News

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna Almost half a century after the Federal Government (FG) adopted Abuja as Nigeria's capital, original inhabitants of the area still lament that inadequate compensation and little recognition have been their reward for their patriotic contributions in donating their assets to the nation. They claim that an estimated one million of them lost their traditional homes, lands, and important historical and cultural landmarks, including 55 villages for Abuja City proper, to the Nigerian state. In 1976, the then Federal Military Government (FMG) decided on national capital shift from Lagos to Abuja,citing,among others, congestion in the former and…

The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 arraigned 16 suspected internet fraudsters before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, for fraud. A statement by Dele Oyewale, the Commission's spokesman, named the defendants as: Chidera Nehemiah, Chikamso Nwabuisi, Nnamekwe Jeremiah Chukwu, Chiemerie Christian Nworie, Azubuike Akachukwu, Onah Chisom Promise, Onoja Anthony Enemari, Uboegbu Chisom Emmanuel and Ediekemi Patrick Udokaebe. Others are: David Ugaji Izuhukwu, Asomugha Favour Chibuike, Onuoha Marvelous Onyeani, Chidera Godwin, Modozie Chukwudalu Sixtus, Ugwu Chibuzor Pedro and Obiora Favour Ebube. While Chukwu, Akachukwu, Promise, Udokaebe, Chibuike, Godwin…

By Sani Bala Karo The Federal and State Governments, in collaboration with development partners, have reaffirmed their commitment to expedite action towards ending open defecation. The fresh commitment should accelerate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in the country even as 142 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of a total 774 LGAs nationwide have been declared open defecation-free in the country,as of January, 2025. Speaking at the 3rd National Retreat on 'Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign' to accelerate and track progress to end open defecation and the unveiling of the National WASH IEC Materials, in Abuja, Minister of Water Resources…

By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan Two federal lawmakers, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (Oluyole Federal Constituency) and Hon. Festus Akingbaso (Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency) represented the Nigerian legislative arm at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)'s Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) 2025. Leading the executive arm was Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, accompanied by Managing Director (MD), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku; Director General (DG), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Ona Najomo; Director, Air Transport Regulations, NCAA, Mrs. Olayinka T. Babaoye-Iriobe; and Director of Operations, FAAN, Capt. Abdullahi Mahmood. Others are Director, Corporate Services, NCAA,…

By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu Eating the fruit of one's labour became a reality as Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) decorated no fewer than 28 newly-promoted personnel with their new ranks in its Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Command. The personnel included 15 officers and 13 other ranks. Decorating the personnel in Enugu, the Customs Area Controller for Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Command, Comptroller Comfort Ukpanah, urged the officers and men to always reflect on the mission and vision of the NCS Comptroller-General (C-G), Bashir Adeniyi. Ukpanah noted that all officers and men must follow the visionary leadership of the C-G on his robust plans and transformative ideologies aimed…

By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan It was back to the classroom, albeit temporarily, for First Lady of Ekiti State, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, as she taught some students of the State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, South-West Nigeria, on Wednesday, February 12. In a rare combination of brain and beauty, she delivered a lecture to students of the university's Department of Educational Management. A statement by the institution's Deputy Registrar/Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs, Bode Olofinmuagun, stated that: "It was a moment of joy and excitement, as the students listened with rapt attention to Her Excellency's delivery of EDM 303 lecture with…

By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan The management of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, has dismissed as false a report circulating on social media alleging that the institution’s Vice-Chancellor (VC), Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, was involved in the arrest of one Dr. Agbeleoba Samuel Opeyemi by the Department of State Services (DSS). Dr. Opeyemi, identified as the younger brother of Mrs. Folasade Adebayo, a FUOYE staff member who had accused Fasina of sexual harassment, was reportedly arrested under unclear circumstances. Social media reports had claimed that the VC orchestrated the arrest to suppress alleged audio recordings that purportedly implicated him in…

By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated two bodies, a Steering Committee and a Technical Working Committee, on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the state. The committees were raised on Wednesday, February 12, during the commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation held at the Local Government Service Commission Staff Training Centre, Secretariat, Ibadan, capital of the South-West Nigerian state. Inaugurating the committees, Gov. Makinde, represented by the state's Head of Service (HoS), Mrs. Olubunmi Oni, stated that the bodies were saddled with the mandate of developing and implementing programmes and…

By Okerafor Athanasius, Jalingo A youth vanguard group of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) in Taraba State, North-East Nigeria, has called on the State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, to give account of his frequent foreign trips to the people of the state. This was contained in a signed press statement issued to journalists by the Publicity Secretary, APC Youth Vanguard in the state, Ambassador Rikwense Muri, on Wednesday, February 12. Gov. Kefas and his officials have often defended the journeys as necessary to attract foreign investors to the state so as to facilitate development and ensure a higher quality…

By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu European Union (EU) and Enugu State Government have committed to exploring potential partnership areas across the power and infrastructure sectors to drive economic growth and development in the state. This was disclosed by Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Massimo De Luca, when he paid a working visit to the governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, at Government House, Enugu. Mr. De Luca, who underscored the strategic place of the state to the EU, added that the state had since emerged as a key partner in several areas, particularly…