Author: Akintayo Adams

Opposition candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, is leading in the early results of Senegal’s presidential election. While Faye’s main opponent, Amadou Ba, from the ruling coalition said a run-off might happen to determine the winner, at least 5 of the 19 candidates in the race have issued statements congratulating Faye. “For our part, and considering the feedback of the results from our team of experts, we are certain that, in the worst case scenario, we will go to a run-off,” Na stated. Over the weekend, millions took part in a peaceful day of voting to elect Senegal’s fifth president after three…

The appointment of 168 assistants and 104 board members for the 15 agencies and commissions has been approved by the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum. This is contained in a statement issue by the Secretary to the Borno State Government,, SSG, Bukar Tijjani on Monday in Maiduguri. The appointees comprises of nine Senior Technical Assistants, STA, 81 Senior Special Assistants, SSAs, and 78 Special Assistants, SAs, according to the statement. He also listed 104 others as Chairmen and Board members of 15 agencies and commissions. The appointment, as stated by the SSG, was done based on powers conferred on…

Under a new groundbreaking digital law, which could lead to huge fines, the European Union on Monday hit Apple, Google parent Alphabet and Meta with the first-ever probes. According to the European Commission, it “suspects that the measures put in place by these gatekeepers fall short of effective compliance of their obligations under the DMA”, the EU’s antitrust regulator said, referring to the Digital Markets Act. Apple and Google’s app store rules will be targeted in this round of probes under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act, how Google search results might unfairly preference its own services and how Apple may…

Family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, raised alarm over the weekend that the continued detention of their son was not unconnected to the ₦800 million being spent by the FG each time the IPOB leader appeared in court. Spokesman of the family, Emmanuel Kanu, said the family weren’t in the dark over claims that the FG spends that much for each of Kanu’s appearances in court. Kanu’s detention has become a lucrative business for “a cabal in government” hence the difficulty being encountered in securing his release, he said. “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu…

Nadeem Anjarwalla, One of the two Binance executives detained in Nigeria for alleged tax evasion and other offences has reportedly escaped. Anjarwalla, on Friday, reportedly escaped from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were being held, according to Premium Times. He was reported to have escaped after some guards on duty escorted him to a nearby mosque for Friday prayers before departing Abuja via a Middle East airline. How Anjarwalla boarded an international flight despite having his British passport seized by the Nigerian authorities remain an unsolved riddle. However, an Immigration official revealed that the Binance executive…

Officials have disclosed that an estimated 1,000 homes have been destroyed after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit flood-stricken northern Papua New Guinea, and at least 5 people have died. Emergency crews are“still assessing the impact” from a tremor that “damaged most parts of the province,” “So far, around 1,000 homes have been lost,” said East Sepik Governor Allan Bird. US$130 million emergency funding package to help recovery efforts following “a spate of natural disasters” across the country has been approved by Prime Minister James Marape. “Papua New Guinea has been recently hit hard by (the) earthquake, flooding caused by heavy…

Kidnappers of Dr Tony Aziegbemi, the Edo State chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have demanded the sum of ₦500 million ransom from anyone seeking to secure his release, according to reports. A member of his family said the kidnappers have been in contact with the family and ₦500 million was demanded. This is coming eight days after his abduction. However, the state Police Force through SP Chidi Nwabuzor, the spokesperson said they are not aware of any demand from the agents of doom. “I am not aware of any ransom demand. I can only confirm what I am…

Nigerians who do not have proper linkage of their National Identification Number, NIN to their Subscriber Identity Module, SIM numbers are set to experience another round of disconnection by service providers. Slated for Friday, 29th March 2024, it aligns with the directive of Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) that all registered SIMs that are not properly linked with the NIN should be barred until corrected or disconnected from the network in its entirety. The NCC disconnection directive is in phases. The first phase occured February 28, 2024, and the second phase is due March 29, 2024. In the first phase, about…

Setting a deadline of March 28, 2024, The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced an increase in the fare for this year’s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia by ₦1,918,032.91. This was announced in a statement by its spokesperson, Farima Sanda Usara who claimed the development was influenced by forex crisis which Nigeria has been facing in recent times. At the start of the whole process, the fare for the latest edition of Hajj was capped at ₦4.9 million, with many stakeholders and intending pilgrims calling for the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government. With the announcement, it has become mandatory…

After a lengthy period of illness, Veteran Nollywood actor, Amaechi Muonagor, has died. The news was disclosed by Morris Monye, a social commentator and critic via his X handle, on Sunday. The news of his death comes just days after a video where he solicited funds to help him have a Kidney transplant surfaced on the internet. “Deeply heartbroken by the news of Amaechi Muonagor’s passing,” Monye wrote. “He was a talented Nollywood actor whose presence on our screens was truly masterful. “We watched with concern as he battled health issues, offering whatever support we could to help him seek…