Nigeria Today! Turkish Airlines, Mohammed Bello, Others In The News

TURKISH AIRLINES FIASCO: MINISTER SUSPENDS AIRPORT OFFICIALS, ORDERS INVESTIGATION

The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has ordered the suspension of three top officials of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, over the recent incident involving Turkish Airlines at the airport.

The suspended officials, according to him, are the Airport Manager, Terminal Manager and Head of Airport Security, who were ordered to handover to their next in rank pending the conclusion of the investigation.

Recall that on Christmas day, photos surfaced online showing some Nigerian passengers of Turkish Airlines, protesting in a most unexpected way to the loss of their luggage while in transit.


The aggrieved passengers grounded one of the airline’s planes on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport runway in Abuja. While some laid down beside the airplane tyres, others camped around it.

According to reports, some of the passengers had been waiting at the airport for over 5 days expecting their luggage, It was against this backdrop that they resorted to the protest, demanding an explanation.

But in a swift response, the Minister of State for Aviation, while briefing newsmen after listening to explanations by the airport officials on the incident on Sunday in Abuja, stated that the ministry had also ordered thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the breach, as well as why the airline brought in passengers without their luggage.

#DASUKIGATE: EFCC FILES CHARGES AGAINST EX-PDP CHAIR, SON OVER N600M ALLEGED DIVERSION

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed charges against a  former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Haliru Mohammed Bello, and his son, Abbah, for collecting N600 million from the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

The purpose for collecting the huge sum was not stated but the EFCC alleges the money might have been diverted from the public treasury for political purposes.

The anti-graft agency has approached an Abuja Federal judge to press charges against the father and son.

It was gathered that the two men are likely to be docked on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Abbah Mohammed   is alleged to have received N600m from the Office of the NSA (ONSA) in the name of Bam   Properties but the reason for the transfer of the money to the company was not disclosed.

NIGERIA TO ISSUE BLUEPRINT IN JAN. 2016 TO TRANSFORM ICT INDUSTRY

The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has said that a new blueprint for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry will be out in January 2016.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday, Mr. Shittu said that the blueprint would transform Nigeria’s ICT sector, making it a cash-cow for the economy and a new revenue earner for the country.

NNEWI GAS EXPLOSION: VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT CONDOLES WITH NIGERIA

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, yesterday, expressed his solidarity with Nigeria after an explosion in a gas plan in the town of Nnewi, where more than 100 people were killed.

According to a communiqué from the Foreign Ministry, the Bolivarian government reaffirmed the ties of fraternity with the Nigerian people.