Shutdown of power transmission facilities by unionists is economic sabotage FG

The Federal Government has declared that the shutdown of the national power transmission facilities in Osogbo and Ikeja Disco by some trade unionists is an economic sabotage, warning that pipeline vandals and power infrastructure saboteurs will be punished.

The Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave the warning in Abuja on Sunday in a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Segun Adeyemi.

He said that repeated attacks on oil and gas pipelines and wilful shutdown of power facilities by protesters have combined to drastically reduce power generation/transmission and fuel supplies.

He warned that government would not tolerate saboteurs.

“Vandals, whatever their motives are, cannot and will not be treated with kid-gloves because their actions constitute a clear and present danger to the nation's economic, social and political well being.

“The attack on the Forcados Export Terminal that has affected gas production by oil firms and reduced gas supply to power generating plants and the shutdown of the Utorogu gas plant are totally condemnable and cannot be allowed to continue.

“Also, while this administration will not do anything to abridge the constitutional rights of any individual or group to carry out protests, it will also not tolerate a situation in which anyone will hide under the guise of legitimate protests to sabotage power infrastructure.

“The shutdown of the national transmission facility in Osogbo and the Ikeja Disco by some unionists amount to economic sabotage,” he said.

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Peter Okoye in solo performance in Abuja.

In what appears to be the much speculated end of Psquare, Peter Okoye, now known as Mr P had his first performance as a solo artist at an Abuja nightclub over the weekend.

The solo outing came in the aftermath of weeks of social media wrangling between the twin brothers and their elder brother cum manager Jude Okoye.

Mr P will also be performing solo in Dubai on April 7.

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FRSC insists Ocholi's driver has no driver's license

The Head of Media Relations and Strategy, Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Mr Bisi Kazeem has maintained the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi's driver has no record with the commission as a licensed driver.

Kazeem told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN in Abuja on Sunday that it is not true that Mr Taiwo Elegbede who drove the Lexus SUV that killed Ocholi and two members of his family has a driver's license.

"Elegbede is not captured in our driver's licensing data, so the license he claimed to have expired must be a fake one.

"Our license procedure includes physical presence and biometric capturing of applicants which is permanently stored in our data bank, for the purpose of verification.

We always tell members of the public to visit our licensing centres spread across the country and desist from patronizing touts while applying for their driver's license.

"Elegbede can not be called a competent driver if he does not have a genuine driver's license, which he can only acquire showing mastery of basic driving principles," he said.

Kazeem dismissed claims that the vehicle did not belong to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

"A good driver must perform a routine check on his vehicles before driving out, it is not an excuse to say because the vehicle was provided by another office and he should ignored a check on it.

"In fact , the maintenance department could not claim in-culpability as a result of receiving the vehicle from another agency or department, the more reason , why proper checks should be carried out as the vehicle was changing hands," he said.

NAN recalls that Ocholi, his wife and a son died in a ghastly motor accident along Kaduna-Abuja Highway on Sunday, March 6, 2016 while the driver and the Orderly sustained  injuries.

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Aisha Buhari hosts wives of diplomats on International Women's Day

Photos: Aisha Buhari hosts Nigerian women and wives of Diplomats in Abuja, discloses name of her pet project. http://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2016/03/photos-aisha-buhari-hosts-nigerian.html

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The many faces of fuel scarcity across Naija (Photos)

See photos of how Nigerians have been coping persistent scarcity of petrol.

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My heart bleeds for Agatu people - David Mark

Former Senate President, David Mark has condemned the recent massacre of over 500 people in several communities in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State by Fulani herdsmen.

Speaking during an assessment tour of the ten affected communities, constituency, Mark described the attacks by Fulani herdsmen “barbaric, wicked and inhuman."

He also described the killings as a genocide carefully planned and executed against his constituency.

While urging the survivors of the attacks to remain law abiding, Mark called on security agencies to put measures in place to prevent a repeat of the sad event.

“I’m shocked beyond words at the extent of destruction in Agatu. It is unbelievable, unimaginable. Nothing whatsoever justifies this brazen act of wickedness meted out to the people of Agatu. My heart bleeds," Mark said on Saturday through his media aide Paul Mumeh.

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Operation Sharan Daji: troops kill 12 bandits, recover 1031 cattle

The spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Col Sani Usman has said that soldiers deployed in Operation Sharan Daji to tackle cattle rustling, armed robbery and other criminal activities in the Northwest have killed 12 cattle rustlers and recovered 1,031 cattle, 331 sheep as well as various arms and ammunition from the bandits.

He said that the troops also destroyed 13 camps used by cattle rustlers in the ongoing operations in Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara and Katsina states.

“Troops of Operation Sharan Daji engaged in anti-cattle rustling, armed banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities in various states of the north-western part of the country, have recorded yet major successes against rustlers, killing several of them, destroying their camps and recovered many livestock, arms and ammunitions.”

He said that 12 bandits were also arrested, adding that weapons recovered from them included bows and arrows, machetes, locally made pistols and AK 47 assault rifles and rifle magazines.

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