#BringBackOurGirls: Chibok parents accuse Vice Principal of participating in abduction

The girls were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok on April 14, 2014.

The girls were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok on April 14, 2014.

According to Sahara Reporters, the parents claimed that the Vice Principal, Yerima Banjiri had insisted that the girls remain in the school compound the night they were abducted.

Banjiri also allegedly threatened to expel any student who disobeyed the order.

 “A week before their abductions, Malam Yerima threatened the students not to leave for their various homes. He said that whoever went home should forget she was ever a student at the school,” one of the girls’ mothers, Mariam Abubakar told Sahara Reporters.

“He told the girls that none of them should go home, that they must sleep in the school. However, none of the teachers’ daughters or even the daughters of the management staff was among those kidnapped. Only the children of we poor people were asked to sleep in the school. The [teachers and administrators] had kept their children in safer places before Boko Haram arrived,” she added.

“Our concern is that since the day of [the girls’] abduction, we have never set our eyes on Malam Yerima. He is on run,” she said further.

Meanwhile, #BringBackOurGirls campaigner, Oby Ezekwesili has urged US President, Barack Obama

In Benue: 28 feared dead in attack by Fulani herdsmen

The attackers were said to have invaded three villages in the Mbadwem district of Guma Local Government Area in the evening of Saturday, April 25, 2015 and burnt houses and farmland.

About 28 people are said to have died in Benue State after an attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

The attackers were said to have invaded three villages in the Mbadwem district of Guma Local Government Area in the evening of Saturday, April 25, 2015 and burnt houses and farmland.

The trouble was reportedly caused by the alleged murder of two Fulani herdsmen by unidentified youths in the area.

“Two days ago, two Fulanis were killed in that area for no justifiable reasons. So, what happened is a reprisal which may have claimed no fewer than 28 lives,” a source, who chose to remain anonymous, told Vanguard.

The incident was confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state, Austin Ezeani.

“It was as a result of the supposed killing of  two Fulani herdsmen in that area, two days ago. The gang, after robbing them and dispossessing them of their personal belongings, killed them and abandoned their corpses. So, the Fulani probably informed their brothers in Nasarawa and they came and carried out a reprisal attack,” Ezeani said.

A similar attack is also reported to have taken place in Nasarawa State, leaving 11 people dead.

Muhammadu Buhari: ‘I’ll probe Sanusi’s missing $20bn claim,’ President-elect says

Sanusi had alleged that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had failed to pay $20 billion into the Federation Account.

President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari has said that his administration would probe the allegation of missing oil funds made by former Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Sanusi had alleged that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had failed to pay $20 billion into the Federation Account.

An audit ordered by President Goodluck Jonathan and carried out by PriceWaterHouseCooper however found that the NNPC was only liable to refund $1.48billion.

Speaking on Sunday, April 26, 2015, however, Buhari said that he would conduct a fresh investigation into the claim.

“On the issue of corruption, I heard that some people have started returning money. I will not believe it until I see for myself,” Buhari said while receiving a delegation of All Progressives Congress (APC) members from Adamawa State at his campaign office in Abuja.

“You all remember what the Emir of Kano talked about when he was the governor of the CBN. He said $20bn not N20bn was unaccounted for; they said it was a lie. Instead of investigating it, they sacked him. And God in his infinite mercy made him the Emir of Kano. In any case, that is what he wanted. And since this was documented, our administration will take a look at it,” Buhari added.

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke recently claimed that the NNPC had begun refunding the $1.48 billion recommended by the audit.

Goodluck Jonathan; President prays for Buhari’s incoming government

Jonathan also urged Nigerian leaders to be ready to make sacrifices for the growth of the country.

President Goodluck Jonathan has prayed for the incoming government of President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

Jonathan also urged Nigerian leaders to be ready to make sacrifices for the growth of the country.

The President made the comments on Saturday, April 25, 2015, while speaking at the fifth presidential prayer breakfast held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“We continue to pray for the country and of course, we pray for the incoming government and also pray for us who are leaving to have the opportunity to serve humanity in different phases,” Jonathan said.

“I remember in 2009 when I visited the Nordic countries, they told me they were celebrating 200 years of peace that has enabled them to develop.   Nigeria was 49 years as an independent nation in 2009. If the Nordic countries, well developed technologically and otherwise, it means crisis really retards development,” he added.

The President also said that despite the many problems faced by Nigeria, the country would overcome.

“So we have challenges, today we are talking about Boko Haram in the north, kidnapping in South-South, South-East. At times you are forced to think that the nation is ending, definitely this country will overcome this challenge. That is the reason for these prayers. Just like prayers helped Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, our constant prayers will help us rebuild this nation,” Jonathan said.

“For me, I have to thank God and Nigerians for the privilege and opportunity given to me this past 16 years. I served my state as a deputy governor and governor for eight years. From government house in Yenagoa and then I came here to the state house, Abuja served the country as vice president and a president. That is a reasonable length of time and so I have to thank God, first because if God did not will it, it won’t have happened,” he added.

Jonathan will officially hand-over to Buhari on Friday, May 29.

Breaking News: Ondo Deputy Governor impeached

Alhaji Olanusi was impeached by the State House of Assembly on Monday, April 27, 2015.

 

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Ali Olanusi has been impeached.

Alhaji Olanusi was impeached by the State House of Assembly on Monday, April 27, 2015.

The impeachment motion was moved during the House plenary session by Majority Leader, Henry Akinsoyinu and supported by 24 out of the 26 members of the House.

The Speaker of the House, Jumoke Akindele, thereafter adopted the motion and declared the Deputy Governor impeached and removed from office.

The lawmakers had earlier instituted a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations levelled against Olanusi after an impeachment notice was served on him.

The panel submitted its report earlier in the day.

Olanusi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) barely a month ago ahead of the 2015 general elections.

The two APC members of the Assembly, Gbenga Edema and Fola Olasehinde, were absent when the decision to impeach the Deputy Governor was taken.

University Of Lagos: Varsity graduates 125 First Class students

Prof. Rahamon Bello, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) said on Friday that while 10,600 students would be graduating for the 2014 session, only 125 had finished in the First Class Division.

This information was made know was made at a press briefing.

It was also disclosed that the event for the award of degrees, higher degrees, Diploma, certificates and prizes, would hold from April 27 to April 30.

According to Bello, 1,664 of the students graduated with a Second Class Upper Division while 2,827 were in the Second Class Lower Division.

Bello said that 963 others would be graduating in the Third Class Division; 90 with Pass degrees while 167 others would be under the unclassified degrees in Medicine and Pharmacy.

“I am also proud to announce Mr Korede Akinpelu of the Department of Chemical Engineering as the best graduating student of the university with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.96.

“Mr Sedan Shittu of the Department of Finance is the second best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.91,” he said.

Bello said the institution would also be graduating 103 Doctors of Philosophy (Ph.Ds.), 4,330 with Masters’ degrees and 331 with Postgraduate Diplomas from its School of Postgraduate Studies.

The ceremony will hold from March 31 to April 2, 2015.

In Abuja; APC, PDP factions form alliance to produce Senate President

The PDP factions in the two chambers of the National Assembly are reportedly forming an alliance with some aggrieved APC members to produce a speaker and a senate president

It has emerged that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to capitalise on the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to reach a consensus on the zoning of key offices in the incoming administration.

Some APC members, had, in a crucial meeting in Abuja on Thursday, April 23, disagreed on the zoning of the Senate President seat to the North-Central and Deputy Senate President to the North-East, as recommended by the party’s National Working Committee.

Reports say the PDP factions in the two chambers of the National Assembly are forming an alliance with the aggrieved APC members to produce a speaker and a senate president different from candidates approved by the APC.

At the APC meeting, the office of the deputy speaker was reportedly zoned to the South-South.

A member of the alliance who spoke to Punch anonymously said the caucus will ensure that holders of the offices are not choices of the APC leaders.

“Although we are not disputing the fact that the APC should produce leaders of the National Assembly, we will ensure that those who will emerge are people we prefer, not the choices of the APC leaders.

“By doing that, we will snatch the control of the National Assembly from them, just as the APC controlled the House through Aminu Tambuwal,” the source said.

However, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had in a statement earlier this week dismissed the reports of disagreement in the party over zoning of offices. He described the claims as ‘products of hyperactive rumour mills’.