₦airaland Forum

An explosion has gone off at one of the busiest locations in Kano, residents and security officials have told PREMIUM TIMES.

The blast occurred at a place known as “filling parking” at the Kano Kantin Kwari market.

Details of casualty are still sketchy at this time but the military has rushed to the scene, and condoning off the area.

The incident is coming less than two weeks after multiple explosions rocked the Kano Central Mosque, killing more than 100 people and injuring hundreds of others.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/172887-breaking-fresh-explosion-rocks-kano-city-centre.html

At least 8,000 delegates of the All Progressives Congress [APC] are gathering at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos today – Wednesday – to pick the party’s flag-bearer for the February 14 presidential election.

The delegates, both elected and statutory, drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will choose from the five aspirants who are asking to be the party’s candidate for the election.

The aspirants are (in alphabetical order) former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; a former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari; governor of Kano State, Rabi’u Kwankwaso; his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha and the publisher of Leadership newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/172851-nigeria2015-apc-presidential-primaries-live-update.html

Today (Wednesday), no fewer than 8,000 delegates of the All Progressives Congress [APC} will gather in Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos to pick the party’s flag-bearer for the February 14 presidential election.

The delegates, both elected and statutory, drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will choose from the five aspirants who are asking to be elected as the party’s candidate for a presidential election that bookmakers believe might be the most competitive since 1999, when Nigeria transited from military dictatorship to representative democracy. Whoever of the five is selected at the primaries will slug it out with President Goodluck Jonathan, who is being ratified later today in Abuja as the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP].
read more;http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/172848-apc-presidential-primary-how-the-candidates-stand.html

“The whole experience has left me feeling violated. I do not intend to fly Arik Air anywhere outside Nigeria.”

When Elizabeth Nwafor booked an Arik Air ticket from Lagos to Johannesburg, South Africa, the last thing on her mind was being robbed en route her destination.

Ms. Nwafor went on a short vacation to Johannesburg on October 24, 2013. She boarded the Abuja– Lagos-Johannesburg flight with the airline using its Boeing 737-800 plane for the W3103 international flight.

Immediately she arrived Johannesburg and retrieved her briefcase from the luggage section, she noticed its lock had been broken.
read more;http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/162833-exclusive-how-arik-air-steals-from-us-passengers.html

Arik abandons injured passenger after crew poured hot tea on him; no first aid kit on board
December 6, 2014Nnenna Ibeh

Bayoor Ewuoso’s experience aboard Arik Air flight W3 103 Y Lagos to Johannesburg on October 31, 2014, exposes the reality and danger of flying with airlines which compromise on basic safety requirements.

About an hour before arriving Johannesburg, Mr. Ewuoso said he requested a cup of coffee, which an Arik flight attendant mistakenly spilled on his thighs. His pains turned to disbelief and shock when the attendant told him there was no first aid kit on board the plane and that he should go to the toilet and pour cold water on the spot.

“I was shocked, I felt very bad when he told me there was no first aid kit on board. I just thought to myself, if this was something else, probably, I would even die under Arik’s watch,” Mr. Ewuoso said.
read more; http:///Ed2lx1

The Federal Government has ordered the release of the the Chad-bound Russian aircraft detained at the Aminu Kano Airport in Kano, hours after it said it was not in a hurry to let the aircraft go.

PR Nigeria, an agency that circulates press statements for Nigerian security agencies, had quoted an unnamed top security official as telling it that “Nigeria has no reason to release the aircraft and its cargo until investigation is concluded”.
read more;http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/172715-breaking-nigerian-govt-releases-chad-bound-russian-plane-detained-in-kano.html

Protesters have flooded the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, demanding Nigerian Government’s explanation on the arrested Chad-bound Russian aircraft.

The protesters, who are members of a coalition of northern youth organization, Northern Consensus Movement(NCM) said it was important that relevant authorities explain Nigeria’s relationship with the Chad-bound aircraft allegedly laden with military hardware.

The President, NCM, Ibrahim Wala, said with the terrorist attacks rocking Nigeria’s North East, it is impossible to overlook the sudden appearance of a cargo laden with weapons, including helicopters.
read more;http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/172672-protest-kano-detained-chad-bound-russian-aircraft.html

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has suspended its former chairman, Bamanga Tukur, for taking legal action to reclaim his seat.

The party said it sanctioned Mr. Tukur for failing to explore the party’s mechanisms for redress, before going to court to challenge his ouster.

Mr. Tukur is asking the courts to nullify his resignation in January, saying he was compelled to stand down.
He has also asked the court to sack the current chairman, Adamu Mu’azu.

A federal court dismissed his prayers on Tuesday.
read more;http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/172400-breaking-pdp-suspends-former-chairman-bamanga-tukur.html

The extremist Boko Haram sect is currently attacking Bajoga town of Gombe state, residents have told PREMIUM TIMES.

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter could hear sounds of gunshots and explosion as he interviewed a resident of the town, who telephoned to inform this newspaper of the development

“Sound of explosion and gunshots woke us up from sleep and we had to hurriedly leave to the outskirts of town where I am calling you from,” said our source, who gave his name as Mr. Sunday.
read more;http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/172335-breaking-gombe-town-bajoga-boko-haram-attack.html

The State of Jersey, the biggest territory in the Channels Island, is set to return to Nigeria £315 million stolen by a former military head of state, Sani Abacha.

The Ballif of Jersey, Michael Birt, stated this at a dinner in honour of Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dalhatu Tafida, during a State visit to the Island.

Mr. Birt, who doubles as the Island’s Civic Head of State and ceremonial head, is the highest ranking official in the Jersey order of precedence.
read more; http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/172273-states-jersey-return-315-million-abacha-loot-nigeria.html

The State of Jersey, the biggest territory in the Channels Island, is set to return to Nigeria £315 million stolen by a former military head of state, Sani Abacha.

The Ballif of Jersey, Michael Birt, stated this at a dinner in honour of Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dalhatu Tafida, during a State visit to the Island.
read more;http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/172273-states-jersey-return-315-million-abacha-loot-nigeria.html

An apparently better equipped Nigerian military has revved up its battle against the extremist Boko Haram sect, displacing the insurgents from key Adamawa and Borno towns they overran and seized in the past months, a PREMIUM TIMES journalist travelling in the area is reporting.

In what appears a renewed bid to overwhelm the terrorists, the military, assisted by local vigilantes, known as Civilian-JTF, has cleared most of the towns ravaged by insurgent activities, our correspondent says.

PREMIUM TIMES is the first news organization to access the heavily-guarded areas of Adamawa and Borno States, currently under military operations.

“Gaskiya (truth be said) Nigerian military is doing a very very fine job here. They have cleared Gombi, Hong, Mararraba, Mubi and the entire route of Boko Haram,” Mr. Tilde said.
“They are now at Uba slugging it out. Vehicles aren’t allowed beyond Gombi. People trek to Hong. The road is quiet. Clearing of hazardous materials like IEDs going on along Mararraba-Mubi Road before the road is open to users.
“Gombi-Garkida road is also cleared. It is safe. Saw many vehicles plying the road. Clearing of Garkida-Biu road may start soon,” he said.
“The military is now better equipped and more confident. Its newly acquired T72 tank is devastating. Boko Haram bombed it using suicide bombers with a pickup packed with explosives but to no avail. Only scratches. And the beast moved on.

.

Read more: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/172275-exclusive-inside-nigerian-militarys-renewed-offensive-boko-haram-terrorists-now-run.html

Scientists say a study of rapid evolution of HIV shows that it is slowing in its ability to cause AIDS.

The study, with a population of more than 2,000 women in Africa, was contained in the journal proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, PNAS.

A professor at Oxford University who led the study, Philip Goulder, said on Tuesday in London, that the research suggests a less virulent HIV could be one of several factors contributing to the end of AIDS.
read more.....

Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, has lambasted President Goodluck Jonathan for allowing what he called a reign of impunity, the latest being police siege on the National Assembly.

Mr. Soyinka said the latest action of Suleiman Abba, the Inspector General of Police, against members of the House of Representatives was an “unambiguous” declaration of war against the people.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/172225-soyinka-condemns-jonathans-impunity-likens-president-nebuchadnezzar.html

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, has declared that “Nigeria is being misgoverned to the Brink”, and accused the federal government of failing in its primary responsibility of providing security for residents.

The group, which is a coalition of Islamic organisations in Nigeria and is headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, also expressed doubts about the government’s role in the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/172147-jonathans-government-failed-nigerians-culpable-boko-haram-attacks-jni.html

Scores of people are feared dead in a bomb blast at Kano Central Mosque, near the Emir’s palace, witnesses and the spokesperson of the Military Joint Task Force in the state, Captain Ikechukwu Eze, have said.

Witnesses said the bomb went off as Muslims faithful prepared for Friday jumaat prayers, causing serious pandemonium as people ran helter-skelter for dear lives.

The explosion, which went off at about 2 p.m. before the Imam of the mosque, Sani Zahradeen, began his sermon was said to have been followed by sporadic gunshots.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/172029-bomb-blast-rocks-kano-central-mosque-many-feared-dead.html

A former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, has again lampooned the Peoples Democratic Party-led federal administration for allegedly displaying democratic impunities and vowed that the All Progressives Congress, APC, would bring sanity to governance from 2015.

He spoke in Osogbo, the Osun State capital at the inauguration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, for a second term in office.

“2015 will end the corruption, mismanagement and federal lawlessness and breach of the rule of law when APC takes over government in May next year,” Mr. Buhari, a presidential aspirant on the APC platform, said.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/172001-therell-revolution-2015-polls-tinubu-buhari-others-boast.html

The Kano State government has threatened to prosecute the spokesperson to the Nigerian president, Reuben Abati, for advanced fee fraud, 419, and the Presidency, the agency he represents, over the use of the state’s project photographs to promote President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/172000-kano-threatens-sue-presidency-abati-fraud.html

President Goodluck Jonathan, and other officials of his administration, as well as governors and heads of the National Assembly are not letting off any of their conveniences as Nigeria battles dwindling revenues, retaining extra-large convoys and travel teams, and flying private jets and first class with public money while the same government says the nation must accept cutbacks to counter the oil crisis.

While the president and the governors have retained their long motorcades, the senate president, David Mark, and House of Representatives speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, are doing just the same.

Official convoys of the president averages 40 cars, those of the governors exceed 20. Mr. Mark’s convoy as of this week remained at least 12.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/171947-jonathan-governors-others-keep-long-motorcades-private-jets-nigeria-struggles-falling-oil-revenues.html

Following Thursday’s siege on the National Assembly by security agents, Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has alleged that there was a plot to impeach the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and replace him with his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, by PDP legislators last Thursday.
see more.......................
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/171861-reps-no-wrong-jumping-national-assembly-gate-keyamo.html

President Goodluck Jonathan, Monday in N’Djamena, Chad, reiterated the need for Nigeria and her neighbours to intensify joint actions and cooperation to win the war against terrorism and insurgency.

Speaking to journalists at the presidential palace in N’Djamena after a closed-door meeting with his Chadian counterpart, Idris Deby, Mr. Jonathan said that their talks focused mainly on security and economic cooperation.
see more..............
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/171862-jonathan-meets-chadian-president-boko-haram.html

The Nigerian presidency has been caught showcasing projects executed by the Kano State Government as part of the legacy projects executed by the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the North-West geopolitical zone of the country.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/171851-presidency-caught-showcasing-kwankwasos-projects-jonathans-achievement-north-west.html

A federal court in Abuja has freed Aminu Oguche, the suspected mastermind of the Nyanya bomb attack in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria has reported.

The court struck out a two-count terrorism charge against Mr. Ogwuche on Monday, after months of trial for the April 2014 attack which killed more than 70 people.

The court hinged its decision on lack of diligent prosecution by the state.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/171794-breaking-court-frees-alleged-nyanya-bomber.html

The Nigerian presidency has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo, describing his rating of President Goodluck Jonathan’s performance as below average as untrue and misleading.

The former president had spoken last weekend in Abeokuta while addressing book writers as part of activities marking the Ake Arts and Book Festival.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/171784-presidency-replies-obasanjo-says-jonathan-is-best-nigerian-president-ever.html

The Senate President, David Mark, has announced an immediate closure of the National Assembly after an attempt to stop the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, from the assembly, plunged the complex into chaos.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/171561-breaking-senate-president-mark-orders-immediate-closure-national-assembly.html

A video depicting the Katsina Governor, Ibrahim Shema, prodding his party members to physically assault and possibly “kill” opposition politicians in the state, has gone viral on the internet.

The amateur video was first posted on the internet on November 12.

It shows the governor, dressed in white agbada and brown sandals, standing on a red carpet, and addressing a crowd in what seemed like a political rally. He spoke in Hausa.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/171411-katsina-governor-shema-caught-video-urging-supporters-crush-kill-political-opponents.html

For the fourth month running, statutory revenue available for distribution between the three tiers of government dropped as the total revenue for October stood at N593.34 billion.

The amount is about N10.192 billion lower than the N603.529 billion shared in September.

Details presented at the end of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting in Abuja on Tuesday however showed that N420.036 billion realised as oil mineral revenue for the month was higher by about N45.294 billion realised in the previous month.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/171402-federal-govt-states-share-n593-34-bn-october.html

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has confirmed his withdrawal from the presidential race.

Mr. Tambuwal said in a statement that he was standing down for the “unity” of his party, All Progressives Congress, APC, and that he will support other aspirants seeking the party’s ticket.

The speaker’s associates had told PREMIUM TIMES that he was withdrawing from the race despite pressure on him to go ahead and contest the 2015 presidential election.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/171382-why-im-stepping-down-for-buhari-atiku-others-tambuwal.html

The National Chairman of the All Progressives congress, APC, John Oyegun, has asked all presidential aspirants in the party to be prepared for the serious task ahead if they eventually emerge as the flag bearer of the party for the 2015 presidential election.

Mr. Oyegun informed APC presidential aspirants that they are seeking to lead a country that is “seriously in need of redemption”.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/171361-celebrating-chiboks-recapture-disgrace-oyegun.html

The Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has denied that the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Adewale Omirin, was impeached Monday by lawmakers loyal to him.

Ten out of 26 members of the House reconvened Monday without the speaker or the deputy, and named a speaker pro tempore, before approving nominations sent in by the governor.

The lawmakers ratified the appointment of three commissioners, 12 advisers and reconstituted the caretaker committees of the 16 Local Government Areas in the state.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/171364-state-assembly-crises-oshiomhole-amaechi-worse-fayose.html

Fresh violence erupted in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital on Monday, with youth chasing away Eggon residents from the state capital and burning their properties.

At least one person was reportedly killed.

The crisis has shut the city down, and grounded economic activities as shops have been closed while their owners flee.

Lafia has been deserted with only few people plying the roads and government offices half closed, a PREMIUM TIMES reporter in the town, says.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/171315-breaking-fresh-fighting-erupts-lafia-nasarawa-1-feared-killed.html