Author: Khadijah Olowode

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Thirty children abducted by gunmen at Kasai village in the Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State have been freed. The Police Public Relations Officer of the Katsina State Police Command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, confirmed the development on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024. The state police image-make noted that their release followed a concerted effort by the command, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, which he believed yielded a positive result. Recall that gunmen had on Monday, 1 April, 2024 abducted the children, mostly girls, while fetching firewood in the bush. “Upon receipt of the report, the Command swung…

A caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, the Omoluabi Progressives Congress has asked the Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to thoroughly investigate comments made by the media aide to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, which posed a security threat to the immediate-past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. The Organizing and Publicity Secretary of the Omoluabi Progressives, Abosede Oluwaseun, disclosed the development to newsmen in Osogbo, on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024. Oluwaseun said the caucus is…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Association of Resident Doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ondo State, has commenced a 14-day warning strike over the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to their new members. Members of the association, who staged a protest on the premises of the facility on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024 vowed to ground the activities at the government-owned medical facility if their demands were not met. President of the UNIMEDTH ARD, Dr John Matthew, who spoke with newsmen during the protest, lamented that their members were yet to be paid their entitlements. According to him, other…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024 said security agencies will go after individuals with fake degree certificates in the country. According to the Minister, the individuals will be tracked after the committee inaugurated to investigate the activities of degree mills in the country submits its report. The Federal Ministry of Education had earlier set up an investigative panel to probe activities of degree mills following an investigative report published by Daily Nigerian which exposed the activities of degree mills in Benin Republic. The Daily Nigerian reporter, Umar Audu, revealed how he…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has commenced the sale of refined Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel, to oil marketers nationwide. Dealers and officials of the plant confirmed this on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024 as it was gathered that the refinery commenced diesel sales last week. “They started pumping out diesel to marketers since last week. They also promised to sell aviation fuel soon. Some of my members confirmed this to me after making purchase,” the National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, told an online medium. He said the move by Dangote would lead…

The Joint Youth Progressive Alliance (JYPA), a coalition of over 20 civil society groups has once again call on the Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu led administration in Lagos State to investigate the alleged shoddy and incompetence of some companies handling dredging projects on the Lagos Waterways. The group condemned the practice of a particular dredging company which uses two small dredgers on site which makes it grossly inadequate to create a new channel, especially in such a terrain, despite the huge amount of money estimated for the project. The contract sum of the project is estimated to be about…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nigerian singer, Gabriel Oche Amanyi, popularly known as Terry G, has claimed that his colleague, Portable copied his “character.” He, however, said the ‘Zazu’ crooner failed to copy the musical part of him. Terry G spoke in the latest episode of ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast which premiered on Monday night. “Portable picked the acting part of me. He didn’t pick the musical part of me. Music is about the instruments. Is it only about your voice? He didn’t create time to learn any instrument,” he said. The ‘Akpako Master’ also spoke on his fight with his colleague,…

Transcorp Hotels Plc (“Transcorp Hotels” or the “Company”), the listed hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc (“Transcorp Group”) has released its audited 2023 full-year results, showing outstanding performance and setting new revenue and profit records. In its full year audited results filed with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), Transcorp Hotels reported a record-breaking revenue of N41.5 billion in 2023, compared to N30.4 billion in 2022, marking a substantial 36% growth year-on-year, while operating income also grew by 50%, to close at N13.1 billion as of December 2023, compared to N8.8 billion in December 2022. The Company’s total revenue for the year…

By Raphael Oni In today’s interconnected world, it is crucial for us to come together and address the global challenges that affect all of us. From climate change to poverty, from disease outbreaks to political conflicts, these issues require collective efforts and collaboration from all nations. By working together, sharing resources and knowledge, and implementing sustainable solutions, we can make a positive impact on these challenges. It is important for us to prioritize cooperation, empathy, and innovation in order to create a better future for our planet and all its inhabitants. Ten years ago President Xi Jinping propounded the idea…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nigerian singer, Burna Boy, has finally ended his poor outing at award ceremonies as he clinched the Best African Music Artist at the 2024 iHeart Radio Music Awards in the United States. Another Nigerian singer, Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ featuring Selena Gomez won the Best Collaboration of the Year. The 2024 iHeart Radio Music Awards held live on FOX on the night of Monday, 1 April, 2024 and was hosted by rapper Ludacris. American pop star, Beyoncé recieved the iHeart Innovator Award while Cher received the iHeart Icon Award. Taylor Swift led the winners’ chart with six awards…

Africans Rising has called on Nigerian government to offer critical medical and psychosocial support to enable the nearly 300 girls released from captivity of kidnappers to deal with the trauma they must have gone through. Africans Rising is a global Pan-African solidarity Movement with a membership exceeding 42,000 individuals and over 800 organisational members hailing from more than 150 countries worldwide. The organisation in a statement on Wednesday, said “it notes the release of nearly 300 girls who were abducted earlier this month. We call on the Nigerian government to offer critical medical and psychosocial support to enable the girls…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The immediate past Senior Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Vocational and Technical Education, Prof Joseph Odemuyiwa, is dead. Odemuyiwa, a Professor of Business Education with passion for training people in vocational skills, reportedly died on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024 in an accident on his way to Ibadan. The lawmaker representing Remo North State constituency, Dickson Awolaja, confirmed the sad development on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024. Awolaja, who is also from Isara Remo just like the late professor said, “I just confirmed from a friend not long ago. Prof was said to be going to Ibadan…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike At least 14 Super Falcon players are now in the team’s Abuja camp ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games qualifier against Banyana Banyana of South Africa, just as eight more players are still being expected to join the team, thegazellenews.com reports. Atletico Madrid winger, Rasheedat Ajibade, goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi and defender Jumoke Alani were the early arrivals in camp on Monday, 1 April, 2024. The trio were joined by 11 other players on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024 Among the new arrivals are goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, dependable centre-back Osinachi Ohale, versatile midfielder Toni Payne and Juventus star Jennifer Echegini. Meanwhile,…

A commercial Toyota Hiase Bus, NSW 216 XA, fully loaded with pepper and other perishable items early this morning, Tuesday, 2 April, 2024, rammed into two other Volkswagen commercial buses killing a pedestrian, male, at Ketu by Demurin junction inward Kosofe, Lagos. The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed that the multiple fatal accident occurred early morning today, Tuesday, 2 April, 2024, around 6:45 am. Investigations revealed that the inter-state Toyota Hiase commercial bus, NSW 216 XA, fully loaded with pepper and other perishable goods while on a…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike FMDQ Securities Exchange Limited has announced the approval of the quotation of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc’s N32.54 billion Series 5 commercial paper notes. The notes are part of the firm’s N200bn CP issuance programme on the exchange’s platform, according to a statement from FMDQ on Tuesday, 2 April, 2024. The statement said: “FMDQ Exchange is pleased to announce the approval for the quotation of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc ₦32.54bn Series 5 commercial paper under its ₦200.00bn Commercial Paper Issuance Programme on its platform.” Flour Mills Plc had in 2020 listed N10bn Series 13 and N20bn…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has called for early diagnosis and intervention for individuals with autism. Mrs Tinubu, who disclosed in a statement on Tuesday, 2 April, 2023 to mark the World Autism Awareness Day, recognised the challenges faced by families with autistic loved ones and celebrated them for their love and dedication. The statement read, “As we mark World Autism Awareness Day, I celebrate the unique strengths and creativity of individuals with the Autism Spectrum Disorder. “The journey for families with loved ones who are autistic can be challenging. Today, I salute and celebrate their unwavering love…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Federal Government has been charged to consider channelling palliatives to poor Nigerians through royal fathers. The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, on Monday, 1 April, 2024, made the charge while distributing grains to aged and vulnerable residents in his domain. Oba Akanbi, who visited Molaasan Royal Compound, among other compounds in Iwo, where he handed out 5kg bags of rice and cash of various sums to many vulnerable residents to cushion the effects of the harsh economy on them, said monarchs would not discriminate in the sharing of such items. Issues of sharing of tonnes of grains…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nigerian singer, Duncan Mighty has confessed that he was involved in the Niger Delta crisis, saying that God saved his life several times when he was involved in militancy. Speaking in a recent interview with 3Music, Accra Ghana, Duncan Mighty said, “I was involved in the Niger Delta crisis. “God has saved my life severally. I am a Port Harcourt boy. I am not from Lagos. I come from the South South, from the war zone before the amnesty. “I have been involved with a lot of community activities that had to do with protecting of our…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dauda Ali-Biu has directed the Kogi State Command of the FRSC to commence investigation that will lead to prosecution of drivers involved in Easter Sunday accident at the Obajana Market. Recall that dozens of road users were killed as a result of the multiple road accident that involved four vehicles, comprising two dangote trucks, one sharon bus and one motor bike. According to the report, the brake of one of the trucks failed while on speed and crashed into three stationary vehicles including a bus carrying 12 passengers. The FRSC…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) has alleged that a petition by the Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN) hindered it from recovering about $69.38 million debt owed it by two foreign firms operating from Benin Republic. NBET, which coordinates power sales on behalf of the Federal Government, is directly supervised by the Federal Ministry of Finance. The allegation is contained in the management’s response to the audit query from the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation on non-compliance/internal control weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the year ended…