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🇶🇦 This afternoon The Amir of Qatar visited The Queen at Windsor Castle. More update later.  

2023: PDP DELEGATES CONFIRM GOV. ORTOM AS SENATORIAL CANDIDATE OF BENUE NORTH WEST DISTRICT Delegates from Benue South West Senatorial District, Monday endorsed Governor Samuel Ortom as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in next year’s general election.  It would be recalled that the Governor was in March this year endorsed as the sole PDP senatorial candidate by stakeholders from the seven Local Government Areas, LGAs, that make up the Senatorial District.  Speaking shortly after he was declared winner by the Returning Officer of the election, Governor Ortom expressed appreciation to the people of the zone for always standing with him.  He said he was pleased to be given another opportunity to serve the state in the Senate at the expiration of his tenure.  According to the Governor, “the people of State, especially the people of Benue North West have demonstrated an uncommon support for me; I have nothing to pay back than to remain their loyal servant, t...

EFCC Declares Rivers Accountant General, 58 Others Wanted For ₦435 Billion Fraud The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared the Rivers State Accountant-General, Fubara Siminayi, and 58 others wanted for N435 billion fraud. Siminayi, and four other Rivers State government officials, among others, are wanted for suspected N117 billion fraud, alleged criminal conspiracy, money laundering, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of office. The EFCC stated in a statement sighted by The PUNCH. The Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, called on the general public to assist in apprehending the Accountant-General and other suspects. Uwujaren said, “We call on anyone with useful information as to the whereabouts of the Account-General to contact any of the Agency’s offices or the nearest police station or other security agencies.”  

EFCC Arraigns Company, Director for N151m Fraud The EFCC on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, arraigned Micad Project City Services Limited and James Nolan before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a 20-count charge of obtaining by false pretense, non-compliance with the Money Laundering Act 2011 (as amended) and criminal conversion of proceeds of crime to the tune  N151,394,328.00 (One Hundred and Fifty-one Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-four Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty-eight Naira). James Nolan, a director of the company and signatory to its account, allegedly obtained by false pretense the sum of N151, 394,328.00 from the Federal Capital Territory Administration.  

IPOB Vows To Deliver Hoodlums Beheading Residents Of South East To Soludo The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed to the Anambra State Governor, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, to capture and expose the hoodlums behind the beheading of a state lawmaker, Okechukwu Okoye. IPOB, angered by the gruesome murder of the lawmaker and the army couple heading to Imo State, in a statement on Tuesday by its spokespersons, Emma Powerful, described both incidents as abominable in Igbo land. Powerful also noted that the incident was intended to rope in IPOB and frustrate the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and the actualisation of Biafra. The group in the statement wondered why the abduction and the killing of the lawmaker occurred a day after governor Soludo visited their leader in detention when everybody including IPOB was rejoicing in the attempt made by Soludo to free its leader. Powerful said: “Governor Chukwuma Soludo must prepare to meet these evil men humiliating and killing our people...

A House of representatives aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Philip Okwuada fainted after losing the party's primaries in Delta State on Monday. Okwuada who was contesting to be the party's flag-bearer to represent Ika Federal constituency in the Green Chamber, awkwardly fell forwards while observing a live interview shortly after the exercise. Native Reporters gathered that Okwuada who resigned from Okowa's cabinet as senior special assistant in March managed to poll 7 votes while the winner of the exercise, Victor Nwokolo polled 75 votes. Efforts to get an update on Okwuada's current health status proved abortive at time of file this report.  

PRESIDENT BUHARI URGES CLOSER COLLABORATION TO TACKLE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES IN WEST AFRICA   President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday called on executives of banking institutions in West Africa to forge a closer collaboration to tackle economic challenges confronting the sub-region.   Receiving a delegation from the West African Bankers Association (WABA), led by its President, Thierno Seydou Nourou Sy, the President noted that the sub-region must find a common understanding and ground to address low access to financial services and recovery from post COVID-19 pandemic.   President Buhari told the association, founded in 1981, and which brings together over 250 commercial banks and 15 institutions from across West Africa, that ,for many centuries, African countries have traded with one another without a formalized and structured system.   He, however, noted that over time, global trade has become more complex and organized.   The Nigerian leader expressed confidence tha...

PRESIDENT BUHARI HONOURED WITH GLOBAL INTEGRITY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION AWARD OF EXCELLENCE    In recognition of his lifetime outstanding commitment to the fight against corruption and selfless service with exceptional integrity, President Muhammadu Buhari has been honoured with the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria (CIFCFEN) GLOBAL INTEGRITY AND ANTI CORRUPTION AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.    The President was presented with the Award on Tuesday in Abuja by the Chairman Governing Council CIFCFEN Board of Trustees, Dr Iliyasu Gashinbaki.   The award is the highest honour of the Institute reserved for only African Heads of States with impeccable character and unimpeachable ideals.   The Nigerian leader is the first African leader to be bestowed with the award.   Receiving the award, President Buhari thanked the Institute for the honour, saying:   ''This recognition further imbues in me hope that we will as individuals an...

Petty Thief Bags Two Years in Gombe Justice D. S. Sikkam of the Gombe State High Court sitting in Gombe has convicted and sentenced Bakura Goni Bukar to two years imprisonment for stealing. Bukar was jailed on Monday, May 23, 2022 after pleading guilty to one-count charge bordering on stealing, upon being arraigned by the Gombe Zonal Command of the EFCC.  

 Why We Are At Okorocha’s Home - EFCC Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 24, 2022, arrived at the Maitama, Abuja home of a former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, to effect his arrest. The move followed the refusal of the former governor to honour invitations after jumping the administrative bail earlier granted him by the Commission.  EFCC had on January 24, 2022 filed a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion against Okorocha.  The case was assigned to Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja but attempts to arraign Senator Okorocha were twice stalled owing to the absence of the ex-governor who evaded service of processes. At the last adjourned date, March 28th, 2022, Justice Ekwo before adjourning until May 30th, 2022, had warned that it was “the last adjournment I shall grant in this matter”. In the circumstances, the Commission...

The abductors of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers have given the Nigeria government a fresh demand to release their children allegedly kept in a detention facility in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, or else they will kill the remaining passengers. The leader of the terrorists identified as Abu Barra, issued the threat when they spoke with the spokesman of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, Malam Tukur Mamu, on the phone, according to Vanguard. Recall that a train heading for Abuja from Kaduna State was attacked on March 28, 2022, by group of terrorists, killed eight passengers and kidnapped several others. But in the audio of the conversation between Gumi’s spokesman and the leader of the terrorists, they (the terrorists) claimed that the Nigerian government suspended the resumption of the train service because of their threats. The leader of the terrorists was quoted as saying, “The government suspended the resumption of the train service indefinitely because of our threats and we repeat, if our co...

Christians in their hundreds on Sunday gathered at the Evangelical Church of Winning All, Sabon-Tasha, Kaduna, to intercede for the country. This is in full compaliance with the directives from the Christian Association of Nigeria that Christians should protests the lynching of Deborah Samuel, a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, who was killed over alleged blasphemying of Prophet Mohammed. The Christian body, following the killing of Deborah had initially asked all churches across the country to embark on protest over the killing but reversed its decision that Christian faithfuls should gather in their churches to protest. The event was organised by the Kaduna chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria. The state Vice-Chairman of the CAN, Rev. Chris Annger, who spoke to journalists on the sideline of the ‘special prayers,’ said the gathering was also to intercede for those who were still alive despite the uncertainty surrounding the country. Accordin...

Commercial flight operations resumed at the Kaduna State Airport on Monday after two months' suspension due to a terrorists' attack and fear of insecurity. Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, the acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said flight operations to Kaduna airport commenced on Monday with an airline, Azman Air. This was also confirmed by Azman Air via a tweet, saying, “Azman Air landed at Kaduna Airport today, May 23, 2022, to the elation and cheers of passengers, stakeholders, and workers.” “It was a defining moment for the aviation community as the airport reopened after being closed for two months. It’s so exciting to be back,” they said. Recall that bandits had on March 26 launched an attempted invasion of the airport, killing a private security guard attached to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency near the outer perimeter fence. They were however repelled by security forces attached to the airport. Following the atta...

COAS CHARGES NA CLERKS TO BE HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND PROFESSIONALLY RESPONSIVE IN THE DISCHARGE OF THEIR ROLES    The Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya has charged officers and clerks in the Nigerian Army to be highly motivated and professionally responsive in the discharge of their roles in actualising his vision of " A Professional Nigerian Army Ready to Accomplish Assigned Missions Within a Joint Environment in Defence of Nigeria".  Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya gave the charge while declaring open the workshop on Office Management and Document Security for officers and clerks drawn from 2 and 81 Divisions holding at Headquarters 2 Division Nigerian Army, Ibadan with the theme "Enhancing the capacity of NA Officers and Clerks for Improved Professionalism in office Management and Document Security". The Chief of Army Staff represented by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division Nigerian Army Major General Gold Chibuisi pointed out that the esse...

PRESS RELEASE POLICE REFORM: PRESIDENCY, IGP ORGANIZE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION TRAINING FOR POLICE PROs • Highlight Road Maps for Effective Reform The Presidency, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, have partnered with the United National Development Programme (UNDP) for a 3-day training in strategic communications for Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) of the Nigeria Police Force. The programme, organized by the CLEEN Foundation, which is ongoing, was declared open on Monday 24th May, 2022 in Lagos State. The training is the first part of a series targeted at developing strategies for better police-citizen communication in line with the Presidential mandate on police reforms and had in attendance the Force Public Relations Officer, 28 Zonal and State Command PROs, as well as Staff Officers from the Force PRO’s office. It is aimed at building the capacity of Police PROs, strengthen...

Budget Breakdown: Anambra State Government Explains The N170 Billion Contained In The 2022 Revised Budget Draft  Anambra State Government through the ministry of Budget and Economic Planning has given the breakdown of 170 billion naira which is the budget size of the 2022 revised draft budget. Recall that Governor Chukwuma Soludo presented the revised budget before the members of the state House of Assembly May 19. The Commissioner for Budget and Economic planning, Ms Chiamaka Nnake who did the breakdown today during a press briefing revealed that the Recurrent expenditure accounts for 36 percent of the total budget while the capital expenditure accounts for the remaining 64 percent. She went further to explain that about 60 percent of the capital expenditure is targeted at delivering infrastructure that the average citizens can feel, see, use or touch and which will have highest developmental impact. Ms Nnake also gave the breakdown of the budget allocations across the priorities ...

FG Appoints 62 Ambassadors In Situ, Gives Them Letters Of Commission 62 ambassadors-in-situ have received letters of commission from the Federal government of Nigeria in recognition of their commitments to placing the country in the global space. Ambassadors-in-situ are diplomatic officials of the highest rank often sent by one country as its long-term representative to another country in recognition of their selfless service to nation building as officers of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassadors-in-Situ, often move from one country to another at the expense of their children and families just to make Nigeria a great nation hence the recognition by the government.  Presenting the letters at an investiture ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the ambassadors had worked tirelessly to boost diplomatic relations in their respective countries of assignment, and hat recognizing their contribution is key to achieving success. He sai...

Diesel Tanker falls, Goes Up In Flame At Umunya  A tanker loaded with diesel fell inside gutter and went up in flames, this morning at the popular Odumodu Junction, Umunya, Oyi Local Government Area,  The incident happened near a gas station along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. The diesel running out of the truck flowed along through the gutter, burning everything on its way. Men of Anambra State Fire Service were also on ground to quench the fire, with passersby who trouped out in their numbers. It is yet to be ascertained if there were casualties or the number of casualties recorded as at the time of this report. More photos below.   

Popular Nigerian singer and activist, Charles Oputa, aka Charly Boy on Monday led some Nigerians to pr0test against jungle justice occurring in some parts of the c0untry. Charly Boy who strongly condemned the mu_rder of Deborah Samuel, a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, who was gruesomely killed for alleged blasphemy and also David Imoh who was killed by okada riders in Lekki, called for urgent measures by the government to tackle jungle justice in Nigeria. One more photo below.