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By Ogiri Genesis Anyi The recent appointment of the 23 Justices of Federal High Court favour Honourable Nelson Alapa, the Former House of Representatives, Representing Otukpo/ Ohimini Federal Constituency as his wife was elevated to the position of Justice of Federal High Court. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola on Wednesday the 4th Sworn -in 23 Justice of Federal High Court . He charged them to rise above temptations and trials. CJN , Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has implored judicial officers in the Country to remain impartial and not be swayed by public opinion. He warned that the bench " is neither for the indolent, the greedy nor those with dubious character, who can easily fall for a plate of porridge offered by desperate litigants ". According to...

The Police Command in Anambra has rescued a kidnapped Catholic priest and three other hostages unhurt through the efforts of its special squad team. DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra, made the disclosure in a statement signed and made available to reporters in Awka on Saturday. Mr Ikenga said the rescue was activated by its team, Forward Operating Base (FOB), comprising military and paramilitary services based in Aguata and supported by Police Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu. He said in a well coordinated operation, the team stormed insurgents’ camp at Ogbunka in Orumba South Local Government Area and rescued the victims. The statement said three suspects were arrested during the operation, nine vehicles and three Pump Action guns, stolen camouflage u...

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it responded to allegations made against the agency, contrary to the claim by the Lagos State Police Command. The Command had alleged that the NDLEA failed to respond to the allegations against it by the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad. The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Idowu Owohunwa, while speaking on the investigations by the police on Mohbad’s death on Friday, October 6, 2023, said the anti-drug agency was being investigated over Mohbad’s demise. Mohbad had, in a viral video, alleged that the NDLEA “gave me water inside a white bottle to drink. They said I was using drugs. I was the only one who drank it, they didn’t give others to drink.” The singer added: “And they immediately told...

The Vice-President Kashim Shettima has directed the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (i-DICE) team to ensure that the programme commences before the end of November. The Vice-President gave the directive on Friday when the i-DICE team updated him, on the progress made so far, at a meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said that President Bola Tinubu's administration was determined to deliver on its promise to create millions of jobs in the technology space in Nigeria. He noted that Tinubu's administration proposed November 2023 to launch the $617.7million i-DICE Investment programme. Shettima, who emphasised the importance of the initiative to the Federal Government's digital jobs drive, said the administration was determined to deliver on its promises to ...

European Union (EU), on Friday in Abuja, reassured of its relentless support for the development policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The union’s Managing Director, External Action Service, Rita Laranjinha, unveiled the support when she briefed Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on the forthcoming Ministerial Dialogue, schedule for Oct. 19. Laranjinha, who pledged that the EU would continue to identify more areas of collaboration, disclosed that she was in the country ahead of the Ministerial Dialogue with Nigerian officials. " This Ministerial Dialogue will be chaired by the Vice President of the EU Mission. He will be here to hold meetings with members of the Nigerian government to take stock of the relations between the EU and Nigeria in differen...

A Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja has convicted and sentenced two of the four defendants alleged to have kidnapped Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to 20 years in jail each. Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment on Friday, held that the prosecution had been able to establish the counts preferred against Kelvin Ezeigbe and Frank Azuekor, the 1st and 2nd defendants, beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Nyako held that the sentence would run from the day of their arrest. The Judge, however, discharged and acquitted Michael Omonigho and Momoh Haruna, the 3rd and 4th defendants, of the counts levelled against them in the terrorism charge. She held that, though some of the counts against Ezeigbe and Azuekor attracted punishment ranging from death sentence, life imprisonment to at least 10 years...

The police in Lagos say Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the auxiliary nurse who injected Mohbad, is “the prime suspect” in the singer’s death. Mohbad died on September 12 and was buried the next day. The circumstances surrounding his death have continued to stir up controversies on social media. Several suspects — including Ogedengbe, Naira Marley, Sam Larry and Primeboy — are currently in police custody with respect to the investigation into Mohbad’s death. Joseph Aloba, Mohbad’s dad, previously said his son passed away after receiving an injection administered by the auxiliary nurse. During a press briefing on Friday afternoon, Idowu Owohunwa, the Lagos state police commissioner, gave updates on the ongoing investigation into the singer’s demise. Owohunwa said the “auxiliary nurse...

The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) has appealed to the federal government to provide emergency palliatives measures for oil marketers to import fuel at N600 per dollar for three months. NOGASA said the measures became necessary due to growing challenges of petroleum products procurement and distribution, especially with the attendant hardships resulting from increases in pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (fuel) and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) nationwide. The association made the call in Abuja, in a communique at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, presented by its National President, Mr Benneth Korie. “We wish to sincerely reiterate that the only realistic option out of this dire situation for now is for government to urgently...

Gentlemen of the Press, Fellow Citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I consider it important to address and report to you today on issues that define the future of elective government and legitimate leadership in our country. Political leadership and active citizenship matter because they are ways through which we all work together to build a country that works for all who live in it. Our country is bigger than any of us, and its standing in the world affects the fate of all who come from or live in it. As leaders, it is our duty to advance the well-being of all our people and of the country. For this purpose, my generation worked hard to return the soldiers to the barracks and to defend the right of the people to elect and establish for ourselves a legitimate government. Our...

The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 12 pharmaceutical companies as part of its efforts to guarantee medicine security. Prof. Mohammed Sambo, the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), made this known in Abuja at the signing of MOU with NHIA Medicines Supply Initiative (NMSI). Sambo said that the initiative was geared towards the strengthening of local pharmaceutical manufacturers, which would ultimately guarantee medicine security. “I inaugurated the NMS Committee on February 19, 2020. The committee submitted its report in June 2020. “I adopted branding of NHIA medicines and other health products as the way to go in order to eradicate out-of-stock syndrome as well as ensuring the quality of its medicines. “...

A Mr Chukwudi Ezugu, National Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) says both concrete and asphalt pavements are good in construction of roads Ezugu who made this clarification on Wednesday in Abuja, however, said their usage depended on economy and serviceability of the road. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 21st International Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Institution. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference is “Trends in Sustainable Civil Engineering Infrastructure for Economic Growth’. He spoke on the backdrop of the trending debate about the use of concrete or asphalt pavements in the construction of the nation’s highways. According to Ezugu, the two are different road pavements and are used for ...

The Senate has confirmed three more ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Bola Tinubu. The confirmation followed the screening and approval of the nominees during Wednesday’s plenary. The nominees include Jamila Bio-Ibrahim (Kwara), Balarabe Lawal (Kaduna State), and Ayodele Olawande (Ondo State). On August 7, the Senate confirmed the nomination of 45 of the 48 ministerial nominees sent by Mr Tinubu. Wednesday’s confirmation brings the number of ministers to 48. Mr Lawal, who replaced the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, slumped during the screening, resulting in a closed-door session that was later revived. Earlier, the leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, had moved the motion for the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly M...

A health initiative organisation, HACEY, has donated health commodities to the Oyo State government, to reduce malaria mortality in pregnant women in the State. A new data management system was also developed and presented to the state, to reduce the waiting time at health facilities and to encourage women and girls to access more primary healthcare facilities. The Commissioner of Health in Oyo State , Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Soji Adeyanju. thanked HACEY, and promised to used it appropriately "We appreciate you, because HACEYis known for one thing qualitative health impact in delivery in Nigeria and of course in Africa. "Let me also say that, the commodity given to us today will be used appropriately to ensu...

By Victor Okoye Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) said it will hold a Stakeholders dialogue, on the implementation of sections of the Fiscal Responsibility Act that relates to lending by banks to governments and public institutions. Mr Bede Anyanwu, FRC’s Head of Strategic Communications who stated this is in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said the event would hold in Lagos on Saturday. Anyanwu said that the event is expected to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders including banking institutions, government representatives, economists, academics and experts in fiscal governance. He said that the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 (FRA), was Nigeria’s foremost legal framework for the promotion, monitoring and enforcement of fiscal discipline in the federation. ...

Since 1999, that Bola Tinubu became the Governor of Lagos State, his academic records have not only been shrouded in secrecy but are also controversial till date, raising a lot of questions regarding the academic integrity of Nigeria’s 63rd President. While previous attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding the academic records of President Bola Tinubu have been futile, his closest rival in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  took it upon himself to unravel the mystery surrounding the academic records of Tinubu, which, according to him, will assist him in pursuing his case in the Supreme Court. Battle Shifted To United States of America The battle ground which started in Nigeria was later shifted to the United States of Am...

Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) arrested 12 suspects in connection with the alleged murder of a herdsman in Plateau but released nine after investigation. OPSH commander, Maj.-Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, told a meeting of stakeholders from Mangu Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday in Jos that the murder was mere criminality. Yet-to-be-identified criminals allegedly killed the herdsman, Ardo Adamu Gabdo in Panyam Community of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau on Sept. 23. The corpse has yet to be recovered. Mr Abubakar, who doubles as the General Officer Commanding 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, said OPSH would do everything possible to track down all perpetrators of the heinous act. “After series of investigations, we have released nine of the suspects a...

The Chicago State University (CSU) has released the academic records of President Bola Tinubu, following requests by Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election. Over the weekend, the US district court for the northern district of Illinois ordered the CSU to release the academic records of Tinubu. In response to Abubakar’s third request — which was to release a copy of the diplomas issued in 1997 — the university said the certificates match the format of the Tinubu replacement dated June 27, 1997. “The documents responsive to this request which CSU, after diligent search, has been able to locate are produced herewith and Bates labelled CSU 0008 through CSU 0010. The students’ names on these diplomas have been redacted for priv...

The Organised Labour, on Monday night, agreed to suspend its 30-day indefinite strike planned to start on Tuesday. The resolution followed over five hours of deliberations between the Federal Government and Labour at the Chief of Staff Conference Room of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. This is as Labour signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the FG which upheld earlier promises the government made and new deliverables some of which are to be achieved in 30 days. Announcing the outcome of the meeting to State House correspondents, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, said, “The NLC and TUC accept to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike scheduled to begin, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023.” Part of the resolutions reached is that a mini...

By Gami Tadanyigbe The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have agreed to suspend the industrial action, planned for the 3rd of October, for 30 days. At the end of a five-hour closed-door meeting, the Union leaders said that all agreements had been given a timeline for implementation. The agreement was signed by representatives of government and the leaders of the joint Unions. Highlights of the agreement are outlined thus: Arising from the withdrawal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the Federal Government and the resultant increase in the price of the commodities, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) issued a strike notice. After the notice had elapsed, the joint Unions set Tuesday, the 3rd of Octo...

Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, on Monday appointed a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Principal Correspondent, Mrs Bridget Ikyado, as his Principal Special Assistant (PSA) on Media & Publicity/Strategic Communications.This is contained in a press statement on Monday in Makurdi signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sir Tersoo Kula.Gov Alia, in the statement, approved the appointment of 11 media aides with various designations.He appointed Mrs Ikyado, Principal Special Assistant (PSA) on Media & Publicity/Strategic Communications, Comrade Angula Reuben – Principal Special Assistant (PSA) on ICT & New Media.He also appointed Mr Isaac Uzaan, Principal Special Assistant (PSA) on Media & Content Creation and Mr Donald Kumun – Principal Special Assistant (PSA) on Print Media...