News Highlights: 16 killed, 82 injured in Borno blast; Osinbajo assigns portfolios to ministers

8/16/2017 16:3:33	Stop playing politics with Buhari’s health – CAN President The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr Samson Ayokunle on Wednesday said Nigerians should stop playing politics with the health of President Muhammadu Buhari.. Ayokunle who made the remark in Lokoja, said Nigerians should leave out sentiments and pray more for the quick recovery of Buhari who is currently in London on medical vacation. SPONSOR AD “ Let us continue to pray for him, we don’t play with the life of a human being, and nobody wants to fall sick, so don’t let us continue to make politics out of sickness; let us continue to pray for him,” the CAN President said.
8/16/2017 15:59:28	Crystal Palace suffers heavy blow as Zaha ruled out for four weeks Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has been ruled out for four weeks after injuring his right knee. Zaha got injured in his team’s 3-0 home defeat by newly promoted Huddersfield Town in their opening Premier League game of the season on Saturday. The Ivory Coast international, who has been Palace’s Player of the Year for the last two seasons and signed a new five-year deal in May, left Selhurst Park with his knee in a brace. His absence is a major setback for manager Frank de Boer. British media reported that Zaha, who played the full 90 minutes, is likely to be out until after the upcoming international break. He would miss Saturday’s league trip to Liverpool and the home game against Swansea City on Aug. 26. The 24-year-old would also miss a League Cup fixture against Ipswich Town on Aug. 22 and Ivory Coast’s home and away World Cup qualifiers against Gabon on Sept. 2 and Sept. 5, the reports said.
08/16/2017 16:02	45 bomb attack victims evacuated to Maiduguri hospital No fewer than 45 of 82 victims of Tuesday’s market suicide bomb attack in Konduga, Borno, have been transferred from General Hospital, Konduga to State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, authorities said. A doctor at the general hospital, who pleaded anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that 17 people were brought in dead to the facility. The doctor said three others died at a hospital in Maiduguri. “Initially, 17 persons and three suicide bombers were killed at the scene of the attack, while three others, including a child, died at the hospital in Maiduguri. “We are providing treatment to the victims admitted in the hospital while those with serious cases were referred to Maiduguri,” the doctor said.
8/16/2017 11:19:22	Osinbajo assigns portfolios to ministers Acting President Yemi Osinbajo today assigned portfolios to the two new ministers whom he inaugurated three weeks ago . The two new ministers are Stephen Ocheni ( Kogi) and Suleiman Hassan ( Gombe) . Osinbajo’s spokesman, Mr Laolu Akande, announced this via Twitter this morning. Ocheni was named Minister of State , Labour and Employment; while Hassan was named Minister of State, Power, Works and Housing. “There are now two ministers of state in Power, Works and Housing ministries , ” Akande wrote.
8/16/2017 10:18:46	REC’s lone female designate finally gets appointment letter At last, Dr. Asma’u Sani Maikudi, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) designate from Katsina State finally got her appointment letter last night. Daily Trust gathered from reliable sources that Dr. Maikudi was asked to report at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), this morning and was subsequently given her letter of appointment. Sources at INEC headquarters in Abuja said she would be sworn-in this afternoon alongside her colleagues cleared by the Senate. Dr. Maikudi’s letter was reportedly hijacked by a “cabal at the Presidency,” who allegedly felt she should not represent Katsina State at INEC. The development had elicited backlash from various quarters, including CSOs and women groups. She is the only female among the 27 people nominated by President Muhammadu, in March.
8/16/2017 08:14:19	Jealous Air Force lover to die by hanging for killing female colleague A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel, Air Craft Man (ACM), Kalu Bernard Ayomide, has been convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for killing his lover, a female colleague at the Airforce base in Makurdi. The 22-year-old Ayomide was convicted based on charges of murder, house breaking, attempt to murder one Samuel Onah Echo, failure to perform military duties, disobedient to standing order and loosing service property. Delivering the judgement at 8:30 pm yesterday, the President of the 10-man General Court Martial, Group Captain Elisha Bindul, held that the accused was guilty of six out of eight-count charges levelled against him. Bindul therefore sentenced the convict to death by hanging.
08/16/2017 12:57	16 killed, 82 injured in Borno’s multiple suicide attacks — Police The Nigerian Police Force has confirmed that sixteen (16) people were killed while eighty-two (82) were injured in multiple suicide attacks at Mini Motor park/market at Konduga town. The Borno state Commissioner of Police, Mr.Damian Chukwu made the confirmation via electronic messages sent to newsmen in Maiduguri on Wednesday.