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Add caption T he European Union, EU, has reacted to the abduction of school-girls in a secondary school in Yobe by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. The union in a statement signed by press officer, Modestus Chukwulaka, Thursday, while sympathising with the victims’ families said it will support the Nigerian government in the rescue of the students. The statement read in part: “Targeting children and abducting young girls as they seek to attend school is an attack on our common humanity. The EU sends its solidarity with the affected families and the people of Nigeria. “The girls deserve freedom and a chance to shape their own future. The EU remains committed to supporting the Government of Nigeria in its fight against terrorism and all forms of criminality. “We stand resolute to continue our humanitarian and development work, including the rights and protection of girls.” Source: Premium Times

B ola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has written a scathing letter to the national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, accusing him of sabotage, TheCable can report. Tinubu, who copied the president, vice-president, senate president and speaker of the house of representatives, pointedly accused Odigie-Oyegun of contravening the spirit of the discussions both of them had at the party secretariat when President Muhammadu Buhari gave him the assignment of reconciling aggrieved members. In the letter, dated February 21, 2018, the former governor of Lagos state said “disappointment greeted me when I discovered that you had swiftly acted in contravention of the spirit of our discussions. Instead of being a bulwark of support as promised, you positioned yourself in active opposition to the goal of resuscitating the progressive and democratic nature of APC”. Tinubu said while Odigie-Oyegun mentioned Kogi, Kaduna, Kano and Adamawa as

H uman rights activist and co-founder, National Intervention Movement (NIM), Chief Olisa Agbakoba has been working with other members of the group towards building a nationwide coalition capable of shoving aside the exiting political arrangement in the country in the 2019 general election. Director of Communications of NIM, Mr. John Ekwuyasi said in a statement on Thursday that towards the end, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria will soon unveil a platform comprising of many political parties in the country. Ekwuyasi added in the statement that Agbakoba has met with Nigerians in diaspora and world to discuss political situation of the country and how the country can achieve a democratic leadership. He added that the new coalition being championed by Agbakoba would champion a revolution for true social, economic and political change in Nigeria for the benefit of all Nigerians. “Dr. Agbakoba, accompanied by NIM Co-Chairman Dr. Abdul Jhali Tafawa Balewa, has since comme

T hree members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet will be going to Yobe, Northeast Nigeria this Thursday morning to get more information on the students declared missing after their school in Dapchi town, about 100 kilometers to the state capital came under attack of Boko Haram insurgent group on Monday evening. Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s Minister of Information who will also be on the delegation to the North east state announced the visit before the announcement late Wednesday evening that some of the missing schoolgirls have been rescued by the military around Jilli and Muwarti villages on the border of Yobe with Borno State. According to Daily Trust, the rescued girls were taken to Gaidam town for medical checkup from where they would be transported to Damaturu, the state capital. In a statement issued last night, Director-General, Press Affairs to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, Abdullahi Bego, confirmed the rescue of some the girls by the military.

Y ou may think you’ve seen it all but apparently, there’s a new trend among those craving the euphoria of a momentary high. Apparently, young men are mixing medical-grade methylated spirit with the popular soft drink, Coca-Cola to create a cocktail that gets them high. Why would anyone drink methylated spirit? This unholy mixture is yet to have a name but from all indications, it is catching on fast. In recent months, the drug culture among Nigerian youth has drawn increased attention. Young people across the country are turning to an assortment of drugs, herbal and pharmaceutical, in a bid to fight what has been described as a deathly wave of depression. That and a wave of disillusionment at the lack of opportunities have been blamed for a culture of abuse that stretches from Lagos to slums in Kano where codeine can cost the same as a plate of food. But this new drift towards mixing and creating new substances is even more troubling and defies simple e

S ani Usman, a brigadier-general, has been replaced as spokesman of the Nigerian Army, TheCable can report. Usman is currently attending a senior executive course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos. Jude Chukwu, also a brigadier-general, is the new spokesman of the army. TheCable understands that a formal handover ceremony has been slated for Monday. Chukwu is among the 92 colonels promoted to the rank of brigadier-general in November. He is coming on board at a time when the army is involved in a controversy over the abduction of students of Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state. There had been reports that some of the girls were rescued and kept in custody of the army. But Ibrahim Gaidam, the governor, who initially announced the release of the captives, made a U-turn on Thursday, saying none of the students has been found. SOurce: TheCable

P opular Uyo-based Catholic priest and radio preacher, Rev. Fr. Patrick Henry Edet, who resigned from the priesthood last year is set to wed. Edet, who was a Roman Catholic priest for 11 years, announced yesterday that he will be getting married on Saturday, March 17. As for who he will be getting married to, he said she will be revealed next week. He made the announcement during his Grace Family Church service. Samuel Abasiekong, a publisher and Secretary Uyo Division of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, confirmed the news on Facebook, writing: "Rev. Fr. Patrick Henry Edet, who resigned from Catholic Church about six months ago to get married on March 17, 2018." While announcing his resignation last year, Edet said: "From today henceforth, I cease to be a Catholic Priest, in my spirit and in my soul. ”?I forgive those who will criticize me, I live for God. I seek freedom for my soul. As I leave, I leave smiling I am so happy that I am free."

T he immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has questioned the power of the National Assembly to alter the sequence of the 2019 elections. Jega made his position known at an event organised by the Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Development in Abuja on Thursday. Speaking at the event with the theme, ‘Is Nigeria’s Democracy Under Threat?’ Jega said the National Assembly’s action undermined the independence of INEC. He added that several sections of the 1999 Constitution clearly state that the power to organise and set the date for elections remain the exclusive preserve of INEC. The former INEC boss also stated that the cost of election would be higher if the National Assembly succeeds in changing the election sequence. Source: PUNCH

F ela Durotoye, a consulting guru, leadership coach and public speaker, says he will be running for president, come 2019. The 46-year-old declared his intentions on Thursday, adding that he has researched all the national parties for a few months and has settled for the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN). “In line with our Values one of which is to ‘be a role model worthy of emulation’, I had to decide to get involved in the political arena rather than staying on the sidelines and only challenging others to go in,” he said. “It is my hope that as I step unto the political scene, many more of our brightest and best will arise to heed our nation’s clarion call to contest for elective offices, win the elections, and most importantly collectively deliver good governance to our nation. He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot deliver a new Nigeria. “Therefore, to be clear, I am aspiring to contest as a Presidential Cand

G lobal anti-corruption watchdog, Transparency International (TI), has again ranked Nigeria low in its 2017 Corruption Perception Perception Index (CPI) released on Wednesday. The latest ranking has Nigeria in the 148th position out of 180. Nigeria scored 28 out 100, a figure lower than the average in the Sub-Sharan region. This latest report by TI indicates that Nigeria has not made progress in its fight against corruption. In the 2016 rankings, Nigeria scored 27. In 2015, it scored 26. The year before that, it scored 25. In 2014, the country scored 27 and 25 in 2013. In 2012, the country's score was 27 out of 100. According to TI, higher levels of corruption are common in countries where there is media and civil society repression.  This year, New Zealand and Denmark rank highest with scores of 89 and 88 respectively. Syria, South Sudan and Somalia rank lowest with scores of 14, 12 and 9 respectively.  Western Europe was ranked the best performing region wi

E FCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, appeared on Channels TV recently where he was asked to explain why the Senate is yet to confirm him. Watch the video of him giving an explanation below.. .

W elcome to a new Legislative Day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria! Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, led the Principal Officers into the chambers; took the official prayers; and began the day’s proceedings at 10:51am. Senator Obinna Ogba moved for the approval of votes and proceedings of Tuesday, 20th February, 2018. Senator Barau Jibrin seconded. ANNOUNCEMENT Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu announced Senators: Victor Umeh, Andrew Uchendu, Binta Masi, Ali Wakili, Abdulfatai Buhari, Ubali Shittu as members of the committee to pay a condolence visit to the family of Late Senator John Shagaya and Senator Suleiman Adokwe as Chairman of the committee. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu read a letter from the Northern Senators forum on the removal of Senator Abdulahi Adamu as their Chairman. Senator Wamakko Aliyu has been announced as the new Chairman of the Forum. PETITIONS Senator Shehu Sani raised a petition on behalf

F ollowing a suspected Boko Haram attack on a school in northeast Nigeria, some of the missing schoolgirls have been found, according to a local government official and a senior military source. Police said on Wednesday that 111 girls from the state-run boarding school in Dapchi, in Yobe state, were unaccounted for following an attack by the armed group on Monday night. Abdullahi Bego, spokesman for Yobe Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, said late on Wednesday that "some of the girls ... have been rescued by gallant officers and men of the Nigerian Army from the terrorists who abducted them". He added: "The rescued girls are now in the custody of the Nigerian army." Bego's statement was the first confirmation that the girls were abducted. Initially, the students were reported to have fled the attack with their teachers at the sound of gunfire. A senior military source in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, told AFP news agency that the scho

P resident Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to preside over a meeting of Council of State on Thursday at Presidential Villa, Abuja. This is the third time Mr Buhari will be hosting the meeting of the council that has all living former Presidents and Heads of Government as members since he assumed office in 2015. Those expected at the meeting scheduled for the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa include former President Shehu Shagari, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former President Goodluck Jonathan. Others expected to be in attendance include former military Heads of State, Mr Yakubu Gowon, Mr Ibrahim Babangida, Mr Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as the former Chairman of the defunct Interim National Government, Mr Ernest Shonekan. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo will also attend the meeting alongside Senate President, Mr Bukola Saraki; Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara; all living former Chief Justices of Nigeria; all 36 state governors

T he Nigerian Military have rescued the abducted Yobe school girls on Wednesday night. They were rescued at Jilli-Muwarti, a border village between Gaidam in Yobe state and Borno State. It is still unclear how many of the girls they rescued. Mr. Abdullahi Bego, Director-General Press Affairs to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam said the girls were currently in the custody of the Nigerian military. “The Yobe State Government hereby informs the public that some of the girls at Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC) whose school was attacked by Boko Haram terrorists last Monday have been rescued by gallant officers and men of the Nigerian Army from the terrorists who abducted them. “The rescued girls are now in the custody of the Nigerian Army. We will provide more details about their number and condition in due course. “Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, who is very grateful for the gallantry and hard work of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army involved in th