Photos: Ineffective implementation of past budgets affected the country's economy - Bukola Saraki

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki said that the ineffective implementation of past budgets and abandonment of projects have led to wastages that have negatively affected the nation's economy in the last 16 years.

Saraki who stated this in his speech during the National Assembly's interactive session with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the 2016 budget on Wednesday, in Abuja, said in response to the unacceptable trend, the 8th National Assembly has stepped up its oversight functions to ensure that funds are spent ‘how’, ‘where’ and on ‘what’ they were earmarked for.

Iran Releases New Photos of Detained US Sailors Crying in Persian Gulf

Tehran has released provocative new photographs and video of the US sailors who were detained in the Persian Gulf hours before President Obama’s State of the Union Address last month, after they strayed into Iranian waters. The photos and video were aired on state television and shared to social media by Iranian reporters. Some of the images feature one of the sailors emotionally wiping away tears.

#Iran state TV publishes new pictures of #US sailors in which one sailor is crying after being detained. pic.twitter.com/Kl0WkN3QFG

— Abas Aslani (@abasinfo) February 10, 2016

#Iran state TV airs a new footage of #US sailor crying while he was detained in Iran's waters in #PersianGulf. pic.twitter.com/8st5Uihncc

— Abas Aslani (@abasinfo) February 10, 2016

Photos of victims of Dikwa bomb blast receiving treatment

Over 60 people were killed in a twin suicide attack in Dikwa village in Borno state on Tuesday February 9th. Some of the injured victims pictured above are currently receiving treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Another photo after the jump..

Missing woman’s body found in car parked outside Wal-Mart store for 3 months

Nearly three months after she went missing, a 22-year-old woman’s body was found inside a car parked outside a Wal-Mart in Salinas, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
Wal-Mart employees found the body of Lauren Jessie Moss inside her silver Volkswagen Jetta on Feb. 3., according to television station KSBW in Salinas. Moss was last seen leaving a rehabilitation center in nearby Seaside on Nov. 13. She was reported missing and a case was opened.

Buhari Returns To Nigeria,to Embark On Three-nation Tour Of Egypt, Saudi Arabia

Buhari Returns To Nigeria After UK Vacation And Medicals; To Embark On Three-Nation Tour Of Egypt, Saudi Arabia And Qatar
President Muhammadu Buhari is on his way back to Nigeria from the United Kingdom following an abrupt five-day vacation he began in London last week.
SaharaReporters sources said his Presidential jet departed London for Abuja at exactly 13.45hrs GMT.

The President had abruptly embarked on the vacation after participating in a Syria donor conference in London.

OLISA METUH : EFCC Escapes By The Whiskers.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on Wednesday escaped a reprimand from a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang for issuing a press release on court proceedings the trial of the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh
The matter came up at the resumed hearing of the case of human rights abuse instituted by Chief Metuh against the EFCC for detaining him illegally for two weeks.

Shamma AlMazrui Appointed As Youth Minister In The UAE (photo)

 The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday named Shamma AlMazrui, a 22-year-old Oxford graduate, as the minister of state for youth affairs. “After discussion with my brother Mohammed bin Zayed and the approval of the President, we hereby announce the new UAE cabinet,” Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on Twitter.

Son Kills Step-Mother’s Lover In Calabar Over S3x

Anthony Ubong-Calabar

A 41-year old man, King Akpanke has been arrested by the police in Calabar for murdering his step-mother’s lover over sexual intercourse.

The suspect who confessed to committing the crime in an interview with newsmen at the State Police headquarters on Wednesday said before the unfortunate incident he had on several occasions warned the young-man to stop coming to his late father’s house to have sexual intercourse with his step-mother.

Boko Haram Attacks Kill More Than 50 In Borno State

SaharaReporters has learned that two separate attacks by terrorist group Boko Haram have killed more than fifty people since Monday, according to preliminary estimates.

Sources speaking with SaharaReporters confirmed that the two assaults by Boko Haram took place on Monday February 8th and yesterday on February 9th.

According to sources speaking with our correspondent, female suicide bombers murdered forty-five people and injured dozens yesterday in a Borno IDP camp.

Savings From Fuel Subsidy Removal Rises To N647m Daily

Nigeria, as at yesterday, is currently saving N647.2 million daily from the suspension of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol.
Particularly, at the current price of N86.50 per litre in petrol stations across the country, the country is making an extra N16.18 per litre.
A motorist refueling his car at a black market
The Federal Government had stated that this extra savings is kept in an escrow account to serve as a cushion in case of eventuality, such as if the price of crude oil rebounds, leading to an increase in the selling price of PMS.

7 Reasons Why 2016 Budget Shouldn’t Be Passed.

President Muhammadu Buhari presented the proposed 2016 budget on December 22, 2016, naming it “the budget of change”, but Nigerians have now re-christened the document “budget of corruption”.
While some of the public concerns about suspicious and fraudulent allocations are valid, the presidency has said that the president is open to correction, admitting that the budget is not perfect.
With N6.08 trillion proposed for the 2016 budgetary year, the budget is seen as an expansionary one aimed at revamping the economy. From close observations, here are seven reasons why the budget does not deserve to be passed by the legislature.

This PDP Generation Will Take Back Its Inheritance, Says Fayose.

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will take back its inheritance from the ruling All progressives Congress (APC).
Fayose, who led five PDP governors to an interdenominational thanksgiving service to celebrate the validation of Udom Emmanuel’s election as governor of Akwa Ibom state, said the current generation of PDP will make a difference.

“If we put our house together, if we stay together, if we put the past behind us, we will take back our inheritance, it is our inheritance taken by deception, taken by propaganda, taken by hidden agenda,” he said.

Peterside Is A ‘Pathological Liar’, Says Wike.

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state has described Dakuku Peterside, his rival and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 governorship election, as “a pathological liar”.
Reacting to the allegation of Peterside that he influenced the supreme justices who validated his victory, Wike said Peterside and the APC would stop at nothing to destroy the apex court.
Wike alleged that the APC candidate and John Oyegun, chairman of the ruling party, had been attacking the judges for upholding justice.
He accused them of also instigating President Muhammadu Buhari against the people of Rivers state and those from the Niger Delta.

Innoson Keeps Our Jets In Operation Against Boko Haram- Chief Of Air Staff

Nigeria’s Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar has lauded the management of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Company for providing the needed technical support that has enabled the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to sustain its operations against the Boko Haram insurgents.
Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, Director of Public Relations and Information of Nigeria Air Force, said in a statement on Wednesday that the CAS gave the commendation while receiving the Chairman IVM, Mr Innocent Chukwuma and team members in his office.

The Aleppo Pocket: Turkey Running Out of Time for Its Plans to Invade Syria

The Syrian Army has made major advances in Aleppo province, and is on the brink of surrounding the militant-held portion of the city of Aleppo, cutting off trade routes between the jihadists, Turkey and Daesh to boot. Now, Expert magazine suggests, Turkey's hints at intervention signal that the Ankara-backed militants are running out of time.

The northern Syrian city of Aleppo is the country's second city (and before the war in Syria began, its largest). In the last few months, the situation in the city, contested by government and rebel forces, has turned 180 degrees.

Name Corrupt Nigerians, Presidential Committee Tells FG

The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption has advocated the naming and shaming of corrupt persons as a potent instrument in the fight against corruption even as they would continue to engage judges and magistrates to ensure quick dispensation of corruption cases.

Ekitigate: Aluko Prays Court To Vacate Arrest Warrant Against Him

Embattled former secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State, Dr Tope Aluko, has approached an Ado Ekiti Chief Magistrates Court seeking an order to set aside the warrant of arrest issued against him last week. Aluko, whose lawyers, Mr. Niran Owoseni and Mr. Wale Abimbola, disclosed this to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday during a press conference, stated that the court “might have made the order based on wrong representation,” stressing that the order was made without jurisdiction and described the warrant as “an abuse of court process.”

Armsgate: EFCC Escapes Court Wrath For Releasing Press Statement On Metuh’s Case

The Justice Okon Abang-led Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday frowned at the action of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC where it issued a press release on the current trial involving the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Olisa Metuh, without being objective enough.

The court made its stance known at the resumed hearing of the case of human rights violation brought against the anti-graft agency by the embattled PDP spokesman.
Metuh had instituted a legal proceeding against the EFCC for detaining him illegally for two weeks; an action he claimed infringed his fundamental human right.

Bayelsa: Sylva Has Refused To Congratulate Me For Defeating Him – Dickson

Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, has wondered why his opponent in the last governorship election, Temipre Sylva has not congratulated him on his victory.
The governor said Syvla was busy misleading people that he would win at the tribunal, instead of joining him to make the state better.
Attributing his victory over the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Sylva, to divine intervention, Dickson insisted that his opponent was relying on the judiciary to make him governor.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, in Yenagoa, Dickson said it is only a fool that would expect anyone to think that the tribunal could upturn the decision of the people..

Arms Deal Trial: Dasuki Gave PDP N10b For Presidential Convention –Witness

…Gives details on how Metuh shared money to Anenih, Kema Chikwe, others
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was yesterday told how former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki withdrew the sum of N10 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria and shared same to chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the purpose of the party’s presidential convention.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also told the court how the sum of N766million, representing N400million and N366million paid into the party’s National Publicity, Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh’s Destra company was shared.

FG Moves To Secure List Of Properties Owned By Nigerians In Dubai

•Reveals plans to repatriate $300m from US
Few weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the federal government has revealed that efforts were in top gear to secure a list of Nigerians who owned choice properties in the country from proceeds of fraud.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, while briefing the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs during the budget defence of the ministry, said the Nigerian government was in talks with the UAE government in getting a list of all properties owned by Nigerians.
According to him, with the presence of the new All Progressives Congress (APC) government and the change mantra, Nigeria’s diplomatic missions will be repositioned to effectively carryout their functions.

FG Must Create Enabling Environment To Grow Economy — Obasanjo

LAGOS — Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, charged the Federal Government to create enabling environment to attract private investment which is needed to grow the economy. Also, the Senate Committee chairman on Trade and Investment, Senator Sam Egwu, charged industries within the county to operate within the laws of the land as the National Assembly was ready to make laws that would attract investment in Nigeria.

Era Of Manipulating Judiciary For Election Victory Over —Dickson

Yenagoa—Bayelsa State governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, yesterday said that the era of deceiving the judiciary to get judgments and electoral victories through the backdoor were over in Nigeria. He premised his optimism on the Supreme Court rulings in the governorship elections in Rivers, Abia and Akwa Ibom States.

Gov Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa Dickson had, while attributing his victory over the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Timipre Sylva in the recently concluded election to divine intervention, insisted that his opponent was relying on the judiciary to make him governor. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, in Yenagoa, Dickson said it would be foolhardy for anyone to think that he could upturn the decision of the people by manipulating the judicial process.

250 Soldiers Protest Dismissal From Service

Representatives of 250 soldiers from the Nigerian Army School of Infantry located in Jaji, Kaduna State yesterday visited the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) council in Kaduna to protest their alleged dismissal from the army.

The soldiers, who said they were part of the 3000 recently re-engaged after a review of their cases by the army authorities described their dismissal on February 1, 2016 as unlawful, and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the army authorities to come to their rescue saying, “we have families to cater for.”

Biafra: 6 IPOB Members Shot Dead In Aba, 30 Injured, 45 In Police Net

As Kanu is brought to court in handcuffs Court rejects Kanu’s request for seized passports, money
ABA—The protest embarked on by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over the prolonged detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday, turned bloody in Aba, Abia State, as a combined team of security agents, comprising soldiers and policemen allegedly fired shots at the protesters, killing six members of the group and arresting 20. Also in Enugu, the Police in the state yesterday, arrested 25 members of the IPOB, who had gathered at the Naira Triangle in preparation for a protest march.