NIGERIAN NOTCH

In there usual manner of helping the less privileged, Nnewi Progressive Youths Movement today, paid tuition fees for the less privileged but brilliant pupils of Uruagu Central School, Uruagu, Nnewi North LGA. The visit which was indeed a surprise package for the pupils was a way of giving back to the society for members of the group.   While Interacting with Nigerian Notch, the leader of the group, Nelson Okeke said that they were in the school to continue  with their good gesture in seeing to it, that the tuition fees of pupils in Nnewi community is paid, especially for the less privileged in the society.  He thanked the teachers of the school for nurturing the pupils to becoming citizens of Nigeria. He therefore enjoined the pupils to be worthy ambassadors of Nnewi, and to always note that they must take their studies seriously towards becoming great men and women; God has destined them to be.  In her reaction the Headmistress of the School, Mrs. Okafor Agu, on behalf

The United States has announced an additional 40-million-dollar (N14 billion) aid to Nigeria to address the humanitarian crisis arising from decades of the Boko Haram insurgency. The Secretary of State, Mr Mike Pompeo, who made the announcement in Washington DC on Tuesday, said this was in addition to nearly 350 million dollars (N122.5 billion) in assistance provided by the U.S. last year. Pompeo spoke during a joint media briefing with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, after the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission (BNC) meeting hosted by the Department of State. “The foreign minister (Onyeama) and I also discussed today the massive humanitarian crisis that the conflict with Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa and other religious and ethnic violence. “We know that these issues are hard.  We know that they’re complicated. “But I strongly encouraged the Nigerian government to do more to protect its civilians, including religious communities and the humanitar

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, confirmed this development to State House correspondents at the end of a closed door meeting between the president and the leadership of the NASS. He said the meeting discussed all issues of security including the performances of the security agencies in addressing the menace of insurgency, banditry and kidnapping in the country. He said: “ We met with Mr. President over the security issues in the country and other matters of governance. The recent security challenge this country is facing requires that we work very closely. “We had the debates in the two chambers of the National Assembly last week and resolutions were taken and we have come to discuss with Mr President on the way forward, what we feel about some of these security challenges and also to ask him what he thinks we should do. “We discussed everything that matters as far as the issue of security of this country is concern.’’ Lawan further revealed that the meeting discussed

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said on Wednesday that its Air Task Force (ATF), Operation Lafiya Dole, has launched Operation Rattle Snake 3 against terrorists’ elements in the Northeast of the Country. The Air Interdiction Operation, which commenced Tuesday, 4 February 2020, will target selected locations within the Northeast in order to further degrade the remnants of the terrorists as well as deny them freedom of action.  Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, Director of NAF Public Relations and Information said, “On Day One of the Operation, air strikes by NAF attack aircraft resulted in the destruction of an Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) hideout as well as the neutralization of some of their fighters at Tongule in the Lake Chad area of Northern Borno State.  “The air strikes were executed following series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, indicating that ISWAP fighters were harboured in some buildings at the southern edge of the settl

The Imo state governor, Hope Uzodinma, in a statement made avaliable to newsmen in Owerri by his Chief Press Secretary has ordered contractors handling most of the roads in the state, to return back to site in the next 72 hours. Hope Uzodinma made it clear that the road contractors who have “absconded” from the site at the peak of the dry season, cannot be accepted by his government.  It stated: “Contractors handling road projects in Imo State have been ordered back to site within 72 hours or have their contracts terminated. “Governor Uzodinma frowned at a situation where contractors who had collected mobilization fees from Government abandoned projects. “This action is unjustifiable and totally unacceptable to the State Government. He said it was “Regrettably, that the affected contractors have absconded from site in the peak of the dry season even after collecting mobilization fees from Government. Governor Uzodinma has at every opportunity emphasized that his ‘3R’ mantr

The United States said on Tuesday the soon to be repatriated $308million recovered from the family of the late maximum ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha, must be placed in a secured account by the Nigerian government. Washington said the Federal Government would be required to replace the fund if it is stolen from the account. The Spokesperson for the US State Department, Morgan Ortagus, said in a statement that this was one of the agreements reached between the US, Nigeria and the Island of Jersey where the funds are being kept.   The US said the arrangement was consistent with the commitments both the US and Nigeria made under the principles agreed at the 2017 Global Forum on Asset Recovery co-hosted by the US and the United Kingdom. The statement read: “The funds will be used by the Nigerian Independent Sovereign Authority for three infrastructure projects in strategic economic zones across Nigeria. “To ensure that the funds are used responsibly and for the good of the nation, the