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Thursday, 23 May 2019 05:39

Nigerian airport scanners can’t detect drugs – FAAN

Scanners installed at various Nigerian airports do not have the capacity to detect drugs, an official of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) told a Senate panel yesterday. The revelation was made against the backdrop of the arrest last December of a Nigerian student, Miss Zainab Aliyu, by Saudi Arabian authorities for alleged drug trafficking. Although she was released alongside another Nigerian, Mr Ibrahim Abubakar, the Senate had resolved to probe the matter on April 30, the same day they were released. The joint Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and Drugs and Narcotics also heard that Executive Order 1 issued…

Wednesday, 22 May 2019 04:57

Visa: FG engages US over dropbox suspension

Federal Government has engaged United States Government over the recent indefinite suspension of interview waivers (dropbox) for Nigerians renewing their visas. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed the diplomatic interface, yesterday, when he briefed newsmen on the ministries’ activities during the first term of President Muhammadu Buhari. Last week, United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria suspended, indefinitely, interview waivers for visa renewal, also known as dropbox. Yesterday, Onyeama said unfavourable migrant decisions taken by some countries were as a result of negative perceptions about few Nigerians who do not obey laws of other countries. He said: “And, a…

Wednesday, 22 May 2019 04:56

FAAC: FG, States, LGs share N616.19 billion for April

Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris, on Tuesday said federal government shared N616.19 billion as revenue generated in April to the three tiers of government. The amount showed a decrease of about N1.37 billion from what was shared in March. Mr Idris, represented by Director of Funds, Office of the AGF, Mr Mohammed Usman, said this at a news conference at the end of the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja. Giving breakdown of the revenue accrued in April, Idris said the mineral revenue increased by N56.8 billion, moving from N308.44 billion in March to…

Tuesday, 21 May 2019 04:56

FG rolls out details of May 29, June 12 celebrations

Federal government has reeled out details of May 29 presidential inauguration and the first observance of June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day. Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, said activities leading to the inauguration kicked off with the press conference held yesterday. “This will be followed on Tuesday, May 21st, by the commencement of a three-day National Youth Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit at International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja. “Federal Executive Council Valedictory Session will be held at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja, on Wednesday, May 22nd. “A Special Jumat Lecture and prayer will be held on Friday, May…

Tuesday, 21 May 2019 04:55

Nigeria’s GDP growth reduced in Q1 - NBS

Nigeria’s economic growth slowed as it recorded a gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.01 per cent in the first quarter of 2019, compared to the 2.38 per cent recorded in the previous quarter (Q4 2018), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Monday. In a report published on its website, the bureau said when compared to the first quarter of 2018, which recorded a real GDP growth rate of 1.89 per cent, first quarter of 2019 growth rate represented an increase of 0.12 percentage points Real GDP growth in the oil sector shrank by -2.40 per cent (year-on-year) in Q1…

Tuesday, 21 May 2019 04:54

States already paid last Paris Club refunds - FG

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, yesterday cleared the air on issue of the last tranche of Paris Club refunds, saying the sum of N691.560 billion had already been disbursed to states since March 2019 by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), after verification The clarification followed some media reports last weekend that the federal government was set to release N691.560 billion as outstanding and final payment of Paris Club refunds to states. Addressing a press conference in Abuja last Thursday, Ahmed had stated: “For the final phase of the Paris Club debt refunds, the total sum of N649.434 billion was…

Tuesday, 21 May 2019 04:52

NDLEA distances itself from Akeredolu on cannabis cultivation

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said it never advocated growing cannabis sativa for medicinal purpose or economic gain, adding that it had destroyed 3,900 hectares of cannabis sativa in Ondo State. NDLEA Chairman, Mr Muhammad Abdallah, stated this on Monday, noting that he and Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, did not go to Thailand to learn how to grow cannabis sativa for economic gain, as being reported in some quarters. The governor was reported on Saturday as saying the state government was planning to take advantage of the commercial value of the plant to create jobs for the…

Tuesday, 21 May 2019 04:51

Angry Lagos residents lock down Badagry expressway in protest

Thousands of Badagry residents and some tertiary institution students, yesterday, defied a heavy rainfall to protest the deplorable state of the Lagos/Badagry Expressway. They described the road as one of anguish and pain. Residents blocked the popular Badagry roundabout for hours earlier in the day. They stormed the roundabout with placards bearing various inscriptions such as: “Fix Lagos/Badagry Expressway. Our businesses are dying;” “Bad Road, Our pregnant women are having miscarriages;” “We are not at war, remove checkpoints on our road;” and “We are losing man hours.’’ President, Women Arise Initiative, Mrs Joe Okei-Odumakin, who led the protest, said the…

Monday, 20 May 2019 05:50

War looms as ethnic nationalities unite to defend territories against ‘Fulani expansionism’

A coalition of cultural groups in Nigeria under the aegis of Ethnic Nationalities Defence Organisation (ENDO) on Sunday birthed in Abuja with the resolve to protect, defend and retaliate any affront against ethnic nationalities or their territories. The organisation said it had since realised that Boko Haram and Fulani militia were “brothers in arms against ethnic nationalities of Nigeria in a brazen land-grabbing and expansionist Fulani jihad.” “We call on all ethnic nationalities to form their defence groups or militia or be ready to lose their ancestral lands after being killed as cowards and chickens in the hands of either…

Monday, 20 May 2019 05:49

Knocks, kudos over Obasanjo’s speech on ‘Fulanisation’ of Nigeria

Some northern leaders, yesterday, gave former President Olusegun Obasanjo hard knocks over his comments that Boko Haram insurgency was no longer about lack of jobs for youths but a full blown ‘Fulanisation’ of West Africa, Islamisation of Africa and global organised crimes. Giving the keynote address at 2019 Synod of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, held in Oleh, Isoko South Local Council of Delta State, weekend, Mr Obasanjo said: ‘’It is no longer an issue of lack of education and lack of employment for our youths in Nigeria, which it began as, it is now West African Fulanisation, African Islamisation…

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Monday, 20 May 2019 05:48

Govs to Buhari: Call NFIU to order over LG funds

The 36 state governors of the Federation have pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to call Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to order, over moves to stop them from tampering with monthly allocations of local governments. In a statement by Head, Media and Public Affairs, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Secretariat, Mr Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, yesterday, the governors warned NFIU not to dabble into a matter that is beyond its mandate. NFIU had earlier announced, at its inauguration, a ban on transactions on state and local governments joint accounts, arguing that such accounts are only transitional accounts from where funds should go directly…

Monday, 20 May 2019 05:45

Saudis say they will defend themselves, as Trump warns Iran

Saudi Arabia does not want war but will not hesitate to defend itself against Iran, a top Saudi diplomat said Sunday after the kingdom’s energy sector was targeted this past week amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Iran that it will face destruction if it seeks a fight, while Iranian officials said their country isn’t looking for war. Trump spoke after a rocket hit near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, spoke a week after four oil tankers— two of them Saudi — were…

Sunday, 19 May 2019 04:28

Boko Haram, herdsmen killings aimed at islamising Nigeria, Africa – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lamented the deadly activities of Boko Haram and herdsmen in the country. According to him, the challenges have grown beyond what Nigeria alone can tackle following the groups’ collaboration with Islamic State West African Province fighters. Obasanjo said, “It is no longer an issue of a lack of education and employment for our youths in Nigeria which it began as, it is now West African Fulanisation, African islamisation and global organised crimes of human trafficking, money laundering, drug trafficking, gun running, illegal mining and regime change.” The ex-Head of State spoke on Saturday at second…

Saturday, 18 May 2019 05:39

Northern govs unveil regional economic plan; measures against insecurity

Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has created a joint financial institution worth six billion naira to serve as a vehicle for the region’s economic recovery and development. Governor Kassim Shettima of Borno State and out-going Chairman of the forum made this known while highlighting his achievements in the last four years on Friday in Kaduna. He said the initiative was part of efforts to make the region attain some degree of financial independence. He said under the scheme, the region’s moribund textile industry and New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) would be revived. Shettima said the fund expected to be contributed…

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