BUHARI CAPABLE OF LEADING NIGERIA, SAYS EDWIN CLARK

A former Federal Commissioner of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has once again canvassed support for President Muhamadu Buhari.
He described the President as being capable of leading the country; therefore, he should be supported by all Nigerians.
Clark, who was one of the staunch supporters of former President Goodluck Jonathan, spoke in Abuja on Wednesday at his residence when he received a group, known as Probity Ambassadors Organisation of Nigeria.
He said though he was among those who campaigned against the emergence of the President during the election, Clark said since Nigerians voted for him (Buhari), the President must be supported in order to enable him succeed in the task ahead.
The foremost Ijaw leader added that the way former President Jonathan conceded defeat had also made the task of running the country easier for the President.
Clark said, “I have congratulated President Buhari and today, he is our President. He’s not the President of a section of the country.
“Buhari is fit for the job and he’s capable of leading us. We will support him.
“Campaigns are over and a winner has emerged. We must come together after the election and give our support to the President.

EL-RUFAI SACKS LGAS CHAIRMEN, POLITICAL APPOINTEES, OTHERS

Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has sacked all the 23 local government chairmen, chairmen of boards, parastatals as well as all political appointees, including chief executives that are not civil servants.
This was contained in a statement signed by Secretary to State Government, Balarabe Abbas Lawal made available to newsmen in the state, stressing that the appointees have been relieved of the appointments with immediate effect.
According to the statement, the dissolution also includes the secretaries of the development areas appointed by previous administrations as well as Special Advisers and Assistants.
“Government directs full compliance with this directive. The most senior officials of all parastatals and agencies should take charge until further instructions are issued” the statement added.

NIMASA PAYS TOMPOLO N1.5BN MONTHLY – EX-CHAIRMAN

The pioneer chairman of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Ahmed Tijani Ramalan, has disclosed that the agency pays the sum of N1.5bn monthly to the ex-militant leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, to protect the nation’s maritime areas.
Dr Ramalan, however, lamented that despite such gesture, the country still loses over 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily from the nation’s shores.
The former NIMASA chairman, who revealed this to LEADERSHIP in an interview in Kaduna, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to cancel the contract given to the ex-militant by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said, “Over 400, 000 barrels of crude oil are being stolen daily from our shores under President Jonathan; yet we had a government that has the Navy, the Army and the Air Force, and the government of Jonathan decides to hand over the security of our maritime waters to Tompolo at a very exorbitant amount of money.

N8BN SCAM: CASH ASSISTANT HAS N134M IN ONE ACCOUNT, SAYS EFCC

Hearing in the Central Bank of Nigeria N8bn mutilated currency fraud suit continued at the Federal High Court, Ibadan on Wednesday as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told the court that one of the accused persons, Mr. Ayodeji Alase, had N134m in one of his bank accounts.
The EFCC told the trial judge, Justice A.O. Faaji, that Alase, a primary six certificate holder, started work at First Bank as a guard before he was promoted to the position of a cash assistant.
The lead prosecution counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacob (SAN), also told the court that the accused had property worth hundreds of millions of naira.
Alase, according to the anti-graft agency, has a duplex at Oluyole Estate in Ibadan, a shopping complex, a warehouse at Podo, a fenced plot at Dugbe, a block of four flats at Apeye, two plots of land and five-bedroom flat in other parts of the state capital.
He was alleged to have a credit balance of N132m in one of his bank accounts.
The commission also alleged that Alase possessed a block of five-bedroom flat at Apete area of Ibadan and a supermarket at New Garage, Apata area of Ibadan.
Other accused persons, including Olaniran Adeola, Ayodele Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano and others were also said to own property in South Africa, filling stations, cement shops, schools, supermarkets, exotic cars and buildings in several locations in Nigeria.

TANKER ACCIDENT: OSINBAJO VISITS ONITSHA, COMMISERATES WITH VICTIMS

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday commiserated with the people and government of Anambra over the fuel tanker accident, which claimed over 40 lives at Upper Iweka in Onitsha.
Mr. Osinbajo, who visited the scene of the accident and the injured at Toronto Hospital on Wednesday, said President Muhammadu Buhari was very concerned and pained by the incident.
He said the president felt it was not enough to send a condolence message and as such asked him to go and commiserate with the people.
“Every Nigerian citizen matters to the Federal Government no matter his status or where he resides.
“Mr President asked me to come and first commiserate with Gov. Willie Obiano and Anambra people.
“He was very concerned that he felt it was not enough to issue condolence message and so asked me to come and commiserate with the people.
“I have been taken round to see the heroic action of the hospital staff and those involved in emergency.
“Unfortunately, many lost their lives but some have seen today and are responding to treatment,’’ he said.

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.