Author: Amina Ibrahim

THE United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has distributed 2,760 solar-powered radio sets to the Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) but rued the growing out-of-school children population in Nigeria. UNICEF handed over the radio sets to Katsina SUBEB for students in the security frontline communities to learn lessons. In his address during a Media Dialogue on Retention, Transition, and Completion (RTC) and Re-entry Guidelines for Adolescent Girls in the State, the Chief of Field, UNICEF Field Office Kano, Rahama Farah, revealed that Nigeria’s education system is faced with the twin crises of a large and growing out-of-school…

MINISTER of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of Nigeria, Bosun Tijani, says investigation has commenced into the alleged breach of data of Nigerians domiciled at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, the minister said the NIMC and National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) have commenced a probe into the matter. Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise, had on Thursday raised an alarm over its discovery of the sale of National Identification Numbers (NINs), Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and other personal data of Nigerians on a website for as low as N100. The…

SHOPRITE Mall has announced its intention to cease operation in one of its Abuja branches from June 30, 2024. The branch is situated at Novare Central Mall in Wuse Zone 5. This was contained in a circular signed by the Chief Executive Officer, Dr Folakemi Fadahunsi, on behalf of the retail supermarket and obtained by our correspondent on Monday. A staff at the store who pleaded anonymity also confirmed the report, saying “Yes, it is true, we just heard it here too.” The popular mall attributed its decision to a thorough evaluation of the store’s financial situation and the current…

AT least 1.5 million Muslims from all over the world have gathered on the plains of Arafah in Saudi Arabia for one of the most important Hajj rites today. Among these are 65,000 Nigerians who, despite the grueling economic situation at home, flew to the Holy Land for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Muslims from all over the world will climb the rocky, 70-metre (230-feet) hill, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Mecca, where the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) gave his farewell sermon sermon. The Day of ‘Arafah is on the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the…

POLICE authorities on Wednesday said it has dismantled a cartel dealing in jewellery worth billions of naira obtained from armed robbery operations in Abuja and its environs. Disclosing this in a statement, Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said that on April 28th, an armed robbery incident occurred at the residence of a police officer, attached to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, in the Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He said during the incident, the officer was nearly smothered, while a secured safe containing jewellery, money, academic certificates, documents, phones, and other valuable properties belonging to various residents in the…

SOUTH Africa’s TV giant MultiChoice posted a pretax loss of 706 million rand ($38 million) for the year ending in March, the company said Wednesday citing weak local currencies and a drop in subscribers. The company is the subject of a takeover bid by France’s Canal+, which already holds more than 35 percent of MultiChoice’s shares. “Volatile and weaker local currencies, power challenges in markets like South Africa, and a weak consumer environment due to rising inflation and high interest rates have created an extremely challenging environment,” MultiChoice said. The loss followed a 921 million rand profit before taxes reported…

THE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has called for immediate global action to de-escalate the spate of extreme violence against noncombatants in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Ambassador Tuggar also confirmed the support of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for proposals put forward by President Joe Biden for a cease-fire. In a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media and Communications Strategy to the minister, Alkassim Abdulkadir, Sunday, Tuggar said, “the Biden Ceasefire proposal should be embraced by world leaders and the totality of the international community to intensify efforts towards a speedy resolution of the conflict, and the…

THE Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has said the federal government has banned lodging of underage girls in hotels in the country. She spoke in Abuja on Saturday, during the graduation and grant ceremony of participants of the ‘Unlock training programme’ organised by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Madam Abiola Arogundade. The minister said the ban would take effect on June 20, 2024. Uju also warned hospitals against rejecting emergency cases they can handle, stressing that government was determined to address the issues. She said, “I just want…

THE Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, has announced the arrival of approximately 1.2 million pilgrims from around the globe. At a government press conference in Riyadh, he affirmed that the pilgrims’ journeys had gone smoothly, and that they were in excellent health. Al-Rabiah highlighted Saudi Arabia’s enduring commitment to serving the “guests of God.” He noted the significant efforts by the country’s leadership, to facilitate the arrival of pilgrims to the two holy mosques and other holy sites. “We ensure that pilgrims can perform their rituals with ease and reassurance while receiving the highest levels of care…

A MARKETING expert, Adia Sowho, has quit his position as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for telecommunications giants – MTN Nigeria, in what sources believe was a controversial circumstance, Daily Trust can report. Sowho became the first female CMO of MTN Nigeria in August 2021. Her professional path began in 2001 after obtaining an engineering degree. She worked as a radio frequency engineer at US Cellular Corporation in Chicago before transitioning into management consulting at Deloitte Consulting LLP in 2007. A source said her exit was by mutual consent, though there was no official statement from MTN Nigeria as at…

THE Kano State Government has issued quit notices to businesses occupying all public parks and gardens in the state. The move aims to reclaim these spaces for public use, fostering relaxation and ecological balance. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday in commemoration of World Environment Day, the State Commissioner for Environment, Nasir Garo, emphasised the importance of this initiative. “We have already served most of the occupants quit notice except those that petrol filling stations have been built on,” Garo stated. The commissioner highlighted the government’s commitment, to improving air quality and enhancing the ecosystem. “We are trying to…

A NURSE, Lucy Likeh, has gone missing after visiting a park in the Federal Capital Territory to send a parcel to her friend. The 28-year-old said to be working with a private organisation at MKK Plaza in Jabi, Abuja was said to have been at Zuba Park to send a parcel to her friend in Minna, Niger State, on Friday. After she visited the park, the nurse’s whereabouts have remained unknown, and her mobile phone switched off. She was said to be wearing a black tracksuit and a black/white chiffon shirt with a fez cap when she was last seen.…

THE Federal  Government has condemned in the strongest possible terms, the onslaught on defenseless civilians currently being witnessed in Gaza in the course of the Israel-Palestine conflict. According to a statement personally signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, the latest deadly attacks on the Rafah Displacement Camps in Southern Gaza on Sunday the 26th, which killed about 45 people, mostly women and children, represents an unfortunate addition to the list of strikes on soft civilian targets with devastating effects which have now characterized the crisis. “As it stands, the Rafah attacks, just like the bombing of…

AFTER over a week siege on the popular Banex Plaza in Wuse 2 area of Abuja, the military has reopened the market for business. This newspaper’s correspondent who visited the market on Monday evening learnt that the plaza resumed operations around 2:30pm. Recall that the market was sealed by military authorities on May 18, following a violent clash between traders and military personnel. Trouble started when thugs beat up some soldiers who had a disagreement with a trader in the plaza. The trader had reportedly sold a bad phone to someone who invited soldiers. Rather than resolve the issue amicably,…

NO fewer than 200 officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria were on Friday relieved of their duties. This is an addition to the long list of ongoing disengagements in the apex bank. This adds to the list of 117 staff sacked by the bank between March 15 and April 11, 2024. The termination of appointments affects directors, deputy directors, assistant directors, principal managers, senior managers and lower-ranking staff. Impeccable sources who are staff of the bank confirmed the sack to our correspondent on Friday, saying that those sacked are not less than 200. They revealed that affected persons include…

THE Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate on Friday said the enrolment quota in medical, nursing, and other health professional schools has been increased from 28,000 to 64,000 yearly. Prof Pate said this at the sectoral ministerial press briefing to mark the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu in office in Abuja. Over the years, health workers in the country have always moved to other countries to practice, but experts say the recent increase in emigration is worrisome. Experts identified the push factors as inadequate equipment, worsening insecurity, poor working conditions, and poor salary structure. Data…

THE first phase of the student loan scheme has gone live, with the beneficiaries being students from federal institutions across the country. The newspaper observed that the loan website became active some minutes past 12 am on Friday. Recall that President Bola Tinubu enacted an initial version of the student loan policy in June 2023 to grant interest-free loans to students. The scheme was to commence in October 2023, but implementation was repeatedly deferred until a re-enactment in April 2024. NELFUND recently scheduled the opening of the loan application and issuance portal for May 24. During pre-application sensitisation, NELFUND said the scheme’s pilot phase would only be…

THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that the Abuja Light Rail will operate free for two months, after its commissioning on Monday, the 27th of May, 2024. Wike stated this during the ongoing Ministerial Sectoral Update to mark the first year in office of the President Bola Tinubu administration, held at the Radio House in Abuja, on Thursday. The Minister had earlier stated that the President, Bola Tinubu will commission the Metro rail project for commercial activities on Monday. He however urged residents to begin use of the Metro rails from Tuesday, the 28th of…

NIGERIAN students at Teesside University in the United Kingdom have been told to quit the school and return to Nigeria over unpaid fees. According to BBC, Teesside University said the move was in line with the UK’s immigration regulations. “Teesside University is proud to be a global institution with a diverse student population but is also very aware of its visa issuance and compliance obligations. “These strict external regulations ensure that the university fully supports a robust immigration system and are outside of the university’s control,” BBC said, quoting a university spokesperson. The university said it had “no choice” as…

THE National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has issued a public notification regarding the recall of Caro White Skin Lightening Beauty Lotion by the European Union (EU) Rapid Alert System for Dangerous Non-Food Products (RAPEX). A statement on NAFDAC’s website, ‘Public Alert No. 15/2023 – Alert on the Recall of Ivorian Made Skin Lightening Beauty Lotion’, obtained by News Point Nigeria, said the product failed to comply with the Cosmetic Products Regulation due to its high concentration of Kojic Acid, which surpasses the allowable maximum concentration of one per cent. The conclusion was drawn by the…