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Nigeria said it was expecting telecoms giant MTN to meet a deadline for paying a record $3.9 billion fine which expires Thursday 31 st December, 2015 despite the South African operator challenging the penalty in court. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the country’s telecoms regulator, had in October fined the firm for missing a deadline to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered SIM cards, citing security concerns in a country plagued by frequent kidnappings and an extremist Islamist insurgency Boko Haram. It imposed a w hopping $5.2 billion fine, later reduced to $3.9 billion (3.6 billion euros) following an appeal by MTN.  “If MTN fails to meet the deadline today (Thursday), the regulatory body will enforce the fine,” Nigerian communications ministry spokesman Victor Oluwadamilare told AFP. Oluwadamilare said the pending legal proceedings had nothing to do with the payment deadline...

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reversed the judgement of the Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which sacked governor Darius Ishaku of the People Democratic Party, PDP. In a unanimous judgment this afternoon, the appellate court panel headed by Justice Justice Abdul Aboky, held that the tribunal acted outside its jurisdiction when it invalidated Ishaku’s election on the premise that he was not validly nominated by the PDP. vanguardngr

A priest on a hoverboard is one thing, but a priest on a hoverboard during Christmas Eve Mass is entirely another. But it happened. Trouble is, the Filipino Father in question has now been suspended for his two-wheeled trundle around the church after the local diocese got wind of the incident. “That was wrong,” the Diocese of San Pablo said in a statement on Tuesday, adding, “The Eucharist demands utmost respect and reverence. It is the Memorial of the Lord’s Sacrifice. It is the source and summit of Christian life. It is the Church’s highest form of worship.” Yeah, but, a priest on a hoverboard….singing a song….. “Consequently, it is not a personal celebration where one can capriciously introduce something to get the attention of the people,” the statement continued. But surely the unnamed priest deserves some praise for his actions – look at how he glides majestically among his congregation, controlling the board with the easy confidence of a rider who’s clearly put in many hours ...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown more light into why the N6.08 trillion 2016 federal budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari is a huge fraud, warning that with the proposed N1.84 trillion borrowing, the nation is going the way of Greece. Speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, explained that a breakdown of the N1.84 trillion shows that Nigeria would be borrowing N5 billion a day for the next 365 days, starting from January I, 2016, without corresponding provision for economic production and a clear repayment plan, a scenario that spells doom for the future of the nation. According to Metuh, “Some people may be wondering why we raised an alarm about the budget. The reason is simple. When we analyzed the budget, we discovered it is a misshapen attempt at a Keynesian economics of applying deficit spending to stimulate growth even when studies have proven that GDP growth rates decrease by...

FG has said the transmitters for Radio Biafra, were found to be installed on MTN masts in Enugu and Anambra states, to ensure wider coverage for the radio. The headquarters of the radio station is “presumably in London.” This is contained in the government’s case summary of the fresh six counts of treason and other ancillary offences instituted against the founder of Radio Biafra and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and two others, before the Federal High Court in Abuja. One of the two other defendants in the six counts filed by the Federal Government is a field maintenance engineer, David Nwawuisi, charged with the responsibility of maintaining the MTN masts in Enugu State. The other defendant, Benjamin Madubugwu, was said to be living in Ubilisiuzo, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, where he allegedly received custody of a container housing transmitters from Kanu. On December 23, during the accused persons’ appearance in court for their schedule...

Be security conscious as we celebrate the xmas Season! The Defence Headquarters has revealed that Boko Haram terrorists have devised new tactics like crying and feigning pains and shouting to attract sympathy from unsuspecting public before bombing them. In a statement, Monday, the Defence spokesperson, Col. Rabe Abubakar said this means of inflicting harm on innocent citizens is to further their terrorist cause. Abubakar said: “When a lot of people of goodwill gather to render help in the process, the suicide bomber detonates bombs which they conceal under their clothes. The recent suicide bombing in Damaturu is instructive. “Similarly, suicide bombers used monetary incentives and other inducements especially in crowded places to lure innocent citizens in order to cause colossal damage to both lives and property. Yola suicide incident is fresh in our memory.” The statement therefore advised Nigerians to be wary of such antics as the terrorists who are losing out in their former encla...

The special team raised by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the disbursement of $2.2 billion arms contract deal in the office of the former National Security Adviser, yesterday, confronted the major suspects with evidence of their illicit transactions. The 27-member task force, which has Ibrahim Magu as a member, spent most part of the day to grill the suspects and asked them to speak up on any aspect of the transactions where their names or those who allegedly fronted for them, appeared. The extended questioning of the high profile suspects, our correspondent learned, was to prepare the ground for their arraignment this week. However, Vanguard could not obtain a specific date of the week when the suspects are likely to be docked and the specific charges to be pressed against them. It was gathered that the commission had outsmarted the key suspects by first securing a court order to detain them beyond the stipulated 48-hour threshold, ther...

An Assistant Superintendent of Police attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Adeniji Adele, Lagos State, Charles Achidika, and two other suspected oil thieves are currently battling for their lives at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. It was learnt that Achidika and his accomplices, who have yet to be identified, were shot on the Badagry waterways around 2am on December 2, during a gun duel with men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Command. The officer and other suspects had reportedly attempted to transport 12,400 litres of petrol, said to have been stolen from a vandalised pipeline, to Seme, a Lagos border town. PUNCH Metro gathered that Achidika allegedly opened fire on officials of the corps when the boat conveying the fuel was flagged down. He was later overpowered and arrested. The two injured accomplices were still unconscious when our correspondent visited LASUTH. Five others – Bendran Isaac, Kobla Fashawo, Jimoh Olusegun,...

"Pro-Biafra protests turned bloody, yesterday, as the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) killed nine of the protesters and injured 18 in Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State. Pro-Biafra protesters mount road blocks and bonfires at Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra State, yesterday. Photos: Vincent Ujumadu. Pro-Biafra protesters mount road blocks and bonfires at Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra State, yesterday. Photos: Vincent Ujumadu. Irked by the stubborn disposition of the pro- Biafra agitators, who blocked the Niger Bridge Head and refused to give way to motorists, the JTF comprising Army, Navy, Police and Civil Defence troops, yesterday  afternoon, opened fire at protesting members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and  Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, killing nine people and injuring 18. Five people were killed  at Niger Bridge Head while three were killed at Obodoukwu Road. A suya (barbecue meat) seller said to have b...

He was picked up in Abuja at about noon on Tuesday and was accompanied to the office of the EFCC by his son Raymond Dokpesi Jnr., who is the current Chairman of Daar Communications. The Head of Media in the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, told Channels Television that Chief Dokpesi was arrested in connection with money disbursed from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. He said that there was no explanation about what the money was meant for and it was pathetic that the office of the NSA was used as “a warehouse to dish out money to people”. He added that very worrisome is that this hard-earned money is taken from the coffers of the country. When contacted, Mr Mike Ozekhome (SAN), lawyer to Dokpesi said that it is a return to authoritarian regime as only last week Daar Communications Holdings, not Dokpesi, was invited by the EFCC to explain alleged contracts to the company from the office of the former National Security Adviser and that tax payments and other doc...