By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

LAGOS — THE Central Bank (CBN) on Friday instructed banks in the country to limit loans to the public sector to 10 per cent
of their overall credit portfolios, an apparent effort to divert more funds to the private sector.

In a circular to banks, the  CBN said where [...]

By Emma Arubi
WARRI—Ijaw militants in the creeks weekend hijacked a speedboat conveying about twenty Itsekiri passengers from Escravos to Warri.

The incident which took place around the Burutu river is said to be causing ripples between both ethnic groups that have been enjoying cordial relationship since the end of the seven years Warri [...]

By Henry Umoru

…tasks N-Delta indigenes on vigilance

ABUJA—THE National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor yesterday urged other militant groups that were yet to announce a ceasefire to lay down their arms and reciprocate the gesture of the Federal government.

By Peter Duru

MAKURDI — Youths in Benue State have protested the intended ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed gin popularly called ogogoro in the state, describing the action as unnecessary and unpopular.

The youths who initially registered their protested during the public hearing of the Benue State House of Assembly Committee [...]

By Patience Ogbodo

BAUCHI — THE  Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Muhammad Garba Gadi, who is currently facing impeachment threat for his refusal to decamp with Governor Isa Yuguda to PDP, has said it will be dishonourable for him to resign at this point of his travails.

Gadi stated this while addressing a press conference in [...]

By Samuel Oyadongha

Asaba—A Police Constable attached to the Delta State police command has been arrested alongside one other person for allegedly breaking into a pastor’s private residence at Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.

Vanguard gathered that incident took place at about 11am last Saturday while the pastor [...]

By Samuel Oyadongha & By Emma Amaize

Yenagoa—The rank of militant commanders who have agreed to drop their arms in agreement to President Umaru Yar’Adua’s amnesty has continued to swell in Bayelsa State with Gen Ogunboss, a commander from the Niger Delta Vigilante Force in the upper senate of MEND joining the fray of militants [...]

By Festus Ahon

UGHELLI—A frontline member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, Chief Peter Eboh, has frowned at the hostilities between the military and armed youths of the Niger Delta and appealed to the military and the youths to sheathe their swords.

Eboh, who was fielding questions from newsmen in Ughelli, [...]

By George Onah

Port Harcourt—No fewer than 86 drug barons and traffickers of cocaine, heroin and Indian hemp in Rivers State have been convicted and sentenced to prison terms while many other suspects of drug-related offences are currently standing trial at the Federal High Court in the state.

On the whole, 266 suspects were arrested [...]

By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN—THE authorities of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), have expressed their desire to commence Stem Cell transplantation services (anti-aging) in 2011.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has confirmed the appointment of Professor Michael Ibadin as the Chief Medical Director of the Hospital.

Professor Ibadin who addressed newsmen weekend, on the [...]

By Ise-Oluwa Ige

ABUJA—The Government of Akwa Ibom state has told an Abuja Federal high court sitting in Maitama that it rejected the political solution arranged by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006 which made it concede 162 of its oil wells to Rivers and Cross River states because such political arrangement was  bereft of [...]

By Tony Edike

ENUGU—DEPUTY Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday, descended heavily on some individuals, who recently accused him of nursing gubernatorial ambition, describing them as ‘political jobbers’ seeking to derail the peace in the state.

Ekweremadu denied discussing the issue with anybody, either in the state or outside, saying that he never contemplated venturing [...]