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Troops rescue additional 234 women, children The troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued an additional 234 women and children from the Sambisa Forest. The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, said in a statement on Friday that the women and children were rescued by troops at the Kawuri and Kondua axis of the Sambisa Forest. Olukolade said that the latest batch of rescued women and children had been moved to join those rescued earlier for screening. The military rescued 293 ladies comprising 200 girls and 93 women on Tuesday and another 160 women and children comprising 60 women and 100 children on Wednesday. He said “Another set of 234 women and children were rescued through the Kawuri and Konduga end of Sambisa forest on Thursday. “They have been evacuated to join others at the place of ongoing screening. This set in addition to the previous individuals earlier rescued during the ongoing operation in the area. “The assault on the forest is contin

Senate President, David Mark, on Friday, decried the epileptic power supply in the country in spite of promises made by investors in the wake of the privatisation of the sector. Mark, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, stated this while hosting the management team of the Electricity Management Services Limited in Abuja. He said, “In spite of the high expectations and promises on account of the privatisation of the power sector, Nigerians have yet to feel the positive impact of the sector.” He therefore charged operators of the industry to give meaning to the privatisation by making the sector work so that citizens can enjoy un-interrupted power supply. Mark noted that the snail-speed rate of development in the power sector does not give credence to the privatisation exercise and the expectations of Nigerians. He also challenged industry operators to get rid of quacks in the profession in order to give consumers quality services. The

The Vice-President-elect, Prof.Yemi Osinbajo, on Friday explained how the Muhammadu Buhari administration would prosecute the anti-graft war, saying that Nigerians must question sources of wealth of the rich. Osinbajo, while delivering the keynote address at the Abuja edition of The Platform, said the incoming administration would ensure zero tolerance for corruption by reforming the Justice system. He said within the last few years, what the country had experienced was a situation where people got away with corrupt practices, noting that going forward; the incoming government would make sure that corrupt people suffer the consequences of their actions. He said when people are made to suffer the consequences of corrupt practices; it would send a strong message to everyone that the era of looting of the treasury was over. He said, “We have always talked about zero tolerance for corruption but it is also important that people are made to understand that there will be conseque

There are indications that politicians, party supporters, and other stakeholders, who made fortune during the campaign period prior to the just concluded general elections, have started spending the largesse on the purchase of cars and investment in real estate. This, Abiolainfo Crew learnt, was responsible for the boom time already taking off in the property and auto markets in some states of the federation. Many of the politicians were said to have been placing orders for the property, especially exotic cars, ahead of the May 29 inauguration of the new government in the country. This, experts said, would continue even after the inauguration of the Mohammadu Buhari-led incoming government. While some of them were said to be visiting auto dealers’ showrooms to make their choices, others sent their aides to pay for their preferred cars. A car dealer based in Rivers State, who identified himself as Emmanuel, confided in one of our correspondents that his sales increased shortl

Fun-loving, smart and playful, 12-year-old David Olupitan is a walking miracle. For the parents of the boy, Afolabi and Tonye, the events of Monday, April 20 and 21, 2015 could only have ended the way it did as a result of God’s intervention. Early morning on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, a broadcast was circulating on Twitter, calling for any information on the missing boy. “David Olupitan was abducted last night at his residence at Mile 2. Any information about him, please contact 0802****406,” the broadcast read. Coming just six days after the return of the three children of Mr. and Mrs. Leke Orekoya, who were abducted by their new nanny at Surulere, Lagos but released after a ransom was paid, this kind of broadcast only amplified the apprehension which gripped the Olupitans when their son merely stepped out of the door and disappeared about 10pm on April 20. But by noon the following day (April 21), Olupitan strolled back into his parents home at the Amuwo Odofin Housing Es

Two suspected members of a notorious robbery gang said to be responsible for a murder and series of robbery attacks on Apapa Road, Ebute-Metta, Lagos have been apprehended. They are currently being quizzed by the police at the State Department of Criminal Investigations, Yaba, Lagos. The latest victim of their attack was a 30-year-old railway employee, Kehinde Adebayo, who was robbed of valuables and cash running into about N250,000 while on his way to work on April 9, 2015. Adebayo said that day, he had N150,000 cash in his pocket as he left his house, because he planned to pay his rent later that day. He said, “I was stupid enough to wear a Versace necklace I bought for N105,000. Apart from that, I had BlackBerry Z30 in my pocket. It was around 8am and I did not think anything like that could happen. “When I got to Alagomeji along the Nigerian Railway Corporation road in Yaba, some young men accosted me. I remember they were up to 15. One of them flashed me a locally made pi

AHEAD of the inauguration of the 8th Senate and as fight for the senate presidency heightens, strong indications emerged yesterday that governors- elect and senators- elect from the north will meet today in Kaduna to forge a common purpose for who becomes the next number three from the north. Baring any last minute change, the governors – elect and Senators for the meeting will be drawn from the North East, North West and North East. It was gathered that the arrow head of the meeting is a governor-elect from North West who is close friend of General Mohammadu Buhari, the president-elect. The meeting, a source said was initially slated for Wednesday but was shifted for this weekend because of the just concluded induction course for newly elected Senators and members of House of Representatives in Abuja. Speaking to a select team of Journalists in confidence, an aide to the governor- elect disclosed that the meeting became imperative in view of the various dimensions the contest

Mr Femi Fani-Kayode has vowed to remain in viral opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in spite of the defeat suffered by his party in the March 28 and April 11 general elections. Mr Kayode, according to The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said this in Abuja on Thursday, April 30, while dismissing insinuations that he was about seeking political asylum abroad, following the failure of the PDP to win the 2015 presidential election. He said: “We are not going anywhere, I can speak for myself and I can speak for many others. We are here to stay. We will provide a virile opposition to the APC. “We will do all that needs to be done to ensure that the incoming government remains on its toes and we will all do this in a very peaceful and a very honourable way. “But, nobody is going anywhere as far as I’m concerned, we are here to stay, neither are we running away, there is nothing to be scared of, we fought hard, we did well. ”I’m very proud of my team, I am proud of

The incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and his South African counterpart, President Jacob Zuma had a telephone conversation over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians residing in South Africa. According to a statement released on Thursday, April 30, by the South African presidency, both leaders restated the necessity for their countries to work together. It was reported that Zuma spoke by telephone with Jonathan on the need not to let the recent attacks on some Nigerians and their businesses create a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. The statement said: “The two Presidents reaffirmed the warm and cordial relations between South Africa and Nigeria and pledged that the two countries will continue to work together for the good of their peoples and the continent as a whole. “President Jonathan expressed his support for the efforts of South Africa to arrest the attacks on foreign nationals and to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, including foreign natio

TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING BY THE DIRECTOR DEFENCE INFORMATION ON 30 APRIL 2015 Gentlemen of the press, As you already know, troops have commenced operations deep into the Sambisa forest after sustained aerial bombardments by the Nigerian Air Force. The main objective as you know is to decimate and clear the terrorists from the forest which is their last bastion. The well coordinated operation is already yielding results as troops in the last few days rescued 200 girls and 93, women and an additional number of hostages. Over 13 terrorists camps including the notorious Tokumbere camp in Sambisa forest have been captured. Other camps overran and destroyed by troops include, Wulari Bukar, Gangala, Anguwar Bakwai, Jigide, Kotorima, Lagura Bello, Lagina Fulani, among others. Several field commanders and foot soldiers of the terrorist group have lost their lives, some armoured personnel carriers,  Bufallo vehicles mounted with Anti-Aircraft guns, a truck and several Hilux vehicles were

Oil prices rose again Thursday on data suggesting the US crude glut is easing as the dollar weakened against the euro. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for June delivery rose $1.05 to $59.63 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. European benchmark Brent oil for June delivery gained 94 cents to $66.78 a barrel in London. Analysts said the oil market continued to react to Wednesday’s US Department of Energy inventory report, which showed a 500,000 barrel drop in petroleum stocks to 61.7 million barrels at the key Cushing, Oklahoma trading hub. While the decline was modest, it marked the first drop since late November. Traders are taking the decline as a sign producers are cutting back at key US petroleum sites, such as the Bakken region in North Dakota, analysts said. “The oil price ‘wants’ to rise – this is the impression one is bound to gain if one looks at the events that have taken place on the oil market in recent weeks,” Commerzbank said. “Certainly market par

PORT HARCOURT—A group,  Coalition of South-South Peoples Democratic Party Elders,  has called for the dissolution of the Adamu Muazu-led National Working Committee of the PDP,  adding that a technical  committee should also be immediately constituted to reposition the party ahead of 2019 elections. Spokesman of the group,  Chief Tamuno Tekena, in a statement, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, said that they were  consulting with the leadership of the party in the region, stressing that it was part of efforts to consolidate the party in the region. According to Tekena, they had met with Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Tony Anenih, adding that the party will not wait till the next  election year before it begins to rebound. He appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the party is firmly restructured before bowing out of office on May 29. The body also enjoined members to remain in the party, boasting that it   would reclaim the presidency in 2019. They als

Floyd Mayweather said Wednesday his long-awaited showdown with Manny Pacquiao isn’t a battle of good and evil as the two rivals went eyeball-to-eyeball at their final pre-fight press conference. “I am a realist,” said Mayweather, the 38-year-old American who has parlayed a perfect 47-0 ring record into a reign as the highest paid sportsman on the planet. “This fight is not good versus evil. It is one fighter who is at the top and another.” Pacquiao, a two-term congressman touted as a potential future president of the Philippines, is beloved as a humanitarian in his native land. A devout Christian who has put womanising and gambling days behind him, Pacquiao said Wednesday that his main aim in taking on Mayweather in what will be the richest fight in boxing history was to inspire the weak and glorify God. Mayweather, an energetic trash-talker in his younger days, hasn’t been afraid to compare himself favourably to Muhammad Ali, or to flaunt the perks his wealth has brought

Some students of the Lagos State University on Thursday protested against the continued closure of the institution. The protesters, who marched to the Governor’s Office, Ikeja at about 1pm, demanded immediate re-opening of the school, which was closed on March 16, 2015. The placard-carrying protesters also appealed to Governor Babatunde Fashola to address the lingering labour issues in the institution. Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “Re-open LASU now”; “After election, wetin remain”; “LASU students are ready to resume,” and “We want to graduate,” among others. It will be recalled that the state-owned institution was closed prior to the 2015 general elections. While the state government cited elections for the closure, there was also a brewing labour crisis which had threatened the peace in the institution. The crisis ─ a face-off between the Non-Academic Staff Union and the school management ─ had caused the indefinite postponement of the 20th convocati

Pan-yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has reminded the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, that it supported him in 2007 when he was contesting for the presidency on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party. The group, therefore, explained that although it supported President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, it would be wrong for anyone to assume that it supported Jonathan because of money. In a communiqué issued in Akure on Wednesday after a meeting at the home of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the group explained that it supported Jonathan because it believed that doing so was in the interest of all Yoruba. The group issued the communiqué in reaction to several allegations that its leaders received almost a billion naira from Jonathan weeks before the March 28 election. The group, therefore, urged Buhari not to jettison the National Conference report as it was the only way to ensure change in Nigeria. The communiqué read, “For the avoidance of doubt, t

The University of Lagos convocation ended on Thursday with President Goodluck Jonathan and his education minister, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, shunning the three-day event. The two also did not send representatives to the occasion. Jonathan is the Visitor to the university. The President during the Democracy Day broadcast on May 29, 2013, had changed the name of the university to the Moshood Abiola University, an action that attracted a barrage of criticisms. The public outrage forced the Jonathan-led administration to reverse the name change some months later. However, the university’s 2013/2014 convocation, which began on Tuesday with award of degrees on 3,104 students, came to a climax on Thursday with the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on three eminent Nigerians. The honourees are former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma; renowned technocrat, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode, and the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch

One of the key contenders for the speakership of the 8th House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, gave indications on Thursday that he might not toe the zoning arrangement of the All Progressives Congress if it would not guarantee “fairness and justice.” Dogara, who is from Bauchi State (North-East) is considered the main challenger to House Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos State), in the race for the position. For weeks, Gbajabiamila has been touted as the likely candidate for the speakership under an understanding allegedly reached within the APC’s circles to zone the seat to the South-West. The party also reportedly agreed behind the scenes to allow the North-East, where Dogara hails from, to produce the Senate President. But, on Thursday, Dogara came out clearly to say that the Senate and the House were two different chambers and that a decision taken in respect of one could not be imposed on the other. The APC lawmaker spoke just as a new group, nick