Islamist group says executes seven foreign hostages, Nigeria doubts report

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RIYADH/LAGOS (Reuters) – A Nigerian Islamist group said on Saturday it had killed seven foreign hostages seized last month from a construction firm’s compound in northern Nigeria, where Islamist insurgents have killed hundreds over the past two years.

But Nigerian authorities said they had no information on any such killing, and doubted the veracity of the statement.

Nigerian Terrorist Group, Boko Haram Funded By Latin America Drug Gang – Report

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There are indications that terrorist groups, Boko Haram and Ansaru, are being funded by drug cartels in Latin America, a report has revealed.

The report entitled, “Terrorism in Northern Africa and the Sahel in 2012: Global Reach and Implications,” is an update on five earlier studies.

Published by the Director, Inter-University Centre for Terrorism Studies, USA, Yonah Alexander, in February 2013, the report suggested that Al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb, had aligned with many other groups in order to expand its sources of funding.

Intelligence reports have in the past identified a strong link between AQIM and Boko Haram with the newly emerging Ansaru.

Pope quit over corruption, gay sex scandals – Report

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Pope Benedict XVI resigned after an internal investigation informed him about a web of blackmail, corruption and gay sex in theVatican, Italian media reports say.

A team of three cardinals were asked by Benedict to verify allegations of financial impropriety, cronyism and corruption exposed in the so-called VatiLeaks affair.

In December, they handed the pontiff a large portfolio of papers which was “an exact map of the mischief and the bad fish” inside the Holy See, La Repubblica said.

N’Assembly’s report on Dana crash may threaten US-Nigeria link

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Implementation of the National Assembly’s recommendations on the Dana Air crash by the Federal Government may adversely affect Nigeria’s direct flight link with the United States of America, TUNJI ABIOYE writes

The United States of America may take a second look at its direct flight link with Nigeria if the Federal Government goes ahead to implement the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Aviation Committee’s report on the June 3, 2012 Dana Air crash, investigations by our correspondent have revealed.

The US Federal Aviation Administration’s Category One status, an approval for Nigerian-registered airplanes to operate commercial flights to America, was awarded the country in 2008 after a rigorous audit that lasted for many years.

Prior to the award, Nigeria had lost the coveted status for about 15 years, thereby making direct flights between it and US impossible.

Senate committee’s report on pension fictitious – Maina’s team

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The disagreement between the Senate and the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, continued on Sunday, with the taskforce dismissing the Senate committee’s report on pension as fictitious.

The team stated that  the report of the Senate Pension Probe Committees, chaired by Senator Aloysius Etok (Establishment and Public Service) and Senator Kabiru Gaya (State and Local Government Administration) was unfounded.

The PRTT, in a statement in Abuja by its spokesperson, Mr. Hassan Salihu, specifically said the committees had “grossly misinformed and misled the entire Senate with a fictitious report muddled up with a multitude of naked untrue and misleading unjustifiable conclusions”.

Parents Report Son To Police After He Raped Housemaid

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A teenage boy allegedly raped a maid after his parents had gone to church for an all-night prayer.

It is alleged that the 17-year-old boy raped the 20-year-old maid. It is the State's case that the maid was washing plates while the teenager was watching television. He later retired to his room and slept for a while. The maid finished washing the plates and started watching television in the lounge.

Prosecutor told the court that the boy came to the lounge and sat beside the maid before asking her what she usually does with her boyfriend.

Banky W Speaks On Report Of Wizkid's Exit From EME

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Couple of weeks ago an unconfirmed report informed that Wizkid moved to his own crib in Lekki. 

This move however didn’t go down well with Wizzy’s mum who felt it wasn’t time for him to leave the EME mansion.

The pair had an argument concerning his new home and leaving his the EME label according to the unconfirmed report. 

FG, states, LGs shared N6.16tn in 2012 – Report

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A whopping sum of N6.16tn was withdrawn from the Federation Account and shared among the three tiers of government in the 2012 financial year, investigations have revealed. The figure is the total amount allocated under various distribution sub-heads, as approved by the legal framework upon which the account is being managed.

They are statutory allocation, which is shared in the following manner: Federal Government, 52.68 per cent; states, 26.72 per cent; and local governments 20.60 per cent; Value Added Tax (Federal Government, 15 per cent; states, 50 per cent; and LGs, 35 per cent); and extra allocation given to oil producing states based on the 13 per cent principle of derivation.

Virginity test: Panel submits report to Ogun today

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Members  of rival cult groups clashed in Ketu, Lagos on Saturday and Sunday, vandalising vehicles and robbing residents in the process. PUNCH Metro learnt that the clash was due to a long-standing feud between the Eiye Confraternity and another gang known as KK.  It was learnt that a fight broke out in the area during the New Year carnival known as Westside Carnival in which two members of the KK gang were killed.

Ribadu Oil Report Stirs Controversy, Denials

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Mallam Nuhu Ribadu: report stirs controversy

A probe alleging Nigeria has lost out on tens of billions of dollars in recent years through questionable practices in Africa’s biggest oil-and-gas industry has stirred controversy and calls for action.

The report from a government-appointed task force, headed by former anti-graft czar, Nuhu Ribadu, has not been officially made public, but leaked copies have generated strong responses from officials, the state oil firm and private companies, which dispute many of its findings.

Anti-corruption activists seeking changes to an industry that operates with little transparency and which has long been seen as awash with graft have however sought to pressure the government into addressing the problems alleged.

Jonathan Moves To Kill Ribadu Report - Aide Calls It “Inconclusive”

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President Goodluck Jonathan appears to be maneuvering to discredit the report of the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, which was headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

His attack dog, Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said the report appeared to be the work of "certain quarters" to "disparage the genuine efforts of the President to bring sanity and cleanse the Nigerian oil sector once and for all."

On Thursday, from his office at Asokoro District of Abuja, Okupe declared that the committee did not complete its assignment.
One of the major terms of reference of the committee, he said, was “to work with consultants and experts to determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues (taxes, royalties, etc) due and payable to the federal government of Nigeria” but this aspect of the committee assignment, he claimed, was left undone.

Ribadu report leakage planned to embarrass govt – Presidency

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The leakage of the report of the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu-led committee that probed oil and gas transactions covering 2002 to 2012 and which uncovered widespread corruption and abuse of processes, is meant to embarrass the government.

The Presidency said this while reacting to the publication of excerpts from the report by an international news agency, Reuters, and local media outfits on Wednesday.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the excerpts from the

OMG!! 6 Million Nigerian School Age Girls Are Not In School - Report

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As the world marks the International Day of the Girl Child with the theme ‘Ending Child Marriage’, the Action Aid Group in Nigeria is advocating the ratification and full implementation of the Child Right Act in all 36 states of the federation.

 Deputy Country Director, of the Action Aid Group, Mrs Ifeoma Charles-Monwuba said the weak implementation of the Child Right Act which was enacted in 2003 has encouraged the continued practice of child marriages in Nigeria. Only 23 states of the federation have ratified the Act while 12 states especially in the northern region are yet to.  A recent report by Action Aid says that 36 million girls of school age are not in school globally