NIGERIA RANKED 6TH HAPPIEST COUNTRY IN AFRICA

 
By Yemisi Adegoke

The World Happiness Report (WHR) is out and it turns out Nigerians still seem quite happy.

The report, which ranks 155 countries by their happiness, ranked Nigerians as the 6th happiest people in Africa and the 95th happiest in the world. I guess it shouldn't come as a big surprise as Nigeria has a long history of being happy. Or as Fela put it, 'Suffering and Smiling.'

In 2003 the World Values Survey revealed that the world's happiest people lived in Nigeria. The study, which was carried out over a period of three years, reported that Nigeria beat more than 65 countries to claim the top spot. In 2012, a Gallup poll revealed that Africans were the world's most optimistic people. In Nigeria specifically, 88% of people were optimistic about their futures.

EX-GOVERNORS BEHIND NGILARI'S MEDICAL REPORT TO BE PUNISHED BY PRISONS

 

Peter Tenkwa, Controller of the Adamawa State Command of the Nigeria Prison Service, has disowned the “mystery medical report” used by a Yola High Court in granting bail to convicted ex-Governor of the state, Bala Ngilari, on health grounds.

Justice Nathan Musa of Yola High Court on Monday granted bail to Ngilari, currently in the prison for a five-year jail sentence, on health grounds, after he appealed against his conviction.

Reacting, Tenkwa told newsmen Monday in Yola that he was not aware of the contentious letter and that he had communicated same to the prison headquarters.

He said the headquarters directed him to issue a query to officials involved in the matter, including the Deputy Controller of Yola Prison, Abubakar Abaka, and a Superintendent of Prisons, John Bukar, in charge of health.

8 SANS RECRUITED TO DEFEND SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR ILE-IFE MAYHEM

Following the arrest of about 20 Yoruba after the crisis that rocked  Ile-Ife Osun State recently, eight senior lawyers and several legal practitioners are set to stand for the affected people at the Federal High Court, in Abuja.
It was gathered that the eight Senior Advocates of Nigeria were assembled by the Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical organization, Afenifere, to defend the 20 Ile-Ife indigenes who were paraded at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The lawyers, it was also gathered are expected to file a motion for the enforcement of fundamental human rights for the suspects.

EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY ELECTS NEW ASUU EXECUTIVES

 
After many years of controversies, the Ebonyi State University (EBSU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU), on Monday, elected new executives to pilot the affairs of the union for the next two years.
Announcing the result of the keenly contested election, the Chairman of the EBSU-ASUU Electoral Committee, Prof. Paul Nwobasi said Dr. Basil Uche Onwe beat his closest rival, Dr. Igidi John, to emerge the new chairman of EBSU-ASUU.

I MADE MY FIRST MILLIONS IN LATE 90'S

A renowned comedian, Atunyota Alleluya Akorobomerere, otherwise called Ali Baba, has said that he started making his millions as a stand-up comedian in the late 90’s when the profession was still in its developing stage in the country.
Ali Baba said, on Monday, in Lagos, that comedy business started paying off when people knew little about the profession.
The comedian spoke against the backdrop of an award conferred on him by The Verdant Zeal Quantum Awards at the prestigious Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on March 22.

INMATES KILLED AS HERDSMEN INVADE PRISON

The Benue Prisons Service on Monday confirmed that herdsmen invaded its Jato-Aka Farm Center and killed an inmate, one Tersoo Agidi.
ASP Stephen Nwanchor, Public Relations Officer, Benue Prisons Service, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi that the incident took place on Saturday at the farm center.
Nwanchor said that the invasion was not a failed jail break attempt.

Magu: Leaked SSS report vindicates us – Nigerian Sen

 
The leaked report of the State Security Service to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has vindicated the Senate on its repeated rejection of Ibrahim Magu as substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, its spokesperson said.
The SSS report, leaked on Friday, was a response to Mr. Malami’s request that the security agency back its earlier allegations of integrity deficiency against Mr. Magu with documented evidence.
According to the report, the SSS dispatched 12 documents to Mr. Malami, including 11 that tried to link Mr. Magu with Mohammed Umar, a retired air commodore on trial for money laundering and illicit possession of firearms, and one on how he was “severely reprimanded” by the police after official documents of the EFCC were found in his private residence.

POLICE DEPLOYED TO SOUTHERN KADUNA LAMENTS FOR LACK OF WEAPONS AND WELFARE

Members of Nigeria’s police special forces on deployment in Southern Kaduna have accused police authorities of neglecting them, and failing to provide needed equipment as they confront skirmishes that have killed hundreds in the area.
Members of the unit, trained in Belarus, were drafted to check the persistent clashes between herdsmen and residents of Southern Kaduna communities.
But many told PREMIUM TIMES exclusively that their operational condition had become so unbearable that they now rely on extorting motorists in the area to survive.
“Before we eat now, we need to be tapping vehicles for N50 and N100,” one of them said. “Imagine, we special forces that are not supposed to be seen anyhow.”
Asides the poor living conditions they are subjected to, the officers, who spoke on the condition of strict anonymity, also alleged being poorly equipped to bring the situation in the restive Southern Kaduna under control.