List of 26 Federal Agencies , Departments whose DGs just got sacked

President Muhammadu Buhari has relieved the Directors-General and Managing Directors of 26 agencies and departments of government of their appointments.

A statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, said that “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has approved that the most senior officers in the parastatals, agencies and councils should oversee the activities of the organizations pending the appointment of substantive CEOs."

See the full list here as released by Lawal.

1. Nigerian Television Authority, NTA
2. Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN
3. Voice of Nigeria, VON
4. News Agency of Nigeria, NAN
5. National Broadcasting Commission, NBC
6. Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF
7. New Partnership for Africa’s Development, NEPAD
8. Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF
9. Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB
10. Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN
11. Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund
12. National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA
13. Petroleum Equalization Fund
14. Nigeria Railways Corporation, NRC
15. Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP
16. Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE
17. Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA
18. Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON
19. National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control NAFDAC
20. Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, NIPC
21. Bank of Industry, BoI
22. National Orientation Agency, NOA
23. Industrial Training Fund ITF
24. National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic In Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP
25. National Centre for Women Development, NCWD
26. Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM Bank.

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HIV positive man abducts, rapes teenage girl near Abuja

After suffering an agonizing all night rape in the hands of a man who abducted her from the streets where she was hawking drinking water, a 15 year-old girl has discovered to her chagrin that the rapist is HIV positive.

According to the police, the teenager was hawking drinking water on the streets of Mararaba in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State when one Abubakar Atiku accosted her and snatched her sales for the day.

With the snatched money, Atiku was able to lure the girl to his house where he not only held her hostage till the next day but also subjected her to repeated rape until she was discovered naked in his house by a search party which was raised after she did not return home the previous night.

The police said that Atiku was found to be carrying the HIV/AIDS virus when some necessary tests were conducted on him, a situation which has worsened the trauma for the victim and her parents.

Abujacitynews learnt that the suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Lafia, the state capital for further investigation and prosecution.

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51 reasons why power supply is poor in Abuja

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN has disclosed 51 issues causing power shortage in Abuja and some other places in the country.

Hakeem Bello, media aide to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola disclosed to newsmen on Monday.

Bello said that the TCN has submitted plans to tackle the 51 identified issues affecting Abuja and other areas like Damaturu, Sokoto, Alaoji, Ahoada, Kebbi, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Makurdi, Bauchi, Gombe, Katsina and Maiduguri.

Recall that last Friday, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC attributed a four day power outage in Lokoja to repairs being carried out by TCN.

Electricity tariff was recently increased in Nigeria by 45 per cent from N14.70 to N24.30 per kilowatt hour.

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Buhari sacks DGs of NTA, FRCN, VON, NAN, NBC, NOA

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Monday announced the sack of the heads of the six information-related parastatals under his Ministry.

Mohammed announced the disengagement on Monday, during a meeting with the Chief Executives of the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Voice of Nigeria VON, News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC and the National Orientation Agency, NOA.

According to Segun Adeyemi Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and Culture, the affected DGs were directed to handover to the most senior officials in their agencies.

"The minister directed the disengaged chief executives to hand over to the most senior officials in their various establishments.

“He thanked them for their service to the nation and wished them the best of luck in their future endeavours.

“The affected chief executives are the director-generals of NTA, Mr. Sola Omole; FRCN, Mr. Ladan Salihu; VON, Mr Sam Worlu; NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri; NBC, Mr. Emeka Mba and the Managing Director of NAN, Mr. Ima Niboro,” he said.

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Mother of three arrested with 80 wraps of cocaine at Abuja airport.

A 48 year-old mother of three, Mrs Saidat Bola Hassan who was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA on Friday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja vomited fifteen wraps of a powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.

Mrs Hassan was arrested at the screening section of the departure hall for passengers traveling on an Egypt Air flight to Jedda, Saudi Arabia.

On further examination, she was discovered to have ingested 80 wraps of the substance weighing 904 kilograms.

"As soon as we discovered that the suspected wraps she vomited tested positive to cocaine, we took measures to ensure her safety by preventing any harm that may result from drug ingestion.

"While under observation, she excreted 65 similar wraps. In all, she ingested 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 904 grams, " said NDLEA Abuja Airport Commander, Mr Hamisu Lawan.
The suspect who described herself as a businesswoman dealing in textiles said she was introduced into the drugs trade by a business partner.

She confessed that she did not know that drug offences carried the death penalty in Saudi Arabia. 

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Herdsmen from Mali, Chad attacking Nigerians - IGP

The troublesome herdsmen who have been attacking Nigerians and destroying farmlands are foreigners who brought their cattle into the country through the porous land borders.

This was the submission of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase at an interactive session with farmers over the weekend.

He pointed out that most of the violent herdsmen are from Mali and Chad as against Nigerian herdsmen who are largely peaceful and law abiding.

While urging the farmers to exercise restraint in dealing with herdsmen, Arase informed that the police is collaborating with state governments to develop ranches for herdsmen.

“I have taken suggestions about how we can develop big ranches so that they can stop grazing on farmlands.

“We should also know about the history of migration. Most of these herdsmen are not Nigerians. They are people from Mali, Chad, who came into our system. So that is why we have to be careful. Our borders are porous. Predominantly, our own herdsmen are law abiding people.

“But when people come from outside with their cattle, we should not deny them entry because of ECOWAS protocols, good neighbourliness but at the same time we should not allow them to embark on criminal activities,” he said.

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Herdsmen from Mali, Chad attacking Nigerians - IGP

The troublesome herdsmen who have been attacking Nigerians and destroying farmlands are foreigners who brought their cattle into the country through the porous land borders.

This was the submission of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase at an interactive session with farmers over the weekend.

He pointed out that most of the violent herdsmen are from Mali and Chad as against Nigerian herdsmen who are largely peaceful and law abiding.

While urging the farmers to exercise restraint in dealing with herdsmen, Arase informed that the police is collaborating with state governments to develop ranches for herdsmen.

“I have taken suggestions about how we can develop big ranches so that they can stop grazing on farmlands.

“We should also know about the history of migration. Most of these herdsmen are not Nigerians. They are people from Mali, Chad, who came into our system. So that is why we have to be careful. Our borders are porous. Predominantly, our own herdsmen are law abiding people.

“But when people come from outside with their cattle, we should not deny them entry because of ECOWAS protocols, good neighbourliness but at the same time we should not allow them to embark on criminal activities,” he said.

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