PUNCH
12 Dead, 25 Injured In Iraqi Explosions
Two bombs have exploded in the Iraqi capital, killing at least 12 people and injuring 25, Al Jazeera has learnt.
The first bomb detonated in central Baghdad’s Bab al-Sharji area near al-Nassir Square around 7.30pm Tuesday, killing at least 10 people and injuring another 18.
An Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Baghdad said separate police sources said the explosion was caused by a car bomb and a suicide bomber with a vest.
The attack appeared to target Shia visitors on their annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Kadhim.
In a second attack in Palestine Street in Baghdad’s east, a roadside bomb exploded, killing two people and injuring seven.
Baghdad has been rocked by several car bombs targeting Shia pilgrims in recent weeks.
PUNCH
APC Government Will Ask Looters To Return Money – El Rufai
Kaduna State Governor-elect and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai, said on Tuesday that the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari would ask corrupt politicians to return every kobo stolen by them.
He also said that the Buhari administration would inherit a huge debt from the Goodluck Jonathan government.
The governor-elect told executive members of the National Union of Textile Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, who visited him in Kaduna, that such politicians must be ready to return all ill-gotten funds after May 29.
He however said those (politicians) who were not corrupt had no cause to fear.
PUNCH
Fuel Scarcity: Government Seals Filling Stations In Ogun
As fuel scarcity bites harder across the nation, Ogun State Government, on Tuesday, sealed off no fewer than six filling stations across the state.
The state Ministry of Commerce and Industry had set up a task force on enforcement and compliance with official fuel price of N87 per litre.
The task force sealed off Arolat Petroleum, in Olomoore area of Abeokuta-North Local Government for allegedly selling adulterated product.
Some other filling stations which were selling above the official pump price per litre were also made to revert to official price.
Arolat Petroleum ran out of luck when a motorist came to complain about the damage the alleged adulterated fuel had done to his vehicle’s engine. The task force was at the filling station when the vehicle owner came to complain.
PUNCH
Justice Will Prevent Violence – Fashola
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State says timely and accurate dispensation of justice is one sure way to end violence in the society.
The governor spoke on Tuesday at the inauguration of the Justice Samuel Ilori Court House at Ogba, Lagos.
According to him, when justice is well dispensed in a civilised way, people will not resort to taking up arms to resolve disputes.
He said, “A society that is able to dispense justice will achieve many things because in doing so we would be ordering the society and controlling how the society develops.
“When you deliver judgement, you will be enforcing laws that were made so that we can live by the rules. We must dispense justice in a civilised way so that people do not resort to arms as a model for resolving disputes.”
PUNCH
Port Harcourt Traders Blame Poor Sales On Bad Road
Traders in Miniorlu Market in Rivers State have cried out to the state government over the deplorable state of Miniorlu Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. The traders lamented that the road had become impassable as potholes got wider.
Although the road was rehabilitated about three years ago, the traders observed that the work done on it was not good enough, hence its rapid dilapidation. They (traders) complained that the poor state of the road had made it impossible for them to break even in their businesses.
DAILY TIMES
Group To Buhari: Don’t Use EFCC For Persecution
A Civil Rights Group, Transparency Coalition of Nigeria (TCN) has called on the President-elect, General Mohammed Buhari, to insulate the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from being manipulated by politicians to witch-hunt perceived enemies when he assumed office.
In a statement issued by its Secretary General, Mr. Peter Gimba, in Abuja, on Tuesday, the TCN said it was concerned about the use of the EFCC for political purposes by the executive arm, in years past, an act it said had undermined the credibility of the anti-crime commission and attempts to enshrine transparency in all government business.
“The reasons for the establishment of the EFCC remains genuine and the case for the commission remains strong. However, the perceived use of the EFCC by the executive to muzzle or intimidate its real or perceived opponents into submission is a worrisome development that has diminished public confidence in the EFCC and raised questions about the government’s commitment to due process, accountability and transparency,” the TCN said.
DAILY TIMES
First Lady Denies Scheming Aisha Buhari Out Of AFLPM Leadership
First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan has denied plans to rig out the in-coming First Lady, Hajia Aisha Buhari from the leadership of the Africa First Ladies Peace Mission.
Jonathan was reacting to reports that her decision to host the 8th Summit of the AFLPM, in Abuja, on Friday, was a grand design to stop Hajiya Aisha from succeeding her as President of the Mission.
DAILY TIMES
NDLEA Convicts 8,673 For Drug Offences
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has convicted 8,637 drug offenders in the past five years. The Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade, who said that the convictions will serve as a deterrence to drug traffickers, further disclosed that the agency had maintained an impressive annual average conviction of 1,727 since 2010.
Spokesperson for the agency, Mitchel Ofoyeju, made this known in a release made available to the Daily Times.
The NDLEA boss attributed the remarkable conviction scorecard to strict adherence to prosecution policy of the agency.
“NDLEA has one of the highest criminal conviction scorecards among security agencies in the country. In line with our prosecution policy, all arrested drug traffickers are diligently prosecuted. Conviction is a top priority to us because it serves as a punishment to offenders, while it also deters many from indulging in drug trafficking” Giade stated.
DAILY TIMES
FMC Owerri Erupts As Workers Begin 3-Day Strike
For second time in two weeks, the activities at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri, on Tuesday, were grounded to a halt as workers began a three-day work-to-rule protest demanding from the management of the hospital to withdraw queries issued to their union leaders.
The staff of the hospital, two weeks ago, grounded the activities at the hospital to protest the proposed plan by the management for the Private Public Partnership (PPP) of the hospital.
The demonstrating staff, who were all clad in black attire, carried placards, chanting war songs and marched all the nooks and crannies of the hospital and ended up at the main entrance of the hospital.
DAILY TIMES
Oyo NURTW Scribe Lauds Ajimobi Administration
The State Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Akin James, has declared that Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s government in Oyo State has brought renaissance to governance and which has in turn led to progress and transformation.
In an interview with Daily Times in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Tuesday, Comrade James said that since the assumption of office by the governor, the state have been witnessing a lot of positive turn-around.
THE NATION
Sympathizers Condole With Azikiwe’s Family
The family house of the nation’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, was a beehive of activities yesterday as sympathisers trooped to the compound to pay their last respect to the first son of the great Zik of Africa, Owelle Chukwuma Bamidele Azikiwe.
Chukwuma, who replaced his father as the Owelle of Onitsha, died on Sunday at 10am according to the family.
The twin uncles of the deceased, Akunne Arah Azikiwe and his brother Nnanyelugo, received the visitors yesterday.
THE NATION
EFCC Re-arraigns Ahmadu Ali’s Son, Others For N4.5b Subsidy Fraud
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned Mamman, son of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) former Chairman, Ahmadu Ali, and two others for alleged involvement in N4.5 billion fuel subsidy fraud.
Mamman Ali was re-arraigned alongside another oil marketer, Christian Taylor, and his company, Nasaman Oil Services Limited, before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.
They were initially arraigned before same judge on July 26,2012.
A co-defendant then, Oluwaseun Ogunnbambo, jumped bail, a situation that made the commission to amend charges and re-arraign the defendants.
In the amended charge, the defendants are now facing a 49-count charge as against the former nine-count charge.
THE SUN
Tragedy Hits Bauchi
A policeman has shot dead a woman in Tura, a suburb of Bauchi State, throwing residents into deep mourning. The tragedy occurred at the weekend at about 1pm.
The deceased who is said to be in her mid-30s, was reported to be the girlfriend of the trigger happy policeman.
Trouble started for the deceased, Jamila Rahama, when the policeman, simply called Abdul (aka Barrister) stormed a house in Tura after he received a report that his best friend was sleeping with her there.
He was said to be infuriated following rumours that his lover usually had a rendezvous with his friend.
An eyewitness who does not want his name in print, said the policeman was bitter with the development, he stormed the house. He reportedly shot and killed her instantly.
“After killing her, he left the house. He was later arrested by the police,” he said.
NATIONAL MIRROR
Another Earthquake Hits Nepal, India, 66 Kille
A second powerful earthquake in less than three weeks spread panic in Nepal on Tuesday, bringing down buildings weakened by the first disaster and killing at least 66 people, including 17 in neighbouring India and one in Chinese Tibet.
Most of the reported fatalities were in villages and towns east of Kathmandu, only just beginning to pick up the pieces from the April 25 quake that left more than 8,000 dead.
The U.S. military’s Pacific Command said a Marine Corps helicopter involved in disaster relief had gone missing, with six U.S. Marines and two Nepalese soldiers aboard.
Nurses, under the aegis of National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, NANNM have entered a partnership agreement with Unilever Nigeria to help deliver the right level of healthcare services to children and child-bearing mothers across the country.
Speaking at the occasion, the National President of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Comrade Adeniji Abdurafiu Alani said the partnership is aimed at taking healthcare services to families and children down to the grass root level through them.
“We are doing this to empower our people and you know with health, wealth will come easily focus is to cater for nurses and make their services more valuable to the public.
“We believe that with our collaboration, people who are most vulnerable like women of child bearing age and children of school age will benefit a lot. And without them being cared for, the health indices of the country will be nose diving as children are so vulnerable because they are prone to certain preventable diseases which include worm infestation, malaria and any form of endemic diseases that are predominant in Africa,” he said.
NATIONAL MIRROR
Nigerians Walk For Asthma
Even with current statistics showing that no fewer than 6 million Nigerians, mostly children, have asthma or symptoms suggestive of the chronic condition, the nation joined the rest of the world to mark the World Asthma day last Tuesday amidst assurance by experts that asthmatics can achieve full control of the disease with appropriate control measures
Organized worldwide by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), this year’s edition with the theme, “You Can Control Your Asthma” has been designed to emphasize recent developments showing that effective asthma treatments exist and with proper diagnosis, education, and treatment, the great majority of asthma patients can achieve and maintain control of their disease condition. When asthma is under control, patients can live full and active lives.