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The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed two of its officers for alleged theft of Permanent Voter Cards in its Patani Local Government Area office, Delta State. This information was contained in the commission’s bulletin released in Abuja on Thursday. The dismissed officers are Mr. Collins Omofoma (SGL 09 Officer) and Mr. Onome Avbunudiogba (SGL 07 Officer). Also, the commission said it had terminated the appointment of Mrs. Obi Chinwoke Ugochi, an Administrative Officer II (SGL 0 for alleged absence from duty without permission. Ugochi is of the commission’s Anambra State office. According to two Decision Extracts, dated January 8, 2015 and signed by the Director (Commission’s Secretariat), Ishiaku Gali, the dismissal and termination of appointments of the three officers followed the commission’s meeting of Thursday, January 8, 2015. Continue...

The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday said it recovered a human head in olokodana junction in Ebute-Meta area of Lagos. The spokesperson of the command, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. NAN reports that the lifeless head was said to have been dropped by unknown persons in the early hours of Wednesday. According to Nwosu, the head belonging to a male has been deposited in the morgue at Yaba General Hospital, Lagos.“’Efforts are being made to apprehend the perpetrators of the act. “’The murder case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti for further investigation. “’We urge the members of the public not to hesitate to give the police any useful information they have on the incident,” he said. Nwosu assured the residents of the area and the state in general that the culprits would be apprehended as investigation was already ongoing.

Cameroon says Chad will send a large contingent of troops to help it fight incursions from the Nigeria-based militant Islamist group, Boko Haram. The announcement came a day after Chad said it would "actively support" its neighbour against the militants. No detail was given about how many troops would be sent, or when. On Tuesday, Cameroon said it had killed 143 Boko Haram militants who attacked one of its army bases at Kolofata near the Nigerian border. It said one soldier had died during the assault, which led to a gun battle lasting five hours. It was the first major attack on Cameroon since Boko Haram threatened the country's leader in a video posted online earlier this month. The militant Islamist group has seized control of towns and villages in north-east Nigeria in a six-year insurgency. Continue...

The authorities in Malawi say at least 170 people have died in flash floods - a sharp rise on previous figures. Heavy rain over the past month has swept many houses away and caused residents to flee to higher ground, some crossing the border to Mozambique. Vice-President Saulos Chilima said more than 100,000 people had been displaced from their homes, mostly in the south. Earlier this week, the government declared a third of the country to be a disaster zone and appealed for help. Continue...

If  by now, you have read at least two, three or more of the several prophecies for 2015 from the different Nigerian men of God, then you are probably as confused as we are. These men of God hear from the same God but they come up with slightly different visions for Nigeria this year Their prophecies revolved around the Nigerian economy, Ebola, the upcoming general election, Aso Rock intrigues, the entertainment industry, death, death and more death. Kick starting the trend is the highly respected General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God who revealed his at the cross over night. He revealed that the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, which has killed over 7,000 people so far, will finally die, he however warned that God said the world should pray against “massive calamities, massive earthquakes and strong hurricanes and typhoons.” On the February elections, he said. Continue...

The comedian took to instagram to share pics from his visit to his secondary school,United Christian Secondary School Apapa Lagos, 20 years after he finished from there. He shared a picture of him sitting 'in same corner, in same classroom' he sat 20years ago. Another pic after the cut...

That's the rumour..but likely untrue. They say Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote might be a buyer for the Brooklyn Nets Basketball team which current owner, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, is planning to sell. "Sources on Tuesday confirmed a Bloomberg News report stating that Prokhorov has retained Evercore Partners to sell the franchise he acquired majority ownership of in May 2010 for $223 million.A league source said Evercore will gather bids potentially as soon as the end of the month. Sources likewise confirmed a report from Bleacher Report that the struggling Russian economy is a factor." Bloomberg reports: There are now reports from people with 'knowledge' that Dangote may be interested in buying, either as a fractional owner, or main owner. Time will tell. It'll definitely boost his international recognition.

Crime writer Ruth Rendell is in a critical but stable condition after suffering a stroke. The 84-year-old, who also has a seat in the House Of Lords as a Labour peer, is best known for her series of novels featuring Chief Inspector Wexford. The best-selling author had a "serious stroke" last week and is being looked after in hospital by her son. Her publisher said: "Our thoughts are with Ruth and her family at this difficult time." In a statement, Hutchinson - Penguin Random House said Baroness Rendell of Babergh had suffered a stroke on 7 January. Continue...

Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel lead the race for this year's Oscars with nine nominations each. The Imitation Game, Boyhood and American Sniper also have multiple nominations. There was good news for British actors as Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, Rosamund Pike, Felicity Jones and Keira Knightley are all nominated. Continue...

The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje, has stated that he would cancel the Lekki-Epe toll gate, if elected into office in February 28. Agbaje, however, noted that the Lekki Phase 1 inner bridge would remain since it was started from scratch by the concessionaire company. Continue...

 The Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch will on Thursday honour the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo(SAN), as the recipient of its second edition of Gani Fawehinmi Integrity Award. Continue...

            Former Miss USA and Real Housewives of Atlanta star, Kenya Moore called Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong'o out on twitter two days ago for refusing to take a photo with her when they met at a Golden Globes after party. The epic snub was revealed after a fan asked Kenya who she hung out with at the party. See below... Lol at the this! After two movies? Well, OK! But maybe she didn't recognize you? If true, not nice Lupita! See tweets after the cut.. .  Continue...

President Goodluck Jonathan has made a surprise visit to north-east Nigeria, in the aftermath of mass killings by Boko Haram Islamist militants. Mr Jonathan told some of the 5,000 refugees who fled last-week's violence: "I want to assure you that you will soon go back to your houses." It was his first visit to the north-east since March 2013. Critics have accused the president of ignoring the victims of Boko Haram's violence in the region. He cancelled a trip to the region last year. Continue...

No fewer than eight families have escaped death after fire engulfed an apartment in the Makoko, Yaba area of Lagos. PUNCH Metrolearnt that the fire, which was caused by an electrical surge on Tuesday, started at about 9am. Our correspondent gathered that the fire, which was eventually put out by some men in the area, had, however, gutted a section of the building. According to a resident who claimed to be an eyewitness, Mr. Tunde Yekini, the fire emanated from an electrical fault in the house. A resident who lost property to the fire, Mr. Gabriel Sona, said he was at work when he received a call that there was a fire in his house. He said, “I have gone to work when I received a call that my house was on fire. I quickly rushed back home to discover that I have lost my property to the fire.” The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasaq Fadipe, said, the service was informed about the incident. He said, “We sent our men from Ilupeju. Later on, I was called back that the fire had bee...

Relief came the way of one Margaret Sanders, an American based in Sherman, Texas, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, successfully recovered the sum of $2,000 which she had lost to a suspected Nigerian fraudster, Benjamin Akugbe, in a romance scam. According to the spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, “Sanders, through a petition dated July 9, 2013, alleged that she entered into a relationship on facebook with someone who claimed to be Benny Brown from Warri, Delta State, with both agreeing to get married. “According to her, the suspect in the course of the affair, requested for the sum of $2,000 to enable him join her in United States of America. The money was wired to him through Western Union, into an account with the name, Gladdys Ikpoba domiciled with a new generation bank. Uwujaren further noted that after an endless wait for the finance, Sanders came to the sad realisation that she had been duped and her efforts to recover the money were unsuccessful un...

The University of Benin, Benin City, has named a branch of Unity Bank situated inside Ugbowo Campus to process hostel accommodation payments for all students. In a circular released on Wednesday, 14th January, 2015, the university authorities also direct Guaranty Trust Bank Plc to receive all Clearance charges. Read the full report below FINAL UNIBEN HOSTEL UPDATE: Bank Charges: all students are advised to pay their bank charges into the banks as specified below. 1) Hostel access and maintenance charges: unity bank Ugbowo campus. All students: 1000 2) SUG dues: access bank ugbowo campus. A) old students; 300 B) new students ; 500 3)Clearance charges: Guaranty Trust bank, Ugbowo campus. 4)School fees: payment online. 5)Students record file(new students): First Bank Plc, Ugbowo Campus NOTE: Receipts for hostel access and SUG dues are to be presented to the deans office, students affairs division before registration for hostel request. Old students could commence their request for hostel...

The Sun UK has exposed a corporate beggar who not only has a machine for card payments but also goes on vacations around the world - even Ibiza (one of the carribean islands!)...lol 

A young lady, Miss Grace Ebiloma, who was on her way from a vigil was gang-raped by hoodlums in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital. The lady was on her way home from the church when the hoodlums seized her and dragged her into the bush where they raped her. According to a statement by the evangelist Enechojo Agene of Uleju Ojo Power House Ministry, the lady had gone to a nearby structure opposite the church to rest after the vigil, when the hoodlums struck, raping and killing her. The staement said that the hoodlums raped her to death, stressing that the body of the victim was recovered from the bush after a search was conducted. Envangelist Agene described the action of the hoodlums as heinous, calling on God in heaven to visit vengeance on the perpetrators of this gruesome act. Agene also called on security operatives to intensify efforts at bringing the hoodlums to book, noting that those who perpetrated the crime should go unpunished. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Offic...

The Defence authorities have started taking delivery of some military hardware required for the prosecution of the war against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East. Investigation revealed that the military hardware were imported from Russia, Belarus and other Eastern European countries. Continue...