Buhari calls for calm over deadly violence in Cross River (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari calls for calm over deadly violence in Cross River has expressed concern over reports of violence in four communities in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. The violence has resulted in loss of lives, injuries and displacement of villagers. Calling for calm and restoration of peace in the affected communities bordering Abia State, the President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, urged the people of the areas… Read more
FG to supply implements, aid to IDP bean farmers (Nation)
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development on Tuesday promised to provide farm implements such as hulling machines, threshers, jute bags, and tractors to IDP bean farmers located at Auta Balefi, Karu LGA, Nassarawa State. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, said this during an official visit to the IDP bean market in Nassarawa. He expressed fascination at the level of development and orderliness of the market, describing it as the largest bean market in Nigeria.… Read more
Saraki’s aide’s alleged N3.5bn fraud trial stalled (Nation)
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday adjourned till January 10 the trial of Mr. Gbenga Makanjuola, a Deputy Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for an alleged N3.5billion Paris Clubs Loan scam. Makanjuola is standing trial alongside three others: Mr. Obiora Amobi; Kolawole Shittu, a cashier in the Senate President’s office, and a company said to have been used as conduit pipe in the alleged scam, Melrose General Services Limited. The case was stalled following… Read more
Niger State secures N2bn loan for 10, 000 teachers (Nation)
The Niger State Government says it has secured a loan facility of N2 billion through its Universal Basic Education Board for 10, 000 teachers. The state Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, disclosed this during the ministry’s 2019 budget defense before the Niger House of Assembly Committee on Education on Tuesday in Minna. Madugu said that the facility was obtained to motivate the teachers to put in their best and promote learning. She said that 150 new teachers were recruited… Read more
$10.1bn repatriation: Court fixes Dec. 12 for report of settlement in MTN vs CBN case (Nation)
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, fixed December 12, for report of settlement in a $10.1 billion or $8.1bn reparation dispute between MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Justice Saliu Saidu fixed the date following commencement of settlement talks by the parties. The Nation learnt that the parties are in disagreement over whether the sum involved in the suit is $10.1billion or $8.1bn. MTN’s counsel in the suit is Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN),… Read more
Delta APC gov: Court says suit against Ogboru improperly filed (Nation)
A Federal High Court in Abuja has held that the suit challenging the emergence of Great Ogboru as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Delta was not not properly commenced. Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in a judgment on Tuesday, in the suit by Victor Ochei, held that there were contentious facts in the suit that could not be resolved through mere affidavit evidence, but would require additional evidence. It is Ochei’s contention that the delegates that voted at the… Read more
Former NFF President decries poor publicity of National Sports Festival (Nation)
Alhaji Sani-Lulu Abdullahi, former President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday decried the poor publicity being given to the 2018 National Sports Festival (NSF). Abdullahi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that NSF was not being given befitting announcement it deserved as a national sporting event. He, therefore, urged the organizers to rise up to occasion by giving the festival the required publicity, for a successful outing. “I wonder why the organizers are not publicizing the… Read more
Farmer urges govt. to banish poverty through plantain farming (Nation)
A farmer, Mr Dauda Yakubu, has urged federal and state governments to encourage unemployed youths to go into plantain farming to banish hunger and poverty. Yakubu, the Managing Director of Unique Farm Ltd., told our reporter on Tuesday in Abuja that plantain farming should be able to get Nigerians, especially the youths, out of poverty. He described plantain as a staple that attracts high price, saying its cultivation is relatively cheaper than rice, yam and other crops. “Modern breeding has… Read more
France fuel protests: PM Philippe suspends fuel tax rise (BBC)
France’s PM has announced a six-month suspension of a fuel tax rise which has led to weeks of violent protests. Edouard Philippe said that people’s anger must be heard, and the measures would not be applied until there had been proper debate with those affected. The protests have hit major French cities, causing considerable damage for the past three weekends. The “gilets jaunes” (yellow vests) protests have now grown to reflect more widespread anger at the government…Read more
Burundi: Inside the secret killing house (BBC)
Burundi’s security services are running secret torture and detention sites to silence dissent, former government intelligence agents have told BBC Africa Eye. Using cutting edge reconstruction techniques BBC Africa Eye examines one house in particular, which was filmed in a video posted on social media in 2016….Read more
President Trump visits George HW Bush’s coffin lying in state at the US Capitol (BBC)
US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania have paid their respects to President George HW Bush as he lies in state at the US Capitol. Mr Trump made a brief visit to the rotunda, where the public can visit the coffin until the funeral on Wednesday. Mr Trump has in the past clashed with the Bush family but will attend the funeral service. Mr Bush, who died on Friday aged 94, will later be buried in his home state of Texas, alongside his wife, Barbara….Read more
Mueller may be poised to lift the lid of his investigation (CNN)
America may get its most intimate look yet inside Robert Mueller’s secretive Russia investigation in the next four days, with a series of disclosures that have the potential to be greatly damaging for President Donald Trump. Court filings focusing on Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, on Tuesday and his ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort on Friday could offer tantalizing new details of Mueller’s deep dive into the 2016 campaign….Read more
DJ Martin Solveig apologizes to Ada Hegerberg after onstage ‘twerk’ gaffe (CNN)
French DJ and Ballon d’Or host Martin Solveig has apologized to the inaugural women’s winner Ada Hegerberg after a row erupted over a question he posed to her during the award ceremony. Solveig was criticized on social media after asking the 23-year-old striker, in French, during the presentation: “Do you know how to twerk?” The player shut down the line of questioning with a blunt “no.”…Read more
Afghan women’s football dream turns into nightmare (BBC)
In post-Taliban Afghanistan, the women’s football team was hailed globally as a symbol of the new freedoms enjoyed by the country’s women. But now one of Afghanistan’s top sports officials has admitted that female footballers – who defied hard-liners and militants by daring to take to the field in the first place – have been sexually abused. And it’s not only football – he admitted the problem extends to other sports too. Most women athletes are too frightened to speak publicly about alleged abuse by coaches and sporting officials….Read more
Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool manager accepts derby celebration misconduct charge (CNN)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has accepted a charge of misconduct for running on to the pitch after his side’s 96th-minute winner against Everton at Anfield. Klopp ran on to hug goalkeeper Alisson after Divock Origi’s bizarre goal in Sunday’s Merseyside derby. “That’s what rules are for. I couldn’t avoid it,” Klopp said. Klopp has been fined £8,000 by the Football Association and warned about his future behaviour….Read more
Dubai failure may release some pressure – Specman
The Springbok Sevens team are used to coming to Cape Town under intense pressure, but they believe this time around failure last weekend in Dubai might just release some of the burden of expectation. The Blitzboks finished sixth last week, which was a long way short of what they achieved the previous couple of years, where they made a habit of making a winning start to the HSBC World Sevens Series. There is pressure on the Blitzboks to atone for their poor start in their home tournament, which forms the second leg of the Series at Cape Town Stadium this coming weekend….Read more
Two remanded in prison over armed robbery (Nation)
Two men, Pelumi Joseph, 20, and Lekan Arawole, 25, were on Tuesday remanded in Agodi Prison by an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Tuesday for alleged armed robbery. Chief Magistrate Kehinde Omotosho ordered that Joseph and Arawole be remanded in Agodi prison pending the receipt of legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). The plea of the defendants was not also taken by the court. Omotosho adjourned the case till Jan.11, 2019 for mention.… Read more
Driver docked for intimidating a passenger with “Juju” (Nation)
A 62 year-old driver, Ibrahim Sanni, who police accused of intimidating a passenger with witchcraft, on Tuesday, appeared in an Ilorin Magistrates’ Court. The Prosecutor, Inspector James Odaudu told the court that the complainant, Ayobola Suleman, boarded a cab from the post office to Geri-Alimi and an argument ensued between them over change. Odaudu alleged that the accused during heated argument, brought out a snail shell and robbed it where the passenger was seated and also recited an incantation. He said the… Read more
Court remands man in prison custody for theft (Nation)
An Upper Customary Court in Kaduna, on Tuesday, remanded a 35-year-old man, James Matthew in prison custody for alleged theft of a motorcycle. The judge, Ibrahim Emmanuel, directed that the defendant should be remanded for allegedly causing body injury with a machete to the complainant, Ezekiel Moses. He gave the order after the defendant pleaded not guilty to the offences. Emmanuel ordered that the defendant should be remanded in prison pending a formal application for his bail. The judge adjourned… Read more