Author: Chima Onyido

The Lagos State Government has unveiled plans for essential repair work on sections of the heavily trafficked Third Mainland Bridge. This announcement comes from the state Ministry of Transportation, as conveyed by its Permanent Secretary, Abdulhafiz Toriola. The repair activities are scheduled for two consecutive Sundays, specifically September 17 and 24, with operations taking place from 7 am to 7 pm on both days. To accommodate these repairs and minimize disruption for commuters, alternative routes have been outlined in the statement. READ ALSO: Chicago Varsity Confirms President Tinubu Graduated from School in 1979 Motorists from the Alapere/Ogudu axis of Lagos-Ibadan…

A tragic auto crash involving an L300 commercial bus and a Leyland truck at Odumudu Junction along the Nteje-Awka Expressway in Anambra state has resulted in the death of five persons, with five others sustaining injuries. The accident occurred at approximately 7:30 am on Friday, involving a total of ten victims, comprising three males and seven females. According to an eyewitness at the scene, the accident was triggered by a failed section of the road in the vicinity. READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Debt Surges to N87.38 Trillion in Q2 2023 Both vehicles were said to be traveling in opposite directions when they…

Nigeria’s total public debt reached N87.38 trillion by the end of the second quarter of 2023, marking a significant increase of 75.29 per cent or N37.53 trillion compared to the N49.85 trillion recorded at the end of March 2023. This was revealed in a recent report by the Debt Management Office (DMO). The DMO in a report on Thursday said the debt includes the N22.71trn Ways and Means Advances of the Central Bank of Nigeria to the Federal Government. “Nigeria’s total public debt stock as at June 30, 2023, was N87.38trn ($113.42bn). It comprises the total domestic and external debts…

Some football stakeholders in the country have blamed maladministration and corruption in the country’s elite league for the non-recognition of Nigerian Referees by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the continent’s football ruling body failed to include Nigerian Referees in the list of officials to officiate at the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled for Cote d’Ivoire. The tournament is scheduled to hold from Jan. 13 to Feb. 11, 2024. CAF had on Tuesday on its website published a list of 85 referees, comprising center referees, assistant referees, Video Assistant Referees…

The Senate has denied alleged disbursement of N100 million to lawmakers. Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, said this a statement in Abuja on Thursday He described the statement credited to the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), on the purported disbursement of the money as strange, ludicrous and unthinkable ”What do these negative characters want to gain from their lies and falsehood against the National Assembly?this is strange to us, very ludicrous and unthinkable “There is no N100million for a legislator anywhere, from which budget is this coming from? READ ALSO: Mohbad: Fight for yourself against oppression…

Some yet to be identified assailants have brutally murdered and made away with the head of a community leader in Ezieke, Akpuka, Uturu in Abia State, Zachary Nmaduka also known as Power Zack. The Abia State Police Command, through ASP Maureen Chinaka, the Public Relations Officer, confirmed the murder on Thursday stating that the 70-year-old native was violently attacked, shot, and beheaded by unidentified assailants while he was at a drinking joint in Amelechi Akpukpa Community. READ ALSO: FG, Global Fund to tackle malaria, other infectious diseases in Kano The statement stated, “Upon receiving this distressing information, a joint team…

A 32-year-old nursing mother, Mrs Ann Akpa, charged with assaulting a magistrate on Thursday regained her freedom after spending three days in the Nigeria Correctional Centre, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi. According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Akpa was charged with two counts of assault and breach of peace. Akpa told NAN that she met the bail bond of N200,000 after three days. ”I am happy over my release. I beg that the matter should not linger anymore,” she said. READ ALSO: Flood wreaks havoc on MIT Onitsha On what led to her arraignment, she said:”it was not a fight but…

Student hostels, lecture halls and electronic learning devices have been submerged by water as a result of flood which wreaked havoc on Metallurgical Training Institute (MTI) Onitsha, Anambra. The Public Relations Officer (PRO), of the school, Mr Owo Ugochukwu, who confirmed the incident to newsmen on Thursday in Onitsha said that the flood was as a result of the ongoing construction works on Nkpor-Nnobi road by the state government. According to him, the state government channelled water flowing from Obosi, Nkpor and Onitsha-Owerri Road and environs, down to the school, without providing adequate measures for enough drainage. “The flood issue…

The Defence Headquarters says troops of Armed Forces of Nigeria, have in the last two weeks eliminated a total of 151 terrorists and apprehended 456 others in different operations across the country. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, stated this while giving update of military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja. Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 44 terrorists, arrested 21 and rescued four kidnapped hostages during the period. He said the troops recovered 17 AK47 rifles, three locally fabricated rifles, three locally made guns, one berretta pistol, three Dane guns and 116…

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) ha announced a total collapse of electricity supply system which occurred at 12:40 a.m. on Thursday accros the South East. The situation was confirmed in a statement issued by EEDC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Emeka Ezeh, in Enugu. Ezeh said that the situation had resulted to the loss of supply currently being experienced across the network. READ ALSO: Climate Change: FG Sensitises Women on Clean Cook Stove “Due to this development, all our interface Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Stations are out of supply. “We are unable to provide service to our customers…

The Coordinator, National Counter-Terrorism Centre in the Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), Retired Rear Adm. Yaminu Musa, says proceeds of kidnapping is being used to partly finance terrorism. Musa said this on Wednesday in Abuja during the `Anti-Kidnap Multi-Agency Fusion Cell Media and Communication workshop’, organised by ONSA in collaboration with the British High Commission. “Kidnapping for ransom is also identified as one of the means of funding terrorism. “Thus, carnage unleashed by kidnappers in affiliation with terrorist groups all over the world leading to loss and disruption of lives and properties, is a major concern. “Hence the…

The authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, have adjusted the fees that students of the institution would be paying this session. A statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, indicated that fresh students in the Faculties of Arts, Law and Humanities would pay N151,200 while their returning counterparts would pay N89,200. The statement said that new students in the Faculties of Technology and Science would pay N163,200 while returning students would pay N101,200. READ ALSO: Kebbi United gets interim management committee It said that fresh students in the Faculties of the College of Health Sciences…

Disastrous flooding in Libya has left more than 30,000 people homeless, according to the International Organistion for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday. The figures referred to the particularly hard-hit port city of Derna alone, the UN organisation said. Thousands more have lost their homes in cities in the east of the country after two dams broke in eastern Libya near Derna, sweeping entire neighbourhoods into the sea. READ ALSO: Allege Misconduct: Kano Governor Suspends Managing Director, KASCO Some 10,000 people were missing, and according to the administration in the east of the country, more than 5,000 people have died. The IOM…

All 24 countries that will trade tackles at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote D’Ivoire have sealed qualification for the tournament. The five-time AFCON champions Cameroon on Tuesday spanked Burundi 3-O to complete the star studded list of qualified teams. A breakdown of the qualified countries shows that 12 former AFCON champions, including three-time champions Nigeria will be on parade come January, 2024. Hosts, Cote d’Ivoire will be leading a strong West African contingent of 11 countries, including holders Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Burkina Faso among others. Tanzania representing East Africa returns for a second finals after…

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un predicted a Russian victory in Moscow’s war against Ukraine, during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I am deeply convinced that the heroic Russian army and people will brilliantly adopt the tradition of victory and demonstrate their honour and glory on the special military operation fronts,’’ Kim said. This is according to the Interfax news agency on Wednesday. Moscow calls its full-scale invasion against Ukraine a special military operation. Details about possible arms deliveries from North Korea to Russia were not disclosed. Kim also said this would enable Russia to build a strong…

Air Peace Airline has announced the commencement of direct flights from Lagos and Kano to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from October 31. The airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Ms Oluwatoyin Olajide, made this known in a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday. Disclosing this during an engagement with travel agents in Kano, she said that the connectivity would be direct using the Boeing 777 aircraft. She explained that the Lagos-Jeddah and Kano-Jeddah would operate three days every week with a possible connection from Abuja. READ ALSO: Britain’s economy shrinks more than expected in July The airline’s official thanked the travel agents…

Popular Nigerian singer Naira Marley has come under lambasting from netizens who accuse him of being responsible for the tragic demise of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, widely known as Mohbad, the “Peace” singer. Mohbad passed away on September 12, 2023, due to yet to be known cause. It could be recalled that Naira Marley had signed Mohbad to his Marlian Record label back in 2019. However, their professional relationship took a hostile turn in 2022 when Mohbad accused Naira Marley of repeatedly attacking him, leading to their parting ways. READ ALSO: Nigerian Stock Market Sustains Loss By N294bn In a distressing…

African presidents, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), ministers, investors and United Nations (UN) leaders would be joined by music, sports and film stars for an exclusive two-day forum on Africa’s future at Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI). GABI is a platform for promoting business, trade, and investment across the continent. At a virtual news conference, GABI unveiled the lineup for its flagship event ‘Unstoppable Africa’ scheduled for Sept. 21-22, in New York. The two-day event, co-convened by the African Union (AU) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, serves as a pivotal forum for leaders to discuss and strategise…

The kidnappers of eight Akwa Ibom State graduates, who were abducted on their way to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Sokoto State, have requested an additional N200 million as ransom. The demand comes after the families of the victims had already paid N13 million in ransom, as reported by Vanguard. The victims, who have been in captivity for 26 days since their abduction on August 17, are still awaiting their release. Frustrated and concerned families have turned to fasting and prayers as they anxiously await news of their children’s fate. One family member, speaking on condition…

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released names of officials for the 2024 AFCON slated for Cote D’Ivoire, with no Nigerian referee selected. The CAF on Tuesday released a 32-man list for referees, 33 assistant referees and two VAR officials on its official website. The selected officials are expected to undergo a preparation course ahead of the tournament scheduled for January 13 to February 11, 2024. Algeria and Egypt have three centre referees each, while Morocco, Mauritania, and Mauritius have two each. Others on the list include Gabon, Ghana, Benin, Congo, Somalia among others. READ ALSO: Lagos-Kano narrow gauge freight…