Why Does China Need Military Base in Djibouti?

A Chinese military base in Djibouti will be conducive to the international war on sea piracy, and the West will hardly have any objections to that, several leading British experts agreed on Monday.


A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman said in November that Beijing was in talks to build a naval logistical center in Djibouti to service its patrol ships in the Gulf of Aden and elsewhere in the region.
Djibouti is a good choice for a Chinese military base as there are French, US and Japanese naval forces also stationed there, said Alex Vines, a co-director at Coventry University’s African Studies Center.

APC Can’t Penetrate Into My Constituency – David Mark

Former Senate President, David Mark has assured that Benue South Senatorial zone will remain impenetrable for the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, in the forthcoming re-run election.
He based his optimism on the overwhelming solidarity and support “by my people who are solidly behind me . I can tell you without any fear of contradiction that there is no opposition to my party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in my zone.”
Speaking when the Senate caucus of the PDP paid him a solidarity visit following the annulment of his March 28, 2015 Senatorial election, Mark assured that the Appeal tribunal verdict has strengthened him and his constituents the more.

Senate WILL NOT Suspend Anti-Social Media Bill.

The senate has expressed willingness to go ahead with the treatment of the anti-social media bill, also known as the anti-frivolous petition bill, but says that citizens will have “the opportunity to shape its final outcome as there is an elaborate process which the bill must undergo before it becomes a law”.
On December 2, the bill seeking to curb frivolous petitions, false allegations and statements in the social media passed second reading.

Jonathan Was Inexperienced, Says IBB.

Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, says “inexperience” rather than “incompetent” was the right word to describe former President Goodluck Jonathan who lost his re-election bid in March.

Speaking with The Interview magazine in the December 2015 edition which is currently on sale, Babangida said Jonathan “is a very pleasant person” and said he believed the former president meant well for the country.

Asked about the perception that Jonathan is a good person but was “incompetent”, Babangida replied: “If you use inexperience, I will buy that.”

He refused to disclose whom he really supported between Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, who eventually won the election.

Pentagon Denies US-Led Coalition Strikes on Syrian Army Facilities

According to the Syrian Foreign Ministry, four US-led coalition aircraft launched nine missiles at Syrian Army facilities on Sunday evening killing three and injuring another 13, as well as destroying numerous military vehicles, weapons and equipment.

WASHINGTON  — US Army spokesperson Col. Steve Warren denied on Monday that US-led coalition airstrikes hit Syrian government military facilities on Sunday as claimed by Damascus.

Iraqi Army Repels Massive Daesh Attack in Anbar Province

The Iraqi Army and police repelled a massive attack by Daesh (ISIL) militants in the Anbar province in Western Iraq.


"The ISIL terrorists intended to carry out massive attacks on different locations in Anbar province with seven bomb-laden vehicles," Commander of Anbar Operations Jamal al-Dailami told FARS News.
He added that the militants were also planning attacks on two headquarters of the Iraqi Army and federal police, 35 kilometers to the west of Ramadi.

Falana: Why Buhari Didn’t Make Me Minister.

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer and activist, says President Muhammadu Buhari did not appoint him a minister for “ideological reasons”.
He said some people believed that he was “too radical” and should not be made attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice.
Speculations that he would be appointed minister were widespread, but Buhari picked Kayode Fayemi from Ekiti state.

Govt Reject Naira Rain For Victorious Eaglets

A reward package proposed by the sports ministry for Nigeria’s team to the recent FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile has been rejected by the country’s government as “too outrageous”, sources at the Presidency have revealed.
The government of President Muhammadu Buhari has sounded it loud and clear the country’s coffers are hugely depleted and as such it cannot afford unnecessary expenditure.

Finland To Pay Every Citizen $1,100 Per Month And Scrap All Other Benefits

 In Effort To Reduce Unemployment Rate Finland’s government is drawing up plans to pay every citizen a basic income of euros 800 ($1,165) each month, scrapping benefits altogether. Under proposals drafted by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela), the tax-free payments would replace all other benefit payments, and would be paid to all adults regardless of whether or not they receive any other income. While it may sound counterintuitive, the basic income is intended to encourage more people back to work in Finland, where unemployment is at record levels.

Social Media Censorship Bill: Oppositions Have Opportunity To Contribute – Senate

ABUJA- THE senate said yesterday that those opposed to the social media censorship bill were free to make contributions to the red chambers.
A bill seeking a two-year jail term for any person who makes allegation or publishes any statement or petition in the newspaper,radio or medium of whatever description against another person,institutions of government or any public office holder, on Wednesday passed second reading in the Senate and controversies have continued to trail it.SO

Governance Can’t Be All About Fighting Corruption..But – Ezekwesili

Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, Obiagele Ezekwesili, has made a strong case for the government of Nigeria to develop and pursue sound policies that could drive economic growth in the country, saying Governance can’t be all about fighting Corruption.
Tweeting through her twitter handle, ?@obyezeks, on Monday, Ezekwesili, however, stated that there is no justification for corruption, be it petty or otherwise.

INEC Puts Result Collation On Hold Indefinitely ‪#‎BayelsaDecides‬

The Chief Returning Officer of Bayelsa state gubernatorial election, Prof. Zana Akpagu, has put on hold indefinitely, the collation of the governorship election of Southern Ijaw local government area in the ongoing state governorship election.
Akpagu while making the announcement, said the results from the local government which is located deep down in the riverine community, is still being awaited.
He explained that he does not know when the Returning Officer from the local government area will come in with the result.

‪#‎BayelsaDecides‬: PDP Supporters Protest In Yenagoa

Despite police ban on processions and demonstrations in Bayelsa state, hundreds of PDP supporters , men, women and youths, took to the streets of Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa state in protest of what they called ‘military hijack’ of the electoral process.
The protesters who carried placards and sang war songs, attempted to storm election result collation centre.

Kachikwu: From 2016, Refineries Will Pay Directly To Federation Account.

Ibe Kachikwu, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), says from 2016, state-owned refineries will make direct payments to the federation account.
The refineries are subsidiaries of the NNPC, which is the body expected to make the payments.
But Kachikwu said the NNPC was adopting a plan that would give the refineries some sort of autonomy, without privatising them.
In a statement by Ohi Alegbe, the corporation’s spokesperson, Kachikwu was quoted as saying high level discussions are underway with local and international investors to bridge the perennial JV cash call funding gap.

Jailing Diezani ^Would Send A Signal, Says Sanusi.

Sanusi Muhammad II, the emir of Kano, says jailing Diezani Alison-Madueke for sharp practices at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will send a signal to the corrupt in Nigeria.
The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also said Nigeria was losing about N200bn on a monthly basis, under the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan.
Speaking on the operations of the NNPC under the leadership of the Alison-Madueke, Sanusi said corruption prevailed in the NNPC and allowed a small group of people siphon the treasure of the Nigerian people.

40 INEC Staff Held Hostage In Bayelsa As Militants Hijack Materials.

About 40 adhoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are currently stranded at Aboin community in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state.
One of the victims told TheCable that the suspected militants attacked the electoral officials who were conveying materials to riverine communities through boats.
She said the suspects hijacked electoral materials in most parts of the area and abducted the party agents in all the boats they raided.

Four Syrian Soldiers Killed in US-Led Coalition Airstrike - Sources

Sources report that four Syrian army soldiers were killed and some 13 were wounded in a US-led coalition airstrike in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor province.
 Four Syrian army soldiers were killed and some 13 were wounded in a US-led coalition airstrike in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor province, sources told Sputnik Monday.
According to the sources, two tanks and an ammunition depot in Deir ez-Zor that belonged to the Syrian army were also destroyed in the airstrike.

Syrian military has so far refused to confirm or deny this information

Social Media Bill: 30,000 Signatures Collected For The Recall Of Senator Bala Na’Allah

Bala Ibn Na’Allah, the sponsor of the unpopular Social
Media Bill, now faces a last ditch battle to survive a recall
process put in motion by his constituents.
Idris Ahmed of Citizens United For Peace and Stability (CUPS)
, who is spearheading his recall said that it has so far
collected over 30,000 signatures for his recall from the
National Assembly.

Onu To Use Only Made In Nigeria Vehicles

ABUJA – In apparent an move to live to his promise and the change agenda of the present administration, the new Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu says he will use only made in Nigerian vehicles as long as he serve under the present administration of Change. This was gathered from a reliable source in the Ministry, who said that the Minister had already listed Innoson Motos and PAN Nigeria as the only companies to supply his preferred vehicles.

Rivers Government Names Stadium, Road After Ex-Head Of State Gowon

Rivers State government has renamed the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, as Yakubu Gowon Stadium in honour of the former Head of State who created the state in 1967. In the same vein, the Governor Nyesom Wike administration also renamed the Old Aba Road in the state capital as the Yakubu Gowon Road.

Kogi Poll: We Have Been Vindicated – Faleke’s Group

LOKOJA – The Audu/Faleke Campaign Organisation has said that the final result declared by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, has vindicated its early claims that the election of November 21, 2015 was already won by the AUDU/FALEKE joint ticket and should have been declared as such. The group who expressed disappointment in the handling of the election by INEC described the supplementary election as a complete waste of tax payers money.

Kalu Urges Nigerians To Be Patient With President Buhari’s Government

 A former Abia governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged Nigerians to be patient with the President Muhammadu Buhari–led administration in its quest to bring the desired socio-economic change to the country. Kalu also the presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in the April 2007 general elections gave the advice on Sunday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport,(MMIA), Lagos, on arrival from the United Kingdom. Kalun speaking with aviation correspondents said Nigerians should give Buhari enough time to deliver on his promises as he tries to find solutions to the nation’s multifaceted challenges. He said:”I feel strongly that it will take the president the next two to three years to sort out these problems.

Ribadu Opens Up On $60b Looted Funds, $15m Bribe From Ibori

 A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the weekend said about $60billion looted funds left Africa yearly. He said ex-Delta State Governor James Ibori attempted to bribe him with $15million in two big bags, but he resisted. Ribadu said the bribe was, however, deposited in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to serve as evidence against him. The ex-EFCC boss, who spoke at the TEDx Talk in Berlin, Germany, said although “anti-corruption war is the most dangerous work, this is one war worth fighting.” In the video clip, released on You Tube by Ribadu Media Office and transcribed by our correspondent, Ribadu said: “Do you know that every year, $60billion leaves Africa illegally? This figure is from the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

My Frustration With Halliburton, Other Corruption Cases — Ribadu

 ABUJA— A former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday, expressed frustration with the inability of Nigeria to investigate and punish all who were implicated in the Halliburton bribery case. Ribadu Ribadu, who bared his mind in Abuja, regretted that none of the top Nigerian culprits implicated in the $1.5 billion bribery scandal had been questioned and jailed in Nigeria while others from other countries were already serving various jail terms. Of the amount involved, top Nigerians got a total of $184 million within 10 years from an Italian firm that got a $6 billion gas project job in Nigeria.

$2b Arms: EFCC Weighs Its Options On Jonathan

 Dokpesi ‘to account for N10b publicity vote’

 Commission probes Abacha loot diversion Will the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invite ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to say all he knows about the controversial $2 billion arms deals? Will the anti-graft agency take evidence from the ex- President in camera? Will the EFCC allow its comprehensive investigations to be sufficient enough to try the suspects involved in the arms deals? These are the options being weighed as the agency continues investigations into the armsgate. It was learnt that more suspects have named Dr. Jonathan in the approvals and withdrawals of huge cash from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), and the Emeritus Chairman of Daar Communication, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, claimed that they got approvals for all projects they were accused of running.