Flingpord

  The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of an anti-tank mine-laying system to Taiwan amid the increasing military threat from China.   The state department on Thursday, December 29 said the Volcano system and all related equipment would cost an estimated $180 million.\ In its announcement, it said the Volcano sale “serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.”   It said Taiwan would have “no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” and that the sale would “not alter the basic military balance in the region.”   The system is capable of scattering anti-tank and anti-personnel mines from either a ground vehicle or helicopter. On Monday, China’s military sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force directed at the self-ruled island it claims is its own territory, Taiwan’s Defen...

  President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that $400m has been spent by his administration to “transform” the Ajaokuta Steel Complex in Kogi State. Buhari said the investment made in the steel company will add $1.6bn annual income to the Nigerian economy and create over 500,000 estimated jobs. “I am glad to report that as we begin to round off in office, we can genuinely say that our administration has rescued Ajaokuta from all legal disabilities,” Buhari said in Okene in Kogi during a one-day state visit. “It is now ready for concessioning to a private investor with the right profiles to put it to work for Nigeria in general and Kogi State in particular.” According to Buhari, no other single project holds the key to unlocking the potential of Kogi as much as the Ajaokuta Steel Complex which his administration inherited as a long moribund complex “strangulating under a tangle of local and international commercial disputes”.   In a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Sheh...

  The Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, Bayelsa State Command, on Thursday December 29, raised the alarm on the increased use of ECOWAS Travel Certificates, ETC, by human traffickers to evade suspicion and arrest.   The Command stated that the discovery is the result of a directive from the Comptroller General of Immigration Service Isa Jere Idris, MFR to heads of Commands and special formations of the Service towards the end of the year to ensure water-tight border control and management. The Public Relations Officer for NIS in Bayelsa, Ibiemo Cookey, in a statement in Yenagoa, said in line with the directive of the Comptroller General, a trafficked victim by name Miss Maureen Ekpe, was rescued and released to the family, while the alleged trafficker was at large.    Cookey noted that the NIS, in Bayelsa, observed sudden increase in the rate at which young people obtained the ECOWAS travel certificate. "The Bayelsa State Command headed by Comptroller James Sunday, ...

  Young Progressive Party's Presidential candidate, Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim has reacted to the bomb attack at Azad Palace in Kogi State.   The attack took place earlier today, Dec 29, and resulted in the death of at least 3 people while many others were injured. He expressed his condolences to those who died in the attack. "No family members were hurt" Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim reacts to bomb attack at Azad Palace that claimed lives (video) (lindaikejisblog.com)

A North Carolina man accused of shooting and killing a 5-year-old boy in an unprovoked attack will serve the rest of his life in a U.S. prison without parole. Darius Sessoms, 25, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Thursday December 29, at the Wilson County Courthouse for the August 2020 shooting of 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant in a case that a judge ruled in October would be tried as a capital murder case that brought a possible death sentence. Sessoms had been charged after prosecutors say he walked up to Cannon, his neighbor in Wilson, North Carolina, and shot him in the head at point-blank range as the boy rode his bike in front of his 7-year-old and 8-year-old sisters.  Cannon’s father, who owned the house where the young boy was playing in front of, said Sessoms was friendly with the Hinnant family and had been over to the house the night before to drink a beer. "There wasn't anything between me and him, any bad blood whatsoever, for him to have a reason to do this,...

  Big Brother Naija star, Ifuennada has lamented over the amount of tips she gave to airport workers during a business class flight.    "Flying business class is not just expensive because of the cost of tickets but the amount of tips you are expected to give," she said on Thursday evening, December 29.  "Na so dem go dey treat you like egg and dem go dey look you to tip and you can't say No after dem don shower you with praise. God abeg o. Na to dey fly Economy from now on," she added. I'm in pain - Reality TV star, Ifuennada laments over amount of tips she gave while flying business class (lindaikejisblog.com)

  The Russian government has claimed that Moscow supports the U.S. and its Western allies in finding a nuclear deal with Iran and warned against the threat of an "irreversible" arms race.     Russia played a critical role in attempting to revive a version of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, but Moscow’s relationship with Tehran has strengthened since it invaded Ukraine making it an international "pariah" among Western nations.  Russia first threatened to block any progression in nuclear negotiations with Iran after the U.S. and Europe slapped stiff international sanctions on it following its deadly invasion but by mid-March Russia instead demanded guarantees from Washington that its trade with Iran would not be affected by the sanctions so that a nuclear deal could be reached.  The White House said the months-long negotiations with Iran would not act as an "escape hatch" for Russia, though Lavrov...

  Social media commentator, Dr Peng, has shared his opinion on model, Fancy Acholonu publicly apologizing to ex-fiance, Alex Ekubo.   Recall that Fancy took to her Instagram page this evening to issue an apology to Alex months after breaking up with him via social media, and calling off their wedding. Read  here Reacting to Fancy's apology post, Dr Peng said the model probably thought Alex would remain stagnant, however, the actor has since "built a mansion, bagged a dotorate and everything started falling in places for him," after their public break-up.   Peng went on to suggest that Fancy might have been the 'witch' stalling Alex's progress.\ He then advised men not to accept women who have "refused to be kept," back into their lives. She thought Alex would remain stagnant when she left - Social media commentator, Dr Peng, shares his opinion on Fancy Acholonu publicly apologizing to ex-fiance, Alex Ekubo (lindaikejisblog.com)

  Some Civil Society Organisations have condemned the budgetary allocations of N30.1bn for severance packages and the inauguration of the 10th Assembly. The National Assembly on Wednesday increased the 2023 budget proposal from N20.51tn to N21.82tn and passed it, indicating an increase of over N1.3tn against the N20.5tn proposed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, (Retd,), in October. Buhari had on October 7, 2022, presented a budget proposal of N20.51tn to the parliament with a deficit of N10.782tn. He also noted that the 2023 budget would be funded by foreign loans. Under the N967.48bn statutory transfers, the National Assembly Office has N30.492bn; the Senate got N33.267bn; the House of Representatives, N51.994bn; National Assembly Service Commission, N10.555bn; legislative aides, N16.520bn; general services N11.307bn; National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, N7.411bn. Others are: N30.173bn for severance/inauguration of outgoing and incoming 9th a...

  The Lagos State Government has disclosed that as part of its efforts to improve the lots of orphans and vulnerable children in the state, it has empowered 250 household heads with various start-up tools for self-reliance and independence. The state Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Olusegun Dawodu, stated this on Thursday, during the Household Economic Strengthening initiative organised for orphans and vulnerable children at the Correctional Centre for Boys in Yaba. Dawodu said, “Poverty is the leading cause of household vulnerability and separation in our society today. This is why we are empowering 250 household heads with various start-up tools for self-reliance and independence. “The orphans and vulnerable children are affected/infected with HIV/AIDS malnourished due to extreme poverty, marginalised, stigmatised or even discriminated against and need care or protection.  “The Household Economic Strengthening comprises a portfolio of interventions to reduc...

  THE Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, recently reopened the debate on the continued relevance of the National Youth Service Corps scheme. His assertion that the compulsory one-year national service for young Nigerians graduating from higher institutions must stay based on the primary goals of the scheme’s founders represents only one strand of public opinion. In a democracy, all national programmes are subject to discourse. The NYSC cannot be an exception. Officials and others arguing for the retention of the NYSC have their reasons, but so also do the many others who say the programme in its present format has outlived its usefulness and should be retooled in line with current realities. This newspaper aligns strongly with the latter option. Circumstances since the NYSC was launched by the military regime of Yakubu Gowon in 1973 have changed radically. But like its founding fathers, Dare and other promoters are stuck on ideas of “national unity” and see the scheme as a ...

  It is not a gainsaying that the ravaging effects of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East region have left millions of people homeless, and thousands of lives have been lost while properties worth billions of naira have been destroyed. However, it is painful to note that the region has been left with no infrastructure due to the activities of the insurgent group. The United Nations published on its website around 2021 that over 1,400 schools were destroyed and many were forced to close in the North-East, all as a result of the endless attacks of the Boko Haram members. Besides, over 2,295 teachers lost their lives, while over 600,000 kids lost access to education in the region. Similarly, the huge destruction caused by the insurgency group has left the North-East with no education, no outstanding facilities, no good roads, no water and power supply. This made the region to be the most undeveloped region in the nation with a high number of out-of-school children, particularl...

  Hundreds of constituents of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Thursday declared their support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, saying the Muslim-Muslim ticket should not be a factor in next year’s election. Our correspondent reports that Dogara, who represents the Dass/Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, has been one of the leading voices in the country opposing the same-faith ticket put up by the APC. Not satisfied with his party’s decision, Dogara dumped the APC and joined the Peoples Democratic Party, where he expressed support for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. But his kinsmen from the three local government areas of Dass, Tafawa Balewa, and Bogoro, which make up his constituency, held a rally to show their support for Tinubu; his running mate, Kashim Shettima; the governorship candidate of the APC, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (retd.); and others...

  THE apex body of the Yoruba self-determination struggle, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, on Thursday, announced that it would formally unveil Radio Ijangbara as the official broadcast radio of the struggle on January 1, 2023. The announcement was contained in a statement jointly signed by the group’s Chairman and General Secretary, Wale Adeniran and Tunde Amusat, respectively. According to the statement, the online radio will be broadcasting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It said the radio would serve the interest of the Yoruba self-determination struggle within and outside Nigeria. “Everyone can listen to the radio through its website, www.ijangbararadio.com, and the mobile application of the radio can be downloaded via Google play store. “We are inviting all Yoruba self-determination activists to the launching and formal unveiling of Ijangbara Radio on January 1, 2023. This radio is being donated by Ilana Omo Oodua, being the apex body, to serve as the official broadcast radio of...

  Men of the Ogun State Police Command have rescued a suspected Internet fraudster, Haruna Usman, abducted by his colleagues for withholding proceeds of their crime. Our correspondent gathered that the kidnapped fraudster reportedly released N2,200,000 to other members of his syndicate out of the N26,437,950 allegedly obtained from a victim in the state. The sum taken by the suspect represents 91.7 per cent of the total sum. The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement on Thursday, said the four suspected Internet fraudsters, also known as Yahoo Boys, were arrested on Monday. He said the suspects — Agbe Simeon, Messiah Nicky, Oladapo Dolapo and Yetunde Shonola — were arrested at Orile Imo village, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state. The PPRO said their arrest followed a tip-off received by the police at the Owode Egba divisional headquarters that Usman was abducted last Thursday. Oyeyemi said, “Upon the information, the DPO,...

  As the demand for justice for the slain pregnant lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, heightens, the Police Service Commission on Thursday approved the immediate suspension of the suspected killer cop, ASP Drambi Vandi. The spokesperson for the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, confirmed the development in a statement after the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, recommended that Vandi be suspended for pulling the trigger that claimed Raheem’s life on Christmas Day in the Ajah area of Lagos State. Ani said, “The commission, in a letter to the Inspector-General of Police signed by the acting chairperson, Clara Ogunbiyi, stated that the commission has carefully examined the facts of the case, observations and recommendation with respect to allegations against the officer and granted approval for the suspension of the officer from duty with immediate effect.” The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, said there would be no cover-up in the investigation and prosecution of the culprit. The...

  Brazil football legend, Pele, who died on Thursday at the age of 82, was regarded as the game’s greatest player. Pele was the best-loved footballer of his or any other generation, the eternal master of the beautiful game. Here are 13 things to know about Pele: 1. Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in October 1940, Pele played his first game for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956. 2. Pele won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970. His sumptuous range of skills made him the embodiment of his country’s golden age of football. 3. When Pele finally retired in 1977, he had scored more than 1,000 goals. 4. Pele scored 77 for Brazil, a mark only equalled at the recent World Cup by Neymar. 5. Pele’s impact on his sport went far beyond the pitch as he also became a money-making phenomenon, lending his name to sportswear, credit cards and watches among an array of products. 6. Pele earned a call-up to the national team in 1957, scoring on his debut against Argentina. In 1958, he was p...

In this report, TOPE OMOGBOLAGUN writes on the growing spate of missing funds from customers’ bank accounts It seemed like a mirage when Monisola Adetubu went to bed with N53,000 in her Guarantee Trust Bank account and woke up to a N14,000 balance. She couldn’t believe her eyes. A civil servant, Adetubu, needed to pay for some goods she had bought the previous day. Adebutu is a pseudo name for the purpose of shielding the identity of the customer who fears that public disclosure of her identity might cause trouble for her. She still couldn’t come to terms with the fact that she would be shamelessly embarrassed before her newly found customer whose trust she had betrayed. She was expected to pay for her goods on delivery. After three weeks of visiting the bank back and forth, the wrong debit was not reversed. “I slept and woke up to see that over N39,000 had been deducted from my account. I was very infuriated. “Out of anger, I called the GTB customer care numbers but none of them c...