EBONY9JA MEDIA

The Nigeria Association of Auctioneers has called on the Nigeria Customs Service to lift the ban it placed on the sale of properties that were confiscated by the agency and forfeited to the Federal Government. The Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, NAA, Alh Saliu Garba stated this in Abuja while speaking during an interview shortly after the meeting of the leadership of the association. The Comptroller-General, Hameed Ali had shortly after assumption of office ban the sale of confiscated properties in order to sanitise the system. According to Garba, while the association is in support of the move by the customs CG, the delay in suspending the ban may make it difficult to dispose these properties as majority of them will have been damaged. He said billions of naira could be generated for the government with the auctioning of these confiscated properties, adding that this could assist government in implementing some of its programs. He said, “There are a l...

Unknown gunmen attacked Zankan village in Kaura Local Government Area, Kaduna State on Saturday, killing 13-year-old Yahaya Musa, Daily Trust reports. A Zankan village local disclosed to the newspaper that gunmen arrived in the Fulani village on Saturday night at around 8:30 pm and began firing upon residents. In the process, they killed the 13-year-old boy and injured five others, who are receiving medical treatment in Plateau State. The resident, who pleaded for anonymity, called on the law enforcement authorities to improve security in the village. In a related development in nearby Zangon Kataf, local man Danjuma Musa reported that he was robbed on Thursday. He said youths approached him while he was riding his motorcycle and robbed him of N40,000, his cell phone, ATM cards, and his motorcycle. The youths threatened Mr. Musa's life, but according to him, civil defense personnel intervened and freed him. However, he was not able to retrieve his stolen items. ...

A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Saturday said she did not forfeit $153.3 million to the Federal Government as claimed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Arguing that no such money belonged to her, she said, “I cannot forfeit what was never mine.” A Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Muslim Hassan had on January 6 ordered the temporary forfeiture of the sum of $153,310,000 allegedly siphoned by the former minister from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and stashed in three banks. The forfeiture order was sequel to an ex parte order sought by the EFCC and accompanied by a nine-paragraph affidavit claiming that Alison-Madueke, sometime in December 2014, conspired with a bank chief executive on how the sum of $153,310,000 would be moved from the NNPC. Justice Hassan had given the banks and any other interested party 14 days to appear before him to prove the legitimacy of the m...

A Nigerian separatist group says the death toll has risen to 20 after a demonstration in support of U.S. President Donald Trump turned into clashes with police. Friday's demonstration in southern Rivers state was organized by the Indigenous People of Biafra, which wants Trump to support the creation of an independent Biafran state for the Igbo people.

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has abandoned the construction of its 12-storey new secretariat due to paucity of funds. BNL Construction and Engineering Company handling the construction of the edifice has since moved out of site following the inability of the party to provide more funds for the project. When PREMIUM TIMES visited the site located on Muhammadu Buhari Way in the Central Business District of Abuja, only three staff of the company were seen providing security for the uncompleted building. One of them told PREMIUM TIMES that the company withdrew from the site in 2014 because the party, which only left power at the centre about 18 months ago, could no longer mobilise money to continue the project. Uduak Usoro, a contact person for BNL Limited, confirmed to this newspaper that work had stopped on the site. “The site is no longer active but you can still see some of our staff there,” he said in a telephone interview. M...

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Chinese community in Nigeria and worldwide on the Chinese Lunar New Year which begins on January 28. The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Sunday, said the President Buhari had sent the congratulatory message before he proceeded on a short vacation on Thursday. In the message, Buhari noted that China has made a series of social and economic achievements during the past few decades. He said China has made simultaneous progress in economic, political, cultural, social and bioenvironmental areas, and has achieved average yearly economic growth far above the world’s average. He also noted that the country has taken the second place in the world’s Gross Domestic Product ranking. Buhari said Chinese people still highly emphasise the concept of family and the opportunity of reunion, much as Nigerians do, describing it as “our shared value.” He added, “After 46 years o...

In a statement signed by herself, Former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke has reacted to allegations of corruption and financial malfeasance by the Muhammadu Buhari led administration . Her Statement read; “I am now forced to respond because it is clear that the EFCC is taking advantage of my silence to try me by media and to convict me in the eyes of the public on false reports.” The lengthy statement reads in parts “ THE $153.3MILLION ALLEGATION: I am deeply disturbed and bewildered by recent media reports claiming that by virtue of an order of the Federal High Court, I have forfeited to the Federal Government, the sum of $153.3m which I purportedly stole from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. “I wish to state that I cannot forfeit what was never mine. I do not know the basis on which the EFCC have chosen to say that I am the owner of these funds as no evidence was provided to me before the order was obtained and they have not in fa...

Buhari is Alive and Well- Presidency Debunks Death Rumours The presidency has denied a report by some media that President Muhammadu Buhari, who is holidaying abroad is dead. The false news was spread by a fake online news agency under the guise of a “Metro UK” website. See a picture of what the president’s aide said on social media

The panel set up by the Nigerian Air Force to investigate the accidental bombing in Rann village in Borno State on Sunday visited the scene of the incident. The panel is saddled with the task of finding out issues surrounding the accidental bombing, the number of casualties and the role of the flight crew in the accident. Already, there are controversies over the number of people killed in the accidental bombing. While Doctors Without Borders (MSF), put the death toll at 90, the locals put the figure at over 200. The Nigerian Air Force had admitted that the bombing was a mistake and apologised. Some senior military officers, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, had visited the village for an on the spot assessment of the scene. Scene of the NAF's accidental bombing of an IDP camp in Rann, Borno State

General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adamu Abubakar on Thursday visited 34 Brigade Owerri where he was briefed by the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Kay Ishiaku on the operational readiness of the Formation. Thereafter, he and his team inspected some Artillery guns, armoury, the Brigade’s Range and accommodation for Officers, Soldiers and their Families. Similarly, on Friday, the GOC was in 302 Artillery General Support Regiment and 14 Field Engineer Regiment Onitsha, where he examined some Artillery guns, equipments, guns’ shades and ongoing accommodation works for Soldiers and their Families. In his address to Officers and Soldiers of the Units, he urged them to remain resolute and committed to their duties. A statement by Colonel Sagir Musa, Deputy Director Army Public Relations quoted the GOC as saying “Your responsibility here is to ensure the security of Anambra State by denying armed robbers, rampaging herdsm...

A view of the industrial zone at the oil port of Brega, Libya. Opec’s decision to grant Libya and Nigeria an exemption from curbing output was probably the right call, according to Bloomberg. Production from both countries in the past three months has remained relatively stable, according to estimates from the International Energy Agency. In December, their combined output was 2.01mn bpd compared with 1.94mn in October. While Libya increased production by 110,000 bpd over that period, Nigeria pumped 40,000 bpd less amid a strike by Exxon Mobil Corp workers that disrupted flows, the IEA said. Libya’s recovery came as major fields restarted following the reopening of crude export terminals. Yet the IEA warned the rebound in the North African nation’s output “may prove fragile” due to the “twin challenge of  enhancing security and raising cash to fund urgently needed infrastructure repairs.” Opec’s November 30 agreement to curb output by 1.2mn barrels excluded both coun...

According to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), The 2016 Batch ‘B’ (Stream II) Orientation Course was scheduled to commence in all the NYSC Orientation Camps nationwide on Tuesday, 24th January, 2017. The NYSC also stated that prospective corp members posted to Borno state, who were supposed to report for the course in the camp venue indicated in their Call-up letters, have been informed of a postponement. The orientation course for those affected has been postponed to 16th February 2017 and they will be informed when to reprint their Call-Up letters.

Every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed, or gender, shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual contained in this chapter but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for public interest…” The Ghanaian Constitution, Section 12 (2) Fellow Nigerians, let me apologise for my sudden absence from this page last week. It is not in my character to abdicate my responsibility at any time and if I do so at all, you can be sure that it must be with cogent reason. I’m actually totally addicted to writing Pendulum but my itinerant existence sometimes gets in the way and I’m not able to fulfil all righteousness to you. Last week was one such exceptional occasion that I just couldn’t do anything about. By the time you read the article I started on our flight to Banjul last week in the company of eminent ECOWAS leaders past and present, you will understand and appr...

Mrs. Gbemisola Ayorinde has said to the Oja Oba/Mapo Grade C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State that her problem started after her Husband discovered that she invested money borrowed from him in MMM. Her Husband, Oluwaseun Ayorinde, dragged his wife to court on the account that she’s quarrelsome and has totally neglected her responsibility of keeping the home. He prayed the court to dissolve their 11-year-old marriage and give him the custody of their 10-year-old daughter, asking the court to further restrain her from coming to disturb or embarrass him at his place of work and new residence. “My marriage is devoid of peace. My wife neither cares about me nor our daughter. We fight almost everyday and we have become a nuisance in the neighbourhood. “She’s fond of attacking me with knives and broken bottles whenever we are fighting and this in the presence of our daughter. “I decided to move out of our home last December because I couldn’t p...

Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo has reiterated that the political future of the Igbo race can only be guaranteed in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Okorocha, the Chairman of APC Governors Forum, said that South-East could not afford to be in opposition party, and urged all Igbos living outside the zone to join the APC. The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, restated this in Owerri on Saturday. “All indigenes of the South-East geopolitical zone should seize the opportunity offered to them by the ongoing registration of APC across the nation and register in mass in the party.” He said the Igbos had no better option at the moment than to join the APC, adding that any form of opposition to the centre would result to a great political setback. “APC is at the centre and in most states of the federation and what the south easterners should do is to wake up and identify with the government that has come to stay,” he said. Okoro...

The BBC on Saturday apologised after erroneously tweeting that U.S. President Donald Trump had sustained an injury from a gunshot. The station blamed the blunder on an unauthorised access of its system by unknown hackers. “Apologies to anyone who saw an unusual Tweet from our account this morning,” the BBC said after taking down the misleading post. “We do appear to have been hacked and we are looking into how.” Someone with access to the broadcaster’s Twitter account had posted shortly before 11:00 a.m. Saturday that Mr. Trump had sustained an injury to his arm after being shot. “Breaking News: President Trump is injured in arm by gunfire,” the tweet said. Mr. Trump assumed office on Friday as the 45th President of the United States.

The Sole Administrator of Agatu Local Government Area, Mr Mike Inalegwu has revealed why the state government wants the Fulani Herdsmen to return to the area. According to Inalegwu who has been under fire for signing an agreement on behalf of the people of Agatu with the leaders of the Fulani herdsmen from Nasarawa, the development would create room for the Fulani herdsmen to graze in the community without rancour. Inalegwu made this known at Obagaji during the peace meeting with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue and Tanko Al Makura of Nasarawa State. He added that although Agatu had lost 5,500 lives since the outbreak of the bloody conflicts between the Agatu farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in the past, the people of Agatu were willing and prepared to cohabit with the Fulani in an atmosphere of peace and mutual trust. He explained that the agreement entailed that “unarmed herdsmen from Nasarawa State would be allowed entry into Ad’apati Island in Agatu to graz...

Like most military dictators in the Old Order, Yahya Jammeh, a young army officer was enthusiastically hailed by the ordinary masses of The Gambia when he took over power from Sir Dauda Jawara who had gone to London to attend the ill-fated Charles and Diana wedding. The masses felt he was one of them especially as he is from a clan of traditional healers. But as lord Action famously observed “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. So it was with Yahya Jammeh. As with most dictators he started on a good footing-curbing corruption, modernizing the economy and recording remarkable success in gender equality and women empowerment. He appointed women into positions of power and influence and made the Gambia the top tourist destination in West Africa. But he became infatuated with power, that unruly mistress. He consolidated so much power that he became synonymous with the state, and intolerant of all opposition, including critical voices like Journa...