internalized in Africa as information security is crucial to us and our customers” he said.
Nadav  Arbel – MAG Tech’s Chief Technical Officer, in his presentation on Darknet and Crime, stated that Cyber-attack is originated from the Darknet which is the illegal part of the internet. According to Arbel, Cyber-attack occurs when there is data leakage which may be caused by misconfiguration of a server or other sources. He stated further that no one can run a business efficiently without being on the internet and as long as your business is connected on the internet, you will experience some form of cyber-attack and threat.

First Lady doesn't meddle in PDP affairs - Media Asst

The Media Assistant to the First Lady, Mr Ayo Adewuyi, on Monday debunked the story that Mrs Jonathan had nominated three governors for the 2015 general elections.
According to a statement released in Abuja, the president’s wife ‎ does not meddle in the affairs and selection process of the PDP.‎ ‎
”Our attention has been drawn to the news story in today’s Leadership newspaper, captioned ”2015: Patience Jonathan plans to install 3 Govs.”
The story, according to Adewuyi, is “insinuating that the First Lady is set to play godmother to three alleged aspiring governorship candidates in Bauchi, Bayelsa and Rivers States.
”We consider this a figment of the imagination of the writers of the spurious story.
“It is also expedient to state, clearly, that the First Lady does not meddle in the affairs and selection process of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” he said. ‎
Adewuyi stressed that there was no way Mrs Jonathan could dictate or install anybody into political office.
He added that ‎the story was the handiwork of ”mischief makers bent on promoting bickering and animosity among people who have always been together working for the improvement of Rivers State”.
He urged members of the public to discountenance the said story
Adewuyi said the first lady’s portrayal as positioning some other candidates to take over from the incumbents in Bayelsa and Bauchi states was an attempt to pitch them against the governors. ‎
”Dr Waripomowei Dudafa and Sen. Bala Mohammed are ‎loyal to the President and their governors.
”They are sons of the First Lady as the mother of the nation, who also has very cordial relationships with the governors in question and will never interfere in any process that will lead to the emergence of governorship candidates in the states.” ‎
”Mrs Jonathan appeals to the governors of Bayelsa and Bauchi states to ignore the mischief makers who are bent on disrupting the peace prevailing in those states”.
Adewuyi added that the first lady believed in the supremacy of the party and in democratic principles at all levels.
He urged all Nigerians to uphold the truth at all time and not be swayed by actions of mischief makers.‎

Russian marine kills Ukrainian officer- Kiev

A Russian marine has shot dead a Ukrainian naval officer in Crimea, the Ukrainian defence ministry said Monday, the second reported death since Moscow claimed the Black Sea peninsula last month.
The defence ministry said the incident occurred late Sunday in a military residence hall in the eastern Crimean village of Novofyodorovka, where Ukraine has an air base.
The Ukrainian officer was killed “at point-blank range by two shots fired from an AK-74 machine gun,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added that another officer in the residence hall “was brutally beaten and arrested by Russian soldiers.”
Russian officials did not immediately comment on the Ukrainian defence ministry’s report.
The death is the second reported since Russia seized the region last month in a lightning swoop that led to its annexation by the Kremlin.
One Ukrainian soldier and a member of the pro-Kremlin militia in Crimea were killed last month during an exchange of gunfire in the region’s main city of Simferopol.
Both Russian and Ukrainian defence officials denied opening fire in that altercation, and the incident remains unresolved.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously taken credit for absorbing Crimea without any loss of life in a military operation he said was meant to protect the safety of ethnic Russians who comprise the majority in the region of two million people.

Egypt court sentences four gays to prison

A court in Egypt sentenced four men to up to eight years in prison on Monday for practicing homosexuality, a judicial official said.
Prosecutors had accused the men of holding “deviant parties” and dressing in women’s clothes. Three were sentenced to eight years and the fourth to three years in prison.
Prosecutors have used a law banning “debauchery” to try homosexuals in the past.
Those accused of homosexuality are often forced to undergo medical tests to establish they are “habitual” gays, a practice rights groups have decried as abusive.
Homosexuality is not tolerated across the Middle East and much of Africa.

Italian diplomat arrested in Philippines over child trafficking

A 46-year-old Italian diplomat was arrested in the Philippines on suspicion of child trafficking, police said on Monday.
Authorities detained Daniele Bosio on Saturday after being tipped off by a child welfare group that he was seen alone at a popular resort in Laguna, just south of Manila, with three boys from the capital.
The boys were aged 9, 10 and 12, police said.
Officials from the Italian Embassy in Manila have visited Bosio in detention, said Chief Superintendent Jesus Gatchalian, a Regional Police Director.
“Bosio is a diplomat but he is not assigned here in Manila, so we are wondering what he is doing here,” he said.
Gatchalian said investigators were still checking when Bosio, who is assigned to Italy’s embassy in Turkmenistan, arrived in the Philippines and how he got to meet the boys.
There is no official statement from the Italian authorities.

Law school student, 30, commits suicide

Why on earth will someone wana take his own life?
A 30-year-old student of the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, Auwal Haruna, allegedly committed suicide on
Monday by hanging himself on the ceiling fan in his hotel room in Takum.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Joseph Kwaji, confirmed the incident to newsmen in
Jalingo on Monday, saying the matter was under investigation.
According to him, the body of the deceased was found dangling from a ceiling fan at Mairiga Guest Inn,
Takum.
He said the deceased, until his death, was a suspect in a case of murder involving his younger brother,
Ahmed, who allegedly connived with their mother, Aisha, to murder their father, Haruna Mohammed.
He said that the deceased’s brother (Ahmed), 27, was being detained for abducting and hanging his father
to death in the suburb of Gembu over his father’s alleged marriage of a second wife against the wishes of
his wife.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there is an upsurge in suicide cases in Taraba.
Kwaji attributed the increase in cases of suicide to drug abuse and frustration.
“Most of these young men commit suicide as a result of drug abuse and frustration in life.
“Suicide is not the solution to our problems. Killing oneself is not only contrary to the laws of the land,
but also against our religions,’’ Kwaji said.
NAN recalls that two incidents of suicide were recorded in Jalingo in February.
One involved a 400 Level student of the Taraba University, Friday Samson, 32, who poisoned himself to
death over lack of funds to pay his school fees.
The other incident involved a watchman, Saidu Babura, 45, who hung himself on a tree at Hassan Primary
School, Jalingo, after an alleged battle against drug abuse.
In January, 21 year-old Mansur Tanko burnt himself to death in Jalingo because his father, Tanko
Mijinyawa, allegedly refused to approve of his plan to marry.

Man hits 4-year old Nigerian to death in Abidjan

A four-year old Nigerian, Kennedy Nwariwe, has
been hit to death by a man suspected to
be insane in Portbouet, a sub-urban settlement of
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire’s economic capital.
The victim’s father, Mr Andrew Nwariwe, said the
incident happened in a church premises after the
boy left the auditorium to play with other kids
outside.
“I did not know that he has left the church hall, it
was when we heard noise outside that I saw it was
my child.
“With the assistance of some persons, we
immediately rushed him to the hospital where he
was confirmed dead,’’ he said.
According to eyewitnesses, the man, who attacked
the children, grabbed late Nwariwe’s two legs and
hit his head severally on a wall.
They said it took the intervention of some daring
youths to get the little boy off the man’s grip.
According to them, Nwariwe became instantly
lifeless while his head got seriously swollen due to
the attack.
Reacting on the incident, the President of the
Nigerian Community in Cote d’Ivoire, Mr Karrem
Nasiru, described it as unfortunate.
He urged Nigerians in the country to be mindful of
the movement of their children and wards in public
places.
“We are in a foreign land; we need to be careful, we
need to avoid putting our children and wards into
unnecessary dangers,’’ he said.

Atiku Abubakar's son, Abba, set to wed his American fiancée

Abba Abubakar, son of former Vice President
Atiku Abubakar, is set to walk down the aisle with
his American fiancee tomorrow April 5th. The
wedding will hold in Dubai and is expected to be a
private affair on request of the girl's family while a
more elaborate reception will hold in Nigeria later.
Abba (pictured middle) met his fiancee when he
went to study in America. Congrats to them.

UN denies arming rebels in South Sudan

Hilde Johnson, Head, UN Mission to South
Sudan, on Thursday denied allegations that the
mission was arming and supporting rebels in the
conflict and pitting them against government troops.
She said in Juba that UN investigation committee
had confirmed that the weapons convoy seized by
the government in the central Lakes State in early
March was not destined for the rebels.
Johnson said that the weapons were meant for
Ghanaian peacekeepers.
The suspicion came about because the weapons
were being  transported by road, contrary to the UN
policy of transporting all peacekeeping weaponry by
air and with government consent.
Also some of the trucks in the convoy were labelled
as construction and general goods.
The discovery of the weapons prompted the South
Sudanese government to order that all UN and
humanitarian agency vehicles be subjected to
security check.
Johnson said that the UN mission had said the
policy breaches were errors, and that there was no
intention of aiding the rebels.
She also denied government allegations that the UN
had sheltered rebel soldiers in some of its bases,
where tens of thousands of people fleeing the
fighting have sought shelter.
“The UN has the obligation to protect any civilian
seeking refuge on its premises, including elements
from both sides of the conflict,” she said.
The UN has about 8,000 peacekeepers in South
Sudan, where a power struggle between President
Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar
turned violent in mid-December.
A cease fire signed in January failed to quell the
hostilities. Thousands of people have been killed in
the conflict with nearly a million people displaced.

'Madman' seen preaching the gospel in the City of Jos

A mentally unstable man known in the area as a

'madman' was seen this morning on popular

Ahmadu Bello Way in the City of Jos, Plateau

State, preaching the gospel to passers-by. On-

lookers said they gathered to listen to him, despite

his condition, because he was making a lot of

sense.

"All the scriptures he quoted were very

accurate and he talked about the second

coming of Christ extensively. Onlookers were

even shouting and gleaning at his sermon

with rapt solidarity. I just passed by

wondering who then is mad?" an onlooker

said