The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen Hadi Sirika, has confirmed that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, will be closed for six weeks in February and March 2017.

Sirika told newsmen in Abuja on Monday that the closure was to allow Julius Berger carry out total re-construction on the badly damaged airport runway.

He said that while the runway would still be put to use under the six months of rehabilitation, the six weeks would allow the mid section of the runway to be reconstructed.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reconstruction through the emergency procurement procedure for work to commence.

This, according to him, is because of the centrality, economy and the importance of Abuja to the general administration of the country.

He said government could not afford to close down Abuja airport for a long time as palliative repairs had been ongoing at the runway in the last three months. “From start to finish of the runway, it will take six months.

However, we will be using the runway almost throughout the period except for about six weeks when the runway will be closed.

“That is when we are going to do the mid-section of the runway. “The government has accepted the design done by the contractor. The runway will last for than 10 years on completion early next year’’, he said.

Sirika said Abuja bound passengers from any part of the world will use Kaduna airport as alternative during the six weeks closure to passengers.

He said arrangement had been finalised with Kaduna State, adding that while the federal government will provide buses to convey the passengers to Abuja, the state government will provide security.

According to him, it will cost government substantial amount of money “but we think that palliative approach is wrong because three years down we will come back to do the same repairs.

“Therefore, we decided to go for the bigger option which is to do structural repairs if the runway which will take about six months to complete’’, he said.

On the Bilateral Air Agreement with other countries, Sirika said government had signed BASA with 18 countries that Nigerians frequently visites and do business with. The MOUs, he said, would give Nigeria the opportunity to operate air services with 18 countries.

“With this, we have the freedom to fly and land safely in other air space and this will assist in opening our market.’’

2-year-old Fareeda has been released by her abductors. Her mother, Aisha Alli-Balogun Abiose, 28, was shot dead last Friday at Ikorodu while trying to stop some kidnappers from taking her daughter away.

The kidnappers were said to be demanding N10million to release Fareeda. The kidnappers were said to have held motorists around Ajegunle in Ikorodu hostage for over an hour and dispossessed them of their valuables.

Sources had urged the kidnappers to release the victim on compassionate grounds because the family does not have that kind of money.

A source described the incident as double tragedy, pleading that the toddler be released.

The police in Kano on Monday arraigned one Kabiru Iliyasu in a Magistrates’ Court for enticing a married woman.

Iliyasu, 40, who resides at Unguwar Dabai Quarters, Kano, is facing a one-count charge of enticing married woman.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge but the Senior Magistrate, Aminu Fagge, ordered that he be remanded in prison.

The prosecutor, Insp. Yusuf Sale, had earlier told the court that the Iliyasu committed the offence on Nov. 25.

Sale said Nasiru Yusuf of the same address reported the case to Rijiyar Zaki police Division, Kano, on Nov. 25.

He said that on the same date at about 5 p.m., Iliyasu allegedly sent his phone number to Mariya, who is wife to the complainant, Mohammed Yusuf, through Miss Islam Umar of Unguwar Dabai Quarters Kano.

He added that the defendant told Islam to tell Mariya that the phone number belonged to his wife, Hajiya Binta and that she should call her.

He noted that when Mariya called the number, she found out that the number was actually Iliyasu’s number and the defendant went ahead to entice her and even lured her to unknown destination and was later arrested.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 389 of the penal code.

Meanwhile, the senior magistrate had adjourned the case until Jan. 5 for mention as he ordered his remand. (NAN)

One of Nigeria’s richest pastors who lives a very flamboyant lifestyle has showed off his luxury and expensive hummer limousine.

Founder of Christ Royal Family International Church, Bishop Tom Samson stormed Garden of Achiever in Ikotun, riding in his expensive Hummer limousine with many people staring in awe.

The man of God who owns a church estimated to be worth over N7 billion, in recent times has been showing off his fleet of cars and wealth.

As many people continue to ponder over how he suddenly stormed into limelight with his ostensible wealth, he has continued to wow many people.

Samson’s ministry which started as a church fellowship now has many branches in Nigeria and abroad.

He showed off his expensive and rare cautomobile as he visited Ikotun over the weekend to attend his church’s Christmas Carol Service.

He had a small red carpet placed for him on the ground as he came out of his exotic car.

A Nigerian man who was sentenced to life imprisonment over a crime he did not commit has regained his freedom.

According to Omega Fire Ministry, Lagos, he was released after spending 16 years and 3 months in the prison. Read the touching story as shared by the ministry on Facebook:

“This is most touching, bro Ezekiel was givien a life sentenced for a crime he did not commit. After staying in the prison for 16years and 3months, God visited him through the man of God, Rev Fidelis and Pst Gladys Ayemoba, during the Touch of Love outreach a vision of our father Apostles Johnson suleman this brother was ministered to by the spirit of God.

“After this meeting God step into his case, without negotiation he was released and today bro Ezekiel is a free man…..he came back to return all the Glory to God of this commission for breaking the limit and setting him free, the church was amazed by the mighty move of God and again the man of God Rev Fidelis prayed and bless him financially. This is the best way to end the year(TOUCH OF LOVE)”

See photos below:

A young man who claimed he was instructed by an unnamed spiritualist to have anal sex with minors; both boys and girls, in order to acquire wealth has been arrested by the police in Enugu.

The suspect, one Esomchi Ojobo, a native of Enugu-Ezike in Igbo-Eze North Local Government of Enugu State, was apprehended after raping about 11 minors.

Ojobo was arrested in Opanda, a community in the Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu, on December 11.

Southern City News gathered that Ojobo’s victims, who were not named by the police, were aged 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 11 years.

It was learnt that Ojobo allegedly hypnotised the minors before raping them.

The Spokesman, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development, said that upon his arrest, Ojobo confessed that he used a white cloth to perpetrate the act.

According to Amaraizu, the white cloth was given to the suspect by an unnamed spiritualist, which he flashes on the faces of his targets.

He said, “The suspect explained that the little boy or girl would temporarily lose his or her senses after the dangling of the cloth on the person’s face and added that the victim would follow him to wherever he intended to perpetrate the crime.

“He also confessed that he was instructed to rape the minors through the anus in order to ‘collect their destinies’, which would in turn translate to immense riches for him.

“He (suspect) revealed that as soon as the white cloth is flashed on their (victims’) faces, they will lose consciousness and follow him to where he will abuse them through the anus for the purpose of reaping the victim’s destiny, which in turn boosts the process of his financial acquisition.”

However, Ojobo has not acquired the expected riches before his arrest.

But the suspect said he was yet to complete the ‘process’ as instructed by the spiritualist, before he was arrested.

Amaraizu said, “When asked whether he had started getting the money, the suspect maintained that he was still in the process and that the process needed to be completed before he would start reaping the monetary dividend as instructed.”

Amaraizu said the police had launched a full scale investigation into Ojobo’s activities, adding that the suspect had expressed regrets over his actions.