Akwa Pluz

•It’s time for the Federal Government to take another look at the confab report Three years after the report of the National Conference convoked by the former President Goodluck Jonathan was submitted to the presidency, the resolutions have continued to generate interest across the country.  Prominent members of the conference have insisted that the resolutions hold the key to peace, progress and unity in the land. However, the executive branch of government, following the change of baton in 2015, has vowed to have nothing to do with the conference report, dismissing it as worthless. No sooner did President Muhammadu Buhari replace Dr. Jonathan than he declared that he had not as much as taken a look at the report. Now that both houses of the National Assembly have decided to re-examine and debate the report, the presidency should reconsider its stance on the matter. It is obvious that we have come to a point in our national history when we ought to consider all suggestions ...

While some people welcome gray hair, which many believe, is associated with old age, others cannot stand it. The good news: Scientists are hard at work on how to prevent it. However, research has shown that using natural ingredients will help to boost and rejuvenate the hair, Omolara Akintoye writes EVERY man and woman knows the day will come, and they all dread it. You look in the mirror, and there it is — your first gray hair! Men are seen shaving their hair while women start dyeing it or covering their hair with wig. While some people start experiencing it at a later age, some are not that lucky. In an interview with Mrs. Lucy Odunayo, a business woman, she recalled how she started battling gray hair from her youthful days. “My mother gave birth to me in her late forties, so my mum had been told that I would start experiencing gray hair early. So, I had no choice than to start wearing wig right from my youthful days,” she lamented. For Mr. John Iluoma, he had to have his hair ...

We need to mine enough information from him All over the world, the arrest by security operatives of a notorious criminal is celebrated by the security agencies and even the media. While the police bask in the euphoria of the arrest, for the latter, it is time to feast on the different angles to the life and operations of the criminal, in their bid to be the first to report the story. Perhaps this explained the scrambling for snapshots by some police officers with the country’s most celebrated kidnapper, Chukwudi Onuamadike  a.k.a. Evans, who was arrested on June 10 at the Magodo area of Lagos. We cannot deny the police their celebration of such a big catch. But, in all they do, they must be mindful of one thing: no evil must befall Evans. Neither must he escape from detention under any circumstance; Nigeria needs him alive. We should credit a criminal who had been on the police watch list for about seven years before he was caught, using all manner of subterfuge, with some in...

Troops of 27 Task Force Brigade, deployed to Buni Gari in Borno said they have arrested another suspected Boko Haram terrorist. Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director Army Public Relations, made this known on Thursday in Maiduguri. Usman said the suspect, 20, was arrested by the troops on June 25 while on perimeter patrol. He added that “preliminary investigation was initially difficult as he was found to be under influence of heavy dosage of drugs. “However, he has since stabilised and making useful statement.” The director noted that the troops of 29 Task Force Brigade also Discovered Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by suspected terrorists along Wajiro-Mallam Kuramti cattle route. “Troops of the 29 Task Force Brigade also discovered an IED planted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists while on patrol on June 28 along Wajiro-Mallam Kuramti cattle route. “The team safely removed and detonated it,’’ he said. Usman said the troops of 151 Battalion of the 2...

Arik Air, Nigeria’s largest carrier said on Friday it would resume daily flight operations between Abuja and Accra, Ghana on July 17. The airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Roy Ilegbodu, disclosed this on Friday in Lagos that the resumption of flights between the two countries was part of efforts to satisfy the company’s customers. Ilegbodu said flights were suspended on the Abuja-Accra route in March following the closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to pave way for the rehabilitation of the runway. He said the Abuja-Accra flight would operate daily at 5.30 p.m. (local time) departure out of Abuja with a departure time of 7.40 p.m. (local time) in Accra. “The re-introduction of the Abuja-Accra operation is part of the management’s strategy to optimise flight schedule and respond to the needs of our valued customers. “Arik Air has been in the forefront of providing customer-centred services since our inception and we will continue to respond to the...

President  Emmanuel Macron of France is meeting West African leaders today in Mali to discuss support for a new 5,000-strong multinational force meant to counter a growing threat from terror groups including Boko Haram and al-Qaida. Heads of state from five nations across Africa’s vast Sahel region have called for a new regional force after terrorists targeted tourist resorts and other high-profile areas in the region especially in Mali. The visit is Macron’s second to Mali in a month and a half which defines his hard-stand against terrorism especially those linked to al-Qaida in the region. The U.N. Security Council last month approved the deployment of the new force with troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and Chad after at least five people were killed in an attack on a Mali resort popular with foreigners. Reports suggest that funding of the new force meant to be operational in the next few months will be the major focus of the meeting. On inauguration...

Suspected billionaire  kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike  aka Evans, has again sued the Inspector General of Police, and three others before a Federal High Court in Lagos over his alleged illegal detention. Other respondents in the new suit are the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police Lagos State and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command. In the new suit filed yesterday by his counsel, Olukoya Ogubgbeje, through an originating summon, marked FHC/L/CS/1012/ 2017, Evans is claiming N300m as general and exemplary damages against the police for what he termed ‘ illegal detention and unconstitutional media trial”. In an affidavit deposed to by his father, Mr Stephen Onwuamadike, in support of the suit,  he averred that the applicant has been subjected to media trial without any court order by the respondents. Onwuamadike further averred that the media trial and news orchestrated by the respondents have continued to generate reac...

Some leaders of thought from the various ethnic groups in Delta State have thrown their support behind the Defence Headquarters in its decision to tag the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a terrorist organisation. In separate interviews with  The Nation  in Warri yesterday, an Urhobo leader and former Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Victor Otomiewo, as well as renowned legal luminary and Chairman of the apex Itsekiri social culture body; the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT), Chief Edward Ekpoko, slammed IPOB for its activities. Otomiewo said the federal government had tolerated what he described as IPOB’s lawlessness for too long, saying that the group had violated the peace of the country and should be made to face the full weight of the law. He said: “The government has tolerated the insult and the contempt of IPOB for too long, and I’m in full support of the decisive action. “Those who think because of whatever they think of t...

ACADEMIC activities will take off at the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, in Delta State,  in October, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dakuku Peterside, has assured. He also noted that the establishment of the varsity by the Federal Government and other institutes for maritime studies in six universities across Nigeria were efforts by his agency towards building the requisite capacity for the industry. Peterside, a former member of the House of Representatives, stated these yesterday at the world-class conference hall of INTELS, Onne Port Complex in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, at the celebration of the annual Seafarers’ Day, with the theme: “Seafarers Matter.” The guest speaker on the occasion was Capt. Fola Ojutalayo. There were goodwill messages from eminent personalities and colourful cultural displays by two groups from Rivers state. The NIMASA chief, who is the first director-general of the age...

Sixty-six ex-agitators and selected youths in the Niger Delta area have been offered scholarships to study Sports Management Fundamental at the Johan Cruyff Institute of Barcelona, the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) said on Wednesday. The Coordinator of the programme, retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. Boroh, also the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs,  said that the course contents of Sports Management Fundamental were put together by the university of Amsterdam. He said that the programme was meant to blend academic with sports education. The coordinator said beneficiaries would combine their studies with training sessions while in camp and also have three hours lectures every day. Boroh said at the end of four months, successful course participants would be awarded Foundation of Sports Management certificates. He said this could lead them to proceed for their post graduate diplom...