News
Niger Delta Avengers to Buhari: No More Attacks
There is good news from the Niger Delta.
The militants whose attacks have caused a huge dip in Nigeria’s oil exports, forcing the economy into a big crisis, said last night that they were done with the hostilities.
The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) broke the news in a letter posted on its website by its spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari. It also spoke of the need for regular dialogue to take place for the Nigerian union to survive. The Nation
We’ll Protest Naked To Summon Wrath Of Gods Against Fg, Gas Company Over Oil Spillage – A’ibom Women
WOMEN of Obotim Nsit community, Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, Akwa-Ibom State have vowed to protest nude to summon the wrath of the gods against government and a gas company whose pipeline was blown up in the community by the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, July 24, for allegedly abandoning them to their fate after the destructive incident.
They claimed that the explosion caused extensive damage to all the houses in the village besides ruining their farmlands and other means of livelihood, only for the company, working for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which constructed the pipeline, to simply evacuate its equipment after the incident and leave.
However, NDA, penultimate week, declared an unannounced ceasefire following the appeal by monarchs, leaders and stakeholders of the Niger Delta coastal states on militants to sheathe their swords.Vanguard
Fulani Herdsmen Aren’t Criminals —Emir of Ilorin
The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman, Kwara State Traditional Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has absolved Fulani herdsmen of responsibility for all the atrocities committed across the country, describing them as peaceful, lovable and honest in their dealings with other tribes.
The monarch also urged Nigerians to ensure that the desired peace and tranquility continued to reign in the nation through harmonious working relationships and honesty.
He added that this became necessary due to the infiltration of attitudes alien to the practice and tradition of the people of Kwara State, especially indigenes of Ilorin. Vanguard
Kuje Prison Riot: Boko Haram Prisoner Caught With 25 Phones
Sporadic gunfire caused pandemonium at Kuje Prison, Abuja, on Monday, following a riot by some inmates, who resisted the attempt by prison officials to search their cells for banned items.
It was gathered that security operatives fired gunshots and tear gas canisters to restore law and order and control the rioters.
This happened 11 days after a similar incident in Abakaliki Prison, Ebonyi State, that led to the death of six inmates and injuries to four prison warders. Punch
Wike Can’t Be Impeached, Rivers PDP Tells Peterside
THE Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has said that the tenure of the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, is not under any threat of impeachment.
The state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, said on Monday that the governor would serve his tenure, adding that the people of the state would continue to support his administration.
Nwanosike spoke in Port Harcourt while briefing newsmen, in reaction to a statement credited to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 general election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside. Punch
B’Haram Stalls Prisoner Swap with Abducted Chibok Girls
Fresh facts have emerged on why President Muhammadu Buhari has remained steadfast on his position that the federal government would only negotiate for the release of the abducted Chibok girls with those who are directly holding them.
It has emerged that two recent attempts in recent weeks by the Federal Government for prisoners swap with the so called representative of the terror group may have reached a dead end as each time security officials arrive at designated locations with Boko Haram prisoners for the swap, Boko Haram representatives fail to show up as they are required to produce at least 50 verifiable Chibok girls for the first wave of the swap, security officials tell THISDAY.
Two hundred and seventy six girls were kidnapped from their school dormitory on April 14, 2014, and although 59 were able to escape, one recently, 217 have remained in captivity, sparking global outrage over their abduction. Thisday
Buhari’s Economic Policy against Workers, Says NLC
The Nigeria Labour Congress criticized the Federal Government for adopting measures inimical to workers’ welfare to address the current economic recession in the country.
The NLC’s President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, said this during the 14th NLC’s Rain School with the theme, ‘The Labour Movement and an Alternative Development Strategy,’ in Uyo on Monday.
He said that the response of the government to the recession was geared towards eroding the gains of the workers’ union through non-payment of wages, salaries and pensions. Punch
Business News
Forex Market Trades $327m, Foreign Investors Buy Bonds
The nation’s foreign exchange market recorded $327m worth of transactions on Monday, about six times more than its usual volume, the FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, told Reuters.
This included a single transaction of $270m at N345/dollar by foreign investors buying local currency bonds, the Managing Director, FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, Mr. Bola Onadele, said in an interview.
Other transactions were carried out from N314.50 to N317.34 per dollar. Punch
High Grade Nickel Discovered in Nigeria
A private mining syndicate headed by Mr. Hugh Morgan, a mining industry veteran, has made a potentially “high grade” Nickel discovery in Nigeria, The Australian, an Australian national newspaper, has reported.
According to the newspaper, the discovery is unusual because the nickel is found in small balls up to 3mm in diameter of high purity in shallow soils in what could be the surface expression of a much bigger hard-rock nickel field.
Nickel is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. It belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile. Thisday
External Reserves Rise by $595m in Five Days
The nation’s foreign exchange reserves have increased by $595m to hit a one-month high of $26.196bn, the latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria have shown.
This came on Monday just as the naira traded around 412- 413 against the United States dollar at the parallel market, compared to 414/dollar on Sunday.
External reserves stood at $25.6bn as of August 24, down from $26.21bn on July 28, the CBN data showed.Punch
Fed Govt Earns N677.8b in Second Quarter, Says CBN
Federal Government retained revenue for the second quarter of this year stood at N677.88 billion, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Economic Report for the second quarter released yesterday said.
According to the report, the figure is above the receipts in the preceding quarter by 34.2 per cent, but lower than the quarterly budget estimate by 33 per cent.
The Federation Account accounted for 47.7 per cent of the total revenue. “Other Oil Revenue”, Federal Government Independent Revenue, Value Added Tax (VAT) and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Refund and Exchange Gain accounted for 30.0 per cent, 14.9 per cent, 4.1 per cent and 3.3 per cent. The Nation
Chinese Firm Wins $1.85bn Kano Light Rail Contract
Another light rail project is in the offing as a Chinese firm has received the approval to construct the line in Kano at a sum of $1.85bn (N589.8bn).
An online report by The Cable on Monday gave the construction firm as the China Railway Construction Corporation.
This is coming less than a year to the completion of the first light rail project being constructed in Lagos by the state government. Another Chinese firm, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation is handling the project. Punch