Author: Soffiyyah Olamide

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Makurdi Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, 14 February, 2024 has confirmed the arrest of 14 suspected internet fraudsters in a training centre of potential internet fraudsters in Makurdi, Benue State state capital. The Commission confirmed the arrest of the suspects through a statement it issued on Thursday, 15 February, 2024. According to the statement, signed by Dele Oyewale, spokesman for the Commission, operatives acting on intelligence arrested the suspects in a three-bedroom apartment allegedly serving as a training centre for internet fraud trainees along Achusa Road, Makurdi. The suspects…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nigerian singer, Divine Ikubor, aka Rema, has been confirmed as a performer at this year’s edition of the highest profile music awards ceremony in the United Kingdom, the BRIT Awards. The award ceremony is scheduled to hold in London on March 2, 2023. Rema will become the second Nigerian artiste to perform at the Brit Awards. Burna Boy performed at the award ceremony in 2018. The organisers announced this via their social media page on Thursday morning. “Stay calm, @heisrema will be performing at the #BRITs 2024. “let’s gooooooo,” Brit Awards wrote via X. Recall that Burna…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has defended himself against a series of allegations of misappropriation of party funds raised by the suspended National Treasurer of the party, Mrs Oluchi Oparah. According to Abure, it was not true that the party has collected over N3.5 billion as revenue into its account as alleged by Oparah. The Chairman stated this on Thursday, 15 February, 2024, while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show concerning the ongoing crisis in the party. Thegazellenews.com had reported that Oparah had accused Abure of denying her access to the party’s financial…

President Bola Tinubu in company of Vice President Kashim Shettima today at the State House met with the 36 States Governors and the FCT Minister. The meeting agreed on common ground to addressing some of the challenges currently facing the country especially the rising cost of food and insecurity. After extensive deliberations the President and Governors agreed to work together to solve the problems and tackle the economic pressure being faced by the citizens. Below are the key takeaways from what the President told the Governors to do: 1. On addressing insecurity which is also affecting farming and food production,…

Access Holdings Plc has named an Executive Director, Bolaji Agbede as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the organization following the death of its former CEO, Herbert Wigwe in the United States on Friday, 9 February, 2024. This was made known via a statement released on Tuesday, 12 February, 2024, by the board of Directors of Access Holdings.It read: “Further to its announcement dated February 11, 2024, the Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc (‘the Company’) has today announced the appointment of Ms Bolaji Agbede as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of the Company following the…

Femi Adegbemi, a suspect arrested by officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), for illegally collecting money from owners of impounded vehicles in Oshodi, has told LASTMA officials how he and his gang members make N250,000 collecting illegal fees from drivers and owners of containers in Oshodi, reports thegazellenews.com. Operatives of LASTMA on Tuesday, 13 February, 2024, apprehended Adegbemi, described as a serial impersonator after collecting N140,000 from owners of vehicles impounded for traffic infractions by the Agency. The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA Mr. Adebayo Taofiq confirmed that the suspect was apprehended by the…

Following a week- long medical treatment at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado- Ekiti, the eight kidnap victims were on Sunday, 11 February, 2024, discharged having fully certified to have stabilised. They comprised five schoolchildren and three staff of The Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure Ekiti. They were kidnapped along Emure-Eporo Road on their way home from school and spent six days in the kidnappers’ den before they were released in the early hours of Sunday last week. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, said it was a moment of joy, happiness and excitement having the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Thursday, 8 February, 2024, sworn in 12 newly elected members. The new members were administered the oath of office on during Thursday’s plenary session. Recall that the electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) conducted by-elections and reruns in some federal constituencies across the country. Some lawmakers were sacked by the Court of Appeal while rerun elections were ordered in some constituencies. The newly elected members include: Umar Garba, Ngaski/Shanta/Yauri Federal constituency of Kebbi state, APC; Ifeoluwa Ehindero, Akoko North East/North West of Ondo state,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, presided by Chief Magistrate, Mr O.A Layinka, has ordered the remand of a 50-year-old security guard named Mohammed Sanni in a correctional centre for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old girl. Magistrate Layinka, who did not take Sanni’s plea, ordered that the case file should be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice, just as also she adjourned the case until March 28, pending the DPP’s advice. The prosecutor, Insp Lucky Ihieme, had told the court that Sanni committed the offence on Jan. 8 at Obidiegwu St., Iyana School, Iba,…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court, presided over by Ibrahim Emmanuel on Thursday, 8 February, 2024 ordered a 21-year-old labourer, Shuaibu Haruna, to be flogged 12 strokes of the cane for stealing a wallet. MagistrateEmmanuel, made the pronouncement after Haruna, a resident of Badiko, Kaduna, pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of theft leveled against him. Haruna prayed the court for leniency and vowed to refrain from such acts. The magistrate,who held that the court applied leniency because he admitted being guilty without wasting the court’s time, advised him to be of good behaviour and desist from crime…

The President of the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria, CIFCFIN, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbaki has commended the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede on his strides in turning around the works of fighting economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption in Nigeria. He gave the commendation in Abuja on Thursday, 8 February, 2024 while on a courtesy visit to the Corporate Headquarters of the EFCC. According to him, the EFCC has started witnessing quiet transformation since the assumption of office of Olukoyede. He promised the collaboration of his Institute…

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Thursday, 8 February, 2024, visited under-construction Bode Saadu/Kaiama/Kosubosu road project, calling it a major breakthrough for the state and Nigeria. Valued at over N350 billion, the Governor said the road will open up Nigeria’s economy with other West African countries such as the Republic of Benin and strengthen the protocols on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). AbdulRazaq thanked the Federal Government and BUA Group for embarking on the project, and commended the affected communities for their patience. “This is a major breakthrough. It is a huge success for Nigeria. Let me first of…

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON has reemphasized the need to give more attention to the elderly. She spoke while receiving the Wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor (Mrs) Patience Eno in her office at the State House, Abuja. Senator Oluremi Tinubu noted that the elderly have paid their dues in life and deserve to be taken care of in their old age. “It is easy to bypass them, so to speak, because their voice is no more loud. They need our attention. “I commend the Akwa Ibom State Governor His Excellency Pastor Eno for…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 arraigned a former governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano before Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. He was arraigned on nine- count charges bordering on money laundering, diversion of funds, stealing and corruption to the tune of N4billion. Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the Executive Governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between the 16th February, 2018 and 9th March, 2018 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of…

A new Baba Adinni has emerged to lead the Lagos Muslim community, reports thegazellenews.com Alhaji Sikiru Alabi Macfoy emerged the new Baba Adinni at a keenly contested but free and fairly conducted election on Wednesday, 24 January, 2024. This medium learnt exclusively that Alhaji Macfoy defeated his closest rival, Alhaji Jelili Animashaun at the keenly contested election. Alhaji Macfoy replaced Sheikh Abdul-Hafeez Abou who died recently at the age of 101.

A staunch supporter of the All Progressives Congress in ANYIGBA, Dekina Local Government Area, Hajiya Memuna has allegedly escaped death in the hands of supporters of some members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Anyigba in the late hours of Sunday, 17 December, 2023. She has been rushed to a private hospital where doctors are battling to save her life. Memuna, who is the Woman Leader of Obeya Kekele Polling Unit in Anyigba Ward was attacked for supporting the candidacy of Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo against the ethnic agenda of the SDP Governorship Candidate, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka. This was…

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigerian-born Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience and top-flight researcher, Ijeoma Uchegbu, on her election as President of Wolfson College, one of the 31 colleges of the University of Cambridge. Professor Uchegbu, renowned for her innovative work in nanoparticle drug delivery, is currently a Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience at University College London (UCL). President Tinubu celebrated the outstanding accomplishment and commends Professor Uchegbu for being an excellent ambassador for the country and for her relentless efforts to advance the frontiers of pharmaceutical science. The President applauded Professor Uchegbu as epitomizing the ingenuity, brilliance, and hard work that…

The Association of Corporate & Marketing Communications Professionals in Banks in Nigeria (ACAMB) has expressed deep sadness at the passing of its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Abdul Kolawole Imoyo. Imoyo, a highly regarded corporate media manager and journalist, breathed his last in the early hours of Sunday, 17 December 17, 2023, at First Cardiology, Ikoyi, Lagos, after a brief illness. In a statement signed by ACAMB’s President, Rasheed Bolarinwa, on behalf of the Executive Committee and entire members of Association, Imoyo until his untimely demise, served as the Head of Media Relations at Access Holdings, “where he contributed significantly to the…

Lagos State, in 2024, will sustain its investment momentum towards expanding the growth of the economy. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, presented an estimate of N2.2 trillion expenditures to the House of Assembly for next year, proposing increased capital spending across key priority areas in the Economic Affairs sector. There will be renewed focus on Works and Infrastructure next year, Sanwo-Olu said, noting that the proposed intervention would enable the State Government bridge infrastructure deficit in economic viable sectors, including transportation, agriculture, tourism, waterfront infrastructure development, energy and mineral resources. Improvement expected from the investment, the Governor said, would boost…