Author: Khadijah Olowode

By Bayo Onanuga I woke up Tuesday to read some hair-raising headlines about kidnapping and killings in our country. “Over 17,000 Nigerians abducted under Buhari and Tinubu”, screamed one newspaper that described the incidents an epidemic. Another newspaper wrote ”2,423 people killed, 1,872 kidnapped in eight months of Tinubu”. There was yet another scary headline, that will truly scare any outsider away from my state of Ogun. It says “From Rising industrial hub to den of cultists, criminals.” The impressionistic outsider will, at first blush, think every inch of Ogun is under the siege of cultists and criminals. Of course,…

The National Assembly should call off its recess and resume plenary immediately to address the ongoing killings and insecurity in Nigeria, a coalition of over 500 women organizations and activists under the aegis of Womanifesto, have said. According to them, it was unimaginable that amidst the crisis, the National Assembly extended its holiday after a three-week Christmas and New Year recess, saying the action “reeks of nonchalance and lack of empathy by those elected to represent the interest of Nigerians.” Womanifesto raised the concerns in a statement jointly signed by a former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili; Executive Director…

In view of the recent downtime experienced on the e-tax portal, the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has extended the filing of employers’ annual tax returns by 1 (one) week starting from February 1 to February 7, 2024. Mr. Ayodele Subair, Executive Chairman of LIRS, conveyed this in a public notice released by the agency on Tuesday. Statutorily, the filing of annual tax returns by companies expires on January 31st of each fiscal year and attracts stiff penalties for defaulters. Taxpayers are hereby advised to take advantage of this extension to perform their civic obligation. This extension is aimed…

The Lagos State government has said it will invest N550.689 billion to develop and maintain its infrastructure in 2024. The state Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George disclosed on Wednesday, 31 January, 2024, during the State 2024 Budget Analysis at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, in Alausa-Ikeja. George said the amount of N550.689 billion on Infrastructure represents 24.28percent of the entire budget is part of the ₦1.315 trillion capital budget for the year. While highlighting some of the infrastructure targeting the Budget, he said there would be the continuation of ongoing transportation projects, such as the expansion of…

The withdrawal of three member states comprising the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu is a national disgrace and shame to Nigeria, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has said. According to him, the inability of Tinubu to peacefully resolve the lingering issues leading to the exit of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS does not augur well for the leadership roles his predecessors have played in keeping the subregion united and peaceful. “Whether Tinubu likes it or not, he met the…

The Federal Ministry of Youth Development has expressed its preparedness to partner with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on raising awareness, providing rehabilitation and skills acquisition for Nigerian youths afflicted by the scourge of substance abuse. The assurance was given by the Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim when she paid a visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja to discuss areas of collaboration between her ministry and the anti-narcotic body. Marwa had in his remarks painted a grim picture of the drug…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, says it will soon commission the 9-kilometre Obehie/Oke-Ikpe Road in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, as part of its efforts to ensure the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.Speaking during an inspection of the road linking Abia and Akwa Ibom states, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Sir Victor Antai, said the Commission was making efforts to complete all its projects across the Niger Delta region.The Executive Director, who was accompanied by other NDDC Directors and engineers, said several communities in the area would benefit from the project, which links Abia…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has condoled the Governor of Ekiti State and the people of the state over Monday’s attacks that led to the gruesome killing of two traditional rulers by armed men and abduction of six school pupils and their teachers. The President who spoke with Governor Oyebanji on telephone from France, assured Ekiti people that the perpetrators of the heinous crime would be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law. The President’s message was conveyed to the people of Esun-Ekiti and Imojo-Ekiti by Governor Oyebanji when he visited the two communities on Tuesday…

A Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, in the trial of a former governor of Sokoto State Attahiru Bafarawa, Kassim Yusuf, on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, recounted before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja, that the former governor diverted a staggering N4.6billion he received as security fund from the office of the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Bafarawa on amended 25-count charges bordering on criminal breach of trust and diversion of public funds to the tune of N4.6 billion. Other defendants in the case…

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has urged the citizens of the state not to despair over Monday’s kidnapping of some school pupils and their teachers in Emure- Ekiti, assuring that efforts are on to get the children and their teachers rescued. Six pupils of a private school in Emure-Ekiti, three teachers and the bus driver were abducted while returning to Eporo-Ekiti, Monday evening, 29 January, 2024. The Governor, who described the kidnapping of the school pupils, as callous and unacceptable, said nothing would be spared in the efforts to rescue them. According to a statement by the Governor’s Special…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has held talks with a South Korean consortium led by Daewoo E & C on the development of gas projects in Nigeria. The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mr Mele Kyari, led the company’s team to the discussions which held in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. The talks were aimed at deepening NNPC Ltd.’s drive to tap into the nation’s vast gas resources to be a supplier of clean and affordable energy to the global market. South Korea is a major destination for Liquefied Natural Gas exports and the consortium, in…

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of seventeen (17) internet fraudsters to various jail terms. They were jailed between January 8 and 28, 2024 after being arraigned before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan and Justice A.A. Babawale of the Ogun State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta on a separate lone count charge each. The convicts are: Akinbode Abiodun, Samad Tijani Owolabi, Ademola Olabamiji Quadri, Evewiekpoamare Tivere Jackson, Adeagbo Stephen Adegbenro, Adesanya Olamilekan Dare, Yusuf Saka Olaoluwatobi, Akinbode Adedolapo Joshua, Musa Ayinde Olorunnisola and…

Governor of Oyo state, ‘Seyi Makinde, has, again, called for the establishment of state police, noting that it has become imperative to surmount the insecurity challenges facing different parts of the country. The Governor, who maintained that the refusal of the Federal Government to approve South-West Governors’ demand to establish state police a few years ago led to the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun, said it is important for the Federal Government to revisit the matter. Makinde stated this on Tuesday, 30 January, 2024, when he received the Conference of Speakers of State Legislators, South-West…

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has directed his Special Assistants on Federal Constituencies to deliver the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in their areas in the April 2024 Local Government Elections. The Governor said this on Tuesday, 30 January, 2024, while inaugurating the Special Adviser and Special Assistants on Federal Constituencies at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. He tasked them to work hard with him to extend dividends of democracy to the people at the federal constituency level, stating that there is a lot of work to be done. He said: “I want to congratulate…

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s statement accusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of fiddling amidst some security and economic challenges is to say the least, reckless. Coming days after he made an equally reckless allegation against the President on the crude for loan deal for NNPC Limited, his latest statement fell short of what is expected from an elder statesman. We like to believe that Alhaji Atiku is still not nursing hangover of his electoral defeat and now latches on any issue to attack President Tinubu. President Tinubu did not travel without informing Nigerians of his whereabout. He announced a private visit to…

In line with its decision to recognise excellence through a highly competitive and prestigious annual award, Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited, publishers of the New Telegraph newspapers, has unveiled recipients of its 2023 Awards. The newspaper is using the award to recognise individuals and businesses that have distinguished themselves by their remarkable contributions to the development of the country in both the public and private sectors. The award, billed to hold on Friday, February 2, 2024, at the Balmoral Event Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, is expected to galvanise and inspire awardees towards greater excellence, while also helping to encourage…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep grief on receiving the news of the killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State, the Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola. President Tinubu condemned the mindless and brutal bloodletting, pledging that the perpetrators will not escape justice. The President condoled with the families and subjects of the traditional rulers, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, and the people of Ekiti State on this deeply agonizing development. In the same vein, the President also directed the immediate rescue of pupils and teachers kidnapped around Eporo-Ekiti area…

The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have gathered stakeholders in the environmental sector to prepare framework for Nigeria’s carbon market, which has potential of unlocking major industrial revolution in the country. Speaking at the workshop on Nigeria’s Carbon Market Framework: Article 6 Training & Implementation Design organised by NCCC and UNDP in Abuja, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal said It is essential to note that carbon markets present very important tool to reach global climate goals in short and medium term. The Minister who was represented at the workshop by…

I received with deep sadness the report of yesterday’s killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State, the Onimojo of Imojo- Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola. These two traditional rulers, according to media reports, were gruesomely murdered by their assailants while returning from a security meeting. The tragic incident, again, speaks to the challenges of insecurity in our country, which the President Tinubu-led administration is working very hard to surmount. On behalf of my family, I send our condolences to Governor Abiodun Oyebanji; the government and people of Ekiti State, especially…

Akeju Abass, widely known as Akeju, a distinguished US-based Nigerian media executive and founder of Prime Music Partners, recently shared a heartwarming moment captured in a picture with the legendary singer and songwriter Olivia Longott. The encounter not only sparked excitement within the industry but also stands as a testament to Akeju’s ascent as a influential figure in the entertainment realm. Akeju has consistently demonstrated his commitment to promoting and advancing music genres, particularly Afrobeat and Afro, through various initiatives. His impactful contributions include the groundbreaking “Faces of Afrobeats” and the captivating documentary series “Loud in Africa,” both showcasing the…