Author: Amina Mohammed

A presidential media aide Daniel Bwala has faulted ex-governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, for saying the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) lacked internal democracy and active party structures. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bwala said El-Rufai would not have expressed such a position if he were in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu. On Monday, El-Rufai spoke at a national conference in Abuja, saying he no longer recognise the APC and that the party has tended toward a one-man show. “You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up…

Seven people sustained mostly minor injuries in Tuesday’s airplane fire in South Korea, authorities said Wednesday, with local media suggesting the blaze may have been caused by a portable battery stored in the overhead bin. The Air Busan plane, an Airbus A321, was set to fly to Hong Kong from Gimhae International Airport in southeastern Busan but caught fire in the rear section on Tuesday night, according to the country’s transport ministry. A total of 169 passengers and seven flight attendants and staff were evacuated down inflatable slides, it said. Authorities initially reported three injuries but revised the number to…

The Federal Government said it has deployed an e-border solution in 40 per cent of the country’s borders. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this in Abuja, during a media parley and interactive session on Tuesday. According to him, the move is part of improving the security of lives and property of those living in Nigeria. The minister said the technological innovation would go a long way in helping the country to adequately monitor its borders. He noted that a secured border ensures a safe nation, adding that newly acquired vehicles have been deployed to improve border management. “Immigration…

The Naira has appreciated to N1,640 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,655 per dollar on Monday. According to data published by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that the exchange rate for the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) fell to N1,526.3 per dollar from N1,533.5 per dollar on Monday, indicating N7.2 appreciation for the naira. Consequently, the margin between the parallel market and NFEM rate narrowed to N113.7 per dollar from N121.5 per dollar on Monday. Similarly, the Naira appreciated N1,526.3 per dollar in the official foreign exchange market. The development comes after a tumultuous fall 18…

A Max Air aircraft carrying 53 passengers, with registration number 5N-MBD, experienced a tyre burst late Tuesday night upon landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The incident occurred at 10:57 p.m. when the aircraft, which had taken off from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, touched down in Kano. Despite the tyre failure, all passengers onboard were safely evacuated without any reported injuries. Sources indicate that the aircraft may have lost a nose landing gear tyre during landing, contributing to the incident. As of the time of this report, no official statement has been released by the airline or…

Nigeria will host a Conference on Gender Inclusion from January 30 – 31, 2025, at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The conference with the theme, ‘Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience for Sustainable Women’s Economic and Financial Inclusion,’ is organised by the Office of the Vice President. The Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Sen. Ibrahim Hadeija, disclosed this in a press briefing at the Villa on Tuesday. Hadejia highlighted the importance of the conference in addressing urgent challenges related to women’s empowerment. “This conference is not just a gathering; it is a…

A new strain of bird flu has been confirmed at a duck farm in California, the first time the variant has been discovered in poultry in the United States, an international agency said. A report by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), which AFP saw on Tuesday, said “highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N9” had been confirmed in a commercial duck premise in Merced County, California. “This is the first confirmed case of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the United States,” said Paris-based WOAH, which monitors animal diseases worldwide. It said the outbreak, whose origin was unknown, was confirmed…

Disgraced former Premier League referee David Coote says he hid his sexuality over fears of the abuse he would receive for being gay, apologising for the actions that led to his sacking. Coote, 42, was suspended in November after footage emerged of him making derogatory remarks about former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in a video that was widely shared on social media. Further photographs shared by the Sun newspaper in November, which the newspaper said were taken during Euro 2024, appeared to show Coote sniffing a white powder through a rolled-up bank note. He was dismissed by referees body Professional…

The Governor of the Central Bank, Olayemi Cardoso has announced that forensic verification to clear all pending foreign exchange backlogs is now completed and payments will commence soon. Speaking during the launch of the foreign exchange code, Cardoso lamented how it took the bank over twelve months to clear the $7 billion foreign exchange backlog in 2024. In March last year, the CBN announced clearance of the backlog, effectively eliminating a legacy burden. The apex bank boss said the era of multiple exchange rates which accorded privileges to a select few is gone, adding that all deposit money banks that…

Ademola Lookman will miss Atalanta’s Champions League clash at Barcelona, the Serie A club said on Tuesday, after the Nigerian star suffered a knee injury in training. In a short statement, Atalanta said the 27-year-old forward had hurt the lateral joint in his right knee and would not travel to Spain where on Wednesday the Italians are aiming to secure direct qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League. Atalanta did not say how long Lookman would be out but Italian media report he could be sidelined for up to a month. Lookman will be a huge loss for Atalanta…