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The Director of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has denounced the separate killings of four journalists in Pakistan and Iraq. ``Violence against the media cannot be allowed to continue with impunity,” she said on Tuesday in New York, while calling for those responsible to be brought to trial. In the Pakistani city of Karachi, technician Waqas Aziz, security guard Ashraf Yusuf, and driver Khalid Khan, employed by 'Express News' were fatally shot on January 17, while in their television van. An extremist group has claimed responsibility for the attack. In Iraq, Firas Attiyah, a 28-year-old freelance reporter for Fallujah TV, was killed on February 20, in a bomb attack in the town of Khaldiyah, near Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province. The attack also injured Muayad Ibrahim, a freelance reporter for Al-Anbar TV. ``It is vital that the authorities take immediate action to improve the safety of journalists and me

(Nigeria) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and its midstream operator, Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, on Tuesday blamed the oil spill at Ijegun Area, Lagos, on pipeline sabotage. This is contained in a statement by Dr Omar Ibrahim, Acting Group General Manager Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, in Abuja  on Tuesday. The statement explained that the oil spill was caused by pipeline vandals who hacked a product pipeline in the area. It said that the Ijegun area had always been very notorious for the activities of oil thieves who had incessantly hacked into pipelines with the aim of stealing products. ``We wish to acknowledge oil spill from our pipeline at the Ijegun area in Lagos, the unfortunate incident is a result of pipeline sabotage by people suspected to be oil thieves. ``We have been experiencing a rise in the incidents of pipeline vandalism on the Ijegun section of our pipeline and we are doing our best to fix them as they are notic

(Nigeria) The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has redeployed four Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, DIGs and three Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, AIGs. This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, in Abuja on Tuesday. It stated that DIGs Michael Zuokumor, would head Operations Department;  Jonathan Johnson, Department of Information and Communications Technology; Abdurahaman Akano, Department of Research and Planning and Atiku Kafur,  Department of Training. It added that the redeployment of these senior officers followed the retirement of two DIGs, who were in charge of Operations and Training, on January 16. The statement said that AIGs Kakwe Katso and Fana Salisu, were posted to the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Jos, and Works, FHQ, Abuja, respectively, while Musa Daura, head Calabar  Zone 6 Police headquarters. It stated that Mr Adeola Adeniji, a Commissioner of

(Nigeria) Power failure on Tuesday disrupted the budget  session of the  Enugu State House of Assembly, forcing the lawmakers to adjourn to Thursday, reports NAN. The blackout commenced about 20 minutes into the sitting after two members had contributed to the 2014 Appropriation Bill. The members, Mr Donatus Uzogbado (PDP-Oji River) and Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo (PDP-Ezeagu) had barely finished their submissions when the lights went off.  Following the development, the Majority Leader, Mr Sunday Ude-Okoye (PDP-Awgu North) moved a motion for temporal suspension of the debate for the day. The motion was seconded by the Deputy Leader, Mr John –Kelvin Ukuta (PDP-Uzo-Uwani) and the legislators moved out of the chamber. The lawmakers resumed the plenary session 30 minutes later, only for the power supply to fail again when Mrs Lydia Omeje-Ogbu (PDP-Nsukka West) was making her contribution to the budget debate. The situation forced the lawmakers to adjourn sitting to Thursday. Some of

(Nigeria) President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in Abuja appointed Chairmen and members of the governing boards for four parastatal agencies. The chairmen are Mr Olusola Oke, for the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, and Dr Dan Kure, for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. Others are Abdullahi Waziri Tambuwal, for Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and Chief Yomi Akintola, for the Nigerian Meteorological Agency. This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim. The statement said the Minister of Aviation would announce the dates for the inauguration of the appointees in due course.  

(Nigeria) The Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday confirmed Mr Christopher Okaeben as commissioner following his nomination by Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The Chairman, House Committee on Rules, Business and Government House, Mr Philip Shaibu, expressed satisfaction that Okaeben met the requirements. He recalled that Okaeben had served as the Secretary to Oredo Local Government between 2010 and 2012. Okaeben is currently the Executive Director, Edo State Petroleum Monitoring Team. The Speaker, Mr Uyi Igbe, after the confirmation, directed that the decision of the House should be communicated to the governor.

(Nigeria) The Chief Maxi Okwu faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has appointed Chief Shedrack Anakwue as its acting chairman in Anambra State. Anakwue's appointment followed a Federal High Court ruling which declared Okwu as the authentic National Chairman of the party. The appointment was contained in a statement by Dr Sagir Maidoya, the National Secretary to the faction in Awka on Tuesday. The release stated that Anakwue’s appointment was expected to be ratified at the party’s national executive council meeting in Abuja on February 6. It stated that the national working committee had reviewed the situation in the state, noting that there were issues which the erstwhile factional state chairman, Mr Egwuoyibo Okoye, needed to clarify. Reacting to the appointment, Anakwue told News Agency of Nigeria that he would reposition the party in the state to accommodate all the interest groups after his inauguration. He said the party had been at war because o