THE $1BN RAIL PROJECT LOAN - MY HANDS ARE CLEAN - OKONJO IWEALA.

The immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied that the China-EximBank loan for the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Kano rail line was diverted as alleged by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Alhaji Muhanned Bashar. 

Alhaji Bashar had told President Muhammadu Buhari during the ministry’s briefing session, last week, that only $400 million of the $ 1 billion China-EximBank loan meant for the project was spent, creating the impression that over $600 million was diverted by the last administration.

According to him, only $400 million was released by the Ministry of Finance for the project.

YABATECH EXPELS 73 STUDENTS FOR FORGERY.

The Academic Board of Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, has expelled 73 students for presenting suspected forged results.

A statement by the college made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday said the affected students were part-time pursuing National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes.

Signed by the Deputy Registrar, Mrs Titilayo Obadimu, the statement said the affected students registered for the 2013/2014 academic session.

JONATHAN & HIS MEN LOOTED ABOUT N11TN IN 6 YEARS (SEE DETAILS) - APC

The All Progressives Congress on Sunday alleged that about $56bn (N11.02tn) was looted during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and that the Buhari government needed to recover the funds to fulfill the change promised by the APC.

In the breakdown by the ruling party, it said $6bn (1.2tn, at the rate of N197 to dollar) was stolen by some of Jonathan’s ministers and that 160 million barrels of crude worth $13.9bn (N2.74tn) were lost between 2009 and 2012 while $13bn (N2.56tn) in NLNG dividends was mostly unaccounted for.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this in a statement on Sunday.

PRESIDENT BUHARI SET TO RECOVER GOVERNMENT HOUSES, VEHICLES & OTHER PROPERTIES FROM JONATHAN;S MEN.

President Muhammadu Buhari has concluded plans to recover all government property still in possession of government officials who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Federal Government’s assets including vehicles, buildings, generator sets and others were said to still be in the possession of the former government officials weeks after they had left office.

Irked by the development, Buhari was said to have set up a committee made up of civil servants and security agencies to identify and recover the unreturned public assets from the former political appointees.

POLICE NABS 78-YR-OLD MAN FOR RAPING 11-YR-OLD GIRL IN LAGOS. #SAYNOTORAPE.

The police in Lagos have arrested a 78-year-old man, Alhaji Dauda Adebowale, for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl, Remilekun (pseudonym).

The incident was said to have happened in Pen Cinema, in the Agege area of the state.

It was learnt that sometime in June 2015, Remilekun was passing by a shop where the old man, who hails from Abeokuta, Ogun State, lived when he called to send her on an errand.

POLICE ARREST BOYFRIEND OF MORGAN FREEMAN;S STEP-GRANDDAUGHTER WHO STABBED HER TO DEATH 16 TIMES.

The rapper boyfriend of Morgan Freeman's step-granddaughter has been arrested after she was stabbed to death on a Manhattan sidewalk in an apparent cocaine-fuelled exorcism.

Lamar Davenport, 30, allegedly killed E'Dena Hines, 33, near her New York home in Washington Heights on Sunday morning. 

George Hudacko, 65, who saw the 3am attack from his window and called 911 said Davenport was stabbing her and screaming: 'Get out, devils. In the name of Jesus Christ, I cast you out’.

I CANNOT BE INTIMIDATED BY PRESIDENT BUHARI - GOV AYO FAYOSE SPEAKS.

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to tread cautiously and be mindful of the body language of those hailing him today.

The governor, who said he was aware of sinister plots to destabilise his government because of his strong and truthful stands on national issues, vowed to “continue to speak the truth no matter whose ox is gored.”

Reminding the President that he is not heading a military regime, Fayose added that he could not be cowed by threats from any quarters.

WAR ON CORRUPTION - ICPC SEIZE 24 PROPERTIES FROM 3 SUPER RICH CIVIL SERVANTS.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Tribunal has commenced a clampdown on very wealthy civil servants.

Already, the agency has seized 24 property and several cars from three civil servants with one of them having 18 property.

A document obtained from the Office of the Chairman of the ICPC, Mr. Ekpo Nta, with the title ‘Notice of Seizure of Movable and Immovable Properties Pursuant to Section 45 (4) a – (b) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Ac 2000, revealed that the commission seized the property from three officials of the Ministry of Niger Delta.

REFINERIES WILL START MAKING PROFIT - NNPC.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, stated that its ongoing restructuring was designed to reposition its operations and refineries to profit-making ventures. - See more at: 

This was even as the NNPC denied claims that it was pursuing an ethnic agenda in the ongoing restructuring of the corporation.

The NNPC, in a statement issued after an interactive session with the top management of the Corporation in Abuja, disclosed that it is poised to ensure that all its refineries are run efficiently and profitably to meet the energy needs of the country.

BORNO'S DEPUTY GOVERNOR DIES IN HIS HOTEL ROOM.

According to reports, Zannah was said to have died in his hotel room in Yola and his remains had been taken to the Federal Medical Hospital, Yola..

Speaker, House of representative, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has described the demise of Zannah as a huge loss to the state and Nigeria at large.

Vanguard.

DRAMA AT OONI'S PALACE AS HIS WIFE & CHILDREN WERE BARRED FROM THE PALACE.

The final burial rites of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, was performed on Friday, but his wives, children and family members were unable to pay their last respects as they were barred from the programme.

Some other people who had expected to see the body of the monarch lie in state were also disappointed as his remains were neither brought out for people to see nor was any casket displayed during the burial service.

The event was attended by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Rear Admiral Akin Aduwo (retd.), Gen. Alani Akinriande (retd.), Senator Babajide Omoworare, Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko and many other dignitaries and government representatives.

UNILAG RAPE VICTIM GETS SCHOLARSHIP AT ADELEKE UNIVERSITY, EDE. - #SAYNOTORAPE

The management of Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, has offered to give a scholarship to the 18-year-old admission seeker allegedly raped by a part-time lecturer of the University of Lagos, Mr. Akin Baruwa.

The institution became concerned about the fate of the girl following series of reports detailing the girl’s experience.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Oluwole Amusan, confirmed this on Wednesday.

UNILAG RAPE SCANDAL - LECTURER IS A SERIAL RAPIST . #SAYNOTORAPE.

After we reported how a  part-time lecturer of the University of Lagos, Akin Baruwa, allegedly raped an 18-year-old admission seeker, Shola (not real name), a 28-year-old former student of the lecturer, has come out with a revelation of how she barely escaped being raped by the accused.

The young woman, who spoke under the strict condition of anonymity, explained that the sexual assault of the 18-year-old girl provided a window of opportunity for her to expose what she went through in the hands of Baruwa.

In February 2014, Agnes (not real name) was finalising her undergraduate project at the Distant Learning Institute of UNILAG. She said she was like a prey, which fell into the lap of Baruwa, when she was reassigned to him after her supervisor retired.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM, MY ANGEL, MY LOVER, MY TEACHER, MY INTERCESSOR, MY WOMAN MY EVERYTHING.

Next to God, thy parents. William Penn (1644-1718),

Today is 15th August, 2015, a day my Mother's birthday is celebrated. Her mood today will slightly  be different from the other birthday celebrations dating back to at least 1983 when she got married to my late father because he will not be celebrating with her. Don't get me wrong, this post is all about celebrating her life and wishing her many more years in good health and strength. It also presents an opportunity for me to advice you of the need to ensure you take care of your parents irrespective of the resources at your disposal.

BRITAIN AT ALERT AS MRS. TERROR MAY HAVE RETURNED TO UK.

A British woman who ran off to join ISIS in Syria is feared to have returned to the UK with two jihadis in tow.

Sally Jones signed up for the extremist group in 2013 with her husband Junaid Hussain, who together have been dubbed 'Mr and Mrs Terror'.

But reports suggest she may have been seen in Birmingham this week with two other people, both said to be aged around 20.

THE BACKLASH OF BISHOP KUKAH'S STATEMENT - BUHARI SHOULD FOCUS ON GOVERNANCE INSTEAD OF PROBING JONATHAN.

For making comments many people have considered as insensitive, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Mathew Kukah, had to contend with the wrath of a fast-growing army of online anti-corruption crusaders on Thursday.

The outspoken cleric, who is also the spokesperson of the National Peace Committee, had reportedly called on President Muhammadu Buhari to focus on governance instead of wasting time probing the past administration.

The remarks generated a social media backlash with many Internet users urging Kukah to be contented with his spiritual calling and stop making “insensitive” remarks on national issues.

MORE HEADS WILL ROLL AT NNPC - KACHIKWU.

The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, said on Thursday that more purges were on the way as part of activities aimed at restructuring the company for better performance and accountability.

He said the restructuring would affect all levels of the corporation with the new group executive directors and group managing directors taking the exercise to the lower cadres.

Kachikwu spoke with State House correspondents shortly after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

OONI'S BURIAL - SEVEN DAYS CURFEW BEGINS IN IFE AS VIOLATORS ARE WARNED ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES.

A seven days curfew will begin after the remains of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, must have been buried on Friday, the town’s chiefs have said.

The spokesperson for the chiefs, Chief Dejo Adejobi, told our correspondent on the telephone on Thursday that the restriction of movement for the rites would start from 4pm today and would past for the next seven days.

But asked what the chiefs would do to ensure that the curfew would not affect visitors who would attend the burial, Adejobi said, “I understand you. Yes, we cannot invite people for the burial service and still restrict their movement. But you should understand that the service will start by 10am and the restriction of movement will start from 4:pm.”

TIMAYA JOINS AFRICAN CHINA & OBESERE ON THE LIST OF ACCUSED RAPIST - #SAYNOTORAPE.

While the rest of the world continues to await the outcome of the charges reportedly filed by Shella B, the Nigerian woman who accused popular singer, Enetimi Odom, aka Timaya, of rape in the United States, there is an indication that she is under pressure from some quarters to pursue the matter to a conclusive end

Two weeks ago, one Sunshinecandyrain posted a message on Instagram, in which she commended the aggrieved Stella B for exposing Timaya. Although she did not claim to have been sexually violated by the singer, she called him unprintable names and added, “Someone I know had a baby for him and then had to abort it because he denied the baby. If he raped you, you should go and file charges. You should also go get checked for any STDs.”

BODE GEORGE CONTRIBUTED TO PDP'S DEFEAT IN LAGOS STATE SAYS PARTY'S ACTING CHAIRMAN

The acting Chairman of the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party, Kamaldeen Olorunoje, has accused a former National Deputy Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, of contributing to the party’s defeat in in the state.

Olorunoje, who is the acting chairman of the party after the suspension of the substantive chairman, Capt. Tunji Shelle (retd.), said this during a press conference in Lagos on Thursday.

He said George imposed several candidates on the party which ultimately affected the party’s chances.