Author: Our Reporter

The Federal Executive Council is set to give approval to the nation’s new oil and gas policies in order to stimulate investment and growth in the industry. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President, who stated this Wednesday at the Oil Producers Trade Section, OPTS 55 anniversary in Lagos, explained that the two policies were drafted to stimulate orderly and sustainable development of the two sectors. Osinbajo described the new policies as important that would culminate in massive investments into the nation’s petroleum industry, hoping that they would also lead to the making of new oil and gas finds as well…

Akure, Ondo state capital, has become a daylight mecca owing to the birth of ‘Daddy Samuel’, simply referred to a wonder boy, said to have turned the residence of his parents into a sort of miracle healing centre. It was gathered that people from far and near have been besieging the house daily to seek spiritual assistance from the two month-old baby said to have spoken in the cradle – two weeks after birth. Samuel, whose parents claimed was born with a bunch of leaves bonded by a strand of hair, is said to possess a special healing power. Mr.…

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Wednesday, questioned and detained former Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam, over his role in the sharing of the state’s share of the N23 billion, which the former Petroleum Minister, Alison Madueke allegedly doled out as bribe to influence the outcome of the last presidential election. Suswam, who is facing another set of charges over alleged looting of public funds, arrived at the premises of the EFCC around 10 a.m. the waiting arms of operatives, who immediately took him in to answer questions on the N450 million, which the Benue State chapter of the…

Three persons were Wednesday arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly engaging in drug trafficking. While Omotayo Anifowoshe was intercepted at the Lagos Airport, the two other suspects, John Ifechukwu and Victor Anadu were caught at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja. They reportedly swallowed 65 and 54 wraps of substances to conceal the drug. Confirming the arrest, Jonah Achemah, NDLEA spokesperson, said a 37-year-old woman, Omotayo Anifowoshe, was apprehended at the local wing of the Lagos airport with 3.0 kilogrammes of ephedrine and 1.9kg of cocaine. Achemah stated that “Ifechukwu flew in…

None provision of N2.4 billion in the 2017 budget is identified to have caused the Federal Scholarship Board (FSB) owing Nigerian scholars in the Diaspora, making the students to be stranded. Fatima Ahmad, the Director of the board made this known at a special meeting held between the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for the welfare of Nigerian Students on scholarships abroad. Ahmad, who noted that in 2015 and 2016, N799.8 million debt was incurred out of which Ñ444.2 million had been paid, leaving a balance of Ñ355.6 million, stating that “the…

Fulani herdsmen have started fleeing from Benue State over the enactment of anti-open grazing law in the state. The Anti-grazing bill was signed into law by Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom last month. The zonal leader of the Fulani socio-cultural group, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in-charge of North central states, Alhaji Gidado Idris Bebeji, who stated this to journalists Wednesday, admitted that the new law had resulted in a mass departure of people whose fathers were born in Benue from the state. He, however, expressed worry that their right to free movement was being violated as a result of the…

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has been asked to vacate the interim forfeiture order it issued for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to take over 18 properties belonging to erstwhile Governor of Katsina state, Ibrahim Shema. Shema, in an application that was filed by his lawyer, Mr. Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, insisted that EFCC surreptitiously obtained the ex-parte forfeiture order against him. He accused the anti-graft agency of suppressing material facts to secure the order before Justice Gabriel Kolawole on November 1. Justice Kolawole had on the basis of an application and an affidavit the EFCC filed before…

Ahead of the December 9 convention of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, indications have emerged that the party may settle for a consensus candidate from among those currently in the race for the national chairmanship position. Gbenga Daniel, one of the chairmanship aspirants and former governor of Ogun State,  announced this Wednesday in Abuja at the end of a meeting convened by Raymond Dopkesi with Professor Taoheed Adedoja and Jimi Agbaje in attendance. Briefing newsmen at the end of the a two-hour meeting aimed at bringing the aspirants together for continued deliberations in the weeks leading to the all-important convention, Daniel…

A large-scale probe into the finances and expenditures of the 37 Federal Universities across the country to ascertain their level of compliance with the Public Service Financial Regulation has begun. Members of the House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee, PAC, who are leading the probe Wednesday said this followed the decision to act on pending queries by the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation since 2014, urging the National Assembly to compel the institutions in question to explain the rationale behind their violation of the PSFR. The committee led by Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), grouped its members in six…

Nigerian foreign missions across the globe are currently experiencing financial difficulty of non-payment of salaries and allowances for several months, investigation has shown. The situation, which is caused by shortfall in the budgetary allocation of 2016 fiscal year coupled with delay in settlement of overhead and personal costs has resulted in Nigerian missions owing service providers in their host countries. Those affected include the Permanent mission in New York and Washington in the U.S; Caracas, Venezuela, Brasilia, Brazil, Luanda, Angola, Bucharest, Romania, Hanoi, South Vietnam with salary arrears of nine months in Havana, Cuba. The Nigerian Embassy in Havana is…