Author: Soffiyyah Olamide

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has stated that the decision of his administration to remove subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was premised on the need to ensure long-term energy security and economic prosperity of Nigeria. The President stated this in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 7th Nigerian International Energy Summit (NIES) at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday, 27th February, 2024. The President who was represented at the event by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, noted that the petroleum subsidy had, over the years, strained the country’s…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, 27 February, 2024 has revealed the reasons behind the launching of expatriate employment levy. Tinubu said the launching is aimed at improving home-grown skill retention and technology domestication and to balance employment opportunities between Nigerians and expatriates. Tinubu, who said this at the launch of the Expatriate Employment Levy handbook at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also warned that the scheme should not be used as an impediment nor as a stick wielded to deter foreign investors. “I declare my support for the Expatriate Employment Levy scheme, and I will…

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum has flagged off Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan’s empowerment package for 1,720 people. The flag-up was held on Monday, 26 February, 2024, at the multi-purpose hall of the Government House in Maiduguri. The beneficiaries were selected from the eight local government areas that comprise the Borno Central Senatorial district. About 500 beneficiaries got a sewing machine, 500 received a grinding machine, 250 received deep freezers, 100 received generators, 50 received block-making machines, 250 received agricultural tools, 50 received refrigerators, and another 20 got a tricycle (Keke Napep). Meanwhile, each of the 1,720 beneficiaries received N20,000…

A total of 832 artisans, mostly orphaned as a result of the over a decade long Boko Haram insurgency, have graduated from the Borno State Enterprise Institute. The event was presided over by the Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum on Tuesday at the Muna Vocational Enterprise Institute, along the Dikwa-Gamboru highway in Jere Local Government Area. The trainees were selected from across the 27 local government areas of Borno State and have undergone training in 14 different trades; among them, 54 graduates specialised in aluminium fabrication, 29 in bricklaying, 48 in carpentry and 73 in information technology. Others include…

The Minister of State for Environment Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako has launched the National Deratization framework exercise to prevent and control the spread of Lassa fever in the Country. The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari while briefing the Press in Abuja stated that “I stand to provide an update on the recent outbreak of Lassa Fever reported by 44 Army Referral Hospital in Kaduna State and subsequent spread of the disease in the state”. He said the meeting with the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), has provided the etiological pattern of…

By Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu The Association of Nigeria Theatre-Arts Practitioners (ANTP) has gone a step further in its realignment drive as it just created a standard website and opened a YouTube channel for disseminating information on the Association’s activities. The National President, Dr Rasak Oyadiran, said ANTP will continue to focus on giant developmental strides towards positioning the foremost theatre-arts association at par with its international counterparts. He added that the creation of the website and the YouTube channel is to mark his administration’s 4 months in office. The domain of the website is www. antpglobal.com, while the YouTube Channel is ANTP…

President Bola Tinubu has been advised not to merge the Nigerian Army University with the Nigerian Defence Academy as part of the implementation of Steve Oronsaye report. The advice was given by the Olowu of Kuta, HRM Oba Hameed Adekunle Makama, Tegbosun III, in a statement on Tuesday, 27 February, 2024. The monarch in a statement issued by his media office, said Nigerian Army University, Biu, unlike the Nigerian Defence Academy, Is a full fledged federal university like other federal universities in the country, and offers various courses, and not specialised university which the NDA is. He added that the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike One of the assistant pastors of Celestial Church of Christ, Grace of Comfort Parish, Omitoto, in Osun State named Lekan Ogundipe, has been arrested by the State police Command over alleged murder of the Pastor in Charge the church, Moris Fadehun. The State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident on Tuesday, 27 February, 2024 adding that the command has commenced investigation into the matter. “At about 10:15 am on Monday, one Moris Fadehan aged 65 years of Grace of Comfort Oke Odo, Omitoto, Ile-Ife, was killed by one Lekan, who is also a…

Seven internet fraudsters: Osunsina Yusuf Afolabi, Timilehin Gbemi, Akinseye Mayowa, Oladapo Damilola Michael, Akinfemiwa Akintunde, David Ehirebamen Aigbadon and Osarodion Aifeshi Jonathan, were on Tuesday February 27, 2024 convicted and sentenced to various jail terms by Justices Efe Ikponmwonba and Justice M. Itsueli of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City.They were jailed after pleading guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on impersonation and possession of fraudulent documents upon arraignment by the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).The charge against Timilehin Gbemi reads: that you Timilehin Gbemi (m) on or about 14th February, 2024…

The latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown in many ways that the Nigerian economy is not only fast adjusting but also adapting to the national economic reforms being spearheaded by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. The reformation is headlined by the twin policies of fuel subsidy removal and unification of the foreign exchange rates. Whereas the GDP figures of the third quarter (Q3) 2023, which was the first full quarter of the administration, envinced national economic production activities data which reacted sharply to the introduction of the two policies,the economy…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike No fewer than 16 soldiers and one officer are currently facing court martial in Plateau state over alleged offences ranging from armed robbery and murder to unlawful possession of arms and ammunition and selling same contrary to their operational mandate within the 3rd Armoured Division. The inaugural sitting of the court martial took place at the 3rd Armoured Division, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, the Nigerian Army in Bassa Local Government Area on Tuesday, 27 February, 2027 Acting Deputy Director of Legal Services 3 Division Nigerian Army, Major Aminu Mairuwa, who spoke after the inauguration of the General Court…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Tragedy occurred in Ochanja market in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State Onitsha on Monday, 27 February as six people were confirmed dead while 20 others injured after a building meant to serve as a market on completion, collapsed. It was gathered that the building collapsed at about 8 pm on Monday with some of the workers still inside the building. The situation created panic around the area as passers-by and residents were making efforts to rescue the trapped victims from the rubble. The Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, which confirmed the sad development, said most of them…

Veteran Nollywood actor cum movie director, Paul Obazele has emerged as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the September gubernatorial election in Edo State. Other guber aspirants for the position unanimously agreed to present the movie star as the flagbearer during Friday’s primary election held at the Uselu axis of Benin City. Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the national headquarters were around to observe the conduct of the exercise, which they described as peaceful. Obazele will now battle candidates of other political parties for the September 21 governorship election in Edo…

The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) is convinced that Nigeria will witness economic growth in 2024, on the basis of the GDP figure of the last quarter of 2023 it said in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, that it expects the growth to be driven by the non oil sector and expansion in the financial sector as the Central Bank of Nigeria battles to tame inflation rate and stabilize the foreign exchange rate. The policy group explained that its position is based on a careful study of the latest GDP figure released by the National Bureau…

The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s recommendation of measures introduced by Argentina’s President Javier Milei for Nigeria as a reflection of a confused mindset. It said in a statement signed by its Chairman, Jesutega Onokpasa that his position showed that the former PDP Presidential Candidate and his handlers did not have a proper understanding of the Argentina situation before and after Milei assumed office in December 2023. “We know that the Argentina President inherited an economy in a worse situation than what President Bola Tinubu met on ground but we wondered what former…

The 2nd Emergency Meeting of the Nigerian Music Industry with the theme, ‘Identification of Internal and External Regulatory Mechanisms to Smoothen the Working Relationship among Various Stakeholders and Subgroups in the Music Industry,’ took place on Monday, 12 February, 2024, via video conference. The Summit was facilitated by All Africa Music Awards – AFRIMA Music Business Summit in partnership with the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Record Label Proprietors Initiative (RELPI), Association of Music Artist Managers of Nigeria (AMAMN) and Music Publishers Association of Nigeria (MPAN), Music Publishers Association of Nigeria (MPAN), Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria (FUMAN),…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, 27 February, 2024, reassured religious organisations in the state of his administration’s continuous support as well as cooperation in creating an enduring partnership for the benefit of residents of the State. He said Lagos State is very critical to the success of Nigeria, noting that “if we are able to do it well, we will continue to project our country in the right way.” Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, spoke during courtesy visits by the National Executive of Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society (NASFAT), led by its President, Ayodeji…

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, 27 February, 2024, in Abuja launched the Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL) to facilitate home-grown skill retention and technology domestication and to balance employment opportunities between Nigerians and expatriates. Speaking at the launch of the Expatriate Employment Levy handbook, the President also said the aim is to close wage gaps between expatriates and the Nigerian labour force, while increasing employment opportunities for qualified Nigerians in foreign companies operating in the country. President Tinubu, however, warned that the scheme should not be used as an impediment nor as a cudgel wielded to discourage foreign investors. “We expect…

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 51 suspected illegal miners and three suspected telecommunication mast vandals in the federal capital territory (FCT). The NSCDC FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu made the disclosure on Monday while briefing journalists. He said that the three suspected vandals were apprehended by the men of Critical National Assets and infrastructure unit of his command, following a tip-off of the dismantling activity at Giri area by the FCT Command intelligence and undercover operatives He told the public that before the decommissioning of any mast, an approval of such act must be obtained from…

The United Nations on Monday, 26 February, 2024, reaffirmed its commitment to support Borno State Government in its restoration drive resulting from the over one decade of destruction by Boko Haram insurgents. The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Mustapha Malik Fall, who is also the Assistant Secretary General of the UN, made this known in Maiduguri during a courtesy visit to the Government House. Mr Fall noted that Borno State has achieved so much in peace and development of the communities affected by the crisis. “Even though we still have some challenges, when I look at…