News

Monday, 09 December 2019 05:57

US raises concern over Sowore, anti-democratic actions by FG

Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana on Sunday, refuted Department of State Services’ claim that its operatives did not disrupt proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in their bid to re-arrest his client, Mr Omoyele Sowore, on Friday. Falana, in a statement, said contrary to DSS’ denial issued on Saturday, leader of the DSS team of operatives, who invaded the court, tendered an apology for their conduct when summoned after the incident by the presiding judge, Mrs Ijeoma Ojukwu. Falana said this just as the United States expressed concern about the re-arrest of Sowore after a court had ordered…

Monday, 09 December 2019 05:56

Presidency defends DSS, says Sowore deserved treatment

Presidency has broken its silence on the travails of Mr Omoyele Sowore, convener of Revolution Now, in the hands of Department of State Services (DSS). The secret police had released Sowore momentarily after 124 days in detention. This followed an ultimatum by a federal high court in Abuja. But less than 24 hours after he was freed, the agency rearrested him. This sparked outrage within and outside the country. Many had accused the government of President Muhammadu Buhari of sliding into dictatorship “through the attempt to silence critics”. Mr Robert Menendez, a US senator, had asked Buhari if he was…

Monday, 09 December 2019 05:55

N175bn non-mineral revenue unaccounted for under Buhari - Auditor-General

Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF), Mr Anthony Ayine has uncovered a N175,172,208,105 shortfall in non-mineral revenues shared by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in 2017. This was as he recommended recovery of N224,209,885 from National Judicial Council (NJC) arising from irregular contract variation for the construction of retirement residence of retired Chief Justice of Nigeria House No VII, located at plot 1850 CAD A04, Asokoro, Abuja. The recommendation is contained in the 2017 audit report of the AuGF released recently. Ayine made the disclosure in a 2017 audit report of federal agencies. The report also revealed that revenue generating…

Monday, 09 December 2019 05:54

Saudi pays compensation to families of 6 Nigerians Killed in crane collapse

Saudi Arabia has released the compensation for six Nigerians that died when a crane crashed in the Grand Mosque, Makkah in 2015. National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), confirmed the payment in a statement yesterday after it was briefed by Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mr Muhammad Isa Dodo. The timing of the compensation also coincided with the allocation of 95,000 slots to Nigeria by Saudi authorities as the country’s quota for the 2020 pilgrimage. The six Nigerians were among the many people that died when a thunderstorm brought down a crane during the expansion of the Grand Mosque. The…

Monday, 09 December 2019 05:50

Hong Kong sees biggest protests since democrats' election boost

Vast crowds of black-clad demonstrators thronged Hong Kong on Sunday in the largest anti-government protests since local elections last month that boosted the pro-democracy movement seeking to curb controls by China. It was the first time since August that the Civil Human Rights Front - organiser of million-strong marches earlier in the year that paralysed the Asian finance centre - had received authorities’ permission for a rally. It estimated turnout of 800,000 while police said 183,000. Chants of “Fight for freedom! Stand with Hong Kong!” echoed as demonstrators, from students to professionals and the elderly, marched from Victoria Park in…

Sunday, 08 December 2019 05:37

DSS denies re-arresting Sowore in courtroom, says ‘we’re law abiding’

In response to the outcry from Nigerians, human rights organisations, professionals and dignitaries denouncement of its action, Department of State Service has said it did not arrest convener of RevolutionNow Movement in the courtroom contrary to circulating report. The security agency claimed it is law-abiding and will never have invaded a courtroom. It made this known in a press statement made available to media by its spokesman, Peter Afunanya. The statement below: It has become important that Department of State Services responds to the serial misinformation being circulated in the media about its involvement in the incident that occurred on…

Sunday, 08 December 2019 05:35

Credited with converting over 75 million people to Christ, Reinhard Bonnke dies at 79

German television evangelist, Mr Reinhard Bonnke, has died. He was aged 79. A post on Saturday on his ministry’s Facebook page, Reinhard Bonnke - Official Page, announced the passing of the Pentecostal minister. “It is with sorrow that the Bonnke Family would like to announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke,” the post read. “He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on December 7, 2019.” “For the past 60 years he has preached the glorious Gospel of Jesus throughout the entire world. We want to thank you on behalf of him and our…

Saturday, 07 December 2019 05:18

Outrage, criticisms trail DSS re-arrest of Sowore

The re-arrest of convener, #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore by operatives of Department of State Service (DSS) yesterday morning in Abuja has continued to receive heavy condemnation from concerned Nigerians, who felt pained by what they described as an assault on the Constitution, the judiciary, the rule of law and desecration of the hallowed temple of justice. Sowore and his co-detainee, Mr Olawale Bakare were re-arrested barely few hours after their release from DSS custody where they have been in the last four months. Mrs Ijeoma Ojukwu had in the sitting of Thursday December 5, frowned on the continued detention of…

Saturday, 07 December 2019 05:17

Democratic space closing up rapidly in Nigeria - Global report

Democratic freedom is shrinking in Nigeria, a global index report has stated. The report was published by CIVICUS, a coalition of civil society groups. According to the report, Nigeria has slipped from being an “obstructed” nation in 2018 to a “repressed” nation — the second worst rating a country can have — this year. It is now ranked among 38 other countries in the same category, like Madagascar, India, Pakistan, Brunei, Iraq and Turkey. The term “repressed” means that democratic freedoms such as the freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association are significantly constrained in Nigeria, Matthew Reading-Smith, Communications Coordinator…

Saturday, 07 December 2019 05:16

We’re responsible for beating Buhari’s minister, Amaechi in Spain - IPOB

Proscribed secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has claimed responsibility for the attack on Nigeria’s transport minister, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday in Madrid, Spain. The group said its ‘branch’ in Spain followed an order by its leader, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, to “attack Nigerian leaders anywhere they are seen”. The group’s spokesman, Mr Emma Powerful, stated this in a statement issued on the incident. Amaechi had confirmed the attack through his Twitter handle. The minister, however, noted that the police stepped in to prevent the attackers from injuring him. He was in the country for a climate change summit. His…

More...

Saturday, 07 December 2019 05:14

From Algeria to Hong Kong, a year of anti-establishment rage

Angry citizens have swelled the streets of cities across the globe this year, pushing back against a disparate range of policies but often expressing a common grievance -- the establishment's failure to heed their demands for a more equitable future. While street protests are nothing new, experts say the intense 2019 flare-ups reflect a growing sentiment that the social contract between governments and citizens has broken down, with voters paying the price but unable to affect meaningful change. "What unites the protests is that all are responding to a sense of exclusion, pessimism about the future, and a feeling of…

Saturday, 07 December 2019 05:13

Nigeria files fraud allegations in bid to overturn $10bn penalty

Lawyers for the federal government on Friday filed "new and substantive" allegations of fraud with a British court in an ongoing fight against an arbitration award now worth some $10 billion, a spokesman for the attorney general said. The government has been fighting efforts by British Virgin Islands-based Process & Industrial Developments (P&ID) to enforce the award for a failed gas project and is also seeking to overturn the underlying award, the spokesman said. The filing has been expected for months, as the window to appeal the award expired and proving fraud or corruption in the foundation of the contract…

Saturday, 07 December 2019 05:12

Q: Do you engage in pillow talks with your husband? Ans: There’s no pillow in Aso Villa - Aisha Buhari

Aisha Buhari, Nigeria’s First Lady spoke from London on Thursday and declared that she cannot be stopped from voicing out her opinion on issues in the country, because she has the constitutional right to free expression. She was speaking as a guest caller on a TVC Programme, Journalists’ Hangout. Some of the controversies she stirred with her comment on the need to regulate social media, the state of insecurity and poverty, her carpeting governors and ministers for not doing enough for the people were the issues in focus on the forum on Thursday. Asked whether she has been told to…

Saturday, 07 December 2019 05:11

Ekiti varsity sacks 600 over illegal appointment, age falsification, others

Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday said it has sacked over 600 members of staff over alleged irregular employment, overage and sundry other allegations. Vice-Chancellor, Mr Edward Olanipekun, said the decision of the university council followed adoption on Thursday of the audit report carried out by a group of external auditors. Olanipekun, who addressed journalists on resolution of the council meeting in Ado-Ekiti, said the sacking would save about N200m for the university monthly. He said that the general staff audit “was sequel to the findings in the Report of the Visitation Panel as accepted by the Government White Paper…

Page 468 of 826

News

More...

Search

Most Read

Editorial

News

Business

Politics

Opinion

Features

Strangely

Crime

Wars

SCIENCE & TECH

SPECIAL REPORTS

Sports

VIDEOS