A man accused of plotting to kill British Prime Minister Theresa May pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges in a London court on Friday.

Naaimur Rahman is accused of planning to detonate an explosive device at the gates of Downing Street to gain access to Mays office and kill her in the ensuing chaos.

He appeared by video link at Londons Old Bailey central criminal court, ahead of his trial which is due to start in June.

Rahman has been accused of conducting reconnaissance on Downing Street and planning to use a bag fitted with an explosive device in preparations for committing attacks against persons in the United Kingdom, according to a charge sheet.

Rahman, who was arrested in November, is also accused of helping another man, Mohammad Imran to join the Islamic State militant group by recording and sending him a sponsorship video.

Imran pleaded not guilty on Friday to a charge of planning to travel to Libya to join Islamic State, possessing the video made by Rahman, conducting research into travel options and having terrorist publications.

Rahman, from north London, has said he is British-Bangladeshi, while Imran has said he is British.

Source: NAN

The Nigerian police today declared wanted four of the gangsters who participated in the bloody bank robbery incidents in Offa on 4 April, releasing simultaneously their photographs, while in action.

The images provided were the clearest, since the incident exactly a month ago.

The police said the Kwara State Government has also promised a N5 million bounty for information about the suspects, and they listed the hotlines to be contacted as 08062080913, 08126285268,08032365122,07056792065,08088450152.

It was the latest update provided by the police, following the arrest of 20 principal suspects earlier and the recovery of two Beretta Pistols, bullets, phones and SIM cards of some of the victims.

All the suspects are cooperating with the Police in the investigation into the incident. Currently, some of the other gang leaders and principal suspects at large are being identified and their pictures obtained for further investigation, Assistant Commissioner of police, Moshood Jimoh said.

Police asked for public help to apprehend the gangsters still at large and said they have also been placed on INTERPOL Watch list and Red Alert.

Other sister security and safety agencies are equally implored to arrest them and hand over to the nearest Police Station or Formation across the country or avail the Police with any information they may have or come across about these suspects, Moshood said.

Source: NAN

By Isaac Ukpoju

Mr Yahaya Bello, the new commissioner of police in Nasarawa State, assumed office on Friday, according to the commands Police Relations Officer, Mr Kennedy Idirisu.

Idirisu told newsmen on Friday in Lafia that the new commissioner, who replaced Mr Bello Ahmed, was commissioner in charge of election planning and monitoring at the Force Headquarters, Abuja before his deployment.

He said that Bellos predecessor, Bello Ahmed, had been deployed to the Ekiti State command.

Idirisu said that the police boss joined the force in 1984 and had previously served as ACP, Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) in Edo, Kaduna and Panti, Lagos States respectively.

Source: NAN

By Mustapha Sumaila

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Friday arrested one Hafeez Abdulsalam, a suspected trafficker in the South-West who specialises in trafficking young girls to Saudi Arabia.

NAPTIPs Assistant Director of Intelligence, Investigation and Monitoring, Ms Tina Ugwu told NAN after the operation that Abdulsalam had been on NAPTIPs watch list and that he usually brought girls from various states to Abuja before sending them to Saudi Arabia.

Ugwu said that the hotel used by the syndicateAmazonia Guest House at Dagri in Gwagwalada, FCT had been sealed up, while the Manager of the lodge was nabbed.

From our findings, Abdulsalam is a major recruiter of young girls to Saudi Arabia and Dubai because he has been on our Osun states office watch list.

The investigation is still ongoing, we will study all the things we recovered from the hotel and then charge the suspects to court she said.

One of the victims, who gave her name as Rokibat, 22 from Oyo state told NAN that her aunt in Saudi Arabia told her mother to bring her to Saudi through Abdulsalam to be engaged in Housemaid job.

She explained that she met with Abdulsalam in Osogbo who took her to a hospital for medical checkup in preparation for the journey before she was brought to Abuja.

Another victim, Rodiya 23, from Lagos state told NAN that Abdulsalam who is a family friend allegedly promised to take her to Saudi Arabia to earn a living since she was not doing anything.

Rodiya explained that Abdulsalam took her to a hospital in Osogbo for medical test and then brought her to Abuja to process her international passport for the journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Another victim from Kwara, told NAN that her older sister introduced her to Abdulsalam.

The arrested suspect, Abdulsalam who also spoke to NAN, claimed that the company he worked for known as Western Royal Manpower Solution was legal and registered company known to Federal Government.

The suspected trafficker declined further comments, as 13 women suspected to be victims of human trafficking were rescued.

Source: NAN

The World Health Organisation (WHO), says an estimated seven million people worldwide die every year from outdoor and household air pollution.

The organisation revealed on its Twitter handle @WHO on Thursday.

It said that ambient air pollution alone caused 4.2 million deaths in 2016, while household air pollution from cooking with polluting fuels and technologies caused an estimated 3.8 million deaths the same year.

7 million people die every year from both outdoor and household

WHO (@WHO)

WHO said that new data from the organisation showed that air pollution levels remained dangerously high in many parts of the world as nine out of 10 people still breath air containing high levels of pollutant.

It said that the poorest and most marginalised people bore the brunt of this burden.

It said that this was because air pollution-related deaths occurred in low and middle income countries in Asia, Africa and middle income countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region, Europe and Americas.

New WHO data: 9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air

WHO (@WHO)

WHO estimates that around seven million people die every year from exposure to fine particles in polluted air that penetrates deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system causing diseases such as stroke, heart disease and lung cancer.

Other diseases are chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and respiratory infections including pneumonia.

Around three billion people, more than 40 per cent of the worlds population still do not have access to clean cooking fuels and technologies in their homes which is the main source of household air pollution.

WHO has been monitoring household air pollution for more than a decade and while the rates of access to clean fuels and technologies is increasing everywhere, improvements are not keeping pace with population growth in many parts of the world particularly in Sub-saharan Africa, WHO said.

It quoted WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus as saying: It is unacceptable that over three billion people more of whom are women and children are still breathing deadly smoke every day from using polluting stoves and fuels in their homes.

If we do not take action on air pollution, we will never come close to achieving sustainable development.

The organisation said it recognised that air pollution was a critical risk factor for Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) which caused an estimated 24 per cent of all adult deaths from heart disease, 25 per cent stroke, 43 per cent chronic pulmonary disease and 29 per cent lung cancer.

WHO said that more than 4,300 cities in 108 countries were now included in its ambient air quality database which collects annual mean concentrations of fine Particulate Matter (PM) such as sulfate, nitrates and black carbon.

It said that these pollutants posed the greatest risk to human health and called on countries to reduce their air pollution to annual mean values of 20 ug/m3 (for PM10) and 10 ug/m3 (for PM25).

More countries are measuring and taking action to reduce than ever before. We need to work together to improve air quality

WHO (@WHO)

WHO also called on countries to work together on solutions for sustainable transport, more efficient and renewable energy production and use and waste management.

Source: NAN

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Adamawa Command, says it has commenced intensive surveillance on major routes along the Nigeria-Cameroon border.

NDLEA said the move was sequel to the Federal Government ban on the production and importation of codeine into the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Ministry of Health had directed NDLEA offices across the country to ensure strict surveillance of the borders.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Yola, Mr. Yakubu Kibo, NDLEAs Commander in Adamawa, said that the command had taken strategic measures to comply with the Federal Government directive.

As you are aware, Adamawa has porous borders with Cameroon Republican; five of the seven local government areas affected by Boko Haram in the state are directly on the border with Cameroon.

But we have intensified surveillance in collaboration with of sister agencies in these areas to frustrate any attempt to import the substance into the country.

Kibo said that the command recently destroyed over 14,000 tonnes of hard drugs, four tonnes of which were cough syrup with Codeine.

He gave an assurance that the command would frustrate all possible moves to bring the banned drugs into the state and the country in general.

Source: NAN

Embattled Sen. Dino Melaye, who was arraigned in court on Thursday in Lokoja, may have to stay longer with the police as the court has directed he should be remanded in police custody till June 11.

Melaye who is representing Kogi West Senatorial District at the Senate lost his bid to secure bail as the Chief Magistrates Court refused his request.

The Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, ordered that he be remanded in police custody and be brought to court on June 11.

The lawmaker was brought to court in a police ambulance at about 9:17 am and was immensely stretchered into the court by policemen.

Before his arrival, heavily armed policemen taken positions within and outside the court premises to forestall unforeseen circumstances.

The arrival of the senator in court attracted the attention of workers and others who came for transactions.

Other courts within the premises were also not sitting as at the time of this report.

Also, journalists and other persons that had seated in court for hours were all asked to go out for security checks.

At the end, only few were allowed inside.

The senator had before being brought to court was first taken to the SARS headquarters near the NTA office in Lokoja.

Melaye was declared wanted following his refusal to appear before the police to answer to accusations by some arrested suspects, who alleged that the senator supplied them with arms and ammunition.

According to reports, Melaye was conveyed in an ambulance by the police authorities to Lokoja.

Melaye was later brought into the Lokoja Senior Magistrates court, 2, on a stretcher, source said.

He was brought in a Toyota Hiace police ambulance bus with registration number NPF2214D. It was learnt that some journalists who had laid siege to the courtroom were asked to step out for security screening.

In order to face the pending criminal case in Kogi, Dino Melaye was re-arrested on Wednesday after his arraignment in court and perfecting his bail conditions.

The lawmaker representing Kogi West was arraigned by the Police on Wednesday at Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse in Abuja.

He was granted bail in the sum of N90 million by the court, having met the bail condition but was rearrested by the police shortly after his release.

The police in a statement on Wednesday said Melaye was re-arrested for his pending offences of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

The statement which was signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, explained that Melaye will be arraigned without further delay.

The Police investigation team re-arrested Senator Dino Melaye today, 2nd May 2018 after his arraignment at Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse for the pending offences of Criminal Conspiracy and Unlawful Possession of Prohibited Firearms already filed in a Court of competent jurisdiction in Lokoja for which he will be arraigned without further delay, he said.

Moshood said that Melaye was arraigned in Abuja today for criminal conspiracy, causing damage to government property, attempted suicide and escape from lawful custody.

Melayes arraignment in court today according to the police was subsequent to his discharge from the National Hospital after he was confirmed fit for trial.

The Senator landed in the National Hospital after jumping out of a moving police vehicle on Tuesday, April 24.

The police vehicle was conveying him to Lokoja, Kogi State where he is expected to be interrogated by the police in connection with the allegation that he armed some thugs and in relation to other criminal activities.

The police subsequently accused him of making an attempt to commit suicide by jumping out of the vehicle conveying him and falling on the ground, with a threat to implicate the police for his supposed death.

He was also said to have resisted a further attempt by the police to re-arrest him with the help of some persons who allegedly threatened to injure the police officers if they tried to arrest him.

Source: NAN

Senator Dino Melaye has been remanded in police custody until 11 June by a Lokoja senior Magistrates court.

The order was made today after he was arraigned at the court.

The senator who represents Kogi West was brought in a police ambulance at about 9:17 a.m. and was immediately stretchered into the court by policemen.

Before his arrival, heavily armed policemen had taken positions within and outside the court premises to forestall unforeseen circumstances.

The arrival of the senator in court attracted the attention of workers and others who came for transactions.

Other courts within the premises were also not sitting as at the time of this report. Also, newsmen and others that had seated in court for hours were all asked to go out for security checks. At the end, only few were allowed inside.

The senator was charged with illegal supply of arms and money to two thugs, who were arrested earlier and were said to have made confessions.

The senator had, before being brought to court, first been taken to the SARS headquarters near the NTA office in Lokoja.

Melaye yesterday was arraigned at a magistrates court in Abuja and was granted bail for N90 million.

The police immediately rearrested him.

Source: NAN

The police on Thursday arraigned two sisters, Favour Ajula and Oluchi Ajula in an Ikeja Magistrates Court accused of assaulting police inspector by tearing his uniform and dragging his gun.

Favour, a 24-year-old hairdresser; and 18-year-old Oluchi, a nurse, appeared before Magistrate F.F. George on a two-count charge of conspiracy and assault.

The duo, who reside at Iju-Ishaga in Agege area of Lagos, however, pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N50,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

George said the sureties should be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government and adjourned the matter until May 14 for mention.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Awase, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on April 13 at their residence.

He said the sisters and one Emeka, a teenager, assaulted Insp. Bitrus Zingkur, by tearing his uniform and also dragged his service gun while performing his lawful duty.

Awase said a man went to report to the police that the defendants were after his life.

He added that one Uche Prince, a co-tenant, reported the defendants to police that they wanted to kill him; and the complainant followed him to the house.

When the complainant tried to mediate and settle the disagreement, the two sisters assaulted him.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened sections 174(b) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised).

Section 174 stipulates three years imprisonment for assault, while Section 411 attracts two years jail term for conspiracy.

Source: NAN

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio on Thursday warned against scrapping an international deal on Irans nuclear programme unless there was a good alternative in place.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been threatening to pull out of the agreement, leading to diplomatic tensions with Iran as well as with U.S. allies keen to preserve the agreement.

According to him, if one day there is a better agreement to replace it, it is fine, but we should not scrap it unless we have a good alternative.

I believe the JCPOA the Iran nuclear deal was an important diplomatic victory.

I think it will be important to preserve it but I also believe there are areas in which it will be very important to have a meaningful dialogue because I see the region in a very dangerous position.

I understand the concerns of some countries in relation to the Iranian influence in other countries of the region, so I think we should separate things, Guterres stressed.

Source: NAN