About Nigeria

Cameroon is reportedly using witchcraft in the war against boko haram. Cameroonian President Paul Biya had in 2016 urged citizens to employ witchcraft in fighting boko haram. USA Today reports that after Biya’s call to employ witchcraft against Boko Haram in January 2016, hundreds of militia fighters rushed to sorcerers, commonly called “marabouts,” to obtain lucky charms and talismans to protect them in battle. Interviews with several citizens resident in areas of Cameroon which had been previously attacked by Boko Haram confirmed that indeeed their witchcraft was working in the war against the terrorists. "Since I have this gris-gris, I have no problem,” said Mohamad Ahmed, a gym teacher and member of a local militia in Mora, referring to a small cloth bag typically worn around the neck or wrist.

PREMIUM TIMES has asked the Nigerian Army to tender an apology over an alleged threat issued against the organisation. READ: Nigerian Army Sues PREMIUM TIMES The media house made the demand days after the Nigerian army threatened legal action against the newspaper for publications about the army and Tukur Buratai, its chief. Through its lawyers, PREMIUM TIMES delivered a detailed response to the army, affirming its stories and rejecting the demand for retractions and apology. Jiti Ogunye, the newspaper’s principal counsel, who signed the response, took the army to task on the “grave implications” of its letter, and described it as a threat to the well-being and life of PREMIUM TIMES’ staff. “By your letter you have threatened the lives of our clients, and our clients are thus obliged to put the public on notice that should any harm come to them, you, the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army should be held accountable,” he wrote. “The chilling threat contained in the army’s...

Patrick Mugadza, controversial Zimbabwe Prophet and leader of the Kariba Church, has revealed that President Robert Mugabe will die on 17th of October 2017. Mugadza said God told him on the 26th of December 2016, while he was praying that the 92-year-old president who has been ruling for thirty-seven years was not going to see the end of 2017 ; Zim News reports. ''I just want to tell you something concerning the year 2017. It is a very special year because of number SEVEN and at the same time also, 2017 collides with 37 years by which Zanu PF has been ruling this beautiful nation of Zimbabwe, but something is going to be happening also, which is very critical for us to know. ''It was on the 26th of December 2016 when I was in prayer and God said to me this coming year 2017 the President is dying and he told me that he is dying on 17th of October, like I said earlier on that I am not happy for somebody to die but, this is something that is going to happen.'...

Nigerian Comedian Basketmouth is now a knight. The Comedian shared a pictures of himself being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. See photos below:

Nigerian soldiers have arrested four fleeing members of the Boko Haram sect with 100 motorcycles. Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen Sani Usman who disclosed this in a statement, said the fleeing terrorists were arrested on Wednesday afternoon at Madaki village in Biu Local Government Area, Borno State by troops of 27 Task Force Brigade stationed in Bara. The names of the terrorists were given as Muazu Gogobir, Mamman Shuaibu, Muhammadu Muhammadu and Isah Ibrahim. They were intercepted along with 100 concealed motorcycles at the outskirt of the town. The suspected Boko Haram terrorists are undergoing preliminary investigation, Sani Stated. Read Sani’s full statement below. NIGERIAN TROOPS ARRESTS FLEEING BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS WITH 100 MOTOR BIKES Following the dislodgement and subsequent occupation of Boko Haram stronghold at Camp Zairo, Sambisa forest, the terrorists have been escaping the theatre to avoid capture and prosecution. It is in this vein that troops of Operation LAFIYA DO...

Once upon a time, they were jolly friends and their relationship was the envy of many. Though they are not blood brothers, Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose and Senator Buruji Kashamu (Ogun East), struck a knitted cord in the political space. They did things in common and deliberately watched each other’s back against perceived or imagined enemies; and they made no pretense about it. An epic proof of their joint victory is the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State, which Fayose won in an overwhelming manner by defeating the then incumbent, Dr Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC). For that battle to be won, the duo struck a common bond, strategised together and they got an uncommon result at the June 21, 2014 poll. After a successful outing in Ekiti, the two new political leaders in the South-West Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), moved from the zonal level to the national level. They became the power brokers for the party in the South West. One of the common ...

The House of Representatives on Thursday threatened to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the Inspector General of Police (I-G), Ibrahim Idris if he fails to appear before its Committee on Police Affairs on Jan. 19. This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Rep. Gabriel Onyenwife who condemned the continuous refusal of the I-G to honour invitations of the Committee. The Committee is investigating alleged violation of the 2016 Appropriation Act by the Nigerian Police Force. Moving the motion, Onyenwife noted that the I-G had failed to appear before the Committee to explain why the force diverted N1.2 billion approved for the purchase of 10 armoured personnel carriers. He said that instead of using the approved sum to purchase the said carriers, the money was rather used for the purchase of 64 Toyota Hiace Commuter vehicles, without the approval of the National Assembly. He also said that N6billion was appropriated in the same act for rehabilitation of 102 police stati...

The Chairman of Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote, has given the Kano and Kaduna States Government until March 31 to produce an audit report of how funds donated by his foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for polio immunization in the state last year were spent. He said this was to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of the funds released under a tripartite agreement involving the state and the two foundations. “All expenditure in the exercise must be verified by external auditors and the report tendered to partners in the tripartite agreement by the end of next March 31,” Mr. Dangote said Tuesday evening during a video conference at Government House, Kano. The conference involved the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i, officials of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and other development partners. He also stressed the need for ...

An enraged lover, Luka Shuaibu, who attempted to slit the throat of his girlfriend, following suspicion of unfaithfulness, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for attempted murder and causing grievous bodily hurt, Punchng reports . In October, 2016, Shuaibu, a diploma student in the Department of Tourism and Leisure Management, Adamawa State Polytechnic, attempted to slit the throat of his girlfriend, Sekina Ishaya. . Sekina, also a Tourism and leisure Management student, was attacked by her angry lover after allegedly seeing her with another man. Shuaibu was sentenced last Wednesday to 12 years imprisonment without option of fine. . Shehu Ahmad, the Chief Magistrate of the Yola Magistrate Court, while passing his sentence, said the court found the accused guilty of an attempt to commit culpable homicide and causing grievous bodily hurt to his female lover. . The magistrate said the sentence was based on the witnesses, testimonies as well as admission of guilt by the con...

No fewer than 30 inmates of the Ilesa Prison in Osun State are rounding off their secondary school studies in readiness for tertiary education later in 2017. Controller of Prisons, Osun State Command, Mr. Segun Oluwasemire, gave this hint on Thursday at a ceremony to receive a refurbished and stocked library for the school funded by the Alms Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Osogbo branch. He said that the command was being proactive in achieving total reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders in its custody by preparing them for a world of opportunities outside the prison walls. “The 30 inmates are the pioneer students of our Ilesa Prison Secondary School. We hope that sooner than later, the National Open University will grant us a Special Study Centre in the state command for a seamless transition of the products of the secondary school to the university,” the Controller said. Oluwasemire ascribed the success of the education initiative of the prison a...

The Securities and Exchange Commission, on Thursday said its attention had been drawn to radio advertisements and other modes of solicitations of the public to invest in cryptocurrencies such as Swisscoin, OneCoin, Bitcoin and such other virtual or digital currencies. SEC, therefore, advised the public to exercise extreme caution with regard to digital (cryptocurrencies) as a vehicle of investments. This warning was in consonance with similar warnings issued by capital market regulators and central banks across the world over the past few years, the regulator said in a post on its website. Warning the public, the commission, thus, stressed that none of the persons, companies or entities promoting cryptocurrencies had been recognised or authorised by it or by other regulatory agencies in Nigeria to receive deposits from the public or to provide any investment or other financial services in or from Nigeria. “The public should also be aware that any investment opportunities promote...

Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has just apologized to her colleague Mercy Johnson for calling her daughter Purity a 'witch' after Mercy resumed acting 4 months after giving birth to her first child, Purity, in US back in 2013. You recall that back in 2013, after Mercy delivered her baby Purity in US, Tonto had blasted Mercy who had come back to Nigeria 4 months later to continue with her acting career. Tonto Dikeh (who at that time had no chill) called Mercy all sort of names, claiming Mercy's husband pushed her immediately into acting because they were broke. At first the actress cum singer, Tonto tweeted ‘Nollywood Bridez marry horribly** #SHEBA#…Wen n if I give birth,God plz provide mii wit a husband dat can provide 4uz,Not 1 dat wld send mii bck to actin 2monthz after I born 2Huzzle’ Many who believed the tweet was referring to Mercy Johnson engaged Tonto in a twitter war - and then Tonto dropped the bigger shell as she tweeted again, ‘Every1 who comes to ma tl...

Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), on Thursday said Nigeria risks losing another $550 million recovered from the Abacha family to the United States. Sagay disclosed this at a media conference on asset recovery jointly organised by PACAC and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora. “Nigeria presently stands to lose another S550 million recovered from the Abacha family to the U.S., contrary to the earlier promise by the U.S. to return same to Nigeria,” he said. Sagay said the amount represented a separate tranche from the earlier $480 million forfeited to the U.S. following a court judgment in August 2014. He said that the stringent conditions for repatriation being given by the countries in which some of the nation’s stolen wealth was stashed contradicted the earlier promises made. He expressed concern at the country’s challenges in the tracing, seizure, forfeiture and re...

… moves to avert job losses President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to prioritise foreign exchange allocation to manufacturers in order to forestall job losses. Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, gave the charge during an interactive session with National Executive of National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employee (NUFBTE) in Abuja. Ngige at the meeting also reiterated Federal Government’s unwavering commitment towards ensuring that industries remain operational, despite the lingering socio-economic challenges “The Federal Government has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure that the backlog of applications for items needed to make industries remain operational are accorded priority in foreign exchange allocation to forestall job losses,” Ngige said. The minister also tasked the organized labour unions to support the efforts of President Buhari led administration at reducing the country’s overdependence on imported...

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reconstitution of the Executive Management teams of the River Basin Development Authorities across the country, under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. The appointments are with immediate effect, and as follows: THE ANAMBRA-IMO RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (AIRBDA): Rev. Michael Nwabufo -- Managing Director Engr. (Dr.) Michael C. Nwachukwu--Executive Director, Engineering Dr. Nweze B. Obasi -- Executive Director, Agricultural Services Dr. Benjamin Aneke -- Executive Director, Planning and Design Mrs. Ngozi C. Uche --Executive Director, Finance and Administration BENIN-OWENA RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (BORBDA): Engr. Saliu O. Ahmed -- Managing Director Engr. (Mrs.) Modupe V. Olalemi – Executive Director, Engineering Agbetuyi O. Bamidele -- Executive Director, Agricultural Services Olumese E. Charles -- Executive Director, Planning and Design, Akinya Folorunsho Samson – Executive Director, Finance and Administ...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met with the Service Chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Issues discussed included the killings in Southern Kaduna, the insecurity challenges in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country. Minister of Defence, Mohammed Dan-Ali, who made the disclosure to newsmen after the meeting, added that troops had been moved to Southern Kaduna while negotiations were on-going to end the killings in the area. Asked if Nigeria will send troops to the Gambia should there be violence if Gambia’s President, Yahaya Jammeh refuses to step down, the Minister said that no conclusion had been reached on the issue yet. He stressed that the matter of forceful removal of President Yahyah Jammeh was to be handled by the ECOWAS regional body.

The presidency on Thursday refuted media reports suggesting that Nigerian gvernment has cut ties with Taiwan. It said the relationship between Nigeria and Taiwan had been at the level of trade representation and that had not changed. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement. The statement read, “The Presidency dismisses incorrect media reports to the effect that Nigeria has cut ties with Taiwan. “The correct position is that the official relationship between Nigeria and Taiwan has been at the level of trade representation and this has not changed from what it used to be. “Taiwan trade office is the only Taiwanese representation in Nigeria and Nigeria’s trade office in Taipei is our only representation in Taiwan. “Nigeria recognises and will sustain the ‘One China’ policy and nothing has happened so far to change that level of relationship.”

The Nigerian army has issued a statement stating that it has no plans to attack or invade any country, as against media reports. "The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a publication by Premium Times online news medium titled "EXCLUSIVE: Nigeria raises troops for Gambia, ready to remove Yahya Jammeh". This is not true," the statement, signed by Col. Sani Usman said. "Consequently, Nigerian Army wishes to disassociate itself from such false information that exists only in the figment of the imagination of the medium. There was no time or place Nigerian Army disclosed such information to the medium. If there is any, we challenge them to name the officer or soldier that gave them such information and when. "For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerian Army is not planning to attack any country. "It should be noted that such reckless and unprofessional conduct is not expected of any reputable and responsible news medium as it is inimical to ...

Founder of the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, has spoken out for the first time, about the corporate governance code saga, which led to Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye stepping down as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Nigeria. Oyedepo, who was also in line to ‘retire’ before the law was suspended, insisted that the government had no business with when a Prophet begins and ends his ministry. He stated this while addressing his congregation at their ongoing 21 days of prayer and fasting. His words: “You cannot make decisions on how long a prophet of God should lead when you were not even there when the commission started, you did not employ him, howbeit then that you can sack him?” Bishop Oyedepo also reiterated the church’s commitment to intercede for the nation amid these tough times.

President Yahya Jammeh on Thursday in Banjul reiterated his stand that he would not step down as Gambian leader when his mandate ends on Wednesday. Despite reports that Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has raised an army of 800 soldiers to invade Gambia should he not rescind power, the dictator has insisted on remaining in power. The information ministry said in a statement read on national television that Jammeh was planning to remain in office until the Supreme Court decides on a petition he filed. Earlier this week, Gambia’s dysfunctional Supreme Court adjourned hearing Jammeh’s petition to Monday, since only one of a required minimum of five judges were present. Observers fear that delays to the planned hand-over of power could lead to violence as Gambia has been in a political lockdown since Jammeh refused to accept the result. Meanwhile, some West African leaders, including Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, are expected to arrive in Gambia to convince Jammeh to res...