President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured the international community that his administration is putting intensive effort to curb terrorism and other criminal acts such as kidnapping and hostage taking in the country. Speaking when he received a 45...
A Nigerian Islamist group that killed seven foreign hostages it had been holding since February has posted a video of what it said was their bodies on the internet, Reuters reports. Italian and Greek authorities confirmed on Sunday that a Briton, an It...
The Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro yesterday informed the BBC Hausa service that there was no confirmation the kidnapped foreign hostages were dead. He said, “As long as it remains unconfirmed, efforts will be made to ensure their rescue and...
The European Union has expressed shock on the killing of some of its citizens by members of Islamists sect, Ansaru recently, and said that the incidence has demanded closer collaboration between the Union and the country in the fight against terrorism....
The House of Representatives committee on Public Accounts has queried the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over a discrepancy of N7.935 billion in internally generated revenu...
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said that President Goodluck Jonathan’s tactless show during his belated visit to Borno and Yobe States last week has worsened the Boko Haram insurgency that has killed and maimed hundreds of innocent peop...
Andy Murray flirted with disaster in the desert for a third straight year before seeing off Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy at Indian Wells. The Briton had suffered surprise losses on his last two visits to the BNP Paribas Open but battled past the world...
Chelsea interim boss Rafael Benitez has said Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson ignored his handshake before Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final. The pair have had an increasingly fraught relationship since the Spaniard’s time at Liverpo...
Tiger Woods wrapped up a dominant win at the World Golf Championships tournament at Doral with a two-shot victory over Steve Stricker. Graeme McDowell’s day fell apart on the back nine and the Northern Irishman tied for third with Adam Scott, Ser...
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ondo State Command, has destroyed an illegal crude oil refinery in the state, a statement said.
The statement, issued by the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kayode Balogun in Akure on Monday, stated that the facility was located at Iju-osun village in Irele Local Government Area.
The village is in a creek beside River Siloko that links Ondo and Edo states.
The statement said the action was carried out following a tip-off from some residents of the area.
"The crude oil was being refined illegally on the seashore and later deposited in Iju-osun for evacuation by lorry, buses, and cars to various places through Irele and Ore road.
"About eight flying boats were seen ready to be loaded, while some were on the sea already loaded. All the items seen at the scene were destroyed," it said.
The NSCDC said that a suspect was arrested with three boat engines, one pumping machine, generator, motorcycle and 20 jerricans of 30 litres capacity each containing adulterated diesel.
It said that the suspect would soon be charged to court for prosecution.
The statement said the agency also destroyed an illegal oil depot at Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area .
It said officials recovered more than 33,000 litres of adulterated diesel from the depot as well as 500 jerricans of 30 litres capacity loaded with adulterated fuel.
It said the state Commandant of NSCDC, Alhaji Popoola Bamidele, had reiterated the commitment of the agency to rid the state of illegal bunkering activities and all other forms of crime.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said on Monday that it would hold an interactive session with civil populace on how to restore live and peace in Plateau. The Special Task Force on Security (STF) said this in a statement issued in Jos. The statement sign...
The National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, on Monday dismissed speculations of a rift in the Nigerian Governors Forum and the party. There are rumours of a crack within the ruling national party following the emergence of Gov. Godswil Akpa...
The Minister of State for Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama, on Monday said the Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST) was critical to the growth and smooth operation of the capital market. Ngama, who made this known in Abuja at the inauguration of the IST b...
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) on Monday urged judges of the Federal High Court to be `hard on Bank fraudsters', so as to restore depositors' confidence.
Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, the Managing Director of the Corporation, made the call at a sensitisation seminar on ``The Challenges to Deposit Insurance Law and Practice’’, for judges.
Ibrahim said that the judges' understanding was needed to abate the fraud in the banking system.
He said that deliberate efforts should be geared towards quick dispensation of all pending liquidation-related cases.
Ibrahim said the corporation was faced with difficulties in the execution of court judgments.
He said the corporation had a vulnerable funding base, as well as difficulties in recovering debt owed to failed banks by debtors.
According to Ibrahim, most of the problems stem from poor public awareness and inadequate legal framework.
``The Nigerian judiciary, legal practitioners and other esteemed stakeholders have important roles to play in ensuring that the mandate of the Corporation is realised.
``As our partners and stakeholders, I urge you to use your good offices and privileged positions to ensure that the corporation is empowered to safeguard the Nigeria banking system.
In his opening address, Justice Ibrahim Auta, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, said the seminar was necessary to keep judges abreast with the operations of the NDIC, and the sustenance of the country’s economy.
``Acquiring such technical capacity will certainly enable us to make efficient, effective and informed decisions based on law for the interest of the nation’s economy,’’ Auta said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court, which has exclusive jurisdiction over NDIC cases, handles the prosecution of directors and officers of banks suspected of banking malpractices.
Trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) opened on Monday for the week on a positive note with the All-Share Index appreciating marginally by 0.13 per cent.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the index improved by 41.25 points to close at 32,890.36 against the 32,849.11 achieved on Friday.
Similarly, the market capitalisation, which opened at N10.51 trillion, grew by N12 billion to close at N10.52 trillion.
NAN reports that Total recorded the highest price gain of N6.69 to close at N154.80 per share.
Nestle trailed with a gain of N5 to close at N841 while NewGold gained N3 to close at N2,428 per unit.
On the other hand, GlaxoSmithkline led the losers' chart, losing N1.01 to close at N48.99 per share.
It was followed by Nigerian Breweries with a loss of 50k to close at N162 per share.
Portland Paint lost 26k to close at N5.09, while Studio Press dropped 13k to close at N2.52 per share.
The volume of shares traded increased by 62.34 per cent as a total of 700.21 million shares worth N2.68 billion exchanged by investors in 5,725 deals.
This was against the 431.59 million shares valued N5.33 billion traded in 5,587 deals on Friday.
Unity Bank drove the volume, accounting for 418.48 million shares worth N323.47 million.
FTN Cocoa came second with 41.31 million shares valued N23.02 million, while Studio Press accounted for 22.60 million shares worth N56.96 million.