Author: Khadijah Olowode

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigerian Navy has disclosed that its operations in the Niger Delta region between January and February 2024 have led to the arrest and recovery of stolen crude oil from different criminal gangs operating in the region. The operation led to the recovered items are 60,815.77 barrels of crude oil worth about $5.218 million (N8.12bn); 557,580 litres of illegally refined Automatic Gas oil (AGO) worth N497 million; Dual-purpose Kerosene (DPK) worth N5.5 million and 9,000 litres of premium Motor Spirits (PMS) valued at N5.490 million. This was confirmed in a statement issued by the Director of Information…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),has provided an update on the forthcoming Edo State governorship election. The commission disclosed that the deadline for submission of nomination forms for candidates is Sunday, 24th March, 2024. This was contained in a statement issued on Friday, 1 March, 2024 by the National Commissioner & Chairman, INEC Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun. “As provided by the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the forthcoming off-cycle Edo State Governorship election, the deadline for the conduct of primaries by political parties expired on 24th February 2024. “The next activity is the…

Lagos welcomed a new intra-city metro line — the second sub national rail infrastructure to be completed and opened by the State within a space of one year. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday, 29 February, 2024, formally inaugurated the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line delivered by the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to give urban commuters a new transport option within the nation’s economic metropolis. The first phase of the 37-kilometre rail line, constructed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), was commissioned with seven stations built along its corridor, traversing Agbado — a boundary town…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed cement companies in Nigeria namely Dangote, Bua and others to go back to the status quo as regards to the prices of the commodity. Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, made this disclosure to newsmen shortly after inspecting BUA cement factory in Sokoto on Thursday, 29 February, 2024 According to him, during a meeting with the manufacturers, the President directed them to revert to the earlier price of cement. “I want to encourage them to abide by the directive of Mr. President so that we can achieve massive housing programme and…

A donation of 25,000 tons of wheat for emergency food assistance to 1.3 million crisis-affected people in northeast Nigeria has arrived the country from Ukraine. The tons of wheat were donated through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). This vital contribution – part of Ukraine’s humanitarian “Grain from Ukraine” initiative launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would come handing as prices of staple food in Nigeria have been rising in recent times pushing basic meals out of the reach of millions of vulnerable families across the country. According to a statement by WFP, the shipment was made possible thanks to…

By Leopold Zekeng The enactment of Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Act – a national law hinged on the protection of the rights of people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS from discrimination based on their HIV status, is indeed progressive. However, to date, only about 18 states in Nigeria have domesticated the Act. Evidence from the Nigeria PLHIV Stigma Index Survey revealed that 24.5% of adults aged 35-44 and 21.7% of young adults aged 18-24 have experienced stigma and discrimination. In some instances, key populations in Nigeria have experienced discrimination, violent law enforcement practices, arrests and other forms of human rights…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment and reappointment of Board Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of some key agencies under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, reports thegazellenews.com. The new appointments are: National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC): Board Chairperson: Dr. Mansur Kabir Chief Executive Officer: Prof. Moji Adeyeye National Blood Service Commission (NBSC): Board Chairperson: Prof. Abba Zubairu Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Saleh Yuguda Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN): Board Chairperson: Prof. Afolabi Lesi Chief Executive Officer: Dr. Fatima Kyari Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN): Board Chairperson: Pharm. Wasilat GiwaChief…

As part of efforts to show love among the widows of late police officers, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu has reached out to over 200 widows of late police officers in the State with food items and undisclosed amount of money to each of them. Disu also expressed readiness of the State police command to always honour wives of late police officers, considering the roles their late husbands played in the fight for a better Rivers State while alive. He spoke during a special event organized by the command leadership to honour and celebrate Wives of the…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has announced a N5 billion intervention fund to cushion the affect of rising cost of living and inflation in the State. Addressing a press conference held at the Olusegun Osoba Press Centre, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Governor Abiodun said the fund would cover education, health, workers’ deduction and food palliative. He said: “As our administration acknowledges the concerns raised by many of our citizens regarding the rising food prices and shortages, coupled with the depreciation of the Naira, we identify with you and are taking proactive measures to alleviate the impact of these challenges…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, said his administration would continue to leverage technology to improve the economic parameters of the state. He also said that his government, upon realising the importance of technology, was quick to understand the need to develop and leverage digital resources. Prince Abiodun made this known in Lagos State on Tuesday, 13 February, 2024, during the launching of a book titled, “The Transformational Leader (The journey of a Tech Bro turned Bank CEO), authored by Ademola Adebise, the immediate past Managing Director of Wema Bank. He said: “At the inception of our administration in 2019,…

It has been praise galore for the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Board from the workforce over the implementation of a new and enhanced salary scheme. It will be recalled that in October 2023, the Chairman of the NPFL Board, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye had promised an upward review of the take-home packages of the staff by January 2024. This promise was again reaffirmed at the NPFL Board and Staff Retreat in Abuja late last year. Noting the implementation of the enhanced salary scheme in their January salary, a number of the staff have been sending messages of appreciation to the…

In fulfilment of his promise and demonstration of love to market men and women on Valentine’s Day, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, 14 February, 2024, flagged off the distribution of N750million financial intervention scheme tagged “Lagos Market Trader Money” for 15,000 beneficiaries. The 15,000 beneficiaries, who received N50,000 each, were drawn from across all the six geo-political zones of Nigeria – South-West, South-East, South-South, North-Central, North-West and North East, but are all residents of Lagos. Speaking during the launch of the Lagos Market Trader Money held at De Blue Roof, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the gesture…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, 14 February, 2024, said the much-anticipated Red Line rail will be commissioned on Thursday, February 29 by President Bola Tinubu. Governor Sanwo-Olu made the announcement at the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) Stakeholders Forum themed: “Parking in Lagos, the journey so far – Assessing the social and economic impact of the industry” held at GRA, Ikeja. He said the Red Line rail, which runs from Agbado in Ogun State and terminates at the Oyingbo area of Lagos, is one of the integrated mass transit corridors in the state in line with his…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have commenced supervision of the banking sector to ensure the non-performing loan ratio remains below the maximum threshold set. The Managing Director, NDIC, Bello Hassan, told lawmakers during a retreat to inform the legislature on the activities of the corporation, with the theme, “Deepening Deposit Insurance Knowledge for Effective Legislative Functions.” According to Hassan, the Nigerian banking sector has exhibited great resilience, despite the difficulties facing the economy but has survived the onslaught. The NDIC boss noted that currently, the non-performing loan ratio remains…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, 14 February, 2024 announced the membership of a 43-man Constitution Review Committee from the Red Chamber. Akpabio, who announced this after the extended Plenary Session for the day, named the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, as the Chairman of the Committee. He disclosed that the committee has all the Principal Officers as members, while one senator each was selected from each of the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and geopolitical zones. The principal officers on the membership of the committee are:…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Former Dutch international footballer, Quincy Promes, 32 has been sentenced to six years jail term for smuggling over 1,350kg of cocaine with a value of £65 million, Voetbal International reports. Promes, who currently plies his trade with Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow, was charged last May over his alleged involvement in drug smuggling. The two batches containing 650 kilos and 713 kilos of cocaine were intercepted in the port of Antwerp at the end of January 2020. According to Voetbal International, there is a ‘good chance’ the former Sevilla star will appeal against the imposed sentence.…

Ajegunle, the Lagos community noted for producing notable sports stars who have represented Nigeria in various sporting activities, played host to a youth basketball clinic organized by Jr NBA Coaches in conjunction with the National Basketball Association (NBA) Nigeria. According to the organisers, the youth basketball clinic was organised to boost the local basketball ecosystem as well as encourage greater youth engagement in the sport. The event commenced with a Coaches’ Clinic. This particular exercise was attended by 15 coaches and teachers from the following: Dorcas College, Highstone College, Ravens Basketball Academy, Topfield College, and the BE Programme. The participants…

Operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested fourteen undergraduates of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State. They were arrested alongside 19 others in the early hours of Wednesday, 14 February, 2024 for suspected internet crimes. The suspects were arrested at different residential locations within Akure metropolis following intelligence on their alleged nefarious activities. Specifically, the sting operation that yielded their arrest was a response to strident calls to the EFCC by neighbours and parents around the locations, to save their children from being lured into internet-related activities by the…

Civil society organisations have demanded transparency and accountability in the implementation of the nation’s health budget. The organisation drawn from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), cluster members across the seven focal states of the project, key government agencies and the media, noted that the dwindling resources of government is a reason why stakeholders must demand for transparency and accountability in the implementation of the health budget. The Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice, Barr Eze Onyekpere who welcomed everyone to the summit held in Abuja on Tuesday, noted that while the advocacy for more money to health…

The United Kingdom government is set to embark on the construction of a maritime headquarters for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The Director Africa region operations of the United Kingdom Home Office International Operations, Mr. Richard Lloyd gave the hint on Wednesday, 14 February, 2024 during a visit to the national headquarters of NDLEA in Abuja, Lloyd, who described as amazing and impressive, the collaborations between the UK body and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) spread across arious drug law enforcement operations and projects jointly conducted, said the construction would commenced in June, 2024 to further…