Author: Lekan Adeyeye

GOVERNOR Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state has returned to Nigeria after his medical trip abroad. A reliable source in the Akeredolu family confirmed the return of the Ondo governor, on Thursday. The source, who pleaded anonymity, said Governor Akeredolu landed in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, and would be staying at his private residence to take some rest. He added that some members of the cabinet are already on their way to welcome him back to the country. “The governor (Akeredolu) is back in the country. We would be in Ibadan at his private residence to take some rest. I’m aware…

A NEW data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that Nigeria generated N1.49 trillion as the aggregate revenue from Value-Added Tax (VAT) in the first half of 2023 (six months). The NBS on Monday stated that on the aggregate, VAT for the second quarter of 2023 was reported at N781.35 billion, showing a growth rate of 10.11% on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N709.59 billion in the first quarter of 2023. The data showed that local payments recorded were N512.03 billion, foreign VAT payments were N142.63 billion, while import VAT contributed N126.69 billion in the second quarter of…

THE Nigeria Football Federation and Jose Santos Peseiro have reached an agreement for the latter to continue in his role as Head Coach of the Senior Men National Team of Nigeria, the Super Eagles. A source in the NFF told News Point Nigeria that, Paseiro agreed a pay-cut considering the high dollar/naira rate in the country. The source added that as stipulated in the original contract, drawn in May 2022, the Portuguese has been handed the mandate to lead the Super Eagles to, in the minimum, the semi finals of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in…

NOLLYWOOD Actor, Bolanle Ninalowo and his wife, Bunmi, are ending their marriage after 18 years, the Nollywood actor and filmmaker announced on Friday. The 43-year-old father of two made the announcement in an emotional Instagram post, saying he was “heartbroken” and “shattered” that the couple had decided to “go our separate ways and [are] headed for an irreconcilable marriage dissolution”. The couple celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary in November 2022. Without revealing details about the reason for their split, the Far From Home star said, “May God help me and reward me with all i truly deserve or punish me…

THE General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Nigerian Army (NA), Major General Mohammed Takuti Usman, on Wednesday asked soldiers to be loyal to President Bola Tinubu and the constituted authority, at all times. Usman said this while addressing soldiers at the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The GOC told them to be professional and exhibit total loyalty beginning with the President down to the top echelon of the Armed Forces. His comment comes amid the military coup spreading across African nations with Gabon being the latest, on Wednesday. Usman, flanked by the Brigadier General, Mohammed Tajudeen Aminu, the…

ACADEMIC activities were paralysed at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo state, on Friday, following a protest by students of the institution over the death of their colleague, Ayomide Akeredolu. Akeredolu, a 500 Level student of the school, was said to have slumped inside the hall of residence. The deceased, who was planning to write his final exam, was immediately rushed to the institution’s health centre but gave up the ghost on arrival. His death angered the students who mobilised to block the front of their school on the Akure/Ilesha express road for several hours. They alleged that…

THE Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 1,245 live ammunition allegedly concealed in 203 bags of foreign rice abandoned in a bush path at Tombolo Junction, near the Yewa North Local Government Area (LGA) of Ogun State. This revelation was made in Abeokuta, the state capital, by the Customs Area 1 Comptroller, Bamidele Makinde, who said this was with a N17,637 duty paid value. The area comptroller added that an investigation was ongoing to unravel the cartel responsible for the attempted smuggling with a call to residents to furnish the command with useful information.

EKITI State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has suspended the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Home Affairs, Mr. Olaiya Atibioke, for two weeks. The Commissioner, who is one of those inaugurated less than a week ago, bagged the suspension for unauthorised departure from the venue of a three-day retreat organized for them. According to a statement signed by Mr Yinka Oyebode, the Special Adviser (Media) to Governor Oyebanji, the Commissioner was nowhere to be found during the signing of the performance charter. Governor Oyebanji, who fully participated in all the sessions of the 72-hour retreat, had earlier stated that there would be zero…

THE Department of State Services, has invited and interrogated the Secretary to Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, over recent allegations of fraud levelled against him. A source from the DSS who craved anonymity hinted our correspondent that the invitation and subsequent interrogation were a result of the allegations levelled against him. The source told our correspondent that the grill took place at the Ogun State Command Headquarters of the DSS, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Friday, at 6:55 pm. Talabi was reportedly grilled for five hours on Friday but was released afterwards on self-recognition. Talabi’s alleged involvement with Superflux Printing Limited, located…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Saturday extolled the virtues of former Chief of General Staff, deceased Gen. Oladipo Diya, whom he described as a selfless and diligent leader. The president stated in his message to the final funeral rites of Diya at his hometown, Odogbolu, Ogun that the Diya’s contributions to nation-building remained a reference point to coming generations. The president’s message was delivered by Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State. The president noted that while Diya’s death was painful, his impactful life and legacies were sufficient to console his loved ones and the generality of Nigerians. He added that Diya’s…

EIGHT persons have been burnt to death while scooping fuel after a petrol-laden tanker fell and spilled its content along the Ore-Benin Expressway on Sunday evening. The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ondo State, Ezekiel Son-Allah, confirmed this in a statement on Monday. He said the white fuel tanker with no registration number lost control in motion due to overspending. Son-Allah noted that following the development some residents of the close by village stormed the scene and started scooping fuel spilled from the fallen tanker. According to him, unfortunately, the tanker exploded, burning eight persons…

SIX individuals have reportedly lost their lives due to the ingestion of a potentially toxic alcoholic beverage in Ogbogbo, located in the Ijebu-North East region of Ogun State. The incident was verified by Omolola Odutola, the public relations officer for the Ogun State police command. According to sources, the distressing event took place on Tuesday at a local hangout, where seven friends had gathered for a celebration. It is reported that the fatal drink was allegedly provided by one of the friends who had brought it from his home, but suspiciously did not consume it himself. Prior to the tragic…

THE Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, has arrested no fewer than 28 people for their involvement in various crimes in some parts of the state. Among the suspected criminals were two secondary school girls who were arrested by the men of the corps for allegedly faking their kidnap and demanding ransom from their mother. Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the command in Akure the state capital, on Monday, the state Commander of the Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said the two female pupils were 13 and 15 years of age. Both of them were said…

EKITI State Chief Judge, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye, escaped death on Wednesday, when a section of the state high court complex collapsed on him while in the office. Justice Adeyeye is said to be currently receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital in the state. This newspaper gathered that the incident happened around close of work on Wednesday. The judge was still in his chamber at the time of the collapse. The incident may not be unconnected with structural deficit worsened by the torrential rainfall. No life was lost during the collapse but the Chief Judge reportedly sustained serious injury as…

THE Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, confirmed that its website was hacked. The Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, said the government is “working to restore the website,” adding that “all critical data and applications are secured”. “The State ICT team is working round the clock to access and restore all the critical services,” he said in a statement, adding that improving on the cyber security architecture is sacrosanct. News Point Nigeria had reported that a hacker had on Wednesday attacked the state government website: www.ogunstate.gov.ng. A check by our correspondent on Wednesday afternoon showed that the website, www.ogunstate.gov.ng,…

THE Ogun State Government website has been hacked, this newspaper reports. A check by our correspondent on Wednesday afternoon showed that the website, www.ogunstate.gov.ng, has been taken over by a hacker. “Hacked by Aliester Crowley. Update your security. Greetings from Maldives,” the website homepage showed at about 1:15 pm. Hackers also posted confidential govt correspondences randomly on the site. When contacted, the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, said he was not aware of the situation. He, however, said prompt action would be taken on the development. “I am not aware but I will inform the ICT head,”…

A FORMER governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, has explained the reason behind his decision to ask the state government to stop his pensions as a former administrator of the state. Mr Daniel now the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly said his action, was because he doesn’t want to be receiving double remuneration having returned to public service after 12 years. “I remember there was indeed a court judgement which SERAP got basically saying that people should not be entitled to double payment, especially if you now have another kind of public office. But even…

THE Federal Government has arraigned a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu and nine others before an Ogun State High court sitting in Abeokuta for vote buying. Reacting to this development, Afolabi Orekoya, the media aide to the ex-governorship candidate, claimed his boss has not been served. The state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yemi Sanusi, had written a petition to the Inspector General of Police over vote buying allegations against Adebutu, which was investigated by the State Criminal Investigations Department Eleweran, Abeokuta, the state capital. Upon conclusion…

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the self-determination of lawmakers’ emoluments as immoral and unconstitutional, decrying that those who should uphold the constitution are “the ones who undermine it”. The former President said this on Monday while delivering a speech at the 60th anniversary celebration of legal icon Aare Afe Babalola’s call to the Bar held in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital. According to Obasanjo, salary allocation for elected officials is the responsibility of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), which he said the lawmakers had jettisoned to fix salaries for themselves. Under Paragraph 32(a-e) of Part…

ONDO State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has forwarded a letter of extension on medical leave to the State House of Assembly. This notice came after his doctors advised him on the need to take adquate rest after recuperating. Receiving the letter on behalf of other lawmakers, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, said Akeredolu’s action was in line with Section 190 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). According to the letter, Akeredolu’s deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa would continue to act as governor until there is a written declaration to the contrary. Akeredolu…