President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent efforts to bring succour to the crisis ravaged oil rich Niger Delta region may witness yet another hindrance as a new militant group, Asawana Deadly Force of Niger Delta, ADFND, emerged, yesterday, in the region, threatening to cripple the oil industry across the nine Niger Delta states unless the Federal Government grants them, “Niger Delta Republic in the next couple of days.”

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, put it aptly recently when he observed that our National Assembly members no longer fear Nigerians in the light of their recent moves to secure life pension for the principal officers of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The current onslaught against the leadership of the Senate by the Federal Government has been condemned by Awgu Young Democrats.

NATIONAL Directorate of Employment, NDE, has said for unemployment to be effectively tackled, innovative programmes and schemes must be regularly injected into the economy through skills that are demand-driven specific, relevant and community-based.

INDICATIONS yesterday emerged that the crisis rocking the Kogi State House of Assembly, might be over soon as the feuding factions agreed on templates for reconciliation with factional leaders of the assembly including speakers expected to vacate their positions.

THE people of Igbide community, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, have described as malicious and unfounded, media reports that a fine of N1 million was imposed on male indigenes of the community, who fled the area in the recent bloody clash with neighbouring Okpolo-Enwhe over a disputed piece of land.

Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike has advised labour unions to use strike as the last option in trade disputes to stem the tide of development challenges witnessed as a result of the frequency of strikes in the country.

The National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, seems to have finally found the missing formula for solving the endemic challenge of shortage of study materials in the university with the introduction of an electronic instructional tablet called i-NOUN.

YENAGOA—A Federal High Court in Yenagoa, yesterday, remanded six persons in prison custody over alleged operation of an illegal refinery in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The accused, all males, Convention Jaham, 38; Abombi Jaham, 39; Mike Azikiwe, 45; Okoye Morris, 38; Ebikemie Perekpohehei, 32, and Promise John, 2, are standing trial on a two-count charge of constructing and operating an illegal refinery.

A member of the House of Representatives, Samuel Ikon, who was accused of illegally soliciting for prostitutes, alongside two other lawmakers while in the United States, has written to the US ambassador in Nigeria, James Entwistle, and threatened to seek legal redress in competent courts of law both in Nigeria and the US.