Sheriff will bury PDP at May 21 convention — Ex-ministers

Olusola Fabiyi

Aggrieved former ministers, who served under the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government, have said that the forthcoming national convention of the party may turn out to be used as a burial day for the former ruling party.

 They said that unless the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff retraced his steps from contesting at the convention, the coffin of the party would be nailed at the event.

No land for grazing in Benue —Ortom

Godwin Akor with agency report

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has called for the establishment of ranches for Fulani herdsmen and their cattle to reduce the incidence of clashes between them and farmers across the country.

Ortom, while receiving members of the House of Representatives Committee on Security and Intelligence at the Benue People’s House, on Thursday, suggested that such ranches should be established with the collaborated efforts of the three tiers of government and provision of security, social amenities, nomadic schools and markets within the designated areas.

Army Clears 7 Vilages Of Boko Haram Terrorists (photos)

As the ongoing clearance and rescue operations gained momentum, troops of 28 Task Force Brigade have successfully cleared enclaves of Boko Haram terrorists along Galtha Baba, Galtha Musa, Bulakurma, Shatimari, Chukruk, Bulangaje, and Disa villages. During the operation, one Boko Haram terrorist was captured alive and 3 motorcycles, bags of grains, their flags and uniforms were recovered. Other items include suicide bomber’s hijab, mobile phone and 1 Dane gun, as well as foodstuffs and cooking utensils.

Man Kills His Cousin In Akwa Ibom (Graphic Photos)

A 56yrs old man named Malachi Augustine has been arrested by the Ikot Akpan Abia Police division for killing his cousin, Uwem Solomon Bassey in Akwa Ibom state. An eye witness who spoke on anonmity said the victim was attacked when he went for wake keeping in Idung ebibit. Those involved in the killing include: The youth president, the uncle and six others. Below is the pics of the victim and his uncle.

Fulani Herdsmen Obstruct Okorocha And Journalists In Owerri

 Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and some journalists were held up for about half an hour at Amakohia Orlu Road in Owerri the state capital, while on tour of projects in the state by Fulani herdsmen. The obstruction was said to have occurred Saturday between 4 and 4. 30 pm. The herdsmen were however cleared by the Governor’s security, according a statement sent by Ike Abonyi, a journalist who was in the same car with the Governor.

Buhari Takes Anti-corruption Campaign To London

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday travel to London, United Kingdom to participate in the international Anti-Corruption Summit, which will be held in the British capital on Thursday.

According to a statement on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President, as an internationally recognised leader in the global fight against corruption, will play a prominent part in the summit which will be hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron with many other Heads of State and Government in attendance.

Construction Of 700MW Zungeru Power Plant Resumes

Construction works has resumed at the site of the 700 megawatts (MW) Zungeru power plant in Niger State, after the federal government facilitated an out of court settlement by parties involved in the dispute, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said.

Buhari To Halt Importation Of Food Soon – Minister

The Federal Government will soon put a stop to importation of food items because Nigeria has the capacity to attain self-sufficiency in food production .
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who dropped this hint on Friday said that President Muhammadu Buhari was desirous of stopping all forms of food importation into the country.

Dasukigate Funds Traced To Abati, Okupe, Fadile, And Gula

SaharaReporters has learned that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has located stolen money from accounts of the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki to several prominent aides to the former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Sambo Dasuki, Rueben Abati, Goodluck Jonathan

You Have Failed Nigerians - ASUU To Buhari

by Cletus Ukpong

President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Friday, received a damning verdict from the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

ASUU, at its 19th National Delegates Conference held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said Nigerians were yet to experience the much talked-about change Mr. Buhari promised the nation.

The administration has failed the people, ASUU said.

GFATM Suspends Activities In Nigeria, Demands Probe By Buhari.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) has suspended disbursement of funds to Nigeria following discovery of large scale fraud to the tune of millions of dollars.

The organisation, which is the highest donor to Nigeria in terms of HIV and malaria, said it has disbursed more than $1.4 billion to the country since 2003.

Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to take action, Global Fund said Nigeria has faced significant challenges around financial management, which has led to a number of investigations and recoveries of grant money in the past years.

Peter Obi Influenced Fidelity Bank's Transactions With Diezani - Bank MD,Okonkwo

Former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi may be next in line to be invited by the EFCC and here is why. Recently the anti-graft commission arrested the former MD of Fidelity bank,Nnamdi Okonkwo for his involvement in the $115 million election bribery scandal. Okonkwo received huge cash sums in dollars from 4 oil companies and disbursed them to certain beneficiaries on behalf of ex-petroleum minister Diezani Allison Madueke.

Fulani Herdsmen: Abia Revives Bakassi Boys To Guard Rural Communities

FOLLOWING the raging attacks of communities across the country by Fulani Herdsmen, Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has approved the deployment of the State’s Vigilant outfit, Bakassi Boys to all rural communities of the State.

The Governor also directed all monarchs in the State to nominate 10 youths to the Local Government Commissioner to join a planned intensive training of the Bakassi vigilante for onward deployment to the rural communities. He said that they would assist in community policing under the supervision of the police.

Lekan Shonde Murders Wife, Ronke

This is Ronke Shonde and her husband, Lekan Shonde. She was found dead in her home yesterday morning and her husband is missing. He is believed to have beaten her death during a domestic dispute in their home. See her family photos and photo of her corpse after she was found this morning, after the cut. She leaves behind two young children. Please ladies, your life is not worth any marriage. At least think of your kids. Who will take care of them if your man kills you...who?

Polytechnic Bida Lecturer Rapes A Student

THE Federal Polytechnic, Bida, has suspended a lecturer in the Department of Public Administration for allegedly raping an ND1 student in the department.

Our correspondent gathered that the lecturer was caught in the act.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Police Command, Bala Elkana, confirmed the incident, adding that the culprit would remain in police custody pending the completion of investigation.

I Was Sidelined In Disbursement Of Campaign Funds- Chris Anyanwu.

Senator Chris Anyanwu yesterday said that though she was one of two persons appointed to oversight President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign in Imo State but that she was completely sidelined in the disbursement of the funds earmarked for the campaign.

Senator Anyanwu in a statement made available to Saturday Vanguard confirmed being invited to the Enugu offices of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC where she said she deposed her innocence of any financial dealings during the campaign.

Glo Gains 80% Of New Internet Customers In First Quarter Of 2016 While MTN Drop.

The Nigerian Communications Commission report for the first quarter of 2016 indicated that Globacom has strengthened its position as Nigeria’s preferred network for new data subscribers.

In the report covering the first three months of the year just released by NCC, Globacom recorded an additional 1,448,354 new internet subscribers on its network during the period. The figure is made up of 354,178 for January, 248,593 for February and 845,583 for the month of March. Globacom’s total internet customers as at the end of the quarter stood at 26,530,420.

N5Billion Recovered From Yemi Adeola, Sterling Bank MD

The Economic and financial crimes commission has successfully recovered a sum of N5 billion naira from embattled Sterling bank CEO, Yemi Adeola who was arrested on Thursday. Investigations reveal that a total sum of $88 million was traced to a hidden account managed by Adeola.The money was transferred to him from Fidelity Bank.The $88 million found at Sterling Bank is separate from the $115m given to Fidelity Bank by the Diezani Alison-Madueke. These funds were earmarked to bribe officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the 2015 presidential election in favor of Goodluck Jonathan. Adeola had kept the $88m as an "off-record" transaction. The anti-graft agency is getting poised to arrest some other staff of Sterling bank who reportedly shut down their computers when the officials of the commission stormed the bank headquarters.This was to prevent them from having access to bank and transaction records.

Kudrin Returns?

by Alexander Mercouris for The Duran

The announcement that former Russian Finance Minister Alexey Kudrin has been appointed deputy head of Russian President Putin’s Council of Economic Advisers has provoked a stir.

This is not surprising. Few individuals in Russian politics polarise opinion as strongly as Kudrin does.

Buhari Arrives Daura After Signing The 2016 Budget.PICS

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Daura his home town in Katsina state for a short break after signing the 2016 national budget earlier today. The President who is expected back in Abuja by Monday, was received by the state governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari and top federal and state government functionaries at the airport before leaving for Daura, his hometown.

House On Fire This Morning In Owerri- Firemen Worked With Muftis

Residents of this neighbourhood in Owerri, Imo State woke up to the shouts of fire, which had engulfed a 2-storey building within the neighborhood. According to the eye-witness (Nnamdi Nwaigwe) who took the photos, the Imo State Fire Service Men later intervened, but that was after much damage had been done.

I Budgeted N200 Billion For Roads Unlike Jonathan’s Paltry N18 Billion – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration has prioritised the repair and construction of roads within the country, unlike his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, who earmarked very little for infrastructure.
Mr. Buhari said this in a speech Friday before signing the 2016 budget into law.
“To illustrate our renewed commitment to infrastructural development, the 2016 budget allocates over N200 billion to road construction as against a paltry N18 billion allocated for same purpose in the 2015 budget,” President Buhari said.

"Niger-Delta Avengers" Threaten To Bomb Lagos And Abuja - Madoch Agninibo

A Niger Delta Militant Group, the “Nigeria Delta Avengers” has issued a statement threatening to “take it to” Lagos and Abuja after bombing Chevron platforms in Warri, Delta state.

In a statement signed by one Col. Madoch Agninibo, the group threatened to carry out other attacks on oil installations outside the Niger Delta in Abuja and Lagos.

EFCC Arrests Herbert Wigwe, Access Bank MD

The Economic and financial crimes commission, today raided the Headquarters of Access bank and have detained the MD, Herbert Wigwe....more details soon.

UPDATE :

Wigwe was arrested over the role he played in the huge sums of cash laundered through the bank by officials of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). An EFCC source who pleaded anonymity revealed that the Access Bank MD received $5 million routed through Zenith Bank. 

Budget: Saraki Assures Nigerians Of Adequate Oversight

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has commended Nigerians for their patience while awaiting presidential assent to the 2016 Appropriation Act and promised that the National Assembly will ensure its proper implementation through diligent oversight.

Saraki who today (Friday) joined Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other top government officials in witnessing the signing of the budget into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, said the responsibility is now that of both the executive and the legislature to ensure that the objectives and goals of the budget are duly realized.