Senate Receives Signed Copy Of 2013 Budget From Jonathan

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The Senate today confirmed receipt of the signed 2013 budget from President Goodluck Jonathan.

Senate Spokesman Enyinnaya Abaribe, who confirmed this to journalists in Abuja, said copies of the signed budget were already with all the senators.

Abaribe, who noted that the president was yet to seek an amendment to the budget, however assured that should he do so, the Senate would work on it.

He said within the next few days, all the senators would critically look at the details of the signed budget to be sure that it is in tandem with the one passed by the National Assembly.

According to Abaribe, “every budget is an organic system which means that necessarily, there will be corrections and those corrections come through another appropriation bill that will be sent as a supplementary bill. That is the only way I know that an amendment of the budget can be done. If we get such a supplementary bill, we are going to work with it.”

PDP Internal Crisis: Amaechi, Aliyu, Others Snub Govs’ Meeting

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Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was among six governors who were conspicuously missing Monday night at the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum meeting, which held in the nation’s capital.

Aside Amaechi, other absent governors included Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Dr. Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Seidu Dakingari (Kebbi); Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto); Musa Kwakwanso(Kano) and Sulivan Chime).

Eight other governors, who were absent at the meeting however sent their deputies unlike the six absentee governors.

House Committee Orders Arrest Of 3 Top NNPC Staff Over Missing Funds Running Into Billions Of Dollar

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House of Representatives Committee on Public Account has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, to arrest and bring before the committee, the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Engineer Andrew Yakubu, the Executive secretary, Petroleum Products Price regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Mr Reginald Stanley, and the Director Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr Augustine Olorunsola.

This is as a result the refusal of the trio to appear before the committee to defend the multi-billion dollar Auditor-General of the Federation query dated back to 2007. The IGP has therefore been given an ultimatum to ensure that the three individuals were brought before the committee in person by 1.00pm today.

(NLC) challenged by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to strengthen its structure

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been challenged by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to strengthen its structure, reposition itself and strive to have a say in setting and implementing developmental agenda for Nigeria.

This call was made by the Director-General of the ILO, Mr Guy Ryder, who was speaking during a one-day interactive session of the International Affairs Committee of the NLC, on “International Cooperation Work,” held in Abuja,on Monday.

House Of Reps Query CBN, FIRS,NCS Over Missing N7.9bn

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The House of Representatives on Monday uncovered a N7.935bn discrepancy in the remittance of revenue generated by the Nigeria Customs Service to the Federation Account in 2007.

A report of the House Committee on Public Accounts indicated that Customs generated and remitted N233.430bn to the Federation Account during the year, but found out that only N241.366bn was released to the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee for sharing between the three tiers of government.

This left a difference of N7.9bn, which the committee said was not accounted for.

The committee queried the Central Bank of Nigeria, the NCS and the Federal Inland Revenue Service about the development. It directed them to explain what led to the discrepancy.

Photos: Nigerian man jailed 14yrs for trafficking teenagers from the UK to use as prostitutes across Europe

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 A Nigerian man has been jailed for 14 years for his role in the 'horrific' ordeal of two teenage girls being trafficked via London to work as prostitutes in mainland Europe. A court heard Odosa Usiobaifo, 35, from Enfield, north London, was involved in a 'significant' organised crime gang trafficking young women for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Usiobaifo was arrested after two Nigerian girls missing from local authority care in London were given false passports and tickets and placed on a flight to Spain.

We Have Never Had Unemployment As Huge As This In Our History – Rauf Aregbesola

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Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has urged the Federal Government to declare a national emergency in unemployment in the country.

Governor Aregbesola made this call while declaring open a retreat organised for the 26-member Osun State House Assembly in Ada, on Monday. The theme of the retreat was ‘Developing corporate skills’ and in attendance were the Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, and his deputy, Mr. Adegboye Akintunde, among others. Aregbesola said it was strange that the unemployment level in the country had failed to elicit the desired reaction from governments.

Photos: Accident on 3rd mainland bridge !

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The accident happened around 11.45 am today. It was caused by a red saloon car which was loaded with foodstuff. The saloon car lost control and hit an SUV, causing the SUV to somersault. Fortunately no one was injured in the accident.

New Pope Elected: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina

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76 year old Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Buenos Aries in Argentina has been named the 266th Pope. He's the first Latin-American Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, which is the longest running institution in the history of mankind...almost 2,000 years old.  The new Pope was the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina before he was elected to lead the Catholic church. He was ordained for the Jesuits on Dec. 13, 1969. He has chosen the Papal name - Pope Francis 1.

Three Injured As Unknown Gunmen Attack Primary School In Kano

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Gunmen riding on motorcycles on Tuesday morning struck at a primary school in Kumbotso Local Government of Kano state, wounding three staff members, the Kano Police high command have confirmed.  The gunmen were said to have struck Dan Maliki primary school between 9:30am and 10:00am while pupils were in their classrooms. Two teachers and the headmaster were wounded.

While the teachers have been treated and discharged, the police say the headmaster is still receiving medical attention.

NDLEA Nabs Grandmother With Cocaine In Hair Weaving At Abuja Airport

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Saturday nabbed a 53-year-old grandmother, Sikirat Giwa at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while trying to smuggle out cocaine under her hair weave.

The 1kg of white powdery substance which later tested positive to cocaine was discovered during a routine check as the suspect attempted to board an Ethiopian airline Flight ET 910 to Pakistan enroute Addis Ababa and Dubai.

According to the NDLEA Abuja Airport commander, Mr. Hamisu Lawan, “There was no prior information on Sikirat as the drug was detected when a female officer carried out a body frisk on her during outward screening of passengers.”

Ajimobi Launches Free Shuttle Buses For Workers, Students

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Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has launched a transport scheme for civil servants and students in the state.

Speaking at the launch of ten 43-seater buses in Ibadan yesterday, Ajimobi said the buses would be conveying civil servants and students to and fro their offices and schools on daily basis free of charge.

The 10 buses tagged “Ajumose Shuttle” is part of the current administration’s 100 43-seater buses and another 100 mini-buses meant to ameliorate the transport situation in the state.

Human Rights Activist Festus Keyamo Set To Contest For Governorship In Delta State In 2015

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The 2015 gubernatorial election in Delta State is set to produce a lot of drama, especially if fillers emerging from the media is anything to go by. Information has it that human rights activist, Mr Festus Keyamo, has indicated his interest to contest for the governorship of the state.

The human rights activist made this known recently in Effurun-Warri, Delta State, at the maiden edition of Delta Forces United (DFU), a rallying point being put in place to mobilise and galvanise progressives in the state.

Obama’s Policies Have Only Increased African American Unemployment – Dr Ben Carson

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A comment from the world-renowned neurosurgeon, Dr Ben Carson has sparked a discussion in the African American community.

“If President Obama wants to be a hero in the African-American community, he should do something to alleviate the “abominable” African American unemployment rate in America,” says Dr. Carson.

The head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md., who was the first surgeon to separate conjoined twins, has continued to ride the wave of momentum from his last speech by speaking out on the economic policies of the Obama administration by stating that they’ve been harmful to African Americans.

Cardinals Fail To Elect Pope After Three Ballots

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Black smoke rose from above the Sistine Chapel for a second day on Wednesday after a secret conclave of cardinals held two more inconclusive votes for a new pope to lead the troubled Church.

The 115 cardinal electors entered the conclave in the Sistine’s Renaissance splendor on Tuesday and held their first inconclusive ballot that evening.

Too Many Drug Types Are Compromising Heart Health: Doctors

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Too Many Drug Types Are Compromising Heart Health: Doctors

The criticism was voiced by a number of leading heart doctors who attended the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology, held on March 9-11 in San Francisco. They said eliminating certain drugs could potentially improve care without compromising treatment. Evidence is growing that some medications are not effective.

Saudi Arabia Executes Seven For Armed Robbery

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Source Gathered that Saudi Arabia on Wednesday executed seven men for armed robbery, the Interior Ministry said, despite an appeal for clemency by United Nations human rights investigators.

The seven were sentenced to death in 2009 for crimes committed in 2005 and 2006 when human rights groups said some were younger than 18.

The conservative Islamic kingdom, which applies a strict interpretation of sharia, has faced criticism by Western countries for its frequent use of capital punishment and trials that human rights groups say do not meet international standards.

Survival Tactics! DPO Scale Fence To Escape From Armed Robbers (PHOTOS)

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Sokoto state yesterday was shocked as the picture of a DPO jumping a fence in fear of boko haram instead of confronting them was shown on the web . According to the blogospere, this happened in the police station close to Old Market in Sokoto State yesterday.  “At the sound of the armed robbers’ heavy guns, which was like bombs, the DPO and one of his men quickly escaped through the back of the station, thinking they were about to be attacked by the dreaded Boko Haram”

Crisis In Europe: Italy to leave Eurozone?

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Beppe Grillo, the leader of the “Five Star Movement” which won 25% of the votes cast in the last parliamentary elections was interviewed by the German financial newspaper Handelsblatt. The former comic turned politician told the German journalists that Italy is in fact out of the Eurozone and called for a popular referendum for returning to the Italian lira.

HEARTLESS: Man Poisons Girlfriend’s Drink With Eye Drops

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A 27-year-old man was arrested last week Thursday (March 8) for poisoning his girlfriend by spiking her drink with Visine eye drops after a domestic dispute. The incident took place in Grass Valley, California, between Shayne Carpenter and his girlfriend. After an argument, Carpenter spiked his girl’s drink with Visine, the eye drops that purport to “get the red out”, ABC News reports.  He texted his friends about the prank, little did he know how snoopy his girlfriend could be, who found the messages and phoned the cops.