Gist Arena

Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday joined millions of people who are on the social media network, Twitter. Dangote's twitter account, @AlikoDangote, got an automatic verification from Twitter without a single tweet. About an hour after the account was opened, it had over 1000 followers. The multi-billionaire philanthropist is President of Dangote Group of Companies and has diverse interests in various industries including oil and gas, food, cement, and telecommunications. He was listed as Africa's richest man, 25th globally, by Forbes Magazine, which estimates the Kano-born businessman to be worth $20.8 billion. Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone, powered by Easyblaze

With the economy in a bind and a growing public anger over his administration's management of the economy, President Goodluck Jonathan has taken a rare decision to spend less on food and consumables at the presidential villa in 2014. As the budget comes under an increasingly  intense media scrutiny, President Jonathan has given up nearly half of the presidency's giant feeding bill of N1 billion, a proposal, two years ago, that shocked Nigerians and stirred public anger. The feeding cost has been lowered by N494 million or 45.5 percent in the 2014 budget proposal sent to the National Assembly by the president. The 2014 request, if approved by lawmakers, will be the lowest amount of naira spent by the State House on feeding and allied costs in two years. In the 2012 budget presented in late 2011 by the president, his office and residence as well as those of Vice President Namadi Sambo were allocated an obscene N993 million for refreshments, catering services and purchase of k...

Chizoba Anya, a Nigerian lady, has excreted wraps of substance that tested positive for methamphetamine on-board a Qatar Airline Flight from Malaysia to Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said on Monday. NDLEA said the 32-year old suspect was said to have aroused suspicion following her frequent visits to the toilet. "On arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, three wraps of methamphetamine were found in her possession," said Mitchell Ofoyeju, NDLEA spokesperson. NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, said that the suspect while under observation excreted two additional wraps. "The suspect was found with three wraps which she excreted in the aircraft. While she was under observation at the Lagos airport, she excreted two additional wraps of drugs. The five wraps which tested positive for methamphetamine weighed 80 grammes," Umar said. Preliminary investigation also revealed that the sus...

This is not rumour o...it is a fact. The Kokomaster, 33, and Nigerian screen goddess Genevieve Nnaji, 34, are back together two years after they parted ways. Genny is currently staying at D'banj's Lekki home, and I hear they are already talking marriage. Yes I said marriage. Don't know if it will happen, but they are currently talking about it, so in case it happens, remember y'all read it here first. The loved up couple dated on and off from 2009 to 2011 before Genevieve broke off the relationship because of D'banj's commitment issues. Hope it works out for them this time around! Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone, powered by Easyblaze

Abuja—Fuel scarcity looms as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENSASSAN,  yesterday insisted on going on strike tomorrow to protest the proposed sale of the nation's four refineries by the Federal Government next year. Already, most petrol stations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, remained shut to customers in anticipation of the strike. The two unions had on December 17, 2013, threatened to go on nationwide strike from this week if the Federal Government did not withdraw its plan to privatise the refineries. Vanguard observed that some filling stations were locked up, though they had fuel in stock, apparently hoping to cash in on the anticipated scarcity. Even the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, mega station at Kubwa was not left out. Our correspondent who went round the city reported that most of the filling stations such as the two Total filling sta...

A 27-year-old man, Mohammed Ibrahim, has been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate's Court for allegedly raping two female pupils of Al Adab Nursery and Primary School. The incident was said to have happened in the Surulere area of Lagos and on the school's premises. Ibrahim, an indigene of Niger State, was said to have raped the six and seven year olds in the toilet during school hours. It was learnt that the defendant had only been appointed to teach primary three pupil Islamic Studies in the Muslim school in August 2013. It was said that he was placed on a salary of N10,000 per month which he accepted to take. However, on December 18, 2013 he allegedly asked the victims (names withheld) to help him fetch water and take it to the toilet. He was said to have followed them there, undressed them and had carnal knowledge of them. The victims were said to have cried while the act was on, which attracted the attention of other kids. Ibrahim allegedly pushed them out and preten...