Ambode pledges improvement in children’s welfare

The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has promised to improve on the welfare of children in the state.

He appealed to parents and guardians to play their roles by bringing up the children in the fear of God.

The governor spoke at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, at a children’s party organised by the state government to mark the end of the year on Tuesday.

Lagos spends N1bn to train 15,000 workers

The Lagos State Government says it has expended N1bn to train no fewer than 15,000 public servants this year.

The Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr Benson Oke, stated this on Tuesday during the opening of a three-day specialised training, organised by the state government in collaboration with Vitech Trainer.

The commissioner said, “The N1bn budgeted for training of public servants for this year has been judiciously used in training over 15,000 public servants, both locally and outside the country.

I killed my mother because she demanded sex – 33-year-old man

A 33-year-old man, Segun Ogunlusi, who allegedly killed his mother, Abimbola Ogunlusi, on Tuesday, December 13, 2016, says he killed her because she persistently asked him for sex.

The suspect was paraded at the Ogun State Police Command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Tuesday by the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu.

Also paraded were 23 other suspects who were held for alleged robbery, stealing, cultism, and kidnapping.

Recession won’t end soon, says Obi

A former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, on Tuesday, said the economic recession in the country would last longer than expected.

He stated this at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, while inaugurating a building donated to the radio station of the Department of Mass Communication, NAU, by the institution’s Dean of Social Sciences, Prof. Chinyere Okunna.

Customs intercept 102 bags of plastic rice

The Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja, of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 102 bags of plastic rice branded “Beat Tomato Rice’’ with no date of manufacture.

The Customs Area Controller of  F.O.U. Comptroller Mohammed Haruna, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos.

He said that the commodity was stored for distribution as Yuletide gifts for the public.

Police frustrated trial of Ige’s killers, says Keyamo

Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, on Tuesday insisted that the killers of the late Minister of Justice, Bola Ige, escaped justice because the state was complicit in his murder.

Keyamo stressed that Ige’s murder was not resolved because “it’s the case of the killer looking for the killer.”

Ige was killed by unknown men on December 23, 2001, in his Ibadan home. December 23, 2016, marks his 15th year death anniversary.

EFCC corrupt – Fayose

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as unfit to fight corruption because it is “an irresponsible and corrupt organisation.”

The governor, who commended the judiciary for standing firm against the “EFCC’s tyranny,” said the way and manner the commission had been going about shopping for court orders against Nigerians should concern lovers of the rule of law in the country.

Mischievous elements shot video of soldiers begging for water – Army

The Nigerian Army says the video of soldiers begging for water and food, which went viral on Tuesday, was shot by “mischievous and disgruntled elements”.

The video, which was uploaded on YouTube, showed several soldiers at Alargarno in Borno State, lamenting their lack of food and water and seeking the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, following the release of the video to the public, the Nigerian Army said the problem was caused by a mischievous soldier, who had since been punished.

Lassa fever kills two in Ogun, nurses flee

Activities at the Federal Medical Centre,  Idi-Aba,  Abeokuta, Ogun State, were paralysed on Tuesday  as medical personnel and patients deserted the hospital due to fear of Lassa fever which claimed two lives in the hospital.

The victims were an assistant nursing officer, Abolanle Adesuyi, and a serving corps member, whose identity could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

The resurgence of the viral disease came barely four months after the state government declared the state Lassa fever free.

The late corps member was said to be a patient who had been down with the viral disease and had been admitted into the FMC, Abeokuta.

11 wedding guests, children die in Ondo crash

No fewer than 11 people lost their lives, while five others are in a critical condition after a fully-loaded commercial bus collided with a Dangote trailer at the Akintelu end of the Benin-Sagamu Expressway.

The commercial bus, owned by Efex Motors, with number plate, Badagry DG 36 ASJ, was said to be conveying mostly guests of a wedding that held in Benin, the Edo State capital.

They were said to be heading for Lagos on Sunday, when their vehicle collided with the overloaded Dangote Cement trailer, heading towards Ore.

Police hunt gang for beheading DSP

The Police in Rivers say they are tracking more persons suspected to be involved in the beheading of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Muhammed Alkali, and his driver in Port Harcourt.

The spokesman of the Rivers Command of the police, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, said in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that the persons earlier arrested had given them useful information.

Omoni said the arrest of the suspects would help the police in the murder case.

Russia envoy killer ‘used police ID’ to enter Ankara show

The Turkish policeman who assassinated Russian ambassador to Ankara Andrei Karlov at an exhibition centre used his police ID to enter the show while armed, the local municipality said.

Mevlut Mert Altintas, 22, did not go through the metal detector security check when he entered the exhibition in central Ankara and was warned by a security officer, said the Cankaya municipality in Ankara where the exhibition centre is located.

Man rapes, impregnates his teenage daughter

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday adjourned till January 19, the trial of a 53-year-old -farmer, Yesiru Onajobi, facing charges of incest.

Onajobi is being prosecuted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters.

The resident of Bogije Street, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, is standing trial on a two-count of unlawful carnal knowledge of his teenage daughter.

Facebook faces €200m fine for ‘misleading’ EU in Whatsapp buyout

The European Union charged Facebook on Tuesday with providing “misleading” information when it sought approval for its blockbuster $22bn buyout of the WhatsApp mobile messaging service.

The European Commission said the EU’s greenlight of the buyout, announced in October 2014, was not in jeopardy but the social network could face almost two hundred million euros in fines.

With the charge, Facebook joins Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft among the US-based tech giants caught in major EU competition probes.

Proposed data tariff hike’ll prevent monopoly – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission has said the proposed hike in data tariff by telecommunication companies is meant to protect the interest of the subscribers and prevent monopoly.

The Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of the NCC, Mr. Ismail Adedigba, said this in Osogbo on the sidelines of the 81st consumer outreach programme held in Osogbo.

Man gets N100,000 bail for snatching bag containing N4,000

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Tuesday slammed a N100,000 bail on a motorcyclist, Saheed Olayinka, who snatched a bag containing N4,000 belonging to Mrs Taiwo Olasumbo.

The Magistrate, Mr A.A Adesanya granted the accused bail after he pleaded not guilty to a two-count of conspiracy and stealing.

Passengers stranded as workers shut down Arik Air operations

Aviation unions on Tuesday shut down the operations of Arik Air, leaving hundreds of the airline’s passengers stranded across the country.

The strike was embarked upon by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers.

U.S. provides additional N71.5bn to fight poverty in Nigeria

The United States Agency for International Development has announced $227.3m (about N71.5 billion) additional developmental assistance to support the five-year $2.3bn agreement signed with the Federal Government in 2015.

The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, made the announcement in a statement issued to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

Tight security as Abia council polls hold today

The Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Mr. Adeleye Oyebade, has said the State Police command will provide adequate security across the seventeen local government areas of the State to ensure a smooth conduct of the local government election today.

He stated that the Nigerian constitution guarantees that there must be adequate security during elections at the local councils because the people at the grassroots were involved.

Budget padding: Absence of Judge stalls Jibrin’s case

The absence of the judge presiding over Abdulmuni Jibril Kofa’s case against the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday stalled the sitting of the Federal High Court, Kano.

The Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency sued the National Assembly and Speaker Yakubu Dogara, challenging the legality of suspending their member, Abdulmumini Jibrin Kofar, from the National Assembly.

[Revealed] Hilary Clinton lost more votes than Trump in the Electoral College

America’s President-Elect Donald Trump has taken to his twitter handle to celebrate what he called “official declaration” that he had won the election.

Taking a swipe at the media which he described as “distorted and inaccurate,” the 70-year-old billionaire tweeted, “We did it! Thank you to all of my great supporters, we just officially won the election (despite all of the distorted and inaccurate media).”