Gunmen attack Olisa Metu's Abuja home

The residence of the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metu at Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja was on Tuesday night attacked by gunmen suspected to be assassins.

Mr Richard Ihediwa, Special Assistant to the former PDP spokesman said in a statement he issued in Abuja on Wednesday that the eight gunmen fired several shots into the air before they gained entry into the compound having damaged a portion of the security fence.

He however said that the night marauders failed to gain access to the main building because of the security doors installed there.

“When they could not gain access into the main building, they beat up the security guards and ordered them at gunpoint to call out Metuh using their phones, but the guards insisted that he was not at home but had travelled to the East.

“Out of frustration , the invaders broke into other buildings in the premises including Metuh’s out-office where they carted away some documents and electronic equipment.

“Their escape route trailed with blood as one of the armed men got injured in the course of their breaking through the spiked security fence,” he said.

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Niger Delta Dialogue: Osinbajo meets Edo people

In continuation of his town hall meetings with Niger Delta people, the Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Monday kicked off of his visit to Edo State at the palace of the Oba of Benin where he paid homage.

He had earlier visited Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo and Akwa Ibom States in the course of his #NigerDeltaDialogue town hall meetings.

See photo

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Osinbajo at the Opening of Obasanjo Presidential Library (photo)

Acting President Prof Yemi Osinbajo at the opening of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta on Saturday. See photo.

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Ban on okada will render 30 million jobless

The Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, ACOMORAN has condemned the planned ban on commercial motorcycle riding by the Federal Government, saying that no less than 30 million people would be rendered jobless by the policy.

The National President of ACOMORAN, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Hassan lamented during a press conference in Abuja on Friday that the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC had never organised any training for Okada riders in the country.

“ It is unfortunate the way government agencies treat us . They just wake up and come up with policies that affect us without consulting us . The FRSC has never organised any training for Okada riders; and they just woke up one day and said commercial motorcycles should be banned , forgetting that in the process 30 million Nigerians will be jobless. What is the offence of Okada riders?” he asked.

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Troops capture gun trucks, BH terrorists in Borno

“The troops captured 2 Toyota Gun trucks stolen from Niger Republic Defence Forces, 2 Toyota Hilux Gun trucks, one of which was taken by the Boko Haram terrorists from 153 Task Force Battalion location sometime back, a 25 HP Yamaha Outboard Engine, 2 Solar panels and 5 empty Belts of Anti-Aircraft Guns ammunition links.

"Others include 1 Gun bipod, 12 pairs of Boko Haram terrorists fighters uniform, 5 flags, 37 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 84 copies of Holy Quran and 270 books on Islamic Literature.

"The troops also recovered and destroyed over 70 motorcycles used by the terrorists to launch attacks, 3 shops stocked with medical supplies, 3 other shops with provisions and 3 wooden boats.

“They also recovered 2 Niger Republic Drivers’ Licenses, 2 mobile telephone handsets and 2 Wooden Slates.

“Unfortunately 4 of soldiers were wounded in action and they have evacuated to  a medical facility where they are receiving treatment.”

That was from a statement issued by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman on the success of troops of  8 Task Force Division, Nigerian Army, on clearance operations under Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East.

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Professor Ayatse installed as new Tor Tiv (photo)

A new Tor Tiv has been coronated. He is Professor James Ortese Ayatse.  However he will be officially known as  His Royal Majesty, Begha U Tiv, Orchivirigh, Prof Ortese Iorzua James Ayatse.

During the coronation which took place at the J S Takar Stadium in the Gboko, on Saturday, the new Monarch lamented the continued marginalization of Tiv people.

”The Tiv people, who are the fourth largest ethnic group in the country are not represented at the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

“No Tiv man has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of any federal parastatal in the current dispensation; we believe God will help you to correct this marginalization,” he said to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

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Senate summons FCT Minister over dilapidated public schools in Abuja

The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye has summoned the Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, the Permanent Secretary of the FCT and the Acting Education Secretary to appear before the committee over the sorry state of public schools in Nigeria's capital city.

During an oversight visit to the LEA Primary School in Wuse Zone 1, Melaye said that it was unacceptable to allow such dilapidated facilities as he met there in any school in Abuja.

He expressed concern for the health of the pupils in the school.

His words:
“We are worried about the hygienic condition of the students that are in this school. This is an epidemic break out from very unhygienic conditions that I am seeing here.

“We are going to summon the Minister, the Permanent Secretary and the Secretary of Education. We want to know what is happening to the allocation of the education sector of the FCT.

“This has become a hide out for criminals. We are not even sure of those living in all these batchers (make-shift structures) that are scattered everywhere here. One is just surprised that, if a school within the metropolis, in the heart of Abuja can be this dilapidated, that it become a hideout for criminals, and hoodlums; one will be wondering what is happening to schools that are in the satellite towns and suburbs of Abuja because this is the heart of the city that is supposed to be the capital city, the school within the metropolis is this exposed to crime and criminality.

“No chairs, no windows and this is the heart of the city that is supposed to be capital of the most populous black country in Africa. This is unacceptable.

“We find people living within the premises and we are not sure of the people living within the school premises, they come back at night after school hours to sleep. The assembly hall is in a very precarious situation, we do not expect that anybody will build an assembly hall like this and leave it in this age and time in heart of the capital city of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We will investigate this and we will make sure that in 2017 budget provision is made for the fencing and rehabilitation of this school and all illegal structures must be cleared. We are going to write to FCT Minister and Commissioner of Police to make sure that this place is cleared immediately”

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