Author: darelasisi@gmail.com

The Ebonyi Police Command on Thursday said it had uncovered a new strategy used by criminals to rob bank customers. The command’s spokesperson, Mrs Loveth Odah, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki. Odah warned members of the public, especially bank customers, to always be security conscious whenever they make bank transactions. According to her, the new strategy involves trailing their victims through a female member of their syndicate who is usually monitoring financial transactions around banks’ premises. Odah said that such members of the syndicate usually hang outside the banks with…

Mrs Halima Jabiru, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Nasarawa State, has urged women, journalists, to play leading roles in reporting issues of violence against women. Jabiru made this call on Friday in Lafia when the Nasarawa State chapter of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) visited her. The commissioner said that NAWOJ had crucial roles to play in support of the crusade against domestic violence. “As women journalists, you should give more attention to the issues of violence against women and children in your reportage,” she said. She said the ministry would partner with other stakeholders…

A group of protesters under the aegis of Guardian of Democracy Initiative on Friday, stormed the premises of the Federal High Court, venue of the ongoing trial of #RevolutionNow convener Omoyele Sowore. The protesters who booed at Sowore upon his arrival in court, demanded for the prosecution of the former Presidential Candidate, carrying placards and chanting anti-revolution now songs. The demanded that Omoyele Sowore must be prosecuted for trying to ‘destabilize the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria’. Addressing newsmen at the court premises, the leader of the group Mr Danesi Momoh declared support for the Department of State Security Service (DSS)…

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday in Abuja appealed to state governments to simplify the process of land ownership in their domains to enable more Nigerians to access bank facilities for affordable homes. Receiving the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) led by the chairman, Dr Uche Olowu, the President expressed concern on some challenges, such as land and other collateral related issues, hindering the banking industry’s ability to lend to the real sector. “As a Government, we are also facing such challenges as part of our various affordable housing programmes.  But I am urging State Governments…

Operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), on Friday, re-arrested Omoyele Sowore, Convener, #RevolutionNow Protest, and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sowore and Bakare had resisted being rearrested by the officers of the security outfit shortly after Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu adjourned the day’s proceeding till Feb. 11, Feb. 12 and Feb. 13, 2020, for definite hearing. NAN reports that Justice Ojukwu had, on Thursday, ordered the DSS to release Sowore and Bakare within 24 hours after meeting his bail conditions. Ojukwu, who gave the order, also awarded an N100, 000 fine against the…

Without Rule of Law, There Cannot Be Rule At All Today, I am in extreme anguish of spirit having watched the unfortunate drama that played itself out at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, in which agents of the state not only caused a commotion in court in order to frustrate a judgment of a court of a competent authority. Never in the history of Nigerian democracy has a judge been treated in such a disdainful and brazen attack on not just her person and office, but on the entire judiciary. This is unacceptable. It is a rape on…

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the ongoing border drill that has largely curbed foreign rice smuggling into Nigeria has boosted rice production while fast-tracking the country’s quest to achieve rice self-sufficiency. The Minister stated this at a press conference he addressed after leading a media tour of integrated rice mills and rice clusters in Kano on Thursday. Quoting statistics from the Rice Millers Association, he said over 200,000 bags of rice were occupying spaces in the warehouses of virtually every integrated rice miller before the border drill started in August, while many small scale…

ABUJA – Rights Activist and pro-democracy campaigner, Omoyele Sowore has regained freedom more than three months after he was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS). Sowore was arrested and charged to court by the Nigerian government for planning a nationwide tagged #RevolutionNow. He was released on Thursday evening after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered his release for the third time. Sowore is expected to appear in court on Friday for commencement of trial. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the DSS to release Sowore, within 24 hours. The DSS had…

Minister of state for budget and national planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would prioritize development projects in the country. Agba disclosed this in a keynote address at a workshop on South Africa- Nigeria Road Transport Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) collaboration initiative in Abuja. Represented on the occasion by his Special Assistant (Administration), Dr Phillip Ugbodaga, he said that despite the advent of the new Sustainable Development Goals and the noted benefits around the social and economic aspects, “sustainable infrastructure development implementation process still faces a number of challenges.”According to him, “The administration…

The conviction and sentencing of a former governor of Abia State and incumbent Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu over a N7.56bn fraud is further proof that the war against corruption is in full swing, the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has said. The group also said it showed that being a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is not a shield from prosecution, contrary to what opposition elements had been saying about the ruling party. In a statement signed by its chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO argued that the conviction of a high ranking APC chieftain…