₦airaland Forum

Newcastle United’s goalkeeper Rob Elliot, who suffered a knee injury and would be out for a minimum of six months has put a dent on the club’s Premier League survival hopes.

The injury has also ruled Elliot out of the European Championships.

Club doctor Paul Catterson and his medical staff are to carry out further MRI scans on Elliott when the player arrives back in the north east, although initial assessment shows an injury to his cruciate ligament, hence the need for surgery.

Elliot was carried off in Republic of Ireland’s game against Slovakia in Dublin on Tuesday, having injured his knee whilst trying to block Miroslav Stoch’s opening goal in their Euro 2016 warm-up game. Republic boss Martin O’Neill confirmed after the match it was a serious knee injury.

Newcastle currently lies second from bottom in the Premier League, and the news of Elliot’s injury is a huge blow to Rafa Benitez’s side chances of survival.

Newcastle face Norwich City this weekend in a crucial match in the relegation battle, having already lost first-choice goalkeeper Tim Krul for the remainder of the season with a knee injury of his own.

Benitez now faces using inexperienced goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who has played only twice for the club since signing for them in August 2014 or 19-year-old Fred Woodman.

Stoke City and England goalkeeper Jack Butland, who suffered his own season-ending injury against Germany on Saturday, tweeted his sympathy to Elliot on Wednesday afternoon, ‘Mate, gutted for you and wish you a solid recovery! You can come round mine and we can watch the euros together! Head up mate!’

A call has been made by former President, Olusegun Obasanjo to African leaders to focus on good governance, equity and other variables that would bring about growth on the continent. He made this call at the recently concluded Commonwealth Day Service and The Commonwealth Africa Summit event. The event was in commemoration of the Commonwealth Week in London, which was organised by the Commonwealth Africa Initiative and GLEEHD Foundation. [ 222 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/obasanjo-tells-african-leaders-embr…/

The moment the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the new date it set aside for the re-run of both the National and State Assembly elections in Rivers State, it became obvious that peace would soon disappear, and what would follow would be the call for a possible emergency rule in the state. The situation in Rivers State, though bloody, is not in any way different from the scenario we have gradually become accustomed to in the nation’s politics. [ 705 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/rivers-bloody-re-run-poll/

YEAR DAY EVENT [ 2527 more words. ]

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As the world celebrates the Easter season, which is very symbolic in the Christian faith as the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death, Nigerians have also joined other parts of the world to celebrate this yearly event. This year’s celebration is however with mixed feelings as the state of the nation is somewhat disturbing. Over the past few weeks, there have been many issues making the rounds in the polity of the once renowned economic giant of Africa. [ 222 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/nigeria-today-easter-celebrations-f…/

A top military officer, Colonel Samaila Inusa, was at the weekend whisked away by unknown gunmen in Kaduna State. The kidnapped Colonel was said to be driving in his Mercedes-Benz car around Kamazo, along Kaduna Refinery Road, in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State with his wife before the incident occurred. Making this known, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations Officer of 1 Division Nigerian Army, Colonel Abdul Usman, confirmed that the incident took place on Saturday night. [ 146 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/army-colonel-kidnapped/

Eminent lawyer and an elder statesman, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite is dead. He died on Monday morning at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos after a brief illness. He is aged 82.

http://newsbreakers.ng/breaking-braithwaite-passes-82/

Indications are rife that Nigeria may be sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over allowing too many spectators into the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna on Friday for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt. It was gathered that an estimated 40,000 crowd was inside the 25,000-capacity stadium as at the time the match kicked off after the Kaduna state government allowed fans free entry.

http://newsbreakers.ng/nigeria-vs-egypt-sanction-likely-ni…/

After an order by the Minister of Communication that telecoms companies, Internet Service Providers and other companies offering Information and Communications Technology products and services should commence the rollover of subscribed and unused data/Internet services after expiration, they are yet to comply. After two weeks from the issue of the directive, it was discovered that they are yet to comply. [ 231 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/telecommunications-companies-disreg…/

The Nnamdi Kanu Saga has received national and international media coverage in the past few months. Only two weeks ago, hundreds of ‘Biafrans’ and supporters of the Biafran cause staged peaceful protests in front of the Vatican, headquarters of the Catholic Church in the world. There had been similar protests by the Biafran supporters in some European capitals. It is, therefore, timely now to address pertinent issues on the matter. [ 1210 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/nnamdi-kanu-vs-dss-persecution-pros…/

Certainly, it would have come as a rude shock to women across the country, when the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly on March 15, 2016, rejected a bill which sought to guarantee women equal rights with their male counterparts. That bill was tendered for consideration at plenary by Senator Biodun Olujimi, representing PDP (Ekiti South). Pathetically, the bill got the anger of senators majorly from the Northern part of the country. [ 702 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/senates-rejection-equal-rights-bill/

The Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Tuesday maintained that sitting President Muhammadu Buhari presided over a bloody election in Rivers State and that God is angry with him. The governor who listed elections held under the present government insisted that power belonged to God and should not be abused by any individual no matter how highly placed. According to Fayose, "I am telling you the truth. [ 136 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/5530-2/

Former Niger Delta militant chief, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), was on Tuesday arraigned in absentia by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. He was docked before the court over an alleged N34 billion fraud. Arraigned alongside Tompolo are the former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi; Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electricals Limited and Kemi Engozu. [ 318 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/alleged-n34b-fraud-tompolo-arraigne…/

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on Tuesday, set aside April 8, 2016, to entertain the applications filed by the Lagos State government against the Registered Trustees of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), and the other defendants in the suit which included Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company, Jadny Trust Limited, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbele Fatiregun. The court, presided over by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, arrived at the decision to enable the Lagos State government effect service of the said applications of which contents were not made known to the open court, on the defendants. [ 229 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/synagogue-building-collapse-court-e…/

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has disclosed that free education is the best gift any child can receive. This, he said, would help children fulfil their dreams. Okorocha stated this at the 7th convocation ceremony of the Imo State University in Owerri, the state capital, even as he added that his government remains committed to the free education programme which has benefitted many families. [ 79 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/education-biggest-gift-children-oko…/

A serious concern has been raised by the Nigerian Communication Commission over the possible negative effects of Electromagnetic Fields radiation emanating from telecommunications infrastructure in the country. This was disclosed by Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, in Calabar during a workshop on Electromagnetic Fields Exposure and Health organised for the South-South and South East regions. Danbatta said the workshop was organised following the outcry by members of the public on the negative health hazards of telecommunication equipment. [ 217 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/ncc-raises-concern-health-risks-tel…/

A 2-day National Economic Council (NEC) retreat has been declared opened by the President in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital territory. President Muhammadu Buhari in his keynote address talked about policy projections in four major sectors; agriculture, power, manufacturing and housing. The President told the participants, which include the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, state governors, ministers and CBN officials that decisions reached at the retreat will be subject to review as they progress. [ 176 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/nec-retreat-buhari-promises-10000mw…/

Following the collapse of the Lekki Gardens building, the Lagos State Government says it has commenced stability tests on buildings constructed by the Lekki Gardens to ascertain their structural integrity. It would be recalled that a building constructed by Lekki Gardens had recently collapsed in the Lekki area, killing no fewer than 35 persons. This had earlier made the state government to subsequently order that other buildings constructed by Lekki Gardens be made to undergo integrity tests to avoid another collapse. [ 164 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/lekki-gardens-buildings-lagos-gover…/

YEAR DAY EVENT [ 2362 more words. ]

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“The culprits will not go unpunished. I have been a Military Governor, Petroleum Minister, Military Head of State and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund. Never have I heard of the words “Budget padding”. President Buhari, February 25, 2016. Abuja. Part one of this series started with the same promise by Buhari to deal with those alleged to have padded the budget; it ended by pointing out to the President how some of those in the innermost corridors of Aso Rock might have contributed to whatever went wrong with the 2016 budget. [ 1320 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/buhari-stop-wasting-hisour-time-par…/

“The culprits will not go unpunished. I have been Military Governor, Petroleum Minister, Military Head of State and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund. Never have I heard the words “Budget padding”.” President Buhari, February 23, 2016, in Abuja. It is one of the axioms of management carved on stone by the management guru Peter Drucker, that nothing is more wasteful than doing diligently what should not be done at all – especially when the step to be taken is based on anger – which might not even be justified. [ 1040 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/buhari-stop-wasting-hisour-time-par…/

The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was on Sunday called upon by the Human Right Writers’ Association of Nigeria, to withdraw the bill prohibiting religious preaching in public places in the state. The group, through its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, also posited that the bill violated constitutional provisions for freedom of worship. The coordinator further argued that the bill, if passed into law “is capable of breeding religious crisis in the state. [ 87 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/withdraw-bill-public-preaching-grou…/

A mosque at Umari Village on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno State, was on Wednesday attacked by two female suicide bombers. They were said to have disguised so as to be able to gain access among the male worshippers to avoid any suspicion.

In the said attack, twenty-two persons were reported to have lost their lives on the spot. In confirming the development, the State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Victor Isuzu, argued that he did not have the exact details of the casualties as at the time he was interviewed.

http://newsbreakers.ng/bomb-blast-hits-borno-mosque/

The Federal Government has threatened to deal decisively with those behind the political violence that took place in Rivers State. Describing same as primitive, barbaric and unacceptable, Buhari in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, stated that he had given the security services clear directives in this regard.

“We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections.” the president said.

http://newsbreakers.ng/president-buhari-vows-deal-sponsors…/

The Nigerian Army, as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been described as a bundle of illiterates over the manner in which Col. Nicholas Ashinze, a former aide to the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) was treated. Making this pronouncement was Justice Yusuf Halilu of a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, who expressed sadness that the institutions flouted the orders of the court that Ashinze should be released. [ 173 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/illiterates-judge-tells-army-efcc/

Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Rickey Tarfa and Joseph Nwobike, were on March 9, 2016, docked before a High Court of Lagos State sitting in Igbosere. Tarfa was arraigned before Justice A.A Akintoye by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on a 27-count charge touching on wilful obstruction of authorized officers of the EFCC, refusing to declare assets, making false information and offering gratification to a public official. [ Read more...]

http://newsbreakers.ng/efcc-charges-two-senior-advocates/

In an apparent show of disaffection over the way in which the out-of-court settlement arrangement between the Federal Government and MTN is being conducted as it concerns the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on MTN, the Senate Committee on Communications, expressed sadness over the alleged shutting out of the Ministry of Communications Technology and the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) from the deal. [ 306 more words. ]

http://newsbreakers.ng/mtn-fine-senate-offensive/

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), in charge of Zone 6, Calabar, Adisa Bolanta, and three Police Commissioners, have been redeployed to Port Harcourt, Rivers State for the rerun polls slated for this Saturday.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase who ordered the redeployment argued that the action was in furtherance of the strategies designed to prevent electoral violence and to ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the Rivers State supplementary elections.

According to a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, the three CPs were deployed to supervise security arrangements within the three senatorial districts – Rivers East, Rivers West and Rivers South-East respectively.

The statement said, “In addition, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Department of Operations, Sontoye Wakama, has also been directed to proceed to Rivers immediately to hold meetings with stakeholders and police officers in the state’s command on the need for peaceful conduct before, during and after the election”.

www.newsbreakersng.com

The governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has declared as false and mischievous, the insinuation made by an online media that the support given by the state government for the president of the senate, Bukola Saraki, in his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal was responsible for the delay in the payment of salaries of workers.

The governor added that Saraki remains capable of funding his legal defence and associated costs without having to rely on public funds.

In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede, Governor Ahmed argued that the state government was up to date in the payment of its workers’ salaries.

www.newsbreakersng.com

The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has announced the suspension of 16 teachers at Elo High School, Ayetoro Ekiti, over allegedly using of their pupils as labourers on their farms during school hours. The directive came when Fayose received the report of a team led by the Deputy Governor, Dr Kolapo Olusola, which had proceeded to the school for a preliminary investigation. Read more...

http://newsbreakers.ng/ekiti-governor-suspends-16-teachers/

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the unbundling the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into four units.

Making this known, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, who also doubles as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the corporation, said President Muhammadu Buhari approved the restructuring.

According to him, "The new NNPC comprises a lean headquarters and four autonomous business units.

"The four units are Upstream Company, Downstream Company, Refinery Company and Gas/ Power Company."

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, has revealed that troops of 26 and 28 Task Force Brigades, on Tuesday, repelled a daring attack by fleeing Boko Haram terrorists on military locations at Pulka and Bitta in the fringes of Sambisa forest.

The army spokesperson further added that troops of 114 Task Force Battalion, came under what he termed a three-pronged attack by Boko Haram terrorists fanning out of Sambisa forest from Damboa, Tokumbere and Pulka axis.

According to him, “At the end of the debacle, 2 Boko Haram insurgents paid for their atrocities with their lives while several others sustained gunshot injuries. The fate that befell those that attacked Pulka was more dreadful.

"The ever ready and vigilant troops rose to the occasion by repelling the attacks and killing all the 16 attackers and captured one of them alive during the exploitation. The gallant troops also recovered 11 AK-47 rifles, 3 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), 1 Browning Machine Gun (BMG) and 2 Toyota Hilux vehicles. Others are a 60mm Mortar tube, 7 boxes of 12.7mm ammunition and 1 belt of 12.7mm ammunition.

“It is gratifying to state that there was no casualty on our own troops except for 3 soldiers that sustained minor injuries.

“The troops remained on maximum alert and are equally busy consolidating and continuing with their clearance operations with high morale."

FG Orders Re-Negotiation of N780bn Fine Imposed on MTN

The Federal Government of Nigeria led by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, ordered re-negotiation of the N789 billion fine slammed on the South African telecoms company, MTN, by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

Buhari's order came at a joint news conference with the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma in Abuja.

The Nigerian president noted that the failure of MTN to register all subscribers’ lines within the deadline was what led to the sanction imposed on it by the NCC.

Buhari added that the delay resulted in the death of no fewer than 10,000 Nigerians in the battle against Boko Haram.

According to Buhari, "The concern of the federal government was on the security of the country and not the fine imposed on MTN. You know how the unregistered GSM lines were used by terrorists and between 2009 and today, at least, 10,000 Nigerians were killed by Boko Haram.

“That was why the NCC asked MTN, Glo and the rest of them to register GSM subscribers. Unfortunately, MTN was very slow and contributed to the casualties. NCC looked at its regulations and imposed the fine. Unfortunately for MTN, they went to court and once you go to court, you virtually disarm the government because if the federal government refused to listen to the judiciary, it is going against its own constitution. Therefore, the government had to wait.

“I think MTN has seen that and decided to withdraw the case and go back and negotiate with government agencies on what they consider a very steep fine to be reduced and maybe given time to pay gradually.

“I hope you will recall that even before the elections, our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, realised the state we were in and we articulated three areas – security, economy and corruption- and we realised where we can improve on our relationship with South Africa.

“In terms of the economy, we identified agriculture and solid minerals to come to the fore quickly so that we can provide jobs for the unemployed. South Africa is far ahead of us in agriculture and solid minerals. So in diversifying the economy, I think there is a great room for improvement which is for the better."