NewsReports

The staff and management of Nigeria’s Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) between 2016 and 2017 helped themselves with several ‘irregular’ and unapproved allowances totalling N6.8 billion, a recently released audit report has revealed. These infractions were recorded during the reign of Usman Yusuf, the controversially sacked NHIS Executive Secretary, according to the 2017 Annual Audit from the Office of the Auditor-General of the …

My Biafra War Story 50 Years on Professor Pat Utomi describes the genocide as only second to the holocaust. And this happened on our shores. As JP Clark aptly put it in his poem, The casualties, the casualties were not only those who died. Many of us were. Millions were killed. Pregnant women were decapitated. Innocent civilians mowed down. I …

The Organised Private Sector on Monday warned the government against fleecing the people and endangering productivity. They spoke in response to the signing of the Finance Bill into law by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) in Abuja. The law heralds a new regime of Value Added Tax rate of 7.5 per cent, up from five per cent. The …

BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON Fresh allegations of commercialized arrests, bordering on extortion have hit the Edo State Police Command, with a call on the Commissioner of Police (CP), Lawan Jimeta to carefully examine the activities of his heads of tactical units and divisions in the state. Some residents and security experts in the state are crying out and advising the State …

•NBA wants operation manual published as SANs back govs•It’s a good move to protect their people, says IPOB•Northern youths kick, insist it’s military wing of OPC Following controversies that have greeted the setting up of Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), code-named ‘Operation Amotekun’, the federal government said last night it was analysing the development and would make its position known …

Before the launch of Operation Amotekun by South-west governors, 23 states in the country were operating local security outfits to complement the efforts of the police, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed. The operation unveiled last week by the governors to help enhance the safety of the region against kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and related crimes, has attracted controversy as some northern …

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it will field young governorship candidate in the forthcoming election in Edo in line with the democratic trend. The party Chairman in Edo, Chief Dan Orbih, made this known on Sunday at a rally in Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state. Orbih said that the emerging interests were young and intelligent party …

In this interview with ADELANI ADEPEGBA, a former Director of Trade and Investment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Rasheed Akinkuolie, examines the issues around the closure of Nigeria’s borders What is your assessment of the border closure? Border closure is not something you do casually. You may close it, in case of a war, to prevent an incursion into your territory. …

The police on Sunday strongly warned the  South-West Stakeholders Security Group working with the Western Nigeria Security Outfit codenamed Operation Amotekun (leopard), against any breach of security. The police commands in Ekiti, Ogun and Ondo states during separate interviews with our correspondents, said they would not tolerate illegal possession of firearms by the members of the group. They said anybody …

Strong indications have emerged that the United Kingdom Government is in the process of returning $9.6m of Ibori loot to Nigeria, but that the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is withholding this information from the Government of Delta State, whose people are the original owners of the money. Rights Group, the Delta State Civil Society Coalition on Grand Corruption (DSCGC) raised …