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      Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court, Lagos has sentenced two former staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Christian Nwosu and Tijani Inda Bashir, to an accumulative 91-year jail term after finding them guilty of their involvement in the laundering of N264.8 million in the build-up to the 2015 general elections. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had alleged that the money was proceed of unlawful activities, specifically that it was part of the $115 million largesse doled out by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke to influence the outcome of the election. They were re-arraigned by the EFCC on an amended nine-count charge on March 7, 2018. Justice Idris had on January 24, 2019 convicted them, and fixed sentencing to today, January 25, 2019.In his ruling, Justice Idris held that: “It is the vision of INEC to serve as an independent and effective election management body that is committed to the co

        President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of an acting Managing Director for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). He is Professor Nelson Braimbraifa. The President, following a Federal Executive Council (FEC) resolution, has equally vested the supervisory role of the commission in the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, as well as approved the dissolution of the extant board. Also appointed as Acting Executive Director (Finance and Administration) of NDDC is Mr Chris Amadi, while Engineer Samuel Adjogbe becomes the Acting Executive Director (Projects). The above appointments take immediate effect. Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) January 25, 2019

     President Muhammad Buhari this afternoon swore-in Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, ON THE SUSPENSION OF HONOURABLE JUSTICE WALTER NKANU SAMUEL ONNOGHEN AS CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA AND SWEARING IN OF ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE, 25TH JANUARY 2019 Fellow Nigerians, A short while ago, I was served with an Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal issued on Wednesday 23rd January 2019, directing the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen from office pending final determination of the cases against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and several other fora relating to his alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. 2. The nation has been gripped by the tragic realities of no less a personality than the Chief Justice of Nigeria himself becoming the accused person in a corruption trial since deta

       Happening now: HMIC Alh. Lai Mohammed attends the Funeral Service of Late Engr. Abidoye Ayoola, MON at Methodist Church Arowomole, Ogbomoso, Oyo State. PRESS RELEASE FG WELCOMES US, UK STATEMENTS ON NIGERIA ELECTION The Federal Government has welcomed the statements from the United States and the United Kingdom demanding credible and peaceful election in Nigeria and threatening punitive measures against election riggers and perpetrators of electoral violence. In a statement issued in Ilorin on Friday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the Federal Government is particular delighted that the statements came after it alerted the nation to the machinations of some opposition elements who are working to scuttle the 2019 polls through widespread violence. 'A few days ago, we alerted the nation to the plot by the opposition to orchestrate widespread violence in the country, using insurgents and criminal elements within and outside the

       United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington has stated that the forthcoming elections will define the future of the country, urging all stakeholders to promote credible and peaceful elections. Addressing journalists after meeting with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike at the Government House Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Stuart Symington declared that all institutions of Government must  do what is right. He said: "All of the institutions of Government must do what is right . Election is not a matter of life and death. "It is a matter of defining the future of Nigeria. There must be free , fair and credible elections ". He said that the idea of a free people with the ability to make free decisions remains the most important idea in the world. He said: "I am quite confident that on election day, the sons and daughters of the powerful will not be out there causing violence". He urged people to have the courage to rejec

       The Lagos State Fire Service on Thursday raised alarm over the frequent fire outbreaks in the State and attributed same to a high level of unconsciousness in the handling of flammable materials, revealing that an increased rate of fire incidents across the State had been reported from the beginning of January 2019 till date. The Acting Director - Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaki Musibau, who made this known at Alausa, Ikeja, l amented that valuables worth millions of Naira and precious lives are being lost daily to avoidable fire outbreaks. The Fire Chief expressed concern about a worrisome rate of 17 Fire emergency calls being reported per week to the Directorate but assured that the Lagos State government, being a responsible and responsive government, will stem the trend as it places a premium on the safety of the citizenry. In his words, “Fire outbreaks in the State have become a perennial problem, with many reported cases which pose a serious threat to the national

       The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of one Peter James on a one-count charge of “impersonation and attempt to cheat”. James was on January 24, 2019 brought before Justice Modupe Adebiyi, of a Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Gudu. He was arrested in connection with some suspicious activities and was investigated by operatives of the EFCC. Investigations revealed that he s pecializes in defrauding foreigners of their hard earned money, through internet fraud. Electronic devices recovered from him, which were subjected to forensic analysis revealed incriminating documents, linking him to online fraud. He was discovered to have been parading himself on QQ International, an instant messaging application, as “Barnett Edward” a United States Army who got injured in Afghanistan. This, he did to attract sympathy and defraud unsuspecting people. The count reads: “That you, Peter James, sometimes in 2018 at Abuja the judicial division

       President Buhari commissions The Centre of Excellence University of Nigeria Enugu Campus facilitated by Central Bank of Nigeria in Enugu on 24th Jan 2019 UNN by CBN 5: President Buhari with VC UNN Prof. B.C. Ozumba, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele and Minister of Labour Chris Ngige as he commissions The Centre of Excellence University of Nigeria Enugu Campus facilitated by Central Bank of Nigeria in Enugu on 24th Jan 2019.More photos below.