We Borrow N600 Billion Monthly to Augment Salaries- FG

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal, says the Federal government borrows an average of N600 billion every month to augment payment of salaries of workers. Lawal said this while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 63rd General Church Council (GCC) of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) held at ECWA headquarters in Jos yesterday April 12th. "The federal government borrows an average of N600 billion monthly and Federal Government gets N130 billion, and sometimes if it is lucky, it gets N200 billion from Federation allocation, and we have an expenditure profile of roughly N800 billion to N900 billion. Naturally, you need to augment sources from everywhere and from wherever you can find it. I’m talking about local borrowings, not international. There are ways and means to raise the money, because the monies coming from the Federal allocation is not enough and the figures is not fixed; it varies from month to month, depending on what enters into the treasury and our own share of it federation account, just like the states. You remember Osun state got N55million in a month from the federal allocation and the state has a salary bill of over N4 billion in a month”he said

Photos: 29yr old Nigerian man nabbed with 1.5kg of cocaine in SA

Members of the EMPD Tracing Unit in a raid arrested a Nigerian man in Boksburg North, South Africa, found in possession of a large amount of cocaine, Cat and cash on Monday, April 11. According to EMPD spokesman Lieut-Col Wilfred Kgasago, the metro police confiscated the drugs weighing a whopping 1.5kg, estimated to be worth R2 million in the streets. Cash amounting to more than R8000 was also confiscated.

Amsterdam airport and hotel partially evacuated due to security fears

Amsterdam's Schiphol airport and the Sheraton Hotel adjacent to it were partially evacuated late Tuesday night and one person arrested amid an unspecified suspicious security alert, an airport spokeswoman, Danielle Timmer told AFP. She said she didn't have further info on the incident. Television images showed heavily armed special border patrol policemen patrolling outside areas of the airport.

Gospel singer dies in hotel room after meeting a pastor she met on Facebook

Popular Edo female gospel singer, Mrs. Yvonne Omoarebokhae who met a pastor, Pastor Psalm Okpe of Fresh Oil Ministry on Facebook has been confirmed dead by the Police in Benin City, Edo State. Mrs Yvonne Omoarebokhae, was found dead in a hotel in Benoni, GRA in Benin after she met with the pastor.

According to her husband, Odion, his wife met Pastor Okpe on Facebook and after several months of chatting, the man of God invited his wife to perform at his programme which was to be held in Benin, Warri and Asaba. He confirmed that he knew about his wife chatting with the Pastor and the arrangements to meet at the said hotel.

FG comes to the aid of 14 years old girl with kidney disease

Respite has come the way of a 14 year old girl identified as Faith Andrew whose treatment for a kidney disease has been stopped for a while because of the inability of her widowed mother of 6 to pay for her weekly dialysis or the N7 million kidney transplant fee. Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, visited Faith at the Gwagwalada Teaching hospital yesterday April 12th and said the Federal government will henceforth take responsibility of the girl's medical bill. See tweets from the Ministers twitter handle after the jump...

South East APC spokesperson says the Federal Government cannot intervene in Saraki's trial

The South East spokesperson of APC, Osita Okechukwu during a briefing with journalists at the national secretariat in Abuja yesterday said that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari cannot intervene in the on going trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki. He said this is because they cannot prosecute and defend him at the same time, asking for due process to take place without the FG's intervention.

Man posing as Uber driver kidnaps and rapes woman

Los Angeles police have arrested a man they say posed as an Uber driver and picked up a woman waiting for a ride in the Westlake district area into his car. According to Police Chief Charlie Beck, 39 year old Dartanyun Smith pretended to be an Uber driver and pulled up to a woman waiting for an Uber driver. She said Yes and got into his car. However, as soon as she got in, he drove about two blocks, he choked her unconscious several times and raped her several times as well.

Photos: Buhari and his delegation formally welcomed to China by the Chinese president

President Buhari and his delegation were yesterday formally welcomed to China by the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, at a ceremony which held at the Great Hall in Beijing China. Buhari was treated to a 21 gun salute and he also inspected a guard of honor of the Chinese Liberation army. Continue to see more photos.

Press statement on the kidnap of Channels TV reporter in Imo state

Read the statement from NUJ below...
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Zone C (South East) has received with shock, the report of the kidnap of Channels Television Correspondent in Owerri, Imo State, Mr. Tope Kuteye by 3am Monday April 11, 2016. Kuteye was reportedly kidnapped at his residence in Owerri.
We condemn the kidnap of this innocent citizen and journalist. Kuteye is neither a politician nor a money-bag business man. It therefore baffles the Union as to why he should be the target of this dastardly act.

We therefore appeal to the abductors of Mr. Kuteye to release him unconditionally without delay.

We similarly call on law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned to secure the release of Kuteye soonest should his abductors hedge.

We regret that journalists, who are always at the forefront in the battle for social change, accountability, transparency in governance and social justice should be made the victim of the vices they stood against.

Please, and please, we plead with abductors of our colleague to release him without further day!

Signed:

1. Comrade Christopher Isiguzo, Vice President, NUJ Zone C.
2. Comrade Kenneth Ofoma, Secretary NUJ Zone C.

Press statement on the alleged manslaughter of a biker in Abuja

Below is a press statement from friends of the deceased.
On Friday, 1st of April, 2016, along the Yoruba mosque axis of the Maitama district, a biker, Mr. Somar Ain Al Shaibeh was on an afternoon ride, kitted with his helmet. Unknown to the rider, a woman driving a Toyota Matrix car with Plate Number BW 227 RSH out of impatience was carelessly driving against traffic as to avoid the traffic gridlock caused by a mosque on her rightful lane, and decided to drive one-way through the very dangerous bend.


Before the rider could sight the oncoming vehicle, it was too late and a head-on collision became unavoidable. He was hit by the woman, unconscious and was rushed to the hospital, and a case was lodged with the police.

Photos: Gov. Oshiomhole, Iara and Dangote at the groudbreaking ceremony of Dangote cement plant in Edo State

President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote on Sunday, April 10 announced the commencement of the company's $1 billion cement plant in Okpella, Edo State. The groundbreaking ceremony of the six million metric tonnes integrated plant was part of activities to mark his 59th birthday. Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, his wife Iara and Gov. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano are pictured at the event. More photos after the jump.

2016 budget crisis confirms my position that Buhari is clueless, incompetent - Fayose

Read the press statement below...
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose has described the raging controversies between the Presidency and the National Assembly over the 2016 Budget as a confirmation of his position that President Buhari was clueless and incompetent, saying; “Nigerians should expect more blunders like this until they send Buhari back to Daura in 2019.”
The governor, who said it was now obvious that the President and his All Progressives Congress (APC) only wanted power desperately without the wherewithal to govern, added that; “I warned Nigerians of the consequences of electing an octogenarian as president and with the international embarrassment that this budget crisis has become, I have been vindicated.”

Photos: "Borno is now free! declares Governor Shettima as he visits NEMA headquarters in Abuja

Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima says Boko Haram has been decimated since President Muhammadu Buhari took office. He declared that "Borno is now free," noting, however, that the war against the sect is still on. Shettima stated this yesterday, April11 during his visit to the headquarters of National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) in Abuja.

Senate says its open to restore Lagos-Calabar rail project into 2016 budget

The Nigerian Senate says it is open to restore the controversial Lagos-Calabar rail project into the 2016 budget if the Federal government sends in a supplementary budget. Spokesperson of the senate, Abdullahi Sabi, stated this while speaking to journalists at the National Assembly today April 12th.

Large trade imbalance between Nigeria and China must be reduced- Buhari

Press statement from the Presidency
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Beijing called on the Nigerian and Chinese business communities to work harder to reduce the trade imbalance between both countries which is currently in China's favour. Speaking at the opening of a Nigeria-China Business/Investment Forum, President Buhari said that trade and economic relations between both countries must be mutually-beneficial and conducted with reciprocated respect and trust.
"Although the Nigerian and Chinese business communities have recorded tremendous successes in bilateral trade, there is a large trade imbalance in favour of China as Chinese exports represent some 80 per cent of the total bilateral trade volumes.

New Zealander pensioner charged with smuggling cocaine into Australia

A New Zealand Kiwi pensioner is in an Australian maximum security prison ail on drug smuggling charges after six kilograms of cocaine was found in his bag. He claimed the bag was given to him by two Nigerian men in Brazil who promised to share huge amount of money with him.

Rivers State Police Command releases photos of arrested armed robbers, kidnappers and cultists.

The Rivers State Police Command today released photos of suspected cultists, kidnappers, and armed robbers arrested in the state. Arms and ammunition recovered from the suspected criminals were also displayed. More photos after the jump

'Aspiration and wealth creation are not dirty words',UK prime minister David Cameron lashes out at Panama Papers report

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has been under mounting pressure since his father, Ian Cameron, was identified as a client of a Panamanian law firm that specializes in helping the wealthy to reduce their tax burdens by creating off shore investments and having offshore accounts in reports sparked by Panama Papers leaks.

The prime minister initially refused to say whether he had a stake in Blairmore Holdings, an offshore firm established by his father, before acknowledging he had sold his shares in it shortly before he was elected as Prime minister in 2010.

Witness recounts how former Jigawa state governor, Sule Lamido and his sons allegedly defrauded the state

Read the Press statement from EFCC below...
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on April 11, 2016, presented more witnesses in the on-going trial of former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and two others before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
They are being prosecuted on a 27-count charge bordering on the abuse of office and money laundering. Prosecution witness, Micheal Wetkas, an operative of the EFCC, who testified as PW18, revealed how Lamido, his sons, and cohorts received kickbacks, while masquerading the same as proceeds for executed sub-contracts.

Photos: 22-year-old mother confesses to killing her toddler daughter

Sofina Nikat had earlier told investigators her daughter Sanaya Sahid was snatched from her pram by an African as they were walking in Olympic Park at Heidelberg West, Australia on Saturday morning. The 15-months-old was later found dead in a Melbourne creek in the early hours of Sunday, April 10.

Anti-Graft War: Sagay Charges EFCC To Be Resolute

Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, has charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, not to relent in carrying out its mandate of ridding the country of economic and financial crimes.



Sagay, who led some members of the committee to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, on April 7, 2016 also stressed the pivotal role the anti-graft agency has to play in winning the war against corruption.

EFCC NABS TWO FAKE 'EFCC OPERATIVES'

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday April 8, 2016 arrested the duo of Abbas Attahiru and Mohammed Sufiyanu for offences bordering on personation and obtaining by false pretence.



Attahiru and Sufiyanu’s arrest followed a complaint by a would be victim, that the suspects claiming to be staff of EFCC, informed him of a petition purportedly written against him.

Dasukigate: Metuh’s Move to Stall Trial Rejected … Ordered to Enter Defence

The National spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday April 11, 2016, again attempted to throw another spanner in the wheel of justice at his ongoing trial before Justice E. O Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on the seven count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.


Metuh who is being prosecuted alongside his company, Destra Investments Limited for the alleged N400m fraud, had earlier on Friday April 8, 2016, met a brick wall in his attempt to stall his trial.

How Lamido, Others Defrauded Jigawa - EFCC Witness

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on April 11, 2016, presented more witnesses in the on-going trial of former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and two others before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.


They are being prosecuted on a 27-count charge bordering on the abuse of office and money laundering.

EFCC Arraigns Man for Attempting to Steal N7m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday 11th April, 2016 arraigned one Adekunle Yakub Asuni before Justice. I.B. Gafai of the Federal High Court Awka, Anambra State on a four count charge for attempting to steal the sum of N7,000,000.00 (Seven million naira) by false pretence from the account of one Abdullahi Adamu.



The offence contravenes the provisions of section 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act. 2006.