₦airaland Forum

An official of a Nigerian anti-corruption agency on Wednesday narrated how a former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, pocketed the interest on police funds kept in a bank.

Olayinka Adebayo, an Investigation Officer with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, told the court that N16 million was paid to Mr. Ehindero, as interest from the sum of N557.9 million.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131169-ex-nigeria-police-ig-ehindero-pocketed-n16-5mn-interest-from-police-funds-icpc-tells-court.html

Liverpool striker, Luis Suarez, may be considering an exit from England after he was slammed with a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea defender, Branislav Ivanovic, last Sunday.

The ban handed to the Uruguay striker exceeds the seven-match ban he got while he committed the same offence in Ajax. He, however, has until Friday April 26 to appeal this ruling.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/sports/131150-luis-suarez-gets-10-match-ban.html

President Goodluck Jonathan has inaugurated the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North with a mandate to proffer solution to the Boko Haram crisis in three months.

Mr. Jonathan also inaugurated a 17-member committee on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons during a short ceremony at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131147-jonathan-inaugurates-committee-on-boko-haram-to-come-up-with-solution-in-three-months.html

Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has adjourned indefinitely the trial of Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Read more at: http://premiumtimesng.com/regional/131109-breaking-judge-adjourns-trial-of-lagos-speaker-indefinitely.html

A fire incident occurred on Monday at the Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Abuja.

The minor fire incident occurred in the office of the former director in charge of Alternative Dispute Resolution located in the Information, Communications and Technology, ICT, building of the headquarters.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/130747-fire-guts-inec-headquarters-again.html

Mr. Gbana was reportedly impeached on Monday morning.
Reports from Taraba State indicate that the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Istifanus Gbana, has been impeached.
Mr. Gbana was reportedly impeached on Monday morning.
Details later…

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/130714-breaking-taraba-speaker-reportedly-impeached.html

At least 185 persons including women and children were reported to have been killed by either gunshots or fire after suspected Boko Haram gunmen engaged soldiers of the Joint Task Force in a deadly shootout that left the commercial border town of Baga in Borno State completely burnt down.

Local government officials who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said 185 persons died, at least 2000 houses, 64 motorcycles and 40 cars were burnt in the wake of the attack.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/130680-185-killed-in-borno-town-baga-as-soldiers-boko-haram-fight.html

The Benue state library in Makurdi made its last book purchase 22 years ago during the library’s inauguration, the deputy director for the state library board, Shima Kosu, has said in a shocking revelation of the obsolete state of the facility.

Mr. Kosu made the disclosure an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, while dismissing concerns about the future of conventional libraries in a digital age of the electronic library.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/130607-benue-library-has-purchased-no-new-book-in-22-years.html

We Are All Guilty Of Corruption, PDP Tells ACN

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The ruling party says if anything, the leading opposition party is as guilty of the same crime.

The Peoples Democratic Party has dismissed a statement from the Action Congress of Nigeria celebrating the categorization of Nigeria as corrupt by the United States as “misplaced.”

The ruling party says if anything, the leading opposition party is as guilty of the same crime.

“Why is the ACN gallivanting? That only the PDP is corrupt and the opposition saints? What sense is there in this naked dance in the centre of the market square,” asked a statement from the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh.

The PDP said that ACN was least qualified to point an accusing finger because its leader is one of the most corrupt Nigerians of the living memory.

“See who is pointing an accusing finger with all the sleaze going on in the states under the ACN; with the commonwealth of entire six states privatized to please the emperor at Bourdillon,” the statement said.

Action Congress had earlier described the ruling party as a “cesspool of corruption” citing the US report released weekend. But the PDP hit back a harshly worded statement.

“The world may know of corrupt cases in Nigeria because the PDP as the ruling Party has chosen not to condone corruption like the opposition. We have shown enough dispassion in the crusade that even some of our members found wanting had to face the full weight of the law. Winning the war on corruption is therefore a matter for all Nigerians to do his or her own beat,” statement by Mr. Metuh said.

“A deeper insight reveals no doubt that all corrupt persons in the civil and public services are not members of the PDP, neither are all Nigerians in their private businesses members of PDP.”

Mr. Metuh said, though it is easy to argue that as leaders all bucks stops on PDP’s table, it is at the same time needful to appreciate that all Nigerians must pull through their own beat.

“The phenomenon of corruption predates the 14 years of the PDP but our party has taken bold steps to tackle it. Whether, the ACN agrees or not, the establishment of the EFCC, ICPC and the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act are some of the firm measures in fight against corruption,” Mr. Metuh said.

“The PDP shall continue the fight until the chaff of corruption is winnowed into the fire,” he said.


http://premiumtimesng.com/news/130655-we-are-all-guilty-of-corruption-pdp-tells-acn.html

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Tuesday lambasted Nigerian politicians calling them selfish and bereft of leadership abilities.

Mr. Okorocha, who was speaking at the International Conference Centre, in Abuja, venue of the Leadership Newspaper 2013 annual conference and awards, said Nigeria is blessed with good followership, but lacks good and sincere leaders.

See details and what other governors had to say at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129821-okorocha-lambasts-nigerian-politicians-as-sultan-onaiyekan-ribadu-advise-public-officials.html

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) in Borno State on Tuesday warned residents on possibility of the outbreak of diseases as the hot weather condition prevailed in the state.

The General Manager of the Agency in the State, Zakariyau Darazo, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Maiduguri.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129748-borno-may-witness-outbreak-of-diseases-meteorological-agency.html

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday warned all political office holders, aspirants, and their sponsors to desist from any campaigns for 2015 on his behalf.

In a statement to the media, the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, said Mr. Jonathan is totally focused on the implementation on his administration’s agenda for national transformation, and not politics of the forthcoming election.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129744-jonathan-debunks-2015-campaign-reports-warns-appointees-against-early-campaigns.html

A former Nigerian federal lawmaker, Dino Melaye, Monday night escaped assassination in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
Mr. Melaye, a staunch government critic, was attacked in the high-brow Central Business District of the city, while making his way home.

See details with the car at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129688-dino-melaye-escapes-assassination-in-abuja.html

Notwithstanding its present challenges, the National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Monday, declared that the party would win nine more states in the 2015 elections, bringing the states under its control to 32. The party currently governs 23 out of Nigeria’s 36 states.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/national/129632-pdpll-win-in-32-states-in-2015-tukur-boasts.html

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, has said that the commission would issue the 10-year permanent voters’ cards to registered voters before the end of 2013.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja at the commission’s quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, Mr. Jega said that INEC had gone far in the production of the first phase of the cards.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129567-inec-to-issue-10-year-permanent-voters-card-before-end-of-2013-jega.html

The Oyo State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed the death of a 13- year old boy who allegedly committed suicide when asked to go and read his books.

Speaking yesterday in Ibadan, police spokesperson, Olabisi Clet-Ilobanafor, a deputy superintendent of police, said the boy (name withheld), hung himself on March 31 at about 6.15 p.m.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129028-boy-13-commits-suicide-for-being-ordered-to-read-his-books.html

Officers of the Special Anti-Fraud Unit in Lagos on Thursday arrested a former Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, and Cooperative in Oyo State, Kazeem Adedeji, and his wife, Biodun.

More at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129099-breaking-news-police-arrest-oyo-ex-commissioner-wife.html

The police in Yobe have confirmed the killing of four of its officers in the state, the News Agency of Nigeria has reported.
More at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129078-breaking-gunmen-kill-four-police-officers-in-yobe-police-say.html

Secret documents link family and associates of one of Africa’s most popular pastors, Nigerian televangelist the Rev. Chris Oyakhilome, to an offshore company in the British Virgin Islands.

A business associate of the pastor says some directors in the company held shares on behalf of the pastor’s daughters, Sharon and Charlyn, who are now teenagers.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129001-mega-church-pastor-oyakhilome-incorporates-secret-company-for-daughters-in-caribbean-tax-haven-2.html

The trial of seven suspected Boko Haram members at the Federal High Court, Abuja, was stalled on Wednesday because of the absence of legal representation for the accused.

Usman Sani, Abdulrahman Musa, Mahmud Mohammed, Kabir Mohammed, Umar Danjuma, Ibrahim Abba and Abdullahi Lawan are accused of killing and raiding banks in Bauchi State in 2011.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128951-again-trial-of-seven-boko-haram-suspects-stalled.html

Leadership Newspapers Journalists Sue Nigerian Police, Demand N10m Damages

The two Leadership Newspapers journalists, detained by the Nigerian police for a story about the presidency, have sued the police demanding N10 million damages.

Leadership Newspapers reports that Group News Editor, Tony Amoekedo; and correspondent, Chibuzo Ukaibe; are suing the Inspector General of Police for breach of trust.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128846-leadership-newspapers-journalists-sue-nigerian-police-demand-n10m-damages.html

A group, Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has asked the Federal Government to go to court if it has any case against the Leadership Newspaper, rather than resorting to crude tactics of self help by harassing the organization and its staff.

Armed policemen reportedly laid siege to the headquarters of the newspaper in Abuja, following its lead story last Wednesday titled, “Outrage trails presidential directive on Tinubu, APC” with sub-titled “Bromide of the Presidential directive”.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/national/128667-group-asks-police-to-stop-harassing-leadership-newspapers.html

The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, gave an insight into the political machinations going on among the 36 state governors, when he declared on Saturday that the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, will be re-elected as chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF.

Mr. Fayemi said this in Ikogosi-Ekiti on Saturday at a symposium organised The Future Awards with the theme “Project 2015: the character of our involvement.”

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128589-despite-pdps-noise-amaechi-will-win-re-election-as-governors-forum-chairman-fayemi.html

Chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and former presidential candidate of the party, Nuhu Ribadu, are leading a trail of tributes pouring out to the family of the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, who died Saturday after a long and painfully battle against breast cancer.

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128493-tinubu-ribadu-say-death-of-ekiti-deputy-gov-blow-to-progressive-politics.html

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers on Saturday said most Nigerians have resigned themselves to lives of suffering and lacked the necessary courage to force a change in their country.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at the second Nigeria Symposium for Young and Emerging Leaders, Mr. Amaechi said Nigeria would not undergo a forceful revolution anytime soon because citizens are too timid and unwilling to make sacrifices.

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128565-nigerians-too-timid-to-push-for-revolution-says-rivers-governor-amaechi.html

The opposition Action Congress of Nigeria and the federal government were locked in a war of words Sunday after the ACN accused the government of plotting to scuttle the 2015 elections and plunge the country into chaos.

The allegation unsettled Aso Rock and the Peoples Democratic Party which quickly rushed out counter statements accusing the ACN and its spokesperson of a well-organised campaign to mislead the public, discredit the person and office of President Goodluck Jonathan, and cause disaffection within the polity.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128558-sparks-fly-as-acn-fg-lock-horns-over-alleged-plot-to-destabilize-nigeria.html

The Jogor Center in Ibadan, Oyo State, came alive on Easter Sunday when Gbenga Adeyinka’s comedy show, LaffMatazz, came to town as dignitaries including the First Lady of Oyo State, Florence Ajimobi, graced the event .

There were stellar performances from top stars like Davido, May D, Jaywon, Omo Baba, Phenom, Owen Gee, Dammy Krane, Capital Femi, Lepacious Bose, LKT, Adetoun, Kayefi, Seriki, Bash, Peteru, SB Live Band, LaffMatazz Comedy Crew, Isaac Geralds, and Jayru.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/arts-entertainment/128296-davido-funke-akindele-may-d-others-dazzle-at-laffmatazz.html

A non-governmental association has accused the federal and state governments of not doing enough to assuage the suffering of victims of 2012 floods across Nigeria.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, said there has been poor distribution of relief materials to victims and called on appropriate governments to be “transparent, fair and accountable in their encounter with flood victims.”

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128206-group-condemns-kogi-others-over-n3-000-for-flood-victims-seeks-efcc-probe.html

The Northern Elders’ Forum has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to consider granting amnesty to insurgent groups in Northern Nigeria in order to overcome security challenges in the country.

The main insurgent group in the North, Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for or is suspected of masterminding several attacks across the northern states causing the death of hundreds of people.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128224-northern-elders-insist-on-amnesty-for-boko-haram.html

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, has called on all opposition parties to join the federal government in the battle against insurgents in the country.
Mr. Tukur stated this in London at the 2013 Nigerian Arise Award media chat organised by BEN TV here he was speaking about the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128094-cpc-acn-others-should-join-pdp-to-fight-boko-haram-tukur.html

An NGO documentary reveals the ‘dirty’ lives of residents of Lagos slum, Dustbin Estate.
“The first time I visited that estate, I threw up immediately,” Patience Atiloh, a charity worker said of her experience in August 2011. “I was hospitalised.”

See details with slideshow and video at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128044-keeping-up-with-lagos-dustbin-estate-dwellers.html

No fewer than 25 soldiers from the 302 Artillery Regiment and 14 Field Engineer Regiment in the Onitsha Military Cantonment have wedded at the St. Peters’ Military Church, Onitsha.
The mass wedding, which created great joy at the Cantonment, attracted a mammoth crowd of relatives, friends and well-wishers of the newly wedded couples from different parts of the country.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128030-25-soldiers-in-mass-wedding-in-onitsha.html