₦airaland Forum

Gwandu Local Government Area of Kebbi State has said robbers have stolen N9 million meant for the salary of workers.

Chairman of the Local Government area, Shehu Bagudu, said this in a press briefing on Thursday.

According to him, the robbery took place on May 24. The money was to be used as the April salaries of the workers in the local government’s Departments of Health and Agriculture, he added.

He said the incident occurred after the local government area’s cashier, Bashir Gwandu, who is also his son-in-law, had withdrawn the money from the bank.

Gwandu was waylaid by robbers who trailed him to his house, Bagudu said, and the car, with the cash inside, was taken from him. He said:

“The incident happened when the cashier of the area, Bashir Gwandu, collected the money from the bank and went to his house.

As he was about to open the gate of his house and unknown to him, the thieves had been trailing him from the bank.

As he was opening the gate to enter his house, the suspects who had laid ambush for him, attacked him, snatched his car with the money inside and drove away.

The car was later discovered in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

I have not slept ever since this incident happened.

The boy is my son-in-law ever since before I became the chairman of the council, and he is known to be trustworthy in the council.

We wrote to the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on the incident, but we are still waiting for their response.

At the same time, the Criminal Investigation Department of the state Police Command is on top of the situation, doing proper investigation.

The cashier’s family is planning to pay part of the stolen money before the arraignment of their brother in court on June 4”.


http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/06/workers-salary-stolen-by-robbers-in.html

A notorious car snatcher met his Waterloo following a failed robbery operation in Awka, Anambra state. According to reports, the suspected thief was apprehended by officers of the Nigeria police Force while trying to make away with a Toyota Camry car around Diamond Bank Expressway.

He was beaten mercilessly by the security operatives and later taken into custody.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/robber-nabbed-while-trying-to-steal-car.html

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye yesterday cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari alleging that his was life was at stake.

Nwoye, who addressed journalists in Enugu, alleged that he had uncovered a plot by Nigeria’s minister of foreign affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama to kill him using some compromised operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS.

The party chairman said the attempt on his life was an aftermath of the recently concluded ward, local government and state congresses of the party where the minister lost out.

“I want to alert our dear President and indeed all Nigerians and other security agencies that the minister of foreign affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama wants me dead for his selfish political ambition. He is currently working with some compromised operatives of the DSS in Enugu State to ensure that I was eliminated.

“The reason is that I called for his sack because of incompetency.

“Secondly, he tried all his best to emerge as national delegate during the ward congress but failed. He tried to install one of his own as ward chairman, but failed. He equally tried to install the local government chairman but failed too. During the State congress, he also brought a member of the PDP and wanted to make him state chairman but failed.

“He had openly declared that he was conducting his own congress against the party guidelines the electoral act; he also openly vowed to teach me a lesson and prove to me that he is a Nigerian politician,” Nwoye alleged.

He further disclosed that “on May 29, as Nigerians were celebrating Democracy Day, a faceless DSS operative sent me a text message, inviting me for questioning over what he called cases of malpractices during the APC congress.

“He said a petition was written against me by Okey Ogbodo and the foreign affairs minister.

“I want to make it clear that this is intended to drag me into the net of the DSS where they will kill me.

“I am saying this because during our state congress at the Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, these same DSS officials supervised attack on us. Even when I drew the attention of one of them that my life was not safe, he said they have not received any order to act.

“They supervised and joined thugs in beating to pulp my driver. But for the intervention of the police, we would have all been killed there.

“So, in all of these, the only people who have been professional is the police, and that is why I am raising this alarm informing President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire Nigerians that should anything untoward happen to me, the minister and the DSS, especially those of them in Enugu North, should be held accountable.

“I have video evidence of all their activities during our state congress. They supervised the attack and that is why they did not arrest a single person, that is why till date no one is being investigated.”

Efforts by DAILY POST to obtain reaction from the minister has not yielded fruit as of the time of filing this report.

His aide, when reached by our correspondent, promised to get back.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/apc-crisis-foreign-affairs-minister.html

Domestic violence has become so rampant, such that not a day passes without news of a battered wife being shared on social media.

But one particular story has infuriated social media users because of the extent of the woman’s injuries.

According to Nkemdilim Nwokemodo, the battered woman is her friend and she was beaten black and blue by her husband following an argument.

See more photos below;

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/wickedness-man-beats-wife-to-pulp.html

Nigerian singer, Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe aka Kizz Daniel has been accused of impregnating a lady. The accuser, Chinny Ubak claims the singer put her in the family way without taking responsibility.

The light-skinned young lady took to Instagram to publicize the news through a gossip micro-blogger, Chinnysblog.

According to her, Ogun State-born Kizz Daniel, 24, who is locked in a legal tussle with his record label, G-Worldwide, has been shying away from taking responsibilities as her baby bump continues to grow.

She wrote:

“Hi Chinny I’m Chinny, please help me share this post. I’m pregnant for a Nigerian singer Kiss Daniel but he has been avoiding me and ignoring his calls and emails” .

Screenshots below.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/kizz-daniel-accused-of-abandoning-lady.html

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Monday ordered Chairmen of Governing Boards of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions to remove chief executive offices who fail keep their facilities running during the ongoing Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, strike.

In a meeting with them in Abuja on Monday, Adewole added that everyone who participated in the strike would not be paid for the duration even if the action was called off.

Mrs Boade Akinola, Director Media and Public Relations of the ministry, in a statement, explained that the meeting was to review the status of services being rendered since JOHESU members commenced strike on April 17 over pay parity with medical doctors.

The minister said that anyone who failed to resume would be considered to have absconded from duty without leave, an act considered a serious misconduct in line with Public Service rule 030413.

He disclosed that monitoring teams were dispatched to the tertiary hospitals to assess the activities in various hospitals.

He said that the monitoring teams submitted reports to the ministry which revealed that some hospitals were doing well in providing care, while others were performing below expectation.

Adewole commended the facilities that were offering full services using locum Staff and volunteers and directed immediate restoration of full services in all other facilities.

The minister said that there was no reason any hospital should not have one ward per specialty open for operation.

Adewole demanded that one gynaecology ward, one obstetrics ward, one paediatric ward, one surgical ward and one medical ward, should be kept functioning immediately in facilities yet to do so.

“The clinics must run, theatre must be opened, there is no reason why they should lock your theatre. No one has the right to lock up government hospitals

“We want you to go back and restore services in your various institutions immediately,” he said.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/johesu-fg-orders-boards-to-sack-weak.html

The Presidency has given reasons for the upward adjustment in the 2018 budgetary figure from the initial N8.6 trillion to N9.12 trillion by the National Assembly.

It said the move was due to the need to accommodate the upward swing in the price of crude oil in the international market after the budget was tabled before the National Assembly.

Making this revelation, a Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, told Vanguard that the delay in the passage of the budget and the rise in the price of oil in the international market contributed to the change in the size of the budget.

Enang stated that the additional amount would be applied to capital projects while reducing deficit, adding that the government would not dwell much on controversial issues in the budget.

He said, “When you submit the budget to the legislature, if there are indices that change in the budget, the budget can also change.

“The increase in the budget was discussed between us the executive and the legislature because oil price was about $55- $58 per barrel when we submitted the budget.

“At the time the budget was ready to be passed, oil price rose to about $70- $71 per barrel and the executive and the legislature teams met and said we can raise the benchmark from Mr. President’s proposed benchmark of $45 per barrel to $50 per barrel.

“So, that makes some money available and, of course, we had intended that the budget should be passed by December. Budget, having not been passed by December 2017 to January 2018, there were some other sources of revenue which came in.

“We agreed with the legislature that part of it should be applied towards reducing deficit and some applied to some capital projects and that is the reason the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, made some submissions on some capital projects to the Appropriations
Committee of the National Assembly, the Senate and House of Representatives and passed them to the Appropriations Committee which has been accommodated to a greater extent.

“We are not at this time going to get into discrepancy whether the budget was increased rightly or wrongly, we are only going to look at what Mr President directed us to look at in terms of budget details.”

Recall that the National Assembly had last week passed the 2018 Appropriation Bill of N9,120,334,988,225 for the 2018 fiscal year, representing an increase of N508 billion from the N8.612 trillion proposal presented to the joint National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari late
last year.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/presidency-reveals-why-nass-increased.html

Gunmen kill 7 in Zamfara as Gov Yari raises alarm over threatsZamfara State Police Command has confirmed the death of seven persons in a fresh attack by gunmen at Gidan-Labbo village in Gidan-Goga district of Maradun local government area of the state.

Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Shehu told NAN on Sunday that the bandits, on Friday, attacked people of Gidan Labbo village at Malikawa Forest while the victims were clearing their farm lands to prepare for this year’s rainy season.

“As soon as we received the report, our men were deployed to the area. They discovered seven bodies”,
Shehu, a deputy superintendent of police said.

He confirmed that the command and other security agencies have already deployed security personnel to the area to maintain peace and stability.

He urged people of the state to continue to support security agents with information on criminals to enable them take proactive measures.

Meanwhile, governor Abdul’aziz Yari on Saturday disclosed that the bandits are now sending threat letters to farmers in the state, asking them to keep away from their farms.

Yari made this known while launching the sales and distribution of fertiliser to farmers in the state at Nasarawar-Burkullu town in Bukkuyum local government area of the state.

He described the threat as unfortunate and worrisome as majority of Zamfara people are farmers, promising that he would meet President Muhammad Buhari and security chiefs over the issue.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/gunmen-kill-7-in-zamfara-as-gov-yari.html

No fewer than 24 passengers escaped death by whiskers on Friday after to boats collided and capsized in Ojo area of Lagos State.

The accident, which occurred at about 7:45pm close to the Ojo Terminal involved two open fiber boats.

Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, who confirmed the incident, said one of the boats was driving at full capacity with 22 passengers, while the other had just the boat captain and deckhand on board.

“One boat was going from Liverpool to Ojo while the other was doing a return trip from same location.

“LASWA response team were able to rescue all passengers from the capsized boat and transported them to shore, no lives were lost,” Emmanuel said.

He said the affected boats (Toba Marine & Eco Lima) are presently in the custody of LASWA at the terminal until conclusion of investigations into what led to the collision.

Emmanuel attributed the success of rescuing all passengers alive to the fact that they were all putting on life jackets, which according to him also made rescue efforts a lot easier.


“All passengers on both boats were all putting on their life jackets. This is what we have been encouraging. Our agency has been on the forefront of leading the campaign that for no reason should anyone embark on a journey on water without putting on a life jacket. We have also gone a step further to distribute life jackets to encourage boat operators to enforce it,” the LASWA boss said.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/24-persons-cheat-death-as-boats-capsize.html

PRESS STATEMENT.

I AM BEING PERSECUTED FOR NO REASON.

The lives of my immediate family and 84-year old mother in danger.
It was indeed a great embarrassment and surprise to me when I received telephone calls from Arogbo, my home town in Ondo State, Nigeria, that more than twenty armed Policemen, with other plain clothes men stormed my house. They broke the gate with sophisticated equipment, gained entry into the compound, vandalized all the doors in the house, ransacked all the rooms unaccompanied by anybody. While this Gestapo like operation lasted, some of the Policemen shot sporadically into the air which made many people to scamper into safety.

This Death Squad, led by a Superintendent of Police, Sunday Alli, who claimed to come from the Inspector General of Police Tactical Squad, for Armed Robbery, Kidnapping and Gun-running. One wonders if, this team did any background or facts check before proceeding on a journey to Arogbo, a peaceful Community of mainly fishermen and women. What could the Policemen be looking for? If they wanted to search my house, should they not have come with a Search Warrant? Since they did not meet me at home, even if they wanted to search, should they have done so unaccompanied? It is worrisome, if our country has degenerated to a level where innocent citizens are being harassed, intimidated and framed up on daily basis, while criminals and perpetrators of other heinous activities walk about freely.

They came with a black sac containing all kinds of instruments to break, destroy or vandalise whatever they chose to. The sac also contained harmful chemicals that can be used to open security doors. After terrorizing the entire community for more than ninety minutes, I have it on good authority that, they claimed to have found only one white bullet proof singlet, which they apparently brought with them. I do not have any doubt in my mind that, this act of intimidation is part of the present administration's plan to persecute me for no reason. It is in pursuit of their wishful thinking to find just anything with which to frame me up. But again, even in today's operation they failed to achieve that.

However, as a law abiding citizen, I shall cause my lawyers to make the Police pay for the damages they willfully did. And apologize to the community they wrongfully traumatized. My 84 year old mother who lives in Arogbo is still in a state of shock. Members of my immediate family no longer feel secure and protected to go about their normal businesses. In the course of my assignment as Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, I sacrificed and contributed to the stability of the region. Through our modest efforts, peace returned to Niger Delta. Am I being persecuted for service to my father land? All over the world, Policemen are expected to protect people, our case is different . For Policemen to take laws into their hands, and broke into my house, those responsible must be brought to book.

Let me also say that, no amount of blackmail or intimidation can cow me, as my hands are very clean. No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper.

Thanks.

Dr. Kingsley Kemebradigha Kuku.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/alleged-attack-on-home-kingsley-kuku.html

We the entire members of Arogbo IJAW National Front and on behalf of the peace loving people of Arogbo Ibe, condemned in strong terms, the illegal invasion and sporadic shootings in the house of Hon. Kingsley Kuku, a former S.A to the former president Goodluck Jonathan and chairman Presidential Amnesty Committee.

The action of the Nigerian Police Force is not just illegal but also unconstitutional. We expect an institution like the Nigerian Police to know steps to take in searching a premise. No security can ransacked into any residence without a search warrant. It is a trite law that for any search of a premise to be conducted, a search warrant must be obtained.

Recalled that Kingsley Kuku has contributed immensely in no small measure to the present peace this current administration is enjoying in the Niger Delta. Kuku deserves commendation rather what we experienced is harassment orchestrated politically. This is ingratitude from this present administration.

This political witch hunt is therefore an attempt by the Nigerian Police to malign and incriminate him perhaps for the offence of his patriotic service to his father land.

We therefore urge president Muhammadu Buhari to call the Nigerian Police to order and leave our son alone. Success Odogbo, Chairman Arogbo Ijaw National Front.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/arogbo-ijaw-national-front-and-cry-out.html

Top Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson, has confirmed the death of her mother.

Johnson took to her Instagram page to announce the sad news.

“It deeply saddens me to say that my beloved mother is gone.

“This is a trying time for my family and we would appreciate your prayers, even as we plead for our privacy at this time. Thank you,” the actress wrote.

Mercy Johnson, who is also Kogi State Senior Special Assistant on Entertainment, Arts and Culture, earlier this month insisted she would never return her wedding ring to her husband, as everything was fine with them.


The talented actress, earlier this year, was rumoured to have experienced some problems in her marriage after she deleted all her pictures, including that of her husband, from her Instagram page.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/nollywood-actress-mercy-johnsons-mother.html

Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service Hameed Ali said under the current administration of President Buhari, only lazy Nigerians can be hungry.

According to him, President Buhari had done so much for agriculture that farmers are now rich. The government, he said, has provided the enabling environment for all.

Col. Ali (rtd) made the remark when he led the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) on a visit to President Buhari at the Presidential Villa.

He said:

“Mr. President, our economy has grown all because of the discipline you have instilled in the financial sector. All those nonchalant attitudes, all those days of siphoning money are no longer feasible.

Today, I have to ration the rice, that is fiscal discipline. Today we are seeing, physically, where people are rejecting foreign rice for local rice. Today Mr. President if you go to some of our houses, what you will see is local rice and that is wealth for our people.

Last year, during the Hajj period when I went home, many farmers came to me that they have never had it so good, so much so that the first 25 people that paid up their money when Hajj fares were announced, were rice farmers. .

What more can we say in terms of growth of wealth? People say we are hungry, of course the lazy must be hungry because if you do not work hard, manna doesn’t fall from heaven. .

So, when people say we are hungry, there was never a time in Nigeria that food is dropped in the mouth of the people and there will never be.

I can go on and on and enumerate what you have done in just three years of your administration but three is not enough to undo what was done in 16 years. .

The destruction, the monumental stealing that we have witnessed, the destruction of our structures and our system, it takes more than eight years to be able to address them and I believe in three years you have done wonderfully well.”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/only-lazy-nigerians-are-hungry-under.html

A beautiful African lady, Joha Mubayiwa, has taken to Instagram to celebrate her adorable son. What beautiful skin they both got!

“My dear son, I pray that you always find your skin beautiful even when you are surrounded by those who tell you otherwise, i pray you never have to surround yourself with people who demean and laugh at your beauty, this world is not as welcoming to everybody and sometimes your happiness gets stripped away without notice but i promise to always be that flutter of happiness in your life. I cannot believe this boy is almost 1 years old! 1 more month left omg WHERE does the time go? This time last year i was heavily pregnant, eating every 10 minutes like it was my last meal, and now… i get to watch him laugh, smile, grow teeth, comfort and love him when he cries… children are truly the greatest blessing”

See photos below…

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/young-african-mom-celebrates-her-cute.html

President Muhammadu Buhari official photographer Bayo Omoboriowo celebrates his wife’s birthday today with some lovely photos.

Sharing the photos, Bayo wrote:

Mrs Omoboriowo: You are not just my friend, you are an angel sent from above. Thanks for all the amazing things you do and you represent…thanks for being a sincere wife and genuine mother to our beautiful angels…thanks for enduring this phase and for all the support you give. This is to greater years baby girl.

The photographer who took the shots also wrote “Meet the Omobirowo’s. The beautiful thing about documenting Family Portraits, is that you become a part of History. Their beautiful History and Life. You become a part of growth. I remember photographing them when they were just two now they’ve grown. That’s true beauty. What’s even more beautiful is that they haven’t changed a bit. Bayo is still his energetic self and his son looks like he’s gonna be just like daddy ���. He’s got daddy’s Head sef. Lola still has the “best Smile Bayo has ever seen” see what I did there? ����: Thank you for making me a part of your beautiful lives. Here’s to Many more years of God’s abundant blessings.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/pmbs-photographer-bayo-omoboriowo.html

Fast rising Nigerian music diva, Niniola has been robbed in South Africa along side her friends whom she went out with to have a meal.

The singer was robbed, on Wednesday night, at a popular fast food restaurant in Sandton.

Niniola who was in South Africa on holiday, was having a meal with two other friends when they were attacked by robbers at McDonald’s restaurant on Grayston drive.

According to an eyewitness, Niniola’s bag and cellphone were taken.

Niniola’s manager Michael Ndika declined to share details of the robbery.

“We don’t want this to come out. It is not a good look for your country,”

He said.

“She is fine. She was at Metro FM this morning for the premiere of her new song with Busiswa. She will then be off to shoot a video with Heavy K and another video while she releases the song tomorrow, so she is good,”

Ndika said.

Sandton police spokesman Captain Granville Meyer confirmed that a case of robbery was opened by Niniola’s friend on Wednesday night.

“I can confirm that a robbery case was opened. The incident happened at McDonald’s yesterday (Wednesday).”

Meyer said the complainant alleged that he came from Sandton City after shopping and went to McDonald’s, where they were robbed by three men.

“Jewellery and cash to an estimated value of R300000 was taken,”

Meyer added.

Niniola danced her way into the hearts of South Africans with her house track Maradona, which was released last year and became a party anthem.

McDonald’s chief marketing and communications officer Daniel Padiachy confirmed that the incident took place and said no other customers or employees were injured.

“The safety of our customers and staff remains our first priority and we are working closely with the relevant authorities in their investigation,”

Padiachy said.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/niniola-robbed-of-cash-and-jewellery-at.html

Check out these pictures of a beautiful doctor who also makes out time from her busy schedule to slay on social media.

This pretty doctor, Chioma joined the #finedoctor Twitter trend and shared these lovely photos of herself which she tagged #DoctHoe.

She has been applauded by social media users who believe she has redefined what it means to slay on social media.

Who says you can’t be smart and be a slay queen at the same time?

See more photos:

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/check-out-photos-of-slay-queen-who-is.html

Kemi Olunloyo is at it again. This time around, the controversial journalist has made bold claims stating that Linda Ikeji is not pregnant.

News broke out last week that celebrity blogger, Linda Ikeji is pregnant. The news came just weeks after she announced her engagement to a man whom she’s yet to unveil. While many are still pouring in their congratulatory messages, Kemi Olunloyo is of the opinion that it is all fake. She shared a picture of Beyonce rocking a what appears to be a fake baby bump to prove that Linda’s own could be fake as well.

Kemi Olunloyo shared on social media:

@Beyonce or @officiallindaikeji
Who rocked the #prostheticbabybumpbest? #MADAMKOO went on YouTube today to tell people that Ikeji was neither engaged nor pregnant and this was a surrogate single woman frozen egg deal. Linda loves kids so she can buy her way thru one. She also said a friend of @lauraikeji confided in her that Linda cannot have kids. Seems like #Charlyboyconfirmed that. The activist said he encouraged Linda to just go get pregnant regardless of a husband something that contradicts her preaching to young ladies about celibacy. Some not so positive messages sent out there.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjDRdn7nNrE/?hl=en


In an old tweet of hers, she spoke of how the blogger has no uterus.

“Sorry! Linda has made NOTHING! No blogger awards, no husband, no kids, no uterus & NO #MAMAs2016. IM HER BOSS! #BAM

“Someone whose sister Laura confided in a friend that she has no uterus to carry babies made fun of Mayowa Ahmed #RIP”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/why-linda-ikejis-pregnancy-is-fake-kemi.html

Big Brother Naija 2017 housemate, Uriel Oputa has replied a non fans who criticized her for stepping out in a crop top and jeans.

One of them went as far as declaring that she is shapeless in the crop top and jeans while another asked if she was pregnant.

Well the reality star who is in London,wasted no time in firing back with her own epic response.

Read their exchange below;

Meanwhile, Uriel took to her Instagram page to congratulate her dear friend Linda Ikeji on finally getting pregnant. Here is what she wrote;

Oh Linda.. Oh Linda How I’m so happy for you
I’m just dancing

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/you-are-shapeless-fan-tells-uriel-she.html

The Amnesty Office has denied a media report that the federal government abandoned 19 postgraduate students purported to be on scholarship under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and currently in their final year at the People’s Friendship University of Russia.

A statement issued by Murphy Ganagana, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator, PAP, Prof. Charles Dokubo, said the attention of the Amnesty Office had been drawn to a newspaper report, captioned: “We’ve Been Abandoned in Russia, Nigerian Students Lament.”

According to the statement, the said report purportedly emanated from a statement issued by one Abilo Franz, “who claimed to be leader of 19 postgraduate students granted scholarship by the Presidential Amnesty Programme currently in their final year at the People’s Friendship University of Russia, but allegedly abandoned by the federal government.”

Describing the claim as not reflecting the true picture of the situation, “but a mischievous misrepresentation of facts concocted to blackmail the Amnesty Office to take responsibility for an obligation it does not owe them,” the statement said the Amnesty Office originally sponsored 50 students to the People’s Friendship University, Moscow, mainly for Bachelors degree programmes in March 2011.

It added that “by June 2016, 24 students were left and 21 among them duly completed and graduated with good grades, for which they were congratulated by the Amnesty Office for their sterling performance.”

Continuing, the statement noted that on August 8, 2016, the Amnesty Office formally communicated them via a letter, notifying them that upon the completion of their graduation ceremonies in June 2016, payment of their tuition fees and allowances had ceased with the payment of June/July In-Training Allowances (ITA).

“They were requested to inform the Office of the Special Adviser within ten (10) days of receipt of the letter, the exact date they intended to return to Nigeria, in order to facilitate the issuance of their flight tickets.

Instead of complying with the directive to return home after the successful completion of the Bachelor’s degree programmes for which their sponsorship strictly covered, the affected students opted to proceed on postgraduate programmes on their own volition, thereby making financial commitments to the institution in their private capacity, perhaps, with the hope of assistance from the Amnesty Office.

“That was the situation until May 11, 2018, when they sent an appeal for support via e-mail to the incumbent Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Dokubo, through the Head, Offshore Education of the Amnesty Office.

“It is therefore uncharitable, baseless and unfair for the 19 Nigerian students at the People’s Friendship University, Moscow, who had graduated from their Bachelors Degree programmes for which they were sponsored by the Presidential Amnesty Programme, and were not granted scholarship for postgraduate studies, to allege abandonment by the Amnesty Office, and by extension, the Federal Government of Nigeria in the Vanguard Newspaper edition of Friday, May 18, 2018.

He added: “While the affected students are at liberty to appeal to the Special Adviser on Niger Delta and Coordinator of PAP for assistance in pursuit of their educational ambition, such should not translate to a demand or tool for blackmail.

“Their claim to being granted verbal approval of sponsorship by General Boroh, former Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta to continue their postgraduate programmes is unfounded, since public funds are not spent by mere verbal pronouncements. We urge them to show proof of any formal commitment or approval on scholarship grant by the Amnesty Office for their postgraduate studies.

“This clarification has become necessary in view of the wrong impression the Vanguard publication might have created in the minds of undiscerning members of the Nigerian public and the international community,” the statement added.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/amnesty-office-denies-abandoning-19.html

Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former Governor of old Anambra State, has highlighted reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari should abandon his second term bid.

The elder statesman said Buhari should not seek re-election because age was no longer on his side, adding that the stress associated with the office of the President was already having negative effect on his health.

Speaking with Punch, the former governor said Buhari’s first tenure was a “comprehensive failure”.

He also urged Nigerians to pray that God would change Buhari’s heart from seeking re-election.

According to Ezeife, “Let us pray so that God would stop Buhari from talking about a second-term and instead, begin a six-month emergency restructuring of Nigeria.

“It is not a matter of whether he is fit or qualified, age is important. He claims to be 75, he may be 82. Even at 75, he is too old to be in that office.


“The second consideration is his comprehensive failure in the first term. If you recorded a failure like that, why do you want to seek a second term?”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/why-buhari-should-abandon-re-election.html

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said that the Federal Government has put in place workable funding mechanism, to ensure the Second Niger Bridge is completed.

Fashola stated this on Saturday, when he visited the site of the project at Oko near Asaba in Delta state.

The former Lagos Governor said the modified tax credit policy, the Sukuk Intervention Fund and the Presidential Infrastructural Fund, among others, were aimed at funding infrastructure projects that would make the country globally competitive.

“By my assessment, the piling work is now about 50 per cent.

“At the time I resumed work at the ministry, only the bridge was designed and work had stopped, but because of the commitment of the president, work has commenced.


“For the foreseeable future, I don’t see any reason why work will stop again because funding has been provided,” Fashola said.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/fashola-speaks-on-completion-of-second.html

First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump returned to the White House on Saturday after undergoing a procedure to address a “benign” kidney condition.
“She is resting comfortably and remains in high spirits,” the White House said in a statement.

The Slovenia-born former model underwent an embolization procedure, according to her communications director Stephanie Grisham.

Embolization is most frequently used to cut off the flow of blood to a tumor or growth.

It is common to stay overnight after the procedure to treat the pain.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/us-first-lady-melania-trump-returns-to.html

In a chat with Saturday Beats, Street hop musician and ‘Legbegbe’ master, Mr. Real, revealed how tough the road to stardom was and how his family members advised him against pursuing a career in music.

He said, “I have been doing music for over 10 years now. But you know in life when it is not your time, there is nothing you can do about it. All this while, I have been working and waiting on God for a breakthrough. Once God says it is your time to shine, no man on earth can stop you from shining. Before my song, ‘Legbegbe,’ I was only doing free shows. But it is a different story now.

I stopped visiting my family when I was asked to quit music - Mr. Real

“There was no time I thought of leaving music despite the pressure I was getting from my family members then. For me, music is part of my existence as a human and there is nothing else I can do better than music. When I was not making money from music and things looked stagnant, my father wanted me to try other things. It was a serious issue at home. I cannot blame my father because he wanted the best for me; I am his first child. But I insisted that it was music or nothing. It was not easy to stay focused as I got frustrated by my family members. At a time, I stopped visiting family members because they were always advising me to find something better. To them, I was wasting my time and it was high time I tried other things. I felt it was better I stop visiting because I didn’t want to leave music.”

Sadly, his father died last year and could not witness the success his son had achieved through his music career. The singer said that it was one of the regrets he has had to live with in life. “My father is no more; he died last year. I feel bad that he is not alive to see my growth in the music industry, but I am certain he would be happy for me. My mother died years ago too. But I have six younger siblings to look after. Though my parents are dead, other family members, who wanted me to quit music, can at least see that my consistency has finally paid off. Once you believe in yourself, the sky is your limit and nothing can stop you,” Mr. Real said.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/i-stopped-visiting-my-family-when-i-was.html

More than 100 people have died after a Boeing 737 airliner crashed and exploded near Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuban state media says.
Three people have survived but are in a critical condition in hospital, Cuban Communist Party newspaper Granma reported.
The plane came down shortly after take-off, crashing in a field.
It was carrying 104 passengers and nine foreign crew, according to local media.
“There has been an unfortunate aviation accident. The news is not very promising, it seems that there is a high number of victims,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel was quoted as saying.
The airliner had been leased by state airline Cubana de Aviación from the Mexican company Damojh, Cuban news agency Prensa Latina said.
State TV said it was an internal flight from the Cuban capital to the city of Holguin, in the east of the island.
Images showed a thick column of smoke rising above the crash site. Fire crews and ambulances are at the scene.
Radio Havana Cuba said on Twitter that the plane came down on the “highway” between Boyeros and Havana, near the airport.
See some Photos Below:

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/breaking-news-more-than-100-feared-dead_19.html

Nollywood actress, Favour Oma and Daniella Okeke appear to be sharing the same body according to a picture they both posted to celebrate their birthday.

Yesterday, Favour Oma shared a picture of herself looking queenly in a white dress to mark her birthday. She accompanied the picture with the below message.

”So on that very beautiful morning, (16th May, years passed)Mom was asleep in her seventh month pregnancy with her little girl slept by her, suddenly the little child started crying, (normal kids thing na) Mom ignored and the next thing she realised was a hit on her tommy …WO! Labour started, at seven months?? Yeaa.. Oh no, the baby died…naaa, she lives. She survived with the help of God through the incubator simply because untimely death wasn’t hers. She was named Ogochukwu (God’s Favour) Nwaoma (Beautiful) that’s the Qeen”.

However, it is noticed that the exact same picture without Favour Oma’s head was used by Daniella Okeke two months ago to celebrate her birthday on social media. The issue now boils down to who owns the body.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/actresses-daniella-okeke-and-favour-oma.html

FEC approves $995m loan for phase II of Abuja-Makurdi road
FG: Negotiations for Leah Sharibu’s release continue

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

The presidency said wednesday in Abuja that it was yet to receive the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) passed recently by the National Assembly.

Making this disclosure in a terse statement, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, said the bill was still undergoing some legislative processes in the National Assembly.

“Further to several enquiries by the media, interest groups and the public in respect of the within named Bill, may l please state that the said Bill has not yet been transmitted by the National Assembly to the president.

“From my enquiries, the bill is still undergoing standard operating legislative processes of the National Assembly preparatory to transmission, please,” he said.

Also yesterday the Federal Executive Council (FEC) gave the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing the nod to access $995 million loan from China’s Exim Bank for the construction of phase two of Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga – Lafia-Makurdi Road.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the 268.5 kilometre-project consists of 16.0 kilometres-Lafia bye-pass and another 251.7 kilometres from Ninth mile through Otukpo to Makurdi.

Fashola who said the second phase of the project for which finance is not yet available for its execution, added that its contract award was a precondition for access of the loan in China Exim Bank.

Also briefing, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, who said FEC also approved Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority project for the construction of a bridge which he described as a constituency project in Karu, Nasarawa State at the cost of N719million, disclosed that FEC also approved another memorandum for the construction of irrigation scheme at Kwaranga at the cost of N1.36billion.

In his own briefing, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said the council also approved €21million for the purchase of two tug boats for towing purposes on Nigerian waters. He also said FEC approved his second memorandum for the dredging of water in Baro at N703million.
In the same vein, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the council gave the Minister of Niger Delta, Usani Uguru, the marching order to speed up negotiations for the take-off of Oron-Calabar section of the East -West Road.

Mohammed also said the federal government had not abandoned Leah Sharibu who is being held by Boko Haram insurgents because of her refusal to renounce her Christian faith. According to him, negotiations are daily ongoing for her release.

“I think the President actually also addressed this issue in Washington. My question is always the same that we are yet to resolve the issue of six girls. One hundred and eleven girls were kidnapped; 105 were returned and we are busy on a daily basis negotiating and asking what happened. Negotiation with insurgents is quite tortuous.

“The young girl, Leah, we can assure you, that we are not leaving her to her fate. Anybody who negotiates with terrorists all over the world knows that It is not direct negotiations that we are doing,” he said.

Also yesterday, Nasarawa State governor, Tanko Al-Makura, presented the Minister of Mines and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, to President Muhammadu Buhari as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State.

Fayemi also informed the council that he would formally resign his ministerial position next week to face the task of campaigning towards the forthcoming July 14 election in Ekiti State.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/presidency-nassembly-yet-to-transmit.html

The Federal High Court, Abuja, this morning, declined the Nigeria Senate’s application for Stay of Execution of its judgment quashing the suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for 90 legislative days.
No land for cattle colonies in Urhobo – Omo-Agege

Details soon

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/breaking-senator-ovie-omo-agege-floors.html

A Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Tuesday ordered that 20-year-old Labahani Yusuf, be given five strokes of the cane for stealing six pieces of fish.

‎The judge, Mohammed Marafa, however, warned Yusuf, charged with criminal trespass and theft to be of good behaviour and desist from committing crime.‎

Earlier, the prosecutor, Babajide Olanipekun, had told the court that ‎one Okoh Daniel, reported the matter at the Kubwa Police Station on April 6.

He said ‎Yusuf criminally trespassed into the complainant’s business place at yellow page, Kubwa, Abuja, and stole six pieces of fish valued at N11, 100.

He said when Yusuf attempted to escape, he was arrested with the fish, adding that the offences contravened Sections 342 and 287 of the Penal Code.

Yusuf begged for leniency, saying that he was hungry and would not do it again.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/man-gets-5-strokes-of-cane-for-stealing.html

As Nigerians await more aspirants to the office of the presidency of the country to make their intentions known, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed his campaign officials and loyalists to ensure that they keep strictly to the guidelines for the campaigns.

Apart from the recent appointment of a lawyer, Festus Keyamo, as his campaign spokesman, a number of groups supporting the president’s reelection bid have sprung up across the country.

However, THISDAY gathered from a close ally of the president at the weekend that he does not want to jump the gun on the time table set out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for anyone to kick-start campaigns for 2019 election.

The source said this cautious approach by President Buhari explains why he chose the reserved atmosphere at the last meeting of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to declare his interest to go for a second term.

“The president would not want to be seen flouting the electoral law with regards to the issue of timeline set by INEC for the 2019 elections. So we intend to wait for the appropriate time to commence our campaign. All we are doing now is consultations and mapping out strategies,” he said.

INEC had cautioned politicians and political parties to ensure that they do not engage in campaigns outside the timeframe stipulated for it as it is capable of heating up the polity and creating confusion.

According to the INEC 2019 election timetable, party primaries for the presidential, governorship, federal and state elections would begin on August 18 and end on October 7, 2018, while campaigns for presidential election will start from November 18.

But ahead of President Buhari’s formal campaign launch for the second term, prominent individuals and groups were already being enlisted under the umbrella of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) with a view to helping to set up campaign structures across the country.

The president’s lobby team is targeting to establish operational bases in the six state capitals in the South-south zone from where they would coordinate efforts to gain the desired support for the 2019 presidential election.

In what seemed like a political strategy to gain more grounds in the South-south states, Buhari’s men are seeking to make an early in-road into the otherwise stronghold of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A stalwart of the APC and a leading figure in the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief G.G. Anabs Saro-Igbe, had told THISDAY that the BSO offices had been opened for business in Calabar, Cross River State; Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and in Benin-City, Edo State.

He said the group had also opened offices in Warri, Delta State; Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“The campaigns have not started officially but what we intend to do is to open our offices that will be used to drum support for the second term bid of President Buhari, “ he said.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/buhari-asks-loyalists-not-to-flout.html

Oh God Success Music Records is here again after the successful release of “Long Time”, Where Dem Girls (BDF) and Pay Day by Yungzee Onos which has gained massive airplay globally.

Yungzee Onos has graced big platforms e.g (The Chronicles of Ushbebe) to showcase the beauty of his song and talent. Here is another great hit Yungzee.

OGSM Records presents BAD – “Yungzee Onos ft VVIP Zeal X Taurushood” which was produced by one of Ghana hit maker and award winning producer “Master Garzy”.

CEO, OGSM Records “Blessing Oke. E.” has promised to continue to releasing classic jam and encourage young talent to continue to be a good example to the society and country.

Listen & Download “Yungzee Onos Ft VVIP Zeal X Taurushood – BAD” below:-

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/05/yungzee-onos-ft-vvip-zeal-x-taurushood.html