Global news update

Nigerian soldiers The Nigerian Army on Saturday said its troops killed seven Boko Haram insurgents in the ongoing clearance operation in separate ambushes in Borno. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri. Nwachukwu disclosed that the troops also arrested a suspected Boko Haram insurgents’ spy, Modu Chari, and recovered arms in multiple encounters with the fleeing terrorists on April 13. He said that the troops killed two insurgents fleeing from military onslaught in Sambisa Forest at Kusheri-Ardodam along Magumeri in Borno, adding that the troops recovered two AK 47 rifles, three magazines and 18 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO type ammunition. Nwachukwu revealed that troops also neutralized two insurgents in an ambush along a remote track in Mafa, recovering one AK 47 rifle, two magazines and a bicycle. In another ambush, he said, three fleeing insurgents were killed by troops at Multe...

Here is a roundup of key reactions to the strikes by the United States, Britain, and France against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad:   Syria  “The Syrian Arab Republic condemns in the strongest terms the brutal American-British-French aggression against Syria, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law,” the foreign ministry said. The United States  “A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military,” US President Donald Trump tweeted. “Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!” US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned her UN counterparts that although the mission was designed as a one-off, that did not preclude further action against Assad. “I spoke to the president this morning and he said: ‘If the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded,'” Haley said at emergency Security Council t...

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo South Senatorial District, comprising Commissioners, members of the state House of Assembly, local government Chairmen, youth and women leaders on Saturday reiterated their call on Governor Abiola Ajimobi to run for the Senatorial seat of the district in the 2019 elections. At the event tagged “The Clarion Call of Mission of His Excellency”, held at state party Secretariat, Oke-Ado, party members said they were compelled to ask Ajimobi to run for Senate in 2019 because the APC did want Ajimobi to become just a titular leader of the party after leaving office as governor. Saturday’s event which follows a similar rally held in Lanlate in February had in attendance, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Michael Adeyemo and other lawmakers like Kehinde Subair, Olusegun Ajanaku, Bolanle Agbaje, Olusegun Ajanaku, Akeem Abimbola, Jimoh Rafiu; Chairman APC Oyo South Senatorial District, Mr Adefisoye Adekanye; Director of Mobilization, ...

President Donald Trump triumphantly declared “Mission Accomplished!” on Saturday following a US-led missile assault on the Syrian regime and warned another attack could follow if Damascus were to unleash more chemical weapons. The combined US-French-British operation, which saw more than 100 cruise missiles smash into three chemical weapons facilities early Saturday, earned quick scorn from Russia, which pushed for a vote at the UN Security Council condemning the strikes. Trump and his allies ordered the pre-dawn mission in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack a week ago on the rebel-held town of Douma that left more than 40 people dead. Both the regime of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and its ally Russia have denied all responsibility for the April 7 attack, and Moscow slammed the “aggressive actions” of the Western coalition, but it has not yet responded militarily. US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned her UN counterparts that although the mission was designed as a one-off,...

British Prime Minister Theresa May faced a backlash from the domestic opposition after launching military strikes Saturday on Syria without consulting parliament. As the Conservative leader explained her rationale for the airstrikes, opposition parties claimed the attacks were legally dubious, risked escalating conflict and should have been approved by lawmakers. The shadow of the 2003 invasion of Iraq still lingers in the corridors of Britain’s parliament, when MPs backed then-prime minister Tony Blair in joining US military action. “Bombs won’t save lives or bring about peace,” said Jeremy Corbyn, the veteran leftist leader of the main opposition Labour Party. “This legally questionable action risks escalating further… an already devastating conflict. “Theresa May should have sought parliamentary approval, not trailed after Donald Trump.” Corbyn later wrote to May seeking assurance that there would be no further bombing raids and urged the government to negotiate a pause...

Nigeria has moved five places up, now 47 th  in the world and sixth in Africa with 635 points in the April FIFA/Coca Cola rankings released on Thursday. In the previous rankings, Nigeria was on 52 nd  position with 609 points. Meanwhile, Tunisia is the highest ranked African team on 14 th  place with Senegal and DR Congo on 28 and 38 positions respectively. Germany still retains first place with Brazil following closely while Belgium who was fifth in the March rankings is now third. The next rankings will be published on May 17, 2018.

Dr. Bukola Saraki, on charges of false assets declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, should continue, PUNCHNG reports A five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Dattijo Muhammad fixed the date for judgment after parties to the case adopted their appeal briefs on Thursday. The court is to rule on whether or not there is sufficient evidence for the trial before the CCT to continue. The Danladi Umar-led CCT had, in June last 2017, terminated the trial upon an application by Saraki. The CCT’s decision was based on the grounds that the prosecution, with its four witnesses and 49 tendered exhibits, failed to lead any credible evidence linking Saraki to the 18 counts preferred against him. The 18 counts bordered on Saraki’s alleged false assets declaration and other breaches of the code of conduct for public officers. The tribunal had ruled that in the absence of any credible evidence to support the charges, there was no basis to call upon the Senate Presiden...