Spider Clues

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Allie Kabba, has requested Nigeria’s assistance in energy, education and health sectors. Kabba, who made the call on Wednesday in Abuja when he visited his Nigerian counterpart, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, also requested Nigeria’s help for his country’s energy sector. He said that the new government in Sierra Leone was voted on the basis of its manifesto and was committed to providing disciplined leadership. He explained that the provision of quality education was the flagship of the government’s programme and  said the government would not let the people down in delivering its mandate “We will instil discipline in the leadership and make sure that every child in our country has access to quality education. So, that is why education is the centrepiece. “In fact, it is the flagship programme of our new government and we are working on that. “I hope that we can count on the support of Nigeria not just in the area of providing class...

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has lamented the allegation by a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, that members of the National Assembly are bribe-takers. Saraki described the comment as embarrassing. Jega had on Monday said chairmen of committees in the National Assembly were more notorious for bribe  taking antics. Jega made the allegation in Abuja while delivering a lecture titled, “Peace building and good governance for sustainable development in Nigeria,” as part of activities organised to mark the 2018 Democracy Day. The former INEC boss told the gathering that included President Muhammadu Buhari; President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, that the federal lawmakers took bribes at will under the pretence of committee work and oversight functions. He said the present administration should resist ...

Screening for colon cancer should begin earlier, at age 45 instead of 50, due to an uptick in colorectal tumors among younger people, the American Cancer Society said on Wednesday. The new guidelines came after research showed a 51 percent increase in colorectal cancer among people under 50 since 1994, and an accompanying rise in death rates. “When we began this guideline update, we were initially focused on whether screening should begin earlier in racial subgroups with higher colorectal cancer incidence, which some organizations already recommend,” said Richard Wender, chief cancer control officer for the American  Cancer Society. Groups known to suffer disproportionately high rates of colon cancer include African-Americans, Alaska Natives, and American Indians. “But as we saw data pointing to a persistent trend of increasing colorectal cancer incidence in younger adults, including American Cancer Society research that indicated this effect would carry forward with increasing...

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has lamented the allegation by a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, that members of the National Assembly are bribe-takers. Saraki described the comment as embarrassing. Jega had on Monday said chairmen of committees in the National Assembly were more notorious for bribe  taking antics. Jega made the allegation in Abuja while delivering a lecture titled, “Peace building and good governance for sustainable development in Nigeria,” as part of activities organised to mark the 2018 Democracy Day. The former INEC boss told the gathering that included President Muhammadu Buhari; President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, that the federal lawmakers took bribes at will under the pretence of committee work and oversight functions. He said the present administration should resist ...

After the insurance industry paid out record damages for 2017’s hurricane season, climate experts are expecting this year’s tropical storm season in the North Atlantic to be less eventful. “Forecasts by several research institutes say this year’s season will be average,’’ climate experts for German reinsurers, Munich Re, said on Wednesday. The long-term average for the hurricane season, lasting from the summer until the early autumn off the coasts of the U.S. and Caribbean islands, is 6.3 tropical storms. In 2017, there were 10 hurricanes, the most destructive being Harvey, Irma and Maria, which laid waste to the Caribbean and parts of the U.S. east coast. Damages resulting from the 2017 hurricane season were a record 220 billion dollars. The hurricane season starts each year at the beginning of June. “The coastal states must prepare themselves for a normal tropical storm season, in which one strong hurricane could hit them,’...

My Dear Nigerians! Today marks the 19th year of our nascent democracy and the 3rd Anniversary of this administration. I am thankful to Almighty God for bringing us thus far. This administration came at a time that Nigerians needed Change, the Change we promised and the Change we continue to deliver. We have faced a lot of challenges on this journey and Nigerians have stood by us in achieving the three cardinal points of this administration namely; Security, Corruption and the Economy. 1. The commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day is a celebration of freedom, a salute to the resilience and determination of Nigerians and a recommitment by Government to keep its promise to lead Nigeria into a new era of justice and prosperity. 2. Public safety and security remains the primary duty of this Government. Before this Administration came into being 3 years ago, Boko Haram held large areas of land spanning several Local Governments in the North East. 3. Today, the capacity of the in...

Each morning, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, Wife of the President of Nigeria wakes up with a picture of women and children struggling through challenges of hunger and sickness, having to choose between food and medication, sometimes losing both, battling lack of education and harmful cultural practices. More often than not, suffering permanent wounds and scars of these challenges, at other times, succumbing to the cold hands of death. Each time, she would flash options in her mind, what to do, how to do it, who to do it with – all in a bid to ensure that one more life is saved, one more prospective contributor to national development. Is it easier to give women education or to empower them with self-reliance? How much impact can one make? She has keyed into the RMNCAH+N Policy, (Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition) through her Future Assured Programme and has already made a lot of impact through advocacy campaigns on breastfeeding, deworming, killer...

As the wedding of Prince Harry and his American beau draws very close, guests have started arriving at the Windsor Castle venue of the wedding that has held the whole world spellbound. American TV host and billionaire Oprah Winfrey, British actor Idris Elba and singer and James Blunt are among early comers at Windsor. More famous faces are in the gallery below. < Previous 1 of 10 Next > US actor George Clooney (R) and his wife British lawyer Amal Clooney (L) arrive for the wedding ceremony of Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and US actress Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Ian West British actor Idris Elba (R) arrives with his fiancee Sabrina Dhowre (L) for the wedding ceremony of Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and US actress Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Gareth Fuller Oprah Winfrey arrives at St...

1) "Learn from the mistakes of others... you can't live long enough to make them all yourselves!!" 2)"A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are screwed first." 3)"Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous." 4)"There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth." 5)" Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead." 6)"As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it." 7)"The world's biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman." 8)"Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest....

Germany yesterday proposed a new process that would facilitate the smooth repatriation of over 30,000 illegal Nigerian migrants back to the country. The new proposal is predicated on perceived failures and slow pace of the current system of repatriation, that involves both the participation of Nigerian embassies and consulate and the German immigration office. Minister […]

This, according to him, is because corruption “affects so many different branches of our lives so much that some people do not even consider breaking trust is anymore a crime. It has become the norm. “That is why we must fight this attitude and encourage Nigerians to CHANGE their attitudes and perspectives.” President Buhari said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the commissioning of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Headquarters. The president said throughout his journey in national service and since 2015, he had made a very conscious decision to pursue a vigorous fight against corruption in public life. “Since 2015, we have made significant progress in the fight against corruption. Everyone now knows that corrupt officials will be held to account, no matter how long it takes. “The goal of this administration is to ensure the protection of public trust, and the anti-corruption war is at its centre,” the president stated. He said his administration never never intended and ...

"Deeper Life Bible Church unveils the biggest and best equipped hospital ever built in Africa.  It’s a 10,000-bed capacity mega facility that can see to the needs of well over 35,000 indigent people in a single year…The Surgery section boasts state of the art equipment that rivals Johns Hopkins hospital or any of the best anywhere in the world…” It read like a long-time-coming fulfilment of a prophetic revelation and divulgence. The message tore up my being like a hot bird’s-beak-paring-knife through a thick pile of frozen Provolone cheese. Then, a combination of anger and excitement trailed. In anger, I muttered asking why it took the Nigerian church this long to do right for the poor. In excitement, I was comforted that at last, one Nigerian church out of at least 10 million is “born again”. As I barrelled through the first two paragraphs of the article, the words, “Johns Hopkins”, leaped at me. I know Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. It’s less than 15 miles from my old dwelling pla...

Recently, the Senate Committee on Customs Excise and Tariff organised a public hearing in Abuja on measures to tackle the menace of smuggling in the country. During the occasion, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in a speech titled, “Smuggling: Threat to Nigeria’s Quest to Self-Sufficiency in Rice Production”, decried the increasing spate of smuggling activities in the country. To be sure, smuggling is any clandestine activity involving the import or export of goods through unlawful means with the aim of evading taxes. The Nigeria Customs Service, the agency saddled with policing the nation borders, describes smuggling as “false declaration and concealment of goods, wilful under-payment of Customs duties, trafficking in prohibited or restricted goods, use of unapproved routes and ports, forging of Custom documents and touting in Customs goods and documents.” Although smuggling is acknowledged to be a global challenge, studies have shown that it is mor...

The Nigerian Navy said on Tuesday that it was intensifying efforts to tackle crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region, noting that its troops impounded 42 ships for the crime. The navy said it had acquired 173 new patrol boats to enable the troops to go after the criminals sabotaging oil installations in the region as well as other security challenges in the country. The Chief of Naval Transformation, Rear Admiral Begroy Ibe-Enwo, stated this in Abuja at a briefing to mark the Navy’s 62nd anniversary, noting that there were both foreign and local vessels among the 42 impounded ships. The theme of the anniversary is, “Enhancing an integrated maritime strategy for security in the Gulf of Guinea.” Ibe-Enwo said the military was also expecting six new ships from France to boost its capacity, noting that it would not relent in its efforts to secure the maritime environment. He said, “Our operations are specifically aimed at checking crude oil theft, illegal bu...

My husband of over 10 years has been taking hard drugs for sometime now. I can’t express how it has damaged my family. It is just traumatic. I have three children to raise and money is the main problem. My husband disappears for days, tells lies and swindles his friends and relations. I’ve come to fear for our lives as he’s also been violent whenever I refuse to make love with him. He said he has tried getting help but I haven’t seen that reflected in his behaviour. He pleads with me that he wants to be back to who he was before, but I’m sure all he wants is the free ride I can offer. Can this marriage be saved? When your husband embraced hard drugs, he abandoned his wife and children. Much as he says he hates his addiction, feeding his habit is now his commitment and obsession. You provide him roof over his head and a source of cash. In return, what do you get? His failure to nurture, love and cherish you and the children. You no longer have a marriage as it’s obviously clear to y...

" The Nigeria politician views politics as a do or die affair. Due to this development, many women believe that they cannot contest in the murky waters that are Politics in Nigeria”. Last  week I began an examination of issues relating to the low level of participation of women in politics in Nigeria. I highlighted the fact, as suggested by data that the participation of women in the affairs of political parties has not transformed to real opportunities as to allow them participate effectively in the governance of the country. Issue is not limited to Nigeria Discrimination against women or inequality of the opportunities to engage in political activities between men and women is not new in human affairs and neither is it predominantly a Nigerian problem. In countries such as the United Kingdom and others who are today regarded as politically and economically developed, women had to fight for the most basic of rights including the right to vote. Indeed one of the greatest...

Nigeria’s first nuclear power plant, with the capacity to generate about 1,200 megawatts of electricity, will be ready for commercial purposes by mid-2020, the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission has said. NAEC stated that the country had been making progress in the push to diversify its energy sources, adding that the commission as well as the country’s nuclear regulatory agency, among others, were getting set for the nuclear power project. The Chairman/Chief Executive, NAEC, Prof. Simon Mallam, stated that the agency had signed different agreements on behalf of the Federal Government with Rosatom, a Russian firm renowned for the construction of nuclear power plants. This is coming as stakeholders in the nuclear power sector called for greater awareness across the globe on the gains of generating electricity from nuclear sources in presentations delivered at the ongoing 2018 Atom Expo, which were made available to our correspondent by Rosatom. Mallam stated, “Niger...

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Tuesday said that the Federal Government would settle the inherited debts and contractual obligations to local contractors between 2006 and 2015. The minister made this known while appearing before the ad hoc committee of the Senate on Promissory Note Programme and Bond Issuance. The committee is chaired by the Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena. Adeosun, according to a statement issued by her Media Adviser, Oluyinka Akintunde, explained that the debts owed to various classes of contractors, including the terminal benefits of ex-workers of the Nigerian Airways, would be repaid through promissory notes and bonds issuance. The minister stated that the unpaid Federal Government obligations constituted a drag on economic activities across many sectors, adding that the present administration was determined to address the problem. She listed the unpaid obligations to include those to pensioners and salary and promotion arrears ...

When Obasanjo  gets going, he leaves no stone unturned.  He has taken on Buhari and has not spared the president’s supporters. President Jonathan now refers to him as the boss of bosses. Perhaps Jonathan learnt that a little late.  Perhaps Obasanjo has got away too many times with an exaggerated sense of self importance. Buhari and Obasanjo When  Obasanjo  pulsates with  ego he deems it  righteous anger. He breaks rules, and mends them. He tramples on principles and trashes them.  They are not meant for him. Hypocrisy relieves him of many moral burdens ordinary men suffer. He  likes the limelight. He doesn’t like to be ignored. He wants President Buhari out. President Buhari benefited from his support three years ago.  Obasanjo feels righteous indignation against a bumbling  ingrate. He  perhaps believes he handed Buhari the presidency.  Obasanjo always overestimates himself. He once thought we would wan...

The Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) says it will unveil some insurance products to address the loss of agricultural investments due to farmers and herdsmen clashes across the country. The Managing Director of NAIC, Mrs Folashade Joseph, said this at the sideline of a workshop titled `Accelerating Growth of Agriculture Insurance in Nigeria’ in Abuja on Sunday. Joseph, who was represented by Mr Bashir Martins, NAIC Deputy General Manager, Technical, said the corporation was working on the revenue insurance, weather index insurance and livestock index insurance to match with the re-evolving agriculture trends. “There are a lot of things that we have been thinking and working on because agriculture is re-evolving. “As agriculture becomes our main attraction in the country, so many businesses will come along the line. So many lines of production, and of course, risks that we did not know as at yesterday will come up today. “Product developmen...

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday that the Federal Government has saved N200 billion through the elimination of ghost workers by the action of the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), the monitoring organ of the whistleblower policy. Buhari, represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, announced this in a keynote address at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Week 2018 in Abuja. In his address titled “The Impact of Open Government Partnership to Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Efforts,’’ Buhari stated that government had recovered about N7.8 billion, $378million and £27,800 through the Whistleblower’s Policy launched in December 2016. He explained that PICA was established to clean up the payroll and pension system across all the ministries, departments and agencies. According to him, the administration has included recovered assets in the country’s annual budget since 2017 and invested them in the development of infrastruc...

Fitness Fair, a Nigerian nutrition and wellness outfit has called for paradigm shift in corporate and individual approach to health maintenance and physical exercise among Nigerians. Founder, Fitness Fair, Dr Uganzi Eke, who made the call during the Launch of a new Fitness Fair store and company website in the Lekki axis of Lagos, stressed that Nigerians must begin to own their health by learning the local nutrition wellness procedure and seeing the physical aspect beyond visiting the gym. Eke, who is also a pharmacist, stated that contrary to popular thinking, people can actually exercise even at their workplace and have a better lifestyle eating our natural local foods. According to her, this is what Fitness Fair and its Corporate Wellness project aim to promote among Nigerians by providing holistic information on how to maximise their environment for a healthy lifestyle. For example, the new fitnessfair.ng website, she noted, was meant to encourage a business extension and ease o...

The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said that regional cooperation is key to the safety and security of inbound and outbound goods and services to Africa through the seas. Peterside, according to a statement by the agency on Monday, stated this on the sidelines of the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, United States of America. The NIMASA DG, who was represented by the agency’s Executive Director Operations, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, reportedly spoke at a technical workshop on ‘Prospects, Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Collaboration’ during the OTC conference. “The oil and gas industry needs the maritime sector, particularly shipping, which is international in nature, for it to thrive. The fact that shipping is international in nature makes collaboration, particularly at the regional level, inevitable. This will serve as a catalyst for growth in the industry and we at NIMASA...