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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Federal Ministry of Finance says N375.8 million has been paid to 20 providers of information under the Whistleblower Policy. The Director of Information, Mr Salisu Dambatta in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said that payment was related to the recovery of N11.6 billion. Dambatta explained that the payment was only for recovered assets that had been declared free of legal disputes or litigation by the Attorney-General of the Federation. He said that in addition, taxes have been removed before final payments to beneficiaries. “This payment, which is the first under the Whistleblower Policy, underscores the commitment of the President Muhmmadu Buhari-led administration in meeting obligations to information providers under the Whistleblower Policy. “The policy is an essential tool in the fight against corruption. “The Ministry, therefore encourages all Nigerians with information on misconduct, violation or improper activity which can impact negatively on...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J “The People Who Bombed TB Joshua’s Church Building, By Femi Fani-Kayode” A few weeks ago I tweeted that I would write an essay about the bombing of a building at the Synagogue Church Of All Nations, SCOAN, a church founded by Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua. Though I have been writing essays and contributing to the public discourse for over 27 years, I have never received the number of threats from known and unknown sources as I did after that tweet. Yet I am not deterred. As a matter of fact such threats always strenghen my resolve to stand firm, do the right thing and dig even deeper. I am a servant of truth and the voice of the voiceless: I cannot be intimidated and I will not be silenced. Part of my calling is to speak truth to power, to stand up for the oppressed and to speak up for the victims of barbarity, persecution, wickedness and injustice and I will not shy away from doing so on this occassion. Prophet TB Joshua started his ministry 30 y...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the review of the commission’s Communication Policy is key to addressing emerging challenges ahead of the 2019 General Elections. INEC Chairman Prof. Momoh Yakubu, made the observation while declaring open a two-day workshop on the Review of INEC Communication Policy on Monday in Kaduna. Yakubu explained that while the current policy had served the commission, the review had become imperative to better equip it for the 2019 General Elections. “Since 2015, significant changes have taken place in the political and electoral processes that should be taken into consideration in planning for the next general elections. “Changes such as the ongoing review of the electoral legal framework, the ever changing structure and nature of political competition and prospective expansion in the number of political parties. “The use of social media and its possibilities, activities such as the nationwide all-year round ...

http://ift.tt/2rgVbZf Pope Francis (R) exchanges gifts with US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump during a private audience at the Vatican on May 24, 2017. US President Donald Trump met Pope Francis at the Vatican today in a keenly-anticipated first face-to-face encounter between two world leaders who have clashed repeatedly on several issues. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Evan Vucci Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to use his US presidency to promote peace around the world after what he depicted as an inspirational meeting with Pope Francis. Meeting face-to-face for the first time, the two leaders sidestepped profound differences over a string of issues ranging from the environment to the plight of migrants and the poor. And the US President emerged from a half-hour meeting at the Vatican gushing with enthusiasm about the 80-year-old pontiff, to the point of the former TV star appearing slightly star-struck. “Honor of a lifetime to meet His Holiness Pope Francis,” T...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Channels TV State House correspondent Chukwuma Onuekwusi is dead. He died in the early hours of Tuesday at a private hospital in Abuja. He died at the age of 55 and is survived by wife and children. Chukwuma Onuekwusi, graduate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka joined Channels TV in 1998 and has covered several beats before he was seconded to the Presidential Villa. The veteran journalist also worked at Imo Broadcasting Corporation, Owerri. The post Breaking: Channels TV State House correspondent Chukwuma Onuekwusi is dead appeared first on Vanguard News . Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2qS7CYr

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J British actor Roger Moore, who played the womanising superspy James Bond over two decades with a suave wit, died Tuesday aged 89, his children announced. “It is with a heavy heart that we must announce our loving father, Sir Roger Moore, has passed away today in Switzerland after a short but brave battle with cancer,” they said in a statement published on Twitter. “We are all devastated,” Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian said, adding: “Thank you Pops for being you, and for being so very special to so many people.” Moore won fame as the smooth-talking adventurer Simon Templar in British television show “The Saint” in the 1960s, and also starred alongside Tony Curtis in “The Persuaders” in the 1970s. But it was not until 1973, at the age of 45, that he won the role that for many fans would come to define him, as Bond novelist Ian Fleming’s fictional secret agent. Moore made his debut as 007 in “Live and Let Die”, following it with six more films, only bowing out...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Pope Francis has appointed  archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo,  a Nigerian priest as apostolic nuncio to Ireland for the first time. The position of apostolic nuncio is the Vatican’s diplomatic representative in Ireland. The 60 year old archbishop is due to take up the role during the summer after relocating from Kano, Nigeria. Archbishop Okolo was born in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1983. He holds a doctorate in canon law. His first assignment in the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See was in Sri Lanka. He then went on to become a pontifical representative in Hati, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Australia and the Antillean Islands. He speaks Igbo, English, French, Italian, Czech, Spanish and German. Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh, said: “I warmly welcome the appointment by His Holiness Pope Francis of Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo as Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland and I wish him many blessings in his new role.” “Archbishop Okolo’s rich experie...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Osun State recorded a 10% increase in her Internally Generated Revenue, IGR in 2016, a report by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, NBS has revealed. This is as Lagos continues to dominate the table with the highest IGR generated in the country. Lagos with a population of above 20m, generated a whopping sum of 302,425,091,964.78 and earned 81,097,954,616.12 from federal allocation, FAAC. In the NBS report published yesterday and titled ‘Internally Generated Revenue At State Level (2016)’, it was gathered that Osun recorded an improvement in its Internal revenue by 10% between 2015 and 2016.  (14th State in % Growth). Osun with a population of just above 4m, generated the sum of N8.07bn in 2015, but recorded an improved figure of N8.88bn in 2016 representing a 10% growth in a space of one year. It was also noted that Lagos, Abia, Kano, Benue, Bauchi, Osun and Akwa Ibom emerged top 7 earners of Self-Assessment tax across the country. An economist, Dr. Taofe...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Festus Ahon THE President of Great Okpe Peoples Assembly (world wide), GOPA, Mr Ovo Mayomi-Edemiruranye Ukoko, has called on Okpe people to remain united and resolute in their resolve to develop the kingdom. Ukoko in a statement made available to newsmen, said “Ugborhen is one of the premium oil producers in the Delta Central Senatorial District but is not being accorded the proper progressive representation it deserves”. Saying that it was time to reach out to all progressive Okpe sons and daughters, he said “it is time we attract both humanitarian and physical infrastructural development from the Government and Seplat Oil company”. While commending the development effort of the Orodje of Okpe kingdom, Maj. General Felix Mujakperuo rtd, (Ohrue 1), Speaker of the State House of Assembly and the member representing Okpe Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori and the member representing Sapele constituency, Chief Monday Igbuya a...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A 22-year-old unemployed woman, Tope Olanrewaju, who allegedly assaulted her friend by biting off her left ear, was on Friday granted N100, 000 bail by an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, who gave the ruling, also granted the accused one surety in like sum, who must be gainfully employed. The accused, a resident of No. 4, Agbowa St., Ogijo near Ikorodu, Lagos State, had pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of assault occasioning grievous harm and unlawfully inflicting wounds brought against her. According to Police Prosecutor Simeon Imhonwa, the accused committed the offences on May 7 at about 4.00.p.m. at Toyin Street, Ikeja. Imhonwa alleged that the accused beat the complainant, Tolulope Adekoya, to a pulp and cut off her left ear with her teeth. “The complainant said tOlanrewaju had threatened to deal with her on several occasions. “The complainant alleged that the accused refused to return the money she borrowed a...

http://ift.tt/2pXCoBA Bouchard called the Russian "a cheater" last week and suggested she should have been banned for life — rather than 15 months — after testing positive for meldonium at the 2015 Australian Open. / AFP PHOTO / THOMAS KIENZLE Maria Sharapova set up a mouth-watering second-round clash with Eugenie Bouchard at the Madrid Open after battling back from a set down to beat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 on Sunday. Bouchard called the Russian “a cheater” last week and suggested she should have been banned for life — rather than 15 months — after testing positive for meldonium at the 2015 Australian Open. And the Canadian said she would “have a bit more motivation” against her former idol Sharapova after registering a first win on the WTA Tour since January against Alize Cornet on Sunday to set up the grudge match. After reaching the semi-finals on her return from her doping ban last week in Stuttgart, Sharapova showed impressive levels of fitness to...

http://ift.tt/2olfOgZ PHOTO: google.com The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that telecommunication operators lost 1,653,286 subscribers in March. The telecommunications industry regulator made this known in its Monthly Subscriber/Operator Data released on Friday in Lagos. It said that the active telecommunications service customers, which was 154,120,484 in February, declined to 152,467,198 in March, 2017. According to the data, 151,999,197 of the 152,467,198 active numbers subscribed to the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network services. The GSM operators’ active customers decreased by 1,662,350 on the 153,661,547 subscribers recorded in February. The report stated that of the GSM operators, MTN had 60,391,959 users in March, showing a decrease of 998,738 from the 61,390,697 recorded in February. Globacom’s figure increased in March by 78,372, giving a total of 37,328,827 customers, as against 37,250,455 in February. Airtel had 34,656,...