Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

Thousands of residents who evacuated Jasper, a beloved tourist town in western Canada partly destroyed by a massive wildfire, were able to return Friday, authorities said. Approximately 25,000 residents and tourists were forced to flee the area three weeks ago as the fire suddenly swelled, outpacing firefighters’ capabilities. “It will be long, it will be difficult,” Mayor Richard Ireland said on social media Friday, adding that “we will rebuild, side by side, stronger than ever.” The fire, touched off by lightning strikes in the drought-stricken area, destroyed more than 350 of the 1,100 buildings in the town, which is home…

The Federal Government has threatened to withdraw licences of oil marketers found guilty of hoarding Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol, following the unabated scarcity in Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and many other states. Some states, especially those in the North have witnessed continuous petrol scarcity for a while now, a situation that has since degenerated into many stations closing up shop due to a lack of supply. However, the Federal Government through its Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has issued a warning to oil marketers that filling stations that hoard petrol and sell to black…

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has condemned the repackaging, rebranding, and resale of government palliatives intended for the masses. Olukoyede highlighted that this practice undermines the government’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable individuals. He made these remarks during a visit by the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Olatunji Bello, in Abuja. In a statement on Friday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale reported that Olukoyede urged the FCCPC to share intelligence with the EFCC to enhance its operations. The EFCC Chairman noted that the FCCPC had identified…

Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund on Friday announced the highest single year turnover figure in their history, with the club generating 509.1 million euros ($559 million) last season. The amount, which does not take into account money raised from transfer fees, represents a 24 percent increase on the previous season. Despite a disappointing fifth placing in the Bundesliga, Dortmund’s surprising run to the Champions League final, where they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid, was the major reason for the club’s record income. Increased TV revenue and merchandising were also factors in the increase. “This is my 20th annual press conference, and…

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, for the first time, reacted to the claim of his Igbo paternity, declaring that such insinuation made him laughs. The disclosure came even as the former President said he doesn’t believe anybody in Nigeria should be driven away from any part of the country declaring that, “we own this country together.” The former president made this known when he received in audience the leadership of Ndigbo Amaka Progressive Market Association, an umbrella body of major markets in Lagos state held at the boardroom of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday. In…

Ogun State Housing Corporation has issued a seven-day quit notice to illegal occupants of its housing estates across the state urging them to vacate and remove structures and buildings. The General Manager of the Corporation, Wale Ojo, disclosed this on Friday during a development control and enforcement exercise at Idiroko Housing Estate in Ipokia Local Government. Ojo said the notice was in line with section 7 (1) of the Ogun State Housing Corporation Law 2006. He explained that “the exercise is to identify developments without approval, fish out those that are not in compliance with the approved plan, inappropriate use…

More than 20 medical and dental students, along with a house officer, have been kidnapped by gunmen in Benue State. The students were traveling to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention in Enugu when they were ambushed around 5:30 p.m. in the Otukpo area. The victims are reported to be from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos. Benue State Police Command spokesperson, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the abduction and stated that an investigation is underway. “Yes, the report of the kidnapping is true. It was received between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.,…

The European Union health agency on Friday urged its members states to get ready for more cases of a deadly strain of mpox, a day after Sweden announced the first case outside Africa. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said it “recommends that public health authorities in the EU/EEA maintain high levels of preparedness planning and awareness-raising activities to enable rapid detection and response”. More more cases were “highly likely”, it said.

China announced Friday it will begin screening people and goods entering the country for mpox over the next six months, just two days after the World Health Organization declared the virus a global health emergency. People travelling from countries where virus outbreaks have occurred, who have been in contact with mpox cases or display symptoms should “take the initiative to declare to customs when entering the country”, China’s customs administration said in a statement. Vehicles, containers and items from areas with mpox cases should also be sanitised, the statement added. Sweden on Thursday announced the first case outside Africa of…

The Federal Government has appealed to aviation unions to shelve their plans for a strike over the deduction of 50 per cent of the internal revenue of aviation agencies. In a memo dated August 14, the unions comprising the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE) had threatened to strike. But the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus…