Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

A coalition of women’s rights organizations, Womanifesto, has called for the immediate release of Chioma Okoli, a woman who has been detained since September 2023 for her alleged defamation against Erisco Foods Limited. In a statement signed by over 150 organizations, including Women Advocates and Research Documentation Centre (WARDC), Purple Woman Foundation, and Action Aid Nigeria, the group condemned the continued detention of Okoli, which has resulted in the loss of her pregnancy and livelihood. The group also criticized Erisco for prioritizing profits over the health and wellbeing of Nigerians, and called on the government to investigate the company’s products…

The growth rate of Nigeria and other West African countries is projected to rise from an estimated 3.6 per cent in 2023 to 4.2 and 4.4 per cent in 2024/2025. The African Development Bank (AfDB) Vice-President and Chief Economist, Kevin Urama, said this at Thursday’s highlight of the African Economic Outlook 2024. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the report was inaugurated on the sidelines of the bank’s ongoing 2024 Annual Meetings in Nairobi, Kenya. The theme of the meeting is: ”Driving Africa’s Transformation: The Reform of the Global Financial Architecture. ” ”Growth is projected to pick up in…

The federal government has secured $500million loan from the World Bank to improve electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) performance. This was contained in a press statement by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Head, Public Communication, Amina Tukur Othman, issued on Thursday, May 30. She said, approved on February 4, 2021, by the World Bank Board of Directors, this funding supports the Nigerian Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP) aimed at improving the financial and technical performance of the DisCos. The Distribution Sector Recovery Program (DISREP), said the Head of Public Communications, is designed to enhance the financial and technical operations of…

The centrist party of Israel war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said Thursday it had submitted a bill to dissolve parliament and hold an early election. “The head of the National Union Party, Pnina Tamano-Shata, has put forward a bill to dissolve the 25th Knesset. This follows the request of party leader Minister Benny Gantz to move forward in broad agreement to an election before October, a year since the massacre,” the party said in a statement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party countered. Likud said: “The dissolution of the unity government is a reward for (Hamas Gaza leader Yahya)…

Tragedy struck in Aba, Abia State as an unknown number of Nigerian soldiers have reportedly been killed in an ambush by gunmen on Biafra Heroes Day declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra across the South-East. The incident was reported to have occurred on Thursday, at the Obikabia junction in Ogbor Hill, according to video reports posted on X by multiple sources. The soldiers were ambushed, resulting in a deadly attack. “According to video reports posted on social media by a resident, the soldiers were ambushed, resulting in a deadly attack on a day the South East is mourning the…

In an expression of profound gratitude, the Coalition of Orphanages and Children’s Homes in Nigeria has hailed Nigerian superstar, David Adeleke, better known as Davido, for his financial support, calling it an unprecedented act of generosity. In a letter addressed to Davido and posted on his X page on Thursday, COCHIN President, Dr Eze Ajoku, stated, “We are very happy to note that no other Nigerian has ever done this for the orphanages, neither has the governments given us such a magnanimous support before.” The letter, which acknowledged the receipt of Davido’s support funds in February 2024, revealed that a…

Ebonyi government said it spent N17.3bn on remedial work at the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport runway in Abakaliki. Governor Francis Nwifuru said this on Wednesday in Abakaliki on his first anniversary. Nwifuru said on assumption of office his administration cleared the backlog arrears of five months’ salaries owed airport workers. “The remedial work at the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport runway has been completed. “N17.3 billion was spent, while major repairs in the terminal building and control tower have commenced in earnest and in an advanced stage. “To this end, flight operations will commence fully at the airport,” the governor said.…

Through the legislative efforts of Dr Alex Egbona, the member representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the Federal Government will soon establish a federal medical centre at Itigidi, headquarters of Abi Local Government. A bill to that effect, which is sponsored by Egbona is going through the last stage of passage-a public hearing, which attracted various stakeholders who dissected the bill at the National Assembly complex, Abuja. Speaking at the public hearing in Abuja, Egbona expressed appreciation to his colleagues in the lower chamber of the National Assembly for their support since October last year, when the…

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has authorised Guaranty Trust Bank to temporarily take over funds and assets of Afex Commodities Exchange following its N17,808,452,467.107 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers’ Loan debt. Granting GTBank’s prayer, Justice Aneke ordered a “Place a No Debit” on money standing to the credit of Afexfollowing its application on May 27. The judge made the order after hearing an ex-parte motion filed and moved by the bank’s counsel, Chief A.A. Aribisala (SAN), Ade Adedeji (SAN), with A.O. Olaleye and M.A. Aribisala. The debt comprises “N15,766,475,417.06 as amount outstanding and unpaid, as of April…

The Federal Government has stepped in to address the recent deportation orders issued against some Nigerian students at Teesside University in the United Kingdom. A delegation led by a representative of the Nigerian Embassy in the UK, Ambassador Christian Okeke, along with leaders of the Nigerian Students Union in the UK, will meet with the university’s management to seek a resolution. This decision follows a virtual meeting chaired by the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and attended by Okeke, the President of the Nigerian Students Union UK, Yemi Soile, and several affected students. The meeting was…