Tony Kanu's blog

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, has assured Nigerians that the ongoing reconstruction of the Ajebandele-Sagamu section of the Benin-Ore-Ofosu highway would soon be completed. Fashola stated this during the construction and asphalt underlay of the dual carriageway, Phase IV. He said the contract, which was awarded by the President Jonathan administration in 2014 was abandoned due to lack of fund. He said since President Buhari’s administration came on board, with the intervention of Sukuk fund in 2017, the progress of work has improved significantly towards the October 2018 completion date. The Minister, who was represented by the South West Director, Federal Highway, Engr. Emmanuel Adeoye, confirmed that about 17.3km has been completed from the 98.1km, representing 15.92 per cent of the job. He said about N18b has been released to the contractor from the N71,648,176,867.38 budgeted for the project, pointing out that the Federal Governm

Senior lawyers have expressed reservations on the new bill passed by the Senate on hate speech. The bill, if eventually assented to by President Buhari, stipulates that any person found guilty of any form of hate speech resulting in the death of another person shall die by hanging upon conviction. The bill also proposed a jail term not less than five years or a fine of not less than N10 million, or both for harassment on ethnic grounds or racial contempt. Some lawyers, including Chief Sebastine Hon and Kayode Ajulo, expressed concerns over what they described as extreme punishment for offenders. Hon contended that capital punishment is highhanded. He observed that in line with the provisions of the penal and criminal codes of other countries, death penalty, as proposed by the National Assembly, should be opposed by all Nigerians. He said: “I do not, with respect, support the anti-hate speech Bill recently passed by the National Assembly, especially the punishment proposed

Nigeria Info 99.3 has become the first FM station to introduce Visual Radio to the country’s broadcast landscape. Visual Radio is meant to afford listeners the opportunity to watch their favourite local FM radio presenters in action on computers and mobile devices. It’s a new dimension in radio broadcasting with interactive content and services for mobile radio listeners. With this new development, listeners can enjoy engaging and exciting contents, visuals, information and entertainment. They can also participate in the radio station’s promotions, polls, contests, and interact with the show hosts and their special guests. According to the radio network’s CEO, Serge Noujaim: “We now live in an instant and content-hungry world. Modern radio must compete with multiple attention-grabbing sources, to engage, maintain and grow audiences. This must not be at the expense of making great radio. It should be an addition to it. And we are proud to be the first in Nigeria to do so.”

The United States (US) Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, would visit Nigeria and four other African countries from March 6 to 13. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), spokesperson for the department, Ms. Heather Nauert, said Tillerson would also travel to Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Chad. During his visit to Abuja, Tillerson is expected to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and other top government functionaries. Nauert said: “On his first official trip to Africa, Tillerson will travel to N’Djamena (Chad); Djibouti (Djibouti); Addis Ababa (Ethiopia); Nairobi (Kenya) and Abuja (Nigeria), March 6 to 13. “Secretary Tillerson will meet with leadership in each country, as well as the leadership of the African Union Commission (AU), based in Addis Ababa. “This is to further our partnerships with the governments and people of Africa. “In particular, he plans to discuss ways we can work with our partners to counter terrorism, advance peace and security, promote

Hoodlums today invaded the venue of the empowerment programme, organised by Senator Ahmed Ogembe for women in Okene, Kogi state. The Afims Hotel venue was already filled up by guests , party members and the would-be-beneficiaries of the empowerment programme, when the hoodlums came calling, wielding dangerous weapons, attacking people and disrupting the seating arrangement for the event. The few security men at the hotel were said to have been overwhelmed by the thugs, who scattered tables and chairs and triggered a bedlam. The thugs said to be armed with dangerous weapons searched frantically for Ogembe who is representing Kogi Central Senatorial district but could not lay hands on him. Ogembe of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) was said to be a few meters away from the hotel when the thugs came. However, many guests, some political associates of Ogembe and beneficiaries of the empowerment programme were injured during the bedlam. Ogembe who later showed up at the ve

"Black Panther" will easily win the Oscar weekend box office again with an estimated third weekend total of $63 million. The Marvel movie added $16.3 million on its third Friday, pushing its domestic total past the $450 million mark. With this result, "Black Panther" has now passed the $448 million domestic haul for "The Dark Knight Rises," and today it will pass the $459 million made in North America by "Avengers: Age of Ultron" to become the third highest grossing superhero movie in domestic box office history. The record is held by "The Avengers" with $623 million, a total "Black Panther" is currently on pace to reach as it could pass the half-billion mark by the end of the weekend. In second place is 20th Century Fox/Chernin Entertainment's "Red Sparrow," which is currently on pace to fall short of tracker projections with a $15-17 million opening from 3,056 screens, with pre-weekend expectations set arou

Two Colombian police officers were killed Saturday when criminals bombed their car, then hurled grenades and strafed it with gunfire, local authorities said. The officers were near the town of Caldono, in southwestern Colombia, when their vehicle was "attacked with an explosive," the police said in a statement. Officers Jorge Andres Quintero, 31, and Jhoan Sebastian Rodriguez, 25, were on their way to pick up a man detained at a nearby police station. The statement added that guerrillas formerly with the FARC rebel group are active in the area, but did not directly assign blame. Cauca police commander Colonel Edgar Orlando Rodriguez said at a press conference said that after the bombing the car was hit by "rifles bursts and fragmentation grenades." President Juan Manuel Santos condemned the "cowardly murder" of the officers on Twitter, and vowed that "those responsible will pay." The 2016 peace deal between the Santos government and FARC

Rap luminaries offered their prayers to their colleague Rick Ross on Friday, after the rapper was reportedly hospitalized on Thursday. " I BELIEVE in the Power of Prayer Sending Prayers up for Rick Ross," wrote Missy Elliott. "These Things Happen" rapper G-Eazy:had a similar message on Friday, tweeting, "Prayers for rick ross." "God bless my brother Rick Ross," tweeted rapper/actor Fat Joe. "I'm praying to the highest level love you bro." Three 6 Mafia founding member Juicy J offered, "Prayers up for Rick Ross." Ross was reportedly hospitalized after a health scare at his Miami home Thursday morning. According to a police report published by The Blast, someone at Ross' home called 911 reporting a person at the residence as "unresponsive," "breathing heavy" and "slobbing out the mouth. Citing sources, TMZ reported Friday that Ross has been placed on "something called ECMO,&

Former Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo KANU, has raised an alarm that he is on the verge of losing his prized asset, Hardly Apartment, a hotel situated in Lagos to the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, under unclear circumstance. Papilo, as the former Arsenal of London and Inter Milan of Italy striker said his heart bleeds over the ordeal he is currently passing through since November 2015 when Hardley Apartment was put under the management of AMCON following an alleged indebtedness which he said is now a subject of litigation. Kanu said that the case is still ongoing in a Federal High Court, Lagos, and is billed for hearing next month. “It is now common knowledge that Hardley Apartment, which is a going concern in the hospitality industry was put under the temporary possession of AMCON since November 2015 by an exparte order of court on account of a purported indebtedness but which remains unproven till date,” KANU said in a statement which he personally signed and m

The Nigerian Army has disbursed N19 million to 95 widows of fallen heroes residing in Abakpa and Awkunanaw Barracks in Enugu State to ameliorate the hardship being faced by the women. Maj.- Gen. Adamu Abubakar, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division of the Nigerian Army said this in a statement issued by Col. Sagir Musa, Deputy Director of Army Public Relations of the Division on Saturday in Enugu. Musa, who explained that each of the widows received N200, 000, said that the money was presented to the widows at the division’s auditorium in Enugu on Friday. He said that Abubakar, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, urged the beneficiaries to make use of the money judiciously. Musa also said that the GOC thanked Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his continuous support to the widows and the Division. NAN recalls that Ugwuanyi had during the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration pledged to empower the widows of fallen heroes of the Division

Former Nigerian head of state Ibrahim Babangida has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to shelve any plans to seek reelection in 2019, noting that Nigeria would be better without Buhari’s “analogue system.” “I do not intend to deny President Buhari his inalienable right to vote and be voted for, but there comes a time in the life of a nation when personal ambition should not override national interest,” Babangida said in a statement issued by his spokesman Kassim Afegbua on Sunday. The man, who annulled arguably the freest election in Nigeria, said “I do not intend to deny President Buhari his inalienable right to vote and be voted for, but there comes a time in the life of a nation when personal ambition should not override national interest,” Babangida said in a statement issued by his spokesman Kassim Afegbua on Sunday. He said, “This is the time for us to reinvent the will (sic) and tap into the resourcefulness of the younger generation, stimulate their entrepreneurial initi

Covenant University is to represent Nigeria at the global CFA Institute Research competition this year. Covenant University came first in Nigeria’s stage of the global CFA Institute Research competition in Lagos on Saturday to emerge as Nigeria’s representative at the Regional CFA competition in Dublin, Ireland, on April 4 and April 5. It beat University of Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University which emerged second and third place winners, respectively. Eight universities in Nigeria took part in the competition. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CFA competition in Nigeria is sponsored by Zenith International Bank in partnership with CFA Society in Nigeria. The CFA Institute Research Challenge is the world most prestigious investment research competition among university students globally. It is aimed at promoting best practices in equity research among the next generation of analysts. The competition promotes ethics and best practices in investment re

PHOTO AFP Cameroonian soldiers have invaded Nigerian communities in Cross River State, the second time in two months. The soldiers had reportedly killed a Nigerian and a Cameroonian refugee in Danare, Boki Local Government Area (LGA) of the state in December, last year. The incident followed a military crackdown on Anglophone secessionists in the neighboring nation, resulting in displaced persons streaming into Nigerian territory.Sources at Danare said the soldiers stormed the community on Thursday, demanding that the village head hand over some refugees to them. The leader turned down the request and the troops left without hurting anybody. On Monday night, however, the soldiers returned. Numbering between 50 and 100, they allegedly crossed the international border into Danare, searching for Cameroonian militants said to have sought refuge in Nigeria. The militants had allegedly attacked the soldiers, prompting the reprisal. The Spokesman for the community and a former co

Singer, song writer and producer IFEANYI UCHENDU  has released another single after PIOM PIOM and ABASI JIREH. According to him, the new hit single which was produced by PD and dedicated to his mother is tittled: ONYINYECHI '' she is a true African Woman,this is my own way of saying thanks to her and every mother out there''. Download ONYINYECHI here:  www.reverbnation.com/ ifeanyidiworship1

North Korea earned nearly $200m (£141m) last year by exporting banned commodities in breach of international sanctions, a UN report says. The confidential report by a panel of experts said several countries including China, Russia and Malaysia had failed to stop the illegal exports. It said there was evidence of military co-operation with Syria and Myanmar. Pyongyang is subject to sanctions from the US, UN and EU over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. But the report, which was submitted to the UN Security Council and seen by news agencies, said the North "continued to export almost all the commodities prohibited in the resolutions... between January and September 2017". The report said several unnamed multinational oil companies were being investigated for their alleged role in supplying petroleum products to North Korea. It said shipments of coal had been delivered to China, Malaysia, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam in breach of sanctions using &qu

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has disclosed that the Nigerian Army would soon deploye its personnel to various parts of the country to curtail ongoing threat to security in the country. He said the troops would be deployed under Special Forces, such as Operation Python Dance III in the Southeast, Operation Crocodile Smile III in the Niger Delta and Southwest and Harbin Kunama III in the North to contend cattle rustling in that part of the country. Buratai spoke in Abuja, yesterday, after leading officers and men on an annual 15-kilometre route match that culminated at the Mogadishu Cantonment in the city, tasked officers and men to be on alert. He reiterated that some officers and men could be deployed at short notice to assist what he called “civil authorities” to contend insecurity in any part of the country and charged them to be prepared for the task. The army chief could not, however, give a clear picture on whether the troops would carry out si

Not less than four people have been injured in a series of drive-by shootings in a central Italian town, with one man arrested. According to BBC news, a ll of those injured in Macerata are foreigners, they added. The office of the town's mayor warned people in a tweet to stay indoors because of the incident. The shootings were reported in different parts of Macerata, including near the town's train station. It is unclear how many people were inside the vehicle, which was a black Alfa Romeo. Police said the injured - which some reports put as high as six - were being treated in hospital. They said that all those targeted were foreigners and local reports said the victims were black immigrants. Gunfire was heard in the Via Spalato and Via dei Velini parts of town, two key areas in an investigation into the murder of an 18-year-old girl whose body was found last Wednesday.

Full Speach of President Muhammadu Buhari on 2018 New Years National Broadcast  – I join my fellow citizens this morning to welcome and celebrate the New Year 2018. This year promises to be pivotal in our quest for CHANGE. Unfortunately, I am saddened to acknowledge that for many this Christmas and New Year holidays have been anything but merry and happy. Instead of showing love, companionship and charity, some of our compatriots chose this period to inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country. The consequence was that not many could travel and the few who did had to pay exorbitant transport fares. This is unacceptable given that NNPC had taken measures to ensure availability at all depots. I am determined to get to the root of this collective blackmail of all Nigerians and ensure that whichever groups are behind this manipulated hardship will be prevented from doing so again. Such unpatriotism will not divert the Administration f