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In what will come to many people as a shock, Borno Governor, Babagana Zulum has begged Buhari not to use force against Boko Haram terrorists. The Borno Governor, Babagana Zulum, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to explore other options rather than the use of force against Boko Haram insurgents, Daily Sun has revealed. Zulum was reacting to Boko Haram fighters backed by the Islamic State West African Province earlier attack on least four Nigerian Army bases, raising concerns among the troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East. The army had lost a yet-to-be-ascertained number of soldiers when Boko Haram fighters attacked its bases in the Mobbar, Damasak, Monguno and Gajiram areas of Borno State. Zulum, who met President Buhari on Wednesday, when asked if he was concerned that Boko Haram was no longer dealing with soft targets but attacking military bases, said: “You are aware that some incidents occurred two, three days ago where about 40 people we...

When compared to the figures released for the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years, the data reveal visa denials for Nigerians surged in 2018. For the last fiscal year 2018, a total of 143,783 non-immigrant US visas were issued to Nigerians. In the 2017 fiscal year, the figure was 168,980. In 2016, a total of 179, 145 Nigerians were granted different categories of non-immigrant visas to the US. When compared to the figures released for the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years, the data reveal visa denials for Nigerians surged in 2018. Data for 2019 has not been published but there have been lamentations from many Nigerians about high rejection rate since the beginning of the year. With a 57.47% adjusted refusal rate, Nigeria was also listed among top countries like Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Burundi, Burkina Faso etc., with high refusal rate for B-visas. B visas are issued for short-term business or pleasure travel to the United States. Despite the surge in visa denials for Nige...

The federal government yesterday placed a restriction on the sale and use of the fatal agro-chemical product, Sniper. Since Sniper hits the Nigerian market, it has become the favourite of most Nigerians, especially the poor for killing mosquitoes and other pests. Similarly, the product has found its way into the hands of youths, who have continued to use it to commit suicide. In recent times, several Nigerian youths have committed suicide at the least provocation including failure in examinations, jilt by loved ones, using Sniper. It is against this background that the federal government yesterday directed that the product be withdrawn from the open market with immediate effect. The government’s directive, which will be enforced by the National Food, Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), was made public in Ibadan, Oyo State. By the order, the agency will ensure that all agro-chemical dealers and other stakeholders remove Sniper from both the open market and sup...

Just months after Billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola informed the public that he would sell his shares to Prudent Energy, a local oil trading firm, he has finally announced his exit from Forte Oil. Otedola, who was the Chairman and majority shareholder of Forte Oil Plc until recently, revealed on Instagram that he has sold his 75% stake in the oil marketing company and will now focus on his power generation business, Geregu Power Plc. He went on to wish his successors at Forte Oil “the very best”. He wrote on IG: A few years ago, my team and I embarked on an arduous task of transforming a moribund petroleum marketing business, African Petroleum Plc (formerly British Petroleum) into Forte Oil Plc; a leading integrated solutions provider with solid footprints in downstream petroleum marketing, Upstream Services and Power Generation and one in which we built intrinsic value to the benefits of our shareholders. In line with my principle of business focus, we hav...

Former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has denied a recent comment attributed to him on the controversial topic of the commission’s server. INEC’s current chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, has faced public backlash over claims that the commission does not have a server where it electronically collated results for the 2019 presidential election. The commission crowned President Muhammadu Buhari winner of the February 23 election with 15,191,847 of the total votes cast while his main opponent, Atiku Abubakar, gained 11,262,978 votes. However, in a petition filed before the tribunal, Atiku and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed that he actually won the election with 1.6 million more votes than Buhari according to an internal compilation of results he claimed was obtained from INEC’s server. Since the petition was filed before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, INEC has relentlessly denied that it has a server ...

The management of Kano Zoological Garden has denied that the millions of naira stolen from its coffers were swallowed by a gorilla. The managing director of the government-owned zoo Mallam Umar Yusif Umar said it has no gorilla and that money was stolen by burglars. “ I was called midnight on Sunday 9th, June, by the head of security that armed robbers burgle our office including the revenue office,” Umar told The Guardian. “About 6.30am, I left my home for the office and immediately I arrived I met my office and that of all the directors opened. “Instantly I called the DPO, Sharada police station and reported the case to him. As far as I’m concerned, I suspect theft and nothing close to Gorilla.” Umar said the money stolen is N6.90 million instead of N6.82 million widely reported. Corroborating Umar, the Kano police spokesperson, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, said 10 staff of the zoo, including the accounting officer Lawan Dandadarin, have been arrested and detained. ...

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Tuesday, remanded a 32-year-old man, John Adamu, in prison for allegedly trafficking 400 grams of hemp. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Justice Mohammed Aikawa remanded Adamu in Ikoyi Prison after he pleaded guilty to a charge of drug trafficking. Aikawa consequently adjourned the case until Oct. 27 for the review of facts after which the court will pass its verdict. Earlier, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aerna, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 14 in Lagos. Aerna said that the defendant dealt in 400 grams of hemp which was classified as a restricted narcotics just like Heroine and Cocaine. He said the offence contravened Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act. Cap N30 Laws of the Federation, 2004. NAN reports that an offender is liable to be imprisoned for life if found guilty and convicted of the offence.

President Muhammadu Buhari is meeting with the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors Forum behind closed doors. The meeting which is holding at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja started at about 11.37am. The Forum is headed by Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu. State Governors at the closed doors meeting included those of Lagos, Ekiti, Edo, Plateau, Niger, Kogi, Borno, Nasarawa, Yobe, Osun, Ogun, the Nation reports. Deputy governors at the meeting included those of Katsina and Kaduna. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, were also at the meeting.

Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje, has been quoted as saying that Emir Muhammad Sunusi must publicly apologise to him and the entire people of Kano State for allegedly dragging the Emirate Council into politics for the ongoing reconciliation moves to yield the desired result. Governor Ganduje, in his 45-paragrah response to an article, ‘Letter to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje,’ written by one Jibrin Ibrahim in respect of the face-off between the duo, also said, “Emir Sanusi has the moral burden to withdraw all court cases he’s personally sponsoring against Kano State Government as part of reconciliation conditions.” The rejoinder, written by the immediate-past Kano State Commissioner for Information, Mallam Muhammed Garba, on behalf of the state governor, read, “It is very important to state that for the reconciliation to yield the desired result, Emir Sanusi has the moral burden to publicly apologise to Governor Ganduje and the entire people of Kano State fo...

Senator Ahmed Lawan has been elected the Senate President of the 9th Senate, as he defeated his opponent, Senator Ali Ndume. At the end of counting, Lawan polled 79 votes to defeat Ndume, who scored 28 votes. Lawan, who represents Yobe North Senatorial District, won the contest by a landslide as he got 73.83 percent of the vote cast by the lawmakers. Lawan’s victory was announced by the clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, who added that 107 senators cast their votes. He was immediately sworn-in by the clerk of the National Assembly. Ndume had refused to step down for Lawan despite pleas by the party leadership. He vowed to go on with his ambition. The APC was not ready to get it wrong this time around as it did in 2015 when Dr. Bukola Saraki emerged winner to become the Senate President in the 8th Assembly. Earlier, there was commotion at the Senate as lawmakers disagreed on what form of voting system should be adopted to elect principal...

The inauguration of the ninth National Assembly has just kicked-off at 10 am by the clerk of the assembly Mohammed Sani-Omolori. Prior to the commencement of the inauguration, some governors of the All Progressives Congress led by the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi, stormed the NASS complex to witness the ceremony and the election that will follow. Others who are in the National Assembly includes the governors of Kwara, Plateau, Kebbi Osun, Kano, Katsina and Nasarawa states.

The Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank, Laura Tuck, who spoke at the ongoing World Circular Economic Forum in Helsinki, Finland, stated that Nigeria’s fuel subsidy is not helping the poor. Tuck who spoke on the theme ‘Scale it up! The Next Era of the Circular Economy’, revealed that the the continuous payment of huge sums of money as subsidies on fossil fuels has worsened resources consumption and increased greenhouse emission and pollution. “Strong evidence shows that a lot of countries put subsidy on fossil fuels, and these subsidies are insufficient to support the poor. They aggravate resources consumption, pollution and greenhouse gas. Globally, subsidies on fossil fuels are huge,” she added. Tuck said, “We cannot achieve a circular economy if we continue to make policies that give incentives to overuse of resources. Circularity means we use fewer non-renewable energy like fossil fuels and carefully manage our renewable resources like Ti...

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission has recommended the suspension of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, over the misappropriation of N3.4 billion between 2014 and 2017. According to the commission, the emir, whom they tagged principal suspect, should be suspended pending when investigations are concluded. The Emir and other suspects were suspended by a preliminary investigation, especially for obstructing investigation. The report indicated the spending of over N1.4 billion in various expenditures by the Kano Emirates as fraudulent and unappropriated, which contravenes the provisions of Section 120 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 8 of the Kano State Emirate Council Special Fund Law 2004. The expenditures also violated Section 314 of Penal Code as well as provisions of Section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended). “It is also th...

President Buhari has promised not to disappoint Nigerians who sacrificed a lot to have him voted into office during the 2019 general election. This assurance by the president was made during his special Salla message to celebrate the end of the Ramadan fast. In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said; “Before the 2019 general elections, prophets of doom did not give the country a chance to conduct peaceful elections. Despite these fears, the country overcame its political challenges. For abandoning their businesses in order to vote, the voters had demonstrated great patriotism in coming out to exercise their civic duty. Let me use this opportunity once again to reassure all Nigerians that your sacrifices in voting for me won’t be in vain. I will ensure the ordinary voters feel the positive impact of government.” the statement read He also urged Muslims to always put humanity before personal ...

  Nigerian superstar, Davido gave life to two parties this weekend; from his performance at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia to his Hot 97 Summer jam performance. Davido performed some of his hit singles from IF to Fall with the electrified hot Summer jam crowd singing along with him. Artistes who performed on the same stage as Davido are Cardi B, Meek Mill, Migos, Tory Lanez, A-Boogie, Cassanova and a host of others, making Davido the only African artiste. Hot Summer Jam is one of the biggest music festivals held during summer in the United State with thousands of music lovers who had a great time bumping to Davido’s ‘Money Fall on You’.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission according to Punch, have written a letter to Mastercard and Visa to provide them with the past transactions on the credit cards that were found on Nigerian singer; Naira Marley . The EFCC revealed during the time an 11-count charge was filed against the “Issa Goal” crooner that the cards found on him were used for identity card theft and credit card fraud. Punch have now reported that the anti-graft agency have written letters to Mastercard and Visa Card to provide it with every detail on the last five transactions that were done with the cards that were found with the singer. According to the document that was gathered by Punch, the EFCC wrote Mastercard and Visa on Monday, May 13, 2019, three days after the singer was picked up from his residence in Lekki. The letter which carries the title ‘Investigation Activities’ was signed by the Zonal Head of the agency whose name is Dein Whyte. “ The commission is investig...

The National Examination Council (NECO) has scrapped the use of scratch cards, for the conduct of its Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). Chairman of the NECO board, Abubakar Saddiq, confirmed this on Friday during the commissioning of the equipment and unveiling of 20 Toyota Hilux Vans purchased by the agency, in Minna, Niger State. Saddiq disclosed that they have procured 8,000 biometric machines, for registration of candidates during the conduct of its examinations. “In the last people have to buy scratch cards in order to register for NECO examination. That is out. No more scratch cards. People (will) register online and they (will) be given a code and they will go ahead to register. “As they register, their biometrics are captured. Every school is on a particular biometric data capturing machine. Every data is captured on that small machine. “It is impossible for anybody to impersonate a candidate during our exams because the captured dat...

  Davido reportedly expecting third child with girlfriend, Chioma  New video that just surfaced online is showing Davido’s girlfriend, Chioma with a potruded tummy which fans are interpreting that they are allegedly expecting their first child together. Chioma Avril popularly known as Chef Chi will be the third Babymama of Nigerian singer, Davido if the news of her pregnancy is finally verified. Recall that few months ago, davido revealed his plan for Chioma whom he continues to shower love on, stating that he is looking forward to getting married to Chioma. A fan asked him what plans he had for Chioma, and he didn’t take long to reply. The fan asked; What are your plans for the future?… Are you going to marry Chioma our sister? The Singer replied saying ‘That’s the plan’ Davido and Chioma are reportedly expecting their first child together since they made their affair public in 2017 In a video recently posted on social media, Chioma...

Nigeria’s number one man, President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly set aside N1 billion for travels in 2019. President Muhammadu Buhari is to spend N1. 001 billion on travels this year, a report by SaharaReporters has shown. The detailed 2019 budget, which he signed into law early this week, showed that the president would spend N751.296 million traveling around the world and another N250. 021 million locally. According to the budget, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will also spend N217.060 million on foreign travels and another N83. 74 million on local travels. N3.822 billion was earmarked for annual routine maintenance of mechanical/electrical installations in the Villa. According to the budget, N576. 747 million was set aside for the phased replacement of vehicles, spares and tyres in the presidential CVU, security/police escort and State House operational fleet. Another N395. 834 million was earmarked for the construction of the Presidential Wing of the S...

President Muhammadu Buhari has taken the oath of office for his second term. The President took the oath on Wednesday, May 2019 in the presence of local and foreign guests at the Eagles Square, Abuja. The President in his oath pledged to be fair to all Nigerians and to serve, preserve, protect and defend the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He swore to be fair to all manner of people. Follow @nicciekkc