Author: Akintayo Adams

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the detention of Emmanuel Osase, q Nigerian accused of being a member of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, for 60 days. Osase was accused of spreading the messages of the terrorist group, opposing the democratic system of government in Nigeria, and calling for terrorist attacks on Nigeria and its symbols of sovereignty. He was arrested on the 11th of March. The order detaining the suspect was given by the trial judge, Inyang Ekwo, following a motion ex-parte filed by the Department of State Services marked FHC/ABJ/CS/409/2024. A. A Ugee, Counsel…

President Bola Tinubu has signed the Student Loan Appropriation into law after a whole lot of back and forth. He thanked the members of the National Assembly for their speedy passage of the bill. Speaking after signing the bill at the Presidential Villa, the President said his administration is determined to ensure that education is given its pride of place and the attention necessary including skills development programmes. He said, “I have just signed a bill proclaiming the student loan effectively. First of all, I must thank members of the National Assembly for their expeditious handling of this bill considering…

Newly sworn-in Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has formally appointed opposition leader Ousmane Sonko the country’s new prime minister. Faye, 44, made the announcement early on Wednesday, appointing his close ally who was barred from contesting in the last election by Former President Macky Sall. However, he enjoys the support of young Senegalese. Sonko, 49, has a reputation as a corruption fighter, a critic of the country’s elites, a pan-Africanist and a conservative Muslim. As earlier stated, he was prevented from running for the presidency at the end of March after being handed a six-month suspended sentence for libelling a…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, on his birthday. Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Tuesday, said President Tinubu joined the good people of Warri Kingdom in celebrating who he described as “Renaissance monarch”. He also extolled the Olu of Warri’s strength of character, praising his “clear-sightedness, and zest for peace, progress and development of Itsekiri land and its people.” “President Bola Tinubu heartily congratulates His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olú of Warri, on the occasion of his birthday. “The President joins the good people of…

Electricity tariff increase for customers under the Band A classification has been approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. Band A are those who enjoy 20 hours of electricity supply daily. This was as the Vice Chairman, NERC, Musliu Oseni, revealed that the increase will see the customers paying ₦225 kilowatt per hour as opposed the current ₦66. He further explained that customers in Band A represent 15 per cent of the 12m electricity consumers in the country, and that some customers on the Band A have been pushed downwards to Band B due to non-fulfilment of the required hours…

Adams Abuh, a one-time Assistant Director of Department of State Services (DSS), has called on the 20 state governors yet to support the creation of state police to do so in no distant time. He was a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Wednesday, where he said the ongoing security challenges of banditry and kidnapping in the country calls for urgent response and action from federal and state governments. Abuh said, “There are still so many things that have been left undone before we even get to the issue of the citizens carrying arms to protect themselves.…

A seven-man panel set up by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to unravel the allegation of misconduct raised against the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, began sitting on Wednesday. The panel headed by retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa, was established by Justice Okungbowa following the decision of the Edo state House of Assembly, which initiated the impeachment process against Shaibu. The House of Assembly was represented by Mr Joe Ohiafi, Deputy Clerk, Legal, just as Shaibu was represented by Prof Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN). A statement signed by the administrative secretary of the panel, George Odidi, last…

Elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the aegis of Ondo APC Aborigines, have come out in one voice to declare their support for the state governor, Mr Lucky Aiywdatiwa, as he bids to be the candidate of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election. The decision was reached at their meeting held in Akure the state capital on Tuesday, where they revealed that Aiyedatiwa scored the highest points out of the three aspirants shortlisted by the group. Late Paul Akintelure and a former Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa are the other nominees. Speaking, the chairman of the…

The Federal Inland Revenue Service has tendered its unreserved apology to the Christian Association of Nigeria over an Easter post described as being disrespectful by the Christian body. CAN had earlier demanded a public apology from the FIRS for a post on its X handle during the Easter celebration. In a statement signed by Dare Adekambi, Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, the agency offered its “unreserved apologies” to CAN and Christian faithfuls, adding that the FIRS had no religion and had no intention to offend adherents of the faith in Nigeria. “Our attention has been…

The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed that it cannot arrest crossdressers, including a certain Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, popularly known as Bobrisky. There have been calls for Bobrisky’s arrest, especially after he was recently awarded Best Dressed Female at a Nollywood event. Speaking with Channels TV on Tuesday, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, said crossdressers cannot be arrested because it is dicey situation. He said cross-dressing is not yet a punishable offence in Nigeria. He also stated that even if there might be allegations of people who cross-dress also being a part of the LGBTQ community, there is no specific…