Gist Arena

A Niger Delta militant group known as the Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC, has issued a statement threatening to kill Muslims and attack mosques in their region if the Factional leader of Boko Haram set, Abu Masab el Barnaw and his members carry out their planned attacks on Christians and Churches. Barnaw yesterday released an audio message in which he said the vision of their sect was to kill christians and attack churches. In a swift reaction, spokesperson of the militant group, W O I Izon-Ebi, warned that the Islamic leader should ot carry out his plans otherwise they will retaliate. Read Izon-Ebi's statement below “We want to alert Nigerians and the world that the Islamization plot has been proven by the Boko Haram new leader Abu Masab el Barnaw that their new mission is to kill all Christians and burn down all churches. But, we want to warn them that we, the Niger Delta youths, in this 21st century will not accept killing of innocent Christia...

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied media reports that he made a surprise appearance at the PDP ‎caretaker committee meeting which held at the Yar'Adua Center Abuja yesterday August 5th. In a statement he released this afternoon, Obasanjo said contrary to what has been reported, he was at the Yar'Adua Center to attend a function organized by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the Senate Committee Chairman on Agriculture. Read his statement below 'The attention of the former President, His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has been brought to the photonews story, which has gone viral on the social media on Friday, August 5, 2016 of his purported being “spotted” at a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) event at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja‎. While ordinarily his first reaction to the news was that those behind it targeted to get him annoyed and embarrassed him, his conclusion was that he has told the world that he has quit partisan politics and that is...

There is a popular Yoruba saying that  ''even if a lie strives for 20 years, it will only take the truth one single day to overshadow it.'' This wise saying perfectly fits into the political gimmicks of Governor Ayodele Peter Fayose of Ekiti who parades himself as the most potent voice of the main opposition party in Nigeria; People's Democratic Party. A close study of Fayose will reveal that the young man who grew up in Ibadan craves desperately for media attention. Fayose has carved a niche for himself in the area of taking controversial stands for publicity purposes. He has exploited the current prowess of the social and online media to boost his popularity based on epic emptiness.  Fayose has mastered the craft of what I have coined as 'political acting' which is constantly initiated to cajole laymen. Fayose is a man that frequently engages in plebeian activities like buying roasted corn on the streets, drinking palm-wine, cutting fish...

We already have a gold medalist, and it’s a 19-year-old West Virginia University sophomore, Virginia Thrasher. With two shots to go in the women’s air rifle event, Thrasher, who is known as Ginny, led by 0.7 points. She coolly squeezed off shots of 10.5 and 10.4 to take gold. Two Chinese shooters, Du Li and favored Yi Siling won silver and bronze. Another American, Sarah Scherer was eighth. Thrasher has only been shooting for five years, after she asked her father to take her deer hunting. She was N.C.A.A. champion as a freshman and surprisingly qualified for the U.S. team at the Olympic Trials. “For me, it has been a whirlwind of a summer,” she said. She will also compete in the 50-meter rifle, three positions, next Saturday, then head back to W.V.U. “I get home 20 hours before the first class,” she said. “So I’ll be in physics at 8:30 a.m.” In the afternoon shooting event, history was made when Vinh Xuan Hoang won the men’s air pistol. It was the fi...

The Enugu base controversial Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has responded to the Media interpretation of his message, “There Is Hunger Everywhere”, as an attack on Buhari, and said that Jonathan’s administration was a mess and cancerous to the economic life of Nigeria. In a statement issued through his spokesman, Barr Maximus Ike Ugwuoke, the cleric said he observed with keen concern the news trending some sections of the media that he “attacked” President Muhammadu Buhari. Mbaka maintained that he didn’t attack Buhari but told him the situation of things in the country and as well suggested ways out. He said that “the news headline is not only sensational but also a censorious media colouration and hype of the message of the cleric titled ‘Bless and Be Blessed’ for whatever ends.” While admitting that he lamented the level of hunger and suffering in the country, the fiery priest said it was followed by another ‎message where he explained that Buhari was not re...

Rio's Olympic Games have officially begun after Friday's Opening Ceremony - a celebration of Brazilian culture featuring Gisele, carnival-style dancing and an elaborate light display. But many were left unimpressed by the cut-price ceremony - which cost just a tenth of London's in 2012, branding it 'boring'. Others were furious that the money had been spent on the Olympics during Brazil's worst recession in recent years. That anger erupted into protests outside the stadium as demonstrators, also frustrated over the presence of Brazil's acting president Michel Temer, clashed with police who used tear gas on the protesters. Inside the stadium, others showed their anger through the thousands of seats left unsold as the Opening Ceremony began. The 80,000-seater Maracana Stadium was less than two thirds full when the lights went down. A Brazilian presenter told the audience: 'We are 60,000 people soon to be joined by three billion' on ...

The opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympics was splendid, interesting and all shades of colourful. It was directed by one of Brazil’s most renowned filmmakers, Fernando Meirelles, who is best known for his 2002 movie, City of God The ceremony took place at the Maracana Stadium in Rio, Brazil. Check out all the beautiful photos...

Things are not the same anymore. There's a crack within the ranks of Niger Delta Avengers, with a new breakaway faction announcing itself as the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA). The split was announced in a statement signed by one Cynthia White. The Reformed Avengers said the decided to split from the ND Avengers after appeal by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and its conviction that the peace initiative of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is genuine.  The RNDA added that it also experienced a feeling of guilt over the damage being done by sons of the Niger Delta on "our environment" at a time the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has shown commitment to the cleanup of the Niger Delta environment.  The new group promised to reveal the identities of those behind the resurgence of violence in the oil-producing region. "We have decided to join the MEND Aaron Team 2 peace initiative through the...

Wife of President Buhari, Aisha Buhari, who is currently in the US, says she decided to sue Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose because he was always insulting her and making false allegations against her. Aisha said this in an interview with Hausa service of the Voice of America yesterday August 5th. “At the time, he was not the only one insulting us, but people felt that it was just campaign. After the election, which we won and they lost, everyone else moved on except him and he extended his insults to me. I did not run for president.   I am a married woman and I have never called his name. I never knew him. But as governor and chief executive, he kept insulting and raising false allegations against me, I have to respond and I decided to go to court. He made allegations over what he said I did here in the US, even though I have never met the people he mentioned.”she said Aisha Buhari on July 20th filed a lawsuit against Fayose over his claim that she was ...

This is what they were meant to wear to the Olympics opening ceremony yesterday but their outfits weren't ready. They had to wear tracksuits. See the Photo below

Aisha, President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, on Saturday said she was on a week-long visit to the United States of America to hold discussions with aid organizations on how to help the women and children facing starvation in the north eastern part of Nigeria. Mrs. Buhari spoke in an interview with the Hausa service of the Voice of America, VOA. “Our children in the various camps are in dire situation and the government alone cannot do it, we have to get help,” she said. Mrs. Buhari said already, she had met with organisations known for promoting peace and provision of aids to displaced children. Mrs. Buhari said she met with officials of the United States Institute for peace on Friday and assured them that unlike what obtained in the past, any aid rendered to displaced persons would go to those who needed them. She also said she told the officials that what was needed now was not even cash because statistics had shown that children between the ages of five months...

The Ministry of Education has denied harmonizing the degrees and higher national diploma awarded by universities and polytechnics. A spokesperson for the ministry denied recent reports that the dichotomy between Bachelors and HNDs had been abolished, saying HND holders must meet new requirements to attain the Bachelors level. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, Benjamin Goong, said the ministry lacked the power to end the inequality. He however said the government had taken steps to bridge the gap to ensure HND holders are treated fairly when seeking for jobs. “Two weeks ago, the ministry sent a memo to the National Council of Establishments (NCE) to institute a bridging program for the HND holders and the proposal was approved. “The bridging program is for HND holders who can either attend the National Teachers Institute (NTI) or any institution offering post-graduate diploma programs, before they can attain the level graduates can attain in the ...