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The Football team and winners of 2009 National Sports Festival (NSF), have decried nonpayment and fulfilment of promises made to them by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and organisers of the tournament. The Spokesperson of the 2009 and winners of the Football team, Mr Joel Tadanyigbe who disclosed this in a press statement issued to newsmen in Abuja, described the situation as worrisome.  "We the football team and winners of 2009 National Sports Festival were promised a plot of land in Abuja and till now the promise has not been fulfilled. "We filled FORMS for the Lands and later we hered that the Sports Director is trying to claim the lands for some group of people and that we are not included. "Those that took 2nd position of the FCT Football Team ha...

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on security given the spate of insecurity in the country. Comrade Audu Amba, National President of the NUT, made the call at the union's 6th Annual Solemn Assembly on Monday in Abuja. According to him, Nigeria has experienced unprecedented security challenges such as Boko Haram Terrorist attacks, Banditry, Herders and Farmers clashes, vandalism, militancy and kidnappings in recent times. "There was a report from the Joint Security Forces of Nigeria that 24,816 victims were killed while 15,597 were abducted since the beginning of the kidnapping to date. "It is, therefore, my humble plea that the Federal Government declares a state of Emergency as far as the security situatio...

President Bola Tinubu has described the death of Herbert Wigwe, his family members and Abimbola Ogunbanjo as a rude shock. Presidential aide Ajuri Ngelale disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, saying Mr Tinubu had received official confirmation of the incident. Mr Wigwe was the chief executive officer of Access Holdings Plc. and founder of HOW Foundation, while Mr Ogunbanjo was the former group chairman of the NigeriaExchange Group Plc. Ngelale said Mr Tinubu mourned the Nigerian business leaders and described their passing as “an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension. “The president commiserates with the Wigwe and Ogunbanjo families, the business community, and all those impacted by this harrowing incident. “President Tinubu prays for the p...

The Kano state government, on Sunday, said it had made adequate security arrangements to ensure hitch-free activities during the visit by the first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, to Kano on Monday. The director-general of media and publicity to the state governor, Sanusi Bature, announced this while speaking with reporters in Kano. The first lady is expected in Kano to inaugurate the Faculty of Law Building named after her at the Maryam Abacha University, Kano. He said that the state government, alongside the police, had drafted a compressive security network on how to provide the required security at each of the places that the first lady would visit. The government, therefore, appealed to residents of the state to conduct themselves peacefully and come out en masse to receive the fir...

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has unveiled new strategies and measures to address increased, constant abuse of drugs and illicit trafficking in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). NDLEA FCT commander, Kabir Tsakuwa, disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Tsakuwa said that one of the strategies the agency was working on was to establish new Area commands and outposts in the FCT for effective drug control. He said the agency would also explore the existing relationships with all security agencies, particularly in information sharing, as this would curtail illicit drug trafficking in the territory. He added that the agency would improve its joint operations with a view to dislodging the identified black spots within the FCT. ...

By Perpetua OnuegbuThe Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa, has tasked the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to identify innovative opportunities for housing development in the country. Dangiwa gave the charge in a Keynote Address at the 2024 Management Retreat of FMBN on Saturday in Niger State, with the theme: “Transformational Innovation for Sustainable Development in Uncertain Times”. He said that FMBN must transform, innovate and lead a new era of massive housing development and delivery even in difficult times of high construction costs and lower incomes. “This requires a radically new mindset, thinking out of the box and identifying the opportunities that these challenges present. Housing finance institution that delivers on the maxim that ‘Ev...

Billionaire banker, Herbert Wigwe, the immediate past Managing Director of Access Bank and current Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, is dead. Wigwe alongside his wife, son and three other passengers were said to be onboard a chopper that crashed in California, United States of America. They were reportedly heading for Las Vegas to watch Super Bowl, the annual league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. The New York Times has confirmed the incident but kept the identities of the passengers.

Inauguration By Diana Omueza The newly elected as the Sarkin Samarin of Nigeria, Mr Abdulhamid Haliru has harped on unity, peace and youth creativity for sustainable development of the country. Haliru, made the call on Friday in Abuja at his inauguration by the Council of Traditional Youth Chiefs Forum of Nigeria. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sarkin Samarin is the leader of traditional youth chiefs. He said that the title conferred on him was a call to service and a heavy responsibility that he must carry out diligently with focus on youth development. “This is a heavy burden, and a heavy responsibility that I have looked forward to and am excited that with God’s grace and all the support of the people and the government I will succeed. “Part of my pl...

Oluwo of Iwo in Osun, Oba Abdur-Rasheed Akanbi, has advocated capital punishment for corrupt leaders in the country. Mr Akanbi, while speaking with journalists in his palace on Thursday in Iwo, said with such capital punishment, corruption would be reduced to the barest minimum in Nigeria. The traditional ruler, who noted that Nigeria was blessed with both human and material resources, decried the suffering experienced by Nigerians amid plenty due to corruption. What we can do now to nip corruption and kidnapping in the bud in the country is by introducing capital punishment, as it was done by the governments of Saudi Arabia and China. “When capital punishment is put in place and implemented, people will be afraid of looting our commonwealth. I believe that is the way to go,” ...

At least four persons were confirmed dead on Friday in a lone accident involving a Toyota Camry car at Area J3 on the Sagamu-Benin expressway. Florence Okpe, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) spokesperson in Ogun, confirmed the incident to journalists in Abeokuta. Ms Okpe explained that the accident occurred at 11:40 a.m. and was caused by excessive speed on the driver’s part, leading to loss of control. She said the vehicle marked BDG 184 FY veered off the road and somersaulted into a swamp. “A total of four persons, three men and one woman, were involved, and they all died from the lone crash. “The suspected cause of the lone crash was excessive speed, which led to loss of control, and the vehicle veered off the road and somersaulted into a swamp,” she said. Ms Okpe...

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has warned participants in the food chain sector over indiscriminate price hikes. In a statement on Friday, the acting executive vice chairman of FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, said the commission would not tolerate price gouging. Mr Abdullahi said legal consequences would be swift and severe. He said the FCCPC’s surveillance efforts suggested that distributors and retailers engaged in conspiracy, price gouging, hoarding and other unfair tactics and strategies. Mr Abdullahi added that participants in the food chain sector were taking advantage of consumers’ anxiety and vulnerability to inflate prices. He said the action restricting and distorting competition was obnoxious, unscrupulous, exploitative, and illegal. ...

By Joan Nwagwu The Federal Government has assured its commitment to expedite full implementation of the 16-point agreement reached with organised labour. Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment gave the assurance at a news conference on Friday in Abuja. It would be recalled that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), issued a 14- day ultimatum to the federal government to implement all the agreement reached on Oct.2, 2023. Reacting to the ultimatum, Onyejeocha said the federal government acknowledged the challenges faced by Nigerians and had demonstrated sincerity in its ongoing negotiations with the trade unions “We wish to reassure Nigerians that this government is fully committed to honouring its obligati...

By Emmanuel Kutara The Forum of CEOs of State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIA) has reported a notable achievement in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), disclosing that within just five years of its establishment, 50 per cent of citizens are now enrolled in the scheme. Dr Simeon Onyemaechi Chairman, Forum of CEOs of SSHIAs in Nigeria, stated this during the forum's first quarter review meeting in 2024, in Abuja. He said the enrollment rate signifies substantial progress in expanding health insurance coverage and underscores the effectiveness of the National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) in reaching and enrolling a significant portion of the population. He said that the SSHIS, introduced by the Nigerian government, was designed to address the long-standing ...

Joan Nwagwu By Joan Nwagwu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) It is no longer news that the take home of the average Nigerian worker can no longer take him or her home. The purchasing power of workers in the country is seriously eroded by the high rate of inflation, and free fall of Naira against foreign currencies, thus causing hardship for workers and other citizens. The N30, 000 minimum wage which has been around for about five years now has been thoroughly diminished to the extent that workers now leave from hand to mouth. The purchasing power of the average Nigerian worker is at all-time low, exacerbated by fuel subsidy removal which has tripled the cost of transportation and food items has not helped matters. President Bola Tinubu says he is aware of workers predicamen...

Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze says he and his colleagues are fully focused on Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final against hosts Cote d’Ivoire. Chukwueze told newsmen after the team's training session that the team had put the semifinal victory behind them and are now focused on the final. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria booked a berth to the AFCON final after a dramatic penalty shootout win against South Africa. The Super Eagles prevailed 4-2 on penalties following a captivating 1-1 draw at the end of 120 minutes. Hosts Cote d'Ivoire, on their part, booked a ticket to the AFCON final after beating DR Congo 1-0 thanks to Sebastien Haller's goal. "We are no more in a celebration mood at the moment. "We are trying to recover from the se...

"••• urges Gov. Sule to be magnanimous in his victory••••" Eggon Cultural and Development Association ( ECDA) Worldwide, has congratulated Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State on his Supreme Court Victory. The association also urged Gov Abdullahi Sule to be magnanimous in his Supreme Court victory by carrying everybody along while discharging his duty. Mr Mandy David Abuluya, the President ECDA, Worldwide made the call today while congratulating Gov. Sule on his victory at the Supreme Court, Abuja. Abuluya, who is also the Proprietor, Nacabs Polytechnic, Akwanga, Nasarawa State said that the victory of Gov. Sule at the Supreme Court was an affirmation of the mandate the people of Nasarawa State freely gave him on March 18th, 2023. " On behalf of the entire Eggon nation, I ...

Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has organised a training for the state 7th State House of Assembly members, management team and others on the conduct of public hearing for effective legislative proceedings, good governance and quality service delivery in the state. The Speaker of the House, Mr Danladi Jatau, while declaring the workshop open in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Wednesday appreciated Gov. Abdullahi Sule for approving the workshop. It would be reported that the training, held in conjunction with Multiventures Resources Limited, also had secretaries of the Assembly standing committees as participants. The worksop had it theme " The Fundamentals of Conducting Public Hearing : The legislative Perspective. The speaker said that the workshop would not only impact...

The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba-Ndace says, the organisation would collaborate with World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community in telling the positive story of Nigeria and Africa to the larger world. Ndace stated this when the Curator of the Abuja Global Shapers Hub, Chimdi Neliaku and her team paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday in Abuja. “To all your requests for partnership, you are going to get it. For us in VON, is about telling the Nigerians and Africans stories that would shape positive narratives about Nigeria and Africa in a truthful, believable, consistent and deliberate manner” he said “This is what I Inherited and that is what I intend to continue with, I have directors that are capable and who remain key to achieving whatever...