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Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka has asked the Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu to advise President Buhari to go back to his farm and that he should halt dabbling into matters concerning Nigeria and Ekiti State in particular.
Olayinka, who was reacting to Ojudu's comment that the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose was disrespecting President Muhammadu Buhari whom he (Ojudu) said was old enough to be his (Fayose) father, said; "Ojudu will be making the biggest political mistake if he believed that this time around, he will ride on the back of political treachery, blackmail and bootlicking to become the governor of Ekiti State."
The governor's spokesperson said "Ojudu should rather advise President Buhari to go back to his farm in Daura, Katsina State if he has become too old to be corrected by Nigerians, who elected him and on whose sweat he is being sustained."
He said Nigerians, irrespective of their age and position have inalienable rights to criticise public office holders, including the president, adding that; "Civilian dictators like Senator Ojudu are the ones carrying public office on their heads and playing god in the lives of Nigerians."
Describing Ojudu as a serial blackmailer and an unrepentant hypocrite, Olayinka said; "It is funny that someone like Ojudu, is the one talking about Governor Fayose disrespecting President Buhari on account of his age."
He challenged the Presidential Adviser to tell Nigerians the benefit derived by Ekiti people from his four years in the Senate and close to two years in the Presidency.
Olayinka said; "Here is a man who wasted four years in the Senate without anything to show for all the millions of naira he collected on behalf of Ekiti people now gallivanting up and down because he is in the Presidency.
"If Ojudu had done so well as a senator, won't he have had the courage to seek re-election in 2015 like his two other colleagues?
"Even last year when Fulani herdsmen were killing Ekiti people and destroying their farmlands, Ojudu took side with the herdsmen against his own people just because he needed to be in the good books of President Buhari.
"It is a shame that someone like him is the one talking about the governor portraying Ekiti in a bad light when all he (Ojudu) has done since 1999 was to champion political instability in the State.
"Is it not on record that he (Ojudu) wagged war against Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Governor Fayose (during his first tenure) and Engr Segun Oni? He even lied against Oni that he set his house ablaze and engineered protest against Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) in Ibadan in 2007."
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, has assured Nigerian teachers that the National Assembly will increase their retirement age from 60 to 65 years to retain more experienced teachers in public schools.
Dogara disclosed this when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) who paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Abuja.
The speaker said that the house would support an upward review of teachers' retirement age to benefit Nigerian children.
"We have done it for the Tertiary institutions and the Judiciary, so nothing should stop us from taking the bull by the horns.
"They say that wine gets better with age. It was the same consideration that motivated us to raise that of university lecturers, raised that of judges. So this is something we can pursue.
"Thankfully, it doesn't require constitutional amendment, it is something we can achieve by amending the existing law.
Speaker Dogara
"That is the responsibility of the parliament and we assure you that we will do something about that so that the benefit that comes with experience and wisdom will not be lost," he said
Dogara said that the welfare and working condition of teachers must also be upgraded to enable Nigerian citizens compete with the global world and produce citizens that can achieve development that the country seeks.
"If we don't have people who will sacrifice their time and energy to impact knowledge on our children, then like I said, we have lost the future.
"This government which is a government of change must be prepared to change the narrative by ensuring that teachers are motivated and the condition in which they work are conducive at all levels, so that they can deliver on their professional calling," he said.
The speaker also advised the union to channel their request for salaries of teachers to be handed over to state governments or paid from first-line charge from the federation account through the Universal Basic Education Commission to the Constitution Review of the House of Representatives for consideration.
Comrade Alogba Olukoya, the National President of NUT, said the union preferred that payment of teachers' salaries be handed over to State governments. He also canvassed for an increase in the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years.
The teachers union also demanded that teachers' salaries be paid from first-line charge from the federation account through the Universal Basic Education Commission.
"We want the responsibilities of paying the salaries of Teachers be handed over to State Governments in which case the salaries component of the revenue allocation of the Local Governments will have to be transferred to the states and restructure the fiscal allocation of our national resources in favour of the states to guarantee uninterrupted and unfettered primary education in Nigeria.
"We teachers of Nigeria in primary and secondary schools do seek and demand that our retirement age be raised to 65 years to increase the teacher retention rate in our schools.
"This will help to check the rate at which experienced teachers are being lost in the school system whereas younger and prospective teachers are not recruited to take their places," Olukoya said.
US television network CNN on Wednesday fired a comedian from its annual New Year’s Eve coverage after she provoked outrage for being photographed holding up a prop depicting Donald Trump’s bloodied severed head.
The US president castigated Kathy Griffin saying she “should be ashamed of herself” for the grisly-looking photograph. “My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!” he tweeted.
Griffin, 56, who had co-hosted CNN’s annual New Year’s Eve coverage for the last decade, apologized on Tuesday and said she had asked the celebrity photographer Tyler Shields to remove the picture from the internet.
But it was not enough to save her job with CNN.
Kathy Griffin
“CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year’s Eve program,” its communications division announced on Twitter.
The network had said earlier it was “evaluating” its New Year’s Eve coverage and called the picture “disgusting and offensive.”
First Lady Melania Trump also criticized the outspoken Trump critic, who has twice won Emmys for her reality show “My Life on the D List.”
“As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing,” the president’s wife said in a rare statement.
“When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it,” she added.
In a 31-second video posted to social media late Tuesday Griffin said: “I beg for your forgiveness. I went too far. I made a mistake and I was wrong.”
Trump’s eldest son Donald Jr, who runs the family business in New York, and Mitt Romney, the defeated 2012 Republican presidential nominee, were among those conservatives who slammed the photograph.
“Our politics have become too base, too low & too vulgar, but Kathy Griffin’s post descends into an even more repugnant & vile territory,” Romney tweeted.
Even Trump critics vented disapproval.
“It is never funny to joke about killing a president,” tweeted Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of Trump’s former election rival Hillary.
“I think she was thinking she was making some artistic statement, but that image has no place in our political dialogue,” Al Franken, Democratic Senator from Minnesota and a former comedian on long-running television show Saturday Night Live, told MSNBC.
The Secret Service said it would look into the incident, posting on Twitter that threats against protectees “receive the highest priority of all of our investigations.”
Squatty Potty, a Utah-based bathroom products company, suspended an advertising campaign featuring Griffin, calling the picture “deeply inappropriate.”
Lagos – Ten members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD),Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba Chapter, were allegedly injured by some security men from the teaching hospital on Wednesday during a clash.
Dr Adebayo Sekunmade, the president of the ARD of the hospital told newsmen during a news conference.
He said that the doctors sustained injuries when they attempted to take over their secretariat from the security men stationed there by LUTH's management.
Sekunmade told journalists that one of his members was inside the ARD's secretariat at 2.00 a.m. on Tuesday but the security men ordered him out and locked it up.
"We decided to monitor developments around the secretariat after the incident. On Wednesday morning, we saw the security men loading our belongings from there into a waiting bus.
"When we confronted them, they said that they were directed to lock up the secretariat by the management of LUTH.
"We went to the Chief Medical Director's office for dialogue but he refused to attend to us. He, however, directed us to the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of LUTH,'' he said.
Sekunmade said that the CMAC, Dr Olufemi Fasanmade, told them that the management of LUTH was retrieving the secretariat from the ARD.
Sekunmade said that he demanded a court order from Fasanmade to justify his action but he could not present it.
When contacted, the CMAC told journalists that LUTH's management had given the ARD a letter asking it to vacate the building serving as its secretariat, six months ago.
"Nine days ago; we gave them another letter as a reminder to leave the building but they refused, and we decided to lock up the place,'' he said.
Fasanmade said that the association should not have found it hard to vacate one of the seven accommodations it had within the hospital complex.
He said that the management wanted to use it for an important purpose.
"The doctors wanted to forcefully enter the building on Wednesday's morning and LUTH's security men had to disallow them.''
Fasanmade said that the doctors resulted into attacking the security officials.
"We had to invite some police officers from the Ilasamaja and Bode Thomas Police Stations to secure the building and other LUTH's belongings.
"Some of the injured security officials are in the hospital wards receiving treatment,'' Fasanmade said.
By Rotimi Ojomoyela Ado-Ekiti- There was pandemonium in Ikun Ekiti, Moba Local Government on Tuesday evening as masqueraders attacked Muslims while breaking their fast in the Central Mosque.
Muslims had gathered in the mosque around 7pm oblivious of danger lurking in the corner, to observe the Maghrib prayer after breaking their Ramadan fast, when the masquerade struck.
The masquearders attacked the worshippers with cudgels, stone and iron and inflicted injuries on them.
About five of the worshippers were said to have sustained varying degrees of injury.
The hoodlums also smashed the windscreen and destroyed the two cars parked at the entrance of the mosque with axe and stone.
By Babajide Komolafe Guaranty Trust Bank said that its newly introduced mobile application, GTWorld will not replace its USSD banking service but rather complement it.
Managing Director/Chief Executive, GTBank, Mr. Segun Agbaje stated this while fielding questions from journalists during the launching of GTWorld.
Agbaje stated that the USSD platform was targeted at all mobile phone users, GTWorld was targeted at Smartphone users.
He said that USSD Platform was introduced to ensure that all the customers of the bank can conduct mobile banking irrespective of the kind of phones they use. We are aware everybody will not have a Smartphone, so the USSD platform will be sustained to ensure that those who do not have Smartphone can use their phones to conduct banking transactions.
Built on the back of the bank's customer-centric digital strategy, GTWorld features biometric authentication, such as facial recognition and fingerprint, which recognizes a customer and adapts to how and when they want to bank. The Mobile banking app also features a seamless switch to GAPS Lite, the online banking platform for small businesses which offers a flexible and secure channel to make payments and collections anywhere in the world.
With the rapid growth of Smartphone penetration in Nigeria, there has been a steady increase in the adoption of mobile banking solutions. Smartphone users are however very conscious about the security and efficiency and convenience of such applications; and on those three fronts, the GTWorld app excels remarkably. the mobile banking App offers customers access to more than 90 percent of the Bank's services on their Smartphones, guarantees further security through biometric authentication and ensures convenience through the Quick feature, which enables a user to perform transactions without signing in, among others.
GTWorld empowers customers, like never before, to make payments and access in-branch services swiftly and seamlessly, without going to a branch. When switched to GAPS-Lite, the app offers small business owners access to real-time monitoring of all transactions and the ability to make bulk and single transfers on the go to any account in the world.
Commenting on the launch of GTWorld App, Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Stated that "We are delighted to be at the forefront of digital banking solutions that are making banking faster, easier and safer for our customers. The Simplicity of GTWorld and innovations such as facial recognition and fingerprint also ensure that our customers enjoy a seamless experience, anywhere, anytime and anyhow they choose to bank.
Gtbank has consistently played a leading role in Africa's banking industry. The GTBank brand is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a role model within the financial services industry due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent services, quality and innovation.
By Henry Umoru ABUJA- THE Presidency said Wednesday that no date has been fixed for assent to the passed 2017 Appropriation Bill, just as it said that consultations as to the signing of the document were still on going. President Muhammadu Buhari presenting the 2017 Budget before a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 14, 2016. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Maters, Senate, Senator Ita Enang while responding to when the 2017 budget would be signed into law simply said, “Further to several enquiries regarding action on the 2017 Appropriation Bill by the Executive, be informed that Assent to same is not yet scheduled as consultations and engagements are on going. Be please informed.”
It would be recalled that the Senate had on May 16th, 2017, explained that the need for authentication of the passed 2017 Appropriation Bill was the rationale behind the delay in the transmission of the document to the Executive arm of government for consideration and assent.
Addressing Journalists on the delay in transmission, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, APC, Niger North who explained that the passage of the budget document does not automatically translate that the document would be transmitted immediately, had said that the Joint committees on Appropriations still must carry out its assignment properly by not relenting on its oars.
Senator Abdullahi had said, “After the budget is passed, the appropriation committee has to do some authentication, to avoid just any kind of document flying around. Any moment from now (Tuesday afternoon) today or tomorrow, it would be transmitted to the Presidency. Let us allow those who have been given certain responsibilities to do their job, which must include certain protocols.
"Remember that we had to adjourn and reconvene to approve the votes and proceedings to allow them continue the process. If not, they would not be able to do anything on the document. If we had waited till today (Tuesday) to approve the votes and proceedings, it means they would have to start today.”
The defence on the delay came five days after the National Assembly had on May 11th, passed a total of N7,441,175,486,758 Appropriation Bill, which represented an increase of N143 billion from what was presented last December by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had presented the N7.298trillion budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 14, 2016 and had during the presentation, disclosed that his administration would pay more attention to infrastructure with roads and rail projects enjoying priority attention.
Abuja – Tennis champ Serena Williams is expecting a baby girl.Serena Williams
Her sister, Venus, spilled the beans during a short interview with Eurosport saying: 'I want to be known as the favourite aunt' at the French Open in Stade Roland-Garros, Paris, France.
Venus was asked about the baby in the interview on Wednesday, where she referred to the baby as 'she' and said she wanted the tot to be named after her, according to Dailymail.
Serena announced she is expecting her first child back in April . She also said she still did not know the gender of her baby.
Talking at the Met Gala on May 1, she said: 'We're waiting. It's a surprise. We call it "baby,"' she said.
Serena recently revealed she had actually accidentally announced her pregnancy.
The star confessed the Snapchat which revealed she was 20 weeks along was sent by mistake.
Makurdi – A bill for a law to establish community volunteer guards has passed its second reading at the Benue House of Assembly.
The bill was read for the second time on the floor of the house during plenary on Wednesday.
Leading the debate on the bill, the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Nick Eworo (Obi/APC) stated that the community guards, if established, would assist the police in detecting and preventing crimes, especially in the rural communities.
"The vigilante groups will maintain law and order in the communities. They will also ensure peace and safeguard lives and property.
"Their functions will also include detection and prevention of bush burning, illegal logging and deforestation.
They will also be responsible for mobilising labour and supervising community development activities," Eworo explained.
He pointed out, however, that while section 9(1) of an old law provided that the services of the vigilante group was voluntary and non-salaried, clause 9(1) of the proposed law stated that their services would be voluntary but salaried by the community, associations and local governments.
Eworo argued that the proposed law would foster a more professional, committed and dedicated vigilante group to cope with the mounting security challenges in Benue, and moved that the bill be read for the second time.
Seconding the motion, Mr Adam Okloho (Adoka/Ugboju/PDP) stated that the vigilante group would help security agencies to checkmate crimes in the state.
"Our security agencies have not been able to grapple with the security challenges facing Benue, but with the vigilante group in every corner of the state, crimes will reduce because the guards will be closer to the people and get information," he said.
Supporting the motion, Mr Iana Jato (Vandeikya/APC) said that many youths would be gainfully employed if the bill was passed.
The Speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange, who also spoke in favour of the bill, stated that Benue people deserved their own security outfit to safeguard their lives and property.
Ikyange, therefore, invited the Clerk of the house, Mr Terese Agena, to read the bill for the second time.
NAN reports that after the second reading, the speaker committed the bill to the committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for further legislative processes.(NAN)
Rafael Nadal admitted a French tennis player’s attempt to kiss a television reporter against her will during a live broadcast made for “uncomfortable” viewing.
Maxime Hamou kissing the journalist
Maxime Hamou, 21, grabbed Eurosport journalist Maly Thomas around the neck and shoulders while she interviewed him following his first-round defeat on Monday.
Thomas described the incident as “frankly unpleasant” and said she “would have punched him” had it not occurred while live on air.
Hamou, the world number 287, was banished from the Roland Garros site as a result by tournament organisers, who slammed his “reprehensible behaviour”.
Nadal was reluctant to comment in depth on Hamou’s actions, but he said: “The only thing that I can say is I watched the video, and it was a little bit uncomfortable for the girl.”
The Spaniard, seeking a 10th French Open title at this year’s event, added it was up to tournament officials in terms of taking disciplinary action.
“I cannot talk much about that. That’s not — something that happened in our sport, but they take a position, so they are free to do what they want.”
Hamou later made a public apology to Thomas.
“I want to offer my deepest apologies to Maly Thomas if she felt hurt or shocked by my attitude during her interview,” Hamou was quoted as saying by L’Equipe daily on Tuesday.
By Innocent Anaba Chief Executive Officer of AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, Mrs. Yetunde Ilori, has commended the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, for its effective regulatory functions that has raised the standard of operations in the nation's insurance industry and also maintain integrity by industry operators. Yetunde Ilori
Speaking at the company's 25th Annual General Meeting held recently in Lagos, Mrs. Ilori, said that "NAICOM was established to ensure effective administration, supervision, regulation, monitoring and control of the business of insurance in Nigeria. In addition, they protect insurance policyholders and the insurance industry and have fared well, this is manifest by the performance and growth indices recorded across the industry."
On the level of support it enjoys from the regulatory body with regards to its operations and growth, Mrs. Ilori said, "NAICOM, in administering its regulatory functions, has shown commitment at ensuring that Insurance companies operating in the country are financially sound and honour their obligations towards policy holders."
Pleased with the result declared at the meeting, the shareholders said, "We commend the resilience of the board and management of AXA Mansard Insurance for recording growth in virtually all the performance indices. We equally appreciate the five kobo per share dividend declared and encourage you to do more in subsequent years."
Chairman, AXA Mansard Insurance, Mr. Olusola Adeeyo, while presenting the company's 2016 financial result said the company recorded a 25 per cent increase in gross written premium from N16.6 billion in 2015 to N20.7bn in 2016, adding that net premium income of the company grew from N9.9bn in 2015 to N10.9bn, while profit before tax rose by 50 per cent from N2.02bn to N3.1bn in 2016.
He said, "Despite the adverse economic situation experienced in 2016, we had a successful business year with growth in almost all measures of performance. We performed even better as profit after tax went up by 63 per cent to N2.7bn from N1.7bn in 2015. Our balance sheet remained robust in 2016, experiencing moderate growth of seven per cent in total assets to N55bn from N51.21bn in 2015."
The company he noted, has vision to be the leading African financial services provider, delivering superior solutions to our customers while exceeding stakeholders' expectations.
The Ogun Police Command has arrested two commercial sex workers for allegedly stabbing a middle aged man, Adeyinka Olayinka to death in Ifo area of the state.
Abimbola Oyeyemi, the State's Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), made the disclosure on Wednesday in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta.
Oyeyemi said the incident happened on Tuesday at KS Hotel in Ifo Local Government Area.
He said the victim, who was supervising construction work on his site, decided to pass the night in the hotel when the incident occurred.
He said that the suspects, Kudirat Raji, also known as Angela and Esther Basiru were sex workers at the Hotel where the victim was stabbed to death with broken bottles.
He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the victim contracted Kudirat Raji to pass the night with him on an agreed amount.
According to the PPRO, the deceased reneged on the agreement which led to heated argument between them.
"While the argument was going on, Basiru who is a friend to Angela broke a bottle and injured the deceased.
"Angela used the broken part of the bottle to stab the deceased in the armpit thereby cutting one of his nerves, consequent upon which he bled to death,'' he said.
Oyeyemi said the manager of the hotel alerted the Police and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ifo Division; CSP Anthony Haruna led his men to the scene and arrested the two suspects.
He said that the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, had ordered that the case be transferred to Homicide section, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for investigation and prosecution of the suspects.
President Donald Trump's late night tweet #covfefe is causing frenzy around the globe. #covfefe has quickly become the top trending item on Twitter.
Not for the first time, a Trump tweet has lit up the internet. But this time, users the world over have been left scratching their heads over "covfefe": a bizarre word apparently created by the president.
Who can figure out the true meaning of “covfefe” ??? Enjoy!
"Despite the constant negative press covfefe," read the US leader's short tweet sent early Wednesday.
Was it an acronym? A secret message? Or just a typo?
Comments included a mock Google translation of "covfefe" from Russian into English as "I resign," and comments like "Drain the covfefe" — a play on Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" in Washington.
"'Covfefe is a great word, period! – Sean Spicer tomorrow," read one tweet, mentioning the president's spokesman.
To avoid confusion, the Regent's English Language Center in London wrote: "To all of our English language students, we can confirm that 'covfefe' is not an English word. Yet."
Four hours later the tweet had been neither corrected nor deleted, nor was there any hint of what Trump was trying to say.
At 0830 GMT Trump's "covfefe" tweet had more than 105,000 retweets and had been shared 35,000 times, according to Twitter figures.
Since entering office, Trump has used Twitter to issue declarations on everything from Arnold Schwarzenegger's TV performance to an alleged "MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany."
KATSINA – Spiritual leader, Abdulrazak Buhari to a gang of Armed robbers who specializes in snatching of highlanders, has confessed that his prayers failed him and his gang leading to their arrest.
Buhari, 25 years-old was paraded along side members of his gang and others by Federal Special Anti-Robbery squad, SARs at the Katsina State police command headquarters.
He said the gang usually come to him for prayers and he pray to God to grant them good luck and smooth operations.
Buhari said after two operations carried out by the gang, he was paid the sum of N50,000 saying after the first operations he was given N30,000 and the second, N20,000.
According to him, “Honestly, I’m brought because there is a gang of armed robbers I work for. They kept stolen bags of rice in my custody. I know they were thieves. They come to me to help them pray to God to grant them good luck and smooth operations. Two times now, when they come to give me goods stolen from operations, they gave me N30,000 and this time around they gave me N20,000.”
The gang were arrested after snatching highlander car from Eleme in Port Harcourt and attempt to cross the border from Jibia in Katsina state to Niger republic where they will sale the car.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved joint venture agreement between the Federal Government and May &Baker plc to produce vaccines from 2017 to 2021.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewole Confirmed this development when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council's meeting which was presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
Adewole revealed that the federal government would own 49 per cent of the joint venture while May and Becker would own 51 per cent.
"Between 1940 and 1991, Nigeria was not only producing vaccines such as smallpox, yellow fever, and anti-rabies vaccines but we also exported to Cameroon, Central African Republic and a few other countries.
"In 1991 the Vaccine Production laboratory stopped production ostensibly because government wanted to reactivate and upgrade the facility which did not take place till today.
"What Council did today was to put life into this joint venture agreement that proposes to establish a company called Bio-vaccines Ltd which will be jointly owned by Federal Government of Nigeria and May and Baker Plc.
According to the minister, the board of the company will comprise seven people, four from May and Baker and three from federal government.
He said the company would be expected to meet the nation's basic vaccines requirements in the next four years with a take-off capital of N100 million.
Adewole added that May and Becker would make an equity contribution N1.3 billion while the federal government would contribute N1.2 billion
He said: "The company between 2017 and 2021 will produce basic vaccines that we need.
"We have considered vaccines as a security issue, it is not only health but we need to consider the security of all Nigerians particularly our children.
"So, with this agreement we will be able to produce those common vaccines and from 2021 and beyond other vaccines that are necessary will also be out in board for administration to Nigerians.
"We are quite happy that today it has taken place and we believe that Nigeria has started a journey to vaccines security.''
The minister announced that his ministry also presented to the Council the report on the outbreak meningitis.
"We are happy to inform the nation that we are almost at the end of the outbreak.
"What we are now doing is to now prepare to ensure that this does not repeat itself next year.''
Adewole also briefed the council about the unfortunate incident where a body was flown into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo, by Kenya Airways.
He said the body was brought into the country without the necessary approval.
"The standard procedure is that for you to fly in a body into Nigeria you need a waiver, a sort of approval by the Federal Ministry of Health.
He revealed that his ministry had already notified the International Civil Aviation Authority so that Kenya airways will be formerly sanctioned.
"But we want to assure Nigerians that the body tested negative to Ebola and any of the hemorrhagic fevers.
"We know the cause of death but for confidential reasons we do not have to disclose it. But it is nothing really to worry about.
"So, we are on top of the situation in the way and manner in which we handled the situation.
"The entire premises was decontamination immediately and the body was taken.''
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbunnaya Onu, who also briefed the correspondents, said for too long Nigeria had depended on the importation of raw materials and products at the detriment of nation's economy.
He noted that Nigeria was a great nation that was enriched with abundant natural resources and "it doesn't make sense that Nigeria has been importing what it has from outside the country.''
The Kebbi Pilgrims Welfare Agency (KPWA),) has announced a flat rate of N1.53 million as the fare for intending pilgrims for 2017 hajj to Saudi Arabia.
The state Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Bala Sakaba, made the announcement in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
He said that the fare was approved by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Sakaba explained that all intending pilgrims are to receive 800 US dollars as Basic Travelling Allowance, adding that no provision was made for minimum and maximum fares as practised in the past.
"Already prospective pilgrims from the state have made deposits of between N1 million to the agency.
"We have given pilgrims up to next week as deadline to pay the balance of the fare as stipulated by NAHCON," he said.
He explained that defaulters risk forfeiting their chance to make the trip because NAHCON has also fixed deadline for remittance of the fare.
The chairman also commended the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for the prompt issuance of national identity number to the intending pilgrims.
"Without the identity number no pilgrim will be allowed to go to Saudi Arabia for 2017 hajj in line with the Saudi Arabian Authority," he said.
4,929 intending pilgrims are expected to perform the 2017 hajj from the state.
Senate on Wednesday passed the Nigerian Customs Service Management Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2017.
The passage of the bill followed a clause by clause consideration of the report of Committee on Customs and Excise on the bill as well as a voice vote by the lawmakers.
Presenting the report, the chairman of the committee, Sen. Hope Uzodinma said the Act establishing Customs had not undergone a major overhaul since 1958.
He said the passage of the bill would help to reposition the service which was one of the major sources of revenue generation for the Federal Government.
He said one of the major objectives of the bill was to create a commission that would regulate and oversee activities of the service to ensure optimal performance.
He said the bill also made provision for the appointment of a Comptroller-General from the service by the President subject to confirmation by the Senate.
He stressed that the commission would take up most of the duties of the Minister of Finance, who was currently the head of the Management Board of the service.
"At the beginning of this senate a committee was set up to identify the money bills that will help our distressed economy and one of the bills that the senate earmarked for amendment is the Customs and Excise Management Act.
"The primary purpose of amending this bill is to bring discipline and prudence into Nigeria Customs Service as a major revenue earning Department of Government.
"It is also to use the services of Customs to strengthen border community and facilitate trade.
"The Customs Act was legislated upon last in 1958. This is the first time that this bill is going through a comprehensive overhaul and it is as good as a brand new one.
"This bill has created a Customs Service Commission that is in charge of the day to day management of the service.
"It will be in charge of discipline, conduct, training, deployment of officers, and it has the powers of oversight the various customs operations while ensuring that it is not different from customs in other clients.
"The Chairman of the Commission will be appointed by the President, subject to Senate confirmation and members of the commission are going to be statutory organs of government, Federal Ministry of Finance.
"Others are Federal Ministry of Transport, the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), the Nigeria Customs Service, Standard Organisation of Nigeria,'' he said.
Uzodinma further said that the tenure of the Chairman of the commission would be four years with an option to renew for another four years.
He stressed that the creation of the commission was not to jettison the position of the Ministry of Finance, adding that it was to make the work easier.
The lawmaker further said that that with the passage of the bill revenue accruing to customs would improve significantly.
"Currently Customs should get money from non-dutiable items and it should be able to oversee the activities of dutiable cargo and non-dutiable cargo.
"That is what we have done. Now customs will be funded through the existing seven per cent surcharge and additional one per cent charge from the revenue generated,'' he said.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said the bill, when assented to, would bring about the modernisation of customs procedure in accordance with the requirement of the Revised Convention.
He said, ''it will also ensure that Nigeria complies with international commitments of World Trade Organisation (WTO).
" It is a very positive development in ensuring that we have a customs administration that will be more transparent with better clarity.''
African champions, Zambia left it late to see off Germany 4-3 in a pulsating second round encounter at the on-going U-20 world cup in South Korea.
Emmanuel Banda of Zambia celebrates scoring
Both sides failed to find their groove in the opening period during a disjointed first half, but there was one moment of sublime brilliance. Philipp Ochs arced a free-kick from wide on the right flank, whipped with his left foot, that cannoned in off the underside of the bar to open the scoring.
It seemed to be the injection of energy Zambia needed. Five minutes were on the clock when they levelled after the break. Enock Mwepu went for the spectacular following a deflected cross, but Emmanuel Banda was on hand to volley in following Mwepu’s miscued bicycle kick.
Zambia then struck again as Fashion Sakala bagged his third of Korea Republic 2017, beating Sven Brodersen from wide on the right of the area. With nothing to lose, Germany committed more and more forward, losing the shape that kept the African champions quiet in the first half, and ultimately led to Enock Mwepu converting on the break.
But Suat Serdar's delightful near-post flick kept the game alive before, with the last kick of the 90 minutes, substitute Jonas Arweiler slammed home to send the European side into delirium.
A cagey start to extra-time saw Daka force a good save from Brodersen before Shemmy Mayembe put Zambia back in front, this time holding out – just, with Serdar fluffing a fantastic chance – for that first ever ticket to the last eight.
The Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, says it has arrested three suspects in connection with the kidnapping of six students of Model College, Igbonla, Lagos.
He said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday in Benin
According to ACP Abba Kyari, the three suspects arrested have been involved in various kidnap incidents within the country.
"Three of the militant kidnappers, who left the creek and came to Benin to visit one of their members that was injured in recent gun battle with security agents, were arrested by IRT in Benin.
"The suspects are Egelu Endurance, aka Jubby, 25, a native of Abere town in Ovia South L.G.A Edo; Stanley Yomi Irabomini, 25, aka Powei from Ovia South LGA of Edo State and Bentel Endurance, 24, also from Ovia South LGA Edo State.
Kyari said the suspects have confessed to have participated in the kidnapping of prominent personalities in Lagos and Ogun state.
"The suspects claimed they came to Benin to see their injured colleague and relax for a while before going back to the creek."
He said that effort to arrest remaining gang members and rescue the school children was in progress.
A luxury Hermes handbag shattered the world auction record in Hong Kong on Wednesday, fetching an eye-popping $380,000, Christie's spokeswoman, Gigi Ho said.
The handbag was produced in 2014 and has 18 karat gold buckles and strap loops encrusted with 205 diamonds.
It fetched 2.94 million Hong Kong dollars ($380,000), which Christie's says is a record for any handbag sold at auction.
The auction house didn't identify the buyer of the matte white "Himalaya" crocodile skin Hermes Birkin bag.
The price flew past the presale estimate of HK 1.5 million to 2 million ($193,000-$258,000) during 10 to 15 minutes of intense bidding in the auction room and from phone and online buyers, Christie's spokeswoman Gigi Ho said.
The price surpasses the record set a year ago when Christie's auctioned a similar Birkin bag for $300,000. It had identical specifications but was produced in 2008.
Christie's says Himalaya Birkins get their name from the bag's color, which fades from smoky gray to pearly white, evoking comparisons with the mountain range.
The company says they're exceptionally rare, with only one or two believed to be made each year because of a time-consuming process to dye the crocodile skin.
The highly coveted bag was created in 1984 by French luxury label Hermes in honor of British singer and actress Jane Birkin. It's famous for a stratospheric price tag, celebrity owners and a years-long waiting list.(NAN)
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