PORT HARCOURT & WARRI REFINERIES BEGIN CRUDE PRODUCTION.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has announced the successful re-streaming of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries after nine months of phased rehabilitation conducted by its in-house engineers and technicians.

The national oil company made the announcement on Wednesday through a statement.

It said the plants had commenced preliminary production of petroleum products after successful test-runs, noting that while the Port Harcourt Refining Company was ramping up capacity to about 60 per cent of the 210,000 barrels per day of crude capacity, production from the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company had been projected to hit 80 per cent of its installed capacity 125,000 bpd.

NDLEA ARREST CHINA BOUND MAN WITH "1.185KG" OF COCAINE.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 44-year-old man, Chide Chibude, for attempting to smuggle 1.185kg of cocaine to China.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mitchell Ofoyeju, Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, on Wednesday in Lagos.

Mr. Ofoyeju said Mr. Chibude was arrested by NDLEA officers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

CRUDE OIL WORTH $13.7BN WAS STOLEN UNDER NNPC'S WATCH BETWEN 2009 - 2012.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Hajiya Zainab Shamsuna-Ahmed, on Wednesday said between 2009 and 2012, about 160 million barrels of oil valued at $13.7bn was stolen under the watch of the national oil giant, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

She also said that subsidy payment from 2005 to 2012 indicated that $11.63bn had been paid to the NNPC but that “there is no evidence of the money being remitted to the federation account.”

The NEITI boss, who called on the Federal Government to privatize the refineries, stated this during a courtesy call on Governor Nasir el-Rufai, at Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna, on Wednesday.

NIGERIANS COMES AFTER GAY ACTIVIST BISI ALIMI.

A gay rights activist, Bisi Alimi, caused a stir on Wednesday as he mocked Nigeria on the Facebook.

Alimi, the first Nigerian to declare publicly his support for same sex union, noted that the country “will go down soon unless it stopped praying to God and started acting”.

He wrote from the United Kingdom where he is on a self-imposed exile.

WAR ON CORRUPTION: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOES AFTER SUPER RICH CIVIL SERVANTS.

Federal Government’s anti-corruption operatives have been sent after ‘super rich’ public officers who have multiple properties and other assets suspected to have been the rewards of graft.

For now, the searchlight of the anti-corruption agents was on civil servants that possess many properties in the Federal Capital Territory.

Our correspondents learnt in Abuja on Wednesday that operatives in the Assets Tracing, Recovery and Management Unit of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission had been asked to haul in suspects for interrogation and recovery of ill-gotten assets in their possession.

MAJOR SHAKE-UP!!!!!!!!!! ARMY REDEPLOYS 334 TOP OFFICERS.

The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has approved the redeployment and appointment of 334 officers to various units across Nigeria.

The officers appointed include some Principal Staff Officers at Defence and Army Headquarters, Corps Commanders and General Officers Commanding as well as other commanders, army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said.

Some of the senior officers appointed include 37 Major Generals, 57 Brigadier Generals, 128 Colonels and several Lieutenants Colonels among many others.

PRESIDENT BUHARI HAILS REV. MBAKA AS HE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF PRIESTLY ORDINATION.

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended fiery Catholic priest, Ejike Mbaka, for his patriotism in the run-up to the 2015 general elections, saying his courage has earned him a mark in the sands of time.

In a statement Thursday to congratulate the leader of the Adoration Ministries Enugu, Nigeria, on the occasion of his 20th priestly ordination, the President said history would favour Mr. Mbaka for courageously speaking truth to power, even at great risks.

In the statement signed by Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Buhari said Mr. Mbaka chose the part of honesty, despite realising that it could attract hostility from those he described as “leaders detached from reality”.

NIGERIAN MAN JAILED FOR EIGHT & HALF YEARS FOR THE VIOLENT RAPE OF A STRANGER IN LONDON. #SAYNOTORAPE

A Nigerian has been jailed for eight and a half years for a violent stranger rape in north west London last year.

Olaoluwa Ibrahim (15.3.77 - 38 yrs), a Nigerian national of Relf Road SE15 appeared at the Central Criminal Court today, Tuesday 28 July, where he was sentenced for rape and theft.

The victim had been on an evening out with friends in central London and was travelling home by bus in the early hours of 24 June 2014. At around 02.30hrs she got off the bus in the Maida Vale area to walk the short distance home.

WOMAN JAILED FOR 4 MONTHS FOR KILLING HER DOG AS PROTESTERS CALLS FOR STIFFER PUNISHMENT.

 A woman has been jailed after she killed her dog by wrapping duct tape around its muzzle then brutally strangling her with a collar and lead.

Hayley Cowan, 22, then buried Staffordshire Bull Terrier Beau in a shallow grave in the back garden of her home in Tyldesley, near Wigan.

SLAVES RAPED & HELD IN CAPTIVITY TO PRODUCE FUTURE SOLDIERS FREED AFTER DECADES IN PERU.

Children were among the 39 slaves rescued from a 'troop-making' Shining Path rebel camp in Peruvian jungle where women were raped and gave birth to future soldiers.

Authorities rescued 26 children, plus women and elderly Peruvians - some of whom were kidnapped many decades ago - from the camp.

While women were impregnated in captivity, the children were forced to grow coca, from which cocaine can be made, until they were old enough for active duty.

WHY PRESIDENT BUHARI MUST PROBE JONATHAN'S CORRUPT GOVERNMENT - GOV ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said there was massive looting of the commonwealth during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The governor said while he was in no position to determine if the former President was personally guilty, or if he acquiesced to the looting, Mr. Jonathan must take responsibility for what happened under his watch.

In an interview with Sahara Reporters TV in Washington DC, Governor Oshiomhole also said although he had raised many questions on the tenure of the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, he had nothing personal against her.

UN CONDEMNS BURUNDI PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

According to the United Nations Electoral Observation Mission (MENUB), Burundi's national environment is not conducive to hold a credible election process.

MENUB observed all of the electoral process of Burundi during the July 2015 election. Though the election was peaceful even after two postponements, the results—incumbent President Pierre Nkurunziza winning a controversial third term—exposed the tension between opposing political parties, as well as Burundi's instability.

The statement MENUB released today explained, "The Constitutional Court's ruling on the admissibility of the President's candidature for a third mandate did not solve the wider political problem of presidential term limits in Burundi, but rather exacerbated further controversy, protests and tensions."

PRESIDENT OBAMA CONDEMNS SIT TIGHT AFRICAN LEADERS IN HISTORIC AU SPEECH.

On Tuesday, President became the first United States President to address the African Union (AU) at its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during his official visit to Africa. Embedded within his address were words of support for the growth of Africa’s economy and position in the international realm, but also condemnation for African public officers who refuse to hand over their power and position.

“Africa’s democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end,” Obama said. “Now, let me be honest with you -- I do not understand this. I am in my second term.  It has been an extraordinary privilege for me to serve as President of the United States. I love my work. But under our Constitution, I cannot run again.”

HOW PRESIDENT BUHARI ENSURED FEMI GBAJABIAMILA BECAME MAJORITY LEADER IN THE HOUSE OF REPS.

A last minute intervention by the presidency led to the emergence of Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila as House Leader, bringing to an end the leadership crisis that has shadowed the House of Representatives. 

The emergence of Gbajabiamila was at the expense of the South-East, which became the only zone not to be represented in the complement of principal officers of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the House.

I HAVE LEARNT MY LESSONS - EX GOV DIEPREYE ALAMIEYESEIGHA.

Former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who is the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Elders Committee in his native Bayelsa State in this interview, reviews contemporary political developments in the state and affirms that the alliance between the North and Southwest will never benefit his Ijaw people. He also narrates how late President Umaru Yar’Adua saved his (Alamieyeseigha’s) life among other issues. 

US GAVE PRESIDENT BUHARI NAMES OF OIL THIEVES.

A report by Punch newspaper suggest that while in the US, president Buhari was given names of people who stole Nigeria's crude oil during Jonathan's tenure.

Read the report after the cut.

OONI OF IFE, OBA SIJUWADE IS DEAD.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has died at the age of 85. Oba Sijuwade, one of the country’s most revered royal fathers and custodian of Yoruba culture, died in a London hospital yesterday after a brief illness.

Although, there has been no official statement concerning his death, the online free encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, surmised that he was dead.

“Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade, or Sijuade (born 1 January 1930 – died 28 July, 2015)”, Wikipedia posted on its site late yesterday.

EX-GOVERNORS WHO MAY BE JAILED WITH THEIR CHILDREN FOR STEALING PUBLIC FUNDS.

Barring the lack of diligence in the prosecution of cases by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission some former governors and their children will go to jail.

While in office and protected by constitutional immunity, many former governors and their children were found to have helped themselves to billions of naira of funds belonging to their states.

The blatant rape of the states’ resources went unabated as unemployment, poverty and hunger ravaged citizens.

ONE OF JONATHAN'S MINISTER STOLE $6BN. - GOV ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE ALLEGES.

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday, said the Peoples Democratic Party government of former President Goodluck Jonathan had destroyed the country.

Oshiomhole, who was on the entourage of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United States, said Nigeria had in Buhari a President who talked with confidence unlike “a President that is blabbing and is not sure of what the issues are.”

The governor spoke with State House correspondents shortly after meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

HOW ASIWAJU TINUBU LURED FIVE GOVERNORS OUT OF PDP - TONY MOMOH.

Former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh in this interview speaks among others on the import of President Mohammadu Buhari’s visit to the United States of America and the deals high-wire politicking that landed the All Progressives Congress at the presidency.