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Tuesday, 11 April 2017 15:31

Corruption cases: Don’t judge the judiciary, CJN advises critics

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Tuesday advised Nigerians to desist from being judgmental on the performance of the judiciary in the ongoing anti-corruption fight. He spoke with State House correspondents shortly after meeting behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Onnoghen was reacting to recent developments that saw government agencies losing corruption-related cases in court and the allegations of judicial gang-up. The CJN warned that Nigerians who are judging the judiciary are at the risk of becoming prejudice. He said, “I have told you that if you are not satisfied, the system…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 15:30

Senate orders withdrawal of Nigeria constitution from circulation

Concerned over proliferation of versions and copies of the 1999 Constitution as amended in the country, the Senate has called for immediate withdrawal of the document in circulation, with a bid to harmonizing it into one constitution that would be a uniform one. Against this backdrop, the Senate Tuesday mandated Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to liaise with National Judicial Council and the Attorney-General and other relevant agencies to withdraw the different versions of the Constitution in circulation, just as it urged the Committee to liaise with other relevant government agencies to authorize printing and distribution of…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 15:25

Fire guts FAAN headquarters

‎Workers of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were nearly asphyxiated this morning when thick smoke emanating from fire from one part of the headquarters of the agency engulfed the whole offices and forced workers to scamper for safety. When THISDAY called one of the officers from Public Affairs Department he responded, “Please I can’t talk now. This place is choking. I cant breathe!” as he struggled to escape from the building. The fire, which sent huge smoke spiraling into the air crippled activities and forced traffic gridlock at the link road between General Aviation Terminal and the international wing…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 11:13

#BBNaija: Television as madness - Reuben Abati

What a relief! So, the Big Brother Naija reality television programme is finally over. It ended Sunday evening with 23-year old Efe Michael Ejemba, University of Jos graduate of Economics and singer winning the N25 million + SUV at stake, with 57.6% of the votes from over 24 million voters across Africa. Warri, where Efe’s family lives, erupted in excitement. At the Multichoice viewing centre in Ikeja, Lagos, where Katung Aduwak took charge so brilliantly, there was a similar eruption of incandescent joy. I was relieved because for about 70 days, the Big Brother Naija show was a big distraction,…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 03:04

Nigeria Customs abolishes HND, BSC dichotomy, promotes HND holders

Nigeria Customs Service has removed the dichotomy between Higher National Diploma and Bachelor’s degree which hitherto was skewed against the personnel holding the former qualification. Comptroller-General of the service, Hameed Ali, made the announcement on Monday through a statement signed by NCS spokesperson, Joseph Attah. Abolishing the HND-BSc dichotomy in the ranking of personnel in Nigeria’s public service has been a subject of constant demand, particularly from Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics. But it emerged on Monday that the federal government has isolated some organisations for reform. “As part of the ongoing reforms in line with circular Ref: HCSF/EPO/EIR/CND/100/ST/98 of…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 03:03

FG provides N500 billion to FMBN for mortgage facilities

The Federal Government says it has provided N500 billion to resuscitate Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to make mortgage facilities easily available to Nigerians. Mr Mustapha Baba-Shehuri, Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, announced this in Lafia on Monday when he called on Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Silas Agara. The minister visited the site of a National Housing Project in Lafia. “The resuscitation of the bank with N500 billion will empower the institution with adequate funds to provide mortgage facilities to interested Nigerians. “The Federal Government in its quest to provide shelter to Nigerians, has recently directed…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 03:01

Two police officers offered N150m to assassinate me - Wike

Rivers State Government said on Monday that the State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, survived five assassination attempt within 11 months. State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Austin Tam-George, who said this in a statement, described as callous and insensitive, recent denials by the police that the governor’s life was not at risk. Tam-George explained that the first attempt on Wike’s life was made immediately after the Supreme Court verdict affirming his election victory, adding that All Progressive Congress government had declared war on the government and people of the state. He stated that the governor’s Chief Security Officer was…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 02:59

El-Rufai discloses security vote, salary, attacks N’Assembly

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, on Monday, accepted the challenge of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yabubu Dogara, by releasing details of his security vote, salary and allowances. The governor also released disbursements to the 23 Local Government Areas in the state. El-Rufai, while releasing the details, again challenged National Assembly members to do likewise. The governor said the federal legislature had the most opaque budget in the country, adding that Nigerians had spent N1tn on the lawmakers without knowing the details. The governor had, at the National Assembly retreat in Kaduna on Friday, dared members of…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 02:58

Fuel queues resurface in Abuja

Long queues of anxious motorists outside filling stations resurfaced in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday. The queues were noticed outside NNPC mega station, Forte Oil and Oando filling stations in Central Business District as well as Conoil and Total filling stations opposite the NNPC Towers. The two Total filling stations and Oando outlets along Berger roundabout also witnessed long queues of motorists in search of petrol. In most of the filling stations, except the NNPC mega station and the outlets opposite the NNPC headquarters, customers were not being served. No explanation was forthcoming as to the reason for…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 02:57

Patience Jonathan withdraws cash from unblocked account

Former First Lady Patience Jonathan yesterday waited for hours at a bank in Abuja until she was allowed to withdraw money from a domiciliary account. A Lagos court blocked the account in December on the request of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the EFCC, on suspicion the money it holds - $5.9 million – was proceed of crime. However, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun Thursday lifted the temporary forfeiture order as a result of which the former first lady showed up at the Skye Bank PLC, Maitama, Abuja where she operates the account. She demanded to withdrawal “huge amount of money,” said a source…

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Tuesday, 11 April 2017 02:55

N3.03tn tax collected in 2016 - FIRS

Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says it recorded a total tax collection of N3.303 trillion in 2016. No fewer than 14 million taxpayers were also captured in the national tax roll as at December 2016. The introduction of its “waiver of interest and penalty” policy, FIRS added, has so far equally raked in N27 billion. The policy was designed to promote voluntary compliance and shield taxpayers from the burden of carrying forward tax liabilities arising from penalty and interest. Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, made the disclosures at the opening of a five-day journalism training programme on taxation,…

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 02:52

Syria war: US missiles 'took out 20% of aircraft'

A US air strike in response to a suspected chemical attack damaged or destroyed 20% of Syria's operational aircraft, the US has said. Defence Secretary James Mattis said Syria would be "ill-advised ever again to use chemical weapons". Syria has denied a chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun last week that left 89 people dead. G7 nations are meeting in Italy to discuss policy and how to persuade Russia to abandon its Syrian ally. The US fired 59 cruise missiles at Syria's Shayrat airbase last Thursday, following the suspected chemical attack a day before. Mr Mattis said…

Monday, 10 April 2017 16:19

Falae speaks after kidnappers are sentenced to life imprisonment

An Ondo State High Court, Akure Division, on Monday sentenced seven Fulani herdsmen to life imprisonment for kidnapping former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae. Falae later spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on the judgement, describing it as necessary to stamp out the menace of kidnapping. Justice Williams Olamide found the accused guilty of the act committed in 2015 as charged by the Ondo State government. Mr. Falae was taken captive by the herdsmen on September 21, 2015 during his 77th birthday. He was released four days later after paying about N5 million as ransom. The convicts…

Monday, 10 April 2017 14:50

Trump to sell attack planes to Nigeria for Boko Haram fight

The Trump administration will move forward with the sale of high-tech aircraft to Nigeria for its campaign against Boko Haram Islamic extremists despite concerns over abuses committed by the African nation's security forces, according to U.S. officials. Congress is expected to receive formal notification within weeks, setting in motion a deal with Nigeria that the Obama administration had planned to approve at the very end of Barack Obama's presidency. The arrangement will call for Nigeria to purchase up to 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft with sophisticated targeting gear for nearly $600 million, one of the officials said. The officials…

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