Beta Nigerian News Blog

 President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday deployed the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari as well as the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor to assess the level of oil theft in the Niger Delta. The development followed public outrage against the massive stealing of Nigeria’s crude oil, which had hobbled the country’s ability to meet the quota allocated by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had on Monday lamented the unprecedented rate of oil theft recorded in recent times and its debilitating effect on government revenue and accretion to reserves. The governor’s comment came a day after THISDAY reported similar concerns expressed by the Co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Austin Avuru, who called for a state of emergency in the Nige...

  As 2023 general elections is gathering momentum, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Amos Olatunde Ojo, has urged Nigerian youths not to allow themselves to be used as cannon folder for unscrupulous politicians. Ojo who spoke during the commemoration of Commonwealth Day in Abuja yesterday, lamented that Nigeria is fast losing her youth to obsession with wealth and fortune which has plunged them into diabolical rituals. While urging parents, religious leaders, schools and the mass media to go back to the basics and courageously identify where the country missed its way into the jungle of barbarism that now violently threatens the future of the youths, he warned that if the menace is not curbed immediately, the next generation of Nigerians would be doomed. Ojo who spoke during the commemoration of Commonwealth Day in Abuja yesterday, lamented that Nigeria is fast losing her youth to obsession with wealth and fortune which has plunged them into diabolical rituals. While urging p...

By SALIHU ABUBAKAR Nasir El-Rufai notoriously never watches his utterances. He has consistently exploited his gift of a vile tongue to gain relevance, power and authority. At first glance, he appears as an un-conformist, but he controversially has a knack for feigning forthrightness or bluntness. In fact, his actions since his days as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) reeks of unapologetic contention and this depraved trait has spawned into his administration as Kaduna State Governor so much so that controversy is now synonymous to his name. His latest hullabaloo and false claims that Governor Mai Mala Buni’s sack as National Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee Planning (CECPC), and replacement by Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello was ordered by President Buhari, is disparaging and makes mockery of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). In staying true to his extremely controversial nature, El-Rufai deliberately incites an ...

 The Nigeria Police Force on Monday dismissed reports that its officers planned an industrial action with effect from March 26, 2022. Acting Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement, stressed that police officers all over the country remained committed to securing Nigeria’s spaces and won’t down tools. Adejobi also said the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, has been accelerating efforts to ensure the full implementation of the increment of salaries and allowances proposed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); and approved by the Federal Executive Council. The statement was titled, ‘Alleged Police Strike Action: NPF Describes News As Fake, Mischievous’. It read, “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a news making the rounds on social media alleging that some members of the Force will be embarking on a strike action with effect from March 26, 2022. “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to state unequivocally that the ...

  The United States government through its Mission in Nigeria, has reacted to the arrest of a notorious fraudster, Osondu Victor Igwilo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria. Igwilo was arrested by operatives of the anti-graft agency on Thursday, March 11 after four years of being on the run. He was declared wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over fraud related crimes in 2018. A statement signed by the Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, sent to LEADERSHIP on Monday reads in part: “Fifty-two year-old Igwilo, who is the alleged leader of a criminal network of “catchers’’ was arrested alongside Okafor Nnamdi Chris, Nwodu Uchenna Emmaunel and John Anazo Achukwu at a studio in the Sangotedo area of Lagos for an alleged fraud, money laundering and identity theft to the tune of about $100m. “Investigations revealed that those who fell victims of the suspects’ criminal activities were asked to make certain payments before they could rec...

  The Niger State Government said at least 390 animals rustled by bandits have been recovered by joint security operatives led by 31 Artillery Brigade Commander at Chikammub, Mahoro in Gulbin Boka District of Mariga Local Government Area of the state. Making the disclosure while briefing journalists in Minna on security situation of the state, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Internal Security, Mr Emmanuel Bagna Umar, said the recovery comprised 317 cows and 73 sheep, respectively. Umar stated that the animals recovered from two locations of Mariga communities are currently kept in Kontagora town. He also revealed that scores of bandits were killed during the serious gun battle with the security operatives of which some of the criminals fled with bullet wounds. “The bandits in their numbers were intercepted while trying to move the rustled cattle to an unknown destination before they met their waterloo. “The new security strategy of the state governmen...

 Those instigating youths in Cross River State to foment public disobedience have been warned to desist or they will face serious consequences. Those instigating youths in Cross River State to foment public disobedience have been warned to desist or they will face serious consequences, Daily  Post stated. The state Police Command issued the warning at the command headquarters in Calabar. Speaking on behalf of the commissioner of police Aminu Alhassan, the PPRO Irene Ugbo said, “Those trying to incite young people on a second EndSars protest should be ready to face the full weight of the law. “The command will ensure utmost professionalism to confront such elements.” Ugbo said they have received several reports that tend to incite young people to protest against the police. “Please note that the Command will not fold its arms and watch hoodlums take a second advantage of the people as anyone caught will be made to face the full weight of the law. “We received distress calls abo...

The Nigerian military has neutralised scores of terrorists in Kebbi State during an operation to flush them out of the region. The operation, which took place on Thursday, was in response to the killing of at least 18 soldiers of the Nigerian Army and over 60 members of a local vigilante group in Zuru under Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State earlier this week. The attack on the fleeing bandits, which took place around the border between Kebbi and Zamfara states, saw a reinforcement of military personnel intercepting and decimating the insurgents in large numbers. A community leader in the region, who spoke with SaharaReporters on Friday, said residents saw several bullet-ridden bodies of the terrorists near the border with Zamfara Forest after the military operation on Thursday. “The military took a decisive step by mobilising men and weapons including air support strikes for the operation. The bandits were intercepted on the fringes of the border with Zamfara Forest. “They we...

 More than 200 Chinese workers were on Thursday morning arrested by officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service at a construction site in Niger State. According to Sahara Reporters, the arrested Chinese are staff members of Sinohydro, a subsidiary of Power Construction Corporation of China, the engineering firm handling the $1.3 billion Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Project being carried out by the Nigerian Government. The project, which was initiated in 2013 and is expected to add 700 Megawatts of electricity to the national grid, will be the second-largest hydroelectric power project in Nigeria behind the 760 Mega Watts Kanji Hydroelectric Power Project when completed this year. SaharaReporters gathered that hundreds of the Chinese workers at the site, who came into Nigeria with six months tourist visas, had remained in the country for more than two years, working and earning huge sums in wages without hindrance. Most of them were said to have come into Nigeria before the outbrea...

The House of Representatives has expressed delight with the commencement of evacuation of Nigerians from Sumy, a city in Ukraine bordering Russia which has been under attack in the invasion of the former by the latter,  Punch  reports. Chairman, House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, while speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, said she had been informed that the Nigerian Government had begun evacuation of citizens from the war zone. Akande-Sadipe said, “I am happy to tell you that as soon as I left that meeting (plenary), the Minister contacted me again to give me another update. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has been updating me every day, sometimes three times a day on the actions they are taking. “I am happy to tell you that he has sent me the video of buses…because part of the problem in Sumy was that there was no transport to get them out of Sumy and those that tried (to exit the city) were sent back. Now, buses have been provided and studen...

  The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says the current load shedding and outage being experienced nationwide is as a result of low power generation by the Generation Companies (GenCos). A statement on Tuesday by the spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah explained that TCN can only transmit the quantum of power provided by GenCos through the national grid to distribution load centres. Mbah said TCN does not generate electricity and can only transport cumulative generation from all the generation companies nationwide to distribution load centres. Clarifying that the distribution companies are responsible for end-users consumption, the official said TCN only allocates power to distribution companies based on the percentage approved by NERC. Mbah said the cumulative generation nationwide is low, disclosing that GenCos have attributed it to poor gas supply, fault in generating units of generating companies, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. Currently, fourteen gas-powered generating stati...

  The Nigerian Army recruitment portal is currently open for applications. The online application is open for 83 Regular Recruits Intake for Non-Tra desmen and women. The application starts on March 7 and ends on May 13, 2022. Applicants are expected to have the following qualifications: (1) Must be single, a Nigerian citizen by birth and must possess National Identity Card/ NIN or BVN. (2) Must be medically, physically, and psychologically fit in accordance with the Nigerian Army standards. (3) Must be free of any criminal conviction by the court of law. (4) Must possess a valid birth certificate endorsed by the National Population Commission, Hospital, or Local Government Council or valid age declaration. (5) All applicants must possess at least a minimum of 4 passes in not more than 2 sitting in WASCE/GCE/NECO/NABTEB. (6) An applicant must not be less than 18 years and not more than 22 years as at the commencement of training by 8 Aug 22. (7) Applicant must not be less than...

 Notable male activists on Tuesday led a coalition of women groups and activists protesting and occupying the gate of the National Assembly, Abuja, over the rejection of all gender bills by the federal lawmakers.   Those at the second of such protest by women are Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani; Executive Director Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo; Senior Fellow Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim and the Executive Director, Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), Ezenwa Nwagwu, a lawyer. Others include Mr. Dayo Olaide of the MacArthur Foundation; Programme Officer, CDD, Mr Austin Aigbe; Executive Director, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER), Barrister Frank Tietie; Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Anthony O. Ojukwu; former National Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Co...

 The driver of a Bus Rapid Transit, which was boarded by the murdered 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, has been arrested in Ogun State. A confirmed source told Channels Television that the suspect, who disappeared into thin air after the incident, was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) in the Odogbolu area of the state. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, had told Channels Television that the police also arrested two persons linked to the driver. READ ALSO: #JusticeForBamise: Outrage As Lady Who Boarded BRT In Lagos Is Found Dead “As soon as the report got to the police, investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the lady was immediately initiated,” the police spokesman said. “To ensure a speedy and diligent investigation, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, immediately directed the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti to take over the case. “In the course...

 Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), says for Nigeria to achieve a “greater future”, there is a need to create an enabling environment for youths to thrive. Adesina said this on Sunday while delivering his acceptance speech for the award of ‘Extraordinary Personality of the Year’. The award was presented to him by Silverbird Media Group. Describing Nigerian youths as “smart, dynamic and entrepreneurial”, the AfDB president said they are the country’s biggest asset. “Nigeria’s greater future must rest on the shoulders of its youth,” he said. “The youth will power Nigeria into a future that the rest of the world will envy. “Nigeria’s youth are pace setters. Give Nigerian youth an opportunity and watch them thrive.” He gave an example of Nigeria’s youths taking on the world in the fintech industry, with three companies of young people — Inter Switch, Paypal and Flutterwave each valued over a $1 billion. Flutterwave alone is now valued at $3 billion, he ...

  Uche Mefor, a former Deputy leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said Nnamdi Kanu and the group has “false hope” of realizing Biafra Republic.  Mefor said Kanu and IPOB have false hope of achieving Biafra due to their current “criminality.” In a Facebook post, the former deputy leader of IPOB said the group lost grounds for Biafra agitation by resorting to violence. He accused the separatist group of committing crimes against humanity across the Southeast. According to Mefor: “We shall continue to state the obvious. The IPOB faction under Nnamdi Kanu squarely and comprehensively lost the argument when they thoughtlessly and overzealously embraced and adopted violence and brigandage that snawbolled into criminality under the false hope of using it to restore Biafra. Dailypost

Federal government has reiterated its commitment to bridge the infrastructure gap in the nation’s tertiary institutions through its internal road intervention projects to boost education and make the learning environment more conducive for students. The minister of works and housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, made the remarks while handing over a new one kilometre road constructed at the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy in Enugu State by the ministry. Fashola said the gap in the nation’s infrastructure needs was steadily being bridged by a gradual process of rehabilitations and constructions. The minister who was represented at the occasion by the federal controller of works in Enugu State, Engr. Olufemi Oyekanmi, said the intervention by the federal government was to the boost quality of education with renewed hope and enthusiasm with regard to attending classes as defective roads had been  restored. “It’s undebatable that the quality of education will be impacted by...

 The United States government has reiterated its commitment to providing free educational information and programmess to Nigerians, to help develop their skills through its network of American Spaces in Nigeria.     Speaking at the commissioning of the new American Corner in Ikeja, United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, hailed the opening as yet another example of the bourgeoning U.S.-Nigeria bilateral relations, noting the broad range of programmes that take place at the American Corner. “A significant aspect of US foreign policy, and a cornerstone of my leadership of the US Mission in Nigeria, is investing in people,” Ambassador Leonard said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by alumni of US government exchange programmes, business, cultural, media and political leaders.     “The new American Corner Ikeja will function as a centre where young people develop their ideas as well as their leadership and entrepreneurship skills thro...

  Through its Adamawa State Division, the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday claimed that the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) group is training suicide bombers to attack security agencies and vulnerable communities in the Northeast. DSS Director in the Division, Babagana Bulama, who raised the alarm, said the department got the plan through available intelligence that the suicide bombers is aimed at carrying out a deadly attack soon. He spoke at the 2022 1st Zonal Quarterly Conference of State Directors of Security, Northeast region in Maiduguri, Borno State, he said the elements of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) who fled Mali following increased military pressure from Russian mercenaries have entered Nigeria’s territory to support ISWAP terrorist activities. Bulama explained that the Northeast Zone has continued to be confronted by a wide range of security issues, adding that kidnappers and bandits have persistently exploited the vast ungove...

  Broadcast stations have been advised to turn down adverts, gingles or promos that could incite people or political parties against one another during electioneering campaigns as they are to be held liable by the regulatory bodies. .This was part of the recommendations at the closing ceremony of a two-day workshop with the theme “Broadcast Ecology and Politics in Nigeria” organised by the National Broadcasting Commission in Lagos. The participants suggested that advertisers with inciting contents that are not ready to amend should not only be reported to the appropriate regulatory bodies but also have their adverts rejected for the peaceful coexistence of the country. They also called on the government to amend the act establishing the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to be autonomous. The communique while calling for more sensitisation programmes that will curtail the spread of hate speeches in the upcoming 2023 general elections, advised broadcast stations to engage qualif...

 

 The Director of the National Youth Service Corps, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim, has warned corps members against using social media to spread wrong information and fueling hatred in the society. DG who was represented by the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of NYSC, Chinyere Ekwe, gave the warning during the swearing-in ceremony of 1,608 Corps members deployed to Akwa Ibom State among the 2022 Batch ‘A’ Stream 1 at the Orientation Camp, Ikot Itie Udung, Nsit Atai LGA on Tuesday. While warning them to desist from drug abuse, cultism and other social vices, the DG also reminded them of the major objectives of NYSC, which is the promotion of national unity and integration, stressing that they should promote only ideals that will bring unity to the nation.  He urged the corps members to avail themselves of the opportunities for self-employment offered through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme during the orientation exercise. “Let me use this opportunit...

 By Fatima Ginaka I AWOKE to the news of three teenagers, who slit the throat of a young lady named Rofiat, cut her head off, put her head in a container and set the head on fire. The general outcry and belief have been that the teenagers wanted to get rich quickly and decidedly used Rofiat for money rituals. Does this mean if she was killed for a reason outside of money rituals, it would have been okay? Does the murder of a person no longer mean what it used to? Over the past years, news of violent occurrences across the country has been broadcast over various media. In January 2022, 486 people were reported killed. Many are quick to take photos of victims of crime or murder and share them on social media. They share like it is normal for a persons’ life to be cut short and for the gruesome event to be splashed on different forms of media for all to see.  This generation of children and young people have grown up experiencing or hearing about violence around them. The news of...

  Niger State Government has revealed it has killed over 200 armed bandits in a gun battle that ensued between members of the Joint Security Taskforce and the outlaws in Rafi and Mariga Local Government Areas. The state Commissioner for Local Government Chieftaincy Affairs and Internal, Mr. Emmanuel Bagna Umar disclosed this during a meeting with journalists in Minna, He explained that the bandits were killed in the Kundu axis of Rafi and Babanlaba side of Mariga local governments and other parts of the state between Sunday and Wednesday. Umar noted that all the leaders of the four groups and the joint State Security Taskforce who were engaged in an exchange of fire were killed. Those killed include Ali Kawajo, Yello Jan Bros, Kachalla Halilu and Bello Tunji. Umar said a total of sixty motorcycles were recovered while some cattle were also returned to their owners. Asked how prepared the state is in case the bandits launched another attack, he said, ” we are not ignorant that bandi...