In a time of heightened tension and unrest across several states in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation on Sunday with a message of concern, responsibility, and a call for unity. The recent wave of protests, marked by violence and destruction, has prompted the President to speak directly to the citizens, acknowledging their grievances and outlining the steps being taken to restore peace and order. Here is the full text: BROADCAST BY HIS EXCELLENCY BOLA AHMED TINUBU, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE NATIONWIDE PROTEST …
Author: Musa Bello
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Angry youths matching against hunger and bad governance in the country have been dispersed by security operatives in Kano. The Guardian reports the protesters had occupied major road as early as 8am matched from Zoo road down to state road and sooner stationed a Government house where they demanded to see the Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Trouble however ensued when the angry youth set some types on fire after being denied access by heavily armed security operatives. Provoked by the audacity of the protesters, eyewitness told our correspondent that security operatives immediately discharge teargas and shot into the air…
The Nigerian Educational Loan Fund (NELFUND) has said it would disburse the sum of ₦850m to tertiary institution students today (Wednesday). The Managing Director of the Fund, Akintunde Sawyer, made this known during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. According to Akintunde, this is apart from the over ₦1.7bn that has been disbursed to about 20,000 students. “The sum of N850m will be leaving the account of NELFUND today to institutions. This is apart from the N1.7bn naira that has already been disbursed.” Earlier, Sawyer revealed that the Fund had disbursed institutional fees to 20,000 students through their…
Stakeholders in the health sector have again harped on the need for collaborative advocacy toward achieving sustainable progress in maternal health across Nigeria. The call was made during a webinar organized by Pathfinder International in partnership with the Center for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) to create awareness about the critical issues of maternal health. The organizers, on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, assembled relevant participants and key stakeholders that are implementing the ongoing project on strengthening multi-level partnerships for advancing women’s health in Kano and Lagos States. Speaking during the virtual event, Amina Aminu Dorayi, Country Director of Pathfinder…
The landing cost of petrol was N1,117/litre as of Tuesday, July 16, 2024, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria announced on Wednesday. MEMAN disclosed this during a webinar with journalists on Wednesday. The association revealed that the landing cost of diesel was N1,157/litre, while that of aviation fuel was N1,127/litre. At the moment, filling stations operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and those of the major marketers sell PMS at between N617/litre and N660/litre, while independent marketers sell for N700/litre or more. NNPC, the sole importer of petrol into Nigeria, has consistently denied subsidising the cost…
The Nigeria Labour Congress, on Tuesday, threatened to shut down the country for a month in protest against plans by the National Assembly to deregulate the national minimum wage. NLC’s threat came as the nation awaits a new national minimum wage following months of negotiations between Organised Labour, the Federal Government, and the Organised Private Sector. NLC President, Joe Ajaero, declared the position of the union while speaking on the sidelines of the 67th Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association Annual General Meeting in Lagos. Ajaero said, “As we are here, a Joint Committee of the Senate, the House of Representatives,…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday said as of July 15, it has recorded 3,623 suspected cases of cholera and 103 deaths across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory as of July 15, 2024. The NCDC DG, Dr Jide Idris, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja stated that the current outbreak has spread to 187 local government areas, with a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8 per cent since the beginning of the year. Idris noted that the predominant age affected is five years old, while males account for 52 per…
The Federal Government has repatriated a total of 190 Nigerians from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to a statement by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), signed by its Director General, Director, North Central Zone, Bashir Garga, on Tuesday, the returnees were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 5:57 am, by a combined team of government officials led by NEMA. NEMA said the returnees have been profiled and documented by the relevant agencies, and sensitized to “behave with decorum and responsibility” on their return to Nigeria. “The federal government urges all Nigerians, wherever they may…
The Police Command in Kaduna State said it has banned all forms of unlawful gathering by the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) including its planned Ashura procession. The command’s spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, announced the ban in a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna. Hassan said, “The command has banned every manner of illegal protest in the State. ” This is coming on the heels of a received intelligence indicating that the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria also known as Shi’ite are planning a procession to mark the 2024 Islamic Ashura day ceremony. “It is an undeniable fact…
The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Area 1 Command, has warned the public against the consumption of smuggled frozen poultry products due to its health implications. The command’s Comptroller, Mr James Ojo, gave the warning in an interview on Monday in Ota. According to him, the World Health Organization; Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; Food and the Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, described the consumption of smuggled frozen poultry products as having adverse effects on the health of the people. Ojo said, “The frozen poultry products smuggled into Nigeria from the Republic of Benin were preserved with chemicals…
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), has appealed to the Kano State Government to appoint competent technocrats and professionals with vast knowledge of sports to manage the affairs of Kano Pillars FC and all other sports sectors in the state. SWAN also calls for the renovations and upgrading of Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano Pillars Stadium, Mahaha Sports Complex, Ado Bayero Square, and all other sporting facilities in the state. This will provide conducive environments for athletes to thrive and host national and international events. This was contained in a statement on Sunday jointly signed by Zaharaddeen Sale and…
The Lagos State Police Command said it has detained one of its officers who allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl at the Area H Command in the Ogudu area of the state. The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the detention to the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday, denied allegations that the police authority was shielding the suspected rapist. Hundeyin explained that the officer in question had allegedly absconded after the incident but turned himself in on Saturday for questioning. Hundeyin assured the public that the matter was not being swept under carpet, adding that the state Commissioner…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ms. Omolola Bridget Oloworaran as the new Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom). Similarly, Tinubu has appointed Mr. Saleh Abubakar as the new Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) and that of Mr Oluwaseun Faleye as the new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale announced this in a statement on Saturday. Ms. Oloworaran, a seasoned finance and banking expert, is expected to bring her wealth of experience to lead the…
The Kano State Hisbah Corps has addressed a social media post linking the security operatives to LGBTQ support, clarifying that it does not support same-sex marriage. The Commander General of the Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, spoke to the media in Kano on Monday. It is worth recalling that a widely circulated video featured a man claiming to be a Hisbah official defending LGBTQ rights. Daurawa stated that although Hisbah confirmed the person in the video is their staff member, he attended the workshop independently and did not represent the organization as claimed. Sheikh Daurawa mentioned that Hisbah…
Kano state government has ordered immediate crackdown of any group advocating for and or, promoting any sexual agenda inimical to moral and religious standards. The directive came amid claims and counter claims between Federal government and pressure groups on the inclusion of rights of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) in the Samoa partnership agreement Nigeria signed in 28th June, 2024. Although, the Federal government has denied the media report that claimed the endorsement of LGBTQ was an attempt by the President Tinubu’s administration to receive $150 billion grant from the West, Kano has vowed to flush out any…
President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), about one year after he took over the leadership of the regional bloc. The Nigerian leader who rose to power in May 2023 was re-elected as the ECOWAS chairman during the 65th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. That event took place at the Presidential Villa in Nigeria’s Abuja capital on Sunday. During his opening remark at the summit, President Tinubu urged ECOWAS member states to make financial commitments to help in the battle against…
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended 10 private jet operators over failure to commence the recertification process. A statement signed by NCAA’s Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the suspension was rooted in its Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 Part 18.3.4 which forbids holders of Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) from using their aircraft for carriage of passengers, cargo or mail for hire or reward which is commercial operation or charter service. The suspended operators are Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd, Bli-Aviation Safety Services, Ferry Aviation Developments Ltd, Matrix Energy Ltd, Marrietta Management Services Ltd,…
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago says that the state government will commit N5 billion to the construction of the permanent orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps in the state. He also announced a gift of N200,000 to all the corps members under Batch B Stream I posted to the state as a “bonus” to make their stay comfortable, in addition to 20 cows and a trailer load of rice. The governor declared this on Tuesday during the swearing-in of the 2024 Batch B Stream I corps members at the NYSC orientation camp in Paiko, Niger State. Bago…
A Nigerian taxi driver in the United Kingdom has opened up on how he has continued to get paid each month as a junior official at a government agency back home. The driver, whose story was recently published by the BBC, left Nigeria two years ago but has not resigned from his former workplace. This is coming barely a week after President Bola Tinubu ordered a crackdown on civil servants who are still drawing salaries from the government coffers despite no longer being in the country. Alarmed by the revelations the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation…
Two female suicide bombers have been intercepted in connection with the detonation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Gwoza local government area of Borno State on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday. A local government official, who confirmed this, said 30 of the female suicide bombers were sent into Gwoza to detonate the IEDs at different locations within the area. According to the source, only four suicide bombers had carried out the nefarious task so far. She explained that one of the female bombers that came from Pulka axis was responding to military interrogation at the checkpoint when she panicked…