Gist Arena

T he Senate President, Bukola Saraki has disclosed what the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu told him during a personal encounter they shared when former President Goodluck Jonathan was in power. Saraki said that when he and some of his colleagues at the 7th Senate were sent to the anti-graft agency to be investigated because they opposed some issues, Magu told him he would refuse to be used by any head of State to witch-hunt political adversaries. He made this known in Abuja when he featured on a stakeholders forum organized by the News Agency of Nigeria which was well attended by members of the political class as well as journalists. The Senate president, who did not go into details, praised Magu for doing the “right thing”. He said: “As an individual, I have had a personal experience with Magu, where he stood up for what is right. “I remember during the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration...

S enate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said that contrary to insinuations, the Senate had no pre-meditated plan to reject Ibrahim Magu as chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Saraki said this while speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday. He insisted that the screening of Magu, which led to his rejection, was transparently done. “I think there is a lot of misunderstanding and blackmail and all is not in the interest of democracy. “The rejection of candidates presented to the National Assembly is a process. It is a process that is not restricted to the EFCC chairman. “It is a process that has to do with the Governor of Central Bank, Director-General of Lottery Commission, Electricity Regulatory Commission and other relevant agencies. “We have approved many people from the executive and we have rejected some and when we reject them, it is not for any personal reason, because it is a process. “Magu’s screening was on a W...

U wazuruike opens another Radio Biafra in Germany In a statement to newsmen, yesterday, in Onitsha, Anambra State, signed by Biafra Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, Uwazuruike noted that the celebration proper of 18 years of MASSOB would take place in Onitsha, Anambra State on September 13. He noted that other activities lined up for the 18 years of non-violence and non-exodus by MASSOB would also feature the official opening of Voice of Biafra International, VOBI, radio located in Germany, which would lead to the radio commencing broadcast on short wave (SW) band, this week. The statement further quoted Uwazuruike as saying that the radio station would be the “authentic voice of the Biafran people and always educate, inform and enlighten our people on the issue of Biafra and not to spread hate messages or blackmail. ” The statement maintained that “BIM would continue to play a leading role in our quest for Biafra”, assuring Ndigbo that it is only non-violence...

Dreaded Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram sect has released a new video showing the beautiful life in Sambisa forest, while vowing to continue fighting on. A 29-minute video believed to have been shot inside the dreaded Sambisa forest, has been released by the Nigerian terrorist group, Boko Haram, which showed its men going about their normal business, as they vow to sustain the battle with the country. Bakery business in sambisa The video which was posted by TheCable, shows some of the terrorists in a local bakery, a few on their farmlands, while others engaged in trading activities to sustain themselves. Farmland in Sambisa Items such as foodstuff, books, cement, automobile spare parts were displayed in shops. Armed members of the sect rode on motorcycles, while some were seen operating computers. Watch the video footage below;

According to a report, a 51-year old was also arrested. The man Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, was arrested in connection with the attack on a family of five in Oke Ota community, Ibeshe, Ikorodu by the ritual cult, Badoo. Abayomi, who resides in Magodo area of Lagos state reportedly works with Badoo cult, he was arrested alongside two others, whose names had yet to be disclosed. The arrest, according to Punch Metro led to the discovery of the gang’s shrine and hideout in Agbowa town, Ikorodu, on Monday. The command’s spokesperson, Olarinde Famous-Cole, five buildings used by the gang have been uncovered. He said, “The team, which was led by the Commissioner of Police, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, uncovered the shrine of the dreaded cult terrorising residents of Ikorodu. “The team had earlier arrested one Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, a resident of Magodo, and he has been linked to the cult and the recent murder of the Adejare family of five, who...

The Naira on Tuesday shook off Monday’s drop as it gained points against the dollar in the parallel market on the first day of the new month. The Nigerian currency exchanged at N36​3. Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N475 and N422, respectively. The Naira had on Monday closed at 365. Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday, offered $100 million in wholesale auction at the inter-bank Foreign Exchange market and intervened in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and invisible segments, with the sum of $50 million and $45 million, respectively. Confirming the figures, CBN Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor reiterated that the Bank’s intervention was in line with its commitment to sustain liquidity in the market to meet genuine requests as well as deepen flexibility in the foreign exchange market. Monday’s sale follows the major intervention, last Friday, to the tune of $462,336,426.74, comprising $267,336,426.74...

Former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied making utterances against President Muhammadu Buhari. In a statement posted on her Facebook page, Okonjo-Iweala, insisted that the reports were false. “I had earlier debunked the same fake news on Jan 5, 2017, but it is obviously in some people’s interest to see this falsehood circulate again. “The comments on the performance of the Nigerian economy being circulated by unknown persons and attributed to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala were not made by her. “Like the previous fake audio by an imposter pretending to be her, this is another desperate action by mischievous persons. “The former minister doesn’t need anyone to speak for her because, as everyone knows, she is very capable of speaking for herself. We urge the media and Nigerian public to ignore these petty gimmicks,” she wrote.

O ne of the pro-Biafran groups, the Biafra Zionist Federation, on Monday, in Enugu, declared the secession of the ‘Republic of Biafra’ from Nigeria. Biafra takes off as an independent country on Tuesday (today), August 1, 2017, according to BZM leader, Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, who declared himself the ‘Interim President’ of the new nation at a press briefing at the Enugu secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists. Onwuka, who was detained, and charged with treason after leading some members of the BZF to invade the studios of the Enugu State Broadcasting Service in a failed bid to announce the secession of Biafra on June 5, 2014, also named ministers and other top government officials of Biafra. Secession: ‘Igbo’ll be greater losers’ The officials named by Onwuka are prominent personalities drawn from different areas, which the BZF leader said were Biafran territories. Eminent economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, was named the foreign minister while a former Gover...

Controversial Nigerian senator, Dino Melaye is on vacation in London and he's living the 'Bab Boy' life. He shared more fun photos from the trip this morning and despite all his battles, he says, 'Hakuna Matata'.

F resh facts have emerged on the comprehensive looting of an Abuja house of former President Goodluck Jonathan allegedly by the police officers on guard duty at the house. PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported the incident on Monday. Police authorities in the Federal Capital Territory later confirmed that three officers were being questioned over the matter. Speaking after this newspaper broke the story on Monday, a member of the former president’s family exclusively told PREMIUM TIMES that the scale of the looting of the house at No 89, Fourth Avenue, Gwarimpa was staggering and that more items were removed than had been reported. “All the internal doors, WCs (water cistern toilet equipment), kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, electric fittings, ACs (air-conditioner units) and television sets were removed,’’ said the source who spoke about the shock of the former president by the incident. “The house has been looted, so there is nothing we can do. It is the poli...

Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo wife of Nigeria's acting president is currently in Jerusalem. She's pictured here praying for the nation at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem shortly after she visited the site of the old olive trees at the garden of Gethsemane.

Nnamdi Kanu and followers storm Ebonyi despite security presence.  Watch the video below

APC Publicity Secretary in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, has thrown a debate challenge at IPOB’s leader Nnamdi Kanu. Joe Igbokwe has been one of the front line Igbo’s who have consistently disagreed with the activities of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB. Stated below are the conditions put forward by Joe Igbokwe if the debate must hold. Read Verbatim from JOE IGBOKWE : CONDITIONS FOR THE DEBATE BETWEEN ME AND NNAMDI KANU. 1. The debate will not in Ochanja Market in Onitsha, Ariaria Market in Aba or Ogbete market in Enugu. 2 The debate is for I and Nnamdi and the Moderator Only. 3. The debate can be on TVC, Channels or STV. 4 The issue is all about Biafra: for and against 5. It is going to be a life program . 6. There will no hate speech. 7. Our supporters will not be there. 8.The debate can be in Lagos or Abuja. Let this debate come up so that I can at once shut this little boy up with the real issues on ground. Children cannot teach the old traditi...

Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie isn't backing down on his quest to become Anambra's new elected Governor. Yul who is a son of legendary actor, Pete Edochie, recently declared his intention to run for governor of Anambra state in the Novermber 18th 2017 election, and today, he released a video in which he spoke in english and igbo dialect, appealing to Nigerians to vote for him as he is the change they need. Watch the videos below...

T he Cross River State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Asu Okang has said that he is not against cultism. Mr. Okang stated this while addressing students at a public lecture organized by the Students Union Government of the University of Calabar, as part of the activities to mark it’s 42nd Students Week celebration where he voiced his support for cultism but kicked against youths raising arms against each other. “I am not against cultism because it offers you an opportunity to associate and make friends, what I am against is the raising of arms against each other,” Mr. Okang said. He went on to disclose that the state in partnership with European Union (EU) funded Arms Proliferation Program is ongoing to rid the state of unlawful possession and use of arms. Youths who indulge in criminal activities like armed robbery, gangsterism, and kidnapping should key into the ECOWAS-EU Small Arms and Light Weapons Disarmament Project and surrender their weapons to e...

N igeria’s military chiefs on Tuesday morning arrived Maiduguri, the Borno State capital in response to the orders of the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo. Mr. Osinbajo last week held a closed-door meeting with all heads of the nation’s military to review the worsening Boko Haram attacks in northeast Nigeria. Apart from last week’s ambush and abduction of a team of geologists from the University of Maiduguri, Boko Haram insurgents had carried out about 90 separate or multiple suicide attacks within and around Maiduguri in the past four months. The service chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, a general, arrived the air force base in Maiduguri at about 11 a.m. The team comprising the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, a lieutenant general, and his colleague from the Air Force immediately drove in a heavy convoy of armed soldiers to the headquarters of Military Command and Control Centre where the Theatre Commander is expected to brief them....

J ennifer Aneke is alive today thanks to a good Samaritan who rushed her to the hospital after a fatal crash that killed a commercial trycycle driver near Presidential Road, Independent Layout, Enugu, two weeks ago. Her post below: #MyTestimonyAMustRead!!! Happy Sunday my FB fam, may God's eyes, blessings and mercy never leave us all in Jesus name, Amen. I know I have really kept you all on a gist hold and great suspense, I'm here to relieve you and all i want you to do is to comment what you think about God after reading. My Accident Chronicles, phase 1.. Never doubt it when u hear that God works in mysterious and miraculous ways cos I'm a living witness. Just exactly 2 weeks today, a drunk driver on a very high speed hit the keke drop I entered heading home near Presidential Road, Independent Layout, Enugu and the keke man died on the spot(may his soul RIP) while I was fortunate enough to be rushed to the hospital by a good Samaritan(Emeka Ukonu) that saw ...

Former Footballer, George Weah has not given up on his ambition to become the prsident of Liberia. After more than a decade in power, Africa's first female elected head of state, Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is due to step down after October's presidential election. And George Weah who lost to Ms Johnson Srleaf in the 2005 election is once again among the 20 candidates vying to replace the Nobel Peace laureate.

Barr. Ngozi Nmadu has been identified as one of the victims of the ghastly accident involving a fuel tanker and an 18-seater commercial bus said to belong to Delta Line. The accident which occurred last Friday at Felele on the Abuja-Lokoja Highway claimed at least 25 lives. Late Nmadu was on her way to Abuja on official duty. Until her tragic death, Ngozi who was called to the Nigerian Bar two years ago, was the Chief Executive Officer and Legal Secretary of Quick Africa, Asaba. She was the first daughter of Hon. Emeka Nmadu from Okanam, Delta State. The company confirmed her sad demise on their Facebook page on Sunday, July 30th. May her soul rest in peace, Amen. The tanker and the 18-seater bus were trying to overtake each other. But unfortunately, the tanker lost balance, fell on the bus and it went up in flames killing all in board. Two tricycle riders popularly called Keke-NAPEP were equally burnt in the accident. More photos below... ...

R ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has declared that the evidence of corruption against his predecessor now Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, is so overwhelming that the Minister of Transportation admitted to them publicly, a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, his Special Assistant on Electronic Media says. Addressing the 106th Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt on Monday, Governor Wike said that Amaechi admitted paying $39million for a non-existent Justice Karibi Whyte Mega Specialist Hospital. He added that the Former Governor confessed publicly that he sold the State's Gas Turbines, which the immediate past administration diverted the funds. Governor Wike said: "All the documents that proved Amaechi's corrupt acts are authentic. We never forged documents. The former governor himself admitted that he paid out $39million to Clinotech , without a single block laid anywhere. Is that a document he claims was...

T he end of July saw a breakthrough for MMM Nigeria in order to accelerate Community growth and achieve sustainability for an unlimited period of time. To accelerate growth, we have launched a weekly Promo-Task contest. Now members will get points for completing promo-tasks. Whoever receives the biggest number of points gets awarded. We will start with 50 prizes and will later increase this number. For details, read the news . To ensure sustainable Community operation for an unlimited period (in particular, to prevent a break in December 2017 like it was in December 2016). MMM Nigeria has implemented the long-awaited advanced update of getting help procedure. This progressive update was developed within many months. So when you create a request to get help, you will see a maximum amount for withdrawal in the current week. The remaining balance of the Mavros will become available for GH next weeks. The Mavros keep growing just like before. The total amount of Mavros does ...

Facebook user Adebayo Ogundairo shared new photo of the 9 year old boy who was chained by his neck by his own father at a Celestial Church in Ado Odo Ota Ogun State. The young boy was rescued and adopted by the wife of the Governor, Ogun state, Dr.(Mrs) Olufunso Amosun. See his new look at the bottom of the page. He looks very healthy!