News
Boko Haram Accuses Airforce of Killing Abducted Chibok Girls
The terrorist group in the North East of Nigeria, Boko Haram, on Sunday accused the Nigerian Airforce of killing some of the girls abducted from Chibok, Borno State in 2014.
The terror group in its latest video, released by the Abubakar Shekau faction, purportedly showing some of the missing girls, alleged that some of the girls were killed during the Airforce’s strikes on its camps in Sambisa Forest.
But the Defence Headquarters swiftly refuted Boko Haram’s claim, saying that while it was still studying the video to ascertain its veracity, it was improbable that its airstrikes could have killed innocent citizens since the defence forces took extra care to protect civilian population in the theatre of war. Thisday
Warri Protesters Hold Church Service on Chevron Premises
About 4,000 protesting Ugborodo community indigenes on Sunday held a non-denominational church service at the front of Chevron Tank Farm in Escravos, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, where they have been protesting for days.
The PUNCH gathered that the protesters, who have been laying a siege to Chevron Tank Farm since Tuesday last week over the non-recognition of Ugborodo Interim Management Committee by oil firms operating in the area, sang and preached during the service.
It was gathered that one of the protesters took the role of a pastor while some others performed as choir as they were robed in various churches’ uniforms. Punch
Bill Gates donates $1m for Food, Farming Aids to Borno
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima on Sunday inaugurated the distribution of food items and farm outreach committee targeting 40,000 victims of the Boko Haram insurgency through the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which donated one million dollars to the Borno State Government as a post conflict intervention meant to support victims who are returning to their communities.
Shettima inaugurated the support commitee to begin with the distribution of 25 kilogram bag of rice and 10 kilogram bag of beans to each of 1,100 households at Mainok village in Kaga local government area, 45 kilometres away from Maiduguri.
The governor said officials of the state government working with the Gates Foundation used the $1m to procure the food items and commenced funding of 100 hectares of farm where beans is being cultivated. Thisday
Army Declares Salkida, Wakil, Bolori Wanted
Salkida, now in his early 40s is a native of Biu, Borno State. He was the last journalist who interviewed the Boko Haram founder, Muhammad Yusuf in July, 2009 shortly before the violent uprising that led to the death of several people.
He left Nigeria for Dubai about three years ago. Salkida became prominent because of his access to the Boko Haram sect. He was among the first to announce the release of the latest video on the Chibok girls. Salkida had met with Nigerian officials in the recent past over dialogue with the insurgents. Daily Trust
CBN Conducts Special Examination on Banks
In order to ascertain the actual well-being of banks owing to the nation’s macroeconomic challenges and rising non-performing loans (NPLs), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is currently carrying out examination on banks.
At the end of the exercise, the banking sector regulator said, it would determine how best the industry should be supported. Thisday
Amosun Hosts First NUJ National Summit
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, is set to make history as he hosts the first Annual National Summit of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Billed for August 16 to 18, 2016, the summit to be hosted in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, is the first of its kind and is focused on engaging all stakeholders of the Nigerian media space to discuss the past, the present challenges and the future of the Nigerian media industry.
Speaking on why he has graciously agreed to host the historic event, Amosun said: “It couldn’t have been otherwise since the history of the Nigerian media industry actually started here in Abeokuta.” Thisday
Tinubu: I’ll Ensure APC Conducts Credible Primaries in Ondo
The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, yesterday said he would do everything in his power to ensure the party’s governorship primaries scheduled “to hold on August 27 are free and fair.”
Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, also said he reserved the right to support any aspirant seeking nomination of the APC in the forthcoming preliminary election contrary to what some critics had said. Thisday
Business News
Dangote Flour records N8.47bn Profit after Takeover
Dangote Flour Mills Plc’s profit from operating activities has risen to N8.47bn.
This came some months after the group was reacquired from Tiger Branded Consumers Goods Plc.
The group posted a profit before tax of N2.64bn in the half-year ended June 30, 2016, compared to a loss of N9.55bn posted in the corresponding period of 2015. Punch
NSC: Transportation Sector Can Contribute 10% to Nigeria’s GDP
The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello has stated that the transportation industry can contribute about 10 per cent to the Nigeria’s gross domestic products (GDP) if the right policies are in place to drive the sector.
To achieve this, he said there must be massive investment in infrastructure and training for operators and regulators on new global trends in transportation services.
Bello stated this over the weekend when he received officials of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) led by its Director General, Dr. Aminu Yusuf, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office. Thisday
Stanbic IBTC to Float New Exchange Traded Fund
Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, has concluded plans to launch a new Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). According to the company, to be called the Stanbic IBTC Pension ETF 40, the ETF will mirror the Pension 40 Index.
The launch will bring to two the ETFs in Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited’s portfolio. In 2014, the company launched the Stanbic IBTC ETF 30, which tracks the performance of the top 30 stocks listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
The Pension Index, launched last year by the NSE to drive market optimization, is a tracking mechanism for investors, particularly institutional investors like Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), that invest in line with guidelines set out by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM). The NSE Pension Index monitors the top 40 most capitalized and liquid companies in the market. Thisday
Globacom Records Five Million New Subscribers in One Month
National telecommunications operator, Globacom, recorded 5,063,895 new susbcribers in the last 12 months. The figure represents 68 per cent of all additional GSM lines in the country in the last one year.
Airtel added 2,414,082 new customers, while MTN and Etisalat had their GSM subscriber figures whittled down.
Etisalat lost 382,336 customers, while MTN’s subscriber base was depleted by 4, 403,344 in the last one year.
Telecom industry statistics published on the website of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), showed that a total of 7,477,977 new lines were activated between June 2015 and June 2016, with Globacom recording a whopping 5,063,895 new susbcribers, while Airtel added 2,414,082 during the period. Thisday
BoI, Gombe Sign N360m Solar Power Agreement
The Bank of Industry (BoI) and Gombe State Government have signed a N360million deal for the deployment of pay-as-you-go solar home systems in selected rural communities in the state.
Gombe was one of the states that benefitted from the first phase of the BoI/UNDP rural electrification programme involving one community in each of the six geopolitical zones.
Due to the success of the initial project, the Gombe State Governor, Dr. Ibrahim Damkambo wants the project replicated in other nine local government areas of the state.
The acting Managing Director, BoI, Mr. Waheed Olagunju said the project would boost economic activities in the benefiting communities. Thisday
Financial inclusion: Unity Bank Targets Salary Earners
Unity Bank Plc says it is targeting salary earners as it steps up efforts to boost the financial inclusion drive of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
As a result, the lender said it had introduced a current account product called Unity-Max.
The product is targeted at salary earners in corporate organizations, multinational corporations, fast-moving consumer goods, Federal Government parastatals, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and Small and Medium scale Enterprises. Punch