News

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…

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has refuted social media reports of him paying a private visit to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs Catriona Laing, to discuss issues relating to IPOB. Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the Senate, made the clarifications on Tuesday in Abuja, in a statement issued by Mr Emeka Nwala of Office of the Chief Whip. He explained that contrary to rumours, it was the British High Commissioner that visited him at his Abuja residence on May 13. He said that he was accompanied by Political Counsellor, British High Commission, Mr Jonathan Bacon and Mr…

Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer representing the arrested leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has stated that his client needs “quick, advanced medical attention because he is not feeling too good." Ejiofor said the Nigerian government should allow his medical personnel to visit him in the custody of the Department of State Services. Ejiofor stated these in an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters on Tuesday morning, adding that the legal team had filed court processes in that regard to enforce that his medical doctors are allowed to see him. The lawyer added that none of Kanu’s family members had…

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, urged the Nigerian Police to stop the ongoing media trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the murder of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga. This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep Tolu Sadipe at plenary. The lawmaker, while moving the motion, raised concerns over the unending parade and media trial of the suspect by the Nigerian Police. She said the police should rather conclude its investigation in her matter and charge her to court for trial rather than the ongoing media trial…