ZIMBABWE HITS BACK AT NIGERIAN JOURNALISTS, CALLS THEM BOKO HARAM REPORTERS

Zimbabwe has reacted angrily to Nigerian journalists who ambushed President Robert Mugabe during last week’s inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s president.

Journalists identified as reporters from Sahara Reporters ambushed Mugabe and his African Union (AU) delegation demanding that he steps down from his position as Zimbabwe’s head of state.

The reporters demanded to know from the 91-year-old leader, who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980, when he would step down and handover power to a democratically elected successor after more than three decades in power.

However, Harare has hit back, with outspoken Minister of Information, Prof. Jonathan Moyo, likening the journalists in question to “brothers and sisters of Boko Haram”.

‘WE’RE BIG BOY ARMED ROBBERS’

The love for ostentatious life has put four apprentice traders in trouble. They rob boutiques, and the homes of the rich for expensive shoes, clothes and jewelry in order to show off as “big boy traders”.
A member of the gang, Ugo Nnakue, 26, told Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives that they operated discreetly.
Ugo, an apprentice in the Ladipo Auto Parts market in Lagos, is being held by the police with Ozioma Ike, 20, Kenechukwu Anierobi, 23, a hustler, and the gang leader, Obi Gaza.
Anierobi was arrested in Mushin by a patrol team on May 18 with a nylon bag containing stolen phones.
He was taken to Mushin Police Station where he confessed that he belonged to a four-man gang that used sledge hammers and iron cutter to break into boutiques.
He was transferred to SARS Headquarters in Ikeja, from where he took the police to arrest Ike and Gaza .
Nnakwe said: “I sent Kenechukwu to follow Obi and the other one to break a shop at Mushin and one boutique on Nkenu Street in Ajao Estate. They went with one rod and two iron cutters. I sent them two times. I shared their loot with my roommate. I chose my size of jeans and shoes and started wearing them. I received four phones while my roommate got about five. We break shops to get expensive shoes, clothes which ordinarily we could not afford. But it was just to show off as big boy traders in Ladipo market and its environs.

BREAKING NEWS: Another GhastlyMotor Accident In Uppoer Iweka Kills Three Wounded Scores

Less than 24 hours that the Vice president of  Nigeria, Yemi Osibajo visited Anambra state to condoled with the government and people of the state, while another ghastly motor accident involving big lorry and cars collided at Upper Iweka axis of the state, killing four, while scores sustained various degree of injuries.
The unfortunate incident  happened at about 5,155p.m Thursdays, left many souls perished in an unforeseen accident.

HOW APC SUPPORTERS ATTACKED ME ON MY WAY TO BUHARI’S INAUGURATION — MARK

SENATE President, David Mark, Tuesday, revealed that unknown to many people, he was attacked by supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, while on his way to the Eagles Square, to attend the inauguration of General Muhammadu Buhari, following his victory in the March 28 presidential election.
Senator Mark, who condemned the action of those he called “hooligans”, said it was against the spirit of peaceful transition from the then ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to an opposition party, the APC.
The Senate President spoke while commenting on a similar submission made by Senator Boluwaji Kunlere, PDP, Ondo South, on physical assaults visited on some politicians across the country last Friday, during inauguration ceremonies for new governors across the country.
Kunlere had, in his contribution to a motion seeking the Senate to congratulate President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on their successful and peaceful assumption of office last Friday, drawn the attention of senators to attacks meted out to some politicians at some of the inauguration ceremonies in some states level by followers and supporters of those being inaugurated.
The motion was sponsored by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, PDP, Cross River Central and 101 other senators.

NAN correspondent kidnapped in Imo

Media correspondents serving in Imo State, are now living in palpable fear, following the reported kidnap of the head of the reportorial team of News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Miss Chidi Opara, in Owerri.
Vanguard investigations revealed that the armed hoodlums that whisked her away, either trailed her to her home or laid ambush for her.
“Miss Opara was abducted at about 8.30p.m Wednesday night, as she made to enter her house located at MCC/Uratta Road, Owerri”, one of her colleagues told Vanguard.
It was also gathered that Miss Opara was taken away in her Sports Utility Vehicle, which has not been seen at the time of going to press.

NIGERIAN SENATE PASSES 46 BILLS IN 10MINS

The Senate Wednesday passed 46 bills into law in less than ten minutes. The passage was done immediatly the bills were presented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang.
But the passage of the bills caused an uproar in the upper chamber, even after the voice vote by the presiding officer and Senate President, David Mark, who announced, ” the Ayes have it.”
Senator Mark, told those who were not satisfied with the passage of the bills to come tomorrow, being the next legislative day with their names and signatures for consideration.
Before the bills were passed, the Senate had suspended Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders and deemed all the Bills as having passed first, second and third readings on the floor of the Senate.

Popular Rhythm 93.7 FM OAP, Iphie, shot dead in Port Harcourt

I'm absolutely sad to report that Rhythm 93.7FM PH on-air personality, writer and motivational speaker, Iphie Aggrey-Fynn was shot dead by armed robbers along Aba-Port Harcourt expressway yesterday. The Ghanaian-born OAP and blogger had gone to see her parents in Aba and was on her way back to Port Harcourt when their bus was attacked by armed robbers. As the driver attempted to speed away, the gunmen open fire on the bus, killing Ifeoma. May her soul rest in peace, Amen.
She was once the host of Rhythm-&-Soul programme on Awka radio that kept my families awake all night before her tranfer to the Port Harcourt office of Rhythm FM.

ANXIETY IN MILITARY OVER LIKELY SHAKE-UP •Buhari meets NSA, heads for Chad, Niger

There was anxiety yesterday in the military over the impending shake-up of the country’s security apparatus by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was heightened after the president met with National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki. The President has summoned the service chiefs to a meeting today.
Col. Dasuki arrived at the Defence House, where Buhari is still operating from, at about 1.51pm yesterday for the meeting with the President. He left at about 3.00 pm without saying a word to anxious reporters.
But sources said the meeting was part of a debriefing on the country’s security situation. President Buhari is being briefed by the NSA and the Service Chiefs before unfolding his plans of overhauling the security apparatchik.
Yesterday’s meeting might also be to prepare the President for his visit to Chad and Niger Republic to discuss the Boko Harm challenge with the neighbouring countries.
Apart from security, fighting corruption and fixing the economy are the other priorities he listed as priorities during the campaigns.
The President will from tomorrow make his first foreign trip – a two-day visit to Chad and Niger Republic.

Shekau missing in new ‘Boko Haram’ video dismissing military’s claims of success

Boko Haram rejected claims from Nigeria’s military that it has been routed by a four-nation offensive in a video released online on Tuesday, which does not show the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau.
The unidentified speaker, his face obscured by a headscarf, instead called Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, who have been battling the Islamists, “the lying coalition partners”.
“Most of our territory is still under our control,” said the speaker in the 10-minute message which was posted on the video-sharing site YouTube.
The video bears the logo “Islamic State in West Africa” and follows the Nigerian militants’ pledge of allegiance in an audio message in March to the IS group, that has overrun large parts of Syria and Iraq.

LET ME NOMINATE YOUR MINISTER, FAYOSE URGES BUHARI

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give him the privilege of nominating an Ekiti State indigene for appointment into Buhari’s cabinet.
Fayose, who was one of Buhari’s biggest opponents in the run-up to the March presidential election, said this in a statement on Tuesday.
The governor said he had written to Buhari and was hopeful that the President’s reply would be favourable.
Fayose said, “I shall be happy to nominate a worthy and competent professional, who can always oblige Your Excellency and your cabinet the benefit of a second opinion in the serious business of governance.”
He noted that he wrote the letter based on the declaration made by the President that he would put the overall interest of the country above every other particularly political partisanship and bias.
He said even former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, appointed the late Chief Bola Ige as the Minister for Justice despite Ige being a chief of the opposition Alliance for Democracy.