Policemen in Anambra State on Thursday arrested 11 suspected kidnappers cum ritualists in Onitsha.
The suspects were caught inside an hotel with three fresh human heads – that of two female and one male.
Also recovered from them were two military AK47 rifles and two magazines. It was also gathered that during the operation, an Infinity jeep with registration number DA203FST, belonging to the owner of the hotel was also seized.
Few weeks after officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) discovered 5.9kg of abandoned cocaine inside industrial equipment, another cocaine shipment has been abandoned at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The cocaine which weighed 4.6kg was hidden inside flasks packed with baby items. Like the first consignment, it originated from Panama, Central America on board a KLM flight.
The agency also arrested four suspected drug traffickers who were found with narcotics. A total seizure of 12.455kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of 137 million naira was made.
The Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, disclosed that the abandoned cocaine and other arrests have shown that drug traffickers are having difficulties bringing in their drugs into the country.
“No drug cartel will abandon drugs knowing how much the drugs cost. Narcotics are very expensive and for drug traffickers to abandon their drugs shows the level of security alertness at the nation’s entry points.
“The two abandoned cocaine seizures came from Panama. Both shipments are being investigated and we hope to get those that are behind the importation.” Giade stated.
The NDLEA boss also tasked anti-narcotic operatives to remain vigilant as ever and detect more drugs in the days ahead.
The Defence Headquarters on Thursday gave insights into how a Boko Haram leader and other suspected members of the sect were captured in Niger Republic.
All the suspects are presently undergoing interrogation in an unnamed military facility.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, the breakthrough was recorded through intelligence gathering.
He said the intention of the sect leader and those arrested was to rearm from Niger Republic and launch deadly attacks on Nigerian communities.
The statement said: “The plan by a band of terrorists who relocated to Niger Republic to remobilize and rearm insurgents with the aim of carrying out fresh terrorists attacks on some Nigerian communities has been foiled.
“The leader of the group who had fled Nigeria when the terrorist camps were sacked was reportedly recruiting fresh hands and training them for renewed terrorist activities in Nigeria.
“The intention of the group is to focus its attacks on some towns around the Nigeria-Niger Republic border.”
“Intelligence operatives of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) had been on the trail of the leader until he was eventually arrested in Karanga, Niger Republic on Saturday with the cooperation of Nigerien forces.
“His other accomplices were later picked up in other villages in Nigeria. They are currently being interrogated.
A source, who spoke in confidence, added: “Investigation revealed that following their dislodgement from their camps in Nigeria, the Boko Haram leader relocated to Niger Republic with his cell members.
“While in Niger Republic, they tried to regroup and recruit more hands to be able to attack Nigerian communities. When we got intelligence report, we contacted our Nigerien counterpart. The Boko Haram suspects were trailed and their leader was captured.
“We succeeded in arresting other members of the cell and they were brought down to Nigeria from Niger.”
The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said on Thursday that the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) would help to manage the pension funds, to enhance investment in infrastructure in the country.
Okonjo-Iweala made the remark in Abuja, at the official announcement of the sovereign wealth fund for investment.
“One of the benefits of having this sovereign wealth fund is not just for the organisations that want to co-invest, but they will also help us work along with our pension funds.
“They are designing at the moment; a mechanism that would enable us to manage our pension funds, to invest in infrastructure development.
According to her, it has to be done very carefully, to earn returns.
“If this is achieved, the nation’s pension funds would be managed in a protected way,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the minister as saying at the forum.
Okonjo-Iweala said the one billion dollars for the Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Fund had been allocated to three key areas of Future Generations, Nigerian Infrastructure and Stabilisation Funds.
She said that 200 million dollars had been allocated to the stabilisation fund, while 325 million dollars were allocated to infrastructure development and future generations funds, respectively.
The minister added that the balance of the funds would be decided according to the law.
The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), on Thursday said that 30,340 tourists from Canada visited Nigeria in 2012.
In a statement issued in Lagos by the Corporation’s spokesperson, Mrs. Ibe Ijeh, the NTDC said only 12,220 Canadians visited the country in 2011.
The statement also said the visitors included 20,040 males, 9,250 females and 1,050 children.
It said the visitors included principal immigrants, visiting immigrants, government officials and foreign diplomats.
The News Agency of Nigeria quoting the statement attributed the increase to visitors’ interest in the culture and historical aspect of Nigeria.
The NTDC said it would continue to package the cultural heritage of Nigeria, to attract more tourists to the country.
Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida has said that the registration of the All Progressive Congress (APC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened up the political landscape for vibrant politicking in the country.
He also play host to a 5-man team of chieftains of the newly registered APC led by the party’s national deputy chairman and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, the national deputy Secretary and former FCT minister, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and three others including a woman.
Chatting with newsmen on the INEC registration of APC in his Uphill residence in Minna, Niger State, Babangida said, “with this development, we will now see more vibrant activities of political parties in the country. Every political party will now have to work harder to sell their candidates to the people.”
The former President said that the registration of the APC would avail electorates opportunity to select the best candidate they are confident will lead the country to a greater height.
Babangida maintained that though there are other parties in the country, the registration of APC now gives the nation two strong political parties.
“I have always been a strong believer of a two-party system. We will now have tow strong political parties in Nigeria. It is a welcome development.”
He then said that to sustain the electoral achievements recorded so far the people insist in future elections that their votes should count. According to him, “It is only when the people insist and ensure that their votes count that we can move forward and elect the right leaders that the people want”.
He then urged the political parties in the country to present to the people what they have to offer adding that “this will give the people a chance to make a choice.”
The former military then hosted top Chieftains in the All Progressive Alliance (APC) to a secret meeting that started at about 12:45pm in his residence in Minna, the Niger state capital.
The APC team was led by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, Former FCT Minister, Nair El-Rufai, Senator Nasir Nasif from Bauchi state and two others came to consult the former military leader.
Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida has backed the struggle of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) saying their action is in the interest of the nation.
Speaking on Thursday in his residence in Minna while hosting the Governing Council of the National Examinations Council (NECO) led its Chairman, Dr. Paddy Njoku, the former military leader urged the university lecturers not to give up negotiating with the federal government.
The university lecturers have been on an indefinite strike for four weeks now demanding for implementation of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement and the Memorandium of Understanding of 2012.
According to him, “It is unfortunate they (ASUU) are on strike but the fact is, they have the national interest at heart and I want to advice them not to give up negotiating with government”.
He expressed concern over the closure of the nation’s universities but expressed optimism that the industrial action would soon be over in the interest of all.
Commending federal government efforts at resolving the crisis, Babangida said that he gathered that government was working hard to ensure that the matter is resolved soonest.
Earlier, the NECO governing council chairman, Dr. Njoku said the examination body has re-positioned itself to meet the yearning and aspirations of the Nigerian Child by reaching out to all stakeholders including the school children in order for the council to achieve its mandate.
The Registrar of the examination body, Professor Promise Okpala appealed for the support of all for NECO as the first indigenous examination body to deliver, pointing out that “failure of NECO is a national failure”.
The former military leader commended the efforts being put in by the leadership of the examination body. “I am highly impressed by the activities of the board and management of NECO”.
Babangida was later honoured with the fellowship award of International Institute of Leadership and Governance.
Two persons were killed by suspected cult members in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on Wednesday evening.
The incident occurred at Ajegunle-Ijada and Ishado areas of the town.
The News Agency of Nigeria gathered that the victims – Lekan Ojaewele (22) and Muyiwa Adeyemi (20) were apprentices in the barbing and electronics businesses.
NAN investigations, however, revealed that the deceased were accidental victims as their bosses were the targets.
While Ojaewele was reportedly killed on his way to his boss’ shop by the cultists, Adeyemi was murdered while sleeping inside a shop belonging to his boss.
An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said the cult members came on motorcycles to launch the attacks.
Mr. Yemi Odukoya, the Head of an Ijebu-Ode vigilance group, said the victims died in retaliatory attacks launched over the killing a member of the Aye cult by the Eiye cult on Tuesday night.
He lamented the incessant killings in the town by cult groups, saying his security outfit could not do much due to limited resources.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident.
Adejobi, however, urged members of the community to assist the police with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the hoodlums.
A former Attorney-General in Oyo State, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, said he will contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket with Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2015.
Shittu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday that he was the most qualified of all aspirants warming up for the seat.
“I am the most qualified among the aspirants on ground now in terms of political experience. I have been actively involved in politics since 1979,” he said.
The former governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) during the last election in the state described APC as the party to beat in 2015.
Shittu commended Ajimobi for his tremendous achievements in infrastructure, environmental sanitation and beautification, but advised him to improve on capacity building, job creation and empowerment.
He urged the governor to also make education accessible to the people, adding that he should declare education free at primary and secondary level.
“In a supposedly progressive state like Oyo, one would expect education to be free.
“It is good to build bridges and roads, but the priority should be on building human beings and their capabilities,” he said.
He also urged the state government to improve on its youth empowerment scheme, adding that the involvement of public/private partnership would go a long way to achieve good result.
Shittu acknowledged that the Mokola flyover built by government was a laudable project considering the benefits it would offer, but maintained that the N2.9 billion expended on it was high.
He also called on university lecturers to suspend their strike in the interest of the students, saying the future of the nation depended solely on them.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has dismissed reports that the ongoing teachers’ strike in the nation’s ivory towers would be suspended on Thursday.
It alleged that the reports were planted by government agents.
The union insisted that it would continue with the strike unless the Federal Government implements the 2009 agreement.
In a briefing held at the Lagos State University, Ojo, ASUU Ibadan Zone also faulted the National Universities Commission (NUC) for allegedly stampeding vice chancellors to hurriedly conduct the Post –UTME test, using non teaching staff ostensibly to meet deadlines in universities’ calendar.