Author: Amina Mohammed

Gunmen have killed and abducted one Customs officer at Koko base in Kebbi State. The Kebbi State Command of the Nigeria Customs service, in a statement by the Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Salisu, said gunmen trailed the anti smuggling squad to their base at Koko, destroyed facilities, killed one officer, Dabo Umar and abducted one Babagana Kabiru. However, the remains of the deceased were retrieved and conveyed to Kaduna for Islamic burial. The command’s Comptroller, Earnest Iheanacho, while consoling with the family of the late officer said a manhunt has been launched to rescue the abducted officer. He said: “We…

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered a commercial bank to immediately pay N811,174,229.25 to the Chief Registrar of the court, which is the principal amount claimed by a fintech company, Shago Payments Limited against the bank. Trial judge ordered that the said sum be held in trust in an interest-yielding account by the Chief Registrar of the court, in any of First Bank Nigeria Limited, Zenith Bank Plc., or Guaranty Trust Bank Limited, pending the hearing and determination of the suit against the bank and two others by the fintech firm. Ruling on…

The Mbadiwe Twins, Ocee and Ozee, have been crowned the first Heads of House (HoH) in the Big Brother Naija Season 9 reality TV show. The announcement was made on Monday afternoon, following the housemates’ first Head of House games. The twins’ victory has set the tone for an exciting season, filled with twists and turns. As Heads of the House, the twins will enjoy exclusive privileges, including access to the heads of the house room and being in charge of orderliness in the house, they can also suggest minor infringements to Big Brother. In another twist, there will be…

William Calley, a former US Army lieutenant convicted of war crimes in a Vietnam-era tragedy called the My Lai massacre, has died at age 80, a US newspaper reported Monday. The Washington Post said Calley died on April 28 in Gainesville, Florida, but his death had not been publicized until a recent public records search. In 1971, Calley became the only member of the US Army found guilty of war crimes over the My Lai massacre, one of the darkest chapters in US military history. It occurred on March 16, 1968, when Calley’s brigade entered the village of My Lai…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has appealed to youths in the nation’s capital not to join the planned August #EndBadGovernance protest against hardship and economic woes. The former Rivers State governor had last week said the FCT was not available for any protest, attracting a barrage of strong reactions from youths who vowed to stage a rally at Eagle Square come next month. However, the minister appeared to be soft-pedalling at a town hall meeting with youth stakeholders in the Bwari Area Council of the FCT on Monday when he urged them to talk about their…

President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, at the Council Chamber in the State House, Abuja. Recall that the last Council meeting directed the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, to propose additional measures for the 2024 budget to address the financial gaps that will arise from the implementation of the new minimum wage once it is finalised. At the last FEC, the federal government directed the distribution of 740 trucks of bags of rice across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. Vice President Kashim Shettima;…

The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) has insisted that the 2024 polls that produced Afam Osigwe as its new president, were credible. The ECNBA was responding to the complaints of the two presidential candidates in the July 20 elections of the association. The first runner-up, Tobenna Erojikwe, and Chukwuka Ikwuazom the 2nd runner-up, had questioned the integrity of the process and called for an audit. However, in a letter jointly addressed to both candidates and signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the ECNBA, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oluseun Abimbola and Huwaila Muhammad, the electoral body noted…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called for an urgent meeting of the Senate. According to a circular issued by Clerk Chinedu Akubueze on Monday, the meeting is of “National Importance.” The circular did not provide specific details about the agenda for the emergency session, which is scheduled for Wednesday, July 31, 2024. This meeting comes just one day before a planned nationwide protest against hunger and hardship. The memo states, “Dear Distinguished Senators, the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, has directed that an emergency plenary sitting of the Senate be convened as follows: Date:…

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has accused those he described as Abuja politicians of being behind the armed banditry and killings in the Sankera axis of the state comprising Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo Local Government Area, LGAs, of the state. The Governor, who made the allegation Sunday after attending a thanksgiving service organised at the Chapel of Grace, Government House Makurdi, lamented that the bandits were homegrown and had taken up arms to kill their own. The Governor was reacting to recent attacks in Sankera which initially claimed six lives in Ukum LGA and triggered a violent protest and…

The United States, United Kingdom, and Canada have issued security warnings to their citizens in Nigeria, highlighting potential violence during the upcoming nationwide protests. The planned protests, set to commence on August 1, 2024, aim to address widespread hunger and economic hardship. In separate advisories, these countries urged their citizens to avoid areas where clashes between security forces and protesters might occur. The US Mission in Abuja advised Americans to avoid rallies, steer clear of crowds, and stay informed via local media. The advisory emphasized potential roadblocks, checkpoints, traffic congestion, and physical confrontations, stating, “According to media reports, nationwide protests…