₦airaland Forum

It will no longer matter whether you’re the buyer or the seller; if you’re found handling petrol with jerry cans, you will be arrested.

The order, given on Tuesday by Solomon Arase, inspector-general of police, to all zonal assistant inspectors-general of police, FCT and state command commissioners of police, states clearly that anybody found selling petrol and other petroleum products in plastic containers should be arrested.

Arase gave the order in a statement issued by Olabisi Kolawole, acting commissioner of police and force public relations officer, in Abuja.
It said apart from the hardship the act was causing to

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/26/petrol-in-jerry-can-leads-to-jail-police/

The Akwa Ibom State government in a bid to stimulate economic activities has empowered over 8,000 indigenes in the 31 local government areas through the micro-credit scheme.

Mr. Akan Okon, state Commissioner of Finance, made this known in Uyo over the weekend during a chat with journalists.

The commissioner who explained that the credit facilities were for start-ups and expansion of small and medium scale enterprises, said it was a deliberate effort by the state government to create wealth and reduce poverty through the provision of sustainable jobs for the teaming unemployed youths, market women, farmers, artisans, and other citizens of the state.

Mr. Okon said the revolving loan, under the CBN’s micro, small and medium enterprises development fund is paid out in phases.

He announced that the second phase of N1.74 billion recently launched in the state by Governor Udom Emmanuel would soon be disbursed through designated micro-finance banks................

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/26/aibom-govt-empowers-8000-with-micro-credit/

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Monday raised the alarm that some unnamed politicians were planning to sponsor a mass protest against him beginning from today.

Saraki who is facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over allegations of improper declarations of assets, said in a statement by his
Media Adviser, Yusuph Olaniyonu that the protesters were not genuinely concerned Nigerians but hirelings paid to cause commotion.

Olaniyonu in the statement, said the sponsored demonstration will “seek to ground human and vehicular activities on some major streets of Abuja, particularly, those leading to the National Assembly Complex”.

According to him, the “sponsors of the protests are determined to ground the operations of the National Assembly to prove the point that the members should move against the leadership of the Senate.”.............

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/26/politicians-planning-sponsored-protest-against-me-saraki-alleges/

Nigeria’s foreign reserves continued their downward slide, falling by $232 million in the seven day; data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) has showed.

According to the data, the reserves, which stood at $27.54 billion as at April 11 2016, had fallen to $27.308 billion by Wednesday April 20, 2016.

It went down by $32 billion between Tuesdays 19 to Wednesday 27,340 billion.

The website shows that the reserves stood at $27.858 billion on April 1. As the reserves continued their downward slide, the amount of dollars the CBN allocates to commercial and merchant banks dropped to $177,876,814 compared with the $189,489,057 it allocated in the preceding week.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) recently announced that International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Nigeria had agreed to provide about $200 million to help fund fuel imports as part of measures to end fuel shortage across the country.

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, was quoted by agency reports as saying, “I have been able to convince the upstream oil companies to...............

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/25/foreign-reserves-drop-by-232m-in-7-days/

enator Bala Mohammed served as the Federal Capital Territory Minister during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan but could not return back to the office due to the defeat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2015 general election. In this Interview with Journalists in Bauchi including our correspondent, he speaks on PDP reconciliation efforts and other sundry issues. Excerpts:

There was an allegation that you planed to defect to APC due to your inability to cling the Chairmanship position, how true is this?

I am still a member of People’s Democratic Party and will not defect to another party due to my inability to cling the seat of the National Chairman. Though I lost the national chairmanship position but I will not leave PDP because this is not my kind of politics. I have never said that I was leaving the PDP because I lost the seat of the national chairman; this is not my kind of politics. Whoever feels I have offended him, I will ask for forgiveness because this is politics, there is no room for institutionalised animosity. I urge politicians not to allow prolonged malice and animosity to interfere with their political will because this will hinder the success of the party; we must ensure that all fences are mended in order to bring the party to its real upper status.

We want internal democracy to be the watchword of our party in order to avoid further rancor and division in the party which would do more harm than good to the party’s political arena.

Some believed that the division in Bauchi State chapter of PDP is due to the interest of some political bigwigs in the state, how true is this?
I don’t have problem with anybody, I have forgiven everybody, I don’t have any enmity against anybody, and so since there was nothing except the division and I believe the division was caused by the people outside the state who has something to settle with...............

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/25/i-did-not-say-i-was-leaving-pdp-mohammed/

The on-going trial of Dr. Bukola Saraki, President of the Nigerian Senate has sharply caused a division in the All Progressives Congress (APC) as some leaders of the party and federal lawmakers who were earlier bent on his prosecution are prevailing on the party leadership and the federal government to soft pedal on the matter.

Saraki is being prosecuted before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on 13 counts of false asset declaration which he allegedly made while serving as Governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.

Newsherald learnt that when Saraki’s trouble started in September 2015, majority of the leaders in APC were in full support of the trial given the way the former Kwara state governor allegedly betrayed his party and teamed up with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators alongside some APC senators to emerge President of the Senate. The arrangement also produced a PDP senator, Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President. But today, some of the party leaders are singing a different tune.

The Presidency under the command of President Muhamamadu Buhari has not hidden its dislike for Saraki since his emergence on June 9, 2015.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had objected strongly to Saraki contesting the position and also adopted Senator Ahmad Lawan as its preferred candidate. But Saraki shocked the party and the Presidency by emerging the Senate President against their desire..............

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/21/confusion-in-apc-over-sarakis-trial/

NLC says the relationship between workers and the Osun State government is very cordial.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State chapter, Jacob Adekomi said in Osogbo that the government has lived up to the agreement reached on salary payment.

He said that so far, the workers have received their take home pay up till January 2016 in line with the disbursed allocation from the Federal Government.

Mr Adekomi added that the bailout fund received by the state government in 2015 was clearly monitored by the NLC, to ensure that the fund was used to pay salaries of workers owed from January to June 2015.....

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/21/nlc-affirms-osun-govt-not-owing-salaries/

..Buhari’s Foreign Trips Ate Yielding Fruits –Elebute

Dr Tunde Moses Elebute, a developmental economist and public policy analyst is not happy with the current state of the economy almost one year after the take-off of the current administration. In this interview with corresppondent, Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Lagos Mainland Province, also advised the opposition to be constructive in their criticisms of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

What is your view on the current state of the economy? How do you see the spate of blame on President Muhammadu Buhari for the hardship Nigerians are passing through now?

The state of the nation’s economy is very bad. People are finding it very difficult to eat and take care of themselves. To make the matter worse, there is epileptic supply of electricity. At the same time, there is no petrol to operate the generator sets which are used by people to do business. Prices of goods and services have skyrocketed.

There is no money to purchase things. The situation is indeed very bad. For the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari is almost one year in office, it may be right to blame him. He sought power and has got it. Does it mean that he lacks information he needs to rule the nation? It should not be the case for someone who sought to rule this nation several times.

Also, his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been there for long. The party even has some former governors who knew the situation of things. So, there should have been an economic blueprint for the government to work with on how to govern the country. By now, people should have been seeing evidence or semblance of change they promised the people...........

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/21/saraki-mark-lack-moral-right-to-make-laws-for-nigeria-elebute/

In the month of February, 2016, Globacom added a total of 248,593 new internet subscribers to maintain its top position in the industry for the whole of one year. Globacom has remained tops in terms of new internet subscribers since the beginning of 2016, according to the monthly publication of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) web site.

The data released by the NCC for the month of February 2016 data released recently revealed that while its competition dropped in data subscriber numbers, Globacom grew its internet subscribers base to 25,684,837. The January subscriber figure was 25,436,244.

The other network that grew its base was Airtel which increased by 224,037 in February bringing its total subscriber figure for data users to 17,079,646 by the end of February. The January figure was 16,855,609.

Etisalat on its part dropped 52,251 internet subscribers in February, reducing from 15,283,903 in January to 15,231,652 by February ending.....


More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/21/ncc-data-shows-globacom-tops-internet-subscription-in-february/

The former Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, has retuned N2.3b to the federal government, according to a source from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“I can confirm to you that Amosu has returned N2.3b. He raised two bank drafts. One draft was N2b while the second was N300m,” the source stated.

The EFCC had earlier seized houses belonging to Mr. Amosu worth over N500m, in addition to $140,000 USD in cash. An additional N381m was seized from Mr. Amosu’s wife.

The source added that Mr. Amosu has been very cooperative with the EFCC, unlike his associate Alex Badeh, who is being tried for his involvement in the $2.1b arms deal scandal...........

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/20/amosu-ex-naf-chief-returns-n2-3b-cooperating-with-efcc/

The National Convention of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slated for April 21 may further divide the party if the ambition of Ali Modu Sheriff, acting national chairman of the party is not curtailed. A chieftain of the party who did not want his name mentioned told Independent. “He wants the National Chairman and presidential candidate of the party at the same time.

I think it is better he settles for one of the positions and give opportunity for others.” It would be recalled that some members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) who were not comfortable with the emergence of Sheriff as the party’s National Chairman, threatened to dump the party if he perpetuates himself in office beyond May 21.

But the party chieftain explained that though things may be working to Sheriff’s favour, he must make up his mind on what he wants because he cannot be party chairman now with the hope of using the office to get the presidential ticket in 2019. “Sheriff is highly respected in the party but that does not give him the whole opportunity to put the party in his kits.”..........

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/20/pdp-in-dilemma-over-sheriff-party-chieftain/

With Auntie Agatha

Dear Agatha,

About three houses away from where I stay, there is a very secluded guesthouse where men wishing to hide their affairs come to now and then with their dates.

But for the heavy traffic in the evenings to that place, nothing about the house gives the impression of what it is used for. Being in a very responsible estate completes the camouflage of secrecy.

On my way from work one evening, I noticed a very familiar car. Since it was about three cars ahead of mine I couldn’t be sure by the time I drove through our estate security.

I know it entered into the guesthouse. There was no way I could go and check since I had work to do. Being a single mother of two daughters from two men, I take my job seriously.

I almost forgot until my friend called me around 11.30 that night to complain that her husband isn’t back from work yet. According to her, he was busy with a new project. I almost told her I saw a car like that of her husband in my estate but I kept quiet. In the first place, the husband didn’t like me too much he thinks I am a very bad influence on his wife because of my two failed marriages. Secondly, he doesn’t even know where I lived and for some strange reasons I don’t want him to find out because around him, I can’t trust myself to behave. His maleness is that potent.

I immediately knew what his new project was. That night, I didn’t sleep but kept vigil in the bedroom that looked directly over the compound. He left at about 12.30 a.m.

For a month, I kept tab on him. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with the information I was gathering because I would be the last to tell his wife anything........

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/20/im-pregnant-for-my-best-friends-husband-3/

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has raised the alarm that President Muhammadu Buhari is bent on embarrassing his predecessor, President Goodluck Jonathan.

IYC said information at its disposal showed that Buhari was allegedly working on a plot to throw Jonathan into jail because he is a minority.

Udengs Eradiri, President of the IYC, said in an interview in Yenagoa that part of the plan was to first capture all former political office holders believed to be close to Jonathan before getting at him.

He stated that the deliberate effort of the APC-controlled Federal Government to consistently blame the previous administration for its inability to move Nigeria forward, several months after taking over government, was also part of the plot......

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/19/28522/

Husband of the gospel singer who was found dead in a hotel room in Benin, Odion Omoarebokhae, has said that CCTV footage of the hotel they lodged in revealed that Apostle Psalm Okpe and his late wife, Yvonne, slept in the hotel.

The husband who spoke to newsmen in Benin City on Monday said he was to understand later how Apostle Psalm hypnotised his wife for her to go to the hotel, adding that this was contrary to what Apostle Psalm told police investigators that his wife went home after the church programme at Sapele, Delta State.

Omoarebokhae spoke after some social media reports claimed that results of the autopsy conducted on his wife showed that she died of cardiac arrest.

He said the autopsy was conducted last Saturday and that police doctors told him it would take 30 days for the autopsy results to be ready.

The bereaved husband who said he decided to state what he saw on the hotel CCTV footage because it was only through the media he could fight those he called powerful men behind Apostle Psalm further stated that the video recordings showed that Apostle Okpe spent over one hour alone with his wife’s lifeless body inside the hotel room.

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/19/late-gospel-singers-husband-debunks-media-reports/

The Indonesian ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Harry Purwanto, on Monday announced his government’s plan to make its visas flexible for more Nigerians that would be attending this year’s Indonesian Trade Expo.

Harry said in Lagos that his government’s decision was to give many Nigerian businessmen and women the opportunity to deal directly with Indonesian manufacturers.

“We really want to see many Nigerians visit Indonesia to do genuine businesses.

“We do not ordinarily just issue visas to Nigerians. This is not because all Nigerians are bad, but because of some Nigerians who indulge in drug-related crimes in Indonesia.

“The only period the Indonesian government can make its visa issuance flexible for many Nigerians is now, during the Indonesian International Trade Expo.

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/19/indonesia-to-issue-more-nigerians-visas-during-expo-envoy/

A female suspected the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested drug pusher and mother of three.

The suspect Dorothy Onyekasi was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

As at the time of arrest, she pretended to be pregnant whereas, she stuffed her stomach with 86 wraps of Cocaine.

The suspect, a middle aged woman and mother of three, was intercepted with the drugs during the inward screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The cocaine, according to the Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, Ofoyeju Mitchell has a total weight of 1.720kg with an estimated street value of N20.6 million naira......

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/18/how-mother-of-three-faked-pregnancy-with-86-wraps-of-cocaine/

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a commercial bus driver with 196 wraps of substance suspected to be Cocaine.

The suspect, Maduewesi Ugochukwu Samuel was arrested over the weekend at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

Recovered from him were one hundred and ninety-three (193) wraps of cocaine hidden in his socks.

The drugs according to NDLEA tested positive for cocaine with a total weight of 3.4kgs.
Maduewesi2

It was detected during routine screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Lagos.......

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/18/ndlea-arrests-bus-driver-with-193-wraps-of-cocaine-hidden-in-socks/

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a commercial bus driver with 196 wraps of substance suspected to be Cocaine.

The suspect, Maduewesi Ugochukwu Samuel was arrested over the weekend at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

Recovered from him were one hundred and ninety-three (193) wraps of cocaine hidden in his socks.

The drugs according to NDLEA tested positive for cocaine with a total weight of 3.4kgs.
Maduewesi2

It was detected during routine screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Lagos.......

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/18/ndlea-arrests-bus-driver-with-193-wraps-of-cocaine-hidden-in-socks/

Six people, three female, one male and two children at the weekend escaped death by the whiskers following a false report made to the police that they were armed robbers.

It was gathered that the four adults, Sekinat Sanni, F; Wasiu Balogun, M; Bisola Balogun, F; and Rukayat Joseph F, and the two little children Sameer Balogun and Motunrayo Joseph of one and two year old respectively, all members of the same family were on a social outing when one woman, identified as Lauretta Ehon, informed a RRS patrol at about 5:30 pm that they were armed robbers and that they just snatched her Toyota Camry car 2012.

Following the report, the patrol team immediately embarked on a pursuit of the supposed fleeing robbers.

According to reports, due to the heavy traffic on the Ogudu-Ori-Oke road where the incident happened, one of the police officers attached to the patrol, Christian Onawona, alighted from the patrol Vehicle and mounted a motor bike to chase the supposed fleeing robbers.

It was gathered that in order to prevent the assumed robbers from escaping, the officer fired a warning shot which prompted the driver of the vehicle with registration number, EP 932 KRD to stop.

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/18/six-escape-death-as-woman-makes-false-robbery-report-to-police/

Experts in livestock and animal production recently gathered at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) for the 41st Annual Conference of the Nigerian Society for Animal Production (NSAP) to discuss and chart a way forward in the livestock sub-sector.

The theme of the conference was, ‘New Technologies for Enhanced Animal Production in Nigeria.

President of NSAP, Professor Chryss Onwuka, said the theme of the conference was guided by the Society’s need to be up-to-date as well as using the recent advances in the field to increase productivity.

Professor Onwuka, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of FUNAAB, regretted that food was disappearing from the tables by the day, adding that the purchasing power was also dwindling in a dollar denominated Nigerian economy.

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/17/ways-to-enhancing-animal-production-in-nigeria/

I do not know what to do anymore or how I am going to handle the situation in my home. To be candid, if I say I can pinpoint what the problem is exactly between my husband and I, then I am lying.

The worst thing is that I don’t even know what I feel for him anymore. I just know that things are not the way they were between us. What makes it so bothersome is that this marriage is less than three years old and is both our second attempts.

It is not as if we fight or something but we are growing apart at this alarming rate I really cannot explain.

To make matters worse, he doesn’t appear to think there is anything the matter. Yet between January last year and now, I can count the number of times we have kissed not to talk of lovemaking.

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/13/28128/

A video made available to CNN shows that the schoolgirls kidnapped from Chibok two years ago are still alive and looking well taken care of, the American news network is reporting.

CNN said it obtained a video of some of the Chibok Girls which had been sent to negotiators by their captors as a “proof of life”.

It also said the video had been seen by negotiators and some members of the government, but has now been shown the parents.

CNN reports that Rifkatu Ayuba caught sight of her long-lost, desperately missed, now 17-year-old and wiled: “My Saratu!”

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/13/update-on-chibik-girls-a-new-video-release-that-they-are-alive/

Men of Osun State Police Command yesterday arraigned a 49-year-old fake medical doctor, Ponle Adesoji and his 52-year-old friend, Nurudeen Ganiyu, for allegedly cutting part of the body of one Afusat Sakari in an improper way.

The duo were arraigned on three count charge of conspiracy, assault and impersonation.

In a charge sheet made available to Indepednent revealed that the two accused persons conspired to commit the alleged offense by cutting part of the victim’s lip, part of her nose, pubic hair and her armpit hair.

The accused persons were said to have committed the alleged offense on April 6, 2016 at Tinuola clinic and maternity hospital, Osogbo.


More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/13/28124/

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has signed into law a kidnapping prohibition bill, which makes kidnapping a capital offence in the state.

The new law states that kidnapping attracts the death sentence in the event of the death of a kidnap victim while in the custody of the abductors.

The bill had earlier been passed by the state House of Assembly, following the submission of a report by the Chairman, House Committee on
Judiciary and Justice, Olukayode Akande.

The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Michael Adeyemo, and Permanent Secretary/Clerk of the House, Mr. Paul Bankole, had earlier signed the bill before the governor gave it his assent......

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/13/28038/

The Police Service Commission (PSC) said over 550, 000 applicants have indicated interest to be recruited into the Nigerian Police Force.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the PSC, Mr. Mike Okiro in a meeting with the Senate Committee on Police.

However, Mr Okiro, explained that only ten thousand spaces are available.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase said only credible applicants would be recruited into the police force.

More; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/12/28029/

Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole has lauded the aggressive investment drive of the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, noting that without his resolve to build industries and employ Nigerians, so many youths would have been jobless.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of six million metric tons Dangote Cement’s new plant in Okpella, Edo State, Oshiomole said Nigerians will be forever grateful to the industrialists for helping to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.

Dangote Industries Limited is the largest employer of labour in the country outside the Federal Govement.
The new plant in Okpella, Edo state is also expected to employ over 50,000 youths, both directly and indirectly in in the next 18 months....

More;
http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/12/dangote-lauded-creating-jobs-nigerians-oshiomole/

Lagosians queue to use Ojota pedestrian bridge…Eko oni baje!


http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/12/lagosians-on-queue-at-ojota-bus-stop/

Since I was introduced to your column by our youth pastor, I have never failed to read your column. I also have adopted you as my second mother and would have loved to meet you in person.

See more; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/09/does-it-make-sense-for-me-to-have-a-relationship-at-16/

A war of attrition is brewing between some federal lawmakers and a governor in the South West over the refusal of the latter to continue paying monthly “appreciation fee” to the governor.

See more; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/11/gov-reps-on-war-path-over-monthly-appreciation-fee/

2019 may be three years away from now, but politicians in the country are aligning and realigning to strike an understanding on how to grab power by at the election.

See more; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/11/27896/

2019 may be three years away from now, but politicians in the country are aligning and realigning to strike an understanding on how to grab power by at the election.

See more; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/11/27896/

The Federal Government has commenced the release of premium motor spirit (PMS) known as petrol to Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

See more; http://newsherald.com.ng/2016/04/11/fg-releases-petrol-independent-marketers/