The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra , Nnamdi Kanu, has said the group will sack the All Progressives Congress- led government of Imo State in 2019. Kanu, who spoke in Owerri on Friday, insisted that there would be no election in Anambra State in November and in the other four South -East states in 2019. The IPOB leader said power devolution to states and restructuring would not solve the problems of the country. He said , “ We are in the land of Biafra . I have come to Owerri to spread the good news of the coming of Biafra Republic . I don’ t want you to be deceived . Restructuring does not have any meaning . I want you people to go and tell Ohanaeze Ndigbo that . There is no freedom in Nigeria . All their children are abroad studying and enjoying a good environment. “ Only a referendum can solve the problems of Nigeria . Power devolution is not the solution . Resource control is not our problem. What we need is Biafra . They are going about deceiving our people in the n

After 64 days in captivity , the six abducted pupils of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla , Epe, regained their freedom on Friday. Although details of their release are still sketchy , our correspondent learnt the kids were released in Ajakpa Community in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State . A senior police officer said the children had been moved to the Ondo State Police Command headquarters in Akure . It was gathered that no ransom was paid before the victims were released. According to a source , the abducted kids would be taken to the Ondo State Governor , Mr . Rotimi Akeredolu at the Ondo State Government House Akure , the state capital by the security operatives . One of the parents of the children basked in euphoria when contacted on the telephone . “ I am the happiest person on earth right now . When I called the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to confirm the news , he said ‘ congratulations, they have been released’ . ”

Akwa Ibom State Governor , Udom Emmanuel, on Friday met behind closed doors with the Acting President , Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja . The meeting came barely 48 hours after Emmanuel joined six other members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to visit ailing President Muhammadu Buhari in London where he has been receiving medical attention since May 7. Although he did not disclose the subject of his discussion with Osinbajo, the governor told State House correspondents that his interaction with Buhari in London showed that God has answered Nigerians’ prayers . He said , “ Let me thank God for the life of the President and thank God for Nigerians too . I also appreciate Nigerians who have prayed sincerely and earnestly for Mr . President and I think God has actual answered the prayers of Nigerians. “ From what you could see from the photographs , you could see that God has actually answered our prayers , so some of us were quite excited to see Mr . President . “ H

The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria , Harry Purwanto, on Tuesday announced his government ’ s new policy for issuing visas to Nigerians and other foreigners wanting to visit Indonesia for any purpose . Purwanto told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that under the new policy , his Embassy would no longer be involved in visa processing , but only in the collection of visa applications . The Ambassador , who did not give any reason for his government ’ s new visa policy , said that the processing of visas to Indonesia would henceforth take a much longer time . “ Nigerians seeking visas to Indonesia should know that the Indonesian government has introduced a new visa application and issuance policy. “ Under the new policy , we as an Embassy in Nigeria have been withdrawn from processing visas. “ All we are now required to do is to collect visa applications and send them to Indonesia for processing . We now have to be taking authority from Jakarta . “ We , therefore , want to te

Gunmen believed to be  Boko Haram  Islamists have kidnapped 10 members of an oil exploration team in northeast  Nigeria , colleagues and the state-run oil firm said on Wednesday. The abduction of the high-profile targets is the latest in the restive region, which security experts said was a clear sign the jihadists are cash-Strapped and needed money. Ndu Ughamadu, of the   Nigerian   National Petroleum Corporation, said the team had been contracted to carry out research work on oil exploration activities in the Lake Chad basin. “About 10 staff from the survey and geological department of the University of Maiduguri were abducted on Tuesday,” he told AFP. “They were kidnapped around Jibi village in Borno state  after a gun duel between the security agents accompanying them and suspected Boko Haram fighters.” Efforts were under way to track down the captors before a possible rescue operation. Jibi village is in the Magumeri area of Borno, northwest of the state capital

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development meets Markafi Lead PDP The Peoples Democratic Party has asked women to be ready to pay for nomination forms instead of waiting to be asked to pick them free by political parties. It said this would enhance their participation and also earn them respect in politics. The Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of the party, Ahmed Makarfi, stated this when he received the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Jummai Alhassan, at the PDP headquarters in Abuja on Monday. READ: PDP ‘ll retake Aso Rock in 2019 – Reps caucus Makarfi said the PDP would support the enactment of a law in support of the gender parity in politics and participation in governance. He said, “If it is in compliance with the law, everybody will comply, but if you leave it flexible, it is an escapist route. Forget about the nomination for