APC Condems Attack On The Bring Back Our Girls Protesters

The All Progressives Congress has condemned the attack on the 'bring back our girls' protesters who have hitherto conducted themselves in a civil and peaceful manner, calling the attack deplorable and orchestrated to shift the focus from 'bring back our girls' to 'release our girls'.

In a statement issued in Lagos by its Interim National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed, the party said the attack on the protesters in Abuja has confirmed its worst fears that the federal government was embarking on a campaign to shift the responsibility from the government to the abductors, in line with President Goodluck Jonathan's admonition to the protesters to direct their protests at the abductors rather than to his government.

The party wondered why the government would be pushing its responsibility to ensure the welfare and security of Nigerians to a band of terrorists.

Use Every Means Necessary To Crush Boko Haram - Jonathan Tells The Military

President Goodluck Jonathan has authorized the nation’s military to use all means necessary under the law to ensure the country is safe and all insurgents are force out.

The President in a special broadcast to mark the nation’s fifteen years of democracy acknowledged that winning the war against terror will not happen overnight but assured that his administration will spare no effort to achieve the goal.

He ordered a low key commemoration of this year democracy day because of the current mode of the nation.

President Jonathan in his address, reached-out to the family of the abducted Chibok girls and assured them that the government will continue to do everything possible to bring them home.

We Never Cleared Diezani Madueke And NNPC - Bukola Saraki

The Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Bukola Saraki has said that the committee did not absolve the Minster of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke and the management of the NNPC of wrong in its report.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Bankole Omisore said the Committee actually indicted the minister and NNPC.

The statement quoted Senator Saraki as saying that the media report that the Petroleum Minister and the NNPC were cleared bore no correlation to the content of the Senate Committee report.

He said the committee was yet to receive the report of the forensic audit and independent analysis on the subject.

US Expressed Skepticism Over Army's Claim On Location Of The Kidnapped Chibok Girls

The United States has expressed skepticism the Chibok schoolgirls held by Boko Haram militants had been located by the military.

The military had said on Monday that it had located the missing teenagers, kidnapped mid-April by the armed militant group.

US State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, told newsmen that there was no independent information from the United States to support these reports.

The United States is the biggest foreign participant in the effort against Boko Haram following the deployment of about eighty US military personnel to neighboring Chad for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance,.

Washington has also deployed surveillance drones, spy planes and about thirty civilian and military specialists to support Nigeria’s security forces. 

Lagos State Government Set-Up Committee To Resolve LASU's Fees Hike Dispute

The Lagos State Government says the current school fees being paid by students in the State University, LASU, came about through dialogue and negotiations.

The state Head of Service, Josephine Williams told newsmen in Ikeja that the state government has set up a committee to look into the possibility of reducing the fees paid by LASU students.

She said the committee meets regularly with a view to addressing concerns raised about the high fees paid in LASU.

Federal Government Denies Budgeting 800000 Dollars For Public Relations.

The Federal Government has denied planning to spend eight hundred thousand dollars on public relations.

Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati who made the denial in a statement said government’s priority now is security.

He described the report that the Federal Government intends to spend a staggering eight hundred million dollars on a phantom public relations effort to ease increasing pressure over its response to the kidnapping of more than two hundred school-girls as malicious.

National Conference Endorses Payment Of Taxes By Churches And Mosques.

Delegates at the National Conference have disagreed over a recommendation for the scrapping of pilgrims boards.

Chairman of the Committee on Religion Chief Olushola Akanmode argued that since a recommendation for the stoppage of funding of pilgrimage by the government was approved, there was no need retaining the pilgrims board.

Voting on the matter would be repeated today.

Meanwhile, the conference has approved the payment of taxes by religious bodies, including mosques and churches, to government.

FG Extends National Conference By 1 Month

The Federal Government has granted a one-month extension to the on-going National Conference.

The conference chairman, retired Justice Idris Kutigi told delegates at plenary that the leadership of the conference had requested a six-week extension but was granted four weeks.

He urged delegates to be prepared to make more sacrifices, while requesting that sitting be held on Fridays and Saturdays.

The request was unanimously rejected by delegates who argued that the conference should employ other ways to arrive at decisions and gain more time for deliberation.

Delegates however agreed from now on to resume sitting by nine a.m instead of ten a m.

D'Banj To Perform At 2014 World Music Awards cEREMONY

Afro-hip hop musician, D’banj has been listed as one of the world music stars to perform at the twenty fourteen World Music Awards ceremony.

The award, which is the twenty second edition, is scheduled to hold on May twenty seven in Monte Carlo, Monaco France.

The event is making a huge come back after a three year break after its last edition in twenty ten.

Direct Your Protests To Shekau - Jonathan Tells #BringBackOurGirls Campaigners

President Goodluck Jonathan has asked those protesting against terrorists activities not to politicize their protests.

He also said they should direct their protests at Boko Haram members who kidnapped the Chibok girls.

President Jonathan gave the admonition when he received the "Bring Back our Girls" protesters at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.

The President was represented by a delegation of Ministers and Presidential Advisers led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim.

The Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide who read the President’s message said government has taken several steps to rescue the abducted girls.

Leader of the protesters, Doctor Oby Ezekwesiri demanded another opportunity to meet with the President.

Fred Agbaje Commends UN For Imposing Sanction On Boko Haram

Constitutional lawyer, Fred Agbaje has commended the United Nations for imposing sanctions on Boko Haram but noted that the action came too late.

He said the sanctions may have psychological effect on the sponsors of the insurgents.

The lawyer added that the action may not have practical effect on Boko Haram which operates as a faceless group that does not operate accounts.

National Conference Witnesses Rowdy Session Over Proposal To Expunge Land Use Act From The Constitution.

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There was a rowdy session today at the ongoing National Conference over a proposal to expunge the Land Use Act from the constitution.

The issue led to sharp division between Northern and Southern delegates.

Delegates from the South argued that the Act should be expunged because it has failed to address the problems of land but those from the North said it should be retained.

The conference chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi threatened to walk out some delegates if they fail to adhere to the rules.

The conference has adjourned plenary till Monday.

Amaka To Be Buried On June 13

Late Nollywood icon and filmmaker, Amaka Igwe will be buried on June thirteen at her marital home in Nduche Arondizuogu in Imo state.

A statement released in Lagos today said an evening of tribute and service of songs would hold at Hawen Gardens in Ikeja GRA on June nine and at the Michael Opara Square on June twelve.

Amaka Igwe died on April eight, at the age of fifty one from complications resulting from an asthmatic attack.

President Jonathan Signs 2014 Budget

Twenty fourteen budget has been signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The budget was handed over to the Minister of Finance, Doctor Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Director of Budget Office, Doctor Bright Okogu, today for implementation.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Doctor Reuben Abati said the budget was signed by the President on Wednesday.

According to him, the document was only handed over to the Finance Minister today because she was not present at the signing ceremony.

JAMB Releases Results Of Computer Based Text Examinations.

The Joint Admission and Matriculations Board, JAMB, has released results of the Computer Based Text examinations conducted on Saturday.

The Board’s Deputy Director, Outstation, Nobel Onukwue advised candidates who wrote the exam to check their results online.

The Computer Based Test which started on May seventeen would end on May thirty first.

South West Threatens To Secede From Nigeria

Some Yoruba groups in the South-West have threatened to secede from Nigeria if the National Conference fails to adopt regional autonomy.

The groups which include the Yoruba Assembly, Afenifere Renewal Group and Yoruba Academy told newsmen in Lagos that they were displeased that many of their demands had been rejected by the National Conference Committees.

Tokunbo Ajasin, who spoke on behalf of the groups, said they would no longer tolerate a federal system that does not allow the regions to control their resources.