Gist Arena

Minister of Health has said there's no single confirmed case of Ebola in Nigeria currently and it's safe for primary and secondary schools to resume but the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, is not convinced. Today September 16th, NUT directed its members to ignore the Sept. 22nd resumption date of schools in Nigeria. Speaking today to journalists in Abuja, the NUT National President, Comrade Micheal Olukoya, said teachers should only resume if the government provides them with necessary preventive & protective gadgets on Ebola virus. Continue... NUT president Olukoya said;   "Where the federal government insists on the 22nd September, 2014, date in spite of the wise counsel, the union will rather direct teachers to resume schools whenever they are sufficiently trained and their schools have been provided with the necessary preventive and protective gadgets. For the avoidance of doubt, the teachers have this day, resolved to resume classes in obedienc...

South African president, Jacob Zuma announced today that 67 of its citizens died in the Synagogue building collapse that occurred on September 12th. The South Africans were in Nigeria to seek spiritual help and were staying at the guest house before it collapsed.

Yesterday there were reports that a private jet was seized and two Nigerians were being investigated for trying to smuggling $9.3 million in cash into South Africa (read  here ). It turns out that the private jet the money was found in belongs to the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN president, Ayo Oritsejafor via a company he co-owns, Eagle Air. But in a statement released today, Pastor Oritsejafor said he had leased the jet to another company so had no control over the use of the jet. "On behalf of Pastor Oritsejafor, we can confirm that although he holds an interest in Eagle Air, the aircraft in question is not operated by Pastor Oritsejafor. The aircraft was leased to, and is operated by Green Coast Produce Limited since August 2” a statement from the church read. Green Coast Produce Limited then released a statement saying that the aircraft was hired by one John Ishyaku and therefore they can't be liable for any alleged infractions either in Nigeria or Sou...

Imo state born blogger, Linda Ifeoma Ikeji, popularly known as Linda Ikeji has added a brand new 2014 Range Rover Sport to the list of her cars. The 34-year-old infotainment blogger made it known some hours ago on her blog that she has acquired a 2014 brand new 24M Range Rover Sport to her collection of rides. The blogger who has tried her hands on so many things before venturing into blogging 8years ago recounted her experience and encouraged young girls to focus more on making it in life without depending on any man. She further made it known that it was four years after venturing into blogging that it started paying off. The blogger who has been recognized both home and abroad as one of the foremost blogger in Africa inspired young ladies in her speech to be diligent in whatever they find themselves doing. Linda Ikeji, who is still single made it known that it was through her father’s permission that she bought the car. She also made it known that although her fa...

The man you see in this pic is being accused of sexually molesting his own 5 year old daughter (pictured right). This happened in the Italuwo community in Ikorodu Road, Lagos. I don't have much details but according to a source, a neighbour suspected the man was assaulting the little girl and alerted people in the area.  When confronted, he denied it but the girl confirmed she'd been molested. He was beaten and taken to the community security post. This pic was taken as he was being interrogated. Details later...

A 45-year-old-woman today Tuesday September 16th allegedly walked out alive from the rubbles of the collapsed building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikotun, Lagos. Ibrahim Farinloye, the PRO of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, South-West Zone, told journalists in Lagos that the woman walked out on her own at 2a.m very early today but the woman was not identified. "A woman of about 45 years old walked out of the rubble on her own around 2a.m today. She was able to walk away from the collapse with just a broken wrist. 10 more bodies were recovered, leaving 59 dead and 131 rescued alive,“ Farinloye said. So far 59 bodies have been recovered and Farinloye expect rescue workers to recover more bodies.

An aviation expert who has been researching the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 says it is likely the pilot committed suicide. Ewan Wilson, a New Zealand-based air accident investigator and the founder of Kiwi Airlines, believes captain Zaharie Shah was mentally ill and that his actions ultimately resulted in the deaths of all those on board. Furthermore Wilson, a veteran commercial pilot himself, alleges five previous incidents of “murder/suicide” in the aviation industry over the past three decades. Wilson, whose book Good Night Malaysian 370: The Truth Behind The Loss Of Flight 370, was released in July, is in Birmingham to meet with aviation experts to discuss his findings and “have a candid chat about mental health screening for pilots in the airline industry.” He told the Birmingham Mail:  “There is a fundamental desire to ignore the mental health issue in the aviation industry. “We have shown why hijacking by a passenger or accidental dep...

Generator fumes have killed a man, his wife and all his 3 children in Ipoyewa community of Ikorodu, Lagos. The bodies of the family was discovered by neighbours last Friday September 12th in their home. All five suffocated to death after inhaling fumes from a generator which they'd kept in their room. According to neighbours, the man bought the generator just two days before the unfortunate incident and was afraid it will be stolen if left outside so he kept it inside his 2-room apartment.    When the family failed to come out late Friday morning, a neighbour peeped through their window, saw bodies, and alerted others. They broke down the door to discover the horror. And when I say horror, I mean horror. The photos are really graphic so please be warned. Residents of the community are blaming the family's deaths on lack of power in the area. They claim the last time they had light was 3 years ago, that every house in the area uses a generator. They said they have c...

Daily Trust  is reporting that about 50 men and women were abducted after an attack on Gulak community in Adamawa state on Saturday September 13th. The residents of the community reportedly confirmed that the attack took place and people, including married women were loaded into trucks and taken away. Musa Uba, a resident of Husra village in Michika LGA which is one of the villages that came under heavy attack said able-bodied young men were forcefully converted into the sect after recruitment efforts through preaching failed to attract volunteers. “They conducted preaching sessions to attract converts to their sect but people only listened out of fear. The next day they asked if anybody wanted to join them but there was no response, so they selected many healthy looking young men and ordered them to follow them. One of the victims is my relative who did body building exercises regularly,” he said.

An elderly woman committed suicide by jumping into a pond full of crocodiles, it has been reported. Wanpen Inyai, 65, was torn apart after apparently throwing herself into a pit with more than 1,000 crocodiles at a zoo in Bangkok, Thailand. A disturbing picture was posted online reportedly showing a crocodile approaching her moments before she was attacked. Police said they arrived at the scene to find zoo keepers and staff desperately trying to ward off dozens of reptiles which were feasting on her body. Her sister Sunan Tharmna said Wanpen was depressed and had not spoken to anyone for several days before her death on Friday. Her family tried to file a missing person's report that day, but were told to wait 24 hours by Rom Klao police as required by law. CCTV footage reportedly shows her leaving her shoes on a walkway before jumping into the pit at the Samut Prakarn Crocodile Farm & Zoo, it was reported by the Bangkok Post. Officers said they were able to id...

In an interview with Encomium magazine this week, singer Emma Nyra explained why she likes to show off her cleavage. Which young lady doesn't? Lol. Her response below... "It's not that I flaunt them but part of your selling point as a female artist is your body, your voice, your look, your hair, everything. Chidinma's lack of hair is her selling point, you understand. Each part of you is your selling point" Asked why she flashes the boobs even though they are not big, Emma responded; "Its confidence, you understand. Somebody like Toolz for example, her selling point is her body. Before her voice, it's her body. As a woman, her own packaging is always different. I have grown up to be comfortable with the way the skin is because I have accepted the fact that I can't change it, I have to accept the way I am. Men don't look at me, the women look at women.  If I go out with or without makeup, a man will not notice. But if I go out and I ...

A member of a five-man-gang of robbers, who was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos Command, for snatching trucks carrying fuel on the highway has revealed that he left the Army and took to robbery ‘like duck to water’ because his salary was too small. The suspect, Patrick Okoh, who left when he was a sergeant, explained that he was earning a meager salary of N33, 000 in 2009 and decided to quit. He however tried his hands on clearing and forwarding before he finally took to the life of crime. He and another gang member, who used to pose as a naval officer, were part of the gang. The duo used to wear army and naval uniforms to make the snatching of the trucks easier. Once the truckers are flagged down by the men in uniform, they’ll stop; unaware they had fallen into the hands of armed robbers. The suspects are; Alex Ugboagu, 35, Evans Boniface, Aniekan Emmanuel (Navy), Patrick Okoh (soldier) and Izuchukwu Udeagwu. They were arrested on July...

Residents of the Lonlo area along Iju- Ishaga Road, Lagos woke up on Monday to find a man who had been electrocuted by a transformer belonging to the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company. PUNCH Metro learnt that the man, whose names had yet to be known, was electrocuted while he was allegedly trying to remove transformer cables. He was accused of being a vandal who wanted to steal some cables from the transformer. A resident, who craved anonymity, told PUNCH Metro that the man might have come in the night to steal the cables. She said, “The man is not known here. He might have sneaked to this area at night. It was when we woke up that we found him electrocuted on that spot. The power supply might have been restored while he was in the act. We are still waiting for the government officials to evacuate his body.” While the crowds gathered at the scene, some policemen and officials of the electricity distribution company arrived and said the man wanted to steal an ite...

An Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Joseph Mbu, has described himself as a lion, who tamed the ‘leopard of Port Harcourt’. Mbu, who was apparently referring to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of River State where he served as the Commissioner of Police before he was posted to Abuja stated that it was only a lion that could tame a leopard. Mbu, who was recently promoted AIG, said this while handing over to the new FCT Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, on Monday in Abuja. He advised his successor to be firm in his dealings with policemen in his command and avoid soiling himself. “I advise you (CP) to carry the senior officers along in your administration. It is only a lion that can tame a leopard. I tamed the leopard in Port Harcourt; each time he remembers my face, he would remember how I tamed him,” Mbu said, drawing loud laughter from the audience. He advised Inalegwu to discourage policemen from going for special duties, noting that the obligation of policemen was t...

About 850 soldiers shortlisted for a counter-terrorism course at the Nigerian Army Training Centre in Kontagora, Niger State narrowly escaped death when they were ambushed by suspected members of the outlawed Boko Haram islamist sect. Four of them were however seriously injured in the incident which took place at a location between Okene and Lokoja, Kogi State on Sunday night. A security source said on Monday that the soldiers were men of the 322 Artillery Battalion, and the Fourth Brigade Garrison, Ekeunwa, Benin in Edo State. The PUNCH   learnt that the 850 soldiers were expected to give fillip to the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in Borno and Adamawa states on completion of the counter- insurgency course. Our source said   there were suspicions that the attackers were insurgents because of the intensity of the gunfire directed at the vans conveying the soldiers from both sides of the road. He added that the soldiers, who shot their way through the ...

ABUJA—The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Ademola Amosu has said that the Air Force has credible information on where the Alpha Jet which crashed while on a mission in North-eastern part of the country may be. An Air Force jet with two pilots on board, while on a mission from Yola to Maiduguri, disappeared from radar since Friday and a search and rescue operation has been dispatched to locate and rescue the pilots. Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with Vice President Namadi Sambo, the Air Force chief said the inclement weather in the area has hampered search operations but added that citizens around the area of operation have provided useful information on its possible location. According to him: “One of our Alpha Jets went on routine operation in the North East and lost contact with the control towers and that made us to immediately initiate search. The weather has not been helpful as we have deployed all our surveillance capability, the citizens ...