Presidency confirms Friday arrest of Diezani

The presidency has confirmed the arrest of former Minister of Petroleum resources, Diezani Alison Madueke, in London, on Friday October 2nd.
"The government is aware of the arrest and all the government investigative agencies are working very closely with the British law enforcement. Nigerian authorities are saying for the first time that matters are being handled with seriousness and deep commitment.
Nobody wants to give the impression that this government is frivolous and unserious. For this reason, government is only confirming active collaboration. Beyond this, we are not saying more. In due course, Nigerians will be briefed on updates as appropriate.”the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, told Premium Times

Suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber attack police station, kill one police officer

A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber this morning killed a police officer who tried to stop him from attacking a police station in Southeastern Niger republic. The suicide bomber and three others were seen approaching the police station when they were stopped by the deceased police officer.
 "They had their hands on their stomachs, walking in the rain in the direction of the police station. A police officer tried to approach these young men before they arrived at the station but when he came closer one of the men detonated his explosives.
The three others started to flee, and another officer who was there shot and killed one of them at the scene. The two others ran in an effort to reach town. There was a real chase but the officers finally caught them," a resident of the community said.
Niger is one of the countries in the West African region that have suffered major attacks from Boko haram.

Man's leg ravaged by flesh-eating spider bite

Jonathon Hogg, a keen footballer and kickboxer, has required three operations and a skin graft since the brown recluse spider attacked and bit him.
Within hours, the venom began to eat away at the 40-year-old's flesh - doctors say he could have lost his leg had it been left untreated.


Mr Hogg, from north London, said:
"The pain was like nothing I've been through in my life. By the time I got to hospital my leg was bursting open, there was pus, it was black."
The barrister believes he was bitten while travelling on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to South Africa - and is now taking legal action against the airline, alleging it has refused to take responsibility.

US to give Buhari $2.3bn to eradicate poverty in Nigeria

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the Federal Government has signed a $2.3bn assistance agreement aimed at fighting extreme poverty with the United States Agency for International Development, USAID.

Akande said the agreement would help the Nigerian Government combat extreme poverty in the nation over the next five years.

How Ex-president Arranged Diezani’s Arrest

More facts have emerged on how a Nigeria ex-president initiated the arrest of the country former Minister of Petroleum resources Diezani Alison-Madueke by the British National Crime Agency.


According to report available to popular TV station, Silverbird Television, a particular oil baron who was allegedly fronting for the ex-minister sought advice from the ex-president on what he could do to escape the hammer of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption policy.
In his response, the ex-president frankly told the oil baron to surrender all that he had looted. However, in his explanation, the oil baron said that many prominent Nigerians might be implicated if he disclosed the source of the funds.

Putin: Who created ISIS? (Video)

In 2014, President Obama named the three major threats to US national security; ISIS, Russia and Ebola (because spiraling national debt, unequal distribution of wealth, over-incarceration, climate change etc are less pressing issues.)%)))

It would be fair to say that Russian politicians took much offence to being placed in this list, next to a terror organisation and a disease. In relation to this statement, Putin answers a number of questions from a US journalist at the Valdai International Discussion Club, late 2014.

I’m not affiliated to them but I encourage those interested in Eurasian politics to follow Valdai on Facebook, for truthful insights with leading experts.

#ISIS, #PresidentVladimirPutin, #Syria

Herdsmen should be banned from entire South, not S’West alone - FFK

I support the call by Afenifere that all Fulani herdsmen should be banned from the South-West. Actually I believe that they should be banned from the entire South and not just the South-West. I also stand by every word that I wrote in my widely published essay titled “The Herdsmen From Hell”.
This contribution serves as a follow up to that essay.
The bottom line is this: we do not want those that slaughter innocent people, including women and children, in our midst. Those that say that we must remain silent when aliens and vandals invade our land, rape our women and kill our people are, at best, misinformed and misguided and, at worse, insensitive and wicked.

The World Disorder

by Ghassan Kadi

The recent speech of President Putin at the UNGA has shown the rest of the world the extent of Western lies and inefficiency. Moreover, the Russian military initiative in Syria that almost immediately followed the speech has left all enemies of Syria in a bind, confused, and not knowing what to do.

Russian Aviation Hits Over 50 ISIL Facilities in Syria With 60 Flights

Russian aviation has conducted over 60 flights hitting more than 50 infrastructure facilities of the Islamic State in Syria, Andrei Kartapolov, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian General Staff said Saturday.


The Russian jets deployed in Syria carried out over 60 combat missions to destroy more than 50 positions of the Islamic State (ISIL) militants, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian General Staff said Saturday.  The Russian Air Force has undermined the material base of ISIL and has significantly reduced the militants' combat potential over the three days of the military operation, Lt. Gen. Andrei Kartapolov told reporters.

US Army Bombed Afghan Hospital Despite Doctors’ Calls for

The bombing of a Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) hospital located in the Afghan city of Kunduz took place on Saturday night. The airstrike is reported to have been carried out by US forces, the reason of the attack is still unclear.

As result of the airstrike, at least 16 people (among them medical workers) were killed and about 37 — including 19 doctors — were injured. Many are still missing.

Game Over: ISIL Short on Cash, Russian Planes Back Them Into Corner

ISIL is in serious trouble, as terrorists are being squeezed from all sides by airstrikes, meanwhile their economy is coming apart at the seams. Islamic radicals need to take over new territories to improve their budget, but with Russian planes hovering over the Syrian sky, things aren’t that easy anymore.


Tough times have come to the self-proclaimed Islamic Caliphate with the start of Russian airstrikes: areas under ISIL control are shrinking day after day under the pressure from Russian missiles that are backing the terrorists into a corner, Svetlana Kholodnova of RIA Novosti said. Turns out, ordinary ISIL terrorists are getting significantly poorer as a result of pay cuts. Many of them have started to flee the Caliphate despite the risk of getting their heads chopped off if caught by their former comrades-in-arms.

Former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mustafa Tafa Balogun visits Aso Rock

Former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mustafa Tafa Balogun, made a surprise appearance at the Presidential Villa yesterday, years after he had gone underground following his unceremonious end as head of the Nigeria Police Force.
Balogun, who was sacked and put through harrowing court trials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over cases of official corruption and diversion of police funds, was guest of President Muhammadu Buhari at the occasion marking the 55th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria.

China’s military advisers ‘heading to Syria to help fight ISIS’ – report

China will be helping out the Syrian government in the fight against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIL/ISIS) by sending “military advisers,” media reports have claimed.

“The Chinese will be arriving in the coming weeks,” a Syrian army official told the Lebanon-based news website Al-Masdar Al-‘Arabi.

The report claims that a Chinese naval vessel is on its way to Syria with dozens of “military advisers” on board. They will reportedly be followed by troops.

The ship is said to have passed the Suez Canal in Egypt and be making its way through the Mediterranean Sea.
Continue..

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, arrested in London

The immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, was on Friday arrested in London, PREMIUM TIMES can exclusively and authoritatively report.
The former minister, who was one of the most powerful officials of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, was arrested Friday morning by the UK National Crimes Agency, alongside four other people.

The identities of the four other people arrested along with her could not be immediately ascertained.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt she was arrested for offences related to bribery, corruption and money laundering.

Buhari’s Ministerial Nominees Revealed- Sahara Reporters

SaharaReporters can authoritatively reveal the 21-member President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees submitted to the National Assembly yesterday as follows:

Ministers nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari
1.Dr. Chris Ngige (Anambra)

2. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)

3. Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)

4. Babatunde Fashola (Lagos)

5. Abdurrahman Dambazau (rtd) (Kano)

6. Aisha AlHassan (Taraba)

Western Media Losing Credibility with Reports on Russia Bombing Syria

As Russia launched airstrikes against the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group in Syria, the United States immediately began its disinformation campaign.

On Wednesday, Russian combat jets launched pinpointed strikes against IS targets in Syria. Almost immediately, Western media outlets carried reports of civilian casualties.

Brad Friedman discussed the reporting of western media following the airstrikes that were conducted by Russia in Syria.

Nearly 100,000 People Protest Against US Nuclear Weapons in Germany

They called on German authorities to stop further nuclear armaments on German soil.

Almost 100,000 people signed a petition addressing German Chancellor Angela Merkel, German President Joachim Gauck and the German government not to deploy new nuclear weapons in Germany.

The initiative was launched amid the US’ plans to station up to 20 additional B 61-12 nuclear bombs at Büchel airbase. The activities are being conducted within a NATO sharing program and are raising concerns domestically and internationally.

Amaechi, Fashola , Abike Dabiri, Fayemi reportedly make Buhari's ministerial list

Yesterday the Senate President received the ministerial nominees list from the presidency and there are now speculations as to those Buhari have chosen to work with him in his administration. Among the 21 names speculated to have been sent to the senate for ministerial confirmation includes former governors, Babatunde Fashola, Chris Ngige, Ogbonnaya Onu, Kayode Fayemi, Rotimi Amaechi.

Also speculated to be on the list are: former house of representatives member Abike Dabiri-Erewa, a one time APC governorship flag bearer in Taraba, Aisha Alhassan,

No herdsman would kidnap Falae - Fulani group says

President of Jamu Nati Fulbe Association, a Fulani socio-cultural group in the South-west, Alhaji Salihu Kadir has denied allegations that Fulani herdsmen were responsible for the kidnap of former presidential aspiant, Olu Falae or even engaged in acts of kidnapping in the South West of Nigeria.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Kadir said no Fulani herder who is preoccupied with feeding and nourishing his herds of cows and sheep would think of kidnapping anyone, not to talk of an elder statesman like Falae.

Independence celebration at the State House currently underway

The independence celebration at the state house is currently on the way. Continue to see photos...

Photos: Buhari, Osinbajo, Saraki, Dogara at Independence Day celebration

President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara at the 55th independence celebration is currently going on at the presidential villa. Continue to see more photos...

Man charged with the murder of a Nigerian, Moses Fadairo in east London

27-year-old Christopher Erunse was today, October 1, charged with the murder of Moses Fadairo.
Moses Fadairo, 25, was gunned down on a busy market street in Clapton by a gun-wielding mob in a suspected gangland execution in Hackney, east Londonon Saturday, September 26, just after 1pm. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him but he died at the scene.

According to Evening Standard, the father of twin boys born earlier this year  staggered into Mighty Meats  butche's shop in Chatsworth Road, Lower Clapton,then ran 50 yards down the road before collapsing in a pool of blood.

Kwara state cancels Independence parade following security fears

The Kwara State Government has cancelled the state's 55th Independence anniversary parade scheduled to hold at the Metropolitan Square, Ilorin, the state capital following some security fears. According to the Secretary to the Government Sola Gold, security reports received by the police in the state suggested that some individuals arrived the state on Wednesday night allegedly with the intention of disrupting the independence day celebration and endangering lives. Recall that the state Eid prayer was disrupted last week after some aggrieved residents in the state stormed the prayer ground to boo the senate president Bukola Saraki.

I can be successfully impeached if I interfere - Pres. Buhari speaks on Saraki's Trial

President Buhari says he will not be interfering in the trial of the senate president Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal as he could be successfully impeached if he does so. According to him, the Nigerian constitution does not permit interference between the three arms of government, that is the Legislature, Judiciary and the Executive.

Judge Withdraws From Saraki’s Case Over Negative Reports

Justice R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja has remitted Senate President Bukola Saraki’s case to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed, for reassigning to another judge. The judge, in returning the case file to the CJN on Wednesday, cited “negative reports” on the case as informing his decision. Details later…