Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

A former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke on Thursday, 21 November, 2024 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, sought to amend a suit she filed against the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, challenging the final forfeiture of her seized assets. At Thursday’s proceedings, Alison-Madueke, through her counsel, Godwin Iyinbor of Prof Mike Ozekhome’s chambers, told the trial Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo that he had received processes from the anti-graft agency and had filed a further affidavit in response. The lawyer informed the court that they had filed a motion to amend their processes and that the commission…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Osun State has strongly condemned the alleged assassination attempt on the Chairman of the Osun State Transport Management System(OSTMS), Wakeel Nurudeen Iyanda Alowonle. The party in a statement by Sunday Bisi, its chairman, also called for the immediate prosecution of Moses Lohor, the head of the Osun State Police Command Anti-Kidnapping Squad and members of his team for shooting Alowonle late on Monday night. Bisi described the incident as a deliberate escalation of political violence and intimidation orchestrated by thoughtless forces working for the APC. He also noted that the act came immediately after…

As part of its preparation for the 2027 general election, the Labour Party (LP), has launched an initiative to boost grassroots mobilization and empower youth leaders across the country The party stressed unity and collaboration among youths as key to driving the change required to secure the presidency. The Director-General of the LP Directorate of Mobilization and Integration, Marcel Ngogbehei, speaking at the party’s National Youth Leaders Conference on Wednesday, 20 November, 2024 in Abuja, emphasized the critical role of youth leaders in shaping the political landscape. He underscored the significance of grassroots leadership in fostering national unity and bridging…

The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, presided over by Justice Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie has convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters to various jail terms. The Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had arraigned the convicts for criminal impersonation, fraudulent messaging and money laundering. The EFCC made this known via a statement on its X handle on Wednesday, 20 November, 2024. The statement reads in part: “Justice Rosemary Dugbo-Oghoghorie of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State on Monday, November 18, 2024 convicted and sentenced five internet fraudsters…

Building businesses that stand the test of time requires a blend of innovation, unwavering focus, and passion. This was the key takeaway from the latest edition of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Business Series, hosted on Thursday, 21 November, 2024. With the theme: “Profit with Purpose, Business Continuity,” the event which was held at the Tony Elumelu Amphitheatre, UBA House, Marina, Lagos, brought together top industry leaders and entrepreneurs who shared actionable insights and strategies for ensuring business resilience and sustainability in today’s dynamic economic environment. Founder, Terra Kulture, Bolanle Austen-Peters; Chief Executive of Asadtek Group Limited, Ghana, Dr.…

My Lady, my Woman, my Engine Room and Brain Box. Delectably beautiful inside and outside, my great planner, good tenderer and best friend who I greatly love , admire, respect, appreciate and cherish . You are God’s gift to me and with you life has been wonderful, peaceful, blessed, blissful and worth living. Sometimes I look at you and imagine how and where you draw your strength and wisdom from but I am quick to remind myself that God who you serve diligently and honestly is the one who has imbued you with His grace to excel in all fronts.…

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Bridget Omolola Oloworaran as Director General of the National Pension Commission, PENCOM. The confirmation followed the report submitted to the Committee of the Whole by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Cyril Fasuyi Oluwole, stating the nominee had been screened and possessed the pedigree to serve as Director General of the agency. In his report, he said, the nominee possessed the requisite educational qualifications to serve in that capacity, adding that there was no encumbrance to her nomination, even as there was no petition from any quarter against…

A bill seeking to reduce the tenure of the president and governors to a single tenure of 6years has been rejected in the House of Representatives. The bill, sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere from Imo state and 33 other lawmakers on Thursday, 21 November, 2024, also proposed a six-year term for governors and rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones to “ensure equal representation and reduce the desperation and tempo of agitation for the creation of states”. Currently, the 1999 constitution stipulates that a candidate can be elected for a four-year term and can be re-elected for another term, after…

A Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator Simon Ekpa,has been arrested in Finland over alleged involvement in terror-related activities. According to BBC Pidgin, the self-declared Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile was remanded in prison by the Päijät-Häme District Court on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent. Also, according to The Sun, the Central Criminal Police in Finland confirmed the arrest in a statement on its website on Thursday, saying four individuals were arrested on suspicion of terrorist crimes. Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator has been arrested in Finland over alleged involvement in terror-related activities.…

Embattled Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in Anambra State, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, has reacted to his sack by President Bola Tinubu. Odoh said on Thursday, 21 November, 2024 that he will be heading to his office, insisting that he hasn’t committed any crime. Thegazellenews.com reported that Tinubu on Wednesday, 20 November, 2024 approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of UNIZIK. The President also removed Odoh, the new Vice Chancellor, and Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike, the Registrar. However, speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show programme on Thursday,21 November, 2024, the embattled Vice Chancellor said he hasn’t been communicated…

Following the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State in last Saturday’s election, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has said that the outcome was not influenced by the presidency or any other external force. Ganduje, who emphasised that the entire strata of Ondo people voted en masse for the governor across the 18 local government councils, said the victory recorded by the party in 202 out of 203 wards spoke volumes about the level of acceptability of APC in the state. The APC National Chairman stated this on Wednesday, 20 November, 2024 in…

In Calabar Operatives of the Cross River State Police Command have arrested one Mallam Adamu Ibrahim Umaru, a native of Bundugudu LGA of Zamfara State, residing at No. 27 Edem Odo Street, Calabar, has been arrested for allegedly impregnating his own daughter, one Amina. Police personnel of the Zone Six Human Rights Unit, who acted on a petition referred to the team for investigation, arrested Umaru on 15 November, 2024. But Umaru has denied committing the crime when interviewed, saying he could not explain how his daughter got pregnant under his watch having separated from her biological mother years back.…

Operatives of Yobe State Hisbah Board have confiscated and destroyed at least 170 bottles of assorted alcohol worth over N400,000 . It was gathered that the bottles were confiscated at one of the hotels in Gashu’a town, the headquarters of Bade Local Government Area of the state. The Chairman of Bade LGA, Ibrahim Babagana Yurema, who led the destruction, said the bottles were confiscated during a Hisbah patrol at one of the well-known hotels in Gashu’a, saying the council is concerned about the rate at which youth in the area are taken intoxicants and alcohol. Yurema admonished that the consumption…

Nigerian singer, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, is set to make his debut at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2025. Afrobeat star, Seun Kuti will also be returning for the festival. Ghanaian singer, Amaarae and South Africa’s Tyla are the other African artistes billed for the event, according to the recently released digital flier by the organisers. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, commonly known as Coachella is a yearly festival in California, USA, with over 125,000 thousand people in attendance. It is dubbed the world’s biggest music and arts festival. Seun Kuti was the…

The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), has disclosed that terrorist groups are using young girls as sex slaves and suicide missions wreaking havoc in various parts of the country. The centre’s national coordinator, Major-General Adamu Laka, made this disclosure on Wednesday, 20 November, 2024 in Abuja at the launch of a Technical Assistance Project on promotion and support for the rights and needs of victims of terrorism through the implementation of the model legislative provisions. According to him, women, children, and youth have been disproportionately affected over the years. “We have seen children abducted and forcibly trained to fight, young…

Famous Nigerian afrobeats star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has reflected on his life as he added another year. The ‘Omo Baba Olowo’ exponent turned 32 on Thursday,21 November 2024 and he shared some of his thoughts on his new age with fans on X. Davido stated that contrary to what many might think, life has not been all rosy for him, just as he also added that despite the challenges, he was grateful to God and his fans. “Big 32 soon! Omo, God is good. Happy to be alive! My eyes don see shege! But steady my fans dey…

As the date for the commencement of the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged “2024 Gateway Games,” scheduled to take place in Ogun State in early January next year, draws closer, about 12,000 to 15,000 sportsmen and women are expected to participate in the national sports fiesta. The former Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the 2024 National Sports Festival who is the new Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mr. Bukola Olopade, disclosed this after a closed-door meeting with the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and the Chief Executive Officer of Premium Trust Bank, Mr.…

The Ogun State government has described as false and misleading a notice attributed to the Bureau of State Pension inviting the next-of-kin of deceased pensioners to undergo a screening process. A statement by the Permanent Secretary in the Bureau, Mrs. Arinola Adetayo, stated that the notice, purportedly issued by an unnamed individual, was not authorized by the government. Mrs. Adetayo noted that the state government had established a clear official procedure for processing pension claims and disbursing benefits to the next-of-kin of deceased pensioners, adding that the process did not require any forms of screening by unknown individuals or third…

The Ogun State government, on Wednesday, 20 November, 2024, described the allegation leveled against Governor Dapo Abiodun by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 polls in the state, Hon Ladi Adebutu, as the ranting of a drowning man, claiming that the governor could not account for local government funds in the last five years. In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon Kayode Akinmade, the Ogun State government said it was not surprised by the antics of the PDP chieftain, who it noted is currently under investigation by…

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake has stated that the ongoing reforms under the current administration are set to position Nigeria as a global mining hub. Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 2024 Nigeria Mining Week, themed “From Inside Out: Building the Mining Sector to be the Cornerstone of Nigeria’s Economy,” Dr. Alake emphasized that the government’s efforts to sanitize the sector, foster diplomatic relations, and promote investment are positioning Nigeria as a formidable mining nation. Outlining the progress made on his 7-point agenda, the Minister announced that the process to incorporate the Nigeria…