Author: Soffiyyah Olamide

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Abdul Ningi, has attacked Senate President Godswill Akpabio for suspending him over alleged budget padding. Ningi demanded reinstatement within seven days, saying failure to do so, he will not hesitate to drag Akpabio to court of law to seek redress. In an interview granted to the BBC, Ningi had said projects worth N3.7 trillion were untraceable in the 2024 budget. The allegation had triggered outrage and acerbic words as Nigerians raised many questions for the lawmakers. Akpabio, while reacting to the allegations by…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for concerted efforts on the part of all arms of government and the citizens to create a livable country that everyone would be proud of. Governor Sanwo-Olu spoke on Thursday, 28 March, 2024 during a courtesy visit by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Works at the Lagos House, Marina. The Joint Committee comprised members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Works, led by Senator Barinada Mpigi and Hon. Akin Alabi, respectively. Sanwo-Olu noted that there are challenges even with the huge opportunities in Lagos. He therefore stressed the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Defence Headquarters has disclosed troops eliminated 121 terrorists, apprehended 252 and rescued 244 kidnapped victims in different operations across the country in one week. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this while giving an update on military operations on Thursday in Abuja. Buba said the troops also recovered 223 assorted weapons and 2,756 ammunition comprising three M56 rifles, 115 AK47 rifles, three PKT guns, 24 locally fabricated guns, and 36 Dane guns. He said that seven locally fabricated pistols, 1,716 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 494 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, and 60…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on his 72nd birthday, describing him as a courageous, audacious, and passionate leader who is committed to the progress, growth, and development of Nigeria. He said President Tinubu is worth celebrating for his contribution to national development, noting that the President, since he assumed office on May 29, 2023, has demonstrated unparalleled patriotism, integrity, honesty, and courage in the task of steering the ship of Nigeria in the right direction. Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued on Thursday, 28 March, 2024, by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr.…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Uche Secondus, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, and members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party for the 2023 general elections in Rivers State have declared loyalty and support for President Bola Tinubu and the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. A former Minister of Transportation and the Director-General, PDP-PCC Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, made the declaration during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday, 28 March, 2024 Present at the briefing were: Secondus; former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara; Celestine Omehia; former Deputy Governor of the state, Tele Ikuru; Senator Lee…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The World Health Organization Europe report covering 44 countries has revealed that Cyberbullying surged to 16 per cent in 2022 from 13 per cent four years ago among children aged 11 to 15 The report released on Wednesday, 27 March, 2024, said that 15 per cent of boys and 16 per cent of girls reported being cyberbullied at least once in recent months, according to the study entitled ‘Health Behaviour in School-aged Children’. It added that cyberbullying or violence has become prevalent since the onset of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. “Virtual forms of peer violence have become particularly…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Eniola Ajao, has explained why popular crossdresser, Bobrisky, won the ‘Best Dressed Female’ award at the premiere of her movie, ‘Ajakaju’ recently. Recall that controversy trailed Bobrisky’s announcement as the Best Dressed Female at the movie premiere in Lagos over the weekend. Speaking in a recent interview with Arise TV, Ajao said the award was a stunt. According to her, “It was all jokes. We just want to have fun. We want people to talk about the movie. My team and I decided that it needed to be in the faces of people.…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State has denied owing the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company a N495 million as being insinuated. UCH’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Adetuyibi, stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 in Ibadan, the state capital. Recall that IBEDC had disconnected power supply to UCH, due to what it called accumulated bills of N495 million, thus throwing the facility into darkness. Adetuyibi, however, said that it was not true that the hospital had an accumulated bill of N495 million over the last three years. She said that the present UCH administration,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command has disclosed that a total of 1,520 personnel have been deployed statewide for covert and overt operations during the Easter celebrations. This was made known by the Osun NSCDC Commandant, Michael Adaralewa through a statement issued by Kehinde Adeleke, the command spokesperson on Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 in Osogbo, the state capital Adaralewa also revealed that the team is composed of State Command tactical teams such as the Counter Terrorism Unit, Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Special Armed Squad, Female Armed Squad, Disaster Management Unit and Chemical, Biological, Radiological Nuclear…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has announced that the Air Component of the ”Operation Delta Safe” has destroyed several illegal oil refining sites and barges laden with stolen crude oil products across Rivers State. This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 in Abuja by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet. According to Gabkwet, the sites and barges destroyed were discovered between Monday and Tuesday at Bille, Dariama, Elem Bekinkiri, Temakiri, Opumakiri and Degema all in Rivers State. Gabkwet, who said a barge filled with illegal refined products was observed…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A former Commissioner of Finance in Kwara State, Ademola Banu, has denied N411 million fraud allegation leveled against him just as he  stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lied over its claims that he jumped bail in the alleged fraud case. Banu also carpeted the commission for declaring him wanted, saying the declaration was unwarranted, unlawful and devoid of due process, insisting he was not on the run. Recall that the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC had arraigned the immediate past Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged mismanagement of public…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has described reports of reduction of fuel prices credited to it on Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 as unfounded and baseless NNPCL was reacting to reports suggesting a drop in pump prices for Premium Motor Spirit and Automotive Gas Oil as reported in some sections of the media. The Chief Communications Officer, NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, dispelled the speculations in a statement made available to journalists. He asked the public to disregard such reports. The statement read, “The NNPC Limited wishes to clarify rumours suggesting a price adjustment for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Swedish club, Ostersunds FK have confirmed the signing of Nigerian defender, Onahi Abraham Ogbu. Ogbu, who has been on trial at the club, signed a two-year contract with the club. The 21-year-old joined OFK from Nigerian club, Tiki Taka FC International. The young left-back, reflecting on his move to his new club, told the club’s website: “It will be incredibly fun to become part of ÖFK now. I come to a club where the team spirit is among the best I have experienced. I look forward to taking the club back to Allsvenskan and I’m prepared to…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has announced approval of a subsidy of N500,000 for each of the intending pilgrims from the state. The subsidy followed a directive by the the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), asking the intending pilgrims to pay additional N1.9 million for the 2024 Hajj fare. The Director General, Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Lamin Dan Baffa, made this disclosure during a media briefing on Wednesday, 27 March, 2024 in Kano. Baffa, who said the state government will pay the total sum of N1.4 billion for the 2,096 registered pilgrims, said the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A 40-year-old Mechanical Engineer, Dr Funmi Waheed-Adekojo, aspirant who pick up the N10 million expression of interest form to officially enter the race for the All Progressives Congress (APC)governorship ticket on Wednesday, 27 March, 2027, has said that she is not intimidated by men in the race as she is in the contest to win. The ruling party has pegged the expression of interest form at N10 million, while the nomination form goes for N40 million. However, female aspirants and persons with disabilities are given concession to only procure the expression of interest form while the nomination…

By Bamidele Johnson One Saturday in May 1996, I arrived for a job interview at 26 Ijaiye Road, Ogba, Lagos, then the office of Independent Communications Network Limited, publishers of THE NEWS PM NEWS and the now defunct TEMPO and AM NEWS. There were about 25 of us waiting to take turns to face what I assumed was a large interview panel. When it was my turn, I got in and met two men, who introduced themselves. The first to speak was the one wearing a pair of glasses and identified himself as Babafemi Ojudu, a name I had some…

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and the School of Media & Communications, Pan-Atlantic University have announced and called for applications from qualified media practitioners to participate in the 3rd edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP-3), which will commence on May 20, 2024, at the Main Campus of the Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. MTN Nigeria in collaboration with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, launched the Media Innovation Programme (MTN MIP) in 2022 to enable media practitioners gain deeper insight into the ever-evolving media landscape. The six-month, fully-funded certificate fellowship, which includes a study visit to the University…

Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested five persons for possession and conveyance of three truckloads of assorted solid minerals suspected to be mined without an appropriate licence. The suspects are three truck drivers and two truck boys Their arrest, which was effected along Maraba road, Ilorin Kwara State and Ogbomosho, Oyo State between March 21 – 22, 2024, followed credible intelligence and surveillance. The suspects were arrested while conveying solid minerals suspected to be marble stone, white powder, lithium and lepidolite, to Shagamu and Alakija in Ogun and Lagos States respectively …

President Bola Tinubu has condemned the reprehensible acts perpetrated by kidnappers across the country, declaring that individuals involved in such despicable crimes must be treated as terrorists. The President made the declaration on Tuesday, 26 March, 2024 at a Ramadan dinner with members of the Federal judiciary led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. Reiterating the government’s resolve to defeat banditry, the President said those who resort to kidnapping children are cowards, incapable of confronting the might of the Nigerian Armed Forces. ”We must treat kidnappers as terrorists. They are cowardly. They have been degraded.…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Senior Programme Officer of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Ms Florinda Olawusi, disclosed that at least over 300 patients died of tuberculosis, out of over 6,000 cases recorded in Ogun State in 2023. This is just as the state is said to have recorded a 100% rise in tuberculosis cases in recent times Olawusi made this disclosure in Abeokuta, the state capital while speaking with journalists at the 2024 World Tuberculosis Day. Olawusi expressed concern over a 100% rise from 2019, adding that according to data from the IHVN and USAID TB-LON 3 project for Ogun…