Customs confiscates 31 vehicles

Benin - The Federal Operations Unit (FOU)
Zone ‘C’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, Owerri,
says it has confiscated 31 vehicles and seven
trucks laden with rice worth N235.6 million
smuggled into the country.

Victor Dimka, the Area Controller of the Zone
which comprises South-South and South-East
states, made this known on Monday when he
took newsmen to the command's office in Benin
to inspect the goods.
He said the vehicles and the seven trucks
containing 4 200 bags of rice were intercepted
and impounded at different points in the zone.

Dimka recalled that the zone on March 13
impounded 5 085 bags of rice with duty paid
value of N150 million, all totaling 9 285 bags of
rice seized by the customs within three weeks.
“The price of the bags of rice is N160.44 million
while the cost of the seized 31 vehicles is
N75.19 million
“Five persons have been arraigned at different
courts within the zone in connection with the
seized goods and over 1 100 tyres concealed in
saw dust were also impounded by my men.''

He expressed concern over the desperation of
smugglers in perpetrating their evil acts, which
he said made some smugglers to forge
documents and shoot his men for carrying out
their lawful duties.
The area controller expressed the determination
of the zone to win the war against rice
smuggling the way it did on poultry foods.
“Today, we are breaking the supply chain of rice
smuggling in the zone as we did with poultry.

We will not hesitate to shoot back at any
smuggler who tries to kill our men in the course
of their duty.
“The smugglers are becoming wiser and more
desperate by the day. They now shoot at our
officers while they are carrying out their lawful
duty.

“We are saying this and giving this warning for
the last time. We are not supposed to kill, but we
will not watch and allow our men to die while on
duty,” he said.
He advised Nigerians to always engage in
genuine business, clear their goods with genuine
documents with the customs and not with
agents.

Dimka said that the command would would
continue to sensitise the public to avoid
purchasing smuggled goods.
“This is a wake-up call for everybody. We are
trying our best. Everybody must rise up to fight
this menace.
“Goods should not be brought in through an
unapproved route and the duties unpaid for. The
only genuine route to bring in goods is the
ports,’’ he said.

- NAN

Defecting Governors: Court fixes date on ruling

An Abuja Federal High Court on Monday
fixed May 23 for ruling in a suit instituted by the
People’s Democratic Party against its five
governors who defected to the APC.
The PDP had sued the governors, seeking a
court order to declare their seats vacant on
account of their defection.
Governors Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Rotimi
Amaechi of Rivers, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano
State, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State and
Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, had on November
26, 2013, left the PDP for the APC.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole fixed the date after
hearing the arguments of the respective
governors challenging the validity of the hearing
notices served on the governors in their Abuja
liaison offices.
The PDP counsel, Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN), who
filed the suit on behalf of the party, had said it
was brought pursuant to Section 177 (c), 221
and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
At the resumed sitting on Monday, Damian Dodo
(SAN), who held the brief of Izinyon, prayed the
court for leave to regularise the party’s service
on the defendants which was granted.

"Service has been duly executed in line with the
court order. We have, therefore, come to ask His
Lordship for leave to additionally serve the
defendants at their Liaison Offices.
"Therefore, our application is not incongruous
and invidious as argued by the second to the
sixth defendant’s counsel.

"We, therefore ask the court to discountenance
their counter-affidavit and grant our application,’’
Dodo said.
Five Senior Advocates of Nigeria, leading about
100 other lawyers for the governors, had, in their
respective arguments, objected to the PDP’s
motion for substituted service.

The Senior Advocates are Akin Olujinmi for
Governor Ahmed, Lateef Fagbemi for Governor
Amaechi, Yusuf Alli for Governor Kwankwaso,
Awa Kalu for Governor Wamakko and John
Baiyeshea for Governor Nyako.

Praiz features Chidinma on new single 'Sweet Potato'​

As he puts finishing touches to his anticipated debut album, Praiz teams up with Chidinma for his new single ‘Sweet Potato’. Produced by himself, ‘Sweet Potato’ is a lovely mid-tempo tune that warms the hearts of lovers and easily gets the party poppers moving. Enjoy...


DOWNLOAD

Rita Dominic to begin shooting La Femme Anjola

Lagos – Rita Dominic has revealed her next film
project on Instagram titled La Femme Anjola
Rita Dominic is behind the award winning movie
The Meeting
Rita Dominic wrote on her Instagram page: “Yayy..

This is going to be our next project.. From the
producers of The Meeting Movie..
#Mordpicturesproduction #Theaudreysilvacompany
#filmnoir #mildredokwo #ritadominic.. cc
@glazedlens.. Morning fam”

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Minister apologises for NIS deaths

Lagos - Interior Minister, Abba Moro, has
accepted full responsibility for the death of 16
applicants at the Nigeria Immigration Service
(NIS) recruitment exercise last month.
Addressing journalists, the minister said the
incident was unfortunate and begged for
forgiveness from affected families and Nigerians.

“Whatever outcome we got from this exercise,
positive or negative, I am the minister and I take
full responsibility for it. The deaths of these
young Nigerians, who would have added value to
the human resource of the country, is highly
regrettable. I crave the highest level of
understanding of every Nigerian. If we had
foreseen these deaths, we would have stopped
the exercise,” Moro said.
The minister said the recruitment exercise was
organized with good intentions to afford every
eligible citizen the opportunity to be employed.

“I want Nigerians to understand the motive and
intention behind the entire process of an open
and transparent exercise. This was the first of its
kind in the ministry and it was intended primarily
to give employment to Nigerians, irrespective of
background and connections.”
He explained that after the botched exercise,
intense preparations for a successful exercise in
2014 had commenced.
He said that the Recruitment Board of the
ministry met many times and decisions about the
procedures for conducting the exercise were
taken.

There have been calls by nongovernmental
organizations and pressure groups for the sack
of the minister over the deaths of applicants last
month.
The Immigration Service Board and other
relevant agencies involved in the March 15
recruitment exercise have all blamed the minister
for the tragedy.

Taraba Govt blamed for recurring tensions

Abuja - The State House of Assembly Committee
on Information blamed the Taraba State
Government for failing to end the ongoing
hostility in some parts of the region.
Chairman of the Committee, Daniel Ishaya Gani,
said the state government has not be able to
addressed the crisis that has resulted to the
death of 15 people and burning of Nayinawa,
Yayimini and Tudunwada villages in Jibu ward of
Wukari Local Government Area of the state.
“We have discovered that the government of
Taraba state under the control of the Acting
Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar is not capable of
securing the lives and properties of the citizens
of Taraba state, which was why most of the
people especially the Tiv are moving out of
Taraba state to go to a secure place,” he said.

He said the state government has continued to
drag its feet on the crisis.
“A lot of Tiv people have moved out of Taraba
state, a lot of Fulani have moved out of Wukari,
Ibi and even Donga areas.”
The lawmaker beckoned at the government to as
a matter of urgency wake up from the alleged
slumber.

“What we are saying in a nutshell is that the
government should sit up to its responsibility by
providing enough security personnel that would
not only be stationed on the main roads but
should be moving from the main roads to the
interiors assuring the people in the rural areas
that their lives are save,” Gani said.
He said if the state government had acted fast,
the crisis that emanated from both Benue and
Nassarawa states would not have spilled over to
Taraba State.

“The crisis did not start in Taraba state. The
crisis emanated from Benue and Nassarawa
state. But as I am talking to you now, the whole
impact of the crisis is now on the whole
southern Taraba. About three to four villages are
now burnt down completely by the Fulani
herdsmen.”

He expressed sadness that the federal committee
set up to find permanent solution to the crisis
was only restricted to Benue, Nassarawa and
Plateau States.

“I am calling on the Federal Government, that the
committee that is set up should not only be
restricted or mandated to work on peace,
resolution between Nassarawa and Benue states
only but Taraba state be included, and they
should come to Taraba state especially Wukari
and Ibi local governments to see the level of
damages done in these communities.”

– CAJ News

PDP blames opposition for harassing judiciary

Abuja – The People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
has faulted the opposition All Progressives
Congress (APC) for the alleged ongoing
onslaught on the judiciary.
According to the ruling party the action is an
integral part of the larger opposition ideology
which borders essentially on “the negation and
destruction of constitutional and democratic
institutions in quest for an order whose promise
is doom for the nation.”

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary
of the ruling party, Chief Olisa Metuh on Sunday,
said the “ceaseless torrents of attacks and
denigration of the executive arm of federal
government by the APC as well as the legislative
gerrymandering whose intention is to cause
confusion in the National Assembly and the
renewed battle by the party on the judiciary are
concrete elements of political nihilism.”

“Why is weird anarchism an option for the APC?
Consistently, this party has attacked and
denigrated the executive and Nigerians excused
it on the desperation of a political party that
claims an alternative. It then took on the
legislature where its crisis recipe in
gerrymandering has yielded no result. Now, the
APC is on a renewed aggression on the judiciary.

Why is nihilism the APC preferred option?” PDP
stated.
The statement further said it was unfortunate the
APC was waging such a battle whose tragic
consequences on the institutions of democracy
were well known while at the same time jamming
the political space with its pretensions on
democracy.
“Wherever the APC is drawing this inspiration or
motivation is surely far from the continent of
democracy and right within the conclave of
dictatorship. The APC is doing everything to
scuttle democracy,” the ruling party argued.

The PDP added that the rush by the party to
castigate the ruling of the Federal High Court
presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola on the
defection of some PDP members in the House of
Representatives to the APC as well as its
scathing criticism of the National Judicial Council
over the suspension of the Chief Judge of Rivers
State, clearly gave away the simmering
impatience of the APC with the democratic order.
“Nigerians had expected the acclaimed
champions of democracy to quietly exploit the
appeal option instead of resorting to statements
meant to promote civil disobedience and
lawlessness."

- CAJ News

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30 stalls burnt in Jigawa

Abuja - Thirty stalls were burnt in Sule-
Tankarkar Market in Sule-Tankarkar Local
Government Area of Jigawa on Friday.
The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil
Corps (NSCDC) in Jigawa, Muhammad Gidado,
told newsmen in Dutse that the fire started at
about 3 pm.

He said it was caused by a lunatic who set fire
close to the stalls.
Gidado added that it took men of the fire service
more than 30 minutes to put out the fire.
"It took more than 30 minutes for men of the fire
service and the NSCDC and other residents of the
area to put out the fire’’, he said.
The commandant advised people to be mindful
and extra careful of lunatics who roam the
markets and residential areas.

Music: JahBless [@jahblessme] – You Are The One Ft. Banky W (Prod. By Sarz)

JAHBLESS decides to drop this cut to keep up with
his fans in anticipation of his much talked about
third and forth album; “i am me” and “beautiful
side to a coin”; which are both expected to drop
this year.
JARGA(Jahhbless’s recently adopted nickname ),
as he fondly calls himself, recently dropped four
videos off his album projects which includes “uku
uku featuring Reminisce”, “Go Down” and “slow”
which are all enjoying massive rotation. Here is
“you Are The One” featuring EME boss Banky W,
produced by Sarz. enjoy and watch out for more
videos and the albums.

Download http://naijabang.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/JAHBLESS-YOU-ARE-THE-ONE-ft-BANKY-W.mp3 

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MI flaunts his impressive shoe collection

He posted his shoe collection with the caption"
Walk a mile in my shoes before you judge
me..."He may be referring to those saying he's
been out of the rap game for long..Meanwhile
killing two birds with one stone by flaunting a
cross-section of his impressive shoe collection.

Anyway sha we already get d message......

60 year-old man arrested for trafficking cocaine

Lagos - The National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 61-year-old
man, Prince Ifeanyichukwu, at the Murtala
Mohammed International Airport for attempting
to smuggle cocaine to Istanbul, Turkey.
A statement issued by the agency on Thursday
in Lagos, said that a powdery substance that
tested positive for cocaine was found inside the
suspect’s luggage.
It said the arrest took place during the screening
of passengers on a Turkish Airlines flight to
Istanbul.

The statement also quoted the NDLEA
Commander at the airport, Hamza Umar, as
saying that the suspect was the oldest drug
trafficker arrested this year.
“This is the oldest suspect we have
apprehended since January. During search,
officers discovered 1.250kg of cocaine hidden
inside his luggage.

“It was cleverly concealed such that we have to
cut the bag open to detect the drugs. The case is
under investigation.”
The statement said that the suspect blamed his
involvement in drug trafficking on financial
hardships.

“I used to sell cooking gas at Sabo, Alaba
International Market, Lagos. Problem started
when I lost everything to a fire incident in
November, 2013.
“I was married to two wives and blessed with
three children but one of my wives had left me.

“In my search for a source of livelihood, I was
told to take a luggage containing cocaine to
Turkey for a fee of 4 500 dollars.
“They prepared my travel documents and gave
me 2 500 dollars. I would have collected the
balance of 2 000 dollars if I had taken the drug
to Turkey.

“The plan was so real to me, especially when
they gave me my travel documents with the part
payment. Now I know that I made a big mistake,”
it quoted the suspect as saying.
It recalled that the NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu
Giade, had called for the support of Nigerians in
the anti-narcotics war.

“We need the support of all stakeholders in this
all-important battle against illicit drugs. It is very
shameful for a 61-year-old father to indulge in
drug trafficking.

“We shall continue to prevent the exit points
from being used for drug trafficking.
"The suspect will soon be charged to court,”
Giade said.

- NAN

Boko bikers go on rampage

Kano - At least 22 people were killed in an
attack by suspected members of Islamist
extremist sect Boko Haram in northern Nigeria,
officials said Friday. Gunmen on about 50
motorcycles attacked two villages in Zamfara
State, Maitsaba and Birnin-Tsab, on Thursday
evening, attacking residents and torching dozens
of homes and grain stores, Zamfara
Commissioner of Commerce Alhaji Hassan Zurmi
told dpa.

Boko Haram, which means "Western education is
sinful," has been active in the Muslim north of
the West African country, carrying out attacks
against government institutions and civilians.
Since 2009, more than 6 000 people have been
killed in the violence.

Man dies in hotel after having sex with lover

A 44-year-old furniture maker, identified as
Julius, allegedly slumped and died Wednesday
April 2 in an hotel while making love to a woman
whose identity is yet to be ascertained.
Vanguard reports that ,the father of three who
hailed from Edo state, was said to have
commissioned his new house in the month of
December last year.
According to family sources, the late Julius
hurriedly left home at about 9 am after refusing
the breakfast prepared by his wife, but ended up
at a hotel located off Dumez Road Benin City
with his lover.

The deceased paid for an hour, popularly referred
as short time, and it was after the expiration of
the time that the hotel attendants went to alert
them that their time was over but there was no
response.
It was gathered that two hours after, the couple
were yet to come out of the hotel room.

The hotel attendants had to force the door open
only to discover the lifeless body of the man but
the lady was nowhere to be found.It was further
gathered that sperm was seen all over the man’s
body, and a packet of Viagra was discovered in
his pocket.

Men of the Ugbekun police division who
recovered his lifeless body allegedly recovered
his Toyota Pathfinder SUV, his mobile phone and
a cheque of N20 million allegedly issued by one
of the palm oil companies in the state.

The widow confirmed that it was when she called
her husband’s phone that a woman after
inquiring if she was the wife, informed her that
her husband had an accident and requested her
to report at Ugbekun police station where the
news of her husband’s death was finally broken
to her.

She further confirmed that she had once fought
her husband at an hotel when she learned that he
was there with another woman.

Oscar Nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor Singled Out to Play Villain in James Bond Upcoming Movie

Chiwetel Ejiofor recently bulked up to star as a cop
in director John Hillcoat’s drama Triple Nine. And
now, his so hot six-pack and rippling
pecs has attracted the attention of producers
looking to cast the new James Bond villain.
According to showbusiness bible Variety, the 12
Years A Slave star is reportedly the first choice to
play 007′s adversary in the 24th instalment of
Sony and MGM’s long-running action franchise.

Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson
want the Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated actor
but have yet to make a formal offer.
The movie is due for release on November 6, 2015,
with filming set to kick off in the summer. Daniel
Craig has already signed on to return as Bond for
the upcoming movie and the 25th iteration.

Nigerian soldiers invade Fulani village, kill 30, residents allege

 

“I was on my way to the office when I saw people running and later saw soldiers rushing into the town in convoy asking for the Fulani. I saw over 24 dead bodies of Fulani being taken to Lafia in a white Hilux van,” he said.

When contacted, Muhammed Husseini, secretary of Miyetti Allah, a Fulani interest group, said that over 30 Fulani were killed.

Mr. Husseini accused the Federal Government of complicity in the killing of the Fulani. He declared that his organisation would sue the government and demand for the rights of its people.
“I’m presently in the mortuary receiving corpses. They killed over 30 of our men for no reason. This is genocide and we will approach the International Criminal Court, ICC,” he threatened.

The chairman of Keana Local Government Area, Haruna Oshegba, confirmed the incident to Premium Times. He said that eight bodies were deposited at the Specialist Hospital, Lafia.
“There is crisis in my council and it is a military operation but I don’t know the details. I’m trying to piece information together to know exactly what happened,” he said.

When Premium Times visited the hospital at around 2 p.m., a police Hilux van carrying nine bodies, and a pick-up van with a body of a dead Fulani woman were still stationed there.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Umar Numan, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident. He said that the command would address the press after getting full details on the matter.

The Nigerian military, which recently announced a heavy deployment of soldiers to Nasarawa, Benue, and Kaduna, is yet to react to Thursday’s incident.

The military announced the deployment following attacks on several communities in the states by suspected Fulani herdsmen leading to the death of scores of people.
 

Source: Premium Times

Lupita Nyong’o excited tweet as Jay Z raps about her in new song

You know you are made when Jay Z puts your
name in his song. Well, winning an Oscar is bigger
but still…:-). Lupita Nyong’o tweeted yesterday that
she screeched with glee when she found out Jay Z
rapped about her.

In his song with Jay Electronica titled ‘We Made It’,
(where he also dissed Drake) Jay Z rapped;
I’m on my Lupita Nyong’o, Stuntin’ on stage after
12 Years A Slave. This Ace of Spades look like an
Oscar. Black tux, look like a mobster.

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Erastus Akingbola's London home sold for £5.7million

Embattled banker and former Managing Director
of the now defunct Intercontinental Bank, Erastus
Akingbola's London home has been sold by the
UK government for £5.7million pounds, which is
about N1.5billion.
A UK Judge, Justice Michael Burton of the Royal
Courts of Justice, London, had on July 31
2012, found Erastus Akingbola guilty of theft and
fraud of monies totaling £654million and ordered
that his London home be sold as part of the
properties he is to forfeit having been found
guilty.

Mr Akingbola is also standing trial for Financial
Crimes here in Nigeria. He is accused by the
EFCC of stealing N47billion depositors funds from
Intercontinental Bank.

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Shan George losses valuables to armed robbers..cries on Facebook

Shan George who relocated to Calabar last year
was visited by armed robbers..She shared her
pain on facebook
"robbers entered my house in Calabar last
nite. Carted away electronics, money,
jewelry, shoes, watches. They broke my car
side window to open d car door and
practically tore d car apart. Friends who r
trying to console me since this morning say
i should not worry bcos its a blessing……
How is a thing like this a blessing?”

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NLC kicks against privatisatio

Abuja - The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the cancellation of the proposed idea to commercialise Federal Government-owned media houses and the privatisation of refineries in the country.

The congress gave the advice in a statement signed by its President, Abdulwaheed Omar in Abuja.

The statement said NLC was disturbed by the announcement that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) had concluded plans to privatise the refineries.

It said the haste with which government seemed determined to sell off public properties under the guise of making them more efficient was alarming.

“We are disturbed by the statement from the Director-General of BPE, Benjamin Dikki, who was reported to have announced that plans have been concluded by the BPE to privatise refineries .’’

The statement said BPE had also announced the commercialisation of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), NAN and the Nigeria Films Corporation.

The Congress said there was the need for caution "because these properties belong to the Nigerian people as a collective wealth of Nigerians.’’

It said the Nigerian people have to be consulted and their interests should be put into consideration before the sales.

The statement said the NLC wished to remind government that it had always promised to use the gains from petroleum price increases to reactivate existing refineries and build additional ones.

It said there was no evidence that previous privatisation exercises have succeeded.

"The major privatisation exercise that was implemented recently is electricity and ever since that exercise, electricity supply has worsened.

“Consumers pay higher, even as the lights have gone off under excuses that question the competence of the new electricity companies.

“Government should not abdicate its social responsibilities by selling off everything that delivers services to the people.

“This is unwarranted, especially in a country where poverty and unemployment have become endemic, coupled with the collapse of industries.

“We, therefore, advise the BPE to stop the proposed sales, while we call on the National Assembly to probe all previous sales and retrieve public properties which may have been sold to private interests.’’

The NLC noted that private individuals could build their refineries, but government must reactivate, maintain and take full charge of existing public refineries and also build new ones.

-    NAN

NLC kicks against privatisatio

Abuja - The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the cancellation of the proposed idea to commercialise Federal Government-owned media houses and the privatisation of refineries in the country.

The congress gave the advice in a statement signed by its President, Abdulwaheed Omar in Abuja.

The statement said NLC was disturbed by the announcement that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) had concluded plans to privatise the refineries.

It said the haste with which government seemed determined to sell off public properties under the guise of making them more efficient was alarming.

“We are disturbed by the statement from the Director-General of BPE, Benjamin Dikki, who was reported to have announced that plans have been concluded by the BPE to privatise refineries .’’

The statement said BPE had also announced the commercialisation of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), NAN and the Nigeria Films Corporation.

The Congress said there was the need for caution "because these properties belong to the Nigerian people as a collective wealth of Nigerians.’’

It said the Nigerian people have to be consulted and their interests should be put into consideration before the sales.

The statement said the NLC wished to remind government that it had always promised to use the gains from petroleum price increases to reactivate existing refineries and build additional ones.

It said there was no evidence that previous privatisation exercises have succeeded.

"The major privatisation exercise that was implemented recently is electricity and ever since that exercise, electricity supply has worsened.

“Consumers pay higher, even as the lights have gone off under excuses that question the competence of the new electricity companies.

“Government should not abdicate its social responsibilities by selling off everything that delivers services to the people.

“This is unwarranted, especially in a country where poverty and unemployment have become endemic, coupled with the collapse of industries.

“We, therefore, advise the BPE to stop the proposed sales, while we call on the National Assembly to probe all previous sales and retrieve public properties which may have been sold to private interests.’’

The NLC noted that private individuals could build their refineries, but government must reactivate, maintain and take full charge of existing public refineries and also build new ones.

-    NAN