Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members yesterday allegedly kidnapped eight passengers along the Igboho-Igbeti road in Oyo State.

The Guardian leant that the gunmen laid ambush at the Old Oyo National Park and blocked commercial buses plying the road.

The reportedly whisked away the passengers in the affected buses to an unknown destination.

Before forcing them into the waiting bus, the armed bandits allegedly held them hostage in the bush for some minutes.

The source added that the occupants of the bus were indigenes of Igboho and Ogbooro communities in the state.

Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the incident, however, said the number of people kidnapped were not up to eight.

He said the State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude had deployed his men in the area to search for the kidnapped victims.

Ajisebutu, who spoke in a telephone interview said: “We are aware of the incident, but it was only two victims who were involved. We have dispatched our men to the area to fish out the kidnappers and also ensure that they rescue the victims. We are making frantic efforts to rescue them.”

The situation is said to have thrown road users into fear, while the communities have pleaded with the security agencies to check the influx of strangers in the area.

Vehicles plying the road have allegedly diverted to alternative routes to avoid the bandits.

Source: Guardina.ng

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed doors with principal officers of the National Assembly (NASS) to resolve deepening rift..

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting which was at the instance of the leadership of NASS, came barely 48 hours after the President’s rejection of the Amended Electoral Act Bill sent for his signature by the Assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the non-passage of the 2018 appropriation bill by the National Assembly was also said to be one of the top items on the agenda of the meeting which commenced at about 9.10p.m.

President Buhari had on Nov. 7, 2017 laid the 2018 budget proposals before the NASS with the hope that the appropriation bill might be passed on or before the end of 2017.

However, the lawmakers accused some cabinet ministers of failing to appear before them to defend their ministries’ budgets.

Those attending the meeting include the Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, Senate leader Ahmad Lawan and other principal officers.

Others attending the meeting are Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari.

The two Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Mr Ita Enang and Kawu Sumaila were also in attendance.

Source: NAN

Mr. Mmusi Maimane, leader of South Africa’s main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), has warned ex- President Jacob Zuma to repay the $1.3 million of public money to avoid going to jail.

Mr Maimane says the figure was confirmed by the State Attorney.

It has since emerged that under Zuma, the Presidency paid out millions of rand on legal costs relating to the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to drop charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering against him.

The figure was revealed in a letter sent to DA on Tuesday by the State Attorney.

The State Attorney said the office was instructed by new President Cyril Ramaphosa to provide the details after having considered the court approach.

“We are instructed to inform you that since May 1, 2009 an amount of R15,300,250 was incurred by the Presidency on legal costs pertaining to the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to decline to prosecute Mr Zuma on charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering.”

Mr Maimane added that Mr Zuma must personally repay the public funds as he went to court in his personal capacity, for crimes allegedly committed before he became president.

“He (Zuma) was not a respondent in that case in his capacity as president of the Republic of South Africa. As such, this amounts to R15.3m of irregular spending by the government to keep Jacob Zuma out of jail. Therefore, Jacob Zuma must personally pay back this money.

The DA has consulted our legal team and begun the legal process of retrieving every cent of this R15.3m from Jacob Zuma,” Mr Maimane said.

DA has already began a legal process to ensure that “every cent” paid out so far is retrieved from Mr Zuma and he has invited President Ramaphosa to join the legal action.

Mr Zuma faces 783 counts of fraud, corruption, money-laundering and racketeering.

Source: NAN

A team of four boys on Thursday defeated a female team of 11 girls in a cooking competition organised by the Holy Family School in Lagos.

The boys’ team was adjudged the winner against the girls’ team after the judges had tasted the dishes prepared by the teams.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the teams prepared fried rice, fried fish and locally prepared ‘Eve’ drink.

However, the girls’ team emerged the winner in the preparation of cassava flake (a.k.a. Eba) and Ogbonno soup, Jollof rice alongside the local drink, Zobo.

The leader of the boys’ team, Edward Akugbe told NAN that the current economic situation had compelled most boys to acquire the cooking skills and other domestic chores.

“My mum told me that it is cheaper that I cook for myself than employing a house assistant or eating foods outside when I become independent,” he said.

According to him, my mother made it compulsory that we sat by her and understudied her whenever she was in the kitchen or doing the house chores.

Also, Favour Noris,16, won the award for being the best dressed and organised cook.

He told NAN that despite being the last born of his parents, his mother included him in the family cooking roaster.

“My mum prepared a cooking roaster that included the boys; and that forced me to learn so much about kitchen management which I applied to my team,” he said.

However, Tope Oladunjoye, 12, and leader of the female team, told NAN that her team lost because they prepared local dishes.

She said that preparing local dishes required more ingredients, techniques and activities.

“We had to grate okra fruits, pumpkin leaves and also blended our tomatoes and pepper with the grinding stone.

“We want to promote our cultural meal, teach ourselves how to prepare it and that made us to miss the first position,” she told NAN.

Meanwhile, the youngest female participant, Esther Orji,9, told NAN that she learnt different cooking methods from her mother.

“Before now, I only knew my mum’s cooking methods and the ones my teacher taught us in school.

“But, the competition has even taught me how to add `Hot dog’ in fried rice preparation,” she said.

The teacher-in-charge of the competition, Mrs Peace Umeorah said the competition had made more positive impacts on the children.

She said that the children came forward willingly to participate because it was a competition where winners would emerge.

“We shall be improving on our employable youths if this exercise is extended to more schools because we shall be producing more chefs,” she said.

The school’s chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association, (PTA), Mrs Ethel Orji, said the exercise had economic gains for the country.

“This type of competition has both economic and social advantage for our children as it will bring about more domestic independence among our youths in future,” she told NAN.

NAN reports that each member of the winning team went away with various gift items while the girls got kitchen utensils.

Source: NAN

A Lagos High Court in Igbosere has sentenced a self-proclaimed site engineer and housing agent, Babatunde Habeeb, to 1,230 years imprisonment for a N28 million scam.

Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye convicted Habeeb, also known as Babatunde Salaudeen, of defrauding 101 accommodation seekers under the pretext of renting them 13 apartments in a building at Alapere-Ketu, Lagos.

She found him guilty of 82 counts of conspiring with his elder brother, Alhaji Ishola Salaudeen and obtaining the N28m under false pretense.

According to the prosecutor, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Alhaji Salaudeen, who owns the property, is at large.

The court said the EFCC proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the commission, the convict committed the offenses in 2013.

Source: Sahara Reporters

Persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have unleashed terror on three communities in Kogi State, leaving 25 people dead.

Oganienugwu and Ikende communities in Dekina Local Government Area were affected; as well as Abejukolo in Omala LGA, all in the Eastern Senatorial district of the state.

As at the time of filing this report, villagers were reportedly moving out of Obakume, Idirisu, and Oji Apata to escape possible attacks.

Punch correspondent gathered that 25 people were killed in the sustained attack which started on Tuesday and continued till Thursday.

A detachment of police and soldiers have been drafted to quell the violence.

Eye witness account told our correspondent that the mode of killing employed by the hoodlums was to slaughter the victims after tying them up; while those who attempted to escape alleged received machete cuts.

Sources said villagers were woken up by gunshots by the hoodlums dressed in army uniform.

The Punch correspondent also gathered that gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles had visited mayhem on the villagers in their farms before returning in the night around 1am while villagers slept.

Several houses were razed and others demolished in the violent attacks which left no fewer than 25 dead.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Monday Bala, who confirmed the incident, said the command was yet to ascertain the actual casualty figure.

He said the command has drafted men of the command alongside men of the armed forces to deal with the situation, adding that his men are in total control of the situation.

Source: Punchng.com

The convoy of Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki was yesterday involved in an accident along the Benin-Lagos Express Road.

The accident occurred in front of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) but no live was lost except for three persons who sustained injuries.

When The Guardian visited the scene of the accident, some private vehicles were seen damaged alongside the governor’s press crew bus marked (EDGH 278) which was badly destroyed and was being towed away at the time of filing in this report.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said: “A number of people in the bus and three other vehicles that were involved in the accident, including a medical doctor and a mother and child, sustained varied degrees of injuries, and are currently receiving treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

“An official of the state government has been sent to the hospital to ascertain the degree of injuries sustained by the victims and we are also in touch with the doctors managing the victims.

“We have undertaken to pay the medical bills of all the victims. No life was lost.”

Source: Guardian.ng

Lagos State Government has announced a reduction in the rates to be paid through Land Use Charge.

Announcing this at a press briefing in Alausa, the Commissioner for Finance, Akinyemi Ashade, said that rate for commercial charges had been reduced by 50 per cent while owner-occupier, industries and manufacturial charges had been reduced by 25 percent.

The Commissioner also disclosed that there is a waiver of all penalty announced before and it is across board.

Ashade said all those who have paid would enjoy tax credit, with the excess paid transfered to next year.

He also revealed that the state now allow installmental payment across board.

Source: Guardian.ng

A candidate of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, being conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has reportedly committed suicide.

The university admission-seeker simply identified as Loveth took her life in Ekiugbo, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State.

Loveth, who was said to be displeased with the 163 mark she garnered in the exam, was found dead at her home on Wednesday morning.

The Nation reports that the deceased picked Medicine as her choice of study.

She was said to have taken three bottles of Sniper and these were found by her side on Wednesday morning.

According to sources, Loveth had gone to check her UTME result on Tuesday and discovered to her amazement that she had scored far lower than she had expected and would not secure admission to the university to study her “dream course.”

Source: Dailypost.ng

Personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), FCT Sector Command, on Wednesday brutalised a Defence Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Johnson Eyiangho, at the command`s office in Zone 7, Abuja.

The officers beat up Eyiangho at about 11: 15 a.m. when he was assigned to cover the fracas between the FRSC personnel and officials of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) who had gone there to seal the corps’ premises for noncompliance with environmental laws.

An argument ensued between personnel of the corps and the AEPB officials which suddenly degenerated to a free for all.

Eyiangho said that as he alighted from the NAN official vehicle that conveyed him and the agency`s photographer to the scene of the incident, some FRSC personnel descended on him and beat him thoroughly.

READ: NYSC blacklists Osun school over attack on corps members

“The FRSC operatives also tore my shirt, inflicted bruises and deep cuts on my left leg, and summarily seized and destroyed my cell phone and voice recorder,” he said.

He also said that the personnel of the corps did not spare any journalist who came to cover the incident.

“I have never received such a beating in my life; every personnel of the corps at the scene of the incident was raining punches on me and `shouting take him away’.

“I was detained for several hours under inhuman condition in one of the corps’ offices after the thorough beating.

“One of the personnel, believed to be the Provost, supervised the beating and ordered that no one should allow me to go.

“He personally seized my identification card, a voice recorder and a cell phone,” he said.

The Public Education Officer of the corps, Mr Bisi Kazeem, instructed that Mr Eyiangho be taken to the FRSC hospital in Gwarinpa for treatment.

Kazeem also promised that the matter would be investigated for appropriate action.

Source: PM News