Author: Our Reporter

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reiterated its readiness to partner Akwa Ibom Government in the opening of Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo. The hospital built by ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio administration was shut down last month. During the monthly House prayer meeting Saturday last week held at the Latter House, Government House, Uyo, Governor Udom Emmanuel explained that the hospital was closed down due to the inability of the management of the hospital to meet some terms of contractual agreement. Speaking in an interview with Atlantic 140.5 FM in Uyo, Mr. Uwem Udoma, Special Assistant to the Managing Director, Niger…

The Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Mounir Gwarzo has allegedly collected a severance package of N104 million from the commission, while in service. The Cable, an online media had reported that Gwarzo allegedly got a severance package of N104 million from the same commission shortly after he was named DG in 2015. Gwarzo was an executive commissioner at SEC when former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him to lead the commission on May 22, 2015. On assumption of office as DG, he allegedly paid himself the hefty package as entitlement for being an executive commissioner for two and a half…

It has been confirmed that Switzerland has agreed to return $321 million allegedly looted from the national treasury by the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha. Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of Federation and Minister of Justice, who stated this Wednesday also revealed that Nigeria had recently recovered $85 million from the United Kingdom, saying the fund was part of proceeds from the controversial Malabu oil deal scam. According to Salihu Isah, media aide to the AGF, Malami made this known at the opening of the Pre-Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) consultative meeting on the theme: Building an…

A one-time Senate President and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Electoral Reform, Chief Ken Nnamani, has advocated adoption of two or three major political parties as a way of cutting electoral costs and curtailing incidents of election riggings. Nnamani, who is now the leader of ruling All Progressives Congress APC in the South East, spoke Tuesday at the Nigeria Unity Conference and the formal unveiling of ‘Party Politics Magazine’ by the Secretary General of Inter-Party Advisory Council IPAC, Chief Perry Opara. He said: “The proliferation of political parties is such that it not only creates problems for the Independent National Electoral…

Federal Government plans to apply for US$3 billion to re-finance the legacy debts of the immediate past government in the country. Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the Minister of Finance, said the outlay is part of the US$5.5 billion foreign loan being sourced from the International Financial Markets. Adeosun, who appeared Tuesday on Arise TV’s News Programme, said the proposed $5.5 billion loan was made up of two components, including refinancing of heritage debts to the tune of $3billion and new borrowing of $2.5 billion for the 2017 Budget. She said: “Let me explain the $5.5 billion borrowing because there have been…

No fewer than 26 firms have indicated interest in the planned overhauling of the nation’s refineries, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, has said. Kachikwu, who stated this Tuesday at the oil conference in Cape Town, South Africa, said the 26 firms had indicated their interest in the project that would require investment of $2 billion. He said Nigeria was close to finalising the process for the overhaul of the three existing refineries, as part of efforts to reduce the country’s reliance on imports. “We are almost at a threshold of finalising the process of selection,” he said,…

The nine states making up Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have not remitted their share of ecological funds to the coffers of the commission in the past 17 years, StraightNews has learnt. Mr. Uwem Udoma, the Special Assistant to the Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission on General Duties, who stated this in an interview with Atlantic 140.5 FM, Uyo, noted “we have not been lucky to get funding from states in all the nine states. The challenge is not from the state governments, but the challenge is that we don’t have a sitting representative in the Federation Allocation committee…

The wife of the Clan Head of Obong in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State was on Tuesday abducted by unknown gunmen. It was learnt that about five armed men riding motorcycles stormed the village and whisked away Noami who returned from market in the presence of helpless villagers. “The kidnappers are demanding for N5 million ransom from the family. We are shocked and apprehensive because of this outrageous amount,” an anonymous family source told StraightNews reporter. Obong clan in Etim Ekpo, has become a theatre of politically motivated killings and abductions ahead of the forthcoming Local…

A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has given the court bailiff five days to serve summons to the immediate past Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Okon Abang, the judge also ordered that Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA), be produced in court. Abang is presiding over the trial of Olisa Metuh, former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Metuh has been accused of illegally receiving N400m from the office of the former NSA. He adjourned the ruling after Ahmed Raji, counsel to Dasuki, challenged the propriety of the subpoena compelling his client to testify in…

The Cross River State Police Command has paraded 72 criminal suspects for various offences including murder, kidnapping, robbery and internet fraud, among others. Parading the suspects at Police headquarters in Calabar on Wednesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa said his men also recovered 116 guns including two (GPMG) General purpose machine guns,537 live cartridges and cash. He said eight people were arrested for murder, 28 for robbery, four for kidnapping while 32 others were arrested for sundry crimes including, rape, defilement and cultism. His words: “We recovered 80 locally made pistols, two G3 rifles, AK47, 537 live cartridges,…