According to The Guardian, Justice Rilwan Aikawa of Federal High Court in Lagos  will on Oct. 30 hear an application by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, seeking to be joined as defendant in money laundering suit. The former minister is seeking to be joined as defendant in a N500 million fraud charge slammed on Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Dele Belgore. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had also joined in the charge, former Minister of National Planning, Abubakar Suleiman. In essence, Allison-Madueke wants the court to compel the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to bring her back to Nigeria from UK, where she has been since 2015, to put up her defence in the case. The EFCC had in a five-count amended charge, named former petroleum minister as culprit in the criminal trial of Belgore and Sulaiman over alleged N500 million fraud. She was, however, described as being “at large “. The anti-graft agency cla...

Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB) has blown hot on the South East governors as he called them cowards for taking sides with the federal government on the proscription of IPOB Sahara Reporters reported that Barrister Ejiofor accused the southeast leaders of being egocentric and only concerned with securing their political positions instead of backing the cause championed by Nnamdi Kanu. He further claimed that the current crops of politicians in the region of the country would be swept out of office in the next general election in 2019. “Southeast governors have no power to say IPOB is a terrorist and that is very certain. I condemned it, and they’ve withdrawn it saying they never at any point say that. What they said is a political statement to obtain favour from the federal government.”  Barrister Ejiofor said. The lawyer added,  “Some of them are cowards and are saying that because they ...

According to a publication by Vanguard Newspaper, The Speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly, Mr. Acho Ihim, said that the ethnic and cultural differences in the country, would not pose any challenge to the unity of Nigeria. Ihim stated this through a release to newsmen, Wednesday, in Owerri, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Marcellus Ekwezuo. The speaker blamed the current situation in the country, to the “spate” of hate speeches among citizens. In his view, “Hate speech has a serious adverse mental effect in the health of its victims, who may suffer from lack of self confidence and a diminished self esteem, all of which are germane for improved productivity. “The seemingly innocuous but dreaded monster, hate speeches erode whatever good things that the unity and other progress a nation may have made if it is not properly checked.” He went further to say: “Not even our religious, ethnic or cultural divergence should be allowed by anyone to constitute a barrier for a un...

Justice prevailed as Prof. Benjamin Ogbunbodede, a former Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan  was sentenced to 40years imprisonment for corruptly enriching himself to the tune of N177 million. Zacheus Tejumola, a former Chief Accountant of the institute was also sentenced to 40 years imprisonment while Clement Adenose, another staff, bagged four years in jail. Delivering the judgment on Tuesday that lasted over two hours, Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Ibadan convicted the trio based on the overwhelming evidence against them. The judge, however, said that he had no reason to convict them on count 13 due to want of evidence. “There is no ambiguity in the facts tendered by the prosecution that the three convicts conspired, converted and stole the hazard allowance of N177 million belonging to the staff of IAR&T. “Ogunbodede and Tejumola are therefore, sentenced to 40 years imprisonment each for ...

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated that Nigeria will remain undivided when making his Independence speech to the nation. As a young soldier that fought the Nigerian Civil War, he recounted the casualties recorded during the Nigeran Civil War and said there shouldn't be a 'part two' of the story. Below is his long speech to the nation: My dear Nigerians, October 1st remains a special date for all Nigerians as this marks the day when we attained one of the most precious of human desires — freedom. Over the years the country has gone through trials and tribulations, but October 1st is always a day for celebrations. It is a day for thanks giving, reflection and re-dedication. It is also a day for remembrance. We should remind ourselves of the recent journey from 1999 – 2015, when our country happily returned to democratic rule. However, in spite of oil prices being an average of $100 per barrel and about 2.1m barrels a day, that great piece of luck was sq...

(Their message for Nigeria at 57) If you like call me a Fetish Priest That only communes with the dead Or hears the chants of the gods No problem, a Poet is a living ghost; He is a man that has no life of his own Because in his veins and arteries, runs the pains of the citizenry. I had decided to conceal my mouth Since my voice has no melody But since I was on my own, emitting heavy snores Awolowo, Azikiwe, and Tafawa visited in my sleep I have no fear to deliver their unanimous voices. They: “We fought like lions And delivered you from the white man’s dungeon With our sacred sweats, we pushed for your Independence But now, what are we hearing? “We sowed the seed of patriotism But you withered it immediately it emerged And sowed your numerous seeds of nepotism We enthroned justice But you have dethroned it and enthroned injustice. “On the sacred alter of peace We wedded Nigeria But today you have divorced peace And got wedded with war, terrorism, ‘herds...

As Nigeria clocks 57, Nigerians have been shocked with the long list of 57 achievements made by the President Buhari-led administration since his inception. This revelation was made by the Personal Assistant to President Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad. The achievements are hereinafter 1. Release of 106 Chibok girls, as well as over 16,000 persons in Boko Haram captivity. 2. Tackling insurgency, decimation of Boko Haram in the North East. 3. Recovering 14 local governments and territories previously under Boko Haram control in the North East, rebuilding lives of citizens there; about one million displaced persons in the NE have returned to their communities in two years of this administration. 4. Curbing the incidence of kidnap across the country. (Arrest of kidnap kingpins and dismantling of kidnap cells across the country) 5. Restoring morale of the Nigerian military; re-organizing and better equipping the Nigerian Armed Forces. 6. Purchase of 12 Super-Tucano aircraf...