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Olukayode Babalola Maikaya Development Foundation, a Non-governmental organization has constructed and donated a solar-powered borehole to Angwan Sarki Muhammad Umar community in Toto local government area of Nasarawa state. Alhaji Mohammed Maikaya, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation disclosed this at the commissioning/ donation ceremony in Toto on Thursday. According to him, the gesture was aimed at alleviating the hardship faced by locals in the community whom according to him have been facing water shortages for years. "We delivered this project in line with the objectives of the foundation of adding value to lives. We are happy and I know the locals of this community are also happy to start the year with such big news. "The project is a 6000 litres capacity solar...

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Thursday, said his administration will run an all-inclusive, open and accountable government for the state’s progress. The governor stated this at a prayer service to commemorate the first working day in the year 2025 held at the foyer of the Governor’s Office in Akure. Mr Aiyedatiwa appreciated God for the successes he was able to record in the last year of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s second term in office. According to him, good governance was priotised, which translated to significant developments in all sectors of the economy. Mr Aiyedatiwa said that a retreat would soon be organised for top civil servants and political office holders in the state. This, according to him, is to ensure government policy thrusts were prop...

The Nigerian Forest Security Service says it is ready to collaborate with the Anambra government to rescue its forests from unknown gunmen and other criminal elements. The NFSS vowed to comb all the forests in the state where killers and kidnappers of innocent citizens had their camps and hideouts. Its commander in Anambra, Destiny Jonas, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. Mr Jonas said the call became necessary following the kidnap of an Anambra lawmaker, coupled with the abduction of an Anglican clergy member and the killing of a Catholic priest in the state. He said the recent brutal killings of eight people in Chigbonu village in Umuike Ubahuekwem in Ihiala on December 30, 2024, by gunmen, as well as other heinous crimes being perpetrated across the state, require...

U.S. security authorities are investigating whether the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas might have been a terrorist attack, FBI lead agent Jeremy Schwartz said on Wednesday at a news conference. The explosion killed the Cybertruck’s driver and slightly injured seven, the Las Vegas police said. Mr Schwartz did not provide details about the person killed in the explosion. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters at a separate news conference that authorities know the name of the person who rented the truck. He acknowledged that a name was floating around social media but would not comment further. Mr McMahill said it is important that next of kin be notified and that “we have a 10...

Just hours before he rammed a pickup truck through a New Orleans street jammed with New Year’s Eve revellers, the perpetrator’s social media posts indicated he was inspired by the terrorist organisation Islamic State, President Joe Biden said. Mr Biden, citing FBI information, told reporters that the attacker “posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS, expressing the desire to kill.” Mr Biden made his remarks to the press on Wednesday following the car ramming attack in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day that killed at least 15 and wounded dozens. Mr Biden referred to the Islamic State as ISIS, but it is also called IS, and in the Middle East and many other countries, it is known as Daesh. New Orleans police chief Anne Kirkpatrick said that the dri...

"… as he preaches forgiveness, peace, attitudinal change among Nigerians at New Year… " Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Danladi Jatau, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reviving the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries in the Country. This, he said the move is a significant steps towards addressing the nation's challenges and the country will be better for it. The Speaker. stated this during New Year Church Service at ECWA Goodnews, Garaku, Kokona LGA today. Speaker Jatau urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite the challenges facing the country which he said they are surmountable. " Let's continue to pray for leaders to succeed as we can see that our refineries are being reviving, they are back on track, Warri and Port Harcoug refineries have ...

The Governing Council of the University of Abuja, under the chairmanship of Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita (Rtd), has approved the appointment of Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as the 7th Substantive vice-chancellor of the University. The appointment was announced during the 77th Extraordinary Meeting of Council on Tuesday 31st December 2024. The appointment takes effect from 1st January 2025, and it is for a non renewable tenure of five years.Maikudi emerged as the best among the 10 shortlisted candidates and interviewed by the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board of the University, in line with the extant regulations governing the process. Profile of the Substantive Vice-Chancellor Prior to her appointment as the substantive Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aisha Sani Mai...

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Saturday, distributed relief materials to victims of the flood disaster in Akwa Ibom. The intervention is part of the federal government’s special intervention for the 2024 flood in the Uyo, Ibesikpo, Uruan, Nsit Atai, Eastern Obolo, Ikot Abasi, and Mkpat Enin Local Government Areas. In her remarks, NEMA’s director-general, Zubaida Umar, said the relief materials included 600 bags of rice, 350 cartons of spaghetti, 60 cartons of vegetable oil, 60 cartons of tin tomatoes, 60 cartons of seasoning cubes, and 30 bags of iodised salt. Ms Umar, represented by Mmandu Aisueni, head of operations in Akwa Ibom, said the gesture was to provide the needed relief to the victims as they rebuild their lives after the flood disaster. “It is ...

Tragedy has hit the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi in Anambra following the reported killing of Rev. Tobias Okonkwo by yet-to-be-identified gunmen. The chancellor of the Nnewi Diocese, Raphael Ezeogu, disclosed the incident in a statement on Friday. Mr Ezeogu stated that Mr Okonkwo was shot dead by the gunmen on the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway at about 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The statement solicited prayers and Holy Mass from the Catholic faithful for the deceased’s eternal joy. Mr Ezeogu said, “The Catholic Diocese of Nnewi announces, with sorrow, but with stronger faith, that our dear Rev. Fr. Tobias Chukwujekwu Okonkwo died December 26. “He was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Ihiala, on the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway, between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. We solicit your prayer...

The president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu, has pledged to ensure a credible and peaceful election for the next leader of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation. Mr Chukwu made the promise on Friday in Owerri while inaugurating the screening and election committees for the exercise slated for January 2025. Mr Chukwu, whose tenure will end on January 10, 2025, was appointed to lead the body following the death of erstwhile president-general Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. In line with the doctrine of necessity, the Imo Chapter of Ohanaeze, led by C.J. Ihemedu, presented Mr Chukwu to the Imeobi Ohanaeze to exhaust the remaining period of a four-year tenure allotted to Imo. The Imo slot suffered huge setbacks, first with the death of George Obiozor in 2022, ...

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says that airline operators’ poor management of passengers during flight disruptions and cancellations is affecting the credibility of the aviation industry. The director-general of NCAA, Chris Najomo, made the remark on Friday in Lagos during a meeting with airline operators. According to Mr Najomo, it is the responsibility of airlines to ensure that every disruption, whether due to operational, technical or weather-related challenges, is handled with utmost professionalism and regard for passenger rights. Mr Najomo said that flight disruptions were prevalent, particularly in the harmattan season, due to poor weather conditions that could affect flight operations. He said that flight delays and cancellations had far-reaching implica...

Two former Israeli intelligence agents have revealed how members of the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah used Israeli made walkie-talkies booby-trapped with explosives for 10 years before they were detonated in a surprise attack in September this year. The two ex-Mossad agents told US CBS News how the service duped Hezbollah into buying thousands of rigged walkie-talkies and pagers without realising they were made in Israel. Dozens of people were killed and thousands injured in the attacks. Israel said it was tailored to target only Hezbollah members, but civilians were among victims, Lebanese officials said. The UN human rights chief called the attack a war crime. At the time of the attack, Israel and Hezbollah were fighting a conflict which had spiralled since Hezbolla...

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has signed the 2025 Appropriation Bill of N369. 9 into law following its successful passage by the State House of Assembly. During a brief signing ceremony held at the Government House, Governor Inuwa described the 2025 budget as a blueprint for economic growth and social development. According to him, the appropriation law reflects his administration’s resolve to deepen its development agenda which focuses on sectors that directly impact the lives of the citizens. He commended the State House of Assembly for the swift passage of the appropriation bill, emphasizing that since 2019, the harmonious relationship between the legislature and the executive has been instrumental in achieving the remarkable milestones recorded by his administ...

Protests have broken out in Syria over the burning of a Christmas tree, prompting calls for the new Islamist authorities to take steps to protect minorities. A video posted on social media showed the tree on fire in the main square of Suqaylabiyah, a Christian-majority town in central Syria. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the main Islamist faction which led the uprising that toppled President Bashar al-Assad, said foreign fighters had been detained over the incident. HTS representatives have promised to protect the rights and freedoms of religious and ethnic minorities in Syria. Footage on social media appeared to show masked men dousing the Christmas tree with an unidentified liquid the night before Christians in Syria prepared to celebrate Christmas Eve. It was unclear whether ...

One of the founders of the Medellin drug cartel has returned to Colombia after serving more than 20 years in jail in the US for drug trafficking. Fabio Ochoa Vasquez, now 67 years old, was deported by the US government and landed in Bogota on Monday a free man. Ochoa was one of the founding members of the notorious cartel and had been a senior lieutenant to infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. The Medellin cartel dominated the cocaine trade and waged a violent campaign against the Colombian state before Escobar was killed in 1993. On his arrival in Bogota, immigration officials ran Ochoa's fingerprints through their database, the country's immigration agency said. Confirming that he is not wanted by Colombian authorities, it said that Ochoa was freed "to be reunited with his f...

Dele Farotimi, a human rights advocate, has been released from the correctional centre in Ekiti state after meeting his bail conditions. Farotimi was released on Tuesday morning. Last Friday, a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti granted N30 million bail to Farotimi.