Tanzania bans sachet alcoholic drinks.

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Staff Reporter

A ban on alcohol sold in plastic sachets will come into force in Tanzania this week, the government said Wednesday, as it seeks to protect the environment and curb youth boozing.

The import, manufacture, sale and consumption of the 50 millilitre alcoholic sachets — the size of a double shot and commonly containing gin, rum, vodka, whisky or other spirits — will be banned with effect from March 2, said environment minister January Makamba.

President John Magufuli announced the ban last year.

The sachet ban is expected to upset businessmen, some of whom make huge profits from their sale, as well as drinkers who will be forced to pay more for bottled alcohol, but will be welcomed by religious leaders, teachers and parents.

The easily-concealed bags of booze are especially popular among school students who can be seen sucking on the sachets between classes or at the start of the school day.

In some places the sachets sell faster than soft drinks or donuts and, when discarded, are an eyesore. When the wind blows they float in the sky like filthy confetti.

The sachet ban comes after the government launched an anti-drugs campaign last month.

Several African countries such as Ivory Coast, Senegal, Malawi and Rwanda have already imposed bans on alcohol sachets.

Source: The Guardian

Court block Trump’s ban, clears Muslim immigrants to fly to U.S.

Posted on February 4, 2017 by Staff Reporter

The United States government has told airlines that previously stopped some categories of travellers from boarding planes to the country to start allowing them fly, according to U.S. media.

The instruction came hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald trump’s executive order banning citizens of some Muslim countries from entering the U.S.

However, the White House vowed late on Friday that it would challenge the “outrageous” ruling, saying it would seek a halt to the judge’s order and restore Mr. Trump’s “lawful and appropriate order”.

“The president’s order is intended to protect the homeland and he has the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect the American people,” the White House said.

The government was “arguing that we have to protect the U.S. from individuals from these countries, and here’s no support for that”, said James Robart, a judge of Federal District Court for Washington.

Though far-reaching, the ruling was temporary. It will stay in place until the government is able to provide plausible arguments in support of its policy or obtain a stay of execution.

Mr. Robart’s order specifically targets two parts of Mr. trump’s order: its 90-day suspension of entry into the United States of people from the seven countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — and its limits on accepting refugees, including “any action that prioritizes the refugee claims of certain religious minorities,” the New York Times reported.

The government had argued that the order, which barred the admission of refugees for 120 days and indefinitely for Syrian refugees, was to allow it to evaluate the process for vetting refugees and other immigrants in order to safeguard the country against terrorism.

It added that after the temporary halt, persecuted religious minorities would be given preference. In fact, Mr. Trump disclosed in an interview that the United States would give Christians from those countries priority because they had suffered “more so than others.”

“What we’re seeing here is the courts standing up to the unconstitutional ban that President Trump imposed. There’s obviously more litigation to come, but this is truly good news for the many people both in this country and abroad who have been unfairly targeted on the basis of their religion by this ban,” Omar Jadwat, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at the A.C.L.U, told the New York Times.

The ruling rendered the decision of a Boston federal judge, Nathaniel Gorton, who ruled in a favour of the Trump administration few hours earlier moot.

The judge had declined to extend a temporary halt to the order in that jurisdiction.

Mr. Gorton, said that while the nation’s immigration history was a source of great pride and that the plaintiffs in that case — Iranian nationals who are academics — had compelling stories, “the public interest in safety and security in this ever more dangerous world is strong as well.”

Source: Premium Times

No ban on ‘peaceful protests,’ Presidency declares.

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Staff Reporter

The Nigerian government has said it will not prevent people from registering their displeasure with the state of the nation through peaceful protests.

“This administration will not prevent Nigerians from expressing themselves in peaceful protests,” said Laolu Akande media aide to Vice President Yemi Osibanjo Friday on Twitter. “It’s a fundamental right of the people.”

Akande’s clarification came after the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, said his command would not allow the protest planned by popular artist, Innocent Idibia, also known as Tuface, to hold in any part of the state.

“We know that Tuface does not have the capacity to contain such a crowd and we will not fold our hands and watch while things go out of hand,” he stressed.

Tuface had announced that he would a ‘massive nationwide’ protest on February 5. He later postponed the planned mass action to February 6.

He said there was a “need for Nigerians to rise against what is happening in this country having waited patiently for the legislatures that were elected to represent the people all to no avail.”

“A call for good governance,” he said. “A call for urgent explanation into the reckless economic downturn nationwide. A call for nationwide protests as we say No to the Executive, No to legislatures, No to judiciary…. You have all failed us.”

But Akande said the government has been investing in social programmes aimed at easing off the suffering of millions of Nigerians, claiming that the level of such investment has never been seen in the country.

“No government has ever laid out the kind of Social Investment Programme the Buhari govt is now running across the nation that will touch millions,” he said.

With rising prices of commodities, the effects of the programmes are yet to be felt by the people. The government acknowledged this problem on Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council and announced that it had set up a committee that would ensure a steady flow of produce to markets and reverse the rising food prices across Nigeria.

Four States Sue Trump Over Muslim Ban

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Four US states are suing the Trump administration over the president’s executive order banning refugees and travellers from a list of predominantly Muslim countries from entering America.

New York, Massachusetts and Virginia joined Washington state on a growing list of states in launching legal challenges against executive order that wreaked havoc at airports at the weekend

Washington became the first state to sue the White House on Monday.

On Tuesday New York joined a federal lawsuit against Trump’s executive order brought by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, the Urban Justice Center and others…

Eric Schneiderman, the New York state attorney general, described the order signed last Friday as unconstitutional, unlawful, and fundamentally un-American

“Virginia has a substantial interest in protecting its public universities and their faculty and students from the academic and fiscal disruption posed by the executive order,” according to the state’s motion filed in the federal court of Alexandria

Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey said the state was also filing its own case seeking to have the ban struck down.

The executive order is harmful, discriminatory and unconstitutional. It

discriminates on the basis of religion and national origin, Healey said at a press briefing at her office

Source: www.washingtonexaminer.com

The debate on the ban on importation of cars has to be more rigorous – By Ebuka Nwankwo

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Staff Reporter

The Senate has unanimously condemned the federal government’s ban on the importation of cars through land borders, which took effect on January 1, 2017. It argues that the ban is unpopular.

One would have thought that an APC-controlled Senate would take sides with an APC-led government at the centre. Instead, they are diametrically opposed to each other.

As trivial as this disagreement might look, this is another example where the APC government –at the executive and legislative level —has shown a lack of coherence in terms of economic policy.

The Senate claims it has taken sides with the ‘masses’. (The Senate has been accused, on many occasions, of not been on the side of the ‘masses, but this time it seems they have repented. One commentator mischievously suspects that lobbyists are at work here.)

But public policies would best serve public interest if conclusions are reached through rigorous debates.

With the level of porosity at the borders – which has defied every measure to check it – and the inefficiency at our seaports, every car dealer would prefer using land borders. Lower duties are paid at the borders.

And the public has been made to believe that with the ban on importation through land borders, cars would become more expensive. It could if the government doesn’t put on its thinking cap. It is not that simplistic.

The Chairman, National Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding, Hon Iju Tony Nwabunike, summarizes the whole scenario: ‘‘some of the customs officers are not sincere. Ordinarily, there is nothing wrong importing cars if appropriate duties are paid. For instance, in Prado Jeep, they will tell you to pay between N10 million and N15 million in Apapa and Tin Can Ports, but you find out the same Prado Jeep, if it is coming through the border, you can pay N1 million duty and give them N1million bribe and they will let you go’’.

With the scenario painted by Nwabunike, it is evident that the real import duties go to neighbouring countries where these cars are legally imported to, when they come through the borders to Nigeria. And no serious government would take this lightly.

But the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON), which imports over 15,000 used cars quarterly, argues otherwise. They argue this ban would result in increased hardship and job losses.

Used-cars, they say, are affordable when they come from the borders.

But they missed the point. If used-cars enter the country through seaports alone, government could have greater control over the number of vehicles entering into the country, enforce standards and track its revenue.

And when there is control over the number of vehicles entering the country, the nation can start thinking of implementing its Auto Policy.

But the efficiency at the seaports would have to be improve for these to be achievable. Also, corruption at seaports would have to be checked, as well.

The real question the Senate ought to ask is this: how can government make cars affordable and increase government revenues when cars are imported through seaports?

Since, Nigeria doesn’t not have a competitive advantage in car manufacturing, it makes sense to moderate the duties paid on cars at the seaports. (More concessions should be given to companies who assemble cars locally.)

The country would be better off if import duties that went to neighbouring countries and the bribes that went to corrupt custom officers at the borders started entering government coffers. That’s assuming government decides to keep the import duties at seaports to be equal to the amount corruptly paid to custom officers at the border.

The 70 percent tariff and levies on new cars, which took effect in 2015, is not working, the Shippers Council insist. Instead, government is losing revenue. These huge levies have increased importation to neighbouring countries and subsequent smuggling into Nigeria.

These are the kind of policies the Senate should look into. It is the duty of senate to educate the populace and advice the government on how to make policies better. Many good things can come from this ban.

JUST IN: FIFA proposes 2-year ban for Nigeria’s Amos Adamu.

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A former FIFA executive committee member, Amos Adamu, is set for a second ban from football after indictment in various ethics code violations.

The 63-year-old Nigerian was formerly president of the West African Football Union, WAFU, and an executive member of both FIFA and the African football confederation, CAF, before losing those roles when he was given a three-year ban for bribery regarding his votes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

FIFA have now proposed another two-year ban from the sport for Mr. Adamu following a 21-month investigation; although details of the exact charges have not been revealed.

“In its final report, the investigatory chamber recommends a sanction of a two-year ban from all football-related activities and a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs (£15,700) for violations of arts 13, 15 and 19 of the FIFA code of ethics,” read a statement from world football’s governing body.

“The adjudicatory chamber under its chairman Hans-Joachim Eckert has studied the report carefully and decided to institute formal adjudicatory proceedings against Mr Adamu.”

Mr. Adamu was not allowed to take part in the vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups after being exposed by an undercover sting from the Sunday Times.

Kaduna State Government bans processions, unlawful assembly.

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Kaduna state government has announced a ban on processions and “unlawful assembly”.

Samuel Aruwan, spokesman of Nasir el-Rufai, governor of the state, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

Aruwan said the decision was arrived at during a stakeholders, explaining that it is a s a result of the security situation in the state.

“No processions will be allowed for now in Kaduna state. The Kaduna government said the ban on processions and unlawful assembly applies throughout the state, and called for the cooperation of all citizens to respect this restriction until it is formally lifted,” the statement read.

“A meeting of heads of security agencies in the state was convened to review the security situation in the state. Based on assessments of security reports, the meeting recommended that the Kaduna State Government should impose a temporary restriction on processions and act sternly against unlawful assembly.

“The government has endorsed the recommendation and has decided to restrict processions accordingly. The decision was taken in the interest of the citizenry and to ensure law and order in the state.

“Security agencies have been mandated to ensure compliance to the ban. All citizens are advised to go about their lawful activities, and to do their utmost to uphold peace and harmony.”

Rice smuggling thrives Lagos despite ban

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The smuggling of rice through the land borders has continued to thrive in Badagry area of Lagos State in spite of the Federal Government’s ban on the practice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that markets along Badagry Expressway close to Seme border, are stocked with various varieties of smuggled rice, especially as the Christmas season approaches.

A smuggler, who identified himself as Sunday Egeseme, was seen offloading bags of rice from his car at Alaba Rago Market in Okokomaiko area of Lagos.

He described the business as “lucrative’’.

“We are messengers to the main owners of the goods who are in the Seme border.

“Transporting rice from Seme to customers in various location of the town is a fast moving business with good returns,’’ Mr. Egeseme said.

He, however, declined to say the exact amount it cost to ferry a bag of the commodity.

Mr. Egeseme, a driver, said that the Christmas period was the peak of the business as many families depended more on the consumption of rice.

At Doyin Bus Stop market before Navy Gate Market, Okokomaiko, a trader who could not find space at the Alaba rice market, was seen taking delivery of the product from smugglers.

A driver simply known as Taiwo, who was exchanging banters with his colleagues for a successful trip, said his target was to make a lot of money before the end of the season.

“I run three trips before morning breaks and two in the day time if the road is good.

“The security officers are there but we still find our way unless one is a new person on the route,’’ Mr. Taiwo said.

Celine Ukachi, a rice seller at the Navy Gate Rice Market, said, “we are used to selling the Cotonou rice because it is easy to get than the local ones.

“If we see the local ones, we sell together with the Cotonou one so that everybody who wants anyone can buy,’’ Mrs. Ukachi said.

The trader also claimed she had been in the business for four years.

Vehicle Importation Ban – Dealers plead for review.

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Car dealers in Kano have appealed to the Federal Government to review the law banning the importation of used cars into the country through its land borders. Alhaji Sani Yaro, a prominent dealer of used cars at Olu Obasanjo Way in Kano, said that even before the ban, they were struggling to save the business.

He explained that it was indeed a government policy that brought about the ban, yet they urged the Federal Government to think of their plight and review the policy.

Another dealer, Alhaji Sadiq Idris of Zage Motors in Kano, said many of the dealers would be out of business when the ban takes effect in 2017. cars-queue He noted that not only the dealers would be affected, but rather multiple youths who earned a living through running the errands in the business.

For Alhaji Muttaka Aminu, another car dealer in the Kano metropolis, revealed that he may be compelled to do a total switch to another trade, saying it was a trade he knew while growing up, as his father was into the same business. A security official who pleaded anonymity, however, told NAN that the reason for the ban could either be economic or security-related.

Car dealers in Kano have been in a dilemma since the announcement of the ban on importation of vehicles through the Nigerian land borders by the Nigerian Customs Service on Tuesday. The ban is expected to come into effect next year.

Reps seek suspension of ban on land border-imported cars

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The House of Representatives yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the ban on the importation of new and used cars through Nigeria’s land borders.

According to the lawmakers, the policy is too harsh and will put more pressure on Nigerians who are already groaning under the prevailing recession.

The decision followed the adoption of a motion by Abdullahi Salame (APC, Sokoto) who said the percentage of Nigerians who could afford cars had declined drastically.

He explained that the decline in the value of the naira, inflation, unemployment and the high cost of living had also made things difficult for the people.

He added that over 80 per cent of the population at present lives below $200 a day.

The ban, announced on December 5, 2016 by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), takes effect from January 1, 2017.

Salame said the Federal Government’s similar ban on rice through the land borders in April 2016, had led to untold hardship on the people.

Suspend Ban On Vehicle Imports Through Land Borders, Reps Tell FG

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The House of Representatives, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to suspend the ban on importation of vehicles through land borders in Nigeria.

Consequently, the lawmakers, at plenary, mandated the Committees on Governmental Affairs and Customs and Excise to ensure implementation and report back to the House within six weeks for further legislative input.

This development was based on a motion, entitled ‘’Need to suspend The Ban On Importation of Vehicles Through Land Borders, promoted by Abdulahi Salame, APC, Sokoto. Meantime, stakeholders in the maritime industry were divided on the issue, yesterday.

While some supported the ban, others kicked against it. Salame, in his presentation, argued that those making these policies have failed to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods, especially Nigerian assembled vehicles, which are, in any case unaffordable for 80 percent of Nigerians.

He said: “The percentage of Nigerians who can afford cars has declined drastically, following the decline in the value of the Naira, rising inflation, unemployment and high cost of living that have bedeviled Nigeria where over 80 per cent of Nigerians live below $2 a day. “The Federal Government has powers under Section 18 of the Customs and Excise Management Act to restrict the movement of goods into and out of Nigeria by land or inland waters and to appoint customs stations.

‘’However, similar exercise of such powers on rice importation through the land borders in April 2016, has occasioned untold hardship on Nigerians, as a bag of rice now sells for between N20,000 and N23,000, against N8,000 a few months ago.

“As it is now, the government has not put in place alternative measures to ensure that Nigerians will have access to cars since it is cheaper to buy cars from neighbouring countries and still generate revenue by ensuring that our borders are secured to prevent smuggling, and also that there will be no job losses.’’
Read More:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/suspend-ban-vehicle-imports-land-borders-reps-tell-fg/

Why FG’s Ban on Land Border-Importation of Vehicles Makes NO Sense – Adeeko Ademola

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Staff Reporter

BusinessDay search shows that before the implementation of the new auto policy, which raised duty paid on imported vehicles from 20 to 70 percent to encourage the upcoming assembling plants in the country, about 30,000 new cars and trucks used to arrive Nigeria every month across all the Roll-on Roll-off (RORO) terminals, but the volume has now dropped to about 10,000 monthly.

Most times, I can’t help but chuckle at the sheer incompetence and shallow reasoning employed in drafting government policies in Nigeria. These attributes are evident in almost every decision the Nigerian government has taken over time. Such of these ill-advised policies is the latest ban on land border imported vehicles into the country.

Yesterday night, I got a message circulated via WhatsApp. As I read through the message which was laden with the intention to sway public opinion about the government’s decision to place a ban on land border-imported vehicles.

After reading the ridiculous reasons the government gave for the ban, I was compelled to address what seems to me like a damning decision by a government that has done little to nothing to alleviate the suffering of it’s own citizens especially in a period of economic recession. Therefore, I will share with you the points circulated by the FG as reasons for the ban before addressing them:

Why FG’s ban of vehicle imports through land borders makes sense

1. Ensures the proper documentation and duty collection on vehicles that comes into the country. Many vehicles brought in through land borders find ways and means to avoid payment of duties thereby shortchanging Nigeria.

2. Reduction in smuggling of vehicles older than 15 years into the country. Many of these vehicles have a lot of harmful exhaust which could be responsible for increasing cases of lung cancers seen in younger people in Nigeria. The government cannot control the vehicles imported through land borders with some as old as 20 years!

3. Reduction of corruption and bribery of customs by smugglers through land borders and of course the attendant security challenges whereby arms and other dangerous products can be smuggled in along with those vehicles.

4. Avoidance of double payment of duties on imported vehicles. Most Nigerians who buy used vehicles brought in through land borders still have to pay as much as extra 300,000 Naira as duties to customs within Nigeria, with many vehicles impounded along with the pains to the affected individuals.

5. Reduction in 419, armed robbery and several other losses to Nigerian buyers who travel all the way through land to buy used vehicles in neighboring countries.

6. Helps to protect the local auto industry and makes government more responsible.

Laughable, isn’t it? I have read the reasons over and over again and nothing in it suggests that a total ban will eradicate or in any way reduce the vices listed in those reasons. As a matter of fact, whoever came up with those reasons, either has a low reasoning capacity or just lacks critical thinking abilities and I will tell you why.

In order to solve a problem perpetually or let me say; put an everlasting solution to a problem, you should be ready to go as far as the root causes of the problem. Once it is evident that you’re not ready to tackle the causative factors of a particular problem, then you have no business holding any leadership position. Nigeria, as it is now, does not need cosmetical or short term solutions. We need thoroughly thought out solutions to be able to solve our systemic problems.

If you remember, some years ago, Ex-President Jonathan increased sea port importation tariff by 70% in a bid to discourage importation of automobiles and to encourage a ‘non-existent’ local automobile industry or let’s just say; “Innoson Motors”. The increment in importation tariff resulted to spike in the price of imported automobiles as Nigerians continued to demand for imported automobiles. At a point, the tariff was unbearable and due to the natural demand for foreign brands of automobiles, importers, willing to meet the demand and also sell at affordable rates resorted to land border importation otherwise known as smuggling. What they do basically, is; ship their merchandise to a neighboring country where the importation tariff is relatively low and then they bring the cars into Nigeria via porous borders, hereby cutting off the costs of paying government the necessary monetary dues which also means government has continued to lose revenue in Billions of Naira to smuggling over time.

Going back up to the reasons listed by the FG for the ban, you’ll realize that the ban will have very little effect on the listed reasons except for number 1 which clearly states that; “the ban will ensure the proper documentation and duty collection on vehicles that comes into the country. Many vehicles brought in through land borders find ways and means to avoid payment of duties thereby shortchanging Nigeria.” Truth is the Nigerian government cannot really be bothered about the type or the age of cars brought into the country. The government cannot be bothered about the respiratory problems that come with driving very old cars. The government cannot be bothered about the rate of armed robbery and 419 schemes people may go through traveling all the way to neighboring countries to purchase automobiles. The only thing the government is interested in is the loss of funds involved in the land border importation venture. Simple!

Moving on, why does the government need to place a ban on land border importation when it encouraged the venture some years ago by increasing tariff at the seaports? Why is it so hard for the government to reduce the throat-cutting tariff at the seaports to encourage importers abandon the land border importation? After all, seaports are safer and closer to the importers’ customers. Importers who make use of the seaports readily know that seaports are way better than using land borders especially when you put into consideration, the treacherous journey from the borders to the inner cities coupled with bad roads and security risks. The question we should ask ourselves is; why do importers risk everything to use land borders over seaports? The answer is simple; cut-throat tariff at the seaports.

Innoson

That period Innoson started it’s operations in Nigeria, the FG under Goodluck Jonathan, in a bid to support the locally manufactured cars by Innoson, decided to hike the importation tariff at the seaport to discourage importation and encourage the growth of the local automobile sector. It would have been a very good move if Innoson had taken the opportunity to widen it’s business scope. First off, Innoson is yet to be a trusted brand and it’s market penetration has barely left the surface even years after inception. Instead of Innoson, in what is expected of it to penetrate the market targeting the low/middle income earners in it’s production, was busy competing prices of automobiles with world renowned brands like KIA and Hyundai and Toyota. If Innoson is not a trusted brand yet in terms of quality and it’s cheapest car is at same price with say; Hyundai. Honestly, I don’t think there is any Nigerian who will buy an Innoson over a Hyundai, all on the altar of supporting locally made cars. In general, I doubt any Nigerian will buy a car because it’s a local brand as opposed to quality. At least, not at this time. As a matter of fact, an average Nigerian will buy a product for it’s longevity/durability (at a reasonable price) over luxury, even at same price.

This why I have always opined that Innoson needs to follow the market penetration model of a company like Tecno. Target low/medium income earners, who are the majority first, then rise through the ranks to compete with other brands over time especially with advance in research on latest technology. With the untested nature of Innoson vehicles, no one is willing to risk hard-earned money to buy vehicles they’re not certain about the availability of it’s body parts and durability.

Given the current state of the economy, how many Nigerians can actually afford brand new cars from Innoson now that we have placed a ban on cheap land border-imported cars? How many Nigerians can even afford Tokunbo cars with the high tariff demanded by the seaport? To go back to the root of the problem, why in the first place did importers choose land border importation? Simply because the tariff at seaports is too high. If a car merchant buys a car worth 500, 000 Naira and ends up spending almost 300k to clear it, how much do you think he’ll put up the car for, after adding his profit? Who is willing to buy such car at that imagined price especially with the recession in the country?

If the government is really serious about growing the local automobile industry, then it should look inwards to ensure the cost of production is relatively low so that companies like Innoson can drop their prices to create an edge over imported brands or better still, make the country business-friendly enough to invite automobile companies to set up manufacturing plants here in Nigeria which is also a good avenue to boos employment.

Solution

The only move that is appropriate right about now, is for the government to embark on a downward review of the seaport importation tariff before ever considering a ban on land border importation. The government has enough to gain by reducing the tariff and the reason I propose this is quite straightforward;

1. A reduction in importation tariff will encourage car importers to rescind on their decision to smuggle. It will encourage them to make use of the seaports in as much as they don’t have to break the bank to clear their imported merchandise from the ports.

2. The ripple effects of a tariff reduction will be felt immediately as government’s revenue generation from seaports will soar as a result of the increase in the importers who will patronize the ports over smuggling.

3. Their will be a reduced friction between smugglers and men of the Customs service. The less smugglers we have to deal with, the more effective the Customs service will be.

4. There will be a huge reduction in the corrupt practices of Custom officials basically because patronage will definitely fall to the barest minimum and this also grants the agency a clearer opportunity to rid itself of corrupt officials.

5. Fewer Nigerians will patronize smugglers when they know they can purchase vehicles at a reasonable price without the unnecessary risks of traveling long distance to neighboring countries and also they can get proper documentation for their vehicles without the risk of being caught and asked to pay double for import duties.

6. The Nigerian government can keep tabs on the necessary info it needs about every imported vehicle.

However, if the FG strongly believes the ban on land-border importation despite maintaining a high tariff at seaports will deter smugglers, then it has really got jokes because a country like Nigeria with absolutely porous borders will only see a shift in entry point for smugglers not a reduction. In brevity, we will only succeed in overstretching our already overstretched Customs service.

Those who advised the presidency to place a ban on land imported cars while maintaining a high importation tariff at the seaports didn’t take their time to think it through properly. I sincerely hope that they get time to read this piece and make appropriate adjustments.

However, I won’t leave you without this piece of information to corroborate my stand on this issue. These are words from Asconio Russo, managing director/CEO, Ports and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML), operators of Nigeria’s biggest RoRo terminal. And I quote:

“Our business is down by about 60 percent, which is a significant drop and this has to do with the auto policy, which increased duty on imported cars and buses from 20 to 70 percent since July 2014. As a result, there was huge diversion of traffic to Benin Republic such that Benin Republic that used to be one of the major reason why Nigeria has been losing revenue from imported vehicle, became the most important port for Nigerian vehicles,” he said.

Nigeria bans importation of vehicles through land borders

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The importation of vehicles into Nigeria through the land borders have been banned by the Federal Government.

The prohibition order covers all new and used vehicles.

The ban is sequel to a presidential directive restricting all vehicle imports to Nigeria sea ports only. The order takes effect from January 1, 2017.

The restriction on importation of vehicles follows that of rice, whose imports have been banned through the land borders since April 2016.

Importers of vehicles through the land borders are requested to utilise the grace up till December 31, 2016 to clear their vehicle imports landed in neighbouring ports.

Saudi Prince Seeks To End Ban On Women Driving

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Staff Reporter

An outspoken billionaire Saudi prince has called for an “urgent” end to his country’s ban on women driving, saying it is a matter not just of rights but of economic necessity.

“Stop the debate: Time for women to drive,” Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said on his official Twitter account.

Alwaleed is an unusually forthright member of Saudi Arabia’s extensive royal family. He holds no political posts but chairs Kingdom Holding Co., which has interests including in US banking giant Citigroup and the Euro Disney theme park.

He is a longtime advocate of women’s rights in the conservative Islamic kingdom, which has some of the world’s tightest restrictions on women and is the only country where they are not allowed to drive.

In conjunction with his short tweet, Alwaleed’s office issued an uncharacteristically long statement late Tuesday outlining his reasons for supporting an end to the ban. “Preventing a woman from driving a car is today an issue of rights similar to the one that forbade her from receiving an education or having an independent identity,” Alwaleed said.

“They are all unjust acts by a traditional society, far more restrictive than what is lawfully allowed by the precepts of religion.” He also detailed the “economic costs” of women having to rely on foreign private drivers or taxis, since public transit is not a viable alternative in the kingdom.

Using foreign drivers drains billions of dollars from the Saudi economy, Alwaleed said. He calculated that families spend an average of 3,800 riyals ($1,000/940 euros) a month on a driver, money which otherwise could help household incomes at a time when many are making do with less. Even if their husbands can take time out to transport the women, that requires temporarily leaving the office and “undermines the productivity of the workforce,” Alwaleed said.

“Having women drive has become an urgent social demand predicated upon current economic circumstances.” The prince said he is making his call on behalf of those with “limited means”.

Activists say women’s driving is not technically illegal but that the ban is linked to tradition and custom. Some women have challenged the prohibition by getting behind the wheel and posting images of themselves online.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/saudi-prince-seeks-end-ban-women-driving/

Bauchi Government bans public gathering, processions.

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Bauchi State Government has banned all gatherings in whatever form, and religious processions, in the state.

The government made this known in a statement signed by the secretary to the state government, Bello Shehu, on Wednesday in Bauchi.

“It has become imperative to impose a ban on all public gatherings and processions in the state with immediate effect.

“All security agencies are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with the directive,” Mr. Bello said.

The government has not given reason for the decision.

Bauchi is the latest to impose such ban, weeks after Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto Katsina and Kano states banned processions in their states.

Ebonyi To Ban Sale Of Foreign Rice

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Ebonyi Government has said it was concluding plans to enforce a ban on the sale of foreign rice in markets and other outlets in the state.

Governor David Umahi made the disclosure when participants of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Senior Course 39, Jaji, visited him in Abakaliki on Monday.

The governor said the order would soon be enforced to ensure that the residents patronised home-grown Ebonyi Rice.

“I will personally lead a task-force, consisting of the State Executive Council members to various markets and enforce the order.

“Individuals who are selling the produce will provide certification of its quality because most of the rice brought into the state is not parboiled.

“Any rice that is not parboiled after six months turns to chaff as most of them brought into the country stay for about 10 years before being imported.

“The rice then becomes poisonous and we have banned cooking of non-Ebonyi rice inside the state’s Government House, hotels and public functions.

“The Ebonyi rice still presents its unique taste even when cooked without meat and we will give you some quantities for attestation,” he said.

Credit: dailytrust

Ban On Burials In Benin Still In Force- BTC

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Benin Traditional Council (BTC), yesterday, re-affirmed the earlier ban placed on burial ceremonies during the coronation activities of the new Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare 11.

“The attention of the Benin Traditional Council has been drawn to an unauthorised press release issued by the Coronation planning Committee as it relates to burial ceremonies within the period of the coronation activities.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Benin Traditional Council hereby use this medium to inform the general public that the post coronation ceremonies of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare 11, Oba of Benin, is still on-going till December ending (31st December, 2016) with Ekasa Dance, except the Oba directs it should end earlier.

“Consequently, prohibition of funeral activities is still in place, during the period of Ekasa performance. This information supersedes the earlier press statement made by the coronation planning committee.

“The general public should please take note and comply strictly with the prohibition order,” BTC said in a statement signed by its Secretary, Frank Irabor.

Credit:

http://sunnewsonline.com/ban-on-burials-in-benin-still-in-force-btc/

Senate Moves To Ban Street Begging

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Senate yesterday began a move to enact a law to ban street begging in the country.

The move was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Isah Hamma Misau (APC, Bauchi Central), tagged “menace of street begging and need to rehabilitate beggars”.

Misau expressed concern over increase in the scourge of street begging and nuisance it constitutes on the street of major cities across the country.

“Though street begging is a global urban problem, the situation in Nigeria appears intractable and overwhelming as beggars are now found everywhere especially at motor parks, religious centres, road junctions, venue of ceremonies and other public places,” he said. In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary said the motion should be sustained in addition to the bill. He said the culture that encourages street begging must be reversed.

Credit: dailytrust

IGP’s ban on public protest illegal – Falana

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Lagos lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has described the ban by Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris, on public protests in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as illegal.

Ibrahim gave the directive on Wednesday following a “clash” between the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaigners and a pro- President Muhammadu Buhari group in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Falana lamented that through the ban, the IGP had “exposed the federal government to avoidable embarrassment.”

He said: “Sequel to the purported clash, the Inspector-General of Police had called the BBOG members and announced an illegal ban on public protests in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Since the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people (including former members of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) who are now in the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government) to assemble peacefully and demonstrate without any official harassment have been upheld by Nigerian courts, the illegal ban on public protests in the Federal Capital Territory by the Inspector-General of Police will not be allowed to stand.

“More so, that it is principally aimed at stopping the demand for the unconditionally release of the Chibok girls from the illegal incarceration of the Boko Haram sect.”

Falana said instead of “demonizing” the BBOG campaigners, the country owed them a duty “for upholding our collective humanity.”

He continued: “By accusing the BBOG campaigners of engaging in subversion by legitimately demanding for the abducted Chibok girls, the Inspector-General of Police has exposed the federal government to avoidable embarrassment.

“Since the BBOG members have demonstrated unprecedented courage and determination to continue to protest until Chibok girls are brought back home, the police and the security forces should be directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to desist from harassing them in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.”

Falana added that through “selfless sacrifice and uncommon commitment,” the BBOG campaigners mounted a global campaign “which drew the attention of all men and women of goodwill to the plight of the innocent girls and the mental and the psychological agony to which their parents have been subjected.”

“In particular, the BBOG members have successfully mobilised the United Nations (UN), world leaders and the global human rights community to demand for the unconditional release of the abducted girls.

“But for the effective campaign which has been relentlessly waged by the BBOG members through peaceful protests which are held on a daily basis at Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Federal Government and the Nigerian people would have forgotten about the Chibok girls.”

Leader of the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) advocacy Oby Ezekwesili said yesterday that nobody could threaten them since they were bonafide citizens of the country.

Ezekwesili, who added that their rights are guaranteed by the constitution, advised the Inspector General of Police to educate himself properly about democracy and citizens’ right to peaceful assembly.

She also said the previous administration administration used similar tactics to try to violate their rights but their rights was upheld by the constitution and court.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja, at the usual sitout of the group, Ezekwesili said,

“Our response is he should ask for the file that recorded our advocacy between 2014 and 2015 when the previous administration used all kinds of tactics similar to this one to try to violate our constitutional liberty, not only did the constitution uphold that right, the court also upheld our rights, he should just read this files, he should be able to find what he needs in order to educate himself properly about democracy and citizens right to peaceful assembly.

“We are a peaceful movement as everyone knows, so we are not changing anything, no retreat, no surrender, are our girls back? If the government says that we are unreasonable in demanding for our Chibok girls in the way that we have been demanding for them since 2014, they need to show the evidence that counters our stance.

“For us as a movement, we plead for the rescue video of August 14th which is an incredible opportunity for our government, which really conveyed a message to the world.”

The unity fountain was devoid of police presence by the time of the sitout.

The policemen who took positions at the Abuja Fountain earlier in the day left before the sitout started.

French Police Enforce Burkini Ban By Ordering Woman To Remove Muslim Garments On Beach

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Heavy-handed French police enforcing a ‘burkini ban’ forced a woman to remove her Muslim dress as she sunbathed on a beach.

Mum-of-two Siam, was approached by four officers in Nice and told to take off the baggy blue hooded top which she teamed with leggings.

The former air hostess, whose family members have been French citizens for at least three generations, said: “I wasn’t even planning to swim, just to dip my feet.”

Pictures show her soaking up the sun before being approached by the uniformed cops and
surrounded. She is then seen removing the garment. It is understood she was fined the equivalent of £32 for breaking a burkini ban.

The Nice administration issued an order on Thursday banning swimwear with religious connotations, citing security concerns.

Several other cities on France’s Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts have banned burkinis this summer.

Kaduna To Ban Sale Of High Energy Bulbs

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Kaduna State Government said on Monday that it would soon ban the sale of high energy consuming bulbs, as part of strategy to boost energy efficiency.

The state’s Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Abdullahi said a statewide campaign would be carried out next year for electricity consumers in the state to move to energy saving bulbs, before the ban is effected.

He said, “We have already started moving from high-energy consuming bulbs to energy saving bulbs in ministries departments and agencies”.

Abdullahi said that the effort would cumulatively save N360 million, representing 30 per cent of the amount spent on light bills and fuelling of generators annually by electricity consumers in the state.

He explained that that strategy was an idea postulated by Dr Abdulkarim Mayere, who came third in the “My Great Kaduna Competition” organised by the state government in 2015.

He said that the competition was organised to source for ideas from members of the public on how to move the state forward and make Kaduna great again.

The commissioner, disclosed that Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i has since appointed Mayere as the General Manger of Kaduna Power Supply Company, a new company set up to ensure energy efficiency in the state.

http://punchng.com/kaduna-ban-sale-high-energy-bulbs/

U.S. Lifts Ban On Transgender Military Service

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Pentagon on Friday announced that transgender individuals can now serve openly in U.S. armed forces.
U.S. defence chief Ash Carter said this at a press conference in Washington.

“Effective immediately, transgender Americans may serve openly, and they can no longer be discharged or otherwise separated from the military just for being transgender.
“Americans who want to serve and can meet our standards should be afforded the opportunity to compete to do so,’’ Carter said, adding that the policy will be phased in during a one-year period.

According to 2014 study by RAND Corporation, about 2,500 people out of roughly 1.3 million U.S. active-duty service members and about 1,500 out of 825,000 reserve service members are transgender.

He said that the end of the ban on transgender service was the latest step by the Pentagon to be more inclusive.
However, the U.S. military has also ended the ban on gays serving openly and opened all combat jobs to women.

Credit: NAN

Anti-Football Activities: Giwa, Baribote, Others Face Ban

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Wednesday that members of the Chris Giwa-led board of the NFF would face disciplinary action for anti-football activities.

A communique issued at the end of the NFF extraordinary meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday said that Giwa and his group would be bringing Nigerian football to ridicule and disrepute by their dealings.

It said that Giwa, Yahaya Adama, Muazu Suleyman, Sani Fema and Effiong Johnson would appear in person before the NFF disciplinary committee to defend themselves for contravention of the NFF statutes and other extant football laws.

“They will face the committee for committing acts such as illegally contracting a law firm in South Africa in the name of the NFF and refusing to pay for the services.

“This got to a point where judgment was given against the NFF by a court in South Africa.

“The action violated the statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA, CAF, WAFU, and NFF.

“For aiding and abetting the above gross misconduct, thus collectively contravening provisions of NFF, WAFU, CAF and FIFA statutes, the General Assembly referred few others to the NFF Committee on Ethics and Fairplay.

“The others are Rumson Baribote, Shehu Adamu, Ben Agary and Jide Fashion, ” the communique said.

It noted that the decision to invite the accused was in the spirit of fair hearing and in pursuant to Article 37 (1) but in the spirit of Article 37 (3) of the NFF statutes.

It also said that the congress had reversed its earlier decision aimed at barring non-members of the Congress from contesting for positions on the NFF Executive Committee following appeals by major stakeholders.

“The clause adopted at the 71st NFF General Assembly held in Abuja on Dec. 16 2015, was suspended.

“The clause is aimed at ensuring and guaranteeing professionalism in the administration of football but misinterpreted as barring non-members of the congress from contesting for positions on the NFF executive committee.

“It has therefore been suspended pending ratification at the next NFF General Assembly.

“For the avoidance of doubt the congress further affirmed that all eligible and qualified persons under the NFF statutes are eligible to contest elections, ” it added.

The congress expressed confidence in the executive committee of the NFF under the leadership of Amaju Pinnick and unanimously re-affirmed the election of his board members as was done at NFF elective congress in Warri, Delta on Sept. 30, 2014

The congress expressed its gratitude to the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Sen Obinna Ogba, Senator Samuel Anyawu and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for their support.

(NAN)

Nigeria Customs Service Bans Importation Of Rice Through Land Borders

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N1.69 billion in the last two months.
The Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Wale Adeniyi, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, this is much lower than the revenue projected.

“We have observed low level of compliance with implementation of importation of rice through the land borders. A number of reasons have been adduced for this but the Comptroller General has also received reports about some kind of allegation of compromise between officers and rice smugglers.

When the restriction on importation of rice through land borders was lifted, there was a high level of implementation.’’
“In the last two months, 24. 9 metric tonnes of rice was imported through the land borders since the reversal of the restriction of importation through the land borders.
“Since the reversal of the restriction started, N1.69 billion revenue has been generated. However, this is much lower than the revenue projected.
“And we got intelligence reports from neighbouring ports that huge consignment of rice was coming into the country.
“Conversely, we are not getting the revenue. Rather the revenue has been dwindling in the last two months’’, Adeniyi said.
He said that there has been an increase in the level of seizures.
“So given all of these, the Comptroller General finds it necessary to review the restriction order and has therefore decided to re-impose the restriction with effect from Tuesday, March 22, 2016’’, he said.
Adeniyi said that rice would therefore no longer be allowed through the land borders.
However, he said “those who have started the process; who have paid for rice across the land borders will have up till Friday, March 25, to clear their rice through the land borders.”
He emphasised that after March 25, there would be a zero tolerance “not even a bag of rice will be allowed to come into the country through the land borders.”

(NAN)

Agatu Massacre: Nigeria Deploys Troops; To Ban Cattle From Villages, Cities

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Nigerian government says it is preparing a legislation to prohibit pastoralists from allowing their cattle roam in villages and cities, following the massacre of hundreds in a farming community in Benue State by armed herdsmen.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, said Thursday that the government was working on measures to stop the invasion of communities by herdsmen.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Mr. Ogbeh said that invasion and massacre of the indigenes by herdsmen was no longer acceptable to the government.

He said that a formation of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the communities to restore peace.

“Yesterday, I spoke with the Ministers of Defence and Interior and they assured me that they have deployed a military formation in Enugu to move in and restore peace in Agatu.

“Today, I will also be speaking with Mr President about this issue to ensure that the problem is solved once and for all,” he said.

The minister gave assurance that government was taking lasting steps to prevent cattle from grazing into peoples’ communities and farmlands.

Credit: PremiumTimes

UEFA ‘Disappointed’ In FIFA Ruling Banning Platini

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The European football federation (UEFA) said it was “disappointed” in FIFA’s decision on Monday to ban Michel Platini for eight years over an ethics violation, expressing support for the Frenchman’s right to an appeal.
“Naturally, UEFA is extremely disappointed with this decision, which nevertheless is subject to appeal,” the governing body said of the ruling against Platini, who is UEFA’s president.
“UEFA supports Michel Platini’s right to a due process and the opportunity to clear his name,” the statement added.
FIFA’s ethics court suspended Platini, 60, over a 2 million Swiss franc ($2 million/1.8 million euros) payment he received from Blatter in 2011, reportedly for consulting work done a decade earlier.

Blatter was also banned for eight years.
Both Blatter and Platini denied there was anything suspicious about the payment and that it had previously been agreed in an oral contract.
FIFA judges said they “rejected” evidence concerning such an oral contract as it was unconvincing.

Shortly after the verdict, Blatter told journalists that he will appeal against the ban, first to a FIFA committee and then to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
Platini has not commented on a possible appeal.
The Frenchman, once the heir apparent to replace Blatter as FIFA’s president, boycotted his hearing with FIFA judges on December 18, claiming their verdict was pre-determined.
He was, however, represented by his lawyers at FIFA’s Zurich headquarters, who said they had produced sufficient evidence to clear their client’s name.

Credit : Vanguard

Police Ban Religious Processions In Sokoto State

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Police in Sokoto have banned indefinitely all forms of processions by all religious groups across the 23 local government areas of the state.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Spokesman of the state Police Command, El-Mustapha Sani, and issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Friday .

“The action is to maintain law and order in the state and the country, in view of the recent obnoxious happenings in some parts of Nigeria.

“This is also in order not to allow hoodlums to hijack such processions by any religious groups.

“Subsequently, all members of the general public are hereby advised not to flout the ban in their own interest and the interest of the peace of the state,” it said.

The statement further urged members of the public to go about their lawful activities .

It assured that the police and other security agencies in the state were ready to protect the lives and property of all law abiding residents of the state.

Credit: NAN

W. African Leaders Seek Ban On Full-Face Veil To Prevent Attacks

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Staff Reporter

West African leaders said Thursday they were seeking to “forbid” women wearing full-face veils in an effort to curb the growing number of female suicide bombers unleashed by Boko Haram jihadists.

The president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, told reporters at the close of a two-day summit in Abuja that leaders must take “measures that would forbid this kind of dress that will not allow security personnel to be sure of their identities.”

Losing swathes of territory to the Nigerian army, Boko Haram jihadists have since July started using young women and girls as suicide bombers by hiding explosives in their loose-fitting clothes.

The radical Sunni group has also used the tactic in Cameroon, Chad and Niger — countries that have already enforced bans on veils this year.

The region is reeling from a spike in female suicide bombings as a weakened Boko Haram shifts its strategy from raiding villages to relying on explosives in its quest to overthrow the government and create a hardline Islamist state in northeast Nigeria.

“Certain dress codes, which make identification of the persons concerned difficult, may considerably hinder actions geared towards protecting people and properties,” said Ouedraogo, who said countries should enforce a ban “in line with their national realities.”

Credit: AFP

Petition To Ban Trump From Britain To Be Considered For Debate By Parliament

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Staff Reporter

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More than 130,000 people had signed Wednesday a petition to ban US presidential hopeful Donald Trump from Britain following his call to bar Muslims from entering the United States. Having topped 100,000 signatures, the petition now has to be considered for debate by parliament and will require a written government response.

“The UK has banned entry to many individuals for hate speech. The same principles should apply to everyone who wishes to enter the UK,” said the petition. The petition was part of a social media storm after Trump said that radicalisation meant there parts of London where the police feared for their lives.

Tweeting under the ironic hashtag #trumpfacts, web users mocked the blustering tycoon. One tweet had a picture of London’s telecom tower with the comment: “The world’s tallest minaret calls the whole nation to prayer in the UK”. Another carried an image of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a headscarf with the inscription: “Even the British monarch is now forced to wear a hijab”.

The anti-Trump petition was posted late Tuesday by Scottish resident Suzanne Kelly, a long-time critic of the 69-year-old. Six MPs have also signed a House of Commons motion calling on the government “to refuse a visa allowing Donald Trump to visit the UK until Mr Trump withdraws his comments”, saying they were “extremely divisive and will incite discrimination and hatred”.

Finance minister George Osborne told parliament that Trump’s comments “fly in the face of the founding principle of the United States”. He said democratic debate was “the best way to deal with Donald Trump and his views rather than trying to ban presidential candidates”. Another MP, Tulip Siddiq, said Trump’s remarks were “dangerous”.

“I would say to him you are not welcome in our country in the same way that you want to ban people like me going into your country,” she told BBC radio. “I don’t think we need someone poisonous like Donald Trump in our capital city,” the niece of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said.

Credit: Vanguard

NANS Condemns Senate Threat On Social Media

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Read the press statement below…

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, condemn in totality the unusual rapid readings and debate in which the bill to jail social media users got from the Nigerian senate of the 8th National Assembly within a week, where we have pending volatile issues turning the nation down that needs their urgent attentions as stakeholder.

With the decision of the senate to have allow for reading and referring to committee of ethics and privilege, a bill which infringe on the right and freedom of information of Nigerian masses, it has exposed the underbelly of the Nigerian senate to an unpardonable ridicule that they are not representing their people but themselves, because how would our senators who reside mostly in FCT source for information and gather opinions to provide solution on national issues from all nooks and crannies of the country if not through social media facts and fallacy.

It is also noteworthy to state that NANS considers the Nigeria senate threat on social media users as a fraudulent attempt to subvert Nigeria’s democracy and freedom of expressions in any form. They wish to deny the masses of access to information which is a prerequisite for transparency and accountability of governments, security awareness and as safeguarding citizens against mismanagement, crimes and corruption.

Social media, a fastest means of interaction, remains the last hope of the less privilege in communicating their ideas, needs and grievances to most of our leaders that are not accessible. Also, Nigerian students concern as the bedrock of this nation’s development and highest rated user of social media, emanated from the fact that most of our distinguished senators cannot rid their camps of social media propaganda as it’s the source of their political popularity, yet they feel so eager to suggest two (2) years jail term or N4m fine for social media users who passes information which they as law makers may term as false.

The nation is battling with security challenges and many more, where lays the hope and aspiration of the masses when our Senators are yet to pass a bill stipulating increase in years of jail term of corrupt people who siphoned the nations fund with a corresponding increase in the amount of money embezzled.

We know that the law is like cobweb, too strong to catch the weak but too weak to catch the strong, therefore NANS uses this medium to appeal to all distinguish senators of Federal Republic of Nigeria to please place our collective national interest above their self-interest in making decisions to govern this country. It is on this note, that we are emphatically stating that any attempt by the Senate to pass the bill on jailing social media users, then they should be prepared to face the wrath of the Nigerian students through maximum protest to the National Assembly.

Signed: Comrade Ogunkuade Oluwatosin
NANS Vice President External
FOR: National Association of Nigerian Students’

Boko Haram: FG Urged To Ban Use Of Veils

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Staff Reporter

A human rights activist in Sapele, Delta State, Mr James Idoghor, has called on the Federal Government to ban the wearing of veils across the country, noting that hoodlums were perpetrating crimes with them.

Idogho, who expressed concern over the inability of the Federal Government to find the over 200 missing Chibok girls, and the continuous killings and unleashing of mayhem on innocent citizens, particularly in northern parts of the country, said, “Most of the perpetrators of the heinous crimes usually wear veils to disguise their gender and motives.”

Adding that, “No democratic country will tolerate any religious norm that has turned dangerous to the precious lives of her citizenry. This government should not pay deaf ears to the cries of her citizens. People are dying in their dozens by the day. The wearing of veils must be stopped.”

Credit: Vanguard

Mourinho: I Might Not Watch Chelsea’s Clash With Stoke

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The former Real Madrid manager is banned from the Britannia Stadium due to an FA disciplinary charge, but says his assistants are prepared for all circumstances

Jose Mourinho admits he does not know if he will watch Chelsea‘s clash with Stoke City after rejecting the chance to appeal his stadium ban.

Mourinho saw his appeal against a suspended stadium suspension relating to comments made to the media rejected on Thursday, and he insists he “already knows the result” of a potential second appeal after being punished for his behaviour during the club’s 2-1 loss to West Ham.

The Blues boss will travel with the side to the Britannia Stadium before leaving the team in the hands of his assistants, and claims he has made no plans as to where he will watch the match.

“I have no plans, maybe I sit in street corner with my iPad, I don’t know,” he told reporters.

“If I cannot contact with the game maybe I don’t even watch the game. I can’t contact with the game so what’s the point? Live score, results, maybe.”

Mourinho, though, says the Blues are well-prepared for every eventuality, with the Portuguese having thoroughly briefed his backroom team.

“If the first 10 minutes we are playing with seven men they are not prepared for that, they have to decide themselves. The game isn’t predictable, you don’t know the direction but we can try to reduce that and that we did,” he added.

“The most incredible scenarios that you can imagine, let’s go to extreme scenarios. At half-time winning 4-0, at half-time losing 4-0 and in between those you have 1000 options. Be dominating and controlling the game, being dominated and not having control, having problems in this area, in that area, injuries, four red cards, we went through all these different scenarios and they are prepared.

“What I think is important is for them to feel protected by the fact that it is my responsibility and it is just for the players to play and for the assistants to be with them and be supportive.”

Chelsea were knocked out of the League Cup by Stoke on penalties, but rubbished the suggestion that his side would go in search of revenge, insisting they have nothing to avenge.

“Revenge for what? What’s the problem? Why? We played a good game, people were nice to us, our supporters were fantastic, no problems between supporters, a great football match, a good referee, a good show for everyone,” he added.

“One team scores one more penalty, one team left happy, one team left unhappy, everything was normal, revenge for what?”

Ban Oversea Medical Treatment, NMA Urges Buhari

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State chapter has challenged President Buhari Muhammadu to direct all political office holders to henceforth seek medical attention in Nigeria and ban them from oversea medical treatment.

Speaking at a press briefing to herald the association’s Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Lagos, chairman of the association, Dr Tope Ojo said, the ban of oversea medical treatment will be taken as the first signal of seriousness of this regime to reform the health sector.

Ojo said, “The NMA remains as worried as ever regarding the state of our dear country as evidenced by the deplorable conditions of infrastructure and amenities such as bad roads, lack of portable water, poor state of medical facilities, lack of uninterrupted power supply, unavailability of decent and affordable homes, poor drainage system, environmental pollution and poorly developed transportation system amidst other social, political and economic challenges faced by Nigerians on a daily basis.”

Read More: dailytimes

EU Denies Ban on Nigerian Agricultural Products

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS has refuted reports that the EU has banned the import of agricultural products from Nigeria.

It however noted that the import suspension measure, which has been misconstrued, affected only dried beans.

The Head of Trade and Economic Section of the EU delegation to Nigeria, Mr. Filippo Amato, made this clarification in an email on Tuesday, wherein he added that some other agricultural products had occasionally been rejected at the EU borders due to high level of pesticides which is dangerous for human health.

He lamented that the suspension measure adopted in June, 2015 had been wrongly reported and had created confusion and uncertainty for exporters who can continue to export to the EU as long as there is compliance with applicable food requirements.

Read More: thisdaylive

Protest At Times Square As New York Authorities Move To Ban Posing Topless

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Staff Reporter

?Posing topless in Times Square in New York City has been legal since 1992, and Mayor De Blasio and Governor Cuomo are currently trying to ban it.

One of the topless women, Saira thinks the attempt to ban being topless is helping their cause. “[Mayor De Blasio] made it actually better, and letting people pick a side. Are you on our side or are you on their side? And we have a lot more people on our side than I think anyone expected.”

Read More: cosmopolitan

Reps. Summon CBN Gov. Over Ban On Foreign Currency Deposits

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The House of Representatives on Tuesday summoned the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to explain the recent policy directing commercial banks to reject foreign currency deposits.

This followed the unanimous adoption of a motion under Matters of Urgent Public Importance sponsored by Rep. Emmanuel Ekon (Akwa-Ibom, PDP).

Mr. Ekon said although the CBN Act of 2007 confers the bank with the power to devise suitable mechanism for the exchange of the Naira periodically, Nigerians need to understand the merits of the policy.

“Though the policy may have both short and long term economic benefits for the country, Nigerians do not have any explanation from the CBN on the merits or otherwise of the said policy.

“The apex bank has not created avenues to address the fears of parents wishing to remit money for their children’s education or manufacturers placing orders for goods abroad.

“The explanation of the said policy to members of this House by the Governor of the Central Bank will enable us to disseminate the information to our respective constituents,’’ Mr. Ekon said.

Read More: premiumtimesng

Bleaching Frenzy: Ivorians Ignore Whitening Cream Ban

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Staff Reporter

At just 26, Fatou’s skin is marbled from layer on layer of whitening cream. Some even call her a “salamander” woman after the little reptile with light spots and translucent skin.

But nothing can stop the hairdresser in Ivory Coast’s commercial capital Abidjan from using the skin-lightening cream in her quest for a paler complexion.

“I love light skin,” Fatou said. “I can’t stop.”

Many Ivorian women — as well as more and more men — are using creams with dangerous chemicals for depigmentation, despite government attempts to stop the practice.

In late April, Ivory Coast banned whitening creams because of the negative health effects associated with them, ranging from white spots and acne to cancer.

If applied liberally, the cosmetics can also cause high blood pressure and diabetes, according to Professor Elidje Ekra, a dermatologist at Abidjan’s Treichville university hospital.

The banned products include creams containing mercury, certain steroids, vitamin A, or with hydroquinone levels above two percent.

Read More: yahoo

Buhari set to bar marketers from importing fuel

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The Buhari-led government is set to bar marketers from importing fuel while ensuring that only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) imports petroleum products.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele revealed this in an interview with Financial Times of London recently.

“The president came on board and said that we will work very hard to reduce importation of petroleum products by ensuring that our refineries work. Our refineries are working now. Warri and Port Harcourt have started producing, they have not obtained the optimal capacity but they will. Kaduna refinery will start working this month.

“Now, there are other actions that the presidency is putting in place to ensure that we reduce importation of petroleum products where the NNPC will solely, almost solely be responsible for procuring refined petroleum so those who are importing petroleum products will only just need to go to the NNPC and pick up petroleum products.

“So in that area I would say that we are already moving in the direction of reducing the import of petroleum products. And we will achieve it,” Emefiele said.

On the president’s efforts to recover stolen oil monies deposited in banks, Emefiele said “as the central bank, we will also assist in drilling them once we get to that stage, and we will be happy to have that money back because it will improve our reserves.”

Speaking on Buhari’s order that revenue-generating agencies operate a Treasury Single Account, the CBN boss explained that, “once they receive the revenues, the revenues must come to the centre, and that means those revenues will come to the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

“We had instances where some of those revenues were trapped outside the central bank. The president came on and he insisted that all revenues come to the centre and that’s what we are saying, and it’s the reason why you are seeing some improvements in the reserves position,” he noted.

Emefiele also commented on the gap between the parallel market and the inter-bank rate.

“The gap is closing and I imagine that foreign investors should be happy that we are doing everything possible to close the gap. Based on that, they will believe us when we say that the parallel market is a shallow market, and that there is no need to use the parallel market as the benchmark for determining the real value of our currency.”

-NAN

India Lifts Ban On Pornography After Public Backlash And Outcry

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Staff Reporter

India is partially lifting their ban on online pornography after public outrage over this past weekend’s clampdown on 857 websites, according to Indian news outlets on Tuesday

Follow the jump to see their arguments and the full story:

The government will however continue to block sites that promote child pornography.

According to the IT Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, who spoke to India Today TV, he said: “A new notification will be issued shortly. The ban will be partially withdrawn. Sites that do not promote child porn will be unbanned,”

India had ordered Internet service providers to block the 857 websites starting Friday, deeming their
content “immoral and indecent.” The move came after the nation’s supreme court ruled last month that banning pornographic websites is not its job, but the elected government.

The ban drew sharp criticism across the nation, including from Bollywood celebrities. Experts warned the move could merely result in a boom for the adult porn industry.

Mahesh Bhatt, a Bollywood filmmaker, told the Washington Post saying: “Banning porn is an age-old trick that many countries have tried. It will always find many supporters.”

Also, many accused the government of moral policing and infringing on personal freedoms, according India Today.

“Don’t ban porn. Ban men ogling, leering, brushing past, groping, molesting, abusing, humiliating and raping women. Ban non-consent. Not sex,” author Chetan Bhagat said on Twitter. “Porn ban is anti-freedom, impractical, not enforceable. Politically not very smart too. avoidable. Let’s not manage people’s private lives,” he added.

India has the second-largest population of Internet users in the world after China, the Post reported. India is expected to have more than 500 million Internet users by 2017, compared with about 350 million now, according to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India, the Post reported.

Mozambique Lifts Homosexuality, Abortion Ban

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Mozambique decriminalized homosexuality Monday when a new penal code came into force that swept away old Portuguese colonial laws, in a victory for campaigners for gay rights.

The old code, dating back to 1886, targeted anyone “who habitually engages in vices against nature” — though no known prosecutions took place after Mozambique became independent in 1975.

Breaking the law was punishable by up to three years of hard labor. “It’s a symbolic victory, as social inclusion remains the main challenge,” Frank, a student gay rights activist who declined to give his full name, told Agence-France Presse. The new penal code, which was announced last December by then President Armando Guebuza, also decriminalizes abortion after lobbying by civil rights organizations.

Women can now end a pregnancy until the 12th week. Extraordinary circumstances, such as rape or threats to the mother’s life, allow for the procedure until the 16th week.

The code came into force on Monday, though no official events or celebrations were scheduled to mark the occasion.

The majority of African countries outlaw homosexuality, but Mozambique has seen little anti-gay violence or social friction over the issue.

Dercio Tsandzana, an influential blogger and activist, said there had been an absence of public discussion over homosexual rights. “The government instead abides by the external pressure put by some embassies and foreign donors,” he said.

“Most Mozambicans don’t deny homosexuality, but one can’t say either that it is accepted.“

Despite a seven-year campaign, the Mozambican government has not officially recognized Lambda, the only gay rights organization in the country.

Read More: aljazeera

Adamawa Govt. Ban Public Viewing Centres

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Following the recent bomb blast that claimed 35 lives in Jimeta, Yola, the Adamawa Government on Wednesday announced a ban on the operation of all public viewing centres in the state.

A statement issued in Yola by DSP Othman Abubaka, the spokesman of the Police Command in the state, said that the ban was with immediate effect and for an initial period of one month.

It said that the measure was due to the “unfortunate recent bomb blast in Yola, ”adding that the directive was issued by Gov. Muhammadu Jibrillah.

The statement warned against flouting the order, advised members of the public to avoid crowded places and report suspicious persons to security agents.

Credit: NAN

Ogogoro Producers Kick Against Nationwide Ban

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Producers of Ogogoro under the umbrella of Raw Gin Producers Association of Nigeria, RGPAN, has urged the federal government not to ban the local gin popularly called Ogogoro based on recent casualty recorded from its consumption in some states of the country.

The Chairman of the association, Mr. Aritson Kroboakpo said in Lagos yesterday that native gin, whose production and consumption in Nigeria pre-dates independence and is not injurious to health , unless when adulterated.

Faking of products, the Association also noted, is not only peculiar to local gin, even as the group promised to work with government to ensure that quacks in the local gin production are eliminated.

The Association is reacting to the call for the ban of ogogoro by the government following the unfortunate incident that happened in Ondo State, where it was reported that some okada-riders collapsed after drinking ogogoro in a popular relaxation spot, and the most recent incident that occurred in Rivers State.

Credit: vanguardngr

Overzealous Aides Blamed For AIT Ban, Buhari Denies Involvement

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Nigeria’s president-elect Muhammadu Buhari, has instructed all his staff, including the personnel attached directly to him, to steer clear of all dealings with the media, and leave all media affairs to his official media team.

In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, April 29, by the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Buhari aligned himself with the pronouncement of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC which had earlier expressed disagreement with the temporary barring of the African Independent Television (AIT) from covering his activities. “I would like everyone to henceforth stay within his/her defined area of responsibility,” Mr. Buhari said.

The president-elect added that his media team should be left to continue to deal with their media colleagues in the best possible way.

According to the statement, Mr. Buhari was neither consulted nor informed about the AIT barring, and only became aware of the matter after the public uproar it generated. “The time of CHANGE has come,” he said, “and we must avoid making the same mistakes that the outgoing government made.”

Credit: premiumtimesng

Court Lifts Ban On Obasanjo’s “My Watch”

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Staff Reporter

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has lifted the injunction barring former President Olusegun Obasanjo from publishing his autobiography, My Watch.

The court had in December 2014 ordered law enforcement agencies to confiscate the three-volume book when it was discovered that it had been published before the order was made.

Buruji Kashamu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had obtained an injunction restraining Obasanjo from releasing the book, saying the subject of the book was libelous to his person. Kashamu also instituted a N20 billion libel case against Obasanjo for referring to him as a drug baron in an open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan in December 2013.

But Obasanjo ignored the court order and launched the book at the Lagos Country Club Ikeja on December 9. Justice Valentine Ashi of the FCT High Court on Tuesday ordered the release of seized copies of the book from the custody of the Nigerian Customs Service to Obasanjo. He set aside the order of injunction upon an application by Obasanjo’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN).

Read More: Punch

Censors Board Confirms Ban of 50 Shades of Grey

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has confirmed that the movie 50 Shades of Grey, has been banned from Nigerian cinemas. The ban was confirmed in a statement signed by its Acting Head of Corporate Affairs, Mike Ekunno.

The Board cited public interest for the decision and asked cinemas across the country to stop screening the movie forthwith.

The statement also disclosed that the censors board is unwavering in its roe as the industry’s gatekeeper. Ekunno also added that the apex movie regulatory agency has approved 23 movies for the months of December, 2014 and January, 2015.

Credit: NAN

U.S. Ban Owners of Amigo Supermarket & Wonderland Over Alleged Terrorist Activities

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Staff Reporter

U.S has banned the owners of Nigeria’s Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland from dealing with any U.S. person. In a statement, the United States Department of Treasury said it has frozen all property and assets owned by Fauzii Fawad, Mustapha Fawaz and Abdallah Tahini.

All three men were also earlier named by the Joint Task Force, Kano, as members of a Lebanese Hezbollah group in Nigeria. The U.S. Department of Treasury said the trio and their companies have been issued Executive Order 133224 for acting for or on behalf of Hezbollah, a Lebanese group.

A U.S. Executive Order 12947 of January 1995 listed Hezbollah as a Specially Designated Terrorist, while the Department of State designated Hezbollah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in October 2001. “As these designations make clear we will track Hezbollah’s illicit activities to all corners of the earth.

“Together with our international partners, we are tirelessly working to dismantle Hezbollah’s financial apparatus. Wherever this terrorist group may seek to raise funds, we will target and expose its activity,” the statement said.

Read More: PremiumTimes

RE: Should Govt Ban Long Hijabs?

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Staff Reporter

On 22nd February 2015, some armed robbers, dressed in army uniforms attacked a fuel filling station close to my residence. They made away with all the day’s earning without any counter attacks. Now, since they were in military uniforms, should we ask that the government ban the soldiers from wearing military uniforms because of this?

On countless occasions, armed robbers in various states of the federation, especially Kogi State and even the Boko Haram insurgents have attacked their victims while on army uniforms. Should the government then ban soldiers from wearing military uniforms?

The call by #CyberParliament for opinions on whether the government should ban “Long Hijabs” is a weighty distortion of reality, whose presentation has been garnished with faithful hypocrisy. Basically, the recurrence of suicide bombings lately by girls/ladies on long Hijabs cannot be dissociated from the ineptitude of the government. We all know that these horrific bombings started mainly after the Chibok girls were abducted, in a state under emergency rule. Meanwhile, the BH insurgents have decided to use religious garbs again to accentuate their evil acts; especially in the core north wherein the Muslims dominate.

It is an open secret that the world has been characterized by tussles for religious hegemony. The people of different faiths are devising means to outwit and demonize others to sanctify their own religious belief. Hence, there have been a lot of maneuverings and manipulations to taint the most revered and divine customs of other people’s faith, the Long Hijab inclusive. It must be borne in our minds that terrorism is not the monopoly of any religion and as such on no grounds should the religious identity of others be banned due to dearth of purposeful and just governance in our nation.

There have been reports of people of the Christian faith who carried out or apprehended while carrying out terror attacks in Nigeria. Should their religious symbols be considered for ban as well? The followings are some of the examples to buttress this point:

* On 27th Dec., 2011, Emmanuel (Wisdom) King who disguised as a Muslim wearing a Kaftan and Turban was apprehended while trying to detonate some explosives at a church in Yenegoa, the Bayelsa state capital.

* On Tuesday, April 10, 2012, a 38year old man named Monday Davou was arrested while planting a timed Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Makera weekly market, in Riyom LGA, Plateau state.

* In Gombe state, one madam Ruth was caught while attempting to bomb ECWA church in the Kalarin area of Kaltungo.

(See more at – http:///newsrescue.com/nigeria-muslims-say-christians-behind-many-alleged-boko-bombings/)

In furtherance of fairness and objectivity, if these bombings must stop or be curtailed drastically, the government must as a matter of fact uphold justice and ensure the pragmatic application of the “Rule of Law”. The myopic call on whether the government should consider banning long Hijab is like chasing shadows and leaving realities behind. It is a known truism that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Therefore, what is needed to abate these horrendous bombings is to prosecute the perpetrators of terror, regardless of religious or ethnic affiliations. Because of our poor attitude of dealing with cases of injustice and terrorism, we left officers that killed Muhammad Yusuf, the late leader of BH, unprosecuted. This is the same with Ogwuche, who masterminded the Nyanya bombing that claimed innocent lives. The promulgation of favouritism in the execution of justice will only catalyze the ubiquity of unjust killings, either by those donned in Long Hijab or those on Long Rosaries. It is high time we adopted the Chinese way for culprits: one bullet can ease their exit to the afterlife.

The wearing of long Hijab is a divine injunction, which aims at curtailing immoralities and safeguarding the human societies from promiscuities. The government and its handlers on whatever media should not hoodwink the masses that the long Hijab facilitates terror attacks. We are too enlightened to know that terrorism is not the monopoly of any religion. Let justice prevail and fight corruption sincerely then all other things will fall in their respective places. Any attempt to ban Hijab, regardless of its length, will contravene the inalienable fundamental human rights of Muslim women as contained in the Nigerian constitution.

In conclusion, “Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet. Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich,” averred Napoleon Bonaparte. We urge the government to adopt apt means to counter insurgency and terror attacks without infringement on the rights of Muslim women; lest the nation is plunged into a chaotic state of stupor. Religious injunctions about Hijab are divine; so much that the Christian scripture recognises it. See: Genesis 24; 62-65.

62) Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. 63) And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. 64) Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; 65) for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.

Equally, let the administration of justice prevail as enjoined in the Qur’an 5: 8 that

“… Let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice…”

If the government will not ban the use of military uniforms even when people use it to perpetrate heinous acts, why should it consider ban on a divine directive of Muslims to use Long Hijab (or hinder their full practice of Islam which is their constitutional right)?

Olayemi Bello Abdurrahman wrote from University of Ibadan.

Views Expressed Are Solely Auhtor’s…

Maheeda Reacts to Proposed Ban on Porn Websites

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Maheeda has reacted to the move by the FG to block all porn sites in Nigeria, saying she is indifferent as far as the issue was concerned.

However, reacting to the statement, Maheeda denied being a porn star on her twitter page. She said she is only a nudist and won’t be showing any concern as far as the NSA statement was concerned.

Credit: dailypost.ng

APC to Sue NCC for Mobile Fund Raising Ban- Premium Times

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The All Progressives Congress, APC, said it has instructed its lawyers to commence court action against the National Communications Commission, NCC, for shutting down some of the party’s fundraising schemes.

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, made the disclosure on Sunday at the meeting of the Fundraising Directorate of the APC Presidential Council, in Abuja. Shortly after the Buhari-Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Fundraising Committee, headed by Mr. Fashola, launched some of its platforms for raising funds, the NCC, last week, shut down the Short Messaging Service (SMS) platform – 35350 – meant to encourage small donors, especially young people, to do so.

Mr Fashola argued the commission’s action was a breach of constitutional provisions and tantamount to double standards, concluding that the party was left with no other choice but to seek legal redress of the action. According to him, the directive to shut the platform was contained in a letter dated January 19, with reference number NCC/CAB/GEN/2015/VOL.1/004, which was signed by officials of the NCC.

Read More: premiumtimesng

Kourtney Kardashian Bans Scott Disick From Their Summer House on Kourtney and Khloe Take the Hamptons Premiere

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Staff Reporter

Kourtney Kardashian has had it with Scott Disick’s hard-partying ways, and she made that very clear on the Nov. 2 premiere of her new spin-off show, Kourtney & Khloe Take the Hamptons.

After presenting her longtime boyfriend and thDisick didn’t take her threat seriously, but he should have. Returning home from a night out, he discovered that Kardashian had told the guards to keep him away. “I know Kourt can be a little extreme, but not being allowed on the property?” he told the cameras incredulously. “I’m being told by security I can’t come into the home I’m living in? This is a bit ridiculous.”e father of her two (soon-to-be three) kids with an ultimatum — stay home or stay away — she banned him from their summer house, telling the guards to keep his car from driving onto the property.

The conflict began when the pregnant reality star, 35, told Disick she wanted him to cut back on both his drinking and his paid nightclub appearances. “What kind of life do you want?” she asked him. “You can’t have both. You need to pick one.”

Disick, 31, responded by saying that “a lot of people” have both family and an active nightlife, to which Kardashian replied, “Great. Go hang out with those people. Go find a sloppy, drunk girlfriend. You need to face the facts. If you want to die, then you can continue to act this way.”

Later, when she asked him to build a table they’d bought for son Mason, 4, and daughter Penelope, 2, he deferred, saying he wasn’t the “right man” for the job. “I don’t read, I don’t write, I don’t build,” he told her. “I make you kids. That’s the only thing you care about in life anyway.”

He also complained that she didn’t previously have a problem with his man-about-town ways, prompting her to point out that a lot had changed over the years — except him, that is. “You haven’t evolved,” she told him. “It’s humiliating, embarrassing, pathetic. I think if you go to the city you should just stay there.”

Credit: Yahoo News

Lorde’s “Royals” Banned?

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Staff Reporter

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Ahead of World Series, starting Tuesday, the San Francisco Giants will face off against the Kansas City Royals in baseball’s championship series, and two local radio stations decided they’d send a message.

“No offense, Lorde, but for the duration of the World Series, KFOG Radio will be a “Royals”-free zone,” the radio station posted on it’s Facebook page. “We’re sure you understand.”

But not everyone thinks the ban rules. Louis Vargas opined on KFOG’s Facebook page that the ban will make no difference in the series outcome, calling the move absurd. Tony Last complained that the song doesn’t actually have “anything to do with the opposing team.”

Others commented that the lyrics actually seem to be anti-Royals. “We’ll never be royals,” Lorde sings. “It ddn’t run in our blood.” Still others, not caught up in the love affair, greeted the announcement with more of a shrug.

Read More on: http://edition.cnn.com