WHY WE DEMOLISHED OSHODI MARKET - LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT.

The Lagos State Government says the demolition of Owonifari Market in Oshodi area of the state was done to further ensure security and bring sanity to the area.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, gave the explanation at a news conference on Thursday while clarifying issues involved in the demolition exercise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the State Government on Tuesday shut the market and ordered relocation of affected traders and shop owners to the newly built Isopakodowo market stalls at Bolade in the area.

LIST OF 30 MOST VALUABLE FOOTBALLERS ACROSS EUROPE'S TOP FIVE LEAGUES.

The criteria taken into account refers to both the performance and personal characteristics of a player, such as their age, position and contract duration, as well as the standing of their club and or international team based on their competition level and results.

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - £185million
2. Neymar (Barcelona) - £113m
3. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - £96m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) - £84m
5. Harry Kane (Tottenham) - £67m

MANCHESTER UNITED RECALLS JANUZAJ FROM SEASON LONG LOAN DEAL.

United have requested the 20-year-old Belgium international forward's return because of a lack of games.

Januzaj has made 12 appearances for the Bundesliga club, which has included only three starts.

His six league outings have all been as a substitute and he has not featured since a Europa League defeat by PAOK Salonika on 10 December.

EFCC ARREST APC CHIEFTAIN JAFARU ISA IN CONNECTION WITH $2.1BN ARMS SCANDAL.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday night, arrested a former military Governor of Kaduna State and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Brig-Gen. Lawal Jafaru Isa (reted).

Isa is the first APC chieftain to be arrested by the EFCC since the commencement of investigation into alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase by officials of the immediate-past administration.

The erstwhile Military Administrator of Kaduna State from December 1993 to August 1996, during the military regime of General Sani Abacha and one-time governorship candidate of the defunct CPC in Kano State, is a close friend of the embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (reted).

POLICE IN LAGOS ARREST 25-YR-OLD MAN WHO RAPED A 5-YR-OLD BOY. #SAYNOTORAPE.

Doctors at a private hospital in Alakuko area of Lagos State are currently battling to save the life of a five-year-old boy, who was allegedly raped by a 25-year-old man.

This is just as a robbery suspect was yesterday shot dead during a gun duel with a team of policemen in Ebute-Meta area of the state.

Report said the boy (names withheld) was playing with other children at Hanson Street when the suspect (names withheld) reportedly lured him with a packet of biscuit, took the boy into his apartment, where he allegedly sodomised him.

NEW ELECTRICITY TARIFF TO TAKE EFFECT FROM 1ST FEBRUARY 2016.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said that the new electricity tariff (MYTO 2015) will take effect from Feb.1, 2016.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by Dr. Usman Abba-Arabi, the Head, Public Affairs, NERC.

According to the statement, NERC has directed all the distribution companies to abide by this directive and should not connect new customers without first providing them with meters.

COURT GRANTS N600M BAIL TO FORMER PDP CHAIRMAN HALIRU BELLO & HIS SON.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Haliru Bello and his son, Abba, to the tune of N600m.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed ordered the duo to pay N300million each, as well as produce two sureties each, in like sum.

Whereas the court maintained that one of the persons to stand surety for Bello must be a Director under the employment of the federal government or any of its agencies, the son was asked to produce someone not below grade level 12 to stand surety for him.

32-YR-OLD MAN ARRESTED IN LAGOS FOR BURGLARY AND RAPING HIS NEIGHBOUR. #SAYNOTORAPE.

A 32-year-old man, Musa Ismail, was arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly raping his neigbour, and robbing her of her property worth N91,500

It was learnt that Ismail lived on Kadiri Street, in the Agege area, while his gang members ─ Saheed Lawal, Wasiu Ajanaku, and Tayo Inawole ─ resided with the victim on Okunola Street.

It was gathered that the robbers gained access to Joy’s apartment around 2am on December 26 after breaking a window, and stole three phones valued at N43,500 and a cash sum of N48,000,

After the robbery, Ismail reportedly took out a knife and ordered Joy, said to be in her mid 20s, to lie down and then raped her before he fled the building with his gang.

Fortunately, Joy was able to identify Ismail during the robbery and reported the incident at the Dopemu Police Division, which lead to the suspects’ arrest.

Joy was directed to the Mirabel Centre, which attends to rape victims, where a medical test conducted on her confirmed that she was raped.

“The suspects are neighbours of the woman. They had an altercation after she warned them to stop smoking cannabis at the back of her apartment. It was in the night of that day that they burgled her room and one of them raped her,” the source added.

Meanwhile, the suspects were arraigned before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court on three counts bordering on burglary and stealing. Ismail, in addition to the counts, was charged with rape.

The case was adjourned till January 25, 2016.

PROFESSOR OLANREWAJU FAGBOHUN HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS THE 8TH VICE CHANCELLOR OF LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY (LASU).

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has approved the appointment of Prof. Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun as the 8th substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU).

The announcement was contained in a release issued on Wednesday by Steve Ayorinde, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy.

A Professor of Environmental Law, Mr. Fagbohun was until his appointment the director of research at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of Lagos.

OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY(OAU) RECALLS STUDENTS AS LECTURES RESUMES ON MONDAY 11TH JANUARY 2015.

The Management of the Obafemi Awolowo University has recalled students to resume on Sunday the January 10, saying lectures would commence on Monday the 11th.

Students were sent home some weeks ago when they attempted to resist a management policy through their union.

The students union government was also suspended as a result of the face-off.

NIGERIAN GUILD OF EDITORS DENIES RECEIVING MONEY FROM DASUKI.

As the $2.1 million arms fund controversy continues to rage, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, said it never received any money from the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

The National President of the body, Garba Deen Mohammed, made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

Following the controversy generated by the N50 million donated to the body by former President, Goodluck Jonathan, the NGE president said it was necessary to clarify the circumstances surrounding donation.

$2.1BN ARMS PRODE - PRESIDENT BUHARI (@MBUHARI) WANTS TO DESTROY PDP BY ALL MEANS - RAYMOND DOKPESI.

Former Chairman of DAAR Communication, owners of African Independent Television and Ray Power FM, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has described  the $2.1 billion arms deal probe by the Federal Government that led to the arrest of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki and other members of People Democratic Party, PDP, as a hoax.

Addressing newsmen, yesterday, in his office in Abuja when he was honoured by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  youths under the aegis, PDP Youth Vanguard, as their patron with a certificate, Dokpesi, stressed that the $2.1 billion armsgate was not only a figment of the imagination of the Federal Government, but was aimed at destroying PDP.

Dokpesi said: “I must hasten to assure you that there is nothing like the much flaunted $2.1 billion armsgate. The competent courts of our land would sooner or later prove this coinage aimed at decimating the leadership and membership of our great party to be nothing but a hoax.

#DASUKIGATE - SHOCKING REVELATIONS AS EFCC TRACES N400M TO ARMY OFFICER'S ACCOUNT.

The ongoing probe of the disbursement of the $2.1 billion arms cash by the Office of the former National Security Adviser, ONSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (ret’d), has led to more startling revelations.

Investigators from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have stumbled on an account said to belong to an army officer with N400 million traced to the slush funds.

This comes as the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, continued to face more grilling from his interrogators.

DAVIDO VISITS NAPTIP OFFICE IN ORDER TO RESOLVE BABYMAMA DRAMA.

There are indications that the Hip-Hop star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, and his Babymama, Sophia Momodu,  are already working with the National Agency for the Prohibition in Trafficking of Persons, NAPTIP,  in order to resolve the feud over the custody of their baby, Imade.

Reports indicate that the warring parties are cooperating with the agency to end the face-off as soon as possible.

This is coming on the heels of the 23-year-old pop singer’s visit to the Lagos State office of NAPTIP, yesterday. His father, Dr. Deji Adeleke was said to have stormed the NAPTIP office earlier in the week. So also were Dele Momodu and Sophia.

NINE NORTHERN LEADERS COLLECTED N53M FROM TONY ANENIH BEFORE THE 2015 ELECTIONS - TANKO YAKASAI SPEAKS.

Elder Statesman, Tanko Yakasai yesterday confirmed that Chief Tony Anenih gave him and eight other prominent Northerners N53m for advocacy visit to northern traditional rulers.

Yakasai said he received the money after Anenih had asked him to suggest nine apolitical but respected individuals from the north who will help mobilize their subjects for hitch free 2015 general election.

Yakassai said that “Yes, myself and 8 others collected N53m from Chief Tony Anenih to pay advocacy visit to prominent northern emirs to mobilise their subjects for a hitch-free 2015 general elections.

2000 VISAFONE WORKERS SACKED AS MTN COMPLETES ITS ACQUISITION.

Feelers emerged on Wednesday that Visafone was winding down operations and had sacked more than 83 per cent of its workers as part of its acquisition by the MTN Nigeria.

It was gathered that over 2,000 employees were disengaged with effect from January 5, 2016, and were paid three months’ salaries as severance package.

The only categories of employees said to be left were those in the personnel and transmission departments.

UNTIMELY CELEBRATION OF BOKO HARAM DEFEAT.

Coming so close to the tail end of the deadline set for the decimation of Boko Haram, the recent onslaught by the blood-thirsty group that claimed estimated 90 lives in Borno and Adamawa states must indeed be very troubling. After what appeared to be a period of relative lull, the fragile peace in Nigeria’s troubled North-East region was brutally shattered as the citizens were basking in the euphoria of the recent festive season.

This, more than anything else, is a clear indication that the prolific terror organisation is still very active and has the capacity to inflict blows with deadly consequences, despite the best containment efforts of the Nigerian military. It is also a grave disservice to the gallantry of the soldiers who have put in a lot in recent times to ensure that the group does not enjoy the free rein of sadistic attacks associated with it in the recent past.

ARMED ROBBERS KILL NFF'S HEAD OF PROTOCOL IBRAHIM ABUBAKAR.

The head of protocol of the Nigeria Football Federation Ibrahim Abubakar has been killed by armed robbers who invaded his Abuja home in the early hours of 6th January 2016.

This information was contained in a tweet by the official twitter handle of the NFF. He will be buried according to Islamic rites today.

May the soul of the departed rest in peace.

NORTH KOREA REVEALS IT SUCCESFULLY LAUNCHED A HYDROGEN BOMB WHICH CAUSED A 5.1 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE.

North Korea today revealed it had detonated a hydrogen bomb, triggering a 5.1-magnitude earthquake and propelling the dictatorship on a new collision course with world powers.

The thermonuclear weapon is believed to have detonated into the atmosphere at 10am local time at the Punggye-ri test site in the north-east of the country, with tremors felt many miles away.

Footage was aired on state television that purported to be of the explosion, showing a thick, black mushroom cloud rising high into the air.

DEPUTY SENATE PRESIDENT IKE EKWEREMADU DECLARES THAT PURCHASING VEHICLES FOR SENATE COMMITTEES IS APPROPRIATE.

The Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekwerenmadu, has defended the cash provision for the purchase of vehicles for Senate Committees, describing it as “a necessary expenditure.”

Chief Ekweremadu, in Umunumo, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, during the presentation of about 100 tertiary scholarship awards to students, powered by Senator Athan Achonu, also linked the huge cost of procuring vehicles for the lawmakers on the prevailing exchange rate for the United States’ dollar.

“It is an indisputable fact that the exchange rate for the dollar has hit the skies in these days and age and this has adversely affected every other commodity in the country,” Ekweremadu said.