Fashola, Bakare, others decry high cases of rape, child abuse

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and  Convener of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare, yesterday, decried the increasing cases of rape in the country, saying it was high time urgent measures were taken to arrest the situation.

Former Education Minister, Prof. Femi Aborisade, however, asked the Federal Government to establish education bank similar to the Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF.

They made the remarks while addressing hundreds of women, who marched from Allen Avenue, Ikeja to the Lagos House, Alausa, as part of activities to mark the International Women Day celebration.

Electricity: FG threatens to sack non-performing contractors

The Federal Government on Thursday threatened to sack contractors involved in the construction of electricity transmission lines who failed to perform up to 50 per cent by the end of June.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the 21st board meeting of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company presided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

Uduaghan said Sambo handed down the warning when it was discovered that the transmission lines were one of the major challenges hindering electricity supply in the country.

Amnesty programme can’t fail – Kuku

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, has faulted an online news portal, stating that the Amnesty programme of the government would fail within months.

In a statement by the Head of Media and Communication of the Amnesty Office on Thursday, Kuku insisted that the programme would not fail, despite the activities of sea pirates in Niger Delta.

The Presidential aide said the pirates, whose activities were carried in the report, might not necessarily come from the Niger Delta and even Nigeria.

He said the government had ensured effective demobilisation of the 26,358 ex-militants currently undergoing various skill acquisition and formal education programmes after completing their training.

FG restates commitment to Almajiris education

President Goodluck Jonathan has directed that an estimated nine million Almajiris in the North be given the requisite education and skills to enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, made the directive public during a meeting with the Emir of Bauchi, Dr. Rilwanu Adamu, in Bauchi on Thursday. He reiterated the commitment of the government to ensuring that the over nine million school- age children roaming the streets of the North are in school.

Wike praised the Bauchi Emirate Council for ensuring the release of a land for the project. He said a framework for monitoring ongoing projects was instituted under direct ministerial supervision to ensure successful execution of projects.

Italian, Briton killed during rescue operation in Sokoto

Two Europeans, a Briton and an Italian, kidnapped by Boko Haram in May 2011 were killed in Sokoto, Sokoto State on Thursday during a rescue operation by British and Nigerian special forces.

News of the failed rescue attempt was relayed yesterday by the Prime Minister of the United Kindgom, Mr. David Cameron, in a special statement issued from his 10, Downing Street office.

Chris McManus, from the North West of England, and his colleague Franco Lamolinara were working for an Italian construction firm, B Stabilini, in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State when they were kidnapped by members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

Northern govs vow to tackle Boko Haram violence

The governors of the 19 northern states on Thursday in Kaduna said they have resolved to deal decisively with the problem of insecurity posed by the militant Islamic sect, the Boko Haram in the region.

The governors, who met at the General Hassan Usman Katsina State House, Kaduna, amid very tight security provided by all the security agencies, said though they were ready for dialogue with moderate people, they would no longer condone criminality in the region.

The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, who read the communiqué at the end of the over six-hour meeting, stated that the northern governors had decided to adopt a practical and integrated regional approach towards combating the menace of the Boko Haram and other criminal elements in the region.

Roadblocks: 38 policemen, FRSC officials face trial

No fewer than 38 policemen and eight Federal Road Safety Corps officials are facing orderly room trial for defying acting Inspector-General’s directive for the dismantling of roadblocks across the country.

Mr. Mohammed Abubakar on February 14 ordered that all intra-state checkpoints be removed, regretting that they were being used by many policemen to extort money from motorists. The officers were said to have been apprehended in different parts of the country for defying the order and setting up roadblocks to extort money.

Newsmen learnt that the errant officers were arrested by the committee on anti-corruption set up by the Force Headquarters to ensure compliance with the IG’s order.

South Africa bows, apologises to Nigeria


After one week of diplomatic stand off, the South-African government, on Thursday, apologised to the Federal Government for deporting 125 Nigerians from the country on March 2. The Nigerian travellers were deported for allegedly presenting fake yellow fever vaccination cards.

The Nigerian government, which disputed the claim and took reciprocal actions to show its displeasure, said on Thursday that it had accepted the apology. Nigeria had deported a total of 131 South Africans before the resolution of the row. Some reports had also claimed that South Africa had deported an additional 25 Nigerian travellers in retaliation.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, who announced the end of hostilities, at a Press Conference, in Abuja, said machinery had been put in motion to ensure a permanent truce.