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By Ikechukwu  Nnochiri ABUJA—The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, admitted into evidence 23 sets of exhibits tendered against the three Lebanese suspects allegedly involved in illicit importation of arms into Nigeria. The exhibits, which included guns, cartridge belt holders with ammunition, pellets for air rifles, 150 cartridges, 158 rounds of cartridges, two bound copies of still pictures of arms and ammuni-tions that were discovered in one of their premises at 3, Gaya Road, off Bompai Road in Kano, two video CDs and witness statements, were tendered against them by Federal Government. [caption id="attachment_406810" align="alignnone" width="412"] Lebanese terror suspects[/caption] Besides, the court, yesterday, took possession of $61,170,000 which one of the suspects, Mr. Abdullahi Thahini, allegedly attempted to smuggle out of the country on May 11. The court earlier heard that the suspect, who is the second accused person in the m...

By AbdulSalam Muhammad & Ben Agande KANO — The casualty fig-ures from the multiple blasts that rocked the predominantly Christian quarters in Kano, Monday evening, has increased to 45 dead, according to Ohanaeze Ndigbo , Kano. Briefing newsmen on the development in Kano, yesterday, Chairman, Kano chapter of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Chief Tobias Idika, said: “We counted 45 dead bodies and they have all been deposited at the morgue for identification by relations.” “We have records and proof of what we are talking about. I participated in the rescue operations and I am best informed to tell the world what happened regarding the deaths and the injured.” [caption id="attachment_406796" align="alignnone" width="412"] SURVIVORS: Mr. Emeka Mba, Manager, New Tarzan Motors (left) and Mr. Emeka Ani, survivors of the Kano bomb blasts, in hospital.[/caption] He revealed that 15 people were injured during the blast, adding that the injured were on...

It was double victory for host Kaduna as its male and female teams picked the zonal tickets in both categories for the National Championship of the on-going Airtel Rising Stars National U-17 tournament. Both teams fought off fierce competition from six other states to book their places after a series of matches played at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna. In the male final, Kaduna C clashed against   Kaduna P. They played out a barren draw during regulation time and the resultant shoot out ended 9-7 in favour of team Kaduna C. The picture was not completely different in the female category where Kaduna once again produced the finalists. A solitary strike by Kaduna team B was all that was needed to book a place in the National Championship in Lagos. The Kaduna zonal championship was not a good outing for defending national champion, team Jos, as they lost the opportunity to play at the National Championship next month after failing to replicate the form that saw them lift the coveted tro...

The Director General, National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, has commended the efforts of the Nigerian Unity Football Tournament for their initiative in using football to foster peace across the country. Elegbeleye, who stated this during a recent visit of the National Organising Committee of the body to his office in Abuja, promised that the commission would give the body the needed support to enhance the success of the tournament. [caption id="attachment_401991" align="alignright" width="250"] Gbenga Elegbeleye[/caption] The National Project Director of the Nigerian Unity Football Tournament, Moses Ebahor, informed the DG that the objective of the tournament tagged Football for Youth Peace Project, was to promote peace and unity in the country, using football to unite Nigerians despite tribal and religious differences. He added that they had visited 90 per cent of the states to sensitise them about the tournament and to offer education for a bri...

Golden Eaglets coach Manu Garba is confident that he has more than enough numbers to complete his squad if any of his players were to fail the MRI test. [caption id="attachment_404866" align="alignright" width="198"] Manu Garba, Eaglets coach[/caption] The test was carried out last week on all 30 players picked, and while Garba is confident there will be no failures, he remains confident that the team will not be affected in the event that a few players drop out. “We are still awaiting the official result of the MRI Scan but we have high hopes that all will be well,” Manu said. “The players are responding fast to training and Gods’ willing; we shall have a good team for the World Cup,” he added. The squad are currently in Calabar, where they have returned to continue their preparations ahead of the World Cup.  

By Henry Umoru ABUJA-THE Senate has summoned Halliburton, Shell exploration, Mobil, the multinationals, construction companies and other oil giants operating in the country to appear before its Committee on Labour following the discovery large scale abuse of the expatriate and labour laws. According to the senate, the action has become imperative following what it termed lack of labour laws, employment policies by these companies and alleged large scale abuse of expatriate regulations and other labour laws. In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Chairman,  Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity, Senator Wilson Ake who noted that over 60 percent of the major construction companies and oil giants have refused to comply with such labour laws, stressed that erring companies were expected to give details of their compliance to expatriate and labour laws . According to Ake, the Committee at the weekend uncovered what he termed large scale abuse of the expatriate and labour laws ...

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North Four Northern governors, who are still aggrieved over certain political developments in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday, took their grievances to the doorsteps of former President Shehu Shagari, pleading with him to intervene. The governors, who began their meeting with Shagari at about 11:45 am, were led by the state Governor, Aliyu Wamakko. His visitors were: Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state. Vanguard learnt that the fifth governor, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, who would have been part of the delegation, had travelled to Saudi Arabia for religious purposes. The governors are said to have pleaded with Shagari to prevail on President Goodluck Jonthan to take urgent steps to salvage the party and the nation from certain perilous individuals and agencies bent on derailing the democratic gains already attained by the nation. The governors, who were summoned for crucial talks with Presi...