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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J UMUAHIA—OHANEZE Ndigbo Youth Council, OYC, has reacted angrily to the quit-the-North order given to Ndigbo by a coalition of Northern Youth groups, describing it as a “security threat and a crime against the Nigerian State”. The coalition, including Arewa Citizens Action for Change, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Arewa Youths Development Foundation, Arewa Students Forum, Northern Emancipation Network, Northern Youths Stakeholders, among others, in what they called “Kaduna Declaration”, also called on Northern to leave Igbo land. Reacting to the action of the Northern youths Council urged Igbos in the North to “to stay put wherever they were across the country” and “to defend themselves in the event of any provocation and attack from Arewa Youths”. A statement issued by the President of Ohaneze Youths Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro condemned the action of the Northern Youths and warned them to immediately reverse their position. According to Isiguzoro, “th...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J DELTA State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has urged the European Union (EU) to prevail on multinational oil companies the need to domicile their headquarters in their areas of operations. According to Governor Okowa, locating headquarters of multinational oil companies in their host communities would boost relationship between the companies and such communities and also, ensure that the host states are not shortchanged in terms of revenue generation. Governor Okowa made the call yesterday  when the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Michael Arrion paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba. “Most of the multinational oil companies do shortchange us as a people and as a state, they operate in this state but, their head office and their managenent staff are outside the state, there is the need for them to relocate to where they have their operations,” the Governor said, adding, “if all their operations are in the state, it is comfortable for our people and...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief The federal government has made good, its promise of cash reward for Whistleblowers on the new policy aimed at encouraging Nigerians to report corrupt people to the authorities. The Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun disclosed, yesterday that the sum of N375,875,000 has been paid to 20 people who provided information, leading to the recovery of N11,635,000,000. She said, “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 payment Mrs. Adeosun said was a demonstration of current administration’s determination to encourage all Nigerians with information on misconduct, violation or improper activity which can impact negatively on Nigeria to report same to the authorities. She further disclos...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A military alliance fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad said on Wednesday it could hit U.S. positions in Syria. The threat which came in a statement in the name of the “commander of the operations room of the forces allied to Syria, warned that its “self-restraint” over U.S. air strikes on government forces would end if Washington crossed “red lines”. The statement was circulated by a military news unit run by the Lebanese group Hezbollah, one of Assad’s military allies. Assad’s allies also include Iran and Russia. The statement did not spell out whether Moscow was a signatory to it. “America knows well that the blood of the sons of Syria, the Syrian Arab Army, and its allies is not cheap, and the capacity to strike their positions in Syria, and their surroundings, is available when circumstances will it,” the statement said. The U.S. launched air strikes on Tuesday against what it said were Iranian-backed fighters who it said posed a threat to ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A suspect, Stephen Luka, who is standing trial for brutalising his ex-girlfriend and killing her sister, has told a Jos High Court that the police tortured him to obtain his confessional statement. Giving evidence in a trial-within-trial on Tuesday in Jos, Luka rebutted the charges and showed the court scars he sustained during the torture to obtain his statement. Stephen Luka was arraigned before the court in October 2016 charged with murder, attempted murder, assault and sexual abuse. The defendant was alleged to have attacked two sisters Simi Dusu and Justina Dusu on July 27, 2016 at his home, in Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, Jos, when they went to break the news that Justina was pregnant. According to report, Luka was not happy when Justina insisted on keeping the baby, lost his control and used a machete on both sisters, resulting in Simi’s death and Justina losing her left eye. The Divisional Crime Officer, Mr Bolaji Ayenumuro of the “A” Divisional police hea...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed authorised dealers to encourage corporate clients to join the FMDQ system for forex trading. The bank gave the directive in a circular issued by CBN Director, Financial Markets Department, Dr Alvan Ikoku. It said that the directive took immediate effect. The CBN advised the dealers to allow the corporate clients to on-board the FMDQ foreign exchange trading system immediately, to avoid sanctions. It said that the development would help foster speedy migration of the activities of Investors and Exporters foreign exchange window into the FX FMDQ trading system. The bank said it would ensure that the objective of deepening the market was achieved. According to the apex bank, the directive is a further step in its effort to develop the foreign exchange market. “The CBN, in its efforts to further develop the Nigerian FX market, continues to embark on initiatives that serve to improve the FX market structure.” The b...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Visa, a global payments technology company, Thursday announced that it has opened its regional headquarters for the Western and Central Africa region in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire. Visa staff will work with local governments, financial institutions and merchants to bring the benefits of electronic payments, and introduce new payments technologies such as mVisa to more people in Cote D’Ivoire and the wider Western and Central Africa cluster. mVisa is also going to be launched in lagos, Nigeria later this year. While Visa’s network, VisaNet, and associated products are already available across the region, this is the first time that Visa has invested in a full time presence and expertize on the ground; and it is the first global payments network to do so. Visa is investing in placing resources in market in order to make its global payments expertize available to the region’s governments, financial institutions and merchants. This is critically important to pave the ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Maiduguri – The Borno Elders Forum, on Sunday described reports of the release of 82 Chibok school girls from the Boko Haram insurgents as a good omen. Dr Mali Gubio, the Secretary of the forum said in Maiduguri that credit must go to President Muhammad Buhari. “We are extremely happy to hear the news on the release of the girls; we are grateful to God for showing us this day. “We believe that Buhari deserve great commendation on this. “The President has done so much and he is doing well in piloting the affairs of the nation. “We pray to Almighty Allah to grant him good health, so that he can continue the good work he is doing. “For the girls we are very happy, we hope they are not traumatised in anyway. “We believe that it is time the abductors release all the people in their custody; I think they have no reason to keep holding them for no just cause. “These are helpless vulnerable people who are supposed to be in their villages and hamlets waiting for th...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J A Kogi High Court sitting in Okene on Thursday sentenced two trans-border cattle rustlers – Muhammed Lawal Jauro and Yusuf Sanni – to death by hanging. The duo got the sentence after Justice Josiah Majebi found them guilty of cattle rustling and culpable homicide. The accused were arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide, contrary to various sections of the Penal Code. The prosecution had told the court that sometimes in January 2016, one Dauda Abdullahi made a report of a gruesome murder and theft of cows, belonging to one Haruna, in one of the farm centres in Okene. He said that upon investigation, the accused persons were arrested at Ajase-Ipo in Kwara State, while their leader, Awaijo Wetti, escaped and was still at large. The prosecution further submitted that the suspects, who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges, later pleaded guilty. The prosecution quoted Jauro as saying in his statement ...