Gist Arena

Babatunde Fashola, minister of power, works and housing, says Nigeria is in big trouble if lawmakers do not understand the difference between cash and budgets. He expressed deep concern over the recourse of the national assembly’s spokespersons to name calling over his observations on the 2017 budget. In a press release signed by Hakeem Bello, his special adviser on media, the minister said it will not be out of place to seek a resolution of the conflict between the executive and the legislators at the supreme court. In an interview with TheCable , Fashola said some provisions of the budget violate the nation’s constitution. But the senate and hosue of respresentatives disputed the minister’s claims and accused him of spreading half-truths. In his response, Fashola said the lawmakers missed the point in the haste to cast aspersions on him. He alleged that the national assembly was more interested in small projects that are not life-changing. ...

A top investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on June 24, 2017 escaped death by the whiskers when gunmen opened fire on him in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Mr. Austin Okwor an operative in the Property Fraud Section of the EFCC Zonal office in Port Harcourt, had closed late for the day and as he left office, he was suddenly accosted by a gang of daredevil hoodlums who opened fire on him. Luckily for him, he was able to shake off his assailants but not without sustaining some bullet wounds as they kept firing at him. He was rushed to a private hospital in Port Harcourt where he is receiving treatment. According to Ishaq Salihu, Head of the Zonal office, the incident has already been reported to the Police in Port Harcourt. Okwor is one of the operatives investigating some sensitive cases including that pertaining to corrupt judicial officials. Before the incident, the officer had been receiving threat messages. One of such messages ...

Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC, a militant group in the Niger Delta region, yesterday, warned it would resist with the last drop of its members’ blood, further oil exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta if the North executes its alleged agenda of sabotaging the acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, to thwart the demand for restructuring of the country and fiscal federalism. The militant group, in a statement by its spokesperson, WOI Izon-Ebi, said: “For those with this sinister motive, because they feel President Muhammadu Buhari is debilitated, we advise them to keep the money to fund their junta government because NDRC will resist with their last blood the use of the oil from the Niger Delta to fund their greed and perfidy.” Underscoring its readiness to stop the flow of oil from the region, the group said: “We call on all oil workers in the Niger Delta to vacate all oil facilities for their own safety. We also call on the operators of the Bonga Oil F...

New York Post reports that the 48-year-old business tycoon, who is friends with Jay Z, Beyoncé and Naomi Campbell hasn’t been paying his bills on the $50.9 million luxury condo, and a European bank is forcing a sale next month. 79th floor penthouse belonging to Kola Aluko about to be foreclosed due to bills not being paid by the Energy tycoon The Luxembourg-based Banque Havilland, which issued a $35.3 million mortgage on the 6,240-square-foot spread at 157 E. 57th St., has listed as collateral Aluko’s 213-foot yacht, the Galactica Star, and is looking to collect what it’s owed plus interest, court documents show. On top of the unpaid mortgage that came due last fall, Aluko also has been racking up maintenance fees and taxes on the property. He has not been seen for some time, prompting speculation that he is hiding out on the Galactica Star. The boat which Aluko rented to Jay Z and Beyoncé in 2015 for $900,000 a week was last registered in Freeport, the...