Taraba govt ‘blocked’ distribution of food items to IDPs — Minister

Hungry internally displaced persons camped in Jalingo, Taraba State, on Tuesday broke down in tears after the minister of women affairs, Aisha Alhassan, told them that the state government had prevented her from distributing food items meant for them.

Mrs. Alhassan, who arrived her home state on Friday to distribute federal government relief materials to IDPs, women groups and physically-challenged persons, said the state government refused to release the items.

Budget Padding Scandal: Falana’s views on SSS probe hypocritical, says Ekiti assembly

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has criticized human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, (SAN), for questioning the powers of the State Security Services to investigate members of the House of Representatives over their involvement in the padding of the 2016 budget, while he backed the agency when it “invaded” the assembly and arrested a member over allegations of fraud.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, said Mr. Falana’s new position on the SSS’ role at the National Assembly and the arrest of members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly over attempt to impeach the state governor was a show of hypocrisy.

36 detained in Turkey over 2010 sex tape scandal

A sex tape saga that affected Turkey’s opposition parties several years back has returned to the headlines, as detention orders were issued Tuesday for 120 people in connection with the video.

A media report in Istanbul said that sex tape engulfed the centre-left People’s Republican Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on the right and has been linked to the same movement of an Islamic cleric that the government blames for the failed coup attempt on July 15.
It said that so far, authorities detained 34 members of the police force and two others in what is known as the “cassette” case.

Anambra NDLEA Arrests Drug Suspect, seizes Consignment Worth N1.78bn

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Anambra says it has arrested a 31-year-old man, Vincent Chidiebere, for allegedly peddling hard drug worth N1.78 billion.
Addressing newsmen in Onitsha on Tuesday, the Commander of NDLEA in the state, Mr Sule Momodu, said that the suspect was arrested in Awka on July 28 with methamphetamine weighing 25.2kg.
Momodu said that the arrest followed a tip-off that a shipment of methamphetamine would pass through Anambra from Enugu to Lagos.

Three beneficiaries of Niger Delta amnesty programme bag first class degrees in UK varsities

Three beneficiaries of the Nigerian government scholarships to study abroad under the Niger Delta Amnesty programme have bagged First class honours in UK universities.

Eighteen others got Second Class Upper (2:1).
Nicholas Goodness and Terubein Fawei who graduated from the University of Bedfordshire finished with first class honours in public relations, telecommunication and networking engineering respectively.

One of world’s most wanted suspected criminals arrested in Nigeria

The head of an international criminal network behind thousands of online frauds has been arrested in a joint operation by INTERPOL and the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
The 40-year-old Nigerian national, known as ‘Mike’, is believed to be behind scams totalling more than USD 60 million involving hundreds of victims worldwide.
In one case, a target was conned into paying out USD 15.4 million.

One of world’s most wanted suspected criminals arrested in Nigeria

The head of an international criminal network behind thousands of online frauds has been arrested in a joint operation by INTERPOL and the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
The 40-year-old Nigerian national, known as ‘Mike’, is believed to be behind scams totalling more than USD 60 million involving hundreds of victims worldwide.
In one case, a target was conned into paying out USD 15.4 million.

Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, booed in Enugu over Buhari’s ‘lopsided appointments’

The people from the South-East region on Monday, in Enugu, booed the Minister of Labour ‎and Productivity, Chris Ngige, after he tried to defend appointments so far made by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr. Ngige was in the Enugu State capital to speak at the Town Hall session for the South-East region organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.
But as he spoke, he was repeatedly jeered by those in the hall who kept shouting “No no no”.
At a point the hall became uncontrollable, and it took a lot of efforts for organisers to restore order.
Some participants complained that Mr. Buhari had so far marginalised the zone in the appointments made so far.

800 ex-Boko Haram militants get relief materials

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, says it has presented relief items to a group of 800 former Boko Haram members who recently denounced their membership of the group.

The repentant insurgents are currently camped at a military-controlled facility known as Safe Corridor in Gombe State where they are undergoing rehabilitation and de-radicalisation programmes.
NEMA’s director general, Muhammad Sani Sidi, who led other officials to present food and non-food items to the former insurgents, said such handouts would be given every three months, according to a statement released by the agency.

Buhari appoints Tinubu’s aide, others as NCC Commissioners

President Muhammadu Buhari has requested the Senate to confirm nominees into positions of Chairman, Executive Commissioner, and Non-Executive Commissioners of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

In a letter dated August 2, 2016, sent to President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Mr. Buhari nominated Olabiyi Durojaiye as chairman of the commission.
Mr. Durojaiye, a former senator, is to represent the South West.
The president also nominated Sunday Dare as the NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management.