Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has denied the claims by the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, that some officials of the NNPC have blending plants in Malta. Kyari, who stated on Tuesday, 23 July, 2024 while reacting to claim made by Dangote, said he does not own a blending plant outside Nigeria. Amid the crisis surrounding his $20bn refinery, Dangote had said: “Some of the terminals, some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened blending plants somewhere off Malta. We all know these areas. We know…

The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi has pledged that the Agency will continue to develop new strategies, expand cooperation, and foster more collaboration to keep pace with the evolving trends in human trafficking. She gave the commitment in Abuja while unveiling the activities planned for the 2024 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, themed “Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons”. The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2013 to be observed annually on…

A two week development camp opened in Abuja for the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Youth League All-stars. The 30 players who arrived camp on Sunday, July 21 and are staying at the Goodluck Jonthan Athletes Performance Hostel inside the FIFA Goal Project of the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. They are made up of seven players from the NPFL Champions, Rangers International Youth Team, six from the NPFL Runners-up and Remo Stars Youth Team, five from winners of the maiden NPFL U17 Youth League, Rivers United. The rest are four from Plateau United and Katsina United, two from…

Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, a former National Organizing Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC). Mustapha, an ex-head of civil service in Kaduna, was received into his new party by the state APC Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Kawu Ibrahim Yakasai, and Secretary to Kaduna State Government, Dr Abdulkadir Mu’azu Meyere, at an event in his hometown Gubuchi, Makarfi local government area of Kaduna. Mustapha, who had earlier communicated his official resignation to the PDP chairman of Gubuchi ward in Makarfi LGA, said his action was based on personal reasons. He, however, applauded the party…

By Olowu Kuta  I am very proud, as I always do home and abroad, to call myself a citizen of Nigeria, the blessed land of my forebears. From the bottom of my heart, I pledge to continue to be proud of Nigeria, come rain, come shine because there is no other place on this planet earth to be called my natural home other than here.  I am also happy to say that my antecedent before and after I ascended to the throne of my ancestors as the 13th Olowu of Kuta in September 2012, has not contrasted my love for…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday, 22 July, 2024 disclosed that plans are underway by the parliament to enact laws that would boost funding for agricultural activities to achieve the national goal of food security. Describing the fate of crude oil as uncertain, the speaker emphasised the importance of diversifying the nation’s economy, particularly in respect to agriculture. Speaker Abbas made these remarks on Monday, 22 July, 2024 at “The ‘Second Interactive Session and Workshop on Developing Bankable Business/Proposal Business Plans for Youth and Women in Agriculture,” organised by the African Development Bank Group, in…

The Federal Government is set to collect over N425bn from seven banks as a one-time windfall tax on their foreign currency revaluation gains for the 2023 financial year. On Wednesday, 17 July, 2024, the Senate approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to amend the Finance Act to impose a one-time windfall tax on banks’ foreign exchange profits in 2023. A windfall tax is a higher tax levied by the government on sectors or businesses that have disproportionately benefited from favourable market conditions. Findings by The PUNCH from the annual reports of the financial institutions filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited showed…

In a rare instance of gun violence in the Balkan country, a gunman opened fire in a nursing home in Croatia on Monday,22 July, 2024 killing at least five people, state media reported. State broadcaster HRT said an unidentified gunman entered a nursing home in Daruvar -some 130 kilometres (80 miles) east of Zagreb – and opened fire. At least five were killed and several others wounded during the shooting, HRT said. The outlet said the alleged suspect then fled but was later arrested by police. Croatian newspaper, Jutarnji list described the alleged shooter as a “war veteran” who killed…

Operatives of the the Ondo State Police Command have rescued all the Corps members kidnapped by bandits along the Benin-Owo Expressway. The kidnappers, numbering about 15, armed with AK-47 rifles, were said to have accosted the Sienna bus conveying the travellers, who include corps members, at about 11 pm on Friday, 19 July, 2024 at Omi Alafa Village in Ifon, Ose LGA, and dragged the victims into the forest. It was gathered that the driver and one traveller sitting in front of the vehicles were shot dead by the bandits. Ondo Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed…

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja presided over Justice A. M. Lamido, on Monday, 22 July, 2024 reaffirmed the nomination of Asue Ighodalo as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), in Edo State. In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Lamido in the suit marked CA/ABJ/CV/642/2024, the appellate court on Monday, 22 July, 2024 threw out an appeal brought by former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu. Recall that Shaibu had challenged the May 27th judgment of Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Federal High Court, which declared Ighodalo as the rightful and duly nominated candidate of the PDP…

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will testify on Tuesday, 30 July, 2024 in a preliminary corruption inquiry into his wife Begona Gomez’s business ties, a Madrid court said Monday, 22 July, 2024, an issue that caused him to consider resigning three months ago. The investigation over alleged corruption and influence peddling has infuriated Sanchez, who has characterised the allegations as an effort to undermine him and his left-wing government. Judge Juan Carlos Peinado will hear Sanchez as a “witness” at his official residence at 11:00 am (0900 GMT) on 30 July, 2024, a court statement said. He will be questioned…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU)Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa as the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). Professor Obafunwa succeeds Professor Babatunde Salako, whose tenure expires on July 23, 2024. Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity in a statement said the appointment of Obafunwa takes effect from July 24, 2024. Professor Obafunwa qualified in medicine from the University of Lagos in 1980, following which he specialized in Anatomic Pathology (morphological study of diseases), graduating in May 1987. He later sub-specialized in Forensic…

Hashiru Baku, alleged mastermind of the murder of late Brigadier General Harold Udokwere (rtd), has been arrested by the police. Daily Trust had reported how the general was killed by armed robbers who invaded his private residence at Sunshine Estate, Abuja, in the wee hours of June 21. Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Commissioner, Benneth Igweh, had paraded the suspected killers two days after the incident. While parading them at the command headquarters in Abuja, he had said two among the robbers were at large and had escaped with the deceased’s pistol. He gave the names of the suspects as…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it allocated at least $13m to counterterrorism efforts in frontline states and to shore up humanitarian efforts in the region. The regional bloc said it is exploring other funding options for its $2.6bn Standby Force. Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of the Heads of State and Government, revealed these as part of a one-year report highlighting the bloc’s achievements and challenges at the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday. A statement by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media…

Operatives of Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 10 suspected illegal miners in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. They were arrested with six trucks fully loaded with lithium. The suspected illegal miners are: Yunusa Adisa, Ganiyu Kazeem, Muideen Babayemi, Sulaiman Usman, Adeleke Waliu, Tiamiyu Rokeeb, Olusola Sunday, Oyedokun Oluwagbemiga, Sulaimon Ishiaq and Olufimihan Eniola. The arrests followed credible intelligence on their suspected involvement in criminal extraction of solid mineral resources in the state, especially lithium and their evacuation to unknown destinations. The suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has announced the appointment of Engr. Chijioke Okwuokenye as the acting Managing Director, with immediate effect. This appointment, which is part of the transformation agenda of the company, will see Engr. Okwuokenye drive the positioning of AEDC as the foremost, customer-focused electricity distribution company in the Nigerian power sector. Prior to his appointment, he served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, where he oversaw strategic support units and embedded generation projects of the company. He brings to the role a wealth of experience and expertise in the power sector, as well as a passion…

The Oba Ìsèse Of Ogun State and Chairman, “Ìsèse Kingdom Of Truth Association Of Nigeria,” Oba Ifarotimi Adifagbola Balogun, has charged Nigerian youths especially in Ogun state to shelve any plan of embarking on another round of protests, saying such a move would be dangerous and counterproductive.Oba Adifagbola Balogun stated this in his palace, Idi-Ori, Abeokuta North LGA, while addressing newsmen, charged the youths with the responsible use of social media in shaping positive narratives about the state and the country at large. Oba Adifagbola Balogun said no Nigerian youth, especially from the South-West part of the country, in his…

The Delta State contingent to the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage have been given an award for good conduct in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The award, which was presented by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was received by the Chairman of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and leader of the delegation, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur. The Saudi Arabian authorities had expressed appreciation to the Delta contingent for their exemplary conduct and as one of the best and peaceful performing state in Nigeria in the 2024 hajj. Alhaji Tukur who presented the award to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, on Thursday, 18 July, 2024,…

The ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association has held its Spotlight Initiative with the theme, ‘Re-thinking Women’s Proportional Representation in Governance’ which was held at the Senate Alternate Chambers of the National Assembly Complex Abuja. The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, speaking at the event, stated that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has made significant progress in ensuring more women participate in governance. She however, acknowledged that barriers still exist especially culturally and socially. According to her, “these barriers include deeply entrenched societal norms, systemic discriminatory practices, structural issues within our political systems, and financial incapability. “To achieve this…

Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohamed Fouad has decried the volume of trade between Egypt and Nigeria which stood at $190 million in 2023, stating that conceited efforts are already on to improve it. Speaking at the commemoration of Egypt’s 72nd anniversary of the 23rd July Revolution in Abuja, the envoy who expressed suprise at the level of bilateral relations between both countries, said he was however glad that deliberate efforts are on to improve on it going forward. He said two major programmes have been lined up as part of the efforts to improve interactions between both countries. He noted…