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Boko Haram ready to release Christian girl Leah Sharibu - IG of Police
News & Trends •
inspector general of police ibrahim idris4 dapchi girls3 boko haram ready to release christian girl leah sharibu - ig of police1 boko haram refuse to release christian girl leah sharibu1 christian girl leah sharibu - ig of police1 -
Ex-President Jonathan in Sierra Leone for run-off poll
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former president goodluck jonathan has returned to sierra leone to observe the countrys presidential run-off polls scheduled for tuesday1 jonathan who is leading the electoral institute for sustainable democracy in africa eisa election observation mission arrived freetown on friday 1 mr. ikechukwu eze the spokesman to the former president said jonathan also led eisa to the first round of the elections on march 71 in the elections none of the candidates polled required 55 per cent of votes to win at the first ballot1 eisa had declared the process of the march 7 general elections as peaceful and credible1 the mission in its interim report presented to the media on march 9 added that the elections were conducted substantially in line with sub-regional continental and international standards1 it also observed that voter turnout was impressive while the conduct of electoral personnel was professional1 jonathan who presented the report also appealed to the people of sierra leone and all stakeholders to remain calm until the final electoral processes were concluded. nan1 -
Committee on underage voting submits report
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it immediately embarked on thorough review and analysis of these materials in order to ascertain the actual connection with kasiec lga elections1 the committee set up by the independent national electoral commission inec to investigate the allegations of underage voting during council elections in kano has submitted its report1 it quoted mr ahmed nahuche chairman of the committee as saying that diligent and wide consultations with stakeholders were made by the committee1 the committee was inaugurated by inec in february 2018 to investigate the allegation of underage voting which was maliciously linked to the voters register in kano1 nahuche said that in carrying out the assignment the committee consulted with critical stakeholders through visitations and interactive sessions1 the stakeholders interactive sessions included civil society organizations political parties print and electronic media organizations as well as security agencies1 the committee in the course of consultation and interactive sessions received a number of pictures video clips reports documents and presentations from the stakeholders1 the committee according to a statement issued by inec director of publicity and voter education mr oluwole osaze-uzzi submitted it report to inec chairman prof. mahmood yakubu on friday1 the committee also examined the social media reports of pictures and video clips that triggered the outrage and the alleged participation of underage persons in the kasiec lga elections as a key area of focus for the investigation1 the pictures and video clips were thoroughly analyzed by the committee he added1 nahuche advised that the state independent electoral commissions siecs and political parties be encouraged to work towards improving electoral logistics to enhance the credibility of their respective processes and procedures1 he urged political parties to observe best practices for the sustenance of democracy1 receiving the report inec chairman prof. mahmood yakubu commended the committee for discharging the assignment diligently1 yakubu reiterated that the commission was committed to ensuring that the voter register was purged of ineligible persons1 the credibility of the voter register is very important to the commission and that the outcome of the investigation in the interest of transparency would be shared with the general public. nan1 -
Snake charmer escapes pythons fury during live show
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they realized the man was in serious trouble when he toppled over onto the sandy ground1 a snake charmer escaped death by the whiskers during a live show in uttar pradesh india after a deadly python coiled around his neck and almost strangled him1 but they soon found out the act was all too real1 the snake charmer initially picked up the adult snake and allowed it to sit on his shoulders as he welcomed the crowd slowly the snake slithered up the mans body and started to wrap itself around his neck1 the man appeared calm acting as if he was simply wearing a turtleneck and continued to motion people to come closer1 thirty seconds later the man kneeled on the ground and appeared to be having trouble breathing1 he leaned forward and grabbed the snakes body attempting to forcefully pull the creature off1 for nearly a minute a group of people just watched in shock and horror1 at first people thought it was part of an act as the python coiled harder around the neck of the charmer who incidentally owns the snake in an effort to kill him1 he appeared to be unconscious when a man stepped in to help. he sprinkled water on the snake and eventually the python slitered away1 according to report three men came forward and rushed the unidentified man to a nearby hospital in varanasi on march 20. his condition is still unknown1 snake charmers are common in india but the reptiles have been known to turn on their handlers1 it would be recalled that a famous snake whisperer in malaysia died last week after he was bitten by a cobra1 also dan brandon a snake enthusiast in the u.k. was found suffocated to death near his pet python tiny last year1 a coroner later confirmed there was no doubt the python had killed him1 read also1 -
States got N1.73trn in 2017 NBS
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the fiscal allocation to the 36 states by the federal account allocation committee facc stood at n173 trillion in 20171 according to the national bureau of statistics nbs the total revenue available to the states in the year is put at n2.67 trillion1 internally generated revenue igr at state level for 2017 report published on the bureaus website1 according to the report the total revenue available to the states is in the year is put at n2.67 trillion1 meanwhile the nbs stated that the full year 2017 state igr figure was n931.23 billion compared to n831.19 billion recorded in year 20161 this the bureau stated it indicated a growth of 12.03 per cent year- on- year1 the report stated that at the end of second half of 2017 total revenue generated by states was put at n432.65billion as against n409.09 billion in first half of the year1 nbs stated that 31 states recorded growth in igr while five states which included akwa ibom anambra bauchi osun and taraba recorded a decline at the end of 2017 fiscal year1 however the bureau stated that the value of foreign debt stood at 19.9 billion dollars while domestic debt was n3.35 trillion at the end of the year respectively.nan1 -
Americans hit streets against guns
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source63 on the other side of the debate gun rights advocates cite constitutional guarantees of the right to bear arms1 students from the parkland florida high school where 17 students and staff were killed on feb. 14 will be among the 500000 people organizers say could rally on pennsylvania avenue near the capitol in washington1 the protests orchestrated by survivors of the rampage at marjory stoneman douglas high school are aimed at breaking through a legislative gridlock that has long stymied efforts to tighten firearms controls. mass shootings at american schools and colleges have become a regular occurrence1 this issue is going to turn into the no. 1 issue in this country. i know thats not only what i want but i know its what you guys want alfonso calderon a junior at the florida school told washington students at a pre-march event on thursday1 the washington rally is among more than 800 events scheduled worldwide with u.s. demonstrations set from san clemente california to new york and parkland according to gun-control group everytown for gun safety1 the teenage organizers have won kudos and cash from dozens of celebrities with singer ariana grande and hamilton creator lin-manuel miranda among those performing in washington1 trainwreck star amy schumer is set to appear at the los angeles rally. actor george clooney and his human rights attorney wife have donated 500000 and said they would be at the washington rally1 organizers want congress many of whose members are up for re-election this year to ban the sale of assault weapons like the one used in the florida rampage and to tighten background checks for gun buyers1 the protests led by survivors of the florida school massacre which re-iginited public anger over mass shootings1 on friday republican president donald trump signed a 1.3 trillion spending bill that includes modest improvements to background checks for gun sales and grants to help schools prevent gun violence1 david hogg a senior at stoneman douglas said the protests were a way for young americans to show their opposition to the national rifle association the powerful gun lobby1 were asking people to put the usa over the nra he said at the thursday event in washington1 an nra spokeswoman said it had not taken a position on the protests1 democrats and nonpartisan groups hope to register at least 25000 first-time voters at the rallies potentially a boost for democrats who generally favor stricter gun controls 1 hundreds of thousands of americans are attending rallies nationwide on saturday for tighter gun laws in march for our lives in the united states1 students at columbine high school in colorado join their fellow students in the nationwide protests against gun violence. amazing1 ricky davila @therickydavila1 -
Trade war unsettles stocks in US, China
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peter donisanu an investment strategy analyst for the wells fargo investment institute said the risk of a damaging trade war is still low because the trump administration is targeting specific goods that are not central to chinas economy1 the trade war ignited by u.s president donald trump against china has caused a dip in the stock markets of both countries1 the planned sanctions include tariffs on 60 billion worth of chinese imports as well as restrictions on chinese investments1 mr trump said he is taking those steps in response to theft of american technology but the chinese government was quick to confirm it will defend itself1 investors are worried that trade tensions would hurt us companies and harm the world economy1 on thursday they fled stocks and bought bonds which sent bond prices higher and yields lower1 with interest rates falling banks took some of the worst losses. technology and industrial companies basic materials makers and healthcare companies also fell sharply1 the dow jones industrial average dropped more than 700 points as investors worried that trade tensions between the worlds largest economies would escalate reports on friday1 that could change if it puts tariffs on products like electronics or appliances imported from china1 also reports that war between the worlds two largest economies jolted chinas markets on friday with the countrys main stock indexes tumbling the most in six weeks while bond yields fell as investors rushed into less risky assets1 but in contrast to stock market ructions the countrys currency markets remained quiet with analysts expecting that any chinese response to u.s. trade actions is unlikely to include changes in its foreign exchange policy1 china shares fell sharply after beijing unveiled plans for tariffs on up to 3 billion of u.s. imports in retaliation to u.s. duties on chinese steel and aluminium products went into effect on friday1 china urged the united states to pull back from the brink while its embassy in washington vowed beijing would fight to the end in any trade war with the united states1 the shanghai composite index closed down 3.6 percent at 3152.76 points its lowest close since feb 91 chinas blue-chip csi300 index was down 2.9 percent at 3891.47 its lowest close since feb. 121 -
Food insecurity imminent in African Sahel region
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source63 report by un and eu on food crisis has predicted that the impact of severe dry weather on crop and livestock production is likely to heighten food insecurity in pastoral areas1 the report said that nigeria somalia and south sudan are among the countries that faced the worst food crises in 2017 the un and eu said thursday1 yemen also features among the countries that hosted some 124 million people worldwide whose food security was under acute threat the two organisations said in an annual report1 conflicts and climate-related shocks have recently sent levels of world hunger marching back up following decades of steady decline1 the figure of 124 million is 15 per cent higher than the number in 20161 the report says was untouched while pointing out that in africa the middle east and in parts of south asia conflict and insecurity undermined food security1 the areas are somalia southeastern ethiopia and eastern kenya and in the sahel in senegal chad niger mali mauritania and burkina faso the report said1 looking ahead the report said that conflict and insecurity were likely to remain major drivers of food security crises in 2018 affecting afghanistan central african republic the democratic republic of congo north-east nigeria and the lake chad region south sudan syria and yemen as well as libya and the central sahel mali and niger1 yemen will continue to be the largest food crisis by far the report said1 the situation is expected to deteriorate particularly because of restricted access economic collapse and outbreaks of disease1 on a more optimistic note the report predicted that southern africa was headed for a better year thanks to bumper cereal production in 2017 and falling food prices1 the report was presented by the european union the food and agriculture organisation of the united nations fao and the united nations world food programme wfp1 likewise persistent drought in the horn of africa floods in asia and hurricanes in latin america and the caribbean have all contributed to the spread and intensification of hunger1 -
Boko Haram steps up use of girls as bombers
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as the violation of human rights continues to fuel insecurity in the lake chad basin region mohammed said investing in community justice mechanisms would be essential for reconciliation as well as for ensuring accountability and promoting peace1 the united nations un has noted that boko haram fighters have stepped up the use of women and girls for suicide bombings1 therefore un deputy secretary-general ms amina mohammed said it was critical to shore up areas of lake chad basin that have been freed from the grip of boko haram terrorists1 mohammed in a video address to the security council also called for efforts to rebuild the lives of women and girls that had suffered at the hands of the terrorist group1 she said recent joint efforts of nigeria chad cameroon and niger had resulted in considerable progress in the fight against the extremists1 mohammed speaking via videoconference from liberia where she participated in celebrations to mark the end of the un peacekeeping mission noted the liberation of hostages as well as territorial gains1 it is now key to stabilise the areas that have been reclaimed and that we seize the opportunity to really promote sustainable development she said1 mohamed was joined by mohammed bila a representative of the lake chad basin commission based in ndjamena and senior conflict adviser at adelphi chitra nagarajan1 they painted a picture of the factors behind peoples suffering in the lake chad basin and driving some to terrorism one year after the council adopted its first resolution on the activities of boko haram in the region1 boko haram an islamist militant organisation based in north-east nigeria has carried out raids suicide bombings and kidnappings across the lake chad region over the past decade1 their operations have led to displacement insecurity destruction of infrastructure and what mohammed described as a complex and dire humanitarian situation with nearly 11 million people requiring assistance1 the group gained international notoriety in 2014 after abducting more than 270 girls from a government school in chibok nigeria1 it is believed to be behind the kidnapping last month of 110 schoolgirls from the nigerian town of dapchi most of whom were safely returned this week1 overall boko haram has abducted more than 4000 women and girls according to the un deputy chief who added that those who return to their communities are often stigmatised1 noting a progress in the war against the jihadist by the four countries of nigeria chad niger and cameroon the un said while children were deployed in 135 such attacks in 2017 a five-fold increase over the previous year1 she stressed the need to incorporate human rights and gender dimensions into activities aimed at countering terrorism or preventing violent extremism1 she said the increase in boko harams use of women and girls as suicide bombers could be due to a lack of women security officers who could search other women at checkpoints1 the un deputy scribe also called for more international action to support children affected by the upheaval in the region1 also briefing nagarajan who is based in northeast nigeria also used her briefing to touch on the gender-related aspects of the crisis and its impact on persons with disabilities1 she spoke of how women and girls were pushed into early marriage with combatants for example or they fall victim to sexual abuse and exploitation including at the hands of people who were supposed to protect them1 men and older boys are often the first to flee insecure areas she said speaking via videoconference from maiduguri adding women and girls were deliberately targeted killed and forcibly recruited by armed groups1 theyre viewed with suspicion arrested and detained by security agencies and they are involved in fighting leaving women of all ages as well as girls younger boys and older men struggling to cope1 mohammed bila a remote sensing expert with the lake chad basin commission spoke of how climate change had had an impact on water governance1 bila said the shrinking of lake chad had affected communities which depended on its shoreline to grow crops leading to increased competition for water accusations of river diversion loss of livelihoods and social tensions1 he told the council that the environmental monitoring network there was inadequate sparse poorly funded and operated with only one water level measurement station for the entire lake1 the environmental challenges facing the lake chad basin are interconnected to the challenges of climate change faced by the region of the sahel of africa1 the sahel is increasingly facing extreme variability of climate resulting in frequent droughts short-duration high-intensity rainfall desertification water scarcity land degradation and ultimately food insecurity1 consequently addressing the climatic root causes of local challenges through risk assessment and management will require a similar solution at the sahel regional level he said. nan1 -
Al-Shabab bomb kills 17 in Mogadishu
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in october last year al shabaab killed more than 500 people in the deadliest attack at a busy intersection in mogadishu1 no fewer than 17 people were killed and eight others injured in an explosion on thursday outside a popular hotel in somalias capital mogadishu1 seventeen people died including a young girl some workers and persons having tea at roadside teashops popularly known as bibiito said mr ibrahim1 he said a tricycle taxi locally known as bajaaj may have been used for the explosion1 the blast occurred opposite one of mogadishus oldest lodges the weheliye hotel along the busy maka al-mukarrama avenue1 the jihadist al-shabaab group claimed responsibility1 the group carries out frequent attacks in mogadishu as it seeks to overthrow the internationally recognised somali government1 a spokesman for the ministry of internal security abdiaziz ali ibrahim told the media that the wounded were being treated at the citys hospitals1 harakat al-shabaab al-mujahideen more commonly known as al-shabaab is a jihadist fundamentalist group based in east africa1 founded in 2006 the jihadists in 2012 it pledged allegiance to the militant islamist organization al-qaeda1 it emerged as the radical youth wing of somalias now-defunct union of islamic courts which controlled mogadishu in 2006 before being forced out by ethiopian forces1 there are numerous reports of foreign jihadists going to somalia to help al-shabab from neighbouring countries as well as the us and europe1 it is banned as a terrorist group by both the us and the uk and is believed to have between 7000 and 9000 fighters1 al-shabab advocates the saudi-inspired wahhabi version of islam while most somalis are sufis1 it has imposed a strict version of sharia in areas under its control including stoning to death women accused of adultery and amputating the hands of thieves1 -
Nigeria sends home ex-Cameroonian water minister
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reutersnan2 mr. basile kouna cameroons former water and energy minister was arrested in nigeria and flown home on thursday1 in february he was ordered not to leave the country1 kouna is in cameroon. he was arrested in nigeria and sent back to cameroon1 he arrived this evening one police source who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the press told reuters1 vision 4 a private television channel considered allied to biya reported that the former minister arrived at the international airport in the capital yaounde at 620 pm 1720 gmt escorted by police officers1 another channel canal 2 international also reported his arrest in nigeria and subsequent extradition back to cameroon1 cameroons government spokesman was not immediately reachable for comment. neither were officials in neighbouring nigeria1 it was not clear what charges atangana kouna was facing but there was speculation on thursday that he was arrested as part of an anti-corruption drive known as operation sparrowhawk1 a former ministry of public works official the head of a state company and the ex-rector of the university of douala were arrested as part of the operation on monday1 cameroons oil wealth has spawned a sprawling political patronage system fueled by revenues from crude exports1 transparency international ranked it 153 out of 180 countries on its annual corruption perceptions index1 biya has ruled virtually by decree since taking over from a retiring predecessor in 1982 and then winning an election with 99.98 per cent of the vote a year later1 now 85 biya is expected to again seek re-election in presidential polls later in the year but he is currently facing some of the biggest challenges to his 35-year rule1 kouna was removed from his ministerial position during president paul biyas march 2 cabinet reshuffle1 and separatists are mounting a guerrilla campaign in the countrys two english-speaking provinces demanding independence from the majority francophone central african nation1 nigeria had warned it will not be used as a staging post by any dissident to attack the republic of cameroon1 the security adviser major. general mohammed monguno rtd at the opening of the 6th session of cameroon-nigeria trans-border security committee meeting1 he spoke amidst local and international outcry over the deportation by nigeria of 47 cameroonian anglophone secessionist campaigners to cameroon on 26 january1 although the nsa did not address the issue he said president paul biya and the entire people of cameroon have the full backing of president buhari in finding solution to the countrys internal cisis and will not be pawn in the hand of any group that may want to destabilize cameroon1 it is critical for me to re-emphasize that his excellency president muhammadu buhari assures you that we will take all the necessary measures within the ambit of the law to ensure that nigerias territory is not used as a staging area to destabilize another friendly sovereign country1 maj. gen monguno said it is the hope and belief of nigeria that cameroon will emerge from the challenges it currently faces as a stronger and more united country where peace justice and prosperity reign1 i hereby assure you that there should be no doubt whatsoever of nigerias support for the unity sovereignty and territorial integrity of cameroon. i need not stress that the bond of friendship and unity between our two countries is strong and can never be broken he said1 he however advised and encourage the cameroonian authorities to engage all aggrieved parties in a constructive manner to de-escalate tensions in the anglophone regions and facilitate the return of cameroonian refuges that have crossed the borders into nigerian territory due to heightened tension and apprehension1 he said it is also important to observe that nigeria as a signatory to most of the united nations international protocols on the rights of refugees and their humane treatment strictly enforces these provisions not only as an obligation but without prejudice to the cordial relations between our two countries1 he said it is against this backdrop that the abuja meeting is expected to exhaustively examine all these developments as well as build on the successes recorded so far in the actualization of peace and security along the common borders1 in carrying out the mandate of presidents of both nigeria and cameroon especially in the area of sub-regional security the security adviser acknowledged the close cooperation nigeria continues to receive from cameroon in the fight against the boko haram terrorist group and other transborder criminal elements1 to cameroon he said your steadfast commitment and resolve has no doubt contributed significantly campaign and other security concerns in the sub-region1 cameroons oil-dependent economy has been crippled by low crude prices1 -
2m tax fraud: Xabi Alonso risks 5-year jail
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spains prosecutor says it is seeking a five-year jail sentence and a fine of four million euros 3.5 million for former football player xabi alonso over accusations of tax fraud1 the prosecutor said in a statement on wednesday that alonso was accused of defrauding the spanish state some two million euros between 2010 and 20121 the prosecutor called for the same sentence to be applied to alonsos financial advisor ivan azcuenaga and the administrator of consultancy shell company ignasi casanova1 -
APC constitutes 24-member committee on crisis
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the party will soon constitute a team that will comprise of the executive the legislature the party itself and representatives from our governors and we have 24 of them1 ruling all progressives congress apc has constituted a 24-member committee to reconcile feuding members of the executive and the legislature1 lawan said after the meeting that membership of the committee would be drawn from the executive legislature the governors forum and the partys national secretariat1 he said that the team would be charged with the responsibility of reducing the level of misunderstanding among members of the party across board1 lawan explained that constitution of the committee was pertinent in probing the disagreements at different levels of the party so as not to allow them to cause clog in its fortunes ahead of the 2019 general elections1 discussions at the meeting he explained centred on how to forestall crisis envisaged from the reordered sequence of elections adopted by the national assembly in the electoral act amendment bill1 the meeting discussed happenings in the party across the country and across all levels of government1 senators took turn to express the way out of some of the issues bedeviling the party and i believe that it was a worthwhile very frank discussion1 the resolution according to the leader of the senate sen. ahmed lawan was taken at a meeting between the national working committee nwc of the party and the apc caucus in the senate in abuja on wednesday1 we are very happy as a caucus that the interaction was worthwhile and i am sure that our party was also glad to be here with us this afternoon1 we as members of the national assembly are and will remain committed to ensuring that we continue to support the change agenda of our administration led by president muhammadu buhari1 the party is the platform for all of us both the legislative and executive and in my own view the party has done well by coming1 this is our party this is our government our administration. we shouldnt be fighting dirty in the open the lawmaker said1 in his remarks before the closed-door meeting national chairman of apc chief john odigie- oyegun said the meeting was aimed at discussing issues that had arisen in the polity recently1 he said happenings in the polity necessitated the party leadership to meet with the senate caucus to reason and strategise for 2019 election1 we hope to have a better party after the meeting he said1 the nwc was led to the meeting by odigie-oyegun while president of the senate dr bukola saraki led the apc senate caucus to the meeting which lasted two and half hours at the national assembly. nan1 -
Sarkozy blasts trial for lack of evidence
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i stand accused without any tangible evidence through comments made by mr kadhafi his son his nephew his cousin his spokesman his former prime minister he added1 former french president nicolas sarkozy blasted what he said was a lack of evidence for the corruption charges against him1 in his court statement published thursday morning after he was charged in one of frances most explosive political scandals in years the 63-year-old rightwinger said he had been in living hell since the allegations first emerged in 20111 demanding he be treated as a witness rather than a suspect he urged magistrates to consider the violence of the injustice if it was proven as he claims that the accusations are a manipulation by the dictator kadhafi or his gang1 in the 24 hours of my detention i have tried with all my might to show that the serious corroborating evidence required to charge someone did not exist sarkozy said in his statement1 he is being accused that late libyan dictator moamer kadhafi funded his 2007 election campaign1 judges decided they had enough evidence to charge the combative one-term president wednesday after five years of investigation and two days of questioning in police custody1 sarkozy who served from 2007-2012 was charged with corruption illegal campaign financing and concealment of libyan public money1 ive been living the hell of this slander since march 11 2011 when kadhafi first made the allegations sarkozy said1 and he lashed out at franco-lebanese businessman ziad takieddine who claims to have delivered three cash-stuffed suitcases from kadhafi in 2006 and 2007 when sarkozy was preparing his first run for president1 takieddine who claimed he provided 1.5 to 2 million euros 2.5 million in 200-euro and 500-euro notes has highly suspect characteristics and the questionable past sarkozy retorted. afp1 -
Dapchi schoolgirls: FG says PDP plumbs depth of infamy
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the federal government has accused the opposition peoples democratic party pdp of plumbing the depths of infamy for saying the abduction and release of the dapchi schoolgirls were stage-managed.2 in a statement issued in abuja on thursday the minister ofinformation and culture alhaji lai mohammed said such postulationportrays the pdp as an inhuman insensitive unpatriotic and unworthyparty2 he said since the release of the dapchi girls were negotiated byfriendly countries and reputable international organizations it wouldhave taken a conspiracy of global proportion to have stage-managed the adoption and release of the girls.2 alhaji mohammed said the reaction of the pdp amounts to an expression of sour grapes especially because the party failed woefully when itwas in power to quickly resolve a similar abduction of schoolgirls.2 as we have said many times since the abduction of the dapchischoolgirls no government is exempted from its own share oftragedies. what makes the difference is the way such tragedies aremanaged. whereas it took the pdp all of 18 days to even acknowledge the abduction of the chibok girls in 2014 the apc federal governmentacted promptly and responsively when the dapchi schoolgirls wereabducted 19 feb. 2018 hence their quick release he said.2 the minister said it is unfortunate that the pdp that failed woefullyas a ruling party has also failed grievously as an opposition partygoing by its insensitive and crude response to the release of thedapchi schoolgirls a development that calls for non-partisancelebration2 in its 16 years in power the pdp redefined governance ascluelessness massive looting of the public treasury and crudeexhibition of power. in its over three years in opposition the pdp has again shown it does not understand the role of the opposition in ademocracy. how then can the pdp convince nigerians that it has learntits lessons and that it is ready to rule the country again nigeriansmust say never again to this primitive and soulless party hesaid2 alhaji mohammed said the federal government has not been responding to the amateurish and jejune statements from the pdp precisely becausethe party has failed to learn the ropes of being an opposition partyeven when we have advised them to take a crash course on the role ofthe opposition in a democracy.2 we broke our own rules this time because the pdp over-reached itselfand scored an own goal at a time it could simply have congratulatedthe government and people of nigeria on the release of the girls or just keep quiet he said.2 the minister assured nigerians that the federal government willintensify the ongoing efforts to secure the release of the remaining chibokgirls and return them safely to their families just like over 100 other chibok girls who have so far been released unlike the pdp thatcould not secure the release of even one of the girls before it wasbooted out of power.2 -
Alleged N5.6bn fraud: ICPC to declare Jang wanted
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by harrison arubu5 in the light of the foregoing the commission may have no other option than to declare the former governor wanted okoduwa said1 indication to this was given by spokesperson of the commission mrs rasheedat okoduwa in a statement on thursday in abuja1 she said that jang was being investigated over alleged fraud involving about n5.6 billion but that he had continued to evade invitations to appear before the investigating team1 according to okoduwa the commission has been on the trail of the former governor now a senator since october 2017 when it opened investigation into alleged corruption-related activities during his tenure1 evidence before the icpc so far indicates that sen. jang allegedly committed the offences in march 20151 the independent corrupt practices and other related offences commission icpc said it may declare former governor of plateau sen. jonah jang wanted for refusing to honour its invitations1 she alleged that the former governor also illegally received n400 million of funds meant for plateau state universal basic education board subeb1 she added that jang also allegedly caused a former commissioner for finance in the state to illegally transfer n3.2 billion of subeb funds to the project account of the ministry of finance1 icpc has sent several invitations to jang through both the senate president and the clerk of the national assembly to come and clear his name but he has refused to honour the invitations1 also efforts to procure an arrest warrant from two different magistrates courts in the federal capital territory have been futile1 the magistrates declined to sign them even after the requisite sworn affidavit had been presented by the commission1 he allegedly received n2 billion in cash illegally out of the money which was allocated to micro small and medium enterprises msmes under the pretext of a loan to be spent on classified expenditure1 -
Saraki meets Bill Gates, Dangote over health financing
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share information on long-term vaccine financing challenges2 the president of the senate dr. bukola saraki on thursday met with microsoft founder bill gates and african business mogul alh. aliko dangote to proffer solutions to financing healthcare in nigeria2 top on the agenda of the meeting were polio eradication sustainable health financing and primary health care strengthening2 our correspondent reports that the meeting was also attended by other federal law makers the nigerian minister of health prof. isaac adewole and other internation ngos and foundations2 the meeting aims to strategise on how to provide legislative leaders with a good understanding of the gates foundations engagement in nigeria and work with the dangote foundation2 discuss ways to ensure continued polio commitment2 saraki who was accompanied by the speaker of the house of representatives rt. hon. yakubu dogara had the breakfast with the business magnates and philanthropists at the transcorp hilton in abuja2 hear thoughts from legislative leadership on government commitment and leadership to primary health care strengthening and discuss possible areas to work together2 speaking at the meeting the american business magnate gates commended saraki for his efforts in the healthcare systems in nigeria especially in the fight against polio2 gates particularly hailed the senates president for his role in 2009 as chairman of the nigeria governors forum ngf saying that his intervention then was a turning point in the fight against polio in nigeria2 some of the talking points of the meeting include recognition of the important role that nigerian legislators play in improving health care delivery in nigeria through appropriate legislation and accountability2 updates on polio in nigeria and discussion of ways to ensure continued effort and appropriate resourcing2 gates and dangote foundation investments in immunization and challenges nigeria may face in long-term financing including transition from gavi2