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Rev Fr Dr Hyacinth Alia, Governor of Benue State has solicited the support of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in streamlining the state's economy to engender economic growth, employment, the development of vital infrastructure and technology, as well as enhance financial inclusion. The governor made the appeal when he paid a courtesy visit on the CBN Governor, Mr Olayemi Cardoso, in Abuja. This is contained in a Statement on Thursday by the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Publicity and Communications Strategy, Ms Bridget Tikyaa. He said that Benue has vast opportunities in agriculture, solid minerals, and other areas which it wanted the CBN to support the government to fully harness for local and international markets. Governor Alia also urged the apex ...

The House Committee on Aviation has quizzed the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo over the level of decay of infrastructures at the nation’s local and international airports. The Chairman, House Committee, Abdullah Garba, grilled the minister during an interface meeting of the committee with the minister and other officials of the Ministry of Aviation in Abuja. He said that the state of infrastructures at the various local and international airports was worrisome and needed an urgent government intervention. The lawmaker also stated that the safety of personnel and stakeholders at the nation’s airports could not be overemphasized. He added that the major assignment of the committee was to help in identifying the equipment and other items needed to r...

The Nigeria Immigration Service has said it suspended an officer, Michael Akomolafe, over alleged drug trafficking resulting in his arraignment before a Federal High Court in Lagos. The NIS Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja Mr Udo said that the attention of the service was drawn to a publication linking the officer serving at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, to drug trafficking. He said that the service was in support of the legal proceedings to determine Akomolafe’s culpability in the matter. He stated, “The officer in question has since been subjected to internal processes, and placed under suspension following his alleged involvement in drug trafficking. The NIS awaits the court judgement before maki...

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday congratulated Hajiya Nana Shettima on her birthday. A statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said the President joined family, friends, and well-wishers to celebrate the wife of the Vice-President, Senator Kashim Shettima, on the special occasion of her birthday. “The President commended Nana for her efforts in promoting the initiatives of government and for being a fount of support for the administration. “The President prays for many more years filled with joy, peace, and happiness for Hajiya Nana and her family,” he said.NAN

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Transafam Power have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deliver 50 Mega Watts (MW) of embedded power to Idu commercial hub in Abuja. The MoU was signed by Mr Chijioke Okwuokenye, Acting Managing Director of AEDC and Mr Vincent Ozoude, Managing Director of Transafam Power Ltd, for the companies in Abuja on Wednesday. Okwuokenye said that the MoU was in fulfillment of of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)'s requirement for AEDC to provide 82 percent of embedded power generation, ensuring reliable and consistent power supply to the Idu Cluster. According to him, the deal marks a further demonstration ofAEDC’s transformation agenda of entering power generation and reducing reliance on the grid. ''The...

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria is not just catching up with the rest of the world but is also poised to overtake it economically and technologically. He stated this at the launch of the AI Expertise Blockchain and Technology Training and Outsourcing Initiative, at Yakubu Gowon NYSC Orientation Camp, Fanisau, Dutse, Jigawa State. The Jigawa Government, partnering with Gluwa, a tech company, aims to train 1,000 Nigerians annually in artificial intelligence, blockchain and other cutting-edge technologies as part of Nigeria's strategy for digital transformation. "We are not merely catching up with the rest of the world; we are poised to overtake them. "This initiative offers its beneficiaries the chance to become part of a global workforce, driving innovation that wil...

Hon.Osawemwenhio Uwagboe, Chairman of Conference of State Youth Parliament Speakers of Nigeria (CSYPS) By Joan Nwagwu The Conference of State Youth Parliament Speakers of Nigeria (CSYPS), has appealed to Nigerian youths, to rescind the decision to protest over the issue of hardship. Mr Osawemwenhio Uwagboe, Chairman of the group, made the appeal in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja. It would be recalled that some Nigerian youths have scheduled a nationwide protest from Aug. 1 to Aug. 10 over issue of economic hardship in the country. Uwagboe said that it was imperative they recant from the protest, as it was unlikely to yield any productive outcomes. “I stand with you my fellow Nigerians in these trying times, as we are all facing unprecedented ...

The Senate on Tuesday passed the amended National Minimum Wage Act to increase the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000. The bill which was submitted to the National Assembly was passed by the green chambers after the first, second, and third readings. The senate will await the concurrence of the House of Representatives before it is transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent into law. After the Bill titled: “Minimum Wage Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 550)” was read for the first time, Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion that the Senate should suspend its relevant rules to enable the Senate to consider the Bill for Second and Third reading. All the senators unanimously adopted the motion when it was put to voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. ...

The Ondo State Police Command has said its operatives rescued the victims who were abducted on Friday in Ifon, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State. Recall that the victims were travelling from the South-East around 11pm when they were attacked by gunmen, killed a female passenger in the front seat and the driver. However, they abducted five others, two of whom managed to escape despite sustaining injuries. Meanwhile the rescue was contained in a statement on Monday, where the spokesman of the Ondo State Police Command, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omilana, stated that the assailants left the victims stranded in the forest. According to her, policemen from the tactical squad led by the Area Commander of Owo, Olufemi Awoyele, had been combing the forest, which led to the abductors fle...

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of John Obafunwa as the new director-general of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). According to a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the president’s spokesman, on Monday, Mr Obafunwa will succeed Babatunde Salako, whose tenure expires on July 23. The appointment takes effect on July 24. “President Tinubu extends his gratitude to Professor Salako for his service to the nation,” said the statement. The president expects the new director-general to bring his immense wealth of experience and qualifications to bear in this role to further drive the NIMR’s objective of leading research into diseases of public health importance in Nigeria. He also expects him to develop structures for disseminating research findings while...

The Nigerian Army will continue to review its operations to reinvigorate ongoing operations against non-state actors. Chief of Army Staff Taoreed Lagbaja said this at opening a three-day retreat for past and present commanders of army operations in North-West on Monday in Abuja. Mr Lagbaja said the security situation in the North West was made complex by activities of non-state actors who engage in banditry, kidnappings, cattle rustling, illegal mining and violent attacks on innocent citizens. These activities, he said, had led to the destruction of lives, properties and means of livelihoods. According to him, the activities of these non-state actors have continued to impact the security environment across the country despite unrelenting efforts by the army, sister services an...

US President Joe Biden has announced that he will end his candidacy for re-election, saying "it is in the best interest of my party and the country". It comes four months before Americans go to the polls, upending the race for the White House. It follows weeks of intense pressure from fellow Democrats after a faltering debate performance against Republican Donald Trump at the end of June. In a letter posted to his social media account, he said it had been the greatest honour of his life to serve as president. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling the duties as President for the remainder of my term". He said in his statement he would addr...

President Biden announced Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, a seismic event that will leave Democrats scrambling to select his replacement just weeks before their convention. "While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for my term," Mr. Biden posted in a statement on social media. Shortly after the announcement, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination. "My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President," Mr. Biden posted on social media. "And it's been the best decision I've made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement fo...

By Perpetua Onuegbu The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) hascriticised the recent removal of Sen. Ali Ndume as the Senate's Chief Whip, accusing it of undermining democratic representation.Mr Auwal Musa (Rafsanjani) Executive Director,CISLAC, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.According to him, this demonstrates a trend of silencing senators and preventing them from voicing the concerns of the Nigerian people whom they are elected to serve, likeningit to autocracy."The senates actions undermine the constitutional role of its members asrepresentatives of the people at the highest levels of government."By restricting senators from expressingnational concerns, the senate risks eroding its mandate and weakening thelegislature as an independent arm of government."...

The police command in Lagos state has demoted a police inspector to sergeant for trying to extort money from a drone operator.The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the demotion to journalists on Saturday. “The disciplinary process of the police officer who harassed one drone operator on the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge has been concluded. “He has been reduced in rank from inspector to sergeant,” he said. On April 6, 2024, Mr Hundeyin responded to a viral video showing two police officers demanding a permit from a drone operator on the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge. He said that the police officers acted within the ambit of the law to demand to see a permit. “For emphasis, Nigerian aviation laws stipulate that a permit must be obtained from the Nigerian Civil Avia...

A former director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council, Doyin Okupe, says he is not a member of the ruling APC but appreciates the bold reforms being implemented by President Bola Tinubu. Mr Okupe, a former presidential spokesperson, disclosed this on X handle (formerly Twitter) while reacting to criticisms over his appreciation of Mr Tinubu’s initiatives. Mr Okupe has been criticised for always supporting, advising and praising every government in power since 1999. Mr Okupe had served as aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and then Goodluck Jonathan as a PDP member. He later joined the Labour Party to support the presidential bid of Peter Obi for the 2023 elections. Mr Okupe said: “I am neither a member of the APC nor an adviser of the admi...

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says that approximately one million Nigerian children die annually before their fifth birthday due to various illnesses. The Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, said this on Friday at a news conference to kick-start the 2024 FCT Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week vaccination. The vaccination exercise, which is free for children aged 0 to 59 months, is scheduled to begin on July 20 and end on July 24. Represented by Dr Babagana Adam, the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Ms Fasawe said that the death rate among children between ages 0 to 59 months compelled the FCTA to continually carry out the vaccination exercise annually. Ms Fasawe said that malnutrition prevalence among these s...