FEC Approves Special Training For VIPs’ Drivers

Click banner for more info

A compulsory special training for drivers in the convoys of Very Important Persons, including governors, ministers as well as heads of departments and parastatals, has been approved by the Federal Executive Council.The decision was taken on Wednesday following a report presented to the council by the Federal Road Safety Corps on the regular auto crashes involving the convoys of VIPs.

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, and his colleague in Mines and Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Mohammed Sada, stated this after the FEC meeting presided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo. President Goodluck Jonathan is in Darvos, Switzerland, where he is attending the World Economic Forum summit.

Ikeja Police College: Falana Threatens To Sue FG If Commandant Is Sacked

Click banner for more info

As the fate of the Commandant of the Ikeja Police College, Mr. Irimiya Yerima, hangs in the balance over what the Presidency described as negative image given to Nigeria by the exposure of the rot in the college to the world, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, yesterday threatened to tackle the Presidency if Yerima was dismissed over no fault of his.Information Nigeria gathers that the feeling within the Presidency is that it was the commandant that gave unrestricted access to ChannelsTV to record the footage and beam it to the world so as to embarrass the Federal Government – this much the president revealed during his unscheduled visit to the college last Friday.

No Revolution Is Going To Take Place In This Country – Bishop Matthew Kukah

Click banner for more info

Contrary to the general perception that a revolution is imminent in Nigeria, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Monsignor Matthew Hassan Kukah, has dismissed such predictions saying the reasons that may lead to it are also the nation’s source of strength. He made this known in Abuja yesterday while speaking at the 10th Daily Trust Dialogue with the theme “Nation Building: Challenges and Reality” at the Transcorp Hilton  Hotel.

Police Rescue Stolen Baby

Click banner for more info

A nine-month-old girl, Funke Alabi, who was allegedly stolen at Oke-Ola Oro, Kwara State by her mother’s friend, identified simply as Shade, has been rescued in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olufemi Fabode, on Wednesday said Funke was kidnapped by Shade last Friday, (January 18) at her mother’s residence.  He stated that Shade had visited Funke’s mother, Muyiwa, on the guise of a reunion as they met last about two years ago. He explained that Muyiwa, who was happy to be reunited with her friend, went to the kitchen to prepare food for her.

Jonathan Felicitates With Muslims On Eid-El-Maulud

Click banner for more info

President Goodluck Jonathan has felicitated with all Nigerians, especially Muslims, as they celebrate Eid-el-Maulud, which commemorates the birth of Prophet Mohammed.

In a message released in Abuja on Wednesday to mark the occasion, the president urged all true believers in the Prophet’s divine message to continue to pray for peace in all parts of the country and resolve to do more to support ongoing efforts by the Federal Government and its security agencies to ensure safety of life and property in Nigeria.

Ezu River: Sen. Uba Donates Bags Of ‘Pure Water’ To Amansea Community

Click banner for more info

Senator Andy Uba, representing Anambra South Constituency, has donated 5000 bags of sachet water to Amansea community. The gesture is meant to ameliorate the water problem which arose in the community after dead bodies were dumped in Ezu River by unknown persons.

The bags of satchet water were yesterday handed over to the traditional ruler of Amansea, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, for distribution to the people by representatives of Senator Uba led by Mr. Bright Nebedum and Dr. Charles Nweke of the Andy Uba Foundation.

Virginity Test: Outrage Trails Govt’s Decision on Principal

Click banner for more info

The decision of the Ogun State Government on the Principal of Ajuwon Senior High School, Rev. Olufunke Aladeojobi, who allegedly conducted virginity tests on pupils of the school, has attracted public outrage.

The Commissioner for Education, Mr. Segun Odubela, had on Tuesday announced that the government would conduct a psychiatric examination on Aladejobi, adding that she would be sacked if she was found not to be of sound mind.The government, however, said it would demote her from grade level 16 to 15 if the test proved that she was sane.

Poly Expels 74 Over Examination Malpractice

Click banner for more info

No less than seventy four students of Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, have been expelled by the institution over examination malpractices. The institution’s spokesperson, Mr Mustapha Oshiobugie, disclosed this in an interview in Auchi on Wednesday.

He said the affected students were allegedly involved in various examination misconducts during the 2011/2012 academic session. Oshiobugie said the expelled students cut across all departments of the polytechnic. In a related development, four Higher National Diploma (HND) II students had during the session been expelled over results falsification.He reiterated the readiness of the institution to stamp out all forms of examination malpractices.

Compensation: Victims, groups protest at Dana office

Click banner for more info

Human rights activists from Concerned Human Rights Nigeria, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and other groups on Wednesday protested  alleged insensitivity of Dana Airlines Limited.

The protest was at the instance of Pastor Daniel Omowumi, who allegedly lost over N500m to Dana crash of June 3, 2012. He was also joined by other victims of the crash that are yet to be compensated by the airline.

 The protesters, led by the National Coordinator, CHRN, Mr. Declan Ihekaire, began procession from Funmilayo Bus Stop, Ipaja Road, Lagos, and headed for Dana office on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, singing solidarity songs and carrying placards.

Ban on commercial buses: Abuja residents trek long distances

Click banner for more info

The Wuse Market junction, usually crowded with mini cabs painted in green colour, was virtually free of vehicular traffic. It was quite an unusual sight. The pavements of the surrounding roads were crammed with hundreds of pedestrians heading to various destinations within and around the Federal Capital Territory.

At a glance, it seemed as if the people had deliberately decided to trek long distances. But a closer examination showed that most of them were engaged in the exercise against their own will.

See How Using Hands-Free While Driving Can Cause Blindness

Click banner for more info

We all know making phone calls while driving could distract a driver from his driving, and this has led to many road accidents in Nigeria. It is an offence therefore to put a phone to your ear to make or receive calls while driving, and Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC doesn’t take the offence lightly. Drivers have therefore resulted to the use of handsfree while driving to ensure they are in line with road traffic laws.

A leading UAE psychologist has however said that the use of hands-free sets could lead to “attentional blindness” among drivers and many accidents.Dr Taha Amir, UAE University professor of psychology, said there is a “mistaken belief” that the use of hands-free mobile phones while driving reduces road mishaps compared to using handheld mobile phones.

NBC Reacts, 'We Didn’t Ban Any Video'

Click banner for more info

The Nigerian Broadcast Commission (NBC) we learnt placed a NTBB ban on some new sets of music videos recently.

It was reported that the banned videos include P Square (Alingo), Wande Coal (Go Low), Timaya(Bum Bum), Flavour (Shake) for being ‘suggestive and provocative’. Others include D’Prince(Take Banana), Goldie (Ski Bobo), Chuddy K (Brazilian Hair) and Tillaman (Koma Roll).

 Owing to what was obtainable from the NBC quarters today, the said story was said to be hoax as the body that monitors or censors these products has denied banning any video.

2015: PDP applies to join in suit against Jonathan

Click banner for more info

Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday asked an Abuja Federal High Court to join it as a defendant in the suit to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking re-election in 2015.

In its application in the suit, the PDP said Jonathan was a member of the party “who is capable of being sponsored for the 2015 presidential election”.

A Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, Mr. Henry Amadi, had prayed the court to declare that Jonathan was not eligible to run for another election, because by so doing, he would be  in office for more than two terms of four years as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution.

US, UK, others issue travel warnings on Nigeria

Click banner for more info

EMBASSIES of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada on Wednesday issued fresh warnings to their citizens, advising them not to travel to Nigeria.

The embassies hinged their warnings on the deployment of troops in northern Mali, fearing attacks on Nigeria by Islamic terrorists with sympathy for the Malian rebels, especially on Thursday (today) that has already been declared a public holiday to mark the birth of Prophet Mohammed.

Nigerian 1,200 troops arrived in Bamako, Malian capital, on Sunday as part of an international military intervention to end the crisis in the northern part of Mali.

CAN crisis deepens

Click banner for more info

The crisis rocking the Christian Association of Nigeria worsened on Wednesday as the association told the Catholic Church to go ahead with its decision to pull out of the association.

The Catholic Church recently decided to pull out of CAN, alleging that the Christian body no longer stood for the objectives for which it was set up.  The Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Monsignor Christopher Ajala, on Tuesday, alleged that CAN had become an arm of government.

But CAN blamed the Catholic’s action on the loss of the Presidency of CAN to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. 

PHOTO: Mysterious Lightning Explosion Kills 7-Month Baby, Traditional Ruler, And 4 Others

Click banner for more info

7-month-old baby, a traditional healer, and four others died in a mysterious lightning blast on Monday.

The bodies of the dead were burnt while their limbs were strewn all over the place covering a distance of up to 60 metres.  The bodies were removed on Tuesday with the dormitory town awash with speculation on the cause of the mystery blast. The traditional healer and his clients' remains were taken to the General Hospital for post mortem.

kidnappers of Lagos school boy demands N150m ransom

Click banner for more info

Kidnappers of two-year old Nigerian  boy, Emmanuel Alonge (pictured above), have demanded  N150 million as ransom before the boy could be released.  Alonge was on his way to school on Monday in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, when he was kidnapped by gunmen and whisked away to an unknown destination. TrendsNigeria learnt that the father of the boy, Olusegun Alonge, who is the proprietor of Barachel group of schools in Ifako-Ijaiye, had been contacted by the kidnappers and given 48 hours ultimatum to provide the money or risk losing his son.

A family source said the kidnappers called the father of the boy on two occasions the same day. The first time was at 4.21 pm while the second was at 11.30 pm to demand for the ransom.

‘Don’t sleep on your stomach’ – 10 ways to wake up looking gorgeous

Click banner for more info

Did you know that the average head weighs around eight pounds? Imagine all of that weight on your face – a recipe for crinkled up morning skin.

We’re sick of venturing downstairs every morning with our pyjamas in a tangle, bed hair, under-eye bags and a pasty face, so we decided to do something about it. Want to know how to wake up looking glamorous and gorgeous? Here are 10 simple ways:

Gumi: 'Evil' Jonathan - Repent And Resign; IBB, Obasanjo, Buhari, Atiku - Banned To Cleanse Nigerian

Click banner for more info

Fearless Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has declared President Goodluck Jonathan "evil" and a failure, and called on him to repent and resign in order to recreate peace in Nigeria. He also said that many top former military Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida be banned from participating in active Nigerian politics.

Gumi was speaking in a morning sermon today in Kaduna titled "The Man Jonathan", underlining that the sermon was neither criticism nor praise of a man. He said that Islam teaches that all prophets and people of God are in the Right extreme of the spectrum, while those that fight, oppose and suppress them or their mission are in the left extreme apparently the black.

Nigerian Student Sentenced To Death For Drug Trafficking in Malaysia

Click banner for more info

A 23 year-old Nigerian student of a private college in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was sentenced to death by hanging after he was found guilty of trafficking in 16,936gm of cannabis two years ago.

As reported by NewStraits Times, the Judicial Commissioner Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against John Amaechi Eze.

In his judgment, Zaki said the accused claimed he was waiting to board an express bus at a restaurant in front of the Lye Huat Garden hall when he was arrested by police. However, he said the court did not believe his claim that he did not own the luggage when witnesses had testified that he was with the luggage all the time.