Author: Khadijah Olowode

Nigerians and other Commonwealth citizens will benefit from improved people-centred access to justice after law ministers from Commonwealth counties agreed on a package of new measures and pledges. A press statement by the Commonwealth on Wednesday read that: “Millions of Commonwealth citizens will benefit from improved people-centred access to justice as law ministers concluded their meeting in Zanzibar yesterday with a package of new measures and pledges.” The statement added that the package was shaped by four-day deliberations among ministers, with input from diverse stakeholders, including people with disabilities, civil society representatives and leading innovators in the legal sector. The…

By Chukwudi Enekwechi Between the end of February and beginning of March 2024, President Bola Tinubu was billed to embark on a trade and investment trip to Qatar, but lo and behold hell was let loose as some naysayers opined that the trip would no longer hold as the Qatari emirate/government had declined the invitation. This negative narrative was gaining traction in the media space until the federal government debunked the storyline, and reassured Nigerians that the President was still on his way to the Middle East country. The government was ultimately proved right as President Tinubu, along with his…

Intruders believed to be herdsmen In a shocking incident on Mother’s Day night, raided the ranch owned by Michael Ayokunle Otedola, brother of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, located in Epe, Lagos State. According to reports,the assailants managed to break into the ranch undetected through the backlot brick fence, leading to the theft of 18 cows belonging to Michael Otedola. The raid, which occurred late on Sunday night, left the Otedola family and ranch workers in disbelief and outrage. The herdsmen, it was gathered stormed the ranch under the cover of darkness, swiftly rounding up the cows before making a swift…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike with agency report The United Nation has disclosed that the number of children who died before their fifth birthday has reached a historic low, dropping to 4.9 million in 2022. This was contained in the latest report by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation released on Wednesday, 13 March 2024. The UN IGME is led by the United Nations Children’s Fund and includes the World Health Organisation, the World Bank Group, and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The report revealed that more children are surviving today…

President Bola Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect. This directive is in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja. ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. The President has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately: (1) Closure of land and air borders…

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has reiterated the fact that no girl deserves to be left behind in getting educated as a result of mistakes or errors of their past. Senator Oluremi Tinubu while speaking at the commissioning of the newly built Alternative High School for Girls in Bauchi State, stated further that such girls should rather be given opportunity to realise their dreams in via acquisition of education. She was of the opinion that though girls may drop out of school due to early marriage, pregnancy, lack of financial support, trafficking among others, the Alternative High…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A seventh prosecution witness has told Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja, how a former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele Emefiele allegedly signed and approved award and payments of contracts to family, friends. The witness told the court on Monday, 11 March, 2024 how Emefiele allegedly signed and approved award and payments of contracts to April 1616 Investment Limited and Architekon Nigeria Limited, companies that allegedly belong to Sa’adatu Ramalan Yero, his wife, Margaret Emefiele and his in-law respectively. The witness, Agboro Michael, an investigator with the…

A member of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) and chairman of the Senate Services Committee, Senator Sunday Steve Karimi has told Senator Abdul Ningi to at least fear God and say the truth, even as he is not afraid of suspension. Karimi, gave the advice while responding to Senator Abdul Ningi’s press conference on Monday where he denied saying there were two budgets in operation but insisted that N3.7trillion in the 2024 budget was not tied to any item. Challenging Senator Ningi to own up to his misinformation, Senator Karimi said the Bauchi senator spoke on behalf of the Northern…

By Felix Oboagwina When Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of then Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was killed by suspected Fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen around Ore, Ondo State, in July 2019, Tinubu turned up at the home of the bereaved Elderly Statesman in Akure, the capital. As Tinubu made to leave the old man’s residence, journalists surrounded him and asked his opinion about the Fulani herdsmen as a growing security threat. Offhandedly, the former Lagos State Governor responded: “Where are the cows?” It would have been a valid question except for its tragic naivety or patronising sarcasm. Although violence by…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, on Sunday, 10 March, 2024 killed a yet to be identified man, who was travelling with his family within Eke-Egede-Affa Road in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the armed hoodlums attacked the family and killed the man on the spot., just as they also abducted his wife and daughter. The incident reportedly happened at about 3:30 pm on Sunday, March 10. Confirming the incident, the Spokesman of Police Command in Enugu State, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, added that a manhunt for the armed…

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has approved the presentation of staff of office and beaded crowns to the Onifiditi of Fiditi, Oba Sikiru Akanni Oyelese and the Elempe of Tapa, Oba Titilola Oyekanmi Sunday. A statement by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Olusegun Olayiwola, indicated that the governor, on March 7, 2024, approved that the Onifiditi and the Elempe be presented with the instrument of office and beaded crowns. The statement added that the governor also approved the appointment of Chief Akindele Sunday Olukayode as the new Baale of Awaye Town in Egbeda Local Government…

The Senate on Tuesday, 12 March, 2024, suspended Senator Abdul Ningi, the Bauchi Senator over his BBC Hausa interview where he alleged some discrepancies in the 2024 budget. After a long debate which descended into chaos, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim from Ondo State rose to add a prayer after the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, had read three prayers in the motion. Akpabio had read that based on Section 1b of the Senate Standing Order, the Senate is urged “to take appropriate action on the matter,” a motion was unanimously taken. The second prayer was for the Senate to “take…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigeria National League (NNL) on Monday, 11 March, 2023 announced the expulsion of Malumfashi FC from the division. Consequently, the NNL has mandated the Katsina Football Association to help in the recovery of all fines imposed on Malumfashi, especially as it concerns the items forcefully taken from referees in the match against Sokoto Utd in Malumfashi. The NNL disclosed that it took the decision after the club broke the codified rules and regulations guiding the league. Malumfashi, according to a statement by the NNL, failed to honour two consecutive games in Conference D against Sokoto United…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A 45-year-old plantain seller identified as Kudirat Abolarinwa, in Lekere, Ayeyemi area of Ondo town, Ondo State was found dead inside the bush after hours of being missing on Saturday, 9 March, 2024. A source in the area narrated that the position in which the 45-year-old was found indicated that she was allegedly raped and macheted to death by the assailant, whose identity had not been revealed. The deceased followed the man to buy plantain on the farm and she was attacked by the same man on the farm. “The man came on Friday to ask of…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 11, 2024, tendered more evidence against MICAD Project City Services Limited and James Nolan before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja. Micad Project City Services Limited and James Nolan are standing trial on a 20-count charge of obtaining by false pretense, non-compliance with the Money Laundering Act 2011 (as amended) and criminal conversion of proceeds of crime to the tune N151.394 million. At Monday’s court session, Prosecution counsel, Bala Sanga informed the court that the EFCC has filed additional evidence before the court on February…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Presidency has disclosed that ex-President, Muhammad Buhari was not aware of  the alleged looting of Nigeria’s foreign reserves under the watch of former Central Bank Governor(CBN) Godwin Emefiele. Ajuri Ngelale, the spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, made this disclosure during a recent interview he granted. Emefiele, who is currently battling multiple lawsuits, was in charge of the CBN throughout Buhari’s 8-year tenure. Although former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Emefiele after suspending Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Tinubu suspended Emefiele weeks after assuming power and ordered his probe. According to Ngelale, Buhari did not authorize the bulk of the expenditures…

The organising committee of the first International Tourism Summit in Oyo State (#ITSOyoState2024) has called for the Governor’s Tourism Award nominations. The awardees are to be recognised for their contributions to the state’s tourism development at an award ceremony during the summit. The two-day international summit is slated for the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, between April 17 and 18, 2024. The Governor’s Tourism Award ceremony, according to Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, Chairman of ITSOyostate2024 Planning Committee, who doubles as the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, is to publicly acknowledge the contribution of individuals and facilities to the growth of…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigerian upper chamber, the Senate on Monday, 11 March, 2024 inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to probe how the N30 trillion Ways and Means loans of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) was obtained and spent by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. The committee is also saddled with the responsibility of investigating the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme under Buhari’s administration. Recall that Ways and Means is a loan facility through which the CBN finances the government’s budget shortfalls. The set up of the committee was sequel to a report of joint committees on banking, insurance and other financial institutions;…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Governorship Candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), during the 2022 election, Erelu Elebute Halle, has disclosed why she dumped her party for the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state . According to her, her decision to leave the party was a personal decision having X-rayed the last election and consulted widely with stakeholders. She affirmed that she got invitation from many parties but noticed that a lot of them are after her money. The politician added that APC is a family that cares, adding that Governor Biodun Oyebanji has shown her love and respect beyond expectations.…

Kwara State Governor,AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Monday, 11 March, 2024, inaugurated a multi-sectoral state working committee on food security, charging them to work with all stakeholders to ensure that people have access to affordable food. The committee comprises the Governor as the Chairman; the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Oluwatoyosi Adebayo Thomas; the state Commissioner for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs; state Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture; NAGS-AP State Focal Person; representative of the River Basin Development Authority (RBDA); representative of the State ADPs; representative of ICT Providers servicing the state; representatives of relevant commodity…