Author: Khadijah Olowode

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The National Agency For the Prohibition Of Trafficking In Persons, Makurdi Zonal Command has confirmed the rescue of five victims and arrested eight suspects. Among those arrested, according to the agency, were an 80-year-old woman, Innocent Josephine, and a 56-year-old woman, Ude Rosaline, both identified as key players in the trafficking. Other members include: Samuel Takura (50), Williams Minde (35), Mrs. Celina Obiasogu (52), Virginia Okonkwo (50), Anthonia Onura (60), and Ede Sunday Ngozi (52). The Zonal Commander, Gloria Bai, who confirmed the development to newsmen on Saturday, 3 February, 2024, added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend Mama…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, February 2, 2024, presented its first prosecution witness, PW1, Chibueze Chukwuma, Team Lead, Regulatory Enquiries Unit, Access Bank, against a couple, Ruth Idowu and Oriyomi Idowu, who are being prosecuted for an alleged N2.7bn fraud before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.The defendants are facing 20-count charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering, stealing, retention of stolen property and forgery to the tune of N2.757 billion.They were arraigned on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC alongside…

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, February 2, 2024, adjourned till March 25, 2024 further hearing in the trial of Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, who are facing trial over an alleged N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud. The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economical and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had, on Friday, March 24, 2023, re-arraigned the two defendants alongside Nasaman Oil Services Limited on an amended 49-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence contrary to Section 8 and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted large consignments of Ghanaian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis sativa, smuggled into Lagos from Ghana loaded in two trucks and a J5 bus with a total weight of 14, 524.8 kilogrammes. The three vehicles conveying jumbo bags of the psychoactive substance were trailed and intercepted at Ojuelegba area of Lagos in the early hours of Sunday, 28 January, 2024. In the process of blocking the vehicles, two of the drivers jumped off on motion while the third driver, 66-year-old Nasiru Ojomu, who works with wanted Akala, Mushin based drug…

Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday, took a trip from Beijing to Dalian, a city famous for its aquatic products and a coastline of about 1,900 kilometers in the Northeast of China. Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is currently on a working visit to China with some government officials, visited the famous Dalian Urban Planning Exhibition Centre in Xigang District, on Saturday. During the visit to the Exhibition Centre, the Governor was conducted round the three-floor building loaded with historical changes in the city’s ongoing construction, its current conditions, and the blueprint for future development. The Dalian Urban Planning Exhibition…

Nigerian weightlifters and officials have arrived in Egypt for the 2024 Africa Senior Weightlifting Championship. The contingent which comprises four lifters and four officials arrived in Cairo, Egypt on Saturday, 3 February, 2023. Ismaila will host the Championship which will start on Sunday, 4 February, 2024, with the opening ceremony. The Championship which will serve as the qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games will end on February 11. Three of the lifters are women with one man. In the 59kg women’s category, Rafiatu Folashade Lawal and Adijat Adenike Olarinoye will compete among other African Stars while Joy Ogbonne Eze will…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Schoolchildren of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti State and their teachers, who were recently kidnapped by gunmen have been released. It was gathered they regained freedom at about 2.00 am on Sunday, 4 February, 2023 were rescued by security operatives As the time of filing this report, thegazellenews.com cannot ascertain whether their captors collected ransom before they were released. Recall that the abductors had demanded N100 million for the release of the victims, which was not paid earlier prompting rumours that the kidnappers had threatened to kill the pupils. The children and their teachers were…

Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has called for more strategic collaborations with International Oil Companies, IOCs, to energise the drive for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.Speaking during a meeting convened by the Minister of Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, between the Ministry of Niger Delta Development, the NDDC and IOCs, in Abuja,  Ogbuku urged the multinationals to consider embarking on more projects in collaboration with the NDDC in the region.The NDDC boss explained that such collaborations would further fast-track the development of various communities in Nigeria’s oil-rich region.While appreciating the…

This year’s World Cancer Day presents an important opportunity to raise awareness and elaborate further the message of prevention, early detection,and treatment of cancer. The theme for this year, “Closing the Care Gap,” speaks to the fact that we are to deepen our efforts in putting in place necessary infrastructure to address these health challenges towards better care for cancer patients and survivors. No one should have to face the challenges of cancer alone. Let us continue to show empathy, care, love, and support for cancer patients and survivors, even as we create more awareness and advocacy for better service…

In a decisive move to halt further environmental violation in the area, the Lagos State Government has commenced dislodgement of illegal squatters residing under Ijora Bridge. The action which was carried out by the enforcement team of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, followed a one-week ultimatum earlier issued by the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab. The Commissioner noted that the exercise was aimed at addressing issues of gross environmental abuse, perpetrated by the illegal squatters, adding that the state government would leave no stone unturned in restoring sanity to the environment across the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike An Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State presided over by Magistrate M.O Tanimola, on Friday, 2 February, 2024, remanded a man named, Mohammed Isiaka, for allegedly defiling a three-year-old girl. Tanimola ordered that Isiaka be kept at the Kirikiri Custodial Facility pending advice from the state director of public prosecutions. The court did not take the plea of the defendant. Tanimola adjourned the case until March 1 for mention. The prosecutor, Inspector Donjour Perezi told the court that the defendant committed the offence on January 25, on Adebimpe Street, Kosofe, Mile 12, Ketu, Lagos State. Perezi submitted that…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nigerian popular Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, mostly addressed as, K1 De Ultimate, has categorically told President Bola Tinubu that Nigerians are currently going through hard times, suffering and angry with his government due to the current state of the economy which has brought hardship to millions of people. K1, who said this in a video recording that surfaced on Thursday, 1 February, 2024, during one of his recent stage performances, said Nigerians are crying, and he pleaded with the President to find a quick fix to the problems before the opposition ride on that to criticise his…

Misters of Nigeria recently unveiled the Top 100 contestants for the highly anticipated 2024 competition, signaling the commencement of an exhilarating journey for these outstanding young men. In a press statement, the pageant organizers stated that the contestants were carefully selected after engaging in several tasks designed to showcase their talents, intellect, and charisma. Following this phase, the competition will narrow down to the Top 37, with each contestant representing the diverse and vibrant states of Nigeria. The brand further revealed that Top 37 contestants will advance to the next stage, competing for a coveted spot in the grand finale.…

Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Saturday, 3 February, 2024, apprehended an articulated truck driver after crushing a scavenger pushing wheelbarrow to death by Mile 12 market, Ikorodu Road, Lagos. The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA Mr. Adebayo Taofiq confirmed that the accident happened between a 16-tyre an articulated truck ‘DAF’ (LSR 901 XV) and a scavenger pushing a wheelbarrow on the main carriage way by Mile 12 market inward Ketu along Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos. Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of an articulated truck lost control while on top speed due to…

Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, says it will revive its 180 tonnes per day Rice Mill at Elele Alimini in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, as part of its efforts to ensure food security in the region. The NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Sir Victor Antai, who stated this during an inspection visit to the rice mill, described the suspension of production at the factory as disheartening. He explained that the rice mill was established as part of NDDC’s industrialisation strategies and expressed optimism that when it returns to full production, it would create employment opportunities for youths. Antai said:…

By Ganiu Bamgbose, PhD Writing is the activity or occupation of composing text as a task or for publication. While writing is a taxing engagement, academic writing is the height of the onerous task of writing. A good start to this piece would be to explain what academic writing is not as a roadmap to what it is. In his 2022 book titled “Academic Writing”, Jeffrey R. Wilson submits that academic writing “is not creative writing like fiction and poetry, where the goal is to entertain. It is not the journalistic writing that you read in the news, where the…

Kwara State Government has opened the second service lane of the Tunde Idiagbon Flyover in Tanke to ease the traffic along that axis. The government had earlier opened one of the service lanes, but the second one was opened on Wednesday afternoon along with the tributary roads emptying into it as construction work ramps up on the imposing bridge. The state Commissioner for Works, Hon Abdulqowiyu Olododo stated this in Ilorin during a facility tour of the bridge and other road projects in some parts of the metropolis. “This afternoon, we have opened the second service lane for ease of…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Gunmen, on the night of Thursday, 1 February, 2024 , invaded Koro community, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, killed the community’s monarch, Olukoro of Koro, General Segun Aremu, (rtd) and abducted his wife, alongside two others. The State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, confirmed the sad incident, just as he also condemned the killing of the Olukoro of Koro, AbdulRazaq, who described the killing as reckless, shocking and abominable, charged the security agencies not to spare any resources to track down the perpetrators, free the spouse and others taken away, and bring the perpetrators to book. “We will…

To my beloved @fcbfemeni , As I bid farewell to this incredible team and the city that has been my home for the past 5 years, I am filled with mixed emotions. It has been an absolute honor and privilege to wear the @fcbfemeni jersey and represent this prestigious club. Since joining the team in 2019, I have had the opportunity to be a part of some of the most memorable moments in the club’s history. Together, we have lifted several trophies and these achievements are a testament to hard work, dedication and I feel privileged to have been a…