BENIN CITY REPORTEDLY EXPERIENCED RAINFALL OF ICE BLOCK

There was rainfall of ice in Benin City on Sunday, February 18, and eventually fizzled out into normal rainfall, online reports have revealed. 

Jos, Abuja and Abeokuta had previously experienced rainfall of ice (Photo credit: Nairaland)

Reports making the rounds online claim that Benin City, the Edo state capital, on Sunday, February 18, experienced rain in form of ice blocks.

According to Nigerian Tribune, some students of the University of Benin confirmed the incident. According to them, the ice rain, which first started as a drizzle, started at some minutes after 4:00 pm.

It was gathered that the rainfall, however, gradually increased in tempo, before it fizzled out into normal heavy rainfall.

Some notable Nigerian cities; Jos, Abuja and Abeokuta had previously experienced rainfall of ice. 
Source: Tori.ngx

Read More

YOUNG GIRL ACCUSED OF SENDING SNAKE TO SWALLOW N36m AT JAMB OFFICE SPEAKS OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME

The young girl said to have used a snake to make away with as much as N36 million from a JAMB office, has spoken out about the claims.

photo used for illustration

For the first time after she was accused of sending a snake to swallow N36m from the vault in the account office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, in Makurdi, Benue State, 16-year-old Dor, has opened a can of worms to Daily Post. Philomena Chieshe, a sales clerk in JAMB office, Makurdi shocked the world penultimate weeks ago after she claimed that her housemaid connived with another JAMB staff, Joan Asen, to “spiritually” swallow N36m from the vault in her office. In her confessional statement while being interrogated by a team of auditors, she said that Joan Asen and her accomplices confessed that they have been stealing the money “spiritually” through a mysterious snake that always sneaked into the office to swallow the money from the vault. According to her “It was a mystery to me too. I have been saving the money in the bank, but I found it difficult to account for it. So I started saving it in a vault in the office. But each time I open the vault, I will find nothing. I became worried and surprised how the millions of Naira could be disappearing from the vault.“I began to interrogate everybody in the house and office, and no one could agree on what might have happened to the money. I continued to press until my housemaid confessed. She said that the money disappeared “spiritually”. She said that a “mysterious snake” sneaked into the house and swallowed the money in the vault.” However, when Daily Post reached out to the erstwhile housemaid, who was relieved of her job following the shocking revelation in November 2017, she denied ever confessing to have turned to a snake or swallowing any money. Dor, a native of Angantiv in Obi LGA of Nasarawa State, recalled that her ‘madam’ truly went to Plateau State for a conference last year but she did not follow her. According to her, few days after returning home from the crusade, hosted by a popular man of God in Jos, her boss (Philomena) asked her to go that she was relocating to Abuja. “That was towards the end of 2017. I was at home when they went for the crusade. When madam came back from Jos, she asked me to go that they were relocating to Abuja and she would not go with me.“I came to her house in 2015 July and I did not at any point steal even her one kobo before I left last year. Maybe she was not referring to me, but I am sure she didn’t have any maid before and after me,” Dor, who now resides in Karu area of Nasarawa said when an insider directed us to her new residence. When this reporter stormed Philomena’s family house in High Level, Makurdi on Saturday to confirm if it was Dor, who actually turned to a snake, a man we met there said she had since relocated. “Madam Philo no dey live here again,” he said rudely. Meanwhile, when Daily Post reached Fabian O. Okoro, JAMB’s director of Information and Technology, for update Monday morning, he did not reply our text at the time of this report. ***Source: Daily Post xx

Read More

FEDERAL GOVT REVEALS WHY IT IS FREEING 475 BOKO HARAM SUSPECTS

Over 400 Boko Haram suspects detained by the Federal Government have regained their freedom due to lack of evidence against them.

Following the mass trial of hundreds of suspected Boko Haram extremists before a court at the Kainji military base in central Niger state, the Ministry of Justice on Sunday announced the release of 475 suspected members of Boko Haram on the ground that most of the cases against them were dropped for lack of evidence.

According to the ministry’s spokesman, Salihu Othman Isah, the release order was issued on Friday, with the 475 suspects to be returned to their home states for “proper rehabilitation” before being sent back to their families.

He disclosed that they had been arrested on grounds that they either belonged to Boko Haram, or had concealed information about the group’s plans or its members’ whereabouts.

“However, the Prosecution Counsel could not charge them with any offence due to lack of sufficient evidence against them. Therefore, the suspects were released,” Isah said.

Among those released was a young girl with a three-month-old baby from Borno State who was taken to a Boko Haram enclave by her brother and married off to his friend when she was 11. She was arrested in 2014 while trying to escape.

Equally among those freed were two mechanics and identical twins who were arrested in Bauchi State in 2010 after servicing a vehicle at their workshop which belonged to a Boko Haram member.

Read More

ANCIENT "GATE TO HELL" UNCOVERED IN TURKEY AND IT CAN KILL ANYONE WHO GETS TOO CLOSE

An ancient site dubbed the “Gate to Hell” emitted a deadly gas that killed anyone who got too close, scientists have discovered.

Boffins have been probing the ancient site in Turkey – also known as Hades’ Gate – which was believed to be a passage into the underworld by the ancient Greeks.

Myth tales claim people would drop down dead when they entered the mysterious stone grotto located beneath the temple at Hierapolis.

It was said to be filled with the deadly breath of the Greek god of death who ruled over the underworld, Hades.

But now scientists have found the tales of people dropping dead at the site could have been more than just stories.

Researchers have discovered there is evidence the site, in modern day Denizli, was once filled with concentrated deadly gas – and could still be fatal to this day.

Professor Hardy Pfanz, from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, led the study which discovered the ancient ruins still emit highly concentrated levels of carbon dioxide.

The cave sits above the Badadag fault line, meaning toxic gases would have escaped the Earth’s crust and filled the grotto.

Boffins believe it was this – not the breath of an ancient god – that would have caused the terrifying mysterious deaths at the site.

The study said: "In a grotto below the temple of Pluto, CO2 was found to be at deadly concentrations of up to 91%.
"Astonishingly, these vapuors are still emitted in concentrations that nowadays kill insects, birds and mammals.”
Ancient Greeks believed Hades was the brother of Zeus, the god of the sky, and was given the duty of looking after the dead and ruling the underworld.

Ancient geographer Strabo revealed he witnessed animals being sacrificed in the cave in a thick cloud of vapour in 17AD.

He said: "“Now to those who approach anywhere around the enclosure the air is harmless, since the outside is free from that vapor in calm weather, but any animal that passes inside meets instant death.
“Bulls that are led into it fall and are dragged out dead.”
The scientists' study was published in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.

It added: “Our measurements confirm the presence of geogenic CO2 in concentrations that explain ancient stories of killed bulls, rams, and songbirds during religious ceremonies.
"They also strongly corroborate that at least in the case of Hierapolis, ancient writers like Strabo or Plinius described a mystic phenomenon very exactly without much exaggeration."
Source: Daily Star UK

Read More

FULANI HERDSMEN : COWS STORM ABIA STATE SECRETARIAT EN MASSE

 

A social media user, Chigozie Onyeukwu Ubani has raised an alarm about an impending Fulani herdsmen crisis in Abia State following an invasion by cattle policed by Fulani herdsmen.

"Today, the killing field is Benue and Taraba. Tomorrow could be Enugu and Abia. Meanwhile, this is the State Secretariat, Umuahia, Abia State." he posted on Facebook alongside a disturbing picture of several cows hovering around the office building.

Read More

GOV ORTOM'S LETTER TO ME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECENT BENUE KILLINGS - VP OSINBAJO

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) was shocked by a news report ostensibly quoting the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom as saying that the VP was warned of the savage and inhuman killings by alleged herdsmen in Logo and Guma local government areas which took place on January 1, 2018.

Although Vice President Osinbajo, does not believe that the governor could ever have said so, it will be a terrible falsehood to suggest that the VP was ever informed by the governor or anyone else of the imminence of the killing of citizens of our country in those or any other local governments in Benue State.

Governor Ortom wrote to the Vice President, then Acting President, on 7th June 2017 protesting a newspaper publication where the leadership of Miyetti Allah was reported to have stated that it was opposed to the Open Grazing Prohibition law of the State and that they would mobilize to resist the law.

The Miyetti Allah had written to the Vice President on June 5, 2017 on the same law protesting several sections of the law. The Governor went on to say that the leadership of Miyetti Allah should be arrested because they used words such as “wicked, obnoxious and repressive” to describe the law, and because these were “utterances that are capable of undermining the peace…”

The Vice President subsequently met with the governor, discussed the matter and the security situation in the state and then ordered law enforcement agencies to be on the alert to prevent any attacks or violence. That was in June 2017!

In the said letter written by the governor, there was no mention of any threat to anyone of the 23 local governments of Benue State, so the best the law enforcement agencies could do even then was to await information or intelligence of an imminent attack. None came. Since then the VP has held several meetings with the Benue State Governor, including a visit to the State on September 6 last year at the behest of Mr. President during the tragic floods in the state last year. At all such meetings, the Vice President discussed the security situation of the state with the Governor.

Following that, the then Acting President convened a major national security retreat which was attended by all state governors, service chiefs and heads of security agencies. The retreat featured very detailed discussions on the herdsmen/ farmers’ clashes.

To the best of our knowledge, neither Governor Ortom nor the Federal Government was aware of the imminence of the cowardly attack on Logo and Guma on January 1, and therefore any suggestion that the President or the Vice President ignored the state governor’s warning is both absolutely false and certainly misleading.

Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President

Office of the Vice President

Source : Tori.ng

Read More

BSU SCHOOL AUTHORITY ADVICES STUDENTS TO BE VIGILANT FOLLOWING THE APPREHENSION OF SOME FULANI MEN AROUND THE SCHOOL AREA {SEE OFFICIAL STATEMENTS}

Following the recent attacks on some communities in Makurdi, the capital of Benue state, the governing board of Benue State University have issued a circular warning students and occupants of the academic environment to be on the alert against strange and suspected individuals. Below is the circular signed by the President of the Student Union Government (SUG,BSU), Cmr Chuwan Martins Teersoo.

SECURITY ALERT

Greatest Nigerian Students!
I greet you in the spirit of Aluta!

The fact that the mean blood thirsty Fulani herdsmen are attacking everywhere is not new, currently as we speak, Wadata is under siegeby the same sect, so please lets remain calm and vigilant.

Self defence starts from being conscious of our environment, two herdsmen were arrested the teaching hospital yesterday  though escaped, following an interrogation they revealed they were coming to BSU and not the hospital.

Please for our safety, the school management has instructed that

1. We remain in our hostels
2. We shouldn't be found in classes beyond 12 midnight
3. There should be no hanging around parks or prayer points by this odd time
4. Be careful as you watch those that come in, report any strange face you see for apprehension and interrogation immediately, remember we are close to the river bank and could be a target.

Stay safe.

Chuwan, Martins Tersoo.
President.

Read More

DRAMA AS SENATE WALKS OUT MINISTER OF POWER FROM CHAMBERS

According to Vanguard, the Senate yesterday,  walked out the Minister of Power, works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola over what they described as his “unpreparedness to face the committee for his 2018 budget defence.”  The Senate also took a swipe at the Rural Electrification Agency, REA , a parastatal in the Ministry of Power for planning to spend a total sum of N10 billion on solar power projects  in nine universities in the six geo-political zone of the country.  This was raised yesterday,  when the Managing Director of REA, Mrs Damilola Ogunbiyi appeared  before the Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South) led Senate Committee  on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy to defend the 2018 budget proposals of the agency. On Fashola, who was walked out, Senator Abaribe disclosed that the Ministry wrote the Committee that Minister was ready to appear before the Committee, adding that he would come to defend the budget of the power sector of the ministry next week Monday. On the turning back of Fashola, Abaribe said that the minister told the committee that he was not ready to face members, just as he said that the minister did not come with necessary documentation to present to members, adding that the committee should have been furnished with necessary documentations to enable members peruse over them. On the solar power project,  Vice Chairman of the committee, Senator Buka Mustapher insisted that the details of the power solution projects in universities must be disclosed as well as details of “who is paying for the installations when the power sector had been privatized.” Meanwhile, REA boss, Mrs Ogunbiyi, who responded, noted that it was the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide power in the rural areas, adding that most of the universities were located in rural areas. She however did not define “rural areas” as demanded by the committee. Another member of the committee, Senator Mohammed Hassan said that the committee could not understand why the agency was spending huge amount of money to provide solar power in universities when rural communities for which the agency was created are left in darkness.x

Read More

ABU STUDENTS BEAT THIEF MERCILESSLY AFTER NABBING HIM IN THE PROCESS

 Luck has ran out on a notorious thief after he was caught trying to steal from students at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The unidentified thief who was caught in the early hours of today was beaten mercilessly by the students. He was nabbed with a knife, scissors and other dangerous items.

Read More

RONALDO SAYS HE'S THE BEST PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL [READ]

Cristiano Ronaldo says he is the "best player in history" after winning his fifth Ballon d'Or on Thursday, according to a report by SkySports.

The Real Madrid forward scooped the award, which is organised by magazine France Football, for the fifth time to tie level with Lionel Messi's tally.

Ronaldo, who helped his side win the Champions League and La Liga last season, also won the best male player prize at the 2017 Best Fifa Football Awards in October, and believes he is now the greatest to have played the game.

"I'm the best player in history, in the good moments and the bad ones," he told France Football. "I respect everyone's preferences, but I've never seen anyone better than me. I have always thought that. No footballer can do the things I can. There's no player more complete than me.
"I play well with both feet, I'm quick, powerful, good with the head, I score goals, I make assists. There are guys who prefer Neymar or (Lionel) Messi. But I tell you: there's no-one more complete than me.
"No one has won as many individual trophies as me. And I'm not speaking just of the Ballon d'Or. That says something, doesn't it? It's not just a result of the work I do in the gym, like some people think. It's the sum of many things.
"Legends like Floyd Mayweather and LeBron James don't get to their perfect level by chance. Many factors coincide. To be at the top and to stay there, you have to have more talent than the others."
Ronaldo admitted he was "sad and angry" when Messi scooped the Ballon d'Or on four consecutive occasions from 2009 to 2012, and said he had no interest in going to ceremonies to accept second place.

"I won the Ballon d'Or before Messi, then he overtook me and won four in a row. I'm not going to hide from you that I was sad and angry," he said.
"I went to the award ceremonies and I never won. At one point, I was even demotivated. I had no desire to go. To be there for the photo didn't interest me.
"Then, little by little, thanks to those close to me, I told myself that in life there is a beginning and an end. And in football what counts is the finish, not the start. I was patient. And I won four other Ballon d'Or's."x

Read More

LAGOS STATE POLYTECHNIC TO START AWARDING DEGREES SOON

Efforts are being intensified to give Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) a degree-awarding status, the Rector, Mr Olayinka Sogunro, said on Saturday.

The rector gave the assurance at a meeting of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).

The event was hosted by the institution’s School of Communication and Liberal Studies, in conjunction with Diamond Award for Media Excellence.

Sogunro said that, by the upgrade, the institution would run National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes alongside degree programmes.

“We are working on the upgrade of this polytechnic to a university status, but our polytechnic will be different from the conventional university because we are not going to abandon our National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes.
“We are going to run them concurrently so that students would have acquired the necessary skills and theoretical path upon graduation,’’ he said.

According to him, Lagos State Government has promised to improve the institution’s learning environment in line with the proposed upgrade.

“Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode said that he would provide a befitting 5,000-capacity auditorium estimated at N3.2 billion, an administration block that was to cost N1.9 billion in 2003, and students’ hostels,’’ he said.

The rector added that the governor promised to complete building the school’s sports ground.

“By January 2018, these projects will commence,’’ he said.

Sogunro called on students and staff of the institution to improve the quality of their research output, noting that the survival of any economy would depend on the quality of its human capital.

Mr Steven Omojafor, Chairman, STB McCann Advertising Company, and the guest speaker at the occasion, observed a decline in the number of advertising, communication and marketing agencies in the country.

“We have not been able to sustain our growth because many agencies are being short-changed by their clients who now run agencies, and many were not properly setup.
“We should be increasing and not decreasing,’’ he said.

Omajafor urged the students to be hard working and take advantage of the opportunities in the changing world of advertising, communication and marketing industry.
“Being the digital generation, you can turn things around because the current state of affairs in the industry cannot continue forever,’’ he said.

The Chairman, ACSPN, Prof. Lai Oso, blamed massive unemployment in the country on unpreparedness of graduates for the labour market.

Oso was represented by Mr Ayo Oluwatosin, Group Managing Director, Rosabel Group.
“The association was borne out of the fact that the typical Nigerian graduate is not industry-ready by the time he or she completes education; this is accountable for the massive unemployment,’’ he said.

-NAN
x

Read More

FRSC FRECOVERS 75 STOLEN CARS AT REGISTERATION POINT

The Federal Road Safety Corps has recovered 75 stolen vehicles at various registration centres across the country.

The Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi attributed the recoveries to the efficiency introduced into the National Vehicle Identification Scheme through the integrity of the number plates.

Declaring open a meeting with the chairmen of State Boards of Internal Revenue and their Motor Vehicle Registration Consultants at the FRSC National Headquarters Abuja on Thursday, Oyeyemi explained that some suspects were handed over to relevant government agencies for investigation and prosecution, a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem said. 

It said the FRSC boss explained that the National Uniform Licensing Scheme introduced in 1990 was in line with the global efforts at proper identification of drivers and vehicles through integrated vehicle identification system that involved personalization of the number plates for easy retrieval of information whenever the need arises. 

Oyeyemi noted that successive reforms carried out by the FRSC on the scheme has addressed some of the challenges including double registration in some states. 

The Corps Marshal harped on the need for robust data at the number plate centres through timely upload of information on the licensed vehicles, stressing the need for sustained improvement on the licensing system to make the identification of criminals easier.

He expressed displeasure over delayed upload of number plates issued to vehicles, saying such delay could negatively affect the ability of security agencies to trace a suspected vehicle to its real owner. 

He said, “Under the new licensing system, number plates registered in the name of a particular vehicle owner remains personal to the person and would be removed whenever the vehicle is sold to a new buyer who would be made to follow the procedure to register the vehicle.”

The Executive Secretary of the Joint Tax Board, Oseni Elamah called for sustained efforts by the Chairmen and consultants to ensure that details of all registered vehicles are forwarded immediately to the FRSC for upload into the database for seamless operations as being done in Lagos and some states.

“Let me, therefore, remind you that the data being uploaded is not for tax assessment, but for proper economic planning, research, provision of necessary infrastructure and improvement of the national security,” he stated.

Read More

WILL BSU STAFF JOIN IN THE STATE LABOUR STRIKE WHICH BEGINS ON MONDAY? | READ THIS IN DETAIL

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the refusal of the Benue Government to pay salaries, pensions and gratuities after collecting bail-out funds and Paris Club refunds.

Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President expressed the union’s view in a statement signed by Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, NLC General Secretary in Abuja.
Wabba was quoted in the statement as saying this when he led a delegation of the National Leadership to Makurdi in solidarity with the workers in the state after their one week warning strike.
Wabba at the end of the exhaustive interaction with the State Executive Council (SEC), described the Benue State situation as the worst case scenario in the country.
“Benue State situation has with a record of seven months of non-payment of salaries in ministries and parastatals; eleven months in local governments and teaching institutions, and thirteen months of pension arrears.
“I want to condemn in strong terms the refusal of the Benue State Government to pay salaries, pensions and gratuities even after collecting bail-out funds and Paris Club refunds.’’
He expressed shock and dismay that whereas most other states, relatively had met salary and pension obligations to workers and pensioners.
The NLC president noted that the Benue State Government had been indifferent and insincere to workers and pensioners.
He, however, said that the wilful act of the government was illegal as it violates all known rules of employment.
According to him, this is callous, morally reprehensible and a betrayal of the trust of workers and pensioners, who had voted the government into office.
“In light of the pains and indescribable suffering brought upon the workers, pensioners and their families, Congress had no hesitation in giving full support to any lawful action.
“This is including a full strike action, in pursuit of their salaries, pensions and gratuities,” he said.
He urged the workers and pensioners to remain united and not allow government or anyone else to distract them from their set objectives.
Wabba also said that experience had shown that state governments were not ready to pay salaries and pensions without a fight.
He added that that it was up to the workers in the state to do the needful to secure the regular payment of their salaries and pensions.
He also urged the workers and their families to ensure that they obtain voters registration cards and to equally vote en mass at elections as part of the process of using their numbers and rights.
Wabba further said the Congress would no longer fold its arms while workers in the state are grossly mistreated.
It was also resolved that the SEC would urgently take required steps to fully mobilise all the workers of the state for effective action to defend their interests.
He also assured the workers of the national leadership readiness to offer full support in that rega

Thursday, 28 September 2017

Read More

NIGERIA'S INVESTMENT IN ICT HITS $70BN - NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said on Wednesday that investment in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector has hit 70 billion dollars.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta disclosed this while unveiling the Nigeria Pavilion, at the ongoing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World 2017 in Busan, South Korea.

According to him, in 16 years since the Digital Mobile Licences (DML) were issued, investment in the sector has hit about $70 billion from a mere $50 million in 2001.

”Most of these investments are Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). ”Although, we have made very modest progress in the sector, we still need to deepen investments to make broadband pervasive in the country.
”We are at 21 per cent now and our target is to hit 30 per cent by 2018, consistent with the National Broadband Plan,” Danbatta said in a statement.

He said that Nigeria came to the ITU Telecom World every year to tell its story, share its experiences and borrow a leaf from global best practices.

According to him, Nigeria comes to Telecom World to address its concerns, engage and collaborate with the global community to strengthen the growth and impact of the Nigerian Telecoms Industry.

Read More

FARMERS FLEE AS HERDSMEN RETURN TO IMO COMMUNITY

HerdsMen

Scores of  farmers in Amakohia-ubi community in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, yesterday, fled on sighting Fulani herdsmen patrolling their farmlands.

This came less than a month after the herdsmen, who destroyedover 200 farms, left the community. Vanguard spoke with President-General of the community, Mr. Cyril Ndumanya, in Owerri, who raised the alarm that the farmers are now living in fear over the return of the herdsmen to their community.

According to him, the herdsmen moved into the community at night, adding: “The situation in Amokohia-ubi community is that the people are not happy. Our people have developed fear, because of the return of the herdsmen.
“It will be recalled that Vanguard newspapers  reported the invasion of our farmlands by the herdsmen. After that report, they left the community about August 19, but now they are back. I do not know what is their plan. We do not know what actually is in their minds.
“The youths are not happy and we are trying to calm them down. The situation is very critical. This time around they have extended to other parts of the community.
“This is a very serious situation. They entered into out community at night. They didn’t come in at daytime.
“You know that the damage they did the last time was enormous. We want the authorities to know that the herdsmen have taken over our farms. These people should be dealt with within the ambits of the law and we want them to leave our land.”
A woman who simply identified herself as Chinwe, said: “I could not stay long in my farm, because I saw one of the herdsmen holding something like a gun and a cutlass.”
Vanguard investigation revealed that the youths of the community have decided to drive the herdsmen away from their territory, on the ground that the herdsmen may be hostile to them.

Read More

AFTER 38 YEARS OF BEING RULED BY ONE MAN, ANGOLA FINALLY GETS A NEW PRESIDENT

Angola’s first new president in almost four decades vowed to rebuild an economy devastated by falling oil prices and fight corruption at his inauguration on Tuesday.

João, New President Of Angola

João Lourenço told thousands of supporters in Luanda he would also tackle gaping inequality in Africa’s second largest oil producer - though analysts have already raised doubts about his ability to make far-reaching change.

“No one is so rich and powerful that they cannot be punished and no one is so poor that they cannot be protected,” he said to loud applause.

In a 45-minute speech, Lourenço said he would strive to bring in reforms covering gender equality, the freedom of the press, private enterprise and public health.

Former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos remains head of the ruling MPLA party, giving the veteran leader influence over key policy decisions.

Any serious attempt to transform the country could put Lourenço on a collision course with senior party figures and powerful interest groups.

Angola’s economy fell into recession last year, while unemployment is officially over 20 percent and a shortage of foreign currency has forced firms to pull back operations.

Lourenço said he would work to reduce state intervention in the economy and give free enterprise the space and support to thrive.

He has previously said he does not rule out negotiating a deal with the International Monetary Fund or World Bank to help rebuild an economy heavily reliant on oil.
“There are enormous challenges before us ... We call on the help of everyone on this difficult journey,” he said.

Reuters - (Editing by Andrew Heavens).

Read More

BIAFRA: PDP REACTS TO PROSCRIPTION OF IPOB AS A TERRORIST GROUP, BLASTS APC

IPOB members

The Peoples Democratic Party has advised the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to look inward in resolving the Indigenous People of Biafra crisis. The party gave the advice in a statement by its National Caretaker Committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, on Tuesday in Abuja.

It said that it was again constrained to react to a statement credited to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, noting excuses and blame-game would not help in solving the problem.

The party said that the minister on Sunday tried to shift blames of the poor handling of the agitations of IPOB by the current administration to an opposition. According to it, it is worrisome that government blamed opposition parties, which they have conveniently labelled looters, for the activities of IPOB.

It urged the APC to look inward in locating the looters using their ill-gotten wealth to sponsor separatist agitation against the government of the day. It stated that no external enemy was working against the APC government and advised the party to do soul-searching and correct the anomaly.

“We wish to put on record that agitation for actualisation of the State of Biafra was a total silent voice while the PDP was in power.
“That was because of the Government of inclusiveness we provided for Nigerians who were made to experience what a genuine national government meant.
“Finally, as a party, we had condemned and we are still condemning separatist movements tailored towards balkanising the nation.”

Read More

I DONT KNOW THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE I HAVE KILLED WITH MY DRUGS - FAKE DOCTOR CONFESSES IN LAGOS

The fake doctor

A 42-year old fake doctor, John Anopuem has confessed that he gave drugs to patients without prescription as such he could not say the number of the patients that may have died in the process of using those drugs.

PM Express reported that the suspect also confessed that he administered drugs through guess work. Sometimes it worked and at other times it was harmful to the patients which might result to death. The Orlu Imo State-born was arrested and paraded by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgar at Ikeja, Lagos.

It was gathered that the suspect was arrested at his store located at Seriki Aro Street in Ikeja where the police also recovered some suspicious drugs as exhibits. Some of the drugs recovered from the suspects include Emzolin, Tuxils, Codeine and many others.

Parading the suspect with other criminals, Edgar said it was one of the efforts the police was making to make the state crime free that led to the arrest of the suspect.

Edgar thanked the public for partnering with the police on his new police policy to combat crime in the state. He promised that the police will continue to put up their best and work with the public so that the criminal elements will have no hiding place in the society.

While speaking to journalists, the suspect admitted that he was actually selling those drugs without giving normal prescription as recommended.
 “It was a mistake I made and I could not say it was not harmful and I cannot confirm the number of the patients that may have died as a result of wrong prescription of the drugs,” he said.

He said if he was given another opportunity, he would not do such and hoped he will settle the matter with the police. But contrarily, CP Edgar said the suspect will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigation.

Read More

SHOCKER: MAID CAUGHT RED-HANDED FORCING 5-YEAR OLD BOY TO FONDLE HER PRIVATE PART

File photo: Used for illustration 

A Zimbabwean maid who was employed by a Hwange family has appeared in court yesterday on allegations of forcing her employer’s five-year-old daughter to caress her privates for s*xual pleasure.

According to Newsday, this was heard when Petronela Mathabisa Ncube (20) of DRC, Empumalanga, appeared before Hwange magistrate, Rosemary Dube, charged with indecent assault.

Prosecutor Portia Munsaka told the court that sometime between June and August this year, Ncube would invite the minor to her bedroom and order her to undress her and to tickle her genitals until she was s*xually satisfied.

Ncube allegedly threatened to assault the girl if she did not comply or reported the matter to her parents.

The matter came to light when the minor’s mother allegedly caught them in the act, and filed a police report.

Ncube has denied the charge and was remanded in custody to today for trial.

Read More

CIVIL SERVANT REMANDED IN PRISON FOR INSULTING GOMBE GOVERNOR

Gombe state Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo

A 35-year-old man, Abubakar Adamu, has been remanded in prison by the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Gombe for allegedly insulting the state governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and his mother.

The Civil servant with the State Ministry of Higher Education was sued by one Inuwa Dattijo, aka DJ Maitaya of the State Agency for Social Services, who alleged that the accused sent him an audio clip containing insults on the governor and his mother.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Habibu Danjuma, informed the court that when the accused was asked to name the purported sender of the message, he failed to give a satisfactory account of the said information.

Danjuma said "The accused was charged with one-count charge of fabricating false evidence, an offense that contravened Section 156 of the Penal Code Law.’’
However, the court did not take the plea of the man.

After listening to Adamu, the presiding judge, Chief Magistrate Japhet Maida, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

The case has been adjourned to September 26th.

Read More