Ridoola's blog

George advised the PDP to zone the 2027 presidency to the South, arguing that the North had enjoyed its eight uninterrupted years. A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has advised the party's presidential flag-bearer in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, to quit his quest for the presidency in 2027. George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, gave the advice during a press briefing at his Lugard office in Lagos on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. He also called on President Bola Tinubu to summon retired military officers for a meeting to devise solutions to the current security challenges in the country. On January 3, 2024, the spokesman for the now-dissolved Presidential Campaign Organisation of the PDP, Daniel Bwala , revealed that Atiku will have another go at the presidency come 2027. By the time Nigerians go to the polls for the next presidential election, the former Vice President would be 81 years old. In the view of elder sta...

Despite the pushback from some quarters, Keyamo said the movement of the FAAN headquarters has become necessary. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the relocation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters from Abuja to Lagos will save the nation not less than half a billion naira annually. The minister also insisted that there is no going back on the relocation despite criticisms from some quarters. He said these while appearing on Channels Television 's Politics Today programme on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. On whether President Bola Tinubu signed on the FAAN headquarters relocation to Lagos, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (NAN) said, “We are going ahead. The directive has been given. ” Bornor Senator Ali Ndume, as well as chieftains of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and other northern groups, had been up in arms over the relocation of FAAN and some departments of the Central ...

Armed gunmen intercepted the school bus carrying 25 pupils home after school hours. Five pupils and four staff members of the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools in Emure Ekiti were abducted on Monday, January 29, 2024, prompting the kidnappers to demand a ₦100 million ransom for their release. The principal of the secondary section, Boje Olanireti , confirmed the ransom demand during an interview with Punch on Tuesday, January 30, The security challenges in the country continue to escalate, with kidnapping cases becoming a daily occurrence in various regions. The abductions occurred when armed gunmen intercepted the school bus carrying 25 pupils home after school hours in the Emure community, Ekiti State. The incident unfolded just a five-minute drive from the school, according to Olanireti. Detailing the harrowing event, Olanireti disclosed, " The incident happened between 3:30 pm and 4 pm, shortly after school closed at 3 pm. Gunmen attacked the bus, shooting its tire, and i...

The presidency described Atiku’s criticism of Tinubu on insecurity as reckless. The Presidency has fired back at Atiku Abubakar for asking President Bola Tinubu to step aside if the country is too big for him to govern. The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general election, on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, severely criticised the president over the rising spate of insecurity in the country. The former Vice President said Nigeria is drowning in an ocean of insecurity while the president whom he described as a tourist-in-chief travelled to France for a private visit. Atiku said Nigeria needs a leader who would be available 24/7 to address the country’s “ pervasive insecurity and collapsing economy.” Reacting to his criticism, the presidency described Atiku’s statement as reckless. In a statement issued on Tuesday night, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said the former VP was latching on any issue to attack ...

Evergrande is the world's most indebted property developer with the equivalent of more than $300 billion of debt. A Hong Kong court has ordered the liquidation of the highly indebted China Evergrande Group. Judge Linda Chan handed down the judgment on Monday in Hong Kong, according to media reports. She said the creditors from abroad had taken the company to court because of its missing several payments. The real estate giant had previously tried to avert liquidation with a reorganisation plan. Chan said the hearing had lasted a year and a half, and the company was still unable to put forward a concrete proposal for restructuring, the South China Morning Post newspaper reports. "I think it is the time for the court to say enough is enough," she said, according to the newspaper. The group, which is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, is the world's most indebted property developer with the equivalent of more than $300 billion of debt. The liquidation is like...

The troops in search and rescue clearance operations also neutralised two terrorists. The troops of the Nigerian Army under the Joint Task Force in the North West, Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) have rescued 35 kidnapped victims in Katsina state. The Information officer to the operation, Capt. Yahaya Ibrahim stated this in a statement issued in Gusau on Monday. According to him, the troops also in search and rescue clearance operations neutralised two terrorists. “The success was achieved on Jan. 27, during a clearance operation to some identified terrorist camps at Dumburum forest. “During the operation troops had an encounter with the armed terrorists, neutralised two of them while others escaped with severe gunshot wounds. “Among the 35 rescued victims included 19 males, 12 females as well as Four children. “All the rescued victims were handed over to the Katsina State Government by the Nigerian Army,” he said. ridoola.blogspot.com.ng

Akpabio is optimistic the Super Eagles of Nigeria will win the competition. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has commended the Super Eagles of Nigeria for defeating the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to qualify for the quarter-finals of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Akpabio gave the commendation in a congratulatory message to the Nigerian team signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh , in Abuja on Sunday. Akpabio said the Eagles' triumph over Cameroon had shown that they had the capacity to beat any team in Africa. He said the resourcefulness of the Super Eagles was never in doubt. "I felt proud watching the Super Eagles demobilise the lions; apart from dominating the Indomitable Lions, the Eagles tamed the Lions and made them look ordinary. That is the Nigerian spirit, I congratulate you for making millions of Nigerians proud," Akpabio said. Godswill Akpabio, Nigeria's Senate President [Vanguard] He said the Super...

Aivoji was abducted while returning from the party’s Stakeholders’ Zonal Caucus meeting convened by Oyo State. Phillip Aivoji, the chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, who was recently kidnapped along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway has regained his freedom. The PDP Publicity Secretary in Lagos, Hakeem Amode, announced this in a short statement on Monday, January 20, 2024. Aivoji was released after spending four days in his captors’ den. The opposition party leader was kidnapped on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at the Ogere area of the expressway. He was abducted while returning from the party’s Stakeholders’ Zonal Caucus meeting convened by the Oyo State Government. Amode said , “Lagos State PDP Chairman released by the kidnappers. “Hon Philip Olabode Aivoji the Lagos State PDP Chairman is free at last after four days in the kidnappers’ den. “We use this opportunity to appreciate your prayers most importantly because God’s mercies were visible all th...

The Atalanta player said all attention would now be focused on the Angola game on Friday in Abidjan. Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman, says the team is getting better with each game at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire. Lookman whose brace helped Nigeria tame the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 2-0 in the Round of 16 clash on Saturday in Abidjan said the Eagles were poised to soar in the tournament. The diminutive winger who was named TotalEnergies Man of the Match said after the game that the win was a collective effort. “Wow, we’re so happy to qualify for the quarter-finals. “The more we play together, the more fluid we become. I’m standing here now but this award reflects the whole team’s performance,” he said. Lookman commended the support from the Nigerian fans in the stands for giving the team the push to defeat the Cameroonians. “I love this atmosphere, it’s incredible. Tonight our fans pushed us to the end because this was Cameroon, and when ...

The minister congratulated the Super Eagles on their remarkable victory against arch-rivals Cameroon but urged them to remain focused and bring home the trophy. Following the Super Eagles' victory over their Cameroonian opponent in the round 16 of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has urged the team to remain firm and concentrate on winning the ultimate prize. Nigeria ran out a two-goal winner against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in a tense match played at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan on the night of Saturday, January 27, 2024. The victory secured Nigeria's passage into the quarter-finals, where they will play Angola, who dispatched Namibia by 3-0 in the first round 16 match. Reacting to the victory in a post on his X , formerly Twitter account, late Saturday, Keyamo noted that Nigeria was the better team on current form, and the game was only tense due to the existing rivalry between the ...

The minister said that the Electricity Act of 2023 had made provision for Sub Nationals (States) to participate in the electricity market. The Governor of Borno, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has solicited collaboration with the Federal Government to boost electricity in the state. Bolaji Tunji , Special Adviser, Strategic Communication and Media Relation to the Minister of Power said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday Tunji quoted Zulum as soliciting the support when he visited the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu in his office to explore areas of collaboration between the ministry and the Borno State government. Zulum said that his administration had spent over N500 million on the purchase of transformers for different communities in the state. He said that his visit was to explore more opportunities for working together with the Ministry of Power. On his part, Adelabu expressed appreciation to the governor for the visit and reiterated his call for collaboration between the stat...

The highly anticipated match is slated for the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan by 9.00 p.m. (Nigerian time). Amidst a plethora of block burster fixtures in the AFCON 2023 Round of 16 fixtures, the mouth-watering clash between perennial rivals, the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Saturday in Abidjan stands out as an African classic. Between both countries, they have eight AFCON titles in their kitty, with Cameroon boasting five, a feat bettered only by Egypt (seven), while Nigeria has three. Nigeria and Cameroon have clashed seven times at the AFCON, with each team winning thrice and drawing on one occasion. Nigerian fans are still smarting from the fact that the Indomitable Lions gave the Super Eagles a bloody nose in three epic finals to lift the continental trophy (1984, 1988 and the most traumatic in Lagos in 2000). Nigeria, however, got back some pound of flesh from the thirsty Lions in the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, when the Eagles came from...

Pitan emphasised that Nigeria had the unfortunate position of having the highest rate of out-of-school children globally. Gem Hub Initiative, an NGO, has raised alarm over the country’s increasing gender disparity in education, revealing alarming statistics about girls experience in the education system. Gem Hub Initiative is an organisation that seeks to address and meet the human capital development needs in Nigeria and in Africa, with a focus on young people. The NGO said girls' out-of-school rate was 60 per cent higher than boys, signalling a critical crisis. Mrs Oyeyemi Pitan, the initiative's Executive Director, said this to newsmen in commemoration of World Education Day on Thursday in Abuja. Pitan emphasised that Nigeria had the unfortunate position of having the highest rate of out-of-school children globally. She stated that beyond statistics, the situation represented unrealised potential, forsaken dreams, and an uncertain future for millions of young Nigerian...

She was led by Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins , who asked her how she got to know that her daughter fell. The mother of a late student of Chrisland Schools, Opebi, Ikeja, continued her evidence on Thursday with denial of knowledge of any chats in which her late daughter said she fainted a few days before her death. Mrs Blessing Adeniran was cross-examined by defence counsel at the resumed trial of the school and four others for involuntary manslaughter. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos State Government, on March 31, 2023, charged Chrisland Schools, its principal and vice principal and two others with the killing of the student. The 12-year-old student was allegedly electrocuted on Feb. 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State. Those charged alongside the school are Ademoye Adewale (a cotton candy vendor), Kuku Fatai , Belinda Amao (Principal) and Victoria Nwatu . The defendants ar...

Tiaga's counsel communicated the unavailability of the death certificate, requesting additional time. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is steadfast in its demand for the death certificate of the late Grace Tiaga, a former director of legal services at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, to be submitted in court. Tiaga faced charges brought by the EFCC, alleging her involvement in receiving payments from Process & Industrial Development (P&ID) to manipulate the 20-year gas supply and processing agreement (GSPA) against Nigeria. The EFCC claims that these illicit payments were made through her daughter and persisted even after her retirement. The accusations extend to Tiaga's purported failure to adhere to due process while providing legal counsel on the GSPA. Initially facing eight counts of fraud, she was remanded to Suleja prison in 2019, later granted bail, and the charges were expanded to 13 counts. As the trial progressed, the prosecution p...

One of the youths leaders says selling crude oil to the refinery in foreign currency would subject the masses to untold hardship. Northern Youth Ambassadors, a coalition of youth groups in the 19 northern states have made a call to the Federal Government on the supply of crude oil to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, the group’s secretary, Muktar Abdurrahman Auwal, urged President Bola Tinubu not to sell crude oil to the refinery in dollars. According to him, selling crude oil to the refinery in foreign currency would subject the masses to untold hardship because of the vulnerability of the naira. Auwal said, “Selling crude oil to DPR in foreign currency is going to be counterproductive as far as the Nigerian masses are concerned. The vulnerability of the naira due to foreign exchange has caused untold hardship to the majority of Nigerians. “Inflation has remained high largely due to higher cost of fuel. Thus, t...

The move is part of the wave of social reforms embedded in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda. In a move viewed as modifying its uncompromising stance on liquor, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plans to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages to non-Muslim diplomats for the first time. Alcohol sales and consumption have been prohibited in the Muslim-majority nation since 1952, shortly after an incident where one of King Abdulaziz ’s sons got drunk and, in a rage, shot dead a British diplomat. Consequently, citizens and foreigners caught drinking are liable to punishment varying from public flogging, fines, imprisonment and deportation. However, after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman introduced his Vision 2030 agenda, which has seen the Gulf kingdom loosen its grip on some stern restrictions, rumours started swirling around that alcohol would become available in the country. Also, there were talks, albeit not from official quarters, that Saudi would allow footb...

The governor promised to continue to support the traders. Gov Mai Mala Buni of Yobe has made a ₦100 million cash donation to the victims of Tuesday’s Damaturu GSM Market fire. The governor announced the donation on Wednesday when he visited the market to sympathise with the victims. He also directed the State Emergency Management Agency to assess the level of damage for possible intervention by the State Government. While praying for Allah’s protection against future occurrences, Buni promised his administration’s commitment to continue to support the traders. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fire destroyed property worth over ₦150 million, including over 30 shops at the GSM market, commonly called Kasuwar Jagwal. ridoola.blogspot.com.ng

The legal proceedings have been ongoing since 2022, with the bereaved family expressing their commitment to pursuing the matter up to the apex court. The family of Sylvester Oromoni, the deceased Dowen College student, has confirmed that the late teenager will be laid to rest on January 27, 2024. The revelation was made by the grieving family to TheCable on Tuesday, January 23, marking a significant step in the aftermath of the tragic incident that occurred over two years ago. The announcement follows last week's proceedings during the coroner's inquest on Oromoni, where final written addresses were adopted by involved parties. Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri , presiding over the case, disclosed that the court's ruling would be delivered on April 12. A family member conveyed, " All witnesses have been called, and the ruling is the only thing remaining. My family decided it was time to bury [him] and say our final goodbyes. " Background Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr) tra...

The gesture was aimed at improving the hygienic ecosystem and vector control towards enhancing healthy living. The Jigawa Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA) has conducted a five-day waste clearance, evacuation and fumigation exercise in the Gumel Local Government Area of the state. Adamu Sabo , the acting Managing Director of the agency, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Tuesday. He said the exercise was part of the comprehensive waste clearance initiative designed to enhance sanitation across communities in the state. Sabo said the operation involved fumigation of various existing institutions like schools, health facilities and other public buildings to rid them of mosquitoes and other reptiles. He explained that the gesture was aimed at improving the hygienic ecosystem and vector control towards enhancing healthy living. The managing director advised residents of the area and the general public to always clean their surroundings and adhere to ...

Over 800,000 foreign students were in Canada in 2022, but this year, the country aims to approve only 360,000 undergraduate study permits. In a bid to address the pressure on housing and healthcare, Canada has announced its readiness to cap the number of foreign students admitted to the country for two years. This will reduce the number of study permits for Nigerian and other international students by 35%. Announcing the development on Monday, January 22, 2024, the country’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, said Canada aims to approve around 360,000 undergraduate study permits this year. He explained that from the 360,000 permits, each province and territory would be allocated a portion determined by population and current student intake and distributed among their universities. The cap according to him would only apply to students at a diploma or undergraduate programme, and will not affect students applying for study permit renewals. “Each province and territory will be allo...

The partnership would promote the culture of writing and reading among the rural dwellers in the constituency and afford indigent persons access to education. Rep Anayo Onwuegbu (PDP- Enugu State) has pledged to partner with the National Teachers Institute (NTI) and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) to end illiteracy in his constituency. Onwuegbu, representing Oji River/Awgu/Aninri federal constituency, made the pledge when officials and students of NTI and NABTEB at Apugoeze Study Centre, Enugu paid him a working visit in Enugu on Sunday. The lawmaker noted that the partnership would promote the culture of writing and reading among the rural dwellers in his constituency and afford indigent persons access to education. He announced that he paid for admission forms for 240 candidates selected from the three council areas of his constituency to cover the Pre National Certificate on Education (NCE), NCE, Bachelor of Education and the Post Graduate Diploma...

Kingibe said she has made several attempts to speak to Wike but he won’t return her calls or respond to her messages. The senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Ireti Kingibe, says she has not been able to have any conversation with Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister to address issues affecting her constituency. Kingibe said there is a big disconnect between elected officials of the FCT and Wike, who is the first southerner to be appointed as the administrator of the capital territory since its creation. Speaking on the rising spate of insecurity in Abuja on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Sunday, January 21, 2024, stressed the need for the FCT minister to collaborate with her and other elected officials representing the people of the FCT in the National Assembly. “I must say part of the problem we are having, is there’s a big disconnect between the minister of the FCT and the elected officials. I’ll be specific The House of Reps member and myself. The truth of the mat...

Aregbesola argued that a society has the potential to achieve progressive transformation when non-state actors contribute to human and infrastructural development. The immediate past Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has appealed to Nigerians not to allow the present difficulty in the country to make them give up on the nation's democracy. The former Osun State Governor said this during the inauguration of projects and empowerment programme sponsored by the Osun Economic Development Team in Osogbo on Saturday, January 20, 2024. He sought the cooperation of good-spirited individuals and other stakeholders in complementing the government's efforts at bringing development to the people, noting that the difficult phase the country was going through had sowed a seed of doubts in people's minds about democracy. He commended the Osun Economic Development Team for playing a leading role in community development and empowerment of the people, especially in Osogbo, the Osun ...

The kidnappers killed Nabeeha after her father failed to meet the deadline he was given to pay ₦60m ransom. The remaining siblings of the late Nabeeha Al-Kadriyah, who were kidnapped in the Bwari area of Abuja, have regained freedom from their abductors. The six sisters were kidnapped alongside their father at their home on January 2, 2024. The kidnappers later released the father and gave him a deadline of Friday, January 12, to produce ₦ 60m ransome for the release of his daughters. Having failed to meet the deadline, the bandits killed the eldest of the six girls on Friday, January 12, 2024, and dumped her body for her parents to bury. But the remaining girls regained freedom late at night on Saturday, January 20, 2024, and arrived at their Abuja residence, where they were abducted. As of the time of filing this report, Pulse can't independently verify if the girls were rescued by security operatives or if their family paid a ransom to the abductors to secure their releas...

The force spokesman said police operatives have also arrested a suspect on Thursday in Kaduna over armed robbery and kidnapping. The Police on Saturday said they have disrupted plans by some kidnap gangs to abduct students and other citizens in Niger and the FCT. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said during a media briefing in Abuja on Saturday that three members of the gangs have been arrested. He said the suspects were arrested on January 17, by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) following credible intelligence. Adejobi said the IRT on Jan. 15 received credible intelligence that a GSM number under surveillance belonging to one of the suspects called another GSM number, informing the recipient of a plan to carry out a kidnap operation. According to him, in the GSM conversation, the suspect also told the recipient that he had invited other kidnapping gangs and promised to carry out the operation with him. Adejobi said the suspect also cal...

The statement said that the refinery was designed for 100 per cent Nigerian crude, with the flexibility to process other crudes. The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has commenced registration of distributors for its products, a statement by the outfit said on Friday in Lagos. According to the statement, members of three prominent associations that constitute 75 per cent of the total market in Nigeria have been registered. The associations are the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN). The company is also considering other marketers that have signified interest in the lifting and distribution of its petroleum products in the country, the statement said. It quoted the Executive Secretary, DAPPMAN, Olufemi Adewole , as saying that the association had commenced discussions with Dangote Petroleum Refinery regarding the li...

The activist accused the minister of taking the security issues in Abuja with levity. Human Rights Activist and Convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju has blasted the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike over rising insecurity, kidnapping, maiming and killings in Abuja. In a statement released to journalists, Adeyanju asked Wike to concentrate on his job to address the rampant cases of kidnappings and killings that have plagued the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja in recent months. The activist accused the minister of taking the security issues in Abuja with levity, saying the former Governor of Rivers State is more preoccupied with power struggle in his home state. The statement reads, “ The safety and security of citizens should be of utmost priority for any responsible government, yet the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, bears a significant responsibility for the escalating insecurity in the capital city.” “It is disheartening to witness the nonchalant...

The council urged Imams and the Ulama to maintain their leading roles as guiding lamps to the believers and promote knowledge sharing and consensus opinion on important issues. The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) has urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure equity, justice and fairness in appointments and governance. The council made the call on Thursday in a communique issued at the end of a two-day National Conference held at the National Mosque, Abuja. The communique was signed by SCSN President, Sheikh AbdurRasheed Hadiyatullah and Secretary-General, Malam Nafi’u Ahmed . The council also emphasised the need for Tinubu to ensure equitable distribution of the national resources. The council also urged Tinubu to continue to prove to the doubting Nigerians, especially those who wanted to truncate democracy through their campaign of calumny that they had nothing to fear with the Tinubu/Shettima combination. “Your watchwords should be good governance through fair and equ...

NCC expects MTN and Glo to resolve all outstanding issues within the 21-day period given. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has suspended the phased disconnection of Globacom from MTN network for a period of 21 days. This is contained in a statement issued by NCC Director of Public Affairs, Dr Reuben Muoka on Thursday in Abuja. Muoka said the commission expects MTN and Glo to resolve all outstanding issues within the 21-day period given. He said the NCC insists that interconnect debts must be settled by all operating companies as a necessary component towards compliance with regulatory obligations of all licensees. “ The commission is pleased to announce that the parties have now reached agreement to resolve all outstanding issues between them. “For this reason, and in exercise of its regulatory powers in that regard, the Commission has put the phased disconnection on hold for a period of 21 (twenty-one) days from today. “The commission expects MTN and Glo to resolve ...

The Tuesday explosion in Ibadan damaged over 50 houses. The Minister of Solid Minerals and Development, Dr Dele Alake has directed Mine Officers of the ministry to investigate the Tuesday night explosion in Ibadan, Oyo State, to help unravel the cause. Alake gave the directive on Wednesday in Abuja. “I have directed the ministry’s mine officers who are already on site in Ibadan to join ongoing investigations to find out the immediate and remote causes of the explosion. “We have ordered a detailed investigation and our officers will work and collaborate with the Oyo state government to know the actual cause. “If the explosion was caused by mining explosives devices as earlier reported, the ministry will double its efforts to tighten the noose around those acquiring explosives and storing them illegally ,” he said. The minister’s directives followed reports that the explosion was allegedly traceable to the denotation of explosive devices stored by illegal miners. Gov. Seyi Makinde...

The Afenifere leader said Buhari's approach to tackling insecurity proved ineffective and cautioned President Tinubu against treading the same path. Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against adopting the same measures his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, used to address insecurity in the country. Adebanjo made the call following Tinubu's issuance of marching order to service chiefs and security agencies amid the recent wave of security breaches across the country. Speaking in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, the Yoruba leader described Tinubu's directive as a wrong approach to tackling insecurity. He noted that the move bears resemblance to the method adopted by Buhari, which, according to him, amounted to futile efforts in the end as insecurity persisted throughout the period he was in power. The nonagenarian was in Plateau to pay a condolence visit to the res...

The governor noted that robust programmes and initiatives for youth development should be introduced to enable govt to take them out of streets and get them engaged. Gov Dikko Radda of Katsina State has said youths across Nigeria should be developed through various forms of employment to drive the country’s economy to prosperity. The governor stated this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio-Ibrahim in her office in Abuja on Tuesday. Malam Ibrahim Kaula , the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Katsina. Radda also pointed out that the larger population of the country was dominated by the youths, and that it was important that every administration in the country focused on them. He added that, “I am very much aware of the fact that for us to develop as a nation, we need to develop the youth. “We need to draw out plans, initiatives and programmes that will have a bearing ...

The command has deployed officers to forestall any breakdown of law and order. The Police Command in Oyo State says it is yet to ascertain the nature or cause of Tuesday's explosion in Ibadan, as well as the number of casualties. The command's Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Adewale Osifeso , in a statement on Tuesday in Ibadan said the cause of the explosion was yet unknown. "Also, no casualty can be confirmed for now. But the search continues," he stated. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the explosion was recorded to have happened around 7:44 pm at Dejo Oyelese Street in the Bodija area of Ibadan. The PPRO disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Adebola Hamzat , has already in the company of some senior officers and other responders conducted an on-the-spot assessment. "The Commissioner and the other officers have been at the forefront of rescue operations. The Oyo State Police Command has also deployed armed and p...

Governor Seyi Makinde, has deployed security operatives and first responders to attend to residents in need. The Oyo State Government on Tuesday evening confirmed what it described as "an uncommon explosion" which rocked some parts of Ibadan around 8 pm. The state's Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade , gave the confirmation in a statement. He however acknowledged that there were various interpretations of the incident. "But it is important for us to state categorically that the state government has taken over and in the full control of the unfortunate occurrence in order to mitigate the incident," the Commissioner said. Oyelade disclosed that security service chiefs, including those of the paramilitary, as well as Fire Service operatives, have been deployed by the state governor, Seyi Makinde . "This is to rein in the spill-over from the explosion," he added. The Commissioner said Governor Makinde has implored ci...

The University of Cape Coast has appointed the first visually impaired person, Carruthers Tetteh, as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law. His appointment which took effect in December 2023, teaches Criminal Law and the Ghana Legal System. In 2019, he obtained his Bachelor of Laws Degree from UCC, where he also obtained First-Class Honours class. He was among the 844 lawyers who were called to the Bar on November 11, 2022. Carruthers suffered a condition known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which caused his blindness about 20 years ago. He was enrolled at the Akropong School for the Blind in 2003, a place he said gave him hope to pursue the noble profession of law. He is a purpose-driven and ambitious young man who is a proud native of Winneba and an ardent believer in the principles of natural justice, equity, and the rule of law. Tetteh had his undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Education in Art, with English as his major at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), where he successfull...

The reinstatement of the former commissioners who resigned their appointments formed part of the demands of Tinubu’s peace agreement with the Gov Fubara. The Rivers State House of Assembly is to re-screen and re-confirm nine former Commissioners who resigned from the state executive council on Wednesday. This is contained in a statement signed by the Clerk of the house, Emeka Amadi , on Monday in Port Harcourt. The clerk said the commissioners include Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN) , Commissioner for Works, Dr. Des George-Kelly , Commissioner for Special Duties, Emeka Woke , Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Inime Aguma , Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu . Others are, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Chinedu Mmom , Commissioner for Housing, Dr Gift Worlu , Commissioner for Transport, Dr Jacobson Nbina and Commissioner for Environment, Austin Ben-Chioma resigned. He said they are expected to produce 40 set...

106 cases involving drug suspects are still pending at different stages in Nigerian courts. The Edo Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it secured the conviction of 67 drug traffickers in the state in 2023. On Sunday in Benin, the state’s Sector Commander of the agency, Buba Wakawa , told newsmen that the convicts were among the suspects arrested between January and December of the year under review. According to him, out of the 173 suspects arrested and charged to court in the year, 67 were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment by the courts in the state, after they were convicted of crimes. Wakawa noted, however, that 106 cases involving drug suspects, were still pending at different stages in the courts. The sector commander further disclosed that during the year, 414 drug-dependent persons were arrested by the drug reduction unit across the state. These drug-dependent people, he said, were arrested, counselled and reunited with their families...

Dim explained that drug use becomes drug abuse when the individual overlooks the consequences of drug use due to the strong desire to use it. Nneka Dim, a Psychologist with the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, has urged Nigeria youths to stay away from drug abuse so as to live responsibly. Dim gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday. She said that drug abuse among the youths was a pressing issue that raised serious concerns among parents and health professionals alike. According to her, the brains of some of the youths may still be at the stage of development, making them particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of hard drugs. “The long-term consequences of drug use among the youths can have severe impacts on various aspects of their lives. “And these effects could be deteriorating mental health, impaired cognitive functions such as memory deficits among others, ” she said. Dim explained that drug use...

He added that the decision was also based on recommendations made by appointed financial consultants and an audit report by the CBN. Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has approved the dissolution of the Board of Directors of the state-owned Bubayaro Microfinance Bank. Secretary to the State government, Prof Ibrahim Njodi who conveyed the approval, said Governor Yahaya also suspended the bank’s Managing Director, Mohammed Amtai . The governor’s media aide, Ismaila Uba-Misilli , made the board dissolution and suspension of the managing director known in a statement he issued in Gombe on Saturday. He quoted Njodi as saying the governor’s decision followed the findings of a forensic audit into the financial activities of the bank. He added that the decision was also based on recommendations made by appointed financial consultants and an audit report by the CBN. “The managing director is to hand over responsibilities to the most senior official in the bank. “All suspended board m...

The donor said the Mosque was a dream come true of her late husband, who he said left the instructions for her and the children to accomplish. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has tasked Nigerians with unity and peaceful coexistence for the growth and development of Nigeria. Abubakar made the call on Saturday while declaring open the Alhaji Abdullahi Habib Memorial Mosque at the Federal University Lokoja (FUL). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the mosque was built and donated by a widow, Dr Maimuna Abdullahi . The sultan, who was represented by the Emir of Keffi, Shehu Chindo-Yamusa III , said the gesture was commendable. According to him, as patriotic citizens, Nigerians should learn to always respect leaders and the rule of law, for the nation to have a direction for better living. “We should fervently pray for our leaders and not curse them so that they don’t go astray, to our detriment as a nation. “That is why this edifice or place of worship is...