Petrol subsidy rises to N1.43tn in 26 months

For the whole of 2013, 2014 and the first two months this year, a total amount of N1.43tn was recorded as the total petrol subsidy claims from oil marketers.

Out of this amount, the Federal Government is said to be owing marketers a total of N264bn. N164bn of this amount is the actual subsidy covering part of 2014 and the first two months of 2015.

The remaining N100bn, according to the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, comprised accumulated interest on loans obtained by marketers from banks for petrol imports, and foreign exchange differentials occasioned by the devaluated naira.

Agitations by marketers last month had made the Federal Government agree to pay marketers a total of N264bn as subsidy arrears for the periods under review in March (this month).

Patience Jonathan, a crude woman, says APC

                                                               Mrs. Patience Jonathan

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation on Wednesday described the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan as “an incredibly crude woman.” The party also commended Nigerians for putting up with her.

The campaign organisation was reacting to a report that Mrs. Jonathan described the APC Presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as brain dead at a campaign rally in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, on Tuesday.

The President’s wife also warned women against voting for Buhari because, according to her, the APC presidential candidate would put women in purdah and trample on their rights.

Senate in rowdy session over Obanikoro’s screening

                                                          Musiliu Obanikoro

The Senate had a rowdy executive session for about two hours on Wednesday as a result of attempt by Senate President, David Mark, to convince his colleagues to give Musiliu Obanikoro an easy passage, in accordance to the tradition of the upper chamber in the screening of former senators nominated for appointment as ministers.

The Senate had over the years adopted the “take a bow” treatment for nominee ex-senators. Obanikoro was a member of the upper federal legislative chamber between 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy. His name is among the eight new ministerial nominees before the Senate for consideration.

Members of the opposition All Progressives Congress in the Senate had, last week, vowed to oppose the confirmation of Obanikoro.

Fuel queues’ll disappear by weekend – FG

                                           Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The Federal Government on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the current petrol scarcity being experienced in many parts of the country would be over before the end of the week.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, stated this shortly after meeting with members of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria.

The meeting, held at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, was also attended by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, representatives of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency and depot owners.

Surrender or face death, Chadian President warns Shekau

                                                           President Idriss Deby

President Idriss Deby of Chad on Wednesday called on Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, to surrender or face death.

Derby told a news conference in N’djamena, that he knows the whereabouts of Shekau, who, according to him, was sighted in Dikwa , a village in Borno State two days ago.

“Abubakar Shekau must surrender. We know where he is. If he doesn’t give himself up he will suffer the same fate as his compatriots,” he said.

“He (Shekau) was in Dikwa two days ago. He managed to get away but we know where he is. It’s in his interests to surrender,” Deby added.

APC, Fayose in war of words over Jega

                APC National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed and Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday engaged in a war of words over the fate of Prof. Attahiru Jega as the chairman of the the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Fayose began the verbal onslaught when he described the claim by the APC   of a plot by the Presidency to fire Jega, as a “mere comedy.”

The governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, advised the opposition party to stop acting as if Nigeria belonged to it.

“President Goodluck Jonathan can sack Jega if he wishes and if he does, heavens will not fall,” Fayose boasted, alleging that the APC had, by its actions, shown that it had a pact with the INEC chairman.

Pope Francis didn't make pets in heaven comment

Vatican City - It was a heartwarming story for legions of pet owners and animal lovers around the world.

Pope Francis, talking to a distraught boy whose pet had died, declared there was a place in heaven for the creatures we share our lives with. His comment was reported this week by many news media outside Italy, with dozens of articles in the United States. It was veritable catnip to social media.

However, it turned out the pope had not made the comment.

Boko Haram 'likely behind Jos, Nigeria bombings'

Lagos - A double bomb attack that killed 31 people in a crowded market in the central Nigerian city of Jos was likely to have been carried out by Boko Haram, the state government said on Friday.

"It's an extension of the terrorist acts that have been penetrating all states and cities," Pam Ayuba, spokesman for the Plateau state governor Jonah Jang, told AFP by telephone.

The blasts happened at about 18:00 on Thursday at a makeshift market near the Terminus bus station, not far from the site of a previous attack in May that left at least 118 dead.

Twin bomb blasts have rocked Jos

Abuja - Twin bomb blasts on Thursday rocked Jos, the capital of Plateau state in north-central Nigeria, killing at least 31 people, the newspaper Vanguard reported.

Reports said the bombs exploded at a makeshift market near a busy motor park and a fast food restaurant.

"The bodies recovered so far are 31, but rescue workers are at the scene and the figures may change," Vanguard quoted a spokesman for Plateau state governor as saying.

Thousands flee Boko Haram

Yola - Dauda Bello came face-to-face with Boko Haram militants but managed to escape their hail of bullets, fleeing to safety after a marathon drive on a brutal mountain road.

"It was terrible... [Boko Haram] was firing in every direction," he told AFP in Yola, the capital of northeast Nigeria's Adamawa state, where he fled from the town of Mubi in late October.

Bello is just one of more than 1.5 million Nigerians forced from their homes by the raging Islamist insurgency, which has left 13 000 dead since 2009 and raised fears of a humanitarian crisis.

Sierra Leone doctors die of Ebola

Freetown — Two more Sierra Leonean doctors have died from Ebola, further depleting the West African country's ability to respond to the devastating outbreak, health officials said on Saturday.

The deaths bring the number of Sierra Leonean doctors killed by Ebola to nine. The disease is spread through the bodily fluids of people showing symptoms and people who have died of the disease. Because transmission requires close contact with those fluids, health workers are among the most at risk of contracting it and hundreds have become infected in this outbreak.

Khloe Kardashian and French Montana split... again!

Los Angeles - Khloe Kardashian and French Montana have split for a second time.

The 30-year-old reality star is said to have called time on her on/off romance with the rapper, who she split from in September after eight months of dating before reuniting in November.

A source told Us Weekly: "Khloe just wasn't ready after Lamar and it was getting too serious."

Nigeria-US training cancellation 'logistical, not political'

Abuja - Nigeria on Friday said that a decision to cancel US training of its soldiers to fight Boko Haram was a logistical, not a political decision.

The US Embassy in Abuja announced on Monday that the Nigerian government had halted a training programme of an army battalion, which would have developed into a unit to take on the militants.

Kim Kardashian West's wedding photo made history on Instagram!

Los Angeles - Kim Kardashian West's wedding photo has become the most liked Instagram post.

The shot of the reality TV star and her husband, rapper Kanye West, has made history on the social media site after a photograph of them sharing a smooch while tying the knot in Florence, Italy, on May 24 attracted a huge 2.4 million 'likes'.

Coroner puts TB Joshua building hearing on hold

Lagos - A coroner on Friday put on hold an inquest into the deaths of 116 people in a church building collapse in Nigeria's commercial hub after hearing an application to suspend proceedings.

The inquest in the city has been hearing from witnesses involved in the investigation into the 12 September tragedy at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

Mugabe alleges US plot against him

Mugabe alleges US plot against himHarare - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has accused his vice president of plotting with the United States Embassy in the country to remove him.

Speaking at the ruling party Zanu-PF's annual conference on Saturday, Mugabe said Joice Mujuru has attended secret meetings at the embassy in Harare.

Nigeria detains Russian cargo plane

Kano - Nigeria detained a Russian cargo plane and its French-speaking crew on Saturday after it made an unauthorised landing in the northern city of Kano with military hardware bound for neighbouring Chad, a security source said. An air force spokesperson confirmed the plane had been detained but gave no further details.

The plane had been travelling from Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, to the Chadian capital N'Djamena but was forced to make an emergency landing in Kano because N'Djamena airport was closed, the security source said.

Prison break frees 200 inmates in Nigeria

Abuja - Gunmen broke into a prison in the central Nigerian city of Minna, freeing around 200 inmates, a police spokesperson and security sources said.

The sources said the gunmen stormed the facility late on Saturday in Niger state, near to the capital Abuja. Islamist sect Boko Haram and al Qaeda-linked group Ansaru have been behind several prison raids in recent years, although it was unclear whether they had anything to do with this one.

Prison break frees 200 inmates in Nigeria

Abuja - Gunmen broke into a prison in the central Nigerian city of Minna, freeing around 200 inmates, a police spokesperson and security sources said.

The sources said the gunmen stormed the facility late on Saturday in Niger state, near to the capital Abuja. Islamist sect Boko Haram and al Qaeda-linked group Ansaru have been behind several prison raids in recent years, although it was unclear whether they had anything to do with this one.

Below is a press statement from the office of former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu...

For a while now, I have noticed and read many published political stories on Lagos politics in particular and the personalities involved that are either concerted, unsubstantiated, pure conjectures or outright falsehood. In this instance, I reference a recent story ran by a major newspaper concerning my successor and me.