Buzznaija

A pastor, identified as Wale Fagbere, became motionless while trying to destroy a shrine in Ketu, a community in Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State. Our correspondent gathered that the pastor whose church could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report reportedly became motionless and speechless after he had allegedly destroyed some shrines in the town. It was gathered that the cleric was reported to have told his congregation that he had a revelation to destroy all the shrines in Ketu community. After being found transfixed in the shrine, residents of the area raised the alarm, following which custodians of the shrines came to the place. The priests insisted that they had to perform some rites before the cleric could regain his sense. The rites were performed following the intervention of Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun, who appealed to the priests to ‘release’ him. The state acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola ...

A pastor, identified as Wale Fagbere, became motionless while trying to destroy a shrine in Ketu, a community in Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State. Our correspondent gathered that the pastor whose church could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report reportedly became motionless and speechless after he had allegedly destroyed some shrines in the town. It was gathered that the cleric was reported to have told his congregation that he had a revelation to destroy all the shrines in Ketu community. After being found transfixed in the shrine, residents of the area raised the alarm, following which custodians of the shrines came to the place. The priests insisted that they had to perform some rites before the cleric could regain his sense. The rites were performed following the intervention of Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun, who appealed to the priests to ‘release’ him. The state acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola ...

This photo taken on September 11, 2001 shows a hijacked commercial plane approaching the World Trade Centre shortly before crashing into the landmark skyscraper in New York. The Twin Towers collapsed later on that day. September 11, 2016 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the event

outh Korea has a plan to annihilate the North Korean capital if it shows any signs of mounting a nuclear attack, according to reports from Seoul. A military source told the Yonhap news agency every part of Pyongyang “will be completely destroyed by ballistic missiles and high-explosives shells”. Yonhap has close ties to South Korea’s government and is publicly funded. On Friday North Korea carried out what it said was its fifth, and largest, nuclear test. The international community is considering its response. The US says it is considering its own sanctions, in addition to any imposed by the UN Security Council, Japan and South Korea. Pyongyang responded on Sunday by calling the threats of “meaningless sanctions… highly laughable”. The South Korean military official told Yonhap that Pyongyang districts thought to be hiding the North’s leadership would be particularly targeted in any attack. The city, the source said, “will be reduc...

Embattled former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Friday accused some senior lawmakers in the House of living large by appropriating illegal allowances to themselves at the expense of Nigerian taxpayers. The lawmakers, who currently serve in different capacities as principal officers of the House, have allegedly shared more than N10 billion amongst themselves as "office running cost," a subhead legislators have used for years to corner illegal allowances to themselves. Nigerians have complained about these illegal allowances for years but this is the first time in Nigeria's history that a serving lawmaker would open up on the sharp practices. Mr. Jibrin disclosed the details in an email to Premium Times Friday night as part of the unfolding budget padding scandal he triggered more than a month ago. The 10 principal officers and the funds they have allegedly received so far as running costs included th...

In order to reduce inflation and boost food security, the Akwa Ibom State Government has partnered with a Singapore based investment organisation, Ashdene Group, to set up a $100 million rice farm in the state. Governor Udom Emmanuel while speaking at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) in his office in Uyo said the project was part of his administration’s effort to boost the agricultural sector and the economy of the state. The governor added that the decision to partner with Ashdene Group was because of their competency and being a company that has executed businesses successfully in about twenty-nine countries around the World. “I commend the company’s decision to set up a rice farm alongside a processing mill at Ini Local Government Area. “This will also attract road construction and other developments in communities. “I want to assure you that this is an investor friendly government. Our policies, strategies and focus centres on investments. Be rest as...

Police in Brazil have charged US swimmer Ryan Lochte with making a false statement about being robbed at gunpoint during the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The police statement also recommends that the court issues a summons for the gold medal winner. The US State Department said it was aware of the request. Lochte flew out of Brazil after the Games before he could be questioned about the alleged false claim. He initially claimed that he and three fellow swimmers were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with a police badge as they returned to the Olympic village from a party. But the police say he made up the story and officers produced video evidence that the group were actually challenged by security guards after they’d vandalised a petrol station toilet. The swimmer has admitted he was drunk and apologised, but he now has to decide whether or not to return to Brazil to defend the charges. The crime faces a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and the 32-year-old ca...

Four World Bank officials had been reportedly drowned at Egbe Dam in Egbe Ekiti, Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. Egbe Dam is the biggest of the six dams in the state. Mrs Folasade Akinrinmola, the chairman of the council and the state police command confirmed this development to newsmen on Thursday. Akinrinmola said that the incident which occurred on Wednesday’s night involved a team of seven contractors employed by the World Bank on an assessment mission to the dam. She said that the team had commenced work on Tuesday night from a section of the dam and moving to the other section when the incident happened on Wednesday. She said that traditional ruler of Egbe notified her of the incident. “We immediately mobilised a rescue team and an ambulance, and in the process, those wearing life jackets were rescued. “The rescued people were the ones who told us that others were in the water. The bodies of those that had...

The Police in Lagos on Wednesday paraded a notorious cult member who confessed to have killed two persons since becoming a cultist in 2009. “I have been to prison twice and I have killed two persons whom I stabbed to death with other members of my gang. “I regret getting involved in cultism and I feel bad because I have signed an undertaken to quit but I was arrested while chasing a thief who stole a motorcycle,’’ he said. The suspect, an ex-convict, also known as J. plog, said he joined the fraternity when his friend was killed by cultists. “The `Eiye’ fraternity asked me to join their group that they will help me fight the group that killed my friend,’’ he said. Also paraded were 17 men who specialised in trailing bank customers in motorcycles, to dispossess them of valuables. Police said the two suspects were killed during a gun battle. Items recovered from the hoodlums were one Bereta automatic pistol, four motorcycles, two locally-made pistols, four life cartrid...

At least 38 people died in a powerful earthquake that hit central Italy early on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the Civil Protection Department said. The earthquake struck towns and villages in the mountainous heart of the country, which was making the rescue operation more difficult, said Immacolata Postiglione. Postiglione said 27 people had died between the towns of Accumoli and Amatrice, and a further 10 people had died in the nearby Arquata area. Later in the press conference, she increased the death toll to 38, without giving further details.

Yusuf Dingyadi, who serves as a spokesman for the northern Nigerian zone of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) yesterday declared that US Secretary of States, John Kerry, was an infidel.Mr. Dingyadi, a former Hausa language reporter for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), made the statement as a Facebook post in reaction to Mr. Kerry’s proposed visit to Sokoto, widely recognized as the center of Islam in Nigeria. The ANA official, who is also known as Hamadani Buba, hails from Sokoto. Yusuf Dingyadi, who serves as a spokesman for the northern Nigerian zone of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) yesterday declared that US Secretary of States, John Kerry, was an infidel. Mr. Dingyadi, a former Hausa language reporter for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), made the statement as a Facebook post in reaction to Mr. Kerry’s proposed visit to Sokoto, widely recognized as the center of Islam in Nigeria. The ANA official, who is also known as Hamadani B...

As the Federal Government continues to explore option of dialogue to resolve the issue of militancy, the President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Alatubo Charles Harry, has declared that he can bring an end to the spate of bombings of oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta region, within 30 days. He, however, pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to give him a moratorium of just 30 days with the right atmosphere. Mr. Harry said he would achieve the feat by mobilizing Ijaw elders into the creeks and engage the militants to lay down their arms for the sake of the dwindling national economy. The INC President, who spoke in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, yesterday said that the congress would no longer folds its arms and watch any Ijaw or Niger Delta person killed in the ongoing “war of attrition”. He said for the proposed dialogue with the militants to work effectively, there must be sincerity on the part of the federal government, adding that Nigeria cannot kn...

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC has condemned the Imo State Government's three-day work and two-day farming for workers, as recently introduced by Governor Rochas Okorocha. NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, gave this indication while fielding questions at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum on Sunday in Abuja. Wabba said; "First, we have condemned in very strong terms what the Imo State Governor tries to do by forcefully sending workers to the farm. "Don't forget that the public service rule is very clear about what trade a worker can actually do to add to his normal routine services. "It provided that on your own volition, you can join farming as part of your normal routine activities, and that is allowed by law. Continue... "But to criminally now go to the state House of Assembly and pass a law overnight without public hearing and without consultation is against the ILO convention; it is against our rules and procedure in service. "To say that ...

Hundreds of protesters called for justice in Istanbul today for a transgender woman who was brutally murdered in the street. LGBT activist Hande Kader was found dead in a forest on August 8. Her burned and mutilated body was identified in a morgue by a friend. More than 200 demonstrators carried banners in a peaceful protest yesterday saying "justice for Hande Kader". Watched by anti-riot police they also carried banners stating "let's fight for our survival" close to the famous Istiklal Avenue near Taksim Square. Ebru Kiranci, spokeswoman for Istanbul's LGBTI Solidarity Association, said: ""We will not stop until we find those responsible for Hande Kader's murder."

The first family returned to Washington DC, concluding their last trip to Martha's Vineyard before the end of Barack Obama's presidency. Despite the 16 days of rest and relaxation, the president may have a lot on his mind in between Malia's gap-year shenanigans and the catastrophic floods in Louisiana. Obama is readying himself to visit Louisiana, where 13 people have already died in the catastrophic floods that damaged about 40,000 homes and displaced 4,000 people. Despite the devastation, Obama refused to cut his vacation short as political opponents and the Louisiana press pressured him to acknowledge and confront the disaster.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, says the Nigerian Air Force has no accurate intelligence on whereabouts of the Chibok girls. Abubakar said this at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Saturday. “Honestly we don’t. That is the truth of the matter. Even if you see women that are dressed in hijab, how are you sure they are women; that they are not men? It is only when you get there and they remove the hijab that you now realise that they are men and they have their rifles. “There is no credible intelligence that will specifically tell you that these girls are here”, he stated. He said the air force flew its planes daily with the hope of sighting the Chibok girls, adding that the military, like other Nigerians, was passionate about them. He said, “There is no day that the sun rises and sets that we do not go out hoping to see these girls. From January this year to August 17, we flew 2,600 hours. About 50 per cent of that was Intelligence Sur...

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says inactive lines in the country’s telecommunications industry have increased from 65,186,763 in May to 67,331,498 in June 2016. This is contained in the “Monthly Subscriber Data’’ report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday. The report indicated that there was an additional 2,144,735 inactive numbers within the period, making the unused lines to increase to 67,331,498 in June. It showed that of the 217,150,404 connected lines, only 149,818,906 numbers were active. The report stated that of the 67,331,498 inactive numbers, the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks had a share of 63,934,119. “The Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA mobile) operators had a share of 3,210,489; while the Fixed Wired/Wireless networks had a total of 182,662 unused telecommunications lines. “Moreso of the 149,818,906 active lines, the GSM networks had 149,179,083 numbers, adding a total of 990,040 ...

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Friday suspended its planned nationwide strike. The strike was scheduled to commence Monday August 22. ASUP Zonal Coordinator for Zone B, Comrade Abdullahi Yelwa, told newsmen after its 58th Zonal Executive Council (ZEC) meeting at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, that the federal government has showed seriousness for talks. “ASUP is only on ‘standby mode’ over the strike action to allow discussion with the government,” he said. “ASUP will not hesitate in resuming its planned action once it observes lack of commitment in addressing their demands. ”ASUP grievances include non-implementation of the NEEDS Assessment Report 2014, non-payment of salaries in many state-owned polytechnics between 2 to 8 months, shortfalls in personnel allocations to polytechnics as well as unpaid allowances in federal polytechnics since January 2016 and non-release of arrears of promotion. Other grouse of ASUP include...

- Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he and four other eminent Nigerians conspired against former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election. He said they took the decision when they felt that the country stood at a crossroads, reports Punch He made the revelation at a reception held in his honour at the Government House, Jalingo, Taraba State. Obasanjo noted that the five of them decided to support President Muhammadu Buhari in the election in order to salvage the country from further woes, reports Daily Post. Obasanjo said, “Three or four other of us from different part of the country got together and said to ourselves what do we do “We said what is the problem with us and why are we still not growing. We got talking and knew we needed to do something. Obasanjo said so far, Buhari had not disappointed them and the country. “So far, Buhari has not disappointed us. I trust him, he will not fail Nigerians. I know he will overco...