The market has become known as a home for substandard goods

Traders at the Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos State, have set up a task force to curb piracy and sale of substandard goods.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Alaba International Market Association, Anayo Zimako, stated this in Lagos on Tuesday. He said that traders at the market, reputed for the sale of electronics, were prepared to be in the forefront of the fight against piracy to promote intellectual property rights.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/traders-set-anti-piracy-taskforce-alaba

The legal counsel to the plaintiff was absent from court, hence the dismissal.

The High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday dismissed a suit filed by a lawyer, Danladi Okhidievbie, against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim.

Joined in the suit for unlawful arrest and detention were the FCT Commissioner of Police, Michael Zuokumor, and the Anti-Fraud Squad of the Criminal Investigative Department.

Okhidievbie was arrested and detained on July 8 for alleged conspiracy, forgery, theft and fraud.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/court-dismisses-suit-against-igp

A fire broke out at the hotel where about 34 pilgrims were staying in Jeddah

Nigerian Pilgrims performing this year’s Lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia narrowly escaped death on Tuesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following an early morning fire outbreak in their hotel.

Fire broke out on the fourth floor of the seven-storey hotel building, which is some metres away from the Nigerian Consulate office in Jeddah, and was extinguished two hours later by fire fighters. The fire reportedly started as a result of the misuse of an electrical cooker by a guest in the hotel.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/nigerian-pilgrims-escape-death-saudi

The federal government set up a development fund of N500m for the NYSC members to use for projects

Joshua Olowookere, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Enugu State, has urged corps members to access the N500 million entrepreneurship development fund during their service year.

According to him, the fund, set up by the federal government, was to aid corps members to start projects that would enhance their life after service.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/corps-members-urged-access-loan-scheme

Parents are advised to create time for their children and know the activities they engage in

Emmanuel Owoyemi, the Chief Executive Officer of Mental Health Foundation, an NGO, on Monday said that the nation’s deteriorating economy was responsible for the increasing rate of drug abuse.

Owoyemi, while speaking in Lagos, said that the instability of the economy had forced many youths into the "dangerous'' habit of drug abuse.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/expert-blames-increasing-drug-abuse-economy

Reasons given by the state government include the general elections, new wages, and floods

The mid-year review of the Lagos State budget fell notably short of the state’s usual sterling performance and this is partly due to disruption in the state’s revenue pursuit, caused by the 2011 general elections.

This revelation is contained in a letter addressed to Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, by Governor Babatunde Fashola on August 11.

According to the governor, the review, done on July 15, recorded 57.3 per cent, just a few nudge better than the all-time low value of 49 per cent recorded for the first quarter budget review of 2010.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/lagos-budget-under-performs

The dealers say they will move against the bad eggs in their midst to ensure compliance

The Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers in Aba, Abia State, have handed over expired and fake drugs valued at N30 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Chukwuka Okorie, the Chairman, Ariaria International Market Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Association, made the disclosure in Aba, Abia, while handing over the drugs in three buses to NAFDAC.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/aba-traders-hand-over-n30m-expired-drugs-nafdac

Army authorities say they will investigate allegations that two military personnel aided the abductors of the football star’s father

The Nigerian Army, on Tuesday, confirmed the arrest of two soldiers suspected to have been complicit in the kidnap of Michael Obi, father of Super Eagles and Chelsea Football Club midfielder, Mikel Obi.

The two soldiers, Sergeant Victor Essien and Private Jaduwa Thomas, were attached to the Special Task Force, ‘Operation Safe Haven’, maintaining security in Plateau State.

Read More >> [url]http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/two-soldiers-among-michael-obi%E2%80%99s-kidnappers[/url]

The country is the largest market in Africa for Guinness and the second largest globally, since it overtook Ireland in 2007

Nigeria is expected to overtake the UK as the largest market for Guinness stout in 2014.

So says Renaissance Capital in a recent research report on Nigeria’s brewery industry.

According to Renaissance, sales of Guinness are currently being driven by Sub-Saharan Africa countries, with 41% of global volumes consumed in the region in 2010. “Stout volumes have been growing quickly in Africa over the past few years, while they have been declining in traditional beer markets,” says the report.


Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/nigeria-set-overtake-uk-largest-market-guinness

Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will be chairman of the board of Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Tuesday in Abuja, announced the establishment of a new state company that will guarantee to pay for power generated in the country as it will potentially open up billions of dollars of investment.

“Government has therefore incorporated the Bulk Trader as a guarantor to boost confidence to potential investors that they will be paid for the power they generate and sell to the distribution companies,” he said.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/government-establishes-company-guarantee-power-generation

The MEND leader allegedly has kidney ailments.
South African media reports say that Henry Okah, a leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), would get medical treatment before he goes on trial next year.

The ruling was made yesterday by Magistrate Hein Louw of Johannesburg Magistrate's Court. Louw said that he did not want to find there was a different side to Okah's medical ailment claims.

Read more >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/okah-be-treated-trial

The victims were on their way to Italy through Niger Republic

No fewer than 17 victims of human trafficking were rescued yesterday in Sokoto by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

The victims, nine females and eight males, were on their way to Niger Republic, when the NIS intercepted them.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/17-human-trafficking-victims-rescued

The bank's U-Mo can be used by people with or without bank accounts in UBA

United Bank of Africa (UBA) has been granted license to operate a mobile payment service by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) .

The mobile payment service known as U-Mo is among the 7 licenses granted by CBN, and had earlier been granted approval-in-principle, enabling the UBA Group to quickly deploy and commence full operations with the establishment of Afripay, its mobile banking subsidiary

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/ubas-u-mo-granted-final-license-cbn

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, an NGO, has filed a suit against the Federal Government and the National Judicial Council over Justice Salami's dismissal.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Federal Government and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to Court over alleged “unlawful suspension and removal of Justice Ayo Salami as President of the Court of Appeal (PCA).”

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/group-drags-fg-and-njc-court-over-justice-salami

The national leadership of the NLC says it will start its battle against governors that are unwilling to pay the new minimum wage in the state.

The national leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Enugu State Government a two-week ultimatum to implement the new minimum wage.

The NLC Deputy President, Kiri Mohammed, gave the ultimatum on Monday in Enugu while addressing a workers rally. He said labour had vowed to make any state which denied its workers the minimum wage ungovernable.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/labour-prepares-war-enugu

The opposition party says the president has violated the constitution he swore to uphold

The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, on Monday, accused President Goodluck Jonathan of violating his oath of office by appointing an Acting President of the Court of Appeal, after the controversial removal of the substantive holder of the office, Ayo Salami, by the National Judicial Council.

Jonathan approved the appointment of Dalhatu Adamu to replace Salami, amid complaints that he, as well as the NJC that made the recommendation, lacked the powers to do so since the office remained occupied by Salami.

Read More >> [url]http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/acn-attacks-jonathan-over-salami%E2%80%99s-removal[/url]

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State also criticised the hasty removal of the Court of Appeal boss.

The hasty manner in which the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, was ousted portends the greatest threat to Nigeria’s existence, said Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Monday.

The governor made the statement while addressing a coalition of civil society organisations, Civil Society Coalition against Injustice, which staged a protest against the “unjust” suspension of Justice Ayo Salami, the President of the Court of Appeal.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/civil-society-protest-salamis-sack

The move is certain to further shock the nation’s already shaky financial system.
The governors of the 36 states of the federation have opposed the implementation of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, declaring it illegal two months after the bill was passed into law.

The governors, who opposed the bill during passage, made this known in a communiqué issued after a meeting on Sunday in Abuja. They urged the federal government to suspend the implementation of the Act until since the new legislation breaches existing laws.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/state-governors-reject-sovereign-wealth-fund

Around 400 barrels of oil are thought to have spilled from six seperate leaks on a Shell-owned pipeline in Bayelsa state which caught fire on Friday. Shell Nigeria is still battling with its host communities in order to get close to the sites of a major leak which it is blaming on sabotage.

The six leaks happened along the Okordia-Rumuekpe trunkline in Ikarama, Bayelsa state at some point in the last three weeks. This was disclosed earlier today by a Shell staff who preferred to remain anonymous. According to our source, the company only became aware of the leaks on Friday when there was a fire outbreak along the line.

Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/shell-400-barrel-spill-fear

Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, has begun the building of a 50-room hotel that would cost the institution about N 321 million, Professor Riskuwa Shehu said on Sunday.

Shehu, the vice Chancellor of the institution, said the hotel would have 42 double rooms and eight suites, adding that it had reached 80 per cent completion. Read More >> http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/usman-dan-fodio-university-builds-n321-million-hotel

The conflict within the judiciary comes to a head as Justice Salami is sacrificed. President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of the Honourable Justice Dalhatu Adamu as the new President of the Court of Appeal following the advise of the National Judiciary Council (NJC). The NJC also recommended the compulsory retirement of suspended President of the Court, the Honourable Justice Isa Ayo Salami. read more http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/jonathan-names-acting-president-appeal-court