Breaking: Panic in Lagos suburb as vandals cause explosion (Nation)
Reports reaching us Wednesday morning indicate that there is a raging fire at Abule Egba in Lagos caused by activities of pipeline vandals. Residential and commercial houses are reportedly affected. People are scampering to safety. It was alleged that vandals had caused an explosion from the pipelines, which extended to Abule Egba Bus Stop. Fire was said to have started 3:30am. Details later.. Read more
History as Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line is test run (Nation)
It was a mere 50-minute ride, yet it was historic in many ways. The first standard guage rail line between Lagos, Nigeria’s business headquarters, and Ibadan in the heart of the Southwest was test run. The 36-kilometre journey was the result of a project that began in June 2017. Leading the group of select passengers was Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi. The 150km per hour speed will be realised early next year when the job is completed. It is comfortable… Read more
Court upholds Balogun-Fulani APC executive in Kwara (Nation)
An Ilorin High Court on Wednesday recognised the executive committee of the Ishola Balogun-Fulani led All Progressives Congress (APC) as the authentic executive of the party in the state. Delivering judgment, Justice T.S. Umar held that the purported dissolution of the executive committee of the APC led by Balogun-Fulani was illegal, null and void. Balogun-Fulani and Christopher Ayeni had instituted a suit against the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the APC, APC NWC, INEC and Hon Bashir Bolarinwa… Read more
Customs seizes N137m rice, second-hand clothing (Nation)
The Headquarters Strike Force Team of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized contraband foreign parboiled rice and second-hand clothing worth N137 million in the past one month in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. National Coordinator of the Team, Deputy Comptroller, Abdullahi Kirawa, who disclosed this to reporters while inspecting the items at the Government Warehouse in Calabar on Wednesday, said a total of 5, 662 50kg bags of rice were seized, of which 2, 153 was handed over… Read more
Nigerians spend N1.6trn annually on generators – NESREA DG (Nation)
About 60 million Nigerians invest N1.6 trillion to buy and maintain standby generators annually Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Lawrence Anukam, has stated. He spoke during a briefing on Wednesday in Abuja to announce the implementation of the National Generator Emission Control Programme (NGECP). The NGECP is expected to begin in January with Abuja as a pilot study. The DG explained the aim of the programme is to control the emission originating from generating sets… Read more
2019 Budget: Osinbajo presides over brief FEC (Nation)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday presided over brief Federal Executive Council (FEC), meeting which lasted about one hour thirty minutes. The brief FEC started about 10.03am when the Vice president arrived at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja. While the opening Christian prayer was said by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelemah, the Muslim prayers was offered by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello. At the end of the meeting, the Ministers and… Read more
We pray for death in Libya, says returnee (Nation)
A 26- year-old Nigerian who was deported from Libya, Mr Iwoche Endurance has advised Nigerians desiring to travel abroad through the desert in search of greener pastures to have a rethink. Endurance, a Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) holder, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Warri, saying “we went through hell in Libya and prayed for death but did not find death.” Endurance, who hails from the South-South region of the country, said that he entered Libya… Read more
How states can be viable, by Emefiele (Nation)
RATHER than depend on handouts from the Federation Account; states have been advised to explore their areas of strength to shore up Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) base. Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, who gave the counsel, noted that looking inward remained a viable alternative to make the states viable in the face of the dwindling oil cash. Emefiele said: “I do not think states can’t be viable. They were self- sustaining in the days of regions. I don’t like states… Read more
2019: INEC chair Yakubu raises concern over security (Nation)
With just two months to the general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified security as a major challenge. The concern was raised as the commission said that all the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for those who recently registered have been processed for collection at the INEC’s offices across the 774 local government area secretariats. The commission is still working on the applications for replacement and transfer. INEC chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu also noted that the conduct of… Read more
Tiv leader faults Army’s reaction to Amnesty’s report (Nation)
The President General of Mzough-U-Tiv (MUT), a Tiv social-cultural organisation, Edward Ujege, has supported the Amnesty International (AI) report on killings in Nigeria. In its report to the public, AI claimed that 3,641 deaths were recorded in herders-farmers clashes across the country. But the Army accused the rights group of planning to destabilise Nigeria. Speaking with The Nation at his home in Makurdi, Benue State capital, Ujege, who spoke on behalf of Benue tribal leaders, noted that the state alone… Read more
OPL 245 deal: $523m bribe cash traced to ex- ministers, politicians (Nation)
About $523 million of the $1.092 billion paid for the controversial Malabu Oil Block (OPL 245) was shared out as bribes to some former ministers and politicians, investigations have shown. A former minister blew about $250million on real estate, aircraft and exotic cars, according to the probe. These details are contained in ll Fatto Quotidiano Newspaper based on the judgment of a Milan Court. The Milan judge on September 20, 2018 sentenced two men- a Nigerian, Emeka Obi and an… Read more
U.S. envoy on mission to dislodge North Korea nuclear talks (CBS News)
Seoul, South Korea — The Trump administration’s special envoy for North Korea said Wednesday that Washington is reviewing easing its travel restrictions to North Korea to facilitate humanitarian shipments as part of efforts to resolve an impasse in nuclear diplomacy. Stephen Biegun made the comments upon arrival in South Korea for talks on the nuclear negotiations, which have seen little headway since a summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June, when they issued a vague vow for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing how or when it would occur. Read more
Former Zimbabwe first lady Grace Mugabe subject of arrest warrant for alleged assault (FOX News)
The former first lady of Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe, is facing an arrest warrant out of South Africa stemming from a 2017 assault allegation
Prosecutors issued the arrest warrant last week, months after a South African court overturned Mugabe’s diplomatic immunity in the case.
The former first lady was granted immunity in late 2017 after she was accused of whipping South African model Gabriella Engels with an extension cord in a Johannesburg hotel room on Aug. 13, 2017. Engels, who received a cut on her forehead, challenged Mugabe’s immunity earlier this year. Read more
Susan Collins reveals vulgar, threatening voicemails left during Kavanaugh confirmation (FOX News)
Sen. Susan Collins is speaking out on the threats she received during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation process, sharing with Fox News some of the vulgar, vitriolic and sexist voicemails her office received from callers during that period. The Maine Republican senator, who provided a critical “yea” vote in favor of the now-Supreme Court justice, discussed the experience in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum. While Collins was under tremendous political pressure from both sides during the confirmation process, her office also was receiving disturbing threats. Read more
Trump administration considering plan to pull all US forces out of Syria, officials say (FOX News)
The Trump administration is considering pulling all U.S. forces out of Syria, U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News. There are roughly 2,000 American troops on the ground in Syria currently, concentrated in northern Syria. Pentagon officials have been caught off guard by the White House proposal, multiple officials told Fox News. The Wall Street Journal was first to report the administration’s Syria plans. President Trump appeared to allude to the decision to pull troops out in a Wednesday morning tweet. Read more
Mathis flips from Ohio State at the last minute (Ohio State Rivals)
National Singing Day took another twist for the Buckeyes on Wednesday morning as quarterback Dwan Mathis changed things up and flipped his commitment from Ohio State to Georgia on Wednesday morning. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder hailed from Oak Park (Mich.).Mathis was rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 102 player in the nation according to Rivals.com and was previously committed to Michigan State before committing to Ohio State. Rumors of current UGA quarterback Justin Fields looking to transfer out of the Georgia program and Ohio State being a potential destination may have taken its toll on this one. Fields entered the transfer portal on Tuesday evening and that will allow teams to talk with Fields moving forward. Read more
Pep’s babes push city to the next round (Manchester City News)
The Carabao Cup is one step closer to retention as City once again took to the penalty spot to decide a decent match at Leicester City. With the fans parading a banner showing themselves as “Brothers in Blue” in support of the recent death of the Leicester chairman in a helicopter crash. Guardiola decided it was a night for experimentation. Although he wants to “win everything”, this trophy will always be last on the list for those fighting on four fronts. Quite why I have never known. I love this competition….Read more
Man sets woman, three children ablaze (Nation)
The police in Lagos have arrested one Shola Adewunmi for igniting fire in the home of a woman he had disagreement with. The incident occurred at the early hours of Wednesday at Powerline Road, beside Lawyer Raji Street. Adewunmi, currently held at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti, Yaba, was arrested by policemen attached to Alagbado Division after his phone gave him away. It was gathered the suspect at the wee hours of Wednesday set fire in… Read more