The President of the Senate Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki has promised that the National Assembly will focus on passing all pending bills that affect youths, the economy and will create jobs.

Speaking during an interactive session with Nigerian Cohort of Obama Foundation Leaders Program, Saraki said that he would engage with the House of Representatives to pass the Sexual Harassment Bill as well as the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill.

In a series of tweets on his twitter handles: @BukolaSaraki and @SPNigeria, Saraki disclosed that he met with emerging leaders from all sectors; economy, including education, entertainment, finance, new media, renewable energy, entrepreneurs and the health sector.

I had a great time discussing new ways of making progress in our economy over breakfast with the Nigerian cohort of the Obama Foundation Leaders Program.

Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki)

The Meeting was attended by several young business owners and policy advocates, who discussed the bottlenecks involved in youth advocacy.

The attendees spoke about sector peculiar issues. From poor education curriculum to the ease of doing business, access to credit, Poor infrastructure, Nollywood grant, bottlenecks in exportation and high tariff for renewable energy

They discussed possible solutions to the peculiar problems in their sectors and implored the Senate President to follow up on the recommendations.

On Education, Mr Femi Taiwo the Executive director of LEAP Africa discussed the importance of changing the school curriculum and improving access to e-learning. He discussed the possibility of the NUC recognizing e-learning initiatives much more and to improve teacher training.

The Young leaders advised that the multiple agencies in charge of exportation be collapsed into one that can supervise and ensure transparency to reduce the bureaucracy involved.

Mr Ebuka Obi Uchendu of Multichoice Africa, Ms Oluyemi Ayeni, the founder of Pearl recycling, Mr Moses Enoleka, the CEO of Sonicare and a host of other emerging leaders in business were in attendance at the interactive session.

Ms Oluwaseun Ayodeji, the Executive director of the Stand to End Rape started the session by talking about sexual harassment in the workplace and society, she advocated for quick passage of the Sexual harassment bill in the Senate.

Dr. Saraki engaged the young leaders about the importance of creating opportunities by bridging the gap between the private sector and governance.

He wrote on his twitter handles: I had a great time discussing new ways of making progress in our economy over breakfast with the Nigerian cohort of the Obama Foundation Leaders Program.

We had an interesting session exploring innovative ways to tackle issues like ease of doing business, progressive leaderships at MDAs through oversight, and our education curriculum.

It is always refreshing to meet with forward-thinking and vibrant minds who have fully committed themselves to influencing national policy and taking advantage of legislative actions to further their combined agenda.

I am committed to follow-up with industry specific hearings to produce an action plan, he said.

Source: NAN

The Speaker, Zamfara House of Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, has said that 15 persons have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen on Saturday in Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

Rikiji told newsmen in Gusau on Sunday that the security situation in the state called for serious review.

This coming as President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, in the state.

The State Assembly Speaker recalled the ugly incidences recorded in the last two days in Zurmi Local Government Area where bandits took over three districts comprising over 18 villages and towns.

As I said yesterday in Zurmi the issue of insecurity in this state require general study system review to tackle the prolonged security challenges facing the state.

Security agencies should do more and more to deploy enough security personnel in Zamfara; we need permanent security stations in the affected area.

We thank the immediate intervention of the Federal Government to this issue. As I am speaking now the troops, security personnel, have been deployed to the affected areas in Zurmi.

They have started restoring normalcy in the area. We appeal to the people of the area to remain calm as government in collaboration with security agencies is working to maintain peace and stability in the areas, he said.

The speaker also thanked the Emir of Zurmi, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, over his concern and commitment to the protection of his people.

Source: NAN

At least 16 Boko Haram terrorists have been killed by troops at the Mairari, a village in Mongno Local government area of Borno State.

The Deputy Director of Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said on Sunday that the success was recorded on Friday evening when the soldiers deployed in the Forward Operational Base (FOB) along Mairari in Monguno had an encounter with the insurgents and recovered two gun trucks from them.

The insurgents in three vehicles, including gun trucks, had infiltrated and attacked the community when troops at the FOB were alerted by locals.

The troops supported by the Air Task Force swiftly responded to the attack, killing 16 insurgents and capturing two gun trucks abandoned by the insurgents, as they tried to escape having been overwhelmed by the superior firepower from the troops, Nwachukwu said.

He added that the troops recovered 163 rounds of Anti-Aircraft Gun Ammunition from the insurgents.

However, he disclosed that four civilians and a soldier sustained injuries in the encounter.

He said the injured were promptly evacuated to a military hospital in the state where they were receiving medical attention.

Nwachukwu noted that the operational base was consequently reinforced with additional troops while fighting patrols were on the trail of the insurgents who fled the attack.

He added that normalcy has been restored in the village and urged the people of Mongonu LGA to go about their normal business without fear.

The army also urged the people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious person or activity to the nearest security agency.

Source: NAN

The 42-year-old Linus Chibuzor-Nwankwo, who died on Friday in South Africa has been confirmed was killed by a fellow Nigerian.

The Consul General of Nigeria in South Africa, Mr. Godwin Adama, has confirmed that Chibuzor-Nwankwo from Enugu State was killed, Mr. Lawrence Nwarienne from Anambra.

Adama, condemned the killing and expressed shock and dismay that a fellow Nigerian carried out the act.

Chibuzor-Nwankwo was shot by Nwarienne another Nigerian operating a bar in South Africa, in the early hours of Friday in Kempton Park, Johannesburg in South Africa.

The envoy said Nwarienne shot the deceased right at his bar for reasons not very clear adding that the suspect was however, immediately arrested by the police who had launched investigation into the case.

The High Commissioner and the Consul General are very concerned on this development. We condemn this dastardly act and do not expect it from our nationals who are supposed to protect each other.

This is a development that is becoming frightening and may make South African police authorities to blame other future killings on the same trend. We are taking it seriously, he said.

He said that the Mission was in touch with Nigerians and police authorities and encouraged them to properly investigate the murder and prosecute accordingly.

According to him, this is to discourage future actions of that kind by any person irrespective of his nationality.

We are monitoring the development and encouraging Nigerians to conduct themselves peacefully while we seek for justice.

Mission has been in touch with Nigerians on the unfortunate development.

Missions have already commenced discussions with Nigerian stakeholders to discourage this trend, he said

He said that the situation had been calmed down to avoid reprisal attacks from other Nigerian close relations and friends.

The case is being monitored by Nigerian community in South Africa to ensure justice is done to avoid future occurrences. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has said that he is confident that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2019 presidential election for a second term in office.

Akeredolu told the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Atlanta, U.S. that Buhari has done well and deserved to be re-elected, in spite of obvious challenges.

I followed the achievements he (Buhari) has had within this four short years but hes not someone that is given to making noise.

A lot has changed in our country and theres need for continuity; no doubt, we have had our challenges.

No doubt, at the tail end, a number of challenges came about on security.

But that notwithstanding, to get us out of recession within a short time is not a mean feat; people dont just appreciate it.

To now talk about a number of other things; when you talk about light, where you have light, is anybody talking about it?

To talk about what we have been able to save in terms of cutting corruption, so many lives are affected by that.

So, I believe that within this short four years, President Buhari has done a lot, the governor told NAN.

He urged Nigerians to re-elect the president for another term to stabilise the economy and block leakages.

According to him, re-electing another person might lead to the reversal of what the president has done in the last three years.

He said: Let him (Buhari) continue and probably stabilise the economy more, and at least, block a few areas of leakages when it comes to corruption in this country.

Let him block it totally and make sure that we are on a sound footing to now move.

Somebody else can come but its not like now.

So for us, who are supporting him, we believe that in the interest of stability, continuity and for the progress of the nation, we need President Buhari to have another four years and then we can move ahead.

On the implications of the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) leading to the defections by some National Assembly members and Benue Gov. Samuel Ortom, Akeredolu said there is no cause for alarm.

According to him, the defections were not because the politicians had any problem with Buhari but due to problems related to states.

President Buhari will win the election, let us leave what is happening here and there; he has captured it very well.

Look at the issue of the gale of defection that people are doing, he said most of them are not because of him, which is true.

We have States in which people have created problems and these problems now cascaded into the national level.

So, in that circumstance at the end of the day, when elections are held, President Buhari will win.

I am sure by the grace of God, we will win the election.

The only thing is that I dont know about senators, I cant talk about governors or some of the elections in the states.

But if its the election for the president, President Muhammadu Buhari, by the grace of God, will win. His chances are very bright, Akeredolu said.

Source: NAN

Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has secured a $6 million (about N2.1 billion) worth of new medical equipment from MedShare, a U.S.-based non-profit organisation in Atlanta.

Akeredolu told the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Atlanta that he ordered 20 containers load of new medical equipment from MedShare to strengthen the states healthcare.

NAN reports that the non-profit organisation had donated more than $40 million worth of new medical equipment to strengthen Nigerias healthcare systems in the last 20 years.

All the 19 northern state governments and the Federal Capital Territory have benefitted from the organisation while beneficiaries in the south include Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Enugu and Abia.

Akeredolu said the partnership with MedShare would see the state securing up to 50 containers load of equipment to equip all its hospitals and health centres with new state-of-art medical facilities.

The governor said when his aide secured the deal, he felt it was unbelievable, especially considering that in Nigeria, people believed used medical equipment could be shipped to the country.

I went there (MedShare) myself and found out that everything theyre going to ship down is new and a lot of our colleagues have benefitted from this; nobody has ever mentioned it.

I mean what I got from Nell (Diallo), the Vice Chairman of MedShare, is that initially she got the 19 states in the north to come and they all came and bought into it.

Babangida (former governor Aliyu) bought into it in Niger State.

Today, Bayelsa is doing a lot because it got people to sponsor them; Bayelsa is doing a lot of shipment.

I now said if this be the case and we never knew and not only that, the Federal Government of Nigeria has bought into it.

When we got into their storage facility, we saw a lot of packages ready to go to National Hospital, a lot are going to Bayelsa.

And I was saying wow, wow so we are missing out of these?

I said to them immediately, we are going to order for about 20 container loads to start with, Akeredolu said.

The module for receiving the container load of $300,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment involves the sponsorship of $25,000 for shipping logistics.

The governor said the bargain was too good and that the state government would source for funds immediately to pay the $500,000 for shipping logistics for all the 20 containers.

Akeredolu said: We will raise funds to make sure that we are able to pay for it so that we can equip our hospitals with necessary facilities, which have been lacking for long.

So my understanding with MedShare is for us to start with 20 container loads for now and then we proceed until we get to 50 (container loads).

If were able to do that, then Im sure all the medical equipment needs for all our hospitals in Ondo State, we will have covered it because everything we need, theyre all there.

Anyway, things that are not there (MedShare), the idea is for us to let them know and they will source it and send to us too. So this is a good idea.

Vice-President, International Development of MedShare, Ms Nell Diallo, described Akeredolu as a serious-minded leader, who wants to make lasting impact in the lives of his citizens.

I am happy to work with serious leaders like the Ondo state governor, who makes a difference, Diallo said.

NAN reports that MedShare is a Medical Surplus Recovery Organisation that collects and distributes surplus medical products to qualified healthcare facilities in medically-underserved communities around the world on an on-going basis.

The organisation was named a Four Star Charity for the 13th consecutive year by Charity Navigator, which designation recognises the top one per cent of U.S. charities based on the criteria of transparency, organisational accountability, and measurable impact.

Currently, in its 20th year of operations, MedShare has collected over $207 million worth of lifesaving medical supplies and equipment that has helped over 19 million patients in over 100 countries and territories.

It uses the World Health Organisations standard for accepting donations to go to underserved countries.

At any given time, it has roughly $25 million worth of materials ready to be shipped.

Nigeria has received the largest number and percentage of the containers in the NGOs 20 years of operation.

Source: NAN

Wayne Rooney opened his Major League Soccer account on Saturday, scoring in the first half in a 2-1 win against the Colorado Rapids but walked away from the Audi Field with a broken nose.

The D.C. United striker got on the board via a pass from Luciano Acosta, finishing low underneath another former Everton and Manchester United player, Tim Howard.

Wayne Rooney opens his MLS account! #DCvCOL https://t.co/XuKvh1sVea

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 29, 2018

The game marked the first for Rooney as D.C. United's captain after he was named the skipper earlier in the week.

Rooney was making his second MLS start and fourth overall appearance since signing for DCU at the end of June.

The 32-year-old bagged an assist on his debut on July 14, as he came off the bench in a victory over Vancouver.

Rooney nearly scored his second early in the second half, but Howard was up to the task the second time around, the shot off the far post before scrambling to collect it.

Howard with a big save on Rooney! #DCvCOL pic.twitter.com/69Yue8GysA

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 29, 2018

"Delighted to score my first goal for D.C. United last night and more importantly a big three points at Audi Field," Rooney wrote on Twitter, "and a broken nose and five stitches."

D.C. United entered the match in last place in the Eastern Conference, desperately needing the win against Colorado, who are second-bottom in the West.

Rooney's goal would not be enough, with the Rapids getting a goal from new signing Kellyn Acosta, who had missed a penalty early in the match, to pull level in the second half.

D.C. did find a winner though, with a stroke of good fortune handing the Eastern Conference club the win when Colorado's Niki Jackson, in an attempt to block a cross, turned home past Howard.

Chelsea beat Inter Milan 5-4 on penalties as goalkeeper Willy Caballero saved from Milan Skriniar in the shootout following a 1-1 draw in their opening game of the International Champions Cup.

Spain international Pedro struck after just eight minutes in Nice, slotting in a rebound after Inter keeper Samir Handanovic saved from a lively Alvaro Morata.

It was a second goal in as many games for Pedro, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Saturday, after he netted the winner in Monday’s 1-0 victory over Perth Glory.

Inter levelled early in the second half through Roberto Gagliardini, whose drilled shot proved too much for Argentina’s Caballero after fellow half-time substitute Tiemoue Bakayoko gave the ball away.

New Chelsea signing Jorginho nearly won it with a curling effort that forced Handanovic into a fine sprawling stop, while Tammy Abraham couldn’t hit the target as he tried to steer home an Emerson cross.

Twenty-year-old Argentine Lautaro Martinez, who joined Inter from Racing Club at the start of July, almost snatched a winner for the Italians in stoppage time when his sharp first-time strike was well kept out by Caballero.

Caballero, who was dropped at the World Cup following a 3-0 group stage loss to Croatia, saved from Skriniar with his legs in the shootout before Cesar Azpilicueta converted the decisive spot-kick.

Chelsea play Premier League rivals Arsenal in Dublin on Wednesday before wrapping up their pre-season campaign at home to Lyon on August 7, two days after facing Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Two of the nine Nigerians arrested by India’s Narcotics police in Mumbai
Nine knife-wielding Nigerians allegedly peddling drugs in Mumbai have been arrested by India’s Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC).

During the arrest on Friday night, police recovered 104 grams of cocaine and nine grams of mephedrone, all worth Rs 5.38 lakh, from the accused who attacked the cops with knives while resisting search.

According to reports, the accused were identified as Charles Ifini Ijia, 27, Okoro Jems Aja, 38, Mascells John Dino,32, Samuel Baju Okeni,30, Ken Kon Ishmel,37, Kofi Jems Romalik, 30, Chikku Fry, 43, Nanna Harisans Agvu, 28, and Joku Humai Vachuku Pais, 32.

The names were mangled by the officers as the Nigerians did not carry their passports on them, another offence, according to Indian law.

Investigators said three of the accused were also involved in an attack on officers of ANC’s Worli unit during an operation to nab a Nigerian national allegedly selling cocaine in Byculla on July 19.

Four police officers had sustained injuries in the attack.

While the attackers managed to flee then, a case was registered at the JJ Marg police station and night patrolling was increased based on Deputy Commissioner of Police Shivdeep Lande’s order.

“On Friday night, our officers, who patrolling the South Mumbai area, had neared the Eastern Freeway when they spotted some foreigners hanging around suspiciously under the bridge. The officers approached the group and was about to search them when two of them drew out knives and attacked them. While they attempted to flee, our officers, who had sustained minor injuries, managed to overpower them,” said an ANC officer.

During interrogation, three of the accused confessed to their involvement in the earlier attack in Byculla and revealed the identities of five others who were involved in the same.

“We are on their lookout,” said the officer.

“The accused obstructed police from discharging their duties and intentionally injured four personnel.

Emeka Ndukwu, 46, a Nigerian-American based in Bowie Maryland, has been sentenced to four years in prison for engaging in business e-mail scheme and conspiring to launder more than $900,000 proceeds of scams.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in a statement, said Ndukwu tricked seven companies in the United States and abroad into wiring more than $900,000 into accounts controlled by various co-conspirators.

“A co-defendant, Chuka Mbonu, 33, of Nigeria, remains at large,” the U.S. authorities said.

FBI said: “Ndukwu, a dual citizen of the United States and Nigeria, pleaded guilty in April 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of money laundering conspiracy.

“He was sentenced by the Honourable Timothy J. Kelly. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.

“The judge also ordered Ndukwu to pay $791,870 in restitution to the companies.

“Additionally, Judge Kelly ordered Ndukwu to forfeit a 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL450 and to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $429,848, representing the share of the criminal proceeds that Ndukwu personally obtained”.

According to documents filed at the time of the plea, Ndukwu, who says he is from Warri, Delta state, participated in an ongoing conspiracy from 2013 through 2017 to receive and launder the proceeds of various cyber frauds, primarily arising from business e-mail (“BEC”) compromise schemes.

In a typical BEC scheme, a co-conspirator tricks a company into transferring large sums of money into accounts controlled by others participating in the scheme.

Using fake e-mails, often containing forged sender addresses, co-conspirators impersonate someone connected to the victim company and deceive an employee of that company into wiring funds.

Soon after the wire transfers are completed, the co-conspirators drain the bank accounts and launder the criminal proceeds.

“This particular conspiracy targeted at least seven companies in the United States and overseas, including victims in Texas, Illinois, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, and China.

“The victims were fraudulently induced into sending $916,056 in wire transfers to accounts controlled by Ndukwu and other co-conspirators.

“The funds were then laundered through transactions conducted in Washington, D.C. and other jurisdictions, including layering through shell company accounts and accounts controlled by co-conspirators,” the FBI said.

According to the court documents, Ndukwu used false aliases and forged Nigerian passports to facilitate these schemes, and he used encrypted messaging to communicate with co-conspirators.

Ndukwu was indicted in December 2017 and has been in custody since his arrest that month.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Brown and Michael Marando are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist C. Rosalind Pressley, while former Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalia Medina participated in investigating the case.

Liverpool scored three second half goals as they wrapped up their pre-season tour of America on Saturday with a dominating 4-1 victory over Manchester United at Michigan Stadium.

Xherdan Shaqiri put a stamp on his Liverpool debut with a spectacular bicycle-kick goal to round out the scoring in the International Champions Cup match in front of a crowd of 101,000.

Shaqiri, of Switzerland, was one of five recent high profile signings which saw Liverpool shell out more than 200 million pounds ($260 million US) in an attempt to close the gap on Premier League champions Manchester City.

It was a nice way for the Reds to finish up their US exhibition swing as they now travel back to Merseyside before continuing their preparations for the season with a training camp in France beginning next week.

Sadio Mane converted a penalty to open the scoring for Liverpool in the 28th minute.

Manchester United’s 22-year-old midfielder Andreas Pereira tied the game 1-1 in the 31st minute off a free kick.

But Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool squad seized command in the second half, starting with Daniel Sturridge’s 66th-minute strike.

Shaqiri, 26, did the heavy lifting on the play, outmuscling a United defender and then slipping a pass back to Sturridge who made it 2-1.

Sheyi Ojo then scored off a spot-kick in the 74th minute. That set the stage for Shaqiri to bring the packed stadium to its feet eight minutes later with his overhead kick from inside the box off a nice feed from Ben Woodburn.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa accused his main rival Nelson Chamisa on Sunday of striking a deal with former leader Robert Mugabe on the eve of an election and cast doubt on Chamisas intentions of rebuilding the country.

Mnangagwa, who did not provide any evidence of his accusations, said in a Facebook post that voting for 40-year-old Chamisa was tantamount to bringing back Mugabe in disguise.

He made the comments after Mugabe said he would vote for the opposition in Mondays election.

On the eve of Zimbabwes first election since his ouster in a de facto coup, the 94-year-old said he hoped his former allies in the military government would be voted out of power.

Mugabe, whose 37-year rule came to an end when he was forced to resign in November, told reporters at his mansion in Harare on Sunday that President Emmerson Mnangagwas government was unconstitutional and ruled by the gun.

I hope the choice of voting tomorrow will throw, thrust away the military government and bring us back to constitutionality, said a frail looking Mugabe, in a rambling off the cuff speech that lasted almost an hour.

Let tomorrow be the voice of the people to say never again shall we experience a period where the army is used to thrust one person into power.

Mondays election will see 75-year-old Mnangagwa, a long-time Mugabe ally, face 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa, a lawyer and pastor who is vying to become Zimbabwes youngest head of state.

Source: NAN

For former Zimbabwe leader, Robert Mugabe, it was payback time to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other coup plotters in ZANU-PF who removed him from office last November, as he urged voters to reject them in Mondays election.

On the eve of Zimbabwes first election since his ouster in a de facto coup, the 94-year-old said he hoped his former allies in the military government would be voted out of power.

Mugabe, whose 37-year rule came to an end when he was forced to resign in November, told reporters at his mansion in Harare on Sunday that President Emmerson Mnangagwas government was unconstitutional and ruled by the gun.

I hope the choice of voting tomorrow will throw, thrust away the military government and bring us back to constitutionality, said a frail looking Mugabe, in a rambling off the cuff speech that lasted almost an hour.

Let tomorrow be the voice of the people to say never again shall we experience a period where the army is used to thrust one person into power.

Mondays election will see 75-year-old Mnangagwa, a long-time Mugabe ally, face 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa, a lawyer and pastor who is vying to become Zimbabwes youngest head of state.

Polls, which are unreliable, give former intelligence chief Mnangagwa a slim lead over Chamisa.

Both candidates are due to address the media later on Sunday.

Mugabe, one of the last Big Men of African politics, still looms large over Zimbabwean politics and he may yet influence the first vote without his name on the ballot paper since the country gained independence from Britain in 1980.

Though he became increasingly unpopular with most Zimbabweans as mismanagement and corruption sent the economy into decline, he retains support in his rural heartland where supporters remain bitter about the manner of his removal.

Source: NAN

The Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) said 181,000 primary six pupils from private and the public schools across the state sat for the 2018 Placement Test into Junior Secondary School 1.

Dr Ganiyu Sopeyin, Executive Chairman of SUBEB, disclosed this to journalists after monitoring the exercise at Mende Junior High School, Maryland, Lagos.The test took place in 361 designated centres across the state.

Sopeyin described the conduct of the test as satisfactory in the centres he monitored, which also included Immaculate Heart Comprehensive Junior and Senior High School, Maryland, Lagos.

This is an annual event. What we are witnessing today is the placement for primary six pupils to gain admission into junior secondary schools in Lagos.

As you can see, the whole place is peaceful; we have been to the classrooms and it is conducive for the purpose.

On the whole, in all the centres, we are expecting 181,000 pupils to write this test as against 160, 000 in 2017.

This is a pointer that parents are now getting interested in enrolling their children in Lagos schools.

We have to congratulate and thank Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, for his passion for education in the state, he said.

Sopeyin said that parents enrol their wards in Lagos primary and secondary schools due to the upgrade of infrastructure to meet international standards.

About three days ago, his Excellency magnanimously announced that very soon, Lagos State will be employing more teachers for its schools.

With all these, we can only enjoin parents to take their own part seriously, ensure that their children come to school and provide necessary materials for them, to enable them have very sound education as prepared for them by the government, he said.

Sopeyin also said that the conduct of the 2018 test was an improvement on what obtained in 2017.

According to him, saying there is a lot of improvement with the use of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheet.

If you look at the OMR sheet, the paper was customised; the childrens details were printed on the sheet for easy identification.

That is why you can see there is no rancor or problem, unlike in the past when the pupils will be running around because they could not find their names.Thank God we have taken care of that.

Some parents were even agitating that they forgot their slips at home and we told them not to worry, that there are other means to identify the pupils, he said.

Sopeyin commended the parents for conducting themselves in orderly manner and trusting in government.

He said security men were deployed to various centres to ensure safety of the pupils.

The chairman said the results of the test would be ready in one week, urging proprietors, headteachers and other school owners to check for them at the SUBEB office complex.

A parent, Mr James Okon, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), commended the state government for the smooth conduct of the test.

Okon said his daughter was admitted into the examination hall without officials requesting for anything.

I am happy about the conduct of the test, everything was well organised, we did not stress ourselves to locate the centre, he said.

NAN reports that 168,843 pupils sat for the test in 2017 in 255 centres, while 140,000 pupils sat for it in 160 designated centres in 2016.

Source: NAN

The Kwara chapter of the All Progressives Congress is already resetting itself for life after the impending exit of Senate President Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed to the Peoples Democratic Party.

Stakeholders of the APC, who met on Sunday in Oro have called for the immediate dissolution of the states Party Executive Committee led by Alhaji Balogun Fulani and the conduct of fresh congresses.

The meeting was at the country home of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Mohammed, who read out the resolutions said the stakeholders, agreed that the fresh congresses to be conducted at all levels would include all Kwara APC members and those who are just coming into the party

The minister said that the stakeholders also resolved that all those who got appointments by deceit, hiding under the facade of being party men and women, should immediately resign such appointments or be fired.

He said the resignations would enable the genuine members of APC to reap where they had sown.

We also resolved that the recent gale of defections has now put the APC in a position of true majority in the National Assembly, as those who remain are the ones who are truly committed to the ideals of our great Party

That all members and supporters of our great party restate their unflinching support for President Muhammadu Buhari and assure him of a harvest of votes from Kwara State in the 2019 General Elections.

That all members should remain calm because there is no cause for alarm, he said.

Mohammed said he was in the state with the permission of the partys national executive to hold the consultative meetings with the major stakeholders of APC in Kwara.

He expressed appreciation to hundreds of supporters who since the announcement of defections have encouraged us via text messages, telephone calls personal visits, that there is no cause for alarm in Kwara.

The minister stressed that the defection notwithstanding, Kwara is solidly for APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.

At the briefing were factional Chairman of APC, Moshood Bolarinwa, the Secretary, Ganiyu Saka and other key members of the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before the consultative meetings, the minister addressed members and supporters of the party who came to receive him at the playground of Muslim Community Primary School, Oro.

The minister told the supporters, in their thousands, that the defection of the lawmakers in the National Assembly had exposed the faces of traitors in the party fold.

Today is a special day. God has answered our prayers by exposing our political traitors.

God has removed stones from our rice and sands in our cassava flakes, Mohammed who addressed the rally in Yoruba language said.

He assured that the defection would have no significant negative effect on the party, instead it would offer an opportunity for its repositioning.

We are here today to assure that it is a new dispensation in Kwara APC politics. We are at home today to assure you that the party will be reorganised and repositioned.

By exposing the enemies and traitors in our fold, God has given us the opportunities that we have been looking for to reposition our party .

These are people who had never given us peace and progress.

Today, by the Grace of God and with your support, APC will wax stronger in Kwara. What is in the offing is a mega party, he said.

Mohammed said they were prepared to take the party structure back and give it back to the people.

The party belongs to you all. We therefore reassure you that God is with us and the people of Kwara are with us.

Since the day they decamped, you can see those who have come to our camp are more than those who left, he said.

The minister appealed to the members and party supporters to give new entrants a chance.

He assured that the new dispensation would allow level playing ground devoid of candidates imposition and godfather syndrome.

Source: NAN

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was prepared to shut down the government if Democrats fail to support his demand for more spending on border security, including a wall on the Mexican border.

I would be willing to shut down government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall! he tweeted.

He called for an end to the visa lottery system, which provides visas for 50,000 immigrants a year but which Trump maintains is riddled with abuse.

He also urged an end to what he calls the Catch and Release approach of letting undocumented arrivals remain in the US while their applications are being processed.

Calling for a purely merit-based immigration system, Trump added, We need great people coming into our country!

The president had threatened in March to veto a $1.3 trillion spending bill because it lacked funding for heightened security, including the $25 billion trust fund he wanted for a border wall.

He eventually signed the bill, averting a shutdown crisis, though the bill provided only $1.6 billion for a small stretch of border fencing and will keep the government open only until September 30, the end of the current fiscal year.

Securing Democrats support, moreover, is not likely to be easy, particularly amid widespread anger over a Trump immigration policy that for a time was separating parents from their children including infants at the border.

The administration was forced to backpedal and, under federal court order, has been scrambling to reunite those separated.

But, doubling down, Trump tweeted Sunday that there are consequences when people cross our Border illegally, and that many people are just using children for their own sinister purposes.

AFP

Source: NAN

Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, Osun state PDP gubernatorial candidate, does not have the West African School Certificate and he did not graduate from Jacksonville State University (JSU) in the United States, as he claimed.

According to a report by icirnigeria.org, the authorities of Jacksonville University in Alabama, United States have confirmed that although Adeleke enrolled for a programme in the school, he did not graduate.

According to his profile on the National Assembly website, Adeleke has a Diploma in Criminology from JSU and graduated in 1986. He also graduated from Ede Muslim Grammar School, Osun State, where he obtained an Ordinary Level Certificate.

His academic claims have, however, been debunked. According to recently circulated claims, Adeleke registered for GCE O’ Level in 1981 but had F9 in English Language and was recorded absent for other subjects. It also said he has no degree from JSU where he registered as Jackson Ademola Adeleke, while providing what it titled as official records of his enrolment.

Dele Adeleke, Ademola Adeleke’s junior brother, has denied the allegations and encouraged those who disagree to verify the senator’s result at his alma mater. “Do you think the APC would not have raised the issues if he did not have the authentic certificates?” he had asked.

The ICIR can, however, confirm that Adeleke did not graduate from Jacksonville State University, though he has claimed otherwise.

Buffy Lockette, the Director of Public Relations at the university, in response to a mailed enquiry, told The ICIR that though the senator enrolled at the tertiary institution, he was not awarded any degree.

“Your request was forwarded to me,” started Lockette. “According to our records, he attended JSU but did not graduate. I cannot provide any additional information. Perhaps you can learn more at http://www.studentclearinghouse.org.”

When The ICIR checked the West African Examination Council’s website to view Adeleke’s O’ level result using examination number 19645/149 as circulated, the site replied, “result not available for this candidate in the specified year and exams diet”.The Council’s online result verification portal, which claims to contain data from 1980 to 2018, was also consulted with the same details. The result was brief: “candidate does not exist”.

When The ICIR checked the West African Examination Council’s website to view Adeleke’s O’ level result using examination number 19645/149 as circulated, the site replied, “result not available for this candidate in the specified year and exams diet”.

The Council’s online result verification portal, which claims to contain data from 1980 to 2018, was also consulted with the same details. The result was brief: “candidate does not exist”.

Demianus Ojijeogu, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, told The ICIR all candidates’ results are in the custody of the Council and should be accessible on the website, regardless of performance in the examination.

“Even if the candidate has F9 throughout or is absent throughout, it is accessible,” he said. He, however, added that the Council is still working on results of candidates who wrote in 1981 and the surrounding years.

“You know there is this change of nomenclature in our examination. We used to have SSCE then WASC, and now WASSCE. So, we are trying to update the website; maybe they took some down.” He promised to confirm and provide feedback on why the results are not presently online.

Meanwhile, two members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Rasheed Olabayo and Oluwaseun Idowu, have as a result of the controversy applied to the Osun State High Court for an order setting aside Adeleke’s election as the party’s flag bearer in the September gubernatorial election.

Olabayo, in his affidavit, said the senator truly attended Ede Muslim Grammar School “but did not leave with a School Leaving Certificate having absented himself from the school leaving examinations but for English where he scored a failing mark of F9”.

One of the exhibits provided to the court and obtained by The ICIR is Adeleke’s senior secondary school examination statement of result recently collected from Ede Muslim High School. It shows that the candidate had an F9 in English Language, while grades for Literature in English, Mathematics, Biology, Economics, Islamic Religious Studies, Christian Religious Studies and Geography, were said to be pending.

Ruling on the plaintiffs’ ex-parte application on Thursday, the court gave Adeleke six days, that is till August 1, 2018, to provide his certificate.

“It will be inequitable not to allow the respondent to come and show his certificate if he has any but if given the opportunity to present side of the case, the balance which is necessary for interlocutory injunction would be adequately considered,” noted Justice David Oladimeji.

Though a newcomer to Nigeria’s elective politics, the 58-year-old senator appears to be flying from triumph to triumph. He was largely unknown politically prior to the demise of Isiaka Adeleke, his older brother, who passed away on April 23, 2017.

Following a bye-election held to fill the vacuum left by Isiaka in the Nigerian senate, he was declared to have had a landslide victory, winning in nine out of 10 local governments. He admitted this was due to his brother’s “historical goodwill” and influence.

According to him: “I was having fun during the campaign and enjoying my dance because my brother had done 70 percent of the job with his historical goodwill right from when he became an executive governor in 1991. I was always with him. I want to follow his footsteps and may God help me.”

Last Saturday, Adeleke found himself a step closer to his political ambition as he was declared PDP’s gubernatorial flag bearer in Osun State, after he narrowly defeated Akin Ogunbiyi with a seven-vote difference.

Though what he notes as his target achievement is “to sponsor Bills that would be impactful on my people, especially youths and women”, the senator has in fact not notably sponsored any bills since his election into the red chambers.

On the contrary, he has become notorious for his vigorous, entertaining dance moves and his fondness for flaunting these in public ― a trend that has earned him the name, “the dancing senator”.

(NAN)

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the government and people of Gombe State over the passing away of a former governor, Alhaji Abubakar Hashidu, on Friday.

President Buharis condolence message is contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Saturday.

The president joined family members, friends, professional and political associates of the former governor in mourning, while underscoring that the country would sorely miss the wise counsels of the revered politician.

According to the president, the wealth of experience and innovative thinking that the deceased brought to the many interventions to buoy the Nigerian economy remains commendable and will always be appreciated by posterity.

President Buhari prayed that the almighty God would grant the soul of the former governor eternal rest and comfort the family he left behind.

Late Hashidu, the first civilian governor of Gombe state from May 1999 to May 2003, elected under the platform of the defunctAll Peoples Party (APP)passed away on Friday at the age of 74.

The All Peoples Party later changed its name to All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Hashidu had also served variously asMinister of Water Resources and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development under the regime of defunct President Ibrahim Babangida.

He left behind one wife, eight children and 15 grandchildren

Source: NAN

Two days after its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) lost over $16 billion, a UK parliamentary committee has recommended an increased government oversight of Facebook and other social media campaign platforms to protect democracy in the digital age.

The call was made following scathing report on fake news, data misuse and interference by Russia in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election and other similar cases.

An interim report by the House of Commons media committee to be released on Sunday said democracy is facing a crisis because the combination of data analysis and social media allows campaigns to target voters with messages of hate without their consent.

Tech giants like Facebook, which operate in a largely unregulated environment, are complicit because they havent done enough to protect personal information and remove harmful content.

The light of transparency must be allowed to shine on their operations and they must be made responsible, and liable, for the way in which harmful and misleading content is shared on their sites, committee Chairman Damian Collins said in a statement.

The study was due to be published Sunday, but a copy was leaked on Friday by Dominic Cummings, the director of the official campaign group backing Britains departure from the European Union.

Social media companies are under scrutiny worldwide following allegations that political consultant Cambridge Analytica used data from tens of millions of Facebook accounts to profile voters and help U.S. President Donald Trumps 2016 election campaign.

The committee is also investigating the impact of fake news distributed via social media sites.

Collins also ripped Facebook for allowing Russian agencies to use its platform to spread disinformation and influence elections.

I believe what we have discovered so far is the tip of the iceberg; more work needs to be done to expose how fake accounts target people during elections.

The ever-increasing sophistication of these campaigns, which will soon be helped by developments in augmented reality technology, makes this an urgent necessity, he said.

The committee therefore recommended that the British government increase the power of the Information Commissioners Office to regulate social media sites, update electoral laws to reflect modern campaign techniques, and increase the transparency of political advertising on social media.

Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to address the issue in a so-called White Paper to be released in the fall.

She signaled her unease last year, accusing Russia of meddling in elections and planting fake news to sow discord in the West.

The committee began its work in January 2017, interviewing 61 witnesses during 20 hearings that took on an investigatory tone not normally found in such forums in the House of Commons.

The report criticised Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg for failing to appear before the panel and said his stand-ins were unwilling or unable to give full answers to the committees questions.

One of the committees recommendations is that the era of light-touch regulation for social media must come to an end.

Social media companies can no longer avoid oversight by describing themselves as platforms, because they use technology to filter and shape the information users see, nor are they publishers, since that model traditionally commissions and pays for content.

We recommend that a new category of tech company is formulated, which tightens tech companies liabilities, and which is not necessarily either a platform or a publisher.

We anticipate that the government will put forward these proposals in its White Paper later this year, the report said.

The committee also said that the Information Commissioners Office needs more money so it can hire technical experts to be the sheriff in the Wild West of the internet.

The funds would come from a levy on the tech companies, much in the same way as the banks pay for the upkeep of the Financial Conduct Authority.

Our democracy is at risk, and now is the time to act, to protect our shared values and the integrity of our democratic institutions, the committee said.

Source: NAN

By Isaac Aregbesola

The President of Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria (AFRPN), Amb. Gani Lawal, has said that Nigerian cannot severe diplomatic ties with South Africa over xenophobic attacks.

Dr Lawal, a former Nigeria Deputy Principal Representative in Algeria, said this in an interview News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

NAN reports that killing of Nigerians in South Africa had been on the increase in recent times.

A report hadstated that no fewer than 117 Nigerians were extra-judicially killed in South Africa between 2013 and 2018 for one flimsy reason or the other.

According to Lawal, we cannot because of xenophobic attacks break diplomatic relations with South Africa because the issue is not between government and government.

We will continue to work with South Africa to make sure that offenders are apprehended and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others, he said.

The former director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the issue of killings in South Africa was not between government and government but among the people on the streets.

However, South African government also has the responsibility to protect our people and also to advise them on where to go and not to go.

We have to be able to find a ground to ensure that the attack doesnt happen by establishing rules of engagement, he said.

The former director said that the present administration had been doing a lot to strengthen the Nigerian foreign policy.

He saidthe association was ready to assist the government in ensuring that the government achieves its goal on foreign policy and strengthen ties with other countries.

According to him, what we do is to work behind the scene by doing research using our experience to advise the government.

He said that theformation of AFRPN was to fill a vacuum in the country in terms of providing credible advice to the government on foreign relations.

He added that the association would be formally inaugurated on Tuesday, July 31, by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II

Lawal said the event, would also feature inaugural lecture titled, The New International System: A Diplomats Nightmare to be delivered by Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, former Foreign Affairs Minister.

He said the associations Peer-Review Journal would be launched by business moguls Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Abdulsamad Ishyaku Rabiu, Femi Otedola, and Mr Tunde Folawiyo.

Lawal said the association was founded to serve as a think-tank to the Federal Government and other stakeholders on foreign relations matters.

The AFRPN was established as a legal body to engage in scholarly research, coupled with our experience to positively impact on the foreign policy process and practice of our country through an interactive process drawing both from the diplomats and the academia, he said.

He said when inaugurated the association would be able to advise the government on foreign policy.

According to him, most of the pieces of advice that people often give are based on guess work and that is why we are coming on board to offer help to the government based on experience and research.

So we feel that those who have experience in foreign relations can assist in filling necessary vacuums.

Those of us who have gone all over the world should be able to put our heads together to advise the government on foreign issues.

Also, government can also look at our ways when there are issues to be dealt with and we also are ready to give government the alternative way of doing things, he said.

Source: NAN