UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN RANKED BEST UNIVERSITY IN NIGERIA.

University of Ibadan has been rated the best university in Nigeria and the 8th in Africa, according to a new ranking of 1,447 African universities and higher institutions, using research publications, citations from 2010 to 2014, as well as visibility on the Internet

University of Cape Town is number one in Africa, followed by Cairo University, then the University of Pretoria comes third in the Top 10 Universities in Africa. The rest are 3 more from South Africa, two from Egypt, one from Kenya and one from Nigeria (university of Lagos).

FLOYD MAYWEATHER LOSES WBO TITLE AFTER FAILING TO PAY $200,000 FINE.

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. has lost his welterweight world title after failing to meet a deadline to pay a US$200,000 "sanctioning" fee to the World Boxing Organization (WBO) for his "fight of the century" against Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather, who won the belt with a unanimous points victory against the Filipino fighter in Las Vegas in May, earned at least $180 million for the fight.

The 38-year old American also failed to vacate his World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) titles at junior middleweight -- an issue as WBO rules state a boxer can only hold titles in one weight division.

WHY WE INVITED SEN. IKE EKWEREMANDU & OTHERS FOR QUESTIONING - NIGERIA POLICE FORCE.

The Nigerian Police Force has given reasons for inviting the deputy president of the senate, Ike Ekweremadu, to its headquarters for questioning.

The police explained on its Facebook page that it received a petition from a senator who alleged unauthorized substitution of senate document.

It said in line with the policy of the police leadership on evidence gathering, the matter was referred to the Force CID in Abuja for investigation.

FOUR SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH IKORODU BANK ROBBERY.

Four suspected members of the gang, led by a lady, that robbed banks at Ikorodu, Lagos, a fortnight ago have been arrested by police in Lagos.

Information revealed that three of the suspects were arrested around Ikorodu,while the fourth was arrested in Ondo State.

Police sources revealed that the suspects at Ikorodu were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Friday, following a confessional statement by one of them.

STEPHEN KESHI SACKED AS NIGERIA'S NATIONAL TEAM COACH, SHAIBU AMODU APPOINTED .

Stephen Keshi has been sacked as coach of Nigeria and replaced by Shaibu Amodu, the country's Football Federation (NFF) has announced.

The move comes barely two weeks after the NFF opened an investigation into reports that Keshi applied to manage Ivory Coast while under a valid contract with Nigeria.

Keshi recently claimed an un-named agent had submitted his name without his knowledge for the Ivory Coast position.

THE PARTY IS SUPERIOR TO YOU - BUHARI TELLS LAWMAKERS.

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, has told the All Progressives Congress’ lawmakers in the National Assembly to accept the party’s superiority in the interest of democracy.

In his opening speech at the ongoing meeting of National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Buhari urged the party members to put whatever interest they have in their “pocket” and accept the supremacy of the party.

He said: “The election has come and gone and the APC has won the battle and lost the war.

DOWNLOAD NEW MUSIC #ORENTE BY @ADEKUNLEGOLD.

Download new music ORENTE by Adekunle Gold HERE.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD.

POLICE (@POLICENG) REDEPLOYS COMMISSIONERS TO CHECKMATE INCREASING CRIME WAVE.

The press statement from the Force HQ below...

In line with the determination of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon E. Arase NPM, fdc, to inject fresh ideas in the security architecture in #Lagos, #Rivers and #Ogun States, and some other Force Headquarters Formations. The IGP has ordered postings of new Commissioners of Police as stated below.................

POLICE ARRAIGN THREE FARMERS FOR RAPING 10 YR OLD GIRL. #SAYNOTORAPE.

The police yesterday arraigned three farmers in a senior magistrates’ court in Katsina for raping a 10-year-old girl. The accused are Yahuza Musa, 20; Tasiu Abubakar, 20; and Sadiq Isyaku, 20.

The trio, who reside at Dakiya village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, appeared before Senior Magistrate Nafisa Bagiwa on one-count charge of rape.

The prosecutor, Insp. Hashimu Musa, told the court that the accused committed the offence on June 11 at about 11.30 a.m.

APC SET FOR TOUGH NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING.

Efforts to resolve the leadership tussle in the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives, failed on Wednesday as a late-hour meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa did not come out with a clear position on the issue.

The PUNCH learnt that though the President had an audience with a group led by a former House Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, the meeting only resolved to push the issue to the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress for resolution.

The APC NEC is scheduled to meet on Friday (today). Analysts said on Thursday that the outcome of the meeting of today would either launch the ruling party on the path of recovery or mar it.

BOKO HARAM KILLS 145 PEOPLE IN BORNO.

The fighters of the dreaded Boko Haram sect laid a siege to some Borno communities between Tuesday and Wednesday night and killed 145 persons and injured several others.

Some of the deceased were killed in some mosques where the villagers had gone to pray after breaking Wednesday’s fast.

The attacks occurred in some villages in Monguno and Kukawa local government areas of the state.

PRESIDENT BUHARI SACKS DG OF SSS "ITA EKPENYONG", APPOINTS "MR. LAWAL DAURA" AS NEW DG.

President Muhamadu Buhari has sacked Ita Ekpenyong as the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) replacing him with Mr. Lawal Musa Daura.

The appointment was conveyed Thursday in a letter by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Barrister Danladi Kifasi.

Daura was born in Daura in Katsina State on the 5th of August, 1953.  He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1977 – 1980.

FRANCE SUSPENDS 2 SOLDIERS OVER ALLEGATION OF SEXUALLY ABUSING 5 YR OLD GIRL IN BURKINA FASO.

France has suspended two of its soldiers over allegations they sexually abused children in Burkina Faso.

One of the alleged victims was a five-year-old girl whose father found a camera containing images of his daughter being sexually abused, report AFP news agency. It comes after another abuse scandal involving French soldiers.

A leaked UN report claimed 16 French peacekeepers abused children in the Central African Republic.

ASTONISHING!!!! NNPC GENERATED N8.1TRN, GAVE NIGERIA N4.3TRN, POCKETED N3.8TRN.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, generated about N8.1trillion between 2012 and May 2015, but paid only N4.3trillion to the federation account, Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said Monday, citing new details from the federal economic council meeting.

The balance of the oil money — about N3.8trillion — was withheld and spent by the NNPC unilaterally without approval or National Assembly appropriation, the governor told journalists.

Also, the governor confirmed at the meeting that from November 2014, about $2.1billion was withdrawn from the excess crude account without the approval of the National Economic Council, NEC.

OOU IS STILL MOURNING THE DEATH OF 12 STUDENTS WHO DIED IN A GHASTLY MOTOR ACCIDENT. #OOUMOURNS.

The death of 12 students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, in a road accident on Friday, is still a bitter pill to swallow for the monarch of the town, Oba Abdulrasak Adenugba, the people and the university. Read previous post HERE.

Life at No. 8, Oshiyokun Lane, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, was never the same since Omolade Ogunnoiki, a 100 Level History student of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, moved into the boys’ quarters last year.

Tenants said the lively teenager, and three other friends who lived with her, were hard to miss in a crowd. Ogunnoiki was the chatterbox, while one of the other girls, Funmilayo Pampam, could do the laundry all day. The girls also stamped their presence on the wall of their one-room apartment, writing their nicknames with colourful ink.

UNCONFIRMED REPORT - "GOVERNOR NASIR EL RUFAI" DECLARES HIS ASSETS. HE IS WORTH A WHOOPING N90BILLION.

Governor Nasir ElRufai of Kaduna State has declared his asset. He is worth N90 billion. The governor’s assets declaration came as a big shock to most Kaduna residents yesterday as he allegedly declared ownership of 40 mansions, most of which are located in Abuja. Kaduna State Director Code of Conduct Bureau, George David, however, declined to comment when contacted.

He said the law on asset declaration permitted public office holders not to make their asset declaration public. The director however disclosed that asset declaration by El- Rufai and his Deputy were made long before yesterday.

According to him, any further information concerning the amount and assets involved in the declaration form, could only be enquired from Abuja headquarter of the Bureau.

Governor El-Rufai’s Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, confirmed that the governor had declared his assets but promised to get back to journalists with details. As at press time, he never did.

(VIDEO) SMARTEST THIEF OF THE DECADE- WOMAN STEALS PLASMA TV, HIDES IT IN BETWEEN HER LEGS.

A woman stunned shop workers when she walked into their store, picked up a flat screen TV which was still in its packaging, then wedged it between her legs and walked off.

And she did it all in just 13 seconds. 

CCTV footage shows the woman and her accomplice strolling into the shop in the town of Guapiles in Central Costa Rica, before spotting a pile of flat screen TVs. 

After quickly looking around the store the woman is seen picking up the TV, straddling it, straightening her ankle-length dress and then walking off with it wedged between her thighs.

Watch video after the cut....

COURT DISCHARGES AND ACQUITS FEMI FANI KAYODE OF MONEY LAUNDERING.

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has been discharged and acquitted of the money laundering charges by a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Recalled that Fani-Kayode, whose trial began in 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed, was arraigned by the EFCC to have laundered about N100 million while he was the Minister of Culture and Tourism and subsequently, Aviation Minister. The allegedly laundered sum was, however, reduced to N2.1million on Nov. 17, 2014 after Ofili-Ajumogobia dismissed 38 out of the 40-count levelled against Fani-Kayode for want of proof.

The EFCC prosecutor, Keyamo, while urging the court to uphold the remaining two counts and to accordingly convict Fani-Kayode, said the former minister had failed to exonerate himself of the allegations. Keyamo pointed out that the object of the charge was that Fani-Kayode transacted in cash sums above N500,000, which was the threshold stipulated by the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

$2.1BN SCANDAL - YOU LIED - OKONJO IWEALA LASHES OUT AT GOV ADAMS OSHIOMOLE.

Immediate past Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy & Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday described as “false and malicious,” the allegation by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, that she spent $2.1 billion from the Excess Crude Account, ECA, without authorization.

Speaking through her Media Adviser, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, in Abuja, the ex-minister said that there was no unauthorized expenditure from the ECA under her watch in the Finance Ministry.

According to her, decisions on withdrawals from the ECA were discussed at monthly meetings of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, attended by Finance Commissioners from the 36 states.

PRESIDENT BUHARI FAULTS JEGA'S HANDOVER, APPOINTS MRS AMINA ZAKARI AS ACTING INEC CHAIRMAN.

It was the end of an era, yesterday, when the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, formally handed over to Amb. Ahmed Wali as  acting chairman of the electoral body.

Following the handover, Jega said the future of the country and the commission were in safe hands.

However, after about eight hours as acting chairman, Wali was replaced as acting chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari who designated another national commissioner, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari as acting chairman.

Jega, who was appointed five years ago by former President Goodluck Jonathan, bowed out with six national commissioners who were appointed the same day with him.