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By NAN Mrs Lucy Fadumila, the Chairman of Sauka Ultra Modern Market has called on President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike and AMAC Chairman to provide infrastructure for the market. Fadumila made the call at an event to declare open the market on Saturday in Sauka Community in Abuja. She said that the former Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello facilitated the acquisition of land for the market to become a reality. She further explained that the women in Sauka were happy at the opening, adding that they have now gotten a place to buy, sell and take care of their children and husbands. “We are appealing to the Federal Government, and the current Minister of FCT, to make this market truly ulta-modern, because, in the whole of Airport Roa...

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Monday discharged Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare of an alleged treasonable felony charge by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime. In a ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite struck out the matter after A.R. Tahir, the counsel for the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, withdrew the charge. “In view of the application made by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, this charge, between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Omoyele Sowore and another, is hereby struck out and the defendants discharged,” he declared. Nwite ordered the State Security Service (SSS) to immediately release three phones and N10,000 seized from Mr Sowore during his arrest. He equally ordered that Mr Sowore’s international passpor...

The Olugbesan family members of Oke-Agbeni, Ibadan have petitioned the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Moshood Olalekan Balogun seeking the removal of Hazeem Gbolarunmi as their Mogaji. The family in a petition titled: "REQUEST TO WITHDRAW MOGAJI APPOINTMENT ON HAZEEM GBOLARUNMI", and signed by Alhaji Lukman Durosomo Olugbesan, Tunbosun Durosomo Olugbesan, Chief Taofeek Olugbesan, Akibu Durosomo Olugbesan, Labisi Olumide Olugbesan, Sunkanmi Labisi Olugbesan and Monsura Olugbesan accused the former deputy governor, Hazeem Gbolarunmi of engaging in actions capable of damaging the reputation, unity and peaceful coexistence among members of Olugbesan family. "Your Imperial Majesty sir, we are writing this letter to inform you of the collective decision of Olugbesan Family of Oke-Agbeni to w...

Residents of Ibadan in Oyo State on Monday morning blocked major roads to protest against the economic hardship caused by the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The protest began in Ibadan's Mokola area, and the protesters, mostly youths, barricaded the Mokola under-bridge and the Queen Elizabeth Road. This led to traffic congestion in some parts of the city. The protesters could be heard chanting: ‘Tinubu Ole (Tinubu is a thief),’ ‘E bi n pawa (We’re hungry),’ as they moved on the road. Some of the placards have inscriptions such as ‘Open Boarder, End Hardship’, ‘End food hike and inflation’, ‘The poor is starving’, ‘Tinubu, don’t forget your promises’, amongst others. Armed police officers were seen at the protest location to prevent the breakdown of law ...

Mainstream campaign group for Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers (LACO-FS) has described as touching, the demise of Ondo State's longest-reigning traditional ruler, the Oloba of Oba-Akoko, Oba Nurudeen Adeniyi Adegoroye. Oba Adegoroye joined his ancestors in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 92, and had ruled for 52 years, thus becoming the longest-reigning monarch in Ondo State, in contemporary times. Breaking the news of the monarch's passage in a chat with newsmen, the Yeyelobinrin (Head of females) of Oba-Akoko, Chief (Mrs) Olukemi Kofoworola, said, "Kabiyesi joined his ancestors this morning at the ripe age of 92, making him the longest-reigning Oba till he passed on". Expressing condolences on the passing of ...

By Perpetua Onuegbu The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has disclosed its readiness to partner with the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), aimed at providing insights that would inform decision making in urban planning, land management, and infrastructure development. Mr Badamasi S. Haiba, Director Information, of the ministry made this known in a statement on Saturday. The Housing Minister, Mr Ahmed Musa Dangiwa made this disclosure when he received members of the Surveyors Institute on a visit to his Ministry in Abuja. " For us at the Ministry, we would like to consider this visit as marking a new chapter of a more impactful and result-oriented partnership between the Ministry and the Nigeria Institute of Surveyors," Dangiwa noted. The Minister al...

Former student Leader, Timileyin Ayenuro, has criticized the President for not providing Nigeria with stable electricity. Ayenuro suggests that if the President is unable to deliver on this promise despite his power, he should step down from his position. This was contained in a Press Statement released to the Press men in Akure, Ondo State. Comrade Ayenuro stated “If President Tinubu is sincere with Nigeria sincere development, he should directly supervise the Ministry of Power and focus on the permanent Solution to Nigeria's Electricity” He stated further that “With President Tinubu's direct supervision, he should grant more funds for the success of stable Electricity in Nigeria and If with President Tinubu's power, he is not successful to give Nigeria Stable Electricity at an exp...

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has reopened the head office of Sahad supermarket previously sealed for customer extortion and lack of transparency in price fixing. The acting executive vice chairman of FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, said this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday. Mr Abdullahi said the reopening followed a mutual understanding and commitment from the store to implement transparent pricing practices. He said the commission was aware that similar practices might be happening at other fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) outlets nationwide. Mr Abdullahi advised supermarkets or outlets engaging in customer extortion to desist from such practices immediately to avoid consequences. ”Businesses are expected to display transparent pricing in...

A serving officer of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore John Ijudigal, has foiled a ‘one-chance’ robbery and kidnap attempt in Wuse, Abuja. The officer ensured the arrest of the three suspected robbers and the rescue of the two female victims. A statement by the NAF spokesman, AVM Edward Gabkwet, on Saturday in Abuja, said that the incident occurred on February 14 along Accra Road, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, at about 7:28 p.m. As the senior officer was commuting home in his staff car after work, he suddenly came across a distressing scene. “Air Commodore Ijudigal saw an Abuja-painted taxi, a Mazda 323, with registration BWR 232 XB, reversing at high speed, with terrified passengers inside screaming for help. “In pursuit of the taxi was a black Toyota Land Cruiser. “Ins...

The Police command in Anambra has confirmed the shooting to death of one trader by operatives of the state anti-touting squad at the Science Equipment Market, Head Bridge, Onitsha. The command public relations officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident to journalists, said that several others were injured. Mr Ikenga said that the incident happened at about 4:30 p.m. on Friday at the Head Bridge market, adding that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Aderemi Adeoye, had ordered a probe into the development. According to him, the commissioner of police has ordered the immediate transfer of a reported murder incident that happened at the Head Bridge market. “Our officers led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Head Bridge, on receipt of the information, the...

Mainstream support group for Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers (LACO-FS) on Friday described as highly disappointing, an accusation by six federal lawmakers from the state, that the governor was sidelining loyalists to his former boss, the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. The six All Progressives Congress' House of Representatives members had in a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, claimed that they had written to President Bola Tinubu, to complain that Aiyedatiwa was segregating against loyalists of the late Akeredolu. But in a swift reaction, the LACO-FS in a statement by its Director-General, Mr. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, described the accusation as sheer concoction, composed only by falsehood. In the statement issu...

By Bridget Tikyaa Ikyado The Benue State Government on Friday said a total of 34 solid minerals out of the 44 in the country are found in the State. The State Chairman, Mineral Resources and Environment Management Committee (MIREMCO), Barr Fidelis Mnyim disclosed this at a press conference in Makurdi. Mnyim who is also the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order said the State was hugely blessed with over 85 percent of the country's mineral deposits. He said the committee was also mandated to ensure that mineral deposits in the State were fully developed. He explained that the committee which was saddled with the responsibility of advising the the Minister of Solid Minerals on issues related in the sector would also serve as a link between the Federal...

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo, his son-in-law, as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). Ojo, a former member of the house of representatives, is married to Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, a daughter of the president. Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson, said in a statement on Thursday that Tinubu also appointed Mathias Terwase Byuan as the executive director (housing finance & accounts); Umar Dankane Abdullahi as executive director (business development); Oluremi Omowaiye as executive director (project implementation) and Ezekiel Nya-Etok as executive director (business development and portfolios), as members of the management of FHA. Ngelale said the president appointed Shehu Usman Osidi as the CEO of the Federal...

Traders are gnashing their teeth as the Enugu government begins the enforcement of the collection of N200 daily tax. On Thursday, tax collectors went around markets in the capital city and sealed defaulters’ shops. In 2023, the Enugu government imposed a N200 daily tax on traders and hawkers and gave an option for annual, monthly or quarterly payment. A trader at Mbanugo Motor Parts Market, Ifedi Okafor, whose shop was sealed for non-compliance, told NAN that the N200 tax rate was too high. “Everybody knows that things are hard now. They are asking us to pay N5,500 monthly; it is not something that we cannot pay, but the economic situation of the country today is affecting everybody,’’ Mr Ifedi said. Another motor parts dealer, Chikezie Onuorah, said it was wrong of the gov...

The House of Representatives has initiated steps to review the amount to be paid by prospective pilgrims for the 2024 Hajj. The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Umar Shehu-Ajilo (PDP-Kaduna) during plenary in Abuja on Thursday. Mr Shehu-Ajilo argued that Hajj remains an important pillar of the Islamic religion that entails visits to the holy mosques and other historical sites, among other significant rituals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, the lawmakers expressed concern about the N5 million amount fixed for the 2024 Hajj, describing it as very expensive for many prospective pilgrims in the middle- and low-income categories. “Given the prevailing economic reality, it has become necessary to review the processes and procedures adopted by the National Haj...

The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), has solicited the support of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to create awareness among the public about its community relations activities. Alhaji Magaji Ibrahim, National Chairman of the committee, made the appeal when he led other officials of the committee on a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of NAN, Malam Ali Mohammed Ali, on Thursday in Abuja. Ibrahim said the PCRC delegation was in NAN to register its presence and solicit the agency's support to enable it reach out to members of the public effectively. "We are doing a lot. We were established in 1984 and we are in all the 36 States of the federation; we are in all the nooks and crannies of the country and the FCT. "We are doing a lot to support and complement the ...

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare says it will scale-up access to Hormonal Intrauterine Device (HIUD), a reversible contraceptive device to promote expanded contraceptive method of family planning. Dr Stella Nwosu, Director, Family Health Department in the ministry, made this known in Abuja at the close out and dissemination workshop of the completion of the Catalytic Opportunity Fund HIUD project. Nwosu, represented by Alex Ugochukwu, Head of Logistics and Services, Family Planning Unit in the ministry, said the project has encouraged lots of families to embrace the HIUD contraceptive method. ``This project has done a lot in repositioning family planning in the country, most especially in two states- Bauchi and Sokoto, especially HIUD; it is for the client to cho...

By Joan Nwagwu The Federal Government says anyone engaging an apprentice below the age limit of 12 will be charged with child labour. Mrs Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment said this at a roadshow sensitisation rally in Kugbo, Furniture market, on Thursday in Abuja. Represented by Alh. Mohammed Tolani, Director Skill Development and Certification, the minister said government had begun the enforcement of 12 years minimum age for individuals to engage in apprenticeship scheme in Nigeria. “This breaches the United Nation and International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention and standards. “The policy has been clearly spelt out under Labour law cap 198 section 49-53 LFN.,”she said. Onyejeocha said the ministry had commenced enforcement of the l...