#MISSINGBUDGET - SENATE PANEL QUIZZES FIVE CHAMBER WORKERS.

The Senate Joint Committee investigating the alleged disappearance of the 2016 budget document from the upper chamber on Wednesday quizzed five members of staff of the National Assembly.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and another member of the committee, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, told one our correspondents that five senior civil servants had been questioned over the issue.

Investigations revealed that some senior employees in the offices of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Clerk to the Senate, Senate Leader, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) and Rules and Business, were quizzed.

POLICE SERVICE COMMISION BARS OFFICERS FROM CARRYING UMBRELLAS AND HANDBAGS OF VIPs.

The Police Service Commission has warned police officers on escort duty with Very Important Persons to desist from carrying their handbags and umbrellas, describing it as an insult to the Nigeria Police Force.

The commission also said it would henceforth arrest police operatives on illegal escort duty, adding that its workers would soon be deployed in airports and on the highways to apprehend errant policemen.

The Chairman of the commission, Chief Mike Okiro, who said this at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, said it was an insult to the police uniform for cops to engage in “domestic duty” or carry handbags for VIPs.

(HIGHLIGHTS) Chelsea 2 Wba 2.

CHE 2 WBA 2

(HIGHLIGHTS) LIVERPOOL 3 ARSENAL 3.

LIV 3 ARS 3

LASSA FEVER - DEATH TOLL FROM 93 SUSPECTED CASES RISES TO 41.

The Federal Government disclosed, yesterday, that Lassa fever has claimed 41 lives from 93 reported cases in 10 states of the country even as the Senate has summoned the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, over the outbreak of the disease.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government, last Friday, put the death toll at 40 out of 86 reported cases of Lassa fever outbreak in same 10 states. The number of the suspected cases also rose from 86 last week to 93.

Adewole, who confirmed this in Abuja, yesterday, at a joint ministerial news conference on the update of the outbreak of the disease, however, said there were no new confirmed cases or death in the last 48 hours.

SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS 12 IN CAMEROON MOSQUE ATTACK.

At least 12 people have been murdered in a suicide bomb attack in a mosque in northern Cameroon.

The attack which occurred in the  early hours of Wednesday has been linked to the deadly militant group Boko Haram which has its roots in Nigeria.

According to Cameroon officials, the attack took place at 5:40am in a mosque at Kouyape. Thirteen people have been confirmed dead, including the suicide bomber who was identified as a man.

Since the group commenced its campaign of violence in 2009, about 20,000 people have been killed while more than 2 million have been displaced from their homes.

APPEAL COURT'S CONFLICTING JUDGEMENTS IN ELECTION PETITIONS.

In every constitutional democracy, the judiciary is one of the major pillars that sustains its principles and tenets. It is an embodiment of equity,fairness,justice and rule of law. Without the judiciary which is regarded as the last hope of the aggrieved,law and order will stand on their heads. It is against this backdrop that justice must not only be done by the institution but must be seen by all to have been done.

Until the amendments of the Electoral Act 2010,it was only the presidential election petition that got to the Supreme Court. Perhaps,the perceived injustice some of the petitions suffered partly informed the amendments. Hence,governorship election petitions in particular,no longer terminate at the Court of Appeal. The apex court is the final arbiter.

OJUKWU'S NIECE AND THREE OTHERS ARRESTED OVER IMPORTATION OF 2.24KG OF COCAINE.

IJEOMA OJUKWU

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday arrested Ijeoma Ojukwu, a niece to late politician, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu and three others just as the anti-graft agency quizzed one of its staff over the importation of 2.24 kilogrammes of cocaine from Brazil.

In a statement issued in Lagos, spokesman for NDLEA, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell said “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is currently interrogating one of its operatives over alleged conspiracy to import cocaine from Brazil. The investigation which commenced after an abandoned luggage from Brazil was found to contain 2.24kg of cocaine at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos had already led to the arrest of five suspects.

Those being interrogated include Ali Bala Adamu, a staff of the NDLEA, Ijeoma Ojukwu, a niece to late politician, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and three others Victor Umeh, Uche Igwelo and Egbuche Fidelis Osiita.

COURT REFUSES TO BAR TROUBLED MTN FROM MOVING FUNDS ABROAD.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday declined making an order to stop MTN Nigeria Communications Limited from moving its funds in 21 Nigerian banks out of the country.

The mareva application had been filed to prevent MTN from boycotting the payment of the N1.04tn fine imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission for its failure to deactivate its unregistered subscribers.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who filed the application on Tuesday, expressed the fear that MTN could move all its funds out of the country before the N1.04tn fine could be enforced.

PDP'S OLISA METUH TORE CONFESSIONAL STATEMENT AS ADDITIONAL CHARGES IS NOW SET TO BE BROUGHT AGAINST HIM BY EFCC.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has torn a confessional statement he made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a top operative of the commission has said.

The top officer of the commission, who confided in one of our correspondents on Tuesday, alleged that Metuh tore the statement when it was brought to him for his signature.

The source alleged that the PDP spokesman tore the statement he had earlier made to shreds and attempted to put the pieces in his mouth when operatives stopped him.

DAMMY KRANE (@DAMMY_KRANE) FIRES SHOT AT WIZKID (@WIZKIDAYO) FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING SONGS FROM HIM

Dammy Krane has fired shots at Wizkid for allegedly stealing unnamed materials from him in a serious of tweets.

Seems 2016 will be a dramatic year for the music industry as the Olamide vs Don Jazzy beef is yet to settle.

See the screenshots after the cut.

NINE YEAR OLD GIRL BATHED WITH HOT WATER FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING CRAYFISH.

A nine-year-old housemaid, Precious Chinwedu, says she is still having pains two weeks after her boss, Mrs. Ifeoma Mbakwe, poured hot water on her for allegedly stealing crayfish.

The incident happened around 8pm on December 27 on Idowu Oya Street, Agbado, Lagos State.

The primary 3 pupil, who spoke with correspondents on Friday at Rem-Yems, a private hospital in Agbado, where she was admitted, said the woman had sent her to bring the crayfish in the kitchen.

2016 BUDGET DECLARED MISSING AS BUKOLA SARAKI HURRIEDLY MEETS WITH PRESIDENT BUHARI. #MISSINGBUDGET

The 2016 budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari is reportedly missing.

Recall that President Buhari had on Tuesday, December 22, 2015, presented the budget proposal to the joint session of the National Assembly.

But about two weeks later,  news of the withdrawal of the budget filtered round.

TIME TO END THE BAD BLOOD BETWEEN YORUBAS AND NDIGBO.

The Yorubas and the Igbos, two of the most resourceful, engaging and outgoing ethnic groups in Nigeria, are becoming implacable enemies. Increasingly, they seem to hate one another with pure hatred. I never appreciated the extent of their animosity until the social media came of age in Nigeria. Now, hardly a day passes that you will not find Yorubas and Igbos exchanging hateful words on internet blogs.

The Nigerian civil war ended in 1970. Nevertheless, it continues to rage today on social media mostly by people who were not even alive during the civil war. In blog after blog, the Yorubas and the Igbos go out of their way to abuse one another for the most inconsequential of reasons. This hatred is becoming so deep-seated, it needs to be addressed before it gets completely out of hand. It is time to call a truce. A conscious effort needs to be made by opinion-leaders on both sides of the ethnic divide to put a stop to this nonsense.

(PICTURE) HOW DANGOTE RECONCILED OLAMIDE AND DON JAZZY.

Finally, a photograph detailing Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote as the one behind the reconciliation of Olamide and Don Jazzy’s following a mega rift which occurred between the two at the 10th Headies awards on January 1, 2016.

Recall that the rift between the entertainers which was quickly resolved on Sunday, January 3, 2016 left their fans with uncertainties about the actual processes leading to the reunion.

While  some of their fans alleged that the peaceful resolution was brokered Lagos State Commissioner for Arts, Tourism and Culture, Folarin Coker, there were also unproven reports at the time that it was moved Dangote.

Dangote reportedly settled the rift at his Lagos home where he hosted Don Jazzy and the YBNL boss in his Lagos home.

A MUST READ ARTICLE - MURDERER ON VOCALS - MALAWI PRISON BAND NOMINATED FOR GRAMMY AWARDS.

On vocals: convicted murderer Elias Chimenya, on bass guitar: burglar Stefano Nyerenda, and prison guard Thomas Binamo is one of the band's songwriters.

Malawi's Zomba Prison Project band has a unique line-up that could grab global success at the recording industry's prestigious Grammy Awards next month.

Their 20-track record "I Have No Everything Here" has been nominated in the Best World Music Album category, with the winner to be announced at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles.

#DASUKIGATE - EFCC EXTENDS INVESTIGATION TO FORMER VP NAMADI SAMBO.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has extended its ongoing investigation into the $2.1bn arms procurement scandal to the office of former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, The PUNCH has learnt.

It was gathered on Monday that the EFCC operatives were looking into the office of the former Vice President because of some transactions that linked the office to that of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

There was a report two weeks ago that Destra Investment, a company owned by the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, allegedly paid N25m to a former special assistant to Sambo, Abba Dabo, on December 16, 2014.

JONATHAN'S ADMINISTRATION WAS SWINDLED OUT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY FAKE BOKO HARAM LEADERS.

The Presidency has said the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan negotiated with fake leaders of the Boko Haram sect in its bid to secure the release of over 200 girls abducted in their school in Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said this while featuring on a programme aired on Radio Continental 102.3 FM.

Adesina posted excerpts from the interview on his Facebook page on Sunday evening.

Full list of #FACupDraw.

Paul Clement's Derby County side will welcome struggling Manchester United, while Manchester City will face the winner of the replay between Wycombe and Aston Villa.

Chelsea is the reward for the winners of Northampton Town vs MK Dons, while Colchester United are guaranteed a Premier League team after been drawn against Tottenham or Leicester City.

All ties will be played between January 29th and 31st.

See list after the cut.

LIONEL MESSI BEATS RONALDO AND NEYMAR TO WIN 5TH #BallondOr.

Lionel Messi moved brilliance to another level as he was presented with the Ballon d’Or for the fifth time in his extraordinary career.

The greatest player of this generation was recognised by international captains, managers and journalists for his outstanding performances during 2015, when Barcelona became the first team to complete the treble of league, cup and Champions League for the second time.

Messi’s performances were, at times, mesmerising and his highlights from the past 12 months include his goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final, when he chipped Manuel Neuer from six yards, and his solo run against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final.