Author: Khadijah Olowode

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The World Food Programme (WFP) on Saturday, 11 May, 2024 confirmed that at least over300 people were killed in flash floods that ripped through multiple Afghan provinces, just  as authorities declared a state of emergency and rushed to rescue the injured. Heavy rains on Friday, 10 May, 2024 sent roaring rivers of water and mud crashing through villages and across agricultural land in several provinces. Survivors on Saturday, 11 May, 2024 picked through muddy, debris-littered streets and damaged buildings, an AFP journalist saw, as authorities and non-governmental groups deployed rescue workers and aid, warning that some areas…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Gunmen on the night of Friday, 10 May, 2024 shot dead a middle-aged man identified as Khalid Bichi in Maitama, Abuja. It was gathered that Bichi, an employee of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), was attacked just before 9pm while he was out to get food. The assailants reportedly shot him multiple times before fleeing the scene. Bichi was rushed to Maitama General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Sources reveal that Bichi was an active social media user, known by the username @Khalid Bichi, and had connections with influential politicians. The deceased will be laid…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A Sharia Court in Ningi, headquarters of Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, has sentenced a middle-aged man, Abdullahi Sani from Unguwar Makara Huta to death by stoning for engaging in homosexualism. The judgment was delivered by Sharia Judge Abdullahi Aliyu Doya during a court session on Friday, 10 May, 2024, with Sani found guilty of the offence as charged. The Sharia Judge stated that the Court commenced hearing on the case on 2 May, 2024 and closed it on Thursday 9 May, 2024, for judgment and sentence, after listening to various arguments. Doya explained that based on witness…

Finance Minister and coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Olawale Edun, has visited the JET Motor Company (JET) Assembly Plant in Lagos, where Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses are being assembled under the Presidential CNG Initiative. JET, which is located in Lagos, is one of the four assembly plants picked by the PCNGi to assemble semi knocked down components of climate friendly CNG and electric buses and tricycles, which will soon be rolled out to slash transportation costs. JET also has capacity to convert petrol buses to CNG. After going round the JET plant on Friday, 10 May, 2024, Edun…

A man has been burnt to death while trying to escape from a tanker explosion in Cele area of Okota late Friday, 10 May, 2024. Giving the update of the tanker explosion, the Permanent Secretary for the Lagos State Emergency Maintenance Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that the explosion on Cele bridge when the tanker loaded with diesel while descending the bridge lost control and fell sideways causing the explosion. “The impact of the explosion affected three PSP trucks parked by the roadside and an oncoming Toyota highlander Jeep,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. The victim while trying to escape from…

A judge at the Zuba Magistrate Court in Abuja, senior Magistrate Abdulazeez Ismail Muhammad, has charged Mr Ujah Obiajulu, the anti-Tinubu protester, with the offence of inciting disturbance. This follows yesterday’s court ruling on whether the prosecution has made out a prima facie case against the defendant, Mr Obiajulu. PRNigeria reports that Obiajulu has been standing trial since he was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for making some inflammatory statements against the President-Elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. At the sitting on Thursday, Magistrate Ismail Muhammad said that the adduced evidence can be situated in the definition of, at least,…

Ogun State Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Kehinde Onasanya said the state government will continue to put in place policies that strengthen the institution of Obaship. This, according to him, is because the institution represents the custom, tradition, and beliefs of a people and must be given pride of place. Onasanya spoke when he received in his office the Management Team of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, led by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Rotimiolu Akinlesi, who paid a felicitation visit to him. He appreciated the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona for the initiative…

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), as the Co-Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). According to a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, “This is to further ensure effective oversight of the gas aspect of the nation’s assets. “The President remains committed to unlocking Nigeria’s immense gas potential to stimulate industrial development, job creation, and sustainable economic growth”.

Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has said the telecoms sector should not be a palliative to solve economic woes. He made this call during his address at the Groupe Spécial Mobile Association (GSMA) digital economy report launch which took place in Abuja. According to Adebayo, the telecom industry faces numerous challenges that hinder its growth and development. He emphasized the need for sustainable investment, effective regulation, and a conducive business environment to drive progress. The GSMA digital report, launched Thursday, 9 May, 2024, highlights the telecom’s 8% contribution to Nigeria’s GDP and 13.5% when…

It gives me immense joy to celebrate the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, HRH Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, on this special occasion of his 90th birthday. It is indeed delightful that Kabiyesi has attained this important age and he still continues to discharge his duty as the paramount ruler of the entire Ijebuland. Oba Adetona is not just another traditional ruler in Yorubaland and indeed in Nigeria and Africa, he is a preeminent royal father who has brought rare honour, integrity, dignity, courage and impeccable strength of character to the throne over the last 60 years. Within this period,…

The Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi has said for successful prosecution of sexual and gender violence in the country, the police needs a broad understanding of issues surrounding it. Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at a 3-day training for 30 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Gender Desk Officers and Police Prosecutors on Handling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Cases, a programme funded by the Ford Foundation, in partnership with the Nigeria Police Force, NAPTIP and Justice Research Institute (JRI), Waziri-Azi said “Police officers especially gender desk officers need continuous training to understand…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commended Nigeria for taking the issues of climate change seriously, noting that among the 15 member countries of the regional economic bloc, Nigeria alongside Benin and The Gambia are the three counties to have submitted their Strategy to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Speaking at the National Workshop on Socialization of Nigeria’s Long-Term Low Carbon Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS).in Abuja, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandjé Toure-Litse said: “As part of the Paris Agreement, ECOWAS Member States have all submitted…

A woman has lost in court after suing her husband for alleged rape. An Indian judge dismissed the complaint of the woman who claimed that her husband committed “unnatural sex,”. The judge said it is not illegal for a husband to force his wife to engage in sexual acts under the Indian law. The ruling, made in the Madhya Pradesh High Court last week, highlighted a legal loophole in India that doesn’t criminalise marital rape by a husband against his wife if she’s over age 18, CNN reports. The woman told police her husband came to her house in 2019,…

In its drive to increase the economic growth and consolidate its position as Africa’s economic hub, Lagos State Government has called on foreign investors, particularly those interested in investing in Nigeria, to consider Lagos as the best destination for their investments. The State also expressed readiness to partner with any investors with a strong assurance that the Government will provide a conducive and friendly business environment for predictable returns on their investments. The Lagos State Government made the commitment to international investors on Tuesday during the panel session on African Infrastructure Investment: Impacts and Returns, through the Commissioner for Commerce,…

A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State has upheld the powers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and prosecute officials of Delta State Government who allegedly engage in corrupt acts. The Attorney-General of the State had filed a suit challenging the powers of the Commission under Sections 6 and 28 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 (ICPC Act) to investigate State finances and invite Delta State officials for interviews in the course of investigations. The Plaintiff in the Suit FHC/CS/165/2023 also contended that by Sections 120, 121,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine has confirmed the death of weightlifter, Oleksandr Pielieshenko. Tragically, Pielieshenko met his fate on the front lines, as conveyed by the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation (UWF) Amidst the tumult of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the 30-year-old athlete answered the call of duty, joining the armed forces. His passage reverberates through the sporting world, marking the untimely demise of a two-time European champion who proudly represented Ukraine at the Rio 2016 Olympics. In a poignant tribute, Viktor Slobodianiuk, esteemed weightlifting coach and board member of the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation (UWF), lamented,…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, have brokered fresh collaboration to tackle economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption. This pact was made in Makurdi on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 when the Acting Zonal Director, Makurdi Command of the EFCC, Anselem Ozioko paid a courtesy visit to the Acting Comptroller of Immigration Service , Okezie Steve Ibeabuchi at the Command office in Makurdi At the meeting, the two agencies agreed to continue to fight all forms of local and foreign involvement in economic and financial sabotage within the Command Ozioko recalled…

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC Abuja Zonal Command on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 arrested 29 suspected internet fraudsters. They were arrested at Apo, Gwarimpa and Katampe axes of Abuja following actionable intelligence about their suspected involvement in internet fraud. Items seized from the suspects include 43 phones of different makes, six vehicles and two smart watches. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division,on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, adjourned till September 16, 2024, the hearing of the appeal filed by the Chairman of Ibeto Energy Development Company, Cletus Ibeto.The case, which was initially before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, had suffered several adjournments due to the absence of the defendant to take his plea with respect to the 10-count charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  EFCC.He was charged alongside his companies, Ibeto Energy Development Company and Odoh Holdings Ltd.Justice Ijelu had, on November 3,…

Bonga, Nigeria’s first deep-water development has been an outstanding producer due to effective leadership, cutting-edge technology, continuous improvement, integrated delivery and collaboration with partners and stakeholders, Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Company Limited (SNEPCo), Elohor Aiboni. said on Thursday at the 2024 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas in US. Since coming on stream in November 2005, Bonga has maintained a track record of production that saw it achieve one-billion-barrel export on February 13, last year. Aiboni reflected on the success factors that enabled the milestone in a presentation titled “The Bonga Journey to a Billion Barrels.” “SNEPCo is…