The Presidency has regretted that despite the Federal Government’s good faith in pursuing dialogue with the Niger Delta stakeholders, the militant groups have not reciprocated the government’s good gesture in finding peaceful and lasting solution to the crisis in the oil-producing areas of Nigeria.

According to a statement on Wednesday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in an interview he granted a Kano-based radio station, Express Radio.

“Despite the government’s practical demonstration of goodwill by bringing the parties or stakeholders to the round table, the militant groups have continued to blow up national economic assets,” he said.

Shehu said the continued destruction of oil installations, including those repaired, had thrown a spanner in the works.

He admitted that the vandalism is causing enormous hardships on innocent Nigerians on account of declining oil production output and massive losses of revenues, which in turn, badly affect the ability of governments at all levels to meet their basic obligations, including payment of salaries.

While saying that violence brings no benefits to anybody, Shehu appealed to Niger Delta leaders at all levels to exert every influence they have to stop the violence and economic sabotage “so that normalcy returns to the region.”

He also appealed to the militants to maintain peace in the region as the President seeks a permanent solution to the problems that are worrisome to every citizen.

“We must keep national interest above all and give priority to eschewing violence and destruction,” he urged.

Shehu also said Nigeria was taking a giant leap in infrastructure development by speeding up ongoing projects and investing heavily in the construction and repair of highways, railways and power generating plants across the country.

He said administration had chosen to fast track projects related to infrastructure in order to pump money into the economy as a way of pulling the economy out of recession.

To this end, he said N750bn has been released for capital projects in the last five months and that counterpart funds for the take-off of the $11bn Kano-Lagos rail project had been paid.

According to the presidential spokesman, a number of projects existing on paper are now being activated, citing the Kano-Katsina dual road project as an example of what he called “deceitful and ghost projects now being given life.”

“Kano-Katsina dual highway was awarded three years ago by the last administration. They didn’t pay a kobo for its start-up. President Buhari just paid money for the first tranche of 75 kilometers and work has begun apace,” he added.

Shehu explained the essence of infrastructure in the country’s economic and industrial take-off, describing it as the equivalent of the arteries forming the bloodstream in the body.

“Without infrastructure, the country will not witness growth,” he noted.

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday re-arraigned Rickey Tarfa (SAN), on an amended charge of offering of gratification to public officers.

The commission had on March 10, brought Tarfa before an Igbosere High Court, Lagos, on a 27-count of willful obstruction of its authorised officers, refusal to declare assets, making false information and offering gratification to a public official.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the commission ammended the charge and reduced it to a 26-count of the same offences.

EFCC also substituted Section 38 (2) on the charge for Section 39(2) of the EFCC Act, 2004.

However, before his plea was taken, Tarfa’s counsel, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), objected to the reading of the amended charge on the ground that it would overreach the decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

Owonikoko argued that the Court of Appeal would on Jan. 19; hear the appeal filed against the ruling of the Lagos High Court.

He submitted that the amended charge raised constitutional issues that an accused person should not be charged twice for the same offence.

Owonikoko argued that the amended charge was a violation of Section 39 (9) of the constitution which prohibited a prosecutor from arraigning an accused twice for the same offence.

But, in his response, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, argued that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), allowed the prosecution to amend a charge at any time before judgment was given.

He urged the court not to allow the defence to delay the trial.

In a bench ruling, Justice A. A. Akintoye dismissed Tarfar’s objection, adding that there was nothing wrong with the amended charge.

She ordered the registrar to read the amended charge to the accused.

Tarfa pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Subsequently, the court adjourned the case till Nov.28 for continuation of trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the anti-graft agency had in March,alleged, among others, that Tarfa offered N5.3million gratification to Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, in order to compromise the judge.

The commission claimed that Tarfa transferred the money in several tranches to Justice Nganjiwa between June 27, 2012 and Dec. 23, 2014.

The Edo House of Assembly on Wednesday approved the construction of houses for former governors and their deputies which should not be more than N200m and N100m, respectively, in any location of their choice.

The approval was sequel to the consideration of a bill for a law to amend the existing legislation on the Pension Rights of Governors and their Deputies in the state.

Moving the motion for the consideration of the bill, the Majority Leader, Foly Ogedengbe, moved that House rules 20, 27, 42, 43, 44 and 45 be suspended, to enable the assembly to consider the bill.

The motion was seconded by the Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie (APC -Uhunwode).

Considering the bill as a committee of the whole, the lawmakers amended the law to read that a governor and his deputy shall be entitled to a house each, at any location of their choice.

The new law, however, provides that the houses shall not be more than N200m and N100m, respectively.

The Methodist priest that was kidnapped on his farm at Kufi area, along Olounda-Aba road, Ibadan on Thursday has regained freedom after five days in the kidnappers’ den.

Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Cathedral, Ibadan, Rt. Rev. Amos Ajiboye, said Rev. Dr. Biodun Ogunbekun was released on Tuesday but he did not give details of how he was released or how the kidnappers contacted the church and the priest family.

He said, “Our priest was released to us on Tuesday. We are grateful to God and all those that made it possible. We shall be making further statement in due time. He is resting after what he had gone through in the hands of his abductors.”

It was not clear if a ransom was paid to secure the release of the priest who is attached to Akobo-Ojurin branch of the church in Ibadan. But a source who pleaded anonymity said the kidnappers demanded for N10m from the family and the church before he could be released.

On the day he was kidnapped, Ogunbekun was in the farm with two of his staff.

The bishop said, “We were told that the kidnappers did not come with any vehicle or motorcycle. They tried to take the man of God away in his truck but they could not for some reason. They then decided to whisk him away on foot.”

Former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has formally joined the All Progressives congress.

Kalu was received by the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Commitee of the party at the National Secretariat on Wednesday.

He said he has succumbed to pressures from his friends and well wishers to contribute his quota to building the party in Nigeria especially in the South East.

Details later…

One hundred and seventeen students graduated with first class degrees from the University of Ibadan (UI) out of 5,598 graduands in Ibadan on Monday.

The first class graduates emerged from the institution’s Faculties of Arts, Agriculture and Forestry, Science, Social Sciences, Education, Basic Medical Sciences, Technology, Law, Clinical Sciences and Public Health.

Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, the Vice-Chancellor of the university disclosed this at the 68th Foundation Day and Convocation 2016 held at the International Conference Centre in Ibadan.

Breaking it down, Olayinka said 13 out of the 117 First class graduands, were from the Faculty of Arts; 25 from the Faculty of Science, while one each emerged from the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences and Public Health.

Thirteen graduated with First Class Honours from the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, 12 from the Social Sciences, eight from the Faculty of Education, 17 from the Faculty of Technology and two from the Faculty of Law.

A further breakdown according to him, showed that 117 made First Class Honours, 1,407 made Second Class Honours (Upper Division), 3,020 made Second Class Honours ( (Lower Division), 666 made Third Class Honours, 74 made Passes and other 314 had Unclassified Degree.

The VC appealed to the graduands to be good ambassadors of the University wherever they may find themselves.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has confirmed that it is investigating operations of the MMM investment scheme in Nigeria.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the agency has put MMM under surveillance, and that the House of Representatives cannot direct the EFCC to investigate what he described as faceless wonder bank like MMM.

“We can only arrest people based on the evidence that we have. The House made a resolution but the resolution is a public announcement,” he said.

“We have always been advising people not to patronize wonder banks because experience over time has shown that their activities are not sustainable.

“If you get involved in it, you will eventually get hurt. What we are currently doing is to sensitize people. We know people want to make quick money as a result of recession through this MMM.

“The unfortunate thing about this MMM is that it is not a Nigerian firm but we are looking at and we will still tell the media whatever we find out,” Uwujaren said.

People magazine say he is the sexiest man alive and the actor has Thanked them on his Twitter handle for the recognition

44 year old Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor, producer, and professional wrestler who holds both American and Canadian citizenship. He is currently signed to WWE on a part-time contract.

An architect of anti-immigration efforts says U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s administration could push ahead rapidly on construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall without seeking immediate congressional approval.

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said in an interview that Trump’s policy advisers had also discussed drafting a proposal for his consideration to reinstate a registry for immigrants from Muslim countries.

Kobach, who helped write tough immigration laws in Arizona and elsewhere, was described by the media as a key member of Trump’s transition team.

He said that he had participated in regular conference calls with about a dozen Trump immigration advisers for the past two to three months.

Trump’s transition team did not respond to requests for confirmation of Kobach’s role. The president-elect has not committed to following any specific recommendations from advisory groups.

Trump, who scored an upset victory last week over Democrat Hillary Clinton, made building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border a central issue of his campaign.

He has pledged to step up immigration enforcement against the country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants. He has also said he supports “extreme vetting” of Muslims entering the U.S. as a national security measure.

Kobach said that the immigration group had discussed drafting executive orders for the president-elect’s review “so that Trump and the Department of Homeland Security hit the ground running”.

To implement Trump’s call for “extreme vetting” of some Muslim immigrants, Kobach said the immigration policy group could recommend the reinstatement of a national registry of immigrants and visitors who enter the United States on visas from countries where extremist organisations are active.

Kobach helped design the programme called the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System.

He did that while serving in Republican President George W. Bush’s Department of Justice after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. by al-Qaeda militants.

Yinka Adeparusi, a Nigerian photo-journalist earlier declared missing, has died, his employers said on Tuesday.

It was announced that Mr. Adeparusi was killed in a motorcycle crash Sunday.

“… he was involved in a motorcycle accident in Abuja and died on the spot,” the statement said.

Mr. Adeparusi, an award-winning photojournalist, left his residence in Abuja suburb of Kugbo on Sunday afternoon with a message that ‘I’ll be back’, his employers said.

But when he didn’t return, his neighbours —and later his colleagues— became worried, especially when they couldn’t reach him on the phone.

“This was quite unusual because Yinka was a soft-spoken, very professional and clear-headed individual; not the kind of person to wander off.”

A brief citation that accompanied the statement described Mr. Adeparusi as an award-winning photojournalist who graduated from Lagos State University School of Communication, where he bagged double honours in Photojournalism and Cinematography and minor in mass communication.

Among other awards, Yinka received the People’s Choice Award for Human Rights Photography in Africa, German Development Media Awards in 2013 and was the winner of the photojournalism award of the 6th Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting in 2011.

Arik Air on Wednesday announced reduction of flights due to the lingering scarcity of JET A1.

The airline made the announcement in a statement by its Communications Manager, Mr. Ola Adebanji, in Lagos.

Arik Air said that aviation fuel scarcity started manifesting last week when major oil marketers began to ration supply of the product to airlines.

It said, “With a daily fuel need of about 500,000 litres and an average of over 100 daily flights, Arik Air is mostly affected by this scarcity which is the fourth this year alone.

“One of the airline’s flights to Johannesburg on Tuesday had to be routed via Port Harcourt to pick up fuel.

“As a result of the worsening supply situation of aviation fuel, Arik Air has announced further reduction in flights from Nov. 16 to cope with the fresh scarcity.’’

The airline said that the reduction will reduce unpleasant flight delays and cancellations which passengers have experienced in recent times.

It said that an oil marketer issued a Notice to Airmen on Saturday, alerting of non-availability of the product in Lagos.

Arik Air added that another marketer said it was running out of the product in Lagos with limited supplies in Port Harcourt and Abuja.

It said, “This development has started taking its toll on Arik Air due to the airline’s large scale operations, with flights being delayed across the country and, in some cases, cancelled especially for airports without airfield lighting.”

It appealed for the understanding of its customers whose flights were likely to be affected by the scarcity and scaling down of operations.

It said that would notify passengers through SMS or email messages in situation where flights would be delayed or cancelled due to the scarcity.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, had at the weekend, assured stakeholders in the sector that the government was making efforts to address the scarcity.

Sirika said that the long-term target of the government was to ensure local production of aviation fuel to make the product easily available for airline operators.

Nollywood movie producer, Charles Novia, says his prediction about the bread seller turned model, Olajumoke Orisaguna, has come to pass.

Novia on Monday recalled that he had warned Nigerians that the girls popularity would considerably dropped.

The social critic and movie-maker in a post on his Facebook page said the reality is that Olajumoke has been used and dumped by some persons for selfish interest.

His words: “We don’t hear anymore about the Bread seller turned model, Olajumoke Orisaguna. I wrote at the beginning of the media frenzy over her that she was just the flavor of the moment for a public looking for sweet distraction from realities in the polity and that she would be discarded by that same public and media once the curiosities wane. It’s happening now.”

A 26yrs old houseboy, reportedly murdered his boss, a former Principal of St. Monica’s Training College, Asante Mampong, Ghana.

The houseboy, Osman Yakubu, committed the act at about 9pm on Saturday 12th November, 2016, at the residence of the deceased, Lucy Perah Tawaih in Abelemkpe, Accra.

During the incident, Yakubu was said to have machete two other house helps for attempting to rescue Madam Tawiah whom he inflicted several wounds on with his machete before stabbing her with the pair of scissors.

Speaking with Citi FM in an interview, the Tesano District Police Commander, DSP Edward Tetteh narrated the incident saying:

“On Saturday, the suspect, Osman Yakubu, used two machetes and a pair of scissors which he had in his possession to commit the heinous crime. Without any invitation, he entered the hall of the deceased’s one storey building at Abelemkpe around 9pm on Saturday, wielding the machetes.

When he was asked by Micheal Abiesa 24 and Raymond Achinekwa, 23, both house helps of the deceased what he wanted at the hall, Osman immediately inflicted deep cuts on various parts of their bodies. He cut Micheal in such a way that he collapsed instantly.

He then proceeded to Lucy Peprah Tawiah’s room, inflicted wounds on the nape of her neck, face , head and then stabbed her with the pair of scissors he had with him. A taxi driver, Bonney Djanison who attempted to come to their rescue, following the screams he heard from the house also sustained wounds on his arm.”

The houseboy, Osman Yakubu, is presently being investigated for the act.

Northern Nigeria Christian Politicians (NNCP) on Tuesday, revealed how former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan failed to address their challenges.

They also appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for coming to their rescue where the former presidents failed.

The chairman of NNCP, Hon. Keftin Amuga, at a press conference, said that for the first time, a Northern Muslim President would recognize the Northern Christian as a political factor and political force.

The group said that “this is a signal which could lead to the emergence of a truly united Northern Nigeria people, devoid of religious bigotry.”

Amuga said: “Since the third republic, the Christian North has variously given its support to our Southern Christian brothers, the likes of Obasanjo and Goodluck to be President of Nigeria, but unfortunately, because they have limited knowledge and do not appreciate our challenges, they have variously failed to address the peculiarity of the Northern Nigerian Christian population. This is in sharp contrast to what PMB promised and has done for the Christian North.”

The World Bank said it has currently committed to about $400 million into the Nigerian agriculture, and also unveiled plans to commit another $200 million in the nation’s livestock development.

The Bank representative, Shehu Salau, who disclosed this at the Regional Wrap-up meeting of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) Implementation Support Missions, on Monday, said the World Bank has prioritized agriculture and energy in the African economy due to the fact that Africa is largely agrarian.

His words: “Our portfolio in Nigeria is about $400 million, but we have an engagement to scale up the support, we have a $200 million staple crop processing zone project, we also have about $200 million livestock project.”

“World Bank has prioritised agriculture and energy because if you look at the economy of Africa, you will see that it is largely agrarian, so the Bank stands worthy of pushing investment and support the government to achieve these objectives”.

When asked if the World Bank will continue the WAAPP-Nigeria programme, which would be rounded up this year, Salau said the government was yet to declare interest to continue the programme, as such the Bank may not continue with the programme in the country.

“The World Bank works with the government and if the Bank does not receive a request from the government to continue the project, the Bank will comply. As I speak now, the Bank is yet to receive any official communication from the government of Nigeria to continue the programme,” he added.

Also speaking, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Tchambakou Ayassor, said the aim of the WAAPP programme in West Africa is to achieve food security in the region.

According to him, “ECOWAS adopted the agricultural policy (WAAPP), in 2005 and since then, so many programmes have been taken up to implement the policy, and in areas of research and agricultural productivity, we are implementing those programmes in order to reach the regions. “We are promising that the whole region will get together to continue working on the improvement of agricultural productivity. The main objective of ECOWAS in Nigeria is mainly to get food security for all the regions,” he noted.

While delivering his address, the National Project Coordinator of WAAPP-Nigeria, Dr James Apochi recalled that the programme facilitated farmers’ access to genetic materials including crop seed and fingerlings.

He also said the programme piloted new models of advisory services with the introduction of adoption of improved technologies, and also imported technologies from the sub-region to help curtail wastages and post-harvest losses.

President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged the powers of the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the prosecution of judges accused of engaging in acts of corruption.

Mr President insisted that the high court was bereft of the jurisdiction to entertain a suit filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, with a view to stopping the Federal Government from arraigning seven judges arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS.

Recall that trial Justice Gabriel Kolawole, had on October 28, summoned President Buhari and the Director-General of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Daura, to appear in court and show cause why the embattled judges should be tried.

Others equally ordered to appear before the court were the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the National Judicial Council, NJC.

They were all cited as Respondents in the suit.

The plaintiff applied for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents from arresting, inviting, intimidating, or harassing any of the judges whose homes were raided by the DSS.

He said the arrest and detention of the judges without recourse to NJC, is not only unconstitutional, but also aimed at ridiculing the judiciary arm of government.

According to him, the action of the DSS is in gross violation of the rights of the judges as enshrined in sections 33, 34, 35, 36, and 41 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Consequently, Ogungbeje sought 10 reliefs from the court, including award of N50 billion as general and exemplary damages against the Respondents, as well as another N2 million as cost of the suit.

He equally prayed the court for an order compelling the DSS to return to the judges’ money seized from their homes.

Justice Kolawole had at the last adjourned date, declined an ex-parte motion for an interim order stopping the FG from carrying out any “untoward action” against the Judges.

Rather, he directed the plaintiff to put all the Respondents on notice to enable them to appear in court to show cause why prayers contained in the suit should not be granted.

Meanwhile, challenging the competence of the suit, President Buhari, via a preliminary objection filed by his lawyer, Chiesonu Okpoko, argued that the plaintiff did not disclose his locus standi to initiate and maintain the suit.

He said there was no lis (case) between the plaintiff and the Respondents, adding that “the applicant’s suit as constituted and conceived, is a mere academic exercise and raises hypothetical issues.”

President Buhari said before the plaintiff could invoke the judicial powers of the court as enshrined in section 6(6) (b) of the 1999 constitution, he must show how his civil rights and obligations were affected or would be affected by the act complained of.

A self-professed spiritualist, Lukman Olanrewaju, has been dragged before a Magistrate Court in the Ejogbo area of Lagos, for allegedly luring and engaging a woman, Adeniran Mutiat Jumoke, on a three-day marathon s*x “deliverance service”.

The accused pretended to be delivering his victim from abject poverty and apart from engaging her in a marathon sex, Olanrewaju also obtained the sum of N208,000 from her before letting her go.

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, on Tuesday, declared that peace and unity in Nigeria was not negotiable.

He made the declaration at an award-giving ceremony in Abuja, organised by National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with “Love to the World Initiative

Gowon, who was represented by his brother, Mr Dauda Gowon, as Chairman of the occasion, commended the organisers of the award and congratulated the awardees, as well as urged them to keep up the goodwill.

He said the event was timely, considering the problems facing the country at the moment. He added that “this award ceremony is timely and relevant, considering the serious political, ethnic and religious challenges being experienced in our nation Nigeria today. “We have to overcome these problems in order for us to move forward.

“I am delighted and honoured to be nominated for this award, anchored on the theme `Heal the Land/Bridge Builders.”

The former head of state said that his passion and commitment for Nigeria to remain as one entity was the main reason for accepting to chair the occasion.

“You are all aware of my strong desire and commitment for the peace and unity of our nation; this informed my consideration and acceptance of this invitation to encourage and also add my voice to the call for peace and national unity.

“I want to reiterate in strongest term, that the peace and unity of Nigeria is non negotiable. “I and the other awardees are saying that all of us are called to continue to work at achieving the much desired peace and unity that we crave daily for our country.

“I am strongly of the belief that for the future of our nation to be assured, we must strive to build legacies of peace and unity.” He, therefore, challenged religious, political and traditional institutions to endeavour to teach and promote the tenets of peace and unity among citizens.