DevelopmentNewsOnline: June 2015

Thursday, 25 June 2015

Ambode gives tricycles, okada 3 weeks to quit restricted routes

The Lagos State Government has issued a 21-day ultimatum to commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators to leave all restricted routes or face the full wrath of the law.
Secretary to the State Government, Tunji Bello, gave the order after a meeting with the leadership of motorcycle and tricycle associations in Lagos State.
At the meeting, the state government condemned the recalcitrant attitude of the transporters, who flout traffic laws and operational guidelines with impunity.
Bello noted that the Lagos State government would not allow a return to the recent past before the enforcement of the 2012 Road Traffic Law, when crime rate and road accidents caused by unruly motorcycle riders were prevalent.
He stressed that it was because government realised their value and contributions to the economy that it banned them from operating on 475 roads out of 9,100, adding.
The government spokesman also stated that the administration in Lagos State, being a listening and compassionate government, has directed a massive public enlightenment to precede full enforcement of the restriction order and sensitise the transporters and all Lagos residents on the need to comply with the Road Traffic Law.
In their response, the leadership of the motorcycle and tricycle operators thanked the state government for taking them into its confidence and promised to pass the message to their members before the deadline.

Ekweremadu to Nigerians, we’re fighting for your interest

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has stated that the ongoing “fight” in the National Assembly is in the interest of Nigerians.
Plenary session was disrupted for hours in the House of Representatives on Wednesday as members engaged in a free-for-all fight over the election of new principal officers.
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, wants its nominees elected leaders, a position that has been rejected the leaderships of the Senate and the House.
Mr. Ekweremadu who represents Enugu state at the Senate in his reaction after the ugly incident said “Dear Nigerians, please be rest assured that we are all fighting for your interest. We need your prayer and support for a better Nigeria”.
He made the remark via his twitter handle.
Both chambers of the National Assembly have again

gone on recess to reconvene on July 21.
They resumed Plenary on Tuesday after a two-week break following the emergence of Bukola Saraki as Senate President and Yakubu Dogara, as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Fight galore in House of Reps

Some members of the House of Representatives on Thursday disrupted plenary on the floor of the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.
Problem started when the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara attempted to appoint principal officers for the House.

See Saraki's preferred senate Principal Officers

Senate President Bukola Saraki at Senate plenary this morning announced the following as principal officers:
Senate Leader -Senator Ali Ndume
Senate Deputy Leader – Bala Ibn Na’Allah
Senate Chief Whip – yet to be named
Deputy Whip – Francis Alimikhena
Meanwhile, the Lawan-led camp has objected to the list read out by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Mark sacks son, brother, 120 personal assistants

Following the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last general elections, former Senate President, David Mark has off-loaded no fewer than 120 of his personal assistants and domestic workers, including his son and younger brother.
DAILY POST gathered that Mark decided to dispose them after his ruling party was ousted from the presidency on March 28.
It was indeed a double tragedy for Mark as his party also failed to return to power in his own Benue State.
Mark led the Senate for eight years, a feat no legislator has achieved in the history of Nigeria.
DAILY POST gathered that he hitherto had over 300 personal assistants and domestic workers.
Among his workers were his son, Babatunde Mark and his brother, Igoche Mark.
While Igoche was his Personal Assistant (PA), his son, Tunde was his Special Assistant on Special Duties and Interior.
However, things fell apart after PDP was booted out of power and the mantle of leadership was taken away from the retired soldier to Bukola Saraki; hence his decision to cut cost by disengaging some of his workers.
An insider hinted that some of his domestic workers were even been owed for several months before they were sacked.
“What is the essence of keeping them when he is no longer in power? What will an ordinary floor member of the Senate be doing with over 200 workers? The money is no longer coming so he had to cut his coat according to his cloth.
“To tell you how serious it is, his son, Tunde was also affected and his brother, Igoche as well. However, Igoche is still working closely with him”, he hinted.
Asked why he sacked his own son, the source said: “His son, Tunde is not an illiterate. He studied Biochemistry and immunology from the prestigious Kings College, London. He needs to start his own life since his father is no longer in power. He has since flown out of the country following his disengagement”.
DAILY POST observed that following Mark’s exit from power, his GRA house has literarily turned to a graveyard as usual activities in the place has vanished.

Boko Haram kill 40 in Borno

About 40 people have been killed by suspected Boko Haram militants who torched houses and shot people as they fled in two villages in north-east Nigeria's Borno state, witnesses told Reuters on today.

The attackers, who arrived on motorcycles and vehicles mounted with guns, shot residents and looted shops in the villages of Debiro Biu and Debiro Hawul late on Monday night and into Tuesday morning, the witnesses said.

The Nigerian Senate has summoned the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to examine the conditions of the nation’s four refineries.

The decision was taken following a motion urging the Senate to act in respect of incessant fuel tanker tragedies on Nigeria’s highways.

The motion was introduced by Gbenga Ashafa representing Lagos East senatorial district.

He recalled that there had been repeated fuel tankers crashes in the past weeks.

“Within the space of one week, four fuel tankers accidents that occurred in two major cities in Nigeria that claimed lives and destroying properties.

Be prepared for 3 months of hardship- Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on yesterday told the governors of the 36 states to be ready for three months hardship.

Buhari made the disclosure at a meeting with the governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He promised to recover funds stolen by government officials who abused their offices in the recent past as well as stop systemic leakages.

The president assured the governors that the days of impunity, lack of accountability, and fiscal recklessness in the management of national resources were over in Nigeria.

“There are financial and administrative instructions in every government parastatal and agency, but all these were thrown to the dogs in the past.

Prince Buruji Kashamu, the Ogun east senator, wanted in the United States, may appear to be a tough guy, mounting a labyrinth of legal obstacles, to stall the moves by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to ship him out to Chicago.

But we can report today that Kashamu is also a faint-hearted person, not willing to take any risk about his life.

Kashamu was billed to travel to Abuja from Lagos today, after he failed to commit the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the NDLEA for criminal contempt over extradition moves to the USA.

Sierra Leone has announced the return of Ebola to its capital Freetown, dashing hopes that health authorities in the densely-populated city of 1.2 million had beaten the deadly outbreak.

The county’s National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) told AFP on Tuesday that three cases had emerged in the east-end slum of Magazine Wharf, three weeks after the last known infections in the capital.

Authorities are concerned that the case could lead to a mini-outbreak in the over-crowded fishing community, which has poor sanitation and is regularly hit by outbreaks of malaria and cholera.

Liberia was declared Ebola-free in May 2015.

So far, the Police has secured the area after robbers escaped with loot

The Nigerian Police has boasted that it has secured the Ikorodu area of Lagos where daredevil robbers raided banks in the area.

“Ikorodu Lagos now secured after our officers responded to Bank robbery this morning. Police units remain on ground.

Ex Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of lying for claiming that he inherited an ‘empty treasury’ from the immediate past administration.

Suleiman, who was a federal minister disclosed that the former administration under the leadership of Goodluck Jonathan left behind US$30 billion.

The ex-minister strongly warned the Buhari government against accusing Jonathan of milking the nation’s treasury dry.

Suleiman was reacting to a statement credited to President during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, where he was quoted as saying that his government met “virtually an empty treasury.”

EFCC arrests Ohakim

A former Imo State governor, Ihedi Ohakim, was on Thursday arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has reiterated the need for Muslims in the country to use the Ramadan fasting period to offer prayers to Allah for the peaceful co-existence of the country while also supporting teachings by Islamic scholars during the fasting period.

Fayose, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said that the great Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH), described Ramadan fasting as a shield against vices and noted that it was important for Muslims to assist the country with prayers during this Ramadan period.

Chad’s military has carried out a series of air strikes against Boko Haram bases in Nigeria in retaliation for twin suicide bombings this week in the Chadian capital N’Djamena that killed at least 34 people, it said in a statement late yesterday.

Governor Nyesom Wike-led government of Rivers State has ordered the sack of 344 employees comprising lecturers and non-academic staff of Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori.

The action did not come to many as a surprise, considering the alarm the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state raised in April this year that the management of the state polytechnic was employing people without going through due process.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has warned the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against rejoicing over the crisis within the All Progressives Congress, APC, because the governing party has the capacity to overcome its challenges and therefore would not allow the PDP snatch power from it come 2019.

The Speaker who disclosed this yesterday noted that politicians within the fold of the PDP are basking in the euphoria of the heat generated by the recent contest for leadership posts in the National Assembly and hoping that such will give the opposition party an edge over the APC.

A 70-year-old man Mr Ita Daniel Okpo who slaughtered his sleeping wife wife, Alice Ita Daniel, 60, with a machete while she was asleep in Akwa Ibom has been arrested by the Akwa Ibom Police Command.

Okpo who hails from Mbiokporo in Akwa Ibom was apprehended in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of the state after committing the act.

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Muslim faithfuls nationwide as they enter into the holy month of Ramadan.

Buhari urged Muslims to use the period of Ramadan to promote love & peace as taught by the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW).

The President called on Nigerians to pray for the return of peace, love and prosperity throughout the country as Muslims start the 2015 Ramadan fast.

Madam Tinubu snubs Saraki, Lawan

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday administered oath of office and allegiance on Ahmad Lawan and 27 other All Progressives Congress senators who were absent at the formal inauguration of the Eighth Senate.
The senators were gathered at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari, who was billed to address them when the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, proclaimed the Eighth Senate and subsequently conducted the election.

Tinubu is a local champion- Bode George

A former Deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George, has reacted to the outcome of the National Assembly elections conduction on Tuesday.
According to him, what transpired was a sign that the political career of the National Leader, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was over.
Senator Bukola Saraki yesterday emerged the Senate Presiden, defeating Senator Ahmed Lawan, Tinubu’s choice.
In the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara defeated Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to claim the seat of the House Speaker.
Reacting, George in an interview with Punch advised Tinubu to quit the political stage.
The PDP chieftain said having nominated the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; and the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Tinubu should have “taken things easy” but “Tinubu continued to push his luck too far.”
He said, “You know I predicted weeks ago that the APC is just a congregation of strange bedfellows. The most beautiful thing about what has happened is that Bola Tinubu’s political influence in Nigeria is coming to a sunset and it is about five minutes to midnight for him.
“If he cannot see this now, then it will be foolish of him. He brought in the APC national chairman and the vice-president and he thinks Nigeria belongs to him. So, he thought what he did in Lagos was what he could replicate at the national level and they have shown him that he cannot continue to be the lord of the manor.
“So, if he is wise, he will slow down. President Muhammadu Buhari, as an army general, has fought more battles than him and has an understanding of things.”
George also described the re-election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President as a victory for the PDP.
He also praised the Senators on its platform for carrying out a successful ‘political manoeuvre’.
George added, “The PDP was never dead. We were only given a bloodied nose, not a technical knockout. So, this is an opportunity to start regrouping and getting ready for 2019. I want to salute the dexterity and perfect political manoeuvres for which the PDP is well known.
“People like Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande in Osun have always been local champions. Now, they have come to the national level of politics and they are now learning the tricks that all that glitters is not gold.
Tinubu is a ‘local champion’, Saraki, Dogara have ended his political career – Bode George
“I congratulate Saraki and Ekweremadu. They understand what Nigeria is all about.”
Punch

Alleged defection plot to PDP absurd, laughable – Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday described insinuations that he is planning to defect to the People’s Democratic Party, as “absurd and laughable.”
In a statement by his media office by Bankole Omishore, Saraki said, “It is just cheap blackmail by political adversaries, who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it.”
He urged those making such desperate allegations to remember that he willingly left the PDP on matters of principles when the party was in power.
He said, “Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return, having worked so hard for my party in the last general elections?”
Saraki said he remained committed and loyal to the

A male and female student of a University in Anambra State (name withheld), have reportedly died in a hostel room located near the school.

NASS clerk, Saraki snubbed Buhari‘s request – Presidency

The Presidency yesterday, said the Clerk of the National Assembly and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, snubbed President Muhammadu Buhari’s request and conducted the election that produced Saraki as Senate President.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that there was a request for the National Assembly to move the time of the inauguration in other for the meeting with the All Progressives Congress lawmakers to hold.
Shehu, who spoke on Sunrise Daily, a morning programme on Channels TV, explained that Buhari declined to meet the 51 APC lawmakers at the International Conference Centre because election had already been completed by lawmakers who stayed back at the National Assembly complex.
According to him, the point of going to the ICC was lost once the process of election had begun.
He said: “Well, President Buhari had planned to be there to show support for the party and once the process had began, the point had been lost. Let me make this clear, I think somebody just wanted to bump into the President because the President had discussed what he wants. Governor Saraki directly or indirectly, the clerk of the National Assembly was reached directly or indirectly and they would have shown that respect to Mr. President, but the process went ahead. And that is it.
“I am talking about the clerk, governor saraki, the key characters in all of these had sufficient information directly or indirectly coming to them that the President will be meeting the party members and the party chairman was present on the ground. Assumption would have been that every loyal and committed party member would have presented themselves to the party and to their President. That did not happen yesterday (Tuesday).
“I mean the information had been made available to people who would have decide this process. A respect for the President even if and for him to have made this point, even the outcome would have been the same. They chose to be absent. They chose to respect their party and the President. 51 APC Senators decided to answer the call of the party and the President and were present to this meeting. It was not as if it was a secret meeting.
“The party had begun a process and concluded it and some of these actors were part of that process. They

How Saraki deceived Buhari, outwitted APC to become “Senate President”

A source at the Presidency has told SaharaReporters that Senator Bukola Saraki misled President Muhammad Buhari into believing that he was welcome to help broker a solution to a crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the choice of the party’s candidates for top legislative posts in the National Assembly, including President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The APC had chosen Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as their candidates for the Senate Presidency and Speaker slots respectively.
But in a stunning development, Mr. Saraki was this morning elected as President of the Senate after garnering the block support of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some APC senators who broke rank with their party. In a similar vein, PDP members of the House of Representatives threw their block votes behind Yakubu Dogara, selecting him as Speaker over the APC-endorsed Gbajabiamila.
Our Presidency source accused Mr. Saraki, who had earlier shunned a meeting with Vice Present Yemi Osibanjo, of inviting President Buhari to intervene in the widening internal schism within the APC. In refusing to attend an earlier peace meeting with the vice president, Mr. Saraki had reportedly fumed that he could not be summoned to a meeting by a mere commissioner, a comment he later denied making.
Soon after Mr. Buhari arrived in Abuja early on Tuesday, he invited all APC legislators to a meeting with him at the International Conference Center at 9 a.m. “Senator Saraki assured the president that he would attend the meeting,” said our source.
According to the source, Mr. Saraki instead “held a marathon meeting with members of the People Democratic Party to cement their support for him.”
The Ahmed Lawan faction of the APC awoke to news of the PDP’s endorsement of Mr. Saraki. Even so, they still headed for the 9 a.m. meeting called by President Buhari. They were waiting for the presidential parley when Senator Saraki and some other “rebel” senators of the APC moved into the National Assembly complex, where the police had thrown a cordon to prevent workers and reporters from entering, for the “election” of principal officers.
While lawmakers loyal to Mr. Lawan and Mr. Gbajabiamila waited for President Buhari to arrive, word reached the president that Mr. Saraki had been elected as Senate President.
“Mr. President felt deceived by Dr. Bukola Saraki. That’s why he did not bother to attend the [APC legislative] meeting he called.
Mr. Saraki and his cohorts also ignored the protocol for the president’s formal proclamation for the inauguration of the National Assembly, a source close to Saraki said they relied on a letter written by Buhari asking them to be inaugurated. Instead, 57 senators loyal to Mr. Saraki, most of them PDP members, unanimously “elected” Mr. Saraki after he was nominated by Senators Dino Melaye and Sanni Yerima. The rebelling APC Senators worked overnight to produced new rules for the elections with the help of outgoing Senate President, David Mark. Mr. Mark was later elected as “Senate Majority Leader”.
Mr. Saraki was quickly sworn-in as the new Senate President even as his APC colleagues were at the ICC waiting for Mr. Buhari to address them.
Two APC lawmakers loyal to Senator Lawan and Mr. Gbajabiamila told SaharaReporters that they had hoped to move to the National Assembly for a real election after the “peace meeting” with President Buhari. The two lawmakers said they were dismayed to receive text messages reporting that Mr. Saraki had been elected.
PDP governors from Rivers, Ondo and several other leaders of the party witnessed the election and swearing in of Saraki today.

Tuesday, 9 June 2015

Dont miss this opportunity ladies

WISCAR is set to host its inaugural speed mentoring event on the WIN-with-WISCAR Mentoring programme.
The Speed Mentoring event is scheduled to hold on Saturday, June 20, 2015. Time: 2pm. We would like you to spread the word and share the attached flyer within your network and on social media platforms.

The WISCAR Board decided to introduce the Speed Mentoring event as a strategic initiative to the annual calendar based on demand and the feedback received from mentees. The objective is to provide a

Kashumu fights back while Nigerian and American governments face embarrassment for failing to abduct him

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Buruji Kashamu have been involved in a legal strife concerning Kashamu’s extradition to the United States for drug trafficking charges.

This formal extradition suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/479/2015 came after a company of NDLEA officers surrounded Senator Kashamu during a six-day siege of his Lekki, Lagos residence.

The officers vacated the when Justice Okon Abang of the Lagos Federal High Court instructed NDLEA officers to leave the premises and suspend all actions concerning illegal exploits.

“In this case, the NDLEA is very jumpy, nervous and unsettled because it has exposed its unprofessionalism.”

Not too long ago, a picture over twenty years old went viral on the internet. It was shot right in Dodan Barracks, Lagos in 1994, and in it, a usurper military dictator, the late General Sani Abacha, in his military attire – though not uncommonly un-bereted yet quite unusually un-bespectacled – welcomes to the famous seat of power, the late Chief MKO Abiola who is clad resplendently in his usual embroidered agbada, buba and sokoto, with his long famous cap to match. For one who had just won the freest and fairest election in the political history of Nigeria, the irony is more than cruelly etched in the loudly-silent question: “who between the de facto despot and the demure democrat should be the welcomer to the seat of power and who should be the guest to it?”

Yet, it is clear that whereas one was an opportunistic upstart crow beautified with the feathers of our democratic martyrs, the other was a selfless visioner prepared to sacrifice his all to reclaim the stolen mandate of his people.

The Nation is agog with the enthronement of Muhammadu Buhari as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic Of Nigeria. Many congratulatory messages of well-wishers, agenda setters and recommendations are in the media by way of editorials, press releases,view points ,analysis and advertorials covering several issues of National importance. My humble contribution is by way of advice to Mr. President on a critical issue that may be the beginning of erosion of his excellent leadership credential or reduce the momentum of his reform and restoration agenda if not carefully handled or avoided completely.

Wife of former Yobe State governor, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim and daughter of second republic presidential aspirant and founder of the Great Nigeria People’s Party’s Party (GNPP), Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri, Honorable Khadija Abba Ibrahim, has said that given the opportunity to become the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, her major agenda would be assisting President Muhammadu Buhari achieve set goal of making changes in Nigeria.

Khadija whose name has featured prominently among likely deputy speaker candidates, yesterday said she possesses requisite academic and political credentials that qualify her to operate in the capacity and to act as part of the pivot of change in Nigeria.

Boko Haram intends to subdue Nigeria – Atiku

Former Vice -President Atiku Abubakar has hinted that the BOko Haram terrorists group has raised its operations in an intention to subdue the country as he called on Nigerians to stand up and counter the menace of Boko Haram by being more security conscious.

He said the populace should offer information of any strange movement in their localities to the security agencies.

The former Vice-President, who spoke on Friday, was reacting to the Thursday’s bomb blast that rocked the Yola Modern Market, resulting in the death of over 40 persons.

He said the insurgents had raised their modes of operations, and appeared to habour an intention to subdue the country.

The United States government has expressed its readiness to work with the newly sworn-in Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, to tackle the electricity problem in the country.

Andy Herscowitz, coordinator for Trade Africa and Power Africa, disclosed this Thursday during a press briefing with the US delegation to the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town, South Africa.

“Nigeria is one of the markets that offers us the greatest potential for achieving our megawatt goals, given the gas privatization that has taken place over the last few years,” Mr. Herscowitz said during a question and answer session.

J Boima Rogers writes on: His to-do list is long but, yes, Buhari can improve Nigeria

The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria’s presidential election is a welcome break in a country where changes in governments have only happened when the military has intervened.

In the past 15 years, the baton has merely passed from one member of the same party to another.

With all his faults, and there are many, Goodluck Jonathan must be lauded for accepting defeat. And now the country needs to move on and address the enormous challenges the new president will face.

These include security, the economy and corruption, all of which are related.

The Nigerian electorate has given the mandate to a man with a unique skillset and track record. The country has the resources and the new leader has demonstrated that he is up to the job.

An end may be in sight for the fuel scarcity that has gripped the country in the past four months, as the Federal Government and petroleum marketers yesterday agreed to work together to end the queues at filling stations within two weeks.

They also agreed to set up a task force to monitor the situation and implement agreements reached during a meeting of stakeholders in the sector in Abuja.

A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum

Resources, Taiye Haruna, also directed the marketers to immediately move about 700 trucks of premium motor spirit (Petrol) to Abuja and its environs.

As the G7 meet in Germany, the Nigeria Network on Stolen Assets has written to the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, asking him to mobilise its members to reject the controversial secret agreements by the immediate past Goodluck Jonathan administration with the late Sani Abacha family on the $980million stolen funds recovered and repatriated by the Swiss government to Nigeria.

The letter also asked the UK government and the G7 to continue supporting the Nigerian government to recover all looted assets held in Western banks and offshore centres as well as establish mechanisms for effective civil society oversight, to ensure transparency and accountability for all returned funds.

"What if your father was raping you?"

All over the world, cultures and traditions differ. However one cultural value that seems to cut across is the abhorrence of incestuous relationships, especially between close family relatives. But this has in recent times being on the increase, with fathers engaging in sexual relationships with their daughters, uncles freely having carnal knowledge of their nieces and cousins taking delight in the forbidden fruit. Medinat Kanabe takes a look at this and the psychological implications on the victims.

26 ships laden with petrol, diesel, food items, expected in Lagos

Twenty six ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other commodities are expected to arrive Lagos ports from June 3 to June 20.

This is contained in a publication, ”Daily Shipping Position,” made available by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to newsmen today in Lagos.

The document noted that the expected ships contained petrol, kerosene, diesel, containers, general cargo, fish, bulk gypsum and bulk wheat.

Senate passes life imprisonment bill on rapists, others

The Senate today passed into law the Sexual Offences Bill which prescribes life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of sexual offences like rape and child sex tourism, among others.

Some of the offences listed in the bill included, rape, child sex tourism and people who deliberately infect others with HIV/AIDS.

Chairman of the Committee on Navy, Senator Chris Anyanwu, sponsored the bill which is expected to pass concurrence in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

The bill also prescribes 10 years for incest; 10 years imprisonment for child pornography or a fine of N2m, while those who engage in sex abuse will go to jail for 14 years.

President Muhammadu Buhari is making his first official visit to Niger, a key ally against Islamist insurgents Boko Haram.

The former military ruler, who took office last week, is making the trip to discuss a regional offensive against the militant group, which has caused havoc in northern Nigeria and neighbouring states.

Niger, Chad and Cameroon have all been helping Nigeria retake territory lost to Boko Haram in recent months.

Buhari promised at his inauguration that he would tackle the extremist group "head-on", after it displaced 1.5 million civilians and carried out hundreds of abductions since beginning its campaign to create an Islamic state in 2009, the BBC reported.

Fifty-four soldiers sentenced to death for mutiny by the General Martial Court in Abuja in December 2014, have filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the army authorities from executing them.

Their suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/484/15, was filed out of fear that they could be executed at any moment despite alleged non-compliance with the procedure stipulated in the law.

The Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army are the first and second defendants in the suit which was filed on May 22, 2015.

The convicts argued through their counsel, Mrs. Funmi Falana, that it was illegal for the army authorities to go ahead with their execution when the findings of the General Court Martial had not been promulgated.

Lagos postpones inauguration of eight assembly

The Lagos State House of Assembly today announced that it has postponed the inauguration of its eighth Assembly earlier scheduled for Thursday.

The inauguration, according to a statement signed by the Assembly’s Head of Information, Bose Lambo, will now take place on Monday, June 8.

Former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, has denied accusations from current Governor Nyesom Wike that he vandalized the Governor’s official quarters.

On Monday, Governor Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took leaders of the State on a tour of the Government House in Port Harcourt, which he alleges was looted and vandalized by the outgoing Amaechi administration.

Amaechi said Wike has gone ahead with his plan of threatening and blackmailing officials of his administration into making false statements that would make his government transactions appear as corrupt practices.

Over 1000 policemen with high cert to get new placement

Over 1000 police officers who acquired high qualification while in service and have subsequently submitted their application for upgrade will, in the next few weeks, enjoy new placement.

The certificates would however be verified and the officers would undergo intensive test before the placement.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, disclosed this while responding to questions from journalists after he has decorated 14 Commissioners of Police with their new ranks in Abuja, on Wednesday, June 3, 2015.

The Federal High Court in Ibadan on today ordered the remand of eight bank officials over alleged currency scam.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had arraigned three CBN staff and five employees of First Bank Plc over the alleged scam.

The CBN employees are Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Adeola and Togun Phillips while their alleged accomplices included Isiaq Akao, Ayodele Adeyemi, Oyebamiji Hakeem, Ayodeji Alase and Ajiwe Adegoke.

HIV/AIDS spread may not stop if...

Insufficient fund allocated by the federal government to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and treat persons living with the virus would delay its goal to ensure a free HIV/AIDS generation.

Dr Bilali Camara, UNAIDS Country Director for Nigeria said to adequately fund Nigeria's HIV/AIDS response, about $1.2 billon is required but only half of that money has been made available with the Nigerian government contributing only 25% of the fund instead of 50%.

'COPD now deadliest non-communicable disease'

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), has now been identified as the most dangerous and deadliest non-communicable disease, which is worse than heart attack, stroke, road traffic accidents and cancer.

Senior respiratory physician and Head of Breath Easy Clinic at Apollo Hospitals Group, India, Dr R.P. Ilangho, noted that these are the five world's deadly diseases which go in this order, heart attack, stroke, road traffic accidents and cancer but COPD tops the list now.

He said: "All of us know about heart attacks, strokes, road accidents and cancers but I bet you 10 in hundreds may only know about COPD.

Online publishers under the aegis of Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP, have applauded the appointments of Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu as the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) and Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Witnesses say that a suicide bombing at market in the northeastern city of Maiduguri has killed as many as 20 people.

The town had already been attacked in the early hours of the morning Tuesday by the extremist Boko Haram movement.

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give him the privilege of nominating an Ekiti State indigene for appointment into Buhari’s cabinet.

Fayose, who was one of Buhari’s biggest opponents in the run-up to the March presidential election, said this in a statement on Tuesday.

The governor said he had written to Buhari and was hopeful that the President’s reply would be favourable.

There was an early morning inferno at Jafojo Street along the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway in Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos State today.

According to eyewitnesses, nine cars, five buses, several shops and houses were completely burnt in the incident.

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has given insights into the priorities of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. Osinabjo disclosed this in an interview with SaharaTV.

He said the administration’s focus would be on “security, corruption, and the economy”.

According to him, the administration would take security seriously and added that the concerns concerning the Niger Delta are important.

He stated that the administration would be at “the forefront of addressing issues affecting all ethnic minorities and tensions.”

Five people have been confirmed dead and hundreds missing after a cruise ship carrying 458 people capsized on the Yangtze River in China’s Hubei province on June 2, 2015.

State media said rescuers heard calls from inside the capsized ship and about a dozen people were rescued.

The boat, The Eastern Star, reportedly sent no emergency signal, while an alarm was raised by those who had swum to shore.

The Oyo State Police Command, has arrested one Mr. Tajudeen Awoniyi for allegedly defiling his two daughters and nieces in Ibadan.

Awoniyi, a herbalist, allegedly committed the act on Friday night at Moniya area of Ibadan.

The 60-year-old’s daughters had brought home their nieces to sleep in the house because their mother travelled to Lagos.

Woman pours hot water on police husband

A woman, Esther Ehianuguan yesterday poured hot water on her police husband, Charles Ehianuguan after he battered her in public. The incident happened in Egbeda Idimu in Lagos State.

According to eye witnesses, Esther’s husband who works at the Area F police Command in the logistics and Supply unit, Ikeja, Lagos state was alleged to have physically assaulted his wife.

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