AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- In a bid to rid the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of crime, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has convicted 81 persons between January to August 2010 who were caught in possession of illegal and hard drugs.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Ahead of the 2011 general elections, the Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN) has commenced a sensitization campaign against electoral violence and crime in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The menace of kidnapping in Nigeria started from the Niger Delta area when militants wanted both national and international attention. Soon unemployed youths all over the nation saw it as the best way to make quick money. Now the statistics are frightening. PHILIP NYAM examines the ugly trend and suggests a way out before the kidnapping business becomes a negotiation tool in the hands of dirty politicians

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed that the Abuja rail mass transit will commence operations in 2013.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Residents of Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe have called on the construction company rehabilitating Airport road, Julius Berger PLC to speedily increase their work pace to avert traffic jam and constant breakdown of vehicles as being experienced presently on the road.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The police Wednesday arraigned a Fulani herdsman before the Kuje Upper Area Court for allegedly stealing and vandalising the property of his employer.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The Chairman of the Bwari Area Council, Mr. Peter Yohanna, has stressed the need for the council's staff to be keeping government documents in their custody secret.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole, a renowned Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan was yesterday named the next vice-chancellor of the University of Ibadan.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olasupo Sasore, has denied reported deals with the Presidency for the release of Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha and others who have been in detention over an alleged murder attempt on publisher of The Guardian Newspaper, Chief Alex Ibru.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- An FCT High Court in Maitama yesterday granted the Inspector General of Police Ogbonna Onovo till Tuesday September 7, 2010, to comply with the court orders served him over the alleged unlawful detention of two Police Corporals or risk further action by the court.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone C, yesterday said it would stage a protest in Abuja, to prevent President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the presidential election next year.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The immediate past Bwari Area Council Chairman, Isah Dara, said yesterday that the major reason for his aspiration to the House of Representatives is to correct the injustice done to the original Abuja indigenes and Nigerians living in the Federal Capital Territory, adding that it is only a true son of the territory that can make a case for them.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) has called on the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to assist in giving child victims of trafficking in its shelters access to education.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The recent arrest in Maiduguri of five men with deadly weapons bound for Plateau and Taraba states has raised fresh security concerns over the proliferation of illicit arms in this country. The State Security Service (SSS) said it arrested the suspects with rocket launchers, AK47 rifles and cash amounting to N4.8 million heading for the two states. The weapons were said to have been brought into the country from Cameroon.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The inaugural edition of the U-23 Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS, Games began yesterday in Abuja with a total of twelve nations in the sub-region ready to vie for honours in four events.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the second time yesterday denied media reports stating that it had released guidelines for the conduct of primaries for the 2011 general elections.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The Yobe State government yesterday donated N500, 000 to the family of Constable Barde Emos, the policeman killed at the private residence of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam about 10 days ago. The acting Head of Service, Alhaji Madu Ajiri, who presented the money to Mrs Grace Emos, wife of the slain policeman, expressed the condolences of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam and the people of the state over the loss.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Crack agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are expected to swoop down in Ilorin, Birnin Kebbi, Sokoto, Gombe and Dutse today to arrest top Finance and Local Government Ministry officials in a crackdown secretly ordered by the Presidency, top political sources told Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The subterranean battle for the soul of the ANPP between Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and his Borno State counterpart Ali Sheriff intensified yesterday with the suspension by the Ume-Ezeoke faction of six officials of the rival group which is believed to be instigated by the Kano state governor.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday reiterated his administration's pledge to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) all the support needed to conduct elections that meet global standards of acceptability next year.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Eighty persons have so far been confirmed dead as a result of cholera outbreak in nine local government areas of Adamawa State with over 1,000 cases recorded.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The 2011 presidential bid of President Goodluck Jonathan last night received a boost as 46 political parties adopted him as their presidential candidate for the forthcoming election.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday gave reasons why his administration is insisting on conducting a credible elections come 2011 in the country.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- A protest by youths from across the 36 states demanding the "unconditional release" of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha yesterday grinded Kano to a standstill, with hundreds of protesters calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to wade into the case of Al-Mustapha and end his continued detention.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The Federal Government has declared Thursday September 9 and Friday September 10, 2010 as public holidays to mark this year's Muslim festival of Id-el-Fitr, signaling the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The Abuja Municipal Area Council may be proscribed and replaced with Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, if the National Assembly passes into law an Executive Bill for the purpose before it.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, in a recent meeting with contractors and consultants working on various electricity projects under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP), warned them that the federal government would not accept any delay in the execution of the projects. Sambo, however, reassured the contractors and consultants that there is sufficient money to pay for a job done and emphasised that "we will not accept any excuse of any type from the contractors and consultants."

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Immediate past Chairman of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Hon. Isah Dara Bwari has disclosed that the major reason for his aspiration to the House of Representatives is to correct the injustices not only against the original Abuja indigenes, but for the generality of all Nigerians living in the FCT.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- "Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war" - Maria Montessori

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Normalcy returned yesterday to Garki Model Market Abuja after about eight hours of closure.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party moved yesterday to douse the tension between it and governors elected on its platform over allegation that the National Working Committee was favourably disposed to President Goodluck Jonathan picking its presidential ticket.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Nigerians, especially politicians, may have lost over $1 billion (about N150 billion) in property investment projects initiated by Damac Properties in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE).

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The Federal Government yesterday approved contracts totaling N1.71 billion for the purchase and supply of Primary 6 English Language, Mathematics and Science textbooks for public schools nationwide.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) in collaboration with the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital and the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, have successfully performed the first kidney transplant since the establishment of the kidney centre 10 years ago.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The crisis rocking the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) yesterday took a different dimension, as members of the transition committee chaired by Senator Mohammed A. Mohammed went to court seeking to stop today's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting organised by the Chief Ume-Ezeoke-led National Working Committee (NWC).

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Irked by insinuations by the Director-General of Kano State Censorship Board, Malam Abubakar Rabo Abdulkareem, that it was behind his ongoing sex scandal, the Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) yesterday stated that the case was a litmus test for Governor Ibrahim Shekarau's presidential bid ahead of the 2011 presidential election.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State says his administration plans to launch its free education policy on October 1, 2010.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- African Development Bank (ADB) yesterday, revealed plans to assist Nigeria in its bid to assess $50 million from the $22 billion Global Food Security Trust Fund (GFSTF) for implementation of various food security programmes across the world.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has blamed the refusal of most state and local governments to live up to their responsibilities of providing primary and secondary health care to their citizens, as a major contributory factor to the abysmal health system in the country.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- About 100 women and 10 men age 60 years and above from Erei South and Erei North in Biase local government area and members of Labour Party walked round major streets in Calabar, the Cross River State capital protesting the conduct of the Saturday August 28th local government elections in the state.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Some governors have expressed reservations over the statement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that their tenure will end in 2011 contrary to their expectations.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) yesterday said the decision of INEC concerning the 2011 governorship election was right.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Governorship aspirant of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in Lagos state Alhaji Abdullahi Yomi Tokoya has advised members of the party to stay away from the scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party in Abuja today.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- From The Ekiti State government yesterday said the tenure of Governor Segun Oni started May 6, 2009 when he took the oath of office for the second time.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo arrived Madina, Saudi Arabia, yesterday evening for a 3-day lesser hajj during which he would also meet with Saudi Arabian authorities after the Umrah.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State says it would seek redress if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts governorship election in the state in January 2011 in line with provisions of the amended constitution.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Nigeria needs to create about 25 million jobs over the next 10 years if it is to offer work to new entrants and cut halve the current unemployment rate in the country, according to a report presented yesterday.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Former National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Solomon Lar yesterday said that the forthcoming primaries of the ruling party need to be free, fair and credible.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Governorship elections will hold in all but four states across the country in January, the electoral commission said yesterday, ruling out elongated tenure for six governors who went through rerun elections in 2008 and 2009.

AllAfrica News: Nigeria:- Another step in the peace building efforts in Plateau State was taken last week with the submission of the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Jos Crises to President Goodluck Jonathan.