News In Brief Today 22/04/16

Good morning! Here are 10 things you need to know this morning:

1. Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu has encouraged his followers to continue with the pro-Biafra agitation. Kanu, who spoke through the group’s spokespersons, Dr. Clifford C. Iroanya and Barr. Emma Mmezu, gave the message during a solidarity visit to him in prison. He equally said that their protests had soared beyond all obstacles and had continued to gain momentum.

2. The Rivers state police command has declared ex-militant leader, Solomon Ndigbara wanted. Ndigbara, a native of Yeghe community of Gokana local government, Rivers state is being accused of arson. The statement signed by Ahmad Muhamma, the state’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) said Ndigbara was wated for the alleged arson he planned and executed on 22/02/2016 on a property worth millions of naira in Bori, Khana Local Government.

3. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has debunked reports in some quarters that its Group Managing Director, Ibe Kachikwu, has been sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari. Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Garba-deen Mohammed, said the news was untrue.

4. A non-academic staff of the Delta State University, Abraka, Mr. John Ogeleke, was on Thursday kidnapped at Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State by some suspected Fulani herdsmen. The incident was confirmed by Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, who said Ogeleke was heading towards Ogume from Kwale in his Nissan Pathfinder jeep when he was abducted at gunpoint.

5. Report says President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the National Assembly will today meet on the controversial 2016 budget. Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is the Chairman of the National Assembly, according to the report will lead the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, and other principal officers of the National Assembly to the meeting, which will hold at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.

6. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reportedly arrested the Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, for allegedly receiving N2.5bn from the Central Bank of Nigeria to campaign for her former boss. Report says Nenadi, a former minister was arrested on Thursday in Abuja.

7. The Nigerian Army has advised the public to desist from organizing solidarity rallies to celebrate the recent successes recorded by the military against the Boko Haram insurgents. This advice was given by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman in a statement on Thursday. He said that even though the Army was not against the public’s desire to associate with the successes of the military, it would not want such solidarity rallies.

8. President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Ayuba Wabba, has assured the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of the union’s support in the fight against corruption, stating that a situation where corrupt politicians hire villagers to protest their prosecution was unacceptable. The President was at the headquarters of the EFCC in a solidarity visit.

9. The Federal Government has suspended the deduction of state governments’ loans from their accounts maintained in the Federation Account. The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, made this known at the end of the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting on Thursday. She said that the state government’s’ loan repayment to the Federation Account was suspended for now to allow states have enough money in their accounts in order to pay workers salaries and meet their various obligations.

10. The Catholic diocese of Ekiti has threatened to sue Governor Ayodele Fayose for including its schools in the payment of education development levy imposed on primary and secondary pupils in both state-owned and private schools in the state. The church while reacting to the new tax regime in Ekiti state said it will sue the government if catholic schools are included in the new tax regime.The bishop of the diocese, Rev. Felix Ajakaye, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.

dailypost news cullage.