A Federal High Court will on March 9, 2016 decide the
fate of the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh.
Justice Obong Abang said that he would either deliver judgment to
dismiss the charges against Mr Metuh and acquit him if he finds that he
has no case at all.
He said however, that he would in the alternative, deliver a ruling
ordering Mr Metuh to open his defence, if he finds out that he has a
case to answer.
Justice Obong arrived at his decision after Mr Metuh filed documents and
adopted same as his submission to prove that the EFCC has not made out
any case against him.
Counsel to Mr Metuh, who at the last adjourned date, had gotten leave
of the court to file his motion in writing, adopted same as his
argument in urging the court to dismiss the charges against his client .
The prosecutor in his part also filed document countering the claims
made by Metuh through his counsel Mr SYLVANUS TAHIR, which explained
that the evidence made out by the prosecution against Mr Metuh showed
that he has a case to answer and that the court should compel him to do
so.
One person has been killed after a bomb accidentally went
off at the Police Armory of the Jimeta Divisional Police headquarters,
in Yola,
The bomb was said to have been recovered from the boko haram group.
The explosion caused panic particularly at the Central Primary School, directly opposite the police station,where students of a primary school close by were said to be attending classes at the time of the explosion, the area was immediately vacated in case there were more unknown bombs around the area, alo ensuring that other bombs in the Amory didn't go off in the process.
Oldman then accepted a Brits icon award on behalf of the singer and his family.
"David you were mortal, but your potential was superhuman," he said, "and your music lives on".
Media captionAnnie Lennox and Lorde led an emotional tribute to David Bowie
Bowie's band then performed a medley of his hits, before New Zealand singer Lorde joined them to sing Life On Mars.
The tribute won positive reviews from fans and critics.
Bowie's film director son Duncan Jones also approved.
Image copyrightTwitter/Duncan Jones
The ceremony was opened by Coldplay, who gave a colourful, floral performance of their single Hymn For The Weekend, showering the audience with confetti petals as they played on one of two separate stages at London's O2 arena.
They went on to win best British group - making them the most successful band in the ceremony's history.
Chris Martin and co now have nine trophies to their name, although the figure pales in comparison to Robbie Williams' 17 awards (12 as a solo artist and five with Take That).
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage captionColdplay showered the crowd with confetti before going on to win best British group
Other awards went to James Bay, for best male, and Australian psych-rock band Tame Impala, who picked up best international group.
Canadian singer Justin Bieber, who performed his chart topping singles Love Yourself and Sorry, won best international male.
"Man, I'm shaking right now," he said as he took the stage, thanking his fans for their support after a couple of years where he appeared to go off the rails.
"Life is a journey," he said. "Everyone has their ups and downs."
One Direction, who are officially on hiatus, also picked up best video for the space-themed Drag Me Down.
"We've been away for a little while, so it's been a bit like getting back on a bike tonight," said singer Liam Payne.
Image copyrightIan GavanImage captionJustin Bieber performed with James Bay and gave an emotional speech winning best international male
One Direction's victory in the fan-voted best video category robbed Adele of the opportunity to become the most-garlanded artist in a single Brits ceremony.
As it stands, her total of four awards is equalled only by Blur, who won the same number in 1995 for their album Parklife.
Adele became more emotional as the ceremony continued, bursting into tears after accepting the global success prize - which recognises success overseas.
"I got really lost for a while and I didn't know if I'd ever come back," she said, referencing the writer's block that delayed her much-anticipated third album.
"For you all to be so kind to me is so nice."
Media captionHighlights from the Brit Awards 2016
Earlier, the star used her best female victory speech to declare support for US pop star Kesha, who has accused record producer Dr Luke of sexual and emotional abuse.
Reflecting on her victory backstage, Adele told reporters: "I feel a bit worn out, emotionally. But it was absolutely incredible. I was hoping to win one but to get that many was amazing and very lovely. A nice return."
President Obama said Tuesday that he doesn’t think Republican front-runner Donald Trump will succeed him in the Oval Office, despite the billionaire’s impressive poll numbers and victory in the New Hampshire primary.
“I continue to believe Mr. Trump will not be president, and the reason is because I have a lot of faith in the American people, and I think they recognize that being president is a serious job,” Obama said at a California press conference. “It’s not hosting a talk show or a reality show, it’s not promotion, it’s not marketing, it’s hard. And a lot of people count on us getting it right, and it’s not a matter of pandering and doing whatever gets you in the news on a given day.”
The comments are some of the most direct Obama has made regarding the 2016 presidential race, though he has condemned what he sees as anti-Muslim rhetoric from the Republican field, which he did again on Tuesday, emphasizing that Trump is not the only one making divisive comments.
“I think foreign observers are troubled by some of the rhetoric that’s taken place in these Republican primaries, and the Republican debates. I don’t think it’s restricted, by the way, to Mr. Trump,” Obama said. “I mean, I find it interesting that everyone’s focused on Trump, primarily just because he says in more interesting ways what the other candidates are saying as well.”
“So he may up the ante in anti-Muslim sentiment, but if you look at what the other candidates have said, that’s pretty troubling too.”
He also singled out Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), though not by name, for his change of stance on immigration.
“You’ve got a candidate who sponsored a bill that I supported to finally solve the immigration problem, and he’s running away from it as fast as he can,” Obama said referring to the failed 2013 “Gang of Eight” immigration reform bill.
Obama also slammed the GOP candidates for their opposition to actions to fight climate change.
“The other countries around the world, they kind of count on the United States being on the side of science and reason and common sense,” he said.
“There is not a single candidate in the Republican primary that thinks we should do anything about climate change, that thinks it’s serious. Well that’s a problem.”
Still, Obama said he was optimistic that voters would settle on a qualified candidate.
“The American people are pretty sensible, and I think they’ll make a sensible choice in the end.”
The Nigerian Army has disclosed that 23 Boko Haram terrorists have been killed, while 150 hostages rescued as Nigeria/Cameroon troops continue to clear out terrorists’ hideouts.
The Nigerian Army says that in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s directive for troops to maintain the momentum, troops of 7 Division carried out major operations against the Boko Haram terrorist’s locations in Talala and Kumshe axis of Borno State.
According to a statement issued by the acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, during the joint operation between elements of 7 division and the Cameroonian forces along Banki-Kumshe axis, 20 Boko Haram terrorists were killed.
He also revealed that the troops destroyed 4 AK 47 rifles and captured a gun truck mounted with an anti-aircraft gun (AA gun) and 2 AK 47 rifles, as well as a 60mm mortar and a Dane gun.
The US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) says it is investigating 14 new reports of possible sexual transmission of the Zika virus. This includes several pregnant women.
The CDC made the revelation as it published new guidance on sexual transmission of the virus.
The guidance has been issued in response to confirmation of the first case of Zika in a non-traveller in the continental United States.
That case was linked to sexual contact with an infected partner.
The CDC is advising all men who have travelled to an area active with the Zika virus to use protection or abstain from intercourse for the length of the pregnancy.
The health body said that there is no evidence yet that women can transmit Zika virus to their partners, but more research is needed to understand this issue.
Zika is linked to the microcephaly birth defects in babies.
The primary method of infection of the virus remains mosquito bites. Experts said that women who are pregnant, should try to avoid the insects.
On Tuesday, Margaret Chan, the Head of the World Health Organization, said the world faced “a long journey” to defeat Zika.
Speaking in Brazil, where most cases had been recorded, she said it was a “very tricky, tenacious and difficult virus”.
The company, in a statement, explained that the payment was made “on the basis that this will be applied toward a settlement, where one is eventually, hopefully arrived at.
MTN also agreed to withdraw the matter from the High Court in Lagos to achieve an “amicable settlement.
“In renewed steps towards a negotiated settlement and to create a conducive atmosphere for further negotiations, MTN Nigeria today withdrew its case against the NCC at the Federal High Court of Lagos in response to a request by the authorities.
“MTN Nigeria has paid N50 Billion to the Federal Government as a gesture of good faith and commitment to continued efforts towards an amicable resolution”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Special Assistant to the Minis
ter of Communications, Mr Victor Oluwadamilare, in a telephone interview, said the ministry cannot ascertain the claimed payment from MTN Nigeria.
The company’s stock has declined 31 percent since the fine originally set at $5.2 billion was made public in October last year.
The NCC had imposed a N1.04 Trillion fine on MTN Nigeria in October 2015, for its failure to disconnect 5.1 Million improperly registered lines within the prescribed deadline.
The fine was adjusted by 25% to N780 billion, an amount that was considered inimical to the survival of the business.
