THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, says the commission is not contemplating any adjustment to the election timetable, let alone postponing the 2023 general election. Yakubu stated this at the presentation of an electronic copy of the 93,469,008 voter register to leaders of political parties on Wednesday in Abuja. He said that more than ever before, the commission was more prepared for the 2023 general elections and had now successfully implemented 11 out of the 14 activities on schedule for the elections. “Already, substantial quantities of sensitive and non-sensitive materials have been deployed to…
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THERE was tension along Zaria-Kano highway as protesting tanker drivers blocked the road following alleged killing of their colleague by a soldier. It was learnt that the incident happened around 3:30 pm on Wednesday when the protesting drivers blocked the highway and caused gridlock on the busy road for hours. Our source couldn’t ascertain what led to the altercation between the soldier attached to a construction company and the late driver. However, it was gathered that the incident occurred near Tashar Yari in Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Confirming the blockage of the road by the protesting drivers…
THE Court of Appeal in Kaduna State, on Wednesday, dismissed an appeal brought against the Independent National Electoral Commission, the All Progressive Congress, and its governorship candidate, Uba Sani, by the New Nigeria Peoples Party. Counsel for the Kaduna State APC, who is also a former state chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Sule Shu’aibu, in a statement said, “It is my pleasure to report once again that the appeal No. CA/K/293/2022 by the NNPP Vs. INEC & the APC before the Court of Appeal Kaduna Division, seeking to disqualify our Gubernatorial Candidate and all 34 Candidates for the State…
THE Central Bank of Nigeria has said there is a huge circulation of the new naira notes in the economy. The CBN Lagos Branch Controller, Godfrey Koyor, said this during a stakeholder sensitisation event on the currency redesign at the Balogun market in Lagos on Tuesday. He also expressed the determination of the CBN to maintain the January 31 deadline to phase out the old naira notes. He said, “We are giving everyone the assurance that the new naira notes are available and available to everyone. We are distributing through the banking system. And as the transaction takes place, you…
USHAFFA community in the Bwari Area council of Abuja was on Wednesday morning thrown into confusion when gunmen suspected to be kidnappers stormed the community, killing a man and abducting his family members. There is apprehension in the entire community as residents fear of being attacked. According to one of the residents in the community, James Olahi, the incident happened behind the LGEA Primary School Ushafa, close to the popular Going-Park in the community. He added that some persons stormed the community in the wee hours of Wednesday morning and started shooting sporadically for 30 minutes without being challenged by…
EGYPT says three people have been detained for trying to steal a massive statue of an ancient Pharaoh – using a crane. The prosecutor’s office said the three were found in possession of digging tools and the crane with which they had tried to lift the 10-tonne statue and excavate antiquities in the ancient city of Aswan. The statue is of Ramses the Great, who died more than 3,000 years ago. A probe is being held and there are orders to investigate any further accomplices. In recent years Egypt’s managed to recover thousands of antiquities illegally taken abroad.
AFRICA’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has graduated as a police constable in Kenya’s police service. He was among 2,881 constables who graduated on Tuesday from the National Police College in an event presided over by President William Ruto. The recruits finished the basic police training course among other courses on human rights, community policing, public order management, skills at arms, and countering violent extremism, according to the National Police Service. He joins other top Kenyan athletes who are members of the police force.
THE Banshees of Inisherin has won three major prizes at the Golden Globes’ comeback ceremony in Los Angeles. The film took home best comedy or musical film and best screenplay, as well as best comedy actor for its star, Irish actor Colin Farrell. “I never expect my films to find an audience, and when they do it’s shocking for me,” Farrell said. Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical The Fabelmans was also one of the big winners, scooping best drama film. School-based comedy Abbott Elementary, Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and satirical dark comedy The White Lotus were among the…
AT least six people were injured in an attack at Paris’ Gare Du Nord train station early Wednesday, restricting access to one of the French capital’s major rail hubs. An individual began attacking people at 6:42 a.m. local time and was neutralized a minute later, according to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. The individual was disarmed by off-duty police officers who were going home and by border police, Darmanin said in a press conference. The attacker made the weapon himself, Darmanin added. Paris police had earlier said the individual started attacking people with a knife at 6:45 a.m. local time.…
ALBARKA Sukuya, a pastor based in Plateau State, has been arrested by the Police for allegedly kidnapping himself and collecting ransom from his church members. Alfred Alabo, Police Public Relations Officer in Plateau, who confirmed this in a statement, said the suspect was arrested in November. He said he severally staged his kidnap to dupe unsuspecting persons. “The Police has uncovered the nefarious act of one Pastor Albarka Sukuya of Jenta Apata, Jos, who on several occasions staged his kidnap with his cohorts and received ransom from sympathising members of his congregation.” “Sequel to his spurious kidnaps of Nov. 14…
THE Zamfara State Police Command, on Tuesday arrested another set of two suspected gunrunners and recovered arms, ammunition. SP Mohammed Shehu, Zamfara Police Public Relations Officer, made this known in a statement on Tuesday. The statement explained that following intelligent information received about the supply of arms from Benue state to undisclosed criminals in Zamfara, the officers of the command, went into action, arrested the suspects with live ammunition and one magazine. According to the statement, after careful search of the arrested, criminals, they discovered arms ammunition, just as the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation, saying that they…
THE global economy is “perilously close to falling into recession”, according to the latest forecast from the World Bank. It expects the world economy to grow by just 1.7% this year – a sharp decrease from the 3% it predicted in June. The report blames a number of factors stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the impact of the pandemic. The effects of higher interest rates are picked out as the key challenge for policy makers to overcome. World Bank president David Malpass said the downturn would be “broad-based” and growth in people’s earnings in almost every part of…
INTERNATIONAL donors on Tuesday committed over $9 billion to help Pakistan recover from ruinous floods last year, exceeding its external financing goals and paving the way for a new model on raising funds to fight climate disasters in poorer countries. Officials from some 40 countries as well as private donors and international financial institutions gathered at a meeting in Geneva as Islamabad sought funds to cover around half of a recovery bill amounting to $16.3 billion. The meeting’s co-hosts, the United Nations and Pakistan’s government, said more than $9 billion had been pledged from bilateral and multilateral partners. Among the…
BRAZIL’s judicial authorities have ordered the arrest of top public officials after rioters stormed key government buildings in Brasília. One official, the former commander of the military police, has been arrested, local media reported. The officials also include Brasília’s former public security chief Anderson Torres and others “responsible for acts and omissions” leading to the riots, the attorney general’s office said. Mr Torres denies any role in the riots. Colonel Fábio Augusto, the police commander, was dismissed from his role after supporters of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro stormed Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court. The rioting came a week…
SEBASTIEN Haller played for Borussia Dortmund in a friendly in his first game since his return following treatment for testicular cancer. The Ivory Coast striker came off the bench after 73 minutes against Fortuna Duesseldorf in Marbella. Dortmund were leading 2-1 at the time and eventually won the match 5-1. It was the first time the 28-year-old played for Dortmund as his cancer diagnosis came shortly after he signed for them from Ajax in July. He had surgery and chemotherapy before returning to training at Dortmund’s training camp in Marbella. Dortmund are sixth in the Bundesliga, nine points behind leaders…
MARCUS Rashford came off the bench to score two late goals as Manchester United beat Charlton Athletic to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals. The visitors, 12th in League One, had defended well in the opening exchanges but Antony put the home side in front on 21 minutes when Diogo Dalot’s run off the ball opened up the Charlton defence. He found Brazilian Antony, who had too much space and curled high into the top-left corner from outside of the box. In-form forward Rashford, on as a 60th-minute substitute, guaranteed the result with fine finishes in the 90th and 94th minutes,…
PARIS St-Germain’s owners Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) are exploring the possibility of buying a minority stake in a Premier League club. PSG president and QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi met with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy in London last week. Manchester United’s owners the Glazer family have said they are looking for new investment and would also consider selling the club. Liverpool’s owners have said they “would consider new shareholders”. However, no specific clubs are being targeted at this stage by QSI, who also have a minority stake in Portuguese side Braga. And despite the meeting with Levy, it is being stressed…
FRENCH football federation president Noel le Graet has been told to quit by the head of the organisation’s ethics committee over his comments about Zinedine Zidane. Le Graet was criticised for saying he would not take a call from Zidane about the role of national team manager. He later apologised for the comments, which he described as “clumsy”. However, the FFF’s ethics committee head Patrick Anton says it is time for Le Graet, 81, to step aside. Anton told L’Equipe: “Le Graet has made comments that show he has lost some of his lucidity. He is a man who is…
THE State High Court 3 has ruled has restrained the All Progressives Congress (APC) from recognising Ishaku Abbo as its candidate for Adamawa North in the forthcoming general election. In the judgement delivered on Monday, Justice Danladi Mohammed ruled that Senator Abbo is not entitled to seek re-election since he has been expelled by the party. Justice Danladi held that the embattled Senator and APC are bound by the resolution of Mubi North local government executives of the party dated, 7th October 2022, which expelled the lawmaker thus he is not entitled to enjoy any right or privilege accorded to…
A UNITED Kingdom-based financial watchdog, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has fined the British subsidiary of Nigeria’s Guaranty Trust Bank N4.1 Billion (£7.6 million/$9.3 million) over weak money laundering control system. The FCA in a statement on Tuesday said the bank failed in its anti-money laundering systems and controls. It stated that the failures were highlighted by the bank’s internal and external sources, Reuters reports, adding that GTBank failed to take appropriate measures to fix the system despite warnings. “These weaknesses were repeatedly highlighted to GTBank by internal and external sources, including the FCA, but despite this, GTBank failed to take…