Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

Troops of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) operating under Sector 3 in Mongunu, Borno State, have neutralized terrorists in clearance operations. The Chief Military Information Officer HQ MNJTF N’djamena, Chad, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, made this disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen . According to Osoba, the troops in a joint effort with hybrid force and air component support, intercepted and neutralized some fleeing wounded ISWAP terrorists and captured additional cache of weapons. According to the statement, the troops successfully targeted and interdicted several armed and wounded terrorists on motorbikes, who were regrouping in Guzamala. “In a follow-up…

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has directed his Special Assistant on Water Resources, Franklin Ukah, and his counterpart in Housing and Urban Development, Patrick Enyi, to take charge of their respective ministries as acting commissioners. The development followed the recent sack of some commissioners, and suspension of others, by the governor. Nwifuru also directed his Special Assistant on Primary Health, Dr Sabinus Nwibo, to take charge of the State Ministry of Health as acting commissioner. The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpo made this disclosure in a statement on Wednesday, 27 November, 2024 in Abakaliki, the state capital. The…

A former member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Adamu Bello, has officially rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC). Bello, a founding member of the APC in Bauchi State and a key figure in the Bauchi North Senatorial District, served as the Sole Administrator of Giade Local Government Area. The former APC leader, who played a crucial role in securing a victory for the APC in Giade LGA during the last general elections, cited the ongoing support of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, for his people as the primary reason for his…

The Bauchi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), has suspended Habibu Umar, the lawmaker representing Kirfi Constituency in the State House of Assembly. The lawmaker has been barred from all party activities until further notice. In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, the PDP State Chairman, Samaila Burga, stated that Umar was found guilty of insubordination by the party in line with its Constitution. According to Burga, the lawmaker was issued a query on November 5, 2024, for violating sections 58 (9) (1) and (f) of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended).…

Drama occurred on Wednesday, 27 November, 2024 during the plenary session of the Nigerian Senate as anger, shouting match took the centre stage over President Bola Tinubu’s controversial Tax Reform Bill which surfaced for debate despite not being captured on the Order Paper. Trouble started when the Senate Leader, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi invoked Order 12(1) suspending the Senate Rules to allow the Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service to give clarification on Tax Reform Bill. The Senate Leader’s submission was corroborated by Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session. It was approved that the FIRS chairman and…

Justice Maryann Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has fixed 10 December, 2024 for ruling in the bail applications by former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello and two others. The Judge fixed the date after taking arguments for and against the bail request by Bello’s lawyer, Joseph Bodunde Dauda, SAN, and Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Daudu had pleaded with the court to admit the former governor to bail on various grounds. Among others, the senior lawyer said that the law presumes him innocent until contrary is established by…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the National Assembly to increase the funding for the country’s space programme, saying that space technology has become an indispensable component of Nigeria’s development.  President Tinubu disclosed this on Monday, 25 November, 2024 shortly before declaring open the 25th anniversary of the National Space Research and Development Agency at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, President Tinubu noted that to enable a better understanding of Earth’s surface through space observations to revolutionise global communication and navigation systems, “Space technologies have become indispensable.” The president…

The Kano State Board of Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has sealed the Head Office of Max Air Limited for failing to remit over N190 million Pay As You Earn (PAYE) as well as other liability taxes accruing from 2012 to 2017.  The Director of Debt Management and Enforcement of KIRS, Madam Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the company has failed to respond to some correspondence sent to it by the service, adding that they were forced to secure a court order to seal the company’s office. The enforcement team also sealed the office of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company situated along Zaria…

The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) has sealed off a premise of Unity Bank, Chicken Republic and the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and First City Monument Bank (FCMB) all located along Yakubu Gowon Way over N100 billion tax liabilities. The agency also sealed off the Hamdala Hotel. Leading an enforcement team, Board Secretary and Executive Director Legal Services, Barrister Aisha Ahmad, said the agency embarked on the enforcement of non-payment of the Land Use Tax after exhausting all legal avenues of settlement.

Gunmen on Saturday,23 November, 2024 kidnapped a prominent businessman, Samuel Ekerenam, owner of Hephzibah Mall, in Eket LGA of Akwa Ibom State. It was gathered that the hoodlums arrived the victim’s shopping complex and started shooting sporadically to scare people away. A witness to the incident, Udobong Asuquo, narrated that the man’s driver was killed in the process while the police officer attached to him was severely injured. The eyewitness said, “The incident occurred at about 10:00 pm on Saturday, claimed the life of the driver, while the Police officer attached to the kidnapped proprietor of the Mall was injured.”…

The National Women Leader of the Labour Party (LP), Mrs Dudu Manuga, has advised Nigerians against labelling female politicians as prostitutes and promiscuous. Manuga, who confirmed that violence against women have become prevalent, also described as alarming the level of cyber stalking and intimidation some women face in Nigeria. She spoke during the commemoration of the 2024 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls in Abuja. The LP chieftain charged women who are involved in politics not to be intimidated by the emotional and psychological violence perpetrated against them by their male counterparts just to frustrate…

Former Big Brother Naija housemate, Tacha, has made public of her plan to relocate abroad. She revealed on Monday, 25 November, 2026 that she would be moving to the United Kingdom. On her X handle, she wrote, “Relocating to the UK. So help me God.” In recent years, the number of Nigerian celebrities moving abroad has significantly increased. Notable figures such as Wizkid, Eldee, Dr. Sid, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Rita Dominic, Uche Jombo, Emeka Ike, and many others have relocated from the country within the past decade. Recently, singer Banky W announced that he has relocated to the…

A man named Enediong Bassey has been arrested by the operatives of the Anambra State police Command over possession of a gun wrapped in a bag of rice. The Anambra State Command Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday, 26 November, 2024 in Awka, the state capital. Ikenga said Bassey ‘M’ 25yrs a native of Ikono LGA of Akwa Ibom State was arrested after he confessed to being a member of a local vigilante group. According to him, the police operatives attached to 3.3 Police Divisional headquarters led by CSP Emeka Obi acting…

In a deft move against pro-Wike rivers lawmakers, the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Damagun, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a bye election in Rivers States to fill up their seats, following their defection to the All Progressives Congress(APC). Damagun’s request was contained in a letter he addressed to INEC. The Certified True Copy of the letter is dated 13 November, 2024. The spokesperson of the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, Ikenga Ugochinyere made the letter available to newsmen at a press conference in Akokwa, Imo State, on Sunday, 24 November, 2024.…

Nigeria’s petroleum marketers said that the Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) price may be reduced to between N900 and 1000 per litre by this year’s Yuletide with the intervention of Dangote Refinery. The President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association, PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, and the spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, disclosed this in separate interviews with an online medium on Monday. This comes as Dangote Refinery on Sunday, 24 November, 2024 reduced its ex-depot petrol price by N20 to N970 from N990 per litre. The company had explained that the move was to appreciate…

Former Labour Party’s 2023 presidential campaign spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, has said the naira would have been N17,000 per dollar at foreign exchange and the price of fuel N4000 per litre without President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms. Okupe, who was the spokesperson to ex-presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo, disclosed this in a recent Arise Television interview. This comes as Nigerians buy petrol at between N1060 and N1,115 per litre across filling stations nationwide compared to an average price of N254.06 in May last year before fuel subsidy removal. Also, the country’s foreign exchange rate rose to N1675.62 per dollar on…

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the name of Lieutenant General, Olufemui Oluyede to the House of Representatives for confirmation as the Chief of Army Staff. This request was contained in a letter addressed to the House and read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen on Tuesday, 26 November, 2024 during plenary. Thegazellenews.com recalls that Mr Oluyede was appointed by President Tinubu as the Acting Chief of Staff following the illness of Taoreed Lagbaja, who later passed away. .The President said the letter is in compliance with Section 218 of the 1999 constitution. “The powers conferred on the President by subsection (1) of…

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, 26 November, 2024 performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the new ultramodern Alaba Rago Transnational Market in the Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the State, saying the development was in line with its administration’s market transformation moves of the THEMES+ development agenda. The new Alaba Rago Transnational Market, when completed in the next two years, will comprise of over 5,000 shops, an event hall, banks, a hotel, a fire station, an abattoir, a place of worship, a sewage treatment plant, a police post, a recreation center and a parking arena,…

Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has suspended the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma and his Housing and Urban Development counterpart, Francis Ori. Their suspension was announced on Monday, 25 November, 2024 during the weekly state Executive Council meeting held at the centenary city, New government House, Abakaliki. A statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation on Tuesday, 26 November, 2024 Jude Okpor, which was made available to newsmen read, “Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of the…

Nigeria’s Presidency has disclosed that with the commencement of Port Harcourt Refinery on Tuesday, 26 November, 2024, about 200 trucks are set to load petroleum production at the government-owned plant. A presidential spokesperson, Sunday Dare, made this disclosure in a statement through his official X handle on Tuesday, 26 November, 2026. This comes as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on Tuesday, 26 November, 2026 announced that Port Harcourt Refinery has commenced crude oil processing. Reacting, Dare said, “200 trucks are expected to load products daily from the refinery, Renewing the Hopes of Nigeria.” He added that “the Port Harcourt…