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Kingsley OBIEJESI 1719 posts

Citizens march in Abuja to mourn victims of violent deaths across Nigeria

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 28, 2019

NIGERIAN'S took to the streets of Abuja on Tuesday to mourn the victims of violent deaths across the country as a result of heightened insecurity, especially in the North West region. A coalition of Civil Society Organisations and Human…
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Good education, best legacy we’ll leave for them… Nigerian leaders on Children’s…

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 27, 2019

POLITICAL leaders across various arms of government are unanimous in their belief that good and quality education remains the best legacy to leave for Nigerian children. This theme is recurring in the respective messages by many of the top…
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I earned my money legitimately, Patience Jonathan’s sister tells court

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 27, 2019

Esther Oba, a younger sister to Patience Jonathan, former Nigeria's First Lady, has explained why the sum of $429,381. 87 which was traced to her account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should not be forfeited to the…
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President Buhari signs 2019 budget into law

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 27, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has signed the N8.9 trillion appropriation bill into law for 2019. The budget sum is N90.3 billion higher than the N8.83 trillion which Buhari presented before a joint session of the National Assembly on December…
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Illegal primaries: Imo APC loses federal legislative seat to PDP

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 27, 2019

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State has lost one of the seats it recently secured at the federal House of Representatives to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following what an Imo State High Court described as illegal Primary…
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Those asking us to refund IAAF are “enemies of this country”, says Dalung

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 26, 2019

SOLOMON Dalung, Nigeria's Minister of Sports, has described those asking Nigeria to refund $130,000 to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) as "enemies of this country". The IAAF says it erroneously overpaid…
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It’s the wish of Allah… Yari on APC losing Zamfara State

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 26, 2019

ABDULAZIZ Yari, the Governor of Zamfara State says it was the wish of Allah that the APC lost Zamfara State. Yari said this while addressing some APC supporters who had come to the Government House to show solidarity with him on Saturday,…
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Nigeria Air Force launches “devastating airstrikes” against Boko Haram

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 25, 2019

The Nigerian Air Force says it has launched another round of "devastating airstrikes against Boko Haram and inflicted heavy casualties on the dreaded terrorist group This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the NAF…
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S’Court hands Zamfara to PDP, fines APC N10m

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 24, 2019

THE Supreme Court has affirmed the Court of Appeal's nullification of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the 2019 gubernatorial election in Zamfara State and awarded the sum of N10 million against the party. The APC, whose…
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Blame FG for any disruption in academic calendar, ASUU warns

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 23, 2019

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities says the federal government is displaying "lackadaisical attitude" in implementing the agreement it signed with the union earlier in the year and as such should be held responsible for any disruption…
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I have a lot of respect for her… Atiku says of Justice Bulkachuwa

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 23, 2019

FORMER Vice President, Abubakar Atiku says he has the utmost respect for Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, President of the Court of Appeal, who just recused herself from presiding over the 2019 presidential election petitions tribunal…
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Nigeria is overwhelmed by many challenges, most of them caused by politicians, says NOA boss

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 23, 2019

THE Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Garba Abari, says the Nigerian state is being overwhelmed by multiple challenges in all sectors, and its leaders are mostly blameworthy. Abari said this during a live interview…
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Court finds former NIMASA boss guilty of N136m fraud, fixes May 28 for sentencing

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 23, 2019

THE Federal High Court, Lagos, has declared Calistus Obi, former Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), guilty of fraud. Justice Mojisola Olatoregun gave the judgement on Thursday but adjourned…
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Algeria becomes second African country to be declared Malaria-free by WHO

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 22, 2019

THE World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that Algeria is now free of malaria. Algeria is the second African country to be officially recognised as malaria-free, following Mauritius which was certified in 1973. Alongside Algeria,…
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Nigerian government charges journalist, Jones Abiri with terrorism, sabotage

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 22, 2019

THE federal government has again filed terrorism charges against Jones Abiri, a journalist based in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, months after he was released from illegal detention. Abiri was arraigned in court on Wednesday on fresh accusations…
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Respite in the offing as Buhari orders immediate removal of gridlock-causing trucks in Apapa, Lagos

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 22, 2019

RESIDENTS of Lagos State are about to experience some respite as President Muhammadu Buhari has issued an order for the removal of the heavy-duty trucks causing traffic gridlock in the Apapa area of Lagos. According to a statement by the…
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NASS suspends controversial media accreditation guidelines

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 22, 2019

THE National Assembly has withdrawn the controversial set of guidelines it issued on Monday setting out the conditions that must be met before a media organisation would be accredited to cover the activities of the legislature. This was…
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Army says it has no obligation to tell dismissed officers why they were disengaged

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 21, 2019

THE Nigeria Army says it is not under any obligation to let a disengaged officer know the reasons for his or her dismissal. This was made known by David Ighodaro, an officer in the legal services department of the Nigeria Army, while…
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I did not approve new set of guidelines on media accreditation, says Saraki

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 21, 2019

SENATE President, Bukola Saraki, says he is not aware of the new set of guidelines on media accreditation which was issued by the National Assembly on Monday. Saraki said the document did not emanate from his office or from the office of…
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NUJ rejects ‘satanic, draconian’ new NASS guidelines for media accreditation

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 21, 2019

THE Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has rejected the new guidelines issued by the National Assembly which the legislative arm of government said must be met before a media house is accredited to cover legislative activities in Nigeria.…
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NFIU vs State governors: What constitution says about financial autonomy for LGs

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 21, 2019

A faceoff seems to be brewing between the National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and state governors following a directive by the former that governors would no longer be allowed to access funds meant for local governments in their…
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We saved Imo State N5 billion this election period… EFCC

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 21, 2019

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it saved Imo State about N5 billion that would have been used by the incumbent governor, Rochas Okorocha, to influence election results. According to the head of EFCC's South East…
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Hip hop rising star, Naira Marley remanded in prison for alleged internet fraud

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 20, 2019

UPCOMING Nigerian hip hop artiste, Azeez Fashola, popularly known by his stage name, Naira Marley, has been remanded in prison by the Federal High Court, Lagos, following allegations of internet fraud, commonly referred to as yahoo yahoo.…
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EFCC confirms Imo governor, Okorocha is under investigation

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 20, 2019

IBRAHIM Magu, Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that the outgoing governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, is under investigation. However, Magu, who is currently in the United…
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Court strikes out suit seeking to declare Saraki, Dogara’s seat vacant

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 17, 2019

A SUIT filed by the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), a Civil Society Organisation, seeking the removal of Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara from office, has been struck out by the Federal High Court,…
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S’Court strikes out River State’s challenge of Onnoghen’s suspension as CJN

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 17, 2019

THE Supreme Court has struck out the suit filed by the River State Government challenging the suspension of Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). A five-man panel of justices, headed by Justice Paul Galinje, gave the ruling on…
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Court asks ex-NNPC GMD, Yakubu to open defence in money laundering case

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 17, 2019

JUSTICE Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has struck out the no-case submission filed by Andrew Yakubu, former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the corruption charges filed…
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NYSC members will earn minimum wage, Finance Minister confirms

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 17, 2019

ZAINAB Ahmed, Nigeria's Minister of Finance, has confirmed that members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will also benefit from the revised national minimum wage. Ahmed gave the clarification while addressing a press conference…
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Former head of Gombe internal revenue service pleads guilty to N25m fraud, fined N100k

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 16, 2019

FORMER Chairman of the Gombe State Board of Internal Revenue, Atiku Mu’azu, has pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft of state funds. The Gombe Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)…
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Loom is Ponzi scheme, engage in it at your own risk, SEC warns Nigerians

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 16, 2019

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the general public about the dangers of engaging in an online Ponzi scheme known as ‘Loom Money Nigeria’ that is currently making waves in the country. Acting Director-General of the…
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Bill to create South East Development Commission passes second reading at House of Reps

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 16, 2019

THE bill to establish the South East Development Commission (SEDC) has passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday. The bill which had been passed by the Senate in 2018, had been struck out by lower legislative…
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President Buhari to travel to Saudi Thursday for Umrah

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 15, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will travel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to perform Umrah, the lesser hajj. Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said on Wednesday that Buhari had been invited to perform the function by "King Salman Bin Abdulaziz,…
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NFIU insists on June 1st date for commencement of LG financial autonomy

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 15, 2019

THE National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has reiterated that the June 1 date for the commencement of the new guideline with regards to local government funds remains sacrosanct. This was contained in a statement issued by Ahmed…
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We will grow palm oil sector again, it’s more lucrative than crude, says Emefiele

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 15, 2019

GOVERNOR of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, says Nigeria will aim to grow the palm oil sector again as the price is higher than that of crude oil in the international market. Emefiele said this after a Senate panel…
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Presidential election petitions tribunal adjourns sitting to May 22

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 15, 2019

THE Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal Headquarters in Abuja has adjourned its sitting to May 22 for hearing of the application for the Chairman of the tribunal to withdraw from the case. The tribunal,…
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Abuja residents trek long distances to work as police cordon off road leading to Appeal Court

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 15, 2019

WORKERS in Abuja, especially those whose offices are located around the Central Business District and the Three-Arm Zone, found it difficult to get to their workplaces on Wednesday as the police cordoned off the road leading to the Court…
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She went to school but her desk is still empty… Birthday wishes pour in for Leah Sharibu

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 14, 2019

NIGERIANS have taken to social media to wish Leah Sharibu, the only Dapchi schoolgirl still in Boko Haram captivity, a happy birthday as she turns 16 on Tuesday. There was also a march organised by some concerned citizens in Abuja, calling…
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Hope fading as Leah Sharibu marks another birthday in Boko Haram custody

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 14, 2019

IF Leah Sharibu was home with her parents on a day like this, perhaps she would have been woken from sleep with 'happy birthday' songs, a cake brought to her bedside, and she be told to make a wish for her 16th birthday. Or perhaps her…
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May 29 inauguration will be low key – Lai Mohammed

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 13, 2019

THE Inauguration for President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term on May 29, 2019, will be a low-key event, said Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture. Addressing State House correspondents on Monday, Mohammed said a more…
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FCT administration demolishes night club for constituting nuisance

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 13, 2019

THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished Caramelo night club located at the Utako District of Abuja saying the building was illegal and constituted a nuisance to the neighbourhood. It was at the same Caramelo…
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Naval officer dies mysteriously days to embarking on abroad study trip

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 13, 2019

A LIEUTENANT Commander in the Nigeria Navy, Solomon Derikoma, has died mysteriously just days before he was scheduled to travel with some of his colleagues for an African study tour. According to a source who pleaded anonymity, Derikoma,…
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Advocacy groups launch video to pressure NASS to approve tobacco regulations

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 12, 2019

THE Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) and the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) have launched a public health communication video to pressure the leadership and members of the National Assembly to…
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Despite court order, Ganduje’s four new emirs assume office

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 12, 2019

THE four new individuals that were appointed emirs of the new emirates created by the Kano State Government have assumed office despite an injunction of a Kano State High Court restricting Governor Ganduje from going ahead with the…
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PDP lawmakers obtain court order temporarily stopping creation of four new emirates in Kano

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 11, 2019

THE People's Democratic Party caucus of Kano State House of Assembly has obtained an injunction from a Kano State High Court, restraining Governor Umar Ganduje from going ahead with the creation of four new Emirates in the state. Ganduje…
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Dismissed pension boss, Maina, resurfaces with more allegations against Buhari’s officials

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 11, 2019

FORMER Chairman of the Pension Reforms Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, has again made several corruption allegations against top serving officials of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration while maintaining his innocence in the…
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Appeal Court says CCT order suspending ex-CJN Onnoghen ‘shrouded in secrecy’

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 10, 2019

THE Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja says the ex parte order granted by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, ordering the suspension of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, was "obtained…
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EFCC arrests Kwara lawmaker over N4 million land scam

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 9, 2019

THE Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Adebayo Muhammed, over allegations of obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of about N4…
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Something ‘fishy’ is going on in Maiduguri Prison, state govt. officials affirm

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 9, 2019

OFFICIALS of the Borno State Government says there is "something fishy" going on in the Maiduguri Prison which the hierarchy of the Nigerian Prisons Service is trying to hide from the public. This was made known by the Borno State Attorney…
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Why Appeal Court upturned tribunal ruling on Osun State gubernatorial election

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 9, 2019

THE Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has nullified the judgement of the Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which declared Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winner of the September 2018…
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Ganduje signs bill creating four new Emirates in Kano State

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 8, 2019

GOVERNOR Umar Ganduje of Kano State has signed the State's Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs (Amendment) Bill into Law, paving way for the creation of four new Emirate councils in the state. Ganduje assented to the bill on…
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Presidential election petitions tribunal kicks off at Court of Appeal headquarters

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 8, 2019

THE 2019 Presidential election tribunal has kicked off at the headquarters of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Wednesday. The tribunal has four petitions before it challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and the All…
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Kano Assembly passes bill for creation of four new Emirates

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 8, 2019

THE Kano State House of Assembly has passed the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Law, which seeks to decentralise the Kano Emirate Council by creating four new emirates in the state., namely Rano, Karaye, Bichi and Gaya emirates.…
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Less than three weeks to go, Okorocha creates four new universities in Imo State

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 8, 2019

THE Rochas Okorocha-led Imo State Government has given approval for the takeoff of four new state universities, just about three weeks to the end of his two-year-tenure. They include the University of Science and Technology, Omuna Isiaku;…
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PPRO, Frank Mba shares tips on how to enhance police-civilian relations

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 7, 2019

FRANK Mba, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force has shared some tips on how to enhance a police-civilian relationship in the face of rising insecurity across the country. "Ordinarily, encounters between the citizens and…
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Ekiti becomes 31st state to enlist on FG’s free school feeding programme

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 7, 2019

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo was in Ekiti State on Tuesday to flag off the federal government's Homegrown School Feeding Programme, making it the 31st out of the 36 states in the Federation to be captured in the programme, according to…
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Fresh controversy as Kano State govt. resumes probe of Emir Sanusi

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 7, 2019

THE recent moves by the Kano State government to resume investigations into alleged financial impropriety by the Kano Emirate is generating controversy as many say the moves are aimed at removing the former governor of the Central Bank of…
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Court grants Adeleke N2 million bail following fresh detention

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 7, 2019

ADEMOLA Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2018 Osun gubernatorial election, has been granted bail in the sum of N2 million after he was arraigned before a magistrate court in Abuja on Tuesday. Adeleke was…
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We won’t compare figures but insecurity was worse during past administrations… Garba…

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 6, 2019

GARBA Shehu, one of the media aides to President Muhammadu Buhari, has insisted that the administration would not compare the current level of insecurity in Nigeria with that of previous administrations, adding, however, that the numbers…
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Not funny… Ezekwesili tackles Buhari over ‘joke’ about IGP losing weight

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 6, 2019

FORMER Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has latched on to the comments by President Muhammadu Buhari about the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, losing weight because he was working hard to ensure security in the…
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INSECURITY: Army bans use of motorbikes in forests in North Central states, Niger

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 6, 2019

THE Nigeria Army has announced a ban on the use of motorcycles in forests in six of the seven states in North West Nigeria namely, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Zamfara, as well as Niger State in the North Central. The move,…
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FG’s TraderMoni berths in Anambra

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 3, 2019

OVER 20,000 petty traders have benefitted from the TraderMoni initiative of the federal government in Eke-Awka Market in Awka and Ochanja Market in Onitsha Anambra State, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Osinbajo was in the state…
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Buhari’s goodwill, int’l standing led to release of Nigerians held in Saudi… Foreign…

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 3, 2019

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it leveraged on "President Muhammadu Buhari’s goodwill and international standing" in securing the release of two Nigerians, Zainab Aliyu and Ibrahim Abubakar, who have been held in Saudi Arabia for the…
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Digital Switchover scam: Modibbo-Kawu’s lawyer’s absence stalls trial again

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 3, 2019

THE trial of the current Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu for alleged misapplication of the sum of N2.5 billion seed grant for the Digital Switchover programme of the federal government, was…
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Digital switchover scam: NBC DG, Modibbo-Kawu arraigned, granted N100m bail

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 2, 2019

THE Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Moddibbo-Kawu, was arraigned before Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday for alleged complicity in the misapplication of the…
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Africa Check calls for entries for 2019 fact-checking award

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 2, 2019

AFRICA Check, a non-profit organisation that seeks to promote accuracy in public debate and the media in Africa, is calling for entries from practising journalists for the 2019 fact-checking award. The award, which is in its sixth year, is…
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Bandits attack Zamfara school, abduct students, teachers

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 2, 2019

ARMED bandits have attacked the Government Girls Secondary School, Moriki, in Zurü local government area of Zamfara State, kidnapping several students and teachers, BBC Hausa is reporting. A resident of the area told the BBC that the…
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IGP removes Kaduna State police commissioner over persistent insecurity

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 2, 2019

ACTING Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has removed the Kaduna state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Abdulrahman, following persistent insecurity in the state. This was announced by the Police Public Relations Officer,…
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WORKERS DAY: Leaders eulogise Nigerian workers, call for patriotism, increased productivity

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 1, 2019

"HAVING interacted with Nigerian workers and their leadership times without number, I can say without fear of contradiction that the nation’s workforce is among the best in the continent." These were the words of Senate President Bukola…
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Coalition of rights activists threatens legal action over raiding of women at Abuja nightclub

Kingsley OBIEJESI May 1, 2019

A coalition of gender activists has called on the authorities in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to desist from the persistent public humiliation, assault, sexual harassment of women in Abuja in the name of clamping down…
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Drug syndicate threat… New Abuja Airport terminal has over 50 CCTV cameras

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 30, 2019

THE new terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, has over 50 Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras to guide against illegal activities that might be carried out by insiders. This was disclosed by Hajara Musa, the…
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Following public outcry, Saudi authorities release Zainab Aliyu

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 30, 2019

AUTHORITIES in Saudi Arabia have released Zainab Aliyu, a Nigerian lady being detained in the country on suspicion of being a drug trafficker. According to Channels Television, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mustapha…
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Senate passes 2019 budget, raises spending to N8.91 trillion

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 30, 2019

The Senate has passed the 2019 appropriation bill, raising the budget amount to N8.916 trillion, an increase of N86 billion from the N8.83 trillion that was proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Chairman of the Senate Committee on…
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ECOWAS to adopt ICPC academy for corruption studies

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 30, 2019

PLANS are underway by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to adopt the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN) as a centre of excellence in corruption studies, particularly in the area of Corruption Risks Assessment…
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Presidency assures three Nigerian ‘drug suspects’ being held in Saudi will be freed

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 29, 2019

ABIKE Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on International Relations and the Diaspora, has assured that three Nigerians who are being detained in Saudi Arabia for drug-related offences would be released. This…
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Another recession could happen, Yari warns governors-elect

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 29, 2019

CHAIRMAN of the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF) and Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, has urged newly-elected governors to be innovative and creative about how to improve the internally generated revenue of their states as Nigeria…
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Bala Mohammed’s ongoing trial has nothing to do with politics, EFCC insists

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 29, 2019

WAHAB Shittu, the lawyer representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the corruption trial involving the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, has reiterated that the trial has nothing to do…
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Women, children face untold sexual abuse in Maiduguri prison, detention facilities − Amnesty…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 29, 2019

WOMEN and children are suffering gruesome sexual abuse at the Maiduguri Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison, Borno State, and at the Giwa Barracks, a military detention facility where suspects accused of terrorism are being held. This is…
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Airport authorities adopt stringent security measures to tackle cartel who plant drugs on passengers

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 27, 2019

AUTHORITIES of the Nigerian Airport agencies had adopted fresh measures to deal with the reported incidences of hard drugs found on innocent travellers in foreign countries. This is following reports that there exists across all the…
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Sharia court sentences rapists to N7,000 fine, 20 strokes of cane

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 27, 2019

A Shariah court sitting in Tudun Wada, Zaria, Kaduna State, has declared three suspected rapists guilty and sentenced them to one-year imprisonment with an option of N7,000 and 20 lashes of the cane. The judgement handed down by Malam…
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FG honours 168 ex-NYSC members with scholarship, employment

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 27, 2019

THE federal government has rewarded 168 outstanding former members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with automatic employments into the federal civil service and scholarships to Doctorate Degree level in any Nigerian University of…
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PDP criticises Buhari’s UK trip without informing NASS, handing over to VP

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 26, 2019

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for embarking on a trip to the United Kingdom without adequately informing the National Assembly or handing over to his vice to act in his absence. National…
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Killings continue in Kajuru as Kaduna govt. declares 24-hour curfew

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 26, 2019

THE Kaduna State government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Kajuru local government area of the state following rumours that a fresh crisis is brewing in Kasuwan Magani, one of the crisis-prone communities in the area. Already, three…
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“Surplus” doctors: Ngige beats a retreat about false claim

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 26, 2019

MINISTER of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says his comment about Nigeria having surplus doctors has been misinterpreted by the public. During a television interview on Tuesday, Ngige said, "we have a surplus in the medical profession…
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Taraba ex-governor had no licence to fly the plane in which he crashed, investigations reveal

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 25, 2019

THE late Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, was not licensed to fly the aircraft in which he was involved in a crash in October 2012 sustaining injuries that eventually led to his death. This latest development is according to a…
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Buhari to dissolve present cabinet on May 22, says Lai Mohammed

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 25, 2019

MINISTER of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says President Muhammadu Buhari will dissolve the present Federal Executive Cabinet on May 22, exactly seven days to his second term inauguration. Mohammed said this while addressing…
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Four NEMA officials kidnapped in Rivers, one shot

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 25, 2019

FOUR senior officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have been kidnapped while on official duty in Abua-Odual Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State on Tuesday. The victims, a woman and four men, had reportedly…
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Buhari to embark on a “private visit” to the UK on Thursday

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 25, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will be travelling to the United Kingdom on Thursday for a "private visit", according to one of his spokespersons, Femi Adesina. Adesina made this known via a statement on Thursday. Buhari is currently in…
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I’m not worried about doctors leaving Nigeria, we have surplus… Ngige

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 24, 2019

MINISTER of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says the mass exodus of young Nigerian doctors is nothing to be worried about as there is an abundance of doctors in the country. Ngige, who spoke during Channel Television's Sunrise Daily on…
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Murder of two aid workers in Kaduna is a setback to tourism, Lai Mohammed says

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 23, 2019

MINISTER of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has described the killing of a British national and her Nigerian friend at a tourist site in Kaduna as a setback in the efforts by the present administration to promote tourism in Nigeria.…
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Dogara labels Tinubu ‘spokesperson of depravity’ over budget padding allegations

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 23, 2019

SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has described former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, as a "spokesperson of depravity" following allegations of budget padding against him (Dogara) and the Senate President,…
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Nigerian military records successes in Zamfara but insecurity persists in several rural areas

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 23, 2019

SECURITY has improved in Zamfara State as a result of the massive deployment of military personnel but several other rural areas still remain at the mercy of bandits and kidnappers, according to reports. In a statement issued on Tuesday by…
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Atiku, Saraki condemn killing of British citizen in Kaduna

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 22, 2019

FORMER Vice President Abubakar Atiku and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, have condemned the killing of a British citizen, Faye Mooney, alongside her Nigerian companion, Mathew Oguche, by unknown gunmen in Kaduna State on Friday. Mooney…
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We were instructed to transmit election results to INEC server, presiding officers tell tribunal

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 22, 2019

SOME ad-hoc officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the 2019 general elections say they transmitted election results to the commission's server using the smart card readers. This was contained in a 'witness…
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State governments can afford new N30,000 minimum wage, Labour insists

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 20, 2019

STATE governors in Nigeria can afford the new N30,000 minimum wage as signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday if they would prioritise the welfare of their citizens and shun corruption. This was the view of Bobboi…
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Transform your promises into action, CAN urges Buhari over Leah Sharibu’s release

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 19, 2019

THE National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samson Ayokunle has charged the Muhammadu Buhari administration to quicken up efforts at securing the release of Leah Sharibu, the remaining Chibok Schoolgirls, and…
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2019 World Press Freedom Index: Nigeria ranks 120 out of 180 countries

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 19, 2019

NIGERIA has been ranked in the 120th position on the global press freedom index which is published by Reporters Without Borders, also known as Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), dropping one step from the 119th position it placed in 2018. A…
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Onnoghen asks Court of Appeal to upturn his CCT conviction

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 19, 2019

WALTER Onnoghen, suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, has filed a suit at the Court of Appeal seeking to upturn his conviction by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for false assets declaration. Onnoghen was found guilty of all the…
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Buhari preaches brotherhood, good neighbourliness at Easter

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 18, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has urged Christians across the country to imbibe the spirit of brotherhood and good neighbourliness as they commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter. This was contained in the President's Easter…
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Ofili-Ajumogobia, dismissed justice re-arraigned by EFCC, granted N10m bail

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 18, 2019

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on an 18-count charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful enrichment. Ofili-Ajumogobia was a former…
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Buhari signs new minimum wage act, approves N30,000

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 18, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the new national minimum wage bill recently passed by the National Assembly, thus raising the national minimum wage from N18,000 to N30,000. The Act makes it compulsory for all employers of labour…
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Suspended CJN, Onnoghen found guilty of false assets declaration

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 18, 2019

SUSPENDED Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen has been declared guilty of false assets declaration by the Code of Conduct Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Thursday. As a result, Onnoghen is barred from holding public office in Nigeria in…
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Police, Army send special troops to Nasarawa community to restore calm

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 18, 2019

FOLLOWING an attack on Numa Kochu village in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Sunday, April 14, the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Army has deployed special forces to the affected area in order to…
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Digital Switchover scam: Lai Mohammed may have a case to answer

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 17, 2019

MINISTER of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, may have a case to answer in the ongoing trial of the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu, for the misapplication of N2.5 billion seed grant…
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Digital Switchover scam: Absence of 2nd defendant stalls NBC DG’s arraignment

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 17, 2019

THE scheduled arraignment of Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu, Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, was stalled due to the absence of the second defendant, Dipo Onifade.…
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Court acquits Gwarzo, former SEC DG accused of fraud, abuse of office

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 16, 2019

JUSTICE Baba Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has discharged and acquitted Mounir Gwarzo, the suspended Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) who was accused by the Independent Corrupt…
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Why we re-arrested dismissed Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia – EFCC

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 16, 2019

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the dismissed Justice of the Federal High Court, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, was re-arrested on Tuesday in order to enable the commission to prefer a fresh criminal charge against her.…
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Digital Switchover scam: NBC boss, Moddibbo-Kawu to be docked on Wednesday

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 16, 2019

DIRECTOR General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Moddibbo-Kawu, will be docked on Wednesday, April 17, over his alleged complicity in the misapplication of the N2.5 billion seed grant for the Digital…
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We no longer fear death, we have seen what’s more than hell, says Nigerian returnee from Libya

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 16, 2019

WHEN Kehinde Fatakusi left Nigeria for 'Europe' in 2016, accompanied by his wife and six-year-old son, he thought his troubles had come to an end and that all would be rosy thenceforth, little did he know that his woes had only been…
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Iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris saved after massive fire incident

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 16, 2019

A MASSIVE fire that engulfed the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France's most iconic landmarks, has been brought under control, albeit with significant damages to the building's spire and roof which collapsed. Dating back to the 12th and…
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You only need primary school cert, not WAEC to run for president… Keyamo

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 15, 2019

SENIOR Advocate of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo, says the constitutional requirement for one to be able to run for the office of the President or a governor in Nigeria is evidence of primary school completion, not secondary school. Keyamo made…
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Election aftermath: ICPC to hold dialogue on how to tackle vote buying

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 15, 2019

THE Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN) is putting together a one-day event to brainstorm and come up with ideas on how to tackle the menace of vote buying during elections in Nigeria. ACAN is the training and research arm of the…
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TIMELINE: Chibok schoolgirls abduction and the journey so far

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 15, 2019

ON April 14 2014, a massive bomb went off at a popular garage in Nyanya, a satellite town on the border between the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State, killing dozens of people and injuring many others, but as the attention of the…
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Embrace dialogue to end insurgency, group of women Boko Haram survivors begs FG, Borno govt.

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 14, 2019

THE Jire Dole network, a group of women survivors and relatives of missing persons of the Boko Haram conflict has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Borno State government to tow the path of dialogue and negotiation to bring the…
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Court strikes out Shittu’s suit challenging his disqualification from Oyo guber race

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 12, 2019

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan Oyo State has struck out a suit filed by the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu challenging his disqualification from taking part in the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary…
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Anti-corruption groups urge EFCC to seize $56m private jet belonging to Dan Etete, former petroleum…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 12, 2019

FOUR international anti-corruption non-governmental organisations have charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to seize a $56million private jet allegedly belonging to Dan Etete, Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum…
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Publish names of people collaborating with criminals, Zamfara emirs reply defence minister

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 12, 2019

THE Zamfara State Council of Traditional Rulers has asked the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali to either publish the names of those he claims are collaborating with criminals in the state or withdraw the allegation. Reading…
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Reports of impending fuel scarcity is a hoax, says NNPC

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 12, 2019

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has asked Nigerians to disregard the rumours of impending fuel scarcity as there are enough petroleum products to last the country a long time. Group Managing Director of the NNPC,…
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Paradigm initiative calls for fellowship application

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 11, 2019

PARADIGM Initiative is calling for applications from interested and eligible candidates for the second edition of its Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellowship. "The Fellowship is a 4-month program designed to immerse outstanding,…
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Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, arrested after 7 years of living in Ecuadorian Embassy

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 11, 2019

FOUNDER of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has been arrested in London, after seven years of living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in Britain. Assange, who has been declared wanted by the United States of America, was arrested on Thursday after…
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Nigerian media expert, Motunrayo Alaka among 2020 class of prestigious JSK fellowship

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 11, 2019

MOTUNRAYO Alaka, Coordinator of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Lagos, has been enlisted among the seven international members of the prestigious John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship Class of 2020, at Stanford…
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Abike Dabiri denies responsibility for Nigerian ‘innocently’ executed in Saudi

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 11, 2019

ABIKE Dabiri, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Relations and the Diaspora, has denied responsibility for the death of Kudirat Adesola Afolabi, a Nigerian woman who was executed in Saudi Arabia for…
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People being killed in Zamfara more than in Somalia, Afghanistan, says Shehu Sani

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 10, 2019

KADUNA Central Senator, Shehu Sani, says the killings in Zamfara are now more than the killings being reported in Somalia and Afghanistan, countries that are technically at war. Sani said this during Wednesdays plenary at the floor of the…
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FAKE NEWS ALERT: Video of supposed Imo Airport fire victims is misleading

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 10, 2019

THE video of badly burnt persons being circulated on social media, particularly Whatsapp, purporting to be victims of the fire incident that occurred at the Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri, Imo State, on Monday, is fake. The very graphic…
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What Buhari must do to strengthen Nigeria’s economy, curb poverty

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 10, 2019

NIGERIA'S economy has not fared any better in the last four years and President Muhammadu Buhari needs to take more deliberate and proactive steps to ensure that Nigeria joins China and India in lifting many of its citizens out of poverty.…
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North West insecurity persists, 35 persons killed in Kaduna, Katsina

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 9, 2019

A TOTAL of 35 persons were killed in separate attacks in Kaduna and Katsina States on Monday as the insecurity situation in some parts of the North West region of Nigeria persists. In Kaduna, the State's Police Public Relations Officer,…
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Influential traditional rulers responsible for Zamfara crisis, says Defence Minister

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 9, 2019

NIGERIA'S Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has said that some influential traditional rulers in the North were responsible for the killings and kidnappings going on relentlessly in Zamfara State in recent months. Dan-Ali made…
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‘Blood of Jesus, quench this fire…’ Woman screams as part of Imo Airport goes up…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 8, 2019

A section of the Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri, Imo State, was engulfed in flames on Monday but firefighters stationed at the airport were able to put out the flames before huge damage could be done. A staff of the airport who spoke in…
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NFF to the rescue as ex-Eagles player, coach, Christian Chukwu battles life-threatening ailment

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 8, 2019

THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has pledged its support for the medical treatment of former Captain and Coach of the Super Eagles, Christian Chukwu, who is currently battling an undisclosed life-threatening ailment. According to…
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Sowore’s presidential campaign organisation publishes statement of account

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 8, 2019

THE presidential campaign team for Omoyele Sowore, the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the just concluded 2019 presidential election in Nigeria, has published its statement of account. Sowore, who is also the founder and…
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FLASHBACK: The President knows what to do about insurgency but he doesn’t care… El-Rufai

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 7, 2019

GOVERNOR of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, believes that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has all the information he needs to tackle rising insecurity in the country and would effectively fight the menace if he wanted to.…
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Hours after protest, IGP announces ban on mining in Zamfara State

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 7, 2019

ACTING Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has announced a ban on mining activities in Zamfara State following reports that it could be the reason for increased insecurity in the state. Adamu made this known while speaking to…
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#March for Zamfara: Protesters urge Buhari to declare a state of emergency

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 6, 2019

OUTRAGED by the spate of killings, kidnappings and other violent crimes in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria, and its neighbouring states, citizens in Abuja embarked on a peaceful protest from the Unity Fountain to the Aso Rock Presidential…
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Court remands policeman who allegedly killed Kolade Johnson

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 5, 2019

A Lagos State Magistrate Court has ordered that the policeman accused of killing a young man named Kolade Johnson be remanded in prison custody until May 6. Johnson was shot dead by men of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad (SACS) of the Lagos…
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Suspended CJN Onnoghen forwards resignation letter to Buhari

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 5, 2019

SUSPENDED Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has tendered his resignation from office with immediate effect following allegations of misconduct and corruption brought against him by the executive arm of government. According to…
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Forty-eight and counting… Bills so far rejected by Buhari

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 4, 2019

ON Tuesday, April 2, President Muhammadu Buhari wrote a letter to the Senate informing the lawmakers the reasons he would not assent to seven bills that had been brought to him for signing into law. That made it a total of 48 of such bills…
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NJC forwards findings on Onnoghen, Tanko investigations to Buhari

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 3, 2019

THE National Judicial Council says it has forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari, its findings on the investigation carried out into the allegations levelled against both the suspended and Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen…
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INEC returns Nyesom Wike as Rivers State governor-elect

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 3, 2019

MORE than three weeks after the gubernatorial election was held in Rivers State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally concluded the process and declared the incumbent Governor, Nyesom Wike the winner of the…
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Malabu oil deal: Award of OPL245 to Shell, ENI, flouted local laws, lawyer tells court in Italy

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 3, 2019

THE contract award of Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 to Shell and ENI, did not follow Nigerian legal provisions, Dayo Ayoade, a Nigerian legal practitioner told a court in Milan, Italy on Wednesday. Ayoade said this during his lead…
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Ndume calls APC’s bluff, unveils campaign, agenda for Senate president position

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 3, 2019

FORMER Majority Leader of the Nigerian Senate, Ali Ndume, has kicked off his campaign for the position of Senate President by unveiling what he described as his nine-point agenda if he wins. This is in spite of the position of the All…
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Leave a legacy, approve Tobacco Control Regulations before you leave, groups urge 8th NASS

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 3, 2019

THE Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria(ERA/FoEN) and the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) have called on the leadership of the National Assembly to approve the draft National Tobacco Control Regulations before…
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NAFDAC warns about fake cholera vaccine

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 2, 2019

THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm over the existence of a fake cholera vaccine in Bangladesh. This is coming just a day after a report by the Norwegian Refugee Council over an…
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Another set of bills passed by NASS bites the dust as Buhari declines assent

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 2, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has rejected another set of bills passed by the 8th National Assembly. This was contained in a letter the President forwarded to the Senate leadership which was read by Senate President Bukola Saraki during…
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Five in every 1000 women die during birth in Nigeria, says NPC boss

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 2, 2019

FIVE hundred and seventy-six women, out of every 100,000 live births, die in Nigeria while giving birth, according to the National Population Commission (NPC). This means that in every 1000, five Nigerian women die while delivering their…
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Major shakeup in the Nigeria Navy as senior officers get redeployed

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 2, 2019

ABUT 32 officers of the Nigeria Navy holding the rank of Rear Admirals have been redeployed as part of a major re-organisation of the Navy hierarchy. This is contained in a statement issued by Suleman Dahun, spokesman of the Navy, on…
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False assets declaration: Onnoghen opens defence, names CCB director as witness

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 1, 2019

SUSPENDED Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has opened his defence in the case of false assets declaration filed against him by the federal government at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja. Onnoghen's counsel, Adegboyega…
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Murder of young man ‘by police’ sparks another #EndSARS campaign on social media

Kingsley OBIEJESI Apr 1, 2019

"BEING young is NOT a crime. Having dreadlocks is NOT a crime. Sagging your jeans is NOT a crime. Having tattoos and piercings is NOT a crime. The big crime is the police harassing and killing the innocent youth they are paid to protect,…
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CCT rejects Onnoghen’s no case submission, orders him to open defence

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 29, 2019

THE Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has struck out the no case submission filed by the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, in the case of false assets declaration brought against him by the federal government. Chairman of…
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PDP’s Ahmadu Fintiri emerges winner of Adamawa guber poll

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 29, 2019

CANDIDATE of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Adamawa State gubernatorial election, Ahmadu Fintiri, has been declared the winner of the contest and the governor-elect of the state. Fintiri was returned elected by Andrew Haruna,…
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Fix power supply and industrialisation would be achieved, Tinubu charges FG

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 28, 2019

FORMER governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, has charged the Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo-led federal government to address the challenge of power supply in the country if the aspirations of an industrialised Nigeria were to be…
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Enelamah: How FG intends to create 1.5m new jobs via industrialisation

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 28, 2019

THE Minister for Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, has explained how the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government intends to create 1.5 million direct jobs and between 7.5 to 30 million indirect jobs via its robust…
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Court revokes Nnamdi Kanu’s bail, orders his arrest

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 28, 2019

THE Federal High Court in Abuja has revoked the bail granted to the leader of the now proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, ordering security agencies to arrest him and ensure his presence in court in the next…
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Remi Tinubu, Omo Agege, Orji Kalu battle for deputy senate president

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 27, 2019

THE ninth National Assembly will be inaugurated in June but already the battle for principal offices in the Senate has begun and is gradually becoming intense. At the moment, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has…
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Gbajabiamila, Namadas, Onyejeocha… APC reps eyeing Dogara’s seat

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 27, 2019

THE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could again be facing a tricky challenge as several lawmakers elected on the party's platform jostle for who becomes what in the two chambers of the National Assembly. So far, in the House of…
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Oshiomhole, not Buhari fronting Lawan for Senate President, says Ali Ndume

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 27, 2019

FORMER Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume, has expressed his displeasure at the endorsement of Ahmed Lawan for the position of Senate President in the soon-to-be-formed ninth Senate by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).…
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Cyclone Idai: Fortune smiles on woman who walked 17km to offer aid to victims

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 26, 2019

LIFE will never be the same again for a Zimbabwean elderly woman who trekked more than 17 kilometres from her Mbare in Harare to the Highlands to donate aid to victims of Cyclone Idai. The natural disaster destroyed parts of Mozambique,…
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Court rules in INEC’s favour to conduct Adamawa supplementary election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 26, 2019

THE Adamawa State High Court has lifted the order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from going ahead with its scheduled supplementary election in the state. Justice Waziri Abdulaziz gave the ruling on…
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Extensive electoral security problems observed in Kano election, EU report

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 26, 2019

THE European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has released its report of the supplementary elections that held across five states in Nigeria on Saturday, March 23, returning a damning verdict for Kano State where it said…
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Bala Mohammed wins Bauchi guber election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 26, 2019

CANDIDATE of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Bauchi State gubernatorial election, Bala Mohammed, has been declared the winner of the election. He defeated the incumbent governor, Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress…
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Appeal Court ruling did not tamper with Zamfara election, says Yari

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 25, 2019

ABDULAZIZ Yari, the Governor of Zamfara State, says the Court ofAppeal judgement with regards to the All Progressives Congress' primary elections in the state did not tamper with the gubernatorial and state assembly elections. Yari made…
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Court of Appeal nullifies judgement reinstating APC in Zamfara State elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 25, 2019

THE Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto State has nullified the judgement of the Zamfara State High Court which recognised the primary elections conducted by a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, thereby enabling the…
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‘Act with alacrity’: Keyamo asks police, SSS to investigate alleged PDP’s hacking…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 25, 2019

FESTUS Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has submitted a petition to the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) asking the security agencies to investigate the Peoples Democratic…
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INEC is free to resume collation in Bauchi guber election, court rules

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 25, 2019

THE Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed the case filed by the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, and the state chapter of the All Progressivesives Congress (APC), challenging the decision of the Independent National Electoral…
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CDD demands end to electoral impunity, says supplementary polls marred by irregularities

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 24, 2019

THE Centre for Democracy and Development’s (CDD) Election Analysis Centre (EAC) has called for an end to “electoral impunity” in Nigeria in order for democracy to deepen in the country. This is contained in the centre’s preliminary report…
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Ahmed Lawan begins campaign for Senate President

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 24, 2019

AHMED Lawan, the incumbent Senate Majority Leader, has opened his campaign to replace Bukola Saraki as the President of the ninth Senate. Lawan, while addressing some National Assembly correspondents in Abuja recently, promised to run a…
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PDP wins supplementary polls in Bauchi but process remains inconclusive

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 24, 2019

THE candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bala Mohammed, has won Saturday's supplementary gubernatorial election in Bauchi State, but the process remains inconclusive as voting did not hold in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area.…
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Slim victory but never mind… Tambuwal secures second term in office

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 24, 2019

GOVERNOR Aminu Tambuwal has been declared the winner of the Sokoto State gubernatorial election following the supplementary poll held in the state on Saturday. Thus, Tambuwal, who was a former Speaker of the Federal House of…
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Supplementary polls: Lalong wins in Plateau, INEC officer shot in Benue, collation adjourned in…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 24, 2019

AFTER what can best be described as a chaotic exercise, results are being announced in some of the states where supplementary gubernatorial elections took place on Saturday, March 23. In Plateau State, the incumbent governor, Simon Lalong…
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Thugs attack INEC officials, burn electoral materials in Benue

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 23, 2019

POLITICAL thugs have attacked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as some political party agents who were accompanying voting materials in Ukum LocalGovernment Area of Benue State. Channels Television…
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What is happening in Kano is not election… PDP rejects ongoing supplementary poll

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 23, 2019

THE Kano State chapter of People's Democratic Party (PDP), has rejected the ongoing supplementary gubernatorial election in the state, saying the exercise has been taken over by thugs loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC)…
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Violence in Kano as supplementary guber poll gets underway

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 23, 2019

THERE have been reports of violence in parts of Kano State where a supplementary gubernatorial election is currently ongoing. Armed thugs are reported to have dispersed voters in Minjibir and Nasarawa local government areas of the state.…
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Temporary setback… APC to appeal tribunal’s judgement on Osun election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 22, 2019

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State says it will appeal the judgement of the state's election petitions tribunal which upturned the electoral victory of its candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola in the September 2018 gubernatorial…
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Tribunal declares ‘dancing Senator’, Adeleke winner of Osun Guber election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 22, 2019

THE Osun State governorship elections petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja, has declared Ademola Adeleke, winner of the gubernatorial election held in the state in September 2018. Adeleke, a former senator representing Osun West Senatorial…
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Group urges Buhari to appoint more Muslim ministers from South West

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 22, 2019

AN Islamic human rights group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint at least five Muslim ministers from the South West in order to address "the gross marginalisation which Yoruba Muslims have faced…
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FG closes case against former CJN Onnoghen after calling three witnesses

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 22, 2019

THE federal government has closed its case in the corruption charges filed against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday, after calling three witnesses. Onnoghen is…
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CISLAC launches Anti-Money Laundering Tracker to curb illicit cash flows

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 21, 2019

THE Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has launched the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Tracker, a platform that is designed to track and report all issues concerning the fight against corruption, particularly money laundering…
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Court fixes March 25 to decide on Bauchi guber election case

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 21, 2019

THE Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed March 25 for judgement on the case filed by the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the decision of the Independent National Electoral…
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Write misleading reports about this tribunal, go to jail, CCT Chair threatens journalists

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 21, 2019

CHAIRMAN of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, has threatened to jail journalists who write false or misleading reports about the activities of the tribunal. Umar gave the threat on Thursday during the trial of the suspended Chief…
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Atiku vs INEC: The figures PDP is relying on to challenge Buhari’s victory

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 21, 2019

FORMER Vice President Abubakar Atiku, together with the People's Democratic Party (PDP), has asked the presidential election tribunal, sitting at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, to declare him the winner of the 2019 presidential election held…
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For halting Bauchi collation exercise, PDP drags Judge to NJC

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 20, 2019

THE People's Democratic Party (PDP) has dragged Justice Inyang Ekwo of the federal high court, Abuja, before the National Judicial Council (NJC) alleging that he violated the constitution as well as the Electoral Act, by ordering the…
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Court adjourns Bauchi guber election case to Thursday

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 20, 2019

JUSTICE Inyang Ekwo of the federal high court Abuja has adjourned the case of the Bauchi gubernatorial election to Thursday, 21 March 2019. The All Progressive Congress (APC) had dragged INEC to court over the commission's decision to…
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Former US Ambassador to Nigeria scores 2019 election low

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 19, 2019

FORMER Ambassador of the United States of America to Nigeria, John Campbell, has scored the recently concluded presidential election very low, saying it was marred by a record low voter turnout and irregularities. Campbell, who served as…
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INEC suspends collation exercise in Bauchi guber election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 19, 2019

FOLLOWING the order of the federal high court, Abuja on Tuesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the planned resumption of collation of results of the Bauchi State gubernatorial election held on March 9.…
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Court bars INEC from going ahead with collation of results in Bauchi

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 19, 2019

JUSTICE Inyang Ekwo has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to go ahead with the collation of result in Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi State. This is following an application filed by the All…
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Nigeria army accuses INEC of betrayal over Rivers election saga

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 19, 2019

THE six division of the Nigerian Army with its headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, says it feels betrayed by the comments by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the violence that characterised the recent…
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Death toll in Mozambique cyclone disaster could rise to 1000

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 18, 2019

PRESIDENT Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique says the death toll from the Cyclone disaster that occurred in some parts of the country on Sunday could rise to 1,000. Official records so far put the number of casualties at 215 in Central Mozambique…
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‘Impunity remains widespread at all levels of government in Nigeria’…US human…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 18, 2019

THE United States of America's 2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices has returned a damning verdict on Nigeria's human rights records, stating that "impunity remains widespread at all levels of government" in the country. The…
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Bauchi guber election: Governor meets Buhari, says INEC trying to subvert the law

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 18, 2019

THE Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, has met with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday to brief him on what is happening in the state and what actions he has taken over the recent development on the gubernatorial election in the…
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Western countries boost security in places of worship after New Zealand terror attack

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 15, 2019

COUNTRIES around the world are raising their security levels following a terror attack in New Zealand on Friday that killed almost 50 people. Two gunmen opened fire in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, when Muslim worshippers were…
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Over 180 buildings to be demolished after building collapse in Lagos

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 15, 2019

FOLLOWING the collapse of a three-storey building located at the Ita Faji area of Lagos Island on Wednesday, the Lagos State government has commenced demolition of some old buildings in the area that had already been marked for demolition.…
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Building collapse incidents government failed to investigate

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 15, 2019

IT was a familiar narrative on Wednesday when a three-storey building housing a nursery/primary school collapsed in the Ita Faji area of Lagos Island. Witnesses say 16 persons so far have been confirmed dead in the incident while 41 others…
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Amnesty Int’l insists Nigeria’s military must account for several cases of rights abuse

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 14, 2019

AMNESTY Internationa, a global human rights organisation, has maintained that the Nigerian military must be held accountable for the several cases of gross human rights abuse on women and girls in Internally Displaced Persons’ Camps across…
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Lagos collapsed building: Rescue operations set to end, unofficial report says 41 rescued, 16 dead

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 14, 2019

RESCUE operations at the collapsed three-storey building in Lagos State will end on Thursday, according to officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). The residential building which collapsed on Wednesday had a…
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How the Imo State election was rigged against my son-in-law… Okorocha

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 14, 2019

THE outgoing Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, says last Saturday's gubernatorial elections in the state was heavily rigged against his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, and that the Imo Resident Electoral Officer, Francis Ezeonu, was the…
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N400 million fraud: Olisa Metuh sacks Ikpeazu, Etiaba, appoints new counsel

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 13, 2019

OLISA Metuh, the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disengaged the two senior lawyers representing him in the N400 million fraud case charged against him before Justice Okon Abang of the federal…
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Nigeria bans Boeing 737 Max from its airspace

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 13, 2019

NIGERIA has joined the growing list of countries that have banned the Boeing 737 Max airplanes from its airspace. This is following a fatal crash in Ethiopia over the weekend, in which 157 people were killed, including two Nigerian…
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Court orders NBC boss, Kawu to appear in court over N2.5 billion fraud

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 12, 2019

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Moddibo Kawu, to appear before it to answer to allegations of N2.5 billion fraud brought against him by the Independent…
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Insecurity worsening, terrorists gaining grounds in North West… Ahmad Salkida

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 12, 2019

THE number of armed groups operating across several states in the North Western region of Nigeria could be as much as one thousand, says Ahmad Salkida, a journalist who has vast experience of the insecurity situation in Northern Nigeria.…
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Imo, Taraba, go PDP’s way, Kano joins inconclusive list

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 12, 2019

THE Independent National ElectoralCommission (INEC) has declared Emeka Ihedioha and Darius Ishaku, both candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winners of the gubernatorial elections in Imo and Taraba states respectively. The…
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Senators, Reps-elect to receive certificates of return on March 14

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 11, 2019

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that successful candidates in the February 23 national assembly elections would be issued their certificates of return on Thursday, March 14. This is according to a…
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State elections: The winners, losers and hopefuls

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 11, 2019

RESULTS have been pouring in from Saturday's fiercely-contested gubernatorial and state assemblies elections. In many states of the federation, the winners have been announced and the losers have known their fate, while for some it is still…
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Several persons killed across Nigeria during state elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 10, 2019

DESPITE the assurances of improved security by the various security agencies in Nigeria, Saturday's governorship and state assemblies election was bloody in various states of the federation as several persons were reported killed either by…
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IGP visits policemen involved in auto crash during election duty

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 9, 2019

THE Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, has visited the Police Hospital located in the Area 1 region of Abuja, as well as the National Hospital, Abuja, where some police personnel who were involved in an auto crash while on their…
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Massive voter apathy, vote buying characterise elections across Nigeria

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 9, 2019

REPORTS coming in from across the country show that Saturday's governorship, state assembly and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections have so far been characterised by poor voter turnout and incidents of vote buying. From…
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Election Day: Mixed developments across Nigeria as polls open

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 9, 2019

SATURDAY'S governorship and state assembly elections have begun across all the states of the federation in the second round of the 2019 general elections. However, while many states have witnessed an improvement in terms of the deployment…
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Women who survived Boko Haram are facing abuse, neglect… Amnesty International

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 8, 2019

AMNESTY International, a global rights organisation, has said that thousands of women who fled Boko Haram controlled areas, are facing serious abuse and neglect in the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps where they are being detained and…
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Akpabio withdraws suit challenging his electoral defeat

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 8, 2019

FORMER Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has withdrawn the suit he filed in court challenging the national assembly election result in the state which saw him lose his senatorial seat to Chris Ekpenyong of the Peoples…
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INEC office in Akwa Ibom up in flames 24 hours to election day

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 8, 2019

THE office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) located at Ibesikpo Asuntan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has been engulfed by fire, barely 24 hours to the governorship and state assembly elections scheduled…
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Abia State govt arrests journalist, jails him for ‘defaming’ Theodore Orji

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 8, 2019

THE Abia State government has arrested and arraigned a journalist, Obinna Norman, at a magistrate court in Umuahia, the state capital, for allegedly harassing and defaming the former governor of the state, Theodore Orji. Norman is the…
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The killing spree continues in Zamfara State, dozens reported killed in one week

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 7, 2019

THE massive bloodletting in Zamfara State, courtesy of bandits and kidnappers, is not easing up anytime soon as dozens of people have been reported killed in the last week. On March 1, ThisDay newspaper reported that 14 persons were killed…
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Amaechi adopts AAC candidate for Rivers guber election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 6, 2019

THE Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has adopted the African Action Congress (AAC) as the party of choice going into the governorship and state assembly election coming up on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Amaechi made this known…
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In emotional interview, US musician, R Kelly denies sexually assaulting minors

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 6, 2019

ROBERT Sylvestre Kelly, a popular musician from the United States of America, has granted an emotional interview during which he denied allegations of child sexual abuse against him. The singer, popularly known as R-Kelly, said the…
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Olisa Metuh’s counsels pull out, say their lives being threatened

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 5, 2019

TWO Senior Advocates of Nigeria representing the former National Publicity Secretary of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, in the corruption charges filed against him at the federal high court Abuja, say they are pulling out…
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By refusing to sign Electoral Amendment Bill, Buhari already predetermined election result, says ADP…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 5, 2019

THE presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Sani Yagbaji, has discredited the results of the just-concluded elections as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Yagbaji, who spoke on Channels…
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Apply to attend Global Investigative Journalism Conference, Hamburg 2019

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 4, 2019

THE Global Investigative Journalism Network is calling on interested practising investigative journalists to apply for a fellowship to attend the 2019 Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GIJC19), the premier international gathering…
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Court winds up Badeh’s company, terminates charges against late CDS

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 4, 2019

FOLLOWING the death of the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Alex Badeh, the federal high court in Abuja has terminated the corruption charges against him while ordering that his company, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, be wound up and all its…
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Days to governorship election, court orders fresh PDP primary election in Kano

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 4, 2019

THE chances for the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) to mount any significant challenge for the Kano State governorship position have been dealt a heavy blow as a Federal High Court has ordered the party to hold a fresh primary…
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Two police officers killed, 323 offenders arrested during presidential/NASS elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 4, 2019

THE Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police Force, Mohammed Adamu, says two policemen lost their lives while a total of 323 persons were arrested across the country for offences committed during the just-concluded presidential and national…
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Result sheets for Zamfara guber election intact, INEC clarifies

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 4, 2019

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted the reports that result sheets meant for the governorship election in Zamfara State had been hijacked by a particular political party. Garba Galadima, the Head of Department,…
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Our voters were suppressed, our votes stolen, says Moghalu as he rejects presidential election…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 1, 2019

KINGSLEY Moghalu, the Presidential Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the just concluded-presidential election has rejected the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In a statement issued…
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Stomach Infrastructure… Scuffle, fighting over rice donated by politician in Lagos

Kingsley OBIEJESI Mar 1, 2019

AS the date for the governorship and state assemblies elections draws near, politicians have restarted campaigns after a brief pulse during the presidential and national assembly elections. Many have resorted to the old campaign strategy…
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Buhari to dissolve cabinet before swearing in, form another immediately after… Adesina

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 28, 2019

SPECIAL Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says President Muhammadu Buhari is likely to dissolve his present cabinet before his swearing-in for his second tenure and form a new one immediately after. Adesina,…
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State Elections: INEC boss charges State RECs to learn from presidential/NASS polls

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 28, 2019

AHEAD of the governorship and state assembly elections coming up on March 9, the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood, has tasked the various Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to…
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Voter turnout for presidential/NASS election is lowest in recent history, here is why

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 28, 2019

THE just concluded presidential and national assembly elections in Nigeria witnessed a voter turnout of just over 35.6 per cent, the lowest in the country since the return to democracy in 1999 According to figures by the Independent…
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I didn’t fail, I cannot fail an election… Akpabio on losing senatorial seat

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 27, 2019

FORMER Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has insisted that he did not lose the just concluded senatorial election in his state. Akpabio said this during an interview on live television at the sidelines of the brief ceremony…
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Buhari, Osinbajo receive certificates of return

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 27, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have been issued their certificates of return following their victory at the just concluded 2019 presidential election. The certificates were presented to the two by the National…
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Buhari asks supporters not to gloat or humiliate opposition

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 27, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has urged his supporters not to gloat or humiliate supporters of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while celebrating his electoral victory. Buhari said this during his appreciation speech after being…
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I’ll go to court… Atiku rejects result of presidential election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 27, 2019

FORMER Vice President Abubakar Atiku has rejected the result of the 2019 presidential election which was announced by Mahmood Yakubu, National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Wednesday.…
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Kaduna boils again: El-Rufai confirms fresh killings in Kajuru area

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 26, 2019

GOVERNOR of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has confirmed fresh violent attacks in some communities located in Kajuru and Kachia Local Government Areas of the state. El-Rufai's spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, gave the confirmation via a statement…
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Make the call… Nigerians urge Atiku to congratulate Buhari

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 26, 2019

AS the collation of the 2019 presidential election continues at the national collation centre in Abuja, Nigerians are already urging Abubakar Atiku, the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to call President Muhammadu…
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PDP rejects election results, says they are incorrect, unacceptable

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 25, 2019

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it would not accept the results of the 2019 presidential election being announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, said this…
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EU observer mission: Elections in Nigeria marked by “serious operational challenges”

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 25, 2019

THE European Union Election Observation Mission says Nigeria's presidential and national assembly elections which held on Saturday, February 23, was "marked by serious operational challenges". This was contained in a preliminary statement…
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NASS Elections: Saraki, Akpabio, Sani… Big names who won’t be at 9th Assembly

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 25, 2019

THE 2019 general election has thrown up major surprises especially in the National Assembly as results are gradually trickling in from the various states. Many career politicians who could be described as traditional election winners did…
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US congressman says Nigerian election results being tampered with

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 25, 2019

A RANKING member of the House of Representatives in the United States of America, Chris, Smith, has expressed misgivings with the ongoing collation of election results in Nigeria. Smith claims he has intelligence reports that senior…
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INEC adjourns collation of election results till Monday

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 25, 2019

THE National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has adjourned the collation of the 2019 election results to Monday, February 25, 2019. He made the announcement shortly after declaring the…
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Atiku, Osinbajo, Moghalu… Candidates, top politicians who lost their polling units

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 24, 2019

RESULTS have started trickling in from across the country in the ongoing presidential and national assembly elections which held on Saturday, February 23, 2019. But while some of the results are expected, there were a number of surprises.…
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I wish every day was election day, says food vendor making brisk business during voting exercise

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 23, 2019

POPULAR CNN broadcaster, Richard Quest, would usually end his programmes with the words: "Whatever you do, hope it is profitable". Some traders across the Federal Capital Territory took Quest's advice to heart and ensured to take full…
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INEC extends voting time beyond 2 pm

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 23, 2019

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended voting time in polling units where officials of the commission did not arrive on time. The ICIR had earlier reported how INEC officials arrived late in several polling units…
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Buhari, Atiku satisfied after voting, Obi, Sowore say process is slow

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 23, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the voting process after the polls opened across the country for the 2019 general elections. So also did Atiku, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and…
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INEC officials arrive late at several polling units across FCT

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 23, 2019

IT'S election day in Nigeria and the citizens are eager to exercise their voting rights but INEC officials arrived late at the several polling units across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The ICIR reporters monitoring the process in…
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Mahmood Yakubu: It’s impossible to quantify cost implication of postponed election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 21, 2019

IT is impossible to put a finger on a figure as to the cost implication of the postponement of the 2019 general election which was supposed to kick-off on Saturday, February 16, 2019, says the National Chairman of the Independent National…
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No reason whatsoever to consider resignation, INEC Chairman insists

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 21, 2019

NATIONAL Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, says there is no reason whatsoever for him to consider resigning his position. He said this on Thursday during the commission's daily press briefing…
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Scores feared dead as Kwankwanso, Jibrin supporters clash in Kano State

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 21, 2019

A yet-to-be-ascertained number of people are feared dead following a bloody clash between supporters of former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kankwanso, and serving member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, in Kofa, a village…
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Osinbajo denies resignation rumour, restates loyalty to Buhari

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 21, 2019

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo has denied reports that he has resigned from office following purported disregard to his office by President Muhammadu Buhari. The social media was agog on Wednesday with Osinbajo's purported resignation after…
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Corps members, undergrads working as INEC ad-hoc staff to earn N30,500

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 20, 2019

MEMBERS of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) working as ad-hoc staff for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the coming general elections will be paid a total of N30,500. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC National Chairman,…
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NAF fighter jets shell Boko Haram positions in Borno

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 20, 2019

THE Air Task Force (ATF) of the Operation Lafiya Dole has destroyed a hideout belonging to the Boko Haram Terrorists, destroying the insurgents’ facilities, as well as neutralising many of the fighters. Ibikunle Daramola, Director of…
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Army is ready to foil electoral violence, COAS assures Nigerians

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 20, 2019

THE Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, says the Nigerian Army is alert and ready to foil any attempt at causing violence during the forthcoming elections. Buratai was speaking during a meeting with army Principal Staff Officers, General…
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Why I set up a separate committee to handle election logistics… Mahmood Yakubu

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 19, 2019

THE National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has explained why he had to form an advisory ad-hoc committee to handle the issue of logistics for the 2019 general elections different from the…
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All is well… INEC chair reassures commission ready for rescheduled elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 19, 2019

MAHMOOD Yakubu, the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has again reassured Nigerians, as well as the international community that the commission is ready for the rescheduled 2019 general elections.…
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At 77, Bernie Sanders declares to run for US presidency in 2020

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 19, 2019

US Congressman, Bernie Sanders, has declared his intention to run for the office of the President of the United States of America in the next presidential election. Aged 77, Sanders will be 79 years old in 2020 when the next election will…
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Here are the INEC personnel responsible for Saturday’s election postponement

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 18, 2019

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Ibeanu must go… Nigerians call for sack of INEC logistics committee chair

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 18, 2019

#IBEANUMUSTGO is the hashtag that has been trending on Twitter on Monday as Nigerians insist that the chairman of the INEC's logistics committee, Okechukwu Ibeanu, must resign or be sacked. The National Chairman of the Independent National…
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INEC must explain who is responsible for postponement of election, says Buhari

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 18, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must explain in further details why the presidential and national assembly elections initially scheduled for Saturday, February 16, was abruptly postponed.…
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INEC chairman: Why we had to postpone elections by one week

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 16, 2019

MAHMOOD Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says circumstances that led to the postponement of the 2019 general elections were beyond the commission's control. Among the major challenges that led to the…
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There’s no evidence Buhari created 12 million jobs in rice sector

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 16, 2019

THE Muhammadu Buhari Administration has continued to claim that 12 million jobs were created in the Rice production sector in Nigeria as a result of the administration's agricultural policies, but there is no evidence anywhere to support…
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Economic losses of 2019 election postponement

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 16, 2019

THE dying minutes rescheduling of the 2019 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will come at a great, great economic loss, not just for the commission and stakeholders in the electoral process, but also…
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APC, PDP trade blames over postponement of elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 16, 2019

THE two major political parties in Nigeria -- the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Congress -- are blaming each other for the last minute postponement of the 2019 general elections by the Independent…
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Widespread condemnation for INEC on social media following election postponement

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 16, 2019

IT must be a very rough period for the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, as condemnation and severe criticisms have continued to pour in for the commission following the eleventh-hour…
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Court sentences student to prison, hard labour over dating fraud

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 16, 2019

A Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has sentenced one Festus Ojomola, a student of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, to one year imprisonment with hard labour, for engaging in internet fraud and dating scam, as well…
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BREAKING: 66 people killed in Kaduna a day before general election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 15, 2019

AT least 66 persons have been reported killed in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Friday, less than 24 hours before the commencement of the general elections. This was contained in a statement by Samuel Aruwan, media aide to…
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Security operatives cordon off INEC’s Rivers State office as APC supporters hold protest

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 15, 2019

THE headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State has been barricaded by security agencies as supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state are protesting the party’s exclusion from…
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I have absolute confidence in the armed forces, says Shettima after Boko Haram attack on convoy

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 14, 2019

GOVERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State has reaffirmed his confidence in the Nigerian armed forces despite the attack on his convoy by Boko Haram fighters on Wednesday. Five persons, comprising four civilians and one soldier,…
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Sacks of ballot papers intercepted in Kano were specimens… Police

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 14, 2019

THE Kano State police command has clarified that 14 sacks of ballot papers intercepted by its operatives on Thursday were only specimens of the original ballot papers and had not been thumb printed. Two men conveying the sacks of fake…
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National Broadcast: Any threat of violence does not represent FG’s position… Buhari

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 14, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has reassured Nigerians and the international community, especially members of international election observer groups, of their safety during the 2019 general elections which will commence with the presidential…
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Stop victimisation of whistle-blowers, AFRICMIL charges NBET boss

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 13, 2019

THE African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) has called on the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), Marilyn Amobi, to immediately stop the victimisation of…
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QUESTION: Did Amaechi’s ‘war songs’ violate Electoral Act? It appears so

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 13, 2019

ON Tuesday, during the presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi challenged the state's governor, Nyesom Wike, to an open duel. Amaechi, a former…
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‘War drums’ in Rivers State: Anything Wike wants, we’ll give him on Saturday, says…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 13, 2019

ROTIMI Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, says he and the state's chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are ready for battle in the coming presidential election in Rivers State. Amaechi said this when President Muhammadu…
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Good news as Nigeria’s GDP grew by 2.3 percent in Q4 2018

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 12, 2019

NIGERIA’S Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 2.38 percent in real terms (year-on-year). This represents an increase of 0.27 percent points when compared to the fourth quarter of 2017 which recorded a growth rate of 2.11 percent, according…
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Chaos at Ogun APC rally as angry youths boo Buhari, Oshiomhole

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 11, 2019

VIOLENCE was averted on Monday at the Ogun State rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after angry youths almost shouted down some of the party leaders including President Muhammadu Buhari and the party's National Chairman, Adams…
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Major rejig at army headquarters, Sagir Musa named new spokesperson

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 11, 2019

THERE has been a major rejig at the Nigerian Army Headquarters as several senior officers are redeployed from one area of responsibility to the other. As a result, Sagir Musa, a colonel, has been announced as the acting director of army …
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At least the PDP can’t claim this one… Nigerians react to giant broom mounted at Abuja…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 10, 2019

A giant broom made of iron rods mounted at the Abuja City Gate by the ruling All Progress Congress (APC) has attracted criticisms from many Nigerians. Raffia broom is the symbol of the APC but many could not understand why it is being…
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Buhari must not come back for second term, Falae warns as he retires from politics

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 8, 2019

NATIONAL Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Olu Falae, has retired from active politics, leaving a final message for Nigerians to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari does not get re-elected. This is coming barely 24 hours after…
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INEC extends PVC collection window by three days

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 8, 2019

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the window for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by three days. INEC National chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, made this known during a meeting with Resident Electoral…
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TMG appalled at El Rufai’s body bag threat, warns against inflammatory rhetoric

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 8, 2019

THE Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) a coalition of over 400 civic organizations, says it is “appalled” by the recent statement made by Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that international observers who allegedly interfere in…
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Atiku, Buhari, Moghalu, Sowore in endorsement contest

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 8, 2019

IT'S less than five days to the general election in Nigeria and as the polls draw closer, several political and non-political groups have started endorsing one candidate or another for the biggest trophy − the presidential seat. Though…
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ASUU calls off three-month strike

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 7, 2019

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off the strike it embarked upon in November 2018. The ICIR learnt the strike was suspended following a fruitful deliberation with the federal government on Thursday. Earlier in…
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Buhari sad over loss of lives at Taraba APC rally

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 7, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness and regret over the loss of lives during the All Progressives Congress campaign rally in Jalingo, Taraba State, on Thursday. Three persons were reportedly killed in a stampede at the rally…
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EFCC discovers another Onnoghen account with $30,000 payment by controversial SAN

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 7, 2019

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has discovered another undisclosed bank account belonging to the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen. According to TheCable, the Heritage Bank account was also not…
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APC won’t have any candidate in Rivers, INEC insists

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 7, 2019

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that the All Progressives Congress will not be allowed to field any candidate in Rivers State during the forthcoming general elections. INEC's National Commissioner in…
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Court orders arrest of former NIA DG Ayo Oke, wife

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 7, 2019

JUSTICE Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Ayodele Oke and his wife Folashade This follows an application…
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Ten days to elections, PSC redeploys 36 police commissioners across the country

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 6, 2019

WITH less than ten days to the 2019 general elections in Nigeria, the Police Service Commissions (PSC) has on Wednesday approved the deployment of new commissioners of police across all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital…
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El-Rufai insists he’s defending Nigeria’s sovereignty by opposing foreign interference

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 6, 2019

KADUNA State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has explained that his comments during a television programme on Tuesday, with regards to foreign intervention in Nigeria's internal affairs, was not a call for violence, but rather a defence of…
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Anyone who intervenes in Nigeria’s election will leave in a body bag… El-Rufai

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 6, 2019

THE Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai has threatened any external body that interferes with the forthcoming general election in Nigeria with death, saying such a person will leave the country in a body bag. El-Rufai made the remarks…
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Beware of fake EFCC social media handles, Commission warns

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 6, 2019

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned the general public to be wary of fake social media handles and addresses that are currently spreading fake messages and misrepresentations about the activities of the…
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After stand-off with lawmakers, Ambode presents 2019 budget to Lagos Assembly

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 5, 2019

GOVERNOR Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State has presented a 2019 budget of N852.316 billion before the State House of Assembly, after a brief stand-off with the lawmakers that almost led to the commencement of impeachment procedures against…
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ICPC files N1bn charges against former Customs CG, Dikko, to arraign him in absentia

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 5, 2019

FORMER Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Dikko, will be arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday, January 14, 2019, before Justice Lucia Ojukwu…
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REPORT: Bandits having a field day in Zamfara, kill seven soldiers on Monday

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 5, 2019

ZAMFARA State has remained a hotbed for banditry, kidnapping and violence killings as seven soldiers were killed on Monday and several incidences of abduction reported in past week. This is according to reports by Ahmad Salkida, a…
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Soyinka: I’m not a member of any ‘Third Force’ but I endorse efforts at consensus…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 4, 2019

NOBEL Laureate, Wole Soyinka says he is not a member of any "conveners' council or third force" aimed at coming up with a consensus candidate for the forthcoming presidential campaign, contrary to a recent newspaper report. In a…
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N48.9 million: How much Ezekwesili spent on her three-month presidential campaign

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 4, 2019

THE campaign team of the former presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Obiageli Ezekwesili, says it received a total of N48,957,416 (Forty-eight million, nine hundred and fifty-seven thousand, four hundred…
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Atiku merely got temporary waiver to visit US in spite of ban

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 4, 2019

ABUBAKAR Atiku, presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was actually banned from entering the United States of America for several years and was merely granted a temporary waiver for his recent visit to the…
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Allegations against me by ACPN height of political comedy… Oby Ezekwesili

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 4, 2019

FORMER presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Obiageli Ezekwesili, has described allegations against her by the leadership of the party as "the height of political comedy" as they are "baseless and puerile".…
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Oil and gas remain critical to our economy, says Buhari as he flags off oil search in Bauchi State

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 2, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has flagged off the oil exploration process in Kolamani River in Gongola Basin in Bauchi State, saying that oil and gas remain critical to Nigeria's economy. Buhari said the flag-off of the spud-in was in…
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Boko Haram kills 60 in Rann a day after soldiers pulled out of community

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 1, 2019

PEOPLE in the remote town of Rann in Borno State are once again burying scores of residents, following another deadly attack by Boko Haram a day after the troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the Nigerian Army withdrew…
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Different strokes: Cold snaps kill dozens in America but Australia records hottest ever weather

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 1, 2019

EXTREME weather conditions have been the source of major concerns for various countries around the world, though for contrasting reasons. While extreme cold in the United States of America has claimed dozens of life, extreme heat is doing…
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Arraignment of former NIA boss, Oke stalls as he fails to show up in court

Kingsley OBIEJESI Feb 1, 2019

THE planned arraignment of the former Director General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Folashade, has failed as both defendants were absent from court on Friday. The Economic and Financial Crimes…
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Health workers meet to decide on resuming industrial action

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 31, 2019

THE Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) is holding a meeting on Thursday to decide on whether or not to resume the suspended nationwide industrial action. JOHESU had embarked on strike action in April 2018 but suspended it six weeks later…
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Private sector-driven economy, automated public service… Atiku’s ideas for a new Nigeria

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 31, 2019

IT was the turn of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and his running mate, former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, to appear on 'The Candidates' on Wednesday to try to sell…
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15 months after, EFCC files charges against Babachir Lawal, Ayo Oke

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 30, 2019

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed separate corruption charges against the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and the former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency…
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Unarmed man shot at close range in Benin was a suspected kidnapper, Police explain

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 30, 2019

A video clip went viral on the social media on Tuesday showing security agents − initially thought to be policemen − shooting a man at close range, but the Nigeria police have explained that the man was a suspected kidnapper. The incident…
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Ambode is in power yet he is powerless… Nigerians on moves to impeach Lagos gov.

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 29, 2019

THE social media has been agog since the news broke on Monday evening about moves by the Lagos State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Ambode. The state lawmakers are alleging that Ambode has already started spending money from the…
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CODE gets INEC accreditation to monitor 2019 general elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 29, 2019

CONNECTED Development (CODE), a civil society organization working to increase transparency in government, has been accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as one of the independent observer groups in the…
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Buhari, APC disowns Okorocha’s son-in-law at Imo APC rally

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 29, 2019

THE national leadership of the All Progressives Congress and President Muhammadu Buhari have urged the people of Imo State to vote only for the candidates of the party in the forthcoming election, thus refuting the purported coalition…
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Zamfara insecurity: State govt. declares 3-day prayer, fasting, Quran recitation

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 29, 2019

THE Zamfara state government has declared a three-day intensive fasting and prayer session, to be accompanied by the recitation of the entire Quran by Muslim clerics and teachers, as part of efforts at curbing the insecurity challenges in…
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Group asks CCT to allow access to new CJN’s asset declaration form

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 28, 2019

THE African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), a non-governmental organization focused on good governance and the promotion of accountability, has applied to the Code of conduct Bureau (CCB) for the asset declaration form…
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FLASHBACK: When Buhari told Nigerians he was a converted democrat

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 28, 2019

ON several occasions during the campaigns for the 2015 presidential election, President Muhammadu, then the candidate of the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC), assured Nigerians that he had turned a new leaf and is now a…
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Atiku: Buhari’s government now worse than military rule

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 28, 2019

FOLLOWING the controversial suspension of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, by President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Abubakar Atiku says the present administration "has set a new precedent...that has no…
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Onnoghen’s CCT case adjourned indefinitely

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 28, 2019

THE ongoing false assets declaration case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) involving the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, has been postponed indefinitely. Onnoghen, who was suspended from office by President…
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CDD urges Buhari to reverse Onnoghen’s suspension, asks ‘ex-CJN’ to resign

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 28, 2019

THE Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), a civil society organization, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the suspension of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen and the subsequent appointment of an Acting…
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New CJN swears in members of 2019 election petitions tribunal

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 26, 2019

THE controversy over the legality or otherwise of his appointment is still raging, but the newly appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed, has started carrying out official duties with the swearing-in of the members of the…
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Moghalu, Durotoye’s parties unite, to announce coalition candidate soon

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 26, 2019

THE Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) have agreed to form a coalition ahead of the 2019 general election and will in the coming days announce who will be their coalition presidential candidate between…
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NBA demands reversal of Onnoghen’s suspension

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 26, 2019

THE Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday. In a statement issued late Friday, the action of the executive arm of government was…
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I was fighting Boko Haram during 2015 election, says army officer suspended for alleged partisanship

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 25, 2019

THE court case between the Nigeria Army and Abdulfatah Mohammed, one of the 38 army officers that were disengaged in 2016 for alleged gross misconduct, continued on Friday at the National Industrial Court Abuja, with the cross-examination…
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FULL TEXT: Buhari’s speech during swearing-in of Acting CJN, Tanko Mohammed

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 25, 2019

PRESIDENT Mohammadu Buhari has appointed a new Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) in the person of Justice Tanko Mohammed, following the suspension of Walter Onnoghen. Mohammed, from Bauchi State, was sworn in at a brief ceremony at the…
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Increasing minimum wage could lead to 400 per cent hike in govt wage bill, El-Rufai warns

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 25, 2019

GOVERNOR of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai says increasing the national minimum wage could lead to an upward of 300 to 400 per cent spike in the wage bill of the federal government. El-Rufai also said that it could discourage investors and…
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Buhari suspends Onnoghen, appoints new CJN

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 25, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, and has appointed Justice Tanko Mohammed as the acting CJN. Justice Mohammed was sworn in on Friday shortly after Buhari signed the Executive…
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‘Pushing APC by number’… Video shows ‘Nigerian soldiers’ pushing…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 24, 2019

A SHORT video clip has gone viral on the social media showing soldiers pushing an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), perhaps in an attempt to jumpstart the vehicle. The 35-second video appeared to have been recorded by some Nigerian…
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Appeal Court affirms Donald Duke as SDP presidential candidate

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 24, 2019

THE Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke as the authentic presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), setting aside a former ruling by a Federal Capital Territory High…
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100,000 minimum wage, 200,000 teacher recruitment… Sowore’s plans for new Nigeria

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 24, 2019

OMOYELE Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) says he will raise the national minimum wage to N100,000 and recruit over 250,000 teachers in his first term if he wins the 2019 …
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Ezekwesili pulls out of presidential race

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 24, 2019

FORMER Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has pulled out of the 2019 presidential race. Ezekwesili, who was running on the platform of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACNP), made the announcement on Thursday morning via her…
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Atiku US travel: Saraki knocks critics

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 23, 2019

SENATE President Bukola Saraki has described the reports that former Vice President Abubakar Atiku traveled to the United States of America as part of his (Saraki's) entourage as ridiculous. Speaking on Kakaaki, a breakfast programme of…
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Corruption charges: Orji Uzor-Kalu has no case to answer until further notice – Court

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 23, 2019

JUSTICE Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has suspended the corruption trial involving former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu, until further notice. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on October…
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EU observer mission arrives Nigeria for 2019 general election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 22, 2019

A TEAm of 11 election analysts and 40 observers from the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU- EOM) has arrived Nigeria ahead of the 2019 general election. Led by Maria Arena, a Belgian and member of the European Parliament, the…
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FG asks CCT to order CJN Onnoghen to step aside

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 22, 2019

THE federal government has asked the Code of Conduct Tribunal to issue an interim order for the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, to step aside, pending the determination of the case of false assets declaration against him. Aliu…
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FG releases 163 billion to Universities but ASUU strike continues

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 22, 2019

MINISTER of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says the federal government has released the sum of N163 billion to Nigerian universities from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as part of efforts to end the ongoing strike embarked…
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Obasanjo’s history of ‘letter-writing’ and its significance

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 21, 2019

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo is again in the spotlight of Nigeria's political space, this time with another scathing criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari. Coming less than one month to another general election, Obasanjo's…
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Nigerians give ‘red card’ to Atiku, Buhari for shunning debate

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 20, 2019

THE long-awaited debate for the top presidential candidates in the 2019 general election has come and gone with the two top candidates, Muhammadu Buhari and Abubakar Atiku boycotting the event, causing dismay among the electorate. Both men…
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2019 Election: Moghalu, Ezekwesili, Durotoye debate, as Atiku, Buhari chicken out

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 20, 2019

IT was a battle of the newcomers as Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education contesting on the…
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120 days after, Buhari yet to act on Shittu’s NYSC scandal

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 20, 2019

IT has been over 120 days since it was uncovered that President Muhammadu Buhari's Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, did not take part in the mandatory one-year national service for all Nigerian citizens who graduated from the…
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APC criticises America for allowing Atiku entry into country

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 18, 2019

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised the United States of America for allowing former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku into the country despite allegations of money laundering against him. Atiku's visit to America on Thursday…
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The Candidates: Five questions Buhari did not answer during town hall meeting

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 18, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari's appearance on 'The Candidates', a town hall event that is intended to bring the top candidates in the 2019 presidential election closer to the voters, was the major subject of discussion all day on Thursday.…
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Kennedy Agyapong: Ghanaian lawmaker who threatened journalist before he was murdered

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 17, 2019

A GHANAIAN lawmaker, Kennedy Agyapong, has been accused of the murder of a journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale, who was shot dead by unknown gunmen on Wednesday night in Accra. Ahmed was an associate of Anas Aremeyaw, a Ghanaian investigative…
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Highlights of Buhari, Osinbajo’s appearance on ‘The Candidate’

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 17, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo appeared as guests on 'The Candidates', a voter enlightenment programme organised by Daria Media in collaboration with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), sponsored by the…
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New IGP removes Moshood, reinstate Mba as police PRO

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 16, 2019

NEWLY-APPOINTED Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Adamu has removed Jimoh Moshood as the Force Public Relations Officer, appointing Frank Mba, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, as his replacement. Mba, who until Wednesday was…
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FG moves to freeze CJN’s accounts pending determination of suit at CCT

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 16, 2019

THE Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has directed the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to freeze the account five numbers belonging to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, pending the determination of…
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Former air chief, Amosun, forfeits N2.7 billion to FG

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 16, 2019

JUSTICE Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered that the sum of N2.7 billion which was recovered from former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosun, should be permanently forfeited to the federal government.…
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I learnt of my retirement from the newspaper, disengaged army officer tells court

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 16, 2019

ABDULFATAH Mohammed, a former Lieutenant Colonel with the Nigeria Army has narrated to the Justice R.B Haastrup of the National Industrial Court (NIC) how he learnt about his compulsory retirement from the pages of the newspaper. Mohammed…
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Several persons feared dead in Nairobi terrorist attack

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 15, 2019

A yet to be ascertained number of people are feared killed during a terrorist attack on a luxury hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. Al-Shabab, a vicious terrorist group based in Somalia, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Somalia shares a…
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Court discharges Boko Haram suspect for lack of evidence

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 15, 2019

JUSTICE Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has discharged and acquitted one Goni Umar who was accused of being a member of Boko Haram. Umar, a native of Funtua, Borno State, was arrested in 2015 and was kept in police custody…
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Bandits lay siege on Zamfara communities for days on end, says Salkida

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 14, 2019

FOR the past seven days, bandits have continued to lay siege on several communities in Zamfara State, reports Ahmad Salkida, a journalist who has a vast knowledge of the security situation in Northern Nigeria. Salkida said the hoodlums…
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EFCC arrests ‘Bishop’ for defrauding people through ponzi scheme

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 14, 2019

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested one Ginika Obi, a suspected fraudster who parades himself as a Christian Bishop, for allegedly defrauding hundreds of people of millions of naira via an illegal ponzi scheme…
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Okorocha campaigns for another party at APC Owerri rally

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 13, 2019

CHAIRMAN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors' Forum and the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, is campaigning for the governorship candidate of a parallel political party other than his. At a recent women rally held in…
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REPORT: Buhari, an ‘elderly, infirm leader’, Atiku would enrich self, cronies

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 12, 2019

THE Eurasia group, an internationally recognised political risk consultancy organisation, has painted a grim picture of the two major contenders for the 2019 Nigerian presidential election, describing the incumbent President Muhammadu…
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Buhari moves to officially extend IGP’s tenure despite ‘admitting’ his failure

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 12, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has commenced moves to officially extend the tenure of Ibrahim Idris as the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Idris ought to have retired from service on January 3 which marked his 35th year in the Nigeria…
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What top presidential candidates are saying about INEC’s neutrality as Election Day draws nearer

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 11, 2019

IT is 35 days to the commencement of the 2019 general election in which Nigerians will be choosing a new set of leaders to oversee the affairs of the country for the next four years. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has…
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295,000 candidates apply for 10,000 police jobs within five weeks

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 11, 2019

IN five weeks after the commencement of the recruitment of applicants into the Nigerian, approximately 295,000 applications have been received for 10,000 available spaces. This was made known in a statement issued on Thursday by Ikechukwu…
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We didn’t endorse Atiku, but we’ll identify with a candidate that supports…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 10, 2019

THE Ohaneze ndi Igbo, a socio-political organisation of the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria, says it has not endorsed former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, nor any other candidate, for the 2019 general election. Deputy National Publicity…
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Massive police recruitment, constitutional restructuring… Moghalu’s ideas for a new…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 10, 2019

FORMER Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the candidate of the Young Peoples Party (YPP) Kingsley Moghalu, says he will recruit one and a half million new policemen and women if he wins the 2019 presidential election.…
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Opposition party wins DRC presidential election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 10, 2019

PARTS of the Democratic Republic of Congo erupted in jubilation on Thursday following the emergence of Felix Tshisekedi, the candidate of the opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress, as the winner of the country's presidential…
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Four new private universities get FEC approval

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 9, 2019

THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the establishment of four new private universities, thus bringing the total number of private universities in the country to 79. The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said this on…
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“You work with figures, I work with facts…’ Buhari insists Nigeria has achieved…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 9, 2019

DESPITE the many negative reports by several internationally recognised bodies on the rate of hunger and poverty in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari insists that the nation has achieved food security under his administration. Buhari…
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Osinbajo: Even Atiku, PDP know Buhari is an honest man

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 9, 2019

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerians to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office as he is the most honest and transparent of all the candidates. Osinbajo, who was speaking at a campaign event in Abuja on…
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VIDEO: Ambode goes on speaking as thugs had a field day during Lagos APC rally

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 9, 2019

THE Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) kickstarted its governorship campaign rally for the 2019 general election on Tuesday, but the event was marred by massive violence. A video clip of the event showed where…
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Buhari takes responsibility for service chiefs’ poor performance yet allows them continue in…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 8, 2019

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says he takes responsibility for the perceived poor performance of Nigeria's security chiefs, but, strangely, he allows them to continue in office in spite of their failings. Buhari said this during an interview…
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Number of human trafficking victims on the rise, says UN report

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 8, 2019

THE number of human trafficking victims all over the world is on the rise as armed groups and terrorists are trafficking women and children to generate funds and recruit, according to the latest Global Report on Trafficking in Persons …
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Mbaka ‘endorses’ Buhari, Ugwuanyi for 2019 general election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Jan 2, 2019

EJIKE Mbaka, a controversial Catholic Priest from the Diocese of Enugu, has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari and the incumbent Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for a second term in their respective offices. Mbaka gave the…
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Nobody should talk to me again about Buhari’s integrity… Buba Galadima

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 27, 2018

BUBA Galadima, former National Secretary of the now defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) says there is no basis for people to refer to President Muhammadu Buhari as a person of integrity. The CPC was one of the parties that came…
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Buhari vs Buhari: President ‘disowns’ wife’s claims about cabal in charge at Aso…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 26, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has disowned his wife, Aisha's comments that one or two persons, other than the president, was in charge of affairs at the presidency. Buhari, while speaking to the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, said he…
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Decaying infrastructure, mounting debts… Why Qua Iboe Power Plant can’t take off yet

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 24, 2018

THE much talked-about Qua Iboe Power Plant (QIPP) which is to be sited in Akwa Ibom State, and which would add about 540 megawatts of electricity to the national grid, may not take off anytime soon because of mounting debts and decaying…
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Dozens killed, hundreds missing after volcano-induced tsunami in Indonesia

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 23, 2018

AT least 168 people have been killed and 745 injured after a tsunami hit the coast on Indonesia's Sunda Strait, according to the BBC. The China Global Television Network (CGTN) are reporting a far lesser number: 62 dead, 584 injured, and…
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Union bank claims money confiscated by EFCC at Enugu Airport

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 22, 2018

UNION Bank, one of Nigeria's foremost commercial banks, has claimed ownership of the $2.8 million dollars which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it confiscated at the Enugu International Airport on Friday. The…
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Lai Mohammed says Buhari presidency has met promises to Nigerians, public record says otherwise

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 22, 2018

MINISTER of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the Buhari administration has kept all the promises and obligations to Nigerians and is determined to do more. Mohammed said this while addressing State House correspondents on…
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We are all Biafrans, says Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 21, 2018

GOVERNOR of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, says all Nigerians who are concerned about the issues of inequity and injustice in the country and are pushing for a better, stable, and just country, regardless of which part of the country they…
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Senate confirms Owasanoye as ICPC chairman 16 months after his nomination

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 20, 2018

THE Senate has approved the nomination of Bolaji Owasanoye as the substantive Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC). Owasanoye and eight other members of the ICPC board were confirmed…
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Buhari defends N305 billion petrol subsidy in his N8.83 trillion 2019 budget

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 19, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has presented a budget proposal of N8.83 trillion for 2019 to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday. He again made a strong case in support of petroleum subsidy. Delivering his speech amidst…
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Alex Badeh: Remembered for allowing Boko Haram invade his hometown

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 19, 2018

THE former Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Alex Badeh, will be remembered for a number of things – top of which must be that he could not defend his hometown from being captured by Boko Haram. Badeh was murdered on Tuesday night by unknown…
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Chaos, disorder as Buhari presents 2019 budget to National Assembly

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 19, 2018

There was chaos and disorder in the National Assembly as President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2019 budget proposal to a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday. There had been concerns over whether the…
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Former defense chief Alex Badeh shot dead in Abuja

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 19, 2018

FORMER Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Alex Badeh, is dead. Badeh was a retired Air Chief Marshal. His death was announced by the spokesperson of the Nigeria Air Force (NAF), Ibikunle Daramola, through a statement on Tuesday night, saying…
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Buhari disagrees with Senate over amount to be reimbursed to states

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 18, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has disagreed with the Senate over the total amount of money it approved to be reimbursed to state governments by the Federal Government. This debt arose from projects carried out by state governments which…
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Unknown gunmen kill 14 persons during wedding ceremony in Kaduna

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 17, 2018

FOURTEEN persons who attended a wedding ceremony at Ungwan Paa-Gwandara village located in Jema’a local government area of Kaduna State, on Sunday evening, ended up in the morgue after unknown gunmen opened fire during the event. Seventeen…
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OAU sex-for-marks lecturer sentenced to 2 years imprisonment after pleading guilty

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 17, 2018

RICHARD Akindele, a former professor with the Accounting Department of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting for sex in order to award grades to a female student. A recording in which…
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Encomiums, sneers, controversies as Buhari clocks 76

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 17, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari is celebrating his 76th birthday and goodwill messages have been coming from across the the country for a man who has had the opportunity to preside over the affairs of Nigeria in two different periods in the…
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Yaba boys, stop touching us… women protest ‘sexual harassment’ by traders in Lagos

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 16, 2018

TIRED of incessant touching and groping by male traders in the popular Yaba Market in Lagos State, some women took to the streets in protest on Saturday. Armed with placards and accompanied by policemen, the women chanted as they went…
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VP Debate: Osinbajo says FG has built six tech hubs, sixty-three days to elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 16, 2018

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo says the Muhammadu Buhari administration is investing heavily in technology as it understands that it is the future of economic development. According to him, the administration has set up six technology hubs…
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Health budget: Buhari spends only N5 per citizen per day, says Peter Obi

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 15, 2018

VICE presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, says Nigeria's current health budget translates to N5 per citizen daily. Obi, speaking during the debate for five vice presidential candidates in the 2019…
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Duke to challenge court decision removing him as SDP presidential candidate

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 15, 2018

FORMER Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, says he will challenge any decision that seeks to subvert the wishes of the majority of members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who voted him in as their presidential candidate. Duke…
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Army lifts controversial three-month suspension on UNICEF hours after announcing it

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 15, 2018

JUST hours after announcing a three-month ban on the activities of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in the North East, the Nigerian military authorities have lifted the controversial suspension. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy…
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Tears, prayers as army buries soldiers who died in recent Boko Haram attacks

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 15, 2018

THE remains of some of the soldiers that were killed in recent Boko Haram attacks in Borno State, North East Nigeria, were buried on Friday. The funeral was held at the military cemetery of the Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, the Borno…
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VP Debate: Osinbajo contradicts self, says FG still pays fuel subsidy

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 15, 2018

VICE President Yemi Osinbajo, has admitted that the federal government still pays subsidy on petroleum products, despite insisting for a long time, and even boasting that it had made away with the issue of subsidy payment. Osinbajo made…
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Osinbajo, Obi, others spar at vice presidential debate

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 14, 2018

THE vice presidential debate ahead of the 2019 general election kicked off at 7 pm on Friday with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) going head to head against Peter Obi of the Peoples Democratic…
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HATE SPEECH: El-Rufai to arrest popular Abuja pastor for inciting violence in Kaduna

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 14, 2018

GOVERNOR of Kaduna State, Nasir- El-Rufai, says he has lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, over inciting comments made by "a pastor in Abuja" suggesting that he (El-Rufai) has a hand in the kidnap and…
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NEDG explains criteria for selecting candidates for election debate

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 14, 2018

THE Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) has explained that the process that led to the invitation of just five presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2019 election debates were transparent and people-based. The explanation…
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Court sacks Duke as SDP presidential candidate a day after his running mate resigned

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 14, 2018

A Federal Capital Territory High Court, in the Maitama District of Abuja, has nullified the emergence of the former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). This is…
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INEC chairman clarifies that IDPs, not refugees will be able to vote in 2019

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 13, 2018

CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has clarified that it is only Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are taking shelter in camps within the country that would be able to vote in the 2019…
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Buhari to present 2019 budget to National Assembly December 19

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 13, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says he will present the 2019 budget proposal before a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 19. This was contained in a letter read on the floor of the House of Representatives on…
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EXTRA: Dancing ‘robot’ at exhibition turns out to be a man in a robot costume

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 13, 2018

A robot on show at a Russian state-sponsored tech exhibition has turned out to be a man dressed in a costume, the BBC reports. The robot, named Boris, was featured on Russian TV and was apparently able to walk, talk and dance, but soon…
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ASUP begins indefinite strike, sets up committees to monitor compliance

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 12, 2018

THE Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has begun an indefinite strike to protest the federal government’s failure to implement various agreements reached with the union in the past. This is coming just over a month after the…
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Buhari promises free healthcare for citizens above 60

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 12, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has announced plans to establish geriatric centres at tertiary health institutions across the six geo-political zones of the country to provide specialized and free healthcare for Nigerians over the age of 60…
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Atiku signs peace accord, asks Buhari to sign Electoral Act

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 12, 2018

THE presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, has signed the 2019 general election peace accord while asking President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider his decision on the Electoral…
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The ICC did not indict Nigerian Army, says Sani Usman

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 11, 2018

ARMY spokesperson, Sani Usman, says the reports that the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague, indicted the Nigerian Army of war crimes were false. The 2018 Report on the Preliminary Examination Activities of the ICC stated that…
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Buhari pledges to make ICPC’s academy best in Africa

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 11, 2018

THE Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), a training arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), will be the best anti-corruption training school in Africa. According to Rasheedat Okoduwa,…
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Atiku, Moghalu, Ezekwesili absent as presidential candidates sign peace pact

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 11, 2018

ABUBAKAR Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was conspicuously absent at the signing of the peace accord for the 2019 general election. The event was put together by the National Peace Committee, headed…
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Dogara tackles Buhari, says FG’s ‘Trader Moni’ is a form of voter inducement

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 11, 2018

SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has criticised the 'Trader Moni' initiative of the federal government, saying it is a form of voter inducement and violates the Electoral Act. Dogara said this at a public hearing…
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FG reaches partial agreement with ASUU, but strike continues

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 11, 2018

MINISTER of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says the federal government has reached a partial agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the union's ongoing strike. But the leadership of ASUU said the…
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NDDC Director, Tuoyo Omatsuli forfeits N1.8bn properties to FG

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 10, 2018

JUSTICE Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of several properties worth N1.8 billion belonging to Tuoyo Omatsuli, the Executive Director of Projects at the Niger Delta Development Commission,…
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Why we arrested Theodore Orji’s son, EFCC

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 10, 2018

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says the arrest of Ogbonna, son of the former Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, has nothing to do with Atiku Abubakar, but rather was in connection with an allegation of money…
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EFCC raids Theodore Orji’s son’s house in search of dollars, confiscates vehicles

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 10, 2018

OFFICIALS of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided the residence of the son of Theodore Orji, former Governor of Abia State, who is being investigated for alleged corruption. According to the Premium Times, the house,…
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ICIR-sponsored investigations receive accolades at 2018 WSCIJ awards

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 10, 2018

TWO investigative reports sponsored by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) were voted best and second best reports in the print and online categories of the 2018 Wole Soyinka Awards for Investigative Reporting in…
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1966 Revenge Coup: I don’t regret taking part in it, says Babangida

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 8, 2018

FORMER Military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, says he did not regret taking part in the July 1966 coup d'etat, which was in revenge of an earlier coup in January 1966. Babangida said this during a no-holds-barred interview with The…
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Buhari: Signing new Electoral Act now will create uncertainty, confusion in 2019

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 7, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says he declined to sign the Electoral (Amendment) Bill because doing so few months to the 2019 general election could cause "uncertainty and confusion". Ita Enang, Buhari's aide on National Assembly matters…
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FEC approves 2019 budget, to fix date for presentation to NASS

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 7, 2018

THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the 2019 budget proposal after a special meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday. Minister of Budget and Planning, Udoma Udoma, said this while addressing journalists shortly…
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Buhari returns electoral amendment bill to National Assembly

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 7, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has "taken a decision" with regards to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill and has returned the document to the National Assembly. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate), Ita…
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Court grants Deji Adeyanju N500,000 bail after 7 days in detention

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 6, 2018

DEJI Adeyanju, a political activist who was arrested by the police on November 28, has been released on bail. Adeyanju had been charged to court on allegations of criminal defamation, and was granted bail, but he was rearrested based on a…
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REPORT: Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations yielding desired results

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 6, 2018

ACCORDING to the 2018 World Terrorism Index Report (WTIR), the counter-terrorism operations of the Nigerian military have yielded positive results so far as is evidenced by the drop in the number of terrorism-related deaths in the country.…
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‘Dad, I love you and you’ve been a wonderful father…’,Bush jnr’s …

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 6, 2018

"LAST Friday when I was told he had minutes to live, I called him. The guy answered the phone, said: "I think he can hear you but he hasn't said anything for most of the day." I said, "Dad, I love you and you've been a wonderful father,"…
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Nigeria earns less tax revenue during Buhari administration, Tope Fasua

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 6, 2018

TOPE Fasua, the National Chairman of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) says the so-called tax reforms of the Muhammadu Buhari administration is a failure as the country is yet to earn from taxation as much as it did in 2013. Fasua…
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EFCC sues NBA President, four others over alleged N1.4b fraud

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 6, 2018

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a corruption suit against the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro (SAN), accusing him of conniving with the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom to…
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Lagos Commissioner resigns, dumps APC over primary election controversy

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 5, 2018

THE Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Wale Oluwo, has resigned his position and his membership of the All Progressive Congress (APC). In his resignation letter on Wednesday, Oluwo cited the recently held APC…
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ASUP to commence own strike December 12

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 5, 2018

AS the industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) enters its first month, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) says it would be commencing its own indefinite strike from December 12. National President…
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Police say 16 personnel killed in Zamfara, four days after incident occurred

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 5, 2018

THE Nigeria Police Force has announced that 16 of its personnel were killed by unknown assailants in Zamfara State on November 29. Jimoh Moshood, the Force Public Relations Officer, made this known in a statement late Tuesday, four days…
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Mbaka threatens Obi, Atiku with failure for refusing to donate in his church

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 3, 2018

EJIKE Mbaka, a controversial Catholic Priest in the Diocese of Enugu, has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Aspirant, and his running mate, Peter Obi, that shame could be their lot if they continued to be "stingy".…
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No reason to be enthusiastic over Buhari or Atiku, says Onaiyekan

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 3, 2018

THE Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, says Nigerians have no reason to be enthusiastic about the choice of either the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari or his challenger, Atiku Abubakar, going into the…
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Ten days after, ‘dozens’ remain trapped in Port Harcourt’s collapsed building

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 3, 2018

ALL hopes of finding any other survivor in the building collapse incident that occurred in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Friday, November 23, are gradually fading away, ten days into the unfortunate incident. The seven-storey…
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We will take legal action over false reports of recent Boko Haram attacks, Nigerian Army warns

Kingsley OBIEJESI Dec 1, 2018

THE Nigerian Army says it will take legal action against media organizations and individuals that spread fake news about the recent Boko Haram attacks on some of its locations in the North East. The new Director of Army Public Relations,…
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Army offensive against Boko Haram leads to recovery of arms cache

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 30, 2018

THE Nigerian army said its troops in the North East have continued to carry out offensive attacks against Boko Haram in compliance with the directives of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai. One of such offensives yielded results on…
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REPORT: Suspected terrorist group operating freely in Sokoto

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 30, 2018

A SUSPECTED terrorist group has been operating freely in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, collecting taxes, spreading Islamic teachings, and punishing offenders, Premium Times reports on Friday. Tangaza is the border town…
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Shehu of Borno says Boko Haram still on rampage – despite Nigerian Army’s denial

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 30, 2018

“NOBODY dare move out of Maiduguri by 10 kilometres without being confronted, attacked by Boko Haram," says the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Elkanemi. The traditional ruler said this when President Muhammadu Buhari paid him a courtesy visit in…
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Offa robbery suspects plead not guilty, trial to commence January 2019

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 30, 2018

FIVE suspected armed robbers that allegedly took part in the Offa bank robbery incident in April this year were arraigned before the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, on Friday, and they pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The…
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Jibrin, other Kano federal lawmakers, pass vote of confidence on Ganduje

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 29, 2018

SIXTEEN of the Kano State members of National Assembly have passed a vote of confidence on Governor Umar Ganduje, in spite of the $5 million bribery allegation against him. The lawmakers gave the endorsement on Thursday during a press…
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ASUU to students: This struggle is for your good

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 29, 2018

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the general public, especially students of the various universities in the country to show understanding with the lecturers who are currently on strike because the struggle is…
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We have lost only 39 soldiers in the past 2 months, army clarifies

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 29, 2018

THE Nigerian army lost only 39 soldiers in a number of Boko Haram attacks in the last two or three months, says former spokesman Sani Usman. Usman made this known in a statement he issued on Wednesday on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff,…
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Boko Haram has been restricted to border towns, says Nigerian Army

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 28, 2018

"THE Armed Forces of Nigeria, led by the Army has done a yeoman's job in compliance with the presidential directive to degrade and defeat Boko Haram", and has successfully pushed the terrorist group to the borders of the country from about…
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Buhari visits soldiers injured by Boko Haram, promises to wipe out the insurgents

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 28, 2018

Convenes meeting of LCB countries
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Police arrest activist Deji Adeyanju over anti-government protest, arraign him in court

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 28, 2018

JIMOH Moshood, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, says police arrested Deji Adeyanju, a popular activist, on Wednesday and arraigned in court in Abuja. Moshood stated that Adeyanju was arrested alongside two others…
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Seven things Buhari said at the 2018 COAS annual conference

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 28, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari was the Special Guest of Honour at the 2018 Chief of Army Staff (COAS) which held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Wednesday. In his keynote address at the event, Buhari commended the army leadership for…
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Olisa Metuh cries out as EFCC ‘freezes’ his personal accounts

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 28, 2018

FORMER National Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen all his bank accounts rendering him unable to buy even water or medicine. Metuh said this on…
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Adesina again goofs on fact, militaries around the world do disclose casualty figures

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 28, 2018

THE claims by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, that the militaries of nations across the world do not, or rarely disclose the number of their dead personnel, is not accurate. Adesina made this remark while appearing on Channel…
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Adegboyega Oyetola assumes duty as Osun State Governor

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 28, 2018

ADEGBOYEGA Oyetola, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has assumed office as the governor of Osun State, having taken the oath of office at the Osogbo City Stadium, on Tuesday. Oyetola takes over from Rauf Aregbesola who has completed…
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Former Oyo Governor, Ladoja testifies in court over alleged fraud

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 27, 2018

FORMER Governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, on Tuesday, testified before the Federal High Court, Lagos, in his ongoing N4.7 billion corruption trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Ladoja was re-arraigned by the…
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Buhari disagrees with Oshiomhole, says aggrieved APC members can sue

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 27, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has disagreed with a directive by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC), headed by Adams Oshiomhole, that members that had filed lawsuits against the party must withdraw the suits or…
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Rescue efforts ongoing as victims remain trapped in collapsed building in Port Harcourt

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 26, 2018

RESCUE efforts are currently ongoing as emergency workers look for victims believed to be trapped in a seven-storey building that collapsed in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, late Friday. At the last count, about 38 persons have…
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Yellow fever outbreak in Edo as FG commences vaccination

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 24, 2018

ABOUT nine patients have tested positive to Yellow Fever in Edo State, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). This is coming just two days after a vaccination exercise against Yello Fever was commenced in six states of…
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Army keeps quiet over dozens of soldiers killed in recent Boko Haram attacks

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 23, 2018

DOZENS of soldiers taking part in the counter-terrorism operation in the North East have been killed in series of attacks recently by Boko Haram insurgents, according to several reports, but the Nigerian Army is yet to speak on the…
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Jimoh Moshood: Adikwu was not murdered, he slumped and died

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 23, 2018

JIMOH Moshood, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, has clarified that Michael Adikwu, the prime suspect in the Offa robbery suspect, was not murdered by the police as is being insinuated in various quarters, but that…
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Jonathan says a fake e-copy of his book is in circulation

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 22, 2018

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the general public to disregard the fake electronic copy of his new book, 'My Transition Hours', which is currently being circulated across various social media platforms. The book was launched…
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Former Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji in EFCC custody

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 22, 2018

THEODORE Orji, the immediate past Governor of Abia State, South East Nigeria, is currently being questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of embezzlement of public funds. Orji, who is currently the…
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Saraki demands inquiry into death of Offa robbery suspect

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 22, 2018

SENATE President, Bukola Saraki, has demanded a public inquiry into the death of Michael Adikwu, the suspected mastermind of the robbery incident which took place in Offa, Kwara State, in April this year. The Kwara State Commissioner of…
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I didn’t offer Farouk Lawan bribe, he demanded it, Otedola tells court

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 21, 2018

FEMI Otedola, the founder of Zenon Oil, has denied the claim that he offered to bribe former House of Representatives' member, Farouk Lawan, when the latter chaired a legislative committee that probed alleged fuel subsidy scam. Otedola…
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Court strikes out Dokpesi’s no-case submission, asks him to open defence

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 21, 2018

THE Abuja Federal High Court has dismissed the no-case submission filed by Raymond Dokpesi, founder and emeritus Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, in the ongoing corruption trial against him. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission…
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Offa robbery: Police alleged of killing suspect in custody

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 21, 2018

THE Attorney-General of Kwara State, Kamaldeen Ajibade, has told the Ilorin High Court that Michael Adikwu, the prime suspect in the Offa robbery attack that occurred in April this year, died while in police custody, but many Nigerians…
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APC’s narrative of inheriting an empty treasury is a blatant lie… Jonathan

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 21, 2018

FORMER Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, says the narrative by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that it inherited an empty treasury when it took over power in 2015, is a "blatant lie". This was contained in Jonathan's new…
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Abubakar to Jonathan: You proved that you love this country more than you love power

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 20, 2018

FORMER Military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, says Jonathan proved that he loves Nigeria more than he loves power by peacefully conceding victory to Muhammadu Buhari after the 2015 presidential election. Abubakar made the comments…
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PDP circulating fake Buhari campaign document, alleges Keyamo

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 20, 2018

FESTUS Keyamo, the spokesman of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign organisation for the 2019 presidential election, has alleged that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is circulating a fake copy of Buhari's campaign document. The…
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Akindele, sex for marks lecturer pleads not guilty, remanded in prison

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 19, 2018

RICHARD Akindele, a professor in the Accounting Department of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, who was sacked for demanding for sex from a female student in order to increase her marks, has been remanded in prison. Akindele…
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Odili sues Odinkalu over book on Obasanjo’s third term agenda

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 16, 2018

FORMER Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, has sued the former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chidi Odinkalu, for allegedly defaming him in a new book he co-authoured. The book titled "Too Good To Die: Third…
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Bayelsa Airport project is a fraud, state APC attacks Seriake Dickson

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 16, 2018

THE Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the state airport project being undertaken by the Seriake Dickson administration as a “cesspit of fraud”. Doifie Buokoribo, the Publicity Secretary of the APC…
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Appeal Court reduces Dariye’s 14-year jail term to 10

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 16, 2018

THE Court of Appeal has reduced the 14 years imprisonment sentence handed to the former Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, to 10 years. Dariye was sentenced to seven years imprisonment each on two counts of corruption charges…
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Lai Mohammed, NBC DG, named in alleged N2.5bn digital switch-over fraud

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 15, 2018

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it is investigating the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) over the alleged misappropriation of a N2.5 billion seed grant released to the agency by the…
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Finally, Jonathan gets to tell own story in new book ‘My Transition Hours’

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 15, 2018

THE immediate past President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan will be launching his latest book, an autobiography titled 'My Transition Hours' on Tuesday, November 20, 2018. When the book is eventually made available to the public, it will be…
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How do we plan without data? Nigerians ask as NBS bemoans lack of funds to carry out unemployment…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 15, 2018

NIGERIANS have expressed worry over the non-release of the 2018 unemployment data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), but the head of the bureau, Yemi Kale, said lack of funds was stalling the process. The last time the…
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Group urges involvement of adolescent boys in combating gender-based violence

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 15, 2018

THE fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence will yield greater results if teenage boys and young adults are engaged in the campaign, says Chinyere Eyoh, the Executive Director of the Sexual Offences Awareness and Victims…
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Fake news and propaganda are APC’s trademarks… ASUU replies Fayemi

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 15, 2018

FOLLOWING the remarks by the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, that some Nigerian professors earn higher than the N500,000 he earns as a state governor, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, has said that fake news and propaganda…
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Abaribe, two others to pay N100 million each for failing to produce Nnamdi Kanu

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 14, 2018

JUSTICE Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the people that stood as sureties for Nnamdi Kalu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to pay the N100 million bail bond for failing to produce Kanu…
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Akindele, former OAU sex-for-marks lecturer opts for plea bargain

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 14, 2018

RICHARD Akindele, a Professor at the Accounting Department of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, who was accused of demanding sex from one of his students, Monica Osagie, in order to give her a pass mark, has agreed to a plea…
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Does Obono-Obla’s assets recovery committee have powers to arrest?

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 13, 2018

OKOI Obono-Obla, the controversial Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property, has insisted that his panel arrested Hope Uzodinma, the Senator representing Orlu Senatorial District of Imo…
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Insurgency worse than Boko Haram is imminent if… Sanusi warns

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 13, 2018

THE Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, has warned that Nigeria could witness an insurgency worse than Boko Haram in the near future if nothing was done to fix the country's economy and check its growing population. Sanusi, said this during…
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ASUU STRIKE: My salary is N500,000, some professors earn more than that, says Fayemi

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 13, 2018

GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State says no administration has done as much for Nigeria's education sector as the Muhammadu Buhari administration, which is why the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of…
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Alleged N7.7billion fraud: Court revokes Uzor-Kalu’s bail for travelling without permission

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 12, 2018

FOR travelling to Germany for medical treatment without obtaining permission from the court, Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has withdrawn the bail he granted to the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu.…
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How abandoned Calabar dredging contract landed senator in trouble

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 12, 2018

HOPE Uzodinma, the sitting Senator representing Orlu Senatorial District of Imo State, was "arrested" on Sunday by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property headed by Okoi Obono-Obla. As at noon on…
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AIF: Nigeria is seeking funds for fertilizer, hydropower plants, says Finance Minister

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 9, 2018

NIGERIA hopes to leverage on the opportunity presented by the ongoing Africa Investment Forum (AIF) in South Africa to attract funding for several critical infrastructural projects, including the Brass fertilizer project and the geometric…
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Beware of sniper-laced beans, CPC warns Nigerians

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 9, 2018

THE Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has warned Nigerians to be careful and parboil their beans extensively before consuming as there is credible intelligence that some retailers use harmful chemicals to preserve beans from being attacked…
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Army says wounded Captain Zakari Sani is getting the best of care

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 9, 2018

THE Nigerian army has urged the public to disregard reports on the social media saying that Zakari Sani, the Captain that was injured in an ambush in Benue State, has been abandoned and was not being adequately taken care of. According to…
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It makes economic sense to invest in women, says AfDB’s president Adesina

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 8, 2018

PRESIDENT of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, says Africa's economy would grow in leaps and bounds if the same resources invested in men were invested in women. Adesina, a former Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria,…
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Buhari declares state of emergency on water sector

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 8, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has declared a state of emergency on Nigeria's water sector, assuring that his administration will do more to ensure that the supply of clean water across the country is improved. He said this while inaugurating…
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ANALYSIS: How does FG spend N3.5m monthly on Zakzaky’s meals as claimed by Lai Mohammed?

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 8, 2018

NIGERIA'S Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says that the federal government spends a total of N3.5 million every month to feed Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as the Shi'ite…
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Women make history in US midterm elections by winning over 100 congressional seats

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 8, 2018

THE 2018 midterm elections in the United States of America has seen women winning more seats in the legislative arm or government than at any other time in the country's history. These include women from across age, racial and religious…
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Senate cuts budget of MDAs to fund 2019 elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 8, 2018

THE Senate has cut the budgetary allocations to 30 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of the federal government in order to make funds available for the 2019 general election. The lawmakers gave the approval during the Senate…
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Samuel Ogundipe: Court adjourns case to January 30, 2019

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 7, 2018

THE Kubwa Chief Magistrate’s Court in Abuja has adjourned the trial of Samuel Ogundipe, a journalist with Premium Times, who was charged with stealing classified government documents. Ogundipe was arrested on August following the…
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Governors will not be bullied into paying N30,000 minimum wage, says NGF

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 7, 2018

ABDULRAZAQE Bello-Barkindo, Head of the Media and Public Affairs Department of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) says Governors will not be bullied into accepting the N30,000 new national minimum wage. Bello-Barkindo said this on a live…
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Committee on new minimum wage recommends N30,000 to federal government

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 7, 2018

THE tripartite committee on the review of the national minimum wage has submitted its report to President Muhammadu Buhari, recommending that the sum of N30,000 be adopted as the new national minimum wage. While presenting the report to…
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Ekweremadu upset at police apathy after alleged assassination attempt

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 6, 2018

DEPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has criticised the response of the Nigeria Police Force after an assassination attempt was made on him and some members of his family early Tuesday. Ekweremadu's media aide, Uche Anichukwu, had…
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Corps members won’t be sent to violence-prone areas during elections, DG assures

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 6, 2018

THE Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Suleiman Kazaure, has assured that corps members that will be chosen to work with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the 2019 general election will…
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Falana calls for probe over killing ‘over 492 Shi’ites since 2014’

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 5, 2018

POPULAR human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the killing of over 492 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) since 2014. Falana, who is…
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Senate to investigate alleged illegal petrol subsidy payments by NNPC

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 5, 2018

PRESIDENT of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, says the Senate will investigate the recent revelation that billions of Naira being dividends accruable to Nigeria from its shares in the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), were illegally…
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Suspected killers of retired Army General Alkali to be soon charged to court

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 5, 2018

THE Plateau State Police Command says it will soon commence the prosecution of the individuals that allegedly killed a retired Army General Idris Alkali. Terna Tyopev, the Public Relations Officer of the command, said this on Sunday when…
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Buhari did not apply for certificate – Garba Shehu… Yes he did – WAEC

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 4, 2018

THE West African Examination Council (WAEC) has disagreed with the presidency over whether or not President Muhammadu Buhari applied for an attestation of his school leaving certificate. WAEC's Registrar, Iyi Uwadiae, was at the State…
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Probe Ganduje bribery videos, group asks EFCC, ICPC

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 3, 2018

THE African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences…
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NO IMPUNITY: Journalists gather to unwind, demand freer press

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 3, 2018

THE first International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists was marked on November 2, 2013, in memory of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, two French journalists killed while reporting in Mali earlier that year. Five years…
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SETTLED: WAEC confirms Buhari sat for SSCE, issues him attestation

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 2, 2018

THE West African Examination Council (WAEC) has confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari sat for the school leaving certificate examination. WAEC Registrar, Iyi Uwadiae, issued Buhari an attestation and confirmation result at the State…
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Court bars organised labour from embarking on strike over minimum wage

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 2, 2018

THE National Industrial Court (NIC) has granted an order restraining the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress from embarking on strike over the issue of a new national minimum wage. Both labour unions had planned to…
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Army says Amnesty International’s report on Shiite protests is false

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 2, 2018

THE AI (Amnesty International) report on the clash between Nigerian soldiers and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) some days ago is not a true reflection of what transpired, the Nigerian Army says. This is in response to the…
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Ganduje fails to attend bribery hearing as fourth video hits social media

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 2, 2018

GOVERNOR Umar Ganduje of Kano State has failed to attend the investigative hearing by the state's House of Assembly into an allegation of bribery against him. Ganduje sent his Commissioner of Information, Mohammed Garba to represent him at…
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Nigeria Army ‘happy’ as Trump urges US military to ‘open fire’ on…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 2, 2018

THE Nigerian Army has shared a video of the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, urging the country's military to 'open fire' if protesters throw stones at them. Trump's directive to the US military was broadcast live…
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US urges Nigeria to probe recent killings of Shiite protesters by security personnel

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 1, 2018

THE Embassy of the United States of America in Nigeria has urged the federal government to investigate the recent deaths resulting from the clashes between security agencies and Shiite protesters in Abuja. Official figures by the Nigerian…
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Drama as suspended NHIS boss drags health, justice ministers to court

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 1, 2018

THE last may not have been heard about the internal crisis rocking the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as the suspended Executive Secretary of the agency, Usman Yusuf, filed a lawsuit against the Ministers of Health and Justice,…
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GANDUJEGATE: Kano assembly summons governor over bribery scandal

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 1, 2018

The investigative panel set up by the Kano State House of Assembly to look into the allegations of bribery against the state’s Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has asked him to appear before it on Friday. Secretary of the probe panel, Mujtafah…
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Boko Haram burns Imam to death, kills 14 other in Borno

Kingsley OBIEJESI Nov 1, 2018

ABOUT 15 persons were killed Wednesday evening when Boko Haram terrorists attacked several villages in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, including an Imam who was burned to death alongside four members of his family. Residents…
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FG partners Oyo State, CSOs, private sector on SDGs

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 31, 2018

AS part of its efforts towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) target by 2030, the office of the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals headed by Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire…
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Buhari buckles, removes NHIS boss temporarily as probe continues

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 31, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has finally approved the temporary removal of the embattled Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, pending the determination of the investigation into allegations of…
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Dancing Senator, Adeleke arraigned for exam malpractice, granted bail

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 31, 2018

THE Nigerian Police has arraigned Osun State Senator, Ademola Adeleke, and four others before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a four-count charge of examination malpractice. On September 19, just days to the Osun State governorship…
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Lai Mohammed lied, we are still starving here, soldiers insist

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 31, 2018

NIGERIAN soldiers taking part in the counter insurgency operations in the North East have dismissed the claim by the federal government that there is no case of hunger or starvation or ill-treatment among the soldiers. An investigative…
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ICIR’s Chikezie Omeje wins Africa Check’s fact check award

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 31, 2018

CHIKEZIE Omeje, a Senior Investigative Reporter with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), has emerged winner of the 2018 fact check award which was organised by Africa Check. Omeje's entry, a fact-check report on…
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Buhari meets Kaduna stakeholders over recent crisis, deaths in the state

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 30, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has visited Kaduna State to hold talks with the stakeholders in the state over the recent violence that claimed dozens of lives. The meeting which held at the popular Murtala Mohammed Square in Kaduna had many…
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Wasn’t Atiku corrupt when you worked for him?… Nigerians ask Garba Shehu

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 30, 2018

GARBA Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity has been put on the social media 'hot seat' following his unrelenting verbal attacks against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).…
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Ezekwesili: Buhari, Atiku are siamese twins of failure and destruction

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 29, 2018

FORMER Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has described President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as one and the same, calling them "siamese twins of failure and destruction". Ezekwesili, who is also…
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Boards of parastatals lack power to suspend CEOs, SGF reiterates

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 29, 2018

SECRETARY to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has reiterated that the board of any government agency lacks the powers to remove or suspend the head of that agency. Mustapha made this known during the induction ceremony of…
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Kaduna govt. reimposes 24-hour curfew as traditional ruler dies in hands of abductors

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 26, 2018

THE Kaduna State government has imposed a fresh 24-hour curfew in parts of the state as fear of a fresh outbreak of violence mounts following the death of a traditional ruler who had been abducted. This was contained in a statement issued…
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Publisher maintains Ganduje bribery videos are genuine

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 25, 2018

JAFAR Jafar, the Publisher of the Daily Nigerian online newspaper, has insisted that video footage published by the paper, which showed the Governor of Kano State collecting bribes in dollars from a contractor, were authentic and not…
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If you want peace, don’t go to courts, says CJN Onnoghen

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 25, 2018

THE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, has urged Nigerians to seek other ways of resolving civil disputes rather than taking them to the courts, adding that more lasting peace can be achieved through Alternative Dispute…
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Kano Assembly begins investigation into bribery allegation against Ganduje

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 25, 2018

THE Kano State House of Assembly has commenced investigations into the allegations of bribery involving the State Governor, Umar Ganduje. An online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, had published video clips showing Ganduje collecting several…
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BREAKING: Rejected ICPC board nominee, Maimuna Aliyu re-arrested

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 24, 2018

MAIMUNA Aliyu, one of the two persons whose nomination to the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) was rejected, has again been invited to explain how she raised fund to buy property in…
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QUESTION: With which passport did Nnamdi Kanu travel out of Nigeria?

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 24, 2018

A video clip surfaced on the social media on Friday evening showing the hitherto "missing" leader of the now proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in Jerusalem, Israel. The video which was shared by a Facebook user,…
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Ayodele Fayose gets N50 million bail

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 24, 2018

FORMER Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has been granted bail by Justice Morenikeji Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Wednesday. Fayose has been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)…
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If I’m corrupt, EFCC would have indicted me, says NHIS boss

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 23, 2018

THE Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, has insisted that the allegations of corruption against him are false, otherwise, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would have found him…
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Kwara govt. foot-dragging in prosecuting Offa robbery suspects, says Police

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 22, 2018

THE spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Jimoh Moshood, says investigations have been concluded into the robbery incident that took place in Offa, Kwara State, but the state government is reluctant to charge the suspects to court.…
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EFCC arraigns Fayose in Lagos court

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 22, 2018

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, before the Federal High Court, Lagos, on charges of corruption and abuse of office. Fayose, who had reported to the EFCC…
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Razak Atunwa, Kwara PDP governorship candidate in certificate forgery scandal

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 22, 2018

FORMER Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly and the current governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Razak Atunwa, did not take part in the one-year mandatory National Youth Service scheme. Atunwa,…
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Kaduna government imposes 24-hour curfew as violence persists

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 21, 2018

GOVERNOR Nasir El-Rufai has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Kaduna town as violence in several parts of the capital city persists on Sunday. "This is a notice of a 24-hour curfew imposed on Kaduna town and environs, with immediate effect.…
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Does NHIS governing council have powers to suspend Executive Secretary?

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 19, 2018

The Governing Council of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), on Thursday, placed the scheme's Executive Secretary, Usman Yusuf, on an indefinite suspension over allegations of corruption and other sundry offences. However, the…
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Wike forged age declaration certificate, does not qualify to be governor, lawyer alleges

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 19, 2018

A legal practitioner, Achinike William-Wobodo, has filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the court to disqualify the incumbent Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, from taking part in the 2019 general election or any…
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Yari on minimum wage increase: States can’t even pay N18,000

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 18, 2018

STATE governors are not comfortable with the ongoing negotiations between the federal government and the organised labour for a possible increase in minimum wage. They are concerned about how to raise revenue to pay additional wage…
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Mama Taraba removes property from APC secretariat

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 18, 2018

FORMER Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Al-Hassan, has stripped the Taraba State secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of all the furniture which she had donated for the party when she was a member. Al-Hassan dumped the APC…
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Senate clears new CCB Chairman, rejects three members

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 17, 2018

THE Nigerian Senate has confirmed the nomination of Muhammed Isah as the chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), alongside six other members of the bureau, but rejected three of the nominees. The confirmation and rejection followed…
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Buhari’s Executive Order 06 is not political witch-hunt, says Lai Mohammed

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 17, 2018

MINISTER of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has defended President Muhammadu Buhari's Executive Order number six, saying that it was not an act of political witch-hunt as is being alleged by some people, including members of the…
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From Allah we came, to Allah we shall return… Hauwa Liman’s final words before being…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 16, 2018

"THEY are here, they will take us. We came from Allah and we (shall) return to him. Call my parents, they don't know my situation. Call Fatima to tell my parents, but don't tell them my situation. We are in the barracks. Surely we come from…
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MISTAKEN IDENTITY: There’s another Hauwa Liman, and she is alive

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 16, 2018

FOLLOWING the execution of Hauwa Liman, a former humanitarian aid worker with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), by the Boko Haram, many Nigerians took to the social media to express their condolences, but in so doing,…
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FACT CHECK: Keyamo’s claim that Nigeria’s debt cancellation came on a platter is false

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 15, 2018

The spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari's re-election campaign, Festus Keyamo, and that of the Abubakar Atiku campaign, Segun Sowunmi, went head-to-head on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily on Monday, to try explain to Nigerians why…
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I never endorsed Atiku, Kukah explains

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 15, 2018

THE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, says he did not endorse the presidential bid of Abubakar Atiku, but had only been instrumental to his reconciliation with his former Principal, Olusegun Obasanjo. Kukah appeared in a…
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Is Fayose among 50 high profile citizens banned from leaving Nigeria?

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 13, 2018

GARBA Shehu, one of President Muhammadu Buhari's spokespersons, announced on Saturday that the President has placed 50 "high profile" Nigerians on a travel watch-list pending the determination of the corruption cases against them. But even…
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UPDATED: Atiku picks Peter Obi as running mate

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 12, 2018

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has chosen former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, as his running mate. The development was confirmed by the former…
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‘First in class’ or ‘first class’ – Ibe Kachikwu’s attempt to cover up…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 12, 2018

THE social media has been agog with the debate on whether the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ibe Kachikwu, graduated with a first class in…
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Our hope, innovators, future leaders… Amina Mohammed eulogises girls

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 11, 2018

OCTOBER 11 of every year is the date set aside by the United Nations – since December 2011 – to celebrate the International Day of Girls, also referred to as the International Day of the Girl Child. To mark the day, several world leaders…
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This year alone,12 million under-18 girls will get married, says UN

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 11, 2018

THE United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says an estimated 12 million girls below the age of 18 will be married off in developing countries and another 21 million between the ages of 15 and 19 will become pregnant. To commemorate the …
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ICPC discovers N9.8 billion public funds withheld by micro-finance bank

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 11, 2018

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has discovered the sum of N9.8 billion unremitted government funds at the Aso Savings and Loans Plc, a microfinance bank. According to the commission’s…
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Nigerian soldiers clash with Boko Haram – killed 76 insurgents, lost 7 soldiers

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 10, 2018

SOLDIERS of the Operation Lafiya Dole have successfully repelled Boko Haram attack on one of the military bases in Borno State, Monday, leading to casualties on both sides. According to a statement issued Wednesday evening by the Nigerian…
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U-TURN: Abdulmumin Jibrin rolls out support for Buhari after urging him to ‘go and rest’

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 10, 2018

ABDULMUMIN Jibrin, former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, is one of President Muhammadu Buhari's ardent supporters for the 2019 presidential election. But just about a year ago, the same Jubrin had…
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APC loses Zamfara State even before 2019 general elections

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 10, 2018

THE next governor of Zamfara State will not come from the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the party could not beat the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the submission of names of its candidates for…
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ICPC partners CITN to toughen fight against tax defaulters

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 9, 2018

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) to strengthen the Commission’s ability to better tackle…
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US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley resigns

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 9, 2018

THE United State's Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has resigned. Reports from the US media say Haley's resignation came as a surprise to a number of senior foreign policy officials in the Trump administration. She is one of…
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Wike: I supported Tambuwal openly but I’ll now work for Atiku’s victory

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 9, 2018

GOVERNOR of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, says he will work to ensure that Atiku Abubakar emerges victorious in next year's presidential election, even though the former Vice President was not his preferred candidate during the Peoples…
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Oil-rich Delta State owes 36 months pension arrears, number one in Nigeria

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 9, 2018

PENSIONERS in Delta State has not been paid their entitlements for three years, according to a recent survey published by BudgIT, a civil society organisation that analyses and simplifies Nigeria's budget for easier understanding by…
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EFCC to pay N600m damages for investigating Rivers State officials

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 5, 2018

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been ordered to pay the sum of N300 million in damages to each of the two officials of the Rivers State Government, for declaring them wanted in contravention of a subsisting court…
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Osinbajo’s visit to Kaduna State stalls El-Zakzaky’s trial

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 4, 2018

THE trial of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiite Islamic sect, has been stalled because of the visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to Kaduna State on Thursday. Osinbajo was in the…
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APC primaries: State chapters turn against Oshiomhole, NWC

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 4, 2018

THE ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections across the states of the federation have set state executives of the party against its National Working Committee (NWC) headed by the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. In…
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Buhari calls Leah Sharibu’s mother, reiterates resolve to rescue kidnapped girl

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 3, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday made a phone call to Leah Sharibu's mother, Rebecca Sharibu, and reaffirmed his resolve to rescue the teenage girl who has been in Boko Haram captivity since February 2018. Leah Sharibu was one of…
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BREAKING: Delta State PDP legislative primary election ends in chaos

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 3, 2018

THE Peoples Democratic Party legislative primary election in Delta State ended in chaos on Wednesday. The election process which held in Asaba, the state capital, was being aired live on Channels Television when suddenly violence erupted.…
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Former Kebbi Gov, Dakingari in court over alleged N1b Fraud

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 3, 2018

THE immediate past Governor of Kebbi State, Saidu Dakingari, was on Wednesday arraigned before Justice Ismail Bashir of the Kebbi State High Court 2, Birnin Kebbi, for allegedly embezzling the sum of N1.094 billion belonging to the state.…
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Oshiomhole, NWC recognise Sanwo-Olu as Lagos APC governorship candidate

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 3, 2018

APC Lagos governorship primary: NWC says exercise to begin all over

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 2, 2018

THE All Progressives Congress' National Working Committee (NWC) committee on the Lagos governorship primary election, says the voting exercise which had held in over 300 wards of the state was null and void. According to TheCable, Babajide…
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Osun Decides 2018: NBA says supplementary election far from free and fair

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 2, 2018

THE Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has released its report of the just concluded Osun State governorship election, providing a detailed narrative of how the supplementary poll which held on Thursday, September 27, was "rigged". The NBA,…
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Buhari’s independence speech: What’s new and what’s not

Kingsley OBIEJESI Oct 1, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, delivered the tradition presidential independence speech to commemorate Nigeria's 58th independence anniversary. As usual, the President used the opportunity to highlight the progress and successes so…
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After I’ve been governor, I will go for NYSC, says Adebayo Shittu

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 30, 2018

THE Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, says he will be willing to embark on the one-year mandatory national service, but that would be after he has become the governor of Oyo State. It was recently revealed that Shittu did not…
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Women affairs minister, Mama Taraba resigns, decamps to UDP

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 29, 2018

THE Minister for Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, commonly known as "Mama Taraba" has resigned, few days after she was screened out by the All Progressives Congress (APC) from contesting for the governorship post in Taraba State. In her…
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Osun Decides 2018: Oshiomhole inadvertently ‘admits’ rigging election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 29, 2018

"WE won and PDP lost. I think that for democracy to flourish, only people who can accept the pain of rigging, sorry, of defeat, should participate in an election." Those were the exact words of the National Chairman of the All Progressives…
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Tributes pour in for Bello Baba-Ari, Nigerian pilot who died in Abuja crash

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 29, 2018

FOR a pilot to be chosen to take part in an air show on the celebration of his country's 58th independence anniversary must have been a dream come true, but for Bell Baba-Ari, that dream will never see the light of day. Baba-Ari, a…
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Curfew imposed in Jos after fresh killings led to protest

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 28, 2018

THE Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Jos North and South local government areas following the eruption of protests which were caused by a fresh attack by hoodlums in the area. About 14 people…
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Buhari: People in the North East now sleep with two eyes closed

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 28, 2018

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says his administration is successfully tackling the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East region of Nigeria and that people in the area can now sleep with to eyes closed. Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina,…
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Elections becoming less free and fair under PMB… Reactions to Osun Election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 28, 2018

MANY Nigerians and foreigners alike have criticised the just concluded Osun State governorship election which was controversially won by the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Adegboyega Oyetola was declared the…
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APC’s Adegboyega Oyetola declared Osun State Governor

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 28, 2018

THE candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gboyega Oyetola, has been declared the winner of the Osun State governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Returning Officer, Joseph Fuwape, made…
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Osun Decides 2018: Violence, gunshots, irregularities characterise rerun election

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 27, 2018

Journalists and observers monitoring the Osun State election are reporting that the rerun elections taking place in seven polling units across four local government areas of the state have so far been characterised by irregularities,…
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ICIR’s board chairman, Adegboyega Arulogun is dead

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 27, 2018

THE Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, Adegboyega Arulogun, is dead. His death, which has been confirmed by his family, occurred at exactly 7:04 a.m on Thursday. He was…
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Group to monitor spending of World Bank’s $611m grant for Nigeria’s out-of-school kids

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 26, 2018

A civil society organisation, Connected Development (CODE) says it will monitor the spending of the $611 million (N221 billion) World Bank grant to the Nigerian government to get as many out-of-school children as possible into classrooms…
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DEADLOCK: Warning strike begins Thursday as FG’s meeting with workers’ unions ends in…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 26, 2018

A meeting between the federal government and representatives of the organised labour over the issue of an upward review of the nation's minimum wage has ended in a deadlock. The meeting was convened following the declaration of a warning…
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‘He is only human’: Aide explains why Edo governor slept during Buhari’s speech at…

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 26, 2018

CRUSOE Osagie, the special adviser to the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on media and communication strategy, has described the pictures of Obaseki sleeping at the United Nationa General Assembly (UNGA) as the handiwork of "idle…
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Osun Decides 2018: INEC says own staff never destroyed election result

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 25, 2018

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified the reports about one of its staff alleged of tearing a result sheet of a particular local government area during the inconclusive governorship election in Osun State on…
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Buratai pledges to pay attention to army kits, logistics in Q4 2018

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 25, 2018

THE Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Tukur Buratai, says he will pay more attention to the issue of inadequate kits and protective gears for soldiers in the fourth quarter of 2018. Buratai said this during his opening speech at the Chief of…
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We have been on ‘training’ for five years without confirmation, cry Chevron trainees

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 25, 2018

SOME trainees of Chevron Nigeria Limited, one of the giant international oil companies operating in Nigeria, have taken to the street in protest, condemning what they described as slavery by the company. The protesters, numbering about…
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ICPC arraigns former SMEDAN boss over N119.8m bribe

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 24, 2018

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a former Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Bature Masari, before an Abuja High Court for…
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Osun Decides 2018: Omisore agrees to support Adeleke for Thursday’s rerun

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 24, 2018

THE candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Iyiola Omisore, may have agreed to support Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the supplementary election which will hold on Thursday, September 27. The…
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Kogi, Bayelsa, Anambra… States that had inconclusive elections due to vote cancellations

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 24, 2018

THE Saturday's governorship in Osun State was declared inconclusive and will now be concluded on Thursday, September 27. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) explained that the number of registered voters in polling units…
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Osun Decides 2018: Police arrest fake INEC official, vote buyers

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 22, 2018

THE Nigerian police have arrested a man who was posing as an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The impersonator, who is said to be an 'O'YES Cadet', was arrested at Ife South Local Government Area, Ward 2,…
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Victim narrates how she was raped by former Bayelsa governor’s aide

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 22, 2018

THE rape trial of Richard Kpodo, a former security adviser to ex-governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, continued on Friday with the victim narrating to the court how she was assaulted. Kpodo was first arraigned before Justice E.…
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Osun Decides 2018: Massive voter turnout as voting begins

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 22, 2018

VOTING has commenced in various parts of Osun State as the people of the state elect who will be the state's chief executive for the next four years. The ICIR reports that voters' turnout for the exercise was quite impressive across the…
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NEMA needs over N12b to respond to flood victims – 77,460 displaced, 70 killed

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 21, 2018

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says more than N12 billion is needed to cater for the over 327,000 people that were affected by flood disasters across 12 states and 50 local government areas in the country. Of this amount,…
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No one who collects money to rig election will be spared, Magu warns

Kingsley OBIEJESI Sep 21, 2018

ACTING Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, says the commission will ensure that nobody who collects money to rig elections in Nigeria goes scotfree. The spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwajuren, made…
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