FRESH 4RM GIM

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola The lingering epileptic power supply in the country may continue as major repairs on the vandalised Forcados terminal will not be completed until May. This emerged during the visit of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to the terminal in Delta State. Osinbajo also said Federal Government would establish a permanent pipeline security force to curtail the vandalism of oil and gas pipelines in parts of the country.

  Oil prices tumbled on Monday after a meeting by major exporters in Qatar collapsed without an agreement to freeze output, leaving the credibility of the OPEC producer cartel in tatters and the world awash with unwanted fuel. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran were blamed for the failure, which revived industry fears that major government-controlled producers will increase their battle for market share by offering ever-steeper discounts.

Former athlete remains on bail following appeal court decision to overturn culpable homicide conviction Oscar Pistorius will be sentenced in June for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a court in South Africa has confirmed. The former Paralympian’s culpable homicide conviction – and its five-year prison sentence – was overturned by the supreme court in December 2015, when appeal judges instead found him guilty of murder. On Monday, Pistorius was in court in Pretoria as Judge Aubrey Ledwaba, who presided over an earlier bail hearing, told him he would face a fresh sentencing hearing from 13-17 June.

  Dr Goodluck Jonathan has to be handled with care, says Professor Itse Sagay – President Buhari has been advised to think twice before any attempt at probing his predecessor – Professor Sagay gives insight as to the EFCC’s operations under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, say he broke all the rules Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, is the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption. has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to apply caution over recent calls by some Nigerians that former President Goodluck Jonathan be invited for questioning over the raging $2.1 billion arms scandal for which ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki and other top PDP chiefs are currently facing trial.

Human Rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN) has called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara not to support the move by the senate to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB and the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT Act. Recall that the bill for the amendment passed second reading in less than 48hrs after it was presented to the senate. According to PREMIUM TIMES, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said this in a letter which was dated April 15th and addressed to Dogara.

Arsene Wenger has denied suggestions that his side lack leadership after another disappointing result for Arsenal. The Gunners’ almost certainly title hopes came to a frustrating end when Crystal Palace came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw, Yannick Bolasie’s 81st minute strike cancelling out Alexis Sanchez’s header in the closing moments of the first half. Without club captain Mikel Arteta and his vice-captain Per Mertesacker Laurent Koscielny led a side that included several relatively inexperienced or youthful players, from Hector Bellerin and Gabriel in defence to Mohamed Elneny and Alex Iwobi in the middle of the pitch.

Traumatized Ecuadoreans slept amid rubble while rescuers dug for survivors on Monday after an earthquake smashed the Andean nation's coastal region, killing at least 272 people and flattening resort towns. Saturday's 7.8 magnitude quake ripped apart buildings and roads, knocked out power, and injured at least 2,068 people in the largely poor Andean country. In the devastated beach town of Pedernales, shaken survivors curled up for the night on mattresses or plastic chairs next to the rubble of their homes. Soldiers and police patrolled the hot, dark streets while pockets of rescue workers plowed on.

The Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Maj-Gen. Lucky Irabor has confirmed the recovery of cache of arms and ammunition belonging to Boko Haram sect at Gursum, Borno State. Addressing newsmen after the major breakthrough, the Theatre Commander, Irabor, disclosed that items recovered after the raid include, 36 boxes of .51mm calibre, 5 x 20 Lyra beefcake mixture of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, large quantity of 7.62mm (Special), ammunition, one 81mm mortar tube as well as 1 Toyota Hilux, 1 Generator and several motorcycles.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has stated that it will not be discouraged by the condemnations and attacks it has received over some of its tightened monetary policy moves. According to the governor of the bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, the policies are aimed at addressing the fundamental challenges of the economy. He spoke at the 40th anniversary and convocation lecture of the University of Maiduguri. Represented by his deputy, Malam Suleiman Barau, the governor believed that “these actions are broadly required to set our economy on the path of development in the medium to long-term.”

A herdsman with his cattle in Enugu A Makurdi High Court Judge, Justice Morris Ikpambese, has granted a motion ex parte brought by the people of Tyoshin community in the Gwer-West Local Government Area of Benue State claiming N100bn from six Fulani herdsmen for destroying their farms. While granting the motion brought by the counsel for the plaintiffs, Justice Ikpambese ordered that the writ of summons be served on the respondents by substituted means.

As controversy continues to dog the budget transmitted by the National Assembly to the Presidency for assent, indications emerged, last night, that President Muhammadu Buhari was still furious with the high level of distortions inflicted on his estimates by the lawmakers. Buhari presents N6.08trn 2016 budget to NASS This came as the Senate, weekend, moved to pacify Southern senators over the controversy surrounding the Calabar-Lagos rail project in the 2016 Appropriation Bill. Also, Nigerian Railway workers have advised the Presidency and the National Assembly to harmonize their positions and ensure the re-inclusion of the Lagos-Calabar railway project in the 2016 budget.