Statement
NPA suspends export receipts at Lagos ports
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Monday announced the suspension of export receipts at Lagos ports for two weeks. The NPA Spokesperson, Ibrahim Nasiru, said in a statement that the suspension was part of efforts to improve access to, and service delivery at Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports. “The authority hereby announces a 14-day suspension of export receipts at both ports and all satellite truck parks, with effect from March 22. “This development is necessitated by the need for consultations with export cargo stakeholders and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) on the harmonisation of procedures required of owners of this category of cargo. “Stakeholders should please note that this suspension does not affect export refrigerated cargo and trucks whose operators have secured c...
Niger Delta agitators urges South South governors to work with Senator Akpabio to develop region
A coalition of Niger Delta agitators, weekend, called on governors of South South to work with Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to develop Niger Delta region and its people. The group meanwhile, called out governors of Niger Delta states, saying recent revelation by Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, that they (governors) collected N100 million each as Covid-19 palliative has exposed their hypocrisy. Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Patrick Ayo Akinyelure, last week, told reporters in Abuja that NDDC officials told the committee that each of the nine governors of the Niger Delta states got N100 million as Covid-19 palliatives. Coordinator of the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, 2...
Fred racially abused on social media following Man United FA Cup exit
Fred suffered racist abuse online following Manchester United’s FA Cup exit to Leicester City on Sunday. Fred was at fault for Leicester’s opening goal as he gifted the ball to Kelechi Iheanacho in front of goal, with the Leicester striker rounding goalkeeper Dean Henderson to slot the ball home. After United’s 3-1 defeat, the 28-year-old’s Instagram account became the target of abuse from online trolls, with several of the comments racial in nature. The Brazil international is one of several United players to be subjected to abuse in recent weeks. Marcus Rashford posted a statement about comments directed at him in late January, while Anthony Martial and Axel Tuanzebe were also targeted. Here’s the manager’s take on a disappointing afternoon ⬇ 🔴 #MUFC🏆 #...
CDS hailed over free medical treatment in Kano
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Leo Irabor, has received commendation for the recently concluded two-day free medical treatment in Bichi Local Government Area of Kano State. About 1000 persons benefitted from the programme which had as theme: “The Role of Diet in the Management of Hypertension and Diabetes.” Commending the CDS for the Initiative, the Nigeria Youth Alliance (NYA), said the programme was designed to sensitise communities on preventive and curative measures of the diseases. The CDS who was represented by Col. Vincent Abu, the Commandant, Armed Forces Specialist Hospital, Kano, at the inauguration of the programme, said that the exercise was aimed at improving the health status of people at the grassroots. NYA in a press release signed by the President, Atanda Mojeed and Secr...
Police arrest two ‘armed robbers’ in Lekki
The Anti Crime Patrol team attached to Ilasan Division of the Lagos State Police Command, Saturday, arrested two suspected armed robbers on Lekki-Epe Expressway by Jakande area of Lagos State. The suspects are: Okorocha Covenant, 28; and Adigun Jeremiah, 27, both of Badagry Area of the state. The police operatives were said to have intercepted three gang members on a motorcycle. While two got nabbed, one escaped with the motorcycle at about 9.30pm of Saturday. “Upon arrest, one Beretta pistol with ammunition was recovered from them”, the State PPRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement issued on Sunday March 21 this year. In his reaction, the State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, ordered that the suspects be taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba fo...
Ekiti by-election: Shot policewoman recuperating – CP
Contrary to the news making the rounds, that a policewoman lost her life during Saturday’s bloody poll, in Ekiti East Constituency 1, the Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Mr Babatunde Mobayo, has clarified that she is alive and responding to treatment. Mobayo said the Policewoman who was shot during Saturday’s House of Assembly bye-election, only sustained gunshot wounds and was immediately rushed to the hospital for medicare. Three persons were on Saturday shot dead by suspected party thugs while five others sustained gunshot wounds during the House of Assembly bye-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state constituency. Speaking with journalists via telephone in Ado Ekiti, on Sunday, Mobayo, who responded through the Command’s spokesman, ASP S...
NDLEA seizes 200kg of hard drugs at Lagos, Abuja, Kano airports
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) simultaneously seized 200 kilograms of illicit substances at the Lagos, Kano and Abuja airports last week. Its Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja. He stated that a 41-year-old Adewuyi Olayinka was arrested while trying to export 650 grams of cocaine to the United Kingdom. The drugs were wrapped in two parcels arranged to be taken through the Skyway Aviation Handling Company export shed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. “The drugs were concealed in dry pepper and in herbal concoction. “In the same vein, 107kg of hard drug suspected to be Khat was seized at the cargo shed of the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, while being exported to Canada. “The ...
Femi Falana: EFCC can mandate bank MDs, executives to declare assets
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of all laws relating to economic and financial crimes, Africa’s leading human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has said. Consequently, according to the senior advocate, the anti-graft commission is empowered to cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person as stipulated under Section 7 (1) (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004. Also yesterday, Transparency International (TI) argued that if the provisions of the Bank Employees, etc. (Declaration of Assets) Act, 1986 were effectively enforced, Nigeria could save between $15 billion and $18 billion illicit financial flows (IFFs) annually. Falana clarified the roles of the EFCC in a response to inquiries on whethe...
Rumble in Edo as governor runs government without cabinet
Precisely 129 days into his second tenure as governor of Edo State after his election on September 20, 2020 and inauguration on November 12, 2020, Godwin Obaseki, has not formed his cabinet. This has generated some flaks from different quarters, including the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), constitutional lawyers, political analysts, public commentators, residents among others. While others feel that Obaseki has not committed any crime or breached any law, others believe that he is running a one-man administration and must go ahead to form his cabinet. They argued that going by Section 192 of the 1999 Constitution, the governor is obliged to form a cabinet, saying this is a circumvention, which the state House of Assembly should take action on. Obaseki had said that his ...
Controversy over ex-minister threatening his aide with hammer in trending video
A video released by Sahara Reporters showing former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, interrogating his former Personal Assistant with a hammer in his right hand, has been trending on social media and generating reactions. In the video, Fani-Kayode can be seen visibly holding the hammer in his right hand until he discovered that he was recovered before hiding it with his body. The video was recorded by his estranged wife, Precious Chikwendu, who can be heard in the background saying the former Minister had a hammer in his hand. Meanwhile, Fani-Kayode has released a statement denying that he threatened his former PA with a hammer. The press release was signed by his Media Aide, Jubril Oladimeji Olaiya. The statement said: “The allegation that Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is a violent man th...
UNILAG VC wins €38,000 global biodiversity information facility grant
The Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, and another botanist, Dr Temitope Onuminya, have won 2021 Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) grants. Mrs Nonye Oguama, a Principal Assistant Registrar, Corporate Affairs of the institution, made the disclosure in a statement on Saturday in Lagos. According to Oguama, the awards are part of the 2021 Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) programme, funded by the European Union. Ogundipe, a Professor of Botany, won a national level grant of 38,000 euros for his project proposal: “Implementation of the Biodiversity Information and Data System for Coastal Ecosystem in Nigeria”. Onuminya, on the other hand, won an institutional level grant of 18,850 euros for implementation of a BID project proposal: “Ex...
Chelsea owner takes legal action over ‘Putin’s People’ book
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has launched legal action for defamation over the book Putin’s People. The Blues owner’s case relates to “a number of false and defamatory claims made about our client in the book published by HarperCollins.” The book was written by author Caterine Belton and contains a number of claims about Abramovich and others close to Russia president Vladimir Putin. Abramovich’s statement, published on Chelsea’s club website, says: “Today my legal representatives have issued legal proceedings in England in relation to a book that was published in the UK. The book contains a number of false and defamatory statements about me, including about my purchase, and the activities, of Chelsea Football Club. “Today’s action was not taken lightly. It has never been my ambition to ...