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Media practitioners and civil society groups on Saturday called for a robust and free press as well as protection for journalists as enshrined in the constitution. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders made the call at a gathering in Lagos on the “State of Media and Citizen’s Freedom in Nigeria.” In his welcome speech, Executive Director, International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade, noted that many journalists had faced several attacks in the line of duty in recent past. He said that some media practitioners were also facing trials on account of discharging their duties. Mr Femi Falana,…
Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Saturday distributed 34 buses and four ambulances to health centres and communities in Yobe North Senatorial District. Lawan, who inaugurated the distribution in Gashua, headquarters of the senatorial district, disclosed that N87 million was expended on procurement of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), forms to 2,000 candidates seeking admission slots into tertiary institutions. He also distributed power transformers, entrepreneurial materials to 350 persons, water pumps and accessories for irrigation, computer sets, tricycles, assorted fertilizers, grinding and vulcanizer machines as well as grants to facilitate the take-off of various businesses. Lawan said that the empowerment…
The Operatives of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Command in Lagos, has apprehended another 9 girls being trafficked. The girls were on their way to Lebanon, Cairo, Dubai, and India on Ethiopian, Peace, Egypt and East Airlines. The service Public Relations Officer, DCI Sunday James made this known in a statement on Saturday in Lagos. According to him, four of the girls claim to be traveling for employment without knowing their employers nor aware of the nature of the job they were going for. “This discovery was made after intensive interrogation by NIS officials,” he said.…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr Kolapo Osunsanya, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the election for Ijebu-Ode/Odogbolu/Ijebu North-East Federal Constituency in Ogun. INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Charles Onwuka, of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), announced the results on Saturday at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, collation centre of the constituency. Onwuka said that the APC candidate polled a total vote of 25,959 to defeat his closest rival, Mr Taiwo Shote of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 21911 votes. (NAN)
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court, Abuja to order President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, 36 state governors and their deputies to “make public details of their assets, specifically property and income, contained in their asset declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) since assuming office.” In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/65/2020 filed last Friday, SERAP is seeking: “an order for leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus to direct and/or compel President Buhari, Vice-President Osinbajo, 36 state governors and their deputies to make public…
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja In a move to further reduce the cost of governance, the Federal Government has directed government officials particularly ministers to reduce the number of aides that travel with them. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha revealed this during a courtesy visit by the new FIRS Executive Chairman to his office in Abuja. The FIRS Chairman was in the SGF office to collect appointment letters for himself and his board members. The SGF who decried a situation whereby government overhead costs far outweigh capital expenditure took a swipe at the members of…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has halted the ongoing admission of students at the University of Abuja due to what it described as an unholy process and unacceptable irregularities. In its latest investigation on the admission process of the University, Economic Confidential found out that the new management under Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah is fingered in this new development. Checks indicate that on the resumption of office a few months ago, the new Vice-Chancellor jettisoned the usual admission Committee of the University and allegedly contracted the admission process which is alien to the University culture. The Vice-Chancellor recently…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that 29 deaths and 195 confirmed cases of Lassa fever had been reported in 11 states of the federation. Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General, NCDC, who disclosed this in a statement he signed on Saturday in Abuja, explained that the current figures were as at Friday, Jan. 24. Ihekweazu, said out of the confirmed cases, 89 per cent were from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi States. The NCDC boss said that the increased number of cases at this time of the year was not unusual due to ecological factors. He said that…
Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the All Progress Congress (APC), says he is playing local politics because he does not want to be a leader that cannot win any election in his state. Oshiomhole spoke on Saturday in Auchi, Edo State when he received some defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “I can’t leave local politics because I do not want to be a national chairman who can’t win any election in his state. “Some people asked me why I am playing local politics as a national chairman and I told them that every politics is local.…
Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday invaded booth 003 Umucaram Amaraku in Isiala Mbano council area of Imo over alleged vote-buying. The anti-graft agency, in the company of combined security agencies, stormed the election value and interrogated a candidate in the rerun election. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had fixed Jan. 25 for the rerun of Okigwe North Federal constituency following nullification of the election by an appeal court. However, the EFCC told NAN that they stormed the election venue to investigate the allegation of vote-buying against the candidate. They also…