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  • EFCC: ex-governor being investigated

    THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it is only investigating former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    The anti-graft agency said it had not raided the home of the ex-governor under any guise.

    The EFCC made the clarifications in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, by its spokesman Tony Orilade.

    The statement said: “The EFCC has, since early hours of today (yesterday), been inundated with calls that operatives of the commission raided the home of the former Lagos State Governor Ambode.

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    “We need to state for the records that the EFCC did not raid Ambode’s house. It is instructive that his administration, like other former governors’, is under investigation, since they no longer constitutionally enjoy immunity against prosecution.

    “The commission hereby states with a high sense of responsibility that the operatives did not raid Ambode’s home.

    “Whatever the commission is presently doing with regards to the investigation

  • GOTV BOXING: Ekpresso will fall in Round 3, boasts Dodo

    Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku, the idol of Ibadan boxing fans, has declared his readiness to make his fans proud when he confronts the Republic of Benin’s Ekpresso Djamihou in an international light middleweight challenge bout on 21 April. The encounter is one of the eight bouts scheduled for GOtv Boxing Night 18, which holds at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo (formerly Liberty) Stadium, Ibadan.

    Dodo, who won his last three fights via knockouts, vowed he would continue along the same line.

    “My fans know that I’m the knockout king. I will make them proud by knocking out Djamihou. I don’t see him going beyond three rounds. I’m fully prepared for this bout and he will see hell,” said Dodo.

    He added that his immediate ambition is to win the national title and believes that very soon, the ambition will be realised.

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    Four other Ibadan-based boxers are slated to fight at the event. They include the highly rated Ridwan “Scorpion” Oyekola, who will take on Taofeek “Taozon” Bisuga in the national super featherweight title bout.

    The headline bout on the night is the African Boxing Union lightweight title clash between Nigeria’s Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph and Ghana’s Success “Brave Warrior” Tetteh, who has vowed to be the first boxer to defeat his Nigerian opponent. The event will also see Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde, West African Boxing Union welterweight champion, back in the ring.

  • Atiku denies paying US lobby group $30,000 to stop Buhari’s inauguration

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election, Atiku Abubakar has denied paying a United States lobby group $30, 000 to persuade the US Congress to stop the May 29 inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The Buhari Campaign Group had alleged that Atiku paid the group to push for his recognition as the winner of the February 23 presidential election, which he lost to incumbent President Buhari.

    In a statement yesterday by his media adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, the PDP candidate accused the Buhari group of fabricating what he described as “shameless lies and dirty propaganda” against Atiku. The statement said lying has become a culture to the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration and therefore, adding that the Atiku camp was not surprised by the latest diversionary allegations.

    It added that since Atiku resisted pressure not to go to court, the APC has been behaving like “a cat on hot bricks” because the outcome of the 2019 elections has exposed and shattered the facade of their “dubious integrity”.

    The statement said: “The APC are behaving nervously like a thief living under the fear of being exposed and shamed. They are now using fake news against Atiku instead of focusing on defending themselves in the court.

    “For a party that has broken the worst record in election rigging, the APC doesn’t have any iota of integrity to be taken seriously by anybody.

    “Atiku’s court case has become their biggest burden because it exposes their integrity as a sham, and instead of defending their stolen mandate in court, they are now using fake news to divert public attention from the historic electoral heist they have committed against Nigerians”.

    The statement added that no amount of diversionary propaganda and fake news campaign by APC will stop Atiku Abubakar from continuing the court action he started to reclaim the “stolen mandate”.

  • Abuja show to tackle housing sector challenges, says convener

    The Abuja International Housing Show (AIHS) 13th edition would feature Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) forum to tackle several challenges in the housing sector.

    Managing Director, FESADEB Media Group and the AIHS convener, Mr Festus Adebayo in a statement, said the forum would feature 200 CEO’s in the real estate, mortgage housing finance, construction companies and professional institutions and also focus on macro-economic and sociopolitical environment and impact of real estate market.

    According to him, the forum is a gathering of high profile professionals who are founders and business owners that will give opportunity to present and discuss challenges facing their respective organisations and the way forward.

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    He also stated that the forum would  provide avenue for meeting counterparts from every part of the country and outside Nigeria, on networking business relations.

    He maintained that it would provide an exceptional opportunity to enhance company growth potential, and make privileged contact with financial institutions and investors.

  • Ambode seeks PPP to develop Lagos

    The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has called for more public-private partnership (PPP) to develop the state to the next level.

    He spoke during the inauguration of Greater Lagos IV (GLIV) gas pipeline network and  Elegbata Sports Complex renovated by Axxela Limited (Axxela), sub-Saharan Africa’s fast-growing gas & power portfolio company.

    Greater Lagos IV (GLIV) is Axxela’s gas pipeline network, developed by its Gaslink Nigeria Limited subsidiary in partnership with the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC). Spanning from Ijora through Lagos Island’s Marina axis, the $30 million pipeline will supply gas to commercial and industrial off-takers along its route. Already, it has First Power and Island Power as its customers.

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    Represented by the Lagos Sports Commission Chairman, Dr. Kweku Adedayo Tandoh, the governor lauded Axxela for the initiative and its role in boosting economic development in the state.

    He said: “I would like to thank Axxela for developing this sports facility which indicates its firm commitment to the welfare of its host communities.

  • NAPTIP partners NUJ to battle human trafficking

    The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related offences (NAPTIP) has called for collaboration with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the fight against human trafficking in Sokoto state.

    NAPTIP Zonal Commander in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Mr Tahir Hassan, said this yesterday when he led officials of the agency on a visit to NUJ Sokoto State council.

    Hassan said the partnership with journalists was necessary in view of the important role they play in Information dissemination as well as sensitising residents of the state on the dangers associated with human trafficking.

    He explained that the usual cases rampant in the zone include child abuse, exploitation and maltreatment of minors that sometimes come with bodily injuries.

    The NAPTIP commander said that partnership with stakeholders was among the agency’s working direction as others included prevention and prosecution.

    He said the public awareness on the agency’s mandates were desirable at all times.

    Hassan also said the agency recorded five convictions last year while a number of cases were still pending before the Federal High Court.

    The commander further said that the agency successfully rescued hundreds of trafficked victims who were rehabilitated and reunited with their respective families.

    He said it was regrettable that traffickers had adopted states in the zone as a transit route in spite of the agency’s sustained onslaught on them in collaboration with other sister agencies and relevant stakeholders.

    He described NUJ as one of the critical stakeholders in the struggle because the media’s role was to educate, enlighten and sensitise the public.

    “We believe, you will help us sensitise the public on the danger of trafficking, this is the reason why we are here to solicit for your support and cooperation,” Hassan added.

    Responding, the chairman of the Sokoto state council of NUJ, Malam Isa Shuni, challenged the agency to redouble its effort in eradicating the menace.

    Shuni noted with dismay how some parents give out their children to be used as housemaids or servants, which in most cases lead to their exploitation and abuse.

    “This is very sad because they are being denied the right to acquire education and become meaningful persons to the society,” he said.