BREAKING: Court bars Dasuki from appearing at Metuh’s trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused Olisah Metuh’s application to compel former National Security Adviser retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki to testify in his case.

Court says Metuh cannot have Dasuki testify at his trial or travel to the UK for medical treatment.

Our source reports that the court also turned down Metuh’s request to allow him go abroad for medical treatment

Metuh had filed an application requesting to go to the United Kingdom for eight weeks of medical treatment.

Metuh, a former spokesperson of Nigerians former ruling PDP, is facing trial for alleged diversion of N400 million he allegedly received from the office of the former NSA.

our source also gather that the presiding judge Okon Abang said Metuh's application lacked merit because Dasuki was not a “compelable witness.”

Metuh had wanted the court to direct the State Security Service which had Dasuki in custody to present him as a witness in court.

Newly introduced foreign exchange policy will strengthen naira - CBN

The newly introduced foreign exchange policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will help shore up the naira, an official of the bank has said

“The whole essence of the new policy is to infuse dollar liquidity into the system and to ensure easy accessibility of end users.

“In the past we have had clamours that people were not able to pay their school fees, people were not able to buy BTA and that is why they had to go to the black market or parallel market.

“Now that the CBN have come up with a policy that has returned this into the confines of the inter-bank market and that of the bank, we believe strongly that this will take the demand off the parallel market and we expect that the Naira will strengthen as this goes on

“In essence, it means that people who have children overseas and those who have to pay school fees or want to travel don’t have to bother rush to BDCs to be buying money or to go parallel market.

“They can now source this easily from the banks and that for me, is a very big positive.’’

“The issue of tax clearance, we all know that it has been an issue because not many people can produce their tax clearance and for those who can, some can also easily produce fake tax clearance and the process of verifying this is very difficult.

“So the central bank has waved the issue of tax clearance provision in accessing these funds and all you need to do is basically your journey must originate from Nigeria, travelling out.

“You cannot leave overseas and buy BTA to travel. You must have a valid ticket to travel with and as a matter of fact you must have a bank account and BVN to recognise you as a bank account holder./

“Basically you are entitled to basic travelling allowance every quarter and up to the sum of 4,000 dollars. And mind you, there is a caveat as it’s only those that are 18 years and above that can access that.

“There is also a condition that you must be embarking on a journey that is not less than five hours. So it does not mean that when you are going to Cotonou or Ghana you come and apply for a BTA.

He reiterated that to avoid round tripping, the policy allows for school fees and medical fees to only be paid directly to the school or hospital.

The expert however gave assurance that banks will comply with the new directive and not make it difficult, thereby sending customers back to the black market.

“I think the banks will do that because in the past the problem they had with the BDCc was certifying that these BDCs can be dealt with. And most of them, the banks were scared because they were not sure of the ownership of the BDCs.

“That was why some of them retained but now they have to do it directly. And don’t forget that the banks are directly under the supervision of the CBN.

“As a matter of fact, as I speak to you today the fund that was given to them yesterday, they are supposed to render returns today with regards to utilisation by the close of business today.

“So 24 hours after they get that money, they are supposed to render returns on utilisation and there is no way they are not going to comply.

“So we are very positive that banks being under the supervision of the CBN have no choice with this directive,” he said.

Marijuana Is Dangerous for Teens, Report Warns

 

Image: Barbara Peacock/Getty Images

A new report published in the journal of Pediatrics on Monday sends a strong message to parents: You are role models for your children, and actions speak louder than words. So if you use marijuana in front of your teens, they are more likely to use it themselves, regardless of whether you tell them not to.

Many parents use the drug and think it's OK for their kids, but "we would rather not mess around with the developing brain," said Dr. Seth Ammerman, one of authors of the report.

More: 4 Deadly Drugs Your Teen Might Be Consuming Right Under Your Nose

The adolescent brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex areas that control judgment and decision-making, is not fully developed until the early 20s, raising questions about how any substance use may affect the developing brain.

"Marijuana is not a benign drug, especially for teens. Their brains are still developing, and marijuana can cause abnormal and unhealthy changes," said Ammerman in an American Academy of Pediatrics news release.

Regular use of pot by kids may contribute to addiction, depression, psychosis, lung problems, memory and attention problems and impaired driving, the AAP said. The report authors noted that research suggests modern marijuana is stronger than it was 20 years ago. They contend this makes overdoses and addiction more likely.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is urging doctors to protect children from the harms of marijuana as the nation becomes increasingly tolerant of the drug's use. Pediatricians are in an influential position to counteract the perception of teenage marijuana use as benign and help spread the word of the dangers.

Parents who use marijuana may not fully realize the problems that their own use may present for their children’s health; the effect that their modeling of recreational use may have on their child, adolescent or young adult; or the risks of ingestion and/or secondhand smoke. That’s why the office setting provides an excellent opportunity for education and counseling to prevent marijuana use as well as to implement brief interventions and referrals if needed.

Get instant relief from piles (hemorrhoids); the secret is in this strange herb

If you are sick and tired of piles (also known as Hemorrhoids) and its terrible symptoms like severe rectal pain, itching and bleeding through the anus etc, you are about to discover a unique remedy that will give you total relief and it is unlike everything you have tried before.

First, the strange looking herb you are looking at is known as Uvaria Chamae and it is one of the long forgotten "miracle herbs" that our fore fathers depended on to treat very stubborn ailments like piles, jaundice etc

Unlike most of the nonsense been peddled around, this powerful herb contains several medically active compounds like oleo-resin, alkaloids, tannins etc which is why it is very powerful medically.While it is true that the herb mentioned on this page works to help you eliminate the root cause of your piles condition, the truth is that you need to combine it with other herbs like Aloe Vera etc to get complete relief.

Emir Sanusi pushes for bill to prevent poor men from marrying many wives

- The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi has said he will propose a law that will restrict poor men in the emirate from marrying many wives

- Sanusi said he has established connection between polygamy, poverty and terrorism

- He said he would make sure that a law would be passed by the state government to ban such moves by men who would not be able to cater for many wives

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi has said he will propose a law that will restrict poor men in the emirate from marrying many wives.

While speaking in Abuja on Sunday, February 19, at the 50th anniversary of the death of Ambasador Isa Wali, a former Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Sanusi said he has established connection between polygamy, poverty and terrorism.

He said he would make sure that a law would be passed by the state government to ban such moves by men who would not be able to cater for many wives.

He said the law would be passed to immortalize the late ambassador who was one of the first northern leaders to advocate for gender equality.

Sanusi: “Those of us in the North have all seen the economic consequences of men who are not capable of maintaining one wife, marrying four. They end up producing 20 children, not educating them, leaving them on the streets, and they end up as thugs and terrorists."

“It is perhaps a tribute to Mallam Isa that today, as I speak, in the palace in Kano a sub-committee of scholars, which I set up and has been working for about a year, is finalizing the final sections of a family law we intend to introduce in Kano which will address some of the issues that Mallam Isa was concerned about," Sanusi said.

Sanusi said the law will address the law will address the real position of Islam on marriage., outlaw forced marriages and make domestic violence illegal.  He also said it will put conditions to be met before any man can marry a second wife and spell out the responsibilities of a father beyond producing a child

“It is a big law which covers a whole range of issues from consent to marriage, to maintenance to divorce, to maintenance of children and inheritance. It will be the first time in northern Nigeria that a Muslim law on personal status will be codified," Sanusi said.

The Emir said while there is nothing wrong with polygamy, women must be given the opportunity to thrive.

True federalism will correct the abnormalities in Nigeria - Wike

 Governor Nyesom Wike has said that true federalism and the restructuring of the political system will correct perceived anomalies in the country

- He said that he would continue to advocate for true federalism because it would usher in equity and fairness

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers said on Tuesday, February 21, said that true federalism and the restructuring of the political system will correct perceived anomalies in the country.

Wike said this in Port Harcourt when the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural organisation of Igbo people, paid him a courtesy call at government house.

Dr Doyin Okupe gives reasons PDP brand would find it difficult to win election in 2019

Dr Doyin Okupe, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who served under former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan as spokesperson has given reasons why it would be difficult for the once acclaimed ‘biggest political party’ in Africa to win 2019 

According to Okupe, who spoke with Tribune, the PDP is heavily burdened and much of the burden is self-inflicted.

He accused that there was a grand error that started from the Obasanjo administration in party administration in the country.

Here are 4 reasons he gave which indicates the PDP brand cannot win any election                                                                                                                           There is a great error that started from the Obasanjo administration

"Only God knows what will happen to the PDP. I am not in the habit of lying even when it comes to public discourse. PDP is heavily burdened and much of the burden is self-inflicted. In the last administration, an error was committed. Before we disengaged after we lost the election, we should have straightened the leadership of the party. We did not do that and that was a fundamental error. This gave room for all comers and pretenders to the throne; people who have not even learnt the ABC of politics to become leaders in PDP. There is a grand error in party administration in the country and I think it started from the Obasanjo administration. Once you are a governor, you become the leader of the party. This is a fallacy.

 When the PDP came, it brought this abnormal structure

It is not PDP alone. If one party is sick, all parties in the country will become sick. AD, AC, ACN never went that way before. During the Second Republic, the governors were subordinates in the parties. When I was in the NRC and the NEC of the party was going to meet, the governors waited outside for the communiqué of our meeting. But, when the PDP came, it brought this abnormal structure. Do you know that when APC came, governors of the party are leaders in their states? That is a joke. It is politics of mercantilism. It is not going to work. If a governor contest an election and there are five people who slugged it out with him and he gets 35 per cent of the total votes, who made that governor the leader of the remaining 65 per cent?

 PDP is indulging in an unnecessary arrogance that will further make it to fail

"From the time of Jonathan, the party has been extensively mauled, disparaged and destroyed within and outside this country by negative propaganda. And unfortunately, we were not able to sufficiently counter this propaganda. When Buhari’s government came, it finally buried the previous government and the party that brought that government to power. It will be impossible, except by the grace of God Almighty alone, to use the brand, PDP to win any election in the country again. PDP is indulging in an unnecessary arrogance that will further make it to fail.                                                                                                                                        We have been called thieves and all sorts of names

"We have not been able to say we are not thieves. All sorts of lies have been heaped and are still being heaped on us till tomorrow and we have not disabused the minds of Nigerians about these lies. We are waiting for election time, when we will tell Nigerians not to mind the APC people. Nobody is going to listen to us," he said.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu says many people believe that Boko Haram would have taken over power if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had remained in power after 2015.

In the video below, a Nigerian man shed tears while lamenting the dire economic situation of the country.

Tragedy as car plunges into Lagos lagoon

One woman has been confirmed dead after she was trapped in a silver-coloured Kia Rio car which plunged into the lagoon in Lagos.

According to Premium Times, the tragic incident happened on Saturday, February 18 at 7.47 pm when the vehicle veered off Mekwen Bridge, Bonny camp, Marina into the lagoon.

There were two occupants in the car although only one of them survived.