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Wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Thursday asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside the order made on May 30,2017 freezing her 16 separate bank accounts with the cumulative sums of $5.8m  and N3.5 bn. As her grounds of the application, she contended that court’s orders of interim forfeiture including a subsequent one issued on October 10, 2017 had expired. She contended that the order could not be extended on the  grounds that it was originally obtained by an improper use of court process by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. She claimed in an affidavit filed in support of the application that the sums of money belonged to herself, her Ariwabai Aruera Reachout Foundation, and nine other companies. According to her, the Federal High Court in Abuja had on May 30 , 2017 granted an ex parte order in favour of the Federal Government against all the accounts owned and operated by them. The affidavit stated in par...

The Zimbabwean’s President, Robert Mugabe, has refused to resign after a military coup, insisting that he remains the only legitimate ruler of the country. But pressure is mounting on the 93-year-old former guerrilla to accept offers of a graceful exit, sources said on Thursday. A political source, who spoke to senior allies holed up with Mugabe and his wife, Grace, in his lavish “Blue Roof” Harare compound, said Mugabe had no plans to resign voluntarily ahead of elections scheduled for next year. “It is a sort of stand-off, a stalemate. They are insisting the President must finish his term,” Reuters  quoted the source as saying. The army’s takeover signalled the collapse in less than 36 hours of the security, intelligence and patronage networks that sustained Mugabe through 37 years in power and built him into the “Grand Old Man” of African politics. A priest mediating between Mugabe and the generals, who seized power on Wedne...

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, says Nigeria Peace Corps Bill is yet to be presented to the President for assent. He said at the  News Agency of Nigeria  Forum in Abuja that the bill was yet to complete its legislative process at the National Assembly. Enang said that he was unaware of any bill that had been passed by the legislature that was pending before Buhari for his endorsement. “I have heard some members of the public saying that the Petroleum Industry Bill has been passed and has not been assented to. “Some said that the Peace Corp Bill has been passed and sent to the president and has not been signed or that it is already a law and people have started buying forms. “Some said that they have started sowing uniform and that some states have started operations, as if Peace Corp, as if it were, is a law. “I want to use this opportunity to say the Peace Corp le...

The U.S. is seeking “a new era” for Zimbabwe, the State Department’s top official for Africa said, implicitly calling on long-time President Robert Mugabe to step aside as a political crisis mounts. In an interview with Reuters, acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Donald Yamamoto appeared to dismiss the idea of Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years, remaining in a transitional or ceremonial role. “It’s a transition to a new era for Zimbabwe, that’s really what we’re hoping for,” Yamamoto said. Zimbabwe’s army seized power on Wednesday, in an apparent effort to prevent Mugabe, 93, from handing power to his wife. He has not resigned or been formally deposed, however, and he was pictured on Thursday shaking hands with the military chief, Constantino Chiwenga. Yamamoto, speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with African Union officials at the State Department in Washington, described the situation in Zim...

Qatar has set a temporary minimum wage for migrant workers worth around $200 a month, its labour minister said Thursday, a benchmark reform following widespread criticism of Doha’s preparations for the 2022 World Cup. Issa al-Nuaimi told AFP that the “temporary minimum wage of 750 riyals ($195, 166 euro) per month will immediately come into effect”, while officials work on setting a permanent rate. In addition to the new salary, labourers will receive free accommodation, food and healthcare plans, covered by employers, he said. Introducing a minimum wage was among a package of major labour changes announced last month by Qatar, which has come under continued global scrutiny and criticism for its treatment of some two million migrant workers. Qatar has never before had a minimum wage policy, and officials said the 750 riyals figure could increase after a review. “We will not approve any employment contract if the salary is below 750 Qatari ri...

President Robert Mugabe attended a university graduation ceremony on Friday, making his first public appearance since military generals took control of Zimbabwe earlier this week. In a display of defiance, Mugabe, 93, arrived at the ceremony in the capital Harare, dressed in a blue academic gown and tasselled hat, an AFP correspondent reported. The generals took over late on Tuesday after vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa was sacked and Mugabe’s wife Grace emerged in prime position to succeed her increasingly frail husband. Zimbabwe was left stunned by the military intervention sparked by the bitter succession battle between Grace and Mnangagwa, 75. Analysts say the military leadership was strongly opposed to Grace’s rise, while Mnangagwa has close ties to the defence establishment. Mugabe and the army chiefs held talks on Friday as the takeover appeared to signal his imminent exit from office after 37 years in power since Zimbabwe won independence from Britain in 198...

Singapore on Thursday inaugurated its first female president amid stinging criticism that she is taking office without a vote. Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament from the Malay Muslim minority, won the presidency in a walkover after authorities decided her rivals did not meet strict eligibility criteria. While the role is largely ceremonial, the president has veto powers on key government appointments and safeguards the country’s substantial financial reserves. In her first speech as president, Halimah, 63, addressed the racial tensions that have sprung up as a result of the process and vowed to be president of all Singaporeans “regardless of race, language or religion”. “I look forward to the day when we will no longer need to… have reserved elections, and Singaporeans naturally and regularly elect citizens of all races as presidents,” she added. The president also pledged to be independent in exercising her custodial powers over th...

The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, on Thursday said it has commenced investigations to ascertain the veracity of a video clip, currently trending on the social media, which shows troops humiliating some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra at a check point in Aba, Abia State. Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Col. Sagir Musa, disclosed this in a statement which was made available to journalists in Enugu. Musa disclosed that, if the video clip is found to be factual, the soldiers involved in the incident would be punished according to military justice system. “The attention of the Headquarters, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, has been drawn to a video clip trending on social media and other platforms purportedly showing troops humiliating some people at a check point in Abia State, Nigeria. “The issue is being investigated with the view to ascertain the source and the actors in the clip. “Our Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement ...

Ten Nigerians have been arrested by the cyber department of India police for fake fund transfer. According to the police, eight laptops, twenty-six mobile phones, one ipad and thirty- five sim cards were recovered from the fraudsters. Online sources state that a 36-year-old victim who works as a Nurse in India accepted a friend request to one Augustin William, who claimed to be a pastor working from Northern Ireland. After chatting for three months, the accused promised to send the victim gifts worth $50,000 along with an Iphone, a wrist watch and a gold set with pearls. In March, however, the victim received a call from a man who said he was a custom official working at Delhi Airport. He asked the victim to deposit Rs 27,500 as registration fee to claim the courier and then continued to persuade her to spend money. After the victim paid Rs 9,37,000, she grew suspicious and approached the Cyber Cell, which registered a complaint and began investigations. Based on the co...

The US government banned the use of Kaspersky security software in federal offices Wednesday, saying the Russian company has risky ties to Russian intelligence that threaten US national security. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke ordered all government offices to remove and replace any of the company’s popular anti-hacker software in use within 90 days. “The department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies,” Duke said in a statement. She also expressed concern that Russian intelligence agencies can by law request or compel assistance from Kaspersky, including in intercepting communications transiting Russian networks. “The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates US national...

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday backed out of planned talks between the secessionist group and the South-East Governors Forum. The IPOB leader had met with the governors at the Enugu State Government House on August 30, and both parties agreed to hold further talks to seek an amicable resolution of issues raised by the pro-Biafra group. Another meeting was scheduled to hold between Kanu and the governors on Friday, September 15, but, in a statement he personally signed, which was made available to journalists, the IPOB leader said he would no longer continue with the talks. He blamed the development on an alleged plot by soldiers to assassinate him while on his way to the meeting with the governors. He also disclosed that he was currently attending to his injured and bereaved followers, who had fallen victim to attacks by the military in the course of the ongoing ‘Operation Python Dance 2’, launched by the Nigerian Army in the South...

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), on Wednesday, described as illegal, the deployment of soldiers in the family house of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in Umuahia, Abia State. Falana, in a statement on Wednesday, said as there was no legal basis for the involvement of soldiers in the place, President Muhammadu Buhari should direct the armed troops “to withdraw and return to their barracks forthwith.” He said the Commissioner of Police in Abia State should be allowed to take over Kanu’s case in line with the provisions of the Constitution and the Police Act. Tracing the involvement of the military’s involvement in civil issues since successive military regimes in the country, Falana said, “regrettably, no conscious efforts have been made by the civilian government to demilitarise the country since power was transferred from former military dictators to the civilian wing of the political class in May 1999....

A detachment of soldiers from the Nigerian Army has surrounded the Afaraukwu country home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. The soldiers arrived the community on Tuesday barely 48 hours after the clash between the Army and IPOB members on Sunday evening. The soldiers returned with about 10 Armoured Carrier Vehicles and seven Hilux vans.

Tension has returned to Umuahia, the Abia State Capital, as a detachment of soldiers from the Nigerian Army has surrounded the Afaraukwu country home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. The soldiers arrived the community on Tuesday barely 48 hours after the clash between the Army and IPOB members on Sunday evening, which left three people injured. The soldiers returned with about 10 Armoured Carrier Vehicles and seven Hilux vans. The development has caused panic in the area, forcing shop owners to close immediately. Some of the soldiers also invaded the Abia State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Aba Road, Umuahia, and destroyed laptops and other valuables. According to journalists at the secretariat, the soldiers claimed they saw somebody taking photographs of them from the building. The Chairman of Council Mr. John Emejor has confirmed the incident. Emejor who expressed disappointment over the incidents said a National officer of the ...

President Muhammadu Buhari has been scheduled to address the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in the United States on Tuesday, September 19, 2017. The President of Nigeria is listed as number seven on the provincial list of speakers. Buhari is expected to speak after the leaders of Brazil, the United States, Guinea, Switzerland, Jordan and Slovakia. Since his return to Nigeria on August 20, 2017, after 103 days of medical leave in London, Buhari has not attended any public event outside of Aso Villa and his country home in Daura, Katsina State. Also, he has attended only one Federal Executive Council meeting since he returned three weeks ago. Acting on the President’s instruction, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo recently visited flood-ravaged Benue State where thousands have been displaced. Osinbajo, while representing the President, has also received members of the United States Congress as well as the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign and Comm...