Benue killings: Police go after masterminds, dispatch DIG

The police have said they are probing the alleged involvement of different groups, including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in the killing of over 20 people in Benue State between Monday and Tuesday.
The force explained that the eight suspects their custody in connection with the incident would provide details about the masterminds of the attack, adding that anyone found culpable would be arrested and prosecuted.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said this in a telephone interview on Thursday in response to allegations that some Miyetti Allah leaders had earlier threatened to cause mayhem in Benue State following the implementation of the anti-open grazing law which the Fulani herdsmen were opposed to.

Winner of Big Brother Naija to get N45m

Winner of the 2018 edition of the Big Brother Naija will go home with N45m.
The third season of the reality show will start on Sunday, January 28.
According to a report, it will premiere with a special two-hour episode on DStv channel 198 and GOtv channel 29.

IPOB to begin Hausa radio service Saturday

The Indigenous People of Biafra, on Thursday, said it would begin the transmission of a Hausa service radio station on Saturday.
The Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful, disclosed this in statement in Awka, Anambra State.
He said the move was in keeping with IPOB’s promise to facilitate the creation of an unbiased informative platform “to the downtrodden and the oppressed indigenous population of northern Nigeria.”
He said the service would hit the airwaves on Saturday, January 6, at 7pm Nigerian time on Short Wave 15110 KHz 19 Meter Band.

Army rescues Chibok schoolgirl

The troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued one of the Chibok schoolgirls earlier abducted by the Boko Haram terrorists in April 2014.

According to the army, the girl, identified as Salomi Pogu, was rescued in company of another girl, Jamila Adams, 14, and both of them are now in the custody of the troops.
In a release by Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, and Spokesperson, Theatre Command, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, Pogu is on the list of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

BREAKING: US imposes sanctions on Iranian missile firms

The United States imposed sanctions Thursday on five Iranian companies it alleges are working on part of the Islamic republic’s illegal ballistic missile program.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin linked the measure to recent anti-government protests, arguing that Iran ought to spend more on public welfare than on banned weapons.

CJ illegally transferred Farouk Lawan’s $620,000 bribery case –FG

The Federal Government has told the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal that the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, acted illegally by transferring a part-heard bribery trial of a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Farouk Lawan, from one judge to another in March 2017.
Lawan ran into trouble when he was the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy in 2012 for allegedly collecting $620,000 from the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Mr. Femi Otedola.

Igbo will never go to war again, says Ohanaeze

The Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that the Igbo will never again go to war to resolve conflicts in the country.
It said the Igbo would rather use diplomacy as a tool for peace and conflict resolution.
The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, stated this  at the 2018 Igbo International Leadership and Good Governance Retreat held at Abagana, Anambra State.
The retreat was organised by the World Igbo Leadership Council and the World Igbo Information and Communication Network.

Fuel scarcity: Senate to grill Kachikwu, Baru, DPR today

NNPC GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu
Leke Baiyewu, ’Femi Asu and Theophilus Onojeghen
The Senate will today (Thursday) question the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; and the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Maikanti Baru, over the current crisis in the supply chain of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol.
Also to appear before the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) are regulatory bodies, marketers and other stakeholders in the petroleum sector.

I will appear before police, but not CP Edgal –Suspected Badoo kingpin

Suspected Badoo kingpin, Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, has said he is ready to submit himself to the Nigeria Police Force for investigations.
Alaka, who had been declared wanted by the Lagos State Police Command, however, said he would not appear before the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi.
He alleged that investigations would be compromised if carried out under Imohimi’s supervision, urging the Force headquarters in Abuja to take up the matter.
Alaka spoke to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday on the heels of the arrest of a herbalist, Fatai Adebayo, who allegedly administered oaths on Badoo members before they went on operations.
On Wednesday, the Lagos State Government also sealed off Alaka’s filling station and hotel on Ijebu-Ode-Itoikin Road, in the Sabo area of Ikorodu, saying the facilities violated the state’s Urban and Regional Planning Law of 2010.

CAN condemns miscreants’ attacks on Kwara worshippers

THE Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kwara State chapter, has condemned the attacks on some of their worshippers and places of worship in the early hours of January 1, 2018 during the New Year Eve services. Rev. Ayokunle, They were attacked at the Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, Oke-Isegun, the Methodist Cathedral and the St. Joseph Catholic Cathedral, all located within the Ibrahim Taiwo Road in Ilorin, the state capital. The association’s condemnation in a statement by Professor T. O. Opoola, the State CAN Chairman, was made available to newsmen in Ilorin, yesterday. The association appealed to the Kwara State Government to prevent further attacks on churches and