Author: Musa Bello

The Controversy surrounding the suspension of the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje took a fresh dimension as another set of leadership debunked the sacking of the former Governor. Ganduje was earlier declared suspended in his Ganduje ward at Dawakin-Tofa local government area by a nine member of the ward executives led by Haladu Gwanjo. The Gwanjo led leadership said their action was as a result of legal action bordering on corruption practice and misappropriation of public funds while in office. In a counter reaction to Gwanjo-led excos, Chairman of Ganduje ward, Alh. Ahmed…

The Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency says it has arrested a total of 5,0901 drug offenders, including the apprehension of 46 drug barons in the last three years. The Chairman of the agency, Brig-Gen Muhammed Marwa (retd.), made this known on Monday at the inauguration and handing over ceremony of an operational facility built and donated by the British Government to the NDLEA in Lagos. Marwa said within the period, the agency had successfully prosecuted and convicted 9,034 of them as well as seized over 7,561 tonnes of illicit substances. This, according to him, would not only disrupt the…

The Nigerian Government has secured the release of over 1,000 people kidnapped recently in the northern part of the country, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has said. Mr Ribadu stated this on Monday while receiving 23 persons rescued on Sunday after they were kidnapped last September at the Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State, North-west Nigeria. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how security sources said the kidnapped students and staff of the university were rescued by security agents near Kuncin Dutse, a village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara. The Coordinator of the National Counter-terrorism Centre, Adamu Laka,…

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has asked President Bola Tinubu’s appointees from Northern Nigeria to defend the government they are serving in or quit. Mr Matawalle said this in a statement on Monday in reaction to the recent attack on the Tinubu administration by one of the appointees, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed. In a Facebook post on Sunday, Mr Baba-Ahmed, who serves as the special adviser on political matters in the presidency, said it would have been better if Mr Matawalle had listed his achievements as minister and those of the other appointees from the North instead of…

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced the full restoration of the national grid following a fire incident at the Afam Power Generating Station. The TCN said the fire caused a partial disturbance of the nation’s grid. Good EveningNigeria earlier reported the collapse of the national grid for the sixth time since January. A statement signed by the TCN GM, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah on Monday said, “At 02:41Hours today, 15th April, 2024, a fire erupted at the Afam V 330kV bus bar coupler, leading to the tripping of units at Afam III and Afam VI. “This resulted…

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has been suspended as a member of APC in Ganduje ward. Executive members of Ganduje ward, in Dawakin-Tofa local government area of Kano state on Monday announced the suspension of Dr. Ganduje over alleged corruption. Addressing journalists in the state capital, the legal adviser of the ward Haladu Gwanjo Ganduje said the ward accused the former Governor of gross misconduct and misappropriation of public funds during his administration in Kano. Gwanjo revealed that members resolved to suspend his membership after a vote of no confidence…

Scores of students of the University of Jos in Plateau State were protesting against the deteriorating state of health facilities on campus despite the payment of astronomic fee hikes. The protesters, who were mainly students of dental medicine, stormed the school gate with placards on Monday. Chanting slogans, the protesters displayed placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Insufficient Medical Facilities In The Clinics And Yet School Fees Was Increased.’ ‘#MERGEUniJosDentalStudents#,’ ‘#SaveUnijosDental Students,’ ‘Our Lives Matters. Signed: A trained dental student since 2015, 9yrs now…’ They demanded the reversal of the recent hike in school fees, saying it came without…

Nigeria has witnessed its sixth power grid collapse of 2024, as electricity generation on the system collapsed from 2,583.77MW at 2am on Monday to 64.7MW around 3 am. Nigeria generates an average of 4,000MW of electricity for an estimated 200 million citizens across the country. But this is hardly sustainable, as the grid continues to record incessant collapse due to gas supply constraints, transmission infrastructure vandalism, and liquidity crisis, among others. Data from the Independent System Operator, an arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, showed that only one electricity generation company, Ibom Power, was active at the time…

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and thunderstorms from Monday to Wednesday across the country. NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja, forecasts sunny skies on Monday with a few patches of cloud over the northern cities and prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Taraba later in the day. According to the forecast, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kogi and Kwara States. “Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal…

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has urged Nigerians to report any arbitrary price hikes of products. The agency said it will not hesitate to take action against businesses engaging in price fixing. Similarly, it also encouraged electricity consumers to report distribution companies that failed to comply with the capping of estimated bills for unmetered customers. The FCCPC made this disclosure in a statement posted on its official X handle on Sunday. It highlighted the strain the act places on consumers’ well-being and economic stability and urged citizens to report such practices. The FCCPC acknowledges that the…

The National Coordinator, Financing Safe Schools Initiative, Mrs Halima Iliya, says plans are underway to actively engage hunters and vigilantes in intelligence gathering to curb attacks on schools across the country. The National Coordinator gave this indication in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. She said that aggressive community engagements and sensitization of students, parents and teachers will kick-off in the second quarter of the year. “As a component of the plan, for states with local vigilantes, we intend to train their hunters, vigilantes and volunteers while for states without registered vigilantes…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the police have warned candidates preparing for the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) against patronising fake websites. The two bodies gave the warning at a joint news conference in Abuja on Saturday. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said there were several fake websites created by unscrupulous individuals with the intention of misleading candidates. He urged candidates to be wary of their tactics, saying the fake websites were designed to deceive innocent candidates into providing personal details such as registration numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers. “Both JAMB…

The Channels Television reporter, Joshua Rogers, who was abducted from his residence in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has been freed. He was released around 10 p.m. on Friday unharmed, about 24 hours after being abducted from his home in Rumuosi, Obio/Akpor area of Port Harcourt on Thursday. He was reportedly seized by gunmen around 9:00 p.m. on Thursday as he returned from an official assignment at the Government House. The criminals intercepted him and forcefully took him away in a Channels Television-branded vehicle. His colleague, Charles Oporum, confirmed the news of his release in the late hours…

Controversial cross-dresser Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky has been sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine for abusing the Nigerian currency – naira. Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in her sentence, said the judgment will serve as a deterrent to others who are fond of abusing and mutilating the naira. Before the sentence, the judge asked Bobrisky about his sex, and he quickly replied that he is a man. He was subsequently sentenced to serve his jail term at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre. The judge in her ruling held that…

The Kano State Police Command announced on Thursday that it had uncovered alleged plots by some “political thugs and enemies of the state” planning to use political regalia to disrupt the Hawan Daushe Durbar Celebration scheduled to be held in the evening of April 11, 2024, at the Emir’s Palace, Kofar Kudu, Kano. The Kano police spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Thursday. “The joint security forces in the state are aware of these nefarious plans and have set the necessary machinery in motion to ensure the peaceful conduct of the Durbar activities, as…

President Bola Tinubu has condoled with the family, colleagues, and fans of ace Kannywood actress, Saratu Gidado, who passed away on Tuesday morning in Kano. Tinubu described the passing of the 56-year-old movie star as saddening, not only to those mourning but also to the nation, which she honoured through her talent as a thespian. Ajuri Ngelale, Presidential Spokesman, in a statement quoted the President as saying that “beyond the vacuum her demise has created in the flourishing entertainment industry, Ms. Gidado’s humanitarian pursuits will also be sorely missed. “The President also sends his commiserations to the Kano State…

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) finally begins the processing of travel Visas for Nigeria intending pilgrims registered for this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia. It was gathered that NAHCON and the States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Agencies started processing the visas on Friday after the commission held a virtual meeting with officials from the states and resolved payment of transfer to Saudi account. The meeting, according to a source, discussed the modalities as well as the new system introduced by Saudi Ministry of Hajj in processing visas and the need for states to “carefully and cautiously implement those…

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has approved the appointments of nine additional Special Advisers and other heads of government agencies to strengthen his administration’s policy drive. In a statement issued by the Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Governor Yusuf considered the appointment of former Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bayero university branch, Professor Ibrahim Magaji Barde as Special Adviser, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Others are Hon. Baba Abubakar Umar, now Executive Secretary, Private and Voluntary Institutions Management Board, Dr. Abdulhamid Danladi, Special Adviser on Diaspora II and Engr. Bello Muhammad Kiru, Special…

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike announced on Monday that the International Conference Centre (ICC) would be closed for eight months due to a lack of maintenance. Following an inspection of the facilities, the Minister announced that all events and activities scheduled at the site would be cancelled. While expressing concern with the status of the facility during the inspection, Wike questioned why the contract for the upkeep of such an edifice built for international events would be turned over to an inept firm. He lamented that on several occasions, the nation has faced avoidable embarrassments before the…

The Saudi Arabia has announced that the sighting of Shawwal Crescent was not seen in the Kingdom on Monday. Therefore, Eid Al Fitr will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Haramin confirmed. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting in the Islamic calendar. It’s a time for joyous gatherings and breaking the fast with family and friends. (Saudi Haramin)