Anybody found with Biafra flag‘ll be arrested – Abia CP

Residents lynch suspected gang member in Lagos In Metro19 hours

man, suspected to be a member of the dreaded Badoo gang, was, yesterday, lynched by a mob at Aga area of Ikorodu, Lagos.

Meanwhile, three persons were hit by stray bullets from policemen, who attempted to prevent the jungle justice being meted on the victim.

It was gathered that the Badoo suspect was apprehended by members of a vigilante group

Don’t use force against Biafran agitators – Shehu Sani

Shehu Sani

Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District on Sunday in Kano, cautioned the Federal Government against using military force to silence Biafran agitators.
Rather than military approach, Sani urged the Federal Government to embrace dialogue.
Shortly after his condolence visit to the wife of the late Mallam Aminu Kano, Malama Aishatu, the senator, insisted that the Biafra agitation should be handled with utmost care.
He argued that the only solution was the entrenchment of socio-political and economic reforms in the country.

NDLEA arrests another Saudi-bound pilgrim with cocaine

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, have intercepted a 54-year-old single mother of four, Modinat Oluwayemisi Owolabi, on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia with substances that tested positive for cocaine.
The suspect, who hails from Kwara State, was apprehended during the outward screening of passengers on a Qatar airline flight to Saudi Arabia after testing positive to drug ingestion.
Preliminary investigation revealed that she ingested 32 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine weighing 330 grammes.
The suspect, who hawks tea and bread to earn a living in Lagos, was found to have collected N300,000 to smuggle drugs to Saudi under the pretext of going for pilgrimage. She was also going to Saudi as a private pilgrim and not as a group.
The NDLEA Commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba, said this was the second arrest of a pilgrim

Saraki denies plans to raise petrol pump price

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has denied that the upper chamber of the National Assembly is proposing an increment of the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) by N5 as part of measures to generate funds for roads repairs and maintenance.
The Special Assistant to the Senate President on New Media, Mr. Bankole Omisore, in a statement on Saturday, denied the reports that the legislature had the plan.
As part of the recommendations in the report by the Senate Committee on Works on the National Roads Fund Establishment Bill 2017, a levy of N5 will be imposed on every litre of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and Automobile General Oil (diesel) imported or refined in the country.
The panel also proposed tolling on federal roads and 0.5 per cent of transport fares paid by passengers using

There are too many drinking joints in Anambra – Monarch

Chief Alex Onyido, the traditional ruler of Ogilisi, Idemili South Local Government in Anambra, has called for stringent measures to curtail the growing number of drinking joints in the state.
Onyido made the call on Friday in Awka, while speaking at the the 2017 edition of Lady Victoria Onyido quiz competition, organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, for secondary schools.
“The trend is worrisome and not in the best interest of public health.
“Such facilities breed crime and criminality; the rate at which such businesses are springing up in all corners calls for concern,” he said.
Onyido, who is the sponsor of the quiz competition, said that it was meant to draw government’s attention to the use of illicit drugs among secondary school students.
The monarch lauded NDLEA’s commitment to the fight against drug abuse and peddling, pointing out that drug addiction and abuse could lead to other vices like kidnapping, armed robbery and prostitution.

PCN seals 380 illegal pharmacies, patient medicines stores

Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) said it has sealed the premises of 380 illegal pharmacies and patent medicine stores during its facility inspection and enforcement exercise in Edo state.
The Council’s Director of Inspection and Monitoring, Mrs. Anthonia O. Aruya, disclosed this in Benin City while briefing journalists on the enforcement carried out in Benin metropolis by the council.
Aruya said those sealed 380 businesses during the exercise were made up of 38 illegal Pharmacies and 270 Patient Medicine stores, adding that the aim was to sanitise the drug distribution chain in the country.
According to her, the sealed-up were for various offences, ranging from failure to renew premises license, dispensing ethical products without the supervision of pharmacists and poor sanitary condition among others.
She said, “Pharmacists Council of Nigeria cannot guarantee that drugs sold in unregistered outlets are of the same integrity as specified by the manufacturers since they have not submitted to the regulation that ensure maintenance of minimum standard for handling such products”.

Woman seeking bail collapses at Lagos court

An elderly woman, whose identity could not be ascertained, collapsed yesterday at the premises of the Lagos Magistrates Court, Igbosere.
It was learnt that the woman was making efforts at facilitating bail for her son, who was involved in a criminal matter, through a lawyer.
It was also learnt that the unidentified woman told her rescuers at another point “that she regularly gave an

Diezani Alison- Madueke Walking On The Street Of London (Photos)

She looks very strong now.

Photos Of The Men Who Killed An Uber Driver In Lagos

Osaro Egbomrewen and Michael Eyeoekpe, were
yesterday paraded before newsmen in connection
with the death of an Uber driver ,Innevosa
Emmanuel, who was strangled to death at the Ogba
area of the state recently.

Accident At Otukpo-Enugu Round About Kills Many (Graphic Photos)

Over 5 five students who are currently studying at the Benue State Polythenic Ugbokulo has been reported dead as a result of a fatal accident along the most Popurlar Enugu Round About in Otukpo, Benue State.

An eye witness who claims anonymity says a big truck carrying a loads of yam fell on top of the car that was conveying the students, immediately the truck killed everyone of them.

We Can Re-present Magu For Confirmation - Osinbajo

​VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo has declared that there is no law in the Nigeria Constitution stopping the Presidency from representing the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, as substantive chairman.

Osinbajo, a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made this known while speaking with journalists at the Presidential Villa.

He added that the Presidency is fully in support of Magu emerging as the substantive chairman of the EFCC.

He said: “It is up to the Senate to make their judgement and it is up to us say what we want to do.

Boko Haram Commanders Chatting & Smiling In Court In Abuja, foto&(Video)

"Why Patience Jonathan Withdrew Cash From Skye Bank" - Barrister Charles Ogboli

Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan yesterday explained that she withdrew $100,000 from her unblocked Skye Bank account for medical treatment.

Speaking through her solicitor, Barrister Charles Ogboli, the former first lady, said she never wanted to withdraw all the money, but just to ensure compliance to the order of court.

“She wanted to withdraw $5 million on Friday but unfortunately there was no funds and they (the bank) pleaded with her that she can withdraw $100,000 in order to comply with the order of court. They have

EFCC Recovers N4billion Cash From Ex-Niger State Deputy Governorship Candidate

A tip-off by a whistleblower on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 led to another discovery by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of a staggering sum of N4billion suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Investigations as to the owner of the funds revealed that the money belongs to a former deputy governorship

Discos Reject 10,200 Megawatts In 1 Month

Eleven electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) rejected 10,200 megawatts (mw) allocation in one month, industry figures have shown.

This is coming at a time the country is experiencing low generation of electricity due to gas supply constraints.

The incident happened mid February and extended to the second week of March.

The DisCos were allocated a total of 75,021mw within the period but they accepted 65,729mw which they distributed to the end users.

However, the difference of 10,200mw was rejected by different DisCos per time.

Data obtained exclusively by the Daily Trust indicated that a few DisCos in February and March took excess power totalling 780mw.

Analysis by our reporter shows that Ikeja and Benin DisCos topped the list of the highest load rejecters as they did that for over three times in the period.

On February 15, being the first day of the period in focus, the industry statistics showed that the 11 DisCos were allocated 3868.38mw based on the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2015 Allocation table.

They consumed 3151mw, leaving out 769mw. Benin and Ikeja DisCos rejected the highest load of 171mw and 159mw, while Yola DisCo rejected 9.62mw being the lowest.

On the last day of the period being March 14, 2017, the DisCos got 3,640mw allocation but consumed 3,038mw.

A balance of 607mw was turned down that day. Ibadan DisCo topped the list with 184mw while Yola DisCo, now a public-driven utility firm again rejected the least of 16mw electricity loads.


Reactions trailing the rejection

Complaints of load rejection have been heavy since the period in focus began. Spokesperson for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Seun Olagunju in a recent statement said its System Operations - Osogbo arm directed Generation Companies (GenCos) to ramp down on production to stabilise the system due to many load rejection.

Confirming this, statistics obtained from the operators of Kainji Hydro GenCo show that due to the ramping down of load, it lost 1,420mw in just six days in March.

But in an exclusive interview and a later briefing, the 11 Distribution Companies (DisCos) speaking through the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) revealed reasons for the claimed load rejection.

ANED’s Director of Research and Advocacy, Barrister Sunday Oduntan explained that TCN often defies the daily load schedules of the DisCos by transmitting electricity to where DisCos have low distribution needs, leaving out the high areas of electricity demand.

He said: “The issue is about wrong dumping of load where the DisCos cannot recover the cost at that point as the power supply is not always enough for all the customers under a particular DisCo.”

An Abuja based Power Efficiency advocate, Mr. Odey Haruna said the 10,200mw rejected load is enough to power many industries for weeks, thereby creating productivity and leaving huge economic impacts.

Haruna advised TCN to strengthen its networks to minimise the transmission constraints leading to poor load allocation in the cities.

“The DisCos must also do their best to optimise their cables and transformers. If Nigerians are hungry for electricity and the available ones are being rejected, then it makes no economic sense completely,” he said.


                                                                                           By Simon Echewofun Sunday

Governors Kick Against $138m Consultants’ Fees

There is disquiet among governors over a plan to pay some consultants $138 million (about N42.2b at the official N306 to $1) of the $6.9 billion Paris-London Club loan refund.

Besides, The Nation learnt at the weekend that:

• the Presidency is unhappy that local governments did not get their right share of the hefty refund; and

• some states are still owing local government workers as many as 10 months’ salaries; others are owing six months.

Non-payment of salaries and pensions is considered a breach of the agreement between the Presidency and the governors.

The Presidency has released N1,266.44 trillion to the 36 states in the past one and a half years. The cash

Obasanjo Lacks Moral Right To Accuse Anyone Of Corruption – Fayose

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has told former President Olusegun Obasanjo to desist from accusing people of corruption in Nigeria.

Fayose said it was hypocritical of the former president to claim that some church leaders in the country were not only encouraging corruption but also celebrating people with questionable sources of wealth.



Obasanjo made the accusation in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday, at the 2017 Convention Lecture of Victory Life Bible Church International while speaking on the theme, “The role of the

Militants Kill Army Captain & 4 Policemen In Lagos

An army Captain, identified as Muhammed, four policemen, and a civilian lost their lives on Sunday after suspected militants attacked Ishawo, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that panic-stricken residents fled their homes in the wake of the killings.

Our correspondent learnt that a combined team of the police and military had already been deployed in the area in a bid to apprehend the perpetrators of the crime.

It was gathered that the militants had first attacked a funeral in Makun-Omi, Ogun State, on Saturday, disrupting the burial of a monarch.

A police source told our correspondent that the Captain and the policemen had responded to a distress call after the militants kidnapped some residents on Woodland Estate, close to the

How EFCC Can Win Corruption Cases In Court – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on how in corruption cases, declaring that they needed ‘ogbologbo’ (competent) lawyers, among others.

Obasanjo, who spoke while playing host to members of the Correspondents’ Chapel and some media practitioners in Ogun State at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, also said there was no truth in the allegation made by Gen. Ishiaya Bamaiyi that his administration wanted to kill him.

The former president said for the EFCC to be result-oriented, it must adopt a three-pronged approach of

Oba Of Benin Gets 117-Year-Old Tortoises As Gifts

The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, on Saturday received as gifts two tortoises said to be 117 years old.

The Oba received the tortoises when he visited traditional rulers in the Edo North senatorial district.

He was received at the palace of the Otaru of Auchi, His Royal Highness, Aliyu Momoh, Ikelebe III, in the Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

During the visit, Oba Ewuare II called on traditional rulers in Edo State to promote measures aimed at conserving the environment and encouraging forest regeneration.

He urged the traditional rulers in the area to support his initiative on youth empowerment and job creation.

He stressed the need to key into the agricultural policies of the state government, by making land available to investors and encouraging the youths to embrace agriculture to boost food production.