NewsReports

An Egyptian court sentenced two officers with the secret police to five years in prison on Saturday for beating to death an imprisoned lawyer, the second such verdict in a week. The two officers, a lieutenant colonel and captain with the national security force, had been accused of torturing Karim Hamdi to death in a Cairo police station in February. …

The National Human Rights Commission has conferred the award of `Grand Commander of Human Rights Defenders’ on late Chief Gani Fawehinmi for his contributions to the promotion of human rights in Nigeria. At an award night held on Thursday in Abuja to mark the 20th anniversary of the commission, Fawehinmi was praised for his contributions to check violations of fundamental …

Covered from head to toe and driven by male guardians, Saudi women voted Saturday for the first time, in a tentative step towards easing sex discrimination in the ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom. In another first, women were allowed to stand as candidates in the polls for municipal councils, the country’s only elected public chambers. “Now women have a voice,” Awatef Marzooq …

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated that looters of public funds were making refunds which would be made public by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) when a reasonable target has been achieved. Delivering an address entitled ‘Incorruptibility: A Spiritual Premise for Material Well-being,” at the Osigwe Anyam-Osigwe Foundation lecture in Abuja, on Friday, he spoke about his determination to bring …

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged Nigerians, irrespective of leanings, to rally round the APC–led government to end Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. Chief Olisa Metuh, PDP National Publicity Secretary, gave the advice on Friday in Abuja when he received the executive of an NGO, North Youth Network. The NGO, led by its President, Mr Mike Msuaan, was …

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has suspended fuel import permit of Capital Oil, Sahara Petroleum and Folawiyo Petroleum for three months for alleged profiteering. This was contained in a statement issued by Abimbola Ogan, the DPR spokesperson, on Friday, in Lagos State. Other companies whose permit were suspended are Samon Petroleum, Fynefield Petroleum in Calabar, Cross River State and …

Members Of the Kogi State House of Assembly Have Impeached The Speaker, Alhaji Jimoh Lawal, for incompetence and misconduct. The Speaker was impeached today along with his deputy, Ali Akuh, and minority leader, Hassan Bello. Lawal, whose impeachment was endorsed by 17 out of the 25 members of the Assembly, was replaced by Godwin Osuyo with John Abbah as the …

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Rivers State branch, has said it will continue to sell fuel above government-approved pump prices unless the depots comply with the same directive. IPMAN made this vow on Thursday at the annual meeting of the Department of Petroleum Resources, depot owners and other stakeholders in the oil sector. Premum motor spirit also known …

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered that businessman and former Chairman of Daar Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, be returned to the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ‎after hearing his bail application. Dokpesi was on Wednesday arraigned along with his firm, Daar Investment and Holdings Ltd, ‎on six counts of money laundering and procurement …

ABUJA – Federal Government has proposed a national budget of N6 trillion for 2016 fiscal year, allocating 30 percent of the budget to the capital expenditure. It has also approved and submitted the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, to the National Assembly. Briefing State House Correspondents after an emergency meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, presided by President Muhammadu …