EXCLUSIVE: FASHOLA CONDEMNS BID TO STOP NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FROM PROBING DIEZANI, NNPC

The Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), today condemned the bid to stop the National Assembly from probing the embattled Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Madueke. Fashola made this disclosure in Lagos at the launch of The Cable online newspaper themed: “Nigeria at 100: Reflections on the future,” published by former THISDAY Editor, Simon Kolawole.

During the discussion, Fashola condemned the bid to stop the National Assembly from probing the Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison-Madueke and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the allegation that they expended N10billion to hire an aircraft.

EXCLUSIVE: Abubakar Warns Politicians Against Politicising Insecurity

ABDULSALAMI

Former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, today warned against politicising insecurity as it could worsen the already delicate situation. He said this in Lagos at the launch of The Cable online newspaper themed: “Nigeria at 100: Reflections on the future,” published by former THISDAY Editor, Simon Kolawole.

He urged politicians to put the country first ahead of party interests. While stressing that the it would require the collaborative effort of everyone to achieve a peaceful society, he added that he wishes politicians would learn some lessons from America.

IN A SHOCKING MOVE, Jonathan Sacks Gulak

President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday  terminated the appointment of his Special Adviser (Political), Alhaji Ahmed  Gulak, with immediate effect. The termination of Gulak's appointment, was contained in a terse statement issued by Jonathan's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

The president thanked  Gulak for his services to his administration and wished him success in his future endeavours. According to the statement, a replacement for Gulak will be announced in due course.

Tambuwal: We'll Still Probe Petroleum Minister

The probe of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, will commence as soon as the House of Representatives gets appropriate legal advice on the suit instituted against it, which was not sanctioned by an Abuja High Court, before which it was made.

Speaker of the House, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal disclosed this Tuesday at the plenary session of the lower chamber.

EXCLUSIVE: One Dead as Navy Raids Alleged Illegal Maritime School

CNS, USMAN JUBRIN

A yet-to-be identified student of the Merchant Navy Training Institute, in Idah, Kogi State, was allegedly killed when the personnel of the Nigerian Navy (NN), raided the school to shut it down, on claims of the school being illegal.

The navy, who had raided the school in collaboration with other security agencies in the state, said it was to serve as a deterrent to others who decide to run a parallel illegal maritime organisation.

It was gathered that the school which was founded by one Commodore Benson Edema, who has been arrested several times by the NN, has been in existence for a long time and acting on a tip off, the navy Monday stormed the place and shut it down.

House Summons Service chiefs over Chibok Abduction

CDS, ALEX BADEH

A day after it became known that the school girls kidnapped from a Secondary School in Chibok are being moved abroad by their holders who also trade them for marriage for a paltry sum of N2000 , the House of Representatives has summoned all the service chiefs to appear before it  to explain what steps they have taken so far in rescuing the girls.

Accidents Claim 181 Lives in Osun, Oyo, Ondo in 3 Months

The Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) Tuesday said that over 181people died in road accidents between January and March in Osun, Oyo and Ondo states respectively.

The FRSC Head of Operations in charge of zone 11,  comprising   Osun, Oyo and Ondo states, Mr. Jide Fehintola,  stated this while declaring open the first quarterly retreat of the Ile-Ife unit of the corps  at Moro in Ife North Local Government Area of the state.

The FRSC boss stressed that the zone   recorded 222 road accidents between January and March in which 1,674 people were involved out of which 795 people were injured.

He remarked that the accidents happened at different locations along high ways in the three states of Osun, Oyo and Ondo states, adding that some of the accidents were fatal while some were minor.

Tuesday Shocker! Prolific director Amaka Igwe Is Dead

Foremost producer, writer, director and a leading player in the Nigerian

motion picture industry, Amaka Igwe has passed on. She died last night

April 28th in Enugu after an asthma attack. Mrs Igwe had gone to Enugu

 in company of her husband for pre-production preparations for a new Igbo

 soap when the sad incident occurred.

Aircraft Charter: Court Refuses Madueke, NNPC's Application to Stop Probe

Minister for Petroleum, Mrs Dieezani Alison-Madueke

Effort   by the Minister for Petroleum, Mrs Dieezani Alison-Madueke and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to stop their appearance before the House Representatives in respect to allegations that billion of Naira was spent on aircraft charter has failed as a Federal High Court in Abuja turned down their  application for an interim injunction to stop the Public Accounts  Committee  from inviting them.

Instead of granting any injunction in her favour, Justice Ramat Muhamm‎ed directed the House of Reps to appear before him   to show cause why the interim orders being sought by the minister should not be granted.

$10 B Jet Probe: Diezani Goes to Court

Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke

The planned probe of the charter and maintenance of two private jets by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the cost of $10 billion, for the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, predictably hit the rock Monday as she and the corporation headed for the court seeking it to restrain the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) from investigating the matter. One of the jets is a Challenger 850. The other is a Global Express XRS, which was said to have cost €600,000 in a return charter trip to London.

....culled from THisday 

My Oga at The Top-Simon Kolawole Launches the Cable Media

One of my respected Ogas at the top, Simon Kolawole would on Tuesday unveil his online newspaper, TheCable (www.thecable.ng), in Lagos. According to him, it's a newspaper without the newsprint.
As usual, he would not do this in small measures. To launch the website which targets leaders in business and politics, the launch would serve as an avenue to reflect on the future of Nigeria through a panel discussion.

Emergency Responders Rescue 10 From Collapsed Building in Lagos

 A combined team of security operatives and emergency responders led by the police on Thursday rescued about 10 persons who were trapped under the rubbles of a collapsed building at the Oworonshoki area of Lagos.

The two-storey building located at 11 Sand Beach Lane, off Longe Street, Oworonshoki, Lagos, which is still under construction, was said to have collapsed at about 11am, trapping all those working on the site as at the time of the incident.

Military Kills 40 Boko Haram Members in Borno

About 40 members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect were Friday killed in a shootout between the terrorist group and the Nigerian military on the outskirts of Bulanbuli, Borno State. Four soldiers also lost their lives in the battle.

Also yesterday, the Oba of Benin, Omo Noba Nedo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa sent a delegation led by his son, Ambassador Eheneden Erediuwa to President Goodluck Jonathan to pray for an end to Boko Haram insurgency.

A statement by the Director, Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade yesterday night revealed that nine soldiers were also wounded in the latest onslaught on the terrorist group.

Naval Personnel Allegedly Kills Petrol Tanker Driver

CNS, USMAN JIBRIN

Pandemonium Friday broke out at the Trinity area of the Lagos-Apapa Expressway, Lagos State, when a trigger-happy personnel allegedly attached to the Nigerian Navy, shot a tanker driver dead.

This is coming on the heels of the warning issued by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, during his first meeting with personnel, that the navy would not tolerate indiscipline and trigger-happy officers who try to soil the image of the service.

According to eyewitness report, the personnel who was posted to help manage the terrible traffic snarl along that axis had approached the deceased who was simply identified as Lekan and allegedly asked for gratification.

The deceased was said to have rebuffed attempts to obtain money forcefully from him and in provocation, the alleged naval officer purportedly pulled his service weapon and shot the deceased point blank.

FG Calls for Support to Cut Off Source of Funding for Terrorism

While the military intensifies efforts to curb the menace of terrorism, the Federal Government yesterday restated its call for support, especially from the international community, to trace and cut off the source of funding for the insurgents.

The Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau (Rtd), made this disclosure in an interview with journalists at the closing ceremony of Exercise Obangame 2014, an international maritime security interdiction hosted by the Nigerian Navy (NN), involving 23 countries from Africa, United States and Europe.

Rainstorm Ravages over 100 Homes in Plateau

Over hundred homes,  including shops, two schools, and a police station have been destroyed in Dorowa village of Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State at the weekend by rainstorm that ravaged the community, leaving hundreds of people homeless. It was gathered that    many of the affected house owners in the village are now squatting with relations who have offered them temporary shelter in the locality.

Navy Appeals for Special Court for Sea Criminals

CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF, USMAN JIBRIN

To fast track prosecution and punishment for maritime criminals who perpetuate illegalities on the nation's waterways, the  Nigerian Navy (NN) yesterday appealed for a special court be created.

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, who made the call in Lagos at the commissioning of a patrol boat, NNS DORINA donated by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), said the justice delivery system at the moment was making the navy pay for the lapses of others.

 He said the challenge was that at the moment, the service's account is garnished by the court for ships held beyond reasonable time.

1 killed, 1 missing in Vienna building collapse

A residential building in Austria's capital partially collapsed after an apparent explosion Saturday, killing one person and leaving another missing, officials said. Five others were injured.

Witnesses heard a dull thud before the top two floors of the building collapsed, raining debris onto the street in Vienna's 15th district shortly after 10 a.m. Saturday.

NDLEA Arrests Pakistani Student With N228m Worth Of Heroin In Lagos

A Pakistani student, Iftikiha Arslan, who is believed to be working for a Pakistani drug cartel, has been arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for trafficking 25.4 kilogrammes of heroin.

Commendable: APC Governors Float Trust Fund For Bomb Victims

The governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Wednesday joined other Nigerians to express outrage and sympathy over murderous bomb blast at the Nyanya Bus terminal in Abuja by pledging to establish a trust fund to help bring succor to the families of the victims.

The governors of Imo, Lagos, Sokoto,Kwara, Adamawa, Nassarawa and Ogun states who visited the Asokoro General Hospital and the National Hospital to commiserate with victims  condemned the Nyanya bombing and the abduction of over 100 school girls in Chibok in Borno state by terror gangs.

Miracle10-months old Baby Who Survived the Nyanya Blast

A 10-month old baby who has been identified as Goodness survived the deadly Nyanya bomb blast which killed over 100 and injured about 124. Goodness is said to be the daughter of a petty trader who trades at the motor park. She was found among dead bodies while rescue team were trying to separate the bodies. The only injury she has is a swollen right eye.

Boko Haram Kills 18 Traders on Borno Highway

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have killed  18 traders returning from a local market on Borno highways. It was gathered that the sect attacked two buses on the Bama-Gwoza road; and shot dead 18 traders who were returning from a market at Pulka on Tuesday at about 4pm.

The marauders, according to an eyewitness, Hamba Tada ambushed the traders, who were going back to their homes after selling their wares, at Wala village, 10 kilometres to Gwoza.