Nedu Echianu's Blog

Punch newspaper reports that a property located along Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos where popular singer, Banky W, lives has been destroyed by fire. Banky W, who shared the details of how he escaped the fire outbreak at his Lekki home, on his Instagram page, assured fans that he and his dog were unhurt.

The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States has lauded the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and former Speaker of the Community Parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for his immense contributions, which helped in the enhancement of the powers of the Parliament. This was conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary-General of the Parliament, Dr. Nelson Magbagbeola, forwarding a copy of the Supplementary Act to him.

The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has on Monday ordered the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East in the National Assembly, Bassey Akpan to vacate his seat immediately. The court presided over by Justice Fatun Riman, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the Certificate of Return it issued to Akpan and awarded N200,000 costs in favour of the plaintiff, Mr Bassey Etim.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria expresses serious concern over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa and calls for the immediate recall of the country’s High Commissioner to the country. From all indications, it appears there is a grand conspiracy by the government cum state security apparatus to continue to mindlessly waste lives and take over people's properties of innocent and harmless fellow Africans.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Sunday extolled the noble virtues of ex-President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, to mark his 92nd birthday anniversary. Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, lauded the sterling contributions of the nonagenarian to the sustenance of democracy, national peace and development.

A lecturer in the English Department, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, Isiaq Yusuf, popularly called I.G. Yusuf, has become an object of ridicule after he was caught naked in his student’s apartment. The fiancé of the 400-level student and his friend, who caught Yusuf while he was allegedly prepared to have sex with her, made him to mop the living room, wash the toilet, and took his nude pictures, which had gone viral. The lecturer had reportedly insisted on sleeping with the student so she could pass ENG 201 titled, “History of English Language in Nigeria”.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has seized vehicles containing weapons, Certificate of Occupancy and keys to exotic cars allegedly belonging to a former governor of Benue, Mr Gabriel Suswam, an official has said. An operative of DSS, Mr Tony Opuiyo, said in a statement that the items were seized in Abuja on Friday. He said the items were recovered at the property of Dunes Investment and Global Properties Ltd, located at No 44 Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama, Abuja.

Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie’s bestseller novel ‘Americanah’ has been selected as one of the five award-winning books to be chosen for the ‘One Book One New York’ programme. The concept of ‘One Book One New York’ is an initiative to bring together bookworms in the U.S. largest city to read the same book at the same time. New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment said a committee made up of “the heads of the New York Public Library, the deans of the major academic institutions, and leaders of the book publishing industry,” all helped to select the five books among hundreds.

A Lagos lawmaker, Mr Segun Olulade on Thursday advised the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on the negative implications of Big Brother Naija on the nation’s culture and youths. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Big Brother Naija is a Reality TV Show sponsored by PayPorte, an online shopping platform, and aired by Africa Magic on DStv.

Here are eight tips on how you can avoid being a victim of ATM fraud. Knowledge, they say, is power: 1. Get in the habit of using the same ATM machine for your transactions. Become familiar with it and be able to recognise changes to the machine. 2. Use ATM machines inside banks rather than on the street where they’re easier for thieves to access. 3. If you’re visiting an unfamiliar ATM machine that is not inside a bank, examine it carefully for devices. Card or cash trapping devices need to be glued or taped to the card reader or cash dispenser. Look for ‘extra’ cameras beyond the basic and generally obvious ATM security camera.

…Says Naira Currently Worst Currency in Africa The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has rued what he described as the manipulation of vital institutions of democracy and radical decline of democratic freedoms in Nigeria. He also said that the solidarity of all key organs and bodies of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) towards the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP National Caretaker Committee, despite the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal on the party’s leadership tussle, showed that “it is not the hood that makes the monk”.

While some Nigerians are praying for President Buhari's health to be restored, others such as Shiite Muslims, aggrieved that their leader has been detained unjustly, decided to hold a ritual for the ailing president to die. Sheikh Ibrahim El Zakzaky, the leader of the Shiite Islamic sect, has been detained since Dec 2015 after his wife, at least three of his sons, and some of his followers were allegedly killed by the Nigerian Army between 2014 and 2015.

The Nigerian Community in South Africa have confirmed attacks and looting of Nigerian-owned businesses in Pretoria West on Saturday. Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, President, Nigeria Union, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Pretoria, South Africa, that the attacks began at 4.00am. He said that the union had reported the incident to the Nigeria mission and South African police.

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has enjoined the People’s Democratic Party PDP faithful not to be anxious over the ruling of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, on the lingering party’s leadership crisis. He stated this on Friday, through a statement signed by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu in Abuja while reacting to the Court judgment.

The wife of Zimbabwe's 92-year-old President, Robert Mugabe, has said that he is so popular that if he died, he could run as a corpse in next year's election and still win votes. Grace Mugabe, 51, was addressing a rally of the governing Zanu-PF party. Mr Mugabe has governed Zimbabwe since the end of white-minority rule in 1980 following a bitterly fought war.

Myself, Rt Honorable Yakubu Dogara and leader of Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan paid a visit to President Buhari in Abuja House in London. We were delighted to see that President Buhari is doing well, was cheerful and in good spirits. 

The Presidency has alerted Nigerians on the possible return of President Muhammadu Buhari from London any moment from today as he is no longer “enjoying his stay’’ outside the country. President Buhari, who proceeded on vacation to UK on Jan. 19 for a routine medical check had indicated in a letter to the Senate, transmitted another letter to the Senate, on Feb. 5, requesting extension of time to complete the medical check-up.

President Muhammadu Buhari will speak with the U.S President, Donald Trump today on phone by 3:45 pm local Nigerian time. President Buhari will be phoning the U.S President from his London base at 9:45 am Washington time, which is 3:45 pm in Nigeria and 2:45 pm in London. In a series of tweets, the Personal Assistant to Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad confirmed the news. 

Teachers from elementary school through college are instructing students on how to decipher fact from fiction when it comes to online news, after an election season that saw made-up stories abound. Some of their media literacy lessons:

A former Delta State governor, James Ibori, who was convicted of money laundering in the United Kingdom, said on Sunday, that he was not a thief. The former governor spoke in public for the first time since his return from the United Kingdom where he served a 13-year jail term for money laundering. Ibori spoke at a thanksgiving service organised in his honour by the people of Oghara Kingdom at the First Baptist Church, Oghara in Delta State.

PRESS STATEMENT CUSTOMS PROMOTES 1,561 JUNIOR OFFICERS The Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) has approved the promotion of 1,561 Junior Officers to various ranks . The promotion which is based on the performances of the personnel at the 2016 promotion examination, annual performance evaluation scores, seniority and available of vacancies at various ranks was released after a thorough vetting to ensure strict adherence to public service promotion guidelines.

Nigeria has moved up nine places to the 41st position in the World football governing body, FIFA monthly ranking for February. Despite missing in action at the concluded Africa Cup of Nations 2017 championship in Gabon, the Gernot Rohr side are also ranked sixth on the continent. They trail Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon, Tunisia, DR Congo and Burkina Faso. The most significant changes for the February edition of the FIFA World Ranking arrive courtesy of matches played at the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

Chairman of Enyimba, Felix Anyansi Agwu has bitterly condemned reports in the media that supporters of Enyimba Football Club are gearing up for protests in Aba over non-completion of work in the stadium. The reports claim that supporters of the club under the aegis of Concerned Enyimba Supporters have concluded plans to march round Aba to demand the immediate completion of the rehabilitation work in the stadium but in an interview in Calabar after Enyimba’s one nil win over Akwa United on Thursday, Felix Anyansi Agwu labelled the reports false and shameful.

The Senate today (Wednesday) directed Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi to withdraw the statement he made in Ilorin on Monday during the North Central Town Hall meeting by the Federal Government in which he claimed that the refusal of the National Assembly to approve the request of the government for foreign loan that will be used for counterpart funding was frustrating  the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan and Ibadan-Ilorin-Minna -Kano rail lines. The Senate in a statement by its spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the statement was not only false, misrepresenting and contradictory to available facts but that it also portrayed the Minister as not in tune with the position of the government in which he is serving.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has appointed Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, as his new Chief of Staff. In a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said the appointment takes immediate effect. Baba Ahmed, 61, was educated at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, London School of Economics and University of Sussex, both in the United Kingdom. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree.

It is the middle of the night, and you are sleeping. All of a sudden, you awaken, however you can not move. Your eyelids will not open, and you cannot move your limbs. You can not even move your fingers and toes. Breathing is challenging. If feels like there is something sitting on your chest and you are specific there is a being sitting on you and making you feel this method. This scary lasts for minutes, but it appears like hours. It’s scary.

The Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has explained that the appointment of Usman Gur Mohammed, who is on secondment from the Africa Development Bank (AFDB), as the new interim Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) was born out of the need to take the Company to a higher level of operational effectiveness and perform its functions optimally.

I'm a Christian and I know it's biblical to pray for our leaders, get well soon Mr President, you might not have performed excellently well as most of us hoped you would but the gift of life is what everyone including you deserve.

LMC would be testing the Live Streaming of NPFL matches to global audience with two matches to be streamed on the Match Day 6 fixtures on Sunday, February 5 from 4pm Nigerian time. The matches are that in Nnewi between FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Rangers International FC and the match at the Sani Abacha Stadium between Kano Pillars and ABS Fc.

The Naira on Friday depreciated further to N500 to a dollar at the parallel market after it had remained stable for nearly three weeks, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The Pound Sterling and the Euro traded at N616 and N530 respectively at the open market. The Nigerian currency, however, remained stable at the Bureau De Change (BDC) segment of the market exchanging at N399 to a dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N617 and N527, respectively.

An Abuja-based General Physician with a private hospital, Dr Godwin Ezeora, has warned that citrus fruits, tomato, chocolate, mint and garlic could be dangerous to the human system. He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that these food items are risk factors for acid reflux disease, which is characterised by burning pain or discomfort in the abdomen or chest and sour taste in the throat or mouth. However, he acknowledged that the fruits are valuable to the body as enhances immune system and strengthens the body.

Prof. Francis Otunta, the Vice Chancellor (VC), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, in Abia state, has confirmed the discovery of a new drug for the treatment and cure of HIV/AIDS.  Otunta told newsmen at the university campus on Wednesday that the finding followed years of scientific research by the institution. He said that the breakthrough was made by Prof. Maduike Ezeibe, a researcher in the university. 

An elderly woman Nozo Zintoyinto who makes a good living predicting the results of soccer matches has given her thoughts on the outcome of the 2017 AFCON final in Gabon. In South Africa, there’s great anticipation among soccer fans ahead of the semifinals later this week of the 2017 African Nations Cup and ghanaweb.com say some South African sangomas, or traditional healers, who claim links to ancient spirits, are doing good business predicting likely winners. Eighty-five-year-old Zintoyinto from the Xhosa ethnic group is one such sangoma. She has been doing it for more than 60 years.

A new video is trending showing footage of Afro-beat singer, Dede Mabiaku walking out on Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina during a radio programme in Lagos.  Dede in the video alleged that Mr Adesina told him to 'shut up' while he was trying to air his views. " I will not use the word shut up, why do you want to hear me, when he had the audacity to tell me to shut up". "I walk out on this, you don't have the right to tell me to shut up because you work for a government", a visibly angry Dede said. Watch the complete video of the interview after the cut...