EFCC quizzes ex-Borno gov, Modu Sheriff

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday quizzed a former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff.

The PUNCH gathered that the former governor, who got to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja at 6pm, was still at the commission as of the time of filing this report at 8.40pm. Modu-Sheriff is the second former governor the commission is interrogating this week.

It had on Monday quizzed a former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, who arrived in Nigeria on Saturday.

It was learnt that Modu-Sheriff was being questioned over N300bn his administration received from the Federation Account between 2003 and 2011 when he was the governor of Borno State.

When contacted, the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, told The PUNCH on the telephone that the former governor was at the EFCC on Wednesday. He said, “I can confirm that he (Modu Sherif) is at the commission.” The EFCC, had in May, said that it would declare Modu-Sheriff wanted.

Uwujaren, who disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja, said that the agency had summoned, Modu Sheriff to appear before it on Thursday, April 23, at 10am for questioning.

He had said that the former governor had yet to honour the invitation.. Uwujaren had stated, “We invited him (Sheriff) for questioning.

As I speak to you, he did not honour that invitation.

Once the commission invites a suspect in a matter and he fails to honour the invitation, options are opened to us.

We might declare him wanted.

Yes, we might do that.” Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved.

This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Senate passes anti-rape bill, 45 others in 10 minutes

THE 7th Senate, on the eve of its lifespan on Wednesday, passed 46 bills, among them the Sexual Offences Bill, which has been pending in the upper federal legislative chamber since 2013.

Wednesday’s session at the Senate became rowdy as senators hurriedly said ‘ayes’ to the 46 bills which will be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, who introduced the bills said they had all been recently passed by the House of Representatives and sent to the Senate for concurrence.

Enang said the Senate had expended much resource on the processing of the bills and that they were needed to be passed before the 7th Senate is dissolved.

Consequently, the Senate invoked Order 1 (b) of the Senate Standing Order 2011 as amended to adopt a special procedure on the bills for concurrence.

Besides, the Senate suspended Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders, which portrayed all the bills as having passed first, second and third readings on the floor of the senate and concurred, as well as reproduced and circulated to senators.

Enang said, “The bills by this resolution are hereby read, and deemed read a third time and passed, to be transmitted to the President for assent in accordance with the Acts (Authentication) Act, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

“That the votes and proceedings containing all bills be produced for adoption, as passed by the House.” Senators Domingo Obende and George Sekibo opposed the passage of the bills in less than 10 minutes through voice votes.

Senate President David Mark however urged the aggrieved senators to protest in writing during plenary on Thursday (today).

The Sexual Offences Bill prescribes life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of sexual offences like rape and child sexual tourism, among others.

Some of the offences listed in the bill included rape, child sex tourism and people who deliberately infect others with HIV/AIDS.

Chairman of the Committee on Navy, Senator Chris Anyanwu, sponsored the bill, which is expected to pass concurrence in the House of Representatives on Thursday (today).

The bill also prescribes 10 years imprisonment for incest; 10 years imprisonment for child pornography or a fine of N2m, while those who engage in sex abuse will go to jail for 14 years.

The Chairman, Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Umaru Dahiru, said the bill sought to redefine and consolidate existing laws on sexual offences.

Anyanwu said the new sexual offences law had criminalised actions of “people who deliberately lace drinks with drugs with intent to stupefy and sexually abuse persons with mental disabilities, among others”

The other bills passed during the Senate record performance on Wednesday are, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment etc) Act (Amendment), 2015; Office of the Nigerian Financial Ombudsman Bill; Institute of Chattered Trustees of Nigeria Bill; National Convicts and Criminal Records (Registry) Bill, 2015; Community Service Bill; People’s Bank of Nigeria Act (Repeal) Bill, and Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry Act (Repeal).

Others are, National Commission for Rehabilitation Act (Repeal), Bill; Maintenance Orders Act (Repeal) Bill, 2015; Federal Saving Bank Act (Repeal) Bill 2015, Loan (State Development) Act (Repeal), 2015; Nigerians in Diaspora (Establishment) Commission, 2015, and Electronic Transactions Bill, 2015.

The rest include the Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria, 2015; Nigerian Metallurgical Industry Bill, 2014; Federal Audit Commission Bill, 2015; National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation Act (Amendment,) Bill; Nigerian International Financial Centre (Establishment, etc) Bill, and the Investment and Securities (Amendment) Bill. Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved.

This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Anger over Caitlyn Jenner being chosen over Lauren Hill for ESPY courage award

When it was announced that Caitlyn Jenner was to be honored at next month’s ESPY’s with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Jenner excitedly wrote on Twitter “What the hell am I going to wear?” But now some are crying foul over ESPN’s decision to choose Jenner, 65, instead of Mount St.

Joseph basketball player Lauren Hill, who courageously battled brain cancer while staying on the university team.

The 19-year-old lost her fight against cancer on April 10.

Several fans took to twitter to vent their frustration.

But Hill wasn't the only overlooked candidate people were made about.

Iraq veteran Noah Galloway, who lost most of an arm and a leg fighting, but still competes in extreme sports and almost won this season's "Dancing With the Stars," also had hundreds of tweets from fans irate over Jenner's choice.

ESPN would only say of their decision-making process that “many people are discussed every year,” and that "there is no such thing as a runner- up."

They also provided a written statement which said Jenner was chosen "to help move forward a constructive dialogue about progress and acceptance."

NBC.12.com

Story by Linda Ikeji.

Dr. Dre & Ice Cube named as defendants in lawsuit against Suge Knight

Dr. Dre and Ice Cube have been included in a lawsuit over Suge Knight's alleged murder running over actor Terry Carter in a fast food restaurant parking lot.

Carter's wife and kids have filed the lawsuit, naming Knight, Dre and Cube all as defendants. It states that Dre and Cube hired known gang members to provide security for Straight Outta Compton's location shoots in areas with high gang activity.

The two are both producers on the film.

The lawsuit claims that some of these gang members incited the fight and threatened Knight when he showed up at Tam's Burgers, leading him to flee in a panic, running over and killing Carter.

Tam's Burger is also being sued by Carter's family, claiming that violent crimes are commonplace in its parking lot, so the restaurant should have had security.

The suit seeks unspecified damages.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Forget about being 'Likable'

Nigerian novelist and renowned feminist thinker Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gave a speech at the 2015 Girls Write Now awards ceremony about the pitfalls of pursuing likability.

Women are taught from a young age to be inoffensive, Adichie explains, which can ultimately stunt our growth as human beings, preventing us from leading fully self-actualized lives. She said:

I think that what our society teaches young girls, and I think it’s also something that’s quite difficult for even older women and self-professed feminists to shrug off, is that idea that likability is an essential part of you, of the space you occupy in the world, that you’re supposed to twist yourself into shapes to make yourself likable, that you’re supposed to hold back sometimes, pull back, don’t quite say, don’t be too pushy, because you have to be likable.

And I say that’s bullshit.

So what I want to say to young girls is forget about likability.

If you start thinking about being likable you are not going to tell your story honestly, because you are going to be so concerned with not offending, and that’s going to ruin your story.

Story by Linda Ikeji

Ciara and her new boyfriend visit children's hospital together

The singer and her NFL boyfriend, Russell Wilson visited a Seattle Children's hospital yesterday to spread good cheer to the children in the hospital fighting life-altering diseases. See more photos after the cut...

Story by Linda Ikeji

Photos from accident involving four NNPC fuel tankers today

Four fuel tankers, all traveling along the Benin Bypass were involved in an accident this afternoon.

Fuel from one of the tankers spilled on the road but thankfully no one was killed in the incident. See more photos after the cut...

Story by Linda Ikeji

Footballer Taye Taiwo shared these lovely photos of himself, his wife Nimot and their 2 children. Continue to see more photos...

Story by Linda Ikeji

Ijewere Expresses Confidence in Adesina’s Ability to Pilot AfDB

The Chairman and Coordinator of Nigeria Agriculture Business Group (NABG), Messrs Sani Dangote and Emmanuel Ijewere respectively, Wednesday expressed confidence in the ability of the newly elected President of African Development Bank (AfDB), and former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina to pilot the continental bank to an enviable level.

In a statement signed by the Acting Secretary of NABG, Temitope Oluwo on behalf of the chairman and coordinator, which was made available to the media, described Adesina as a big thinker and futuristic person imbued with the capacity to take AfDB to the next level.

The statement said: “It is a well-deserved appointment and we are all happy about it; he is a big thinker and also a futuristic person.

“In our own case, when the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) came up with the idea of setting up an umbrella body for agribusiness in Nigeria, he quickly bought it, pursued it and today we have that body which makes agribusiness future brighter in Nigeria.”

According to them, the former minister is the kind of person that can convert the AfDB into an institution that will take advantage of Africa’s comparative advantages.

“The NABG wishes to show its support for his vision to help build a new Africa with prosperous, sustainable and inclusive growth; one that is peaceful, secure and united, regionally integrated and globally competitive,“ the statement said.

It added: “His leadership in the agricultural transformation of Nigerian agriculture and his valuable achievements in the field of agricultural research for development in Africa are examples of his commitment to what he believes in and we are honoured to have had the pleasure of working with him over the last four years.“

U.S. urges stiffer opposition to Nkurunziza’s third term bid

The U.S. has urged east African states to send high- level representatives to Burundi to reiterate their opposition to President Pierre Nkurunziza third term bid and to press for free and fair elections.

Demonstrators take part in a protest in Bujumbura on May 13, 2015.

A top Burundian general announced today the overthrow of President Pierre Nkurunziza, following weeks of violent protests against the president’s bid to stand for a third term.

State Department spokesman, John Kirby, said the U.S. opposed Nkurunziza’s decision to run for another term. His ambition is in breach of the Arusha agreement that brought an end to the country’s civil war in 2005.

“The United States … encourages high-level visits from Burundi’s neighbors to Burundi to reiterate the importance of upholding the Arusha Agreement.

“The U.S also encourage ensuring the conditions necessary for free, fair, and credible elections are in place,” Kirby said in a statement.

More than 11,000 Burundians—about one percent of the country’s population—have already fled across the border for fear violence will spread outside the capital.

Kirby said Washington supported the outcome of a summit of African leaders in Tanzania on Sunday which called for a delay of at least a month and a half in the poll.

The summit of the East African Community included Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi, and was joined by South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma.

Nkurunziza’s decision has triggered the worst crisis in the small African country since 2005.

It has raised concerns his desire could reignite ethnic violence.

His opponents say he is violating the constitution, while supporters say a constitutional court ruling allows him to run.

JUNE 3, 2015 : REUTERS/NAN 3 Comments The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry said on Wednesday the country’s business confidence slumped to a 16-year low in May.

SACCI said in a statement that the drop was due to power supply shortages weighed on output in sectors such as manufacturing.

It said the Business Confidence Index slipped to its lowest level since 1999 to stand at 86.9 in May from 89.9 the previous month.

“The disruption by electricity supply shortages is having a telling impact on the output of sectors such as manufacturing and electricity.

“Although (the economy) is in dire need of foreign capital for financing struggling public sector institutions, infrastructure and complement overall local fixed investment, the business and investor climate are not convincing,” it said.

South Africa is battling its most serious power supply shortages since 2008 and state-owned power utility, Eskom, implements frequent power cuts to avoid overwhelming the grid. South Africa produces about 40,000 Megawatts of electricity for its 53 million population.

JUNE 3, 2015 : SUNDAY ABORISADE, ABUJA 18 Comments

JUNE 3, 2015 : SUNDAY ABORISADE, ABUJA 18 Comments The Senate on Wednesday passed 46 bills into law within 10 minutes.

The bills were earlier passed by the House of Representatives in the outgoing Seventh Assembly.

The bills were introduced by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang.

The development generated arguments and side talk but the Senate President, David Mark, had his way when he called for a voice vote, and ruled in favour of those in support of the passage.

Mark asked those who were not satisfied with the passage of the bills to raise objections in writing at plenary on Thursday.

The Senate had earlier suspended Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders, creating the impression that all the Bills had passed first, second and third readings on the floor of the Senate and concur to same.

Meanwhile, Mark has said the Senate will continue further deliberations on the controversial Fourth Alteration Bill, which seeks to further amend the 1999 Constitution, on Thursday.

He also added that the valedictory session to formally close the Seventh Senate would also be held on Thursday.

‘Boko Haram ‘slaughter wives’ to prevent them from marrying soldiers or non- believers’

Dozens of Nigerian women who were forced to marry Boko Haram fighters were reportedly slaughtered by their “husbands” before a battle with troops in the northeast town of Bama, multiple witnesses said Thursday.

Five witnesses who recounted the massacres to AFP said the Islamist militants feared they would be killed by advancing soldiers or separated from their wives when they fled the town. They killed the women to prevent them from subsequently marrying soldiers or other so-called non-believers, they added.

“The terrorists said they will not allow their wives to be married to infidels,” said Sharifatu Bakura, 39, a mother of three.

Nigeria’s military along with forces from neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger have claimed huge victories over the insurgents in recent weeks but defenceless civilians still face serious threats.

– ‘Dozens’ of corpses – According to Bakura’s account, which was supported by others, Boko Haram fighters received word of a military assault on Bama, formerly an Islamist stronghold in Borno state.

The insurgents had decided to flee to the nearby town of Gwoza before the troops’ arrival but first decided “to kill their wives so that nobody will remarry them”, she said. Bukara’s husband was killed by the insurgents four months ago but she was spared from a forced marriage because she was visibly pregnant.

Boko Haram forcibly married scores of women in Bama after seizing it in September.

Nigeria’s military announced the recapture of the town on Monday.

Witnesses who were taken under military protection this week to Borno’s capital Maiduguri, 73 kilometres (45 miles) away, said the killing of women began 10 days before Bama was liberated.

The Islamists said “if they kill their wives, they would remain pious until both of them meet again in heaven, where they would re-unite”, said Salma Mahmud, another witness.

A vigilante who fought alongside the military in the battle to retake Bama, Abba Kassim, said he saw “dozens of women corpses” in the town. – Commander’s instructions – While other witnesses reportedly a similarly high casualty figure the numbers were impossible to verify.

Fanna Aisami, 52, also in Maiduguri after escaping Bama this week, said the executions followed a warning from Boko Haram’s top commander in the town.

“He informed them of the situation and the consequence of the takeover of the town by the advancing troops.

“He warned them that when soldiers killed them they would take their wives back to the society where they would be forced to marry and live with infidels,” the mother of seven said, speaking by phone to AFP in Kano.

The commander “said it would be better for them to kill their wives and send them to heaven,” Aisami added.

A number of women were shot dead in front of the commander’s house, she further said.

Yagana Mairambe, 58, reported similar details but told AFP that “some Boko Haram men refused” and fled with their wives towards neighbouring Yobe state. Nigeria’s national security spokesman Mike Omeri told AFP he would try to verify the reports while the military could not immediately be reached for comment.

With Boko Haram gunmen facing heavy military pressure across northeast Nigeria, attacks, including suicide bombings, have persisted, even as the government in Abuja tries to assure voters that March 28 elections will be secure.

The Islamist uprising has claimed more than 13,000 lives since 2009 and President Goodluck Jonathan has faced fierce criticism over failure to contain the violence.

The latest reported atrocities in Bama recall similar massacres at high schools and colleges across northeast Nigeria, where Boko Haram has executed scores of students learning a so-called infidel curriculum.

See what a mother did to her own child in Benin

It's extremely wrong but I kinda understand the 'wicked step-mother' ish, but when you do it to your own child, it's more puzzling. According to a LIB reader, who sent in the report and story, the mother of this child, brutally attacked her this morning at their home in Benin because according to her, she was slow to get ready for school.

The LIB reader, who is a neighbour to the mother and child, said she constantly maltreats her children, two girls and a boy aged 8, 6 and 5 and beats them with wire, wood, rod etc.

The neighbours went to rescue this girl after hearing her shouts for help this morning.

They want the children rescued from the woman.

Their father is reportedly in prison. Another photo after the cut...

Story by Linda Ikeji

Photos: Newborn baby found being 'eaten alive' by ants after being dumped in the woods

The photos had to be censored because they're quite graphic. An abandoned new-born baby, said to be about 3 days old, was discovered by a man in the woods being 'eaten alive' by ants.

The man, who called police, said he heard the child crying while he was taking a shortcut to work through the woods on the outskirts of Chelyabinsk, a city in Russia.

The badly bitten child was lying on a pile of leaves and covered in ants. See another photo after the cut...

Police said if the child, who still had her umbilical cord attached - hadn't been found when she was, she would died. She was rushed to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Police are now looking for the child's parents.

Story by Linda Ikeji

Obiano approves N13 billion for livestock farming

THE Anambra State Governor, Mr. Willie Obiano, has approved N13 billion (about $61 million) to bring investments into commercial poultry farming as part of his efforts to turn the state into a model for agriculture.

Signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Governor’s Lodge with Lynden Integrated Farms Ltd for the establishment of a modern poultry production and processing farm in the state, Governor Obiano emphasised that agriculture remains the number one pillar in his economic agenda.

He said that the proposed ultra-modern poultry farm, which will be located on a seven hectares of land at Igbariam, would generate no fewer than 250 jobs during construction and 200 permanent jobs as well as 2,000 indirect jobs subsequently.

According to the governor: “At the moment, all the day-old chicks sold in the South-East are brought in from Oyo State.

We want to change that.

We want all the day-old chicks sold in this area to come from Anambra State.”

He further said that his plan was to approach agriculture in two areas – create a favourable and sustainable environment for commercial agriculture to thrive and to roll out programmes that will upgrade the class of machete and hoes wielding farmers to adapt to the use of new implements and improved seedlings.

During the signing ceremony, the Chairman of the firm, Mr. Clem Nwogbo, said that his company plans to develop a two-phased modern integrated poultry production and processing farm with day-old chicks and then subsequently upgrade its facilities in order to provide high quality meat, eggs from layers and fresh and frozen poultry meat from broilers.

“The first phase of this facility will comprise the setting up of 200,000 broiler houses with eight pens, 93,000 layer house with three pens, 33,000 pullets house with one pen, 2,000 birds per house slaughter house and a feed mill.

We plan to double the production capacity of this farm by extending the broiler and layer houses to accommodate 400,000 broilers, 186,000 layers and 66,000 pullets after three years of full operation of the first phase,” Nwogbo further explained.

According to him, Lynden Integrated Farms Limited has the capacity to position Anambra State as the centre of excellence in poultry farming in the South-East and South-South.

Thanking Governor Obiano for creating the enabling environment that has encouraged investors to flock to Anambra State, Nwogbo explained that the firm was committed to commissioning the facility 15 months after the turning of sod on the proposed site.

He further revealed that the company plans to implement a robust CSR programme which will encourage the adoption of the best practices in poultry farming to small scale farmers, support educational initiatives in the host community and supply day-old chicks to farmers under and out- grower scheme.

Earlier, the Chairman, Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency and Traditional Ruler of Umuoji, Igwe Cyril Enwezor, said that the equity ratio of the company is 90 per cent for the investing company, six per cent for the state government and four per cent for the host community. Obiano

China says small tornado hit area where ship sank

A small and fast-moving tornado hit the area where a Chinese cruise ship capsized leaving more than 400 missing, weather officials said, possibly shedding light on the disaster’s cause.

Early investigations showed that tornado winds in Jianli county in the central province of Hubei had a speed of more than 117 kilometres (72 miles) per hour, China’s state meteorological bureau said on its website late Tuesday.

The word used by the meteorological bureau can also be translated as “cyclone” but the account strongly suggested it was a tornado.

A person who answered the phone at the bureau on Wednesday said relevant officials could not comment as they had been sent to Hubei.

The website report matches an account given by the captain of the “Eastern Star” which overturned late Monday with 456 people on board.

He said, according to a translation carried in state media, that the vessel was hit by a “cyclone.”

The tornado on Monday lasted between 15 and 20 minutes and was about a kilometre wide, the report cited weather forecasters as saying.

It was “regional, small-scale and came all of a sudden”, the report said, without stating its precise location.

Chief forecaster Yu Xiaoding was quoted as saying that it likely ranked “above EF-1″ or a “moderately damaging” tornado according to the widely-used enhanced Fujita scale.

It was probably created by a mix of prevailing winds and heavy rain in the area, which caused a column of air to begin to swirl, he added.

Tornados are rare in most parts of China but sometimes occur in provinces including Hubei, where the ferry sank, he added.

Wu Cuihong, head of the Wuhan Central Meteorological Station, also said Wednesday that tornados are rare in the province.

“In recent decades, tornados take place once in five years on average,” she told a briefing.

“So it is a small-probability event.”

State media said 14 people had been rescued from the “Eastern Star” as of Wednesday, with more than 400 still missing and possibly trapped inside the ship.

Make no mistake, Flying Eagles are contenders

There are playing strips in sport that strike fear – even awe – into opposition sides.

The All Blacks’ famous jersey.

The green and gold of the Australian cricket side. And the very simple yellow Brazilian football shirt.

The Brazilian style of football is called Joga Bonito.

It means playing the game without inhibition, attacking from all quarters with breath-taking speed and creating pure joy on the grass.

Can you imagine the tens of millions of Brazilian boys who grow up dreaming of wearing that yellow shirt just once? Playing football on the beaches of Rio and back streets of Brasilia until it’s too dark to see? That gives you an idea of the talent that exists on the Brazilian under-20 roster; those who have risen above millions of others to earn the right to represent their football-obsessed nation.

But the Brazilians were just one half of the equation in their 4-2 win over Nigeria in New Plymouth on Monday.

The impressive Africans paid no heed to their South American foes, matching them for large periods with no little panache of their own.

Both of their goals were eye-catching in their construction and execution. Make no mistake; Nigeria are contenders. It was a brilliant game.

A brilliant, brilliant game. It was also an advertisement for this tournament that no marketing budget could buy.

22 exceptionally talented young boys who have probably kicked a ball since they were old enough to walk thrown together on a patch of grass and basically told to go for it.

Two teams attacking one another using every trick available to them and thrilling the crowd with their freshness and spontaneity.

Brazil and Nigeria seem certain to emerge from Group E, and anyone who faces them in the knockout rounds will need full focus (and some luck) to repel them.

Meantime, in Christchurch, Fiji endured an unhappy World Cup debut, shipping eight goals against a typically clinical German side.

You’d imagine the Germans could put out an under-10 side that would rarely lose the ball and – if needed – score all their penalties too.

Fiji were simply no match for the next wave of stars to emerge from the land of the World Cup holders.

The two late games were also goal-laden, with an incredible 28 scored on a wonderful third day of competition.

We’ve seen all 24 teams now, so we can start to make some basic predictions about who might be around when the silverware is handed out.

They’d only really be guesses though, because the first twelve games of this soccer showpiece have shown there are any number of contenders here.

It may well come down to a moment or two of magic – a flash of Joga Bonito – to decide who flies home with the trophy in their grasp in three weeks’ time.

Ghen Ghen! New Gov. Wike begins probe of former Gov., Amaechi

Looks like Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike is officially ready for former Gov. Rotimi Amaechi.

He's asked all Permanent Secretaries in the state to produce full account details of their Ministries’ expenditure in the last 18 months. Read the press statement below...

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has directed Permanent Secretaries in the state to produce full account details of their Ministries ' expenditure over the last 18 months.

This is even as the governor advised the permanent secretaries to shun partisan politics as career civil servants, saying the roles some of them played in the closing days of the immediate past administration were politically motivated.

Addressing permanent secretaries during a meeting at Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Wike regretted that some of the permanent secretaries helped the immediate past administration to illegally withdraw funds from the State Government coffers even up to the 28th of May, 2015. He said : "I want full details and print out of every ministry's account in the last 18 months.

I will not accept any handover note without an accompanying account details.

"The government was coming to a close and some of you were busy signing cheques on 26,27 and 28 of May. On 28 of May, the Transition Committee called most of you and you refused to cooperate because they told you I will not be sworn-in.

" The governor noted that he will not witch hunt any civil servant irrespective of his/her role in the electioneering period .

He, however, said that no civil servant would be allowed to sabotage the efforts of his administration. He urged the permanent secretaries to work with his administration to revive the state and put back smile on the faces of the people.

"Those of you who want to work with us to develop Rivers State will get the necessary support. You are career civil servants and not politicians.

As civil servants, don't play the role of politicians ", he said.

The Rivers State Governor pointed out that the back-dated employments and indiscriminate issuance of certificates of occupancy by the immediate past administration would be re- visited.

He specifically directed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Survey to produce the relevant land documents for examination.

The permanent secretaries were led to the meeting by the Head of Service, Barrister Samuel LongJohn.

Others who attended the meeting were the former Minister of Sports, Dr Tammy Danagogo, Former Deputy governor, Tele Ikuru and Secretary of the Transition Committee, Barrister Frank Owhor.

Story by Linda Ikeji

Female Corps Member missing (photos)

A 24-year-old female youth Corper, Ijeoma Susan Azubuike (pictured above) has been declared missing by her family.

She was last seen on Sunday May 31st in Owo, Ondo State where armed robbers attacked a GUO Transport bus conveying her and several other passengers to Lagos.

Ijeoma, a graduate of the University of Ado-Ekiti, left Jigawa for Lagos State on saturday 30th of May after completing her 3 weeks orientation exercise but stopped over in Abuja to continue her journey on Sunday being a long trip.

The family said they got a call on Sunday, May 31st, around 3:30pm from someone in Owo, Ondo state asking to speak to the of father Ijeoma.

He then proceeded to explain that the GUO bus which was bringing them to Lagos from Abuja was attacked by armed robbers in Owo and they all had to run for safety, after the robbers had left, they all went back to the bus to continue their journey and it was then they discovered that Ijeoma was missing.

The passenger said they got the mobile number from the Manifest which Ijeoma had filled her father's details as her next of kin, since that Sunday till now Ijeoma has not been found.

According to the female passenger who Ijeoma met at the park, she told us as they ran for their safety into the bush Ijeoma noticed her carrying her own bag on her neck and screamed !!my bag!! and quickly ran back to get her own bag that was the last time she was seen.

Anyone with info should please call - 08066121270, 08136364708 or contact the nearest police station.

Story by Linda Ikeji

British backpacker gang-raped by bikers in Thailand

A 19 year british back packer was allegedly raped by a gang of bikers while she was on vacation in Thailand.

The woman was allegedly attacked as she walked to a shop in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

It is understood that the teenager was visiting the Kanchanaburi district, 76 miles west of Bangkok, with a group of tourists.

She is believed to have been staying at a well known local resort.

The horrifying attack allegedly took place after the victim had dinner on Monday night and walked alone to a shop at around 1.30pm, where she was kidnapped by a motorcycle gang.

The teenager told the police that the bikers raped her and stole her property before dumping her at a market in Mueang district.

Police are now checking CCTV footage for clues.

The alleged rape comes after after Brttish backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23 and David Miller, 24, were brutally murdered on the island of Koh Tao in September last year.

Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, were arrested two weeks after the semi-naked bodies of the pair were found.

A murder trial is due to take place in July.

BBC news

Story by Linda Ikeji

Bruce Jenner wanted his oldest daughter aborted

In the newest issue of ‘Vanity Fair,’ Caitlyn admits that Bruce Jenner was married to his first wife Chrystie Crownover from 1972 to 1981, with whom he had two children, Burton and Cassandra but because things weren't going well between them, they filed for a divorce.

He said half way through the divorce, Christie told him she was pregnant with his oldest daughter Casey and because he had confused feelings about his gender, he had suggested she have an abortion.

He also refused to be at her birth because he didn't want her at that time.

At first, Bruce brought up the idea of an abortion, but “rejected it after 30 seconds.” He also told the July 1980 edition of Playboy that his “first reaction was that I didn’t want the baby.” Cassandra aka Casey, 34, told the magazine that she did not find out her father didn't want her until she was 13.

She said: 'I never knew he wasn't at my birth until I was about 13 years old and we were arguing on the phone about money,' she told the magazine. 'He kept saying, "You don’t know the whole story". 'I hung up the phone and was asking my mom what he was talking about until she confessed the history behind my birth.'

'Under the circumstances I could not even see myself being there,' Jenner told the magIn the July 1980 edition of Playboy, Jenner had admitted: 'My first reaction was that I didn't want it'. Chrystie also confirmed at the time that she had considered an abortion, but only because her husband wanted one.

This confession strained the relationship between Jenner and his daughter Casey but now things are getting better between two of them.

' It’s sad to hear that Bruce and Casey had a rough relationship during her upbringing, but on a positive note, Caitlyn now talks to her daughter, Casey, more than ever. “We now talk more than we ever have,” Jenner told Vanity Fair. “We can just be girls together.”

Story by Linda Ikeji

5 people dead after eating dog meat at an eatery

5 people have been confirmed dead at Woji, Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, after eating dog meat from a popular Inn in the area.

The deaths have caused tension in the area as people have begun to question went people have died after eating dog meat alleged to have been cooked by one Friday Dickson, popularly called Etiaba.

Reports gathered that Etiaba owns an Inn that specializes in only dog meat in Mini-Woji Road and has owned it for a very long time.

A witness said the death of these 5 people shortly after eating the dog meat prompted an emergency meeting by the council of chiefs and elders, with a view to locating other members of the community who also ate the dog meat from the same Inn.

He said Etiaba fled the area after he learnt of the death of the 5 people.

Story by Linda Ikeji

Kim K reacts angrily after Wendy Williams says she's using a surrogate

Kim reacted so angrily on Twitter this evening that Twitter contacted her to be sure she hadn't been hacked because the things she wrote were so unlike her.

The pregnant reality star got really angry after Wendy Williams said on her show that Kim will use a surrogate for her second baby but will try to deceive the public with a prosthetic belly. Wendy told her audience;

"They're saying that they could possibly be using a surrogate from Thailand who's allegedly living in Kanye's Manhattan Beach home, and they're also alleging that Kim will buy prosthetics to baby up for every month." Kim didn't find that funny and blasted Wendy Williams. See her reaction on Twitter after the cut...

Story by Linda Ikeji