BREAKING

By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has transmitted an Executive Bill to the State House of Assembly to checkmate criminal activities among native doctors, herbalists and related persons in the state. The proposed legislation, entitled 'Maintenance of Internal Security, Vigilance and Order', also outlaws money rituals otherwise known as ‘okite’, and criminal bulletproof charms otherwise known as ‘odeshi.' It equally outlaws illegal use or occupation of forests and property for criminal activities. By the provisions of Section 3 (1), “Every person who engages in the practice or rendering of spiritual services within the state, whether…

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, arraigned one Felix Chimezie Ewulum on an 11-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, stealing, possession of fraudulent documents and forgery to the tune of N23,500,280 (Twenty-Three Million, Five Hundred Naira Two Hundred and Eighty kobo)  before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos. Chimeze allegedly promised to help the petitioner obtain a United Kingdom visa,  work permit as well as a certificate of sponsorship to travel abroad. He, however, allegedly reneged on his promise…

Israel has approved a massive expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank in a move described as a continuation of de facto annexation of the territory. Peace Now, an Israeli non-governmental organization that tracks settlements, said it was the largest expansion of settlements since the signing of the Oslo Accords more than 30 years ago. Israel will establish 22 new settlements, including deep within the West Bank and in areas from which the country had previously withdrawn, as part of the new security cabinet decision, according to a joint statement from Defense Minister Israel Katz and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. “All…

Credit ratings agency Moody's upgraded Nigeria's rating by a notch to "B3" from "Caa1" on Friday, May 30, citing significant improvements in the country's external and fiscal positions. Earlier this month, the World Bank said that Nigeria's economy achieved its fastest growth in about a decade in 2024, driven by a strong fourth quarter and an improved fiscal position. However, it warned that persistently high inflation remains a challenge. "The recent overhaul of Nigeria's foreign exchange management framework … has markedly improved the balance of payments and bolstered the CBN's (Central Bank of Nigeria) foreign exchange reserves," Moody's said in…

By Ogunmola Ademola Pandemonium rocked the serene town of Esa Oke in Obokun Local Government Area (LGA) of Osun State on Monday, May 26, following protests accompanied by the sound of sporadic gunfire. Protesters, reportedly angered by the appointment of Mr. Adewumi Adebowale Sefiu,said to be a kinsman of the State Governor, as Rector of Osun State College of Technology (OSOTECH), Esa Oke, allegedly placed the main gate of the institution under lock and key. It was unknown, as of press time, where the gunshots came from, but residents took to their heels as guns began booming from as early…

Real Madrid have officially confirmed the appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager in a club statement posted on Sunday morning.  The Spanish giants announced that he would sign a three-year deal, beginning on June 1 and running to June 30, 2028.  This will see Alonso be able to take charge of the team for the upcoming Club World Cup, which begins on June 14.  Alonso, 38, is set to be unveiled as the new head coach of Los Blancos on Monday, per Fabrizio Romano.  The Spaniard has been heavily linked with the club after impressing in his first job in management at Bundesliga side Bayer…

By our reporter President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of former Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, as the new Chairman of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). Shema, who was Governor from 2007 to 2015, brings a wealth of administrative experience to the role. His tenure in Katsina was marked by significant strides in infrastructure, education, and healthcare, earning him recognition as a pragmatic leader. The appointment, announced late Friday, May 23, is expected to drive FCDA’s mandate of transforming Abuja into a modern, sustainable, and globally competitive capital city. In a statement from the Presidency, President Tinubu…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 19, 2025, re-arraigned Tuoyo Omatsuli, a former Executive Director on Projects, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.  Omatsuli, alongside Francis Momoh, Don Parker Properties Limited and Building Associates Limited, is standing trial over an amended 46-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of over N3,645,000,000 (Three Billion, Six Hundred and Forty-five Million Naira).  The  Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, had on December 15, 2021, upturned the ruling on the No-case submission delivered by Justice…

Surgeons in California have performed the first ever successful bladder transplant, aiding a patient who previously had his bladder and both kidneys removed as a result of cancer treatment and end-stage kidney disease. The treatment allowed the patient, 41-year-old father of four Oscar Larrainzar, to go off dialysis – although the surgery comes with considerable short- and long-term risks and unknowns. The bladder transplant was done by two surgeons who worked for years to develop the technique, which was used to transplant one kidney and a bladder recovered from a human donor. “This surgery is a historic moment in medicine…