NO fewer than 148 vulnerable Nigerians returned to the country from Libya on Tuesday, among the returnees were 124 female adults, 13 male adults, five children, and three infants. The returnees were received by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Lagos Territorial Office officials, along with other stakeholders, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. “NEMA Lagos Territorial Office officials, along with other stakeholders, received another batch of 148 Nigerian returnees from Libya today, Tuesday, 11th February 2025. “The returnees arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Cargo at 17:35 hours aboard a Boeing chartered flight with registration number 5A-BAA,”…
Author: Khadija Abubakar
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NIGERIA on Tuesday recorded an improved ranking in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), moving from 145th to 140th among 180 countries assessed. Nigeria gained one point in Transparency International‘s latest rankings. The CPI, which ranks 180 countries based on perceived levels of public sector corruption, uses a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). A score of 100 indicates a corruption-free country, while 0 signifies a highly corrupt system. Nigeria’s historical performance on the index shows an average score of 21.48 points since 1996, with the highest score of 28 recorded in 2016 The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy…
THE Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has won an important court case that confirms its power to oversee fair competition and protect consumers in all industries, including mobile phone companies. This news came from Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s communications director, on Sunday. Judge F.N. Ogazi made this ruling on Friday, February 7, 2025, in Lagos. The case started when Emeka Nnubia, who owns shares in MTN and works as a lawyer, tried to stop FCCPC from investigating MTN Nigeria. Nnubia claimed only the telecommunications regulator (NCC) should oversee phone companies, and worried that FCCPC’s investigation might break data protection…
THE Federal Government has announced the scrapping of all Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary Schools in the country and introduced a compulsory 12-year uninterrupted basic education model after which a Nigerian child can aspire to higher education. With this development, the Nigerian Government is seeking the abolition of 6-3-3-4 education system and replacing it with 12-4. This is even as it has sought the approval of the National Council on Education to officially adopt 16 years as the minimum entry age requirement into the country’s tertiary institutions. Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, revealed this on Thursday in…
A 200-LEVEL male student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Kwara State, has reportedly committed suicide over economic hardship. The deceased, whose identity was yet-to-be confirmed, was from the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences (CIS). It was also gathered that the student was on the cumulative aggregate of 4.5 academic standing at the Department of Mass Communication before his unfortunate death. The incident, it was further learnt, happened at his private residence located at Oke-Odo axis of Tanke community, Ilorin, the state capital. Sources in the university community said that the deceased committed suicide due to financial challenges facing…
MARYAM Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Kano, on Wednesday, matriculated not fewer than 1,241 newly admitted students for the 2024/2025 Academic Session. Our correspondent reports that out of the 1,241 new entrants, 100 were foreigners. The matriculation ceremony, the fourth since the university was established in 2021, took place at the Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed Twin Lecture Theatre with guests, including parents, government functionaries, traditional title-holders and other well-wishers, who witnessed the event. In his address at the occasion, the President of MAAUN, Prof. (Dr.) Mohammed Israr, said the event marked the official enrollment of the new students into…
THE Federal Government says it deported 828 illegal immigrants in 2024 as part of its intensified efforts to combat irregular migration and enhance national security. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this at a media parley in Abuja on Tuesday. Highlighting the government’s achievements, the minister stated, “In the last one year, 137 victims of trafficking were intercepted, and in 2024 alone, 828 foreigners were repatriated by the Nigerian Immigration Service.” As part of broader reforms, the government implemented measures to modernise border operations and immigration systems. These include integrating Nigerian passports into the International Civil Aviation Organisation Public…
THE National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Birnin Kebbi says it has rescued 19 children trafficked from Zuru area of Kebbi State to Calabar, Cross River State. While presenting 9 out of the 19 children that had been screened and linked with their parents to Governor Nasir Idris at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, the State Commander of NAPTIP, Musbau Iya Kaura, said the children were rescued by the anti persons trafficking agency from syndicates that specialized in child trafficking in Calabar. He said six persons, including a female lecturer in Calabar, had been…
RETAIL outlets owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have raised the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, from N965 to N990 per litre in the Federal Capital Territory. They also increased their price in Lagos from N925 to N960 per litre. This is even as the price of crude oil showed a marginal decline on Tuesday. Checks by our correspondents at some of the filling stations indicated that the prices have been adjusted. The amount is N20, or 2.1 per cent more than the N970 retail price announced by the Dangote refinery in partnership…
THE Founder and President of MAAUN Group of Universities, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has felicitated the Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on his 59th birthday anniversary. Prof. Gwarzo’s felicitations were contained in a statement he personally signed and issued to journalists in Kano on Monday. According to Prof. Gwarzo, the customs CG deserved to be celebrated on the auspicious occasion in view of his commitment towards bringing various transformations in the Service. “It is indisputable fact that the Nigeria Customs Service has witnessed a revolutionary change under the current Controller General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi…
THE Brazilian government has announced the formal admission of Nigeria as a partner country in the multinational bloc known as BRICS. This was contained in a statement by the Brazil Foreign Ministry on Friday. According to Brazil, BRICS and Nigeria share common interests, as both actively strive to enhance cooperation among Global South countries and advocate for the reform of international organisations. “With the world’s sixth-largest population—and Africa’s largest—as well as being one of the continent’s major economies, Nigeria shares convergent interests with other members of BRICS. It plays an active role in strengthening South-South cooperation and in reforming global…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that 7,746 deceased voters were removed from the national voter register in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory as of December 2022. The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Etta-Messi, disclosed this to our correspondent on Thursday. “Seven thousand, seven hundred and forty-six decreased persons across the 36 states and the FCT were removed from the National Register of voters as of December 2022,” she disclosed. According to INEC, a thorough cleaning of the voter register is usually done before every general election. In its 2023 post-general election review in December…
THE Federal Government has confirmed an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu, in Kano State. The disease, which affects various bird species, including layers, ducks, guinea fowls, and turkeys, has raised concerns over its potential spread in the region. In a circular signed by Dr. Taiwo Olasoju, on behalf of the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, authorities highlighted the heightened risk of transmission during this period. “We urge all state veterinary offices and relevant agencies to activate their surveillance systems immediately. Strict biosecurity measures must be implemented, and public awareness campaigns intensified to curb…
THE Federal Fire Service (FFS) has disclosed that an estimated property loss of N67.1 billion, and was recorded in 2024 as a result of fire outbreaks. A statement by the FFS quoting the Service’s Controller General, Abdulganiyu Jaji while addressing a press conference at the FFS headquarters in Abuja, added that no fewer than 100 deaths as a result of fire outbreaks were also recorded within the same period. Jaji, however, said that the Service saved property worth N1.94 trillion last year. “In the year 2024, the Federal Fire Service effectively saved property worth N1.94 trillion and recorded an estimated…
A SENIOR Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu, has blamed the difficult legal procedures involved in extradition for the inability of the Nigerian government to properly prosecute former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, for over 8 years. Alison-Madueke is alleged to have looted millions of dollars belonging to Nigerian when she served as a minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan. She has been away in the United Kingdom since the end of Jonathan’s administration and has been unable to appear before Nigerian courts where cases have been instituted against her by the government. Shittu, who was a guest on Channels Television’s…
THE Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has reiterated its commitment towards preparing young learners in basic education schools adequately on Design Thinking, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. The disclosure was made by the National Coordinator, UBEC Digital Resource Center, Prof. Bashir Galadanci, on behalf of the UBEC Executive Secretary while declaring open a four-day workshop on Design Thinking, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence (DTCRA) Curriculum Review. The workshop which was jointly organised by the Universal Basic Education Commission, (UBEC) and Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) also deliberated on Development of a Teachers’ Guide for Smart Schools. In her welcome…
THE Nigerian Army Women Command celebrated the promotion of Army Warrant Officer Hajara Egbunu on Friday. The Nigerian Army disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, describing it as a historic milestone. According to the statement, Brigadier General Mathias Amatso, Commander of the Nigerian Army Women Command, decorated Egbunu with her new rank badge during a ceremony held at the Command Conference Room in Abuja. This landmark achievement, it noted, makes Egbunu the first female soldier from the elite Infantry Corps and the Nigerian Army Women Command to attain the prestigious rank of Army Warrant Officer. Lieutenant Maureen Ogbuka, Acting…
THE National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has proposed to spend N85 million on publicity and advertisement in its 2025 budget. The total expenditure submitted to the National Assembly for approval amounts to N7,040,944,703, with personnel costs taking the largest share of N4,161,567,813. This includes N2,703,362,530 allocated for salaries and wages and N1,458,205,283 for allowances and social contributions. The agency has also planned to spend N70 million on welfare packages, while N459,721,666 has been set aside for the purchase of office furniture and fittings. In addition, N35.6 million has been allocated for the maintenance of motor…
THE First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has welcomed the first baby of the year 2025. She first visited the Asokoro General Hospital in Abuja where she handed gifts to the first male child of the year, the first female child of the year and other babies delivered on the 1st of January. Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, Mrs Tinubu pledged support to ensure a better life for Nigerian children. She said the current administration is committed to providing an enabling environment where every Nigerian child can thrive to become somebody in life. The…
THE Rumfa College Old Boys Association (RUMFOBA) Class ’94 marked its 30th anniversary in Kano on Thursday, with a call to the Kano state government to establish database centres in each community. These centres, to be led by village heads, would provide vital data on households across the state, enabling informed decision-making, planning, and project implementation.¹ Chairman of RUMFOBA Class ’94, Engineer Professor Ibrahim Sani Madugu, emphasized the importance of these database centres in ensuring security, supporting community development, and promoting small-scale industries and trades. The class chapter has undertaken two major projects to support their alma mater: ensuring water…