#BBB NEWS| President Buhari Appoints Ibrahim Kpotum Idris As Nigeria's Inspector General Of Police [PHOTOS]

President Muhammadu Buhari will announce a former Kano State Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris as the new acting Inspector General of Police. Mr. Idris is an Assistant Inspector General of Police who once led the Kano state police command.

Idris will replace Solomon Arase, who retires from the police force. The President met with the new IGP for a presidential briefing. See photos below;

#BBB NEWS| VP Osinbajo Stands In For Buhari, Commissions Projects In Lagos State [PHOTOS]

Vice President Oluyemi Osinbajo yesterday in Lagos stood in for President Muhammadu Buhari to commission a series of projects by the Lagos State government. 

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, several ministers, state commissioners and other government officials accompanied Vice President Osinbajo to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) response unit at Cappa Oshodi, Lagos. Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos was also present.

In his speech, Governor Ambode outlined the reasons for the establishment of LASEMA, and urged all Lagosians, including the enforcement agencies, to cooperate with LASEMA. “Many people lost their lives and sources of livelihood not because of the initial incident but from the delay in the response time due to inadequate resources and training. Our initial goal is to significantly bring down response time by our responders,” the governor said.

#BBB NEWS| Nigeria, Saudi Arabia Commit To Raising Oil Price

Leaders of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have expressed commitment to a “stable oil market” and a “rebound of oil price.” (pictured above) President Muhammadu Buhari and King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz Photo Credit: BBC

At a bilateral meeting between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia in Riyadh hosted by the ruler King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz, the two leaders accepted the fact that their two economies are tied to oil and that all cannot be well with both countries when the world oil market is unstable.

They therefore committed themselves to doing all that is possible to stabilize the market and rebound the oil price.

The two leaders did not expatiate ‎on modalities they plan to adopt in raising oil price.

The two leaders, who engaged in extensive discussions on regional and global issues, also agreed that terrorism posed a common threat to their states and would require close cooperation to prevail over the threats.

#BBB NEWS| Armed Forces Remembrance Day: President Buhari, Osinbajo, Saraki, Others Honours Fallen Heroes [PHOTOS]

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice president Yemi Osibanjo, participated at the wreath laying ceremony to mark the end of 2016 Armed forces remembrance day celebration on Friday, January 15, at the National Arcade, Eagle Square Abuja.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN) Mahmud Mohammed  and Minister of Defence, Dan Ali Mansur were among government officials present at the ceremony.

See more photos after the cut..

#BBB NEWS| President Buhari Orders EFCC To Probe Former CDS Barde, Ex-Chief Of Air Staff Amosu And Other Serving And Former Military Leaders Over Arms Procurement Fraud

On the recommendation of the committee established to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to 2015.

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to  carry out further investigation into the misconduct established against the following retired and serving officers of the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army:

#BBB NEWS| Missing Budget: PDP Wants Buhari, 2 Ministers Removed From Office

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has asked the National Assembly to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari, over the budget scandal rocking the National Assembly.

The party also demanded the resignation of two ministers, and the central bank governor.

The Senate on Thursday accused ‎a senior special assistant to President Buhari, Ita Enang, of presenting to lawmakers an altered version of the 2016 budget.

Senators had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday that budget documents presented by the president in December were missing, prompting a senate investigation.

At its plenary on Thursday, the Senate said Mr. Enang, a former senator and now Mr. Buhari’s assistant on National Assembly, changed the contents of the original document as presented by Mr. Buhari.

#BBB NEWS| Response To Femi Fani-Kayode’s Diatribe Against President Muhammadu Buhari By Rotimi Fashakin

Dear Mr Femi Fani-Kayode,

Like any other Nigerian, I read the impetuous and ill-thought out diatribe, from you, against President Muhammadu Buhari.  I am writing as a concerned Nigerian; the presidential spokesmen are at liberty to respond to you in a manner they consider fitting and prosper.
When I read yours, my first reaction was like – oh, our brother has gone mad again! Of course, it is a veiled reference to the vestigial deleterious effect of prolonged and unrestrained dealing in harmful drugs. The manner of your summersaults – occasioned by the incoherence and irascibility manifested in yours to the President - is clear attestation to the permanence of the scar of previous contacts with drugs, irrespective of various rehabilitative interventions.

#BBB NEWS| Biafra: IPOB Leader Kanu Apologizes To Buhari, Jonathan, Igbo Elders

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed regret for referring to President Muhammadu Buhari as a terrorist, evil and a paedophile in his radio broadcasts.

Kanu, who has been charged along with two others by the Federal Government before a Federal High Court in Abuja on six counts of treason and other ancillary offences, said he intended to write a private letter to Buhari to express his apology to the President.

He also apologised to former President Goodluck Jonathan and Igbo elders for “some uncomplimentary things” he said about them.

The 48-year-old pro-Biafran agitation leader, who is, however, unapologetic about his demand for a Republic of Biafra, has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since his arrest in Lagos on October 14, 2015.

#BBB NEWS| World Igbo Congress Demands Release Of Nnamdi, Warns Buhari To Respect Right To Self-Determination

The World Igbo Congress (WIC) urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Department of State Security (DSS) to immediately release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

In a statement released today and signed by its chairman, Joe Nze Etoh, and public relations officer, Chigozie Onwukwe, the WIC declared its opposition to any group’s use of force to pursue the goal of self-determination, but also warned the government against using force against people using peaceful means to agitate for their rights.

The WIC stated its “support for Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB as long as they seek a peaceful dialogue with the Buhari administration for their self-determination.”
The organization, which represents Igbo interests globally, recounted the outcome of the Biafran War and cautioned the government to address grievances by Igbo and other groups within Nigeria.

Below is the text of the WIC’s statement:

#BBB NEWS| Incorruptibility, A Spiritual Premise For Material Wellbeing By Muhammadu Buhari

I want to begin by appreciating the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation for its impact on the development of ideas through its annual lecture series. The fact that the themes of the lecture series have focused on critical puzzles bordering on human development lends credence and justification for the sustenance of the lecture series.

It is no doubt that an event like this demands a lot of sacrifice financially and otherwise. Apart from the contribution of the lecture series to human development, it has also unveiled the genius personality of Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe, whose philosophical insight is gradually finding place in the psyche of academics globally, particularly at a time when Africans are determined to rewrite their own history.

The topic of discourse at this session, which is corruption, significantly ties into my vision for our great country, Nigeria, that we must kill corruption before corruption will kill us. My being here to deliver the keynote address at today’s session is instructive on the resolve of this government to interface with initiatives that are fundamentally patriotic and assisting in our path to socio-economic and political recovery.

#BBB NEWS| President Buhari Meets With Chinese President Xi Jinping In South Africa [PHOTO]

President Muhammadu Buhari met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The forum, which will last from December 4th-5th, is hosted by South Africa in the city of Johannesburg. The talks between Presidents Buhari and Xinping took place on the “sidelines” of the forum, according to Channels TV.

President Buhari arrived in Johannesburg on Thursday. According to an email announcement by Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu, the President wished to discuss Chinese funding for several stalled rail projects in Nigeria.

#BBB NEWS| Buhari: Boko Haram Has Killed 10,000 Displaced Millions, Calls For Assistance From Commonwealth

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed that the war with Boko Haram has left over 10,000 Nigerians dead and more than 2 million people displaced.

The President made these remarks Friday night while attending a banquet for Queen Elizabeth II during the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta.

President Buhari’s remarks were relayed to members of the press by the President’s Special Advisor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina. According to Mr. Adesina, President Buhari called for the creation of a Commonwealth Committee which would assist Nigeria and other nations impacted by the “scourge” of international terrorism.

This committee, President Buhari explained, would meet with developing nations battling terrorism.  After conferring with these nations, the committee would formulate a grand political strategy to combat terrorism. The President voiced his hopes that such a committee be created prior to the 2016 CHOGM.

#BBB NEWS| President Buhari Names New Federal Permanent Secretaries And Their Portfolios

President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the names of the new Permanent Secretaries for the Federal Government. His announcement was made through his spokesman, Femi Adesina, through a press released obtained by SaharaReporters.

The total number of new appointees is 54, including 18 placed in the Federal Civil Service. The statement noted that their appointment takes immediate effect.

The press release and names of appointees can be read below:

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES APPOINTMENT OF NEW FEDERAL PERMANENT SECRETARIES AND  DEPLOYMENT OF PERMANENT SECRETARIES

#BBB NEWS| President Buhari’s Ministerial Nominees Revealed [PHOTOS]

BBB can authoritatively reveal the 21-member President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees submitted to the National Assembly yesterday as follows:

1.Dr. Chris Ngige (Anambra)

2. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)

3. Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)

4. Babatunde Fashola (Lagos)

5. Abdurrahman Dambazau (rtd) (Kano)

#BBB NEWS| President Buhari Meets French President As France Promises Military Support [PHOTOS]

A meeting between the French President François Hollande and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari took place in the Élysée Palace in Paris. (pictured above) President Muhammadu Buhari meeting with French President Francois Hollande Photo Credit: Fuse.com

It was learned that France pledged assistance for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) with intelligence gathering and military equipment to combat terrorism in Nigeria and the West African region.

The French president expressed concern of the increase in violence and insecurity in West Africa.

“We provide all of the support to the countries in the region which are affected by this cult and in Nigeria, we want to provide support and solidarity,” President Hollande said. He commended President Buhari for his recent actions such as the movement of the military command center to Maiduguri, which he said had helped tremendously in weakening the insurgents.

#BBB NEWS| 100 Days in Office: 8 Key Achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari By Chinedu George Nnawetanma

Yesterday, September 5, 2015 is an unusually momentous day in Nigeria. Its build-up lasted for several weeks, while its anticipation stretches back as far as May. It’s neither a national holiday (it’s a Saturday) nor a day of religious importance. Rather, it’s a day when several state governors in the country mark their 100thday in office.

More importantly though, it’s also the day that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, clocks 100 days in office.

All over the world, the anniversary of the first 100 days of any administration is treated with much importance. It’s a day of stocktaking; a day that affords the leaders and the led an opportunity to measure the performance of their government.

“The First 100 Days in Office” was coined by former US president Franklin D. Roosevelt in a July 24, 1933 radio address to his countrymen and it has since gained global currency. Over here in Nigeria, it’s been consistently marked since the country’s return to civilian leadership in 1999. The administrations of presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan were all assessed during this milestone. Today, it’s time for President Buhari’s administration to be assessed.

#BBB NEWS| A New Sheriff Is In Town By Femi Adesina

Some call it the Buhari bounce. Others describe it as the Buhari effect. Yet some others say it is the Buhari aura. One thing is, however, crystal clear. Things have not been the same in the past 100 days in Nigeria, since Muhammadu Buhari assumed the presidency. A new sheriff has truly come to town.

Exactly 100 days ago, he climbed the podium at Eagle Square in Abuja and got inaugurated as president, 30 years after he had been toppled from power as military head of state. He promised to belong to nobody, and to belong to everybody. It is a pledge that still resonates loudly today, and will surely echo for a long time to come.

On a day like this, you would expect a presidential spokesman to chronicle the achievements of his principal in office. He has turned stone to bread, slain the dragon, and climbed Mount Olympus in ten seconds. But that is not what I want to do. There are some intangible, almost imperceptible achievements, but which run very deep, and are quite fundamental. Those are the ones I'll rather talk of, while we leave the tangibles till some other day.

#BBB NEWS| President Buhari, VP Osinbajo Finally Declare Assets [PHOTO]

Details of President Muhammadu Buhari's were made public on Thursday after he submitted documentation to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

In a statement issued on Thursday, spokesman Garba Shehu noted that the president's assets, valued at less than N30 million at the time of his inauguration on May 29, reflected his "austere and Spartan lifestyle," especially as a former Head of State.

His money was held in a single bank account and he had no registered company or foreign accounts to his name.

"In addition to the homes in Daura, he has farms, an orchard and a ranch. The total number of his holdings in the farm include 270 heads of cattle, 25 sheep, five horses, a variety of birds and a number of economic trees," the statement said.

President Buhari also had shares in Berger Paints, Union Bank and Skye Bank.

#BBB NEWS| President Buhari Approves Appointment Of Ipaye, Akande As DCOs And SSA (Media)

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr. Rahman Adeola Ipaye  as Deputy Chief of Staff and Mr. Laolu Akande as Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity) in the Presidency.

The two new appointees will work in the Office of  the Vice President. Mr. Ipaye is the immediate past Attorney General of Lagos State.

He studied at the University of Lagos where he graduated with B.A. (Hons) Degree (History) in 1984; LL.B. Hons (1988) and LL.M. (1991). He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators respectively.

Before his appointment as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ipaye was employed as a lecturer in the Department of Commercial and Industrial Law, University of Lagos (1992 to 2001); Special Assistant (Legal Matters) to the Governor of Lagos State (2001 to 2007); and Special Adviser (Taxation and Revenue) to the Governor of Lagos State and member of the State Executive Council (2007 to 2011).

#BBB NEWS| Give Goodluck Jonathan Due Credit — Former Ministers Tell Buhari

Members of the cabinet of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan have demanded that the Muhammadu Buhari administration give due credit to their former boss for numerous achievements.

In a statement distributed today, and signed by Abubakar O. Suleiman, a former Minister of National Planning, on behalf of ministers who served under the Jonathan administration, the ex-ministers stated that had “watched with increasing alarm and concern the concerted effort by the Buhari administration and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to condemn, ridicule and undermine the efforts of that administration, in addition to impugning the integrity of its individual members.”

The statement accused the Buhari administration of vilifying the Jonathan in a way that was “ill-intentioned, unduly partisan, and in bad faith.”

According to Mr. Suleiman, the current government and ruling party had portrayed each and every member of the Jonathan administration “as corrupt and irresponsible, in an orchestrated and vicious trial by media [that] has created a lynch mentality that discredits our honest contributions to the growth and development of our beloved nation.”