Author: Good Evening Nigeria

The U.S. military struck two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran-affiliated groups in response to “continued attacks” against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria, the Pentagon said on Sunday. The strikes were conducted against a training facility in Abu Kamal and a safe house in Mayadin in the eastern governorate of Deir Ezzor, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a brief statement. The U.S. struck similar targets in eastern Syria in October and earlier in November. READ ALSO: Nigeria, other 186 Member States vote against U.S. Cuba embargo Pro-Iranian militias have…

African Development Bank (AfDB) has finalised arrangements to disburse 618 million dollars to Nigeria under the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprise (i-DICE) programme. AfDB’s Country Director-General for Nigeria, Mr Lamin Barrow told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Marrakesh, Morocco on Sunday that the Nigerian government was in the process of recruiting a fund manager for the project. Nigeria inaugurated a 618 million-dollar technology fund for young investors under the iDICE programme on March 14. The fund, inaugurated by former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, aimed to support investors who struggled to raise money in Nigeria’s technology and creative sectors.…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) has restored production of 275, 000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) following the settlement of lingering rift between oil operators and unions. The NNPC Ltd. on Sunday brokered a peace deal between TotalEnergies management, NNPC/Total JV operator, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). In a communiqué issued at the end of a marathon negotiation session chaired by Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC Ltd., all parties committed to resolving all the issues within an agreed framework. READ…

Several members of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) band team lost their lives in a tragic accident along the Kano/Zaria road on Sunday morning. While unconfirmed reports suggest that all the band members perished in the accident, the precise cause and the actual number of casualties remain uncertain as of the time of this report. The Headquarters of the NIS in Abuja is somber and mourning as news of the fatal accident unfolded. READ ALSO: Kano Gov’t Tasks MDAs on stronger working synergy for Improved IGR The incident occurred as the band members were returning from Kano after performing at…

Veteran Nollywood Actor, Usman Pategi, popularly known as “Samanja, has died aged 81. This was revealed by a theatre consultant, Husseini Shaibu, on Sunday via his Facebook page. The cause of his death is yet unknown. Shaibu said, “I have been reliably informed that light has dimmed on the veteran actor, Usman Baba Pategi, popularly known as Samanja Mazan Fama. “The actor who rode to national prominence in the 80’s playing Samanja in the defunct NTA drama series (about life of Soldiers in the barracks), titled ‘Samanja’, reportedly passed on around 12 midnight on Sunday. “The last time I saw…

The Kogi State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has requested the cancellation of results from five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the November 11 governorship election. The party’s collation agent, David Edibu, submitted a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the gubernatorial election collation centre. Edibu urged the cancellation of results in Okene, Okehi, Ogori Magongo, Adavi, and Ajaokuta LGAs, as well as some parts of Lokoja. The grounds for the petition included allegations of corrupt practices, votes buying, and over voting. Edibu claimed that SDP agents were prevented from approaching polling units in these…

The Court of Appeal has scheduled Wednesday, 15th November for the hearing of the appeal filed by Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule. The governor is challenging the majority decision of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that favored the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), David Ombugadu. The notice of hearing was issued by Nasiru Alhassan, the Electronic Desk Officer of the court. The hearing is set to commence at 9 am at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. Governor Sule had filed the Notice of Appeal on Sunday, October 15, 2023, through his lead Counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN.…

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja has been temporarily closed following an incident involving an Aerocontractors aircraft. The incident occurred during the landing of a Lagos-Abuja flight operated by Aerocontractors when the aircraft’s nose wheel became stuck to the ground while taxiing on Runway A4. Despite the runway incursion, there were no reported fatalities or injuries. Passengers were safely disembarked from the aircraft, and efforts are underway to remove the plane from the runway. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced investigation into the serious incident after it was notified. The aircraft involved in the serious incident was…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is taking the lead by convincing margin as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releases results for the governorship election in Kogi State. Usman Ododo, the APC candidate, has emerged victorious in 11 out of the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) declared so far. Muri Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) secured wins in six LGAs, while Leke Abejide of the African Democratic Party (ADC) claimed victory in one LGA. Below are the LGAs announced so far: Okehi APC 53,0623 PDP: 2,722 SDP: 153 READ ALSO: UNICEF says 186,452 children in Sokoto, Zamfara,…

Elder statesman Edwin Clark has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate alleged irregularities reported in the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi governorship elections held on Saturday. Clark, who made the call when a group, South-South Diamond Ladies paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, said alleged discovery of completed result sheets with names of voters and so on was very unfortunate. Clark, who is also the Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) said that for INEC to redeem its image from the fallout of the 2023 general elections, the commission must investigate alleged irregularities reported in the…

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 14 suspected vote buyers in Otueke, Adawari playgrounds in Bayelsa and at various polling units in Imo and Kogi. EFCC Spokesperson Dele Oyewale said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja. According to him, the suspects were arrested on Saturday in intelligence-driven operations that commenced several days before the ongoing governorship elections in the three states. “Also, a total sum of N11,040,000, comprising N9,310,00 intercepted from suspected vote buyers and sellers in Bayelsa, and N1,730,000 intercepted from electoral fraud suspects across Imo State, were recovered from them. READ…

Arsenal climbed to the top of the Premier League table, joining leaders Manchester City in points, following a hard-fought triumph against struggling Burnley. The Gunners faced challenges in breaking down Burnley’s disciplined defense during much of the first half. However, Leandro Trossard made a brave header at the far post before halftime, marking Arsenal’s 1,000th goal at the Emirates Stadium. Burnley managed to equalize eight minutes into the second half when Gabriel inadvertently deflected Josh Brownhill’s low shot into the net. Yet, the visitors’ respite was short-lived, as William Saliba responded by heading in Trossard’s corner from point-blank range, putting…

Manchester United secured a crucial victory over Luton at Old Trafford, providing relief for manager Erik ten Hag. The win was propelled by a rare goal from Swedish defender Victor Lindelof, marking his first since December 2020 and contributing to the host’s overall dominance. Despite the evident superiority, Manchester United could have capitalized further, with missed opportunities from Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, and Alejandro Garnacho. The match witnessed a second successive clean sheet, a noteworthy accomplishment for the team, especially considering it’s the first time this season. READ ALSO: Kwara Gov Appoints Ex Sanwo-Olu’s SSA, 28 Others as Aides The…

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has announced the appointment of 29 aides, including special advisers, senior special assistants, special assistants, and technical assistants. The governor named Dr Adetola Ariyike Salau as special adviser on education, with a focus on policy development in the critical sector. Salau, an indigene of Ifelodun, is a renowned education policy expert with a specialization in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) — an area in which she has published several books and articles. READ ALSO: Kebbi Gov. flags off N3.8bn rehabilitation of Yauri township roads project She was until May 29, 2023, a senior special…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State have accused each other of voter intimidation during the governorship election on Saturday. APC’s governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, raised concerns about security agents, particularly the army, allegedly collaborating with the PDP to rig the election. Sylva, who stated this after casting his vote, alongside his wife, Alaingi,  said he is confident that his party would emerge victorious at the end of the day. He stated: “I’m very confident that things are going to go well for the APC at the end of the day, but…

A leather jacket famously worn by the late pop sensation Michael Jackson in a 1984 Pepsi advertisement has fetched an impressive £250,000 (N245,987,875) at an auction in London on Friday. The iconic garment, initially estimated to sell between £200,000 and £400,000, exceeded expectations at the auction. It went under the hammer alongside memorabilia from several other late music superstars, including George Michael and Amy Winehouse. READ ALSO: INEC alleges sabotage in Kogi guber poll A jacket worn by Wham! star Michael in the music video I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me), alongside US singer Aretha Franklin, sold for £93,750,…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has blamed some unseen forces for late arrival of officials and election materials in some polling units for Saturday’s Kogi governorship election. The state INEC Voter Education and Publicity Officer, Mr Haliru Sule, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Saturday. “As an election umpire, INEC made adequate preparations for this off circle governorship election, yet we still experienced some hitches here an there. READ ALSO: Police kill 22-year-old notorious kidnapper in Katsina — PPRO “To us these hitches are deliberate sabotage by some unseen forces.…

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) told residents in the northern Gaza Strip they will provide two safe escape corridors leading south for several hours on Saturday. “Military activities” are to be halted between 10 am and 2 pm (0800 and 1200 GMT) for “humanitarian purposes,” the military announced on social media platform X. The military added it will make a “tactical” suspension of military activities for several hours in the Jabalia refugee camp to allow civilians to flee from there, too. READ ALSO: Kwara Gov’t Says 12 Persons Die in Wells, Rivers Over 11 Months “For your safety, please joint the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it is investigating the alleged pre-filled result sheets raised by the civil society organization, Yiaga Africa, during the governorship election in Kogi State. Yiaga Africa, via its X handle, had reported the discovery of pre-filled result sheets at Polling Unit 004, Eni Ward of Ogori/Magongo in Kogi State before the commencement of voting. The organization urged INEC to investigate and address the issue to safeguard the integrity of the process. While responding on its X handle, the electoral body said it “views this situation seriously”, adding that it is currently investigating it. READ…

Civil society organisation YIAGA Africa has sounded the alarm after discovering allegedly forged election results from a polling unit in Kogi before the conclusion of the voting exercise. The questionable results purportedly belonged to Polling Unit 004, Eni Ward of Ogori/Mangogo in Kogi State. YIAGA Africa took to its Twitter handle, @YIAGA, on Saturday morning to bring attention to the issue, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the reported irregularities. READ ALSO: Kwara Gov’t Says 12 Persons Die in Wells, Rivers Over 11 Months “Dear @inecnigeria we received report of pre-filled results sheet discovered in PU 004,…