Saraki seeks to stall trial again, asks judge to disqualify self

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja
The PUNCH can authoritatively report that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has filed another application before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, to stall his ongoing trial on charges of false asset declaration.
Saraki whose numerous applications seeking to stall the trial had been dismissed by the CCT itself and others including the Supreme Court, through his fresh motion, is asking the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, to disqualify himself.

PhotoNews: Saraki, some senators at the CCT today

See more pics after the page brea

Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu not our anti-corruption Ambassador - EFCC

EFCC has released a statement denying media reports that Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has been appointed as the agency's Anti-Corruption ambassador. Read the statement below...
The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to some reports in the print and online media, on April 20, 2016 claiming that the anti-graft agency has decorated the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, as “Anti-Corruption Ambassador”.

Photos: Thief beaten & burnt to death in Abuja

According to the person who shared these photos on Twitter, a young man's life was wasted through Jungle Justice today. Apparently he and his gang stole a Generator & Television this morning, somewhere in Mararaba, Abuja. An alarm was raised and the thieves made an attempt to run away. Two escaped, however, one wasn't lucky enough. He was beaten & burnt to death. What's even more sad is that Parents allowed their kids to stand & just look at the dead body left on the road. See the graphic photo after the cut...

Saraki releases statement, denies plans to disrupt his ongoing trial at CCT

Read the press statement below...
The attention of the Media Office of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has been drawn to a press statement released by a group known as the Citizen United For Peace and Stability (CUPS), Titled Security Alert! - Bukola Saraki finally declares war on the Nigerian Senate.

The report by CUPS stated that some unnamed sources told them that Senator Bukola Saraki has made plans to disrupt his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) by making use of thugs through some key personalities from Kwara State.

Nicki Minaj's brother indicted for raping a child

Nicki Minaj's older brother, Jelani Maraj, has been formally indicted on charges of raping an unidentified 12-year-old girl “repeatedly,”. According to Bossip, according to Bossip, a grand jury “deliberated for about a month before handing down the decision on April 4th.” Maraj is facing a top charge of felony predatory sexual assault against a child, along with felony sexual conduct against a child under age 13, sexual conduct against a child and endangering the welfare of a child. The charges were brought upon him in December of last year. If convicted, he’s facing a prison term of 15 years to life.

World's oldest dog dies peacefully, sleeping in her basket

Maggie the Kelpie, believed to be the world's oldest dog, died while sleeping in her basket on Sunday night. Maggie's owner was an Australian dairy farmer, Brian McLaren. Maggie was 30 years old at the time of her death which is approximately 200 years old in human years. According to her owner, Maggie had been sick on Friday and died on Sunday.

Rapper Bobby Shmurda's gang members convicted of murder

In December 2014, Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda was arrested along with members of his G Stone 90s gang. The GS90 had been under surveillance for months by the NYPD Brooklyn South Violence Reduction Task Force in connection with a series of gang related shootings and drug trafficking. Bobby and 20 members of his gang were charged with multiple drugs, guns and murder charges and were not released on bail. Update now is, two of the defendants have been convicted of murder...

You need science & spiritual intervention- APC Publicity Secretaries tell Fayose

Publicity secretaries ‎of APC in five Southwest states have asked Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, to seek science and spiritual interventions following his repeated outburst against the Buhari-led government. In a statement jointly signed by APC spokesmen of Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos and Osun states, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya, Taiwo Olatunbosun; Sola Lawal; Joe Igbokwe and Morakinyo Akintola, they said his actions in recent times depicts a man 'suffering from psychosis.”

CDK Integrated Industries set to open State of The Art Ceramic Tiles Factory

CDK Integrated Industries is now ready to open its state-of the-art Porcelain and Ceramic factory in May 2016, as revealed by the Chief Executive Officer Dr Khater Massaad, in a media chat at the factory in Shagamu Ogun state. This ultra modern factory is built on a million square meters of land to meet global Ceramics and Sanitary wares industry demand, particularly in Africa and Europe.

Senate denies buying 109 SUVs, says it only bought 36 SUVs at N36.5m each

The leadership of Nigeria's Senate has denied media reports that it recently took delivery of 109 SUVs, claiming that it only took delivery of 36 Land Cruiser XVR V8 at N36.5 million each.

In an interview with National Assembly correspondents yesterday April 19th, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Senate Services, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, said the reports of the senate spending N4 billion on cars was false and that senators unanimously rejected the proposed loan to purchase their vehicles.

Photos: Young woman who died in an accident at Cele Mile 2, Lagos, needs identification!

Onunkwo Johnson shared these photos of a young woman who was killed in an accident at Cele Mile 2, Lagos last night. There was no form of ID on the lady as her body was deposited at the mortuary. May her soul rest in peace. See the very graphic photos after the cut. If anyone can identify her then contact any police station in the area..

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS

Photo: Borno state deputy governor reportedly walks into IDP camp officials cooking with weed leaves

Twitter user, @Dan-Borno who follows the activities of IDPs in Borno and shared these photos, alleging that the Borno state deputy governor, Usman Mamman Durkwa, caught the cooks at one of the Internally Displaced Persons camp, cooking soup for the IDPs using weed leaves.

Interview with Andrew Korybko by “Pechat”

An American studying in Moscow? For “Pechat” readers, that is a fascinating profile that sounds almost unreal. Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to study in a country that most Serbs greatly respect and admire, while most of your Serbian peers dream of studying in America?

Hi, and thank you for this very privileged opportunity to address your readers, I’m very honored that they’re interested in learning more about me. Let me begin by telling you about my family and that will hopefully help to explain a lot. My patronymic is Russian and my great-grandfather left what is modern-day Ukraine for Poland after the end of World War II. Aside from him, most of my dad’s side of the family are ethnic Poles and have lived in the country since time immemorial, and my dad was an immigrant from Poland (where he was born and raised) until he returned back to his homeland a few years ago. My mom’s side is what is particularly relevant to our readers. She was born in the US to immigrants that came from Yugoslavia, specifically Slovenia, after World War II. My matronymic grandparents ended up raising me because my parents were divorced, and I learned a lot from them. One thing that they instilled within me is a respect for all other people and identities, because this is what Yugoslavia was all about – strength through differences, unity through diversity!

Hybrid war hyenas tearing Brazil apart – Pepe Escobar

by Pepe Escobar for RT

The gloomy and repulsive night when the female president of the 7th largest economy in the world was the prey of choice fed to a lynch mob of hyenas in a drab, provincial Circus Maximus will forever live in infamy.

By 367 votes for and 137 against, the impeachment/coup/regime change-light drive against Dilma Rousseff cleared the Brazilian Congressional circus and will now go to the Senate, where a “special commission” will be set up. If approved, Rousseff will then be sidelined for 180 days and a low-rent tropical Brutus, Vice-President Michel Temer, will ascend to power until the Senate’s final verdict.

Saraki Will NOT Benefit From CCB Act Amendment, Says Senate

The senate on Tuesday said Bukola Saraki, its president, will not benefit from the proposed amendment of the code of conduct bureau and tribunal act.
Aliyu Abdullahi, chairman of the senate committee on media and public affairs, said this in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said many of the comments on the amendments were made by those who have neither read the bill nor sought to understand the principles behind it.

Abdullahi added that since Saraki”s case commenced in 2015, any amendment of the law in 2016 cannot affect the ongoing case.

Preaching Bill: We Are Not Banning Evangelism In Kaduna, It Will Curb Extremism – El-Rufai

The Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday explained that the religious bill he sent to State House of Assembly is not meant to ban evangelism in the state but only to curb emerging religious extremism.
Disclosing this intention of the state government at the religious bill roundtable meeting organised by an NGO, Carefronting Nigeria, in Kaduna, the Governor’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan posited that the security of lives and property formed the basis of government intention.

“Operation Shirin Harbin” Will Clear Criminal Gangs From Alkaleri Forest – Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the Army’s training and simulation exercise titled `Operation Shirin Harbin’, would also help in clearing criminal hideouts in the Alkaleri forest in Bauchi State.
Buratai said this while assessing the performance of Troops and their Commanders participating in the exercise in the Alkaleri forest.
He said apart from improving the combat readiness of the troops and the testing of high caliber weapons, the exercise would address security threats around the area.
“This area is a very good training ground but during this exercise we will be killing two birds with a stone.

APC Asks Yoruba Monarchs To Caution Fayose

The Publicity Secretaries of the All Progressives Congress in the South West States have criticised Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, over his objection to the $2bn China loan to Nigeria.
In a statement jointly signed by the APC spokesmen of Ondo State, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya; Ekiti, Taiwo Olatunbosun; Ogun, Sola Lawal; Joe Igbokwe of Lagos and their Osun counterpart, Mr. Morakinyo Akintola, they said the call became inevitable on account of the alleged persistent odd conduct by the governor before and after he assumed office for the second term.

Senate To Probe CCT Chairman, Says He’s Corrupt

In what could simply be described as corruption fighting back, Nigerian senators have decided to wage a war against the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar.
The move by the senators is the second in as many weeks after its attempt to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau Act met staunch opposition from Nigerians.
In a bid to perhaps, cut the wings of Umar who is trying Nigeria’s senate president, Bukola Saraki for false asset declaration, the Senate Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee has summoned the CCT Chairman to respond to a three-year old allegation of corruption against him.
The invitation came on a day the tribunal chairman Umar announced that Saraki’s trial will run daily.
Fearing that the Saraki saga might spill to other senators, the lawmakers in the Red Chamber quickly countered any of such moves.

'Everybody Has Asked Me for Sex': 600 Alleged Rape Reports in UK Schools

A major investigation into the prevalence of sexual harassment and violence in schools is underway in Britain after more than 600 alleged rapes were recorded over the last three years.

A revelation of little surprise to a mother from south east London who revealed to Sputnik that her 13-year-old daughter was missing out on her education because she felt pressured to have sex at school every day.

"My daughter came to me emotionally distraught saying that the pressure she's getting for sex at school means that she doesn't want to go to school," the mother told Sputnik.

EFCC Docks Man for Visa Scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, April 14, 2016 arraigned one Robert Okorie before Justice O. O. Goodluck of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a four-count charge bordering on forgery and obtaining by false pretence.


Okorie was arrested and charged sequel to a petition from one Joy Chukwu Iregbu, alleging that she paid him (Okorie) the sum of N350,000 (three hundred and fifty thousand naira) to enable him obtain a Mexican visa for her brother (Iroegbu Friday Kingsley ). When he could not obtain the visa, the defendant promised to obtain a Malaysian visa for the victim.

FG Bans Payment For Recruitment Forms

By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru


ABUJA- REASONS why the Federal Government banned payment for recruitment forms were on Tuesday, revealed by Director for Legal Services and Prosecution, the Federal Character Commission, FCC, Oluwatosin Bodunde.

N3.8m Scam: Court Jails Credit Card Fraudster 3 Years

Justice Kuewumi Babs  of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted and sentenced Abdulhakeem Daudu  to three years imprisonment for credit card fraud.


The convict was arraigned before the court on Thursday on a two-count charge bordering on possession and fraudulent use of credit card. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was subsequently convicted and sentenced to three years in prison.

N190m Fraud: Oronsaye Concealed Bank Account, Witness Tells Court

The former Secretary, Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, PCFATF, Jalal Arabi, on April 14, 2016 told a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Maitama, Abuja, that Stephen Oronsaye concealed the identity of the Access Bank account he opened in the name of the committee.

 
Oronsaye, a former Chairman of the PCFATF is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a two-count charge bordering on abuse of office and obtaining by false pretence before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck.