Human rights groups in Bayelsa State have condemned the alleged misconduct and extra judicial killings by men of the Joint Task Force, codenamed Operation Restore Hope and Air force personnel in the state.

The national male basketball team, De Tigers left Lagos last night for Antananarivo, Madagascar, to participate in the 2011 Africa Cup of Nations (Afrobasket), which wilkl be held August 17 to 28.

Two armed robbers have been killed while robbing motorists at Omagwa end of the Owerri-Port Harcourt Road, Rivers State.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, told Vanguard that the robbers opened fire on a police patrol vehicle and a gun battle ensued. He said two of the robbers were shot dead and their rifles recovered.

In the wake of the Central Bank’s pseudo liberalization of dollar supply to the foreign exchange market, naira rate tumbled from over N140=$1 to today’s rate of about N130=$1 in the black market, leaving a spread of just about N2 from the official rate.

The embattled President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami has vowed not to apologise for his allegations of impropriety leveled against the Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu insisting the Chief Justice sought to twist judgment on the election petition in the Sokoto gubernatorial election.

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha has said the legislature will play an effective oversight function to monitor the restoration of the devastated environment of Ogoni land and other communities affected by oil spills in the Niger Delta.

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka yesterday revisited the assassination of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Chief Bola Ige in December 2001 and said those who were responsible should be brought to trial.

DELTA State Board of Internal Revenue, DBIR, has instituted a tax audit into operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited, Warri, to unravel the reason for reduction in tax remittances in the last four months.

I was fascinated with the first interview the new Sports Minister granted the media when he resumed duties in Abuja.

A human rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, yesterday, faulted the “orderly-room trial” of some traffic wardens in Abuja, over allegation of betrayal of trust and confidence.