Nigeria Revenue Drops To 5-year Low As Tax, Oil Income Fall

Nigeria’s revenue fell last month to the lowest level in more than five years as taxes and oil earnings dropped, making it more difficult for the government of Africa’s largest economy to pay public workers.

The country’s federal, state and local governments were altogether allocated 300 billion naira ($1.5 billion) in March, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement e-mailed late Thursday from the capital, Abuja. To assist the lower-tier governments, the ministry also waived 10.9 billion naira of loan repayments.

About 27 of 36 states are “currently experiencing challenges meeting their salary payments,” the ministry said. “We are not able to guarantee that all states will be able to meet their salary obligations.”

23 die in Pakistan after eating poisoned sweets at house party

23 people have died and dozens more fallen ill in Karor Lal Esan, Pakistan after eating sweets police suspect were laced with pesticides. The sweets were reportedly purchased from a bakery then distributed among friends and family at a party celebrating the birth of a baby boy. Police say 10 people died on the same day and 13 more have died from the poisoning. According to local police officer Munir Ahmed, "The death toll from consumption of the sweets has now risen to 23, and 52 people are still being treated at various hospitals." Police say they have arrested two bakery owners and a worker in connection with the deaths. Senior officer Rameez Bukhari said: "There was a pesticide shop close by which was being renovated, and the owner had left his pesticides at the bakery for safe keeping. "A baker may have used a small packet in the sweet mixture."

Fire Destroys Filling Station And Houses In Ondo

No fewer than six houses were razed in an inferno that gutted a Mobil petrol station on Saturday evening in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. The fire which began at 7.30p.m. was as a result of a spark which emanated from a house beside the Mobil filling station. NAN also learnt that no life was lost in the inferno, but the absence of a fire service station in the town worsened the situation.

Electing Sheriff National Chairman Will Be Disastrous, Okupe Tells PDP

An aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has called on leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, not to elect Ali Modu Sheriff the party’s chairman. Mr. Okupe said electing the controversial Borno politician would mean repeating the mistake the party made in adopting Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate in 2015. The PDP has been plunged into a protracted internal crisis as Mr. Sheriff, who is its substantive chairman, insists on contesting for the position at the national convention scheduled to hold on May 21 in Port-Harcourt.

Appropriation Committee To Rework 2016 Budget

National Assembly’s joint Appropriation Committees have resolved to rework the controversial 2016 budget to enable President Muhammadu Buhari assent to it. In a joint statement yesterday, Chairman, Senate Appropriation Committee, Danjuma Goje and his House of Representatives counterpart, Abdulmumin Jibrin, asked the lawmakers to accede to President Buhari’s request on the matter in the interests of Nigerians.

Troops Ambush Boko Haram Terrorists Escaping Sambisa Forest (PHOTOS)

At the early hours of today, Sunday 24th April 2016, troops of 81 Battalion and some elements of 251 Task Force Battalion, 25 Brigade, ambushed suspected Boko Haram terrorists escaping from Sambisa forest to Fulawani village.

The ambushed terrorists were trying to link up with other terrorists or members of their families to relocate to other places. It will be recalled that the troops intercepted a group of women and children yesterday who claimed to have escaped from the terrorists enclave in Sambisa forest.

Army: AI Report On Clash With Shi’ites Hasty, Partial, Subjective

•Debunks satellite videos of mass grave as fake
•Queries timing, authenticity of the report


By Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Nigerian Army has berated Amnesty International (AI) for its recent report on the clash with members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in December 2015 in Zaria, Kaduna State, as too hasty, partial, judgemental and subjective.

This was stated at the weekend by the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in response to THISDAY’s inquiries about the latest allegations by the AI about the deadly confrontation with IMN popularly known as Shi’ites Islamic Sect.

Leahy Law: Jonathan Showed No Political Will In Fight Against Boko Haram – US Envoy

Nigeria was added to Leahy Law banning sales of arms to the country under the administration of Jonathan, US Envoy claims Jonathan showed no Political will in fight against Boko Haram.

The United States yesterday said immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan, did not show political will in putting an end to Boko Haram insurgency that ravaged the country for several years.

The country also revealed that corruption in the Jonathan-led administration denied Nigeria its support in the war against Boko Haram at the height of the insurgency.

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Ambassador Samantha Power, made the revelation at the American University of Nigeria, during a visit to round off her visit to IDPs camps in Adamawa state.

Abdullahi Kukuwa Wins Yobe Federal Constituency By-election

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has won the Damaturu/Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani federal constituency by-election in Yobe. The Returning Officer of the election, Sunday Alao, on Saturday in Damaturu declared APC candidate, Abdullahi Kukuwa, the winner. Mr. Kukuwa scored 23,745 votes to defeat Nasiru Hassan of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, who polled 6,990 votes to emerge second. Adamu Dina of the Advance Congress for Democracy, ACD, scored 163 votes while Jibrin Ladan of the National Conscience Party, NCP, scored 139 votes. The election was conducted on Saturday to replace Khadija Bukar, who was appointed minister in the federal cabinet. Zannah Ibrahim, Yobe Commissioner of Police said there was no violence recorded in any of the four participating local government areas. Yobe is, however, set to head for another by- election as Mr. Kukuwa currently represents Gulani constituency in the state assembly, a position that will now be vacant once he is sworn in as a federal lawmaker.

FG To Empower 1,000 Youths In ICT

The federal government has planned to empower 1,000 Nigerian youth in Information and Communication technology (ICT).

The media assistant to presidential aide on youth and student affairs, Gidado Shuaib in statement said the Nigerian government has developed a partnership with a leading global ICT form to initiate a social development programme for youth.

Shuaib said the ICT programme by Huawei Technologies would empower 1,000 Nigeria youth as part of government’s effort to addressing unemployment in the country.

The initiative, Shuaib said would be overseen by Nasir Adhama, special assistant to president Muhammadu Buhari on youth and student affairs.

The Daesh Chronicles: The Prognosis

by Ghassan Kadi

The world has got to realize that the ideology that underpins Daesh is coming to a head. It had been latent for a long time, and now it has fully awakened and will not put its case to rest before one of two things happen; either that it will get its way, or it will be crushed, both militarily and, most importantly, ideologically.

Passenger Train Crushes Motorcyclist And Its Passenger To Death In Ilorin

A passenger train has collided with two persons in Ilorin leaving irreparable damage in its trail. The Kano to Lagos passenger train on Sunday, crushed a commercial motorcyclist and his passenger to death in llorin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tragedy occurred along Kangu-lle-Araromi road in the llorin West Local Government Area.

Think US-Saudi Relations are Bad Now? The 70s Almost Saw an Invasion

Much has been made of the recent chill in relations between the Washington and Riyadh, with the two sides at odds over everything from regional policy to oil prices, to threats by the Kingdom to pull out billions in assets over investigations into 9/11. But as bad as things are, they aren't as bad as the time in the 70s' when the US almost invaded.

Saraki Might Win CCT Case Against Him - Report

This is an independent report written by a Lagos lawyer. Read below...
At the ongoing cross-examination of the star witness in the trial of Senator Bukola Saraki, Mr. Michael Wetkas, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has admitted, based on questions from Saraki’s counsel, that the EFCC did not investigate the accuracy of some of the exhibits presented as proof in the trial of the Senate President.
Saraki’s defense team, led by a former Attorney-General of the Federal, Mr. Kanu Agabi, have poked several holes in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) case against the Senate President in their thorough scrutiny of Mr. Wetkas’ testimony.

North Korea Sends 300 Multiple Rocket Launchers to Southern Border

South Korea’s military reported that North Korea has deployed some 300 multiple launch rocket systems along its southern border, putting Seoul within a striking distance.

stems along its southern border, putting Seoul within a striking distance, South Korea’s military told local media on Sunday.
North Korea has reportedly been stationing missile launchers along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 2.5-mile-wide strip of land separating the two countries, since 2014.

Daesh Freeze 45 of Their Own To Death For Defection

The so-called Islamic State killed 45 of their own in a warning to potential defectors. In an attempt to make the executions even more horrifying as a deterrent, they locked their defectors in a freezer for a day.

According Iraqi media agency Al Sumaria News, the 45 defectors attempted to flee the battlefield during recent fights in Iraq. They accused deserters were executed by being locked in morgue freezers in Mosul for 24 hours, left for a slow, presumably agonizing death.  Their bodies were reportedly then stretched out along the sides of the road at city entrances to act as a warning to any other fighter who might have second thoughts.

Daesh Kills 250 Girls for Refusing to Be Sex Slaves - Report

Militants of the Islamic State have executed 250 girls in Iraq for refusing to become sex slaves. Some were killed alongside their families. The killings were the latest acts of brutality against women and young girls at the hands of the Muslim extremists.

In the Daesh — the so-called Islamic State or ISIS — stronghold of Mosul, 250 women paid the ultimate price for refusing to marry their captors and become sex slaves.

Syrian Government, Rebels Sign Truce in Quneitra Province

The Russian military said that a ceasefire has been agreed between the government and a militant group in Syria's western Quneitra province, which includes the Israel-occupied Golan Heights.

Kuwait to DNA Test Everyone, Including Tourists. No exceptions

According to Traveller 24, Kuwait is going to become the first nation in the world to conduct total mandatory DNA tagging, which applies both to their own population and tourists.

The legislation that will make DNA tagging mandatory will come in effect later this year. After that each and every person entering the country will undergo a mandatory DNA sampling. This will be done by taking samples of saliva or blood (by person's choice). Refusing to undergo such procedure will cause "consequences" that have yet to be  specified.

Russia’s Intervention in Syria Splits US Administration

As the Russia-backed Syrian government pushes on against Daesh forces in a joint effort with the so-called “moderate opposition”, the US administration is debating about Russia’s true intentions and how America should react.

Syrian Army Bags Key Homs Province Oilfields From Daesh Terrorists

The Syrian Army and the country's National Defense Forces launched fresh attacks against Daesh strongholds in the central province of Homs, forcing the terrorists to retreat from their positions.


Russian, Syrian Bombers Deliver Big Surprise to Daesh Supply Line, Combat Vehicles Near Raqqa
The Syrian Army and the country's National Defense Forces (NDF) in Homs province in central Syria, prompting jihadists to retreat, the Iranian news agency FARS reported.

VP Osinbajo says FG to begin payment of N5k to the poor once the budget is signed

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal government will begin payment of the N5000 to the poor in Nigeria once the 2016 budget is signed by President Buhari. Osinbajo also disclosed that the government is also planning to train a minimum of 100, 000 young Nigerians in technology. Osinbajo disclosed this while speaking at the United Action for Change Town Hall Meeting at Ikeja Airport Hotel Lagos today April 23rd. What he said at the townhall meeting were tweeted by his Senior Special Assistant-Media&Publicity, Laolu Akande.

Presidency moves against emergency billionaires ..says holders of public office must account for their wealth

Serving and former public office holders will henceforth be made to account for their wealth, Vice President Yemi Osibajo (SAN), has said. He stated this at a town hall meeting convened by the United Action for Change, UAC in Lagos today Saturday April 23rd.

Osinbajo who fielded questions from various labour and professional organisations as well as individuals at the meeting held at the Ikeja Airport Hotel, said "the era of people becoming emergency billionaires is gone" and would no longer be tolerated by the Buhari-led administration.

Photo: Nigerian Army parades fake colonel

The Nigerian Army on Friday April 22nd paraded Prince Onyemauche pictured above, accused of impersonation as a Colonel in the Army.

According to Army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman who paraded Onyemauche before journalists at the army headquarters in Abuja, said he was arrested alongside one sergeant Jacob Phillip by troops of 176 Special Forces Gurads Battalion along Wazobia Motor Park, Gwagwalada Abuja on Feb 17th.

Body of woman found dead in a canal at Ikeja has been removed

Yesterday, I reported about a dead woman whose body was dumped at a canal behind a barracks in Ikeja..  Her body was removed this afternoon. See more photos after the jump...