There are plans to assassinate Dino Melaye – PDP (Vanguard)
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kogi state has raised the alarm, alleging that there are plans to assassinate the Senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Senator Dino Melaye at his home. The Kogi state spokesman of the party, Usman Okai, in a statement obtained by TheCable, on Monday, alleged that the planned assassins of Senator Melaye intend to storm his house in Abuja, shoot sporadically and in the process, assassinate him. The party also said it would not allow the use of security personnel to harass, arrest and intimidate its members. Read more
Military will break Boko Haram, IS unholy alliance – Buratai (Guardian)
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has vowed that the military will break the unholy alliance between the Boko Haram terrorists and Islamic State West Africa or ISWA. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buratai made the assertion on Monday in Abuja, when he declared open a two-day maiden “Career planning and management’’ seminar for senior officers. He maintained that the army was making gains in the counter insurgency operations in the North East. Read more
Take responsibility for security, Buhari tells traditional rulers (Guardian)
Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has charged traditional rulers to take responsibility for security challenges in their communities as the closest authorities to the people. Buhari gave the charge at a meeting with the traditional rulers in the Government House, Gusau, Zamfara State during his re-election campaign in the state. The President, who said his administration was determined to defend the country from criminals and insurgents, urged the monarchs to do more in curbing banditry and kidnapping in their communities. Read more
Buhari campaign organisation accuses US, other ambassadors of supporting Atiku (Punch)
The Spokesman for the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), has accused the United States Ambassador, Stuart Symington, and other western ambassadors of partiality and tacit support for the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar. Keyamo said this in a statement while reacting to threats by Symington that persons who indulge in hate speeches would be dealt with. Symington had also warned public officials not to obey unlawful directives issued in the name of the “boss”, saying any politician whose utterances incite people to violence would be held to account for the crime. Read more
Police rescues alleged stolen 5-year-old baby during Church thanksgiving in Enugu (Vanguard)
The Police in Enugu State says it has rescued an alleged stolen five-year-old child during a church thanksgiving service in Emene, near the state capital, Enugu. The command made the disclosure in a statement signed and issued by its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ebere Amaraizu on Monday in Enugu. Amaraizu said operatives of the command had also arrested one Edith Ewulu, one of the two prime suspects involved in the alleged baby theft. He said that Ewulu, who hails from Enugu Agidi in Anambra, was arrested at Emene in Enugu State. Read more
ASUU: FG begins disbursement of funds in April (Guardian)
The Academic Staff Union of Universities said the Nigerian government has promised to disburse the total sum of N25 billions to Universities by April. “ASUU will monitor the disbursement of fresh ₦25bn by the Federal Government to public universities, which is expected to start in April 2019,” ASUU tweeted on Monday. “The disbursement of ₦25bn to the public universities for their revitalization by April and May 2019 is the first point in the new Memorandum of Action 2019 signed on Thursday between ASUUNGR and the Federal Government’s led by the Minister of Labour and Employment,” it added. Read more
APC Campaign Council accuses American envoy of bias (Nation)
The All Progressives Party ( APC ) Presidential Campaign Council has accused the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington of creating an impression that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot win free and fair election, saying his comments remain implicit attacks against the government of Nigeria. The Campaign Organisation said the continued warnings by the America Ambassador about ‘flawed elections’ is capable of casting an unwarranted cloud over the process, adding that Instead of encouraging our country toward credible elections, such statements undermine public confidence, stressing that President Buhari would win the 2019 election free and fair. Read more
4 killed as hospital torched in Cameroon’s anglophone west (Guardian)
Four people died when gunmen raided a hospital and burnt it to the ground in western Cameroon where anglophone separatists have been fighting troops, witnesses and a local official said Monday. The incident occurred in Kumba, a town which serves as the commercial hub for the anglophone region and which has been badly hit by the violence between separatists and Cameroon troops that began in October 2017. “Attackers killed four people and burnt down the hospital,” said an administrative official in the Kumba region, confirming information from a witness. Read more
China rails at Turkey over ‘dead musician’ (BBC)
China has railed at Turkish claims it is mistreating its Uighur minority, after a dispute about the fate of a prominent musician. Turkey cited reports Abdurehim Heyit had died in a detention camp, and called China’s treatment of the Uighurs a “great embarrassment for humanity”. China then released a video allegedly showing Mr Heyit alive. The Uighurs are a Muslim minority in north-western China who speak a language closely related to Turkish. They have come under intense surveillance by the authorities and up to a million Uighurs are reportedly being detained. A significant number of Uighurs have fled to Turkey from China in recent years. Read more
At least 99 dead after consuming toxic alcohol in India (Guardian)
At least 99 people have died and scores have been hospitalised in northern India after drinking toxic alcohol, triggering a crackdown against bootleggers, officials said Monday. News of the deaths in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has trickled in over the past three days, with police suspecting the moonshine had been cut with methanol. Authorities said many victims had complained of dizziness and were taken to hospital writhing in pain after consuming the illicit alcohol. Read more
Russia plans to ‘unplug’ from internet (BBC)
Russia is planning to briefly disconnect from the internet as part of planning for a future cyber-war. The test will mean data passing between Russian citizens and organisations stays inside the nation rather than being routed internationally. A law mandating technical changes needed to operate independently was introduced to Russia’s parliament last year. The test is due to happen before 1 April but no exact date has been set. Read more
Shocker! Bullion van driver disappears with $1.13m (Vanguard)
The driver of an armoured bullion van disappeared outside Paris early on Monday along with an estimated one million euros, police sources told AFP. The 28-year-old man had stopped in front of a Western Union office at around 6:00 am (0500 GMT) in Aubervilliers, a suburb just north of the capital, and stayed behind the wheel as two of his colleagues went inside. “When they came back out, the van and the driver were gone,” one of the sources said. Read more
Liverpool’s improvement is clear to see, says Wijnaldum (Guardian)
Liverpool’s transformation this season into Premier League title contenders reflects how much they have improved, says midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum. The 28-year-old Dutch international, who scored a superb goal in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Bournemouth despite suffering from a stomach upset, admitted two successive draws had been a setback as the club chases a first league title since 1990. But he added that garnering 65 points at this stage of the season exceeded their expectations when the campaign got underway. Read more
‘Don’t disrespect Spurs in title race’ – Shearer (BBC)
It is a little disrespectful that not many people are talking about Tottenham as potential Premier League winners, because they are in the title race – and they have shown they are not going away. It was typical really that, on a day where Manchester City were sensational and made the headlines with the way they demolished Chelsea to go back above Liverpool at the top of the table, Spurs ground out another unspectacular victory. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have done something similar in each of their past four league games, but it is actually very impressive that they keep getting results when none of those performances have been particularly great. Read more
Man’s throat cut open as he refuses to share cigarette (Punch)
A man’s throat was slit open as he refused to share cigarettes. The victim had his throat slit in London as a revenge for refusing to give someone a cigarette, Yahoo News has reported, quoting a shopkeeper who witnessed the incident. The victim, believed to be in his 30s, died after he was stabbed in the neck in Lordship Lane in East Dulwich, south-east London, shortly after 3am on Sunday. Shop workers say he was stabbed to death when he refused to give a man a cigarette. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene outside a 24-hour off-licence bar. Read more
