TWO more persons have been killed by terrorists in the Birnin-Gwari area of Kaduna State. News Point Nigeria reports that terrorists embarked on a shooting spree and injured three others at the Bagoma Dam – a city gate to Birnin-Gwari town from Niger State. Among the casualties are a vigilante member and one Internally Displaced Person (IDP) from the Dagara community. According to the Chairman of Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, Ibrahim Abubakar, the sad incident occurred around 6:30pm after Maghrib prayers at KBY Filling station, Bagoma Dam. He said that three other people sustained various degree of…
Author: Amina Ibrahim
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THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu is meeting with chairmen of political parties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The meeting is part of the stakeholders’ engagement scheduled by INEC ahead of the three off-circle governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo State. The INEC chairman is expected to brief the political parties about preparations, and the roles of political parties in the elections. It is also an avenue for the parties to speak to the INEC chairman about their concerns and observations ahead of the exercise.
LAGOS, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) generated the highest amounts of internally generated revenue in 2022. This is according to the recent Internally Generated Revenue report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which was released earlier today, October 23, 2023. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, these are the major highlights of the financial performance of various states in Nigeria during the year: Top Performers: Lagos, Rivers, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) stood out as the leading states in terms of IGR. They raked in impressive amounts of ₦651,145,633,085.30, ₦172,823,232,535.44, and ₦124,366,774,519.25, respectively. Underperforming States:…
THE Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake, says foreign illegal miners are sponsoring banditry in Nigeria. He stated this while briefing state house correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja on Monday. He, however, assured that his ministry is taking steps to inject new technologies into the mining sector to tackle the challenge and enable Nigeria to have optimum benefits from the solid minerals sector. He said his ministry is liaising with the Nigerian armed military and other security agencies in the country to boost security in areas where solid minerals abound…
The Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Olufemi Peters, has implored new students of the university to exhibit exemplary character as they sojourn in their academic activities with the institution. Speaking at the 25th Matriculation Ceremony for the students of the university held in Abuja on Friday, Peters said: “Many people will be interested in your academic performance and character. I implore you, therefore, to be good and worthy ambassadors of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).” According to a statement by the Director, Media and Publicity, NOUN, Ibrahim Sheme, the ceremony, which matriculated 18,679 students cutting across the eight faculties of NOUN,…
THE Adamawa State High Court of Justice has scheduled the arraignment of suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barrister Hudu Ari Yunusa, for November 6th, 2023. Hudu faces multiple charges including announcing false electoral results, breaching his oath of neutrality, disorderly conduct during elections, inciting disturbance, and personating a public servant. Originally set for July 27th, 2023, the arraignment was delayed due to the REC’s failure to appear in court. As a result, Justice Benjamin Manji Lawan was forced to adjourn the case for the third time. The court then set October 23rd, 2023, in order to enable the electoral umpire…
OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 40-year-old ‘businessman’, Sherif Egbo, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while attempting to board an Air France flight to Paris, France, after the anti-narcotics agents discovered he ingested illicit drugs. The spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi noted that the Spain-based Egbo was arrested on Saturday, October 14 after a body scanner revealed that he had wraps of illicit drugs in his stomach. “He was subsequently placed under observation at the agency’s exhibit recovery room where he excreted 93 pellets of heroin weighing 2.222 kilogrammes. In his statement,…
THE Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation says it has fully covered the medical expenses of renowned Nollywood actor, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, as of Wednesday October 18, 2023. Announcing this in a statement shared on its Facebook page on Friday, the foundation urged others to come forward and assist the comic actor who is lying sick in an undisclosed hospital in Lagos in any capacity. The foundation said, “The Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation is honoured to have extended support to Mr John Okafor also known as Mr. Ibu, a renowned comedic icon who has graced our screens and…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has confirmed the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service. This was contained in a statement on Friday by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey. He said Adeniyi’s confirmation took effect on Thursday, October 19, 2023. “His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the confirmation of the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi (MFR) as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service,” the statement read. “The appointment takes effect from 19th October, 2023 and his tenure is in accordance with the…
VICE President Kashim Shettima says that Nigeria’s strategic partnership with China remains key to Africa’s development, calling for it to be scaled up. Shettima in a statement on Tuesday by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration has strategically tinkered with the country’s foreign policy to drive and boost investors’ confidence. Shettima stated this when he was hosted by China’s Vice President Han Zheng, at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing. The Vice President represented President Tinubu at the ongoing Belt And Road Initiative Forum. “Our mutually beneficial relationship will be further enhanced and upgraded to…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Tuesday launched the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer for 15 million households. The event, which coincided with the World Poverty Eradication Day, was held at the Press Gallery of the State House in Abuja. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume represented the President at the event. In attendance are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Eradication, Betta Edu; Minister Of Finance, Wale Edun; World Bank Country Director, Shubham Chaudhuri; and the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator For Nigeria, Matthias Schmale; among other dignitaries. The President had in his maiden Independence…
THE federal government has made provisions that will allow Nigerian people to have the right to assess the performances of ministries for effective deliveries. Hadiza Bala-Usman, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Coordination, made this known during an interview with TVC News Breakfast on Tuesday. Bala-Usman asserted that citizens would be involved in evaluating the ministries to speed up the process of addressing important issues affecting the country. She also revealed that the ministers will have a retreat in November to get familiarised with the key performance indicators as they engage in their official tasks as expected from…
NIGERIA’s inflation rate has climbed to 26.72 per cent, marking a 0.92 per cent increase from the previous month’s 25.80 per cent. The National Bureau of Statistics disclosed this on Monday via its latest Consumer Price Index report for September 2023. It was shared on the X handle of NBS. The upsurge in inflation is mainly linked to the removal of petrol subsidies and the devaluation of the official exchange rate, both exerting substantial impacts on consumer prices. It said, “September 2023, the headline inflation rate increased to 26.72 per cent relative to the August 2023 headline inflation rate which…
THE Trade Union Congress on Saturday said the suspension of its October 1 nationwide strike was a temporary move. It noted that it remained conditional upon the fulfillment of the promise by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to fulfill the conditions enlisted in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Federal Government and the Organised Labour. Labour also dismissed the claim by governors that they would not implement the demands in the MoU between the Federal Government and the organised labour on the grounds that governors had rolled out palliatives for state civil servants and residents before the MoU was…
THE Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will swear Funmi Falana and 68 other lawyers as Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) on Monday, November 27. Funmi, a women’s and children’s rights activist, is the wife of popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN). In a statement Thursday, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hajo Bello, said the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) under the Chairmanship of Justice Ariwoola approved the elevation of the 58 lawyers. He said the approval is sequel to the Committee’s 159th Plenary session which was held in Abuja on Thursday. “The rank of a…
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted allegations made by one Dr Paul Azike in a viral video over the plight of Nigerian inmates in Kaliyi Prison, Ethiopia. The ministry in a statement signed by it’s spokesperson, Francisca K. Omayuli (Mrs), Thursday, said, Dr Ezike’s narration was exaggerated and blown out of proportion, while his assertion of inaction by the Nigerian Mission in Addis Ababa to the alleged plight of Nigerian inmates, is unfair and misleading. The statement read in full: THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REFUTES ALLEGATIONS MADE BY ONE DR. PAUL EZIKE IN A VIRAL VIDEO ON…
THE Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, on Wednesday, said 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory have recorded over 14,000 suspected cases of diphtheria so far. Shuaib, however, disclosed that over 10,000 of the cases occurred in Kano State, which is the epicentre of the outbreak. He noted that 97 per cent of the cases were recorded in Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Kaduna and Bauchi states with over 600 deaths. The NPHCDA boss disclosed this at the quarterly review meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee in Abuja.…
THE Federal Government says Nigerians will have their passports delivered to them at home, offices, and other places of choice beginning February, next year. Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said this on Monday in Lagos while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2023 University of Lagos International Week. According to him, Nigerians will soon begin to experience the “sweetness” of the passport application as the ministry has started the automation of the process. “We have commenced the automation of our end-to-end passport application process, and we have given a timeline from which Nigerians will begin to experience the ‘sweet…
THE Federal Government has waived valued-added tax (VAT) on diesel for six months. Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris said this in a statement on Sunday after a meeting between government officials and labour unions over the latter’s planned industrial action. “VAT on diesel will be waived for the next 6 months,” he said, noting that it was part of the resolutions reached during the meeting with organised labour in Abuja. While one of labour’s demands is the cushion the rising cost of transportation via the use of alternative energy sources, the minister the government is “committed to fast-tracking the…
THE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar felicitates with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and the citizens of Nigeria on the occasion of the 63rd Independence Anniversary Celebration. According to a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Sunday, the Minister called on Nigerians to keep faith with President Tinubu’s administration as he gears the country towards the entrenchment of democracy and sustainable development. He also called on Nigerians to use the occasion to reflect on the steady progress being made to see themselves as critical stakeholders of the…