Author: Farida Usman

Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said that President Bola Tinubu’s congratulatory message to him on his 65th birthday anniversary shamed some persons, who did not want to wish him well on the occasion, into action. El-Rufai, who posted an appreciation message on his verified Facebook page on Monday, said the prayers and good wishes were quite humbling and gratifying. El-Rufai wrote, “It has been about a week since many friends, associates and admirers sent me various messages and prayers in commemoration of my 65th birthday. “The prayers and good wishes were quite humbling and gratifying, but…

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, participated in the state’s ongoing local government elections, casting his ballot at Unit 9, Sagba Abogunde Ward 2, in Ede North Local Government Area at approximately 7:56 a.m. The governor arrived at the polling station accompanied by his supporters and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Adeleke praised the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission for organizing a smooth and orderly voting process. Encouraging residents to exercise their civic rights, the governor called on voters and political stakeholders to avoid violence and intimidation during and after the elections. “I want to urge everyone to…

The Senate Committee on Finance says it will begin a two-day public hearing on the tax reform bills on February 24. Sani Musa, the committee’s chairman, spoke about the scheduled hearing on Wednesday. “We intend to take on two of the bills on each day of the session for the press to be fully abreast with what we intend to do,” the senator said. “It is our duty as legislators to do the needful for the good of this country. We are all representatives of different tribes, religions, geography and we are Nigerians. “What we will work towards giving…

The Saudi Arabian company contracted by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and states Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to provide services to Nigerian pilgrims during the 2025 Hajj exercise Mashariq Al Dhahabiah Al Mutawazi, has threatened to take Nigeria to an international arbitration court due to the commission’s alleged “failure to adhere with terms of contract”. The company, in a letter dated 1446/08/17 (17/02/2025), addressed to the head of the Nigerian pilgrims’ affairs office in Makkah, said the commission breached its contract agreement that it would be the sole service provider for Nigerian pilgrims during the Hajj exercise,…

A former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Edwin Clark, is dead. The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) leader died at 97 on Monday night, according to a statement signed by Prof. C. C. Clark for the family. The statement read, “The Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family of Kiagbodo Town, Delta State, wishes to announce the passing of Chief (Dr.) Sen. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark OFR, CON on Monday 17th February, 2025. The family appreciates your prayers at this time. Other details will be announced later by the family.” More soon…..

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has expressed deep concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s proposal to increase the 2025 budget from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion. While acknowledging reported additional revenues from key government agencies, CISLAC considers this move unprecedented and potentially unconstitutional. In a statement signed by Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), Executive Director of CISLAC, the organization referenced Section 81(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which stipulates that if the amount appropriated by the Appropriation Act is insufficient, or if additional expenditure is required, a supplementary estimate must be presented…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has developed mechanisms and strategies it follows to prevent abuse of constituency projects by politicians and other stakeholders. The Commission Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) stated this on Wednesday at an engagement with northern Nigerian media editors, during which he highlighted proactive measures adopted by the antigraft agency to prevent mismanagement of constituency projects among others. According to the chairman, whenever a budget is presented to the national assembly, ‘’we try to study the budget, so as to observe grey areas if they exist and the…

In a heartbreaking incident, a fire outbreak at an Islamiya school in Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State has left at least 17 Almajiri students dead and 16 others injured. Eyewitnesses revealed that the fire, which broke out late Tuesday night, raged for nearly three hours before being brought under control. Despite efforts to contain the flames, the inferno caused extensive damage and tragic loss of life. A resident, Abdulrasaq Bello Kaura, shared that the fire started from stored sticks, locally known as kara, which quickly spread to the study hall of Makaranta Mallam Ghali, where about 100…

Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has denied sacking 900 workers as was widely reported. This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Kaduna Electric’s Corporate Affairs Head, Abdullahi Abdulazeez. In the statement, the company stated that the industrial action was linked to a staff restructuring initiative, and “dismissed speculations and misinformation”. According to the statement, “Kaduna Electric’s management has initiated a comprehensive transformation exercise to ensure the company’s long-term sustainability. “Contrary to claims by labour unions that 900 staff members were affected, the company confirms that ‘services no longer required’ letters were issued only to Independent System Operator…

A human rights lawyer, Hamza Nuhu Dantani Esq, has faulted the National Assembly passage of the Police Act which paved the way for the tenure elongation of Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun. The human rights activist insisted the IGP’s tenure extension, the sequel to President Bola Tinubu’s bidding for Egbetokun to remain in office till the end of 2027, may have far-reaching consequences on national security. In a petition issued on Friday, Barrister Dantani worried about the action of the National Assembly, which he said has disrupted the leadership system in the police force, undermined the constitution,…

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, has announced that payment of ₦77,000 to corps members will begin in February 2025. The NYSC DG disclosed this while speaking to the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Stream II corps members in Katsina State, on Thursday. Ahmed confirmed that the increment which has been approved by the Federal Government and included in the 2025 budget, will take effect once the budget is passed. The Federal Government has already approved the increment of your allowance. It is no longer news; what we have the approval in our hands.…

About two million “illegal immigrants” have been identified by the United States (US) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation from the country. The deportations come as President Donald Trump enforces his crackdown on illegal immigrants in the country. A document obtained by Fox News from ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) said there were 1,445,549 non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final orders of removal as of November 24, 2024. With 3,690 persons on the list, Nigeria was the country with the second most citizens in Africa, just behind Somalia which had 4,090. Ghana held the third spot…

The Kano State Police Command says it has arrested a suspect and the recovery of explosives following a security alert about a possible terrorist attack in the state last week. Addressing journalists on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Salman Dogo Garba, revealed that the police acted swiftly to neutralise the threat after receiving intelligence about an impending attack during the Tijjaniyya Maulud celebration in Kano. “Recently, there was a security alert about an impending terrorist attack in Kano, particularly during the Tijjaniyya Maulud celebration. We raised the alarm, informed the public, and set up the necessary machinery to address…

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has alerted Nigerians to the outbreak of anthrax, a zoonotic disease, in Zamfara. The Director of the Information and Public Relations Department in the ministry, Ben Goong, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. He said that the outbreak occurred on a farm in Zamfara. Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis that can affect warm-blooded animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and wildlife, as well as humans with potentially high morbidity and mortality. The disease could be spread through contact with the bacteria’s spores, which often…

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has called on the Federal Government to urgently review the safety protocols guiding fuel transportation in Nigeria to avert repeated tanker explosions on highways. JNI, in a statement on Sunday by its Secretary General, Prof. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, described as unfortunate that tankers conveying petroleum products are now sources of disastrous road accidents, with agonising loss of lives and property across the country. The body urged the federal government to expedite action towards completing the 40-kilometer Suleja-Minna Road and the dual carriageway connecting Abuja with Niger State.…

A tanker explosion at Dikko Junction along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State on Saturday morning has claimed several lives and injured many others. The explosion occurred around 10 a.m. According to reports, the tragic incident happened when a crowd gathered to scoop fuel from the overturned tanker. The resulting blast led to a high casualty rate, though the exact number of fatalities is yet to be determined. Confirming the incident, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger State, Kumar Tsukwam, revealed to newsmen “Investigations are ongoing, and the…

The Federal Government has confirmed the outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu) in Kano State, affecting various bird species, such as layers, ducks, guinea fowls, and turkeys. In a statement released on Tuesday by Dr. Taiwo Olasoju, on behalf of the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, the government expressed concern about the increased risk of the disease spreading, especially during this season. The statement urged state veterinary offices and relevant agencies to enhance surveillance and implement strict biosecurity measures to prevent further spread of the virus. “We must adopt effective preventive measures,” the statement emphasized, calling for…

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army (NA) to various command, staff and instructional positions. In a statement, Army spokesman Major General Onyema Nwachukwu said the redeployment is a strategic move to enhance operational effectiveness and administrative efficiency, The redeployment cuts across Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) at the Army Headquarters (AHQ), General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders, Commandants of Army training institutions, Brigade Commanders and other key positions. The reshufflement underscores Nigerian Army’s commitment to ensuring robust and dynamic leadership structure capable…

In a heart-wrenching incident, the Secretary to the Sokoto State Government, Alhaji Muhammadu Bello Sifawa, has suffered a devastating loss following a fire that claimed the lives of his daughter and three grandchildren. The tragedy occurred in the early hours of Monday, January 6, 2025, in Sifawa town, Bodinga Local Government Area. The inferno engulfed the residence of Alhaji Sifawa’s daughter, Rabiatu, who was married to Alhaji Muhammadu Yusuf Bello, the Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State Ministry of Sports and Youth Development. The fire, which broke out as the family slept, also claimed the life of the housemaid.…

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced a new initiative, which will allow students to resit their WASSCE papers as early as January and February 2025. This marks a significant shift from the previous system, where candidates had to wait for the next private exam cycle. The Head of Public Affairs at WAEC, John Kapi, disclosed this while speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show in Ghana on Tuesday, December 31st. Kapi explained that the new programme, referred to as WASSCE PC1, provides a faster route for students to improve their grades. “Students who access their results now and realise…