Author: Amina Ibrahim

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…

FIFTY-EIGHT of the 164 member states of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) members have voiced support for a proposal from the African Group backing incumbent Director General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to serve a second term. The 58 member countries of the trade association made this known at a July 22 meeting of the WTO General Council, according to a statement by the world trade body. “The African Group requests that the current Director-General make herself available to serve a second term, and has proposed that the process of reappointing the Director-General should be started as soon as possible,” the statement partly…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria has directed all banks and other financial institutions to transfer all dormant accounts, unclaimed balances and other financial assets to its dedicated account. A circular released on Friday and signed by its acting Director of the Financial Policy and Banking Regulation Department, John Onojah, said all dormant accounts and unclaimed balances with banks for at least 10 years, will be warehoused in a dedicated account known as the Unclaimed Balances Trust Fund Pool Account. The apex bank added that the funds from dormant accounts, and unclaimed balances may be invested in Nigerian Treasury Bills and…

NIGERIA and South Africa have called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Mr Ronald Lamola, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation in South Africa, on 19 July 2024, made the call after a meeting on the sidelines of the African Union Executive Council in Accra. A statement Saturday by Alkasim Abdulkadir, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to Amb Tuggar, said the two officials lamented the loss of innocent civilian lives, humanitarian crisis and displacement…

THE National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE) in partnership with commissioners of education of some northern states, has pledged to visit the six area councils in the nation’s capital, to identify and enroll not less than 10,000 out-of-school children before September. The pledge was made on Friday during the inauguration of the out-of-school children enrollment champions at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The Executive Secretary of the commission, Mohammed Idris, acknowledged the leadership and unwavering support of President Bola Tinubu, who has been instrumental in advancing efforts to eradicate the challenges faced by Almajiri and out-of-school children…

THE Cholera outbreak in Nigeria has claimed at least 103 lives, while over 3,000 suspected cases have been recorded. The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Jide Idris, confirmed the figures at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday. He added that the outbreak has now been recorded across 187 local government areas in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). According to the NCDC boss, the top six states contributing about 83 percent of infections are Lagos, Bayelsa, Abia, Ebonyi, Katsina and Zamfara. He attributed the infections to the incessant flooding recorded…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Monday gave fresh hope to Nigerians, reassuring them that the economy will emerge strong from the current economic challenges. CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso, through his Deputy on Economic Policy, Muhammad Abdullahi, at an emergency session of a National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance, said that in spite of the ailing economy, the tough decisions taken over the last 12 months have started addressing the decades-long issues. Also, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, explained that the Port Harcourt Refinery would kick off production by early…

-Hails Naming Of National Theatre After Soyinka THE Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa has joined Nigerians and the global community in celebrating Nigeria’s literary legend, Professor Wole Soyinka on his 90th birthday today. According to a statement by the Special Adviser, Media to the Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, Saturday, the  Minister congratulated Professor Soyinka on this remarkable milestone and acknowledged his enduring legacy. “I wish to extend our warmest congratulations to the Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka on his 90th birthday. His contributions to literature and culture…

MANY are feared trapped as a two-storey residential building located in Phase Two, Site Two in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory collapsed on Saturday. The building, it was gathered collapsed around 7 am. Details about the incident are still sketchy as of the time of filing this report. First responders comprising personnel of the Federal Fire Service, (FFS), FCT Fire Service and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as well as FCT Emergency Management Agency (FERMA) were carrying out evacuation and rescue operations at the site of the building collapse. Videos and pictures showed a crowd trying to…

THE National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has recently identified several malicious apps targeting Android users in Nigeria. These apps are designed to infiltrate devices, steal sensitive information, and compromise user privacy. As cybercriminals become more sophisticated, it is crucial for individuals to remain vigilant and informed about potential threats. Malicious apps can masquerade as legitimate software, often offering attractive features or services to lure unsuspecting users into downloading them. Once installed, these apps can execute harmful activities such as data theft, unauthorized access to personal information, and financial fraud. In its latest statement NITDA revealed four very malicious apps…