Federal Government says it has supplied two trucks of assorted food to victims of the recent Mambilla plateau communal conflict in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba.

Mr Abbani Imam, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) head of operations in charge of Adamawa and Taraba, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Tuesday.

Imam said that the food intervention was part of governments effort to ease the suffering of the affected persons.

Among the food items include; 600 bags of rice and 300 bags of maize and millet each.

The intervention is part of governments responsibility toward bringing succour to victims affected by conflict in any part of the country, he said.

He said that the agency was still compiling the data of people affected and property lost.

Source: NAN

US President Donald Trump has sacked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and immediately replaced him with the director of the CIA, Mike Pompeo.

Thanking Mr Tillerson for his service on Twitter, Mr Trump said the new state secretary would do a fantastic job.

Mr Tillerson, a former chief executive of ExxonMobil, was only appointed to the job just over a year ago.

The president also nominated Gina Haspel to become the first woman director of the CIA.

Tillerson had barely touched down in the USA after a six-nation tour of Africa, in which he pledged US support for nations, such as Nigeria and Chad, fighting terrorism.

His sack is also being linked to his recent criticism of Russia.

Source: NAN

Venus Williams has ended Serena Williams’ return to tournament tennis as she ousted her early today in the third round of Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open in two straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

Venus closed out the 29th career meeting between the two on her second match point as Serena sailed a forehand long to end the third round match.

The 10th seeded Venus moves on to the round of 16 where she will face either Anastasija Sevastova or 12th seeded Julia Georges.

It was the first meeting between the two sisters since they clashed in the final of the 2017 Australian Open, which Serena won before taking a 15-month hiatus due to her pregnancy.

It is rare for the Williams sisters to play this early in a tournament. It is the earliest they have faced each other since their first encounter at the Australian Open in 1998.

The sisters arrived outside the stadium together on a golf cart then walked through the tunnel with Serena entering the court first with many in the crowd standing and cheering.

Venus blasted six aces but had eight double faults in the one hour 26 minutes main stadium match.

Serena is still shaking off the rust after the long layoff as she hit four aces but had her serve broken four times.

This was their first encounter with Venus as an aunt and Serena as a new mother after giving birth to her baby daughter, Alexis Olympia, on September 1.

Venus’s victory also comes 17 years after an ugly booing incident led to a 14-year boycott of the tournament by the sisters.

But for some it brought closure to the once testy relationship between Indian Wells and the sisters who hail from the Los Angeles suburb of Compton.

Said Serena Williams at the end of Monday night’s match: “There’s a silver lining always for me. I have to look forward to the next match and the next time.”

Serena said she is still easing her way back into match fitness.

“It wasn’t very easy, obviously,” she said. “It was good to play and try to get in the rhythm and get into the swing again.

“I can’t really replicate the situation no matter how much I do in practice. I make those shots 10 times out of 10 in practice.

“It’s just the nerves, the anticipation you feel naturally. It’s a little bit of everything that comes in a match that just doesn’t normally happen.”

And sister Venus complemented her: “Her level was super high. It was really difficult to close out the match. She’s going to be winning tournaments sooner than later”

Source: NAN

A match between two Greek Superleague teams, PAOK Salonika and AEK Athens, was suspended on Sunday when the president and owner of PAOK Salonika, Ivan Savvidis, stalked onto the pitch while armed with a gun.

According to Reuters, the gun was holstered around Savvides waist, and he was surrounded by bodyguards.

Savvidis is one of Greece’s richest men, and a former member of the Russian Parliament. He came onto the pitch near the end of the game, after a PAOK Salonika goal was disallowed in the 89th minute. The gun was visible, but he never drew it as he complained to the referee about the goal.

It was actually the second time Savvidis had invaded the pitch during the match.

The first time he was wearing an overcoat, and AEK Athens officials claimed that Savvidis threatened a referee.

The second time the overcoat was gone, which revealed a holstered gun around his waist.

Not surprisingly, this caused a bit of a hubbub.

Savvidis had already ordered his team to leave the pitch, and everyone else was ordered to disperse once the gun was identified and the game was suspended.

Greek soccer has been beset by violence both on and off the pitch.

A match between PAOK Salonika and Olympiakos Piraeus was called off in February after the Olympiakos coach was struck by a “roll of paper” thrown from the stands. After this latest incident, Greek Deputy Culture and Sports Minister Georgios Vassiliadis stood by the suspension. From Reuters:

“We have decided to interrupt the championship … It won’t start again unless there is a clear framework, agreed by all, to move forward with conditions and rules.”
Vassiliadis also said the suspension will be indefinite until everyone involved agrees to “much tighter rules on issues of security.”

Despite the firearm, PAOK Salonika was eventually declared the winner of the match two hours after the suspension when the referee reversed his decision.

Hopefully the gun played no role in that.

Source: NAN

Zambia is waging a fierce campaign against sex dolls, threatening offenders with heavy jail terms over the dolls which, it says, are “very unnatural”.

“No one sells them openly, no one admits to owning one, and no one has been arrested,’’ report said.

The government launched the crackdown on the sex toys last month.

The action has propelled the issue of sex dolls to the top of the news agenda and made them a hot topic of conversation and debate on social media, dividing opinion in the largely conservative southern African country.

“Being a Christian nation, obviously we are anchored in Christian principles and one of the values is morality and ethics,” Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili , said.

Selling or using a sex doll is against Zambian law, she said, vowing to ensure they are not bought on the internet and imported.

“The use of sex dolls is definitely in contradiction to our natural heritage and our principles,” Sumaili added.

“The law actually forbids anybody to trade (in) and to use such objects — and so this is why we are saying for Zambians that this is a very unnatural thing.”

The minister said the ban was necessary after media reports emerged of sex dolls being imported into Zambia, apparently from Asia. Police are investigating, she added.

In recent months, Zambia’s independent and semi-official press have devoted many column inches to reports of sex shops popping up around the capital Lusaka selling sex dolls, as well as chronicling the backlash.

“God created man and woman for sexual satisfaction — but for a man or woman to use a lifeless object is immoral,” Sumaili said.

“Let’s not import foreign beliefs and experiences. Let us just believe in what we are.”

The manufacture of sex dolls has become increasingly sophisticated, with China developing custom-made “smart” dolls that can talk, play music and turn on dishwashers.

Sex dolls’ inventors say they can cure loneliness and help elderly men who lack female companionship.

In Zambia, the dolls made of silicone were reportedly in a variety of shapes and shades, but could not be found in any shops.

A suspected mentally challenged man on Monday hacked to death two pupils of Saint Johns Anglican Primary School in Agodo, Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun.

It was gathered that the assailant entered the school premises from a nearby bush and inflicted machete cuts on the children who were observing lunch break with their colleagues.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the assailant fled the scene at about 11 :15 am after the incident.

It was learnt that the deep machete cuts inflicted on the victims left them in the pool of their blood.

Sources said while the school has a perimeter fence it has no gates.

When the parents and guardians thronged to the school after the incident to withdraw their wards while security agents have commenced investigation.

Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi, the State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta.

Oyeyemi gave the names of the two victims as Mubarak Kalesowo and Sunday Obituyi , both aged four and in Kindergarten class.

The incident happened at 11:30 a.m. during lunch break. The children were on the field playing. The guy just emerged from the bush and hacked two of them to death and immediately he did it, he ran away.

Those who know him (suspect) said he is a madman and also an indigene of that place. But we are not relying on that.

We are on his trail, we want to get him arrested.

It is only a medical expert that would confirm whether he is a mad person or not.

Our ultimate aim is to get him arrested. As Im talking to you now, the Area Commander and the DPO Abigi are at the scene. We have set machinery in motion to get him arrested, he said.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari told a town hall meeting in Makurdi today that Inspector-general of Police, Idris Ibrahim has some query to answer as to why he violated his order to relocate to Benue state, following the killings of 73 villagers by herdsmen.

The killings happened on New Years Day and amidst national outrage President Buhari on 9 January, ordered Idris to relocate to Benue state.

Today, President Buhari was told by Governor Ortom that Idris did not spend 24 hours in the state, as he moved to neighbouring Nasarawa state, thus violating President Buharis order.

President Buhari was surprised that Idris breached his order.

He said he would ask Idris to explain why he observed the order in the breach, on his return to Abuja.

What I did was to call him and give him (a) directive. And I didnt know he moved here (Benue State) and didnt spend (time) and then move to Nasarawa. Its only now that I am knowing that. But I know I dispatched him here, the President said.

At every level, you have to be loyal to people below you. Whether that person is loyal to you or not is totally a different thing, President Buhari said.

The easiest thing for me was to go on air and accuse the IGP of being too slow and not using the intelligence and resources available to him to foresee the action of the cattle rearers and so on. People would believe me, but I will be disloyal if I do that.

Source: NAN

Porn actress Stormy Daniels on Monday offered to return the $130,000 she received from President Trumps attorney Michael Cohen, in an effort to fully void the 2016 hush agreement that has prevented her from speaking publicly about her alleged 2006 sexual tryst with Trump.

In a letter addressed to Cohen, which was obtained by The New York Times, Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti wrote that she would wire the money into an account of Mr. Trumps choosing by Friday in exchange of nullifying the agreement of silence Daniels took.

Avenatti outlined that if the offer was accepted, Daniels could (a) speak openly and freely about her prior relationship with the president and the attempts to silence her and (b) use or publish any text messages, photos and/or videos relating to the president that she may have in her possession, all without fear of retribution and legal liability for damages.

The deal also stipulated that, if accepted, the 60 Minutes interview Daniels taped last week with Anderson Cooper would be allowed to air without blocking efforts from the Trump camp.

With a noon Tuesday deadline, the letter will essentially bait Cohen into a choice between letting Daniels talk freely about her alleged Trump affair; or publicly confirm that a silencing campaign had been in effect.

Avenatti told The Daily Beast that he has yet to hear from Cohen or anyone from the Trump legal team.

*Reported by

Source: NAN

The Independent National Electoral Commission is considering burning unclaimedPermanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before next years general elections.

Dr Rufus Akeju, the new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo Statetold newsmen on Monday in Akure that INEC is considering the option, since all attempts had been made in vain by the commission thorough sensitisation campaign to reach out to the affected voters to collect their PVCs.

He said the commission was making efforts almost on daily basis for voters to get their PVCs, adding that the commission may be compelled to resort to burning of the cards or destroying them to check being used to manipulate elections.

The REC said that the burning process would be made public for all Nigerians to witness.

Akeju said in Ondo state, 1,659,186 people have been registered as eligible voters and 1,288,722 cards had been distributed so far, adding that 370,464 PVCs are unclaimed.

He also said the commission was doing everything possible to ensure a credible election that would meet with global best practices.

We now have new and improve data capturing for moderate and effective capturing.

We have introduced additional card readers in case one is malfunctioning in a particular unit, he said.

The REC solicited the support of all journalists in the state, saying they remain major stakeholders in educating the general public.

He, however, urged journalists to report accurately stories they gather from INEC offices in the state without bias.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, Mr James Sowole, promised that the union would continue to support the commission in its activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akeju was the immediate past REC in Osun before his posting to Ondo State.

Source: NAN

Prince Uche Secondus, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman claimed that the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed because it couldnt fulfil its promises to the people.

Secondus made this claim while addressing members of the PDP during his working tour to Dutse, capital of Jigawa on Monday.

He said that the APC made a lot of promises to the people during the electioneering campaigns but it has failed to fulfil the promises.

APC said if they win, they will revive the economy, they will address the problem of insecurity and corruption

Sen. Dino Maleye said before the floor of the house recently that in the 16 years of PDP government they collected a loan of only N6 trillion but APC government in just three years collected N11 trillion. These figures, bandied by Melaye and Pastor Tunde Bakare have been discredited as wild guesses.

According to data provided by Debt Management Office,the Federal Government borrowed N6.76 trillion since June 2015. When state debts are added, what has been borrowed is N8.3 trillion still significantly lower than the N11 trillion being touted.

In contrast, the PDP in 16 years borrowed N9.25 trillion, higher than Bakare and Melayes claim.

Corruption has pervaded the APC government from the top to bottom, APC government is more corrupt than PDPs own, claimed Secondus.

There is insecurity in the country, you cannot sleep with your two eyes closed, there is poverty and hunger in all the houses in Nigeria, therefore APC is a government of deception

I therefore urge us to come out en masse and vote for PDP so that we could fight hunger, poverty and the insecurity.

The PDP Chairman said that APC has come to divide the country while PDP is out to unite the country.

APC should therefore prepare to hand over to PDP as we also handed over to them

The Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Hassan Dankwambo, who is nurturing a presidential ambition, said that since the PDP left government in Jigawa, he has not seen any changes under the present APC administration in the state.

Dankwambo urged the people to support PDP, which he said would win the 2019 election, by the power of God.

Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, immediate Caretaker Chairman of the Party said the party has put all the the necessary machinery in place to wrest power from the APC.

Alhaji Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa and also a presidential aspirant, charged the people to protect their votes on election day.

The PDP National Chairman was accompanied on the tour by prominent Party stalwarts like former governor of Kano state Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, former Senate House Leader Alhaji Abdul Ningi, Amb. Aminu Wali, first civilian governor of Jigawa, Alh Ali Saad Birninkudu, former Governor Kaduna, Alhaji Ahmad Muhammad, who was the immediate past chairman of the PDP and many others.

Source: NAN