CDC Group, Britains development finance agency, plans to invest up to $4.5 billion across Africa over the next four years to boost ties with the continent.

Britain, which is set to cut ties with the European Union in March, is hoping to bolster ties with main economies such as Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.

Mr. Nick ODonohoe, the Chief Executive of CDC Group, said the company has invested nearly $400 million in Nigeria, Africas most populous nation.

To support small and medium sized companies in Nigeria, CDC committed $25 million to Synergy, a local private equity firm. A $100 million-dollar loan was also given to Nigerian fertilizer company, Indorama.

ODonohoe noted that the agency would like to invest more in infrastructure, power, manufacturing and agriculture. He said we are opening a new office to help originate more transactions in Nigeria.

CDC aims to open a regional office for West Africa in Nigerias commercial hub of Lagos early next year and establish a presence in Nairobi, while also expanding in Johannesburg. The Group also plans to establish representative offices in Abidjan and Cairo.

Source: NAN

Olamide aka Baddosneh just realesed a new Video called "Poverty Die".

The video is currently Trending as #21 on Youtube as the time of filling this report. Watch video below.

Olamide - Poverty Die (Animated Video) – 03:11
— Olamide

Two brothersAyodeji Obadimeji, 18, and Saheed Obadimeji, 19, have landed into serious trouble for allegedly beheading a 10-year-old boy in Lagos for ritual.

A statement issued by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti on Wednesday said a team of anti-kidnapping personnel from the police command on Nov. 27 at about 20:30hrs, arrested two siblings at Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.

Oti said in the statement that policemen from the Lagos Command were on routine patrol between Ajah/Epe expressway, when the suspects were apprehended along

On interrogation, they confessed that one Sodiq Abefe contracted them to provide him with human head at the cost of N200, 000, hence they lured the victim by sending him to buy Coca-Cola drink for them and when he brought the drinks to them, they held him and cut of his head with a knife
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The victim has been identified by his parents as Joseph Makinde, male, aged 10 years, he said.

Oti said the torso had been recovered from an uncompleted building located at Shapati and that effort was being made to arrest the said Sodiq Abefe who allegedly contracted the duo to commit the heinous crime.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi had directed that the case be handed over to the Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba for further investigation.

Oti said the CP reiterated his earlier warnings to criminals to repent or relocate from the state or regret the consequence of their action.

Source: NAN

The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Luiz Fernando Pezao, was arrested on Thursday over allegations he received bribes as part of the sprawling Car Wash graft probe, according to Brazilian media.

TheGlobo Newstelevision channel showed live footage of federal police at the residence of the governor, who remains in his home in custody.

Pezao is accused of taking bribes when he was vice governor under Sergio Cabral, who is currently in prison.

The police also raided the Guanabara Palace, headquarters of Rio de Janeiros government, searching for documents.

The Superior Court of Justice issued the arrest warrant based on the confession of Carlos Miranda, a former Cabral associate, who cooperated in exchange for a sentence reduction.

According to Mirandas testimony Pezao would have received a monthly payment of 150,000 reais ($40,000) as well as end-of-the-year bonuses of up to one million reais.

The money would have been paid by companies and intermediaries bound by contracts with the Rio de Janeiro government during a period from 2007 to 2014.

The state of Rio de Janeiro is on the verge of bankruptcy and plagued by insecurity.

Wilson Witzel was elected in October to govern the state and is set to take office January 1.

Source: NAN

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has tactically denied Ukraine her countrys support in the wake of Ukraines standoff with Russia in the Crimea.

Merkel said on Thursday that there is no military solution to the Ukraine conflict after President Petro Poroshenko asked for NATO naval support in his countrys recent conflict with Russia.

She blamed Russia for the tensions in the area but noted: We ask the Ukrainian side too to be sensible because we know that we can only solve things through being reasonable and through dialogue because there is no military solution to these disputes.

Source: NAN

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has given an account of military losses in recent weeks to Boko Haram terrorists and at the same time made a chilling revelation that the insurgents have gone hi-tech in fighting Nigerian soldiers.

He revealed that the Boko Haram insurgents now use drones and mercenaries to attack troops formations in the northeast.

A statement signed by Brig. Gen. Sani Kukasheka, on behalf of Buratai and issued on Wednesday said the trend poses threats which require review of military operations against the insurgents.

Since 2015; the Nigerian Army in conjunction with sister services and other security agencies have systematically degraded the capabilities and capacity of Boko Haram terrorists and many successes were achieved.

However, in the last two to three months, we have noticed daring moves by the terrorists, increased use of drones against our defensive positions and infusion of foreign fighters in their ranks. These potent threats require us to continually review our operations.

Buratai disclosed that 39 soldiers were killed and 43 others wounded in multiple attacks coordinated by Boko Haram insurgents on various military locations in the past few weeks.

He disclosed that insurgents attacked Kukawa, Ngoshe, Kareto, Gajiram and Metele military locations between Nov. 2 and 18, adding that they were successfully repelled by the gallant troops and several insurgents killed.

In recent weeks, Nigerian troops deployed in the North East of Nigeria under Operation LAFIYA DOLE have come under series of attacks by large numbers of Boko Haram Terrorists.

Specifically; the Nigerian Army troops deployed at Kukawa, Ngoshe, Kareto and Gajiram came under attack at different times within a two-week period between November 2 and 17, 2018. Each of these incidents was successfully repelled and several members of the terrorists killed.

However, a total of 16 personnel were killed in the course of these attacks while 12 soldiers wounded in action and are receiving treatment at our military medical facilities.

As you are all aware, Nigeria is contributing troops to the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) which has its headquarters in Ndjamena, Chad. One of the Nigerian battalions; 157 Task Force Battalion, deployed under the auspices of the MNJTF was attacked at their base on the outskirts of a town called METELE on November 18, 2018.

During the attack, the troops were forced to withdraw and several casualties were recorded. As at date 23 personnel were killed in action and 31 personnel wounded and have been evacuated to several medical hospitals within Borno State, Buratai said.

Buratai sympathised with the MNJTF, adding that necessary support would be rendered to the MNJTF to reverse the resurgence of the Boko Haram terrorists.

Buratai also sympathised with the families of the gallant officers and soldiers that paid the supreme price in the course of defending the nation, stressing that the sacrifice fallen heroes will not be in vain.

Buratai gave an assurance that the army will support the bereaved families and continue to care for the wounded soldiers, who he wished speedy recovery.

According to him, the ongoing Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference earlier scheduled to hold in Benin City, Edo State, was moved to Maiduguri, to enable its leadership get closer to the troops on the ground, appraise its activities, assess performances and identify shortcomings.

Buratai reiterated the commitments of the Nigerian Army to ensure peaceful conduct of 2019 elections as well as collaborate with other security agencies to provide a secure environment for peace and unity in the country.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari over his support and visit to the troops in the northeast.

The army chief also commended Gov. Kashim Shettima, Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali and Nigerians for their goodwill and support to the military at this trying moment.

We wish to reassure all Nigerians of the commitment of the Nigerian Army to defend our country at all costs. We shall also continue to remain apolitical, professional and responsive in the discharge of our constitutional roles.

Source: NAN

Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has called for regulations and successful deployment of 5G network to foster economic development.

Danbatta made the call on the side-lines of a workshop themed Future of Industry, Driving Innovation and Growth organised by Global System Mobile Association (GSMA) in collaboration with NCC in Abuja.

Deployment of 5G network in Nigeria – 02:36
— News Agency OF NIGERIA

The workshop brought together leaders from across the telecommunications industry and policymakers to discuss future regulations in the industry and push for consensus on reforms.

The telecom industry is a key enabler of productivity across economies and societies.

It is not only a significant contributor to economic activities of a Nation, but also towards the growth of other sectors of the economy.

The proposed 5G networks are the next generation of connectivity in the telecommunications industry, offering faster speeds and more reliable connections on smart phones and other devices than ever before, he said.

According to the NCC boss, it is imperative that issues of telecommunications be taken seriously to foster innovation and growth in the industry.

Danbatta noted that the factors hindering growth in the sector were policies, regulations and performance of networks and called for adequate measures to address them.

Similarly, Mr Akinwale Goodluck, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, GSMA said Nigeria had always been in the forefront of development and should play a leadership position in the deployment of 5G services.

Mobile connectivity has already improved the welfare of millions of Nigerians, opening doors to new digital possibilities and powering the countrys economic development.

For Nigeria to take full advantage of the next phase of its digital transformation, it is vital that collaboration between industry and government enables the right policy environment for millions more to benefit from ultra-fast mobile broadband.

If policies do not keep pace with the needs of society and technological innovation, there is a risk that citizens will be left behind and productivity and competitiveness will suffer, Goodluck said.

NAN reports that the 5G network is expected to support a significantly faster mobile broadband speed and heavier data usage than previous generations while enabling full potential of the internet of things.

Mr Sunday Dare, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Oluwatosin Bamidele, Chief Technical and Information Officer of Ntel were among stakeholders at the workshop. (NAN)

Source: NAN

An Airbus A340 government aircraft carrying German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her delegation to the G20 summit in Argentina, was forced to land en route after suffering technical problems on Thursday evening, the captain said.

Around an hour into the trip from Berlin, the captain told passengers he had decided to land at Cologne-Bonn airport in northwestern Germany after the malfunction of several electronic systems, but said there had been no security risk.

It was not immediately clear when a new aircraft would arrive to continue the 15-hour flight to Argentina.

Merkel and other passengers initially remained on board the aircraft, called Konrad Adenauer as mechanics inspected its brakes and several fire engines waited nearby, according to a Reuters reporter on board.

Later, the delegation traveled by bus to a hotel in Bonn. Delegation sources said efforts were underway to organize new flights for Merkel and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, possibly on a commercial carrier.

The delay could complicate Merkels schedule at the two-day meeting in Argentina, where the Group of 20 industrialized countries already expect to face very, very difficult negotiations on myriad issues.

Merkel, who had planned bilateral meetings with the presidents of the United States, China, Russia and India, was unlikely to arrive in Buenos Aires until Friday evening, German government sources said.

Source: NAN

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday abruptly canceled a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Argentina, registering his disapproval of Russias treatment of Ukraine and casting new uncertainty over U.S.-Russian ties.

Trump said he pulled out due to tensions over Russian forces opening fire on Ukrainian navy boats and then seizing them and their crew on Sunday near Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

His decision also comes as a federal investigation into his 2016 election campaigns ties to Russia is intensifying. Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty on Thursday to lying to Congress about a proposed Trump real estate project in Russia.

Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved! Trump tweeted.

Trumps tweet, from aboard Air Force One shortly after takeoff from Washington on the way to Buenos Aires for a Group of 20 summit, was a sudden turnaround.

Roughly an hour earlier, he had told reporters he would probably meet with Putin at the summit and said it was a very good time to have the meeting.

Trumps cancellation marked a dramatic change in tone. In the past he has repeatedly stressed his desire for a warm relationship with Putin. When the two leaders met in Helsinki in July, Trump refused to criticise Putin and drew fire at home.

His announcement appeared to catch Moscow by surprise, with Russian officials getting their first news of it from the media.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA news agency that the Kremlin regretted Trumps decision and said Russia is ready for contact with him.

A cancellation means that the discussion on key international issues is being postponed indefinitely, Peskov said.

Trump based his move on advice from senior advisers who have taken a harsher tone toward Russia than he has. He was briefed on Air Force One by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House chief of staff John Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

Bolton has pushed for Trump to withdraw the United States from the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty over what U.S. officials called Moscows violation of it.

U.S. officials are watching with alarm the crisis surrounding Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday accused Putin of wanting to annex his entire country and called for NATO to deploy warships to a sea shared by the two nations.

Source: NAN

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trumps former longtime personal lawyer, pleaded guilty on Thursday to lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Organization skyscraper in Moscow, prompting the president to lash out at Cohen as a liar and weak person.

The unexpected plea stemmed from Special Counsel Robert Muellers intensifying investigation into Russias role in the 2016 election and whether Trumps campaign conspired with Moscow to boost his chances, and put new pressure on the president.

Cohen, a former member of Trumps inner circle who in the past called himself the presidents fixer, described efforts to pursue Trumps ambitious Moscow real estate project deep into the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, later than previously disclosed.

He entered his guilty plea in federal court in Manhattan to one count of making false statements to two congressional panels about the project.

According to a court document, Cohen briefed Trump on the project more than three times, as well as members of his family.

Not long after Cohen entered his plea, Trump abruptly canceled a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled to take place during this weeks Group of 20 industrialized nations summit in Argentina, citing the current Ukraine crisis.

Cohen had pleaded guilty in August to eight criminal charges, including tax evasion, bank fraud and campaign finance violations, in a separate case brought by federal prosecutors in New York. His sentencing in that case is scheduled for Dec. 12.

Cohen said in court on Thursday that in 2017 he submitted a written statement to Congress saying all efforts relating to the real estate project in Moscow had ceased by January 2016. Cohen said that in fact those efforts continued until June 2016, after Trump had clinched the Republican presidential nomination.

The proposal to build a tower bearing Trumps name in the Russian capital ultimately did not materialise. Cohen provided false statements to both the Senate and House intelligence committees to create the impression the project had ended by the time the political primary season began, the charging document said.

Trump on Thursday distanced himself from Cohen, who last year told an interviewer he would take a bullet for the president.

Hes a weak person and not a very smart person, Trump said to reporters. Hes got himself a big prison sentence. And hes trying to get a much lesser prison sentence by making up this story.

U.S. President Donald Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen exits Federal Court after entering a guilty plea in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 29, 2018. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
Trump, who last week submitted written answers to questions posed in Muellers investigation, called the Moscow project a deal that didnt happen mostly because he was busy running for president, but defended its propriety.

Even if he was right, it doesnt matter because I was allowed to do whatever I wanted during the campaign, Trump said. I was running my business, a lot of different things during the campaign.

Everybody knows about this deal. I wasnt trying to hide anything.

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said the president had provided written answers to questions from Mueller on the Moscow project. Asked whether there was anything in those answers that contradicted Cohen on the project, Giuliani told Reuters: Not that I know of.

Cohen said that in his statement to Congress he claimed to have had limited contact with Trump concerning the project, when in fact it had been more extensive. Cohen also said he falsely told Congress he never took any steps toward traveling to Russia when in fact he had discussed going there, although he never went.

I made these misstatements to be consistent with individual 1s political messaging and out of loyalty to individual 1, Cohen, who previously identified individual 1 as Trump, said in court.

Trump has called Muellers investigation, which has cast a cloud over his presidency, a witch hunt. Mueller also is looking into whether Trump has sought to unlawfully obstruct the probe.

Trump, a wealthy real estate developer and reality television star before entering politics, has flirted with building in Moscow several times over the years. During a visit to Russia in 2013 for the Miss Universe pageant he told journalists he was talking with potential Russian partners for a Moscow skyscraper modeled on New Yorks Trump Tower.

The proposed Moscow project also involved Felix Sater, a Russian-born property developer and former business associate of Trump.

According to the charging documents, Cohen told an associate who matches the description of Sater that he was willing to travel to Moscow to pursue the project before the July 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, and that Trump could travel to Moscow after the convention once he becomes the nominee of the Republican Party.

Cohen in January 2016 spoke with an assistant to Putins press secretary about the project, and requested help in securing land and financing, the charging documents said.

Mueller, who took over the Russia investigation from the FBI in May 2017, has secured guilty pleas from several former Trump aides and associates, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and also has charged a series of Russian individuals and entities.

After Cohens guilty plea in August, Trump described Cohen as one of many of his attorneys and as someone who did small deals and not somebody that was with me that much.

Cohen told the court in August that Trump had directed him to commit a crime by arranging payments to silence two women, adult-film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who said before the 2016 election that they had affairs with Trump.

Asked by reporters if she was concerned about Cohens plea, top House of Representatives Democrat Nancy Pelosi said, Of course. He lied to the American people.

Muellers team said on Monday Manafort had breached his plea deal by lying to federal investigators. Trump said on Wednesday he had not ruled out granting a pardon to Manafort.

Joshua Dressler, an Ohio State University law professor, noted that Cohens plea came after Trump submitted his written responses to Mueller.

If Trump was asked anything relating to the matters about which Cohen has now admitted he lied, then the president could be found to have lied to the special prosecutor, which is a crime and impeachable offense, Dressler said.

Cohens lawyer, Lanny Davis, noted that Trump called his client a liar. Who do you believe? Davis asked on Twitter.

Source: NAN