Gist Arena

D iezani Alison-Madueke, former minister of petroleum resources, is no longer the woman she used to be. The multi-million dollar jewelry and multi-million dollar houses are fading into history as she comes to terms with the new realities of her life. TheCable understands that with her UK property worth over £11 million now treated as “proceed of crime” and subject to forfeiture, she has had to “step down” her taste: she now lives in a rented flat in the same London building housing the $2.8 million property allegedly bought for her by Jide Omokore and Kola Aluko, her business associates. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen accounts linked to the former minister, including those belonging to family members and known associates. This makes it virtually impossible for her to access money from any source and she is now living off the goodwill of those who still remember her. Nigerian courts have already forced Alison-Madueke to forfeit her prop...

T he meeting to resolve the strike by resident doctors, NARD, is ongoing in Abuja. The meeting is being attended by the leadership of the NARD as well as the Ministers of Health, Isaac Adewole; Labour, Chris Ngige, and the representative of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA. Before the meeting started, the government officials held their own meeting. At the end of that first meeting, Mr. Ngige slammed the resident doctors for embarking on the strike despite pleas from the federal government. “The doctors have breached section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act, which states that ‘once a conciliatory starts between the government and its employee, no party is allowed to take any further action,” he said. Mr. Ngige added that he was disappointed that the resident doctors still embarked on strike as threatened, despite reaching an alleged agreement with them on Thursday, August 31. It was after Mr. Ngige’s briefing that the meeting with the striking doctors bega...

T he attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to a story entitled, CJN, Okonjo-Iweala, Fayemi, Fayose, Others Under Probe- EFCC, which appeared in The Punch Newspaper of today Wednesday September 6, 2017 regarding a list of high profile persons, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi and Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, who are said to be currently under investigation by the Commission. According to the newspaper, “The list, sighted by one of our correspondents via an EFCC source on Monday, was recently sent by the anti-graft agency to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), based on request. It is important to state that this report did not emanate from the EFCC and the allusion to “an EFCC source” is diversionary and mischievous. For the avoida...

T he Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has arrived the camp of internally displaced persons in Makurdi for a first-hand assessment of damages caused by the August 27 flood. He was accompanied by two ministers, Tunde Fashola and Audu Ogbeh. Mr. Ogbeh hails from the state. They were received at Makurdi airstrip by Governor Samuel Ortom, who immediately took them on a tour of the disaster areas on the plains of River Benue in Makurdi. They are expected to tour the IDP camp afterwards, where the vice president will inspect conditions of those taking shelter there. The camp was opened on August 31, after heavy downpours chased about 110,000 people from their homes. About 46,000 homes were reported affected by the ensued flood, which occurred August 27, according to locals. The state government, in collaboration with the Red Cross, opened an international market in downtown Makurdi, which was hitherto not in use, for flood victims to take shelter in lock up stalls...

T he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen; Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State; his predecessor and the current Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and the immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, are among high-profile personalities currently under its investigation. The names are contained in the list of high-profile cases involving over 100 politically-exposed persons and top-ranking public officers still being investigated by the EFCC as of August 2017, The PUNCH reliably learnt on Monday. The list, sighted by one of our correspondents via an EFCC source on Monday, was recently sent by the anti-graft agency to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), based on a request. Sunday PUNCH had reported that the list, sent to the AGF’s office earlier in August, comprised over 100 high-profile cases including t...

T he President of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Shetima Yerima, has assured Igbos resident in the North of their safety. Yerima said with the withdrawal of the October 1 quit notice, “no evil will befall” Igbos resident in the North. Speaking with the Sun, Yerima maintained that IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was not speaking for majority of the people of the South East. According to Yerima, “Did I do it for him or in the interest of the country? His rejection of the suspension of the quit notice is not important to me. “What we did was to demonstrate that we have a culture. We give respect to our elders and it was to ensure that the country remains together. “The country is above anybody. On that basis, his acceptance or not is not important but I know that he also is not speaking for the Igbo. It is a minority view of few people making all sorts of noise. “It is not really important to me and I do not want to join issues with them. Nigeria is above everyb...

B oko Haram terror leader Abubakar Shekau has released a new video stating that the recent 40-day ultimatum issued by Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff, Buratai had no effect on him. In a 38-minute video obtained by SaharaRerporters, Shekau bragged in Hausa language and Arabic that he is well and alive.

T he Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday granted the request seeking to serve court processes on Nnamdi Kanu and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) through substituted service. The court, however, ordered that other respondents in the matter, namely: the Inspector-General of Police, the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Attorney-General of the Federation be served personally. Justice B.O. Quadri gave the order following an ex-parte application by Mr Richard Ndubuaku for an order of court for substituted service of all the processes of the court on the defendants by publishing them in two national newspapers. Ndubuaku, who made the application through his counsel, Mr Smart Iheazor, also asked the court to make an order restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, members or agents from disrupting the forthcoming Anambra election. He also asked the court to make an order restraining Kanu and all members of IPOB from i...

T he attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has been drawn to an article by veteran columnist, Sonala Olumhense entitled, As EFCC Confesses the Sad Truth, which was syndicated in print and online media on Sunday, September 3, 2017. The piece dwelt extensively on two heads of strategic agencies in the Muhammadu Buhari administration- the chief of army staff, General Tukur Buratai and the acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu. The author as usual, wrote with poetic candour but missed the point on the score of the chairman of the EFCC by imputing to him statements that he never made. “The way we are going we have already failed… I am telling you we have almost failed. It is almost lost,” Olumhense quoted Magu as having said, when he met with journalists in Abuja on August 30. At no time did Magu make such statement during the meeting with senior journalists. Olumhense could be pardoned for the wrong attribution as he probably relied on information b...

T he Imo State Government has reacted to the rumours circulating on social media that Afamefula, the son of Governor Rochas Okorocha died in a London hospital. Below is the statement issued by Sam Onwuemeodo, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor... The attention of the government and good people of Imo State has been drawn to the false publication on the Social Media, talking about the death in London of Engineer Ahamefula Okorocha, first son of the State Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha. The fact and indeed, the real story is that, Contrary to the rumour from the Kingdom of darkness, the Young man is hale and hearty and the wish of the wicked ones would never, never prevail over him. Those who authored the fake death story only showed the level of their frustration and we won’t ask God to help them out or forgive them. They must reap whatever they have sown. The bible says, “tell the wicked it shall not be well with them”. And we do so to those behind this disturb...

E lder statesman and notable Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark, has described as 'nonsense', the agitation for the creation of Biafra by IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and other agitators. Clark who said this when he received the chairman of the senate committee on Local and Foreign Debt, Shehu Sani, at his home in Abuja. said Nigeria does not need another Biafran war where a lot of people lost their lives. Kanu and his group have been in the vanguard for the creation of Biafra. They have even threatened to boycott the Anambra state governorship election if they do not get a referendum for the creation of Biafra. Clark who was displeased by Kanu's agitation, said “When Kanu talks about Biafra, he is talking nonsense. We do not want a second war. America fought their civil war for a long time and they are not thinking of a second one. Kanu should drop the agitation". He condemned the Northern youths for issuing the quit notice on Igbos residing in the region "A...

M any state governments across the federation have utilised the second tranche of the Paris Club refund they received to clear the arrears of their serving and retired workers’ entitlements. However, in most states where the arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities have been paid, some civil servants and retirees, especially those in the council areas, are still being owed. A survey by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, indicated that some of the workers and pensioners were owed salaries and pensions for periods ranging between two and 11 months. The Federal Government in July released about N243.79 billion to the states as the second tranche of the refund, having earlier released N388.30 billion to them in December 2016. The funds were released following protests by the states against over-deductions from their allocations for external debt services between 1995 and 2002. The federal government had advised the state governments to use between 50 and 75 per...

T he Eighth Senate, on Tuesday, applauded the report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that showed Nigeria’s economy finally staging a comeback. In a statement signed by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, its spokesperson and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, the Senate emphasized that it was truly commendable that after five consecutive quarters of contraction, the Nigerian economy grew by 0.55% in the second quarter of 2017. Abdullahi also stated that the improved performance of the trade, manufacturing, agriculture and oil sectors, was an indication that with carefully aligned policy and legislative interventions, Nigeria’s economy could thrive beyond current forecasts and expectations. “The Senate received Q2 NBS economic report with great excitement,” the Senate spokesperson said, “We are delighted that government’s response to the economic recession has began to yield tangible results. “The public will recall that in the days...

E nugu-based Catholic priest, Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka has disclosed why Igbos must insist on the unity of Nigeria. Mbaka said Igbo should not be seeking secession because they stand to lose a lot if Biafra is achieved. The controversial clergyman maintained that Igbos own most of the business ventures across Nigeria, as such should seek Nigeria’s unity. Addressing a gathering of Igbos in East London, on Tuesday, Mbaka said, “No Hausa person owns property in Igboland. No Yoruba person owns property in Igboland. “But 60% of businesses in northern Nigeria are owned by Igbos. 40% of businesses in western Nigeria are owned by Igbos.” Claiming to know how much Igbos owned across Nigeria because he was regularly invited to say blessings at the opening of new businesses by Igbos in northern Nigeria, Mbaka said, “Go to Sabon Gari in Kano and see what Igbos own there”.

A ctor, Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock has met with the 10-year-old boy who was able to rescue his 2-year-old brother's life by watching a scene in his movie, San Andreas. 10-year-old Jacob O'Connor was hailed by the former Wrestler after he found his little 2-year-old brother, Dylan laying facedown in their pool. He pulled him out and started CPR and chest compressions he learned from The Rock while watching him do it in his favorite movie, 'SAN ANDREAS.' Sharing photos of them while he was on set of a new movie 'Skyscraper', the Rock wrote: 'Ladies and gentlemen, I finally met this real life 10yr old hero, Jacob O'Connor. He rescued his 2yr old brother after finding him facedown in their pool. ' 'I said, not only do I shake hands, but when I meet heroic kids, I give hugs.. now get in here. Despite the fact I looked like 9 ways of hell, battered and bloodied from my scenes, Jacob reluctantly, gave me a hug. A very special day we ...

A n angry Nigerian wife, Ndidi Onyekwelu took to Facebook to call out her husband and share photos of him and his colleague, who is married, whom Ndidi alleged is having an affair with her husband. According to her, the woman is married with two kids and is allegedly fond of sleeping around with other married men. She wrote; Josephine ekerette i can see dat u are in d habit of fucking oda women’s husbands despite d fact dat u a married woman with 2 kids. I dont care wether u se jazz or not but dis will b ur last. I pity ur husband who decided to marry a waste of woman’s labour and a public latrine like u. A woman of easy virtue