Author: Musa Bello

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday mourned the death of veteran Nollywood actors John Okafor popularly known as Mr Ibu and Tolani Quadri Oyebamiji, popularly known as Sisi Quadri. The president described the actors as geniuses who through their art brought joy and relief to millions of Nigerians. He encouraged the bereaved to “take solace in the truth that even though these beloved Nigerians have passed on, they will always live through their works which will remain an inspiration and a fount of good cheer for many.” He also commiserated with the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Theatre Arts and Motion…

Veteran Nollywood comic actor, John Okafor, popularly known by his stage name Mr Ibu, has passed away at the age of 62, according to a statement from the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). Mr Ibu reportedly died on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in a Lagos hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest, according to his manager of 24 years, Mr Don Single Nwuzor. The news was confirmed by AGN president Emeka Rollas in a statement expressing grief over the actor’s death. “Kate Henshaw lost her mother earlier today and Mr Ibu suffered cardiac arrest according to his manager for 24…

Determined to strengthening horticultural value chain in Nigeria, HortiNigeria has empowered no fewer than 36 agro-dealers with advance knowledge on best agribusiness management in Kaduna state. The two days capacity building held at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, essential designed to broaden skills of the participants selected from Zaria, Sabon Gari, Soba, Kudan, Kubau and Ikara local government areas of the state, ended yesterday. Speaking at the opening of the training, Agribusiness Coordinator, HortiNigeria, Danjuma Makama disclosed that building capacity of Agro-Dealers is also targeted at creating ripple effect on the entire Agribusiness Clusters being established across the nodes of…

Commander General, Kano Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa has resigned from his appointment. The head of the Kano Shari’a police tendered his resignation in a few minutes video clip posted on his official Facebook page on Friday. Daurawa’s resignation came less than 24 hours after Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf faulted the new method of operations being deployed by Hisbah against acts of immorality in the state. While addressing Ulama at the Government House yesterday, Gov. Yusuf, especially kicked against the mode of invading public places in the name of arresting prostitutes, an act he considered uncivilized. Governor Yusuf…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, February 29, departed Lagos State for Doha, Qatar on an official visit This follows a working visit to Lagos, where the President spoke at the commissioning of the Lagos Red Line Train connecting from Agbado to Oyingbo. While in Lagos, Tinubu took time to address different national issues, including the recent Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The President said the commissioning of the Red Line was the culmination of the vision he nursed 25 years ago when he was governor of the state, calling for more collaboration between the Ministry of Transport and other states…

Bandits kidnapped scores of worshippers in one of the mosques in Tsafe town, the headquarters of Zamfara State’s Tsafe Local Government Area. An indigene of the region only identified as Garba reported that the bandits invaded the mosque around 5 a.m. on Thursday, just as the congregants were preparing to begin the morning prayer. Garba said, ”We were about to start the morning prayer today, Thursday when suddenly they (bandits) entered into the mosque and directed everybody to go out and follow them. “Everybody scampered for safety but the bandits blocked everywhere and warned us that they would kill…

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has challenged the Federal government to investigate the N30 trillion Ways and Means loan secured by the immediate past administration. Besides, the labour union in Kano worried that outstanding pension liabilities including gratuity and death benefits have hit N40 billion in Kano. NLC state Chairman, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa made the request at a media briefing on Wednesday. Comrade Inuwa lamented the harsh economic situation in the country despite the huge foreign loan obtained by President Buhari’s government that failed to yield positive results. The labour leader urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu. Tinubu visited the late Akeredolu’s family in Owo, Ondo State, days after the former governor was buried. Speaking during the visit, President Tinubu said the void left by the departed governor will be difficult to fill, adding that his legacies will endure forever. “He truly embodied courage and fearlessness, especially in his relentless pursuit of good governance. I can only describe him as a fearless fighter. His unwavering commitment to the welfare of his people and his courageous…

President Dangote Conglomerate, Alh. Aliko Dangote on Friday will deliver a convocation lecture at the 38th edition of Bayero University, Kano. According to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, the latest in the series will feature the business mogul who will deliver a paper on ” The Role of Private Sector in the Building of Sustainable Knowledge in Nigeria”. Addressing journalists at the pre-convocation media briefing, the Vice Chancellor noted that the special lecture is designed to redefine the connection between academic solutions and the industrial revolution. Besides, Professor Abbas hinted the 38th graduation ceremony will also feature…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has raised the Monetary Policy Rate(MPR) by four hundred basis points to 22.75 percent from 18.75 percent. Governor of the CBN Yemi Cardoso announced this after the first MPC meeting for the year in Abuja on Tuesday. “All 12 members of the committee decided to further tighten monetary policy by raising the MPR by 400 basis points to 22.75 per cent from 18.75 per cent. Adjust the asymmetric corridor around the MPR to +100 to -700 from plus 100 to -300 basis points,” he said. The MPR has been…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commenced sale of dollars to Bureax De Change (BDC). Announcing the development in a statement on Tuesday, the apex bank said $20,000 will be available to each eligible Bureau De Change (BDC) operator across the country.The sum, according to the apex bank, is to be sold to each BDC at the rate of N1,301/$, representing the lower band rate of executed spot transactions at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) as of the previous trading day. Dr Hassan Mahmud, CBN’s Director of Trade & Exchange Department, signed the statement. Mahmud said all…

The trial of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Mister Nnamdi Kanu has resumed at the Federal High Court in Abuja before Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako. The Federal Government had filed an amended 15-count charge of terrorism and treasonable felony against Mister Kanu in 2021. He was arraigned in July 2021 after he was extradited from Kenya. The trial Judge, Justice Murtala-Nyako had struck out eight out of the 15 counts after ruling on the preliminary objection filed by counsel to Mr Kanu challenging the legality of the charges. Mister Kanu had challenged the decision of…

A port terminal operator and a dock worker have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over their alleged involvement in illegal drugs. The suspects – Falowo Samuel Kayode; a dock worker, Anjorin Idowu; and Uzairu Ahmed Iguda – said to be members of the syndicate are a clearing and notify party of the two containers and an operator in charge of the Five Star terminal at the Tincan seaport in Lagos. According to a statement on Sunday by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, assorted arms and ammunition were transported from Durban, South Africa,…

Vice President Kashim Shettima led dignitaries on Friday to pay their final respects and bid farewell to the late governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. The governor, aged 67, died after a prolonged health battle. During the funeral service at St Andrews Church, Imola Street, Owo, VP Shettima described the late Akeredoluas as a ”remarkable soul and a dedicated individual who cared deeply about the welfare of his people. ”A man whose legacy is edged in the battles he fought on behalf of the people, leaving an indelible footprint on the shores of our shared history”. ”There was no…

Former Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfattah Ahmed, has been granted bail by the Federal High Court Ilorin in the sum of ₦50,000,000 with two sureties with landed properties in Ilorin, the state capital. Ahmed is to deposit his international passport with the court among other conditions. The former governor was arraigned on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following his invitation by the anti-graft agency for questioning on Monday. However, journalists were barred from covering the arraignment of the former governor as they were denied entry into the cour Journalist outside the court premises where former…

Dozens of street sweepers have protested the refusal of the Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB) to pay their salaries in the last 10 months. It was learnt that the street sweepers gathered at the headquarters of REMASAB, on Tuesday where they called on the managing director of the board, Alhaji Ahmad Danzago, to pay their salaries. The protesters also complained about how dangerous their job is, narrating how some of them have been killed in the course of duty at different locations across Kano City. Some of the protesters spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear…

Chinese sporting authorities have cancelled next month’s international friendly between Argentina and Nigeria’s Super Eagles over a row involving eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi. World champions Argentina were billed to play Nigeria in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in March before facing AFCON 2023 winners Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire in Beijing But Messi’s failure to feature for Inter Miami in a friendly game against Hong Kong Select XI in Hong Kong on Sunday caused widespread anger among fans. The organiser of the Hong Kong match stated that they would give fans a 50% refund for tickets after the…

Amid free depreciation of naira, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arrested operators of Bureau de Change at the popular Wapa open market in Kano. The raid operation at Wapa came a week after security operatives invaded the street forex market operators at Aminu Kano International Airport, where some of the operators were taken away. Although, the reason for the invasion of Wapa as confirmed by an operator who narrowly escaped security arrest, is not known yet, it may not be unconnected to free fall of value of naira against the foreign currencies. In recent times,…

Employees of Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), on Tuesday, staged a protest at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in the Isolo area of the state. The members of the association were seen with placards with many inscriptions such as ‘Let poor Nigerians breathe’, ‘Let beverage workers breathe’, amongst others. Tuesday’s protest was the latest in the string of demonstrations since February 1, 2024 when NAFDAC started the enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages in sachets, and glass bottles of 200ml and below. NAFDAC boss Mojisola Adeyeye had…