Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

International Relations and Affairs Alliance( IRAA), a coalition of international relations practitioners has lampooned a faceless group, who is out in arms with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar over delay in appointment of ambassadors, for a lack of zero knowledge about diplomatic processes. A statement by the Coalition of Civil Society Groups and signed by Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta had erroneously pointed accusing fingers at Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar for recalling ambassadors and not appointing new ones. The Lagos based coalition led by Mrs. Adewusi Bakare, in a statement on Monday, 15 July, 2024, said Ude-Umanta should note that…

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSDC) Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad has arrested three suspects for vandalism of oil pipeline, oil theft and illegal dealings in petroleum products at Umuodo, Umuajuloke Community in Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State. The CG’s SIS Commander, DC Apollo Dandaura during a briefing on Monday, said the the arrest was made possible through sustained Intelligence that an illegal oil refinery was cited at the crime scene, which made his command to sweep the area, leading to discovery of a large quantity of illegally refined petroleum products suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil…

Argentina football legend and captain, Lionel Messi, has made history by becoming the player with the most trophies in football history. Messi played for 60 minutes as his country beat Colombia 1-0 in the final of the 2024 Copa America. This is the 45th piece of silverware the 37-year-old has won in his career. Messi breaks the record that was initially held by ex-Barcelona teammate Dani Alves (44). Messi won 35 of his club career titles at Barcelona and six trophies with Argentina, including Copa America 2021 and Copa America 2024. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also won the Olympic…

Osun State Police Command has confirmed that at least two persons were rescued in the building that collapsed in the Sabo area of Osogbo, the state capital. The Command Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the development through a statement issued on Monday, 15 July, 2024, disclosed that during rescue operations mounted by security agencies, it was discovered that only two persons were trapped under the rubble of the one-storey building. Recall that a one-storey building collapsed on the morning of Sunday, 14 July, 2024, around the Sabo area of Osogbo. Governor Ademola Adeleke had in a reaction through…

Bandits have imposed about N200m levies on10 communities in Zurmi LGA of Zamfara State, Daily Trust reports. The news medium gathered that most of the affected villages were located along Kaura Namoda-Moriki town in Zurmi Local Government Area. The affected villages and the levies are: Yan Dolen Kaura: N15 million; Gidan Zagi: N15 million; Kanwa Million: N20 million; Kaiwa Lamba: N26 million; Gidan Dan Zara: N22 million; Jinkirawa: N16 million; Dumfawa: N16 million; Ruguje: N7 million; Babani: N3 million and Gidan Duwa: N4 million. The residents of the villages said they are under pressure to raise these funds within a…

The Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote, has announced August 2024 as the new date to roll out fuel supply in the Nigerian market. Dangote, who made this disclosure on Sunday, 15 July, 2024 while speaking to newsmen, added that it has resolved its crude oil supply issues with the help of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL and the Nigerian Federal Government. He stressed that the crude supply challenge was resolved last week after the Federal Government intervened. The journalists were on a guided tour of the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery, which is located at Lekki Free Trade Zone in…

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Kayode Egbetokun has ordered an immediate suspension of the July 29 plan to commence the enforcement of the e-Central Motor Registry (e-CMR), thegazellenews.com reports. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi , who confirmed the development in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, 15 June, 2024 in Abuja, said the suspension was to give ample opportunity for mass enlightenment and education of the public on the process, benefits and effectiveness of e-CMR. The police spokesman added that I-G had urged police officers to desist from requesting for e-CMR certificates. According to him, officers…

Rising from their strategic meeting over the weekend, the leadership of Nigeria’s most sophisticated political movement, The Mandate Movement (TMM), has reiterated their tested, long standing resolution to be a resource and think-tank team for good governance, articulation of developmental ideas and promotion of people centered initiatives. The Apex Leadership of TMM reviewed the current political issues and socio-economic situation in the country and came up with different resolutions aimed at supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Movement commended the President of on the bold initiatives of his administration, some of which are: (I) continuous engagement of the Leadership of…

Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan FC striker, scored an extra-time winner as Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 to win a record 16th Copa America title at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, 14 July, 2024. A game of few chances, which had been marred by security and crowd issues, forcing a 82-minute delay, was decided by a quality finish from substitute Martinez – who finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals. The win was the third straight major tournament title for Argentine following their 2021 Copa victory and their triumph in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. There were tears before…

Friday, 2 August, 2024 has been fixed for the premiere of the movie, ‘Okikiola The Fisherman’ produced by journalist, Adeola Agoro. Sen. Ademola Adeleke, the Governor of Osun State is being honoured with the premiere of the movie for his support during the challenging stages of post-production. “When his attention was drawn to this this culturally and sensibly significant movie, Okikiola The Fisherman, Gov. Adeleke came on as a champion of the arts and culture and the movie industry by supporting it. As a way of thanking him and the Government of Osun State for the way they have contributed…

Prosecutors In Romania on Sunday, 14 July, 2024 charged famous US rapper Wiz Khalifa with illegal drug possession after performing at a seaside festival in the country, where he allegedly consumed cannabis on stage. According to the prosecutors, the hip-hop music sensation was headlining at the “Beach, Please!” festival in the Romanian village of Costinesti on the shore of the Black Sea, when he got caught with the drug early Sunday, prosecutors say. Cannabis is considered a “risk drug” in Romania, and possession is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Videos posted on social media show the rapper being…

An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) simply identified as Owolabi, is presently cooling off in one of the cells of the Lagos police command for allegedly defiling a 17-year old girl in the Ojota area of the state, thegazellenews.com reports. The officer is alleged to have had carnal knowledge of the girl in his office at Ojota Police Station. His arrest followed a referral letter dated 1 July, 2024, and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency. Based on the referral letter, the Commissioner of Police ordered for immediate investigation…

The Managing Director of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, was on Thursday night, 11 July, 2024, recognised for his “Invaluable contributions to the Nigerian energy sector and his service to humanity.” Osagie received the Award for Exemplary Leadership and Service to Humanity from a Lagos-based NGO, Heritage for Life Foundation, at a ceremony held in Lagos. A Director of the Foundation, and former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Tunde Lemo, handed out the award which he said was instituted to promote “moral qualities and attitudes pivotal to the growth…

The Anwar-Ul-Islam College Agege Old Students Association (Class of ’87 A’Level) has began plans to stage the second reunion meeting of the body. The first reunion meeting took place in Ikeja in 2021 and only recently the reunion sub committee of the Executive body held its first meeting with the target of bringing the entire body together again. At a meeting held in Ikeja under the chairmanship of Kayode Kolade, the reunion sub committee divided itself to play various roles in preparation for the reunion tentatively billed for January 2025, pending the ratification from the Executive body of the ACAOSA…

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, has restrained the Director General Nigerian Copyright Commission, Nigerian Copyright Commission(NCC), or their agents from further inviting, arresting, harassing, intimidating Dr. Ifeanyi Nwafor, the Managing Director of MetroDigital. The presiding judge, Justice Chinwendu Nwogu, on Saturday, 13 July, 2024 in an order said that the Applicant Ifeanyi Nwafor as a Nigerian citizen is entitled to enjoy his fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of expression and press, and freedom of movement, which was guaranteed under section 35, 39 and 4 of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended. Recall…

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Abuja has reiterated its commitment to promote tourism and cultural exchange with Nigeria within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in order to enhance the two countries’ bilateral relations. The Embassy made the pledge at the weekend during a Seminar on “Promoting Culture and Tourism Exchange In BRI Cooperation”, jointly hosted by the Chinese Embassy, China Alumni Association of Nigeria and University of Abuja. Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy, Mr. Li Xuda said that the Embassy has always regarded promoting people-to-people ties between China and Nigeria highly because cultural and…

Fifteen academics from various fields of endeavour are to depart the country to different Universities in Uganda under the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) scheme. The academics are to leave the shores of Nigeria, on Monday, 15 July, 2024. Speaking at a ceremony organized to offer pre-departure orientation to the Volunteers selected from among tertiary institutions across the country, Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps,Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, commended the Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for its continued commitment and support to the provision of technical manpower to countries of Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific regions. The…

The Coalition of Women Political Participation Partner’s Working Group has called for constitutional gender inclusion to drive women’s political participation, which is necessary for diverse perspectives in decision-making and the promotion of good governance. The group during a meeting to brainstorm on actions that should be evolved to ensure gender equality in political representation in the country, said women’s political participation would stimulate diverse perspectives and empower communities. At the coordination and strategy meeting on affirmative action reforms to increase women’s political representation in the ongoing constitution review process in Abuja supported by the United Nations Women, the President of…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have truncated plans of smuggling illicit drugs from Nigeria to United States, United Kingdom and Cyprus. A press statement on Sunday, 14 July, 2024 by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said operatives of the agency intercepted various quantities of cocaine and opioids such as tramadol, pentazocine injection, morphine sulphate, ketamine injection, among others concealed in soles of shoes, clothes and other items being shipped to the United States, United Kingdom and Cyprus. Babafemi said while no less than 250 grammes of cocaine going to Cyprus was hidden in…

A judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Justice K. N Ogbonnaya, has been accused of withholding judgment in a motion challenging the unlawful sale of the multi-billion-naira Referral Hospitals Limited, Abuja, by a commercial bank without the knowledge of the owner of the health institution. PRNigeria gathered that Justice Ogbonnaya, sitting at Kubwa division of the court, heard a motion seeking reversal of the purported sale of the hospitals by Guaranty Trust Bank to a private company, Riok Nigeria Limited, since December 2023, has refused to deliver a ruling in the motion.In a protest letter to the Chief…