Death toll rises in northern Lebanon clashes

At least 11 people have been killed in three days of clashes in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli linked to the conflict in Syria, security sources and the Lebanese army said. Overnight to Sunday, the army announced the death of a soldier when a military patrol in the city was hit by an anti-tank grenade.

This Strange Church Worships In The Naked

This Strange Church Worships In The Nude ‘Because Jesus Was Crucified Naked’Signs of the end time

• Published: 17.16

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Pastor Allen Parker preaching

 

In this world, weird things happen every day but you will be shocked with the discovery of this church in Virginia, UnitedStates of America, called White Tail Chapel, which worships in the nude ‘because the founder, Pastor Allen Parker says Jesus Christ was crucified naked,’ and its slogan is ‘Bare More Than Your Naked Soul.’

NIGERIA CONNECT: Now traceing missing $20bn –Sanusi

NIGERIA CONNECT: Now traceing missing $20bn –Sanusi: Mallam Lamido Sanusi The suspended Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, said he had begun a process to trace the m...

NIGERIA CONNECT: Mother sells three-day-old baby

NIGERIA CONNECT: Mother sells three-day-old baby: Imaobong Udoh The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a nursing mother, Imaobong Udoh, for allegedly selling her three-day old...

NIGERIA CONNECT: Second Niger Bridge,

NIGERIA CONNECT: Second Niger Bridge,: President Goodluck Jonathan After many  years of delay, President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday formally  kick-started work on the Secon...

NIGERIA CONNECT: INEC compiles list of electoral law breakers

NIGERIA CONNECT: INEC compiles list of electoral law breakers: INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday said it had begun compiling names of politi...

NIGERIA CONNECT: DHQ sends fresh 1,000 soldiers to Borno

NIGERIA CONNECT: DHQ sends fresh 1,000 soldiers to Borno: Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah As part of the ongoing reorganisation of the Special Forces in the North-East, the autho...

NIGERIA CONNECT: Workers protest paralyses govt business in Ondo St...

NIGERIA CONNECT: Workers protest paralyses govt business in Ondo St...: Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko Activities at the various agencies of the Ondo State Government were on Monday paralysed as w...

NIGERIA CONNECT: APC tells Jonathan, Visit Yobe attack victims

NIGERIA CONNECT: APC tells Jonathan, Visit Yobe attack victims: Interim National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress, Lai Mohammed The All Progressives Congress has urged President Goodlu...

NIGERIA CONNECT: probes contract executed in B’Haram enclave

NIGERIA CONNECT: probes contract executed in B’Haram enclave: Nigeria Senate The Senate  Committee on the Environment and Ecology, on Monday, queried the Federal Ministry of Environment for paying...

NIGERIA CONNECT: Drop in PCs demand

NIGERIA CONNECT: Drop in PCs demand: Technology experts in Nigeria and other countries of the world have continued to express concern over the persistent drop in the demand ...

Akpabio wants successor from Akwa Ibom South

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has appealed to the people of Etinan Federal Constituency to support the emergence of a governor from Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in 2015.

The governor made the appeal during a town hall meeting organised by the State Government for the people of Etinan Federal Constituency at Etinan Council

Russia warns Ukraine over lawlessness

Russia has denounced alleged lawlessness by far-right activists in eastern Ukraine, in a statement likely to trigger fear in Ukraine over possible Russian intervention.

The Russian foreign ministry said on Monday it was outraged by lawlessness in the country’s east, blaming the far-right group Right Sector for “conniving” with the new government in Kiev.

Right Sector is a grouping of several far-right and nationalist factions who were actively involved in the uprising against Moscow-backed President Viktor Yanukovich.

Drop in PCs demand

Technology experts in Nigeria and other countries of the world have continued to express concern over the persistent drop in the demand for personal computers.

They have, however, noted that developing markets, including Nigeria and

probes contract executed in B’Haram enclave

Nigeria Senate

The Senate  Committee on the Environment and Ecology, on Monday, queried the Federal Ministry of Environment for paying N21m to a contractor who claimed that his firm was currently executing a construction project in the Bama community of Borno State.

The committee has therefore directed the leadership of the ministry to institute a probe into the issue and forward their findings to the committee before the 2014 budget they submitted could be approved.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Taiye Haruna, had listed

APC tells Jonathan, Visit Yobe attack victims

Interim National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress, Lai Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to take time off his premature “campaign” to visit Yobe State to commiserate with bereaved families of the innocent schoolchildren who were murdered by terrorists last month.

The party said it was inconceivable that about two weeks after the killings of more than 29 schoolchildren, the President had not deemed it fit to visit the state.

This was contained in a statement by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Lagos

Workers protest paralyses govt business in Ondo State

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko

Activities at the various agencies of the Ondo State Government were on Monday paralysed as workers stormed the streets to protest the bill on the contributory pension scheme recently sent by Governor Olusegun Mimiko to the Ondo State House of Assembly.

The protesting workers locked all government complexes as early as 7.30am, stalling all business of government throughout the day.

DHQ sends fresh 1,000 soldiers to Borno

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah

As part of the ongoing reorganisation of the Special Forces in the North-East, the authorities of the Nigerian military have ordered the deployment of more troops in Maiduguri, Borno State.

A military source said that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, had approved the deployment of over a battalion of soldiers to intensify the ongoing battle against insurgents in the North-East.

Usually, a battalion of the Nigerian Army is made up of between 850 and 1,000 soldiers.

It was gathered that the deployment was a routine military exercise which must take place for as long as the military operation to  flush out the insurgents and stabilise the security of the zone continued.

INEC compiles list of electoral law breakers

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday said it had begun compiling names of politicians breaching electoral laws in the country.

It said that  information on such politicians was  being passed on to security agencies for necessary action.

The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known  during an interactive session with   editors  in Lagos.

Jega, who again warned politicians  violating electioneering rules  ahead of 2015 polls, noted that   all  the registered political parties  were also  guilty.

The News Agency of Nigeria quoted Jega as saying that it  was wrong for any politician   to   campaign  for votes  now  since no party had    conducted  its primaries.

Second Niger Bridge,

President Goodluck Jonathan

After many  years of delay, President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday formally  kick-started work on the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra State.

The 1,590- metre long  bridge  which would  form part of the  11-kilometre  Onitsha by-pass project will be completed in four years.

It will be executed under a Public Private Partnership arrangement  that will see the Federal Government contributing 25 per cent of the N117 bn  construction cost  and the   private sector  75 per cent.

The private  investors,  according to Jonathan, will recoup   their   funds within 25  years  through tolling.

Mother sells three-day-old baby

Imaobong Udoh

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a nursing mother, Imaobong Udoh, for allegedly selling her three-day old baby girl.

Also arrested along with Imaobong were four persons for allegedly participating in the theft of the baby.

They are the buyer, Mrs. Regina James; her husband, Mfon James; the traditional birth attendant who delivered the baby, Mrs. Comfort Henry; and Mr Emmanuel Okon, a homeopathic doctor, who arranged the sale.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Gwadabe, said in Uyo on Monday that the father of the baby had reported the theft to the police, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

Now traceing missing $20bn –Sanusi

Mallam Lamido Sanusi

The suspended Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, said he had begun a process to trace the missing $20bn oil money before his suspension by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Sanusi, in an interview published in New York Times on Monday, said he had a semi-monthly meeting with bank chiefs on February 11, where he “threatened to open the books of the bankers, to trace the money.”

According to him, he suspected some were laundering stolen oil money.

“Some of them were not giving information about their accounts,” Sanusi stated, adding, “I told them I would order a special examination.”

I inherited problems in education sector –Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said the rot in the nation’s education sector predated his administration and that he had shown enough sincerity in tackling the problems in the sector.

The President said, “There are many challenges such as the rising expectations of teachers resulting in industrial actions. Of course you know we just dealt with the university teachers and now we are left with polytechnic teachers.

“The government has also shown sincerity of purpose to resolve such differences that may arise from some inherited problems not caused by this administration.

Akande accuses INEC of tampering with voter register

Akande and Jega

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of manipulating the voter register in Osun State to favour the Peoples Democratic Party.

Akande said this while speaking with journalists in Ila Orangun on Sunday after collecting his permanent voter card at a polling unit.

The APC National  chairman said although he was able to collect his PVC, some residents of Ila Orangun could not find their names on the register while some names which appeared in the voter register used for 2011 election now appeared twice

Nigerian youths need repositioning —Kumuyi

Pastor William Kumuyi

The General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, has said there was a need for youths in the country to be repositioned to become change agents.

Kumuyi said this could only be achieved if there was attitudinal and behavioural transformation and value re-orientation of the young population.

He made the remarks through the church’s National Youth Coordinator, Pastor Peter Elias, who spoke to journalists in the run-up to an empowerment summit of the DCLM.

Over 100,000 youths from public and private schools and young school leavers in Lagos State are expected to gather at the Deeper Life Conference Centre, at the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State on Saturday,  March 22, 2014 for the one-day empowerment programme.

Kumuyi said, “The goal (of the summit) is to reposition our teeming  young population towards taking their proper place as change agents. This is only possible if youths have inner change, attitudinal and behavioural transformation and value re-orientation.

FG insensitive to Kwara, says Saraki

Dr Bukola Saraki

A former Governor of Kwara State and serving Senator, Bukola Saraki, on Sunday said his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress was to free residents of the state from alleged negligence of Kwara State by the PDP-led Federal Government.

Saraki accused the Federal Government of not being sensitive and responsive to the plights of the residents of the state.

He spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, after he was received by APC supporters in the state.

He said the Federal Government had neglected the state in the area of infrastructural development and other investments.

Saraki said he had expected President Goodluck Jonathan, who, in company with other PDP leaders,  recently visited the state to announce his programmes, would impact positively on the lives of the people.

Bamidele accuses Fayemi of flouting INEC law

Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele and Governor Kayode Fayemi

A member of the House of Representatives and governorship aspirant of the Labour Party in Ekiti State, Opeyemi Bamidele, has accused Governor Kayode Fayemi and the All Progressives Congress of breaching the directives of the Independent National Electoral Commission on erection of billboards and posters.

 The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, had warned aspirants in the state against the pasting of campaign posters and billboards ahead of the lifting of ban on electioneering in Ekiti.

The governorship election in the state is scheduled for June 21 this year.

APC says Jonathan is toying with Ndigbo

Osita Okechukwu

The opposition All Progressives Congress on Sunday accused President Goodluck Jonathan of toying with issues and projects that concerned the Igbo people of the South-East.

The APC allegation came ahead of the inauguration of the second Niger Bridge on Monday (today).

The party spoke through its spokesperson in the South-East zone, Mr. Osita Okechukwu.

Okechukwu said that whereas the APC was in favour of the immediate construction of the second Niger Bridge, the party frowned that the project was not being directly funded by the Federal Government.

The party recalled that the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, penultimate week at his palace, challenged the President for reneging on his promise during the 2011 presidential campaign to inaugurate the second Niger Bridge.

COEASU strike: No end in sight

COEASU members during the protest at Akoka, Yaba, Lagos

Following a three-month-old strike, lecturers in Colleges of Education protested against the Federal Government’s delay in meeting their demands, writes ARUKAINO UMUKORO

Last week Wednesday, on a sunny afternoon, while their lecturers carried placards in solidarity with the nationwide protest called by the executives of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, some students at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos, were in one of the classes in the science department, taking self-organised tutorials.

It is one of the ways some ‘serious-minded’ students have kept themselves busy since COEASU embarked on a full-scale strike action last year December.

Presidential jet: Reps accuse FG of blackmail

Members during plenary at the floor of the Nigeria House of Representatives

Some members of the House of Representatives have alleged that the Presidency is using the faulty presidential jet to blackmail the National Assembly to approve the purchase of a new aircraft for President Goodluck Jonathan.

The presidential jet – Nigerian Air Force 001(5N-FGT) that took the President to the Peoples Democratic Party’s rally in Minna, the Niger State capital, had developed a technical fault on Saturday thus forcing Jonathan to abandon it.

Before this development, Jonathan had proposed in the 2014 budget he sent to the National Assembly to add one more plane to the presidential fleet, which already had 10 aircraft.

40 ships, 34 aircraft search for missing plane

An Indian artist, Sudersan Pattnaik, working on a sand sculpture with a message of prayers for the passengers of missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 ... on Sunday.

Vietnamese navy planes have spotted what could be fragments from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet that disappeared almost two days ago.

Officials said it was too dark to be certain the objects were from Flight MH370, which had 239 people on board, BBC reports.

A multinational team is searching for wreckage and ships will try to confirm the find after dawn. Investigators are also checking CCTV footage of two passengers who were travelling on stolen passports.

Malaysian military officials said on Sunday that the plane may have turned back from its scheduled route shortly before vanishing from radar screens, further deepening the mystery surrounding its fate.

Relatives of the missing passengers have been told to prepare for the worst.

Mothers accuses Onyeka Onwenu of assault, petitions NHRC

Mrs. Olajoke Adesipe

A business woman, Mrs. Olajoke Adesipe, has accused popular musician, Onyeka Onwenu, of assault.

Adesipe, who had petitioned the National Human Rights Commission, also said she was forcefully evicted from her shop at the National Centre for Women Development, Abuja on the order of Onyeka, who is the Director-General of the centre.

Adesipe, in the letter dated March 3, 2014, claimed that Onwenu directed security officers to throw her wares out of her shop, adding that she was assaulted when she took the pictures of the incident, on the instruction

Amaechi tells Jonathan, PDP can’t win Rivers

Jonathan and Amaechi

The Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration that the PDP will take over Rivers State in the 2015 general elections.

President Jonathan had in PDP rallies in Owerri, Lafia, Sokoto and most recently, Minna expressed confidence that the party would regain the five states whose governors defected to the opposition.

The states are — Kano, Sokoto, Kwara, Rivers and Adamawa.

But Amaechi, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Chief Tony Okocha, said over 90 per cent of the voting population in Rivers State were members of the APC.

Bayelsa drags EFCC to court over Alamieyesiegha loot

Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson

Bayelsa State Government has asked an Abuja Federal High Court to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately remit to it the N1.4bn, and another $1.3m recovered from a former governor of the state, Diepreye Alamieyesiegha.

The suit was filed by one Mr. George Uboh, the Chief Executive of Panic Alert Security System, who said he was acting with the mandate of the Bayelsa State Government.

Uboh said in line with the said mandate, he wrote to the EFCC requesting that the funds be remitted within seven days.

He added that, in response to the letter, he met with officials of the EFCC on December 19, 2013, after which the commission assured that the remittance would be made within a short time.

what a shame Chief of Army Staff relocates to N’East

Chief of Army Staff, General Kenneth Minimah

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen, Kenneth Minimah, has relocated to the North-East  to personally supervise the war against  Boko Haram insurgents in the  zone.

Our correspondents gathered that the decision of the COAS   to join  his colleagues in the other services  in the zone was largely responsible for the recent successes recorded by the military.

There had been a public outcry over  the increased rate of the massacre of innocent civilians, including schoolchildren, by Boko Haram  terrorists in the North-East.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and the Army, George Sekibo, confirmed

MOSOP, Ex-LG chiefs kick against confab delegates list

President, MOSOP, Mr. Legborsi Pyagbara

Protests have continued to trail the list of delegates to the National Conference with the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People,  the Former Elected Local Government Council Chairmen, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and  the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in the North-East joining the fray.

While MOSOP and NUP alleged that  its  members were outright excluded, the FELGOCAS claimed that fake delegates were listed as its representatives.

MOSOP, the apex body of the Ogoni,  noted that it was unfortunate that the  exclusion  of its people 

stop killings Sultan urges Jonathan to use presidential powers

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to use presidential powers to stop the killing of innocent prople in North East and Benue.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Abubakar spoke in Sokoto on Saturday when Jonathan paid him a courtesy visit.

“Human life is sacred. I always express sadness over the insurgency in North East and the most worrisome of it is the killing of innocent school children in Yobe.

“This is the height of madness of the insurgency and the killing must be stopped immediately,” the Sultan said.

He called on Jonathan to do everything possible to bring all political and religious leaders and all the ethnic nationalities together to tackle the insurgency.

National confab delegates may defy Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan

Delegates to the proposed national conference scheduled to begin on March 17, are set to defy President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive that they must not discuss Nigeria’s unity.

Findings by SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday showed that some delegates across the nation are insisting on discussing any and every issue relating to Nigeria’s unity as a country.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ayim Pius Anyim, while releasing modalities for the conference on January 30, had said discussions on the indivisibility of Nigeria were off-limits.

Anyim said, “The national conference shall tentatively last for three months and shall discuss any subject matter, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation; therefore the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable.”

NLC vows to resist sale of refineries

NLC President, Mr Abdulwaheed Omar

The Nigeria Labour Congress on Saturday said it would resist the privatisation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry by the Federal Government.

The President of NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar, said speculations were rife that the ongoing fuel scarcity was a deliberate ploy by government to pave way for the privatisation of the downstream.

Omar spoke at the International Women’s Day celebration organised by the NLC Women Commission in Abuja.

Omar said, “I don’t know whether Nigerians are ready for this. I don’t know whether Nigerians will accept this. Do you think that Nigerians will be ready for this? No. What privatising it completely means is that government will just hands-off, fold its arms and watch the marketers do what they like.

“Marketers will try to maximise profit by squeezing Nigerians to the marrow. Can we allow this to happen? No. Is it not the responsibility of government? The responsibility of any responsible government is to ensure the welfare and security of its citizens.”

Enugu govt house was attacked by 50 gunmen

Enugu State Governor, Mr Sullivan Chime

Security personnel foiled an attempt by about 50 armed men to forcefully gain control of the Enugu State Government House  in the early hours of Saturday.

Police officers, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and soldiers were among the security operatives who shot several times at the invaders and prevented them from gaining entry into the government house.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that one of the attackers was killed during the shoot-out and three others were arrested.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sullivan Chime, Mr. Chukwudi Achife confirmed the incident.

Buhari-Why I accepted centenary award

Former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

Former military Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on Saturday gave reasons for accepting the centenary award.

He said he received the award from President Goodluck Jonathan at Nigeria’s centenary anniversary because of  its significance.

Buhari, however, did not state whether or not a past leader should receive such an award, if there had been disclosures of his wrongdoing while in office, when asked if a former military dictator, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, deserved such award.

He described the issuance of the centenary awards as “the beauty of the system” inside Nigeria. He said honouring leaders with awards should “not be a difficult thing,” if past leaders declare their assets, before and afterwards.

Obasanjo’s govt spent $500m Abacha loot –Okonjo-Iweala

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has explained how the Olusegun Obasanjo administration spent the loot recovered from the late maxiumn dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha.

She said that contrary to reports that the sum of $2bn was recovered from Abacha’s loot,  only $500m was recovered under her watch when she was first made finance minister.

The minister made the clarification amidst conflicting figures about the actual amount recovered.

For instance, speaking in London in November 2006, the pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, had said that “Abacha took over $6bn from Nigeria,” and that $2bn of the loot had been recovered.

APC unveils code of ethics, promises better Nigeria

Interim National Chairman, All Progressive Congress, Chief Bisi Akande

The All Progressives Congress on Thursday, unveiled its Code of Ethics to guide the party’s activities.

The event marked the highpoint of the party’s first national summit, held at the Transcorp Hilton, Hotel Abuja.

The event, which attracted most of the party’s founding fathers, also provided an avenue for its leaders to showcase what Nigerians should expect, if it forms government in 2015.

In his opening remarks, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola,  said the APC was the first party in Nigeria, to take the step it was taking to lay bare what it has in store for the people.

He explained that the unique thing about the exercise was that the party was making its intention known to the public at a forum other than a campaign rally, as had been the practice before now.

Lent: Northern govs ask for Christians’ prayer

Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu

The Northern States Governors’ Forum has enjoined Christian faithful to use the Lenten season, which began on Wednesday to pray for solutions to the socio-economic and security challenges confronting the nation.

Chairman of the forum,  Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, made the call on Thursday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo.

The forum also enjoined Christians to conduct themselves very well during the season in order to maximise the spiritual and physical benefits inherent in the season.

Eagles, officials receive plots of land

| credits: MTNFootbal

Players and officials of the Super Eagles were overjoyed on Wednesday in Atlanta, USA as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari, handed over to them Certificates of Occupancy of plots of land promised them by the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, for their triumph at last year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Maigari said, “It is my pleasure to present to you the Certificates of Occupancy of plots of land promised you by Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, a true lover and supporter of Nigeria football, for your victory at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

“Governor Imoke has once more demonstrated that he is a man of his words. He has also told me that he has something special for you all if you do Nigeria and Africa proud at the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil. He will be there in Brazil to support you.”

Malaria, diabetes worst health challenge in Nigeria -Survey

A survey sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and carried out by the NOI Polls in February has ranked malaria and typhoid as “the biggest health challenge faced by the Nigerian population.”

Also, 78 per cent of respondents ranked both conditions their biggest health concern in the survey conducted by the Hala Nigeria, a project of the International Centre for Journalists.

Diabetes was a big health problem for only 12 per cent of those who took part in the survey and cancer was a concern for only 10 per cent.

Presenting the survey findings on Friday in Abuja, on behalf of Hala Nigeria, the Head of Polling Services in NOI Polls, Nigeria, Ms. Christiana Ogbe, said the survey was based on interviews with 1,000 sampled population across the six geo-political zones.

FG names delegates to National Conference

L-R: Olisa-Agbakoba, Ita-Giwa and Ogunshola

The Federal Government has released the list of delegates  to  the  national conference.

A statement  on Thursday  by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim,  named Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), Chief Olu Falae, Erelu Olusola Obada,  and Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), as some of the 37 elder statesmen  to attend the conference.

Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, Josephine Anenih, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Mike Ahamba (SAN), Senator Azu Agboti, Dr.Peter Odili,   Alfred Diete-Spiff, Edwin Clark, Daisy Danjuma, Prof. Evara  Esu, Chief Nduese Esiene and Prof. Ambrose Okwoli  are also on the  list as elder statesmen.

Osogbo PHCN control centre on fire, total blackout looms

Fire broke out early Friday morning at the  National Control Centre of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria in Osogbo.

Our correspondent gathered that the fire, which affected a transformer there, started around 3am.

The NCC, Osogbo, is one of the transmission centres for the distribution of generated electricity in the country.

Fire fighters were seen battling the inferno when our correspondent visited the scene at around 7am.

Winners emerge for 10 power generation firms

Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo

Top bidders for the 10 Niger Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria electricity generation firms emerged on Friday as the Federal Government opened the financial bids for the power plants.

Investors whose bids were above the reserved price for each of the companies were announced at the bid opening ceremony, which was chaired by the Governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, in Abuja.

The National Council on Privatisation and the governing board of the NDPHC had approved 42 pre-qualified bidders out of 66 bidding consortia for the 80 per cent equity in the 10 power generation companies.

Reps warn EFCC

EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamorde

The House of Representatives on Wednesday cautioned operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against allowing themselves to be used to settle political scores.

The commission was urged to investigate and prosecute cases professionally, irrespective of whether the suspects were Peoples Democratic Party members or members of the rival All Progressives Congress.

The House Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes gave the warning in Abuja, when the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, appeared before lawmakers to defend the agency’s 2014 budget proposals.

Insecurity: Unregistered aliens risk deportation by May

Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. David Paradang

THE  Nigeria  Immigration Service has said that it is working to determine the figure of unregistered aliens in the country for possible deportation as from May this year.

“At the end of April, Nigeria Immigration Service will be able to tell you how many non-Nigerians are in Calabar or Uyo; how many Mai-ruwa from Niger are in Abeokuta.

“Every alien must have the new Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card because any expatriate not having the card will be treated as persons not legally resident in Nigeria and is liable to be removed from the country,” the Comptroller-General of Immigration, David Parradang, said this at an interactive session with journalists on Thursday in Abuja.

Court hears defected gov’s motion against PDP March 19

Rebel govs

An Abuja Federal High Court has fixed March 19 to hear applications filed by five governors who defected to the All Progressives Congress to challenge the validity of the hearing notices served on them by the Peoples Democratic Party.

In the hearing notice, the governors – Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano); and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) – were summoned to appear before the court.

They were summoned  to respond to the suit filed by the PDP in a bid to remove them from office.

PDP wants defected N’Assembly members’ seats declared vacant

National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Adamu Mu’Azu

The Peoples Democratic Party has asked an Abuja Federal High Court to order the Senate President, David Mark, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, to declare the seats of 11 Senators and 37 members of the House of Representatives who decamped to the All Progressives Congress vacant.

Two judges of the Abuja FHC, Justice Ahmed Mohammed and Justice Adeniyi Ademola, had already fixed March 26 and 25, respectively, to deliver judgment in two related suits – one filed by the defected lawmakers to forestall plans to declare their seats vacant, and another brought by the PDP to stop the House of Representatives from changing its principal officers.

Wife of dead banker petitions N’Assembly

Mr Babatunde

Ebun Oke, wife of Ecobank worker who died in police custody, has urged the National Assembly to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of her husband, Babatunde Oke.

Ebun, in a petition to the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, wondered why the deceased was detained for over 72 hours.

She equally questioned police claims that the deceased took a bottle of soft drink and left the cork in his pocket.

The petition, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, chronicled the circumstances under which the late Babatunde was kept in the police custody.

13 Lagos pupils slump after inhaling poisonous gas

There was pandemonium at the Ogba Junior Grammar School, Lagos on Thursday when 13 pupils fell unconscious after inhaling a gaseous substance from unidentified source.

The incident was said to have occurred during the 12 noon break time.

PUNCH Metro had on November 1, 2013, reported that 22 pupils of the same school fainted after inhaling a gaseous substance.

Following reports on the incident, a photo laboratory behind the school was investigated and was subsequently shut down by the Lagos State Government.

When PUNCH Metro visited the school on Thursday, it was deserted as the pupils had been sent home immediately the incident occurred.

Vehicles crush 20 pupils in Anambra, C’River

A Toyota Camry lost control on Thursday and ran into some secondary school pupils at the Umuokpu Junction along the old Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, Awka, Anambra State.

The victims were mostly pupils of the Community Secondary School, Umuokpu, and Union Secondary School, Amawbia.

No fewer than seven of them were feared dead, while 10 others were critically injured in the accident.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the pupils had just closed from school and were waiting by the side of the road to catch transportation home when the car ran into them.