Gist Arena

Ngam Nwachukwu A taxi driver in the Federal Capital Territory, Sikiru Lamidi has been arrested by detectives from Apo Divisional Police Station, Abuja for allegedly killing a former Nigerian ambassador to South Africa, Ngam Nwachukwu, on November 24, last year. Lamidi, from Oyo town in Oyo State, was apprehended at his home town where he was hiding after selling Nwachukwu’s Lexus SUV with Abuja registration number, YAB 938 MC. The police, subsequently, recovered the vehicle which was sold with forged documents to one Femi Adeyemi. A policeman, who asked not to be named, said the deceased, who was 75 years old before he died, had chartered the suspect’s cab on November 23, 2016 and in the course of taking him around informed him about his car which had a mechanical fault. Lamidi was said to have offered to take the ex-envoy to his brother, a mechanic, who could work on the car and it was decided that Lamidi would come to the ex-ambassador’s house the following day....

The Founder and General Overseer of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry in Warri, Delta state, Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin, did something quite shocking during one of the church services recently. While preaching, he asked a single lady to stand up and asked her if she was interested in getting married. The lady said yes and then he asked her to go around the church to pick any brother that she would like to marry. The lady walks around and then informs him that her dream man isn't among the congregation. The Pastor then asked if there were single men who were interested in marrying her. Eight men ran out and when he asked the lady if she likes anyone of them, she responded No!. The pastor then turned to the congregation and asked the single ladies in the church to come out and pick anyone of the brothers standing on the altar. The single ladies filed out in their numbers. In some cases, eight ladies stood behind a brother they were all interested in. Watch the video...

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu handed over 10 brand new KIA MOHAVE SUVs to judges of the State Judiciary today in Umuahia as gathered by Abia Facts Newspaper. During the handover, the Gov. Ikpeazu made it clear that the welfare of judges is paramount to his administration as to enable the Judges dispense justice without fear or favor. The Governor went further to state that more judges will get vehicles in the second batch expected to arrive shortly and said that if not for the precarious financial situation in the country, his plan was to ensure that all Judges and Magistrates are given brand new official vehicles to enhance their dignity and comfort. While responding, Chief Judge of Abia State, Honorable Justice T U Uzokwe thanked the Governor for keeping his promises to the judiciary. The Chief Judge said that in the finest traditions of the judiciary, the 10 vehicles will go to the 10 most senior Judges of the Abia State Judiciary which include Justices Onwuchekwa, O...

A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Onwuka Ukwa, has warned the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to stop playing with fire. He said IPOB’s threat that there would be no-election in Anambra could lead to serious chaos. Ukwa spoke at a stakeholders’ forum organised by Ogilisi Foundation, a socio-cultural organisation, in Oba, near Onitsha, on Friday. Ukwa said that such threat was “expensive’’ and could make Anambra be placed under emergency military rule. His words: “We should preach against anything that will stop election holding in Anambra on November 18. “We should not allow the Federal Government to impose a military administrator on Anambra when other states in the country are enjoying democratically-elected government. “I know we are annoyed about the happenings in Igboland, but I beg you to allow the November 18 election in Anambra as well as work together for a better region. “If the...

The Governors’ Forum has inaugurated a six-member committee to look into the possibility of establishing state police in the country. The Chairman of the Forum, Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, made this known while speaking with State House Correspondents after the Forum’ meeting held at the Banquet hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja late Wednesday evening. Mr. Yari said the committee comprised representatives from the nation’s six geo-political zones. According to him, the committee is saddled with the responsibility of coming up with the best way of policing the country in view of the nation’s security challenges and its attendant lost of lives. He said the decision to set up the committee was reached after a closed-door meeting with the governors and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris. “We discussed and we received presentation from the IGP. He made a presentation to us canvassing for the support to introduce media outfits (...

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN on Friday reacted to claims by the Senate that it is selling dollars to some businesses at an unofficial rate of N200. On Wednesday, the Senate in a resolution asked the Federal Government to direct the CBN to supply dollars at a subsidised exchange rate of N200 to intending pilgrims to either to Saudi Arabia or Israel. The resolution followed a motion by the former governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero, APC-Kebbi, requesting, as a matter of urgency, concession to be granted as a policy every year to the pilgrims. Mr. Aliero said his request followed confirmed information he had that the apex bank was allocating foreign exchange to some businesses at N200 to the dollar. “The committee strongly recommends the concession of N200 to $1 for 2017 Hajj, to bring down the cost to a bearable level,” Mr. Aliero said. He did not name the businesses. Based on the former governor’s submission, the committee on foreign affairs...

The management of Skye Bank on Friday confirmed holding about $41 million (about N12. 9billion) belonging to the Nigerian Investments Management Services, NAPIMS, allegedly kept away from the Treasury Single Account, TSA account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. The money is part of about $793.2 million (about N249.9 billion) allegedly kept illegally in the custody of seven commercial banks. This was in violation of the directive by the Accountant General of the Federation that effective September 15, 2015, all such funds be transferred to the TSA account domiciled with the CBN. The affected banks include Skye Bank, United Bank for Africa, UBA; Diamond Bank Plc; First Bank Limited; Fidelity Bank Plc; Keystone Bank Limited and Sterling Bank Plc. The funds allegedly kept by the banks include revenues, donations, transfers, refunds, grants, taxes, fees, dues, tariffs, etc by different government ministries, departments, parastatals and agen...

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has begun moves to whittle down the power of its chairman, The PUNCH has learnt. Investigations by our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday showed that the proposal to strip the national chairman of some of his enormous powers was contained in a memo to the National Executive Committee of the party by the Chairman of its National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi. The memo was given to all members of NEC on Tuesday at its 74th meeting, which was held at the party’s national headquarters. The members were asked to give the documents to officers and influential members of the party in their states in order to have their inputs before passing them into law. Makarfi, in the memo, titled ‘Draft proposals for constitutional amendments’, said the memo was as a result of the adoption of the report of the PDP Strategy Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee. He said because of this, “it has beco...

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday ordered seven commercial banks in the country to temporarily remit a total of $793, 200, 000 allegedly hidden with them in contravention of the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account policy. Justice Chuka Obiozor ordered the seven banks to remit the various amounts being allegedly kept illegally in their custody to the designated Federal Government’s Asset Recovery dollars account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria. The concerned banks are United Bank for Africa; Diamond Bank Plc; Skye Bank Plc; First Bank Limited; Fidelity Bank Plc; Keystone Bank Limited; and Sterling Bank Plc. According to court papers filed by counsel for the Attorney General of the Federation, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), a total of $367.4m was illegally hidden by three government agencies in UBA, while a sum of $41m was illegally kept in a NAPIMS fixed deposit account with Skye Bank. The court papers stated that $277.9m...

Accoding to a facebook post,The grand daughter of this 70 year old widow caught her having s£x with this 30 year lover on her late husband's matrimonial bed in Amaudo Nkpoghoro village, Afikpo North LGA, Ebonyi State.She raised an alarm which attracted the villagers,who not only paraded her round the village but banished her from the village over what they termed an abomination .. Is this not the height of stupidity and primitive exuberance . Source:Amb CKN Emenike Iroegbu