PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

       The number of Nigerians that have indicated interest to leave South Africa has increased from 400 to 640. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) confirmed this while responding to questions from journalists on Monday September 9. She revealed that two aircrafts will convey the Nigerians willing to come back home, and also added that the Nigerian government is still demanding for compensation for victims of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa. “As I speak with you now, we have 640 Nigerians voluntarily registered to come home and they will be home in a couple of days and we believe that more will still be coming to register,” she said. “Two planes will convey them. the envoy will be briefing the president. When we receive the first two batches, we will know how many more will come. With the envoy’s briefing to the president, we will be having everything in place. “They went on their own and have volunteer...

       President Muhammadu Buhari says remnants of Boko Haram in the North-east region of the country are bandits, “and we will continue to treat them as such.” The President spoke Tuesday at State House, Abuja, while receiving Mr Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). According to President Buhari, “Boko Haram has been degraded, but its members are still a nuisance around Lake Chad and surrounding islands. That is why we are cooperating with Chad, Cameroon, Niger Republic, and other countries. We are also using the Air Force quite effectively. They are bandits, and we will continue to treat them as such.” The President said the government was concentrating on repairing damaged infrastructure, rehabilitation of internally displaced persons, securing their communities, so that they can return home. He applauded the support of the ICRC and other humanitarian organizations, noting: “The situation of the displaced person...

      Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has taken a major step in his quest to ensure massive transformation in agricultural production in the state. This the governor is set to achieve with the acquisition of 50 units of state-of-the-art tractors for onward distribution to farmers. By a directive of the governor, technical staff of the Ministry of Agriculture in the state today commenced fittings and preparatory installations on the tractors to make them ready for use. According to one of the staff, the tractors are among the most modern of brands in the global market and specifically chosen to suit the demands of agricultural practice in the state. He averred that by a comparative impact assessment analysis made, this particular brand has been adjudged to be highly successful in the countries where it has so far been put to use, including in Asia and parts of Europe. Gov. Ortom who, prior to becoming governor, was a successful farmer, and remains so to dat...

      Justice I.N. Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos , on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, ordered the final forfeiture of some jewellery and a customized gold Iphone valued at $40m belonging to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to the Federal Government. The Judge had, on July 5, 2019, granted the interim forfeiture of the properties, following an ex parte application filed  by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Justice Oweibo had also directed interested parties to show cause why the properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government. However, Nnamdi Awa-Kalu, counsel to the respondent, Alison-Madueke, had filed a motion on notice setting aside the order of the court granting the interim forfeiture of the properties to the Federal Government. Awa-Kalu, in the application, also claimed that his client was a successful businesswoman in the oil and gas sector, who had acquired the ...

      Determined to bring back ex internationals as well as integrating active sports men and women from Imo into the state’s governance, Governor of  Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha has bestowed on Super Falcons captain, Desire Oparanozie Environmental Ambassador Award. The award, which is part of the campaign of the new government in Imo State to keep the state clean, was awarded to Miss Oparanozie for her commitment in championing the course of good governance and her contribution to sports development in the state via her foundation. Responding to the honour done her, Desire Oparanozie who recently launched her foundation in the state, said she was honoured to be named as the state’s environmental ambassador adding that together, they will make the state great again “Honoured to have been named the state environmental ambassador by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. Together we shall make Imo great again,” she said Governor Ihedioha had on July 15, launc...

     A sad incident occurred in Umuoba Uratta community of Imo state, as a man reportedly committed suicide barely three days after welcoming a baby with his wife. The deceased said to be a laborer, hanged himself overnight on a tree and his body was only discovered this morning September 9. It was gathered that the man committed suicide over his inability to pay his wife's N90k medical bill after she was delivered of their child on Friday.One more photo below.

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that he is yet to form his cabinet because he is seeking out people who will work with dedication and passion for the state. Speaking during the submission of report by the Committee for Accreditation and Approval of Private Schools in Rivers State at the Government House Port Harcourt on Monday evening, Governor Wike said he will not be moved by criticisms because he is committed to doing what is right for the state. He said: "I have not formed my cabinet because I am taking my time to monitor and look at people who would work with passion for Rivers State. "Politics is involved, but you must be ready to work for the state. That is why you see that there is a delay in the formation of the cabinet. No matter the criticism, I will do what is right". He said all focus must be on working for the sustained development of Rivers State. "We must work to move Rivers State forward. In doing that, we must step on t...

        The General Manager, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Engr. Olufemi Daramola has disclosed that the agency has performed palliative and rehabilitation works on sections of 150 strategic roads across the State. Daramola said that staffers of the Corporation have been re-energised to carry out their statutory duties of road maintenance, following the support of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat through the prov ision of machinery and tools for the rehabilitation of bad roads. "In line with the Executive Order of His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu which declared "Zero Tolerance on Potholes" within the metropolis, the Public Works Corporation has executed rehabilitation/palliative road works totalling 82,787.61 sqm at strategic sections on 150 roads in the State”, he stated. Daramola averred that the maintenance carried out by the Agency had resulted in the relative ease of human and vehicular movement across the Stat...

          The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Maiduguri Zonal Office on Monday, September 9, 2019 secured the conviction of one Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed. He bagged two years with an additional N300,000 fine from Justice Fadawu Umar of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on a one-count amended charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence. Trouble began for the convict when the Commission received a petition from the duo of Yerima Mukhtar and Abbas Sadiq Hassan, accusing him of issuing a fake grant offer to them for a plot of land they bought from him in Maiduguri. Prosecution counsel, Benjamin Manji, led Dauda Umar, an EFCC detective in evidence, who narrated how the plot of land was sold to the complainants with a fake grant offer. The charge reads: “That you, Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed on or about the 12th day of December, 2015 at Maiduguri, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, induced Yerima Mu...

      President Muhammadu Buhari felicitates with Esama of the Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, on his 85th birthday, September 11, 2019, saluting his high sense of patriotism, love for humanity and dedication to helping the poor and underprivileged. As the Esama of Benin turns 85, the President notes, with pride, his contributions to the nation’s development as a serial entrepreneur who finds joy in investing i n sectors that directly impact the livelihood of Nigerians, including education, health, transportation and the media. While joining his family, friends and associates to celebrate the milestone, the President believes Chief Igbinedion’s active role in Nigeria’s business space inspired many younger people to start-up companies that have continued to buoy the economy, and his contributions to national development will remain appreciated. President Buhari prays that Almighty God will grant the Esama of Benin good health, strength and long...

     Acting Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, chairs a session at the 49th ICAN, Accountants Conference on “Strengthening Institutional Framework to Support Anti-corruption Drive” at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday, September 10, 2019.More photos below.

    A beautiful Nigerian lady on Saturday September 7, walked down the aisle with her visually impaired husband in a wedding ceremony which took place at St. Williams Catholic Church in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital. The beautiful bride is reportedly from Plateau State, and she said 'I Do' to her husband from Kogi state while cheered on by her family, friends and well-wishers. Facebook user, Nora Chika who shared photos from the event, wrote; WONDERFUL shall never end ooo, beautiful Plateau bride and her handsome blind groom. I witness d I DO I DO today, no be say na money d bride c ooo this is indeed true love. May God bless their union I pray.More photos below.

      A 17-year-old girl identified as Aisha living in Albarkawa area in Gusau metropolis in Zamfara state on Sunday August 8, set her self ablaze owing to her fiance’s inability to marry her due to his poor finances. Aisha’s neighbour told Daily Trust that she decided to commit suicide after she learnt that her fiance who dated her for quite a long time has no money to pay for dowry in preparation for her wedding. He said her lover called Umar was asked by her parent to present himself to her family for the marital engagement but the young man told her parent that he was not financially well off to pay for the N17,000 as dowry demanded by the father of the girl. “She brought a gallon of petrol and a matchbox. She got her self drenched in the petrol and struck a match stick and within a second she got engulfed in flames.Even before setting her self ablaze, her younger sister had tried hard to stop her from taking the dangerous decision by flinging the matchbox f...

      Busola Dakolo has demanded that Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo apologizes to her and pays an estimated 10million Naira for her legal fees, cost for filing the suit against him, lawyers fees, travel cost etc, for allegedly raping her over a decade ago. Mrs Dakolo, in legal documents filed on her behalf by her lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi and Co of Law corridor, demanded that the founder of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, COZA, Pastor Fatoyinbo pens a clearly worded apology on the front page of at least two national newspapers and two national television stations for seven days running consecutively. She also demanded that Fatoyinbo addresses a "personal apology letter" espressing honest remorse for his actions towards her. According to legal documents obtained by Channels Television, Mrs Dakolo told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja that being sexually assaulted by Pastor Fatoyinbo affected her marital sex life adversely. Busola Dakolo insisted i...

     A political movement has joined the growing list of other groups drumming support for the presidency to return to the South West in 2023. This comes by the sideline of various support groups endorsing the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the right and best candidate to occupy the seat in Aso Rock after the current dispensation. The National Coordinator of Tinubu Non Negotiable, TNN, Honourable Mutiu Okunola while taking the train to Ekiti State said there is need to create awareness among the progressives across the nooks and corners of the entire country. Okunola while inaugurating the Ekiti State chapel of what he termed the unstoppable moving train explained that the group is doing it out of its conviction without the consent of the former. He said whether the APC national leader is interested or not, the group will continue to mobilise support for him based on ideology and his contribution to the growth of democ...