Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Ibrahim Kana, has clarified his earlier remarks regarding the revival of the National Carrier Project, addressing widespread speculation and inquiries. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Kana sought to clear up any ambiguities surrounding comments he made during the ministry’s handover ceremony earlier in the week. He said, “For the avoidance of doubt, I never said that there is a mandate to revive the botched Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian Airlines. “I received no such instruction. I was only referring to the general vision of the administration to…

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Britain on Thursday, a Downing Street spokesperson said Wednesday. The meeting comes after the two leaders earlier this week hit out at tech billionaire Elon Musk over his increasingly strident interventions into domestic European politics. Starmer will host Macron at his country house retreat of Chequers in Buckinghamshire near London, the prime minister’s official spokesman told reporters in parliament. “The meeting will focus on areas of cooperation and shared global challenges, including support for Ukraine, tech and AI growth, and tackling illegal migration,” the spokesman said.…

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the release of N1.4 billion for the immediate dualization of 1.9km road from Ngomari junction to Muhammadu Buhari International Airport, Maiduguri. The approval was given at the maiden state executive council meeting held at the Government House. Briefing journalists at the end of the Council’s deliberations, Commissioner for Works, Mustapha Gubio, said the road network will ease movement of people in and out of the airport which will soon commence international flight operations. “Apart from the N1.4 billion approval made for dualization of the Gomari Junction to Muhammadu Buhari International Airport…

The Federal Government has promised Nigerians that a new national air carrier will begin operations in the country soon.  This was revealed by the newly appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Abubakar Kana during the handing over ceremony organised by the ministry. According to him, his goal is to ensure that a national air carrier is established. He also promised the revamp of airports across the country. Speaking, Kana, a former Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Defence said that his statement was premised upon President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda for the aviation sector. He…

The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has assumed jurisdiction to hear the allegations of accepting gratification, corrupt demand and receiving property fraudulently obtained made against the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. Justice Rahman Oshodi in his ruling delivered on Wednesday held that the prosecution, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) successfully established that the court has territorial jurisdiction to entertain counts 8 to 20 of the 26 count charge made against the former CBN Governor based on various facts presented in the evidence attached to the case file. The court, however, agreed…

The Nigerian Air Force has stated that the country has the competitive and comparative advantage to maintain and restore its fleets to airworthy conditions. In a statement issued by the spokesman, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, on Wednesday, its engineers and technicians have reactivated a Dornier DO-228 aircraft grounded for 23 years. According to Akinboyewa, the reactivation serves as a morale booster for the NAF engineers and technicians, showcasing their ability to undertake complex projects that otherwise would be outsourced to foreign entities. He said: “The success of this project carries significant strategic implications, bearing in mind that, beyond enhancing the…

President Bola Tinubu has extolled the virtues of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the national oil company, Mele Kyari as he marks his 60th birthday on Wednesday. Kyari who sits at the helm of affairs at the National Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited had earlier stated how he went from being a beneficiary of the Almajiri school system, to becoming the number one man at the national oil company. “I am profoundly grateful to my country for giving me the opportunity to grow from an Almajiri (Tsangaya) school pupil to become the CEO of Africa’s largest energy company. “Even more…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has affirmed Sunday Udeh-Okoye as its National Secretary in line with a recent verdict of the Court of Appeal. In December, the appellate court in Enugu sacked Senator Samuel Any­anwu and recognised Udeh-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary. Briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated that the party recognises Okoye as the authentic national secretary of the party, as declared by the appeal court. “There were two court orders, and on Dec. 24, 2023, after consultation with the PDP National Legal Adviser, it was confirmed that we had received…

The UK’s new visa-waiver entry system took effect on Wednesday for passengers from dozens more countries, including millions of annual visitors from the United States, Canada and Australia. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme — similar to the ESTA system in the United States — requires visitors who do not need a visa to enter Britain to acquire pre-travel authorisation. Costing £10 ($12.50) and allowing stays of up to six months at a time over two years, it first launched in 2023, with Qatar, before being extended last year to five regional Gulf neighbours. Now, it has been expanded to…

The China Development Bank has announced the approval of a $254.76m (€245m) loan to support the Kano-Kaduna railway project in Nigeria. According to information released on its website on Tuesday, the financial backing is expected to ensure the seamless continuation of the construction work. It said on its website, “China Development Bank released on Tuesday that the bank has recently granted a loan of 245m euros ($254.76m) to the Kano-Kaduna railway project in Nigeria, providing financial support for the smooth progress of the project.” The railway, a standard-gauge line stretching 203 kilometres, will link Kano, a key commercial city in northern Nigeria, to…