'Nigeria might face a total government shutdown if the National Assembly does not reconvene urgently' - Senator Ita Enang

Senator Ita Enang, the Presidential Liaison in the Senate has warned that Nigeria might face total government shutdown if the National Assembly does not reconvene urgently.

It's the second time in 24 hours that Enang would speak on the issue.



The National Assembly went on recess on July 24th and will reconvene on September 25th, with the budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Supplementary budget requiring attention. Enang said the assembly also needed to approve foreign loans for the country, funds from which government planned to bqnkroll the capital budget of 2018.



Enang reiterating his statement Sunday, said: “we are still appealing to the National Assembly to reconvene; you remember that we passed the budget with the understanding that a great amount of the money will be gotten from foreign loans. Although it was approved that there would be a loan, the amount that would be gotten was not approved; the Fiscal Responsibility Act requires that the President should specifically state the amount he wants to get from foreign loans and present it before the National Assembly. That letter has been presented before the National Assembly and it has to pass that amount before it could be obtained from the foreign financing institutions".



“This is what we are asking and if does not happen, in the next few months, we have a complete government shutdown because what we are receiving from the Federation Account as Federal Government share the capital component is not enough to sustain even 15 per cent to 20 percent of budget. So, there may be a complete government shut down and I know Nigerians will not like it; that is why we are appealing to the National Assembly to reconvene,’’ he said.



Enang spoke at the State House on Monday after a meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. He had met the Acting President along with Senate Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan.

''The plan is to install Akpabio as Senate President and impeach Saraki'' Ben Murray Bruce speaks on DSS takeover, vows to ensure Akpabio, his wife and children's visas are revoked

Senator Ben Murray Bruce is currently at the gate of the Ntaional Assembly where himself and his colleagues have been prevented to enter the complex by DSS.



Speaking to Channels TV, Ben Bruce said he has reached out to the US embassy and will reach out to other European countries to revoke the visas of Senator Godswill Akpabio and other leaders that orchestrated this seige.



He said the plan is to install Akpabio as senate president and impeach Saraki.


''The back gate has been blocked and other gates opened for senators who are antidemocratic that is APC senators who will install Akpabio as senate president and impeach Saraki and Ekweremadu and so there is an opening at the back for those who are anti-democratic to come in but the forces are in front here Obviously, this is a regime change. We anticipated that this would happen.

TRhis cannot stand. They do not have the numbers. Let me tell you what will happen. I have been in touch with the American embassy. I have been in touch with the British embassy. I have been in touch with the EU. I have requested from the Americans that that visas of Akpabio and all the senators that involved be revoked for them, their wives and children'' he said

Breaking: Akpabio resigns as Senate Minority Leader

Senator Godswill Akpabio has resigned as Minority Leader of the senate. There are rumors that he will be installed as Senate President this morning. See his resignation letter below...

21-year old Nigerian student, Anthony Ekwensi wins Chinese language contest

Nigerian student, Anthony Ekwensi, has been crowned the African champion at the 17th Chinese Bridge Chinese Language Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students.



The grand finale of the competition took place on August 4 in Changsha, Hunan Province where Russian student Ruslan was the overall winner at the event which paraded 152 students from 118 countries.



The 21-year old Anambra-born Nigerian, who came fourth in the final competition, made it to the last round of the championship with four other contestants who were also crowned champion of their respective continents.



The other winners were Theodore Joseph from Australia who came second, Guan Huimin from Indonesia, who took the third position and John Gardner from the United States, who placed fifth. According to the organisers, the final competition consisted of three parts and tested the finalists’ language skills and all-around abilities, including their knowledge of Chinese culture, history, traditions and communication, as well as their singing and acting skills.



All five winners have been offered full scholarships by the Confucius Institute. In a telephone interview with NAN from China, Ekwensi, a final year student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, said he looked forward to returning to China to pursue a post-graduate programme.



‘‘I went into the competition because I knew there was an opportunity to do something great, and also I wanted an opportunity to visit the country I’ve always dreamed of going. My next plan now is to graduate successfully from UNIZIK and then come back to China for masters. I dedicate my award to God,’’ the final year student of Education Management and Policy said.

Ekwensi learnt the Chinese language in Nigeria for two years at the Confucius Institute, UNIZIK, Awka.

Mother and daughter who faked their kidnap to defraud husband of N15m arrested in Lagos

The Lagos State Police command haa arrested Hadijat Kabir for faking her kidnap with her 18-year-old daughter to defraud her husband of N15 million.



Her husband, Kabir Muraino, had reported the case at Ikotun Police Station on August 2, 2018, before the suspect was arrested. He reported that his wife and daughter, Hamidat Kemi, who is of unsound mind, were kidnapped on the same date on their way to Psychiatric Hospital, Oshodi, Lagos.



He added the kidnappers were demanding for the sum of N15million. Based on this, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad swung into action and arrested some of the suspects in Ado-Odo, Ogun State.



When one of the hostages, Hadijat, was being debriefed, she confessed that she planned her kidnap with the suspects arrested, to defraud her husband.

Kim Kardashian shares racy photo on IG to promote Kanye's Yeezy brand

37-year-old reality star Kim Kardashian took to IG to share a photo of herself promoting her husband, Kanye West's Yeezy sneakers.

The photo showed Kim reclined on a bed in her underwear lo wearing Yeezy's new Butter 350 sneakers.

Three members of international drug syndicate including a Nigerian national arrested with over 5kg heroin in India

Three men including a Nigerian national were arrested from west Delhi's Uttam Nagar, India last week and over 5 kilogram high-grade heroin was seized from them.



The accused have been identified as Chigemezu alias Obiji, a 27-year-old Nigerian national, and Deepak Goel (28) and Harinder Pal (21). Obiji, who currently residents in Uttam Nagar, is the kingpin of the gang.



The trio smuggled heroin to Haryana, Punjab and Delhi-NCR from Afghanistan.



The Delhi Police Special Cell received an information that at about 6 pm, Goel and Pal would come from Rohini side in a Skoda car and would go towards Singhu Border via Mukarba Chowk to deliver consignments of heroin to drug dealers.



A team was constituted and a trap was laid and checking of vehicles was started by placing barricades near Mukarba Chowk. At about 6:30 pm, the car in which two persons were sitting was spotted.



The driver was signalled to stop the car, but he tried to escape by taking a U-turn but he could not succeed. Finding themselves surrounded by the police, both the occupants of the car started running to escape, but they were apprehended by the members of the raiding party. Their search was taken which resulted in the recovery of 4.5 kg heroin.


“During interrogation, they have disclosed that they used to source heroin from Obiji, their Nigerian associate, and they further used to supply heroin to drug dealers in Haryana and Punjab. Accused Goel disclosed that about 2 years ago he was lodged in Patiala jail in a narcotic drug case where he met Obiji who was also lodged in that jail in another narcotic drug case. After getting bail, Goel contacted Obiji who had also come out from Jail. Goel started procuring heroin from Obiji. Goel has been indulging in drug supplying for more than five years. Pal who usually acted as a carrier has been indulging in drug supply for more than two years. During this period both have already procured more than 80 kg heroin and have supplied the same to various drug peddlers in north India,” said PS Khushwah, DCP (Special Cell).



On Goel’s instance, raids were conducted in various parts of Uttam Nagar and Obiji was arrested on Mondayand 750 gm of heroin was recovered from him.



Deepak Goel has been indulging in drug supplying for more than five years. Pal who usually acted as a carrier has been indulging in drug supply for more than two years.



During this period both have already procured more than 80 kg heroin and have supplied the same to various drug peddlers in north India, DCP, PS Khushwah said.