Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

The Federal Government has warned the 36 state governments against entering foreign or international negotiations without the input of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The warning came aftermath of a dispute between the Ogun State Government and a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, which has led to the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jet. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, made this known in a statement issued on Saturday, 17 august, 2024in Abuja amid a dispute between the Ogun State Government and a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, which has led to the seizure of three…

The ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control has disclosed that monkeypox continues to spread in the region, with 44 confirmed cases and one death recorded already. Mpox, or monkeypox, is a zoonotic viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, part of the Orthopoxvirus genus. While it shares similarities with smallpox, it is generally less severe. Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Ghana are the hardest-hit countries in ECOWAS. The report was released on Friday, 16 August, 2024 and made available to newsmen on Saturday, 17 August, 2024, The virus spreads from animals to humans through direct contact with the…

Human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has disclosed that over 1000 #EndBadGovernance protesters are currently in prison custody nationwide following the recent hunger protests. The protests, which were held between August 1 and 10, turned violent in some parts of the country, with reports of looting and vandalism in several states. Recall that on August 6, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced that the police had arrested some of the sponsors of rioters who hoisted foreign flags and called for a change of government in states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others. However, in a post via its X…

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of tactical operatives and assets to ensure the prompt rescue of the kidnapped medical students in Benue State. Twenty medical students of the University of Maiduguri and Jos, travelling to Enugu, were kidnapped along the Otukpo/Otukpa/Enugu Road on Thursday, 15 August, 2024. The students were travelling for the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students annual convention in Enugu when they were abducted. Condemning the students’ abduction in a statement on Saturday by the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, the IG described the action of the criminals as reprehensible and…

As scarcity lingers in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and neighboring Nasarawa and Niger states, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has warned Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) retailers against illegal sale of the product . NMDPRA, which issued this warning in a statement through its official X account, called on retail outlets to desist from servicing black marketers. “NMDPRA embarks on a war against the illegal sale of petroleum products, especially PMS in jerrycans. “Filling stations are advised to desist from servicing illegal peddlers, failure to do so would result in the suspension…

 The Federation Account Allocation Committee(FAAC) has disclosed that it disbursed N1.358.075 trillion to the three tiers of Government in Nigeria as July allocation. The was contained in a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga on Friday, 16 August, 2024. The disbursed N1.358.075 stems from the total gross N2,613.791 trillion revenue generated in July 2024. In the period under review, the distributable allocation comes from Statutory Revenue of N161.593 billion, Value Added Tax revenue of N528.307 billion, N18.818 billion from Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), N581.710 billion from Exchange Difference and N13.647 billion.…

A Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin presided over by Saidu Tunde Abdulkareem on Friday, 16 August, 2024 sentenced 40 persons to a three-month jail term each for violation of the Kwara State Environmental Law. The defendants, all residents of Ilorin, who were arraigned on different charges ranging from indiscriminate disposal of refuse, encroachment, and illegal scavenging, pleaded guilty to the offences. Abdulkareem sentenced the defendants to three months imprisonment each, with an option of a N50,000 fine, in line with the provisions of Section 5 subsection 1–4 of the State Environmental Law. Thirty-one of the defendants were arrested for indiscriminate disposal…

Famous Nigeria music executive, Paulo Okoye has announced Burna Boy as Nigeria’s wealthiest musician as he raked in a whopping $80 million in 2023 alone. Okoye made this revelation while speaking with popular podcaster, Daddy Freeze during an Instagram live session.  “The only person that is making money in Nigeria is Burna Boy. He made at least $80 to $100 million four years ago. Burna Boy is the richest. “Burna Boy is on another level. The good thing about him is that he has a very small unit of people. His mother, sister and among others in his team are…

Former U-23 Eagles captain, Azubuike Okechukwu has sealed a move to Turkish second division club, Erzurumspor. Okechukwu, former Bayelsa United star, was on the books of another Turkish club, Caykur Rizespor, last season. The 27-year-old midfielder, who is presently training with the team pending his official unveiling, made 13 league appearances for Rizespor last season. Okechukwu has spent most of his professional career in Turkey. He has previously played for clubs in Turkey, including Yeni Malatyaspor, Istanbul Basaksehir and Sivasspor. The player made one appearance for Nigeria at the international level.

Kidnapped Nigerian Afro pop singer, Emuemu Oghala Goodnews, popularly known as Gnewzy, has revealed that he paid sum of $200,000 for his release from Kidnappers’s den. Thegazellenews.com recalls Gnewzy was abducted in April 2024, along Eklat road in Ughelli, Delta state while Obas9ice, his manager and brother, narrowly escaped being kidnap. The abductors contacted Dilly Umenyiora, his record label’s CEO, via mail demanding a $200,000 ransom. The singer was released on May 3. However, narrating his ordeal during an interview with HipTV, Gnewzy revealed that $200,000 was paid for his freedom, just as he also disclosed that his abductors were dressed…

Gunmen have kidnapped the Commissioner for Youths Development in Anambra State, Hon Patrick Aghamba and his wife. Sources said an aide of the Commissioner, whose name was given as Mr ABK Offiah, was killed in the process. It was learnt that they were travelling to Abuja, when they were kidnapped. They were said to be on their way to attend the wedding of the daughter of the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Adaora, who had her traditional wedding last weekend when the incident occurred.

Operatives of the Special Tactical Squad have arrested 30-year-old woman identified as Hauwa Yusuf, for allegedly hiding one AK-47 rifle and four AK magazines inside a sack of garri. The woman was arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway during a stop-and-search operation. Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi,  made this disclosure while parading suspects at the STS headquarters in Abuja on Friday, 16 August, 2024. “Yusuf confessed that a notorious bandit terrorising Katsina State, Aminu Basullube, sent her to take delivery of the arms in the Danum Madam Camp area of the state,” he said. Adejobi said that on Wednesday, 14 August, 2024, acting on intelligence,…

At least 54 corps members from University of Calabar (UNICAL) have been demobilised and will be prosecuted by the NYSC management. Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, made this disclosure through a statement issued by Director, Information and Public Relations of the service, Eddy Megwavowed. Ahmed, who vowed that all illegally mobilised corps members from the university would be prosecuted, added that 19 among them who initially registered online for mobilisation had been prevented from service, while four Certificates of National Service for other culprits were not produced by the scheme. This is coming on the…

We have read various media accounts of the above in both the print and social media. We have also read and align with the very appropriate responses from Ogun State and the Federal Governments. At different levels, Government is a continuum and the various segments of events leading to this unfortunate situation occurred before, during and after our administration. Our administration assumed office on 29 May, 2011. Very shortly after we took office, two different sets of Chinese companies, Messrs China Africa Investment FXE and Zhongfu International Investment FXE laid claims to Management rights over the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade…

Senator Shehu Buba Umar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the withdrawal of his chieftaincy title of Mujaddadin Bauchi for allegedly insulting the state Governor Bala Mohammed.In a letter addressed to the Emir of Bauchi, Senate Committee Chairman of National Security and Intelligence, expressed his shock at the decision, noting that he adheres to a policy of constructive criticism, refraining from the use of insulting or abusive language.Umar said his response to Bala’s “disparaging comments about President Bola Tinubu” was aimed at defending the Nigerian leader against what he perceived as “calculated attempts to tarnish his reputation…

The Federal Government has began moves aimed at protecting the nation’s critical power infrastructure as it ramps efforts towards providing quality, stable and affordable electricity to Nigerians. Speaking on Wednesday, 14 August, 2024, while receiving members of the Civil-Military Committee on Energy Security, in his office, Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu said the issue of vandalism has been a major concern to the Federal Government, particularly on critical national assets, adding that the matter is being handled with all the seriousness it deserves. He challenged Nigerians to take ownership of such national assets as continous debasing of such national…

In its continued effort towards providing regular, quality  electricity to businesses and households in the country, the Federal Government has secured the backings of the  United State to Nigeria’s solar power project. This support was disclosed by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Richard Mills during a meeting with the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu in Abuja on Wednesday, 14 August, 2024. The solar project will see Sun Africa LLC, an American company in the forefront of the push to meet Africa’s energy needs, providing vital power infrastructure to Nigeria. Mills said his visit to the Power ministry…

Oyo State Acting Governor, Barr. Bayo Lawal, has advised practitioners in the outdoor communication industry to uphold the standard of professionalism and compliance in their operations. Lawal gave this charge on Friday, 16 August, 2024, during the 39th edition of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Out of Home Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), with the theme: ‘Redefining OOH Media in Nigeria: The Practice, the Business and Value Creation,’ held at De-Signature Hotels and Towers, Jericho, Ibadan. He noted that the out of home advertising industry plays a critical role in shaping the visual landscape of the state, noting…

The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to some unsubstantiated claims in a section of the media suggesting that the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Commission has been hacked and hijacked by unknown individuals. The Commission wishes to categorically state that these claims are false and misleading. Contrary to such unfounded claims, the Commission’s official X account has not been compromised in any way. While attempting to update certain information on the Commission’s biography on the app, a technical glitch occurred. This issue was promptly reported to the X Support Team and…

Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State came alive on Friday, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu inaugurated a twin housing project in the council. The Governor formally commissioned 170-unit Raymond Estate and Sterling Heights delivered by the council chairman, Hon. Dele Oshinowo, to regenerate and urbanise Ajelogo — a notorious slum situated in the heart of the council known for its high crime rate. The schemes, achieved through a Joint Venture Partnership with a private developer, has further bridged the housing deficit, as 170 families living in the LCDA would have opportunities to benefit and live in decent accommodation.…