Author: Festus Adeloye

President Bola Tinubu has approved free transportation nationwide ahead of Christmas celebration. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, announced this while briefing State House correspondents shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by the President on Monday. He said the Federal Government will commence a nationwide free train services from the 20th of December to 5th of January 2025. He also announced that FG has renamed the University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University. On the 2025 budget, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun disclosed that the cabinet also deliberated extensively on the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced a landmark arrest of a total number of 792 suspects for offences bordering on cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scam. EFCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, who briefed journalists at the commission’s office in Lagos on Monday said the suspects were apprehended on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, in a surprise operation at their hideout, an imposing seven-storey edifice known as Big Leaf Building, on No.7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Uwujaren said, “The breakthrough followed actionable intelligence and months of surveillance and monitoring the activities of the syndicate.Among the…

The presentation of the N47.9tn 2025 budget to the joint session of the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, initially scheduled for Tuesday, December 17, has been postponed to Wednesday, December 18. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had previously announced during Thursday’s plenary that the President would address the National Assembly to present the budget on December 17. Akpabio confirmed that the presentation would take place in the House of Representatives Chamber. He added that plenary would commence at 10:30 am, after which senators would proceed in a formal procession to the House Chamber for the budget session. Last month,…

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, has ordered a thorough investigation into the deaths of two Okuama community leaders, Pa James Oghoroko and Dennis Okugbaye, while in Army custody. Oghoroko, the President-General of the Okuama community, and 81-year-old Okugbaye, the community’s treasurer, reportedly died six days apart after being detained by the military. The duo along with four others — Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Mrs. Mabel Owhemu, and Mr. Dennis Malaka — were arrested during a military operation conducted between August 18 and 20, 2024. The arrests followed the killing of 17 soldiers on March 14,…

President Bola Tinubu is presiding over the 21st meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the State House, Abuja. Monday’s meeting began at 01:20 pm. when Tinubu arrived at the Council Chamber. It is arguably the last for 2024. Seated are the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the President’s Chief of Staff, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack and all ministers and ministers of state. Vice President Kashim Shettima is not attending the meeting as he is away in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, to represent President Tinubu at…

Russell Martin has been sacked as Southampton boss after suffering a chastening 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. It was the Saints’ 13th loss in 16 Premier League matches this season, a torrid run which has seen them pick up just five points. Their latest defeat left them nine points from safety. Martin guided the club to promotion from the Championship via the play-offs last season, but struggled to impose his possession-heavy philosophy in the English top-flight, and often batted away suggestions his side could implement a more pragmatic style. The club confirmed that under-21’s boss Simon Rusk would…

The Defence Headquarters has refuted claims that the French military was planning to establish a base in Nigeria. A human rights activist, Mahdi Shehu, criticised the government on Saturday in a post for denying the development. In a video-accompanied post, Shehu claimed that some French military officers had arrived in Borno State as part of the process to set up the base. The post partly read, “Last week, the Chief of Defence Staff denied any plan to establish French military bases in Nigeria. “Yesterday, the Chief of Army Staff received the first contingent of French soldiers and immediately deployed them…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery said it has exported Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol to Cameroon, Ghana, Angola and South Africa. Vice President of Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Dr. Devakumar Edwin, disclosed this recently when a delegation from the Japanese Business Community in Nigeria, led by Japan’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, visited the facility. He said: “In recent weeks, we’ve exported petrol to Cameroon, Ghana, Angola, and South Africa among others. Diesel has gone all over the world, and jet fuel is being heavily exported to European markets. Our products are already making their mark…

Ahead of the CAF awards ceremony scheduled for today in Marrakesh, Morocco, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed strong support for Nigerian stars Ademola Lookman and Chiamaka Nnadozie, who are finalists for the CAF Player of the Year awards in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. Lookman and Super Falcons goalkeeper Nnadozie are leading Nigeria’s quest for recognition at this year’s awards, with the country in contention for a total of seven categories. The men’s Player of the Year category features a competitive lineup, with Lookman competing against Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and…

Doctors treating Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after surgery this week to stop a hemorrhage inside his head took him out of intensive care on Friday but kept him hospitalised. Lula, 79, “remains in the Hospital Sirio-Libanes, in Sao Paulo, under semi-intensive care,” they said in a public medical update. The update came after doctors performed emergency surgery on Tuesday to drill through Lula’s skull to relieve pressure built up because of bleeding in protective intracranial membranes. The injury was linked to a blow to the head Lula suffered in October, when he fell in a bathroom in…