EFCC Should Probe Nollywood- Shan George

The popular Nollywood actress Shan George, who recently threatened pirates with “local charm”, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to probe Nollywood.


Shan told the EFCC, to beam its searchlight on the movie industry after the Bank of Industry denied receiving $200 million from the former president Goodluck Jonathan for the movie industry.

According to Daily Post, the actress said she believed that the money had been squandered by some people in the industry.

Shan said: “I’m using this fine morning to ask this fine question. Who ate the money ex-president Jonathan gave to Nollywood? EFCC please probe this.”

The Nollywood actor Lari Williams also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the $200 million released to the movie industry by the Jonathan administration, but the Bank of Industry released a statement saying that they did not receive any money.

Olamide, Davido, Others Battle Over Lekki Land

It is the survival of the fittest and battle of the heavyweights as Olamide, Davido, Patoranking, Kiss Daniel and other Nigerian stars battle for a plot of land at the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

They will take their battle to the annual Beat of Lagos 2015 concert scheduled to be held on Sunday, August 30, 2015 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.


The event has the backing of the Lagos state government through the Ministry of Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations.

Beat of Lagos 2015 will witness performances from its official talent sponsors Chocolate City with signees, MI Abaga, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, Ruby Gyang, Victoria Kimani ,DJ Caise set to thrill the crowd.




The Beat of Lagos award was introduced last year with Lagosians asked to vote online for their favourite song in the year in review. Dorobucci by Mavin crew was the winner of the maiden edition.


The organizers decided to take the stakes higher this year by offering the winner of this year a plot of land at the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

The songs that will battle it out this year are: Woju Remix by Kiss Daniel ft Tiwa Savage and Davido, Sade by Adekunle Gold, Do Something by Koker, My Woman My Everything byPatoranking ft Wande Coal and Bobo by Olamide.

Lagos Police Inspector Accidentally Shoots Self

A Lagos police inspector simply identified as Medugwu has died from gunshot wounds he sustained while adjusting a faulty rifle at the Mobile Police Force 20, in the Ikeja area of Lagos.

The incident happed around 10 a.m on Tuesday, August 25 when the deceased, who was the second in command to the armourer accidentally, pulled the trigger of a faulty rifle, sending a bullet into his jaw which fatally wounded him.

The Punch reported that on the fateful morning, a police officer had brought the gun to Medugwu to complain about the weapon’s malfunctioning. He was said to have been fingering the rifle, trying to find out the problem when he accidentally pulled the trigger and shot himself.

He was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital by the policemen present at the scene but passed away around 1 p.m.

According to The Punch, a policeman who claimed to witness the accident said the inspector’s head was badly injured from the gun shot.

“He was the second-in-command at the armoury in the MOPOL 20. A policeman brought a faulty rifle to his office to examine. While he was doing that, he mistakenly turned the barrel of the gun on himself, and he mistakenly pulled the trigger.




“We rushed him to LASUTH, where the medical personnel battled to save his life. But, he died at about 1.p.m. His head was badly injured. Medugwu’s death shook all of us.”

In a another incident, a police officer was ran over by a trailer when he was trying to apprehend a bus driver.

See list of illegal tertiary institutions as released by NUC

 Below is a list of illegal degree awarding Institutions operating in different parts of Nigeria as released by the National Universities Commission on August 24th. The NUC Executive secretary, Julius Okojie, says anyone who patronise these schools, do so at their own risk. Full list after the cut..



Full list:
1. University of Accountancy and Management Studies, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
2. Christians of Charity American University of Science and Technology Nkpor, Anambra State or any of its campuses.
3. University of Industry, Yaba, Lagos or any of its other campuses.
4. University of applied Sciences and Management Port Novo, Republic of Benin or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
5. Blacksmith University, Awka or any of its campuses.
6. Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana or any of its other campuses in Nigeria.
7. Royal University Izhia, P.O. Box 800, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State or any of its other campuses.
8. Atlanta University, Anyigba, Kogi State or any of its other campuses.
9. Sunday Adokpela University, Otada Adoka, Otukpo, Benue State or any of its other campuses.
10. United Christian University, Macotis Campus, Imo State or any of its other campuses.
11. United Nigeria University College, Okija, Anambra State or any of its other campuses.
12. Samuel Ahmadu University, Makurdi, Benue State or any of its other campuses.
13. UNESCO University, Ndoni, Rivers State or any of its other campuses.
14. Saint Augustine’s University of Technology, Jos Plateau State or any of its other campuses.
15. The International University, Missouri, USA, Kano and Lagos Study Centres, or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
16. Columbus University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
17. Tiu International University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
18. Pebbles University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
19. London External Studies UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
20. Pilgrims University operating anywhere in Nigeria.
21. Lobi Business School Makurdi, Benue State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
22. West African Christian University operating anywhere in Nigeria.
23. Bolta University College Aba or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
24. JBC Seminary Inc. (Wukari Jubilee University) Kaduna Illegal Campus.
25. Westlan University, Esie, Kwara State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
26. St. Andrews University College, Abuja or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
27. EC- Council University, USA, Ikeja Lagos Study Centre.
28. Atlas University, Ikot Udoso Uko, Uyo Akwa Ibom State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
29. Concept College/University (London) Ilorin or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
30. Halifax Gateway University, Ikeja or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
31. Kingdom of Christ University, Abuja or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
32. Acada University, Akinlalu, Oyo State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
33. Fifom University, Mbaise, Imo State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
34. Houdegbe North American University Campuses In Nigeria.
35. Atlantic International University, Okija, Anambra State.
36. Open International University, Akure.
37. Middle Belt University (North Central University), Otukpo.
38. Leadway University, Ugheli, Delta State.
39. Metro University, Dutse/Bwari, Abuja.
40. Southend University, Ngwuro Egeru (Afam) Ndoki, Rivers State.
41. Olympic University, Nsukka, Enugu State.
42. Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Abuja.
43. Temple University.
44. Irish University Business School London, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
45. National University of Technology, Lafia, Nasarawa State.
46. University of Accountability and Management Studies, Mowe, Lagos Ibadan Expressway and its Annex at 41, Ikorodu Road Lagos.
47. University of Education, Winneba Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
48. Cape Cost University, Ghana, operating anywhere inNigeria.
49. African University Cooperative Development (AUCD), Cotonou, Benin Republic, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
50. Pacific Western University, Denver, Colorado, Owerri Study Centre.
51. Evangel University of America and Chudick Management Academic, Lagos.
52. Enugu State University of Science and Technology (Gboko Campus).
53. Career Light Resources Centre, Jos.
54. University of West Africa, kwali-Abuja, FCT.
55. Coastal University, Iba-Oku, Akwa-Ibom State.
56. Kaduna Business School, Kaduna.
57. Royal University of Theology, Minna, Niger Delta.
The NUC listed another eight illegal institutions as currently undergoing investigations and court actions. The commission said the action will lead to the prosecution of the proprietors and recovery of illegal fees and charges on subscribers.
Below is a list of the illegal Universities
1. National University of Nigeria, Keffi, Nasarawa state.
2. North Central University, Otukpo, Benue State.
3. Christ Alive Christian Seminary and University, Enugu.
4. Richmond Open University, Arochukwu, Abia State.
5. West Coast University, Umuahia.
6. Saint Clements University, Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State.
7. Volta University College, Aba, Abia State.
8. Illegal Satellite Campuses of Ambrose Ali University.

Pirates attack boat, abduct 2 monarchs, one security escort in Bayelsa

Unidentified gunmen suspected to be sea pirates on Wednesday, attacked two passenger boats and kidnapped three persons along the Ogbia to Brass waterways in Bayelsa.

Asinim Butswat, Police Spokesman for Bayelsa Command, confirmed the development on Thursday but said that details were still sketchy,
“I am waiting for details.”, Butwat said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the abducted victims were two Okpoama community Chiefs, identified as Chief Blessing Wagio and Chief Isaac Akono-Igolo, as well as a security man whose identity could not be ascertained.

The victims’ boats reportedly left the Ogbia water front at about 2pm on Wednesday for Brass, when they came under attack around Kiberibio area of the Ogbia-Brass waterway.

A staff of the state Ministry of Education heading to Brass, a naval officer and a former Chief Librarian in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Chief Jigekuma Ombu-Kieri, escaped the attack unhurt.

An eyewitness in one of the boats, Mrs Kilete Arum, also told NAN that she saw an unidentified man lying face down in the pirates’ speed boat when they were being dispossessed of their valuables.

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Australia Supports Disabled Nigerian Women With N119m

The Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, HE Jonathan Richardson, on Thursday said he was proud of his country's assistance to Nigeria with N119m in its efforts at empowering and supporting people with disability especially women.

The High Commissioner to Nigeria disclosed this at a press briefing tagged “The Way Forward for Persons with Disability in Nigeria" held at the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja.

The event was hosted by Patience Ogolo-Dickson, National Coordinator of Advocacy for Women With a Disability Initiative (AWWDI), whose work the Australian government supports through its project partners CBM Nigeria and CBM Australia.

Details later

Nigerians okay planned merger of MDAs, EFCC, ICPC, others

File Photo

A RECENT poll result from a partnership between NOI Polls Limited and a media organisation has revealed that most Nigerians have endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari’s proposal to merge some ministries and parastatals.

Majority of Nigerians (72 per cent) support the proposed merger of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government, with the fusion of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Further findings indicates that most Nigerians (65 per cent) are well informed of the President’s decision to appoint his ministers in September 2015, which was made public after the publication by the Washington Post in July 2015 of the President’s article titled: “Nigeria Committed to Good Governance and Fighting Terror”(1). This decision stirred varying opinions from Nigerians.

On the one hand, most Nigerians (87 per cent) consider September 2015 as a good time for the President to appoint his ministers, citing ‘he needs time to select the best persons’ (31 per cent), ‘for better governance’ (13 per cent), among other reasons.

On the other hand, some Nigerians viewed the President’s decision as a delay, while reporting that the appointment of the ministers is ‘long overdue’ (61 per cent of 13 per cent), and has resulted in ‘delay in the execution of programmes’ (14 per cent of 13 per cent) as well as ‘economic stagnation’ (12 per cent of 13 per cent).

More than half (58 per cent) of Nigerians surveyed showed awareness of the proposed merging of some ministries and parastatals by the President; following the recommendation of the transition committee to reduce the number of ministries from its present number 42 to 19, with the aim of reducing the cost of governance as well as making these agencies more effective and responsive to the needs of Nigerians.

In conclusion, the poll has revealed that most Nigerians (65 per cent) are aware and in support (87 per cent) of the President’s decision to appoint his ministers in September 2015; mainly as they believe ‘the President needs time to select the best persons’ (31 per cent) to serve in this capacity; which in turn would aid good governance.

Although some Nigerians (13 per cent) showed no support for the appointment of ministers in September as they believe this exercise is ‘long overdue’ (61 per cent), and has caused ‘delay in the execution of programmes’ (14 per cent) among other reasons.

Similarly, more than half of the Nigerian adult population (58 per cent) are aware of the President’s proposition to merge some ministries and parastatals to reduce their current figure from 42 to 19; and a higher proportion of
Nigerians in this category (72 per cent) confirmed their support for the proposed merging of some ministries and parastatals.

In line with this, a larger proportion (16 per cent) of them suggesting that the EFCC and ICPC should be merged together.

Children Threatened By Malnutrition

About 400,000 Nigerian children die of malnutrition yearly

With 1.7 million children severely malnourished and about 1,000 dying every day in Nigeria due to the menace, Martins Ifijeh writes on why the government, health bodies, parents and the society must give priority to eradicating the scourge from the country.

The Nigerian government may not be at war at the moment, safe for the fight to defeat Boko Haram, as that has been in the front burner for the present government. But the Nigerian child is at war with malnutrition and unfortunately, they are presently loosing the battle, as over 1.7 million infants and children under age five are severely malnourished and wasting away in the country.

A report last week by the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and the Federal Ministry of Health showed that about 1,000 children die everyday in the country due to malnutrition- related issues, which means almost 400,000 children die from malnourishment every year.

In a survey conducted in 2013, almost 30 percent of Nigerian children are underweight, while the ratio of those who are wasted or too thin for their height has risen from 11 per cent in 2003 to 18 per cent in 2013.

The survey also showed that up to one million Nigerian children under age five suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), while four out of five do not meet the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life.

Children, they say, are the responsibility of the parents and the society because of the illumination they bring and the hope of a sustained future they resonate among adults and the society in general. And hence the responsibility to protect them from things that deems the illumination and hope seen through them.

It is in this regard that experts are saying that malnutrition and its related issues must be tackled head on, and that government, health bodies, parents and well meaning Nigerians must come to the aid of saving the Nigerian child.

According to a public health physician, Dr. Marcus Obasohan, issues of nutrition can be tackled from long term perspective involving tackling the root cause, and the short term perspective which involves having to identify malnourished persons and treating them adequately.

He stated that tackling the root cause means tackling poverty, insecurity, general re-orientation of the society on breast feeding and then how to adequately take care of new borns.

He said: “Despite being the largest economy in Africa, a lot of Nigerians are still living below poverty line and are unable to feed themselves and their children. How would such families take care of their children. The high poverty rate in the country is why the number of children affected by malnutrition is high. This new government should make eradication of poverty one of its cardinal priority,” he added.

On issues of insecurity, Obasohan said the bulk of children affected by the menace were from the north, a region currently affected by heinous activities of Boko Haram. “Most villages affected by insurgency have seen residents flee their homes and abandoning their farmlands to live in places where they can neither farm nor work, thereby increasing their poverty level and their inability to provide food for themselves and their children,” he said.

He said the government should niche it in the bud by bringing lasting peace to the region, and also commence rehabilitation of displaced persons.

“Now that President Buhari has given a deadline for peace to return, we pray it truly returns, because insecurity has greatly affected nutritional status of the people in that region, especially children,” he added.

On the short term perspective, Obasohan said it was necessary that affected children be taken to healthcare centres where acute malnutrition was being treated, so that treatment, including therapeutic food can be given to the malnourished children.

He called on government to identify such children across the country and set up programmes for their rehabilitation and care.

According to experts, malnutrition is a condition that occurs when people consistently do not consume or ingest the right amounts and types of food and essential ingredients in order to get the required nutrients for the body. 

A Nutritionist, Mrs. Faith Olaoluwa, in a chat with THISDAY, explained that malnutrition was one of the biggest killers of children, as it not only wastes their muscles which makes them underweight and thin, but also weakens their immune system, thereby causing preventable diseases and infections to thrive in the body.

She said apart from the fact that malnutrition causes high rate of death, it also causes stunted growth in children, diminishes their immune system, causes lack of cognitive ability to learn fast, among others.

“Pregnant mothers should also eat well nourished food so that they don’t give birth to underweight children.” Adding, she said, “underweight children or stunted growth also causes the brain to be underdeveloped, which on the long run would make such children to not add to the development of the society when they eventually grow up,” she noted.

Olaoluwa called on mothers to feed their children with exclusive breast milk for the recommended period of at least six months, has been proven to give aid to the growth and mental capacity of children.

She noted that a lot of new borns and infants in the country were not receiving the standard diet which was abundant in breast feeding. “Breast milk contains hormones, all nutrients needed for the ideal growth of children as well as antibodies that help wade off infections and diseases,” she said.

She explained that if the country’s population continue to rise while economy continue to dwindle, the issue of malnutrition will continue to resonate in the country. “People should also understand the times and then prune down on the number of children they give birth to. They should be able to match number of children with their income since feeding a child adequately or not would most likely depend on how much of such food the parents can afford.

“It is sad that we see parents whose income can not cater for a family of four, but would rather have over eight children. How can such family afford proper and balanced diets for their children and themselves?” She queried.

She also stressed that the problem of malnutrition was not limited to parents alone, adding that the government, organisations and health bodies must make eradication of the scourge a priority in the country through deliberate policies that targets children’s health and general nutrition.

She called on the government to give priority to the welfare of children, as they are the future of the country.

Meanwhile, UNICEF and the Federal Government has stated during their joint press conference last week that they have reached more than a million Nigerian children with a highly successful and cost-effective treatment for acutely malnourished children, saving over 200,000 lives in the past six years.

They said one of the efforts to eradicate malnutrition in the country was the Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), which was piloted in Gombe and Kebbi States in 2009 and has now been introduced in 11 northern Nigerian states where malnutrition poses the greatest threat.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr Linus Awute, said the government was committed to reaching more children with CMAM. “We cannot accept to see Nigerian children continue to die of malnutrition and that our potential future leaders should be diminished by its effects,” he added.

Smartphones creating negative social skills

PHOTO: themarketingbit.com

It’s OK to use your smartphone walking down the street or on public transportation. But not at a family dinner. And definitely not in church.

Users of mobile devices are struggling to find the rules of the road for how and when to use the devices around others, but a survey out Wednesday shows a surprising consensus.

The Pew Research Center found 77 percent of Americans polled felt it was acceptable to use a smartphone while strolling down the street. Three-fourths also said it was OK on public transit or while waiting in line at the store.

But 88 percent said a family dinner was not an appropriate place for phone use and most said the same about a meeting (94 percent), the movie theater (95 percent) and a place of worship (96 percent).

But survey respondents did not always practice what they preached.

Eighty-nine percent said they used their phone during a social gathering — 61 percent to read a text message or email, 58 percent to take a photo or video, 52 percent to receive a call, and 25 percent to surf the web, for example.

Etiquette has become a challenge as more people keep their smartphones on and with them at all times, Pew noted.

Pew found 92 percent of US adults now have a cellphone of some kind, with two-thirds owning a smartphone. Some 90 percent of them say that their phone is always with them. Thirty-one percent said they never turn their phone off and 45 percent say they rarely turn it off.

“This ‘always-on’ reality has disrupted longstanding social norms about when it is appropriate for people to shift their attention away from their physical conversations and interactions with others, and towards digital encounters with people and information that are enabled by their mobile phone,” said Lee Rainie, Pew’s director of Internet research.

“These are issues with important social consequences. Norms of etiquette are not just small-scale social niceties. They affect fundamental human interactions and the character of public spaces.”

The survey found that conduct which might have been considered rude in the past is now gaining acceptance.

Two-thirds of cell owners frequently or occasionally look up information about where they are going or how to get there, and 70 percent coordinate get-togethers with others using their device.

Some 23 percent of cellphone owners say that when they are in public spaces they use their device to avoid interacting with others.

The survey found younger adults between the ages of 18 and 29 are most tolerant of public mobile device usage.

Ninety percent of this group said phone use on public transportation is acceptable compared with 54 percent of people 65 and older.

This group is also most likely to use their cellphone in public spaces, the survey found.

But Rainie noted that “Americans of all ages generally trend in the same direction about when it is okay or not to use cells in public settings.”

He said that fully public venues are viewed by all age groups as generally acceptable places to use a phone but that “usage in quiet or more intimate settings is mostly frowned upon by all.”

The findings are based on a survey of 3,217 adults, 3,042 of whom are cellphone users, in May and June 2014. The margin of error was estimated between 2.2 and 2.3 percent.

NNPC cancels contracts for crude oil delivery to refineries

General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe

• Okays seven firms for fresh bids

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has cancelled contracts for supply of oil to refineries among other steps aimed at boosting operational efficiency.

General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday said the new measures would strengthen the corporation across its value chain.

He added that the steps were taken after proper evaluation in line with the terms of contract for delivery of crude oil to the nation’s refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, after which the corporation cancelled the current contract due to exorbitant cost and inappropriate process of engagement.

It noted that, as a stop-gap measure, NIDAS Marine Limited, a subsidiary of the NNPC, has been engaged to provide crude delivery service on negotiated industry standard rate pending the establishment of substantive contract. “We have also commenced a rigorous and transparent process of securing capable and competitive contractors for the delivery of crude oil by marine vessels to Port Harcourt and Warri/Kaduna refineries, pending the restoration of the crude pipeline infrastructure,” the corporation stated.

The NNPC explained that it resorted to the delivery of crude oil to the refineries by marine vessels following incessant attacks on the Bonny-Port Harcourt refinery pipeline and the Escravos crude pipelines by vandals and oil thieves, which resulted in complete unavailability of the pipelines in 2013.

It also announced the termination of the Offshore Processing Agreements (OPA) entered into in January 2015 with three companies, namely- Duke Oil Company Inc., Aiteo Energy Resources Limited and Sahara Energy Resources (Nig) Ltd.

Under the agreement, NNPC allocates a total of 210, 000 barrels of crude oil per day for refining at offshore locations in exchange for petroleum products at pre-agreed yield pattern.

It added: “However, after detailed appraisal of the operation and its terms of agreement, the NNPC is convinced that the current OPA is skewed in favour of the companies such that the value of product delivered is significantly lower than the equivalent crude oil allocated for the programme.”

NNPC also observed that the structure of the agreement does not guarantee unimpeded supply of petroleum products, as delivery terms were not optimal.

To address these lapses, NNPC hinted that it has commenced the process of establishing alternative OPA based on optimum yield pattern with tender processing fees. “After due appraisal of performance trajectory, we have invited Messrs.

Oando, Sahara Energy, Calson, MRS, Duke Oil, BP/Nigermed and Total Trading to bid for the new Offshore Processing Agreement while we have engaged AITEO, Sahara Energy and Duke Oil to exit the current OPA,” it explained.

On the status of the crude for product exchange agreement (SWAP) reportedly entered into by the NNPC and some oil traders, the corporation informed that the last SWAP arrangement lapsed in December 2014 and was never renewed.

The NNPC also informed that it has obtained the permission of President Muhammadu Buhari to kick-start the tendering process for the 2015/2016 Crude Oil Term Contract for the evacuation of Nigeria’s crude oil equity from the various crude and condensate production arrangements.

The Corporation noted that the process, which would commence with the advertisement of the Crude Oil Term contract in both National and International print media for a period of one month, has been carefully structured to weed out ‘briefcase companies’ and rent seekers.

Power generation hits 4,748 megawatts

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says it has recorded another peak generation of 4,748 Megawatts of electricity.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mr. Dipak Sarma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (System Operation/Market Operation) of TCN in Abuja on Tuesday.
The statement said the feat was made possible due to a coordinated effort of TCN with the generating companies and the distribution companies.
It said that this was based on the wheeling capability of the TCN network and implementation of ‘real-time online power optimisation tools’ developed by the company’s National Control Centre (NCC).
It said that more megawatts could be generated since fuel supply to the generators had been stable and adequate.