Reuben Abati 'remembers' Sani Abacha

Former Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi dies at age 54

former Super Eagles captain and former coach of the team, Stephen Keshi, has died. According to his family, he died in the early hours of today Wednesday June 8th of Cardiac arrest in Benin, Edo state. He was just 54 years old. His family has announced his death.
    “With thanksgiving to God, the Ogbuenyi Fredrick Keshi family of Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, announces the death of Mr. Stephen Okechukwu Chinedu Keshi.ur son, brother, father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, has gone to be with his wife of 35 years (Nkem ), Mrs. Kate Keshi, who passed on on the 9th December 2015. Since her death, Keshi has been in mourning. He came back to Nigeria to be with her. He had planned to fly back today Wednesday, before he suffered a cardiac arrest. He has found rest.” his brother Emmanuel Ado said in a statement.

Cattle herdsmen as the new Boko Haram? By Reuben Abati

“No matter how far the town, there is another beyond it” – Fulani Proverb

There has been so much emotionalism developing around the subject of the recent clashes between nomadic pastoralists and farmers, and the seeming emergence of the former as the new Boko
Haram, forbidding not Western education this time, but the right of other Nigerians to live in peace and dignity, and to have control over their own geographical territory. From Benue, to the Plateau, Nasarawa, to the South West, the Delta, and the Eastern parts of the country, there have been very disturbing reports of nomadic pastoralists killing at will, raping women, and sacking communities, and escaping with their impunity, unchecked, as the security agencies either look the other way or prove incapable of enforcing the law. The outrage South of the Sahel is understandable. It is argued, rightly or wrongly, that the nomadic pastoralist has been overtaken by a certain sense of unbridled arrogance arising from that notorious na-my-brother-dey-power mentality and the assumption that “the Fulani cattle” must drink water, by all means, from the Atlantic ocean.

N23.29b bribery scandal: EFCC goes after oil chiefs, as bank, INEC officials refund N408.7m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is perfecting plans to arrest some top oil barons suspected to have pooled over $115m (N23, 299,705,000 billion) to bribe some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to alter the results of 2015 Presidential Election.

Arsenal's Alex Iwobi Named Among Top 5 Best African Players

Arsenal youngster Alex Iwobi has been named by France Football magazine among the top five African stars in Europe for the past week.
Iwobi provided two assists as Arsenal drew 3-3 with West Ham in a thrilling London derby at the weekend.
The 19-year-old Nigeria international has shone for London Gunners after he was given his chance by manager Arsene Wenger this season.

Economy suffers as FG, NASS play Ping-Pong with budget

With few weeks already gone in the second quarter, many Nigerians are wondering why the 2016 budget is yet to be passed. The worries over the  prolonged delay in the passage of the budget is more than justified given the fact that the economy has literally been in slumber these past months.
The genesis of the crisis began when the issue of the ‘missing budget’ made headlines in December. That led to hoopla with the issue of budget padding, when it was discovered that some persons had sexed up the figures in the budget for their selfish aggrandisement.

We will deal with you like Boko Haram- Buhari warns pipeline vandals

President Buhari Wednesday warned vandals and saboteurs blowing up oil and gas installations in Nigeria to desist immediately or face the same drastic action being taken against Boko Haram by the Armed Forces.
Speaking at a meeting with members of the Nigerian Community in Beijing, China, President Buhari also reaffirmed his total commitment to winning the war against corruption, saying that corruption was an arch-enemy of the nation which has destroyed the lives of many Nigerians.

Chris Giwa vows to take over NFF secretariat from Amaju Pinnick despite FIFA warning

 Chris Giwa has reiterated his desire to take over leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation from Amaju Pinnick despite FIFA's warning.
The World's football governing body, FIFA had through it's secretary general Markus Kattner warned the NFF to refuse any court order asking for the current president Amaju Pinnick to be replaced, saying Giwa had already taken the election case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and lost.

CHUKS D GENERAL THE INDIGENOUS COMEDIAN

 Chuks D General as he is fondly called is a great Comedian.He is the Biggest Comedian in Abuja,there is no Event in Abuja without Chuks D General.He has done so well for himself.Chuks D General got his first Endorsement as the Brand Ambassador of MAMA CASS FOOD Nation wide.He has been recommended by some of the notable Legendary comedians,like ALI BABA,SEYI LAW,GORDON AY.Check out some of the pictures from his high class events......More pictures after the cut

Woman kidnapped her two children to get ransom from husband - Rivers State Police

 On Tuesday April 12, Rivers State Police Command released photos of captured suspected criminals in the state. Among the suspects paraded was a woman identified as Mrs. Abigail Brown who kidnapped her two children to get ransom from her husband.
According to a statement issued by the Command on Wednesday, April 13, Mrs Brown and husband’s former driver, identified as ThankGod, connived to kidnap her two children, aged 2 and 10. The suspects then called the husband to pay a ransom in order to secure their release. Brown who had earlier denied the allegation against her, later but later confessed to the crime claiming she that "it was frustration that made her to commit the crime as she had no means of survival."

Photo: Lagos Chief Judge grants amnesty to 153 inmates

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade today granted amnesty to 153 inmates of the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium prison. 24 of the inmates were released from the Maximum prison while 129 of them were from the Medium prison.Three of the inmates granted amnesty have been standing trial for over 15 years. Among the 129 inmates released from the Medium prison, 79 were standing trial for capital offences while 50 were standing trial for minor offences.

Plan to Attend the 2016 Youth Peace Conference, Powered by Peace Ambassador Agency

2016 Peace Conference ,Theme: The impact of Agriculture to Nigeria’s Economy, a means of ending unemployment. This we decided to focus on Agriculture due to the drop in oil price, Nigeria is blessed with variety of agricultural potentials. The Youth Peace Conference is designed to recruit the yielding change in Nigeria Economy today. Its an annual event and this is the 3rd edition. During the conference some Selected youths will have the opportunity to be trained.  To attend send your name and information toinfo@missambassadorforpeace.com or call 08037090904. Powered by Peace Ambassador Agency organizers of Miss Ambassador for Peace Nigeria. Date 5th April, Venue Sheraton hotel Abuja. Time10am. One conference you can’t afford to miss.

John Okafor(Mr Ibu) & wife welcome baby boy(Photo)

 Comic actor,John Okafor,popularly known as Mr Ibu and his wife,Stella Marris have welcomed a baby boy.The proud father shared the good news last night,writing
     My new baby boy has arrived God take all d glory
Mr Ibu who got married for the second time in 2015 has a daughter as his first son with his ex wife, died in 2012..
Congrats to them.

(Graphic Photo)Hoodlums stab LAWMA worker in the eye for tipping off police

A worker with the Lagos State Waste Management Agency, Oluwaseun Thomas, is currently on admission at a private hospital on the Lagos Island, after hoodlums stabbed him in the eye for allegedly reporting their activities to the police.
Thomas was said to have been beaten up by the hoodlums, before they stabbed him in the eye.
Punch Metro learnt that Thomas, whose work area was Oja Oba Market on Dosumu Street, was initially rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, to remove the hoodlums’ knife which was left in his head, before being taken to a private hospital for further treatment.

Texas Zika case raises concerns that virus can be transmitted sexually

A case of the Zika virus being transmitted between sexual partners reported on Tuesday in Texas has raised new concerns about the transmission of the disease, which is typically spread by mosquitoes and can cause birth defects.
The patient, whose gender has not been released, was the first person confirmed to have been infected with the virus in the US.

The Blackface allegations: Setting the records straight - Efe Omorogbe

 This is the official reaction to Blackface's song stealing allegation from 2face Idibia's camp. This is from his manager, Efe Omorogbe. Read below...
    When my attention was drawn to Blackface's twitter rant about the "theft" of his songs by his ex-band mate 2Baba, my initial reaction was to ignore what I perceived as an obvious marketing gimmick for his new single. The reaction from a vast majority of people on social media who read about the allegations was evidence that the ploy had backfired.

Anambra Begins Exportation Of Ugu & Bitter Leaves To UK

Anambra has started the exportation of pumpkin leaves (Ugu) and bitter leaves (Onugbu) to the UK.
The first set of the exportation was on the 21st of January, 2016 after the Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture successfully assisted some rural farmers to export the first batch of their products.
This was however after the Federal Quarantine Agency paid several visits to the state to inspect and certify the various farms fit for the purpose. Anambra aims to produce vegetables of high quality without applying fertilizers or any other chemicals, in order to position the State as a top vegetable exporting State.

FFK and fiancee, Precious Chikwendu welcome son..FFK's first son

Photos:Doctors successfully separate youngest ever conjoined twins

 Doctors say they have successfully separated eight- day-old conjoined twin girls-believed to be the youngest ever babies to be parted,Daily record reports..
Medics in Bern, Switzerland carried out the operation risky operation on girls Lydia and Maya over five hours with a 13-strong team.

Metuh’s torn statement linked Jonathan to N400m –EFCC

 Following the charge of destruction of evidence filed against him, details have emerged about what the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, allegedly wrote in the torn statement while in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on January 5.
The court papers obtained by Punch on Sunday indicate that five operatives of the commission witnessed the incident which was said to have happened on January 5, 2016, the day the PDP spokesperson was arrested.

Governor Dickson's sister is still held 42 days after abduction

Residents have expressed surprise that Nancy Keme Dickson, the abducted younger sister to Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, has spent over 42 days with her assailants.
The 26-year-old, who is said to be the last child of the Dicksons, was abducted on December 19, last year, by gunmen.She was seized at her shop on Okaka Road in Yenagoa, the state capital.Nancy was abducted after the December 5, 2015 governorship election and a few weeks to the January 9 supplementary poll, which Dickson won and became the re-elected governor.

Amnesty condemns Buhari over reinstating Gen.Mohammed accused of war crimes

 Amnesty International has condemned the reinstatement of Major General Ahmadu Mohammed accused of the mass murder of hundreds of detainees.
The the rights group says the reinstatement  of the senior Nigerian military general implicated in the mass murder of hundreds of detainees underlines the monumental failure of the government to stamp out impunity for war crimes at the highest level.

Photo: 5 month Pregnant woman goes missing

The woman pictured above named Habiba Shaba Ibrahim has been missing since Saturday evening in Abuja. According to family sources, she came to town and her car developed mechanical problem on her way back home to Kubuwa. She parked her car at her inlaw's house and took a taxi home but she never got home since yesterday. She left a 3yr old at home & she is 5 months pregnant.
Anyone with useful info should reach FCT NPF on the following Lines: 08057000001, 08057000002 and 08057000003. They can also be messaged on whatsapp for useful info

God's Hand by Charly Boy

Very recently, I was hanging out with some of my associates in my house when one of them started reeling out all that is wrong with Naija; the kind of impunity stealing that has taken place.
"A never ending story", I managed to murmur, before one of them exclaimed, "Na God hand we dey"
Which kin God hand we  dey? I found myself busting out a yell.
If we leave everything in God's hand, what are we doing to change the blatant rape of the future of our youths or the obnoxious impoverishment of the masses?

Federal Character And Its Discontents By Reuben Abati

There has been so much concern about how the Federal Character principle has since its introduction in 1979, promoted mediocrity within the public service, and retarded national growth and progress. Introduced after the civil war to promote national integration, and to address the fears of sections of the country which felt marginalized, the Federal Character principle was meant to ensure that public service appointments reflect the country’s diversity: religious, ethnic, geographical and linguistic, and by extension, that resource allocation reflects the fact that this is a federal system and not a clan.