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The House of Representatives has shut down a motion asking the Federal Government to declare Bauchi State as an oil-producing state. The motion was sponsored by Yakubu Abdullahi. But when put to vote, a greater number of lawmakers voted against the motion. More to follow.

Matthew Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, has told the United States Congress Commission that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is helpless. Kukah, who addressed the congress over the rising insecurity in the country, said the current administration has been unable to tackle the security challenges like it promised to do before taking power in 2015. The fight against insecurity was one of the major campaign promises of Buhari in the build up to the 2015 elections. During his virtual presentation to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Washington, DC, Kukah said Nigerians were yet to see any…

The leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has appealed to a Federal High Court in Abuja to transfer him to Kuje prison in Abuja. In an application filed on Wednesday by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, his lawyer, Kanu said he had been subjected to mental and psychological torture in DSS custody. He said it would be in the interest of justice for Kanu to be transferred to the Nigerian Correctional Service Centre. “That the health personnel attending to the defendant in the custody of the State Security Service is not adequate, considering the circumstances of the defendant’s…

Kenneth Udeh, Abuja A Bill seeking to establish of a specialised Bank to ensure food security in Nigeria, avail youths the opportunity to secure loan(s) through the bank using their certificates as collateral as well as encourage youths to engage in Agriculture has scaled its first reading at the Nigerian Senate. The bill titled " National Food Bank of Nigeria" (Establishment) Bill 2021 SB(780) is being sponsored by Abia-North Senator and Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. Asides attaining food stability the bill according it's sponsor also aims to reduce the number of unemployed youths in the…

The house of representatives was thrown into a rowdy session on Thursday following a protest by Chinyere Igwe, a lawmaker from Rivers state. The house had barely commenced sitting for the day when Igwe walked around the floor chanting “the PIB report is a fraud”. Hon. Igwe was protesting the adoption of 3 percent operational expenditure as what is due for host communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the conference committee set up by both the lower chamber and the senate. The senate voted and approved the report of the conference committee on the PIB on Thursday. Femi…

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said on Wednesday that more suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of Usifo Ataga, the chief executive officer of Super TV. Mr Odumosu, during a parade of suspects at the police command in Ikeja, said the police have established a case of conspiracy and murder and more suspects have been arrested. The police commissioner did not disclose who the suspects are or how many of them have been arrested. He said investigation is ongoing in the matter. Mr Ataga, 50, was found dead at an apartment in Lekki Lagos…

Rochas Anayo Okorocha, Senator representing Imo West senatorial district and former governor of Imo state, is not suspended from the APC, his aide (name withheld)  has told THE WHISPERER. “Kindly disregard all the rumours, just rumours," he told THE WHISPERER. An aide to Uche Nwosu, Darlington Ibekwe also denied the rumours. He posted on facebooks: “FAKE NEWS!!! "There is no National Working Committee in APC, what we have is a caretaker committee, Chairman and Secretary don’t sign together. "Ndi Igbo, is this how we would get presidency??? Kai!." Okorocha's reported suspension has been trending on facebook. It was also reported…

The Imo State Government has sealed Rochas Foundation College, Orji, in Owerri. Punch reported that Modestus Nwamkpa the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Imo State on Print Media confirmed the development. He said that the governor, Hope Uzodinma, was committed to recovering properties of the state allegedly “looted by Okorocha and his family members”. Nwamkpa said that the governor was implementing the recommendations of various White Papers by committees set up by the state government. “Governor Hope Uzodinma is committed to recovering all the properties of the state stolen. This is not a personal war it is just…

Three Israelis shooting a documentary in a separatist region in southeast Nigeria were arrested last week, the Foreign Ministry has confirmed. According to Times Of Israel, Nigerian authorities arrested and interrogated the trio on suspicion that they had come into contact with ‘Biafran separatists.’ According to the Foreign Ministry, the Israeli Embassy in Abuja is following the case closely and is in contact with Nigerian authorities. One of the Israelis arrested is Rudy Rochman, a Zionist activist with almost 95,000 followers on Instagram. Making the flight with him were filmmaker Noam Leibman and French-Israeli journalist E. David Benaym. The Israelis…

Over 9,948 persons, as of press time, have signed an online petition urging the Nigerian government and President Muhammadu Buhari to ban the sale of dog meat in Nigeria. Dog meat is a delicacy relished in the south-eastern part of the country. In Akwa-Ibom and Cross River States, it is often prepared with ‘Kaikai’ (local gin) and Ntong (scent leaves) and sold at major joints. The petition, which was started over a year ago by Natasha Choolun, a UK-based international animal rights activist, only began to gain momentum on Thursday, after many Nigerians lended her voices and signatures to the…