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13th March, 2023 PRESS RELEASE ARREST OF SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBERS/RECOVERY OF THREE (3) LOCALLY MADE GUNS, CATRIDGE AND A SUSPECTED STOLEN TRICYCLE ARREST OF A FAKE MILITARY PERSONNEL, RECOVERY OF MILITARY UNIFORM 1. On the 12/03/2023 at about 0900hrs, operatives of Eagle-Net Special Squad, while on intensive Aberdeen system of patrol, sighted a tricycle with reg. no. RRU 773 QK conveying three male occupants. They were intercepted and subjected to a search during which a bag containing rice was thoroughly searched, and three (3) locally made guns,  one live cartridge, concealed in the bag of rice were recovered. Two of the suspects took to their heels and escaped into the bush, abandoning the tricycle, and the rider named Ahmed Umaru “m” 26yrs of Ayingba LGA Kogi state. The tricycle rider was arrested, and the exhibit recovered. Efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects are ongoing. 2. The Command received information about a syndicate in Asaba planning to cause mayhem in the state, d...

Osun Governorship: Appellate Court Reserves Judgement On Adeleke’s Appeal  March 13, 20230 The two top contenders of Osun Guber The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Monday, reserved judgement on an appeal that Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State filed to challenge the nullification of his election. Adeleke, alongside his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are praying the appellate court to set-aside the verdict of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which sacked him from office. It will be recalled that the Justice Tertsea Kume-led three-member panel tribunal, had on January 27, in a split decision of two-to-one, voided the declaration of Adeleke as winner of the governorship election that held on July 16, 2022. In the majority judgement, the tribunal upheld a petition that was brought before it by the former governor of the state, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who came second in the election. It held that Adeleke...

Certificate Forgery: 43 Nigerian nurses face criminal charges in US 13 March 2023  The Texas Board of Nursing in the United States has released a 75-person probe list indicating that 43 Nigerians are under investigation for false educational credentials. According to information on the Board’s website about the probe tagged ‘Operation Nightingale’, the individuals who acquired the fraudulent nursing credentials used them to qualify to sit for the national nursing board exam. Upon successful completion of the board exam, the nursing applicants reportedly became eligible to obtain licensure in various states to work as a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse (LPN/VN). The Board said it had filed “Formal Charges” against the nurses for fraudulently obtaining educational credentials. “Please note that Formal Charges are not a final disciplinary action, and a nurse is permitted to work, as a nurse, while Formal Charges are pending,” it added. A statement on the ...

Japanese man granted retrial after 45 years on death row Iwao Hakamada, 87, was convicted of four murders in 1968 but granted ‘temporary release’ in 2014 after new evidence emerged Justin McCurry in Tokyo Mon 13 Mar 2023 09.55 GMT A court in Japan has granted a retrial to a man – thought to be the world’s longest-serving death row inmate – who was sentenced to hang for the murders of a family of four almost six decades ago. The Tokyo high court ruled on Monday that Iwao Hakamada, 87, should be tried again for the crimes in a decision campaigners said was a “step towards justice”. Hakamada was convicted of the murders in 1968 and spent 45 years on death row before new evidence led to his release in 2014. At the time of his release, he was thought to be the world’s longest-serving death row inmate. The former boxer initially confessed to the murders but later retracted his confession and insisted he was innocent throughout his two-year trial. His death sentence was finalised in 1980. Hak...

OPERATION HADIN KAI: "DEAL DECISIVELY WITH TERRORISTS" GOC CHARGES FRONTLINE TROOPS Warns that Cowardice will not be condoned The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Divisional and Commander Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Waidi Shaibu has charged troops of 26 Task Force Brigade to remain dogged and deal decisively with the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists within their Area of Operations. General Shaibu gave the charge on Sunday 12 March 2023, while on operational visit to assess the combat readiness of frontline troops deployed in Gwoza general area.  The GOC admonished the troops to remain courageous, disciplined and professional in routing the remnants of the BHTs and ISWAP terrorists,  urging them to eschew all acts inimical to the actualization of their operational mandate. He warned the troops that acts of indiscipline or cowardice would not be condoned, urging  them to desist from substance abuse and be contended wi...

NIGERIAN ARMY REMAINS NEUTRAL AND APOLITICAL IN THE DISCHARGE OF ITS CONSTITUTIONAL ROLES; NOT PERTURBED BY POLITICALLY MOTIVATED FAKE NEWS The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a deliberately calculated smear campaign in the Social Media and other fora against some of our senior commanders and officers. While these unconscionable acts are inexplicable, the motivation behind them are not far-fetched. In the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, officers and men of the Nigerian Army adopted a firm and resolute stance in providing security support for the Elections in a manner that effectively curbed and prevented ill-intentioned groups from violently interfering with the process.  There is no doubt that Nigerians are excited at this responsible posture and the democratic opportunity it offered them. However, some interest groups, that were effectively prevented from hatching their nefarious plots to influence the course of the elections through ...

Central Bank of Nigeria Press Release EMEFIELE DEBUNKS FAKE NEWS Titled: "Emefiele launches fresh plot against President-elect Tinubu" The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to a story published in The Nation newspaper of Monday, March 13, 2023 edition, alleging that the Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele has launched a "fresh plot against President-elect. The aforementioned story went further to allege that the Governor has made a certain amount of money available to a candidate ahead of the March 18, 2023, gubernatorial poll. We wish to inform members of the public that this story is completely false and malicious as the CBN Governor does not know and has never met or even spoken with Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, either in person or through a proxy. We wish to reiterate that the CBN Governor does not take part in politics and therefore urge anyone with contrary information to prove the Governor wrong by providing any facts. As such, the Governor and...

 Rivers: Taxi drivers protest killing of colleague, 3 arrested 13th March, 2023 Three among scores of commercial drivers who took over the popular Rumuokoro roundabout in Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers in protest over the killing of the colleague by the of members of the State Taskforce on Road Congestion have been arrested. Also, soldiers have taken over Rumuokoro roundabout, clearing the blockage caused by the protesting drivers to ensure free flow of traffic. However, one of the drivers who spoke to a Port Harcourt based Radio Station claimed their protest has been peaceful and people are going about their businesses without let or hindrance. “We don’t know why they have arrested three of members of our union. We have been on a peaceful protest against the killing of one of our members”. However, PM NEWS can confirm that the protest by the taxi drivers had stalled business activities and vehicular movements, leaving commuters stranded at the popular Rumuokoro flyover...

 2023 Presidential Election: Even Supporters Of Winners Disappointed With Process – US Diplomats March 13, 20230 The independent National Electoral Commission has been heavily criticised by two United States diplomats, Ambassador Mark Green and Johnnie Carson over the conduct of last month’s election. The diplomats said even Nigerian citizens who supported the winners of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections disappointed with the electoral process. In a joint treatise, both envoys, who monitored the elections, insisted that critical lessons must be learnt very fast from the shortcomings of the last polls by Nigerians and Africans, with a view to forestalling such flaws in the future. Writing for the Washington-based President Woodrow Wilson Centre, a United States non-partisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research, Green and Carson noted that, among other issues, many polling stations opened late while poll workers reported mate...

HOME ECONOMICS TEACHER LOSES FRONT TEETH OVER COCKTAIL  By Chabala Mwewa Junior in Zambia  A Kasama based female teacher for Home Economics has reportedly been beaten badly by her husband who is equally a teacher at the same school she teaches. According to information available, a woman identified as Temwani Zimba, 27, has reportedly been beaten handsomely by her husband identified as Michael Chinyama, 37, a teacher. Witnesses have told media houses that Mr. Chinyama was in the company of his friends at his compound when his wife, Temwani brought   a mixture of Munkoyo 'a local brew' and pineapple juice with well cut egg plants. The husband looked at his friends who were then quiet staring at the cocktail with some hidden laughter, out of shame, Mr. Chinyama asked his wife to take the cocktail and serve it for later. But the wife insisted begging him to take a sip, the devil sometimes does anything possible to have you beaten. The husband for a second time refused. ...

PRESIDENT BUHARI NEVER TOLD AG AND CBN GOV TO DEFY SUPREME COURT ORDER   The Presidency wishes to react to some public concerns that President Muhammadu Buhari did not react to the Supreme Court judgement on the issue of the N500 and N1,000 old currency notes, and states here plainly and clearly that at  no time did he instruct the Attorney General and the CBN Governor to disobey any court orders involving the government and other parties. Since the President was sworn into office in 2015, he has never directed anybody to defy court orders, in the strong belief that we can't practise democracy without the rule of law and the commitment of his administration to this principle has not changed.  Following the ongoing intense debate about the compliance concerning the legality of the old currency notes, the Presidency therefore  wishes to state clearly that President Buhari has not done anything knowingly and deliberately to interfere with or obstruct the administration ...

🌎 ‘The Commonwealth has been a constant in my own life, and yet its diversity continues to amaze and inspire me. Its near-boundless potential as a force for good in the world demands our highest ambition; its sheer scale challenges us to unite and be bold.’  On his first Commonwealth Day as King, His Majesty has spoken of his admiration and hopes for the Commonwealth as its members continue to work together to support and inspire each other. King Charles III, Camilla, Queen Consort, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence and Princess Anne, Princess Royal attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London, England I March 13, 2023. Watch Videos below and More photos below.  King Charles III greets a member of the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club ahead of the 2023 Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London, England I March 13, 2...

IGP DIRECTS COMMANDS TO CONCLUDE ELECTORAL CASES, HANDOVER CASE FILES TO INEC FOR PROSECUTION WITHOUT DELAY Tasks Strategic Police Managers on Stakeholders Engagement The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, CFR, has directed Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands to ensure that investigations in all cases of violations against the 2022 Electoral Act during the February 25th 2023 Presidential and National Assembly electioneering process are swiftly concluded and the case files forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for prosecution.  In a bid to ensure all-inclusive election security management and accord Nigerians benefits/leverage of active participation, to achieve free, fair, and credible Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections on 18th March, 2023, the IGP has tasked Strategic Police Managers to engage stakeholders in their respective jurisdictions through town hall meetings and other viable avenues.  The I...

Court Jails Yobe Auditor General Five Years for Fraud Alhaji Idris Yahaya, the Auditor General for Local Government, Yobe State, is to spend five years in prison, following his conviction today, Monday, March 13, 2023, by Justice Muhammad Lawu Lawan of the Yobe State High Court. He was convicted after being pronounced guilty of a one count of criminal misappropriation to the tune of Nineteen Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N19, 900,000.00) preferred against them by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Yahaya received funds from the Office of the Auditor General for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Yobe State, for the purchase of an official vehicle, a 2015 Toyota Corolla, and diverted part of the money to his personal use. The  one count charge reads: ''That you, Yahaya Lawal Idris, being the Auditor General for Local Government, Yobe State, between the 20th to 21st day of May, 2017 at Damaturu, Yobe State within the juri...

Like a 🧚‍♂️ fairytale,Big Brother Africa star Erica celebrates her birthday today on social media with beautiful pictures.  She captioned the pictures "Is my day ,Creative direction @ericanlewedim  Styling @mosesebite @weizdhurmfranklyn  Hair @ferdinandshair  Makeup @casskoncept1  Jewelry @karlhajewels". Happy birthday 🎂.  More photos below.   

India Wins Two Oscars at 95th Academy Awards The song that has made 1.4 billion Indians at home and abroad dance to its electrifying beats has won an Oscar for the Best Original Song. India bagged another golden statuette for the Best Documentary Short Film that is “The Elephant Whisperers”. The world’s second most populous nation was waiting for these golden moments with a bated breath. Both the movies – Rajamouli directorial “RRR” and “The Elephant Whisperers” directed by Kartiki Gonsalves were globally released by Netflix. The ‘Oscar’ win of The Elephant Whisperers directed and produced by women is a belated Women’s Day gift to Indian women worldwide. Interestingly, “The Elephant Whisperers” is Tamil Nadu-born Kartiki’s directorial debut that tells a poignant tale of the bond between an indigenous couple and an orphaned baby elephant. The Oscar for the Best Original Song is very special to India, as the ‘Naatu Naatu’ song is the first Indian production to have bagged the most covete...