Life Daily

As part of measures to give a bite to UN and U.S. sanctions, Malaysia has banned its citizens from traveling to North Korea as the country faces increasing diplomatic pressure over its weapons programs. The ban which would last until further notice was announced on Thursday in a statement by the Malaysian foreign ministry. The travel ban could affect an Asian Cup qualifier football match between Malaysia and North Korea scheduled for Oct. 5 in Pyongyang. The match has already been delayed twice due to security issues. The Football Association of Malaysia said it will issue a statement later Thursday, when asked if the team would be allowed to fly to Pyongyang despite the ban. The statement cited North Korea’s missile tests and related developments. North Korea has been targeted in recent months by stricter sanctions and increasing diplomatic pressure, with Kuwait and Mexico expelling its envoys in recent weeks. Since July, North Korea has launched its first intercontinental...

“My company is being owed N24 million for printing ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign posters during 2015 presidential election,” says Mr Olusegun Idowu, a witness in Femi Fani-Kayode’s trial. Idowu, was the first witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the on-going trial of the then Director for Media and Publicity of Jonathan’s Campaign Organisation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode is standing trial on an alleged N4.9 billion fraud. He is being charged alongside a former minister of State for Finance, Nenadi Usman, one Danjuma Yusuf and a company, Joint Trust Dimensions Ltd. They are standing trial on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful retention of proceeds of theft and money laundering. They all pleaded not guilty to all the counts. Idowu, while giving evidence, said the N24 million was part of a total of N54 million which was for pasting of posters and consultancy jobs, his company did for the ex-president’s campaign or...

The Kogi State Association of People Living With Disabilities has appealed to the State Government to employ some of the association’s members as Informants in the state’s Vigilance Group. The Chairman of the association, Mr Ibrahim Arome, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja. Arome said the association had many members with proven integrity and expertise on security matters in spite of their disabilities, assuring that the knowledge could immensely help toward curbing crime in the state. “It is a fact that we don’t have able legs and hands, but our physical challenges do not affect our brain. “We have eyes and ears and we can observe the security terrain in our environment and report suspicious movements to the security agents for prompt action. “However, we may not be able to perform effectively unless we are part of the security organisation,’’ he said. According to him, the recent high rate of kidnapping, armed robbery and othe...

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has fired back at US President Donald Trump after he accused the leading social network of being “always anti-Trump.” Zuckerberg rejected the notion, countering that Facebook is working to ensure “free and fair elections” with an online platform that does not favor one side over another. Zuckerberg’s post at Facebook on Wednesday came after Trump accused the social network of bias in a morning tweet that read: “Facebook was always anti-Trump.The Networks were always anti-Trump hence,Fake News, @nytimes(apologized) & @WaPo were anti-Trump. Collusion?” Early morning Twitter tizzies have become a hallmark of Trump’s presidency. “Trump says Facebook is against him. Liberals say we helped Trump,” Zuckerberg said in his post. “Both sides are upset about ideas and content they don’t like. That’s what running a platform for all ideas looks like.” Facebook last week said that Russia-linked ads on the social network aimed at inflaming tensions arou...

The Federal High Court. Yola has ordered the remand of former Adamawa PDP Chairman, Alhaji Abdurrahman Bobboi, in prison for allegedly diverting food meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The court also remanded Mr Sanda Lamurde, a former Commissioner for Finance, and Mr. Feredan George, a former Chief Store Officer of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). Justice Bilkisu Aliyu gave the order on Wednesday, at the hearing of a case of alleged forgery and stealing brought against the trio by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). The accused are facing 16 charges bordering on forgery, theft and fraud. According to the EFCC Counsel, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, the suspects were arraigned following a petition received from members of Agricultural Transformation Agro-Allied Farmers Cooperative Union, Adamawa chapter. The union, in its petition to the EFCC, had alleged that the loan granted to Adamawa State farmers, from the Central Bank of Nigeria. were not di...

The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged service chiefs to compel their personnel to obey traffic laws. This was sequel to a motion by Rep. Enitan Badru (Lagos-APC). Moving the motion, Badru expressed dismay over what he described as the contemptuous disregard for traffic laws by military personnel. According to the lawmaker, military personnel often promote aggression on the road through blaring of sirens, chastising other motorists with horsewhips and bullying drivers in the process. He said that the appropriate sanctions  should be introduced to deter offenders and called on military chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police to call their personnel to order. The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara. The House, therefore, mandated Chief of Defence Staff and other service chiefs, including the Inspector-General of Police to call their personnel to order over disregard for traffic laws. Via....

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) is to establish a Regional Training Academy for the teaching of counter trafficking issues. The NAPTIP Director-General, Ms Julie Okah–Donli disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while inaugurating a 27-member Steering Committee for the establishment of the academy. Okah-Donli explained that the need to close the existing knowledge gaps amongst Law Enforcement Agencies in the country and the West Africa on issues involving fight against human trafficking necessitated the development. She said that national and international crime with huge implications for national security and sovereignty had made it necessary for such an academy to be established. According to her, the steering committee is to see to the successful establishment of a standard Regional Training Academy that will offer solution to all institutional needs and satisfy the requirements around the spheres of human trafficking and other relate...