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The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the permanent forfeiture of 56 houses linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. The houses, located in Lagos and Port Harcourt, were said to have been acquired by the ex-minister between 2011 and 2013 using front companies. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission claimed that Diezani paid $21,982,224 for the properties, adding that it believed that the funds were proceeds of crime. The anti-graft agency listed the properties to include 29 terraced houses comprising eight four-bedroomed penthouse apartments, six three-bedroomed apartments, two three-bedroomed maisonettes, two twin bedroomed apartments and one four-bedroom apartment. The permanent forfeiture order was made by Justice Abdulaziz Anka

Former football star George Weah has emerged the new president of Liberia. Weah was announced winner of the presidential election after a delay in the early hours of Thursday. The former AC Milan player is also the only African to win the Ballon d'Or. Attached Files: images-2.jpg File size: 9.8 KB

The Federal government has asked the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to void the boats pilotage agreement it has with Integrated Logistics Services (Intels). Intels, a logistics and facilities services provider in the maritime and oil and gas sectors, was co-founded by Gabriele Volpi, an Italian national, and Atiku Abubakar, former vice president. According to  Thisday report,  Attorney general of the federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, said the contract was void ab inito. He is said to have relayed the government’s decision to Hadiza Bala-Usman, managing director of the NPA, in a letter dated September 27. The letter was entitled ‘Request for Clarification of Conflict Between Executed Agreement and Federal Government Treasury Single Account Policy’. Malami said the agreement, which has allowed Intels to receive revenue on behalf of NPA for 17 years, violates sections 80(1) and 162(1) and (10) of the constitution. The AGF wondered if the management of the NPA and Intels, did n...

Here are some selected headlines in today's newspaper October 12, 2p17. Headlines from Punch FG okays N1.8bn for 22 national library projects $20m bribery: Indicted foreign company bids for NPA contract Monkeypox: FG commissions Redeemer’s varsity to carry out test EFCC traces N2.1bn to Patience’s dead mother’s account Charges against Misau won’t stop IG probe – Senate panel chair FG may stop private practice by govt doctors Nigeria wins World Bank’s youth development initiative Senate moves to criminalise secret recruitment in MDAs Reps probe P/Harcourt airport contract, Rivers killings IPOB’s ban: FG writes to US, UK, others, lawyer faults move Intels vows to fight NPA's termination of agency agreement Paris Club loan: EFCC probes C’River pensioners’ allegations El-Rufai begins ‘end violence against children campaign’ Anambra poll: Be wary of vote buyers, cautions Wogu Anambra poll: Ekwueme dumps Obiano, backs Obaze Bello’s aides brutalise journalist in Kogi Headlines from T...

The Federal Government has started the process that will lead to stopping doctors in public service from engaging in private practice. The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, who briefed State House Correspondents alongside his Labour and Productivity counterpart, Chris Ngige, said this was the decision of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday. Attached Files: adewole Isaac.JPG File size: 36.6 KB

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed an appeal that had blocked a now-expired version of Donald Trump’s anti-immigration decree. The decision was mostly symbolic victory to the Republican president because the legal context had become outdated; the second version of the decree prohibited for 90 days entry into the United States to travelers from six Muslim-majority countries. The March 6 decree, opposed by the states of Maryland and Hawaii, was suspended. Courts of appeal, respectively, in Richmond, Virginia and San Francisco, California, upheld the suspension decision in May and June. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court quashed the appeal decision on the Maryland ruling, with the suspension in Hawaii still valid but its days likely numbered. The White House at the end of September issued a new decree that permanently bars nationals of seven countries from crossing US borders, in the interest of US national security. The American Civil Liberties Union also has filed suit over the latest v...

The ongoing final phase of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers has thrown up a lot of surprises and shocks. Some teams considered by many as underdogs have found their way to Russia, and some big guns would be absent because they just could not qualify. Whatever angle you view it from, Russia 2018 is going to be a World Cup of surprises. Here five teams that shocked us by not qualifying. 1. The United States of America 2. Chile 3. Netherlands 4. Cameroon 5. Ghana Credit: PUNCH

Some associates of the Minister of State, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, on Tuesday, took a swipe on the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru over his responses to the allegations raised. Kachikwu wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging that Baru awarded $25billion contracts unilaterally; ran a “bravado” management; and made appointments without consultations. Baru denied it all. He said no money was involved in the contracts and that the NNPC Tenders Board had no business reporting to Kachikwu and the corporation’s Board. The Presidency backed his position. But Kachikwu’s “loyalists” have described Baru’s response as a potpourri of contradictions and distortions. To them, Baru’s and NNPC’s defence is “unconvincing”. The loyalists of the Minister raised six posers for Baru and NNPC to answer. The six posers, based on the 1999 Constitution, according to The Nation report, the NNPC Act and the Public Procurement Act, are as follows: 1....

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps in Borno State says about 40 Boko Haram insurgents have indicated willingness to surrender to the Corps. The Commandant of the corps in the state, Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Maiduguri. Abdullahi said that the insurgents had indicated their intention to renounce membership of the terrorist group but through an intermediary. He said that negotiations between the command and the insurgents were conducted through a firewood vendor. He also said that six insurgents had earlier surrendered to the Corps in the last one month in the state. The commandant stated that the extremists surrendered voluntarily under the Federal Government’s Safe Corridor Initiative. “About 40 of the insurgents have come forward to surrender. They indicated that many of them are willing to lay down their arms,” Abdullahi said. According to him, the command has also conducted town hall meetings with co...

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Muhammadu Buhari as the most corrupt in the history of Nigeria, accusing the President of “treating corruption involving his men as family affair.” Governor Fayose described the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu’s allegation of award of $25 billion contracts without following due process against the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Dr. Maikanti Baru, as ‘messy and an embarrassment to the country’. According to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said; “When miscreants write petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against perceived opponents of President Buhari, EFCC will act immediately, but when known Nigerians, including members of Buhari’s government raise allegation of corruption agains...

The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday quizzed hip-hop artist, David Adekeke alias Davido over the death of one Tagbo. Tagbo's body was dumped in a Toyota Camry car infront of the Lagos Island General Hospital by yet to be identified persons. The incident had gone viral on the social media two weeks ago when the deceased girlfriend, one Caroline took to her Instagram page accusing Davido of the death of Tagbo. Since then Davido has come under heavy criticism over his repeated denial of his involvement in the unfortunate incident. However, he was invited on Wednesday by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ikoyi Division, Lagos, where he was questioned by senior officer. It was gathered that the new invitation by the police has to do with fresh revelations. According to Dailytrust newspaper, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, confirmed the latest development. The deceased was dumped in a car in front of Lagos Island General Hospital.

Gov. Okorocha of Imo state has called on Jesus to protect his state from monkey pox. He also dismissed what he termed wicked rumours about the state being part of those affected. Statement: The Attention of the Imo State government has been drawn to the wicked and unfounded rumor being spread by the wicked ones over the monkey pox virus which created undue anxiety in Owerri, the state capital especially among some parents, on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. The State government wants to inform Imo people in particular and the general public that the monkey pox virus is not in Imo and will never be in Imo in Jesus Name. The federal Government has named few states that have had one or two cases and the states that should be monitored closely and Imo State is not among any of the groups. So these wicked rumor mongers in the state will surely reap the ugly fruits of their ugly acts. Again, no child or pupil or student has been immunized or is being immunized as part of the rumour had carried...