Gov. Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State on Wednesday denied replacing the 2013 budget presented by late Gov. Patrick Yakowa with a reviewed one. The governor made the denial while receiving the 2013 passed budget from the Majority Leader of the state House o...
Market indices of the Nigerian Stock Exchange appreciated further by 1.12 per cent on Wednesday as some highly capitalised companies recording price gains.. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the All-share index appreciated by 373.07 points ...
The police on Wednesday arraigned two Indians and three Nigerians in the Federal High Court, Abuja, for damaging an NNPC pipeline in Okene, Kogi.
The Indians, Kamal Sharma, 32, and Ashok Agarwal, 66, were charged with dealing in petroleum products without appropriate authority or licence.
The charge stated that Sharma and Agarwal conspired with the three Nigerians and others at large on Jan.15 to commit felony.
It added that the Indians committed an offence punishable under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The three Nigerian accused, Fatai Afolabi, Emmanuel Igboke and Tukur Mohammed, are also standing trial for damaging the oil pipeline.
The Prosecution counsel, Mr Friday Ibadi, said that the three committed an offence punishable under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The prosecution noted that Afolabi, Igbokwe and Mohammed, through their illegal act on Jan.15, interfered with the free flow of petroleum products from the oil pipeline in Okene and, therefore, committed an offence.
The other defendant, Prism Steel Mill Ltd, managed by Sharma and Agarwal, was used to warehouse the stolen petroleum product, the prosecution added.
However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge.
Mr Lawal Rabana (SAN), counsel to Sharma, Agarwal and Prism Steel Ltd, urged the court to release his clients on bail.
Rabana pleaded: ``My lord, I am seeking your discretion in an application for the bail of these people on health grounds.
``My lord, the prosecutor is aware of the fact that Agarwal is 66 years old and has a terminal ailment that requires regular management.
``In fact, the offence for which my clients are charged with is not felony because they did not participate in the alleged damaging of the NNPC pipeline in Okene.
``Sharma and Agarwal do legitimate business in the country with their company, Prism Steel Mill Ltd, and they shall not jump bail if given.''
Mr Daniel Alumun, the counsel to the other accused, urged the court to grant his clients bail as well, adding that ``Section 35 of the Constitution guarantees their liberty.’’
He said the accused were assumed innocent till it was proved otherwise.
The prosecutor, however, opposed the bail application, saying that the offence for which they were charged was severe.
``The law, under which the accused applicants are charged with stipulates life imprisonment as punishment for act of economic sabotage,’’ Ibadi said.
The Judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, reserved Feb. 25 for ruling and ordered that the accused be remanded in prison.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said on Wednesday that it generated N199.6 million in 14 months at Maje customs outstation in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State. Mr Aliyu Bello, an Assistant Comptroller of Customs, who is the Station Officer...
Gunmen, who abducted six foreigners off the Bayelsa coastline, on Wednesday demanded for a ransom of N200 million for their freedom.
A Russian, three Ukrainians and two Indian sailors were abducted on Sunday when their vessel was attacked off the coastline.
The Police Public Relations Officer of Bayelsa Command, Mr Fidelis Odunna, confirmed the development in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa.
Odunna said that the Police Anti Kidnapping Squad was already trailing the suspects to secure the victims' freedom.
“We have already dispatched our men to track down the kidnappers.
``Contact has been established with them and they are asking for N200 million,” he said.
NAN recalls that Gov. Seriake Dickson recently signed into Law a bill prescribing death penalty for Kidnapping in Bayelsa
A man, who allegedly impersonated the National Environmental Standard Regulatory and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) was on Wednesday arraigned before the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu. Jude Alagbado was arraigned on a four-count charge bo...
A Jos Upper Area Court on Wednesday sentenced a 25-year- old man, Emmanuel Ochene, to three months imprisonment for stealing a travelling bag. Ochene was convicted for stealing a traveling bag valued at N50,000 belonging to one Mr James Okoro. The cour...
Three persons, including two bankers, were on Wednesday docked before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court for alleged forgery and theft of N1.5million.
The accused: Kelechi Amechi, 35, Rita Kpaakpa, 29 and Lawrence Amechi,42, are each facing a three-count charge of conspiracy to steal, stealing and forgery.
The accused persons, who reside at No. 32 Kunle Ajayi St., Ketu, and No. 21a, Fakunle St.,Ogba, respectively pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Police prosecutor, ASP. Ade Adeola said the offence was committed on Nov. 4. and 14, 2011 within the premises of the FBN micro finance bank, Ogba branch.
He said Rita Kpaakpa and Kelechi Amadi, who were at the time, employees of the bank, conspired to obtain the sum of N1.5million from one Mr Omotayo Afolabi, under the pretext facilitating his transactions.
He said the duo, on the same date forged the signature of one Mr Vincent Akabueze, on a guarantors form for a loan request of one Nosiru Bamidele.
``The accused obtained the total sum of N1.5millon, from one Mr Omotayo Afolabi, under the pretext of securing the money as a processing fee.
“They also filled a guarantors' form on behalf of one Nosiru Bamidele and unlawfully used Mr Vincent Akabueze as the guarantor and forged his signature for a the loan request", Adeola said.
The prosecutor said that Amadi and Kpaapka on Nov. 14 2011, again allegedly forged the signature of one Mr Femi Awoyinka on another guarantor's form for a loan request of Lawrence Amechi.
Adeola said the offences contravened the provisions of sections 285, 363 and 409 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.
Magistrate P.A Ojo granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 each and two sureties each in like sum.
She adjourned the case to March. 8 for further hearing. (NAN)
The House of Representatives has set up an adhoc committee to determine whether or not there is a syndicate behind the 45,000 ghost workers detected in the Civil Service. The lawmakers made this disclosure while reacting to statement credited to minist...
The Senate, yesterday, rejected a bid to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan see to the immediate implementation of 13 per cent derivation formula to solid mineral producing states as it applies to the oil sector. Also, Senators halted moves to pro...
Barely 72 hours after the Governor of Niger State Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan signed a term pact with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in Niger state has asked him to dump the party and join the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC).
The CNPP, rising from its regular meeting, yesterday, in Minna also endorsed the merger arrangement to form APC and advised all the states chapters of CNPP to endorse the emergence of the party as a common front for all progressives.
The meeting presided over by the Chairman, Ibrahim Isah, resolved in the communiqué read to Journalists by the secretary Aliyu Mohammed, that Governor Aliyu was too progressive minded with his bluntness to be in PDP.
The resolution read in part “motion for the endorsement of the merger initiatives being promoted by leaders of opposition parties to form APC and invitation to the Chief servant of Niger state Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu to join his fellow progressive Governors to ensure a safe delivery of truly progressive party in the making, have been agreed upon.”
According to the group, because of the performance of Governor Aliyu, it would support him on the platform of the new APC to actualise his political goals in the state as the Governor has the capacity to deliver satisfactorily.
“The CNPP Niger state therefore called on the facilitators of the emerging mega party, APC, to, as a matter of emergency, invite the leadership of other political parties to a roundtable in order to make the party a successful alternative to the PDP in 2015” the CNPP’s resolution read.
He said ahead of the CNPP possible alliance with the New APC the body has set up candidates searching committee to prop up credible candidates for the 2015 general elections in the state.
While passing a vote of confidence on the leadership of the CNPP, the 15 political parties making up the CNPP in the state said they would continue to conduct regular assessment of governments’ performance in the state at all levels.
Broadcast Right owners of the Nigeria Premier League, Total Promotions has appealed to the Minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Adbullahi over the purported cancellation of the contract it signed with the NPL which ...
Former Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu has described the late Okey Isima who passed away on Monday in Abuja as a gentleman. He described him as an intelligent man and suddenly thinking of their heroics in 1980 Nations Cup finals against Algeria wh...
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has given two participants from Jos South football team who took part in the Glo 2012 Soccer Academy N1m each. The duo are Abdulrahaman Umar and Yakubu Aliyu who were the only two selected participants o...
The much anticipated date for the commencement of Zaria Polo tournament has been fixed. The management of the club has said the Polo tournament will take place between April 6 and 13, 2013 at its traditional venue Zaria Polo Ground, Muhammadu Aminu Squ...