Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), has collapsed before a Federal High Court in Abuja where he is being tried on charges of money laundering. Maina slumped few minutes into the trial on Thursday while sitting beside the defendant’s dock. This development led Justice Okon Abang of the court to suspend proceedings. More details.
Author: meridianspy
There are strong indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may not appear before the House of Representatives on Thursday as earlier scheduled, Vanguard reports. It will be recalled that the House had on December 1 reached a resolution via a motion to invite the President to the national assembly. The invitation followed the killing of over 43 rice farmers in Zarbamari village, Borno State penultimate Saturday. The Presidency had last week agreed that the President will honor the invitation. On Monday, the main opposition People’s Democratic Party PDP’s caucus led by Hon. Kingsley Chinda from Rivers State in a statement asked…
Bashir Mohammed, the lawmaker representing Nguroje Constituency in Taraba State House of Assembly, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen. Mohammed was said to have been kidnapped at about 1. 30am on Wednesday when the heavily armed gunmen numbering more than 10 stormed his residence in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital. They shot sporadically for over 45 minutes before kidnapping the lawmaker. While no family member was hurt in the attack, it was learnt that the kidnappers forced the lawmaker into one of the two vehicles used by them.
The Federal Government has clarified that it made no promise to pay the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) before they call off their month-long strike. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour, made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday, in reaction to statement by Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU president, that the federal government failed to deliver on the timelines on offers made to the union and that lecturers would not resume work until their salary arrears are paid. Ngige explained that on the part of the government, all timelines have been complied with and “faithfully implemented”. He added that ASUU had…
The Federal Government has reacted to United States decision to blacklist Nigeria for “engaging in systematic, ongoing, egregious religious freedom violations”. While no reason was given for blacklisting Nigeria, Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State who announced the measure, said his country will continue to act when “religious freedom is attacked”. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, reacting in a statement on Tuesday, described the allegation as a case of “honest disagreement between the two nations on the causes of violence in Nigeria”. “Nigeria does not engage in religious freedom violation, neither does it have a policy of religious…
The Nigerian government deregulated the downstream petroleum sector with effect from March 19, 2020. The key argument was that the fuel subsidy regime which gulps billions of Naira annually, had become unrealistic and unsustainable. One or two months later, with the impact of COVID-19 biting hard, disruptions in the global demand and supply chain turning everything askew and the corresponding effect of these factors on government revenue which had dipped terribly, government pointed to additional justifications for its action. It was further argued that the subsidy regime benefits the rich at the expense of the poor. The effect, as explained…
Security operatives have laid siege around the Lekki Tollgate Plaza over possible resumption of ENDSARS protest in the country. Commuters confirmed to MERIDIAN SPY armed police officers and soldiers were deployed to the area around Sunday midnight and set themselves in strategic places in the plaza. It was also learnt that youths have started gathering around the area to resume the protest. It would be recalled in October, youths across some parts of the country had marched out against police brutality and abuse of human rights. After about two weeks of peaceful demonstration, the protest ended following hijack by hoodlums…
Two adhoc officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recruited for the House of Assembly bye-election in Zamfara have been reportedly declared missing. A’isha Bawa, Registration Area Supervisor of Bakura ward 001, confirmed the development while presenting her report. According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bawa said she did not receive results from two polling units and she did not see either the staff or the election results. Bukura was said to have recorded incidents of violence and ballot-box snatching. The poll in the constituency was declared inconclusive by Ibrahim Magawata, the returning officer. Magawata said the results…
Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, says spiritual warfare helped prevent deaths during military intervention at the Lekki toll plaza, Lagos state, on October 20, The cable reports. Controversies have trailed army involvement in the #EndSARS protests against police brutality, particularly the shootings in Lekki. Speaking on Friday at the decoration of 39 newly promoted major-generals, Buratai said a spiritual warfare seminar held by the army helped in preventing deaths at the protest ground — although there are still controversies on the casualty figure. The army chief said most of the newly decorated generals are also graduates of spiritual warfare…
On January 22, 2015 at Chatham House, London, Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), baited the whirlwind. He said he had suggested to Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to postpone the general election scheduled for February 14 by six weeks – which is within the constitutional 90-day election window – to give more time for voter-card distribution. “It costs you nothing, it’s still within the law,” Dasuki was reported to have told the INEC chairman. Being a spy chief, Dasuki secreted the underlying reason for his startling suggestion away in election contingencies. But the…
Anil Vij, Health Minister of the northern Indian state of Haryana, has tested positive for coronavirus days after participating in the trial of coronavirus vaccine Covaxin. Vij had on November 20, participated in a trial of Covaxin COVID-19 Vaccine trial. However, the Health Minister took to Twitter on Saturday to advise those eho had close contact with him to get themselves tested for coronavirus. “I have been tested Corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for corona,” he wrote. Hours later, the…
The ongoing three-day national convention of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) was on Thursday disrupted by violence, Sahara Reporters reports. About 20 members of the association, who gathered at the old parade ground in Abuja for the convention, sustained wounds from gunshots and machete after thugs loyal to a factional coordinator of the association in Zone D (Southwest) began attacking delegates. The thugs, numbering over 20, stormed the venue with dangerous weapons while accreditation of Students Union Government (SUG) Presidents under NANS Zone B and Zone D was in progress. Meanwhile, DSS operatives have allegedly arrested the National…