By Muhammad Auwal

The National Social Investment Programme says two fraudsters have been arrested and handed over to the Department of State Security Service (DSS) in Yola, in Adamawa.

Its Focal Person, Mr Usman Sali, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Yola that the suspects were arrested for allegedly extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public.

The National Social Investments Programmes (NSIP) was established by the Federal Government in 2016 to tackle poverty and hunger in the country.

Components of the programme include: N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer, Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSF) and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

According to Sali, some undesirable elements in the state are going round impersonating as supervision officers of the programme and extorting money from people to recruit them into the programme.

Two of such criminals were apprehended and handed over to the DSS for interrogation.

Also, in Hong Local Government Area of the state, some suspected criminals, who paraded themselves as agents of the programme, were arrested for collectingN40, 000 from each of their victims.

They were arrested and handed over to the police for beingin possession of fake forms and selling the forms to people in the area.

Among the major challenges facing the smooth implementation of the programmes components in the state is the activities of fraudsters and lack of proper supervision, he said.

Sali then urged the state government to show interest in the programmes, saying it was designed to assist the common people.

Source: NAN

Seventy-six Boko Haram terrorists, among others, trying to overrun Nigerias military formation in Metele, near Kangarwa in Borno have been killed.

In what was a double blow to the terrorists, Chadian troops also killed another 48 today.

According to the Nigerian Army Twitter posts, the gallant troops of the 157 Battalion overwhelmed the terrorists, with superior firepower, as they attempted to attack Nigerian positions on 8 October.

The sustained superior firepower of the troops led to the neutralisation of 76 BHTs, the army said in an update today.

Unfortunately, the Nigerian Army lost seven soldiers while 16 were wounded in action.

The Chief of army staff, Lt. General Buratai has commiserated with the families of the deceased and directed that the wounded be given adequate medical attention.

In Chad, eight soldiers and 48 Boko Haram militants were killed in clashes on Wednesday, officials said.

The early morning attack took place in Kaiga Kindji in the Lake Chad region, army spokesman Azem Agouna said, adding that 11 other soldiers were wounded.

The Boko Haram terrorists also regularly launch offensives in Niger and Cameroon.

Since 2009, tens of thousands of people in the region have died at the hands of the Sunni fundamentalists and an estimated 2.5 million people fled their homes.

The groups goal is to enforce a strict interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia

Source: NAN

As the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) digs deeper into the graft accusation against ex-governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, it has released photos of his properties.

The Spokesman for the Commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, released copies of the pictures on Wednesday.

According to him, the properties were uncovered while the anti-graft agency was investigating the allegations of corruption against the former governor.

He alleged that Mr Fayose purchased the property with the money he purportedly received from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.

In the course of investigating corruption allegations against ex-governor Ayodele Fayose, especially the N1.3billion which he collected from the office of the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, the Commission unearthed evidence that he laundered the funds into the acquisition of properties in choice locations in Abuja and Lagos, Mr Wilson alleged.

The EFCC released the pictures a day after the former governor arrived at its head office in Abuja, in company with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and a former minister, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, among other well-wishers.

Fayose had in September promised to report at the anti-corruption agencys office after handing over government to his successor, Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Mr. Lere Olayinka, the media aide to Fayose, says his boss has since denied the allegations and insisted that he should be charged to court.

Today is his second day in EFCC custody and I can say that his spirit is high, and his will remains very strong, he said on Wednesday.

Olayinka: The commission has started its usual lies by claiming that it discovered houses bought by Fayose with public fund.

Nigerians should recall that in 2016, operatives of this same EFCC attempted to seal up a guest house located at Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja, claiming that it belonged to Fayose. Whereas, the building belonged to a retired Army general.

Source: NAN

By Cecilia Ijuo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that none of its candidates for the 2019 General Election has been issued a certificate of return.

The Acting National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Yekini Nabena, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

He was reacting to reports that Mr Uba Sani from Kaduna Central had been issued a certificate of return.

The spokesperson said, no candidate has been given the certificate of return.

Since you have been following the primaries, has anybody been given the certificate of return?

On the pending motion filed in court by Uba Sani in a Kaduna High Court for omission of his name, Nabena said, we are going to take a look at all these cases and their merits.

That is why we have a legal adviser. In the areas of the court, the legal adviser is going to look at all the situations and advise the working committee appropriately.

We will take a look at everything and those that their names will be sent to INEC will know that they are the candidate of the party, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr James Kanyip, lawyer assigned by APC to represent all defendants in the motion filed by Uba Sani, said to the best of his knowledge, the case had not been withdrawn from court.

He explained that in spite of that, the claimant proceeded to participate in the primary election conducted in Kaduna State.

He filed an action before the Kaduna High Court on Oct. 3.

He filed an exparte motion for injunction, restraining the defendants from taking certain steps in the primary election.

The contention was that his name was initially cleared but the headquarters sent the list of those who were to contest the election but his name was not included because it was alleged he was not cleared

The only candidate they sent for the primary election was Sen. Shehu Sani.

He got an interim injunction on the matter. So the court gave an order that the status quo in the matter be maintained.

That is, everything that transpired as at Oct. 2 should be maintained.

So, to the best of my knowledge that case has not been withdrawn because on Oct. 5, we filed our response to his action on behalf of the defendants.

The first defendant is APC, the second is the National Chairman, the third is INEC and the fourth is Sen. Shehu Sani.

So, the national headquarter of APC instructed us to represent the whole defendants.

Kanyip further said we filed our processes and while the case was still pending and the order given by the court was still subsisting, we heard that primary election was conducted in Kaduna and that he was a participant in that election.

Now the problem is, by Article 21 of the APC Constitution, it is an offence for a member to take the party to court.

The punishment for taking the party to court without exhausting all avenues for settlement is outright expulsion.

The party will not tolerate any issue affecting that member until the case is withdrawn from court.

So, taking APC to court, automatically disqualifies him from contesting the election. So, the election he partook in is a nullity.

Source: NAN

No fewer than 18 states are participating in the 2018 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) which was flagged-off by Rivers governor Nyesom Wike amid pomp and ceremony at the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 31st edition of the festival, which attracted the states has as theme, Nigeria: Our Festivals, Our Heritage.

Wike, dressed in beautiful Rivers Traditional Attire with a walking stick to match, said the festival would serve as a unifying force for Nigeria.

He noted that NEFEST provided a platform for the states to make the most of the nations culture, adding that culture empowers humanity by improving inter-personal relationships.

Whether we agree or not, our diversity is what defines and binds us as a nation under the glorious sun.

Although our tribes and tongues may differ, we are a nation bound by a common destiny and firmly glued together by the spirit of brotherhood, cultural harmony, and inter-ethnic solidarity instead of discord, tribalism, nepotism and sectionalism.

What is imperative, therefore, is for us to take full advantage of the innate strength in our diversity together, with our incredible human and natural resource endowments to build a just, united and prosperous country for the present and future generations.

Wike also restated that the essence of the festival was to promote national peace, unity and cohesion.

Over the years, NAFEST has become the veritable platform for the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory to meet, showcase and make the most of our cultures and diversity.

He said that in addition to celebrating Nigerias rich cultural tapestry, NAFEST also provided the opportunity for cultural activism.

According to him, the festival provides creative images and expressions to engage our leaders on the politics of nation-building, human rights, regional integration, inter-ethnic harmony, national peace and development.

In his remarks, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, commended Rivers Government for making history for the people of the state.

Almighty God will repay Governor Wike for his contributions to the peace that he is promoting.

Runsewe said that because Rivers was peaceful, it had hosted several international and national events, adding that outside Lagos and Abuja, Port Harcourt enjoyed the highest air traffic and hotel patronage.

Also, Mrs Tonye Briggs Oniyide, the state Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, said that Rivers had fully prepared to host what she called the very best NAFEST since its inception.

The Chairman of the event, Chief Ferdinand Alabrabra, said that Rivers remained the choice of all major national events because of its strategic peaceful nature.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that states participating in the event displayed splendid cultures and dances at while the 23 local government areas of Rivers also displayed their rich culture and tradition.

Some youths spiced up the event with breath-taking calisthenic displays that thrilled spectators. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Road show today was a banger.

Plan to attend NAFEST 2018 on the 22nd October Sharks Stadium port harcourt.

Our culture our heritage.

rivmct (@rivmct)

The Road show today was a banger.

Plan to attend NAFEST 2018 on the 22nd October Sharks Stadium port harcourt.

Our culture our heritage.

rivmct (@rivmct)

It has been all pomp in Port Harcourt since Tuesday when the 2018 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) which was flagged-off by Rivers governor Nyesom Wike.

Reports say that 18 states are participating festival which kicked off at the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt.

The theme of the 31st edition of the festival is Nigeria: Our Festivals, Our Heritage.

Wike, dressed in beautiful Rivers Traditional Attire with a walking stick to match, said the festival would serve as a unifying force for Nigeria.

He noted that NEFEST provided a platform for the states to make the most of the nations culture, adding that culture empowers humanity by improving inter-personal relationships.

Source: NAN

The Presidency has assured Nigerians that there is no reason to worry about what it describes as the hollow outburst by Nnamdi Kanu, the disputed leader of the terrorist organisation, IPOB.

Kanu, currently hiding in Israel said recently that he was returning to Nigeria with hell.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, gave the assurance in Abuja, assuring that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari was strong enough to defend its territory against any threat.

Shehu stressed that the utterances of the disputed IPOB leader were a mere distraction that would not be allowed to undermine the relationship Nigeria has enjoyed with other countries.

He said the Buhari administration has the assurances of other nations that they would continue to reciprocate the respect Nigeria has for their sovereignty.

British authorities had briefed the Nigerian government about the temporary travel document they are about to issue to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who holds a Nigeria-U.K dual citizenship.

A senior Federal Government official with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed this development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, on Tuesday.

He explained that the British authorities had further reassured that they had the best intention towards Nigeria and its citizens.

The IPOB leader, who was sighted in Israel last week, had pledged to return to Nigeria soon, after his unceremonious disappearance from the country for about 13 months.

Source: NAN

The United States said Tuesday it was revoking visas of Saudis involved in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as President Donald Trump ridiculed the kingdoms response as one of the worst cover-ups in history.

The move came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Khashoggis killing inside the Saudis Istanbul consulate had been meticulously planned, in a speech that overshadowed a long-planned investment forum in Riyadh.

Saudi leaders have denied involvement in the killing, pushing responsibility down the chain of command.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman strongly said that he had nothing to do with this, this was at a lower level, US President Donald Trump said, adding he had spoken Monday to the prince and his father King Salman.

Trump said the Saudis had a very bad original concept in killing the 59-year-old Saudi insider-turned-critic.

It was carried out poorly and the cover-up was one of the worst in the history of cover-ups, Trump said.

It was a total fiasco, he later added. Im saying they should have never thought about it. Once they thought about it, everything else they did was bad too It should have never happened.

Faced with mounting calls for tough measures by US lawmakers across the political spectrum, the State Department said it had identified 21 Saudis whose visas would either be revoked or who would be ineligible for future visas.

These penalties will not be the last word on this matter from the United States, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters.

We are making very clear that the United States does not tolerate this kind of action to silence Mr. Khashoggi, a journalist, through violence, he said.

The top US diplomat said the Saudi suspects came from the intelligence services, the royal court, the foreign ministry and other Saudi ministries.

Pompeo added the United States was also looking into whether to take action under a law named after Sergei Magnitsky, the anti-corruption accountant who died in Russian custody, that would impose financial sanctions on individuals behind Khashoggis death.

The initial US action against the Saudis came three weeks after Khashoggi, self-exiled to suburban Washington, vanished in the consulate and following contradictory statements by Trump, who has ruled out major steps such as cutting arms sales to the major defense partner.

Vice President Mike Pence, in an appearance at The Washington Post, where Khashoggi was a contributing opinion writer, denounced the brutal murder.

He added Erdogans account the most substantive remarks on the case by the Turkish leader flies in the face of the Saudis earlier assertions.

Saudi Arabia whose ambitious crown prince has been amassing power initially claimed Khashoggi left freely after visiting the consulate, where he was completing paperwork for his upcoming marriage.

But as pressure grew, Saudi state media changed the story and said Khashoggi died when an argument descended into a fistfight, an account that was swiftly denounced overseas even if Trump initially said he found it credible.

Erdogan said that a 15-person team came from Riyadh to kill Khashoggi, carrying out reconnaissance outside Istanbul and deactivating security cameras at the consulate.

He said 18 suspects detained by Saudi Arabia should be extradited to Istanbul to face trial and called for an investigation into those with even the slightest link to the case.

The Turkish leader did not mention some of the most striking claims that appeared in the Turkish press in recent days, notably that Khashoggis body was cut up into multiple pieces, and that there is an audio recording of the murder.

The whereabouts of Khashoggis corpse remain unknown. Turkish police were searching an abandoned car belonging to the Saudi consulate in an underground car park in the Sultangazi district of Istanbul.

The Group of Seven industrial nations said in a joint statement that the killing left many questions unanswered. Denmark also summoned the Saudi ambassador over the case.

The murder has shone the spotlight on the Mohammed bin Salman, who was credited with a reform drive in the kingdom, but is now accused of ordering Khashoggis killing.

A key investment summit, dubbed Davos in the desert, was overshadowed by big-name cancellations as it kicked off in Riyadh.

Dozens of executives, including from banks Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan and ride-hailing app Uber pulled out of the three-day Future Investment Initiative.

Saudi organizers sought to portray it was business as usual, announcing 12 mega deals worth more than $50 billion in oil, gas, infrastructure and other sectors.

But Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih acknowledged we are going through a crisis.

Source: NAN

FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed Qatars progress on infrastructure ahead of its 2022 World Cup and said the tournament is poised to be the best one yet.

Qatars tiny size, high temperatures and lack of ready stadium infrastructure have prompted some to question FIFAs decision to make it host.

But the desert state has since launched huge construction projects and promised to complete seven new stadiums by 2020.

You can see the progress which is being made here four years before kickoff, Infantino who spoke during a visit to the next host nation on Tuesday said.

This was via a statement from Qatars local World Cup organising committee, after the FIFA head toured the 40,000-seater Al Wakrah stadium.

The stadium is very impressive. When you enter here you immediately feel how imposing it is.

The Russian World Cup has been the best ever but the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar I am sure will be even better, Infantino added.

The next tournaments logistics were further complicated last year when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt cut diplomatic, transport and trade ties with Qatar.

They had accused their regional neighbour of financing terrorism, a charge Qatar denies.

Qatar has nonetheless said it was pushing ahead with ambitious infrastructure plans to host the World Cup, which was the centrepiece of Dohas strategy to project itself on the global stage.

It has since inaugurated a $7.4 billion (5.7 billion) port and expects to open its first metro by the end of this year.(

Source: NAN

The Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar was yellow-carded Tuesday by the Northern Youth Leaders Forum over his choice of former governor Peter Obi, as running mate.

The group sent Atiku a dire message: drop Obi or lose.

The youths tabled their demand at a meeting on Monday with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, now Atikus godfather.

They asked Atiku to review the choice of Obi, if he hopes to earn the Norths support.

The group, which prides itself as the apex body of 46 youth organisations in the North, threatened to mobilise its over six million members against the PDP and its presidential candidate, if Atiku failed to take its advice.

The national chairman of the group, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, who spoke on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, after a meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday night, claimed that the body had been instrumental to the electoral victories of successive presidents since 1999. It claimed to have played a major role in incumbent President Muhammadu Buharis victory and it also played a critical role in the reconciliation between Atiku and Obasanjo.

According to Afiyo, the group had equally intimated the former President of their position on Atikus running mate.

It was not immediately clear yesterday what Obasanjo, who has just ended a long feud with Atiku and endorsed him, told the youths.

Afiyo said Obis choice was causing friction in the Southeast, which is largely responsible for the impending defection of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremandu, from the PDP.

He added that Obi is strongly viewed as anti-north and a major sponsor of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

According to him, over 70 percent of Emirs and other traditional rulers in the North will not support Atikus choice of running mate and maintained that PDP will fail to produce the next president, if the party eventually flies the Atiku/Obi ticket.

Afiyo advised PDP to pick Atikus running mate from South south. He suggested that either Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike or his Bayelsa State counterpart, Seriake Dickson, should be considered.

Afiyo said: Atiku is an experienced politician, and he knows what happened and as a northern Nigerian, he cannot ignore that group. I have spoken to almost all the Southeast governors and they told me that they remained in PDP because of their governorship elections and after their governorship elections, they will vote somewhere, not PDP.

And for us to ignore the stakeholders, it is political suicide, so we must agree with that fact. That was what we told Obasanjo yesterday, that as far as we want Atiku to succeed, he has no alternative than to drop Peter Obi and with the contention between Peter Obis group and Ike Ekweremadus group, it is not politically convenient again to pick a running mate from the Southeast.

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Source: NAN