Author: straightnewsng.com

Public servants who retired from Akwa Ibom government are yawning as hope of collecting their gratuity before the expiration of Governor Udom Emmanuel administration is bleak. This is as the state government had, Monday, September 13, begun payment of April 2016 to retired public servants comprising civil servants and teaching and non-teaching staffers in secondary schools in the state. Majority are yet to collect their gratuity as backlogs pile up from May 2016 to August 2021. Straightnews team visited Office of the state Accountant-General, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, Uyo on Tuesday, September 14, and discovered that two flexes detailing 255 names…

The Presidency has berated Yoruba Nation for associating with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), describing their “cooperation” as a “shocking” and “worrying development.” Agitators under the umbrella of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) had stormed the United Nations (UN) headquarters, New York in US on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 14-15 to protest against President Muhammadu Buhari government. The agitators urged the world leaders to facilitate the conduct of a referendum in Nigeria. In a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu on Wednesday, Presidency maintained that IPOB is a designated terrorist organisation which has now publicly revealed a “50,000 strong paramilitary…

Nigerian Air Force, Thursday, made a U-turn, admitting that one of its fighter jets on a mission against terrorists “unfortunately” bombed civilians in Yobe State on Wednesday. NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Edward Gabkwet, stated this in a statement made available to journalists Thursday, adding that investigation had commenced into the incident. Air Force spokesman had, Wednesday, denied reports linking one of its fighter jets to the bombing. Gabkwet had explained that the mission last conducted by NAF in Yobe was earlier in the month. “NAF last conducted a mission into Yobe State (not Yunusari LGA) on 5…

Some relations and  former staffers of Data Sciences have extolled the sterling virtues of Atuekong Don Etiebet, a former Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, on his 77th birthday anniversary. Born on September 15, 1944 in Ikot Ekpuk, Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, Etiebet is a scientist, businessman, and politician. Aniekan Etiebet, the managing Director of Data Sciences, Lagos, speaking with Straightnews, thanked God for sparing the life of his uncle. ”We thank God for who He is in the life of mu uncle. Despite of all odds especially his ill-health, God’s mercy is sufficient unto…

Rivers State government has filed an appeal before the Supreme Court following an ongoing dispute with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT). The appeal was filed to challenge the ruling of the Court of Appeal which asked all parties involved in the case to maintain status quo ante bellum. With the FIRS and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) joined as respondents, the Attorney-General of Rivers State who is the appellant explained that the implication of the ruling of the appellate court was that parties were restored to their positions before a Federal High Court in Port…

Henceforth, any person in Akwa Ibom whose livestock strays into another person’s farm or property would face the full weight of the new anti-open livestock grazing law. Governor Udom Emmanuel gave the warning after signing into law a bill to prohibit open rearing and grazing and provide for the establishment of ranches in the state. The bill was passed into law by the state House of Assembly on Tuesday, September 14. Emmanuel who signed the bill into law on Wednesday at the state Council Chambers vowed to confiscate the animals, add fine to the revenue of the state government and…

Husband and wife in Akwa Ibom State are to face music for alleged conspiracy in poisoning their 10-year-old son to death on accusation of being a wizard. The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested the suspects: one Rita Umoh and her husband, Akan Umoh. Spokesperson of the command, Odiko Macdon, a superintendent of police, in a statement on Tuesday, September 14, said the duo was arrested by the detectives from Abak Division after a tip-off. “On 29th August, 2021, at about 4:30 p.m, relying on information received from one Mfon Francis, of Ekpat Iduot village that one Akan Jimmy Umoh and…

A welder in Akwa Ibom State is cooling his feet in the police custody for allegedly manufacturing and selling locally made guns to criminals, police said. Already, operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested the suspected gun manufacturer, Ekike Hector David of Mbiokporo 1 in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area. Spokesperson of the command, Odiko MacDon, a police superintendent of police, who confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday, September 14, said the suspect, a welder specializes in fabricating and selling locally made rifles and other types of guns to criminals. “On the 13th of September, 2021,…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, says its members can embark on strike anytime, as the Federal Government is reneging to implement the Memorandum of Action, MOA, signed by the two parties last December. Briefing the press in Lagos on Tuesday, the Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, also accused the government of trying to cripple the union by withholding check-off dues of members for over a year. He said the dues ran into millions of naira and that the act was perpetrated by the government through the controversial Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System, IPPIS. Odukoya, who was…

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking fresh $4 billion and €710 million external loans, asking the Nigerian Senate to give approval. At plenary Tuesday, September 14, Buhari explained in his letter that the proposed loans would be financed through sovereign loans from the World Bank, French Development Agency, EXIM Bank and IFAD. In the letter routed to the Nigerian Senate through the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the President said the loan would enable the Federal Government fund critical infrastructural projects in different sectors. The letter reads in part “I write on the above subject and submit the attached addendum to…