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Aggrieved mothers and other indigenes of Chibok, Borno State, today in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, staged a protest to demand the immediate rescue or release of the more than 200 secondary school girls abducted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on April 14. The protesters, most of them members of the Kibaku Development Association, Chibok, converged at Eagle Square in Nigeria’s capital. From there, they marched to the National Assembly to submit a protest letter. The women were led into the premises of the national legislature by a group of senior female police officers. Senators Barnabas Gemade and Helen Esuene received the protesters, telling them that the Senate was considering a motion in relation to the abducted girls. The two senators assured that the content of the Senate’s resolution would be communicated to the women later today. The senators appealed to the protesters to calm down and show restraint, pledging that everything would be done to secure the release of the

A Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned the House of Representatives to explain how it came about the purported order which stopped it from going ahead with the probe of the Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezanni Allison-Madueke, for allegedly spending 10 billion Naira for chartered aircraft. An angry Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed said on Tuesday he was embarrassed when he woke to see a barrage of newspaper headlines claiming that he granted an order restraining the House of Representatives from probing the minister. In Tuesday’s proceeding, ‎Justice Mohammed demanded an explanation from the lawyer to the Petroleum Minister and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Etigwe Uwah, for the source of the information that resulted into misinformation in the media. According to him, the House ‎of Representatives should take the blame. Uwah dissociated himself from the reports and told the judge that the House was the source of the information. Uwah said he was equall

The Federal Government has declared tomorrow, May 1, 2014 as public holiday to commemorate the 2014 workers’ day celebration. The Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, who made this declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated Nigerian workers for their resilience and commitment in the face of obvious challenges of daily living. He also enjoined the workers to support the present government in its efforts to improve the work environment and living conditions of Nigerian workers. President Goodluck Jonathan has cancelled the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) today, to enable council members attend the 3-day prayer for Late Captain Yusuf Sabo Sambo, younger brother of Vice President Namadi Sambo. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, made this known in a statement last night. Vice President Sambo’s immediate younger brother, Yusuf, it will be recalled, died in a car crash in Abuja, three days ago

• Police arrest 4, retrieve deity  While Christians were celebrating Easter, Abatete community, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was thrown into confusion and fear, following the disappearance of the popular Omaliko deity. Respite, however, came as a police crack team, attached to the Ogidi Police Division, intercepted a gang which took away the deity. According to a member of the community, who pleaded for anonymity,  some people  entered the shrine, took away the head of Omaliko deity, its staff of authority and symbol of authority. The source said the Chief Priest (Eze Muo) of Omaliko broke the news of the stealing of the deity to the elders of Abatete community, who immediately reported the theft to the police.

More drama for  Rihanna  this week as she is being sued for allegedly making defamatory comments about her former bodyguard. Yikes! It seems like only yesterday  RiRi  was entwined in a legal battle with her former accountant, Peter Gounis (which she won).

… As Davido Bags Highest Number of Nominations Africa’s number one music authority, MTV Base has announced the nominees for this year’s MTV Africa Music Awards. The announcement, which was made tonight, Wednesday, 16 April 2014 at an impressive nominations party at The Sands in Johannesburg, South Africa. This year’s nominations prove that Nigerian music has fast taken over Africa. Out of fifteen different categories, Nigeria has been nominated in eleven categories and includes some of the biggest names in the Nigerian entertainment industry including Omotola Jalade, Chimamanda Adichie, 2Face, PSquare, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Olamide, Flavour among many others. The different categories, which include Best Male, Best Female, Song of the Year and Artist of the Year has also broadened the scope of the MAMA awards franchise as achievements in non-music fields will also be recognized. They include “Personality of the Year” and “Transform Today by Absolut”, an award designed to recogni

Facebook Known as Mr Muscles: Sarmad died after taking fat-burning pills A teenage bodybuilder who “wanted the body of a Greek god” died after taking drugs which enabled him to lose 11lb in a single day. An inquest  heard Sarmad Alladin, 18, known to friends as Mr Muscles, failed to heed the advice of doctors who warned him of the risks of using body-building drugs as he dreamed of playing for the Indian rugby team. Sarmad, the son of a millionaire, suffered stomach pains after taking  weight-loss drug  dinitrophenol or DNP in February last year. He had bought it on the internet while at the University for the Creative Arts in Epsom, Surrey, an inquest in Woking heard. Harry Shapiro, of charity Drugscope said: “DNP can lead the body to overheat. “It’s so dangerous bodybuilding websites warn against it.” Verdict: Accident.

The best playhouse EVER Adele has reportedly forked out a whopping £15,000 on a playhouse for her son Angelo. Who is 18-months-old, just FYI. A playhouse that comes with three turrets, a veranda and its own picket fence. The Rolling in the Deep singer  - who has Angelo with her partner Simon Konecki - apparently fell in love with the garden toys after seeing them in her friends' houses so decided to buy one for her little boy to enjoy in their south coast home. A source told The Sun: "Nothing is too much for Angelo as far as Adele is concerned. "She dotes on that little boy. "But actually, Adele isn't usually one to splash out on things. She's never been one for the usual celebrity trappings.

Splash Sorry Take That fans Robbie Williams disappointed his legions of Take That fans on Tuesday night by revealing he won’t be joining the boys on their next album and tour. The pop star,  who announced on Monday his wife Ayda Field is pregnant with their second child , said his schedule is too gruelling. Rob, 40,  who is touring Europe with his 46-date Swings Both Ways tour, said: “Logistically, I can’t do it. I have the tour and I’m going to be a dad again.” But the star said his decision does not mean he has completely called time on appearing with the manband.

Planes are no longer being used in the search for wreckage from MH370 as the scale of the search is cut back. More than 50 days after the plane went missing, the U.S., Japan, New Zealand and Malaysia all said they would be halting the air search. There were 14 boats involved in the mission, but it is also believed that many of those will be pulled out. The Joint Agency Coordination Cetnre said that the undersea search would be intensified. The cost of the expansion of the search is expected to cost more than £34million, drawing questions over who will pay. Tony Abbott, Australia's Prime Minister, is in talks with Malaysia's acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein to discuss the future of the search and who will foot the bill. Mr Hussein said: "This discussion will include issues such as the deployment of assets with deep-sea search capabilities, the cost of the operation and how best authorities can ensure the next of kin of those on board MH3

The break-up comes just a month after Cressida joined Harry at one of his first official engagements. Though, in the last month, Harry and Cressy, as she is known to her friends, have hardly been seen out together. Harry enjoyed a holiday in Botswana without her just a couple of weeks ago. The news of their split was first announced by US showbiz magazine People. Since the story broke, various Palace sources have confirmed the break-up but it's understood the decision was "amicable" and "they remain the best of friends". It came the same day that Harry's brother William celebrated his anniversary with Kate. Following his split from Cressida, Harry is back to being one of the world's most eligible bachelors. Here are some celebrities who have admitted to fancying the playboy prince in the past:

In the file: Suspected oil thieves arrested by the Nigerian Navy The Nigerian Navy on Monday said it impounded two badges carrying 285 tonnes of crude oil valued N50 million off Bonny Island in Rivers. The Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, Bonny, Capt. Hassan Dogara, told journalists that 11 suspects were arrested during the raid on 23 April. But of the 285 tonnes, 55 tonnes of the suspected stolen crude oil was set ablaze. Dogara said that the troops were able to save 230 tonnes because the badges were spilling the product into the creeks and polluting the environment. “We intercepted and arrested two-wooden badges containing an estimated 230 tonnes of suspected crude oil during a routine patrol of our area of responsibility. “While our operatives approached the scene of the crime, the perpetrators’ escaped, but we were able to arrest 11 suspects afterwards, impounded five speed boats and five patrol engines. “The badges which were filled to the brim, had seve

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye : tendering an apology  Two days after South Korea’s prime minister resigned over the boat tragedy that claimed about 300 lives including school children, President Park Geun-Hye has apologised for her government’s failure to combat systemic and regulatory “evils” blamed for the loss. Park’s comment was another attempt to defuse growing public anger about the April 16 sinking of the 6,825-tonne Sewol. “I don’t know how to apologise for the failure to prevent this accident, and for the insufficient first response,” Park said in a statement to her cabinet that was broadcast on national television. “I am sorry to the people and heavy-hearted that many precious lives were lost.” South Korean President Park Geun-Hye : tendering an apology

Wilson Maj Perumal: claimed he fixed matches for Nigeria A Singaporean match-fixer has claimed the he helped Nigeria and Honduras qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Wilson Raj Perumal, a self-confessed match-fixer who was part of a syndicate that has been placed at the heart of a sophisticated network responsible for fixing hundreds of matches around the world, claimed in a new book that he assisted Nigeria reach the World Cup through his activities. In his book, he detailed a meeting with a football official in which he promised to help Nigeria qualify for the World Cup in return for free rein in organising three warm-up matches and a cut of the money Fifa provides for hosting a training camp during the tournament. First, he claimed to influence three players on his payroll to help Nigeria to victory in one of their qualifiers. Then he claimed to have promised the Mozambique FA a $100,000 bonus if they were able to hold Tunisia to a draw, to stop Tunisia from l

Mortar shells slammed into central Damascus on Tuesday, hitting a technical institute in a barrage that killed 12 people and injured 50, the state media said. “Twelve citizens were killed and 50 others wounded by terrorists who targeted the Shaghour neighbourhood in Damascus with four mortar shells,” the SANA news agency said, adding that two shells hit the Badr al-Din al-Hussein technical institute. The Syrian government and media use the term “terrorists” for all those seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad’s government. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the mortar attack, saying at least eight people were dead and dozens injured and the toll was expected to rise. Rebel forces arrayed in positions on the outskirts of the capital regularly fire mortar shells and rockets into the heart of Damascus, often killing civilians. Shaghour is a district in the Old City of Damascus, which has been hit by rebel fire frequently.

Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) has said that country requires 51,000 engineers to fast-track the power sector reform. Currently, the sector has an estimated 200 young engineers, craftsmen and fitters out of the required 51,000 engineers. Ths Director-General of the Institute, Reuben Okeke, gave the figure on Monday in Abuja at the induction of 220 beneficiaries of Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). Okeke said that the nation’s power sector had suffered dearth of young and qualified electrical engineers due to employment embargo since 1998. He said that government had offered to train the 220 beneficiaries free, pay them stipend and sponsor them for post-graduate courses. Peter Esele, representing the SURE-P Chairman, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, said that eight vocational training centres had been selected nationwide to fast-track the young engineers training programme.

Renowned writer, actress and director of Nigeria’s Nollywood movies Amaka Igwe has died after an asthma attack in Enugu, Nigeria according to several sources. Mrs. Igwe reportedly died on the set on a soap opera she was directing in Enugu state after she suffered an asthma attack yesterday. We could not confirm from her husband and the Nigerian Actors guild President the exact circumstances of her death. A former President of the Nigerian Actors Guild , Segun Arinze told Saharareporters that he received the heartbreaking news this morning but he stated that he could not confirm the details as calls to Amaka's husband telephone number wasn't going through.

This may not be the best of times for Governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyako as a team of top police officers Monday night arrived in Yola, the state capital to quiz the embattled governor on his recent controversial memo. Nyako had recently penned an inflammatory memo to his colleagues in the north, accusing the federal government of sundry crimes against the region, including genocide, bombing, kidnapping and torture. The governor has since been roundly condemned by several co league-governors, particularly those from the south. Source gathered that respite may still be far for  Nyako as the team of police investigators were billed to meet with him Tuesday morning “so he can substantiate the wild claims in that memo.” A top security source told BGBS that Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar dispatched the crack team. BGBS gathered that the police team is led by a Commissioner of Police, and has as members two deputy commissioners, one assistant commis

Boko Haram terrorist group are now forcing the over 230 girls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State into marriages, a member of the House of Representative said in an interview monitored on Voice of America, VOA, Hausa Service. Mohammed Tahir Monguno who represent Chibok in the House of Representatives said the abducted girls are being forcefully married in an area called Jiri, Mafa Local Government of Borno State. He said he learnt from members of his constituents from the Chibok Local Government area that no sooner the girls were abducted, they were forced into marriages with insurgents. He told VOA, “Villagers saw them and the whole world knew that the very day they were abducted, some of them were married out in one area called Jiri, Mafa Local government area.

John Powell Golden year: Suarez has been superb this season Luis Suarez has been named the PFA Footballer of the Year. The 27-year-old  collected the award in London on Sunday evening  after scoring 30 goals in a truly sensational campaign. It is a complete turnaround in fortunes for the Uruguayan, who was castigated for his bite on Branislav Ivanovic just 12 months ago. Suarez was handed a 10-match ban and after missing the first months of this season, has been unstoppable since returning. His award will be somewhat bitter-sweet after his Liverpool side  slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea earlier in the day , but Suarez spoke of his joy upon receiving the trophy: "Really this is for my team-mates and the staff at Liverpool because without their help I wouldn't have this prize," said the striker. "The Premier League is full of really great players and so it is a great honour when these players recognise your work on the pitch."

As the  House of Representatives resumes  from a two-week Easter break tomorrow, the chamber may be a theatre of another crisis as the 37 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC ) have vowed to initiate impeachment moves against  President Goodluck Jonathan. The lawmakers said that they will table a 30-point impeachment motion against the President next week, declaring that they are ready for  a “ total war” on the President. One of the 37 lawmakers, who doesn’t want to be named, revealed that they have gathered all the impeachable sins of the President. But he said the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, does not support their plan. The lawmaker, who is from the North, said: “We are going to the floor of the House to convince our colleagues that it is time we impeach President Jonathan. We have chronicled his offences, we are ready to fight since the President has declared war on us”.

Pope Francis has made a habit of breaking with tradition during the first year of his papacy, and yesterday he continued his string of unprecedented actions by elevating two former papal predecessors to sainthood in the same ceremony. He proclaimed his predecessors John XXIII and John Paul II saints in front of more than half a million pilgrims yesterday, hailing both as courageous men who withstood the tragedies of the 20th century. Cheers and applause rang out across St Peter’s Square after the historic double papal canonization as many in the crowd fixed their gaze on huge tapestries of the two popes on the facade of the basilica behind Francis. “We declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II to be saints and we enrol them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole Church,” Francis said in his formal proclamation in Latin.

A Mobile policeman identified as Gbuchenge Augustine with Force number 400823 in Lagos, is on the run following a foiled  attempt to allegedly use an eight-year old girl for ritual. The girl identified as Amarachi, was found under his bed in his one-room apartment at Olufowobi Street, Ikosi Ketu with her mouth gagged and legs and hands tied. When she was eventually rescued  by neighbours, little Amarachi had injuries on her skull and neck. Trouble started for the policeman in the evening of Thursday last week when the parents of the girl, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Abakwan, who had gone out for their businesses returned and did not find their daughter, Amarachi at home. The girl’s father, a driver with Strands Communications Limited, told journalists that when he returned from work, he noticed that Amarachi did not come to greet him and when he  queried his wife on her whereabouts, he was told that she was asleep.

President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, on Sunday led some top government officials to pay condolence visit on Vice President Namadi Sambo over the death of his brother, Yusuf. Jonathan, at the Akinola Aguda House the official residence of the Vice President, described human beings as mere mortals, saying ‘death is a journey everybody must make.’ He said: “we are all mere mortals. All of us are from the Earth; we must all go back to the Earth. We do not know the timing of this journey all of us must make.” “This world is a place where we come to play our different roles. He (Yusuf) left too early.” “Maybe he left when the ovation is loudest. He left at a time we needed him most. But there is nothing we can do.”

Manchester City took advantage of Liverpool's slip to put the destiny of the Premier League title back in their own hands as Yaya Toure inspired a 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Manuel Pellegrini's side had received a huge boost when leaders Liverpool crashed to a 2-0 home defeat against Chelsea earlier in the day. That result put a spring in City's step and before the first half was over at Selhurst Park they had seized the unexpected opportunity to regain control of the title race thanks to Edin Dzeko's opener and a sublime effort from Ivory Coast midfielder Toure. City remain third but they are now only three points adrift of Liverpool, crucially with a game in hand and a vastly superior goal difference, and one behind second placed Chelsea. After a potentially defining weekend in the title race, Pellegrini's men know that, whatever Liverpool and Chelsea do in their last two matches, City will be crowned champions for the second time in three y

  A tornado system ripped through the central US and left at least 12 dead in a violent start to this year's storm season, officials said. Matt DeCample, a spokesperson for Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, said 11 in his state were killed Sunday when a tornado carved through several Little Rock suburbs. A separate tornado from the same storm system killed one person in Oklahoma. The large tornado outside Little Rock, Arkansas, stayed on the ground as it moved north-eastward for at least 48km. Emergency workers and volunteers went door-to-door to look for victims. Law enforcement officers checked the damaged and toppled 18-wheelers, cars and trucks on a stretch of Interstate 40, a major thoroughfare in and out of the state's capital. "It turned pitch black," said Mark Ausbrooks, who was at his parents' home when the storm arrived. "I ran and got pillows to put over our heads and ... all hell broke loose."

Nigeria's film board has delayed the release of Half of a Yellow Sun, a film about the Biafran war. The film, by Nigerian-born British director Biyi Bandele, was set to open in Nigerian cinemas on Friday. A film board spokesman told AFP there were "regulatory issues" with the film but that it wasn't "officially banned". The film is based on a novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about the 1967-70 civil war, in which more than a million people died. Aliyu Tanko, from the BBC Hausa service, says that more than 40 years after the end of the war, the subject remains extremely sensitive in Nigeria.

Well, THIS is exciting. Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence are rumoured to be engaged - after J-Law was spotted wearing a ring on her wedding finger.  Wenn Rumours about the pair being engaged have been floating around for a while - probably because pretty much everyone wants to see the cute celeb couple tie the knot.

Representatives for Jodie Foster have confirmed the actress has married Alexandra Hedison – her girlfriend of over one year. Oscar-winning actress Jodie began dating photographer Alexandra last summer, though the low-key pair have not revealed exactly when they started seeing each other. No details have been revealed about the ceremony, though according to reports the pair said their vows over the weekend. It's highly likely they tied the knot in California – where Jodie resides – one of the 17 states in America where gay marriage is legal. Alexandra, 44, is the former partner of chat show host and comedienne Ellen DeGeneres. They dated for three years before splitting in 2004 – reportedly because Ellen met Portia DeRossi, who she has since married.

Twitter is the king of real time news, but people’s eagerness to retweet juicy stories sometimes outweighs their willingness to verify the facts first, leading them to parrot misinformation. That’s why the most intersting thing about  Facebook’s partnership  with Storyful  to create a  Newswire  isn’t about refferal traffic or  helping journalists  find things to cover. It’s that putting Storyful’s news verification process in the spotlight could make the Internet more trustworthy. The fundamental problem is that people love being the first on their block to share a big news story. Whether it’s a natural disaster, celebrity death, geopolitical crisis, or a manhunt, we crave to be seen as having our fingers on the pulse of the world. The allure of hundreds of likes or retweets can cloud our bullshit detectors. And so we blindly share.

  Manager and elder brother of singing duo, P-square, Jude Okoye will be getting married soon.  He proposed to his girlfriend and 2012 contestant on Silverbird’s Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Ifeoma Michelle Umeokeke in the early hours of Friday. This was revealed on Twitter by Jude’s younger brother Ikechukwu Okoye. He wrote on Twitter: ‘Welcome to the family Ada Ada…smiling at last. She said yes. Congrats bro‘,

P-Square didn’t deny the break up rumors and the fact that they fought at some point due to hatred and disputes that existed between them. Finally, they have settled their differences and the whole family made this known by their tweets

Our girl Ci Ci is almost ready to welcome her little bundle of joy  into the world and we couldn’t be more excited for the wife-t0-be. We don’t know when Ci Ci will head to the delivery room (though we’re sure she has a Hermes bag packed by the door because she looks ready to pop) but we got a glimpse at her bare belly in this issue of  W magazine.

Oh boy. The rumor mill is buzzing about  the Kimye’s wedding , that will allegedly take place this Friday in Paris and according to the chatter, Jay Z and Beyonce have declined Kim and Ye’s wedding invite! We know, we know… scandalous . The  Kimye wedding will be filmed for “Keeping Up With The Kardashian”  and the Carters are allegedly opting out of being on-camera. That didn’t stop the couple from splurging on their wedding gift. They allegedly spent £100,000 on a yacht for the soon-to-be newlyweds. In addition to the luxury boat ride, Jay is planning a swank party at his 40/40 club in their honor. Despite all of the gossip, we don’t think Jay and Bey are shady enough to miss their friends wedding. We’ll just have to wait and see… In other Jay Z news… Hov’s former producer Chauncey Mahan was questioned by police Friday after planning to extort Ja Z for his collection of master recordings that went missing in 2002. According to reports, Mahan reached out to Live Nation reques