Actress Zoe Kravitz poses topless in new issue of Flaunt magazine

 

Photos: Buhari inaugurates 19-member Transition Committee

The President-elect, Gen. Buhari, today Wednesday April 29th in Abuja inaugurated a 19-member Transition Committee to liaise with its Federal Government counterpart to ensure a smooth transition.

A statement issued in Abuja by the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Committee (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the terms of reference of the committee include to develop a clear framework for liaison with the out-going Administration for purposes of a smooth hand-over/take-over and to receive hand-over documents from Ministries, Departments and Agencies and itemise the most important or most urgent issues confronting the in-coming government

It said the committee is also saddled with reviewing and making preliminary assessment of the balance sheet of government with particular emphasis on the status of assets and liabilities of government; cash flow position of the government; quantum of public domestic and external debt of government and their deployment; government’s out-standing contractual obligations and its ability to meet such obligations and the status of implementation of capital projects.

The committee is also expected to undertake a preliminary assessment of the security challenges facing the country and the counter-insurgency measures taken by the government thus far; the counter policy measures being implemented in the Niger Delta to deal with unrest and major economic crimes in the area. In particular, the status of the Amnesty Programme, the readiness of the Police and other national security and intelligence agencies in addressing threats to law and order and provide a brief over-view of CBN, NNPC, NCC, Customs and FIRS.

Other terms of reference of the committee include to suggest “quick fixes” which will result in tangible, visible and practical measures so that CHANGE will be seen after 30 days, after 100 days, after 6 months of the Administration taking office, and to make any other observations which in view of the Committee would be helpful to the transition and take-off of the new Administration. The committee has two weeks to conclude its work

Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja on Wednesday, the President-elect charged the committee to ”assess the information provided to you and advise me on its quality and accuracy. It is a simple matter that you must have the right information if you are to shape appropriate policy decisions.

”Needless to repeat, that your Committee – and indeed our Government – are not on a witch-hunt or engaged in fault-finding. We want the facts and nothing but the facts. What has been done can not be undone. Our job is to learn from the mistakes of the past and attempt to avoid similar.”

Gen. Buhari hailed the calibre of the committee’s membership, saying they represent some of the best Nigeria can offer. He described the committee chairman, Malam Ahmed Joda, as one of the few surviving links between First Republic civil service to the present day, a man whose versatility includes farming, industry and 21st Century IT and one of Nigerian’s precious assets.

Full list of Transition Committee members:

1. Mal. Ahmed Joda – Chairman

2. Dr Doyin Salami – Vice-Chairman

3. Mr Boss Mustapha

4. Mal. Muhammad Hayatuddin

5. Alh. Abubakar Malami SAN

6. Brig. Gen. Lawal Jafaru Isa

7. Sen. Hadi Sirika

8. Sen. Audu Ogbeh

9. Barrister Dalong

10. Mrs Bola Adesola

11. Mr Wale Edun

12. Mrs Nike Aboderin

13. Dr Ogbonnaya Onu

14. Mr Festus Odimegwu

15. Chief John Oyegun

16. Gov. Rotimi Amaechi

17. Dr. Tam David West

18. Alh. Lai Mohammed

19 Mal. Adamu Adamu – Secretary

Alhaji Lai Mohammed

National Publicity Secretary

All Progressives Congress (APC)

Abuja, April 29th 2015

Petrol stations close, black market selling for N400 per litre

A severe fuel scarcity has hit major cities in Nigeria, with Lagos and Abuja being the worst affected.

Most petrol stations in Lagos have closed shop due to unavailability of the product but this has not stopped car owners from parking their vehicles on queues in hopes of purchasing the product.

A driver in Lagos said that he was forced to purchase 10 litres of fuel from the black market at N4,000 after waiting endlessly at petrol stations.

“There is no fuel in Lagos. All the stations are closed,” the obviously frustrated driver said.

“Even the 10 litres I got won’t be enough for the work I have to do so I’ll need to buy more,” he added.

Car owners in Abuja are also facing the same fate as some of them are forced to purchase fuel from the black market at a minimum of N200 per litre.

The scarcity comes barely a day after the end of the deadline given to the Federal Government by the Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) to pay the N256.2 billion debt owed them.

MOMAN had threatened to stop importing fuel if the debt was not paid.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has blamed the scarcity on the strike action embarked upon by the members of National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) due to debts owed them by the marketers.

19-yr-old son arrested for raping mother

A 19-year-old boy from Marshal County, Gary Helms Jr, has been arrested by the Alabama, USA, police for allegedly raping his 45-year-old mother as a way of getting revenge on his brother.

The police say Helms committed the sacrilege at the Willow Terrace Trailer Park on Doyle Drive in Albertville and has admitted to the act.

A police statement reads:

"From what we understand, the rape stemmed from an argument between him and his brother. And apparently they were arguing over a girlfriend. And the rape was some sort of retaliation towards his brother."

Authorities say Helms' mother had apparently passed out drunk on the couch when the rape started.

"During the attack she did come to and recognize her attacker as her son. When she tried to get away, the son held her down until he was finished. It's totally sick is what it is.

Shocked, shocked would be more a better way to describe it. That somebody would dip to the lows to do something of this nature. It's just pretty much a shock to the conscience of the general public."

Helms was arrested and charged with the first degree rape of his own mother.

Saudi Arabia Monarch announces new heirs to the throne

55-year old Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the current Saudi Arabia Interior Minister and nephew to the new Saudi King, King Salman, has been appointed the new crown prince of the oil-rich country.

Also appointed is the king's son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been made deputy crown prince and the foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, has been replaced.

According to BBC analyst, Kim Ghattas the latest reshuffle shows King Salman is firmly turning the page on the era of his predecessor and pushed aside allies of the late monarch such as his half-brother Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz, who until today (Wednesday) was crown prince.

The rise of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is believed to be in his early 30s, means that for the first time a grandson of the kingdom's founder, King Abdul Aziz, is in line to rule.

News watchers believe the appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as crown prince and deputy premier is likely to be welcomed by the United States, with whom he has a close relationship. Also he is known for his strong stance against jihadist militants and narrowly survived an assassination attempt by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula suicide bomber in 2009.

First appointed defence minister in January, before overseeing a military operation by a Saudi-led coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen in the last month, the new Deputy Crown Prince and Second Deputy Premier has enjoyed a meteoric rise within the Saudi leadership.

Meanwhile, the most senior woman in the Saudi government, Nora al-Fayez, has been removed as deputy education minister for girls, a post she had held since 2009.

al-Fayez had sought to introduce sports programmes for girls in state-run schools but was opposed by religious conservatives.