Author: Akintayo Adams

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has revealed that plans are in place for President Bola Ahmad Tinubu to fight hunger and poverty in Nigeria through science and technology. This was contained in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the consultative General Assembly of the West African Network of National Academies of Sciences (WANNAS) in Abuja on Tuesday. “It is imperative to inform you that the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is desirous to fight hunger and poverty through the utilization of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). “I like to further inform you…

The increase in the activities of bandits and kidnappers across Nigeria has been blamed on the unemployment situation in the country by Former President Olusegun Obasanjo. This was revealed in his address at the 9th International Trade Exhibition & Conference on Agrofood, Plastics, Printing, and Packaging which was held in Lagos on Tuesday. “Of course, if we are able to achieve this, it will improve our security. Part of our insecurity are men and women that are not properly engaged. If we are able to give them employment, there will be less of them getting involved in banditry, in kidnapping…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has denounced the activities of kidnappers across the country, saying individuals involved in such “reprehensible acts” must be treated as terrorists. He said this on Tuesday at a Ramadan dinner with members of the Federal judiciary led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. He seized the moment to inform the audience of his administration’s resolve to conquer banditry. He also labeled those who resort to kidnapping children as cowards who are lack the ability to engage in a battle against the might of the Nigerian Armed Forces. “We must treat kidnappers as…

Telecommunications giant, MTN, has accepted an undisclosed offer from Telecel, an Africa-focused telecommunications service provider, to acquire MTN’s equity stakes in MTN Guinea-Bissau and MTN Guinea-Conakry. The MTN group has its sights set on exiting smaller markets in the West and Central Africa (WECA) region and concentrating on the ones with higher growth promise. MTN revealed this development in its 2023 financials where it hinted at its potential exit from Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry and Liberia where it controls a huge chunk of the market share. In the report, MTN disclosed that its Guinea-Bissau and Guinea-Conakry businesses have been designated as held…

Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi has confirmed his invitation by security agencies due to some comments credited to him on the activities of bandits. The Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had on Monday confirmed that Sheikh Gumi had been invited for questioning while stressing that no one is above the law. Gumi made the revelation via a social media post titled,  ‘Only one person is above the law: the innocent’. He wrote, “Last night I got many frantic calls from well-wishers and journalists about a news item that I was interviewed by security. There is absolutely no cause…

An explosion at a small food kiosk located near a police station in northeastern Kenya had killed four people and wounded several others on Monday. The blast was said to have been caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that had been planted at the hotel and was detonated as a crowd of people sat down to have a meal, police said. “I condemn in the strongest terms, today’s cowardly and heinous terrorist attack at a hotel in Mandera town,” Mohamed Adan Khalif, the governor of Mandera County who confirmed the deaths, said in a statement. “My heartfelt condolences and…

A Kano High Court has sentenced Geng Quandong, a Chinese man standing trial for the murder of his Nigerian girlfriend, Ummukulsum Buhari to death by hanging. He was found guilty of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 221 of the Penal Code Law of Kano State and convicted accordingly. Mr Quangrong had stabbed his 23-year-old girlfriend to death at her family residence in Janbulo quarters, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano on September 16 2022. Justice Sanusi Ado-Ma’aji held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond the reasonable doubt while delivering his judgment. “The defendant’s testimony is inconsistent.…

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has increased the benchmark interest rate to 24.75 percent. It increased by 200 basis points. This was announced in a communique by the CBN governor Yemi Cardoso after the second MPC meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. The is an increase from the 22.75 percent announced by the MPC about a month ago and the second rate hike by the current committee that was inaugurated some weeks ago. Cardoso also announced the retention of the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of deposit money banks at 45 percent. However, the MPC adjusted…

Strong reactions and comments have followed the act of bandits seen in viral videos displaying cash supposedly collected from victims. They were attached to a series of post on X by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst. He noted that the user of the social network account has over 3000 followers and that some of them are bandits who openly show off their rifles while dressed in military or police uniforms. “Audacity: Bandit on Tiktok flaunting and showing off ransom money he collected from his victims”, he wrote. “The user of the account has 3000 followers, some of…

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the construction of 28 roads and bridges across the country for the total sum of over ₦1.2 trillion. This was disclosed by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, after the FEC meeting held on Monday. The projects were approved by FEC having gone through the Bureau of Public Procurement and Certificates of No Objection secured, according to him. Approval was given for construction of 91.432km road at Saki in Oyo State at the sum of ₦144 billion, and the construction of Buruku bridge across Katsina Ala River in Benue State at a little…