Curator

http://ift.tt/2ssLNOL The House of Representatives has rejected a bill seeking to establish South East Development Commission. The house rejected the second reading of the bill after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker of the House, Mr Yakubu Dogara. Leading the debate during plenary, Rep. Chukwuka Onyema (Anambra-PDP) said that the bill would seek to tackle poverty and ecological problems confronting the region. He said that the bill also sought to receive and manage fund from the federation account for the development and rehabilitation of roads and other infrastructure in the region. The House Minority Leader, Rep. Leo Ogor (Delta-PDP), said the bill will address most of the issues affecting the region. “This country cannot continue with the situation where we come to Abuja every month to share money. I think every zone deserves such commission because it will make everybody look inward. This nation needs to be restructured, we cannot continue the way we are going,...

http://ift.tt/2rp2FZh Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, says it has arrested three suspects in connection with the kidnapping of six students of Model College, Igbonla, Lagos. The Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, says it has arrested three suspects in connection with the kidnapping of six students of Model College, Igbonla, Lagos. He said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday in Benin. According to ACP Abba Kyari, the three suspects arrested have been involved in various kidnap incidents within the country. “Three of the militant kidnappers, who left the creek and came to Benin to visit one of their members that was injured in recent gun battle with security agents, were arrested by IRT in Benin. “The suspects are Egelu Endurance, aka Jubby, 25, a native of Abere town in Ovia South L.G.A Edo; Stanley Yomi Irabomini, 25, aka Powei from Ovia South LGA of Edo ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Prof. Babatunde Solagberu, Provost, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), on Thursday said there was need for improved gender awareness and sensitisation among Nigerian youths to reduce incidences of violence and abuse. Solagberu said this at the 2017 Children’s Day Symposium organised by the Paediatric Unit of Clinical Sciences Department, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), in Lagos. The symposium, which was in commemoration of the 2017 Children’s Day celebration which comes up on May 27, has its theme as: “Gender Based Violence, Protecting the Girl Child”. Sholagberu, who was represented by Prof. Anthonia Ogbera, an Associate Professor of Medicine at LASUCOM, said that gender violence was one of the most pervasive violations of human rights in the world. According to him, it is also the least prosecuted crime and poses threats to lasting peace and development. “Gender-based violence against women means violence that affects women...

http://ift.tt/2pQoqjD “The suspect, Emmanuel John Ugbomah, 37, from Ndukwa, Delta State, was arrested in Oshodi Oke at 12:30 a.m. on Friday while trying to escape after a botched attempt to hijack an Uber taxi, a black Toyota Corrolla, belonging to one Adebisi. The Police in Lagos on Sunday said they had arrested a member of a syndicate notorious for hiring and hijacking Uber Taxi in the state. The Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command, ACP Olatunji Disu, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Disu said the suspect was arrested by his men posted to Oshodi Oke early Friday morning.According to the commander, the suspect operate with two others, who are now at large. “The suspect, Emmanuel John Ugbomah, 37, from Ndukwa, Delta State, was arrested in Oshodi Oke at 12:30 a.m. on Friday while trying to escape after a botched attempt to hijack an Uber taxi, a black Toyota Corrolla, belonging to one Adebisi. “The suspect, ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Newcastle United now have two feats to celebrate: a return to the English Premier League and now even much sweeter they clinched the Sky Bet Championship on the last day. Trailing by two points in the final day to Brighton & Hove Albion, the Rafa Benitez boys eased past Barnsley 3-0, although they have Aston Villa to thank for the achievement. Brighton were leading in their encounter with Aston Villa by a lone goal and were sure to be crowned the champions. Then, Aston Villa procured a last-gasp equaliser to destroy the hope, making the match 1-1 and the final points on the summit as 94 for Newcastle and 93 for Brighton & Hove Albion. This is how Newcastle captured the dramatic match at St James Park: Ayoze Perez, Chancel Mbemba and the returning Dwight Gayle were on target for Rafa Benitez’s side, who rarely looked back after breaking the deadlock. As comfortable an afternoon as it was for the Magpies, the crown looked to be heading to the South Coas...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Minister of  Communications, Adebayo Shittu,  on Sunday expressed optimism  that  more Chibok girls would be released soon. He spoke in Ibadan at  the 3 rd  General Assembly of the Muslim Ummah of South West (MUSWEN). No fewer than 82 Chibok girls were released by the terrorist sect, Boko Haram, on Saturday. The minister said more of the girls held hostage by the insurgents would be  set free   as government was  adopting the same method used in brokering the earlier releases. Shittu also said that the president needed  the prayers  of Nigerians in regaining his health as well as  tackling the challenges  confronting the citizenry. He said the current administration was averse to propaganda, adding that it was diligently working hard to put the country on the path of growth and development. “ It is now clear that Buhari has come today and you know that his body language is enough to get...

http://ift.tt/2pgR7CW Atletico Madrid's midfielder Saul Niguez (R) celebrates after scoring during the Spanish league football match Club Atletico de Madrid vs SD Eibar at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid on May 6, 2017. JAVIER SORIANO / AFP Atletico Madrid secured Champions League football for a fifth straight season as Saul Niguez’s solitary strike earned a 1-0 home win over Eibar on Saturday. Diego Simeone’s men still harbour outside hopes of returning to the Champions League final for the third time in four years as they host local rivals Real Madrid for the second leg of their semi-final on Wednesday trailing 3-0 from the first leg. However, they are at least now guaranteed another shot at the competition next season and, just as importantly, the finances that come with it, especially as they move into a new 67,000 capacity stadium. Victory moved Atletico 11 points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal, who have just three games remaining. Atletico also just need...

http://ift.tt/2p1scrT Pope Francis waves from the balcony of St Peter's basilica during the traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Christmas message to the city and the world, on December 25, 2016 at St Peter's square in Vatican. Pope Francis offered his thoughts to victims of terrorism in his annual Christmas address, days after the truck attack that left 12 dead at a festive Berlin market. PHOTO: ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP Pope Francis will receive US President Donald Trump at the Vatican on May 24, the Holy See said Thursday, ahead of a G7 summit meeting in Sicily. Trump’s audience with Francis in the morning will be followed by meetings with his Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States. While campaigning in February 2016 to become the Republican Party’s nominee for the White House, Trump and the pontiff had a heated and extraordinary exchange through the media. “Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build wa...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A pro-democracy and good governance group, Concerned Nigerians, has raised an alarm over what it termed corruption and duplicity involving activities of Sahara Group in awarding licenses to lift crude oil on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation, NNPC. In a statement signed by its Convener, Prince Deji Adeyanju and the secretary, Dr. John Danfulani, wherein it gave Sahara Group a seven day ultimatum to publicly absolve itself of the allegations, it also alleged that Sahara group equally bribed the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari and others to get favour from them. It also said that, on discovering that the petition was against their alleged corruption activities, Sahara Group hurriedly returned a copy of the petition sent to them by Concerned Nigerians after initially receiving it but failing to acknowledge so. “We have since begun investigations into the processes of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Partner for Electoral Reform (PER), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), says the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are not “connected’’ with the Nigerian workers. Chairman of the organisation, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, stated this in an interview with the Newsmen  on Tuesday in Abuja. He said that lack of prowess by the unions’ leaders to calm protesting workers during the 2017 May Day celebration in Abuja on Monday was an indictment on their part. The workers who prevented government officials from delivering their routine speeches, protested the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice Pfresident, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the event. They had insisted that the President or his Vice must be the one to address them. According to Nwagwu, the inability the union leaders to calm the workers is an indication that there is a gap between them. He said that it was unfortunate that Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the immedia...