Speculations as to the fate of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were laid to rest yesterday.

No fewer than 100 people, including two school children, were in the early hours of yesterday killed by a fire incident which erupted from a pipeline at Ijagun, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, razing down several houses, including a secondary school.

The Federal Government would by next week, release N80 billion to the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, for the development and implementation of programmes designed to shore up food sufficiency.

WORK on a road project in Lagos turned tragic yesterday when an excavator uprooted an oil pipeline, igniting a huge fire that left about 39 people, including school children dead. Among the dead were three brothers. Some accounts put the casualty figure at 100.

A decision by the Nigerian government to reverse an earlier decision to import 50,000 metric tonnes of rice from Thailand to ease supply pressures on rice in Africa's most populous country was met with mixed reactions.

In what is a major indictment on its business activities, Willbros, an oil and gas industry services firm, has agreed to pay over $32 million in fines and forfeitures to settle allegations of bribery, according to documents made available by the United States Justice Department.

On her way to being a Catholic nun where she would have devoted her entire life to chastity and poverty, Mrs. Farida Mzamber Waziri made a U-turn from Queen of Holy Rosary Convent in 1963 and discovered an essential life of sacrifice in secular life.

The serene environment of the coal city, Enugu, yesterday erupted in a riot as transporters protested the killing of a bus conductor by the Police.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has asked an Abuja high court, to issue a bench warrant against Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, to compel her attendance in court on May 19.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro yesterday asked Nigerians to disregard recent media reports on the purported threats by the extremist Islamic group, Al-Qaeda to attack Nigeria.

THE Action Congress (AC) has warned the Yar'Adua administration against abandoning the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs), saying the country risks a total collapse of its power system unless something is done urgently to complete the NIPPs.

THE National Health bill seeking to enact a comprehensive health policy for the nation was passed by the Senate yesterday. The bill reportedly facilitated by part of the unspent N300 million Federal Ministry of Health budget was passed in the absence of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello.

The 26-member House of Representatives Committee investigating the activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries from 1999-2007, has said it would not hesitate to invite President Umaru Yar'Adua and his predecessor Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to answer questions on their stewardship in the years under review.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday begged an Abuja high court sitting in Maitama to issue bench warrant against fleeing Senator Iyabo Obasanjo Bello to compel her attendance in court on May 19 for the purpose of taking her pleas in a 56-count charge of corruption preferred against her and 12 others.

The Federal Government will take anticipatory measures towards averting climatic disasters that have recently ravaged other lands, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe has said. Kingibe gave the commitment as the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology expressed concern that the country could lose billions of dollars from the diversion of direct ...

In her first moments with the reader, Oge is seated on a train, moving cautiously towards its destination, with passengers moving in and out of stale railway carriage seats, entering and exiting anonymously with each passing station.

AN Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Jabi, yesterday, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro, to investigate ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo over the extra-judicial murder, by soldiers, of no fewer than 88 Nigerians in Odi, Bayelsa State and Zaki Biam, Benue State between 1999 and 2001, on his alleged instruction.

COMMITTEE for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Delta State, yesterday, expressed alarm at the colossal sum of N80 billion recently approved by the Federal Government for the importation of rice into the country, positing that, "it is not a solution to the impending food crisis in the country.

THE Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja yesterday granted fresh bail to the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike.

Barely 72 hours after ex-Nigeria's president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo gave reasons for not honouring House Committee on Power invitation, he made a surprise appearance yesterday in Abuja, as one of the inductees into the fellowship of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering.

A high court in Kano yesterday set aside Friday, June 13, 2008 for a verdict on a case standing trial between the state government on one hand and the Lenscope Media Services Limited and two others. The court, presided over by Justice Abdullahi Bayero of High Court 1, Audu Bako Sectretariat, adjorned its sitting after counsel to the two parties explained their cases.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has approved the utilisation of 1.65 per cent of the federation account as a special intervention fund for agricultural development.

The 5-year out of expected 8 year rule of Ogun State Speaker, Hon Titi Oseni was yesterday terminated, following her sudden impeachment by members of the House of Assembly.

A panel of experts has been set up to probe the crisis-ridden Nigerian Telecommunication (NITEL) Plc with a view to unveiling its real financial status, especially the billing system.

The much expected polio vaccination exercise due to commence in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been suspended indefinitely due to lack of vaccines, LEADERSIHIP can authoritatively reveal.