The management of Arik Air has admitted that two of its crew members were arrested for allegedly possessing banned drugs suspected to be cocaine after one of its flight to the U.K.

The airline company promised to cooperate with British authorities investigating the the two cabin crew members.

The spokesman for the company, Adebanji Ola, said in a statement on Tuesday that Arik Air was co-operating fully with the U.K. authorities and all other concerned agencies in their investigations.

“Arik Air remains committed to the fight against drug and illicit substances trafficking and will not tolerate the use of any of its aircraft or crew for the courier of banned items and substances,” he said.

Read more here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/135444-arik-admits-two-crew-members-arrested-in-u-k-for-drug-trafficking.html

The House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon joined their Senate counterparts to approve the State of Emergency declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The lower chamber approved the proclamation after a closed door session hours after the Senate unanimously gave a similar approval.

The approval by the two arms of the National Assembly legalises the declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday last week of a State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe.

Follow details here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/135381-breaking-house-of-representatives-approves-state-of-emergency-in-adamawa-borno-yobe.html

ACN Lawmakers Snub Party, Join Senate To Back Emergency In Three States

Opposition senators teamed with other lawmakers Tuesday to back President Jonathan’s request for an emergency rule in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, snubbing their parties that had primed them to kick against a military campaign that began a week ago in the trouble states.

But the senate urged the federal government to issue troops with a code of conduct to ensure they are “humane, benevolent and respectful” to the residents of the three states.

The senate passed the request in unanimous vote participated by 100 senators, more than the constitutional two thirds benchmark required.

The decision gives a partial legal backing to the president’s declaration last week. A House of Representatives vote is expected later Tuesday or Wednesday. The House remained in an executive session by Tuesday noon.

Read details here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/135340-acn-lawmakers-snub-party-join-senate-to-back-emergency-in-three-states.html

The Senate on Tuesday approved the State of Emergency declared by President Goodluck Jonathan in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States.

The 100 senators present unanimously approved the president’s declaration at a session of the whole house.

The Senate had earlier gone for closed door session to debate the matter. At the end of the closed door session, the committee of the whole Senate unanimously approved Mr. Jonathan’s declaration; with none of the senators present opposing it.

Read details here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/135300-breaking-news-nigerian-senate-approves-state-of-emergency.html

The deliberate inactions of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and those of other Peoples Democratic Party governments since 1999 have encouraged corruption and obfuscation in the Nigerian oil industry, an agency has stated.

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, on Monday, expressed frustration in its efforts to boost the level of transparency and accountability in the oil and gas industry.

The agency blamed the federal government for Nigeria’s recent poor ranking in the global Resource Governance Index, RGI, report of the Revenue Watch Institute, RWI.

RWI, in the report, which measured the quality of the extractive industries governance in 58 resource-rich countries across the world, ranked Nigeria 40th, with a score that showed the country’s extractive industries governance as ‘very weak’.

DETAILS: Continue Reading...http://premiumtimesng.com/business/135147-jonathan-other-pdp-governments-encourage-corruption-in-nigerias-oil-industry-government-report.html

The missing certificate of registration of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and the pending court suit instituted by a rival political association, African Peoples Congress, APC, challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for refusing to register it, are threatening to derail the registration All Progressives Congress.

This is just as the Committee on Legal Constitution Compliance of the merging party meets Monday to brainstorm on how to resolve the thorny issues facing the APC.

The 20-member committee, headed by James Ocholi, a senior lawyer, was constituted in February, to among other things, determine and examine all legal issues relating to the process of the merger as well as liaise with INEC and all other relevant agencies to ensure a smooth consummation of the merger.

It will also provide guidelines to all the parties involved in the merger, which will ensure full compliance with all relevant laws by all the parties.

Read details here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/135055-missing-cpc-certificate-acronym-dispute-threaten-apcs-registration.html

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday in Abuja approved the appointment of new chief executive officers for three parastatal agencies.

The appointees are Benjamin Dikki, Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises; Gbenga Elegbeye, Director-General, National Sports Commission; and Oluwole Oluloye, Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Trust Fund.

A statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, said that the three appointees are expected to assume duty immediately.

Read more here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/134474-jonathan-appoints-new-heads-for-national-sports-commission-bpe-ptdf.html

The House of Representatives has ordered federal aviation authorities to immediately surrender a comprehensive list of all private jets in Nigeria, at a hearing on the controversial grounding of a Rivers State-owned aircraft.

A House joint committee on justice and aviation agreed that the list, which must contain identification of all private jets in the country, names of owners, agents, expiration dates of clearances and licenses and other vital data, be made available in two days.

“Let us have a register of titles of all registered private aircraft in Nigeria including those on adhoc basis. If anyone is confidential, indicate so,” said Ali Ahmad, chairman, house committee on justice.

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/134209-breaking-house-of-reps-orders-for-data-on-all-private-jets-over-rivers-aircraft-controversy.html

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Tuesday, met with members of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North.

According to the chairman of the committee, Karibu Turaki, the meeting was at the instance of the committee who after speaking with different stakeholders and Boko Haram members, thought it fit to ask the President some questions on the position of the government.

“We feel that having interacted with most of the security agencies; we have come to the critical stage where we also need to hear what the government’s side is. That was what we came to discuss with Mr. President,” he said.

Mr. Turaki referred to the committee’s meeting with the President as “very frank and very fruitful.”

Read details here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/134164-jonathan-holds-very-frank-meeting-with-boko-haram-amnesty-committee.html

Manchester City will pay Roberto Mancini an initial figure of $7.5 million (N1.2 billion) for sacking him as coach of the club, Goal.com has reported.

Mancini was sacked by the Premier League team on Monday after the club management said “the Club has failed to achieve any of its stated targets this year, with the exception of qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.”

The Italian coach had four years remaining on his contract but the pay-off will be limited to 12 months’ salary should he get another job immediately.

The former Inter Milan coach is set to receive an initial sum of £7.5 million, which will be topped up for every month that he is out of work. He helped Manchester City win their first Premier League title last season but failed to win a trophy this season.

Read more here: http://premiumtimesng.com/sports/134150-manchester-city-to-pay-mancini-n1-2bn-for-sacking-him.html

A medical doctor, Funmilayo Adegbite, on Monday in Ikeja, advised women against regular wearing of fitted bras.

Ms. Adegbite, a Consultant Dermatologist, said that regular wearing of such bras could cause neck and back pains.

“This can lead to shoulder, neck and back pains because the muscle is being constantly strained,” she said.

Ms. Adegbite, the founder of the Skin Ventures, Ikeja, said that constantly pushing breasts inwards could cause circulation restriction, which might damage the breast tissues.

See details of her reasons at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133978-fitted-bras-can-cause-neck-back-pains-doctor.html

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that there is no plan by the Federal Government to impose emergency rule in some troubles states in the north.

The ruling party accused the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, of making “fallacious and wicked media publication” on the matter, allegedly to aggravate the security situation in the country.

The opposition parties had, at the weekend, spurned the denial by the Presidency that it was planning to declare a state of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Nasarawa States, and warned against such move as it would only benefit the PDP because it is not in power in the affected states.

Read details of the accusation at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/134048-no-plan-to-declare-state-of-emergency-in-northern-states-says-pdp.html

Amaechi/Jonathan Face-off:court Orders Police To Vacate Rivers Council

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has ordered the police to vacate Obior/ Akpor council of Rivers State.

The court gave the directive on Monday morning.

The Speaker of the Rivers Assembly had accused the Federal Government of a ploy to declare a State of Emergency in Rivers, starting from the Obior/ Akpor council.

The Assembly, loyal to the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, suspended the council chairman and appointed a caretaker committee; while the Peoples Democratic Party Chairman, loyal to the presidency, condemned the suspension and instead suspended the state lawmakers.

http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133960-breaking-amaechijonathan-face-off-court-orders-police-to-vacate-rivers-council.html

A former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, declared on Saturday that the Federal Government lacks the competence to address the security challenges confronting the nation, noting that it (country) is hopelessly adrift.

Mr. Buhari also warned that Nigerians would no longer tolerate malpractices and general impunity on the part of the country’s leadership during future elections.

He spoke at the mid-term national convention of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, at Eagles Square, Abuja, where the party formally dissolved into the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Read details here:==> http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133802-jonathans-transformation-agenda-has-destroyed-nigeria-buhari.html

When Senate President, David Mark, read the letter sent by President Goodluck Jonathan to the Senate on April 23, one name was notably contained in it.

Mr. Jonathan asked the Senate to confirm the nominees for the new board of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, including confirming Adesojo Olaoba-Efuntayo as the secretary of the board.

Sources at the commission say Mr. Olaoba-Efuntayo’s nomination came as a surprise to many of the officials.

As Secretary, Mr. Olaoba-Efuntayo would virtually serve as the administrative head of the EFCC.

Read details here:==>http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133782-exclusive-why-jonathan-nominated-pdp-member-as-efcc-secretary-then-dropped-him.html

The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Akeremale, has confirmed that 28 policemen have been found alive, following the attack by a militia group on May 7.

Mr. Akeremale told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lafia, on Friday that some of the policemen held hostage by the group during the attack were released on Friday morning.

He said that 17 corpses of the slain officers were yet to be recovered, explaining that a total of 93 police men were deployed for the operation out of which 43 were suspected to have been killed.

Read more here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133671-nasarawa-killing-28-policemen-found-alive-death-toll-rises-to-43-police-commissioner.html

President Goodluck Jonathan has cut short his visit to South Africa and aborted his state visit to Namibia which was due to start today.

The Presidential Spokesman, Reuben Abati, said the cancellation was in view of the recent developments in the country, especially the recent security situation in Borno, Plateau and Nassarawa states.

“The President is returning to Abuja immediately to personally oversee efforts by national security agencies to contain the fresh challenges to national security which have emerged this week in Borno, Plateau and Nassarawa States,” he said.

Read more here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133476-insecurity-jonathan-aborts-trip-to-namibia.html

he Manchester United board has approved the appointment of David Moyes, 50, as the club’s manager on a long term 6-year deal.
Moyes, the current coach of Everton Football Club, will resume on July 1.

Read more here: http://premiumtimesng.com/sports/133482-breaking-david-moyes-confirmed-as-manchester-united-coach.html

A former Super Falcons Coach, Joseph Ladipo, is dead.

The former Shooting Stars Chairman, popularly referred to as Jossy Lad, died on Thursday afternoon in Ibadan after a long illness.

Before his death, Jossy Lad was placed on life support machine at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan but was later discharged.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/sports/133479-breaking-ex-super-falcons-coach-jossy-lad-is-dead.html

More details are emerging of the police casualty in Tuesday’s crisis in Nasarawa as the police have confirmed the death of 30 of its officials.

The Nasarawa State Governor had told reporters at the State House Abuja on Wednesday that 20 policemen were killed by members of a sect in the state known as the “Ombatse” militia group at Assakio Village, about 10 kilometres from Lafia, the state capital.

Mr. Al-Makura said the policemen were on lawful duty to dislodge the militia when they were killed.

The Police Commissioner in Nasarawa, Abayomi Akeremale, on Thursday told journalists that the casualty figure has increased to 30.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133460-breaking-assistant-police-commissioner-29-other-officers-killed-in-nasarawa-clash.html

A Nigerian Air Force helicopter has crash landed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The aircraft, which was said to have made an emergency landing at a Port Harcourt military airport, crash landed and reportedly went up in flames

Read more at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133453-breaking-another-nigerian-air-force-aircraft-crashes-in-port-harcourt.html

Former first lady, Turai Yar’Adua, has vowed a repeat of a thrashing she gave her successor, Patience Jonathan, over a long-standing land dispute, ruled in Mrs. Yar’Adua’s favour, Thursday, assuring the first lady that any appeal against the decision will fail.

An Abuja High Court on Thursday invalidated a purported revocation order on the plot measuring about 1.84 hectares allocated to the former first lady’s organization, Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, WAYEF, by the Abuja Administration.

See details of their dispute at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132409-turai-yaradua-floors-patience-jonathan-in-land-grab-case.html

The trial of Boko Haram suspect, Kabiru Umar, a.k.a. Kabiru Sokoto, was stalled in the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday due to the failure of his counsel to file a counter affidavit.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola had on April 19, given the defendant’s counsel, Adamu Ibrahim, seven days to respond to all the processes filed by the prosecution.

At the resumed hearing, Mr. Ibrahim said the prison authority did not grant him access to his client.

“My Lord, I did not file the counter affidavit because the accused has not sufficiently briefed me on the matter.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132350-christmas-day-bombing-kabiru-sokotos-trial-adjourned-to-may-6.html

No Nigerian airport was listed among the best in Africa in the 2013 Skytrax World Best Airport Awards held at Passenger Terminal EXPO, Geneva, Switzerland.

South African airports dominated the top 10 ranking in Africa, with Cape Town International Airport emerging the Best Airport in Africa, followed by Durban King Shaka International Airport and Johannesburg (Tambo) International Airport in 2nd and 3rd places respectively.

This year’s awards, voted by airport customers from around the world, garnered 12.1 million responses.

Find out which airport became world best at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132216-no-nigerian-airport-among-africas-best-10.html

The spokesperson of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, has claimed that the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on several occasions, begged the leadership of the party to let him decamp to the PDP.

He said the governor was consistently turned down by the Nigerian ruling party.

Mr. Metuh, who spoke via a statement on Wednesday, “urged the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to be bold enough to tell Nigerians how many times he begged to join the PDP but was turned down”.

” The same PDP which Adams went on all fours, begging to join on several occasions has suddenly become the ” party of rogues” because of his desperation to justify the massive rigging and democratic aberration that was local government elections in Edo state.

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132203-oshiomhole-begged-to-join-pdp-but-we-refused-metuh.html

The administrations of three successive Nigerian Presidents misappropriated about N1.04 trillion from the Special Funds Accounts (SFA), a report by the Senate has said.

Between 2002 and 2012, the administrations of President Olusegun Obasanjo, late President Umaru Yar’Adua, and President Goodluck Jonathan spent funds from the account for unrelated purposes, an investigation by a senate committee revealed.

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts stated its findings on Tuesday at the National Assembly in Abuja.

The committee’s finding is contained in a report on the status inquiry into the SFA, which was presented at the floor of the Senate.

See details of the report at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132063-obasanjo-yaradua-jonathan-misappropriate-fresh-n1-04-trillion-nigerian-senate.html

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bamanga Tukur, has fired all his political and personal aides.

In a statement on Friday in Abuja, Mr. Tukur said he took the action because of the need to re-organise his office for service delivery.

This is the second time the PDP boss will be firing his aides in the last one year.

Find out who the aides are, and why they were sacked at:http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131510-pdp-chairman-tukur-fires-political-aides.html

After working from the background for so long, the co-owner of 2 effect Empire production, Yakubu Mohammed, is to appear in his first movie.

The producer starred alongside his friend and partner, Kannywood most celebrated actor, Sani Danja, in a block buster movie GABAR CIKIN GIDA.

Yakubu Mohammed has been the sole producer of almost all movies produced by his company. He would, however, rather sing and direct movies that star Sani Danja as lead actor.

See details with movie at: http://premiumtimesng.com/arts-entertainment/131503-finally-yakubu-muhammad-stars-in-kannywood-movie.html

Justice Talba, Who Freed Pension Thief, Suspended For One Year

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, has approved the suspension of Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court, Gudu, Abuja.

The 12 months suspension follows the controversial judgement delivered by the judge in respect of John Yusufu who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over an alleged N32.8 billion Police Pension Fraud.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131499-justice-talba-who-freed-pension-thief-suspended-for-one-year.html

The Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF, has appealed to members of the Boko Haram sect to give peace a chance, saying reverting to attacks and other acts of violence after an offer of amnesty by the Federal Government will not advance the course of peace.

The Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, said on Friday that the renewed violence that hit parts of Borno and Yobe States on Thursday negated all efforts to restore peace to the region.

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131494-northern-governors-ask-boko-haram-to-ceasefire.html

A presidential aide has warned of “dire consequences” in the oil rich Niger Delta should President Goodluck Jonathan fail to secure a fresh term in 2015.

In a startling remark to U.S. officials in Washington on Thursday, Special Adviser to the president on Niger Delta, and chairman, presidential amnesty programme, Kingsley Kuku, said current relative peace in the Niger Delta is tied to the continued stay in office of Mr. Jonathan, and strongly urged the American government to back his presidency.

Find out details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131410-presidency-warns-of-dire-consequences-in-niger-delta-if-jonathan-is-not-re-elected.html

Citing a lean purse, and the pressure of time, the Federal Ministry of Works in Abuja, Wednesday, said they are shopping for N921.4 billion of the N1.39 trillion they need to complete 195 ongoing road projects across the country.

The Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, who briefed journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said, if government were to depend solely on its annual budget, “it will take another eight years before the projects can be completed.”

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131193-nigeria-to-borrow-n921bn-to-complete-road-projects.html