Arms

This was even as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN),Port Harcourt Zone comprising some major oil and gas producing states including; Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States, warned that the development remained a major setback to the $1.5 billion Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, has tasked the Human Rights community to deploy equal measure of pressure it mounts on government Forces dealing with terrorism and insurgency on Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (ASWAP) fighters to compel them to drop their weapons and come to the negotiation table.

Gov. Bala Mohammmed of Bauchi, on Monday inaugurated a committee to monitor the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, in order to enhance speedy dispensation of justice in the state.

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Monday has urged Justice Joe Acha, the acting Chief Judge of the state, to be committed to his oath of office and dispense justice without fear, favour.

Amid renewed attacks by terrorists in the North-East, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), says the bulk of the arms Boko Haram Islamist group is using to terrorize the region, particularly his native Borno State, were stolen from the military and other security forces.

The military has managed to retake territory and dislodged the fighters from some of their hideouts. But a recent spike in deadly violence, focused in the north-east, where the Islamist group began its insurgency in 2009, has led many to ask what is at the root of the authorities’ failure.

The Vice Chairman, Gwagwalada branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), David Aigbefoh, has called on the Federal Government to consider judicial autonomy as necessary for the development of the country’s judicial sector.

Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, cleric and a major negotiator in the release of abducted students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, has said that the Federal Government’s shoot on sight order has been impeding negotiation to have the bandits lay down arms, even though he admitted that no ransom was paid for the release of the students.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kaduna State Council has vowed to proceed on its proposed five-day warning strike starting from May 17.

Pan-Arewa socio-political organisation, Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), has outrightly rejected the ban on open grazing imposed by Northern governors, a decision intended to tame the impasse between cattle herders and farmers.

Kano State government directed on Sunday that pupils and students should return to school on Monday, May 17 since the Eid el-Fitri holiday is over.

Myanmar’s army battled local militia fighters in the northwestern town of Mindat on Saturday, residents said, to try to quell a rebellion that has sprung up to oppose the junta which seized power in the Southeast Asian country in February

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has said he backs efforts of the legislature in the country to have a financial autonomy.

Senate minority leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said yesterday in Awka that he advocates Biafra of the mind and not Biafra of territory, arguing that people of the various ethnic nationalities could develop their areas at their pace and still be happy in a united Nigeria.

The Imo state police command on Friday said that it had arrested four suspects in connection with the razing of Okigwe South Area Police Command Headquarters.

The striking Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has rejected the 36 state governors’ proposed template for the implementation of judiciary’s financial autonomy being demanded by the workers.

Israel pummelled Gaza with artillery fire and air strikes on Friday, killing 13 people including three children, local health officials said, as it targeted Palestinian militant tunnels to try to stop persistent rocket attacks on Israeli towns.

Olamide George, the Acting President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has assured that Team Nigeria were on course in seeking qualification for the relay races of the Tokyo Olympics.

Former governor of Ondo state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has said that the Federal government needed political will to tackle insecurity ravaging the country.

Although the agenda of the meeting between the two leaders, which began at about 11.18am was not made public, it may not be unconnected with the need for countries sharing boundaries in the Sahel region to find a permanent solution to the menace of terrorism and arms proliferation threatening the peace and security of the region.

The federal government has concluded plans to deploy more military assets, including troops, intelligence personnel and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to the South-east and South-south, investigation has revealed.

Suspected kidnappers apprehended by the Police in Benue State have attributed the deaths of some of their victims while in captivity to their inability to survive trauma.