Many Users around the world can no longer access WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, the second time that the popular social media platforms would suffer an outage in one month.

In Nigeria, the Facebook glitch happened after noon, with efforts to open the page unsuccessful. It was the same experience with Instagram.

WhatsApp also has connection issues at 13.26 Nigerian time. The platform could open, but messages were not streaming in as usual.

Facebook Inc, which owns all the three platforms, has yet to comment on the issue.

Down Detector, a website that tracks when online services suffering from outages, reported that Facebook began having issues at approximately 6:36 a.m(EDT).

Facebook is having issues since 6:36 AM EDT. RT if its down for you as well

DownDetector (@downdetector)

Instagram was reported having issues at nearly the same time. Text messaging service WhatsApp was also reportedly having issues. WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook are all owned and operated by Facebook.

Facebook, which has over 2 billion users, recently suffered its longest outage ever on March 13, when some users around the world were unable to access the companies platforms for about 24 hours.

Source: NAN

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja from NDjamena, Chad, where he participated in a one-day Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD).

Those at the Hassan Djamous International Airport NDjamena airport to bid the President farewell included Chadian government officials, Nigerian Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Defence, Mr Jeoffrey Onyaema, retired Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau and retired Brig.- Gen. Mansur Dan Ali.

Others were Maj-Gen. Mohammed Monguno (rtd); Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede; and the Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Sadiya Umar Farouq. and the Nigerian Charge dAffaire, Mr Nasiru Waje.

While in NDjamena on Saturday, the Chadian capital, President Buhari raised alarm over the influx of small arms into Nigeria, saying such weapons are flowing into the hands of militia forces, bandits and insurgents who are becoming a threat to human rights and internal security.

He, therefore, stressed the need for wider cooperation among countries of Sahel and Saharan regions to counter the infiltration of these small arms to Nigeria.

According to him, his administration has worked closely with immediate neighbours in the last few years to stem the widespread availability of small arms and light weapons making their way into Nigeria.

He, however, noted that the very disturbing recent developments had impelled the administration to seek support from a wider circle of countries if the illegal inflows are to be curtailed.

The President, alongside his host and current Chairperson of CEN-SAD, Idriss Deby and their counterparts from Niger and Togo, with high-level representations from other member-countries, deliberated on the problems of irregular migration.

The leaders also deliberated on the menace of trafficking in persons, especially of women and children among other security issues.

Source: NAN

Hopes for peace in Nigerias north east were raised Saturday by Nigerias presidency on prospects that battered and weary Boko Haram militants were opting for a mass surrender to the Nigerian forces.

Malam Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to President Buhari gave the hint in a statement to commemorate five years of the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls in Borno state by Boko Haram militants.

The success of the Nigerian military in subduing Boko Haram is evidenced by the large numbers of militants who have surrendered recently, especially in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.

A similar mass surrender of militants is expected to happen soon in Nigeria, Shehu said.

While Nigerian military operations are ongoing, the government is also engaging with the militants but the talks have been affected by the factionalisation of Boko Haram with one group adopting a hard line attitude and intensifying attacks on Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and another group engaging with the government for peaceful resolution, he said.

Garba in the same statement blamed the military operations by Nigeria in the zone for the non-release of Leah Sharibu, the only Dapchi schoolgirl that has not been released by the militants, since her capture, along with scores of others last year February.

On Leah Sharibus abduction, the interlocutors have reported encouraging progress so far.

The report reaching us says her return to her family has unfortunately been hindered by the fear of the militants.

They worry that heavy military presence in areas where they previously moved about freely could affect their safety after they return her to the government.

At the same time, the military cannot jeopardise the security of the entire north-eastern region by halting their operations to accommodate Boko Harams fears.

Leah Sharibu will be reunited with her family as soon as any conclusions are reached on a number of options being considered for her safe transportation.

Source: NAN

Tens of thousands of people waved palm and olive branches in St. Peters Square on Palm Sunday as Pope Francis led the worlds Catholics into Holy Week commemorations ahead of Easter calling for the Church to be humble.

Palm Sunday is when Christians mark the day the Bible says Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was hailed by the crowd as Messiah, only to be crucified days later.

After a long procession across the square accompanied by dozens of bishops and cardinals, and following gospel readings, Francis said in his homily that it was important to resist the temptations of triumphalism and remain humble.

Joyful acclamations at Jesus entrance into Jerusalem, followed by his humiliation. Festive cries, followed by brutal torture. This twofold mystery accompanies our entrance into Holy Week each year, he said.

The Church itself had to resist triumphalism and spiritual worldliness, he added, calling them the most treacherous temptation threatening the Church.

At the end of the two-hour service, Francis asked the crowd to pray for peace, particularly in the Holy Land and all of the Middle East.

Palm Sunday marks the start of a hectic week of activities leading to Easter Sunday, the most important day on the Christian liturgical calendar.

On Holy Thursday, Francis will travel to the city of Velletri, south of Rome, to wash and kiss the feet of 12 inmates in a prison there to commemorate Jesus gesture of humility toward his apostles on the night before he died.

On Good Friday, Francis, marking his seventh Easter season since his election in 2013, is due lead a Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession around Romes ancient colosseum

The 82-year-old leader of the worlds 1.3 billion Roman Catholics leads an Easter vigil service on Saturday night and on Easter Sunday he reads the traditional Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message.

Source: NAN

By Doris Esa

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation DIRAN MIKIYA has destroyed some logistics stores belonging to bandits at a location within Kagara Forest, in Zamfara.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who said this on Sunday in Abuja, added that the operation was conducted on Saturday.

The operation was executed on Saturday April 13, following credible intelligence reports indicating that some of the bandits who had fled their camps as a result of NAFs earlier air strikes had relocated some logistics items, including fuel, motorcycles and local arms making equipment, to another location within Kagara Forest.

Accordingly, the ATF dispatched an Mi-35 helicopter gunship, supported by an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, to attack the target.

The target area initially appeared uninhabited.

However, as the helicopter approached, some of the bandits were seen emerging from under the shrubbery and running away from the area, he said.

Daramola said the helicopter engaged the target recording successful hits on the logistics facility, which was engulfed in flames with thick black smoke seen.

He said some bandits, who fired at the aircraft, were taken out by the helicopter.

Reports from independent sources, including local informants and village leaders around the general area, later confirmed that the logistics base was totally destroyed and four bandits killed as a result of the attack, he said.

The spokesman said the NAF, working in consonance with surface forces and other security agencies, would sustain its operations to flush the bandits out of the North West of the Country.

Source: NAN

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the State of Israel on his victory in the parliamentary election.

Buhari in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday, extended best wishes to the people of the State of Israel in the aftermath of the successful conclusion of the poll.

The Nigerian leader, who also wished them peace, progress and stability, said he looked forward to continue to work with the Israeli Prime Minister to strengthen existing cordial and mutually-beneficial relations between the two countries.

Buhari wished Netanyahu a successful new term in office and prayed that his record fifth term would bring enduring peace and security to the Middle East.

Source: NAN

Folayemi Jedo

Despite assurances of availability of Premium Motor Spirit by Federal Government, many petrol stations in Osun were not selling the product, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A NAN correspondent who went round the Osun State capital and its environs on Sunday reports that many of the petrol stations were under lock and key.

Meanwhile, the few petrol stations selling the product had long queues of vehicles.

Tayo Arowolo, a fuel attendant in one of the filling stations visited, said the scarcity of the product was as a result of inability of many of the Independent marketers to lift the product at the Lagos depot.

Arowolo said most petrol stations in the state were hoarding the products and selling to motorists at a particular time while others stopped selling earlier than expected.

He said that if the situation was not urgently addressed, it would bring untold hardship on the people.

Mr Yusuf Ayinla, a motorist who was on the queue at Cornoil filling station at Old Garage, Osogbo, said it was sad that petrol stations were hoarding the product thereby creating artificial scarcity.

Ayinla, however, implored the appropriate authorities to do the needful before things become more difficult for the common man.

Another motorist, Mr Ayo Adeyanju, said many commercial drivers were taking advantage of the scarcity to increase transport fares.

Adeyanju appealed to government to intervene in the situation before it gets out of hand.

Source: NAN

(Reuters/NAN) Champions Bayern Munich eased past hosts Fortuna Duesseldorf 4-1 on Sunday to go a point clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

French winger Kingsley Coman scored twice to help the defending champions reclaim top spot.

The Bavarians are on 67 points, with Borussia Dortmund on 66 after their 2-1 win over Mainz 05 on Saturday, and five games left in the title race.

RB Leipzig are in third place on 58.

Bayern pressed high from the start and it paid off when Coman found space to cross into the box.

But Thomas Mueller failed get a foot on it and the ball sailed past keeper Michael Rensing in the 15th minute.

Bundesliga leading scorer Robert Lewandowski came close to adding another one in the 23rd, but his freekick from the edge of the box flew narrowly wide.

Despite more than 60 per cent possession, the visitors struggled at times with an agile and hard-working Duesseldorf defence.

But Coman struck again four minutes from halftime.

The Frenchman drilled in Joshua Kimmichs cutback, his 11th assist this season.

The league leaders picked up after the break where they had left off with Serge Gnabry slotting in from a metre out in the 55th to give them a three-goal cushion.

Bayern, chasing a record-extending seventh straight league title, could have scored several more in the second half but Rensing, a former Bayern keeper, made a string of superb saves.

The hosts got a late consolation goal with a Dodi Lukebakio penalty from a Mats Hummels handball but Leon Goretzka scored Bayern fourth in stoppage time.

Source: NAN

Golf legend, Tiger Woods with 13 under, on Sunday ended his 11-year major title drought by winning Augusta Masters, his fifth green jacket and 15th major title.

The 43 year-old American is now three titles away from Jack Nicklaus, who holds a record 18 major titles.

To win with one stroke, Woods seized the top of the leaderboard at Augusta National Golf Club from Italys Francesco Molinari, who was overnight leader on Saturday.

Molinari, the reigning British Open champion had seized the 54-hole lead on 13-under par 203 with Woods and Finau two strokes behind.

Brooks Koepka, last years US Open and PGA Championship winner, began three adrift with fellow American Webb Simpson, the 2012 US Open, and Englands Ian Poulter four off the pace.

But as he did in the past, Woods held his nerve as the blustery field blew the other players away. Despite making a bogey in the last hole, Woods ended up with 2 under.

Molinari, along with Finau, Webb Simpson and Jason Day ended up with 11 under and tied for the fifth position.

Xander Schauffele, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka tied for second to Woods, all with 12 under.

Source: NAN

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been ousted in a military coup and consultations are under way to form a transitional council to run the country, government sources and a provincial minister said on Thursday.

He is the second African leader, after Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria to fall in the wake of a tsunami of protests.

The Minister of Production and Economic Resources in North Darfur, Adel Hussein, told the Dubai-based al-Hadath TV that there are consultations to form a military council to take over power after President Bashir stepped down.

Sudanese sources confirmed the report that al-Bashir was at the presidential residence under heavy guard.

The military will make an announcement soon, state television said as troops were deployed in Khartoum.

The armed forces will present an important statement shortly. Be ready for it, the announcement on state television read, without giving further details.

The army and security services deployed troops around the Defence Ministry and on major roads and bridges in the capital as thousands of people flocked to an anti-government protest outside the ministry, a witness said.

Tens of thousands of Sudanese took to the streets in the centre of Khartoum in jubilation, dancing and chanting anti-Bashir slogans.

Protesters outside the defence ministry chanted: It has fallen, we won.

State television and radio played patriotic music, reminding older Sudanese of how military takeovers unfolded during previous episodes of civil unrest.

Bashir, a former paratrooper who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1989, has been a divisive figure, who has managed his way through one internal crisis after another while withstanding attempts by the West to weaken him.

Sudan has suffered prolonged periods of isolation since 1993, when the U.S. added Bashirs government to its list of terrorism sponsors for harboring Islamist militants.

Washington followed up with sanctions four years later.

Bashir has also been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague over allegations of genocide in Sudans Darfur region during an insurgency that began in 2003.

The latest crisis has escalated since the weekend, when thousands of demonstrators began camping out outside the Defence Ministry compound in central Khartoum, where Bashirs residence is located.

Clashes erupted on Tuesday between soldiers trying to protect the protesters and intelligence and security personnel trying to disperse them.

The Information Ministry said a police report showed that at least 11 people died in the clashes, including six members of the armed forces.

Since Dec. 19, Sudan has been rocked by persistent protests sparked by the governments attempt to raise the price of bread, and an economic crisis that has led to fuel and cash shortages.

Opposition figures have called for the military to help negotiate an end to Bashirs nearly three decades in power and a transition to democracy.

The demonstrators at the defence ministry had said that they wanted to submit a petition for the armed forces to take their side in their attempt to remove Bashir and his Islamist-backed administration.

Source: NAN