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Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and his brother, Ahmad Abubakar Sirika, have been granted bail by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in the sum of N100 million each and two sureties. The Sirika brothers face a ten-count amended charge bordering on contract fraud to the tune of N19.4 billion, alongside their company, Enginos Nigeria Limited. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Sirika of conferring undue advantage on his brother and company, with contracts allegedly not executed. - N100 million each and two sureties - One surety must own a landed property in the Federal Capital Territory in like sum - Defendants must not travel outside Nigeria without permission - Defendants must provide a landed property in the Federal Capital Territory as collateral The court's decision indicates that the Sirika brothers are not considered a flight risk and are likely to appear in court for their trial. However, the stringent bail conditions ensure they do no

Rivers State High Court Declares That The Local Government Law No.2 Of 2024 Which Extends The Tenure Of Local Government Chairmen By 6 Months After Expiration Of Their Tenure Is INVALID.  ●The Court Held That It Is Inconsistent With The 1999 Constitution And Section 9 (1) Of Rivers State Law No 5 Of 2018 Which Fixed 3years For Local Government Chairmen And Councillors.  ●A Big Advantage For Governor Sim Fubara's Camp.

  A bill seeking to change the Nigeria’s national anthem has passed the first and second reading at the Senate.  The bill sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, seeks the replacement of the current anthem with the old components of the anthem that were changed in 1978 during the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime. The senator during an executive/closed session on Thursday, May 23, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to report back to the house in two weeks. The old anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” was replaced with the current one “Arise, O Compatriots in 1978. According to the lawmakers, the current national anthem is a product of the military junta, decreed by the military and therefore should be discarded to adequately capture the nations democratic values, integrity and principally foster commitment to nationhood.

   Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule inspects a section of 10,000 hectares of the Nasarawa State Government farm in line with the Federal Government’s Food Security Initiatives.  The farm is in Jangwa, Awe LGA is suitable for rice, sesame and maize farming.  Work has started in earnest to take advantage of the onset of the rainy season.

His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, met with the Chairman and members of the Nasarawa State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board at the Government House in Lafia. The board was led by Rev. Dr. John Ibrahim. This meeting highlights the Governor's commitment to engaging with various stakeholders in the State, including religious organizations, to foster collaboration and progress.

  The 14th Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido, has called for the diversification of Nigeria’s economy to achieve optimal growth and development. The ex-CBN governor noted that while Nigeria has continued to use its oil as its major revenue source, the nation needs “to fully reap the blessings of oil” by making way for more viable economic reforms. Lamido gave the charge while speaking at the 2024 Rivers State Economic and Investment Summit at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Thursday. He said, “River State is blessed with abundant oil resources, a gift that has significantly contributed to the economy of Nigeria as a whole. However, sitting on oil or any natural resource is not enough for economic development. “I have said over and over again that if we were to dig out all the oil that is under Nigeria’s soil today and sell it and share the money among all Nigerians, we would, at best, be a

Sources in the army identified the female soldier as Lance Corporal Jonah Comfort with service number 15NA/74/4422F. Comfort reportedly committed the offence earlier in May. She was said to have entered the senior officer’s room and stolen the jewellery. The female soldier subsequently sold the jewellery to a jeweller in Kaduna for N5 million.   Foresight news learnt that the army authorities did not want the public to know about the incident as it might lead to a debate as to how the senior officer’s wife acquired jewellery worth millions of Naira despite being a housewife.   The jeweller has also been arrested by the military police, SaharaReporters was told. “The army authorities have been careful over the issue because the general’s wife is a full housewife, so how come she has jewellery worth millions of Naira? The jewellery stolen by the soldier which was valued at N35 million was just part of her collections,” one of the sources said.   “The female soldier had long been monitori

  The Federal Government has apologised to Nigerians over the impact of its policies, noting that notwithstanding the inflation and currency problems that have hampered economic growth, the policies were necessary and already yielding results. The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, stated this on Wednesday at a press conference to herald President Tinubu’s one year in office. When asked about the detrimental effects of the administration’s policies, Bagudu responded that President Tinubu had run on a platform of “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which was the result of his reflections, analysis of the nation’s past actions, and the combined experiences of many stakeholders, who supported the programme. He said in the light of this, eight priority areas were created, with the aim of assisting the administration make decisions that ought to have been made years ago. According to him, “If we don’t make these decisions, we may continue to… because the experience of the nations we

  Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has officially sworn in eight new commissioners, previously screened and confirmed by the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly. The ceremony took place in the Executive Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt. During the brief ceremony, Governor Fubara urged the newly appointed commissioners to prioritize the state's interests and maintain discipline in their roles. He emphasized the importance of their dedication to serving the people of Rivers State with integrity and commitment. The newly sworn-in commissioners are: 1. Hon. Prince Charles O. Bekee 2. Mr. Collins Onunwo 3. Hon. Solomon Abel Eke 4. Sir Dr. Peter Medee 5. Hon. Olisaelloka Tasie-Amadi 6. Hon. Basoene Joshua Benibo 7. Mr. Tambari Sydney Gbara 8. Dr. Ovy Orluideye Chinendum Chukwuma Each commissioner brings a wealth of experience and expertise to their respective roles, promising to enhance the governance and development of Rivers State.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has said his administration is committed to making Rivers State the best place in the country to invest and do business by creating a vibrant, investor-friendly business environment, and improving the ease of doing business in order to boost investors’ interest and confidence. Governor Fubara stated this at the Rivers State Economic and Investment Summit which was held at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt on Wednesday. The governor emphasised that his government is building a resilient, robust, and diversified economy which holds the key to sustainable peace, security and progress as well as the spiritual, social, and physical well-being of the people. He noted that he is committed to re-industrialisation of the State in partnership with the informal and organised private sectors through necessary policy, legal, and other support measures, and systems. Gov. Fubara pointed out that the state has since lost her rating

The death of one Ocheze Ogbonna, a staff of Inner Galaxy Steel Company, Umuahala-Obuzor Asa, in Ukwa West council area of Abia State, has sparked outrage in the area following reports that her Chinese boss was responsible for her demise. Ocheze, a female crane operator in the company was allegedly pushed down from the height after she rejected his sexual overtures. He death sparked a protest by the youths of the community and they barricaded the gates, insisting that they wont leave until justice was done over the death of the crane operator. The protesting youths were later dispersed by soldiers guarding the steel company. It was alleged that some of the protesting youths were shot and beaten up by soldiers. “The Chinese people at Inner Galaxy company are dehumanizing Nigerians. The chinese manager pushed Ocheze out of the crane. She fell and hit her head on the hard surface and died. We want justice done, our sister cannot die in vain, the government must investigate the activities o

    LAGOS, NIGERIA – Faith Odunsi, a 15-year-old secondary school student, has brought pride to Nigeria by winning the Global Open Mathematics Tournament, outperforming participants from the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries. Faith, an SS3 student from Ijebu, Ogun State, achieved this remarkable feat in a competition that drew participants from Europe, Africa, America, Asia, and Australia. Speaking with journalists, Faith shared her excitement and honor in winning what she described as a “tough competition.” In detailing her journey to victory, Faith explained how she excelled through various stages of the contest. “In the first stage, there was a computer-based test where we had to answer many questions within one hour. I scored 66 on this test. The second stage followed the same format, and I again scored 66,” she said. The quarter and semi-finals involved answering questions on Microsoft Teams, with points awarded to the first correct response. Faith balanced her pr

  The Executive Director/CEO of National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Shaibu Husseini, says the Federal Government has approved the prohibition of money r!tuals and glamourizing of vices in Nigerian films. Husseini disclosed this while speaking at a National Stakeholders Engagement on Smoke-Free Nollywood held in Enugu on Wednesday, May 22. The NFVCB boss said  today, we are facing an industry emergency requiring bold and ambitious actions from all parents, guardians and stakeholders. “When my predecessor approached the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed on the need to make a subsidiary legislation to curtail the display of smoking in Nigerian movies, he saw the need to include money rituals. Others included in the regulation are ritual killings and glamourising other crimes in order to further sanitise the film industry. Today, I am delighted to announce to you that the Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, pursuant to sec

  Africa's most talented musician, Flavour Nabania, has lost his father.  According to a post shared on his official Facebook page. The music artist announced the death of his father which occurred at the early hours of today.  May his soul rest in peace.

A Federal High Court In Abuja Has Granted The Former Commander Of The Force Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, Two Weeks’ Bail After 27 Months In Detention To Complete His Mother's Burial. Kyari is anticipated to complete the funeral ceremonies for his late mother, Yachilla Kyari. The mother passed away on the morning of Sunday, May 5, 2024. She is survived by 10 children, consisting of five boys and five girls. Among them is Abba, who is the eldest son.

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to mandate public healthcare institutions to provide free medical treatment for pregnant women during and after delivery. The call was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Rep. Mohammed Shehu, PDP-Bauchi, at plenary on Wednesday. They also urged the ministry to implement routine checks to ensure continuity, compliance by medical personnel, and sustainability of childbirth processes. Moving the motion, Shehu said the government established public healthcare institutions to provide medical services to humanity. He added that drugs were supplied to the institutions which are equipped with modern medical facilities and charged with the responsibility of handling healthcare-related matters. Shehu said though healthcare services were not restricted to pregnant women, efforts to encourage free treatment for expectant mothers have not been fully realised. He said that given the fertility statistics in the

  President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Chukwuemeka Woke as the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency. Woke, a former Chief of Staff to a former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was on May 9, 2024, appointed as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority. This was met with backlash from Nigerians who protested the appointment of an MD who is not from the South West region. The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, however, revealed the redeployment in a statement on Wednesday. Ngelale also announced the President’s appointment of Dr. Adedeji Ashiru as the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority. Apart from being an engineer, Woke is also known as an environmental expert and a politician. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree

  The Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said that with the plan the Dangote Refinery has in place, Nigeria will not need to import premium motor spirit (PMS) by next month. Dangote said that the refinery, which has already started supplying diesel and aviation fuel in Nigeria, has the capacity to meet the diesel and petrol needs of West Africa and the aviation fuel demand of the entire African continent. The richest man in Africa spoke as a panelist at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali on Friday. “Right now, Nigeria has no cause to import anything apart from gasoline and by sometime in June, within the next four or five weeks, Nigeria shouldn’t import anything like gasoline; not one drop of a litre,” he declared. Highlighted how far the oil company has come, Dangote expressed how they are focused in ensuring that the continent will depend less on importation in the nearest future. “We have enough gasoline to give to at least the entire West Africa, diesel to

  A public affairs commentator Ken Okolugbo has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe corruption allegations levelled against former governors. Okolugbo, a former commissioner of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), stated this on Friday. He said the report of the probe of the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry should be made public for Nigerians. Okolugbo said there is a nexus between poverty and corruption. He said the anti-corruption fight is no longer business as usual citing the prosecution of ex-governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele, ex-Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, ex-Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, ex-Kwara gov Abdulfatah Ahmed, ex-Anambra State governor Willie Obiano and others by the anti-graft agency under Ola Olukoyede. Okolugbo also said beyond the prosecution of former government officials, the EFCC has been seen clamping down on Nigerians involved in currency speculation and racketeering. H

  The apex Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere had lamented insecurity in the country and is asking President Bola Tinubu to invoke an executive order to create state and local government police.  In a statement on Saturday, the group’s spokesman Ajayi said the move followed increased reports of banditry and kidnapping in Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi, Zamfara, and Niger states. “There are indications that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is desirous of putting an end to this deleterious menace. Towards the end of January this year, he approved the procurement of digital tracking tools to enhance the apprehension of bandits, terrorists, and armed robbers,” the statement read. “On Monday, April 22, this year, he used the occasion of addressing participants at the African Counter-Terrorism Summit which opened on that day in Abuja to assure everyone of his government’s readiness to ensure greater security. Unfortunately, recent happenings have not shown that the President’s desire in t

  The Federal Government has dismissed the planned alliance between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi. According to the Presidency, President Bola Tinubu is not bothered about the planned alliance, noting that the President was not losing sleep over alliance plots by Atiku and Obi. Atiku had contested the presidency in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party but lost. Obi also contested as a presidential candidate on the platform of the Labour Party and came third in the election. Last week, Obi held a private meeting with Atiku and some other PDP leaders in Abuja. Obi also met separately with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, sparking speculations about a possible coalition for the 2027 general elections. However, in an interview on Friday, Atiku stated that if the PDP decided in 2027 that it was the South-East’s turn to field the presidential candidate and selected Obi, h

L Six people have lost their lives while many others sustained injury in a fatal motor accident involving a Mack Truck and four minibusses at IMSU Junction, along Okigwe road, Owerri, Imo State capital. Confirming the incident in a statement made available to newsmen by the police spokesperson in Imo, Henry Okoye, he said preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of the Mack Truck with reg no: KWL 857 YE, heading towards IMSU Junction from Orji, along Okigwe road, allegedly lost control of his vehicle, and diverted one way where he ran over four shuttle minibuses and some pedestrians along the road which left many seriously injured. According to him, “Following information received from a concerned citizen on 18/05/2024, at about 1745hrs, that a fatal motor accident involving a Mack Truck and four minibusses occurred at IMSU Junction, along Okigwe road, the Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, swiftly mobilised operatives of Orji Divisional Headquarters

  Tyson Fury suffered a split-decision points defeat to Oleksandr Usyk on a dramatic night in Saudi Arabia as the Ukrainian became boxing's first four-belt undisputed heavyweight champion. On a grand stage and on a legacy-defining night, Fury began well but was given a standing 10 count and saved by the bell after an Usyk onslaught in the ninth round. The scorecards gave 115-112 and 114-113 decisions in favour of Usyk, with a third judge scoring it 114-113 to Fury. It meant Fury, 35, lost for the first time in a 16-year professional career. He will get an immediate opportunity for revenge with a rematch planned for later this year. "I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority," a defiant Fury said in the ring. "It was one of the daftest decisions in boxing. I'll be back." Usyk takes the WBC belt from Fury, to add to his WBA, WBO and IBF collection. The 37-year-old remains unbeaten and is the first boxer in almost 25 years to stand tall as th

President Tinubu Approves The Appointment Of New Pro-Chancellors  And Chairmen Of Governing Councils Of Federal Universities In Nigeria. 

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has shut three shops and raided others during a clampdown on the sale of unregistered "Dr. Teal's" brand of cosmetics in Lagos State.  The agency disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Saturday, stating that the action came after a complaint from the trademark holder. The statement read, "NAFDAC has shut down three cosmetics shops and raided others, targeting the sale of unregistered 'Dr. Teal's' brand cosmetics. This action follows a complaint from the trademark holder regarding potential counterfeit products. "The enforcement operation took place at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Egbeda, and Ikeja areas. "Two suspected shops along Excellent Line at the Trade Fair Complex were targeted, resulting in sealed shops and invitation letters issued to attendants." It added that another development unfolded at Okas Global Link Limited where NAFDAC confiscated over 2

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday met with the new President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. President Faye, who was sworn-in on April 2, 2024, arrived the forecourt of the State House about 3pm and was ushered in by Pipers from the military band. The Senegalese President was immediately taken to the president’s office for a closed-doors session.

A member of the House of Representatives loyal to the Minister of FCT, Hon. Solomon Bob, has called on President Bola Tinubu not to side with the alleged constitutional abuse by the Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara. Bob, in a statement issued on Friday, expressed disappointment in the recent statement issued by the president’s media aide, describing it as preposterous. He stated that Fubara’s outrageous lawlessness and assault on the constitution required that he face the consequences of his actions. The lawmaker called on President Bola Tinubu to remove any “protective cover” for Fubara and allow the law to take its course on the governance and management of the state’s resources. Bob, who represents Abua-Odual and Ahoada East Federal Constituency of Rivers State, believed that Fubara had committed several impeachable constitutional breaches. He said: “President Tinubu must not appear like an enabler of impunity and egregious unlawful behaviour. Governor Fubara destroyed an entire

  The Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has described allegations by the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, that he was inciting other governors against accepting N70,000 minimum wage as false. Comrade Ajaero made the accusation during an interview on national TV. In a press statement by his Press Secretary, Mr Christian Aburime, Soludo denied that he was running an anti-workers government in Anambra, while also listing his numerous achievements for workers in the state. According to the statement: “The state government wishes to categorically debunk these allegations. “In fact, at no time did Governor Soludo incite or influence other state governors against paying the proposed N70,000 minimum wage. “The government of Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo has enjoyed a smooth and cordial relationship with the labour leaders in Anambra State, even as at the time of issuing this statement, no letter of notice of industrial action has been received by t

  Nigerian singer Oritsefemi Majemite Ekele, popularly known as Oritsefemi, has claimed that his estranged wife, Nabila Fash, experienced 21 miscarriages during their marriage. He made this known in a recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, where he stated that despite the number of miscarriages Nabila had, she blamed him for her inability to conceive. “Nabila had about 21 miscarriages. And she still said that I couldn’t get her pregnant,” he lamented. Recall that Ms. Fash confirmed they were officially separated during a live video session with popular OAP Daddy Freeze. Ms. Fash stunned her host when she revealed that she and the singer were separated but not officially divorced, while she drew the public’s attention to the fact that she was a victim of domestic abuse.

  The Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage will reconvene on Tuesday, May 23 to further negotiate a reasonable new minimum wage for workers, after the organised labour walked out of the negotiation on May 15. An invitation letter sent to the labour leaders by the chairman of the committee, Bukar Goni, states that the other members of the committee have agreed to shift grounds from the N48,000 proposal which was made on Wednesday. The letter appealed to the labour leaders to speak to their members and attend the reconvened meeting next Tuesday. The organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have proposed a new minimum wage of N615,000, which is way higher than the N48,000 proposal by the government. The organised private sector, on the other hand, proposed an initial offer of N54,000. After dumping the talks, the labour leaders addressed a press conference where they expressed their anger over the Federal Government’s offer. They bla

  The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Shehu Gabam has faulted the immediate past government of Muhammadu Buhari for failing to address Nigeria’s challenges, accusing it of bequeathing a comatose economy to President Bola Tinubu.  Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) handed over to his party man Tinubu about a year ago. But Gabam claims Tinubu inherited a terrible economy from Buhari. “I have said several times that Buhari’s government is the worst that Nigeria has ever had. It is the consequence that President Bola Tinubu is suffering from because he knew he inherited an economy that has collapsed,” he said on Friday. Following the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, the cost of living was pushed to new levels. However, the SDP chieftain has faulted the moves, insisting President Tinubu’s reforms were rushed. “He knew that he inherited an economy that had collapsed. His responsibility is to find the softer ways to revive the economy, n