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R-L : Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and President of Ogbakor Ikwerre USA and Canada, Mr Fortune Woluwo at a dinner/fund raising   organised by the Ogbakor Ikwerre USA and Canada to mark the end of its   International Conference on Ikwerre in Port Harcourt on Saturday.   (Nigeria) Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike   has   called   on   Ikwerre professionals   in the United States of America   and Canada to work towards attracting foreign direct   investments to the state.

(Nigeria) The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has confirmed that pirates ambushed killed one of its officers in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

(Nigeria) Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Monday Igbuya on Sunday spoke on the challenges, gains and distractions in his first one year in office, describing his colleagues as wonderful people.

(Nigeria) ByEmeka Umeagbalasi  Borrowing from the investigative and statistical findings of Open Doors and its Chief Executive Officer, Lisa Pearce, Christians are facing State coordinated and State-abetted persecution in Nigeria.

(Nigeria) Some parents in Borno State on Sunday appealed to the state government to re-open public schools closed since May 2014, to allow their children continue with their education.

(Nigeria) The Lagos State Government on Sunday said it will reduce dependence on federal allocation by increasing its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, to a monthly target of N30 billion in 2017.

(Nigeria) Kolokuma/Opokuma and Asaingbene communities in Bayelsa State have accused Shell Petroleum Development Company of breaching the Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU, it signed with them in 2014.

(Nigeria) A former All Progressives Congress, APC and Accord Party, AP, governorship aspirant in Edo State, Don Pedro Obaseki, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

(Nigeria) Heavy rainfalls have pulled down no fewer than 17 houses in Alisse and Osokora communities in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State.

(Nigeria) The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared the result of Imo North senatorial district rerun election inconclusive.

(Nigeria) Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described the stage musical extravaganza Wakaa The Musical as one of the best in both depth and story line, after watching the London Edition of the show at the Shaw Theatre West End on Friday night.

(Nigeria) Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said that he has begun compiling vouchers and other evidence of the fraud perpetrated by the past Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government which Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu served as Secretary to the State Government and pass on to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Abuja for investigation and prosecution.

The trial of former Delta State governor, Mr James Ibori in London, developed a new twist weekend, as the British Police paid Ibori’s former counsel, Mr. Bhadresh Gohil the hefty sum of £20,000 in an out of court settlement.

(Nigeria) Three major revenue collecting agencies of the Federal Government have shared a total of N142.6 billion between June 2015 and May 2016. This is the cost of revenue collected by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS and the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom  Wike   (in black) during inspection of the Burnt INEC Office in Bori on Saturday. (Nigeria) By Simeon Nwakaudu When Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike   on July 21, 2016 alerted the country   of a secret meeting   between the INEC National Chairman and the Rivers State APC Chairman, Davies Ikanya and Senator Magnus Abe on the forthcoming   rerun elections in Rivers State,   Rivers   APC   through   her officials   vehemently   denied that no such meeting   took place.

(Nigeria) Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to make public the statement it has extracted from the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), in its ongoing probe of money meant for the purchase of arms and the funding of the last general elections in the country.

(Nigeria)  The Oba of Shasha Kingdom in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Oba Babatunde Ogunronbi has asked the   Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta   to intervene over alleged   plots by some persons working in   connivance   with a audge of the court   to forcefully and unlawfully dethrone him as the Oba of Shasha Kingdom.

(Nigeria) Edo State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Dan Orbih has challenged Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the state to prove to Edo people that the party's governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, stole money belonging to the state when he served as Chief of Staff and Secretary to the State Government between 1999 and 2007.

(Nigeria) Niger Delta militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, has advised Commodore Joseph   Dzunve, the Commanding officer NNS Delta to stop arresting innocent people in the region and tagging them members of Avengers only to deceive his employers that he is working.

(Nigeria) The Presidential Amnesty Office on Sunday said it was yet to empower 11,768 ex-militants out of the 30,000 that were granted amnesty by the Federal Government in 2009.

(Nigeria) Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has asked the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara to “urgently refer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, for an effective and independent investigation the allegations that the leadership of the House attempted to pad this year’s budget to the tune of N40 billion and that the member who blew the whistle was victimized for opposing immunity for principal officers.”

(Nigeria) Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has urged the nation’s security agencies to hold Governor Nyesom Wike responsible for the arson visited on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office at Bori Friday which resulted in the burning down of the election umpire’s office by hoodlums suspected to be PDP members. The APC made the accusation in a statement by the state Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya in Port Harcourt. “This is exactly what we have been saying; just yesterday, Wike was publicly threatening INEC, its Chairman, myself and Senator Magnus Abe and in less than 24 hours the INEC office in Senator Abe’s South-East senatorial headquarters (Bori) has been burnt down. “This is typical of the saying that the witch cried last night and today the child dies. There’s no need looking elsewhere, Wike has, as usual, carried out his earlier threat to visit us with fire; we now know better what he meant. He has carried out his threat by sending his

(Nigeria) Wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki has been selected to speak at this year's White House Global Development Summit in Washington DC. Mrs. Saraki who is also the President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, WBFA will be speaking on the progress made in moving towards achieving Global Development Goals, GDGs and also emphasising on the fact that there is so much left to be done. She will also speak on the importance of midwives in reducing the rate of maternal and new born mortality and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. She will further highlight the importance of educating, equipping, deploying and empowering midwives and wider health professionals in Nigeria and across Africa to ensure progress. Also invited alongside Mrs. Saraki is the Chief Executive Officer of WBFA, Mr. Stephen Sobhani. Sobhani, on his part,  will speak on the need to ensure that maternal, newborn, adolescent and child health remains a global health priority while al

(Nigeria) Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the gubernatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last general election in Adamawa says that he feels happy to be back in All Progressives Congress, APC. Addressing party officials at the APC secretariat in Yola on Saturday, Ribadu, who spoke in Hausa, said he returned to the party with good intention to contribute positively to nation building at all levels. "Thank God I am back, I feel happy to be back; I want to thank the party for the confidence reposed in us. "The party requested us to return and we are back to work for Adamawa and Nigeria as a whole," he said. Ribadu, who explained that he was the first to concede defeat and congratulate Gov. Muhammadu Jibrilla of Adamawa during the last election, said he was committed to supporting and working with the governor in transforming the state. Chief Marcus Gundiri, the gubernatorial candidate of Social Democratic Party, SDP, in last election, who also returned to APC,

(Nigeria) Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari, said the grievances of the state legislature, which led to impeachment process against him were personal, selfish and against public interest. Yari made the remark while fielding questions from journalists on Saturday in Gusau. “There has never been any bill brought to me by the House of Assembly that l did not assent to nor have l ever spent money without their approval," he said. He said that the lawmakers’ claim that he had refused to see them to discuss matters of public interest was untrue. He explained that the legislators were not able to see him because they did not follow the "right channel". "This failure of the legislators to follow the right channel led to the people of the state to suspect that the lawmakers were planning evil," the governor said. He said that he had always had a cordial working relationship with the lawmakers. "As members of the same political party, we have always disc

(Nigeria) Following reports that the Federal Government has ordered the re-opening of investigations into the murder of Bola Ige and Aminasoari Dikibo, the family of late Chief Marshall Harry wants it extended to his death. Mr Sonny Marshall-Harry, the oldest son of the slain politician, made the appeal on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. Marshal Sokari Harrying was murdered in his bedroom on March 6, 2003, in Abuja. He expressed doubt that President Muhammadu Buhari had given order to probe the killing of Chiefs Bola Ige and Aminasoari Dikibo without including his late father. He said that he was confident that his father’s case would be included anytime Buhari decided to probe political killings in the country. It will be recalled that Buhari had ordered the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Idris Ibrahim, to re-open investigations into the killing of Ige and Dikibo. ``In my view and that of my younger brother, Inye Harry, that headline may have been manufactured

The bodies of 26 migrants have been recovered off the Libyan coast, a local official said on Saturday. The bodies washed up on Friday on a beach in the city of Sabratha, around 60 kilometres west of Tripoli, Zakaraia al-Keep, an official at the Sabratha municipal council told dpa. "All the bodies belonged to persons from Sub-Saharan African countries." He added that authorities evacuated holidaymakers from the beach and closed it for several days. It was not clear when the incident occurred. Elsewhere in Libya, the coastguard on Friday rescued 137 migrants near Tripoli as they tried to reach Europe in a rubber boat, another official said. The migrants, who included 27 women and two children, were rescued off the Gharbuli coast, 35 kilometres east of Tripoli, spokesman for the Libyan Navy Ayub Ghasem told Libya al-Rasmeya broadcaster. Libya has descended into chaos since the 2011 revolt that toppled long-time dictator Moamer Gaddafi. The country has since turned into a

(Nigeria) Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike has advised politicians  to shun anti-party politics whenever they are not favoured  by the collective decision of the organs of a political party. In a funeral oration at the burial  of a Former  House of Representatives Member, Late Ovunda Nsirim in Rumueme, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state on Saturday , Governor Wike  said  that anti-party  activities  weaken the coherence  of political  parties. He praised the Late Ovunda Nsirim for being a politician  with  a difference who believed in party supremacy and was never involved  in  anti-party activities  even if decisions went against him. The governor  said  that  respect  for party’s supremacy  is necessary  for the deepening of democracy.  He said: "Ovunda Nsirim never played anti-party whether or not the decision of the party favoured him. He believed in party supremacy ". He called  on  the  people  of  Rumueme Kingdom to use the death of Ovunda Nsirim t

(Nigeria) The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has stressed the need for a robust partnership between the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, that could help build the capacity of FRCN staff and enhance their efficiency. Speaking during a visit to the BBC headquarters in London on Friday, the Minister said the kind of capacity building he is advocating must be ''inclusive'', leading to a change in the orientation of the FRCN staff. ''An authentic programme that is suitable for our (FRCN) operation must be developed,'' he said, noting especially the need for a leadership re-orientation for news media gatekeepers in the corporation. Alhaji Mohammed also urged the BBC to be ''more positive about your coverage'' and to hear all the sides, including that of the government, instead of hearing just one side. In his comments, BBC's Director of News and Current

(Nigeria) The Nigerian Army on Saturday said that some of the soldiers who went missing after they were ambushed  at Guro Gongon in Borno State on Wednesday, have been found. A statement by Colonel Sani Usman, acting Director Army Public Relations, said "Please recall that some of our troops were missing in action after an ambush at Guro Gongon on July 20, 2016.  Consequently, concerted efforts were initiated to search for and rescue them. The measures  include the use of air assets, Special Forces and patrols. "We wish to inform that the search party has this morning found five more officers and soldiers that were declared missing in action, including the unit's Commanding Officer."

(Nigeria) Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike has stated that those who burnt the Bori office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, are the same politicians who wrote to INEC seeking postponement of the rerun elections on the ground of security.  Addressing journalists after inspecting the burnt section  of INEC Khana Local Government Office in Bori,  Governor  Wike  said the arson should not serve as an excuse for the  elections to the postponed. The governor regretted that politicians who are afraid of the rerun elections would go to the extent of burning down public facility to convince INEC that the rerun elections should be shifted. He noted that no election materials have been deposited  at the office, pointing out that the burnt section only serve as a hall for collation He said: "Those who burnt this office were not ready for the elections.  They don't want INEC to conduct the elections because they know that they don't have the chances of w

(Nigeria) As pressures mount on the federal, state governments and intervention agencies working in the Niger Delta, following renewed insurgency and agitations in the region, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd), has called for a multi-track diplomacy approach in resolving the issues of development and peace building in the region. Multi-Track Diplomacy is a conceptual way to view the process of international peacemaking as a living system, which considers the web of interconnected activities, individuals, institutions, and communities that operate together for a common goal: a world at peace. Brig-Gen. Boroh, who made the remark at the Partners for Sustainable Development Forum, organired by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, at the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt Rivers State, reiterated that “through partnerships the different intervention agencies working in the region coul

(Nigeria) The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai, has said that 700 military personnel would be deployed to Liberia for Peace Keeping operations. Buratai stated this during the Graduation Ceremony of Nigerian Army Battalion, NIBATT, 38 United Nation Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, in Kaduna. The COAS was represented at the graduation ceremony by the Chief of Training and Operation, Maj. - Gen, Hassan Umaru. The COAS said the deployment was being undertaken by the Nigerian Army Peace Keeping Centre, NAPKC, Jaji, Kaduna Buratai, however, warned the officers and soldiers to avoid untoward incidents that could tarnish the image of the Nigerian Army in particular and that of the nation in general. He said the Nigerian Army would not accept any situation where its troops were seen as soft targets or conducting themselves in unprofessional manner such as engagement in dealing with illicit substances. ``I must also remind you of the United Nations zero tolerance policy on sexual explo

(Nigeria) The family of the abducted monarch of Iba town, Ojo Local Government Area, Lagos Stat, Yushau Oseni, on Friday, said that the kidnappers have contacted them demanding N500 million as ransom for his release. One of the king’s daughters and former Chairperson, Iba Local Government Council, Mrs Ramota Oseni,‎ said the abductors had contacted the family since July 20. The74-year -old traditional ruler, was abducted in his Palace at Iba ‎on July 16 about 8 p.m. He had celebrated his 40 years on the throne on November 22, 2015. Ramota said the family decided not to make the ransom public since then for security reasons, as they thought they could resolve it internally. She said the family had negotiated with the abductors ‎to pay N40 million which was not available but had contacted the state government to augment so that he would be released. ‎According to her, it was to the family dismay that the state government, through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftainc

(Nigeria ) An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates' Court in Lagos on Friday ordered that the case file of two Chinese charge with arson, be forwarded to Department of Public Prosecution, DPP, for advice. The Magistrate, Mrs B. Folarin-Williams, who gave the order, also directed that the case file should be duplicated before sending it to the DPP. Folarin- Williams adjourned the case to August 8 to await the advice. The Chinese, Zhen Zhen and Leo Feng, were on Wednesday arraigned for allegedly setting a hotel valued at N17.8 million ablaze. Zhen, 47 and Feng, 41, are facing a two-count charge of arson and wilful damage. Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecutor, Sgt. Olatunde Kehinde, had told the court that the defendants committed the offences in June, 2016, at Bamishele St., Allen Avenue, Ikeja. "The accused had lodged in the hotel and were cautioned to stop smoking in the premises to avoid starting a fire. This had annoyed the duo, who angrily went to t

(Nigeria)  The Nigerian Army on Friday said 16 soldiers were missing after an operation to clear the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in Gongon village in Alagarno general area, Borno State,. Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, stated this while briefing newsmen in Maiduguri. Irabor added that 16 soldiers and three Civilian JTF members were also wounded during the operation. ``On July 20, own troops with some Civilian JTF conducted clearing operation to Gongon village in Alagarno general area. Own troops destroyed Boko Haram camps and captured a gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft gun, an RPG tube, a Light Machine Gun, 3 AK-47 rifles and other logistic items of the terrorists. ``However, when own troops were returning to their defensive location, they ran into an ambush by the terrorists who came to reinforce their fleeing comrades. The troops fought back gallantly killing many of them; sadly, 16 soldiers and three Civilian JTF were wounded

(Nigeria) Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, on Friday, declared a profit of N14.42 billion for the financial year ended March 31, 2016. This was in contrast with N8.47 billion recorded in 2015. The report is contained in the company's audited result released by the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, in Lagos. The profit represented a growth of N5.95 billion or 70 per cent when compared with figure for 2015. Its profit before tax stood at N11.49 billion against N10.22 billion posted in the comparative period of 2015. The profit before tax represented a growth of 12.47 per cent when compared with figure for 2015. The company's revenue stood at N342.59 billion against N308.76 billion achieved in 2015, representing a growth of 10.96 per cent. The total comprehensive income rose to N13.86 billion against N8.87 billion in the corresponding period. The board of directors declared a total dividend of N2.62 billion, translating to N1 per share against N5.5 billion representing N2.10 per or

(Nigeria) The naira on Friday crashed further against the dollar, pound sterling and the euro in all segments of the market. At the parallel market, the naira shed three points to exchange at N378 to the dollar at the close of trading on Friday afternoon, against N375 it closed with on Thursday, representing a depreciation of 0.8 per cent. It also weakened further against the pound sterling and the euro as it exchanged at N487 and N405 respectively against N485 and N405 it traded respectively on Thursday. However, the Nigerian currency maintained losses at N375, N485 and N405 respectively against the dollar, pound sterling and the euro at the Bureau de Change segment of the market. The naira also performed poorly at the interbank window as it crashed further to N307.98 to a dollar from N295.38 it traded on Thursday. Currency traders expressed worry over the extension of losses of the naira against other currencies in nearly all the segments of the foreign exchange market. They, h

(Nigeria) Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has advised  the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to play into the hands of desperate politicians who do not want the July 30, rerun elections to hold for fear of losing the election. Dr. Banigo, in a statement by  her Press Secretary, Paul Damgbor on Friday, expressed shock over the attacks by some miscreants  on the office of INEC in Bori ,headquarters of Khana LGA of the state, which is adjacent the Bori Police  Divisional Headquarters. The Deputy Governor called on security agencies to fish out those behind the dastardly act to save the state from lawless and unscrupulous agents who are bent on plunging the state into chaos for political reasons and justify their negative media propaganda.   She urged Rivers people to rise up and resist any attempt by some  enemies of the state who are colluding with strangers to  deny Rivers people voice in the National and state Assemblies . Dr. Banigo noted

(Nigeria) Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution has said that the Federal Government was not detaining Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), former National security Adviser, NSA,  indefinitely. Obono-Obla, on Friday in Abuja, explained that a media propaganda was being staged to ``give the impression that the Federal Government has refused to release him on bail’’. ``I can assure you that nobody is detaining Dasuki indefinitely. There has been a lot of manipulation, media propaganda giving the impression that the Federal Government has refused to release him on bail. ``It is not true; what happened was that he has several charges against him. The first charge was unlawful possession of fire arms which he was arrested and arraigned in the Federal High Court. ``He was granted bail and he met the bail conditions, but before he was released, the DSS arrested him for an offence that is unrelated to that one of unlawful possession.’’ Speaking on

(Nigeria) The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has denied allegations by Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, that its National Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, had met secretly with All Progressives Congress, APC, officials. Wike had alleged that Yakubu met with APC Chairman in the state, Mr Davies Ikanya and Sen. Magnus Abe on Wednesday in Abuja. He had alleged that the action of the commission was inimical to credible legislative rerun elections scheduled for July 30 in Rivers state. Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity in INEC, Mr Nick Dazang, admitted on Friday that the meeting held but that it was a routine. He said that it was INEC’s policy to meet with leadership of political parties involved in elections. ``The INEC Chairman with three National Commissioners and two directors met with a delegation of the APC led by its Deputy National Chairman. The meeting was routine and was earlier requested by the leadership of that party. ``Similar routine m

(Nigeria) Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers State Chapter, Mr Felix Obuah has expressed grave concern over latest alleged moves by the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for the Rivers South-East senatorial district re-run election, Mr. Magnus Abe, including his reported visit on Friday to the Abuja Offices of the Amnesty and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The party also claimed that the burning down the Bori INEC office of Rivers State was a ploy by the APC to have the July 30, rerun elections further postponed. Obuah also recalled that few days ago, Mr. Abe and the State chairman of the APC, Mr. Davies Ikanga, also met with the INEC National Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, amongst other visits and clandestine activities by chieftains and members of the APC, aimed at subverting the INEC election process and securing a compromised conduct of the exercise. He criticizes such moves, describing the APC activiti

(Nigeria) The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has assured that Nigeria will leave no stone unturned in its quest to achieve a successful Digital TV Switch Over that will yield technological dividends far beyond imagination. The Minister gave the assurance in London on Thursday, at the end of his two-day interactions with key players in the successful UK Digital TV programme, including the country's Communication Regulator Ofcom, which created the regulatory structures that enabled the Digital TV Switch Over. The Minister, who also met officials of leading public service broadcaster BBC to understand its central role in supporting the development of Digital TV in the UK, said all concerned would work relentlessly to meet the June 2017 deadline for Digital Switch Over, DSO, in Nigeria. ''The Digital Switch Over in the UK spanned about five years (2008 to 2012). Nigeria has a much shorter time to achieve the same feat. But we will harness all the a

(Nigeria) By Simeon Nwakaudu  Right from that day  when the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun threw caution to the wind to express the desperation  of his non-performing party to capture Rivers State at all costs because of its resources, elections have become endless in the state. The APC using all manner of fraudulent  means , known and unknown,  has plotted the worst forms of crimes against the people of Rivers State. Since the return to democracy,  no state has suffered the level of political torture and ungodly  attacks that the APC has subjected Rivers State with the aid of its instruments of control of state tools of government.  Therefore, for 16 months running, the APC  and her tools of government  have placed Rivers State in a perpetual condition  of elections, expecting  a particular  outcome not desired by the people of the state. As a result of the manipulation  of  the  APC,  Rivers State has been without Senators for ab