The Late 5: Leah Sharibu marks 15th birthday in Boko Haram’s custody, Pregnant New Zealand PM reveals plans after birth and other stories

Here are the stories that drove the conversation today: 

Nathan Sharibu, father of  Leah Sharibu, the last abductee of Boko Haram militants from the Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe, has accused the Federal Government of keeping quiet over her continuous captivity.

“It is very sad and the family is very weak. The mother was even crying this morning because today is her birthday. She is 15 years old today and we are very sad about her absence,” he said.

“To be honest, I have not received any support from the government but from the community and church members. I thank God because they have been encouraging me, lifting me through their prayers, visitation and words of advice,” he added during a live radio programme on Monday.


The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, and candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the forthcoming Ekiti Governorship Elections, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has faulted the claim that he is desperate to become the governor of Ekiti State for a second time.

“I have a sense of unfinished business; not a sense of wanting to come back for desperate reasons,” the minister said.

“I served as governor of the state for four years – whatever I’m doing is based on the record that somebody could be subjected to critical scrutiny,” he added.

Fayemi made the remarks on Sunday while reacting to the allegation during his appearance on Channels Television in Ado Ekiti.


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has registered 70,000 people in Kwara under the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise since its commencement in April 2017.

Mr Paul Atser, INEC Administrative Secretary in the state, made this known during a meeting with members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Ilorin on Monday.

He said that the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of the 70,000 registered prospective voters would soon be sent to the state for distribution, while adding that only 4,000 out of the 242,000 unclaimed PVCs in the state, had been collected by their owners.


A Federal High Court, Abuja has dismissed two suits challenging the alleged extension of the tenure of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC).

In two judgments delivered on Monday, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba held that the suits filed by five members of the party have been overtaken by events following the decision of the APC to reverse the purported tenure elongation and proceed to conduct congresses nationwide to elect leaders and officers for the party.

Justice Dimgba said he dismissed the suit because their “subject matter have become academic, hypothetical and spent.”

The tenure of the current officers ends on June 30.


The Federal Government has said it is committed to improving power supply in order to boost economic activities in the Northeast. 

Managing Director and Chief Executive of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Usman Gur, on Monday at the inauguration of 132/33 KV substation with 1×40 MVA transformer in Mayo-Belwa town, Adamawa disclosed that the projects were part of the efforts of government to strengthen the economic activities of the North East, secure it and ensure that poverty is reduced.


And stories from around the world:

Thirty-seven people, including a 14-year-old, were shot dead by Israeli forces during massive protests by Palestinians along the Gaza border, hours before the controversial inauguration of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, more than 900 Palestinians were wounded in the clashes, with the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate saying eight journalists were among them.

Israeli authorities who accused Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas of leading a “terrorist operation under the cover of masses of people”, said that more than 35,000 people were involved in the protests and clashes.


The Arab League will hold emergency talks Wednesday to discuss United State’s decision to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a senior official said.

The meeting will focus on “ways of countering the illegal decision by the United States to move the embassy to Jerusalem”, the organisation’s deputy secretary-general for Palestinian affairs, Saeed Abu Ali, said.

Jordan denounced the embassy move as a “clear violation” of the UN charter. It is the only other Arab country besides Egypt to have ties with Israel, and it is also the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.


Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s Prime Minister who is pregnant has revealed her government’s plans for running the country after she gives birth.

She said on Monday that Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters will act as Prime Minister during her six-week maternity leave, looking after the day-to-day running of government while she will be consulted on significant issues.

37-year-old Ardern will be the first New Zealand leader to give birth while in office, and only the second in the world.


The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed 19 deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following an outbreak of Ebola between April 4 and May 13.

The WHO on Monday also confirmed 39 suspected cases and said 393 people who identified as contacts of Ebola patients were being followed up.

It further added that the development at present did not warrant the formation of an emergency committee as the outbreak did not meet the criteria for declaring a “public health event of international concern”.


Court proceedings have begun in the Ugandan capital Kampala today against the former rebel leader Jamil Mukulu, who is charged with rebellion and aiding terrorism.

Mukulu who led the Allied Democratic Front (ADF) forces, which operated in the west of the country in the 90s and later pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda is facing charges along with 34 others, ranging from launching a rebellion against the Ugandan government, several counts of terrorism to crimes against humanity, aiding and abetting terrorism, and murder.

The pre-trial hearing is expected to last a month.

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