Author: Akintayo Adams

The Nigerian Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) says it has declared a state of emergency on oil production. This was announced by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, in a keynote address at the opening of the 23rd edition of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition Week in Abuja, on Tuesday. “We have decided to stop the debate. We have declared war on the challenges affecting our crude oil production. War means war. We have the right tools. We know what to fight. We know what we have to do at…

A casual worker at SUMAL, a manufacturing company in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has been confirmed dead. The worker, whose identity has not been disclosed, died during a protest by the company’s staff over the lack of salary increases. The incident occurred on Monday. It was learned that the casual workers protested because the company refused to provide palliatives or increase their wages. The workers claimed that despite a directive from the Federal Government last year for the private sector to provide palliatives, the company did not comply. This led the employees to take to the streets in frustration.…

The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed a bill for a second reading that proposes granting all individuals, including foreigners residing in Nigeria, the right to obtain and use a National Identification Number (NIN). The bill, titled ‘National Identity Management Commission (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2024 (SB. 472)’, was sponsored by Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin from Kano North. The legislation aims to replace criminal penalties with administrative measures to promote compliance with NIN requirements, avoiding imposing severe legal consequences on individuals. Senator Cyril Fasuyi from Ekiti North presented the lead debate on the bill’s general principles during the plenary…

Chelsea Football Club have announced the signing of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City. The midfielder has signed a five-year contract with the Blues, which includes an additional one-year option, and will join up with his new team-mates for pre-season training. ‘It is amazing to be sitting here as a Chelsea player,’ said Dewsbury-Hall. ‘This is a club people grow up watching and hoping to one day play for, so it is a privilege to be here. I’m really excited to get going and can’t wait to show everybody what I can do.’ Dewsbury-Hall, who joined Leicester City at the age…

The Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman, on Tuesday, alongside residents engaged in a rain-seeking prayer session. The prayer was well attended. The prayers held at about 8:00 am at the Eid Prayer Ground Mosque on Tuesday were led by the Chief Imam of the Katsina Central Mosque, Imam Gambo Mustapha. During the event, attendees urged residents to increase prayers for a plentiful harvest to alleviate economic hardships, lower food prices, and address the state’s security challenges. Participant Abdurrahman Bature said crop fields urgently require water to survive amid soaring food prices. He advised residents to maintain fear of Allah in…

At least 27 individuals lost their lives in a Hindu religious event in northern India due to being crushed, and many others were injured. Government medical personnel are worried that the number of fatalities may rise further. Fatal accidents often occur at religious gatherings during significant festivals in India, which attract millions of devotees to sacred locations. On Tuesday, a large congregation assembled near Hathras, approximately 140 kilometers (90 miles) southeast of New Delhi, to listen to a sermon by a religious leader. “We have received 27 bodies so far,” Uttar Pradesh state senior medical officer Ram Mohan Tiwari told…

Defending champion Marketa Vondrousova (25) suffered a surprising first-round exit at Wimbledon on Tuesday, becoming the first female title holder to fall at the opening stage since Steffi Graf 30 years ago. Czech player Vondrousova, who famously won the title last year as an unseeded player, experienced a disappointing defeat with a score of 6-4, 6-2 against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Bouzas Maneiro, ranked 83rd in the world and having won just one tour-level match this year prior to Wimbledon, secured her first victory in a Grand Slam by hitting a decisive backhand down the line. The Spaniard hit the…

A Lagos Federal High Court on Monday learnt how former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki paid ex-Ekiti State Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose ₦1.2 billion in cash. Former EFCC investigative officer Abubakar Madaki revealed that Dasuki paid Fayose in cash to obscure the source and erase all traces. Madaki informed Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke that this was uncovered during an EFCC probe. The EFCC found that the funds came from Dasuki’s office and were earmarked for purchasing arms, contradicting claims it was for a presidential campaign. The EFCC brought Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited to court on 11 charges, including breach…

The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said no life was lost in the building collapse which occurred overnight in the Garki area of Abuja. The Acting Director-General of the agency, Florence Wenegieme, stated that the collapsed four-storey building was originally undergoing renovations. Eyewitnesses informed Channels Television that most of the construction workers had already finished their work for the day when the building collapsed. Officials from the emergency management agency attributed the collapse to the contractor’s failure to heed directives from the Abuja Development Control Authority to halt construction. According to the agency, three individuals were rescued from the site…

The Oyo State Government, in partnership with private investors, has come to the aid of Inukan Local Council Development Area with a Solar Hybrid Mini Grid, ending residents’ long-standing struggle with nighttime darkness. Previously reliant on candles, lanterns, and costly generators, the community now enjoys stable electricity, thanks to Governor Seyi Makinde and a team of renewable energy experts. The project, soon to be commissioned by the governor, integrates solar and diesel power to provide a reliable energy source. It features a 100 kW solar panel, a 100 kVA diesel generator, and a distribution network covering multiple communities including Otefon,…