ONE WORD

The police in Rivers on Tuesday said that cultists and thugs that had lost patronage from politicians were behind the upsurge in killings in the state. DSP Nnamdi Omoni, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt. Omoni said the police were aware of the upsurge in crime in the state, stressing that the command had put in place adequate measures to tackle this. He stated that the killings were not strange to the police as politicians who had armed the cultists and thugs had now turned their backs on them. “The issue is these boys have lost patronage from their paymasters, so they want money via crime by asking for royalty and all manner of payments from residents of the community. “We cannot allow that to fester, we will arrest them and bring them to justice. “This has really put the boys into some kind of confusion, and we are capitalising on that. “We have penetrated ...

The timetable for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, (WASSCE), has clashed with that of the  Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). JAMB But on Tuesday JAMB  assured candidates sitting for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) that they would not be denied the opportunity of sitting for the examination. Dr Fabian Benjamin, Head of Public Relations, JAMB, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos following fears concerning a clash in the timetable of West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and UTME. According to the timetable, WAEC students who are expected to write Animal Husbandry on April 11 by 9:00 a.m. are also expected to sit for the UTME on the same day. The affected students are those expected to write Animal Husbandry in the 2019 May/June of WASSCE for school candidates, which begins on Monday across secondary schools in the country. At least 1...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Governor-elect of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday attended the funeral of Pastor Adetokunbo Olorunnimbe, at the City of David Sanctuary, Redeemed  Christian Church of God(RCCG), Victoria Island, Lagos. VP Osinbajo Late Olorunnimbe was the Chief-of-Staff and Chief Private Secretary, to the General Overseer, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye. Reports have it that Olorunnimbe died on March 30, at the age of 60. In an exhortation, Pastor Ezekiel Odeyemi, Assistant General Overseer in charge of Training and Education, said that Olorunnimbe loved humour and left a lot of laughter behind. Odeyemi said that the deceased never allowed his achievements to derail him.  “He was simple; full of passion for the Lord, full of compassion for the life of the less privileged. “He never shirked his responsibilities; he knew his labour was not in vain; unsurpassed, he did his best; he was always steadfast,” he said. Oh his part, Sanwo-Olu said that...

Lagos State Government has urged Lagosians not to despair over the abduction of the Director of the State Fire Service, Mr Rasaki Musibau, assuring that all hands are on deck to ensure that he returns safely with other victims. Musibau and six others were abducted by unknown gunmen on Saturday night at about 8pm on Iwoye Bridge, along Itoikin-Epe Road. Briefing newsmen on Tuesday after the State Security Council Meeting chaired by the Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu again confirmed Musibau’s abduction with others, but assured that security agencies were working round the clock to rescue them safely. Muazu, who briefed journalists alongside heads of other security formations in the State, expressed optimism of positive result soon but declined to give further details on the ongoing operation to rescue the victims. “I confirm that there was an incident of kidnapping involving the State Director of Fire Service and all the secu...

Bank of America Corp said on Tuesday it would raise its minimum wage to 20 dollars (about N7,200) per hour over a two-year period. On May 1, the minimum hourly wage will rise by 2 dollars to 17 dollars, the bank said. “The increase will occur in increments. On May 1, 2019, the minimum hourly wage will increase to 17 dollars and will continue to rise until it reaches 20 dollars in 2021. “This is part of the company’s commitment to being a great place to work and delivering sustainable, responsible growth through competitive benefits and programs that support the diverse needs of its 205,000+ employees. “We are raising our minimum wage because we believe that to best serve our customers and clients, we need the best teams,” said Sheri Bronstein, chief human resources officer at Bank of America. Bank of America joins other Wall Street banks that have raised hourly wages following U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to cut corporate tax rates in 2017.  JPMorgan Chase & Co ...

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa (rtd.) as Chairman of the North East Development Commission (NEDC). The Upper Chamber also confirmed the appointment of Mohammed Alkali as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEDC alongside nine members. This followed presentation of report by Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Sen. Abdul Aziz Nyako on confirmation of nominations into the board of the commission. The other nominees are Musa Yashi-Execitive Director Humanitarian Affairs, Muhammed Jawa-Executive Director Administration and Finance, Omar Mohammed Executive Director Operation. Others are David Kente-member representing North East Zone, Asmau Mohammed, member representing North West Zone, Benjamin Adanyi member representing North Central Zone. Still others are Olawale Oshun-member representing South West Zone, Dr T. Ekechi member representing South East and Obasuke Mcdonald-member representing South South. ...

The story has been told of the mysterious women who take up a spot at a popular junction in Abuja to beg with their triplets. Madam Chidoka Okoro, her triplets and her niece who assists her holding an umbrella   Often, Abuja’s pedestrian bridges are taken over by hordes of beggars some carrying children on behalf of whom they appeal for help. But at Dei-Dei Bridge, our reporter writes that three mothers of three sets of triplets have been taking turns to beg on the bridge raising questions about who they are and the triplets they carry.   Pedestrian bridges in Abuja have become a draw for different kinds of spectacles and people, from traders with colourful wares to beggars from far and near who eke out a living from the alms they receive from generous passers-by.   At the bridge that straddles the 10-lane Kubwa-Zuba expressway at Dei-Dei Junction, a peculiar kind of spectacle has been quietly playing out, unobserved by the multitude who use the br...