Author: Amina Ibrahim

THE National Youth Service Corps has asked married female prospective corps members who have been posted to states where their husbands do not reside to request redeployment. The scheme made this known in a post on X.com on Monday. The scheme said, “ATTENTION ALL 2024 BATCH ”B” STREAM II MARRIED FEMALE PROSPECTIVE CORPS MEMBERS “All married female Prospective Corps members (PCM’s) who are deployed to States where their husbands are not domiciled should report to the nearest NYSC Orientation Camp for their State of Deployment to be changed. “They are to report during the period of registration at the Orientation…

THE Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has disclosed plans to create $100bn investment and 2 million jobs from the creative and cultural sector to revitalise the Nigerian economy. The minister, in an interview, said the current administration is intentional about ensuring a large chunk of global market share of over $1 trillion dollar comes into Nigeria’s creative industry in line with the renewed hope agenda of the current administration. Musawa noted that this is feasible with opportunities into the creative and cultural economy value chain through policies enabling a business environment. “We are currently embarking…

THE Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has decried the alarming rate of maternal mortality rate in Kano State, stating that the state is the ‘worst’  place to give birth in the world, going by the available statistics which places  Nigeria as one of the countries with the highest mortality rate in the world, and Kano  being the most populated state in the country. Mr. Omoniyi Adewale, the Senior Program Officer of CHRICED, made the declaration on behalf of Executive Director Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi during a visit of Association of Kano Online Journalists (ASKOJ), to the…

THE UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Monday said 2023 was the deadliest year for humanitarian workers ever recorded. In 2023, 280 aid workers were killed in 33 countries, a 137 per cent increase compared to 2022, when 118 were killed, the OCHA said. “Worse still is that 2024 may be on track to be even deadlier,” it added. “As of August 7,172 aid workers had been killed,” the OCHA said, citing the provisional count from the Aid Worker Security Database. More than half of the 2023 deaths were recorded in the first three months of…

THE National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointment as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). Disclosing this in a statement on Thursday, NJC spokesman, Soji Oye, said the decision was taken following the Council’s 106th Meeting presided over by the CJN Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. He said the meeting was held on August 14 and 15 in Abuja, just seven days before the retirement of Justice Ariwoola as the CJN. “This is imperative as Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, will formally bow out of office as the Hon. Chief Justice of…

THE Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) says 82.36% of the total insured depositors of the defunct Heritage Bank have been reimbursed since the revocation of the bank’s licence by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on June 3, 2024. In a statement on Sunday, a spokesman for the appointed liquidator NDIC, Bashir Nuhu, said the remaining 17.64% of the insured deposits yet to be paid were largely depositors whose accounts have post no debits (PND) instructions or have no Bank Verification Numbers (BVN). Nuhu said the NDIC began the payment of the insured deposits of N5m maximum per depositor within…

NIGERIA’s Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa says the collaboration with the Dambe Warriors League (DWL) will promote Nigeria’s traditional martial art sport known as Dambe and give it international exposure. The Minister made this known when the co-founders and executives of Dambe Warriors League paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja on Thursday. According to a statement by the Special Adviser, Media to the Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Friday, Musawa expressed delight  with the organizers responsible for promoting the ancient martial art of Dambe, acknowledging their immense potential.…

THE Federal Government has withdrawn the circular directing civil servants to register for the purchase of N50kg bag of rice at a subsidised rate of N40,000. The withdrawal of the circular was communicated in another circular by the Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Aderonke Jaiyesimi. The internal circular, dated August 2, 2024 and sighted by our correspondent on Thursday, was addressed to all directors and heads of departments. Jaiyesimi said, “I am directed to refer to our internal circular in the Ministry (Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs) of late…

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Suleiman Abdullahi Ango as Mandate Secretary for the newly established Youth Development Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The spokesman for the FCT Minister, Anthony Ogunleye, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday. He said the appointment was strategic and marked a significant milestone in the administration’s ongoing efforts to prioritise youth development and empowerment in the Federal Capital Territory. The youth development secretariat will provide the administrative structure that will coordinate youth related matters in the FCT. It is further promote training for skill acquisition, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Ogunleye said Ango…

THE Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, on Wednesday, urged Nigerians to map out survival strategies amid the economic fallout of the removal of petrol subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu administration. Issa-Onilu, a former spokesman for the President’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said poverty will worsen if petrol subsidy is returned, as being demanded by #EndBadGovernance protesters in the last week. “Anybody who is making a demand that subsidy removal should be brought back is making an emotional demand, not an economic demand because you have to also prove that if it is brought back,…

THE Federal Government has warned Nigerian citizens planning to travel to the United Kingdom, to be wary of violence risk occasioned by the recent killing of three young girls at a concert. A statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja on Monday, and signed by its Spokesperson, Amb. Eche Abu-Obe, said the violence has assumed “dangerous proportions” as evidenced by reported attacks on law enforcement agents and damage to infrastructure. To this end, citizens are advised to be extra vigilant and take measures as follows: avoiding political processions and protests, rallies or marches, avoiding crowded areas and large…

THE Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) has condemned in strong terms the deployment of excessive force against journalists covering the nationwide protests. On Saturday, August 3rd, 2024, several journalists covering the #EndBadGovernance protests were shot at the  Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja by security agents wearing hoods. The journalists narrowly escaped unhurt, but bullets damaged one of their cars. The shooting happened at the main entrance of the stadium. The firing of what is suspected to be live ammunition is unacceptable and is strongly condemned. The shooting also appeared premeditated as the journalists were particularly…

A TOTAL of 3,173 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives were licensed to practise in the United Kingdom in one year. This is according to the latest report on the number of nursing and midwifery professionals on the Nursing and Midwifery Council register from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, obtained exclusively from the council. The report also showed that so far, 13,656 nurses and midwives educated in Nigeria were practising in the UK. The NMC data noted that on March 31, 2024, “there were a total of 826,418 nursing and midwifery professionals on our register. “Of this number, 13,656 were…

THE United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a new security alert to its citizens in the country as the #EndBadGovernance protests commenced across Nigeria yesterday even as it has cancelled all visa appointments between August 1 and 2nd. In a statement tagged, “Security Risks related to Potential Nationwide Protests; ”it said that out of an abundance of caution, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos will operate with essential staff only on Thursday August 1, 2024, and on Friday August 2, 2024. It noted that non-essential staffers are advised to remain at home to…

THE Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, has demanded an apology from Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister over his comments on threatening to unseat her as an FCT senator in 2027 Kingibe and Wike have not had a good working relationship since they assumed their respective offices. Both politicians have lashed out at each other on various occasions. The minister queried Kingibe about her accomplishments for her constituents since being elected. But the senator took offence, saying she is way older than Wike. She expressed her willing to work with Wike if he apologises to her. According to her, courtesy…

THE United States, United Kingdom and Canada have raised the alarm over the likelihood of violence during the planned August 1 #EndBadGovernance protest in the country. The three countries, in separate travel alerts, cautioned their nationals in Nigeria to avoid getting caught in the confrontation that might occur between the security agencies and protesters, citing past incidences. The advisories come as apprehensive market leaders in Abuja, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Ogun, Osun, Zamfara, Gombe and other parts of the country requested strong security around markets during the rallies. Also in preparation for the demonstration, the police authorities have recalled all personnel…

RENOWNED Sudanese cleric, Ambassador Al-Mustapha Bala Assudany, has cautioned Nigerians, particularly youths, against embarking on protest over economic hardship, saying nothing positive will come out of it. Worried by the economic hardship amid rising inflation, some Nigerians fixed August 1 – August 10 for nationwide protest. The government, religious leaders, traditional rulers, among others have appealed to young persons to have a rethink on the protest, but they have insisted to go ahead. Weighing in on the situation during the pre-huduba sermon at the famous Sultan Bello Mosque, Kaduna, the cleric cautioned the youths not to give room to enemies…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria says it sold a cumulative amount of 148 million dollars to authorised dealers in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM). According to Mrs Hakama Sidi-Ali, acting Director, Corporate Communications Department of the apex bank, the transactions were conducted on Monday, July 22 and Tuesday, July 23, 2024, between an exchange rate of N1470.00/$1 and N1510.00/$1 to provide liquidity to the FX market Sidi-Ali also disclosed that the CBN sold FX to 29 authorised dealer banks at exchange rates between N1,470 to one dollar and N1,510 to one dollar. Sidi-Ali reiterated the commitment of the CBN…

THE Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) says it will delist companies that have not filed their annual reports in a decade. In a statement on Wednesday, the Commission said the full list of the dormant companies was available on its website. “This is to inform the general public that the commission pursuant to its powers contained in Section 692 (3) (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 3 of 2020, intends to strike off from the Register, names of defunct or dormant companies that have not filed Annual Returns for a period of 10 years,” the statement partly read.…

EHI Abdul, the most recently released victim of the April 2014 abduction in Chibok, Borno State, says she was married to eight men while in Boko Haram captivity. Daily Trust had reported how the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, handed over the rescued Chibok girl and 332 other individuals to the Borno State government for rehabilitation. The 332 individuals, including 110 women and 220 children, were rescued from the Bama-Pulka axis during a clearance operation in Sambisa Forest. At a presentation at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj-Gen. Waheed Shuaibu, said 27-year-old Ehi…