Gist Arena

The suspected kidnappers of the Sierra Leonean envoy to Nigeria, Major-General Alfred Nelson-Williams (rtd) were paraded before newsmen today July 12th. Nelson-Williams was kidnapped on Friday July 1st and later released on July 5th. According to leader of the group Yusuf, a ransom of N1.5 million was received from the Sierra Leonean embassy but the police caught up with them after they collected the ransom. When asked how the gang members came about the military camouflage they were using for the criminal operation and the AK 47 rifles which looked exactly like military weapons, the gang leader said one Musa who provided it for them was killed in a shootout with the police. The suspected kidnappers are Rabiu Yusuf, Garba Abubakar, Yusuf Adamu, Hussaini Musa, Shuaibu Idris, Usman Bello, Musa Ali, Muhammadu Abubakar, Suleiman Abubakar, Gambo Ibrahim and Balarabe Mohammadu.

According to tweets by Sahara Reporters, Revelation from panel investigating theft of military funds indicts Buhari Min for Internal Affairs Lt. Gen. Dambazau of grand theft FLASH: Buhari's Minister of Internal Affairs Lt. General AbdulRahman Dambazua was taking N1b monthly from salaries of Nigeria Army as COAS — Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 12, 2016 FLASH: Revelation from panel investigating theft of military funds indicts Buhari Min for Internal Affairs Lt. Gen. Dambazau of grand theft — Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 12, 2016

Sahara Reporters earlier today reported that he threatened to beat up Remi Tinubu at the Senate today. Dino reacted to the report via his twitter handle...

On Tuesday, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders officially endorsed his political rival former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Primary contest to be President of the United States. The rally, held at Portsmouth High School in New Hampshire, confirms that that Mrs. Clinton has an unobstructed road to secure the Democratic party nomination. News of Mr. Sanders’s endorsement of Mrs. Clinton follows developments that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will not charge her for any alleged criminal activities stemming from her handling of classified government information on a private email server. Mr. Sanders said today that, “I have come here to make it as clear as possible why I am endorsing Hillary Clinton and why she must become our next president.” Speaking on the end to their rivalry he insisted, "This campaign is not really about Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders. This campaign is about the needs of the American peop...

The leadership tussle over the stool of the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church in Nigeria, between Professor Paul Emeka and Dr. Chidi, exploded into violence in one of its branches in Saminaka, Lere Local Government Area, Kaduna State, about 140 kilometres east of Kaduna metropolis. The fight left 20 members with injuries and two homes of resident pastors burnt. A source from the Assemblies of God Church (Jerusalem), Saminaka, told Vanguard in Kaduna that the fight started from 8a.m. and lasted till 2p.m. Sunday, which was later confirmed by Kaduna State Police Command. It could be recalled that on September 15, 2015, Governor Nasir el-Rufai had ordered the closure of the church including the Theological Seminary of Northern Nigeria, Saminaka, Shalom Comprehensive College, AGC Evangelist Hospital, Saminaka, saying it was to avoid a possible breakdown of law and order, as the two factions squabbled. According to the source, a minority fact...

A certain Rev. Fr. Chiedozie Modestus Chilaka, has allegedly prayed for a dead man who was about to be buried and he woke up.  According to Amanda Chisom who posted the pictures on Facebook: ”Rev. Fr. Chiedozie Modestus Chilaka, prays for a dead man that was about to be buried and the God of resurrection brought the man back to life. Just as God brought back Lazarus to life. God said ” I will make haste to perform the words of my Prophet ” This Miracle took place at Iheala.  This year! you will not bury any member of your family. This year! nobody will say sorry to you, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. This year any gathering in your house, in your compound, will not be for condolence.  It will be for celebration, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Right now, this very moment the God of resurrection that brought this MAN back to life is giving life to anything that is dead in your life. My God is giving life to your marriage, that busine...

The Prime Minister of Great Britain David Cameron is billed to resign tomorrow voluntarily. In the picture above is David Cameron regarded as the 8th Most Powerful person in the world assisting to move out his property from the seat of power at Number 10 Downing Street London UK. In that picture , I can't see any tout, thug, commissioner or Security personnels near him. But in Africa what do you expect to see? This Is not photoshop

A popular Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike has informed a Lagos Island Customary Court that he had filed an application before a High Court restraining the lower court from hearing the divorce suit filed by his estranged wife, Emma.  Emma had sometime in 2015 approached the court to dissolve the 16 years union between her and the Nollywood actor on grounds of incessant battery.  The allegation which the actor had vehemently denied, and begged the court not to separate them, saying “I still love my wife’’. When the matter which was slated for judgment came up on Tuesday, Emeka’s lawyer, Mr Abdul Labi-Lawal informed the court that his client had filed a stay of proceedings before a High Court in Lagos. The application marked FCMP/20054/16 had Emma and the Customary Court President, Mr Awos Awosola as the first and second defendants respectively.  The application sought the High Court’s declaration that the Lagos Island Customary Court lacked requis...

Khloe K today fired back at a Twitter user who called her out after it was revealed that Lamar Odom was drunk & removed from a Delta Airlines flight. Mr Steal Your Girl, by the way, is Trey Songs!

President Buhari has appointed co-convener of advocacy group, Bring Back Our Girls, Hadiza Bala Usman, as Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Her appointment is effective July 11, 2016. President Buhari also appointed three persons as Executive Directors at the NPA. They are: Mohammed Bello-Koko (Finance), Professor Idris Abubakar (Engineering) and Dr. Sekonte Davies (Marine Operations). 40 year old Hadiza Bala takes over from Habib Abdullahi. Until her appointment, Hadiza was serving as the chief of staff to the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

Kenneth Okonkwo shared more photos of his baby boy, Kenechukwu on Instagram and wrote: "God is Love. I thank God everyday for the gift of you. That's why Your name has to be Kenechukwu". See the photos below

The president's children graduated from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom. Congrats to them. See more photos below

A heavily intoxicated Lamar Odom was removed from a Delta airline flight after he threw up on the plane and had vomit all over him. Hope he doesn't end up in the hospital again! Here's how TMZ is reporting it. Lamar Odom was taken off a Delta flight  Monday  night after getting wasted in the airport lounge and vomiting on the plane ... TMZ has learned.  Lamar went to the Delta lounge at LAX before boarding a red-eye for NYC, and according to eyewitnesses was pounding down beers and whisky. By the time he got on the flight, we're told he was wasted.  Two passengers in first class tell TMZ, Lamar went to 4B and sat down, but as the plane was about to pull back he bolted for the front, threw up in the galley and then walked in the bathroom and with the door open threw up again. When he came out of the bathroom, we're told he had vomit on his clothes. The passengers tell us the flight attendants "gently" escorted Lamar off the plane, and a cleaning...

EXECUTIVE SESSION Today's plenary was introduced with a closed door session that lasted for an hour where the Senators deliberated on issues relating to the smooth running of the Senate and the National Assembly in general. Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki presided over plenary Senator Usman Bayero Nafada moved for the adoption of votes and proceedings of Thursday 23rdJune 2016 and Senator Sani Danladi seconded. PETITION Senator Mao raised a petition from a member of his constituency over unlawful termination of appointment, the motion was refered to committee on Ethics Privileges and Public Petitions to report back in two weeks. POINTS OF ORDER Senator Tijani Yahaya coming from order 42 (1) raised a motion on the demise of the Marafa of Sokoto Alhaji Umaru Aliyu Shinkafi on the 6th of July. Senator Adamu Aliero seconded the motion and it was addressed. Senator David Umaru raised a point of order from order 53 regarding the decision of the Senate on...

Below is a press statement by CAN titled- Nigeria: A macabre dance of death  The National leadership and the entire members of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have received with rude shock and disbelief the report of yet another religious hatred motivated gruesome murder of a dedicated 42 year old Christian mother of seven children, Mrs. Eunice Elisha, who on Saturday 9th July, 2016, was brutally killed while doing Christian evangelism.  Mrs. Eunice Elisha was murdered in Kubwa area of Abuja, FCT, in the early hours of the day. Her neck was slashed and she was also stabbed in the stomach. About a month ago in Kano, Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme, a 74 year old Christian was murdered at Wambai market due to an altercation with a Muslim man who came to the front of her shop to perform ablution. Her offence was that she objected to the Islamic washing rite in front of her shop. Just last week a clergyman of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Reverend Za...

Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber broke into an uproar today with some members threatening President Muhammad Buhari with impeachment, and Dino Melaye threatening to ‘impregnate’ Remi Tinubu, the wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader. The Senators who met behind closed doors were incensed by the proposed trial of the leadership of the Senate for forgery. Shortly after commencement of a plenary session, some Senators called on their colleagues, led by Senators Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi (APC Kaduna North) and Kabir Marafa (APC Zamfara Central) to sheathe their sword and withdraw the petition that had led to the criminal prosecution of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. The Executive Session, which was chaired by Saraki, also reminded the Senate that a committee led by former Senate President David Mark had been set up to “reconcile” members. Curiously, Mr. Mark stood and said he was not informed that he chairs such a ...

The Police in Bauchi on Monday said they have arrested a 25-year-old man, Maikudi Mohammed, for being in possession of the head of his child. The Bauchi State Police Command said in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, that the man was arrested in Misau Local Government Area of the state, based on intelligence report. The man was allegedly caught with his son’s head wrapped in a cloth. The police said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect and another man went to a cemetery in Galambi village and removed the head of his child, who died and was buried there, with the intention of selling it to a customer still at large. “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect conspired with his accomplice, one Damina Mohammed, male (26), of the same address and went to a graveyard in Galambi village and removed the head of a male child’s corpse in order to sell it to their customer now at large,” the police said. “T...

As the deadline for submission of candidates for the Edo State governorship election ends today, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday disclosed that it was yet to be provided with the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). INEC’s deputy director, Voter Education and Publicity, Nick Dazang, who disclosed this to LEADERSHIP, added that the commission was yet to take a decision on which of the candidates from the factions it would accept. He further stated that, so far, only six political parties had submitted names of their candidates for the election. However, deputy national chairman of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party, Cairo Ojuogboh, told LEADERSHIP that the faction had submitted the name of Matthew Iduoriyekemwen to INEC, adding that the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja gave them the authority to do so. Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Iduoriyekemwen had emerged candidates from separate primaries conducted by the w...

The woman who was r*ped and stabbed by Baddo In recent times, it has been reported that the residents of Ibeshe in the Ikorodu area of Lagos state, live in great fear as they are scared of the dreaded r*pist known as Baddo, who is said to be notorious in forcefully sleeping with aged women, particularly single mothers and widows, as well as being a nightmare for others According to photos which was posted on a popular online platform, a 63-year-old woman, recieved the greatest shock of her life in the early hours of Sunday, (around 2:30am) as she was allegedly r*ped and stabbed to near death, while her 10-year-old daughter was not spared as Baddo made sure she was stopped from waking the neighbours. The scene of the crime (left) and the woman's daughter (right) An eye witness, Mr. Alagbala, who spoke to a correspondent alleged that the notorious kingpin is aided by some top men in the community. "The truth is, someone in this community is using ...

Over an amendment to alter section 308 of the Nigerian constitution to give room for immunity of the national assembly leadership, the federal house of representatives on Tuesday, reportedly went into a rowdy session. According to  TheCable News , Leo Ogor, the minority leader of the house who sponsored the bill, said by providing immunity for the leadership of the national assembly, the independence of the legislature will be guaranteed. “The amendment is straight forward but it needs some clear explanation. The amendment seeks to strengthen the national assembly, they (leadership) should be protected in the period they are in office,”  Ogor said. Femi Gbajabiamila, the majority leader, kicked against the amendment, saying that the timing of the legislation is not right. “We must feel the pulse of the people; there is something about timing, timing in any piece of legislation is important. There are issues in the senate and I pray it’s resolved,” ...

US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, will on Thursday July 14th, tender a video evidence of the alleged sexual misconduct of three Nigerian lawmakers in Cleveland, USA last month. Entwistle has been summoned by the House of Representatives joint committees on Ethics and Privileges and foreign affairs investigating the alleged sexual misconduct. Also to appear before the committee is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama. The US Ambassador had in a letter sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, accused three members of the House, Samuel Ikon (PDP, Akwa Ibom), Mohammed Gololo (APC, Bauchi) and Mark Gbillah (APC, Benue), of sexual misconduct while they were attending a conference in Cleveland, USA .

The FCT Police commissioner, Alkali Usman, says six out of the eight people arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of a Redeemed Christian Church of God evangelist, Eunice Olawale in Kubwa last Saturday, have been released after investigations showed they had nothing to do with the crime. According to him, two other suspects are being held for further interrogation.  "Intensive investigation into the matter has been launched. The deputy commissioner of police in charge of investigations is heading the investigation team. Eight arrest has been made but after screening and interrogation, we released six. Two are helping us in our investigation"he  told Channels TV. According to CP Alkali, the reports that her head was severed by her attackers is untrue. He added that all her body parts were intact when police officers got to the scene of the incident. He refuted claims that the killing was religiously motivated.