Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has asked the patriarch of Igbinedion family, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, to forgive him, saying without the Esama of Benin, he could not have been elected governor of Edo State. He was to take over from Lucky, the eldest son of Igbinedion, who was Governor between 1999 and 2007 but Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, who was a senator between 1999 and 2007, defeated him in the controversial election, which was contested in court and Oshiomhole who ran under the platform of Action Congress (AC) was declared winner after a year. Pa Igbinedion, who had a cold war with Osunbor,…

Nigeria’s junior D’Tigress suffered a 76-56 loss to Mali in the final of the FIBA U-18 Women’s Afrobasket final on the night of Saturday, 14 September, 2024. Oummou Koumare, who was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament, put up a massive 31 points, four rebounds, and five steals against Nigeria. Despite a strong start with a 5-0 run, the Nigerians struggled to keep up with the dominant Malian side. Mali won all four quarters, taking the first 11-8, the second 18-15, the third 24-19, and the fourth quarter with a commanding 23-14. The Malians excelled in the…

Famous Nollywood actress, Eniola Badmus, has praised the Nigerian economy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying that the country’s imports are decreasing while exports are increasing, indicating an expanding economy. The actress emphasised that Nigeria, under Tinubu, has made unprecedented progress in trade, highlighting a shift from consumption to production. “Our imports are reducing, and our exports are increasing. That is a sign that our economy is expanding. “For the year-to-date 2024, our imports were N24.44 trillion, while our exports stood at N38.59 trillion. This gives us an unprecedented trade surplus of over N14 trillion in just eight months. “It…

Residents of Gunmi town in Zamfara State are presently in a mourning mood after at least 40 people lost their lives in a boat mishap that occurred in the town in the early hours of Saturday, 14 September, 2024. According to a local, Musa Ahmed, the deceased were going to their farms in the early hours of Saturday when the boat they were in capsized and sank into the river. Ahmed, who said that the Emir of Gummi, Justice Lawal Hassan, (rtd) had sent a condolence message to the families of the boat mishap victims, disclosed that there were 53…

As part of measures at reducing the cost of transportation following the increase in pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as fuel, the Federal Government has commenced the conversion of 150 commercial vehicles free of charge in Kaduna State. According to the Coordinator, Logistics and Supply chain of the initiative, Thomos Ayu, while speaking at the distribution of the kits, the conversion kits will be distributed and installed for free to commercial vehicles in Zaria, Peugeot Kakuri, and Royal Energies in Kakau. Ayu, who that the aim is to distribute the 10,0000 conversion kits to ensure that the…

The Department of State Services, DSS, released former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore shortly after he was picked up. The Activist was arrested by operatives of the secret police at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos on Sunday, 15 September, 2024 shortly after his arrival. On Saturday,14 September, 2024 the activist had raised an alarm over a plot by security agencies to pick him up and frame him. “Yeah! All around in my home town, they’re tryin’ to track me down, yeah! They say they want to bring me in guilty,” Sowore had said.…

Villagers in one of the villages in Rwanda have been left stunned with the decision of of twin brothers to marry the same woman. The decision by twin brothers to marry one woman has left many villagers in disbelief. Their marriage journey started when the lady, Mary Josiane, was dating one of the twin brothers. Josiane said while dating she never knew her boyfriend had a twin brother and the boyfriend never told her about his twin brother. Also, she never met them together. One day, as she was on her dating date, Josiane met the other twin and she…

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called for the adoption of best practices in the governance of polytechnics, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and unity. The immediate past and two terms Chairman of Governing Council of Yaba College of Technology made the call at a retreat organized by the College for its governing council members and management team. The retreat, themed “Consolidating the Past and Shaping the Future,” marked an opportunity for members of the newly inaugurated Governing Council to reflect on the institution’s progress and develop strategies for future success. Fagbemi, who served…

The United Nations (UN) has pro used to support the Borno State government in rescuing and assisting people trapped by the severe flood that devastated the state capital Maiduguri and its environs. Mohammed Malik Fall, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, made the announcement in Maiduguri on Saturday, while paying an assessment visit to the areas affected by flood. Fall emphasised that the visit was aimed at gathering first-hand information on the flood victims and determining their immediate and long-term needs. He disclosed that the floods have claimed the lives of 37 people, with 58 others hospitalised due to injuries…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested an Ibadan-based businesswoman, Mrs. Adewunmi Adebola and an auto parts dealer, Arinze Ora over attempts to export consignments of opioids and cocaine to London, United Kingdom and Congo Brazzaville respectively. A statement on Sunday, 15 September, 2024, by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said officers of the anti-narcotics agency at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos had on Friday 6th September 2024 intercepted a cargo going to the United Kingdom, adding that a thorough search of the consignment revealed 924 bottles of codeine-based…

The Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has announced the donation of N2 billion to assist those affected by the recent devastating flood in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Dangote explained that while the Presidential Committee on Flood and Disaster, which he chairs, has committed N1 billion, the Dangote Foundation will donate an additional N1 billion. Dangote said: “We have a Presidential Committee on Flood and Disaster which I chair. They have already committed about 1 billion, and the Aliko Dangote Foundation will also give another 1 billion. We will definitely give this two billion as early…

Officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency are currently attending to a fire outbreak at the Oko Baba plank market in the Ebute Metta area of the state. An X user, Adedeji Olalekan, tweeting as #Stylomedia, disclosed on Sunday, 15 September, 2024 that the fire also affected the shanties in the market. “Okobaba Street is on fire now, all the shanties are burning,” he tweeted, Confirming the incident in a terse message on WhatsApp, LASEMA’s spokesperson, Nosa Okunbor, said emergency responders are at the scene carrying out a search and rescue operation. Okunbor…

The Lagos State Government has devised a comprehensive traffic management strategy to guarantee free traffic flow along the Lekki-Ajah corridor ahead of the Dangote refinery’s commencement of operations, distribution and lifting of refined petrol to outlets on Sunday, 15 September, 2024. The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, Sola Giwa, stated this in a statement issued on Saturday, 14 September, 2024 to reaffirm the state government’s commitment to safeguarding citizens’ welfare and maintaining orderly traffic. Giwa confirmed that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has been fortified with state-of-the-art equipment and trained personnel to be strategically deployed to oversee…

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on youths in the state to key into entrepreneurship and business as against looking for white-collar jobs. Sultan Abubakar stated this on Saturday, 14 September, 2024 in his goodwill message during the one-day capacity-building workshop for members of the Sokoto Professional Network. Represented by the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Muhammad Jabi, Abubakar urged the participants to ensure they put the lecture to use. “Let me call on all our youths to embrace entrepreneurship and be a contributor to the economy of the country and not to expect government to contribute…

Nigerian commercial banks have lost a total sum of N42.6bn to fraud and forgeries over a three-month period from April to June this year, a new report has stated. The amount lost in the second quarter of 2024 alone exceeded the total amount lost to fraud by the banks throughout the entire year of 2023. In 2023, the banks lost a total of N9.4bn. This was revealed by the Financial Institutions Training Centre in its Q2 2024 Fraud and Forgeries report released on Saturday, 14 September, 2024 highlighting a surge in fraudulent activities across banking platforms. The FITC report is…

The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has announced that the next phase of recruitment into the Federal Fire Service would begin on September 15. The board’s Secretary, Ja’afaru Ahmed, who made the announcement in Abuja on Saturday, 14 September, 2024, warned Nigerians against payment for the recruitment. The statement read, “The next phase of the Federal Fire Service recruitment 3xercise would commence on September 15, 2024 as the portals opened immediately. “Shortlisted candidates would be sent invitation letters detailing where they are to appear for physical screening, certificate verification as well as aptitude test through the phone numbers and…

The Federal Government has urged on state governments to actively participate in the country’s energy transition efforts, with particular focus on the development of Compressed Natural Gas infrastructure. This appeal was made by the Programme Director of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi, during a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, 14 September, 2024. Oluwagbemi, who emphasised the critical role states must play in realising President Bola Tinubu’s energy transition agenda, explained that state governments, being direct beneficiaries of revenue from improved transportation and energy policies, should lead by example in investing in CNG infrastructure. “I cannot emphasise enough…

A suspected vandal has been electrocuted while tampering with an exposed live wire in an attempt to steal it from a transformer substation at Commissioners’ Quarters in Damaturu, the Yobe capital. The Communications Officer, Yola Electricity Distribution Company, Blessing Tunoh, made this known in a statement issued in Yola on Saturday, 14 September, 2024 Tunoh said that the company’s Regional Manager, Operations, visited the scene alongside the Maintenance Officer, after receiving the report of the incident. The company spokesperson said that the suspect’s body was evacuated from the substation by the Damaturu police patrol team codenamed: “Operation Haba Maza,” and…

Ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, former Edo North Senator, Francis Alimikhena, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the All Progressives Congress(APC). A chieftain of the APC in the Etsako West Local Government Area, Zibiri Muhammed, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Saturday. He said, “Yes, Senator Alimikhena is now a member of the APC. So, he has joined the APC and will officially decamp today. “Alimikhena would be received by the National Chairman of our party, Abdullahi Ganduje, at our grand finale rally at the UNIBEN sports complex.” Muhammed said the former senator…

The Federal Government has committed to funding the revenue gap caused by the difference between the cost-reflective tariffs and the actual tariffs paid by customers of Kano Electricity Distribution Company. This was outlined in a September 2024 Supplementary Order issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission under the Multi-Year Tariff Order framework for KEDCO released on Thursday, 12 September, 2024. The supplementary order, effective from 1September, 2024, seeks to address the financial imbalances that have arisen due to external factors such as exchange rate fluctuations and inflation. “The FGN policy on subsidy and electricity tariffs provides for a gradual transition…