Extra Reporters

A market and refugee camp was target by suicide bombers suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists in Baga Sola village of Chad near Nigerian border. About thirty eight persons lost their lives in the attack, 51 wounded and 5 attackers dead. The suicide bombers where mostly female. The refugee bombing resulted in killing about 22 persons, while the market bombing leads to 16 persons loosing their lives, said Gen. Banyaman Cossingar, director general gendarmerie. There was triple bombing in the village and we suspected Boko Haram, military spokesman Col. Azem Agouna. There was an uncompleted establishment of over 8,000 multinational forces to counter the activities of Boko Haram sect which is having Nigeria as its strong hold. The delay in operational kick off is not acertain.

President Muhammadu Buhari, through his  Special Adviser,  Media and Publicity Mr.  Femi Adesina said Nigeria will align with ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations in rejecting the brazen contravention of the constitution. President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria unreservedly condemn Wednesday's detention of the Interim President, the Prime Minister and other ministers of the transitional government of Burkina Faso in an apparent coup d'etat. President Buhari and Nigeria align with ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations in rejecting the brazen contravention of the constitution and transitional charter of Burkina Faso by elements of the Presidential Guard under the leadership of General Gilbert Diendere. President Buhari and Nigeria urge the Defense and Security Forces of Burkina Faso to keep faith with the agreed transitional programme for the return of the country to full democratic rule after electio...

The military in Burkina Faso has taken to the airwaves to declare it now controls the country, confirming that a coup has taken place - just weeks before national elections. In the announcement aired early on Thursday on national television and radio, the statement said that the transitional government had been dissolved. The statement came a day after members of the elite presidential guard unit of the military arrested the transitional president and prime minister. According to reports,  gunfire could be heard on the streets of  the capital Ouagadougou. "There is a lot of military on the street [...] there is also no information about the transitional president and prime minister and there is no information if they are dead or alive." Burkina Faso was due to hold elections on October 11 that many hoped would strengthen democracy. The transitional government came to power after the president of 27 years, Blaise Compaore, was toppled late last year...

President Muhammadu Buhari said Wednesday in Abuja that Nigeria and Sao Tome & Principe must sit down soon to review the activities of their Joint Development Authority with a view to making it more efficient and productive. Speaking at a meeting with the Prime Minister of Sao Tome & Principe, Patrice Emery Trovoada, President Buhari said that the two countries also need to intensify their collaborative effor ts with others to curtail piracy and insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea. The President said that with their shared strategic interest in the security of the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria and Sao Tome & Principe must work harder with other stakeholders to keep it safe. President Buhari noted that pirates who take advantage of the present low level of security in the gulf were causing incalculable damage to the economies of countries in the region.  He therefore assured the visiting Prime Minister that Nigeria will do all within its powers to enhance securit...

Nigeria’s immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has been formally charged with illegal possession of firearms. Charges filed by Nigeria’s Director of Public Prosecutions,  Mohammed Diri, indicate that Mr. Dasuki would appear in an Abuja court on Tuesday to face charges including unlawful possession of several assault rifles and ammunition. According to report by PREMIUM TIMES, the former NSA would be arraigned before a vacation judge since Nigerian courts are currently on vacation. The charges would be read to him, and he would be allowed to take his plea. The case will then be assigned to another judge once the courts reopens. A source close to Mr. Dasuki said the former NSA would most likely plead not guilty to the charges, following which his lawyers would move an oral application for bail. Mr. Dasuki, appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, to coordinate Nigeria’s security agencies in the heat of the country’s war against Boko Haram...

A week after controversial endorsement of Abdulrashid Maina by youths and elders from Biu emirate council who met in Abuja, a retired customs Comptroller, Madu Mohammed Biu (Bako) has also been tipped for the position. Madu Mohammed Biu has, therefore, joined the list of many contenders jostling for the position of the Deputy Governor which became vacant, following the death of Alhaji Zanna Umar Mustapha. Apart from being preferred by elders of the emirate, the ex-customs boss is also said to have the backing of the Biu Emirate Development Association (BEDA). A statement from BEDA signed by its spokesperson Mr Dauda Bako described Mohammed Biu as an illustrious son of the emirate who made them proud while serving in the Nigerian Customs service. “Biu was an honest customs officers who worked at the Borno/Yobe Command, Federal Operations zone ‘C’, command, Owerri, Port Harcourt Area II Command at Onne, Oyo/Osun Area command, all as Area Comptroller, and retired as Com...

No fewer than 15 key members of the boko haram sect were arrested across Nigeria by the operatives of the DSS. According to a statement by a DSS official, Tony Opuiyo, said the infiltration of the terrorists into other states was a fallout of the pressure being put on the terrorists in their core areas of strength in the North-east. The statement by the DSS ; In line with the Department of State Services’, DSS, re-strategised Counter Terrorism measures to combat the menace of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, the Service has continued to make significant breakthroughs in this direction. This followed the rounding up of notable commanders and frontline members of the notorious group from different parts of the country. It should be noted that the group’s new pattern of movement and spread is necessitated by the pressure being put on them in their core areas of strength in the North East. 2. Consequently, a number of them have been arrested in Lagos, Kano, Pla...

BY ABBATI BAKO,psc,bsis,Kent,UK SIR, NO! TO ELEVATION OF 4 COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TO UNIVERSITY STATUS---FCE Kano, FCE ZARIA AND 2 OTHERS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA With due respect, I am delighted, confident and hopeful the way His Excellency is steering the Nigerian nation today. Nigeria is (now) on the right path to the promised land of development, progress, integration, unity, peace and economic prosperity free from corruption. Your Excellency Sir, as I have said in my letter to H/E some weeks ago that education is priority-A not B or C. Education is the leading light in development of social and economic prosperity in any human society. Therefore, emphasis must be given in the educational sector to ensure qualitative and a world class education for Nigerians; especially the current generation and the generation unborn. Sir, UNESCO is one of the 28 United Nations agencies and among the initiators or formulators of (some) policies that contributes to what we called the ...

By Ibrahim Garba Wala (IG Wala): Presidential Order or Directive, must translate into action. When President Muhammadu Buhari came out to announce the bail out package for states, we (the country) applauds such development. But, the news coming from BBC Hausa today reveals that no state has seen a single One Naira in the name of bailout. The Bauchi State Governor explained that there was/is no such money coming into the account of any state but, the FG directed CB N to take action. It is on this note that the CBN also contacted the states and demanded that the states should submit the names of their banks which can be directed to issue them soft loans. MY QUESTION HERE: is this the Presidential instruction given to CBN or this is what CBN resolved to do in her own capacity? On a related development, a Soldier in the war front also lamented over the poor arms and non payment of allowances, even though the Military spokesperson clearly had doubt that the complainer may not be a soldier ...

Going by the remuneration approved for them by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the annual take-home (excluding estacode, Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and some sundry allowances which they are paid as necessary), of each of the 360 members of the House of Representatives is estimated at N18.26 million. Each of the 109 senators earns a bit higher, pocketing N19.66 million each a year, PREMIUM TIMES analyses have shown. Additionally, each senator collects N1.01 million a year for his or her domestic staff, while each member of the House of Representatives collects N1million for the same purpose. Each lawmaker gets N202, 640 as Newspapers/Periodicals allowance per annum. Based on the approved pay schedule, N1.4billion is spent on the 469 lawmakers as furniture allowance annually, while their car loan stands at N2.34billion per annum. These figures taken together, the 360 members of the House of Representatives gulp N6.58 billion from the nation’s treasury...

   By Jaafar Jaafar Ponder over this Hausa proverb: “sawun keke ba’a gane gabanka”, which roughly translates to “a bicycle’s contact patch does not tell where it comes from or where it heads to”, and see how it aptly describes Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari. Bearing in mind the current realities in our polity, how would you, in your wildest dream, think the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will come from the North? The very North that has a President, a Senate President, a Speaker, a Head of Service, a Chief of Staff, a Chief Justice, and what not? While Mr. President is likened to the proverbial “sawun keke”, the pigmentation of his appointments may be likened to “birgimar hankaka”, literally meaning the wallow of a pied crow. When a pied crow wallows, the Hausa say, you will see both the white patch on its gullet and the black plumage that covers most of the bird’s body. In the appointment of the GMD of NNPC, President Buhari showed Nigeria...

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the following appointments: Engr. Babachir David Lawal – Secretary to the Government of the Federation Alhaji Abba Kyari – Chief of Staff to the President Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.) – Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service Mr. Kure Martin Abeshi – Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service Senator Ita S.J. Enang – SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) Hon. Suleiman A. Kawu – SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives) The appointments are with effect from today, August 27, 2015. Engr. Lawal, the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation hails from Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State. He graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 with a Bachelor of Engineering Degree and worked with the Delta Steel Company, Aladja, Nigerian External Telecommunications Limited and Data Sciences Limited before establishing his own ICT and Telecommunications co...

The 13-man investigative committee set up to probe the procurement of hardware and ammunition in the Armed Forces has started its sitting, albeit in camera. The committee has been meeting in the office of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), a source in the Presidency confided in The PUNCH on Wednesday. The source said, “I can confirm to you that the committee members have started meeting. They even started meeting before their appointments were announced. This is because they do not need any confirmation or any formal inauguration. “Available information showed that members are getting the needed assistance and support from interested parties. “It is the government’s belief that a lot of ground would be covered by the committee in its desire to ascertain what went wrong in the past as far as the procurement of arms is concerned.” Presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, had on Monday announced the composition of the committee, which is...

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State on Wednesday said former Minister of the Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe is afraid of President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned probe of several billions of naira squandered on the East-West road and on the Amnesty programme under his watch as Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs. The governor said that fear of an impending probe was what triggered Mr. Orubebe’s latest outburst in the media. Mr. Orubebe had on Tuesday described the Edo Governor as a “villa sycophant”. The former minister, who had a chat with some journalists in Abuja, described Mr. Oshiomhole as someone who is willing to switch allegiance to whoever is in power at any point in time. He chastised the Edo governor for speaking against former President Goodluck Jonathan who he called a great leader. “Oshiomhole is an ingrate and a popular villa sycophant who is quick to switch allegiance to whomever is in power,” Mr. Orubebe said. Mr. Oshiomhole, in a statement by his spokesperson...

The Accident Investigation Bureau announced that it has recovered the Black Box of the Bristow helicopter that crashed in the Lagos lagoon two days ago. The Bureau announced that the box, which contains the pilot’s voice and flight data recorders, was found on Friday. The Commissioner of the Accident Investigation Bureau, Felix Abali, made the announcement while displaying the two devices to aviation correspondents at the Bureau’s headquarters in Lagos. Six people on the helicopter died and six others were injured during the crash. Among the dead were the pilot and the co-pilot, whose bodies were recovered on Thursday. The cause of the crash is still unknown.

Small community in Barikin Ladi LGA of Plateau State is under attack. Heavily armed Berom Terrorists surrounded Bisichi village a small mining village. The attack is targetted at because Hausa/Fulani and Muslims. This has been the trend in Barikin Ladi LGA for the past 2 weeks. Sunday, some 3 young men traveling from Saminaka LGA of Kaduna State to same Barkin Ladi were massacred by Berom Terrorists. The people are begging for someone to come to their aid. The Berom terrorists are reportedly being heavily armed by their leaders who lost election to Lalong’s APC. The Jonah Jang camp promised to make Lalong’s Government ungovernable Source: News Rescue

Three of eight witnesses called by David Mark in defense of the petition against him by Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress at the National Assembly Elections Tribunal, did not testify as they were not seen when called. The Counsel to David Mark, Kenneth Ikonne, on Monday told the tribunal that he had eight witnesses to call for the day to strengthen his defence against the petition. The five witnesses that testified- all Ward Collation Agents for the Peoples Democratic Party, said the conduct of the Benue South Senatorial election was free and fair. However, under cross-examination by petitioner’s counsel, Tunji Oso, one of the witnesses, who claimed that all accredited voters had their names ticked on the voters register, admitted that no name was ticked on the register. Another witness also admitted under cross examination that there were mutilation and alteration of exhibits, especially form EC 8A which was the result sheet. Following the disappear...

President Muhammed Buhari Monday in Abuja called for an explanation from the Ministry of Finance on the foreign loans obtained for rail projects but diverted to other purposes. Speaking at the end of a presentation on the Ministry of Transport by the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Bashar at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari said that it was disappointing to find that foreign loans obtained in line with signed agreements were moved from one project to another. “I hope that due process was followed before such diversions were carried out. Taking money from one project to another has to be done properly,” Garba Shehu, his senior special assistant on media and publicity, quoted the President as saying. Mr. Buhari was reacting to the specific instance of the diversion of a substantial part of the loan of USD1.005 billion from the Chinese Exim Bank, obtained for the construction of a standard gauge rail line linking Lagos to Kano but which was moved elsewhere. Th...

Boko Hara Leader, Abubakar Shekau Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members arrested another 8 terrorists in the southern part of Borno State yesterday, a Civilian JTF leader Yohana Bitrus Siad told our reporters. According to him the terrorists were arrested in the remote village of Mussa in Askira-Uba Local Government Area (LGA). Leader of the Civilians JTF in Mussa District, Mr. Apagu Istifanus, also confirmed to SaharaReporters that eight members of the deadly group had been arrested. Mr. Istifanus added that at least six of them were from Gwoza town. “We interrogated and said that they were tired and didn’t want to fight Jihad again,” Mr. Istifanus also said. The Civilian JTF handed the terrorists over to the military in Mubi, Adamawa State for further interrogation. Barely two days ago Civilian JTF in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State arrested four other Boko Haram members who had been terrorizing ‎civilians in that area. A military source said, “I...

The former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attahiru Jega, said he remained calm while Godsday Orubebe, a former minister of Niger Delta, disrupted election because he as well as his colleagues were determined to conduct credible elections. In an interview with Zero Tolerance, a quarterly magazine of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Jega said during the collation of results, it was evident to him that some people were bent on derailing the process by provoking him and his colleagues. “So, we were determined to ensure that no matter the provocation we would ensure that the results were tabulated and announced,” he said. The former electoral boss said all through the election period there were various allegations against him, but he was not bothered or afraid. “No! Anybody who is afraid for his life will not do this kind of job. As you know, they say, “Death is a necessary end. It comes when it will come.” “So, we did our b...