By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The Senate on Tuesday adjourned its plenary in honour of late in Abuja.

The resolution of the Senate to adjourn its plenary followed a motion moved by the Leader of the Senate Ahmed Lawan.

Presenting the motion, Lawan said that the nation had indeed lost a lawmaker who fought for the development of democracy in the country.

On the 17th of this month, Saturday we woke up to a very sad news of the death of our friend, our brother and our colleague, very distinguished senator Ali Wakili, Lawan said.

Mr president this is sad for not only this senate. Not only his senatorial district that he represented but for his entire country and the development of democracy in Nigeria

It is tradition that when this kind of divine incident happens and we lose a colleague in the senate or house of representatives we normally observe one-minute silence in the honour of the departed but also adjourn plenary and suspend activities in the national assembly in honour of the deceased. May his soul rest in peace.

On his part, Senate President Bukola Saraki said a special valedictory session would be held in Wakilis honour on Wednesday.

Thereafter senate was adjourned to Wednesday when a valedictory session will be held in honour of Wakili.

It is the tradition of both houses to adjourn its next day of plenary following the death of any serving member of the National Assembly.

Source: NAN

There are indications that a device that exploded early Tuesday at a FedEx ground distribution facility in Texas, injuring one person, is linked to a string of bombings that have rocked the states capital this month, federal officials said.

Schertz Police Lt. Manny Casastold Fox News thata medium-sized box was on the conveyor belt when the explosion occurred.

Casas said a woman was treated for a possible sound injury and was released. He said the blast happened shortly after midnight.

Schertz police couldnt immediately confirm what was in the package, but law enforcement officialssaidthe medium-sized package contained metal shrapnel and nails and was headed to Austin when it exploded on a conveyor track.

The blast drew a large response from state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. Federal agents told the Associated Press the package is likely linked to attacks in Austin.

The ATFs Houston office said it responded to the scene in Schertz.

Schertz is located 22 miles east of San Antonio and 73 miles south of Austin.

The blast comes a day after authorities in Austin said a serial bomber is likely responsible for four explosions in Austin this month, the latest of which injured two people Sunday night after they crossed a trip wire possibly made with fishing line.

Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said at a news conference Monday that although the Sunday night bomb was linked to the three previous blasts, the latest bomb showed more sophistication as opposed to the previous three incidents, which involved package bombs left on peoples doorsteps.

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Source: NAN

Pope Francis will wash the feet of 12 inmates at Romes central prison during a Holy Week ritual meant to show his willingness to serve others.

The Vatican said Tuesday that Francis will meet March 29 with inmates at the Regina Coeli prison, including those in the special protected wing where sexual predators are housed.

Francis has made the Holy Thursday ritual a hallmark of his papacy, part of his insistence that the Catholic Church must go to the margins of society to serve.

His decision five years ago to celebrate his first foot-washing ceremony at a Rome youth detention center raised eyebrows among conservatives after he washed the feet of women and Muslims as well.

source:https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/pope-to-perform-holy-thursday-foot-wash-rite-at-rome-prison/

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Russias President Vladimir Putin to use his re-election to promote international peace and stability.

Putin, whose country is having some sour relations with the West over the invasion of Crimea and the poisoning of a former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, with a nerve agent, won a resounding re-election for a fourth term on Sunday.

President Buhari in a letter extended sincere congratulations to him.

Buhari said Putins success for the fourth time in the election is a clear testimony of the confidence Russians have in his leadership.

He also urged his Russian counterpart to see this victory as a base to continue to promote international peace and stability.

President Buhari assured President Putin of Nigerias commitment to a stronger and mutually beneficial relations with the Russian Federation under your watch.

He said he looked forward to continue working with the Russian leader to strengthen our defence, trade and technical partnerships as well as promotion of private sector participation in all sectors of our economies.

Source: NAN

By Anita Eboigbe

In a bid to curb the rising wave of scam on the social networking platform Instagram, users who usually shop on the platform have taken to an anonymously run account Scamburst to review pages of vendors and verify their authenticity.

The account @scamburstng has been trending on various social media platforms for helping shoppers check scam pages to discover those that would likely be scam pages.

Instagram, which is regarded by communication experts as one of the biggest online shopping platforms because of its picture and video content sharing nature, have faced threats from scam pages recently.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a business motivation group, @abujabusiness, comprising mostly female entrepreneurs in Abuja, recently raised concerns over influx of scam pages on the social media.

It stated, there has been several complaints of an influx of scam pages on the social media platform, which has reduced customer trust on the platform.

Some of the Instagram shoppers who spoke to NAN said that Scamburst, has helped them distinguish between scam vendors and real ones using subtle pointers.

Other respondents praised the initiative, adding that has rejuvenated the flair for online shopping by assisting shoppers to identify scam pages.

A shopper, Zainab Abimbola told NAN that `Scamburst would further help in reassuring buyers especially those who have been swindled in the past.

It was becoming really hard to trust Instagram vendors, but with Scamburst, I send several pages to be checked and authentic pages are selected for me, she said.

Another shopper, Andrew Goke said that the page has saved him a lot of money as he had been scam severally by vendors on Instagram.

I had given up on Instagram vendors, they have duped me severally. At least with a page that detects scam, it is easy to go to them for referral, he said.

According to the handlers of Scamburst, it has put up fresh and notorious scam pages on its Instagram handle so that shoppers can be on the lookout.

They said, Sometimes what the shoppers see on the Instagram page of the seller is not what he or she gets at the end of the day.

So there is already an issue of trust and people are scared of Instagram shopping; vendors have been trying to combat the problem on their own but it is limited.

By popular demand, we help shoppers review pages and certify that the vendor is sincere; this way, the Instagram shopping space is becoming safe again, Scamburst said.

The page handlers listed several factors to look out for when identifying scam pages including request for too much information from the customer.

They include use of too many hashtags, too-good-to-be-true deals, frequent discount offers and over flooding of stock pictures as red flags to spot in Instagram scam pages.

Source: NAN

By Okeoghene Akubuike

As the world marks the 2018 World Oral Health Day, Dr Seye Logede,Vice-Chairman, Dental Association of Nigeria, Abuja Chapter,says the general attitude of Nigerians to oral health has significantly improved unlike in times past.

Logede who is a Principal Dental Officer in theOral Diagnosis Unit of the National Hospital, Abuja, told our correspondent on Tuesday in Abuja that the use of social media contributed to the success recorded.

He said that poor dental health could affect a persons general health and well-being as the mouth is the gateway to the body.

According to him, contrary to what people think, there is nothing happening in the body that does not have symptoms or indications in the mouth.

The dentist explained that poor oral hygiene could also affect the psychological well-being of a person and make one lose self-confidence.

Your total psychological well-being is affected when you have bad oral hygiene; you would not be able to speak or smile in public and people will find it unpleasant talking with you.

He also said that a person with poor oral health would find eating food and taking cold or hot drinks unpleasant.
When your teeth and gum are in poor condition, you can no longer enjoy your food; if you take cold or hot drinks, your teeth will scream aloud.

Logede advised that every human being should see a dentist every six months at most while for, children as soon as they start to have teeth.

He, however, said children born with any congenital malformation affecting the mouth should see the dentist from birth.

On the theme of the celebration which is Say Ahh: Think Mouth, Think Health, he said, To be candid, the attitude of Nigerians to oral health is improving unlike a few years ago that people did not bother with their oral health.

If you are anaemic or have some underlying health conditions, there is a way it shows in the mouth.

The dentist, therefore, advised members of the public to also brush twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

He also said that people should try to avoid eating between meals.

People should try to reduce their snacking habit, take a lot of fluids and see their dentists every six months.

NAN reports that the World Dental Foundation launched the World Oral Health Day in 2002 and it is being celebrated on March 20 yearly.

The celebration is aimed at creating awareness on the prevention and control of oral disease.

Source: NAN

A News Analysis by Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni

For over 15 years, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom, has been enmeshed in a myriad of challenges ranging from conflicts, poor management, infrastructural deficit to the core challenge of unqualified teachers.

An academy formerly known as the Nautical College of Nigeria, was established in 1979 as to educate and train shipboard officers, ratings and shore-based management personnel.

However, the academy was only able to graduate its first set of cadets in 1983 after which the academy still grappled with so much challenges.

For the Rector of the Academy, Commodore Emma Effedua, restructuring and repositioning the school is tops on the agenda of the Federal Government, which he had pledged to drive to the fullest.

For him, there is no challenge or shortcoming which the school currently faces that is not surmountable.

Effedua itemized some of the problems bedeviling the school to include: uncompleted projects owing to lack of funds.

He proposes the conversion of some of the buildings in the school to hotels from which money can be generated to execute other critical projects.

The Rector disclosed that management was already at the point of getting permission to effect the conversion, adding that the hotel could also house students on short courses.

Effedua noted that the restructuring and repositioning of the academy was timely as International Maritime Organisation (IMO) was gradually losing hope in Nigeria producing quality seafarers.

He promised that the new management and the governing board will work together in few months on the infrastructure and cadets to get the required training expected by IMO standard.

The Federal Government had on March 9, 2018 inaugurated the governing board of five agencies under the ministry of transportation including MAN board headed by Ademola Seriki.

The board saw an urgent need to inspect the academy facilities towards its restructuring to arrest the deteriorating state in line with its mandate and core values.

Mr Ademola Seriki, Chairman of the governing board, decried the level of abandoned projects and obsolete infrastructure in the academy.

He observed that some of the equipment purchased 25 years back dotted the foundry shop of the institution and underscored the need to replace them with modern ones.

I am disappointed, particularly over abandoned projects and the large areas of land that have not been developed. We have a lot to do.

We need to put the necessary infrastructure in place; we must really work in synergy with our sister agencies like the Nigeria Port Authority, NIMASA, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and others.

We must build a relationship that will result in acquiring assets that will be of benefits to everyone, he said.

However, the Chairman, House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Mr Mohammed Umar-Bago, who also went on an oversight function, had advised the management to sack the 83 staff employed in 2016 without due process.

The Chairman said that the academy was a special school that needs professionals to train the cadets not just employing people that are not relevant to the mandate of the academy.

Rector, the issue of this 83 staff, sacks them if their employment did not go through due process; that is how touts are employed.

Any employment that does not have approval means there was never any employment in the first place.

It does not make sense to have 700 staff in an academy of just 300 cadets. That means the academy is over bloated. I will encourage you to right-size. Even if people dont like it, it must still happen.

The lawmaker attributed the poor infrastructure to the debt the school owed contractors, and urged the management to pay-off debts of contractors to enable them complete all abandoned projects.

Umar-Bago also charged the institute to address over 6,000 petitions against the academy.

According to him, the new management should avoid any form of petition against the academy and pay more attention to staff welfare and promotions.

I want to charge this management on staff welfare, promotion and retirement; this should be our focus for 2018 budget.

We want to reduce acrimony to zero per cent and reduce the issue of petition; we also want to reduce every forms of dissatisfaction and lack of motivation among staff.

We have more than 6,000 petitions against this academy only, we dont have space for the petitions, pay all your contractors. This school is indebted that is why we have so many uncompleted projects, he said.

He expressed the willingness of the committee to support the management to move the institution forward, saying it is sad seeing Nigerians going outside the country for courses obtainable in the academy.(NAN)

Source: NAN

Despite Central Bank of Nigerias (CBN) effort to promote financial inclusion,Nigerian banks lost over 2 million customers between 2016 and 2017.

According to statistics from theNigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), the number of active bank accounts also reduced by 1.5 million, dropping from 65 million to 63.5 million.

The statistics obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from the NIBSS website on Sunday, showed that the total number of bank customers dropped from 61 million in 2016 to 59 million in 2017.

According to NIBSS, the banking sector, however, made great strides in linking customers account using the Bank Verification Number (BVN).

The report showed that linked BVN accounts grew from 26 million in 2016, to 41.3 million in 2017.

According to a banking industry source, the reduction in banking customers is not unconnected to the Federal Governments declaration to fight against corruption.

When Buhari assumed office, many people abandoned their accounts, especially civil servants because of fear of investigation.

While some out rightly closed down their accounts, others opted for gradual withdrawal so as not to raise alarm, the source said.

The source, who works at one of the top five banks in the country, blamed the BVN for the low patronage of banking products, especially in the rural areas, where awareness was already very low.

A bank customer, Mr Olaitan Alagbe told NAN that she closed some of her accounts due to unnecessary and illegal charges by banks.

First of all, the interest rate is next to nothing, so there is little reason to keep your money at the bank when you can turn it over doing other businesses, she said.

Another customer, who preferred to remain anonymous said he opened several accounts during the Ponzi scheme boom in the country, but was forced to abandon them after the schemes crashed in late 2016 and early 2017.

However, a source at the CBN told NAN that the reduction in the number of banking customers was caused mainly by the introduction of BVN.

The reduction may not necessarily be a bad thing. For example, many people opened accounts using different variations of their names.

A person bearing Musa Salisu Mohammed, may have other accounts as Salisu Mohammed or Musa Salisu.

So with the introduction of BVN, such customers were forced to regularise their names, however, some opted to close down their accounts, which resulted in the reduction of active bank accounts and customers, the source said.

The CBN source was, however, optimistic that the financial inclusion strategy of the bank would succeed in bringing in more people into the formal banking system.

The Financial Inclusion strategy aims to ensure that major bulk of the money in the economy remains within the banking sector.

A major challenge in the financial inclusion process is how to ensure that the poor rural dwellers are carried along considering the lack of financial sophistication among this segment.

The CBN, Money Deposit Banks, Micro Finance Banks and other stakeholders are curre implementing different policies designed to enhance financial inclusion in the country.

Source: NAN

The Inspector-General of Police ( I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all policemen attached to Very Important Personalities (VIPs), political and public office holders in the country.

Idris gave the order at the monthly meeting with Commissioners of Police and above on Monday in Abuja.

A directive for the withdrawal of all police officers deployed to VIPs, political and public office holders, with immediate effect, is hereby given,he said.

He said that the order became expedient in view of the current security challenges in the country, adding that it was aimed at enhancing effective and efficient policing of the country.

Idris said that the directive included business entrepreneurs, multinational companies as well as corporate individuals.

The police boss said that a memo would be forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for approval.

He added that the approval would also serve as a guideline or template for the deployment of officers to VIPs, political and public office holders.

Idris said that a Task Force had been constituted at the Force Headquarters to ensure compliance to the directive while command commissioners would replicate same at their various commands.

He said that organisations and individuals that required services of the police and are found worthy would be considered by the Special Protection Unit ( SPU) of the force.

Idris explained further that this would be on application for re-validation through the state commissioners of police where they are resident.

I am charging the commissioners of police with the responsibility of supervising such official deployment and thereby holding them accountable,he said.

On illegal use of siren and spy number plate, Idris directed all holders to return them to the Force Transport Officer ( FTO) in Abuja to apply for re-validation.

He said that a Task Force would be formed at the command levels by state commissioners of police to ensure compliance.

Idris said that when formed, the list of members of the task force would be forwarded to the DIG operations on March 31.

He said that criminals now take advantage of the situation to perpetrate heinous crimes across the country.

The police boss also warned individuals covering their vehicle number plate and using siren illegally to desist forthwith.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has decorated some newly promoted senior police officers with their next ranks.

The officers include : AIG Danjuma Ibrahim, AIG Istifanus Shettima, AIG Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, CP Dasuki Galadanchi, CP Bello Yahaya, CP Mukaddas Garba, CP Fave Semali, among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the Police Service Commission on March 6, approved the promotion of 414 senior police officers.

Source: NAN

Senator Dino Melaye who is challenging moves to recall him by his constituency is in fresh trouble: the Police said they have filed a case in a Lokoja court accusing him and three other persons of illegal possession of firearms.

Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, announced the move today in a statement.

The police took the action, following the confession of two dreaded thugs who claimed they were working for Melaye, who represents Kogi West in the Senate.

The men were arrested on 19 January at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, after a shootout with the police and have confessed being hired by Melaye, to cause mayhem in the state, Moshood said.

One of the persons arrested was identified as 31 years-old Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama. The other was Nuhu Salisu, who is 25 years-old. The third person charged to court was identified as Alhaji Muhammed Audu, a politician, who is now said to be at large.

The police said they seized from the thugs and their gang members , two AK47 rifles, five pump action guns, two locally made pistols and heaps of charms.

According to the police, the men not only confessed to have been involved in several kidnappings in the state and environs, they also claimed to be hired thugs for politicians.

According to the gang leader, Osama, he has been working as a political thug for one Alhaji Mohammed Audu a Politician in the State.

He said Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport road, Abuja inside the Senator Dino Melayes Car in the month of December, 2017.

The suspect further confessed that Sen. Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for the Senator as his political thugs and they should recruit and train more other(sic) thugs to work for him in preparation toward 2019 General election to enable him ( Sen. Dino Melaye ) challenge his political opponents and disorganised Kogi State.

The police said Osama further confessed that Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the N430,000.00 to share with his boys.

Consequent on the indictments and criminal confessions against Senator Dino Melaye by the principal suspect KABIRU SAIDU a.k.a OSAMA 31 YRS, Nigeria Police Force, wrote a letter dated 2nd of March, 2018 addressed to the Senate President, Federal Republic of Nigeria informing and requesting him to release Senator Dino Melaye to report to Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command on the 7th March, 2018 to answer to criminal offences levelled against him, to enable the Police carry out a discreet investigation into the confessions of the principal suspect against Senator Dino Melaye. But Senator Dino Melaye have refused to honour the Police invitation till date.

A case of Criminal Conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms have therefore been filed by the Nigeria Police Force at Federal High Court Lokoja on 16th March, 2018 against the two suspects mentioned above, Senator Dino Melaye and Alh. Mohammed Audu who is also a suspect in the matter and is now on the run.

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Source: NAN