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Nigeria’ll Be Finished If Judiciary Is Politicised, Says CJN Onnoghen                                                            The Chief Justice of Nigeria-designate, Justice Walter Onnoghen, cautioned yesterday that Nigeria as a country would be finished anytime the judiciary allows itself to be politicized. He, however, assured that on his watch as the new head of the judiciary, the independence of the third arm of government is guaranteed, as nobody will be able to pocket the judiciary. Onnoghen disclosed this, while fielding questions from Senators during his confirmation hearing as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

How I will run the Judiciary – Justice Onnoghen        Justice Walter Onnoghen who appeared before the Senate for screening and confirmation as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) has vowed that it would be impossible for anybody to cow and pocket the judiciary under his watch. In response to questions on the Senate’s concerns on judicial absurdities, particularly conflicting judgement, he said: ”Conflicting judgement are bound to happen because the processes are different and the lawyers can adopt any of the choices and the system of Nigeria Judiciary has a way of regulating itself.” While acknowledging the pressure being put on the judiciary by politicians, he said the moment Nigeria Judiciary was politicized, they will not be justice for anybody, noting that he remains the same person and would not allow the system to be pocketed. Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio was emphatic that he should address conflicting ju...

Nigeria boosts sales of dollars to strengthen the naira    ABUJA Feb 27 (Reuters) - Nigeria central bank said on Monday it sold $80 million to retail customers and another $100 million in currency forwards to increase dollar liquidity and support the naira. Nigeria has been running short of dollars as oil revenues have fallen along with the price of crude. That has weakened the local currency on the black market, where it trades far lower than the official interbank rate of 305 naira to the dollar. The central bank said in a statement it sold $80 million to cover consumer demand and another $100 million via the wholesale forward market. Traders said banks offered central bank dollars to customers at 375 naira. The central bank, under pressure from the government to narrow the gap between the official and black market rates, has effectively devalued the naira for consumers, offering to sell them dollars...

Labour to FG: Recall Nigeria’s envoy to South Africa now       The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) Monday asked the federal government to immediately recall Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South African in protest against the continued killing of Nigerians by what they described as individuals and the silence of the South African government over the matter. In a statement signed by the President of the Congress, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama and General Secretary, Comrade (Barr.) Musa-Lawal Ozigi, the Union also wants the government to immediate begin a process of evacuating Nigerians resident in that country. The congress said there was a grand conspiracy by the South African government and state security apparatus to mindlessly waste lives and take over people’s properties of innocent and harmless fellow Africans. The statement reads: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria expresses serious concern over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against fore...

Fresh Xenophobic Attacks, Looting In South Africa  Doors and windows were smashed in, and food and other items were strewn on the floor in stores believed to belong to immigrants in Jeppestown, an area in the central business district, a Reuters witness said. About 100 people ransacked shops in Johannesburg overnight, police said on Monday, in the latest burst of xenophobic attacks and looting incidents in South African cities. Doors and windows were smashed in, and food and other items were strewn on the floor in stores believed to belong to immigrants in Jeppestown, an area in the central business district, a Reuters witness said. “We’ve been stuck inside here until the police came,” Abdul Ebrahim, a Somali shopowner, said after emerging from his store, where a number of his colleagues had barricaded themselves. “No one told us what they were looking for,” he added when asked why the mob had attacked his shop. At least one person was arrested. “We are foll...

Malabu $1.1 billion Scandal: Court to decide Shell, Eni’s request March 13       The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court will on March 13 decide on an application for the retraction of a January 26 order withdrawing control of an oil block, OPL 245, from two multinational oil companies. The oil firms, Shell and Eni, through their Nigerian subsidiaries, challenged the propriety of the Nigerian government withdrawing the oil block from them, pending the determination of a criminal matter. The order was sought ex-Parte by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which said it was investigating the corruption surrounding the block. OPL245 is considered one of Nigeria’s richest oil blocks and estimated to contain over 9 billion barrels of crude. Apart from Shell and Eni, who want the block back, Malabu, the firm to which the block was originally assigned by the Nigerian government in 1998 under controversial circumstances, also sought to re...

                 FG earmarks N750b to tackle food scarcity   Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the Federal Government has approved N750 billion to tackle food scarcity in the country. Osinbajo stated this, on Monday, during the inauguration of Senior Executive Course SEC 39 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Jos. According to him, “The country has over 84 million hectares of arable land, but only 40 percent is cultivated with a population of about 180 million people, it internal market is big enough to support an optimum agricultural production and at the same time provide more work to the citizens.” The Acting President, who was represented by the Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, urged Nigerians to take advantage of agricultural opportunity open by the federal government to be self reliance. Prof Osinbajo said this ye...