‘Situation will be resolved soon,’ Oil company says

The management of Chevron Nigeria Limited has responded to reports of a protest which took place on its Escravos oil facility in Ugborodo Itsekiri community, Delta State on Wednesday, August 10, 2016.

Protesters were said to have blocked the entrance to the facility while making demands for jobs and housing.

A protest leader, Collins Edema, told Reuters that 300 people decided to demonstrate because Chevron had not fulfilled many of its promises to residents of the community.

However, the management of the company, in a press release issued on Thursday, August 11 by General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Deji Haastrup, said that it does not interfere in the internal relations of the communities where it operates.

The statement reads:

“Chevron Nigeria Limited (“CNL”), Operator of the Joint Venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL (the NNPC/CNL JV), confirms that at about 13:00 on August 9, 2016, some members of the Ugborodo community gathered at one of the gates of our Escravos facility. They are agitating for the recognition of the Ugborodo Community Interim Management Committee and also requesting CNL not to recognise the Ugborodo Community Trust among others.”

“CNL does not interfere in the internal affairs of communities in the areas of its operations including Ugborodo. We continue to engage with the protesters and other key community leaders and stakeholders, including the Delta State Government (DTSG) and hope for a resolution of the situation shortly.”

“CNL advises restraint, respect for the Rule of Law and encourages constructive dialogue among the community members and other stakeholders to sustain enduring peace in the communities.”

Edema had told Reuters that Chevron promised to create jobs for young people from the area and also provide new accommodation after housing next to the depot had been "destroyed" due to the company’s activities.

New armed group says it blew up oil pipeline

A newly emerged armed group has said it had made good on threats to Nigeria's vital oil industry by blowing up a major pipeline and warned that more attacks were to come.

The Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) said in a statement late Wednesday they had shown they were "men of (their) word" by destroying part of the Urhobo pipeline in oil-rich Delta State on Tuesday.

The creation of the group was announced scarcely two days earlier by its spokesman, self-proclaimed "general" Aldo Agbalaja, who warned that the NDGJM would strike at oil installations within 48 hours.

A security source confirmed an attack using dynamite on the Uzere-Eriemu line in the Isoko South area of Delta State.

Communities near the pipeline, which is owned by the state-run Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), are suffering from pollution caused by leaking oil, the source added.

"We started noticing crude oil on our land only to be told that it is as a result of crude oil spill from a trunk line conveying crude from Isoko to the Eriemu manifold," said Victor Emuherie, leader of a youth movement in the affected village of Agbarha-Otor.

The populous Niger Delta region on the Gulf of Guinea has for decades seen attacks by local militants on oil installations run by the NPDC and by foreign oil giants, causing successive governments to deploy troops.

The NDGJM warned that Tuesday's attack was only a preview of its activities to come and urged multinational companies "to evacuate their personnel".

- 'Quite murky' talks -

The government last week resumed payment of allowances to former fighters under an amnesty scheme primarily involving ex-rebels of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

MEND is a historic armed movement demanding reparations and a fair share of oil revenue for residents of the Niger Delta, which has seen spin-offs by radicals who want independence for the region and refuse to recognise Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, as Nigeria's president. 

Attacks by another more active group, the Niger Delta Avengers, have led to a sharp fall in oil production since the start of the year in a country already hit by tumbling prices for crude, which accounts for 70 percent of state revenue.

Oil analyst Rhidoy Rashid said the renewed amnesty payments to MEND are unlikely to stop attacks on oil infrastructure.

"These payments don't actually include the Niger Delta Avengers," said Rashid, who works at the London-based consultancy Energy Aspects, "so they won't decrease the frequency of attacks". 

Rashid described rumoured talks between the Niger Delta Avengers and the Nigerian government as "quite murky".

"Perhaps there are discussions going on behind the scenes, but really we think it's going to be difficult because the government is not prepared to give into the new militants."

- Splinter group? -

A war of words stepped up early this month when a purported splinter group of the Niger Delta Avengers said that former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan was sponsoring the militants. 

Cynthia White, spokesperson for the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, said in a statement that the breakaway group would "co-operate with the government by exposing the identities of our comrades who remain stubborn in their insistence to continue attacks".

In response the Niger Delta Avengers that their "household is intact" and dismissed White and her group as "government agents". 

Lagos-based security analyst Don Okereke said that the splinter group's origin and claims seem suspicious. 

"The so-called Reformed Niger Delta Avengers is a farce," Okereke said. "It's an attempt aimed at sowing discord in the ranks of the Niger Delta Avengers."

5 fast rising fashion brands to look out for

There are impressive fashion designers slowly making marks in the Nigerian fashion industry.

Though creative designers launch in Nigeria on a daily basis, a lot of them are truly promising! While there's no doubt there's also the rave (of people jumping on the 'stylewagon') to be seen as a 'celebrity designer (stylist and other things they come up with) a lot of these people know what they are doing.

playA selection of styles from Imad Eduso's latest lookbook

Most of them are not fashion designers by training but developed interests in fashion and sharpened their skills to actualize their dreams/goals of being a sought after creative designer.

These impressive brands out of Nigeria improve with their collections, aesthetics and every detail concerning their brands and over time they've slowly gotten recognition for their efforts, creativity and the style spotlight is carefully beamed on them!

1. Imad Eduso

Imad Eduso is a fast rising womenswear brand based in Lagos Nigeria with a knack for creating feminine and almost girly pieces with an edge to it. The brand fast made a muse of Bolanle Olukanni who is ever a lifesize doll in their pieces.

The brand plays around pastels and more soft colours with a lot of whites. She's known for details including cold shoulders, embellishments, soft hand paintings and more intricate details.

A great thing about the Imad Eduso is being unpredictable, she goes from soft to girly to fierce to chic in seconds without losing the underlying sexiness it bring with it. It's a promising brand.

playImad Eduso Collection

2. Chechi Arinze

Chechi Arinze is a newcomer but the eponymous womenswear brand is one to look out for. Known for her edgy pieces, Chechi Arinze goes all out glam, sophisticated, sexy, feminine but always with an edge to it.

The brand's looks are not basic and they are always carefully conceived and created, which is evident in the way the pieces are presented. The latest 'Portrait of a Lady' collection from the brand went all out in colours and presentation.

It's definitely a brand to look out for.

playChechi Arinze 'Portraits Of A Lady' Collection

3. P O C

POC is a menswear brand out of Nigeria. The brand is known to infuse comfy unconventional styles each season into its collection. With a debut presentation at the Heineken Lagos Fashion & Design Week 2014 that got the brand reviews,  the brand has continued to dare and stun its audience with even more interesting offerings.

With seamless fluidity that compares to Ximon Lee, POC is a brand that dictates and sets trends which is refreshing for Nigerian fashion as it always has things up its sleeve, the new'Essentials' S/S 2017 Collection got a lot of reaction across social media.

The brand is one to definitely look out.

playP.O.C 'Essentials' Collection

4. Amarelis Atelier

Amarelis revamped this earlier this year into Amarelis Atelier. A Nigeria based womenswear brand known to infuse timeless details into its pieces. Amarelis does a fusion of trendy, timeless and delicate for the modern muse.

The brand's 'Innocencia de Florence' Fall/Winter 2016 Collection was dreamy and showed off offerings created out of the box.

Amarelis Atelier is one brand to look out for.

playAmarelis Atelier F/W Collection

5. Wanni Fuga

Wanni Fuga first became an Instagram sensation with her designs and later on became a retail experience for trendy ladies.

The brand is known for her take on trendy and functional pieces. The womenswear brand is the go to for maxi dresses, matching sets and more easy breezy pieces that works for the modern woman.

Wanni Fuga teased her 'Questing' campaign weeks ago and it's one to forward to. It's definitely one brand to look out for.

playWanni Fuga 'Questing' Collection

The SHiiKANE sisters went all out in a newly released themed photoshoot.

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Taking on leopard print leotards against a bold print background, the ladies showed off skin in fierce poses for the tribal inspired shoot.

All wearing flawless makeover, the ladies had their hair exaggerated in full ruffled natural looking styles and braids supported by tribal print scarfs for the 'Sexy soldier and Africa's natural habitat' inspired shoot.

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SHiiKANE

The ladies also chose an army themed shoot posing sensual with 'guns' and bullets while donning swimsuits with khaki jackets thrown casually around sporting boots and ankle gladiator sandals while wearing bronzed makeup look and fierce red lips.The SHiiKANE sisters went all out in a newly released themed photoshoot.

Are you loving the sensual fierce themed shoot?

Footballer Chichi Igbo claps back at trolls in hilarious video

Watch the video after the cut...

Kim Kardashian shows off her curvy body in a tight dress which displayed her bodyshaper

Mother-of-two and business woman, Kim Kardashian stepped out in a beautiful turtleneck dress which showcased her curvy shape but one thing she didn't hide so well was her body shaper which she accidentally showed while she walked. More beautiful photos of the hot mum after the cut...

Celebrity Fans Challenge is now on TV!

Tune in to the following stations this weekend to be part of Nigeria’s biggest football game show powered by the No.1 Sports betting brand- Merrybet.

TV Continental: Saturdays at 11:00AM. HipTV(DSTV Channel 324): Saturdays at 5:30PM
Lagos Television(LTV): Sundays at 7:00PM. Silverbird Network: Sundays at 9:00PM

Watch your favourite Celebrities like MI, Peter Okoye, YCEE, 9ice, Akpororo, Mr. Ibu and several others do battle in the name of football, as host Kiibati Bankole tried to keep the peace, assisted by a panel of judges that includes ID Cabasa, Mathew 'Elegbete' Edafe and Colin Udoh.

Don't be left out of the most entertaining sports show on TV! (Thank me later... LOL)

Merrybet ...where Champions play.

#MerrybetCelebrityFC