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(Nigeria) A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has critised the N100 million Pension Bill passed by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly for former governors of the state. In a statement on Tuesday in Lagos, the group said the legislation passed on Monday by the state assembly was ``immoral, unfair, unconstitutional, unreasonable, and a rip-off on a massive scale.”

Humanitarian disaster in southeastern Ukraine is snowballing, Anatoly Kuznetsov, a deputy director of Russia’s Federal Migration Service said Sunday, itar-tass. “Southeastern Ukraine is in the grips of a humanitarian disaster and it has a tendency towards a sharp growth,” he said at a meeting of a governmental workgroup for emergency situations response.

Super Eagles striker Osaze Odemwingie says the Nigerian team’s 1-0 defeat of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil was a result of hard work. Speaking immediately after the Group F match played at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba, the England-based player said the Eagles had to do more to achieve the result, reports NAN.

(Nigeria) The governor-elect of  Ekiti State, Mr Ayoele Fayose, on Sunday  dedicated his victory to the people of the state. Fayose said NAN in Ado-Ekiti  that  his victory reflected the wishes  of the people of the state. The governor-elect, who spoke through his Chief Press Officer, Mr Idowu Adelusi, described the election that produced him as free, fair and credible.

(Nigeria) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate in Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti, Mr Ayodele Fayose, recorded a resounding victory with a total vote haul of  203, 090 out of the 350,256 votes cast. The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Isaac Asuzu, announced the result at the Independent National Election commission,  INEC office in Ado-Ekiti in the early hours of Sunday, reports NAN. Asuzu stated, ``Ayodele Peter Fayose of the PDP, having satisfied the requirement of the law and scored the highest number of votes,   is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected.’’ A breakdown of the result shows that Fayose beat All Progressive Congress, APC’s candidate and incumbent governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi,  who polled 120,433 votes. Fayose also defeated  Labour Party’s Opeyemi  Bamidele who  had  18, 135 votes.  Fayose also won the election in all the 16 local government areas of the state, scoring about 57.9 per cent  of the total vote cast. In Ado-Ekit

Israel's foreign minister said Saturday the United Nations special envoy could be declared persona non grata for offering to help transfer Qatari funds to the Gaza Strip, Channel Two television reported. Avigdor Lieberman said Robert Serry, the world body's special envoy on the Middle East peace process, had first tried to convince the Palestinian Authority (PA) to transfer $20 million (14.7 million euros) from Qatar to resolve a pay crisis for Hamas employees in Gaza. But after Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas refused to do so, the rightwing ultra-nationalist Lieberman charged, Serry proposed UN help in making the transfer, the broadcaster reported. Serry's spokesman Murad Bakri told AFP it was the PA that approached the UN envoy over the issue, and insisted that no decision would be taken without Israeli agreement. "The UN position is clear -- there will be no assistance (in making a transfer) without the agreement of all parties concerned, including Israel,&q

Russian President Vladimir Putin supported Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s order to cease fire in the south-east of the country and his intention to take concrete steps towards peaceful settlement of the crisis in the region, the presidential press service said on Saturday, June 21, reports Itar-tass. Putin “urges all warring parties to stop all hostilities and begin talks”, the press service said. He believes, however, that Poroshenko’s peace plan “will not be viable and realistic without practical steps towards negotiations”. The Russian president said it was “unacceptable” when “after the order to cease fire ammunition lands and explodes on Russian territory as a result of the continuing confrontation between the Ukrainian sides, which not only causes damage to property but also endangers the life and health of our citizens”. “The announced Poroshenko peace plan should not be an ultimatum to the militia. The opportunity created by the ceasefire must be used for starting

( Nigeria ) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Saturday described as inciting, the condemnation of heavy security presence in Ekiti by the leadership of the All Progressive Congress, APC. The party`s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Olisa Metuh, stated this at a news conference on Saturday in Abuja. He said that the utterances of APC`s leadership with regards to the deployment of security personnel to the state to ensure peace in its governorship election was unfair. According to the PDP spokesman, the primary responsibility of President Goodluck Jonathan is to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians. The deployment of security men to the state, he said, was to ensure this, in the interest of all.  ``His primary assignment before being a member of the PDP is to provide and protect the citizens of this country and he cannot be intimidated in doing that,’’  Metuh said. He explained that Jonathan had by the action, proven that he was committed to free, fair and credible el

(Nigerias) The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Ayo Fayose, on Saturday said he will  accept the out come of the election "whichever way it goes." Fayose  made the declaration after casting his vote at 2.10p.m., at Unit 001 Polling Unit, St.  David Primary School, Afao-Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state. "I have campaigned enough, I did all that was necessary in this election; I know my people love me…but I will leave my fate to God," Fayose said. Also speaking, the Bishop of  Ekiti Diocese, Most  Rev. Phillip Ajakaiye, urged voters in the state to  sustain the peaceful conduct of the governorship election. Ajakaiye, who was accredited at  Ward  9, unit 8 in  Ado-Ekiti , gave the advice in an  interview with  NAN  on Saturday. He said that he was amazed at the large  turn out of  voters for the exercise, saying the  development would boost democracy. The cleric, however, urged residents of the state to c

(Nigeria) Governor Kayode Fayemi of  Ekiti  State on Saturday commended Independent National Electoral Commission,  INEC for introducing innovations which  would eliminate delays in the voting process as well as eradicate irregularities during elections. The governor gave the commendation after voting at 1p.m.,  at  his Ojilolo Ward 1 Polling Unit in Isan-Ekiti. Fayemi said he was particularly impressed at the early arrival of INEC officials as well as materials, adding that information available indicated that they arrived before  9.a.m. across the state. The governor said that with this development, there were indications that the Ekiti election would record fewer hitches than that of Anambra in November 2013. He, however, expressed worry over the activities of some security agencies which he accused of bias by indiscriminately arresting his supporters. Fayemi , who  alleged that some persons  who had no role to play in the electoral process were in the state, urged the relevant

A landmark United Kingdom court ruling paves the way for Shell to finally be held accountable for devastating oil pollution in the Niger Delta, Amnesty International said today. “Today’s ruling is a shot across the bows for Shell” said Audrey Gaughran, Amnesty International’s Director of Global Issues. “The court’s message is clear – if you don’t take adequate measures to protect your pipelines from tampering, you could be liable for the damages caused.” In a judgment delivered by Mr Justice Akenhead, the London Technological and Construction Court found that short of providing policing or military defence of its pipelines, Shell was responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect them. This would include measures such as installing leak detection systems, surveillance equipment and anti-tamper equipment. The ruling has opened the door for Nigerian claimants to demand compensation if oil leaks were a result of sabotage or theft - if the sabotage or theft was due to “neglect on t

( Nigeria ) The remains of Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola, were buried in his home in Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday amid tears by family members, friends and associates. Arisekola died in a London Hospital on Wednesday. The corpse was brought to Adamasingba Stadium at exactly 10.05a.m., in ebony casket for prayer. After the prayer led by Chief Imam of Ibadan, Sheik Haruna Suara, the corpse was taken to his Oluwokekere House, Ibadan, for interment. President Goodluck Jonathan was represented at the burial by Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, Mr Jelili Adesiyan and Mr Jide Adeniyi, Minister State for Defence, Minister of Police Affairs and Chairman of FERMA respectively. Also present were the  APC National Leader, Sen. Bola Tinubu, Industrialist Chief  Kola Daisi; businessman, Oba Otudeko; former Inspector General of Police, Mr Musilu Smith and Prince Ladigbolu. Governors. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, were also there. Former Arch-Bishop of Ib

( Nigeria ) Mrs Ogboro Orumo, the kidnapped mother-in-law of the Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assemly, has been released by her abductors after 20 days in captivity. Orumo was kidnapped by gunmen at her Seibiri family compound in Korokorosei community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area on May 30. A statement on Friday by Mr Piriye Kiyaramo, Special Assistant to the Speaker on Media and Public Affairs, said the 86-years-old woman was found at Abua waterside in Rivers where she was left by her abductors. ``She was subsequently identified by security operatives who have been on the trail of the kidnappers since the incident took place. ``She was picked up at 6.30 a.m., on Friday, June 20 and brought to Yenagoa at 9 a.m., and handed over to the Speaker,’’ the statement said. It said that the Speaker, Mr Kanbowei Benson, had announced the unconditional release of his mother-in-law on Friday at plenary. It added that the Speaker expressed gratitude to God for the safe and uncondit

( Nigeria ) Some  lawyers in Lagos on Friday hailed the recommendation by the National Conference delegates in Abuja to punish corrupt public officers with life imprisonment. The lawyers told NAN that such a punishment will reduce corruption in the country. Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, a rights advocacy group, blamed corruption for the insecurity and poverty being faced by Nigerians. "SERAP is in total support of any law that will help to reduce corruption, but it must be properly enforced. "The problem of Nigeria is not lack of laws but lack of the political will to enforce such laws," Mumuni said. A lawyer, Mr Fred Agbaje, noted that corruption was punishable with death in some advanced countries.  Agbaje said:"Being that the death penalty is going out of practice, the recommendation for life imprisonment of corrupt officers is acceptable.’’ He added that people convicted of corruption sh

(Nigeria) The police in Gombe  State on Friday said it arrested a 48-year-old trader for the alleged rape of an 11-year-old girl in Kumo, Akko Local Government Area of the state. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP. Fwaje Atajiri, made this known in an interview with NAN in Gombe. Atajiri said the suspect, a fruits dealer, had on June 15 lured the girl with fruits into his shop at 3.30 p.m., and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her. He said the victim’s cry attracted some people who reported the case to the police on patrol before the suspect was arrested. The spokesman said that the case was still being investigated by the police with the case of two other victims allegedly raped by the suspect in the town. Fwaje said the police also arrested three persons at Pantami Area, Gombe, who had been terrorising the residents, and a pistol and two sharp cutlasses were recovered from them. The spokesman said that another three suspects were arrested in Laleipido village of Shanno

(Nigeria) The Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musliu Obanikoro on Thursday, denied an allegation that he was involved in an electoral malpractice ahead of Ekiti State governorship election. The All Progressive Congress, APC had alleged that the minister was seen moving ballot papers to Akure ahead of the election due on June 21.

(Nigeria) An Abuja Federal High Court on Thursday restrained the National Assembly from proceeding with its proposed probe of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke. The House of Representatives had summoned the minister to appear before its committee investigating her alleged spending of N10 billion on chartered aircraft.

(Nigeria) Mr Okey Wali, the President, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to engage Boko Haram insurgents in dialogue to achieve meaningful peace and progress in Nigeria.

(Nigeria) The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has deployed an Assistant Inspector-General of Police and five Commissioners of Police to Ekiti to supervise security arrangements for Saturday’s governorship election. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by Mr Frank Mba, Force Public Relations Officer.

(Nigeria) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC on Thursday said India had replaced the United States as the largest importer of crude oil from Nigeria. It said that India was closely followed by China and Malaysia as the biggest buyers of the nation’s oil. This is contained in a statement signed by the NNPC’s Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, Mr Ohi Alegbe, in Abuja.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said gas talks with Ukraine might resume only after Naftogaz of Ukraine has paid the debt for November and December 2013, reports Itar-Tass. The current price of Russian gas for Ukraine is $485 per 1,000 cubic metres. Ukraine is insisting on the price of $268.5.

Indigenous contractors working for ExxonMobil Unlimited in Eket, Akwa Ibom, on Thursday gave the company 14 days to address lingering issue of discrimination against them in the award of contracts. The contractors are indigenes of Eket, Esit-Eket, Onna and Ibeno local government areas, which constitute the host communities of the oil company.

(Nigeria) The Federal Government will  receive $227 million  (about N37 billion) from the Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein being part of looted funds recovered from the Abacha family. Principality of Liechtenstein is a small country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria to the East of Switzerland. It is one of the oldest jurisdictions in offshore assets.

(Nigeria) Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned the Federal Government against turning the country into a police state, following the restrictions placed on the way of some All Progressives Congress, APC, governors and party members, from attending the campaign rally for their Ekiti State on Thursday.

Russia reiterated Thursday that Ukraine must solve its months-long political crisis domestically and not rely on foreign guidance, reports Xinhua. "It is obvious from Ukraine's example that even the most influential allies and supporters are unable to solve the country's basic problems," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin as saying.

(Nigeria) Authorities of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, said on Thursday that discussion was ongoing with the elders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, LASU Chapter, to end their month-long strike. The spokesman for the university, Mr Kayode Sutton, told NAN in Lagos that all issues relating to the strike would soon be resolved.

President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed Mrs. Roli Bode-George as the Director-General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. This was contained in a statement by Dr Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity. Mrs Bode-George takes over from Mr Olufemi Ajayi, who is now the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF. The appointment is with immediate effect.

(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, has raised alarm that its governors were being prevented by security agencies apparently acting on ''orders from above'' from travelling to Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State for the party's final campaign on Friday for the Ekiti State governorship election on Friday.

(Nigeria) An Enugu State High Court judge, Justice Eno Oluedo, Thursday, barred the journalists from her court, saying they should obtain a written permission from the chief registrar of the court if they wished to cover her court. The judge had earlier released the identity cards of two journalists which she confiscated on Tuesday, June 17.

Russia has increased the number of troops it had stationed on the border with Ukraine, despite calls from the international community for a draw down, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO , has alleged. The Secretary- General of the NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen confirmed this on Thursday during an event at Chatham House in London.

(Nigeria) The National Industrial Court in Jos, Plateau State on Thursday ordered the Inspector-General of Police, IG, to immediately reinstate Assistant Commissioner of Police George Ozioko, who was compulsorily retired from service in 2009. Ozioko had sued the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission after he was initially absolved of complicity in a suspect’s case but was later retired.

(Nigeria) Worried over the alarming widespread growth of cybercrime, which is adversely affecting nations across the globe, the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Dasuki has advocated proactive approach to tackle the increasing menace due to the fastest growing technology tools being used by criminals. Dasuki at the First National Cybersecurity Forum in Lagos, said “Realising the importance of cyber space, the Federal Government of Nigeria has designated cyber security as a national security priority with the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, stepping up efforts towards meeting the challenge by working in close collaboration with all stake holders to ensure a safer and more secure cyberspace.”

Shots were fired at an old church in Sloviansk on Thursday. One man was killed, the local diocese said. "Artillery fire was opened on the city from the height of Karachun at six o'clock in the morning.  It lasted for half an hour, reports Itar-Tass. This time, the Resurrection Church was a target. The watchman was killed when he went to open the gates and a fragment of a shell hit him right on the head. He was rushed to a hospital, but he died. We pray for deceased Alexander," the Gorlovka and Sloviansk diocese website quoted archpriest Nikolai Fomenko as saying.

Andrii Deshchytsia, infamous for using foul language in respect of the Russian leaders, has been sent to resignation as Ukraine’s acting foreign minister by a parliamentary vote, reports Itar-Tass. The resignation requested by President Petro Poroshenko won support of 319 lawmakers on Thursday, while the votes of 226 were needed to pass a relevant resolution. Pavlo Klimkin was born in 1967 in Kursk (Russia).

Odessa health resorts on the Black Sea coast, which had scarce visitors until now, have been giving shelter to refugees from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, reports Itar-Tass. By the present day the Odessa region had accommodated around 2,000 families and orphans who have been seeking refuge from the war horrors in the east of Ukraine, journalists were told by a source from the refugee accommodation headquarters, set up on the instructions of Odessa regional governor Igor Palitsa.

King Felipe VI of Spain has taken an oath on the country’s Constitution and proclaimed monarch, reports Itar-Tass. Several minutes before that, the abdicated King Juan Carlos I has handed to the new king the red sash, the regalia of commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces. Juan Carlos I announced his decision to abdicate in favor of his son Felipe June 2. The king explained his decision by the need to hand over responsibilities to the new generation.

Russia's energy giant Gazprom said Wednesday it will start welding seams of its major pipeline for gas supplies to China in August, reports Xinhua. "We have a clear action plan. We have distributed all duties and we have set tough deadlines," Gazprom said in a statement, citing company CEO Alexei Miller.

Israeli war jets carried out successive airstrikes early on Thursday morning on training facilities that belong to Islamic Hamas movement in northern Gaza Strip and on Gaza city, security officials said, reports Xinhua. Several explosions wrecked northern and central Gaza Strip as well as eastern and western Gaza city after Israeli war jets hovered over the coastal enclave and carried out airstrikes, security officials in Gaza said, adding that the targets were training camps and bases that belong to Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing al-Qassam Brigades.

(Nigeria) The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State have shut the university indefinitely following sustained protest of students over increment in school fees. The university management announced the closure of the school on Wednesday, in Ile-Ife. The OAU announced the closed down of the school due to persistent disruption of normal activities and peace on campus as a result of violent demonstrations by students.

(Nigeria) Nigeria and Italy would soon conclude negotiations on a Prisoners Transfer Agreement, PTA to facilitate the return of over 700 Nigerian prisoners serving in various prisons across Italy. Mr Fulvius Rusticu, the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, made this known to NAN on Thursday in Abuja.

The bodies of two Russian journalists who were killed while performing their line of duty near Luhansk, Eastern Ukraine, have been delivered to Russia, the press service of the All-Russia State Radio and Television Broadcasting Company, VGTRK, for whom the dead reporters used to work, said on Wednesday, reports Itar-Tass.

South Ossetia has recognised the independence of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, Eastern Ukraine, South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov, who had signed a relevant decree, told itar-tass on Wednesday.

(Nigeria) Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Tom Ikimi, Tuesday, accused former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and APC Governors Forum, AGF of hand-piking the national officers of the party at its recent national convention in Abuja.

(Nigeria) The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN on Wednesday in Abuja announced the redeployment of its deputy governors.

The Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb Tagelsir Ali, said on Wednesday the extradition process of Aminu Ogwuche, the suspected mastermind of the Nyanya bomb blasts, would be completed soon.

Wikileaks Founder, Julian Assange on Wednesday, blamed Britain for the deadlock that has kept him in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for two years now, reports dpa.

(Nigeria) Mr Mike Omeri, the Coordinator, National Information Centre, said on Wednesday that the 486 people arrested by security operatives on Sunday, in Abia State, were travellers.

(Nigeria) Renowned Islamic leader, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao, is dead. Arisekola, ages 69, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, died abroad on Wednesday morning.

A total of 147 Ukrainian servicemen have died during Kiev’s army operation in Ukraine’s eastern regions, the Defense Ministry’s military and medical department’s head Vitaily Andronaty, said during a meeting of the parliamentary healthcare committee on Wednesday, reports Itar-Tass.

About 30,000 people have fled a major military offensive against the Taliban in a Pakistani tribal area Wednesday, after authorities eased a curfew in a sign the campaign is likely to intensify.