Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

Nigeria’s revenue from Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on passenger transportation grew by 53.14 percent to hit N1.69 billion in the second quarter of 2024, compared to the N1.10bn recorded in the corresponding quarter last year. The National Bureau of Statistics(NBS) made this disclosure in its rail transportation data for Q2, 2024. In Q2, 2024 a total of 689,263 passengers travelled via rail system, relative to 474,117 reported in the corresponding quarter of 2023. Similarly, N537.36 million was collected from goods/cargo conveyed via rail in Q2 2024, up by 206.68 percent from N175.22 million received in Q2 2023. In addition, revenue…

Things are looking good for the Nigeria’s economy as its external reserves, which represent the country’s stock of foreign currency, have reached a 22-month high of $37.39 billion as of September 19, 2024. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed that as of 19 September, 2024, the reserves hit the highest level since November 4, 2022, when it stood at $37.36 billion. On a year-to-date basis, the country’s external reserves rose by $4.37 billion from $33.02 billion recorded at the start of the year on January 2, 2024. The development showed a recovery in Nigeria’s foreign currency position…

Former President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, 22 September, 2024 joined in congratulating the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the party’s governor-elect in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo. Buhari, who spoke through his media aide, Garba Shehu, said he was hopeful that “this prized, historic electoral victory” will enable both leaders of the incoming administration and the party that lost to work together to strengthen democracy and maintain the trajectory of the state’s development. “Congratulations to the APC and the election winner, Senator Monday Okpebholo on the historic electoral victory and my warmest wishes for a new lease of life for…

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje is presently in a happy mood as Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed a suit seeking his removal from office The suit instituted against Ganduje by the APC North Central Group was thrown out on Monday, 23 September, 2024 by the Judge on various grounds. Among others, Justice Ekwo held that the APC North Central Group is not a juristic person having not been registered in law and therefore has no legal power and capacity to file the suit. The Judge also…

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has congratulated Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his emergence as the winner of the just concluded Governorship election in Edo State. Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to beat his closest opponent, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) who scored 247,274 votes in the 21 September, 2024 governorship election results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on the evening of Sunday, 22 September, 2024. Governor Oyebanji, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, made available to newsmen on Monday,23 September, 2024 hailed the people…

Tragedy occurred in the morning of Monday, 23 September, 2024 as four members of the same family, including two young children, were killed in a gas explosion that caused their home to partially collapse in southern Italy. The tragedy occurred in the town of Saviano, near Naples, where a two-storey house was destroyed by the blast early on Monday, 23 September, 2024. The victims include a boy and a girl, their mother, and their grandmother. Italian firefighters, the Vigili del Fuoco, said the father and a newborn baby were rescued alive from the rubble. The father remains in serious condition…

Tragedy occurred on Sunday, 22 December, 2024 as Hippopotamus killed Malam Usman Maigadi, a guard at Orchard Farm owned by the Emir of Yauri, Dr Muhammad Zayyanu-Abdullahi, According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the animal may have perceived the deceased as coming to harm its baby, hence the attack in self-defense. The 60-year-old deceased was attacked on Sunday, 23 September, 2024 by the animal while fishing in Yauri River at Tillo Village in Yauri Local Government in Kebbi State. The Chairman of the Local Government, Alhaji Abubakar Shu’aibu, said Maigadi has been buried according Islamic rites in Yauri, after…

Collation of results of Edo Governorship election has resumed with All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo coasting to victory in the Edo State governorship election as he has won 11 out of the 17 Local Government Areas results announced so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday, 22 September, 2024. According to the results from 17 out of 18 LGAs announced by the Returning Officer, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, APC is leading by 275,329 votes while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, follows with 220,892. The Labour…

Reigning English Premier League (EPL) champions, Manchester City on Saturday, 22 September, 2024 moved top of the table after playing a 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Ethihad Stadium. Erling Haaland put Man City in front in the 9th minute and Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori restored parity for the visitors a few minutes later. Gabriel Magalhães then gave Mikel Arteta’s side the lead just before the halftime. Leandro Trossard did get a red card during the encounter. But a late stoppage time goal from John Stones ensured both teams got a point each. The result means Man City are now top of…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it has temporarily withdrawn the Monetary, Credit, Foreign Trade, And Exchange Policy Guidelines For Fiscal Years 2024 – 2025 document published on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. The apex bank said the revocation of the document is to minimise risks of any further misrepresentation or misinterpretation, resulting in confusion among stakeholders CBN also disclosed this in a new statement published on its website on Friday, 20 September, 2024.The new release was, however, not signed by any CBN official. On Tuesday, 17 September, 2024,excerpts of the policy documents stated that the Bank will sustain its…

The Kano State Judicial Service Commission has suspended a Court Registrar of the Shari’a court Department, Jamilu Ibrahim along with other syndicates found to have received illegal funds emanating from a write of possession that was fraudulently obtained in order to sell two plots of land. The Public Relations Officer, Kano Judiciary, Jibo Ibrahim, who made this disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday, 20 September, 2024, said the Commission took the decision in its 75th meeting held on September 12, 2024. According to Ibrahim, following the findings of the investigative committee set up by the JSC…

Governor Bassey Otu has granted assent to the amended Cross River Electoral Law passed by the State House of Assembly which stipulated a four-year tenure for elected Local Government officials. Signing the amended Law on Thursday, 19 September,2024 in Calabar, the state Capital, Otu stated, “Let me thank Mr Speaker and members of the House of Assembly, and of course, our own Electoral Commission for making sure that we have an up-to-date act that is ready to put the third tier of government into office.” The amendment by the House of Assembly was necessitated by the Supreme Court’s verdict granting…

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has stated that he was elected into office to provide good governance to the people, not just to a few individuals who consider themselves bigwigs in the state. The Governor made this statement while briefing state house correspondents shortly after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, 19 September, 2024 in Abuja. Alia, who said he was at the State House to brief the President on the affairs of Benue State, especially the security and ecological situation in the state, added that the poor masses are the backbone of democracy, who…

French D’Arkema outfit, Nantes have announced the signing of Super Falcons forward, Chinaza Uchendu.Uchendu joined the Canaries from Turkish League Champions, Galatasaray. The 26-year-old struggled for regular playing time at Galatasaray last season making just five league appearances. The striker is, however, looking forward to a successful spell in France. “I am happy to join the FC Nantes club. I will discover this championship, which I know almost nothing about,” she told the club’s official website. “But this is not the first time I have come to France. I took part in the World Cup in 2019 (Nigeria was eliminated…

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), of deliberately frustrating opposition parties’ efforts in the upcoming local government elections, scheduled for 22 February, 2025. This allegation is coming following revelations by the Commission, which the APC claimed undermined their candidates’ chances in the election. Recall that OSSIEC had raised concerns over the improper nomination of candidates by three political parties. OSSIEC revealed that the political parties affected are: APC, Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and Action Peoples Party (APP). The OSSIEC Chairman, Hasheem Abioye, while presenting the report of…

One of Nigeria’s leading soap and other household items manufacturer, PZ Cussons Nigeria, has said that it has yet to receive any information from its parent company on plans to sell its African subsidiaries. This was made known in a statement released on Thursday, 19 September, 2024 on the website of the company’s secretary, ALSEC Nominees Limited. The development comes as PZ Cussons International on Wednesday, 18 September, 2024 hinted at plans to sell its African business, stating that it has received several expressions of interest. The position was contained in a statement revealing its First Half Financial standing which…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has denied reinstating the cybersecurity levy that was previously suspended. Recall that the Apex Bank had suspended the enactment of the cybersecurity levy following a decision by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). In a notice in May, the CBN mandated all banks in Nigeria to collect and remit a 0.5 percent cyber security levy to the Office of the National Security Adviser. However, the Federal Government ordered the suspension of the levy amid outrage from citizens. Despite the suspension, there have been reports of the Apex Bank reintroducing the levy. The CBN’s denial was…

As part of measures to address herder/farmer clashes and ensure seamless farming activities across Delta State, the State Government has announced the recruitment of 120 State Livestock Management Officers The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Val Arenyeka, made this disclosure on Thursday, 19 September, 2o24 in Asaba, the state capital while urging newsmen to engage in farming to bridge the hunger gap and enhance food security in the country. Arenyeka explained that issues of criminality and the herder/farmer crisis fall within the remit of the Federal Government, adding, “As a state, we initially recruited 50 SLMOs and…

The Sokoto State Government has accused the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of sponsoring a campaign of lies to distract and derail the administration of Governor Ahmed Aliyu. A statement issued by Abubakar Bawa, his Chief Press Secretary, noted that the orchestrated campaign is targeted at hindering the constructive engagement with the good people of Sokoto State through the delivery of good governance by the governor. According to Bawa, ordinarily, the state government would not have honored PDP with a response, but given the fact that the Governor Aliyu administration is accountable to the people of Sokoto…

A 53-year-old man, named Bala Osoro, has narrated how he lured and sexually abused a 12-year-old pupil after threatening her with a knife. Osoro, a livestock dealer and resident of Ungwar-Kura street in Lokoja LGA of Kogi State, admitted he raped the minor while narrating his sadistic act to the operatives of Kogi State Vigilante Service. “I saw her in front of my house when I called her to help me fetch water from a well. Having fetched the water, I lured her into my room where I had sex with her. The devil lured me into the act. “I…