Elephant Sedative Emerges As New Threat In US Overdose Battle

This undated file photo provided by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office in Ohio shows Rayshon LaCarlos Alexander of Columbus, Ohio. Rayshon Alexander was arrested July 11, 2016, and has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts, including murder, following a death and nine other overdoses that investigators say were caused by drugs that buyers thought were heroin, but were actually the animal tranquilizer carfentanil, used to sedate elephants and other large animals. (Franklin County Sheriff's Office via AP)

A drug used to sedate elephants and other large animals, 100 times as potent as the fentanyl already escalating the country's heroin troubles, is suspected in spates of overdoses in several states, where authorities say they've found it mixed with or passed off as heroin.

‘Why Buhari Sacked CEOs Of Five Health Agencies’

President Muhammadu Buhari

More revelations have emerged why President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday sacked Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of five agencies under the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH).

China To Crack Down On Brick-By-Brick Theft Of Great Wall

Tourists gather on the Great Wall outside Beijing, China. Photo: Reuters

Regular random checks are announced to prevent further decay of UNESCO site being destroyed by tourists and locals

China’s cultural authorities are vowing to crack down on criminal damage along the sprawling Great Wall amid fears that the UNESCO site is disappearing, brick by brick.

We Kidnapped Sierra Leonean Envoy To Raise Money For Sallah — Suspects

Some of the gang dressed in army uniform, making it easier for them to stop envoy's vehicle

On June 30, 2016, the Deputy High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Nigeria, Maj.-Gen. Alfred Claude-Nelson and his driver were travelling along the Kaduna-Abuja Road with no idea of the danger ahead.

Nigeria Police Take Over #SaveMayowa Campaign Amidst Controversy, Drama

Photo: stargist.com

Despite the police announcing it had commenced investigations into the #SaveMayowa fundraising campaign, controversy has continued to trail the initiative which was aimed at raising overseas medical fees for Mayowa Ahmed, a cancer patient receiving treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

Pinnick Describes Stephen Keshi, ‘A Super Hero’, As Ex-Eagles Coach Begins Final Journey

Keshi's remains lying in state at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin

Burial activities of the late coach ‎of the senior national team, the Super Eagles, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, began on Thursday in with a funeral mass held at St. Paul Catholic Church, Airport road in Benin, Edo State.

Police Arrest Notorious Kidnapping Gang In Rivers State

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris has warned criminals, especially kidnappers in the country never to think Nigeria is lawless.

Senegalese Footballer, Demba Ba Returns Home After Undergoing Leg Surgery

Senegalese footballer Demba Ba has returned home after he had a surgery for his broken leg.

Clinton Accepts Historic Nomination, Slams Trump Vision

Hillary Clinton celebrates as she is nominated as presidential candidate, at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 28, 2016 ©Robyn Beck (AFP)

Hillary Clinton on Thursday claimed her place in history as the first woman presidential nominee of a major US party, promising economic opportunity for all and rejecting Donald Trump's dark vision of America.

NACA, NHIS, NCDC, NIMR, 1 Other Federal Health Institutions Get New Bosses

According to Bashir Ahmad who is President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on New Media, the appointments have already taken effect.

Lagos Begins First Crude Oil Export August

Front Puffin FPSO

…As IOCs, traders place order for cargoes

All is now set for the first crude oil lifting for export from the Aje field, offshore Lagos, Nigeria, by the end of August following the commissioning of a production and storage vessel for the crude.

Alleged Turkish Coupists Own Schools, Hospitals In Nigeria — Envoy

Nigerian-Turkish International Colleges (NTIC) in Nigeria have schools located in Yobe, Kano, Kaduna, Ogun, Lagos States and Abuja

The Government of Turkey on Thursday said it had alerted the Federal Government to the existence of schools allegedly owned by suspected terrorists and want them shut down.

No Going Back On Tenure Policy Reversal, FG Insists

President Muhammadu Buhari

The suspension of the tenure policy for top federal officials won’t be reversed the government said yesterday.

Shell Profits Plunge 70% As Oil Prices Hover Around Three-Month Lows

Filled oil drums are seen at Royal Dutch Shell Plc's lubricants blending plant in the town of Torzhok, north-west of Tver. © Sergei Karpukhin / Reuters 

Royal Dutch Shell posted a 70% drop in its quarterly profits, worse than analysts had expected. The Anglo-Dutch oil major is blaming low crude prices and small refining profits.

FG To Link State Capitals With Railways

President Muhammadu Buhari hoists a flag to inaugurate the Abuja-Kaduna rail service, while Transportation Minister, Chibuike Amaechi and Senate President Bukola Saraki observe at Idu in Abuja yesterday. 

One of the commissioned trains

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that most state capitals as well as major commercial and production centres will be linked with rail lines. This, according to him, is to ensure rapid socio-economic development, improve the quality of life of Nigerians and promote social and regional integration.

No Hawking. No Trading. Lagos Bans Street Selling

Street hawkers in Lagos now risk up to six months in jail and a fine if they are caught © Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP)

Every morning, Mama Biliki prepares small bags of popcorn outside her ramshackle house in Ajegunle, one of Lagos' poorest neighbourhoods, to sell by the roadside for ₦50 each.

World Bank Freezes Funds For DR Congo Dam Project

A picture taken on December 16, 2013 in Inga shows the dam 1 at Inga electricity production site near the Congo river ©Marc Jourdier (AFP)

The World Bank has frozen funding for a massive dam project in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the government altered plans for the project.

Nigeria’s Broadband Penetration Now 14%

Dr. Omobola Johnson, Chairman of Alliance for Affordable Internet

•Government charged on ICT, Internet for economic rebound •SmartAfrica to attract US$300bn investment to continent

Nigeria’s broadband penetration appreciated within the last six months, growing from 10 per cent as at December 2015 to 14 per cent in June. This is as the Federal Government has been charged to explore opportunities Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has for economic rebound.

FOR THE RECORD: Amaechi, Wike In Handshake During Peace Meeting On Rivers-Rerun

In a bid to ensure a violent-free re-run Senatorial/House of Representative elections in Rivers State, a crucial meeting to chart the path to peace in Rivers State before, during and after the re-run elections in the state was held yesterday in Abuja, between the Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IG Ibrahim Idris and the Director-General of Department of State Services, DSS, Alh. Musa Daura. 

FACE OF PRIEST KILLER: Church Terrorist 'Was Wearing Electronic Tag At Time Of Attack'

Image source: Daily Mail UK

One of the terrorists involved in slitting the throat of a priest in Normandy was wearing an electronic surveillance tag at the time of the attack.

Drama As Ambassadorial Nominees Fail National Anthem, Pledge

Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Monsurat J.A. Sunmonu

The screening of Ambassadorial nominees began today on a dramatic note as two of the nominee envoys couldn't recite the National anthem and pledge properly.

INEC Postpones Rivers Re-Run Elections Again

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has again postponed the legislative re-run elections in Rivers.

Buhari Challenges FIFA On Reforms, Warns NFF

From left NFF President Amaju Pinnick, FIFA President Gianin Infantio, President Muhammadu Buhari, FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura and Minister of Youth and Sport, Solomon Dalung at the state House Abuja Yesterday. Photo: Philip Ojisua

• Saraki appeals to warring factions to sheathe swords

President Muhammadu Buhari has tasked the world football governing body, International Federation of Football Association (FIFA), to pay attention to accountability and transparency as it embarks on football development and reforms.

Stop Germany’s Vocational Trip, NLC, Others Tell Govs

The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on State Governors to call off their planned trip to Germany for vocational training.

Buhari Picks Akinwande, MIT Professor, For NERC Chair

Professor Akintunde Ibitayo Akinwande Image source: mitblackhistory.blogspot.com

President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated Akintunde Ibitayo Akinwande, a professor in the electrical engineering and computer science department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as the executive chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Why Kebbi Denies Dangote Land — Bagudu

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with his Kebbi State counterpart, Governor Atiku Bagudu during a meeting on the Lagos Kebbi Agricultural Development Partnership at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Saturday, June 4, 2016.

Business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s plan to establish a sugar plantation and a factory in Kebbi State may have hit the rock, as indigenous land owners, who are mostly farmers, have refused to release their farm land.

Our Polio Job Not Yet Done, Says Buhari

Health workers tries to board a vehicle taking them to designated centres to immunize children in Lagos on December 17, 2012 ©Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP)

As Nigeria marks two straight years without any outbreak of the wild polio virus, President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that the Federal Government and its partners would not rest on their oars but continue to provide the needed oversight and resources to achieve total polio eradication by 2017.

FIFA President, Infantino In Nigeria, New FIFA General Secretary, Fatma Samoura’s Moves

L-R: FIFA President, Mr. Gianni Infantino; FIFA Secretary General Mrs. Fatma Samoura; and NFF President, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, during Infantino visit to Abuja Nigeria Image source: PMNews

President of world football –governing body, Mr. Gianni Infantino and the Secretary General, Ms Fatma Samoura arrived in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, on Sunday.

AU Passport A Work In Progress

Image source: AU Commission

The African Union launched the African passport this week at its summit meeting in Rwanda. The idea is to allow better movement of people to stimulate African economies. But details of who will get the passport and what the benefits are still need to be worked out.

China Chaos Has Mourinho Pining For Home Comforts

Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho (top C) looks at fans from the team bus after a training session in Beijing on July 24, 2016, a day before the 2016 International Champions Cup match between his side and Manchester City ©Greg Baker (AFP)

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said Sunday he was ready to go home as the club's pre-season tour of China threatened to descend into farce.

FOR THE RECORD: Schlumberger Lays Off 8,000 Workers

Schlumberger reported an unexpected loss and cut more jobs as cheap crude has pushed a recovery in the oilfield services market out further than expected.

JUST IN: IOC Rules Russia Will Not Be Banned From Rio 2016 Olympics

The International Olympic Committee has rejected calls for a blanket ban on Russia at the Rio 2016 Games, ruling that individual sports federations should decide whether Russian athletes are eligible to compete.

Murdered Abuja Preacher Buried Amidst Tears; Killers Of Abuja Preacher Won’t Go Unpunished — Buhari

Husband of the deceased, Pastor Olawale Elisha (in sky blue kaftan) broke into tears as he could not hold back his emotions during the burial

Eunice Olawale Elisha, the female preacher who was murdered in Abuja on July 9 while evangelizing around Gbazango-West area of Kubwa, has been laid to rest.

Nigeria Can Be Restructured Without War — Onuesoke

PDP Chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke

Contrary to the insinuation by some Nigerians, a former Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, says Nigeria can be restructured without going to war.