North Korea will make a public show of its promise to close its nuclear testing site, north of the country.

According to South Korean news agency, Yonhap,North Korea said it is taking technical measures to dismantle its nuclear test site, moving closer to honouring an offer made by its leader Kim Jong-un during the inter-Korean summit last month.

The Norths foreign ministry issued a press release, carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), detailing the countrys plans to shut down its Pyunggye-ri nuclear test ground.

The English-language statement said the ruling Workers Party and other relevant institutions are taking technical measures for dismantling the northern nuclear test ground in order to ensure transparency of discontinuance of the nuclear test.

During the third inter-Korean summit on April 27, Kim told South Korean President Moon Jae-in that he would carry out the closure of the northern nuclear test site in May, according to Seouls presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae.

Kim also offered to make the dismantling public. And the Norths foreign ministry said the ceremony for the occasion has been scheduled for between May 23 and 25, depending on weather conditions.

Given the limited space, only journalists from South Korea, China, Russia, the United States and Britain will be invited to cover the dismantling on-site, the ministry added.

Source: NAN

Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON),has emerged as a delegate to the forthcoming National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okechukwu was returned unopposed at the Udi Local Government Area (LG) Congress, held at the Udi APC local government secretariat, 9th Mile Corner, Ngwo, near Enugu.

Two other national delegates, Mr. Charlie Chime and Maureen Anosike, were also returned unopposed at the same venue.

Reacting to his election as national delegate, Okechukwu assured that he would use the mandate given to him to support the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to revamp coal in Enugu and improve infrastructure in the South-East.

When we came here before, we promised that President Muhammadu Buhari will revamp Enugu coal.

We promised that President Buhari will revamp Enugu-Onitsha expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt and Enugu-Makurdi expressways. Today, work had started on all of them.

Also contained in President Buharis docket is $50 million dollars for Enugu Urban Water Scheme, Okechukwu said.

In his remarks, Chief Emma Eneukwu, the National Vice Chairman of APC for South-East, lauded the conduct of the congress in Udi council area; stressing that the exercise was free, fair, transparent and credible.

Eneukwu described all those who attended the congress as very committed and trusted party men, pointing out that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the media were fully represented.

The congress in the council was attended by party bigwigs from the council, which included the Acting Women Leader, Mrs. Oby Nwofor.

Members of the Udi local government executive of the party were also elected during the congress.

They include: Mr Jude Anyadibe as Chairman; Mr Pascal Ojielo as the Deputy Chairman; Mr Felix Okafor as Secretary; Mrs Mabel Owoh as Women Leader; Sylvester Onyia as the Treasurer among others. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday left Abuja to attend the inauguration of President Julius Bio in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

According to a statement by Mr Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Osinbanjo is expected to Abuja later in the evening.

Bio won the countrys presidential run-off election on March 31.

NAN reports that the presidents of Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Gambia have been confirmed to attend the ceremony.

Also on the lineup is a list of Nollywood stars from Nigeria, among them Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Mercy Johnson, Osita Iheme of Aki and Paw Paw fame, as well as John Okafor, better known as Mr IBU.

The Nigerian music sensation, Davido, is also billed to attend.

The new Sierra Leonean First Lady, Fatima Bio, who is herself into showbiz, is thought to be the host of the artists whom she has worked with in the film industry.

There will be government delegations from other countries outside Africa, notably the U.S., where President Donald Trump last week named a delegation headed by the head of Peace Corps to fly to Freetown to partake in the event.

The inauguration comes a little over a month after Bio was sworn onto office following his electoral victory on March 31.

The occasion also coincides with the 56th birthday anniversary of the president. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Mr Segun Adewale has emerged the governorship candidate of the party for the July 14 election in the state, the National Committee Chairman for the Primary Election of the Action Democratic Party, (ADP) in Ekiti, Mr Umaru Yakubu has declared.

Yakubu, who is also the National Vice Chairman of the party, North West Zone, conducted the partys primary in Ado Ekiti on Saturday. Adewale was the sole candidate.

Secretary to the electoral committee, Mrs Adenike Jones, who announced the results of the election held throughout the 177 wards in the state, declared Adewale as the candidate of the party.

The National Youth Leader of the party, Prince Edobo Ogboza, urged the youths and women to support the party and its flagbearer.

He assured the party supporters of better times ahead, adding that the candidate, when he finally wins the governorship election would provide more job opportunities for the youths and empower the women of the state.

He said that the party would ensure that the youths and women in the state are not sidelined.

Adewale, who is the only aspirant of the party, in his acceptance speech,thanked the party members for their support and turnout from the 16 local government areas of the state.

He tasked the party members to win more members into the party, for the party to have good outing during the July 14 governorship election.

Adewale, born on 15 May, 1966, was educated both in Lagos and Ipoti Ekiti in his early years. He went to University of Ibadan between 1986 and 1990 where he bagged a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography.

He thereafter obtained a Masters Degree in Public Administration at theLagos State Universityin 1995.

He made a name in aviation business, founding in 1997, Aeroland Travel Limited,a business travel management, Air charter and Aviation training company.

In 2015, Adewale contested to represent Lagos West in the Senate, but he lost to the APC candidate, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, also called Yayi.

Source: NAN

The police in Lagos, on Saturday, said three persons have been arrested over their alleged involvement in the killing of one man during the APC LG congress in Agege.

The spokesman of the command, SP Chike Oti, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He, however, did not mention the names of the victim and suspects.

Oti said that the suspects had been taken to the State CID, Panti for interrogation.

He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects and victim were not accredited for the election.

We confirmed that one person was killed on Saturday at Central Primary School, Oniwaya Agege.

Three persons allegedly involved in the killing have been arrested.

The suspects have been taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti for interrogations.

The victim was killed outside the venue of the APC ward election.

The victims and those arrested had nothing to do with the election as they were not accredited, Oti said.

An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, had earlier told NAN that there was crisis at the Agege venue of the congress after reading of list of delegates allegedly favoured one camp and marginalised another.

He said there was shooting from inside the venue and a bullet hit a man at the gate of Central Primary School, Oniwaya, Agege.

Source: NAN

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described alleged Iranian rocket fire on Israeli military positions across a ceasefire line in southern Syria as extremely serious.

We condemn any attempt to harm Israels security, Le Drian said in an interview in Fridays edition of newspaper Le Parisien.

But beyond that, we must take action so that diplomatic solutions can be implemented quickly and de-escalation takes place.

Iranian targets have repeatedly been hit inside Syria in recent weeks in attacks thought to have been conducted by Israel.

On Thursday, Israel accused Iran of firing a barrage of rockets against the Israeli side of a ceasefire line on the Golan Heights, partly controlled by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Israel hit back with dozens of airstrikes that it said hit almost all Iranian military infrastructure in Syria.

Le Drian said that the 2015 agreement on Irans nuclear activities remained in force despite the US pulling out on Tuesday.

But France still wants to complement it with new measures on issues such as Irans ballistic missiles and its military activities in the region, he said.

Asked how he could reassure Iranian citizens, he said: We are faithful to our commitments. We have expectations, but were here.

Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, alongside Russia, have been key backers of the government side in the Syrian civil war.

But Israel, which has fought against Hezbollah on several occasions, sees the development of Iranian or Hezbollah positions near the Golan Heights as a strategic threat.(dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN

A 29-year-old woman, Ummi Bashiru, who allegedly assaulted a nephew over his inability to recite the Quran, was on Friday arraigned in an Ikorodu Magistrates Court, Lagos State.

Bashiru, a resident of Gbodo area, Ewu Owa community in Ikorodu, is being tried on a count charge of assault, an offence he denied committing.

The Chief Magistrate, F. A. Azeez, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned further hearing until May 31.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. John Iberedem, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on April, 26, at her residence.

He alleged that the accused assaulted the 12-year-old nephew. who was living with her. by beating him severely with an electric wire and stick.

The accused is an aunt to the boy. She usually beats him severely with horsewhips, cutlass and other dangerous weapon which has left permanent scars on his body.

The last beatings aroused the neighbours who reported her to the police.

She battered the boy with electric wire because he cannot recite Quran, Iberedem told the court.
He said that the offence contravened Section 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Source: NAN

Rev. Musa Asake, the General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has died.

Asakes death was confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by his younger brother, Mr Philimon Asake on Friday in Abuja.

He was 68 years old.

Philimon told NAN that Asake passed on in the early hours of Friday after a brief illness.

According to him, details of the burial arrangements will be communicated to the public soon.

The deceased, a pastor and teacher, hailed from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Until his death, he was famous for his defence of the Christian faith.

Source: NAN

A pastors wife, Mrs Uzoamaka Ibeneme, on Friday, lost her 21-year-old marriage, when an Igando Customary Court in Lagos, dissolved the union on grounds of adultery.

Mr Akin Akinniyi, the court president, who delivered the judgment, said the petitioner,Pastor Joshua Ibeneme was adamant in spite of the mediation by the court and family intervention.

Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court is, therefore, left with no option but to grant him his wish and pronounce the union dissolved.

The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Pastor Joshua Ibeneme and Mrs Uzoamaka Ibeneme dissolved today.

Both of you will henceforth cease to be husband and wife, each of you should go on his or her separate ways unmolested.

The court wishes both of you well in your future endeavour.

Any squabble between both you from now on shall be treated as criminal and any violation of this judgment will be regarded as contempt of court and will attract imprisonment without option of fine, Akinniyi ruled.

Earlier, the petitioner, a 53-year-old pastor, Joshua Ibeneme, had approached the court to end his 21-year-old marriage to his wife, Uzoamaka, who he said, was messing around with his church members.

My wife had sexual affair with two of my church members, a deacon and a bishop. Both of them were telling my other members that they slept with my wife because she enticed them.

Whenever I return from a trip, my last born always tells me that men came to pick and drop my wife. Even God told me to divorce her or else she will destroy my ministry, he claimed.

The petitioner said that his wife denied him sex for five years.

My wife starved me of sex for more than five years; whenever I want to sleep with her, she would give one excuse or the other and in fact, she has moved out of my room to a separate room.

But she gives it to my members freely, the pastor said.

The pastor said that his wife was always mocking and embarrassing him in public places, telling people about his sexual performance.

He said that Uzoamaka always accused him of having affairs with any female member, who came to the house for counselling.

She accused them of dating me and also went to their houses to fight them. Her behaviour has chased many members away from my church, he said.

He begged the court to divorce the loveless union, claiming he was no longer in love with his wife.

However, the respondent, Uzoamaka, denied having sex with their church members but accused her husband of infidelity.

It is women that cause our frequent fighting, they are the problem in our home and my husbands lust for them is very high.

I never slept with the two men, who claimed that they slept with me, they just wanted to tarnish my image, my husband is dating the wife of the deacon.

According to her, the pastor calls her derogatory names in the public such as prostitute.

The 45-year-old teacher said that she starved her husband of sex because she hated sex, adding that she married him because she wanted children.

The mother of three, however, begged the court not to grant her husbands wish for dissolution of the marriage as she was still in love with him.

Source: NAN

The Centre for Citizens with Disability (CDD) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Disability Bill to ensure the full integration of People with Disabilities (PWDs) into the society.

The Executive Director of CDD, Mr David Anyaele, made the call while addressing newsmen on Friday in Abuja.

Anyaele said that the Bill when signed into law would guarantee the rights and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in the country.

It is our belief that signing the Bill into an Act will go a long way to ameliorate the challenges that confront persons with disabilities into equal opportunities like other countries in Africa.

Anyaele expressed concern that Nigeria had no legal framework on issues of disabilities since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed by state parties on March, 2007.

Nigeria ratified this convention on September 24, 2010 with its optional protocol.

The Federal Government is however, yet to put in place an appropriate legislation for the operationalization of the provisions of the convention.

Nigeria has also not met its reporting obligations to the committee established under Article 34 of the convention requiring Nigeria to report every two years, the extent of its implementation of the provisions of the protocol.

Importantly, Nigeria is yet to comply with the provision of section 12 of the Nigerian constitution which provides that a treaty cannot come into force until passed into law by the National Assembly.

He recalled that several moves made in the past under successive administrations in Nigeria to pass the Disability Bill could not succeed.

Such Bills have scaled through the processes at the National Assembly but have been unsuccessful, especially at the point of obtaining the Presidential assent.

Some salient features in the revised Bill include criminalising any form of discrimination against PWDs and ensure promotion of public awareness on their rights.

Others are making provision for accessibility to public buildings and related facilities, provision for a five-year period within which all public buildings and structures are to be adaptable for use by PWDs.

Accessibility to transportation including road, sea ports, railways, air and related facilities.

Protecting the liberty of PWDs and criminalizing their use in alms begging as well as making provision for all aspects of their educational and health care needs.

Also to provide necessary assistive devices and provision for public organizations to employ at least 5 per cent of PWDs in their employment.

And provision of adequate standard of living and social protection in terms of accommodation alongside encouragement of PWDs in politics and public life, Anyaele said.

Source: NAN