GISTS DIRECT

A 10 year old girl strapped with an explosive belt was yesterday July 29th discovered by security forces in company of two other people, a man and an 18 year old girl, while traveling along a road in Katsina state. The DG of the National Information Center, Mr Mike Omeri said this while briefing news men at the National Information Center; "Security forces on Tuesday, July 29, at about  10pm  along Zaria Road, Tudun Wada of Funtua Metropolis, arrested three suspects believed to be members of the Boko Haram sect. The three suspects consisted a male named Iliya Haliru, and two females – Zainab Musa, 18, and Hadiza Musa, 10. The three suspects were arrested in a Honda CRV. When they were directed to disembark for security check, 10-year-old Hadiza was discovered to have been strapped with an explosive belt. And immediately, Iliya and Zainab made attempt to escape with the car but were later blocked by other concerned Nigerians and subsequently arrested. The police successfully...

Robin William's three children Zak Williams, 31, Zelda Williams, 25 and Cody Williams, 23, have all written their own deeply touching and emotional tributes to their father, who was found hanged in his bedroom on Monday in California after battling with severe depression. "While I’ll never, ever understand how he could be loved so deeply and not find it in his heart to stay, there’s minor comfort in knowing our grief and loss, in some small way, is shared with millions." - His daughter Zelda wrote Williams hanged himself while his wife slept in the next room. So sad! See the tributes after the cut... Zelda Williams Tribute  'My family has always been private about our time spent together. It was our way of keeping one thing that was ours, with a man we shared with an entire world. But now that’s gone, and I feel stripped bare. 'My last day with him was his birthday, and I will be forever grateful that my brothers and I got to spend that time alone with him, s...

The National Health Research Ethics Committee, Nigeria, has approved the use of an experimental Ebola drug, Zmapp, for treatment of patients infected with the virus.  The committee, which composed research scientists, is a national body under the Federal Ministry of Health. The endorsement is contained in a statement issued to newsmen by Prof.  Clement Adebamowo,  Chairman of the committee  on Wednesday  in Abuja. Continue... The decision by the committee is coming on the heels of  Tuesday’s  approval by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the use of Zmapp for treatment of Ebola patients. “It is ethical to use these treatments in the current situation without first submitting an application to National, State or Institutional Health Research Ethics Committee for prior review and approval. “In addition, the Committee waives the current requirement that international shipment of any biological samples out of Nigeria should be preceded ...

Here is 12 symptoms of kidney disease you must take note Most people are not aware of the fact that kidney diseases can be silent killers. They may not show any symptoms for a long time till the situation becomes critical. It is important to recognize the symptoms of kidney diseases to catch them early. Here is a list of twelve such symptoms you should look out for: Changes in your urinary function : The first symptom of kidney disease is changes the amount, frequency of your urination. There may be an increase or decrease in amount and/or its frequency, especially at night. It may also look more dark colored. You may feel the urge to urinate but are unable to do so when you get to the restroom. Difficulty or pain during voiding : Sometimes you have difficulty or feel pressure or pain while voiding. Urinary tract infections may cause symptoms such as pain or burning during urination. When these infections spread to the kidneys they may cause fever and pain in you...

Despite what you may believe, heart attacks rarely happen “out of the blue.” In fact, your body may be trying to warn you of an impending heart attack for days, weeks, perhaps even a month or two before it occurs. Unfortunately, by the time you actually recognize you’re suffering a heart attack, it could be too late to prevent death or debilitating heart damage. So-called silent heart attacks, with signs and symptoms that are mild or seem unrelated to the heart, have long concerned cardiovascular expert Dr. Chauncey Crandall. So Dr. Crandall recently created a special free video presentation about the four most sinister warning signs to watch for. Statistics show a clear link between a delay in heart attack treatment and death or disability. That’s why it’s essential to know exactly what your heart is trying to tell you with warning signs like those discussed in Dr. Crandall’s video. Although developed as an educational tool, this video rapidly went viral, surpassin...

If you have decided to lose the extra pounds, then you surely know that the only way to do that is by combining workouts with a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet. However, there are some types of drinks that will speed up the fat burning and help you lose weight quicker than you normally would, and here you will find 5 of the most efficient ones: 1. Detox Juices Detox juices are certainly your most trustworthy allies in your battle against the extra pounds – you can easily make them in your kitchen, either entirely out of fruits or vegetables or by combining these two. Citrus fruits are known to have a powerful detox capability, therefore if you are looking for foods to help you purge all the toxins that have gathered inside you over the months then you must certainly include them in your detox juice. High-fiber root foods such as ginger, carrots or apples are also highly recommended for these juices, as they are known to also support the correct fu...

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), on Friday, discovered and sealed off an illegal engine oil manufacturing factory, IMN Auto Parts Limited, located in Usubu village, near Kontagora, Niger State. A team of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel, led by Ademola Oyasola, also arrested three persons from the factory. The three persons arrested are the manager of the company, Phillip Ambi; the Sales Representative; Emeka Anatusi and Secretary, Mrs Grace Asilonu. The suspects would be taken to NSCDC headquarters in Abuja and handed over to the legal unit for prosecution, said Oyasola. A DPR team, led by its Zonal Public Relations Officer, Muhammed Saidu, accompanied by the NSCDC officers, discovered the factory during a routine inspection and monitoring in the state. Saidu told newsmen at the end of the exercise that the company was operating without approval from DPR and in an unsafe environment. He explained that before anybody c...

The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, yesterday, ordered the closure of all schools nationwide in protest against the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls and the killing of 170 teachers from Borno State and three from Yobe State by the insurgents. National President of NUT, Mr. Michael Alogba, who gave the directive while addressing journalists in Abuja, said the union was depressed and sad over the continued incarceration of the Chibok girls by insurgents. He urged the Federal Government and governments of Borno and Yobe states to exhibit true concern for the families of the 173 teachers. “The NUT has resolved to hold # BringBackourGirls rallies simultaneously across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory, FCT, today. “All schools nationwide shall be closed as the day will be our day of protest against the abduction of Chibok female students and the heartless murder of 173 teachers. “At this junction, we demand that both the Federal and r...

Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, has waded into the face-off between the students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State and the management over hike in the tuition. Represented by his second in command, High Chief Lowa, the Adimula of Ife while addressing the students during their protest that led to the blockage of the roads linking Ife with other communities, Ooni aligned with the demands of the students, promising to persuade the management to reverse the fee. The monarch alongside thirteen other chiefs at his palace condemned the sudden increment during the “Save Our Soul” visit by the placards carrying students to the palace. “The Ooni will do something and within the next 24 hours, the fee will be reversed,” he promised.

China and Russia have signed a long- awaited natural gas supply deal, which would see Moscow supply 38 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to Beijing each year for 30 years under a contract valued in excess of $400bn overall. The gas will be transported along a new pipeline linking Siberian gas fields to China’s main consumption centres near its coastline. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping witnessed the deal in Shanghai between Russian state-controlled company Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC). Gazprom declined to disclose what price was agreed, a key hurdle in talks that have dragged on for more than a decade, the Reuters news agency reported on Wednesday. Symbolically, for Putin the agreement represents a major triumph as he seeks to forge new partnerships in Asia while customers in Europe attempt to reduce their reliance on Russian gas in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine. But from a commercial poin...

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el- Rufai, yesterday, dragged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh to court over allegations linking him with terror group Boko Haram. In the libel suit he filed before an Abuja high court sitting at Gudu, El- Rufai, insisted that the defendants should be compelled to pay him the sum of N1.5 billion for tarnishing his public image via a press statement that alleged that both himself and the All Progressive Congress, APC, are connected to the Boko Haram insurgents. He told the court that Metuh, in another publication that was sponsored by the PDP, alleged that he (El-Rufai) collected N5bn as consultancy fee from the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Metuh was said to have made the claims in the March 17 and 23 editions of This Day Newspaper. In the suit dated April 2, 2014, El- Rufai, equally joined...

Table: Chronology of previous Ebola virus disease outbreaks Year   Country    Ebolavirusspecies Ca 2012 Democratic republic         of Congo.         Bundibugyo 2012   Uganda              Sudan 2012   Uganda              Sudan 2011    Uganda              Sudan 2008 Democratic Republic       of Congo.             Zaire 2007  Uganda             Bundibugyo 2007 Democratic Republic       of Congo.             Zaire 2005...

Key facts Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%. EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals. Ebola first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name. Genus Ebolavirus is 1 of 3 members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus), along with genus Marburgvirus an...

The menu button gives you convenient access to your favorite Firefox features. Don't like the default arrangement? It's easy to customize. Is there something you use all the time? Try adding it to the main toolbar. We'll show you how. Customize the menu or the toolbar You can change the items that appear in the menu or your toolbar. 1. Click the menu button and choose Customize. A special tab will open which allows you to drag and drop items in or out of the menu and the toolbar. Feel free to experiment with what works best for you. You can always start over by clicking the restore Defaults button at the bottom of the screen. 2. When you are done, click the green Exit Customize button. Note: Many add-ons come with buttons that you can add to the menu or toolbar. Turn on the Title bar, Menu bar or Bookmarks toolbar To turn on the Title bar: 1. Click the menu button and choose Customize. 2. Click the Title Bar button in the lower left. 3. Cl...

Despite the harsh terrain and business challenges involved with starting a business in Nigeria; the successful entrepreneurs listed below held their ground and fought their way to the top. In a country with a population of over 160 million inhabitants and millions of businesses; these 20 entrepreneurs diligently carved their names in the sands of time. SEE the list below. Alhaji Aliko Dangote – founder of Dangote Group, Richest man in Africa and Richest black man in the world Mike Adenuga – Conoil, Equatorial Trust Bank, Globacom Femi Otedola – ZENON Oil and Gas Orji Uzor Kalu – Slok Group Cosmos Maduka – Coscharis Group Jimoh Ibrahim – Nicon Insurance, Global Flee Jim Ovia – Zenith Bank, Visafone Pascal Dozie – MTN Nigeria, Diamond Bank Oba Otudeko – Honeywell Group Nigeria Alhaji Sayyu Dantata – MRS Group Umaru Abdul Mutallab – former Chairman First Bank Plc, Mutallab Group Prince Samuel Ade...

Overview Causes Treatment Prevention Overview Progressive disease affecting oral cavity Characterized by chronic bleeding of gums May lead to tooth loss Causes Poor oral hygiene Inadequate plaque removal Oral trauma, like toothbrush abrasion Inflammation caused by infection Vitamin C / K deficiency Hot food Chemical irritants Leukemia Pregnancy Treatment Apply pressure using ice-pack Mouth rinse: Pinch of salt in lukewarm water Rinse twice a day to reduce swelling Consult a dentist if bleeding continues Avoid aspirin intake Massage gums regularly Reline poorly fitted dentures Take vitamin supplements if necessary Prevention Avoid Tobacco Avoid snacking between meals Reduce Carbohydrate- rich food Remove plaque every 6 months Brush teeth using soft-bristled brush Floss teeth regularly

Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, has been shut down following students' protest yesterday which saw school properties, including four cars destroyed. The protest allegedly began after an official of the school tried to stop a Muslim student from praying in the school, which is a Christian school. The School's VC Prof. Ayo Olukoju announced today that the school will be shut down temporarily but will re-open on June 2nd. Speaking to Punch about the decision, Prof Olukoju said; “We have rules and regulations in the school and all the students agreed to abide by them. These rules are in the student handout. Before now, we have been applying appropriate sanctions against students who default in any of these rules. We wanted to enforce one of such sanctions on Wednesday before this crisis escalated. Please, the crisis has nothing to do with religion. It has nothing to do with being a Christian or a Muslim. People, especially female students even went t...

Some of you may have seen this photo and similar ones on several online platforms, claiming its US troops capturing a Boko Haram member….erm, it’s false. U.S Pentagon has stated there will be no American troops in Nigeria…at least for now. The team sent are experts to help with communications, logistics, and intelligence. The pic above going viral is French troops in Central African Republic in 2013. Also, you can see in all the pics floating online, from the uniforms, the African soldiers taking notes from American forces are from Uganda and Somalia. Military aid has been in Africa for sometime under AFRICOM to help train our military. Now to the second issue; are there foreign troops in Nigeria? There are reports this morning that the Special Forces of the US Marines have sited the abducted Chibok Girls in Sambisa Forest…this report is hard to believe because the Pentagon, the UK and France made it clear that they are only providing intelligence service (inte...

19 year old 400l Law student of University of Benin, Ceasar Augustus Ekeoba, died on May 6th. Doctors said he suffered from Cerebral Abscess which culminated in his death. Until his death, he was class representative, loved by lecturers and adored by students, this is according to his friends. They say Caesar had done UNIBEN Law Faculty proud in many competitions, a master of advocacy and an intellectual. He and some students had just returned from the US where they represented Nigeria at the Jessup Moot Court Competition in Washington DC, before he died. A procession was held for him yesterday at the University Campus. May his soul rest in peace, amen.

Special Forces of the United States Marines have reportedly sighted the 230 female students abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from the Government Girls’ Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok, Borno State. The girls who were abducted on April 14, were part of the 250 students boarded at the school for the West African School Certificate, WASC/ Senior Secondary School Certificate, SSSC, examinations, triggering world-wide condemnations. Members of the United States Marines who are already in Maiduguri in fulfilment of the promise of President Barack Obama to assist Nigeria’s rescue efforts, were said to have located the girls inside the Sambisa forest, using some Satellite equipment which combed the forest. One of the leaders of the terrorist group who participated in the abduction of the girls was also said to have been arrested by a combined team of the US Marines and Nigerian forces, through the use of an advanced interceptor equipment which was used to track the terrorist while exch...

THE United Nations, on Thursday, disclosed that over $50 billion is being stolen out of Africa annually. This disclosure was made by United Nation’s Deputy Secretary General, Mr Jan Eliason, when he paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal. While decrying the spate of looting in Africa, he said “ it is more regrettable because the money will have been used to develop the continent.” On Nigeria’s contributions to global peace, the United Nations’ official said “Nigeria is also a world leader in building security, peace-keeping and economic development and is a strong ally to the United Nations.” He said Nigeria has also “embraced its multiplicity as a resource and not a problem and this is a role model for other African countries.” In his remarks, Tambuwal commended the United Nations for its support to the Nigerian economy and Africa as a critical part of...

National Economic Council (NEC), Thursday disclosed that Excess Crude Account (ECA), stood at $3.5bn after payments for fuel subsidy and SURE-P. Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio disclosed this when he briefed State House correspondents after the National Economic Council meeting. According to him, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had briefed the council on ECA. The governor noted that the council resolved that details of spending on excess crude be given to states on time, just as it urged that expeditious action be taken to sort out all the legalities surrounding the ECA. On conflicts between farmers and herdsmen, he said council received a presentation by the National Security Adviser on Incessant conflicts between farmers and pastorialists, highlighting on the challenges and solutions in Nigeria. “According to the NSA’s Presentation, Seventeen (17) States have been identified as ...

Microsoft has released an iPad version of its popular Office software suite. This breakthrough heralds a new era under new CEO Satya Nadella who promises to focus more on the devices that people are using instead of trying to protect the company’s lucrative Windows franchise. Thursday’s unveiling of the much- anticipated iPad apps for Microsoft’s bundle of word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software comes nearly four years after Apple Inc. released the tablet computer that has contributed to a steady decline in sales of desktop and laptop machines running on the Windows operating system. The Office app is free to anyone who wants to read Office’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on the iPad, but it will require a subscription to Microsoft’s Office 365 to create and edit on the device. The Office 365 subscription costs A$119 annually, but comes with a limited number of devices the software can be used on. The Office 3...

Referee Andre Marriner has apologised for sending off Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs by mistake during the Gunners' 6-0 defeat by league leaders Chelsea. A penalty was awarded after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tipped Eden Hazard's shot around a post with his hand but Gibbs was shown the red card. Oxlade-Chamberlain seemed to tell Marriner that he was the culprit but the original decision stood. A statement read that Marriner was "disappointed" to have made the error. Referees' body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited said in the statement: "Incidents of mistaken identity are very rare and are often the result of a number of different technical factors. "Whilst this was a difficult decision Andre is disappointed that he failed to identify the correct player. "He expressed his disappointment to Arsenal when he was made aware of the issue." Left-back Gibbs seemed confused at receiving the red card, protesting his innocence, along with...

Most of the teachers under the employment of the Edo State government Saturday shunned the controversial competency test organised for them by the state, leaving only a little over two hundred school teachers to participate. Seventy-three teachers were accredited in Edo south, while about 14 and 12 were accredited in Edo central and north respectively in the test scheduled to hold simultaneously in the three senatorial districts. The test ordered by Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s government ‎for public school teachers in the state, was meant to determine the eligibility of ‎the over 13, 000 teachers in the employment of the state government to continue as teachers in its schools. Counsel to Academic Staff Union of Secondary School (ASSUS), Bar. Olayiwola Afolabi who was at the accreditation venue, expressed displeasure over the State government’s decision to go ahead with the competency test even when a subsisting court ‎injunction ruled otherwise. He deb...

President Jonathan Visits The Vatican President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met with Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. The president and his entourage arrived Rome on Friday and were welcomed by the Pope’s representatives, and also Nigeria’s representative to the Vatican, Dr Francis Okeke. According to reports, President Jonathan and‎ Pope Francis held extensive discussion on Nigeria’s position on same-s*x marriage law recently passed in the country. The president also conferred with Pope Francis on the promotion of inter-faith dialogue in Nigeria and other parts of the world as a way of fostering greater global peace and security. The President who said that his administration was already working in close collaboration with Cardinal John Onaiyekan who was “the team leader” for the effort to strengthen inter-faith dialogue in Nigeria, assured the Pope of his administration’s continued commitment to the promotion of religi...

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has threatened to boycott the 2016 population census and subsequent exercises if religion and ethnic data are not included. Responding to the claim by an Islamic organization, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad III, that the process of selecting delegates to the National Conference was not done with fair representation and will affect the credibility of its outcome, CAN General Secretary, Dr. Musa Asake, said the inclusion of religion in population census will correct certain negative impressions about which religion has more adherents than the others in the country. The JNI had, through its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar, stated: “Christians, who by all acceptable records, are not more than 40 per cent of the country’s population, ironically, constitutes 62 per cent of the total delegates at the National Conference.” Asake, in a statement, yesterday, described the ...

Two Chinese military planes have arrived in Perth in Australia to join international search operations for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet. Crews are scouring vast areas of the southern Indian Ocean for a fourth day. Satellite images of floating objects and the sighting of a wooden pallet on Saturday have raised hopes that the airliner may be in the area. China had criticised Malaysia for its handling of the search. Most of the 239 people on board were Chinese. Malaysian officials suspect the plane, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was deliberately taken off course when it disappeared on 8 March. The two Chinese planes will join six other jets in the search team A Japanese military plane left Malaysia for Australia on Sunday Crews had another day of fruitless searching on Saturday The two Chinese aircraft have flown in from Malaysia, where they were helping with the search further north. Australian officials said the Chinese crews would set themselves up on Sunday and ...

Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben says he is relishing their Champions League quarter-final draw with Manchester United as David Moyes’s side “aren’t in great shape”. The English champions were paired against the reigning European champions in Friday draw in what could be a repeat of the 1999 finals at the Camp Nou. “The best thing about Manchester is the atmosphere,” Dutch winger Arjen Robben told Bayern’s official website. “All of us are in the game for the chance of playing in an atmosphere like that. Old Trafford is very special indeed and we should enjoy it. The fans are a 12th man for Manchester United.” The ‘Red Devils’ have won just one of their six encounters with Bayern Munich in Europe since the 1999 final in Barcelona. But the last time both teams met- in the 2010 quarter-finals- Arjen Robben’s volley at Old Trafford made it 4-4 on aggregate to send the German side through on away goals. Robben add...

Boko Haram insurgents have been advised to embrace the dialogue option tabled by the Federal Government or get crushed by the might of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, said on Wednesday. Minimah gave the advice when he spoke with newsmen shortly after an unscheduled visit to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State and epicenter of the war against the insurgents. “The dialogue table is still open, or else the federal might is available to the armed forces to crush the insurgency”, he stressed. Minimah was accompanied on the visit by his counterpart in the Air force, Air vice Marshal Adesola Amosu. The army chief, who described the visit as “routine”, noted that it was aimed at assessing first hand, the condition of troops on ground as well as boosting their morale in the fight against the insurgents. “We are here on routine visit to assess the condition of our troops, to visit the injured ...

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late head of state, General Sani Abacha, has attributed the current unrests in the country to institutional decay, saying only institutional revolution would restore sanity in the system. He spoke yesterday evening during the secon Christian/Muslim interactive engagement on Peace, Unity and Justice organised by the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. On the occasion, Pastor Oritsejafor stated that with Muslims and Christians resolving to tolerate and respect each other’s faith, the ongoing national conference had great potentials of providing lasting solutions to the problems bedeviling Nigeria. Al-Mustapha, who was at the one-day conference, at the invitation of CAN, stressed that people had to understand that the country was not like it used to be when some disgruntled elements used religion to cause problem and got away with it. He said, “Nigeria is inde...