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As the World celebrates Easter, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called on Christians and Nigerians across the nation to work towards emulating the virtues of Jesus Christ as epitomized by his passion, persecution, death and resurrection. In a message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, Saraki also stated that all Nigerians must remain constant in their efforts to promote unity across all lines. He noted that it was imperative for all Nigerians to come together in order to build a country that both present and future generations can take pride in just like the work of Christ which has endured for over 2000 years and has continued to inspire generations. “This weekend, we join our Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria and across the world to celebrate the Easter festivities. “This commemoration is a time for deep reflection as it marks the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his victory over death. It is...

President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a felicitation message to Christians on Easter celebrations and with the assurance of his commitment to security, peace, unity and development. In pursuit of security, he assured the nation of his commitment to rescue all girls abducted by Boko Haram, including the remaining Chibok schoolgirls. “I am very optimistic that all others, including the Chibok girls who are still in captivity will be safely released unconditionally to their families,’’ Buhari said in the message. While urging Christians to to continue to pray for the safe return of the girls, he said that he had given clear instructions to security agencies to prioritise safety in schools. Security, he said, would be extended also to areas where the humanitarian and security situation are still dire, in addition to ensuring adequate protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). He also appealed to politicians and other acltors to resist any act that could mar the integrit...

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerians to work towards eradicating corruption in view of its debilitating effects on national development . Osinbajo made the call on Thursday at the 16th inaugural lecture delivered by Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, a professor of Law. The lecture, entitled “Good Leader, Good People, Great Country, Corruption, Constitutionalism and the sustenance of Democracy in Nigeria’’ was delivered at Nasarawa State University Keffi. Represented by Dr Balkisu Saidu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Matters (Office of the Vice President) Osinbajo said the topic of this lecture was apt and timely. “Interrogation on the topic of this lecture could not have come at a better time than this interesting time in the life of our nation, a time when the practical impact of corruption on the lives of Nigerians is all around us. “The level of impunity in the face of grand corruption that transpired in the rec...

Umar Buba Jibril, the House of Representatives  member, representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency is dead. He was 58 years old. Jibril, a three time member of the house, died in the early hours of Saturday in Abuja, one of his political associates, Mr Amuda Dan Sulaiman confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) . He was until his death, the Deputy Majority Leader of the house, as a member of the All Progressives Congress. He was also a former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly. Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello expressed “deep shock” over the demise of Jibril, who he described as one of the state’s most astute politicians. Bello described the late Jibril as a man who “lived in the hearts of his people”, saying the vacuum he left in the state and the ruling party will be difficult to fill, according to a statement by Kingsley Fanwo, the Director General of Media and Publicity. “The late former Kogi State House of Assembly Speaker and a Principal ...

A National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, on Thursday advised Nigerians not to accept the apologies tendered by the People‘s Democratic Party (PDP) for its mistakes while in power. Mr Tinubu made the statement while speaking at a colloquium organised to mark his 66th birthday in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the colloquium, the 10th edition, was “Investing in People “. The PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, had on Monday in Abuja, apologised to Nigerians for the mistakes the party made while in power. Mr Tinubu described the apologies as deceitful, saying they sought to hoodwink Nigerians to get a political advantage. The APC chieftain added that the PDP brought the country to its knees with massive corruption, saying they should not be allowed to return to power again. “Nigerians should not accept PDP’s apologies, they are corrupt, they lied, they falsified, they changed figures. “For 16years, they ma...

The 11 Nigerian soldiers killed by armed persons in Kaduna State last week were buried on Thursday. The murder of the soldiers who were deployed to the state as part of an army exercise, AYE AKPATUMA, to restore peace. Several parts of Kaduna State have suffered from violence mainly between nomadic herdsmen and farming communities leading to the scores of deaths. The soldiers were deployed to maintain peace in the state. They were killed at their post by the armed persons in Brinin Gwari Local Government Area, allegedly as a reprisal for the killing of some of the gunmen in a previous effort by the army. The army named the slain officers as Olabode Hammed, Bamidele Emmanuel, Owhochukwu Chigoziri, Adamu Muhammed, Lamara Ahmed, Mubarack Suleiman, Bashir Dani, Usman Abubakar, Nafiyi Iliyasu, Sefiyanu Ahmed and Alhassan Ibrahim. All were privates in the Nigerian Army which they joined about a year ago, an official said. On Thursday, they were buried at the Commonwealth Cemetery...

President Muhammadu Buhari has said he is delighted to join Christians to commemorate this year’s Easter celebration. In his message released on Thursday, the president thanked God for the opportunity to celebrate another Easter despite current challenges. Noting that Easter is the season in which Christians mark the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which represents the triumph of good over evil and life over death, Buhari added that the period is also a time to show love, forgiveness, compassion and renewed hope in the Grace of God. He said further: “The Holy Scripture affirms that happiness and fulfilment in life do not flow from acquiring the best things in life, but in being richer in a relationship with God and fellow human beings. Let us use the opportunity of this special season to deeply reflect on how every one of us can imbibe the profound teachings of Jesus Christ with renewed vigour. In so doing and by placing the joy, comfort and happiness of others ab...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday commissioned the Ikeja Bus Terminal as part of the activities to mark his official two-day visit to Lagos. The Terminal is one of our flagship transport infrastructure under the Lagos State Bus Reform Initiative by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the host witnessed the commissioning. The terminal is first of its type in Nigeria, in Ikeja, capital of Lagos state, The Ikeja Bus Terminal was developed by the State government as part of the infrastructure for the Lagos Bus Reforms Project.                                                        The world class Ikeja Bus Terminal in Lagos State capital It will serve as the hub of all transport activities within the Ikeja Zone, serving over 50,000 passengers daily and providing access to many destinations, including Oshodi, Ojota, ...

Some travelers and commuters were on Thursday, forced to walk long distances to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos to catch their flights, following  restriction of movement around the airport vicinity by security operatives. The movement restriction around the airport is due to the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos. The President is expected to inaugurate the newly constructed Ikeja Bus Terminus among other engagements. As early as 5 a.m, commercial buses and other unauthorised vehicles were restricted from plying the Agege Motor Road, Airport Road, Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way and other link roads. Activities of shuttle buses and taxis within the airport were also restricted, forcing commuters and travelers going to the airport, to walk long distances to their destinations. The situation had also affected flight operations by domestic airlines, which had to delay their 7 a.m flights for about an hour to enable stranded passengers catch up with fights. Air...

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived in Lagos to begin a two-day official visit to the mega commercial city of Nigeria. Buhari was received at the Murtala Mohammed Airport by the Lagos state governor Akinwunmi Ambode and information minister Lai Mohammed. While the airport ceremonies were going one, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was at the ground breaking ceremony of Lekki Deep Seaport representing President Buhari. The $1.5b Lekki Deep Seaport is one of the many heavy industrial projects that have taken off in Lagos recently. While in Lagos, the president will commission some projects and attend a Colloquium to mark Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s 66th birthday. Buhari would also commission the Ikeja Bus station. The state has declared Thursday as a work free day to enable residents welcome the visiting President. Some Lagos State residents are hopeful that the visit of Buhari would bring more transformation to the state especially in the transportation sector. Mr Dele Olog...

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) on Wednesday said only the National Assembly Service Commission management can explain the N13.5 million monthly ‘running cost’ senators were recently said to be earning by one of their colleagues, Shehu Sani. The agency said the law on salaries and allowances of public office holders, namely “Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendments) Act, 2008” was very clear on the pay of a senator. Mr Sani, triggered the controversy on March 7 when he confirmed he and his colleagues collect N13.5 million monthly as “running cost” in addition to their N750, 000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances. The confirmation stirred huge controversy among lawyers and civil society groups who described the money as illegal, as it was not approved by RMAFC. But, the RMAFC said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday that in view of Mr San...

The police on Wednesday declared Dino Melaye, a senator from Kogi State, wanted. The lawmaker was declared wanted alongside Mohammed Audu, son of a former governor of the state, Abubakar Audu. Police said the duo have also been placed on Interpol watchlist for allegedly providing false information to the police in relation to an alleged attempt on Mr. Melaye’s life last year. The announcement was made in a statement signed by Kogi police commissioner, Ali Janga, and distributed by the Force Headquarters Wednesday afternoon. Details soon…

The Police in Lokoja said on Wednesday that the two suspects that named Sen. Dino Melaye as their gun supplier have escaped from custody. The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ali Janga said at a press conference in Lokoja that the two suspects ; Kabiru Seidu alias Osama and Nuhu Salisu alias Small escaped at about 3:21 am at the A Police Division in Lokoja where they were being kept in lawful custody. According to the Commissioner, four other suspects escaped along with Seidu and Salisu, bringing the total number of fleeing suspects to six. Both Seidu and Salisu escaped in the early hours of Wednesday, a day they were supposed to be arraigned before a Lokoja Federal high court alongside Melaye and Mr Mohammed Audu who was also named by the suspects as their sponsor. The four other suspects that escaped include Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed. The police Commissioner said that 13 policemen, comprising five operatives of Special Anti-Robbery ...

Spain sent out a warning to their World Cup rivals as Real Madrid’s Isco grabbed a hat-trick in a 6-1 thrashing of Argentina, who were missing the injured Lionel Messi, in a friendly on Tuesday. On what was supposed to be a historic night for Argentina captain Javier Mascherano, who joined Javier Zanetti on 142 caps as his country’s record appearance holder, things quickly turned sour as Diego Costa, Thiago and Iago Aspas also found the net. It will have made uneasy viewing for coach Jorge Sampaoli and emphasized more than ever how reliant his side are on their talisman Messi, who has been struggling with a muscle problem. Should the Barcelona forward be missing at any point during this year’s finals in Russia, Argentina are likely to struggle judging by their meek surrender in the Spanish capital. Without Messi on the pitch there was room for someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck and Real Madrid’s outstanding Isco filled the void. The diminutive midfielder d...

The Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, lost 0-2 to Serbia in a pre-World Cup friendly match at the Hive Stadium in London on Tuesday. The Eagles, managed by coach Gernot Rohr, ended their six-match unbeaten run no thanks to a second half brace by Aleksandar Mitrovic. Rohr made four changes to the side which started against Poland on Friday, with Ogenyi Onazi given the nod in the midfield while Ahmed Musa replaced Kelechi Iheanacho in attack. At the back, Chidozie Awaziem was picked following Leon Balogun’s injury concern. Mitrovic was a thorn in the flesh of the Super Eagles defence led by William Troost-Ekong throughout the match, as he kept on creating chances for the Serbians. Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho was jittery at the opening stage and almost gifted the Serbians the lead in the first half when his indecision led to Mitrovic heading a loose ball into the net. The Serbian forward protested that the ball had crossed the line but there was no goal-line ...