A contractor, Mr. Mustapha Yerima, Monday, narrated before the Federal High Court in Abuja, how the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, paid his firm, Rytebuilders Technologies Limited, N1.2billion to construct a multipurpose shopping mall for him in Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari has described the difficulties Nigerians are going through as “the birth pangs of a great future’’. Buhari, who gave the description at the official inauguration of some projects in Lagos on Monday, said that the Federal Government was fully aware of the difficulties Nigerians “have had to go through’’.

The Federal Government on Monday reiterated its resolve to alleviate poverty across the country with N5,000 using biometrics data collation. Mrs Maryam Uwais, Special Advisor, Social Investment, Office of the Vice President, said this while speaking at the international conference on “Child Poverty and Social Protection in Western, Central Africa,” in Abuja.

GOVERNON Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state, has relieved Mr Abdul Oroh of his appointment as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in the State.
Though no reason was given but the state said the sack was “in the public interest”.

SENATOR Dino Melaye,has relieved his pre-election experience in the 2015 general election,saying he went through several temptations in a bid to know his fate at the poll.

Dino disclosed that some of his core loyalists,who he said were so deeply concerned about his fate ahead of the poll, tempted him to seek victory prediction through different diabolical means.

Photos: Vice-President Osinbajo commissions newly completed projects in Lagos

Governor Ibikunke Amosun of Ogun State has advised his colleagues and indeed, the Nigerian government to be more creative, saying it was the only way out the current economic and financial challenges bedeviling the country.

Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday hosted the governor of Ogun state, Ibikunle Amosun at Aso Villa.

The Federal Government would require 166 billion dollars in the next five years to meet the country’s energy and transport infrastructure needs, the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said. The minister made the disclosure at a public hearing in the House of Representatives on a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act on Monday in Abuja.

A Rights group, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has described recent report accusing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal of job racketeering as false, saying the accusations are only aimed at undermining the anti corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari.