by Oge Okonkwo

486 ‘Boko Haram suspects’ arrested in Abia

On a day the police said they had foiled a plot to bomb a church in Owerri, Imo State, hundreds of suspected militants were arrested in Abia State, Nigeria.

They were arrested on Sunday along the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway by soldiers attached to the 144 battalion of the Nigerian Army, Asa, Ukwa West LGA, Abia state.

The suspects, aged between 16 and 24, were being conveyed in 33 buses when they were stopped at the road between Aro-Ngwa and Imo Gate along the expressway. Read more ….

Plateau PDP suspends party chairman

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Plateau State has announced the suspension of its chairman, Haruna Dabin.
Mr. Dabin’s suspension was contained in a communiqué produced at the end of the State Executive Committee meeting of the party.

The meeting was held at the Government House, Jos, an indication it had the support of the Plateau Governor, Jonah Jang.

Mr. Dabin had earlier described the meeting as illegal saying he was not aware of and did not call for it. Read more….

Jonathan appoints Tukur Ambassador-at-Large

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the immediate past Chairman of the ruling PDP, as Ambassador-at-Large.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the appointment in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

According to the statement, Tukur as an envoy, will be “assigned special duties by the president’’ under the new appointment. Read more….

UniAbuja shut indefinitely over students’ protest

The University Of Abuja has been shut indefinitely following a protest by students on the two campuses.

The institution was closed down on Monday by the University’s Governing Council while the students were ordered out of the hostels and campuses.

Some of the students, who took part in the protest at the Gwagwalada mini- campus, said they were chased out of the campus and the school put under lock and key.

At the main campus, notices were placed on all notice boards in each department, ordering every student to leave the school immediately. Read more….

3 Presidents For Soyinka Literature Prize

The biennial Wole Soyinka Prize for creative writing continues to grow in proportion with at least three serving heads of state billed to attend this year’s edition.

The presidents who have consented to be present at the ceremony, according to the organisers, include President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Liberian Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana.

Other high-profile dignitaries who are expected to attend are former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; former President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki; former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan; the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and renowned Ghanaian author and former Education Minister in the Ghana government, Professor Ama Ata Aidoo. Read more….

Borno sacks Sharia Judge over graft

The Borno State Judicial Service Commission, known by the acronym JSC, announced the sacking of a judge of an Upper Sharia Court in the state over his corrupt practices.

The JSC, through a statement signed by its secretary, Baba Goni Adam, said it took the decision to retire the Sharia Court judge having found him, quote, “guilty of abetting a criminal sale of land,” in his court.

“The Borno State JSC considered the report of the JPCC, which investigated a petition against Alkali Goni Mukhtar, an Upper Sharia Court Judge. Read more….

More than 50 die in Taraba religious-ethnic violence

More than 50 people have died today in a violent religious and ethnic conflict that engulfed Taraba State today. A military source who spoke to newsmen added that many more people sustained serious injuries.

Sources disclosed that the ethno-religious fight broke out in Wukari and Ibi towns in Taraba State. “In addition to those who died, over 100 people are badly injured and receiving medical attention in several hospitals in the state,” said the military source. Read more….