Master Oladseg Blog [MOB]

The Nigerian government has now confirmed that 105 girls have been released from among 110 kidnapped in Dapchi, Yobe State. The girls were released early on Wednesday weeks after they were kidnapped from their secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who stated these, is currently at the Air Force Base in Maiduguri waiting to receive the released girls. He also said a boy was among those released by the terror group. He explained that the earlier conflicting figure released by him was because the “the girls went to their homes after they were released in Dapchi.” He said the figure is being updated as the girls showed up in the presence of public officials. “What we have now is 105 girls and a boy; that makes it 106 persons released today”, he said. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the girls were being conveyed in buses by road from Damaturu to Maiduguri amidst heavy security. There are reports the five remai...

The revelation marked the strongest indication yet that the Nigerian security agencies, despite their denials, may have had a fore-knowledge of the attack within an actionable time-frame but failed to act for reasons that critics say could range from a lack of sufficient capacity to outright negligence. This is especially because the security agencies appear to have learnt little from a similar debacle barely four years ago when 276 schoolgirls were seized by Boko Haram in Chibok, a community in the nearby Borno State. In its report, published Tuesday, Amnesty International said its investigations revealed that the military failed to respond when it was alerted to a convoy of Boko Haram that was coasting towards Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, in the afternoon of February 19. Amnesty International said testimonies gathered from credible sources indicated that the army and the police received multiple emergency calls up to four hours...

A former President, Goodluck Jonathan, on Tuesday said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo lied over claims that the Jonathan administration embezzled some funds a few weeks to the 2015 general elections. Mr. Jonathan’s reaction was contained in a statement by his former spokesperson, Reno Omokri. The former president told PREMIUM TIMES he stood by that response. Mr. Osinbajo had on Monday said N100 billion and a separate $289 million were embezzled by officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, a few weeks to the 2015 elections. The vice president, who made this revelation while speaking at the 7th Quarterly Business Forum (QBF) held at the State House, Abuja, said the economic woes being faced by Nigerians today were caused by the corruption of the former administration. He also alleged that the strategic alliance contracts signed by Mr. Jonathan’s government with the NNPC and NDPC were used to embezzle money by the promoters. But on Tuesday, Mr. Omokri challenged...

Two scrap traders at Igidanpani, New Garage market in the Ojota area of Lagos have been killed following a clash between the Yoruba and the Hausa traders. The clash reportedly started on Thursday as a minor misunderstanding between the Yoruba and Hausa trader involved in scavenging the nearby Olusosun dumpsite for aluminum, scraps and other valuables for sale.     It was gathered that though the misunderstanding was settled, the Hausa man was not satisfied and out of anger, he later attacked his Yoruba counterpart, stabbing him to death. SaharaReporters gathered the kinsmen of the dead Yoruba scavenger launched a counter-attack which also resulted in the death of  one of the Hausa traders. This resulted in free for all fight between members of the two ethnic groups which escalated on Friday morning, leading to the closure of shops and other commercial activities within the vicinity. The police later moved in to control the violence and about 100 ...

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday held a traditional engagement of his daughter, Damilola, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. State House correspondents were not allowed to cover the reception which was held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa. The journalists were told that Osinbajo and the groom’s family opted for a low-keyed event. The ceremony started with a traditional marriage at Osinbajo’s Aguda House official residence. Damilola is getting married to Oluseun Bakare. The reception was attended by some state governors among others. The church wedding is scheduled to take place at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, on Saturday. The reception for guests will be held at the old Banquet Hall thereafter. Copyright, Punch.

Riding on the back of the impressive outing of Azura Edo Independent Power Project (IPP), which has just begun generation of electricity seven months ahead of schedule, investors are thronging Edo State to pitch their tent and partake of the conducive business environment and progressive posture of the government towards genuine investments. Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osage, in statement, said that the influx of investors and the outstanding success recorded by Azura-Edo Power, is a testament to the numerous reforms undertaken by the Governor Obaseki-led administration, sustained from the earlier efforts of his predecessor, to disentangle bottlenecks, institutional bureaucracy and other lapses and administrative barriers that have hindered public-private partnerships (PPP) projects in the country. According to him, “The Azura-Edo IPP has just come on stream and has been linked to the National Grid, a feat...

To equip entrepreneurs with training and finance to produce ready goods for export especially with anticipated increase in industrial activity in the state, the Edo State Government has commenced talks with the Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank on how she can access over N553 billion funding for local manufacturers and industries. Head Strategy & Communication, NEXIM Bank, Tayo Omidiji; Executive Director, Business Development, Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank, Hon. Stella Okotete; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; and Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment, Hon. Emmanuel Usoh; during the courtesy visit of the Management of NEXIM to the governor at the Government House in Benin City, on Thursday, March 15, 2018. Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, represented by the Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment, Hon. Emmanuel Usoh, at a meeting organised for local manufacturers and officials of NEXIM Bank, said, “...

The new couple Presdient Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, in Kano led local and international players to the wedding of Fatima Dangote, daughter of African richest man, Aliko Dangote, and her pilot groom, Jamil Abubakar, son to the former Inspector General of police in a society wedding that rocks Kano to a standstill. President Buhari, who served as the bride’s Guardian, handed over Fatima in marriage to the groom’s guardian, after payment of N500, 000 as dowry as stipulated by Islamic principles. Thereafter, the 19th Fulani emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II consummated the marriage contract as outlined by Islam inside his palace at 11am, as the Chief Imam of Kano, Professor Sani Zahraddeen led the quality crowd in supplications. The important Dignitaries at the one in century wedding included former Nigerian military Head of state, General AbdulSalami Abubakar, international business mogul, Mr Bill Gate, a number of Diplomat, and notable captains of industry. ...