Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Kano State Police Command has disclosed that it has deployed operatives at flashpoints in and around Kano metropolis in a bid to tackle potential security threats. The state Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday, 29 May, 2024 in Kano. Equipped and armed personnel have been deployed to handle any unforeseen circumstances around the identified areas. ”The state government’s order banning all protests would be strictly enforced with vigor,” he said, adding that anyone found participating would be arrested and prosecuted. The CP…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun has disclosed that Federal Government has restarted the provision of conditional direct N75,000 cash transfers to 75 million Nigerians to tackle the impact of inflation. Edun, who disclosed this on Tuesday, 28 May, 2024 at a ministerial briefing to mark the first year in office of the President Bola Tinubu administration in Abuja, added that the beneficiaries of the social investment scheme are 15 million households nationwide. He explained that the cash transfer will improve the living standard of Nigerians in the immediate term. Edun, who is the Chairman of the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have killed at least 15 fishermen and left many others wounded in an attack on Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. It was learnt the attack occurred on late in the night of Sunday, 26 May, 2024, when the fishermen were preparing for night fishing at the Tumbun Rogo Kangarwa Ward in Kukawa LGA on the fringes of Lake Chad. According to a source, the ISWAP fighters stormed the area and rounded up the fishermen, arranging them before opening fire on them. “They came and opened fire on…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has disclosed that the components of Operations Hadarin Daji and Hadin Kai have eliminated 30 terrorists in air strikes in their hideouts in Katsina and Borno. The Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday, 29 May, 2024 in Abuja. Gabkwet said the air strikes undertaken by the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji in North West on May 27, eliminated several terrorists loyal to a notorious terrorist kingpin known as Babura. According to him, the strikes were conducted around Bakai, times…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A Lagos State pilgrim, Idris Oloshogbo, has died in Makkah, Saudi Arabia after eating his evening food. The Secretary, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Saheed Onipede, made the announcement in a statement through the agency spokesperson, Taofeek Lawal, on Wednesday, 29 May, 2024. Onipede said the 68-year-old deceased from Somolu Local Government, died while eating his food in the evening (after Solat Maghrib). Oloshogbo was confirmed dead by medical experts in the country shortly after returning from Tawaf (circumambulation) of the Holy Kaaba in Makkah. Onipede stressed that, while the cause of his death was yet…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Federal Government has pledged to give more support to local airline operators to create an enabling environment and ease of operations. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Festus Keyamo, made this pledge while presenting his master card at the ministerial news briefing on the administration of President Bola Tinubu’s sectoral update. The Minister said the government would support and empower all local airline operators, as it did with Air Peace, to enable them to compete with other international airlines. According to him, the government would also facilitate the acquisition of aircraft under dry lease agreement, which…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Popular Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage, has disclosed that when she returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom to pursue her musical career, she was prevented from performing at concerts because her outfit was “too risqué.” Savage revealed that some of her earlier music videos were not aired because they were considered indecent. The ‘Koroba’ hitmaker, who disclosed this in a recent interview with BET, said, “When I first moved back, I would turn up at a show and they would say I can’t perform because my outfit was too risqué. “It was a cultural issue. Even some…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has revealed why his ministry would bypass the electricity distribution company on electricity supply to the country’s airports over rising electricity bills. Keyamo stated this Monday, 27 May, 2024 during the ministerial press briefing in Abuja to mark President Bola Tinubu’s first year in office, noting that the government pays N1 billion electricity bill at Lagos airport alone. The Minister, who said the government was considering N600 million solar energy investment to go off the National grid for electricity supply, added that government would save 30 per cent of the funds paid…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A former governorship candidate in Lagos State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jimi Agbaje, has lost his son, Bunmi. It was gathered that on morning of Tuesday, 28 May, 2024 that the son of the former governorship candidate died in Canada. Bunmi Agbaje , who was said to have died of cardiac arrest, is survived by his parents and two younger siblings. Jimi Agbaje is the Managing Director of JayKay Pharmacy and has extensive interests and investments in the maritime sector. In 2014, he gave the Lagos State governorship position another shot by…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened that it may go on strike if the federal government fails to review its members’ salaries and adequately fund universities. The Chairman of the ASUU Calabar Zone, Comrade Happiness Uduk, made this disclosure during a press conference on Monday, 27 May, 2024. Uduk voiced the concerns on behalf of chairpersons from various universities including Abia State University, Akwa Ibom State University, Ebonyi State University, Federal University Ndufu-Alike, University of Cross River State, University of Calabar, and University of Uyo. According to Uduk, university lecturers’ salaries have not been…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested at least 13 suspects, including four soldiers and an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), over robbery. The suspects allegedly hijacked some food trucks, and diverted them to other locations. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko made the disclosure in a statement issued on Monday, 27 May, 2024. The PPRO noted that the arrests followed a thorough investigation triggered by an initial arrest of suspected burglary in a private warehouse in Elimgbu community, Ohio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state. She said…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Barely a week after the House of Representatives passed a bill seeking the to restore the old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” adopted by Nigeria at independence in 1960 on Thursday, 23 May, 2024, the Senate on Tuesday, 28 May, 2024 did the same. The old anthem was replaced in 1978 with the current one, “Arise O Compatriots.” Last week, the two arms of the National Assembly initiated the legislation to revert to the old anthem. The House passed the bill through first, second and third readings last week, while the Senate referred the bill to…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola,Revenue, Tinubu, disclosed that revenue generation in his Ministry surged by 92 per cent to N242 billion in the first quarter of 2024 compared to Q1 2023. Oyetola , who made this disclosure on Tuesday, 28 May, 2024 at a sectoral briefing to mark President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s anniversary in Abuja, explained that the ministry designed 18-program strategies to achieve the revenue target across its agencies. According to him, revenue generation in agencies, which includes Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency, Nigerian Port Authority, National Inland Waterways, Shippers Council and…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike A Federal High Court in Kano has ordered the eviction of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II from the Kofar Kudu Palace, while a State High Court has restrained the police and other security agencies from carrying out the eviction order. The Federal Court had, on Tuesday, 28 May, 2024 ordered the police to ensure all rights and privileges due to the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero be given to him, as the rightful Emir of Kano. The presiding judge, Justice S. A. Amobeda, who gave the ex parte order, stated that the order was made in the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Super Eagles Striker, Victor Osimhen will miss the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic due to an injury. This was disclosed on the Super Eagles’ official X handle on Tuesday, 28 May, 2024. According to the post, Super Eagles Coach Finidi George has also called up Enugu Rangers’ Kenneth Igboke. The post read, “Camp update: Africa Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen is injured and out for 4 weeks. Super Eagles’ Coach Finidi George has called up Enugu Rangers’ left back Kenneth Igboke for the WC qualifiers against South Africa and…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has disclosed that financial and economic challenges being faced by the current administration are responsible for the delay in appointing ambassadors to foreign countries. Tuggar made this disclosure during the ministerial press briefing on Tuesday, 28 May, 2024 in Abuja. Nigeria has 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates globally. “The whole idea was to stop subsidising consumption and focus on subsidising production. “However, the government has faced various other challenges. When the microeconomic reforms began showing benefits, platforms like Binance and the rise of cryptocurrencies began…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The ruling All Progressives Congress APC) has replied former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his criticism of the current administration’s handling of its ongoing reforms and the situation in Niger Republic. Recall that Obasanjo had knocked President Bola Tinubu’s implementation of the removal of subsidy from petroleum products as well as the floating of naira. In the past few months, the masses have continued to groan over the rising cost of food items and inflation following the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira by the Tinubu government. In a statement made available to journalists…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Organised Labour has rejected a fresh minimum wage proposal by the federal government. Channels Television reports that the Organised Labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress,(NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), rejected the offer of the Federal Government to pay N60,000 as new minimum wage,. It was also gathered that labour had shifted grounds from its N497,000 proposal to N494,000. Channels Television said a prominent member of the Tripartite Committee for the negotiation of a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers revealed that the Federal Government and the Organised Private Sector side of the talks proposed…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Over 100 hoodlums on morning of Monday, 27 May, 2024 attacked the Ipaja police station in Lagos State. The attack led to exchange of gunshots during which some of the hoodlums were reportedly killed. Details of the attack are still sketchy at the time of filing this report as the state police command has yet to comment on the incident. Thegazellenews.com, however, gathered that many reinforcements of police operatives have been deployed to the area. Details shortly….

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Defence Headquarters, on Wednesday, 22 May, 2024 urged the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, to come forward and substantiate his allegations against the military. According to the military high command, Radda, while featuring on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television recently accused the military of aiding and profiting from terrorism in his state. Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, 22 May, 2024, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, said the military would not trade words with the Governor but would encourage him to approach the military high command to substantiate his allegations.…