Author: Festus Adeloye

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday condemned the Paris Olympics opening ceremony for “immorality against all Christians” and said he would call Pope Francis to discuss the controversy. A scene during Friday’s showpiece event featured dancers and drag queens reminiscent of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus is said to have shared with his apostles. Organisers have said they intended to portray a pagan feast and meant no offence, but Catholic groups and US presidential candidate Donald Trump were among critics slamming the act as a disrespectful parody. “I will call the pope as soon as possible to…

The Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, has demanded an apology from Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister over his comments on threatening to unseat her as an FCT senator in 2027. Kingibe and Wike have not had a good working relationship since they assumed their respective offices. Both politicians have lashed out at each other on various occasions. The minister queried Kingibe about her accomplishments for her constituents since being elected. But the senator took offence, saying she is way older than Wike. She expressed her willing to work with Wike if he apologises to her. According to her, courtesy…

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has given a 60-day ultimatum to the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun and the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to deploy the automation of foreign currency collection in Nigeria’s foreign missions. The Chairman of the Committee, Bamidele Salam, gave the charge on Tuesday, in Abuja at the public hearing on the status of automation of foreign currency collection in Nigeria’s foreign missions. The automation exercise is to facilitate the control generated by foreign currencies from embassies by the Federal Government. Addressing the committee at the hearing, Madein said that Files Solutions…

In a bid to cushion the effect of the inflationary trend in Nigeria, the Federal Government through the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has suspended import duties and taxes on some items to make them more affordable for Nigerians. Disclosing this Tuesday, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi said that the government was committed to addressing the situation in a seamless manner with a view to reducing hunger in the land. He explained that global inflation is impacting countries worldwide, including Nigeria, adding that the agency has streamlined export processes to facilitate the efficient movement of Nigerian…

A Lagos High Court has restricted protesters in Lagos taking part in the proposed August 1 nationwide protest, to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park, Ketu area of the state. The court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Ogundare gave the restriction on Tuesday following a preemptive exparte application filed the state Attorney -General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN, seeking to maintain and secure public safety and prevent irreparable loss of lives and property in the state during the period of the protests. Listed in the application as co-defendants are Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin…

Former Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, has rejected the new office allocated to him by the Senate Committee on Senate Services citing a breach of Senate tradition. The Senate Services Committee saddled with the responsibility of seeing to the welfare of Senators is currently chaired by Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West). Ndume in a letter to the committee, a copy of which was sighted by Vanguard, in Abuja, on Tuesday, said he would only occupy an office on the fourth floor being a very ranking senator. The letter which was dated 30th July 2024, and signed…

Aviation authorities in Nigeria have grounded aircraft belonging to Arik Air over a controversial $2.5m debt. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Tuesday said the move was a sequel to an order by the enforcement department of the FCT High Court, regarding a debt of $2.5m owed by Arik to Atlas Petroleum International Ltd. It said, “On the 19th day of July, 2024, the enforcement department of the FCT High Court enforced an Order made by the Court regarding a debt of $2.5 million owed by Arik Airline to one Atlas Petroleum International Ltd. by attaching their aircrafts. Arik…

Ahead of the planned nationwide protest billed to start August 1, the Federal Government has declared all its 256 custodial centres across the country as “red zones” whose sanctity must not be violated under any guise. The Controller General of Corrections (CGC) Hailey Nababa gave the warning in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja. “In view of the purported national protest scheduled to be held on the first day of August 2024, the Nigerian Correctional Service wishes to inform the public that the Custodial Centres have been designated as red zones; therefore, any person or group of persons who…

Some suspected thugs have begun to threaten Lagos State residents not to come out for the hunger protest scheduled for Thursday, August 1 to 10. In a viral clip on Tuesday, the people whose voices were only heard were chastising the market women and men to desist from the planned protest as it might lead to more destruction than that witnessed in the #EndSARS protest. “Anybody that is confident should come out on Thursday to protest. Are you the only one hungry? “If you dare come out for the protest, you will be mercilessly dealt with,” the men in the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has apprehended nine individuals suspected of involvement in internet fraud. They were arrested on Monday in the Wuye area of Abuja, following an intelligence-led operation by the Commission’s Abuja Zonal Directorate. An EFCC statement posted on Tuesday via X said, “Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abuja Zonal Directorate, have arrested nine suspected internet fraudsters. “They were arrested on Monday, 29 July 2024, at Wuye axis of Abuja following credible intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet-related fraud.” During the operation, several items were recovered from the suspects. The statement added,…