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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 co...

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.