These are the Nigerian stories that drove conversation today.

Taraba, Rivers, Benue governments and Civil Rights Groups Friday, attacked the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, over his statement on the killings by suspected herdsmen.

They said the statement showed the Minister was insensitive to the plight of the victims of the violence carried out by suspected herdsmen.

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Ahead of tomorrow’s opening of the 30th African Union Summit, President Muhammadu Buhari started his four-day engagement in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia Saturday, by joining 14 other members of the Peace and Security Council (PSC).

The Council, which is a standing organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of crisis, discussed the persistence of violent conflicts and crisis in some parts of the continent, upsurge of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees, climate change, as well as the derailment of national development programmes.

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Canadian-based singer, Stephanie Otobo, who had accused Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Fire Ministries has recanted her story.

She said she was paid by some politicians and some pastors to lie, opening herself to the risk of being convicted for blackmailing Suleman.

Festus Keyamo, Otobo’s lawyer, has reacted, saying he could not confirm or deny the development.

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The former governor of Kano, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso Friday, dared the Police, insisting that he would visit the state January 30, despite the Command’s order to suspend the visit, due to security reasons.

Kwankwaso’s spokesperson, Hajiya Binta Rabiu said the visit has been carefully planned in order to ensure peace.

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The Local Government elections in Osun experienced low turnout Saturday.

According to The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), ad-hoc INEC staff arrived at polling units on time but with just a few voters to attend to.

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And stories from around the world…

A bomb hidden in an ambulance killed at least 95 people and wounded about 158 in the Afghan capital, Kabul Saturday, when it blew up at a police checkpoint in a busy part of the city crowded with pedestrians at the time of the attack.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide blast, a week after they claimed an attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in which more than 20 people were killed.

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Hilary Clinton says she was disheartened by sexual harassment accusations made against a senior adviser to her 2008 Presidential campaign.

Clinton tweeted Friday, that she called the former campaign worker who reported the harassment to tell her she was so proud she came forward.

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German Chancellor, Angela Merkel has warned anti-Semitism is on the rise in her country as political leaders, Holocaust survivors and others mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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The world may finally be getting out of a global downturn, according to NYT’s Peter Goodman.

He writes, “For the first time since the financial crisis a decade ago, all of the world’s major economies are growing.”

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Two Chinese officials with ties to top North Korean government officials told Radio Free Asia that Kim Jong Un’s regime is running low on funds for its nuclear program.

According to Fox News, the North is growing more and more isolated.