Nigeria: State Governor Blames Army for Massacre
Plateau State Governor Jonah John Jang has blamed the army for last Sunday's killings in the Jos South Local Government Area of the state.
Nigeria: Reappearance of the President Has Worsened the Political Paralysis - and the Splits in the PDP Government
On 3 March, the state governors decided to block a vote that could have set in motion President Umaru Musa Yar?Adua?s enforced resignation on medical grounds. This has won his supporters in Abuja more time but does nothing to resolve the crisis caused by the power vacuum at the centre of government. Three days earlier, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan had tried to address the crisis by appointing a 26-member Presidential Advisory Council to speed up the implementation of government policy on key issues: the amnesty in the Niger Delta, rehabilitation of the electric power grid, electoral reform and stronger anti-corruption measures.
Nigeria: Pope Condemns Jos Mayhem, as Police Set to Charge 49
Catholic papal Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday condemned the "atrocious" mayhem in Jos where over 500 people were massacred at the wee hours of last Sunday, also police said 49 people responsible would be charged with murder.
Nigeria: Task Force on Niger-Delta Destroys Illegal Refineries, Arrests 6 Suspected Oil Thieves
The Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta have destroyed fresh 500 illegal crude oil refineries and arrested six suspected oil thieves at Egbekebor and Gbelekumor communities in Delta State.
Nigeria: Violence Delays Polio Vaccinations
A polio vaccination campaign in the violence-wracked central Nigerian city of Jos has been delayed until 13 March due to the violence and an on-going health worker strike, aid workers said.
Gambia: Court Remands Rights Defender
The Kanifing Magistrate Court on March 8, 2010 remanded Edwin Nebolisa Nwakaeme, a local human rights defender and a Director of Programmes of the Banjul-based Africa in Democracy and Good Governance (ADG) in police custody for allegedly "giving false information".
Nigeria: Former President Calls for Impeachment of Yar'Adua
Former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has joined the growing number of Nigerians calling for the removal of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, maintaining that the only viable option out of the present political logjam in the country is for the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF) to declare the President incapacitated and have him impeached.
Gambia: The Surprise Visits by the President Yield
As soldiers replaced police officers at every junction stretching from the Churchill Town Junction near the petrol station to the airport in rapid succession many people using the route began to ask: "What is going on? What is Going on?" The Foroyaa Office became the place of inquiry for many people. They also told us what they saw as they made enquiries. The soldiers were heavily armed. They did not only take position on the main road, they also moved inside Ibo Town.
Niger: Southern Villages Emptying as Drought Bites
"Empty" increasingly describes the southern Niger town of Tanout in Zinder Region: Water wells and pastures, fields and food banks - and slowly - entire villages, are emptying.
Nigeria: Water Scarcity Ends in Ilorin Soon - Govt
Decades of acute water scarcity for residents in Ilorin and its metropolis will gradually come to an end as the N6.5 billion contract awarded to ensure the repairs and replacement of old pipes and construction of more dams is 99 per cent completed
Nigeria: Anioma Indigenes Parley on Unity
Anioma indigenes of Delta State, have concluded that the Anioma nation needed an apex umbrella body, which will champion the affairs of the Anioma people.
Nigeria: Sheriff Unfolds Infrastructure Devt Plan
The Borno State government has unfolded a two-year infrastructure development plan for six council areas.
Ghana: 'Sorry No Gas'
"Sorry No Gas" is one of the conspicuous inscriptions that continue to greet customers at the entrance of the numerous gas filling stations in the country. LPG gas has been in short supply in the capital for some days now.
West Africa: ICT Unavoidable in West Africa's Development - Ecowas Parliament
As the world continues to develop at a faster pace in the 21st century, access information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) has become a critical tool in human advancement. Knowing this potential very well, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament said the use of ICT is unavoidable in the developmental agenda of the West African sub-region, especially, in the area of education.
Africa: Seeing Signs of Recovery After Global Crisis - IMF
With recovery getting under way, Africa should now address longer term challenges to the continent's future, including governance issues and climate change, to be able to press ahead with the region's economic transformation, IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said.
Nigeria: National Petroleum Company Transforms
THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, last week launched the final phases of a transformation that would make it more transparent, more accountable, and ultimately a provider of better services to the public. On paper the transformation plans are sound, what remains is their implementation.
Nigeria: Jonathan Seeks Senate Nod for Five Special Advisers
ACTING President Goodluck Jonathan, in an apparent move to consolidate his position, has requested the Senate to give approval to appoint five special advisers. No names were given in the letter dated March 5, 2010.
Nigeria: 40 Children Die As Measles Scourge in Bayelsa Worsens
Attempts to contain the spread of the outbreak of measles ravaging some communities in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State may have suffered a setback, as no fewer than forty children have reportedly lost their lives to the ailment, with several others in critical condition.
South Africa: Kidnap Victim On Way From Nigeria
SOUTH African sound engineer Nick Greyling, who was kidnapped in Nigeria with two colleagues last Monday, would return to Johannesburg today, MultiChoice spokeswoman Caroline Creasy said yesterday.
Nigeria: Tackling International Prostitution
Apparently overwhelmed by the sky-rocking prostitution market in Italy involving more than 10,000 Nigerian girls, the Nigerian Embassy in Rome is embarking on new ways of convincing the call girls to give up their illicit trade and take to alternative business. The Embassy regrets that despite the regular enlightenment programs to convince the call girls to give up prostitution they have remained adamant and continued to embrace the illicit trade.
Nigeria: Yar'Adua - Fresh Supreme Court Order Raises Dust
The Supreme Court last week ordered the Court of Appeal to commence a fresh trial into a petition by the presidential candidate of People's Mandate Party (MPM), Dr. Arthur Nwankwo, challenging the election of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua on April 21, 2007.
Nigeria: Jos Crisis - Jang Accuses Army of Inaction
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State yesterday said Sunday's attack on three communities of Jos South Local Government Area could have been avoided if the army had acted on the security report he transmitted to their commander in the state.
Nigeria: Trailer Crushes 70 in Lokoja
An estimated 70 people were killed yesterday and several dozen others were seriously injured when a trailer laden with cement lost control and veered off its lane at Lokoja, capital of Kogi State. It then rammed into nearly two dozen vehicles coming from the opposite direction, veered off the road and crushed scores of roadside traders and their customers.
Nigeria: Jonathan Writes Senate Asking for Five New Advisers
Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has written to the Senate seeking approval to appoint five new special advisers.
Nigeria: Trailer Crushes Four in Benin
Four persons were yesterday crushed to death by a trailer at the Uselu market along Ugbowo-Lagos road in Benin City.
Nigeria: Stampede in Jos Again, One Feared Dead
There was another stampede in Jos yesterday as people took to their heels on hearing reports of a clash between military men and some villagers around the Police Staff College in Jos.
Nigeria: Napep And the Tricycle (keke Napep) Contract
For sometime now, officials of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) have been guests of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts trying to explain how the N2.4 billion contract awarded by it for the supply of 5, 000 tricycles (Keke NAPEP) and spare parts in 2003 was executed. This became necessary following an audit query by the Auditor-General of the federation, alleging among others things that the money was spent without due process; the contract never went through competitive bidding; as at August 2008 only 500 units had been supplied; the mandatory 5% VAT and 5% Withholding Tax deductions amounting to N240 million was not made, leading to a loss of revenue by government; N150 million was spent as payment for spare parts that were never supplied; and, that instead of selling the tricycles bought at the rate of N450, 000 each at a 50% discount directly to Nigerians, NAPEP after taking delivery sold them in bulk to another Abuja-based company at 50% discount i.e. at a reduced price of N225, 000 each, thus causing a huge loss of government revenue.
Africa: Africa Needs U.S.$620 Billion For Agribusiness - CBN
With the current level of agribusiness financing put at about $5 billion per year, total projected demand needed for the development of the sector between now and 2050 has been pegged at about $620.4 billion, with an annual demand of $6.5 billion.
Nigeria: Trailers Crush 104 to Death At Lokoja, Benin Market
Death took 106 lives in different forms in three states on Monday and Tuesday, 104 of them through road accidents in Lokoja and Benin, and two by the bullets of kidnappers in Onitsha.
Nigeria: Yar'Adua - Police to Stop Protesters Getting to Aso Rock
24 hours to the planned protest of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, against continued absence of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua from national limelight due to illness and refusal of the Federal Executive Council to invoke Section 144 and declare him incapacitated, the Police in Abuja said it would not allow the protesters to move near the Presidential villa, destination of the protesters.
