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Officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have distributed free fuel to motorists in Kaduna, as sanction against marketers who are hoarding petroleum products or selling above official pump price.
 Five service stations along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Bye-Pass in the state capital, were caught in the act and the agency dispensed petrol to motorists free of charge. The monitoring team led by the DPR Kaduna Zonal Controller, stormed some of the petrol stations within the metropolis where they discovered that the owners were hoarding the product and have refused to sell to the public during day time, but operate only at night when they sell above the official pump price. The agency said that its action is part of efforts to reduce the lingering fuel scarcity that has affected economic activities in the past two months and to also ensure that marketers adhere to the N86.50k official pump price. Speaking to report...

The Nigerian Navy has handed over six suspected persons arrested in connection with the hijack of MT Maximus to the Inspector General of Police’s special investigation panel. The MT Maximus was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Ivory Coast on February 11 and was forcefully boarded on February 17 at about 370 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria. The whistle blowers were the International Maritime Bureau, while the Nigerian Navy ship Okpabana and Sagbama was scrambled to search and rescue the ship. During the arrest, one pirate was reportedly killed and six of them were arrested and the rescued ship is now in Lagos.

The Nigerian government has advised the police to work towards eradicating custodial violence against suspects and other detainees in their custody. It also asked the police to ensure an improved investigation and prosecution of suspected criminals. In a speech delivered at the inaugural Strategic Police Management Conference organised by the Nigeria Police Force on Friday, the Economic Adviser to the President, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, stressed that the idea of confessional statement obtained by the police was militating against the successful prosecution of criminals. He said most confessional statements were often disputed in court, as the suspects claim such statements were written under duress. At the conference held in Abuja were senior police officers, who gathered to brainstorm and fashion out ways of effective and intelligence-based policing. The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, called on Nigerians to support the police in becoming effective...

Former Generations: The Legacy actress Asanda Foji will soon make her return to TV with a role as a bride on a SABC 1 show. Asanda‚ who made headlines last year when reports of her dismissal were released before the actress was notified of her release by the show‚ surprised fans recently when she posted pictures of herself on the set of a new show. Talking to TMG Entertainment‚ Asanda revealed that after leaving Generations‚ she worked on several small roles for six months before landing her latest gig. “I really thought it wouldn’t take this long. I’m surprised it took so long. I kept thinking that God had led me out of Generations so that I could take another role a week or two later but it didn’t happen. But I kept praying and drawing strength from God. I didn’t want to be a statistic. And so I worked on some smaller projects and even returned to theatre for a bit‚ but eventually this role came around and this one is big‚” she says. “This new role is a great bless...

Jay Z, one of the most financially successful Hip-Hop artists in the United States, unveiled this venture just a month after the launch of his new company Tidal, “the first music service with High Fidelity sound quality, High Definition music videos, and Curated Editorial, expertly crafted by music journalists.” American rapper, record producer, and business mogul Shawn Corey Carter, known by his stage name Jay Z, is reportedly on the verge of expanding his business empire by investing in the Nigerian music industry. Jay Z, one of the most financially successful Hip-Hop artists in the United States, unveiled this venture just a month after the launch of his new company Tidal, “the first music service with High Fidelity sound quality, High Definition music videos, and Curated Editorial, expertly crafted by music journalists.” Just a few weeks ago, Nigerian rapper Ice Prince of Chocolate City records shared photos of he and Jay Z via social media, hinting he’s in talks with R...

A delegation of the Spanish League (La Liga) Board will arrive in Nigeria on Monday for a bilateral meeting with the League Management Company (LMC) to conclude discussions on collaboration between the two leagues which began during a similar visit by the LMC to Spain earlier this year. The LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko and Hon. Nduka Irabor, the Chief Executive Officer were in Madrid, Spain from February 29 to March 1 for follow-up talks with the La Liga initiated when both Leagues met at the Forum of World Leagues in Germany. The La Liga delegation will be led by the President, Javier Tebas, International Advisor, Melcior Solar, Head of La Liga South Africa, Antonia Barradas and Fernando Sanz, the Head of La Liga Middle East office and who is in charge of African affairs. The two Bodies are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding for a partnership that will cover exchange of knowledge, trainings for Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Club Coaches and Admi...

The United Nations has started evacuating hundreds of people from besieged Syrian towns in a rare sign of humanitarian progress that came as tens of thousands of civilians fled fresh fighting. Safe passage was secured for those in need of medical attention from four towns on Wednesday - a complex mission as a strained ceasefire appeared to buckle further. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said plans were afoot to evacuate about 500 people, including the sick and wounded along with their family members from the four towns. People were evacuated from the rebel-held towns of Zabadani and Madaya near Damascus, and the government-held towns of Foua and Kefraya in northwest Idlib province. On the outskirts of Madaya, where dozens of residents starved to death last year, seven large white buses were used to take the people out. Dozens of men, women and children got out of the bus and were checked by security officials before boarding once more, the AFP news agency reported....

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has once again decried the epileptic power supply across the nation. Fashola said 5,000 megawatts of power was far insufficient for over 170 million Nigerians. The minister, who spoke in Abuja yesterday when he received the Director General of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Dupe Atoki, promised to raise standards in the quality and quantity of service in the electricity ‎supply chain. The minister said it had become necessary for the private sector to support the Federal Government’s various efforts to boost power generation and embrace the new multi-year tariff order to consumers. He also said the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Initiative (CAPMI) which had become one of the challenges to consumers should be resolved soon, stating that, “you cannot take peoples’ money without providing the service for which they have paid. I was uncomfortable with that”. “We must bring mutual trust in the prov...

DJ Quik dissed Kanye West in a new radio interview this week. When asked about what he thinks of Kanye’s new album, Life Of Pablo, the outspoken DJ said it’s not a great album, called Kanye a Kardashian and told him it’s time to remove his head from Kim’s vagina and make great music again “His celebrity supersedes his talent right now. C’mon, he’s a Kardashian. This ain’t a diss, this is a challenge. Make your best music because fans aren’t stupid. Maybe his head is not all the way in the music right now. May his head is all up in Kim Kardashian’s vagina. Vadashian!”

The Plateau Government has closed down 60 poultry farms and destroyed more than 190, 000 birds affected by bird flu across the state. Read Also: Yellow Fever Outbreak Kills 21 in Congo-WHO Director, veterinary services, in the state’s Ministry of Agriculture, Dr.Doris Bitrus said that the disease had continued to spread. She attributed that spread to the non-compensation of farmers, whose farms were affected by the disease last year. According to her, aside the issue of some farmers not keeping to biosecurity measures, the major reason behind the fast spread of the disease is the non-payment of compensation to farmers affected by the disease in 2015. “In the past, farmers used to report the outbreaks, but since compensations are not forthcoming, most of them prefer to sell their sick birds to desperate marketers to cushion their loses rather than wait on government that will promise and fail. “With such distrust, controlling or curbing further spread of the h...

Two men were killed when their car crashed into a tree on the A93 in Aberdeenshire. The men, aged 24 and 32, died at the scene of the one-vehicle accident on the A93 Banchory to Aboyne road, near the entrance to Aboyne Loch Caravan Park. Their red Volkswagen Golf left the road and struck a tree shortly before 10pm on Thursday. The men's car was the only one involved in the collision and there were no other passengers in the car. Police Scotland road policing inspector Jon Barron said: "This was a devastating and tragic incident which has very sadly resulted in the deaths of two young males. "Our thoughts are very much with their families and friends at this difficult time." The road was closed all night while collision investigations take place and reopened just after 6am on Friday morning. Inspector Baron said: "Our inquiries into the circumstances are at a very early stage. In order to help piece together exactly what has happened, it is v...

The United States has vowed to intensify efforts towards rescuing the over 200 missing Nigerian school girls, adding that it will focus more on dealing with Boko Haram, economic trade and humanitarian assistance to Nigeria, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said on Thursday (April 21). Power said this while meeting with the Civil Society group at the American embassy in the Nigerian capital Abuja. "We are focused as it happens on this trip, my second to Nigeria as the American ambassador to the United Nations, on Boko Haram but we know the partnership is so much bigger than that, we also know that it would be the fruits of the other aspects of our partnership also that will help us most in dealing with Boko Haram; trade, economic development, the strengthening of institutions and the fight that you are waging against corruption, all of these are intrinsically essential for the people of Nigeria who want to live in security and dignity and have maximum o...

A Burundian official says a military officer was among four people killed in violence associated with the extended tenure of President Pierre Nkurunziza. Deputy police spokesperson Moise Nkurunziza, who is not related to the president, said on Thursday that unknown gunmen ambushed Colonel Emmanuel Buzubona as he arrived home on a motorcycle in Bujumbura Wednesday evening Nkurunziza said the men shot at and threw a grenade at Buzubona, also killing the motorcycle's driver. He said Buzubona was based in Tanzania and had come home for his annual vacation. Two armed men were shot and killed by the military in the Mugamba commune in the country's south, he added. President Nkurunziza's controversial third term has set off rounds of political violence in which more than 400 people have died.

One of the most difficult decisions partners could make is when to admit that physical sex is not a possibility. Waiting until the wedding day would be a disaster because expectation would be shattered and destroyed leading to a blow out. Study comparing 1930s to 2008, showed that fewer partners expect the other to be virgins. It is one thing to abstain until the wedding, but quite another to find out your partner is not a virgin she/he claimed. Even that can be resolved. There was a nearby compound where some families lived. This man we called uncle hardly had time for ladies because he was always working hard at everything, even after work. He was our soccer coach, swimming couch and the one we could go to for counsel. Needless to say, family pressured him into the voluptuous bosom of a lady. After the wedding, there was no sign of problem. The lady would change clothes daily waiting for the new husband to come home. Uncle had less time for us after our school or his w...

Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe Gentry, rarely interferes in other people's matter but while crushing on her fellow colleague, Toyin Aimakhu, she noted that the actress can be very stubborn. Mercy promised to offer her help to the actress anytime she feels like looking for a shoulder to lean on but noted that it can only happen if Toyin comes to her for help. The dazzling actress begged people criticizing her to let her be as everyone tends to make one mistake or the other in life. According to her, “Today I am crushing on my talented, beautiful Edo sister, down to earth, crazy and fun to be with, Toyin Aimakhu. I love you babes, continue to stay strong. You know you can always count on me (that's if you will listen oh) werey girl (laughs) Please all those who are crucifying my sister, biko leave her alone oh! We all make mistakes and we learn from it.”

SAN FRANCISCO, April 21 (THEWILL) – The Kaduna State Government, on Thursday, asked a Kaduna High Court to sentence 50 Shiite members to death for allegedly causing the death of a soldier. The government had filed a five-count charge against the accused before Justice David Wyom. It accused them of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, culpable homicide, disturbance of public peace and wrongful restrain. In the petition, Counsel to the government, Mr Bayero Diri said that the offences are punishable under Sections 97, 221, 102, 106 and 225 of the Penal Code Law, Laws of Kaduna State 1991. The government said that the offence was committed between December 12 and 14, 2015 in Zaria. It alleged that the suspects among other things shot dead one Col. Yakubu Dankaduna of the Nigerian Army “with a gun when he alighted from the convoy to disperse the IMN members.” Section 102 of the penal code prescribes death sentence for such offence. The prosecution tol...

Matthew Paterson's emotional reaction.  Credit: @shvrdae A heartbroken teacher played Purple Rain and cried in front of his class after learning of Prince's death . Matthew Patterson is seen breaking down in tears and putting his head in his hands as the singer's iconic hit plays on a projector scene in the background. One of his students filmed his moment of grief and her video has since been retweeted more than 54,000 times. It hit me like a ton of bricks,”Mr Patterson told  New York Daily News . Recalling what he told his class, the teacher said: “I talked about what Prince meant to me as an artist and a brave performer and a person unwilling to take stuff from record companies. “I’ve been listening to Prince since I was seven. I must’ve spent thousands and thousands of hours listening to Prince. I was just a huge fan.”

Prince and Michael Jackson were two of the biggest names of the 1980s, musical superstars jostling for supremacy in a golden age of pop. Loyal fans around the world delighted in debating whether Jackson’s “Thriller” bested Prince’s “1999” and “Purple Rain,” and the media liked to play up the idea of a rivalry. Though they denied ever having a beef, tensions between the two men sometimes spilled over into public. One such instance, recorded on grainy videotape, occurred in 1983 during a James Brown concert in Los Angeles. At one point, the Godfather of Soul summons Jackson to the stage. He promptly moonwalks across the stage and pulls off some impeccable Brown moves. Then Jackson whispers something to Brown, who demands that Prince join them. The diminutive legend plays a couple of licks on guitar and showed off some deft dance moves, but Jackson notably ignores him. In 1985, Prince was criticized when he pulled out of contributing to Jackson’s song “We Are the World,...

Doctors, friends, and now history-makers, Leonie Stander Delport and Sonja Viljoen Stall, have been crowned the first South African female athletes to become members of the prestigious Grand Slam Club – a club that recognizes the completion of a marathon on all seven continents, plus the North Pole. The 50-year-old friends from Kroonstad completed the marathon, which attracted 52 competitors this year from 21 countries and six continents, in joint 8 th  place with a time of 7:32:28. The race, nicknamed the World’s Coolest Marathon, takes place in April, when there are 24 hours of continuous daylight. The race is just over 42km and run on water, well, frozen water – the frozen ice floes of the Arctic Ocean. Leonie said, “NPM was like running a full marathon on the beach with very loose sand, in full scuba gear, the last 8 km through quick sand – all in polar conditions. Then again, nobody said it would be easy.” It seems Sonja and Leonie make a perfect team: “I ...

The hugely popular and acclaimed musician Prince has died at his home in Minnesota at the age of 57, his publicist has said. Police were called to a medical emergency at his Paisley Park estate earlier on Thursday, US media reported. An investigation is underway. Prince became a global superstar in the 1980s, with albums such as 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O’ the Times. He sold more than 100 million records during his career. A singer, songwriter, arranger and multi instrumentalist, Prince recorded more than 30 albums. His best known hits include Let’s Go Crazy and When Doves Cry. In 2004, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame. Last week he was rushed to hospital hours after performing on stage, but was soon released.