President MUHAMMADU BUHARI has said that the partial closure of Nigeria’s border with the Benin Republic was due to the massive smuggling activities, especially of rice, taking place on that corridor.

The restriction at Seme followed the joint border security exercise ordered by the government and aimed at securing Nigeria’s land and maritime borders.

The exercise, code-named, ‘Ex-Swift Response’, was being jointly conducted by the customs, immigration, police and military personnel and coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

President MUHAMMADU BUHARIgave the reason during an audience granted his Beninois counterpart, PATRICE TALON, on the margins of the Seventh Tokyo International Conference for African Development, in Yokohama, Japan.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, GEOFFERY ONYEAMA speaks more on the outcome of the meeting.

The Federal Government has alleged that the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh IBRAHIM EL-ZAKZAKY, has the sole aim of establishing an Islamic State in Nigeria.

The government also said the cleric had the full support of the Iranian government to achieve this aim.

The government made these claims in a counter-affidavit it filed against IMN’s motion challenging the Federal High Court’s order of July 26 proscribing the group.

Justice NKEONYE MAHA of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court who issued the proscription order fixed September 11 for the hearing of the motion filed on behalf of the IMN by Mr. FEMI FALANA.

Counsel to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, FEMI FALANA reacts on the ruling of the court.

The Kaduna state police command says its operatives have rescued three students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, abducted along Abuja-Kaduna highway on Tuesday.

In a statement, the command’s public relations officer, YAKUBU SABO however said three other people were still being held by the kidnappers.

Recall that armed men in military uniform had intercepted some commuters near Masari village along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, opened fire on the vehicles, and in the process, kidnapped six persons.

He said the three rescued persons were released by their abductors due to the prompt response and combing of the scene of the incident by policemen and other security agents.

SABO assured that concerted efforts are being coordinated by the joint teams of Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Police Mobile Force and Rapid Response Team to rescue the remaining victims and also apprehend the perpetrators of the crime.

The Federal Government has approved a reduction in visa charges payable by United States citizens from $180 to $150.

Minister of Interior, RAUF AREGBESOLA, said that the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, MUHAMMAD BABANDEDE, had been directed to implement the decrease in the visa charges with effect from today August 29.

The development was sequel to the new visa regime announced by the US Government stating that Nigerians applying for US visas will be required to pay a visa issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, with effect from August 29.

The US Mission in Abuja had said that the reciprocity fee will be charged in addition to the nonimmigrant visa application fee, also known as the Machine Readable Visa fee, which all applicants pay at the time of application.