Arik Air owes banks, others N387bn – AMCON

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) on Wednesday put the total debt of Arik Air at N387 billion, saying there is no way the carrier could have remained in profitable without the takeover of the business by government.

This came just as AMCON said it has injected over N1.5 billion into the troubled carrier since it took over on February 8, 2017.

The Receiver Manager of Arik Air, Oluseye Opasanya (SAN), disclosed this in an affidavit deposed to at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

He said the airline was indebted to many financial institutions, insurance companies, aviation agencies, aircraft lessors and other creditors for services rendered.

He said upon the takeover of the airline two months ago, there were no spares in the aircraft stores, a development that could have threatened the safety of its operations, save for the timely intervention of AMCON.

He said the new team at Arik Air is piqued by the unfolding rot still being discovered at the airline which was recently taken over by the Federal Government through AMCON.

He listed many infractions by the former owner of Arik Air to include unprofessional practice, huge indebtedness, non-existent records and lack of corporate governance, among others

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I Don’t Do Drugs – L.A.X Reveals

Commenting on his energetic performances, talented singer L.A. X. has made it known he does indulge in drugs to  give his best.

Speaking with Hip TV, the RUN AWAY crooner, said he does not do drugs to perform great on stage but at the same time does not judge artistes that do such.

Watch his interview below:

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Tragic:24 years old boy kills his birth mother, see how court handled the case

A 24-year-old man, Godwin Banchir, appeared before a Jos High Court on Wednesday, charged with killing his mother.

Banchir, according to the prosecutor, Luka Pam, killed his mother for refusing to answer his greetings.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the judge, Justice A. I. Ashom, adjourned the matter to May 30, for hearing, after Pam requested an adjournment to enable him present a vital witness.

Pam, of the Plateau State Ministry of Justice, said that the witness, a police personnel, was “unavoidably away on police duties”.

The accused person was first arraigned on June 22, 2016 on a one-count charge of culpable homicide, an allegation he had since denied.

According to Pam, the accused committed the offence on Jan. 27, 2016 at his home in Fuskar Mata Village, Bassa Local Government Area, in Plateau.

Pam told the court that on the said date, the accused used a stick to hit his mother, one Saratu Banchir, which later resulted in her death.

The prosecuting counsel said that the accused had told the police, in a confessional statement that he killed his mother because he was angry that she did not respond to his greetings.

The statement quoted the accused as saying that when he woke up at 6 a.m on the said date, he saw his mother sitting in the compound, while on his way to his farm, and greeted her, but that she did not answer.

It further quoted the accused as saying that her silence angered Banchir, who used a stick and the handle of his axe, to beat her until she became unconscious.

The prosecution quoted the accused as saying that when he hit his mother on the rib and stomach, she fell down and let out a loud cry which attracted neighbours and family members.

The statement said that Banchir’s uncle, one Godwin, rushed into the compound and took the woman to the hospital for treatment and, on his return, beat up the suspect before handing him over to the police.

“The statement indicated that the accused was in the habit of quarreling with his mother anytime he was hungry.

“It (statement) also claimed that the woman used to fight her son whenever he fetched water from her room to take his bath,” Pam added.

He further quoted the accused as claiming that he did not know that the beating would result to the death of his mother.

The prosecutor then told the court that the offence contravened section 221 of the Penal Code, Laws of Northern Nigeria, and was punishable with death, upon conviction.

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Buhari is not on a sick bed, says Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed on Wednesday disowned media reports suggesting that President Muhammadu Buhari was ill and that was the reason for his absence at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Information Minister said that the President was hail and healthy and carrying out other state functions during the FEC meeting.

He was with the Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehinare and Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril.

The Information Minister said that the absence of Buhari at FEC didn’t mean that he was not working.

He said; “I want to make some remarks on what I think is trending. Clearly when you came in this morning, Mr. President was not in the chamber and the Vice President did preside over the council meeting. Understandably, that has sparked controversies and agitations in the mind of the people. I just want to make this clear that Mr. President is in town, Mr. President is attending to other issues.

“Mr. President looked at the agenda, a very light agenda, and decided that the Vice president should preside. It is not unusual for the kind of interest that has been shown, especially given the fact that Mr. President was away for a while on medical treatment. We are not surprised that people will be wondering if the President is ill again.

“He is not ill, he is not sick. I am sure that later in the day or tomorrow morning he will be back in the office. I just want to clear that misconception. It’s not unusual, even if the President is hail and hearty and everything going on well, for the Vice President to preside over the FEC meeting.

“The fact that Mr. President is not in the office does not mean he is not working. I have just been told that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is with him at the residence and they are working. The fact that you did not see him in the office, did not mean he is not working at all,” he added

Ehinare disclosed that 420,000 persons have been vaccinated against meningitis type C in Zamfara State.

While there are 4,637 suspected cases in the country, the Minister said that 489 persons have died from the disease.

He said that 823,000 vaccines are expected this week from the United Kingdom.

The Minister of State for Environment said that FEC ratified the universal convention banning the use of mercury.

He said that Nigeria was among the 128 countries that signed the convention while 50 countries are needed to ratify it to make it effective.

So far, he said, about 40 countries have ratified the convention.

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