Bomb blast hits Benin

There was pandemonium in Benin City, the Edo State capital on Tuesday after about five houses were destroyed in a bomb explosion.

The explosion, which went up at about 3pm in Zomi Zomi area of Sakpoba road, sent residents scampering for safety, thinking that Boko Haram sect had invaded the town.

A police source at the scene told Vanguard that “we learnt that the bungalow where the bomb was detonated was being used as a hide out for kidnappers some months ago. But a combined unit of soldiers and the police invaded the house and arrested the suspects.

Supreme Court upholds Delta, Oyo, Yobe governorship elections

The Supreme Court on Tuesday validated the elections of Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; and Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam.

They were all taken to court over the outcome of the April 11, 2015 governorship elections.

The court fixed February 15 to give reasons for its unanimous judgment in the election.

Details to follow…

Armsgate: Blueprint Newspapers returns N9m compensation to NPAN

The Board of Directors of Blueprint Newspapers has returned the N9m compensation it collected from the past government over copies of its newspaper seized by security agents under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN, under the leadership of Nduka Obiagbena of This Day has been under fire over the compensation money, which was linked to the controversial arms acquisition funds given to former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Return to Nigeria or be disgraced out of U.S – APC spokesman advises Obanikoros

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, has advised a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and two of his sons to return to Nigeria to answer the allegations of fraud levelled against them.

While Senator Obanikoro has been accused of helping the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, to rig the June 21, 2014 election, his sons, Gbolahan and Babajide, are being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly receiving N4.75bn from the Central Bank of Nigeria Imprest Account of the Office of the National Security Adviser under Sambo Dasuki between June 6, 2014 and December, 12, 2015.

Senator Obanikoro, who is a citizen of the United States, has since the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan relocated to the US, where he is currently studying History at Oglethorpe University in Georgia. His sons are also currently in the US.

Court sentences policeman to death by hanging for culpable homicide

Justice Jude Okeke of the FCT High Court on Tuesday sentenced a policeman, Samuel Tarkaa, to death for culpable homicide.

Tarkka was arraigned on a count charge of intention of causing such body injury as it was likely to cause death and indeed caused the death of one Andrew Osuagwu.

Tarkaa on Nov. 24, 2010 at Kado Village, Abuja, caused the death of Osuagwu by lifting him up and hitting his head on the ground.

Troops kill 50 Boko Haram insurgents in Mafa, Dikwa, Kala; rescue 500

Troops on Monday carried out an offensive and rescue operation around Mafa, Dikwa and Kala area of Borno State.

The areas were regularly terrorised by members of the Boko Haram sect.

The intervention of the military saw over 500 persons, mainly women and children being rescued​.​

Wike Declares His Victory Day, January 27th A Public Holiday In Rivers

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike whom the Supreme Court declared winner of the last Governorship election in Rivers State on the 27th of January, 2016 has now declared the day a public holiday in Rivers State, saying it is a day God came down to deliver Rivers.

He also reiterated his warning to those planning to rig the rerun elections in the state, noting that they will be treated as armed robbers by the people.

Dabota Lawson files for divorce from billionaire husband after just one year of marriage

The one year marriage between beauty queen Dabota Lawson and billionaire businessman, Prince Sunny Aku is over. Dabota has filed for divorce from Aku citing irreconcilable differences and claiming she didn't know he was legally still married to another woman when she married him.

The two reportedly separated late last year after months of marital issues, mostly because of the billionaire's ways of allegedly constantly caging her and not letting her go out and do whatever she wanted.

Stop paying ransom to kidnappers – IG of Police warns victims’ families

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase has urged Nigerians to stop paying ransoms to kidnappers but rather provide adequate information to the police to enable them do their jobs.

He stated this yesterday at the start of a five-day counter-kidnap seminar organised by the British High Commission, with instructors drawn from United Kingdom Anti-kidnapping Agency and the Swiss Crisis Management Unit.

The IGP, who restated his commitment to continue driving reforms and strategic transformation of the Force in order to reposition for efficiency and effectiveness in its service delivery, warned against payment of ransom to kidnappers by victims’ families.

Court trial stalled as DSS fails to produce Dasuki on time

The late arrival of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki from security custody has stalled the commencement of his trial before Justice Peter Affen of FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

The proceedings could not go on due to the failure of the operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) to produce the ex-NSA in court ‎on time and the need for the other co-defendants to respond to an application by Dasuki to stop the trial over failure of the government to obey the bail conditions granted him by Justice Peter Affen.

The operatives of DSS produced the ex-NSA in court two hours after the court started hearing the matter and after Justice Affen had adjourned the case till February 26, 2016.

Senate uncovers over blown N10bn budget in Ministry of Education

The Senate has kicked-started the scrutiny of the 2016 budget proposals of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) with the Ministry of Education.

The Senate Committee on Education, during the scrutiny on Monday discovered that the education budget was blown up by over N10 billion.

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, was dumbfounded when he was confronted with questions on how the personnel budget for pararastatals under the ministry was hiked from N88,199,311,758 billion in 2015 to N98,181,570,237 billion in 2016 budget document.