Felix Omoko's Blog

The death toll from a devastating earthquake in central Italy reached at least 241 people on Thursday and could rise further after rescue teams worked through the night to try to find survivors under the rubble of flattened towns.

President Buhari yesterday met with the Governor of Zamfara state Abdulaziz Yari and his Borno state counterpart, Kashim Shettima at the state house Abuja.

About 241 Nigerians including children on Tuesday voluntarily returned from Libya. They arrived at the cargo terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and were received by the National Emergency Management Agency on behalf of the Federal Government. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) facilitated their return in collaboration with the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

As he seeks to make inroads with African-Americans and other minority voters, Donald Trump dramatically escalated his rhetoric against rival Hillary Clinton, accusing her of being a “bigot” who does not truly care about blacks and Hispanics.

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake has struck central Italy, leaving at least 21 people dead and many others trapped under rubble, report says.

Controversial founder of the International God's Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim was escorted in handcuffs and transferred to the Accra Police Headquarters after he reported himself to Tema Regional police station yesterday.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has barred nine commercial banks from participating in all foreign exchange transactions and operations. According to the apex bank, the commercial banks were barred following their failure to remit into the Treasury Single Account the sum of $2.12 billion belonging to the nation’s oil corporation, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).‎

Senator Ali Ndume, told newsmen in Abuja that the National Assembly is broke and that legislators were not being paid their allowances on time. He said:

Former Super Eagles coach and member of the victorious Gold winning U-23 dream team at Atlanta 96, Sunday Oliseh has dismissed all comparison between the 1996 Dream team and Samson Siasia's men who won Bronze at the just concluded Rio 2016 Olympics.

Actress Mercy Johnson Okojie and mother of three still looking healthy with great body.

President Buhari this afternoon received former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon rtd at the state House Abuja.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as part of its consolidation strategies, wishes to engage the services of early starters with integrity, drive and desire to win  professionally, to strengthen its workforce.

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen reportedly killed Luka Ubangari - a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Unguwan Anjo, near Godogodo in the Jema’a LGA of Kaduna State.

  This is a press statement from the office of the Vice President, signed by Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media & Publicity, Laolu Akande. The statement reads..

Boko Haram Islamists have killed 10 people and abducted 13 others in a raid on a village near the northeast Nigerian town of Chibok where the militants kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls in 2014.

Japanese billionaire redeems pledge to Dream Team VI Japanese billionaire redeems pledge of  $390,000  to Dream Team VI Katsuya Takasu, a Japanese surgeon made good his promise to reward the team for their bravery in Rio after they beat Honduras 3-2 for the bronze medal.`

Essential elements of intelligence and the intelligence cycle in overseas relations include what is better described as “the cover story”. It is an old conundrum referring to the story that is put out to the public and sustained as a narrative to mask far more strategic interests in government-to- government relations.

Neymar shed tears of joy after delivering Brazil's first men's soccer gold medal with the winning penalty in a 5-4 shootout triumph over Germany after a thrilling final ended in a draw following extra-time on Saturday.

Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder and presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church world wide (aka Winners Chapel Int'l) and his wife Faith Abiola Oyedepo celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary today, August 21. The couple have been together for 40 years, married for 34 and are blessed with four children and grandchildren.

President Obama took a brief respite from his two-week summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard to attend a Democratic fundraiser for Hillary Clinton on the island Monday night. And with more than two months to go before the Nov. 8 election, the commander in chief said he’s already tired of talking about Donald Trump.

An elephant thought to have travelled at least 1,700 kilometres from India into Bangladesh after becoming separated from its herd by floods died today despite last-ditch efforts to save him.

Mark Short fatally shot his wife and three kids before taking his own life in Berks County, Pennsylvania, Berks County District Attorney John Adams said.

The Brazilian was predecessor to Sepp Blatter at world football's governing body, serving from 1974 to 1998.

Read below... Our attention has been drawn once again to another act of judicial recklessness by the Honourable Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Okon Abang of the purported suspension of the PDP National Convention holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers on Wednesday the 17 of August 2016.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has suspended the National convention of PDP being organized by the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the party slated for August 17th in Rivers state. The embattled factional chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, had approached the court to seek an interlocutory injunction against the convention.

Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, yesterday flagged off the distribution of food items and farm outreach targeting 40,000 victims of the Boko Haram insurgency through the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which donated one million dollars to the Borno State Government as a post conflict intervention that is meant to support victims who are returning to their communities.

Top Nigerian athlete, Blessing Okagbare has crashed out of Rio 2016 Olympics. She came 3rd in her semi-final heat with a time of 11.09seconds and as a result couldn't make it to the finals as only athletes that ran under 11seconds made it to the final.

APC National chairman John Odigie-Oyegun said during the election campaigns in 2015, their party knew that things in Nigeria were bad but never knew how bad it was. Oyegun said this while speaking at a surprise birthday party held for him by staff of the APC national secretariat in Abuja yesterday August 12th.

John Mikel Obi reportedly paid $4000 to free the Olympic football squad after the team was held to ransom by hotel officials in Sao Paulo over bills incurred by additional NFF officials. 

Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, commissioned the new Nigerian Bar Association House in Abuja today August 12th.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo today inaugurated the Steering Committee on the Concessioning of the Nigerian Railways chaired by Rt Hon. 

Representative of the Nigeria Governors Forum include governors of Delta Ifeanyi Okowa, Anambra Willie Obiano, Osun Rauf Aregbesola, Jigawa Badaru Abubakar, Plateau Simon Lalong and Zamfara Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari, at a seminar with China African business forum in China. View more photos ...

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) today in Abuja urged the Federal Government to fulfill its promise on job creation and youth employment in the country.

The Federal Ministry of Health  with support from WHO, UNICEF and partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have rolled out an emergency Polio immunization campaign in Borno, an official said.

Four brothers of the same parents were yesterday, sentenced to three years jail term by a Lagos State Magistrate Court sitting in Ikeja for conspiracy and forgery.

The Federal Government has released all detained members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Enugu after the presiding judge sitting in Magistrate Court, Enugu struck out every charge against them and ordered the 36 of them to be acquitted and discharged.

A Kenyan athletics coach has been sent home from the 2016 Olympic Games at Rio in Brazil, after posing as an athlete and giving a urine sample. 

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan  celebrates the International Youth Day and described Nigeria youths as his personal inspiration.

Femi Fani-Kayode has described the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as ‘a plague’ setting Nigeria backwards.

Popular musician, Rihanna  will receive MTV’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the August 28 Video Music Awards (VMA) show.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has directed all bankers in the 19 deposit banks in the country to declare their assets immediately. 

A driver, who allegedly stole his boss’ Automated Teller Machine, ATM, card, and two other suspected fraudsters are currently being investigated by the Lagos State Police Command for cloning and withdrawing funds from their victim’s account. 

America star Beyonce (Queen Bey) walked barefoot as she went to dinner in Capri, Italy with her husband Jay Z. This is cool.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, yesterday said those who are calling for his prosecution following allegations of budget padding leveled against him by the sacked chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, are ignorant of legislative laws.

  Ekiti state governor Ayo Fayose met the Ooni of Ife, Oba A deyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II at the airport in Abuja yesterday and reverently greeted the monarch, who is younger in age than himself, by bowing. More photos after the cut...

Rio Olympics medal counts put United States at 38, China 30, Japan 22, Russia 19, UK 19 and Nigeria none.

The tears trickled down her cheek immediately after she sang two words: “Gave proof.” Whether it just a neat bit of timing or her recognizing the history she made, it was perfect that Simone Manuel, standing atop an Olympic podium, a gold medal hanging from her neck, the first black American female swimmer to have won one, happened to melt at the precise moment in “The Star-Spangled Banner” that encapsulated her night.

A comprehensive 4-0 victory for the Olympic hosts saw them rediscover their scoring boots as Neymar provided the service and his young teammates finished them off ruthlessly. The win not only saw Brazil jump into the knockout stage, but also put them atop Group A.

Hillary Clinton on yesterday slammed Donald Trump’s comment about “Second Amendment people” as a “casual incitement to violence.”

Gigi Gorgeous shared an emotional post on Instagram after airport personnel in Dubai detained her for several hours because she is transgender. 

President Muhammadu Buhari today said the sudden drop in the price of crude oil has left Nigeria poor, leaving it to struggle economically and it people suffering.