A man accused of being a member of a far-right extremist group on Tuesday admitted buying a machete with the intention of killing an elected member of the British parliament.

Jack Renshaw changed his plea to guilty ahead of the start of a trial at Londons Old Bailey court involving himself and five other men accused of being members of the white supremacist neo-Nazi group National Action.

The British government banned the group in 2016 following the murder of Jo Cox, a Member of Parliament (MP) from the opposition Labour Party, in a frenzied street attack by a Nazi-obsessed loner a week before a referendum on EU membership.

The court heard that Renshaw had bought a machete with the intention of killing Rosie Cooper, another female Labour MP.

Renshaw also admitted a charge of threatening another man with a view to his killing a woman, believing that the murder would take place.

In the event, the crime did not happen. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Tuesday in Abuja requested President Muhammadu Buhari to institute an award to name and shame all those who truncated Nigerias democratic transition with the annulment of June 12, presidential elections.

Speaking at the National Honours Investiture for heroes of democracy, Soyinka said: Today perhaps is also a day to inaugurate our hall of shame so that as we have hall of heroes in one handwe also have hall of shame as a lesson to future generations.

According to Nobel laureate: It is not possible to honour MKO Abiola in one breath and admire his tormentor in another breath.

Loyalty is all very well but loyalty can become perverse if that loyalty is retained to an individual who if he were alive today will be before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

Soyinka, who did not mention the name of the Nigerian, described him as one broke the laws of Nigeria, broke international law and committed crimes against humanity.

He added: It is confusing if professional loyalty is carried so far as to be accorded to such an individual.

The Nobel laureate recounted his private conversation with the President, where he had argued why a notorious corrupt ruler was honoured by the Federal Government while the martyrs of democracy and philanthropists were left unhonoured.

Soyinka commended the President for tendering an apology to Nigerians and the family of Chief MKO Abiola for the wrong done to democracy in 1993 by the annulment of the June 12 presidential elections.

There are too many traumatised individuals walking the streets as a result of the policies and attitudes of one of the most brutal dictators that this nation has ever known.

Closure will come by responding to those traumatised individuals, the victims of unspeakable tortures, some of whom were compelled to watch their beloved ones being tortured, he said.

Soyinka, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government not to forget the nameless and unsung heroes and heroines of the June 12 struggle.(NAN)

Source: NAN

In his book, ‘My Life and Nigerian Politics’, Tony Anenih, who was the national chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) when the June 12, 1993 election was held, made a number of claims on the crisis.

Ibrahim Babangida, then military president, annulled the results of the presidential election presumed to have been won by MKO Abiola, the SDP candidate.

Anenih, in the book launched in 2016, said Abiola told him repeatedly that Babangida was trying to embarrass him.

“On the issue of June 12, Chief MKO Abiola had called me on the phone to come for an urgent meeting in Ikeja. I flew to Ikeja and met Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, Dr Dele Cole, and Kola, MKO’s son,” he wrote.

“At the meeting, Chief MKO told us that his friend, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, planned to embarrass him. He kept repeating this without stating the type of embarrassment.”

IBB NOT PICKING ABIOLA’S CALLS

Later, Abiola insisted that they must leave his house for Kola’s.

“He was terribly frightened and depressed. We all moved to Kola’s house in Maryland. Right from this time, Chief Abiola was trying to get President Babangida on the phone, but each time he tried (Halilu) Akilu (then director-general, National Intelligence Agency) received the call,” Anenih wrote.

“We could hear Chief Abiola telling Akilu to tell his friend (IBB) that they were still friends, and that he should allow him to be president even for one day, and he would resign thereafter; that all the photographs they took together were still all over his house, and that he should not forget the past, and that God would bless him.

“MKO would repeat Akilu’s words: ‘You mean I should call back in 30 minutes? Okay, I will call back in 30 minutes’. This went on till 7pm when the national anthem was sung on the television and MKO hysterically was saying, ‘Do you see my friend? You see him? You see my friend? He wants to embarrass me. Pointing to the television and there was IBB with a piece of paper in his hand. It was the annulment speech of June 23, 1993, by which President Babangida annulled the election and repealed Decree NO 13 of 1993 and 52 of 1992 on which basis the election had been conducted.”

Anenih said that at a meeting, Babangida made it clear that the military would not accept Abiola as its commander-in-chief.

“He (Babangida) told the meeting that the military would not accept MKO Abiola and Alhaji Tofa as their commander-in-chief of the armed forces and that we should go and prepare for a fresh presidential election with new candidates,” he said.

“He directed that the SDP and NRC should arrange fresh conventions to pick new candidates. He gave the two political parties six weeks to conduct fresh primaries, confirm the nomination of their candidates and hold fresh elections – an action President Babangida knew would not be possible.”

‘ABIOLA WOULD HAVE BEEN ALIVE’

Anenih also said Abiola’s persistent refusal to listen to his advice landed him in jail and ultimately led to his death.

Anenih said he advised Abiola against declaring himself president, but that he refused to listen.

He said Abiola reached a secret agreement with Sani Abacha, former head of state, to take over from Ernest Shonekan, interim president, but he fled the country when things were heating up, leaving his supporters behind.

He said when Abiola came back to the country frustration drove him to declare himself president after his scheming to succeed Shonekan had failed.

‘ABIOLA KEPT US IN THE DARK’

Anenih said the late businessman kept the leadership of the party out of his negotiations with the military.

“It is a pity indeed, that Chief Abiola kept the leadership of the party away from his arrangement with General Ababcha to take over from Shonekan. If he had brought it to the notice of the leadership of the party, he would have been advised well,” he wrote.

“In a similar but not exactly identical set of circumstances, I had advised Chief Abiola against declaring himself the president of this country when frustration arising from Abacha’s refusal to hand-over to him drove him into that extreme line of thought. I spoke to him on telephone pointing out that the army was not there to back him up. He had no police support, and not even the immigration or customs would back him.

“It was clear to me that the course of action to which Chief MKO Abiola was heading was not only going to be self-destructive, but also ruinous. He was play into the hands of the military and offer himself as a sacrificial lamb by delivering himself to those who for various and obvious reasons, very much wanted him out of the scene.

“Chief Abiola did not listen. The result of his line of action landed him in jail.

“I wished he had listened to my advice not to declare himself president of this country. If he did, I believe he would, in all probability, still be alive today. Frustration arising from the collapse of his scheming drove him into extreme step which, in the end, set up a chain of events that ultimately caused him his life.”

(The Cable NG)

The umpire of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, is elated that the recognition of the day will rekindle the national consciousness for a better nation.

The Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC) on Monday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for designating June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

In a letter Nwosu wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation ( SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha on Monday in Abuja, he also thanked Buhari for honouring the memory of Chief Moshood (MKO) Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 election.

Nwosu, who presided over the polls later annulled by the military junta, said the conferment of national honours on Chief Abiola and his running mate, Amb. Babagana Kingibe, “will rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better nation.”

“I thank His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria for recognizing June 12 as Democracy Day and also honouring the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

“Indeed, June 12, 1993 marked a turning point in Nigeria’s tortuous journey towards a democratic polity.

“It is an honour to the very hard-working men and women of the defunct National Electoral Commission under my leadership at this long awaited recognition. I humbly commend this action by the President.

“Undoubtedly the democratic system of governance is the best especially for the multi ethnic nation like ours. I thank you for building on the foundation which my team and I laboured strenuously to establish and actualize on June 12, 1993.

“It is our hope that expanding the frontiers of democracy of which all the people of Nigeria, regardless of ethnic group, will provide economic, social and developmental benefits that will certainly make Nigeria a great nation not only in Africa but across the world.”

He added that the scheduled event on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 would rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better Nation.

He noted that he won’t be able to attend the investiture ceremony, because he was not in the country presently.

(NAN)

Guests have started arriving at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja for the Special National Investiture ceremony to honour the June 12 pro-democracy heroes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari will confer posthumous national honours on Chief M.K.O. Abiola as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and Chief Gani Fawehinmi as the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).

The President will also decorate Ambassador Babagana Kingibe with GCON at the special investiture ceremony.

Some of the guests that arrived early at the venue of the event scheduled to commence at 11.00 a.m are: Senator Jonathan Zwingina, Director-General of Hope ’93 MKO Abiola Campaign Organisation and Kayode Komolafe of the Media Hope ’93. Both were already seated by 8: 38 a.m.

Others guests who made it early to the venue were the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamide Adeyemi and The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo.

More to follow...

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday said it has destroyed a 10-hectare Indian hemp farm at Area 5, Ife-South Local Government Area of Osun.

The State Commander of the agency, Mr Egbeola Samuel, said 19.3 kg of already harvested Indian hemp was also seized at the farm while one suspect was arrested.

Samuel, who said the command was set to destroy more Indian hemp farms, solicited the support of the state government.

He, however, expressed gratitude to the state government for the support it rendered to the agency in carrying out its latest seizure.

The NDLEA boss also commended Mr Remi Kolajo, the Chairman of the Task force on Eradication of Planting, Distribution and Usage of Cannabis Sativa and Psychotropic Substances, for his support.

Samuel said the NDLEA would not relent in its efforts to make Osun a drug-free state.

(NAN)

A United Airlines plane, flying from Rome to Chicago was diverted to Irelands Shannon Airport on Monday after a message perceived as a potential security concern was discovered on board, Irish police and airline officials said.

The message made reference to a bomb on the plane, a source with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters.

The 207 passengers and 11 crew members disembarked from the Boeing 767-330 at Shannon Airport at 2:15 p.m. local time, according to Jim Molloy, a representative of Irelands police force.

The passengers of flight UA971 were in the process of being searched, he said in an emailed statement, but gave no further details about the nature of the threat.

United said in a statement that the landing was due to a potential security concern, but declined to comment further.

After assessing the situation, our crew made the decision to divert to the nearest available airport, it said. Additional security screenings will be performed on all customers and baggage.

The airline said on Twitter that the flight was now canceled and would depart for Chicago on Tuesday.

The U.S. government was aware of the incident and seeking to establish whether there was any violent intent behind the threat, a U.S. government source familiar with the investigation told Reuters.

A second U.S. government source said similar incidents involving threatening notes found on airplanes happen about once a week.

The handwriting on the note was being analysed to see if it matched with any other such notes, which are periodically found on aircraft, one of the sources said. It was not clear whether the note was posted in the bathroom prior to takeoff or during the flight.

Police were also taking handwriting samples from the passengers, the Irish Times reported. The message was found in the plane toilet, it said, without citing sources.

The United jet completed its descent after jettisoning some of the fuel loaded for its transatlantic crossing, according to recordings on air traffic control site LiveATC.net.

Source: NAN

APC chieftain, Chief Sunny Ofehe with a Chief Frank Kokori, a June 12 political activist.

An APC chieftain in Delta, Chief Sunny Ofehe, has described the June 12 Democracy Day as a rallying force for the Nations democratic development that must be cherished by Nigerians.

He said the endorsement of the day by the President Muhammadu Buharis was an indication of the administrations desire to enthrone true democracy in the countrys political system.

In a statement on Sunday, Ofehe said that the unity that the day brought among Nigerians must continue to be sustained by all lovers of democracy.

As we celebrate June 12, we must have a re-think on how we can make our democracy strong and valuable. In June 12 we have a reference point and a solid proof that Nigerians can still walk together in peace and harmony.

Nigerians through June 12 annulment showed the extent they can unify to fight a common cause. It also showed that Nigerians can rally support for any political candidate with incredible track record.

Nigerians came out in their numbers to vote and the election was declared the freest and fairest election by national and international observers, Ofehe said.

He added that the day would be remembered for being the first time the ethnic and religious barriers hindering National development was aside by the Nigerian electorates.

Remember it was in June 12 we had the first and only Muslim-Muslim ticket in the candidacy of Chief MKO Abiola and his running mate Ambassador Babagana Kingibe. It was the day Democracy was born, it was the day Nigerians stood with one voice and took a collective decision for one Nigeria.

We all remember how Chief MKO Abiola, a core South-West candidate defeated his opponent Alhaji Bashir Tofa in his home State of Kano.

Ofehe, who is an APC governorship aspirant in Delta, said that those who fought for the realization of the day would now have a sense of relief and accomplishment at last.

This will give us hope that no matter what we go through in life, if only we will stand on the part of justice and fairness, our fight will never go in vain.

Therefore, my message to those who draw ethnic and religious sentiment to such a wonderful decision that has helped to unite us, most tow the path of reason and accept the reality of the change mantra of this current administration.

Source: NAN

====President Muhammadu Buhari has held bilateral talks with the Monarch of Morocco, King Mohammed the Sixth, on the second day of his official visit to the kingdom.

Both leaders discussed strengthening cooperation in fertiliser production, the Nigeria/Morocco Gas Pipeline Project and establishing a basic chemicals platform in Nigeria.

=====The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority says it has increased its contribution in investment infrastructure from 40 per cent to 50 per cent.

The Managing Director, Uche Orji, said he would actively focus on domestic direct investment infrastructure in agriculture, road and health care sectors.

===The Nigeria Customs Service has issued its first batch of 20 Toyota Hilux vehicles, equipped for anti-smuggling patrol, out of the 50 donated by the Federal Government.

The Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs Aminu Dangaladima pledged to use the vehicles to actualise Federal Governments agricultural policy for national food sufficiency by clipping rice smuggling.

===Erectile dysfunction is linked to greater cardiovascular risk, regardless of other risk factors like cholesterol, smoking and high blood pressure, a new research has found.

According to the American Heart Associations journal Circulation, a study followed more than 1,900 men aged 60 to 78 over four years, and found that those who reported Erectile Dysfunction were twice as likely to experience heart attacks, cardiac arrests, sudden cardiac death and fatal or non-fatal strokes.

===No fewer than 5,000 newsmen are to cover the Tuesday historic summit in Singapore, where U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un meet.

The U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, told a news conference that the high level of the media attention is a proof of the summits success.

The two leaders are expected to discuss North Koreas denuclearisation, the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, and other issues.

====Rastafarians in Ebonyi have concluded plans to hold candle light procession for departed Nigerian Reggae icon, Ekeleke Onwubuya, popularly known as Ras Kimono.

Kimono died on Sunday at a Lagos hospital of an undisclosed ailment at the age of 60.

Source: NAN

After months of sabre-rattling that gave way to flirtation, President Trump finally met face-to-face with Kim Jong Un at a hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore on Tuesday morning.

Hours into a working lunch, at which the two leaders discussed a deal to denuclearise North Korea, Trump and Kim took a stroll together, and the U.S. president declared Were going right now for a signing.

While it remained unclear what sort of document the two men would sign, Trump added that the meeting had gone better than anybody could have expected.

Their meeting began shortly after 9 a.m. local time, with Trump wearing a dark suit and red tie, and Kim dressed in a black suit. The two men walked along a white colonnade, meeting in front of a bank of 12 alternating U.S. and North Korean flags where they shook hands. The handshake lasted about 12 seconds.

According to the Shanghai Media Group, the 35-year-old Kim arrived at the summit venue seven minutes earlier than Trump, 71, to show respect to his elder.

After their initial greeting, Trump and Kim walked inside, sat down and spoke briefly to reporters.

Trump, who had insisted he would know within the first minute if Kim was serious about denuclearisation, said he felt really great and that it was his honour to meet with the North Korean leader.

Were going to have a great discussion, Trump said. A tremendous success. We will have a great relationship.

It was not easy to get here, Kim said. There were obstacles, but we overcame them to be here.

Kim likened the meeting to something from a science fiction movie, according to a translation of his remarks.

The pair then retreated to a private room where they met one-on-one, with interpreters, for about 35 minutes before an expanded bilateral meeting with both U.S. and North Korean advisers.

The president was flanked by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, chief of staff John Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton. Kim was joined by vice chairman Kim Yong Chol and foreign ministers Ri Yong Ho and Ri Su Yong. Trump and Kim sat across from each other near the center of a long table.

At the top of the expanded meeting, Trump said he and Kim will solve the problems presented by a nuclear North Korea.

Working together, we will get it taken care of, Trump said.

We overcame all kinds of skepticism and speculations about this summit, Kim added, and I believe that this is good for the peace.

Trump arrived at the hotel after issuing a flurry of tweets dismissing skeptics of the meeting between U.S. leaders and the rogue nuclear nation as “haters & losers.”

He also revealed that his economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, who was not part of the U.S. delegation in Singapore, had suffered a heart attack was being treated at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland.

“Larry is currently in good condition,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. “And his doctors expect he will make a full and speedy recovery.”

Adding to the surreal nature of Trump-Kim spectacle, former NBA star Dennis Rodman appeared on CNN in a rambling, emotional interview live from Singapore, where he broke into tears as he commented on his role in bringing Kim and Trump to the negotiating table.

Rodman, who first traveled to North Korea in 2013 to meet with Kim, said he received death threats as a result of his outreach.

“I believed in North Korea,” Rodman said. “And when I went home I couldn’t even go home. I couldn’t go home. I had to hide out for 30 days. I couldn’t even go home, but I kept my head up high, brother. I knew things were going to change. I knew it. I was the only one.”

The flamboyant former basketball star added that the Trump White House called him Tuesday to thank him for his unlikely diplomacy.

(Reuters/NAN)

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it fully supported any honour done by Nigeria to the memory of acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, late Chief MKO Abiola.

The party said this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday in Abuja.

The party, however, said it rejected the inclination by President Muhammadu Buhari to use the award to posture as a democrat and desperately seeking to garner votes ahead of 2019 presidential election.

It noted that bestowing a posthumous national award on Abiola did not make Buhari a democrat.

“Chief Abiola, in his life time, stood for personal liberty of citizens, particularly the right to aspire for any position, respect for constitutional order and principle of separation of powers.

“He also stood for national cohesion as well as a free press, all of which were upheld by the PDP.”

The party said that it was, however, a fact that the freedoms were being trampled and strangulated.

“While the PDP congratulates the family of late Chief Abiola and other martyrs of democracy, we also remember the roles of late Sen. Abraham Adesanya, Bagauda Khalto, Dan Suleiman, Raph Obiorah, Alex Ibru and others.

“We remember the Management and Staff of the Concord, Guardian, Vanguard, Punch and other media houses, who suffered undue hardships for our nation to attain this democracy.”

It urged the Presidency to save the nation international opprobrium of attempting to use the event for “political capital’’ and to posture Buhari as a democrat.

Also in a separate statement, the PDP commended the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly for their resilience in enhancing the country’s democratic practice as consolidated by successive PDP administrations.

It commended the legislature for the successful amendment of the country’s Constitution.

It advised the Presidency not to appropriate the achievements of the National Assembly as those of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The party decried the recent attempt by the Presidency to ascribe credit to President for the recent amendments to the Constitution, particularly the granting of financial autonomy to state house of assembly and the judiciary.

According to it, neither the Presidency nor the President himself made any input in support of the amendments.

“It is instructive to note that none of the amendments stem from any Executive bill.

Source: NAN

A male suicide bomber strapped with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) has killed one Civilian JTF (CJTF) and injured four others at a security formation at Baga road area in Maiduguri.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations in the state, Mr Wakil Maye, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Maiduguri, said the incident occurred around 1 a.m.

Maye said the bomber was intercepted by the CJTF, who sighted the bomber from a distance.

When he couldnt reach his target, he quickly detonated the explosives, killing himself, one civilian JTF and injuring four others, said Maye.

He said that the police Explosive Ordinance Device (EOD) team were deployed to sanitise the scene.

Malam Bello Danbatta, the Spokesperson of the CJTF, also confirmed that one of its members was killed by the suicide bomber while defending his country.

Danbatta said that the bomber was targeting Muslim faithful performing midnight (Tahajjud) prayers of the last 10 days of Ramadan.

He said the injured were evacuated to the State Specialist Hospital for medication while the male deceased was handed over to his family for burial.

Source: NAN

The Federal Government says it has taken advantage of the new Meter Asset Provider (MAP) regulations to give a grant of N37billion to a private sector operator to supply meters to interested Distribution Companies (DisCos).

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this at the 28th monthly meeting of power stakeholders in Kaduna.

The Meeting, hosted by Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company at the Mando transmission substation, had in attendance representatives of government power agencies and private operators across the value chain of Generation, Transmission and Distribution.

The minister, who did not mention the name of the company, said the Federal government provided the fund based on the demand for meters, given the increasing power generation, transmission and distribution in the country.

He said, As power supply continues to increase in Generation, Transmission and Distribution, the demand for meters will increase because more power supply and consumption will likely result in increased bills.

Estimated billings in these circumstances will become a major cause of distrust and conflict between consumers and DisCos, and meters are the easiest way to build the bridge of trust.

On the Executive side of government, we are responding by taking advantage of the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) regulations to deploy a fund of N37 billion toward supplying meters through private sector.

I urge all DisCos who have not taken advantage of this opportunity to quickly do so, or make their own funding arrangements to contract their own meter providers to supply and install meters.

I know that Yola DisCo is talking to the meter asset provider for 400, 000 meters. I know that Abuja DisCo is also indicating interest for 250,000 meters.

I know that other meter asset providers are also talking to various banks and funding organisations to see how they can get into this business and get licensed by NERC.

He also said there was a clear intension of the legislative arm of government toward addressing the issue of meter in the sector.

The minister said it was important for all DisCos to respond by providing meters and quickly end estimated billing, which was subjective, discretionary, and prone to abuse.

He reiterated governments commitment to better service delivery by improving infrastructure, as mandated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Fashola who earlier commissioned a 60MVA transformer at the Zaria 132 KV substation to increase the transformer capacity from 140 MVA to 200 MVA said the transformer would improve service to customers of Kaduna DisCo.

He listed some of the areas to benefit from the new transformer to include Zaria City, Sabon Gari, Samaru, Giwa, Yakawada, Tudun Wada and Markafi.

He said the commissioning of another 2 X 60 MVA transformer at the 132 KV sub-station would improve the capacity of the substation from 190 MVA to 240 MVA.

This, he said, would further improve supply to areas like Kaduna township, Rigasa, Kakuri, Rigachukwu, Chikun, Sabon Tasha, among others.

The minister emphasised the need for operators across the value chain to make service delivery to customers their focus.

I have used the opportunity of this meeting to focus the attention of GenCos, Transmission Company and DisCos on the need to pay more attention to service delivery, repairs and maintenance of equipment.

My focus in this meeting will not be different; we are beginning a different weather season that will see more rainfall, thunderstorms, lightening and windstorms.

All of these will affect regular supply one way or another; trees will fall and disrupt lines, poles and lines may be damaged, and service will be disrupted.

In all these situations, we must prepare our staff to anticipate, plan, and respond, said the minister.

According to him, it is very important for the operators to always notify their customers in the event of any disruption of service.

Most importantly, we must inform the public about the problems and what we are doing to restore service whenever there are disruptions, Fashola said.

Earlier, the Managing Director of Kaduna DisCo, Mr Garuba Haruna, said the DisCo was recording a minimum of 10 hours to 15 hours supply to consumers in Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto states.

He also said some areas under its control were experiencing 24 hours of electricity supply.

Source: NAN

Guaranty Trust Bank has debunked the story making the round that the Supreme Court had asked it to pay Innoson Nigeria N14 billion.

The bank in a statement today described the story as mischievous and malicious.

Here is GTBs statement:

The attention of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (the Bank) has been drawn to false, mischievous and malicious statements circulating in the news and social media in respect of a purported directive by the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the Bank to make payments to one of its debtor Customers.

The Banks Customers and the General Public are hereby kindly urged to disregard these false statements as nothing could be further from the truth. There was no directive or Order issued by the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the Bank to make any payment to any of its debtor Customers.

The Bank as a highly responsible corporate citizen will in accordance with its culture and tradition refrain from making comments about on-going litigation matters and will continue to focus on using legal means to recover its bad debts. It must be emphasised that the Bank remains undeterred in its recovery drive against recalcitrant debtors.

We again reiterate that there is no iota of truth in the falsehood being peddled by desperate and mischievous elements and the General Public should disregard same in its entirety.

The Bank remains committed to providing best-in-class customer experience to all its valued Customers.

The bank however did not indicate what the Supreme Court said on the case.

Source: NAN

Nigerias strongest selling point remains an intellectually aggressive and economically ambitious populace that always seeks self-improvement and self-actualization in any part of the world, President Muhammadu Buhari said Monday in Rabat, Morocco.

In an audience with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco, Saadeddine Othmani, at the Royal Guest Palace, President Buhari said Nigerias visionary and resilient population works hard to always position the country for more growth.

He said the population is fuelled by a largely youthful group that continually wants to contribute to development.

Nigerians are intellectually aggressive and economically ambitious. I received some of our students here yesterday and I am really impressed with the zeal and fearlessness they exuded.

In Nigeria we have a very young and aggressive population and we are working very hard to create the enabling and inclusive environment for their contributions to be better appreciated, the President told the Prime Minister.

President Buhari said his government is harnessing the human and material resources available in the country, especially in the educational and agricultural sectors, while seeking partnerships with countries that can explore the huge potentials in Nigeria.

The President noted that Nigeria was already on the verge of an agricultural revolution as the importation of rice had been cut down by 90 per cent in 18 months.

We need to do more to improve our statistics on food production and graciously, the weather has been auspicious in the last couple of years for agricultural growth. We are happy that through partnership with you and hard work the price of fertilizer is already down by 50 per cent, he said.

On the three agreements signed during his visit, namely, Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, vocational training in agriculture and building of a chemical plant in Nigeria, the President assured the Prime Minister that they will receive appropriate attention.

We have a huge gas reserve in Nigeria, and we should be known more for gas exploration than for crude oil. So, we are happy with the new partnership with Morocco, he added.

The Prime Minister said his country had always been impressed by Nigerias intellectual zeal and strength, noting that many Moroccans appreciate the intellectual contribution of Nigerians, especially in literary works.

Your visit to our country is historic and we are looking forward to more partnerships, especially among our universities, which would further consolidate our relationship, Othman said.

President Buhari also met with the head of the Moroccan legislature, Habib El Malki and the President of the Advisers on Commerce, Ben Chemmas.

The Nigerian leader ended his two-day visit to the Kingdom of Morocco with a visit to the mausoleum where he laid wreaths on the tombs of past kings.

Source: NAN

North Koreas Kim Jong Un has brought with him his own portable toilet to Singapore ahead of the Tuesday summit with U.S. president Donald Trump.

President Trump and North Koreas Kim Jong Un are both in Singapore for their highly anticipated summit, the first of its kind between a U.S. president and a leader of North Korea.

While officials remain as to what exactly will come out of Tuesdays unprecedented discussions, Mr. Trump has stated that he wants to strike a deal to get the Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.

South Korean news agency reported that when Kim arrived in Singapore on an Air China Boeing 747 and was accompanied by an IL-76 transport plane carrying food, his bullet-proof limousine and a mobile toilet.

Accordingly to Lee Yun-keol, who worked in a North Korean Guard Command unit before defecting to South Korea in 2005, thats par for the course.

Rather than using a public restroom, the leader of North Korea has a personal toilet that follows him around when he travels, says Lee Yun-keol.

The reason? They are protecting against a literal info dump.

The leaders excretions contain information about his health status so they cant be left behind, Lee Yun-keol explained.

Similar travel considerations are reportedly made whenever the North Korean leader conducts on-site inspections of military bases and state-run factories across the country.

In fact, according to the South Korean news agency Daily NK, there is a customised bathroom built into Kims convoy of vehicles at all times.

The restrooms are not only in Kim Jong Uns personal train but whatever small or midsize cars he is traveling with and even in special vehicles that are designed for mountainous terrain or snow, a source in South Pyongan Province familiar with Kims Escort Command told in 2015.

There are multiple vehicles within the convoy so that people cannot tell which one he is in, and there is a separate car that acts as his restroom.

So, in this respect at least, it seems this historic summit is no different than Kims other excursions.

He simply always uses a personal, highly guarded toilet in loo of public facilities.

Source: NAN

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday said it has destroyed a 10-hectare Indian hemp farm at Area 5, Ife-South Local Government Area of Osun.

The State Commander of the agency, Mr Egbeola Samuel, said 19.3 kg of already harvested Indian hemp was also seized at the farm while one suspect was arrested.

Samuel, who said the command was set to destroy more Indian hemp farms, solicited the support of the state government.

He, however, expressed gratitude to the state government for the support it rendered to the agency in carrying out its latest seizure.

The NDLEA boss also commended Mr Remi Kolajo, the Chairman of the Task force on Eradication of Planting, Distribution and Usage of Cannabis Sativa and Psychotropic Substances, for his support.

Samuel said the NDLEA would not relent in its efforts to make Osun a drug-free state. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Former Publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Prince Dayo Adeyeye on Sunday, described the decision of the Ekiti Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose to employ 2000 applicants before the end of his tenure as a scam.

Adeyeye, in a signed statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti, warned prospective jobs seekers to beware of the governors antics.

NAN reports that the tenure of Governor Fayose will expire on October 16 when the new governor to be elected in the July 14 gubernatorial election would be sworn-in.

Adeyeye, defected to the All Progressives Congress, (APC) shortly after he lost the PDP primary to the incumbent Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, who emerged as the candidate of the party.

Adeyeye, who was also a former Minister of State for Works, queries why the governor was just waking up to the facts that hundreds of youths in the state need jobs.

Few weeks after his inauguration as the state governor, he instructed the unemployed youths in the state to submit their curriculum vitae for jobs that he promised to create for them.

Over ten thousand youths in the state paid the sum of one thousand naira each, to collect the forms for the jobs, but unfortunately, up till now, he has not employed one single youth in the state, he said.

He assured the youths that nothing would come out of the exercise, which he is only using as political gimmicks to trick the people of the state into voting for his ordained candidate.

I wonder how a state governor, who has not paid the state workers for over seven months, owing pensioners months of gratuity and local government workers as well, is going to fund the employment of two thousand fresh employees.

Here is somebody, who sacked all that were employed by the Dr Kayode Fayemi administration that now wants to employ 2000 workers.

Workers and the youths should know that he is only deceiving them and does not have their interest at heart. The people cannot be deceived because an average Ekiti worker is more educated and enlightened than he is , he said

Source: NAN

A top European Union official mocked President Trump on Sunday with a tweet suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin has incriminating information on Trump.

Guy Verhofstaft, the EU parliaments representative in Brexit negotiations and a former prime minister of Belgium, shared a now-viral photo of German Chancellor Angela Merkel staring down President Trump during a meeting at the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in Quebec.

Just tell us what Vladimir has on you, Verhofstadt wrote. Maybe we can help.

The photo, first posted Saturday by Merkels office, quickly went viral, with many social media users pointing out the apparent tension between the two leaders.

Verhofstadts tweet comes amid a tumultuous 24 hours since Trumps departure from the G7 summit.

Though Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that all seven leaders had signed onto a joint statement, Trump withdrew his support in a tweet criticizing Trudeau over the two leaders trade dispute.

After Trump left the summit, Trudeau in a news conference criticized the presidents tariffs on Canada, saying it was insulting that they were implemented on the basis of national security, and vowed to retaliate.

Trump and his aides have since engaged in a war of words with Canadian officials.

The comments drawing the most attention came from Trumps trade adviser Peter Navarro, who said there was a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door.

An EU official had since replied, saying there is a special place in heaven for Trudeau.

Top European Union official Donald Tusk said this in a sly rebuke of recent comments made by one of President Trumps trade officials.

There is a special place in heaven for @JustinTrudeau, tweeted Tusk, the president of the European Council. Canada, thank you for the perfect organisation of G7!

Source: NAN

Cuban authorities on Sunday said they remained baffled by a mystery ailment that has afflicted numerous US diplomats on the island, with the latest case reported last month.

More than 20 US officials posted in Havana have suffered injuries consistent with brain injury, which the US State Department has said could have been the result of a health attack, from an unidentified secret weapon, possibly an acoustic or microwave device.

The bulk of cases took place between the end of 2016 and the summer of 2017, with symptoms including hearing loss, cognitive impairment, vertigo, insomnia or vision problems.

Holding Cuba responsible for either carrying out the attacks or failing to protect its officials, the US recalled more than half of its diplomats and expelled 15 Cuban diplomats from Washington, sparking a major diplomatic downturn following the revival of ties in 2015.

After more than a year of investigation led by specialized agencies and Cuban and US experts, we can confirm that we have no credible hypothesis or scientific explanation that justifies the retaliatory US measures, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement said Cuba reaffirmed its desire to cooperate with the US authorities to clarify the situation.

It added that Havana had taken note of the most recent case, reported by the US embassy on May 29, about an employee who was said to have fallen ill as a result of undefined sounds at his place of residence.

The US embassy in Beijing on Friday issued a health alert for its citizens after government employees were evacuated, the second alert in two weeks, sparking fear the case may be linked to events in Cuba.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has set up a task force to oversee the response to the mystery ailments in both countries.

Source: NAN