Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has approved the release of N200 million to support about 150 medical doctors to attend a residency programme and obtain a broad range of medical knowledge, basic clinical skills, and supervised experience practising medicine in various fields. Zulum, who is a fellow of the postgraduate medical school, announced the approval on Wednesday in Maiduguri when he received the National Executive Officers of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). Zulum explained that while about 50 medical doctors working with Borno State Government will receive N2 million each, over 100 doctors who are Borno indigenes working with…

Succour is on the way for motorists plying the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway as the contracting firm, Craneburg, has moved to the site to begin the reconstruction of the ever-busy road. The flag-off/turning of the sod for the reconstruction will take place on Friday, 23 August, 2024. It will be performed by the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun. Craneburg started mobilizing its equipment to the site 10 days ago to begin palliative measures in an attempt to make one side of the road motorable, while construction proper begins on the other section. The palliative measures already completed on the road…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Wednesday, 21 August, 2024, visited the Ogun State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commiserate with staff members over the death of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Barrister Niyi Ijalaye. Governor Abiodun, while addressing the staff, noted that Barrister Ijalaye will be fondly remembered for his display of uprightness while he was alive. The governor noted that the Resident Electoral Commissioner lived a life of impact and was an amiable, soft-spoken, and humble gentleman who always ensured that truth prevailed no matter the circumstance. He acknowledged the contribution…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has instituted a N500m soft loan scheme for artisans and traders across the state. The Governor, who announced this at the 2023 International Community Day and World Trade Day celebration held at the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, said the soft loan, which would be tagged “Oko’wo Irinse Dapo,” would be given to traders and artisans within 30 days after modalities had been worked out. Abiodun acknowledged the contributions of traders and artisans to the economic development of the state, adding that his administration would not neglect them, as they had been worthy partners…

Leading ICT company, MTN Nigeria, has further demonstrated its commitment to grassroots sports development by inducting 20 talented athletes into the Making of Champions (MoC) Athletics Academy. The induction took place during a press conference held at MTN Plaza, the company’s headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos. Selected from the top performers in MTN Champs Seasons 1 and 2, they will become the first cohort of Team MTN inducted into the Academy. As part of the company’s partnership with MoC, they will have access to world-class training facilities, expert coaching, and a comprehensive development programme during their one-year residency at the Academy.…

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) and other stakeholders in the anti-corruption sector from the West African countries have advocated for the harmonization of the legal framework (in the fight against corruption), as well as investment in innovative technologies to detect and prevent corrupt practices in the region. They made this appeal at the 6th Annual General Assembly of the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA). In his address at the event, Dr. Aliyu identified corruption as a borderless crime that required concerted efforts of nations. He…

No fewer than 19,691 primary school pupils in Ogun State have been screened into its 42 Flagship Secondary Schools for the 2024/2025 Academic Session. The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, while monitoring the screening examination process in Ijebu-Ode, Ikenne and Sagamu Local Government Areas of the state, expressed satisfaction over the learners and parents’ conduct during the exercise, promising to provide transformational initiatives for smooth academic pursuit. Prof. Arigbabu, accompanied by the Director of Education, Department of Curriculum and Evaluation, Mr. Temitope Lasilo, assured that learners of flagship and other public schools would be in…

EZ37 Solutions Limited, a leading human resource and management consulting firm that provides coaching, learning and development, assessments, HR advisory, public sector solutions, and business and management consulting services, has announced that it will host the virtual International Coaching Expo (ICE) in Nigeria on 10 and 11 October 2024. Themed “Empowering Change Agents: Coaching for Sustainable Impact,” the ICE will bring together experts and practitioners in the coaching industry to explore emerging trends, best practices, and innovative strategies for maximising coaching effectiveness and creating sustainable outcomes. Alongside the conference, there will be a virtual exhibition which displays the latest solutions and tools…

In line with its commitment to supporting youth empowerment and technological innovation, and creating opportunities for Nigerian youths to thrive in the digital economy, Unity Bank Plc recently held a high-impact webinar to explore the role of digital technology in sustainable development. The event drew participants from across Nigeria featuring the Telecommunications, Media and Technology, (TMT) ecosystem including start-ups, players in fintech, content creators, etc. The event featured two Nigerian technology industry leaders including Mr. Gbolahan Salami, Senior Vice President, Growth, Product, and Strategy at WakaNow, and Mr. Micheal Ogundare, who is the CEO and Co-founder of Crop2Cash. Both speakers shared insightful…

A 72-year-old Ohio man has been taken into custody twenty years after he was charged in a 2004 shooting death, and allegedly fled the country. Antonio Riano, 72, has been on Ohio’s “Most Wanted” list for 20 years now, since the 2004 shooting death of Benjamin Becarra, 25. Riano’s story was told on TV’s America’s Most Wanted in 2005 but he continued to evade law enforcement for nearly two more decades, even as he worked as one of them. On August 1, 2024, Riano was finally arrested and taken in after US Marshals reported finding him working as a police…

A teenage resident in Osogbo, Osun State, (name withheld), has accused a clergy also based in the town, simply identified as Femi, said to be her stepfather, of putting her in the family way at the age of 13. The victim, aged 16, had approached a Non-Governmental Organisation, the World Institute for Peace, to report the matter and seek Alternative Dispute Resolution. She had also claimed in an affidavit, sworn to at the Osun State Ministry of Justice, that after her stepfather impregnated her, the pregnancy was aborted. She further said during a meeting held with the officials of the…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a significant increase in remittance inflows, reaching $553m in July 2024. It said the amount is a 130 per cent increase from the corresponding period in 2023. A statement by the Apex Bank’s acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Ali on Tuesday, 20 August, 2024, noted that the figure represented the highest monthly total inflows on record and reflects ongoing efforts by the CBN to enhance liquidity in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market. The statement read, “The CBN has reported a significant increase in remittance inflows, reaching $553 million in July 2024, a…

The Police Command in Lagos State has confirmed the death A 58-year-old man (name undisclosed) has been confirmed death after embarking on a 19-day fast The Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday, 20 August, 2024 in Lagos. Hundeyin, who said that the sad incident happened in the Alagbado axis of the state on Monday, 19 August, 2024 at about 6:00 am, said the deceased younger brother, whose name was not also mentioned, reported the incident at the Alagbado Police Division at about 7 pm on Monday. According…

A Nigerian man, identified as Yomi Olayeye has been arrested and charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, and identity theft for his alleged role in a $10 million pandemic unemployment assistance fraud scheme in the United States. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts under the Department of Justice revealed this in a statement posted on its website on Monday, 19 August, 2024. The statement read, “A Nigerian man was arrested on Aug. 13, 2024 upon arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on charges that he and other conspired to fraudulently obtain at…

Months after a mine collapsed in Shiroro, Niger State, resulting in the death of scores of miners, another mine collapsed in the Paikoro, killing two siblings. Two brothers identified as Zubairu Ibrahim, 20, and Sadiq Ibrahim, 25, have died when the mine collapsed in Kakaki village in the Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State. The death of the brothers came months after a mine collapsed in Shiroro, Niger State, resulting in the death of scores of miners. The sad incident, it was gathered, occurred on Saturday, 18 August, 2024 when the two brothers were said to have left their…

Nigerian Basketball player, Usman Garuba, has agreed deal with Real Madrid that will see him join the club for the next three seasons, until 30 June 2027. The Spanish club made this disclosure in a statement placed on their website on Tuesday, 20 August, 2024. “Real Madrid C. F. has agreed to a deal with Usman Garuba that will see the player join the club for the next three seasons, until 30 June 2027,” Real Madrid’s statement read in part. Garuba had joined Real Madrid’s youth academy in 2013 and made his made his senior team debut with the Real…

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye has penned a new four year contract extension at Serie A club, Udinese Football Club. Okoye’s contract will now expire in June 30, 2028. The new contract brings an end to speculations surrounding his future at the club. The goalkeeper arrived Friuli from Sky Bet Championship club, Watford in 2023. The 23-year-old earned a leading role during the past season, demonstrating a high standard of performance that made him one of the best performing goalkeepers in the Italian top-flight. Okoye made 22 league appearances for the Zebras last season.

A Kano Magistrate Court sitting in the No-man’s-land area of Sabon Gari presided over by Hajara Safiyyu Garba, has ordered the remand of a chemist identified as Manniru Ibrahim Fanisa, for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl to death. Fanisa, is accused of raping the deceased, Rumaisa Sadiq, when she was brought to him for malaria treatment. According to the State Counsel, Barrister Zainab Aliko, the young girl died as a result of the rape incident.However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to two count charges of rape and homicide contravening sections 283 and 221 of Penal Code Law. The presiding judge,…

Amid the mounting controversy, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has clarified that it has not paid fuel subsidies to anybody in the last nine years. Chief Financial Officer of the company, Alhaji Umar Ajiya made the clarifications on Monday, 19 August, 2024 in Abuja. Ajiya clarification comes amid reports that the country is still paying fuel subsidies despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government announcement of its removal in May 2023. However, Ajiya said the NNPCL was only taking care of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) importation shortfalls between the company and the federation. “In the last eight to nine…

The Federal Government on Monday, 19 August, 2024 announced that it has allocated N205 billion from the N1.3 trillion debt owed to Generation Companies (Gencos) to enhance liquidity within the power sector. The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed this in a statement after an oversight visit from the House of Representatives Committee on Power. Adelabu highlighted that the significant enhancement in electricity availability in certain regions of the country was not coincidental, but rather a result of the proactive measures undertaken by the Bola Tinubu administration. “In terms of markets and liquidity, the government also owes these companies, but…