Author: Festus Adeloye

A huge federal probe was underway Tuesday into what caused the deadly Los Angeles wildfires, with millions in the city clamouring for answers. Social media has exploded with theories about what started blazes that tore through the city of Altadena and the upmarket neighbourhood of Pacific Palisades, killing at least 24 people and leaving whole communities in ruins. Suggestions include downed power lines, deliberate arson, a stray firework and the reignition of an earlier fire. But Jose Medina of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), which is leading the inquiry, said it was too early to say…

Following a backlog of unpaid debts, the Nigerian Communications Commission has authorised telecommunications companies to disconnect the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data codes assigned to nine financial institutions. The directive signed by NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka on Tuesday and obtained by Channels Television, noted that the affected banks are to pay the outstanding debts by January 27, 2025, or risk losing access to their USSD codes. The regulator did not, however, state the amount of the debt owed by the nine banks. According to the NCC public notice, nine out of 18 financial institutions had not complied with…

Timileyin Ajayi, 32, has been remanded in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Nasarawa State Police Command in Lafia, the state capital for the alleged murder of a 24-year-old corps member, Salome Adaidu. Adaidu, who was serving in Abuja, was reportedly killed during a visit to Ajayi’s residence in the Papalana area of New Karshi, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Ajayi was arrested on Sunday, January 12, while attempting to dispose of Adaidu’s severed head after dismembering her body. He was subsequently paraded at the Nasarawa State Police Command headquarters, alongside the knife and machetes…

Princes from nine royal families in Oyo, collectively known as the Atiba 9, have rejected the appointment of Abimbola Owoade as the Alaafin of Oyo. The Atiba 9 described his appointment as unacceptable and a blatant disregard for Oyo’s revered traditions. Recall that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, presented the staff of office to the Alaafin-designate on Monday. The Atiba 9 criticised the decision, accusing Makinde of basing his action on a proclamation by US-based Awise Agbaye, Prof Wande Abimbola, who claimed that Ifa chose Owoade as the next Alaafin of Oyo. They argued that Owoade’s appointment was not only contrary to…

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja, has dismissed a suit seeking to quash the appointments of the current Managing Director and Executive Directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by President Bola Tinubu. Justice Omotosho dismissed the suit for lacking in merit. The plaintiffs, through their lawyer Okere Nnamdi, urged the court to compel President Tinubu to withdraw the nominations of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Boma Iyaye, Victor Antai, and Ifedayo Abegunde as Managing Director and Executive Directors of the NDDC. They demanded that the President appoint indigenes of oil-producing communities from Imo, Cross River, and Edo…

A day after her election as the new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, on Tuesday, visited members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) to “brief them about what happened at the House of Assembly yesterday and to seek their blessings which we have gotten”. Meranda met with members of GAC, the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, alongside other members of the State Assembly at Lagos House, Marina. Meranda, representing Apapa Constituency I, emerged as speaker on Monday after the impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa whose 10-year reign was terminated…

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius on Tuesday signed for German second-division side Schalke, the latest in a series of clubs as he tries to revive his career. Karius has bounced around teams in England, Germany and Turkey but has failed to secure significant game time. The 31-year-old was widely criticised following an error-ridden performance in Liverpool’s 3-1 Champions League final loss to Real Madrid in 2018, his last match for the club. Five days after the match, Karius was diagnosed with concussion, having collided with Real defender Sergio Ramos. Most recently he was with Premier League club Newcastle but has…

Governor Babagana Zulum has condemned terrorists’ attack in the Dumba community, near Baga in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.  The governor condemned the attack which claimed at least 40 farmers and fishermen on Sunday and called on the officers and men of Operation Hadin Kai to track and obliterate the insurgent elements that are operating at Dumba and other similar enclaves in the Lake Chad Area. The attack was said to have been carried out by Boko Haram and ISWAP elements operating in the area. Zulum commiserated with the victims and their families and assured them that…

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday distanced himself from the impeachment of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa. Sanwo-Olu’s Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, described Obasa’s impeachment as strictly a legislative matter, with no influence or interference from the state government. “It is purely a legislative matter and the Assembly handled it the best way they could. It has nothing to do with the governor,” Akosile said, emphasizing the separation of powers between the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary as outlined in the constitution. Details surrounding the Speaker’s removal remain unclear. However, it…

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola and his wife, Cristina Serra, have separated after 30 years together. According to a report by SPORT on Monday, the divorce is “totally cordial, stable and friendly”. The report claimed that Guardiola drifted apart from Cristina after working in different countries for at least five years. The couple met in 1994 and got married in 2014 near Barcelona. They have three children together: Maria, 24, Marius, 22, and Valentina, 17. It is understood that Serra has been living in Barcelona full time with one of three daughters, Valentina, while Guardiola stays in Manchester. Serra is…