Ambode To Meet With Tanker Drivers Over Numerous Accidents

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday visited the scene of a tanker explosion in Idimu which occurred earlier that morning and razed down over 36 houses, cars and destroyed numerous goods, saying it is time to meet with Petroleum tanker drivers and other stakeholders in the sector to be able to put an end to this man made accidents. Akinwunmi who visited with his deputy sympathized with the victims of the fire and assured them his government will do something about it as a matter of urgency. Below is what he said;


“Today, we have witnessed another unfortunate incident involving a tanker such that we have had to come out here for the second time within one week. It is unfortunate for both the government and residents of this neighbourhood. We sympathise with you because we know that there is nothing that we can do to replace all that you have lost. Moreover, we thank God that no life was lost in the process.

“I assure you that, with the utmost sense of urgency, we will do everything we can to help you. The agencies will ensure that those that have lost their homes and clothes as a result of this tragic incident are catered for. I appeal to those who are devastated by this occurrence that we will see to the quick reconstruction of affected buildings once a report has been done. It is our duty.


“I have directed that the union of the tanker drivers and other agencies will meet (with me) on Monday morning and we must make pronouncements relating to the usage of our roads. We will embark on an immediate relief effort to see how we can address this issue so that things are back to normal as soon as possible.”

Ahmed Lawan Clinches APC Ticket For Senate President

Senator Ahmed Lawan and George Akume late Saturday night emerged the candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the office of Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively in  the upcoming Tuesday’s election at the National Assembly.

Mr. Lawan from Yobe State scored 32 votes, while Akume from Benue State got 31 votes.

The party chairman, John Oyegun pleaded with party members to accept the outcome saying the process was transparent. His opponent, Senator Bukola Saraki and his supporters were however absent at the election.

Over a decade of people escape death as Aero aircraft develops fault mid-air

Over 120 passengers, including the Director, Muslim Rights Concern, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Friday evening escaped death as an Aero Contractors Airline Flight 180 from Lagos to Kaduna developed technical fault mid-air.

The aircraft was said to have suddenly lost altitude, 20 minutes after it departed the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, forcing the aircraft to wobble in the air for over one hour before it was eventually diverted to Abuja.

Akintola, who broke the news,said the flight took off from Lagos at exactly 6.30pm.

He said 20 minutes into the flight, the aircraft lost altitude and the passengers had to make use of the oxygen masks as the plane continued to wobble, while dropping steadily.

Akintola said, “The plane lost altitude 20 minutes after takeoff. We had to make use of the oxygen masks. We saw smoke outside the plane, probably coming from the engine compartment.

“At this time, the whole plane was thrown into commotion. Many passengers screamed and some fainted. Prayers upon prayers were offered. Some shouted Allah, others Jesus.”

Akintola said it was in the midst of the commotion that the crew, whom he commended for their professionalism and unusual calmness, announced that the plane would be diverted to Abuja.

He said, “While the pilot was making the announcement of the flight diversion, I noticed that his voice was trembling. He told us that Abuja was 120 miles away and that we would land in 25 minutes. But we were not sure we would make it.

“In fact, I quickly recited the Kalimah (the Quranic invocation of the oneness of Allah), believing that the end had come,” Akintola added in messages to New Mail.

He said that the plane finally touched down in Abuja at about 9.00pm and upon landing in Abuja, the officials of the airline told the devastated passengers that the fault would be hurriedly repaired and that the plane would proceed to take them to Kaduna, their original destination.

As of the time he spoke with New Mail at about 9.30pm, he said he was already in a taxi taking him from Abuja to Kaduna as he could not risk being “flown in the same aircraft that was divinely saved from crashing.”

Akintola said, “As I am talking to you, I am now in a taxi taking me to Kaduna. They said they wanted to repair the plane and that we should wait so it takes us to Kaduna. Allah forbids. They asked how many of us wanted to disembark and almost everybody came out.”

When Saturday PUNCH called Akintola at about 11pm, he confirmed the incident and said he was about entering Kaduna.

He said, “When the aircraft wanted to land in Abuja, the tyres failed to come out on time and that again caused more commotion among passengers. At last, we landed at about 7.35, about 50 minute of trauma mid-air.”

A statement by the airline read, “Aero confirms that there was depressurisation in the aircraft cabin leading to the dropping of oxygen mask. And since Aero has a maintenance facility in Abuja, the flight to Kaduna was diverted to Abuja this evening to fix the problem.”

The General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, said he is yet to be briefed on the matter.

Davido set to graduate from Babcock University

Governor Ambode visits Idimu Fire scene

Photos: Atiku delivers Thank You letter on behalf of Pres. Buhari to Jacob Zuma

Former VP Atiku Abubakar delivered a Thank You Letter on behalf of Nigeria's President, Buhari to South African President, Jacob Zuma. The letter is for Zuma's role and support in ensuring that Akinwunmi Adesina won the AFDB presidency position

Fire Outbreak In Idimu This Morning Razed Down 36 Houses

This morning, slightly past 12am a diesel-laden truck ran into a house at Idimu bus stop where it crashed and exploded leaving at least 36 houses burnt and so many cars destroyed as well.

AMBODE FIRES FASHOLA’S LOYALISTS + FASHOLA’S SISTER AND OTHERS ON DAY 1

The Executive Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, may not have started his official assignment on a very friendly note with the immediate past governor of the State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) as many of the loyalists of the former governor have just been relieved of their various positions.

 Our source has it that, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode sacked many of them on his first day at work and he is prepared to relief othersof their jobs. This development has prompted many to wonder if the new governor is using this to settle a score with former Gov. Fashola. Governor Ambode revealed this sad news to the affected people in a meeting he had with all directors of Lagos State Agencies.

One of those unlucky people that have fallen victims of this action of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode is Ms. Ronke Azeez. Ronke Azeez was the coordinator of ‘Lagos Eko Project’. ‘Lagos Eko Project’ is a World Bank Assisted Project on Education in Lagos State. Ronke is adjudged by many, particularly by her employer, Babatunde Raji Fashola, very brilliant and innovative. Our source revealed that Gov. Ambode just asked the lady to handover to the next person to her without giving any reason.

On a similar note, another person that has also been relieved of her position by Gov. Ambode is Adenike Adekanbi. Adenike Adekanbi is another innovative woman who has been the one in charge of Lagos State Facility Management Agency. We gathered that it was Deji Williams, Personal Assistant to Gov. Ambode, that had actually written the proposal that led to the birth of the agency during the administration of Babatunde Raji Fashola.
Furthermore, it was revealed that Mr. Fashola saw the proposal has resorceful, and handed it over to a commissioner (name withheld) for execution. It was this commissioner, due to his extra-marital affair with Adenike Adekanbi, who brought her (Adenike Adekanbi) into the picture. Unfortunately for her, the new governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode was quoted to have said to her “I know everything that has been going on, handover to the next person to you.”

Mr. Gbenga Akintola, Chairman of Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) is another loyalist of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola that Gov. Ambode has decided to send packing from LSPWC. Gbenga Akintola was actually residing in the United States before. Our source revealed that his emergence as the Chairman of LSPWC was facilitated by his closeness to Prof. Wole Soyinka and Demola Azeez (Raji Fashola’s best friend). Indeed, we reliably gathered that after Gov. Ambode has asked Gbenga Akintola to handover to the next person to him at LSPWC, he eventually walked him out of the meeting.
The last but not the least of those vital positions occupied by the loyalists of the former Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola, and which Gov. Ambode has decided change their leadership is Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA). This time, the victim is not just the loyalist of Raji Fashola, it is his younger sister, Ms. Yinka Fashola. Our reliable source revealed that Gov. Ambode has relieved the younger sister of Babatunde Fashola of her position as the General Manager of LASRRA. He instructed her to handover everything in her care as General Manager to the next person to her in the agency.
Without doubt, many would begin to wonder why Gov. Ambode actually went after loyalists of his predecessor in his first week in office, knowing full well that Babatunde Raji Fashola was one of those few people who have aided the victory of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode in the last Lagos State Gubernatorial election.

Prince Harry spotted getting cosy with actress at Polo event

Prince Harry of England was spotted getting cozy and flirting with 29 year old Doctor Who actress, Jenna Coleman after playing in a charity match last Saturday May 30th. The pics of the two chatting intimately and the 30 year old Prince putting his hand on Jenna's knee, only emerged today. Jenna, who has a boyfriend, looked happy getting all that attention from England's most eligible bachelor. Eye witnesses said Harry led the actress by the hand out of the star-studded after-party to chat on a sofa outside.

One of the parents of missing Chibok girls dies

Rapper Ludacris and wife Eudoxiee welcome baby girl

Rapper Ludacris and his wife Eudoxiee welcomed their first child together on June 4th. Eudoxie shared the news via  instagram, She also revealed the baby's name is Cadence Gaëlle Bridges and she weighed 7lbs 4oz. This is Eudoxie's first daughter and Ludacris' third.

Buhari denies an Ambassador entry into villa for coming 15mins late to meeting

N3m carted away as robbers attack Lagos Govt Secretariat Alausa

N3million was reportedly carted away by armed robbers after they stormed the Ministry of Justice in Lagos state government secretariat, Alausa, Lagos in the early hours of today June 5th.

Vanguard reports that the robbers gained access into the office where the money was kept, through the ceiling. The stolen money was withdrawn late Thursday June 4th and was meant to be used to settle payments of mediation officers of the ministry. 20 of the ministry's staff have been detained as investigation is currently ongoing.

Mariah Carey’s Brother Says Mariah Might Die Like Whitney

Mariah Carey and her brother Morgan (right) in 1991
Mariah Carey's brother fears Mariah’s drinking will kill her and claims he has never seen her sober. Mariah’s sibling Morgan, who hasn't directly spoken to the singer in two years, fears the star is unable to care for her four-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe because he believes she is trying to numb her problems with wine and champagne.

Alleging she has been a heavy drinker since suffering from mental health problems in 2001, Morgan told the National Enquirer magazine: 'Mariah was drinking through her pregnancy - even while she was nursing.

'I can't say that I have ever been around her when she was sober, and that's very scary.'

Morgan also claimed his 45-year-old sister takes a daily cocktail of medications including Zyprexa, Ativan and Depakote, and fears she will 'die like Whitney Houston'.

He added: 'She does not have a support system, and she is not mentally capable.'

Morgan is concerned the singer has 'pushed away the only people who've been trustworthy' and will blame her entourage if anything does happen to her.

He said: 'If my sister turns up dead ... I'm not going to look the other way!
 Anyone who's filling her glass is jeopardizing her life!'

 He also spoke about his sister’s estranged husband, Nick Cannon too.

According to him, her estranged husband Nick Cannon is a 'crock of s**t' who wasn't good for his sister and was only interested in money.

'Nick listened to people who said, "Get with Mariah, she thinks you're cute, have kids and ride it to the bank." Nick was there for the cash from day one. He doesn't give a damn about Mariah.

'Nick took tremendous advantage of her and continues to do so0, he said.

DailyMail.com has contacted reps for both Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon regarding the claims, but both parties have refused to comment on the matter.

Workers Shut Down AIT, Radio Station Over 17 Months Unpaid Salaries

Workers of Daar Communications Plc, operators of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM Radio, yesterday shut down all broadcasting activities at the Benin studio in protest over unpaid  17 months salaries.

The scores of protesting workers were said to have blocked the main entrance to the station located along the Benin/Lagos bypass.

It was gathered that the protesting workers put at about fifty workers, were owed salaries spanning between 12 and 17 months.

According to Pm News, one of workers who claimed anonymity said that newly employed staff of AIT were being owed 12 months while old staff were yet to be paid salaries between 13 months and staff of the Raypower FM, the Radio arm of the broadcast outfit were owed 17 months.

“The stations generate millions of naira on a daily basis, so there is no reason why we should not be paid our salaries. They have no excuse not to pay us our money. It is share wickedness and man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. We have families to care for and children to pay their school fees. Many of our children have stopped going to school. But their own attend schools abroad.

Look at where our station is located, in another village so far away from Benin City. You have to chatter a taxi cab for not less than N500.00 to get there if you miss the staff bus. And not even every cab driver will agree to go there because of the wrong location of the station, yet, they expect us to be there everyday, whether you have anything to do or not,” he said.

House of Rep pass Petroleum Industry Bill

House of Reps members today passed the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill. The House members had on Tuesday June 2nd suspended its deliberation on the bill due to some unresolved clauses and a committee was set up with the view of settling all the issues in the bill.

The members on resumption today chorused "Ayee" as the Deputy House Speaker Emeka Ihedioha called for a vote on the bill. The Petroleum Industry bill will among other things help create a more conducive business environment for petroleum operations and enhance exploration of petroleum resources in Nigeria.

Buruji Kashamu: Court orders NDLEA to suspend actions on extradition

    
A Federal High Court in Lagos has asked the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to suspend all actions on the move to extradite the Ogun East Senator-elect, Prince Buruji Kashamu, to the United States to face trial on alleged drug-trafficking offences. The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, while adjourning hearing in all pending applications on the subject matter till June 19, said on Thursday that status quo must be maintained till all the applications were decided one way or the other.

Pending before Buba is the committal suit filed by Kashamu against the Attorney General of the Federation and the Chairman of NDLEA, citing them for contempt of court. In response, the NDLEA has filed preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter. Besides, the anti-narcotic agency is seeking the reversal of the court order of May 26 which directed it to withdraw more than 50 of his operatives which had laid siege to Kashamu’s house.

At the resumed proceedings on Thursday where the AGF, NDLEA Chairman and Kashamu himself were expected before the court, the NDLEA lawyer, A. M. Sunday, said the agency had yet to be served with the originating processes in Kashamu’s committal suit. Sunday said all that the agency received was the court’s order of May 26 directing it to withdraw its armed operatives from Kashamu’s Lagos residence. The lawyer, however, said the NDLEA had filed a motion seeking to set aside the court order, adding that the jurisdiction of the court was also being challenged.

However, Kashamu’s lawyer, Mr. R.A. Oluyede, in opposition to NDLEA, said the agency’s motion had no relevance, saying it had been overtaken by events. Oluyede urged the judge to make additional orders to prevent NDLEA from overreaching the court. He urged the court to nullify any warrant of arrest that might have been obtained through any source in an attempt to extradite Kashamu.

He urged the court to declare the fresh move by the respondents to commence extradition proceedings against him in the face of the existing judgment of the court restraining them from doing so. He also sought a court order directing the Inspector General of Police to provide security for Kashamu to prevent the respondents from making any attempt on his life. But Buba, in a bench ruling, declined granting any of the newly sought orders but ordered all the parties not to take any action capable of undermining the processes before the court.

The judge said he would have to adjourn further hearing to allow the service of court papers on all the parties. He held, “The matter before the court is that of committal and challenge to jurisdiction. I shall adjourn for the hearing of the applications on its merits.” The matter was adjourned till June 19, for the hearing of all pending applications.

7th Senate Assembly holds valedictory session, passed 123 out of 591 bills brought before it since 2011

The Senate today held its valedictory session to mark the end of the 7th Senate Assembly. At the session which was well attended by past Senate Presidents and Senators, the Majority leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba said out of the 591 bills brought before them in the last 4 years, only 123 bills were passed. The 46 passed in less than 10 minutes yesterday is included in the 123 bills passed in the 4 year period of the assembly.

In his remark, the Senate President, Senator David Mark said he takes full responsibility for all the commissions and omissions recorded in the 7th Senate Assembly where he served as a leader.

In his speech, Senator Mark said the abduction of the Chibok girls remains a scar on our national psyche.

    “I take full responsibility for all the commissions and omissions in the past four years. The last four years have been defining for our country in many respects,” he said. “The country was battered on all sides by security challenges that threatened the very existence of our society. The rise in insurgency and the ruthless mayhem unleashed on Nigerians by the Boko Haram sect resulted in the highest number of lives and property, which our nation has lost in our recent history. What was most horrifying was not only their wanton destruction but their disregard for human lives particularly those of women and children. The abduction of the Chibok school girls still remains a scar on our national psyche. There is no doubt that the Boko Haram crisis exposed serious cracks in our security system, challenged our unity, threatened our future and seriously dented our international image. We considered and approved emergency rule when we thought it was needed and declined request for extension when we thought that such an extension could not stem the tide of terrorism and insurgency in the affected states. Happily, the Nigerian armed forces have made significant gains in the fight against insurgency. The security challenges we faced in the last four years were not restricted to terrorism but included political violence, extremism, communal conflicts, militancy in the Niger Delta, maritime insecurity and transnational crimes. In all these, we gave maximum support to the government. We passed the bill for an act to amend the Terrorism (prevention) Act 2012, and we approved a loan of U.S.$1 billion for the government to procure arms and equipment needed to tackle security challenges in the country."he said

Fashola honored with a degree by Babcock University

Immediate past governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola was honored with an award of Honoris Causa by Babcock University in Ogun state this morning June 4th at the University's Post Graduate convocation ceremony. According to the school, the former Lagos governor was recognized for his visionary leadership in innovatively attracting foreign investment to Lagos state among others. Also recognized is Former Soko state governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso

Woman faces Jail time after falsely implicating two innocent men on rape charges

22 year old woman Comfort Yinusa (pictured above) is now facing jail time after falsely claiming two men raped her. Yinusa contacted emergency operators saying she'd been attacked outside a bar in London by two men and claimed they forced themselves on her.

The men were immediately arrested and they spent six weeks on police bail. About £3,000 was also spent on the forensic investigation to verify the report.
Fortunately for the men, it's since been confirmed that the attack never took place. Installed CCTV installed showed them all at a McDonald laughing and joking together while mobile phone records (as should happen in any sane Country) proved one of alleged rapist was looking for his car at the time of the alleged attack.

When caught in her lie, she initially denied lying to police but changed her plea before she was due to go on trial. She will be charged accordingly with the very possibility of her facing jail time.

Bomb blast in Yola

A bomb explosion occurred in front of the Jimeta main market in Yola Adamawa state at about 7:45pm today,the June 4th. Eyewitnesses say the residents of the area had just finished observing their evening prayers at a nearby praying ground when the bomb detonated. It is believed the explosion was carried out by a male suicide bomber. Unconfirmed reports say as much as ten persons have been certified dead from the blast. Some survivors pictured above

Photos: Pres. Buhari arrives Chad, meets with Chadian president

President Buhari arrived Chad today to continue his bilateral talks with President Idris Deby on how to end Boko Haram activities in the West African region

Oshiomhole, wife,Otedola,Jim Ovia, others attend Dangote Cement commissioning in Ethiopia

NAN reporter in Imo kidnapped, kidnappers demand N5m ransom

The Head of the reportorial team of the News Agency of Nigeria in Imo State, Miss Chidi Opara, has been kidnapped. Miss Opara was kidnapped by two armed men as she was about entering her residence at MCC Road , Urata in Owerri North Local Government Area of the state yesterday June 3rd. Her abductors have contacted her family and are demanding a N5 million ransom for her release.