Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

The Federal Government of Nigeria has accused a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, of subterfuge after a French court ruled in favour of the firm and granted the seizure of presidential jets belonging to the Nigerian government. In a statement on Thursday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga alleged that the Chinese firm is trying “to take over offshore assets of the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge”. In the dispute involving an arbitration award, the court in Paris ruled in favour of the Chinese firm, allowing it to seize three presidential jets on routine maintenance in France as…

A would-be Miss South Africa who quit the pageant amid a row over her nationality said in a video Thursday she has agreed to run for the Miss Universe Nigeria title. The 23-year-old model, who was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father, withdrew from Miss South Africa “for the safety and wellbeing of my family and I” after a backlash that exposed anti-foreigner sentiment in South Africa. Organisers of the Nigerian contest immediately invited Chidimma Adetshina to join their final on August 31, saying it was a chance to “represent your father’s native land on an international stage”.…

An mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 548 people since the start of the year, with all provinces affected by the virus, the health minister said on Thursday in a statement. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared the mpox surge in Africa a global public health emergency, worried by the rise in cases in DRC and the spread to nearby countries. “According to the latest epidemiological report, our country has recorded 15,664 potential cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year,” Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said in a separate video message seen…

The running mates of White House rivals Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have agreed to face off in at least one vice-presidential debate, accepting an invitation from CBS News for an October 1 showdown. CBS posted Wednesday on social media platform X that it had offered four potential debates in September and October to Democratic Minnesota governor Tim Walz and Ohio’s Republican senator J.D. Vance. “See you on October 1, JD,” Walz replied, before the Harris campaign officially confirmed that it had accepted the date, which comes after early voting has already started in several states. Vance said Thursday he…

Four people have been arrested after a knife attack on the father of young Spanish football star Lamine Yamal in Catalonia, local police told AFP Thursday. The attack took place at 1910 GMT on Wednesday in a car park in the Catalan town of Mataro, around 30 kilometres from Barcelona, in the Rocafonda neighbourhood where Lamine Yamal is from, said a spokesman for the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force. Yamal’s father Mounir Nasraoui was stabbed several times the police said, and is being treated at the Can Ruti hospital, who could not be reached by AFP for comment.…

A newly published report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has indicated a decline in Nigeria’s headline inflation rate to 33.40 per cent in July 2024 from 34.19 per cent in June 2024. The development marks the first since December 2022, when it last dropped to 21.34 per cent. According to the Bureau’s CPI report for July 2024, the headline inflation rate decreased by 0.79 percentage points in July 2024 compared to June 2024. A breakdown of the figure showed that on a year-on-year basis, the rate was 9.32 percentage points higher than in July 2023, when it stood…

The Plateau State Government has fully lifted the curfew imposed on the Jos-bukuru metropolis, following the peaceful conduct of residents and an improvement in the security situation. In a statement by the Director of Press and Public Affairs Gyang Bere, Governor Caleb Muftwang said the move came after thorough consultations with security agencies. He said this will allow citizens to resume their economic and lawful activities while maintaining public order. Governor Mutfwang expressed gratitude to the citizens for their steadfast, patriotism and cooperation during the challenging period and assured them of his unwavering commitment to their well-being. Muftwang also commended…

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has expressed confidence that former President Goodluck Jonathan would excel in a future presidential role, highlighting the significant reforms introduced during Jonathan’s tenure. Mohammed praised the achievements of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing President Olusegun Obasanjo’s contributions to telecommunications, agriculture, and infrastructure. “The only carriageways we have in the northeastern region are from the Obasanjo era,” Mohammed said. The governor was responding to a non-governmental organization’s call for him to consider a presidential run in 2027. The organisation had awarded him the title of “Champion of Peace, Unity, and Development.” In his response, Governor…

The Coalition of Rivers State Leaders has called on President Bola Tinubu, to wade into the never-ending political brawl between the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The coalition said the president’s intervention was necessary to protect the state. They accused the federal government of neglecting the situation, which they said was escalating tensions in the state. Also, they warned that the continued standoff could lead to severe conflict if not addressed. Led by  Chief Sunnie Chukumele, the group condemned what they termed “the ongoing efforts by Wike’s allies to destabilise the government, ”…

Japan lifted on Thursday a week-old warning that a “megaquake” potentially causing colossal damage and loss of life could strike, with the government telling people their lives could now “go back to normal”. The alert that such a catastrophe might hit the archipelago of 125 million people prompted thousands of Japanese to cancel holidays and stock up on essentials, emptying shelves in some stores. “Since there were no abnormalities detected in seismic activity and crustal deformation, the special call for attention ended at 5:00 pm (0800 GMT),” disaster management minister Yoshifumi Matsumura said. “But it doesn’t mean the risk (of…