News Desk Saturday, June 02, 2007

Drama, as Okiro is named new Police IG

ABUJA — PRESIDENT Umar Musa Yar’Adua, yesterday, appointed Mr. Mike Okiro as 13th Inspector-General of Police. Until his appointment, the new IGP was the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Works. more>>

Militants abduct 10 Indians in P-Harcourt

PORT HARCOURT — Daring militants in the Niger Delta region early on Friday morning attacked the Agbajo staff quarters of an Indian firm in Port Harcourt, Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Company Limited (EPCL) and abducted 10 Indians, including EPCL’s managing director, Mr. Arun Taneja. more>>

Abia Gov recalls days in Kirikiri

THE swearing-in of Chief Theodore Ahamefuna Orji on Tuesday as the third elected governor of Abia state could pass as one of the surprises of the present democratic dispensation. Even on the day of the ceremony, many people in Abia still doubted whether the embattled governor would make it in view of the uncertainty that enveloped the state, especially at the seat of government in Umuahia. more>>

Fashola woos Yar'Adua, appoints Hakeem Bello SSA on Media

LAGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has said that his administration would liaise with the Federal Government with a view of reversing those policies that negatively affects the masses, just as he condemned the recent hike in fuel price. more>>

No money to mprosecute ex-governors, says ICPC

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has said that non-availability of funds is stalling the prosecution of former governors who are being accused of corruption. The anti-corruption agency said it had compiled the names of the former governors and forwarded it to the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Kutigi, who is expected to appoint independent counsels to handle the prosecution. more>>

Militants kill two policemen, kidnap three EPCL managers

Daring Niger Delta militants on Friday stormed the residence of Indians working for the Eleme Petrochemical Company and took away eight persons to an unknown destination.more>>

We Failed

Truths about core issues of the nation and its segments have started surfacing. They come from the major central players who now have left office. One of such is Chief Achike Udenwa, former Imo State Governor. Last Saturday, during an encounter with the former state CEO in Government House Owerri, the PDP chieftain and core player in the affairs that shaped Igbo politics for the last eight years admitted that his generation of politicians of Igbo extraction failed the ethnic group which he described as the most populous in Nigeria. more>>

Mark, Ekweremadu set to Clinch Leadership

Indications yesterday emerged that returning senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have endorsed the party’s caucus decision on the choice of Senator David Mark as the President of the Senate and Senator Ike Ekweremadu as deputy. The ranking senators met at the A32 residence of Mark last Thursday night to support the position of the party on zoning as well as the candidates that emerged from the PDP shadow primary election held at the caucus. more>>

Nigeria Militants Release Six Chevron Oil Workers

June 2 (Bloomberg) -- Nigeria's main militant group freed six Chevron Corp. workers held hostage since May 1 and pledged to halt attacks on Africa's biggest oil industry for a month to spur President Umaru Yar'Adua into starting talks. more>>

Nigerian Militants Pledge 1 month halt in oil region attacks

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) _ The Nigerian militant group whose oil-region attacks have spurred global crude prices higher announced a one-month ceasefire on Saturday, offering newly inaugurated President Umaru Yar‘Adua an opening to solve the crisis that has roiled Africa‘s oil giant. more>>