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 KADUNA UPDATE: KDSG and the UK’s FCDO sign Mutual Accountability Framework Kaduna State is delighted to sign a mutual accountability framework with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes. This reflects the strong commitment of all sides to continued cooperation and partnership.  We are pleased that our development partners continue to support our governance agenda, anchored on human capital development, economic development and investments, peace and security. This will enable us to continue to translate into concrete action our commitment to expand access to education, health and social protection.   We have been able to count on the support of the FCDO as donor and partner throughout our years in office. The mutual accountability framework aims to improve coordination between the Kaduna State and the FCDO. It will support the delivery of the Kaduna State Development Plan 2021 ...

The focus on agriculture by the current government is paying off handsomely, and Nigerians are not regretting it, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.  The President spoke Friday at State House, Abuja, while receiving in audience former Prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Ato Hailemariam Dessalegn Boshe.  He added: “We needed to go back to the land, as petroleum could no longer sustain the country, particularly with fluctuating prices. Today, we eat what we grow, and we have stopped importation of many food products. There’s no foreign exchange to even waste again.  “Agriculture has also helped us to generate employment. We have embraced technology, and some people are even leaving the offices to go back to the land. And they are not regretting it. That is the feedback we get.”  The former Prime Minister congratulated President Buhari for achievements Nigeria has attained under him, especially in agriculture, and for successful m...

Ogun: Abiodun Commissions  130 affordable housing units .....Restates his administration's commitment to building 2,500 houses in four years Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun on Thursday commissioned 130 affordable housing units at Kemta, Idi Aba, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. The housing project christened Prince Court Estate is the first phase of the 300 detached and semi detached of two and three-bedroom structures. Commissioning the estate, Governor Abiodun said the project is the first in a series of housing estates being undertaken by his administration across the state, insisting 2,500 houses will be provided in four years. The governor explained that the estate is provided with amenities such as tarred road, water supply, drainage system, fence, security and power supply. He noted that although shelter as a basic human need has continued to be one of the most expensive assets to own by individuals, his government would harness every resource to reduce poverty and prov...

*As CP Lagos Addresses Men* The Lagos State Police Command and other security agencies, today 2nd July, 2021 embarked on Show of Force around Lagos State to confirm their preparedness and commitment to continuous protection of lives and properties of the good people of Lagos State and send a warning signal to the organizers of the said mega rally or any group of persons planning to stage any rally or procession in the state despite the warnings issued during the joint press breifing by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu and the Hon Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotoso on Thursday, 1st July, 2021, at the Press Centre, State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.  The Command and the Government of Lagos State had warned the organizers of the planned Oodua Republic Mega Rally, scheduled for Saturday, 3rd July, 2021, at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos, to steer clear of Lagos State, considering the available intelligence repor...

  Few minutes ago Ramsey Nouah shared this photo above with the caption ''  Good evening family, I am excited to inform you that I have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, popularly known as “THE OSCARS” . In the actor membership category. It is such an honor to be recognized and included by the Academy. I am very grateful to be listed as one of the actors from around the world to receive this invitation. It has been quite an amazing journey getting here. I thank the almighty God for this grace and blessings. My family, friends, associates and everyone who has supported the Ramsey Nouah brand . Bless you all We will do our best and continue to put in the effort in telling AFRICAN stories to the WORLD. I also want to congratulate a strong woman who has made a statement as the only Nigerian and African women in the producers category  @moabudu  and my brother making a difference in the director’s category as well  @shot_by_andrew...

The Pakistani Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCOSC), General Nadeem Raza has expressed the willingness of the Pakistani Government to deepen its technical and defence cooperation with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in view of current and emerging security challenges. The Chairman made this known while on a courtesy visit to the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao in his office at Headquarters NAF, Abuja. General Raza who was on a one-day official visit to Nigeria noted that Nigeria deserves a robust, versatile and tactical air force in view of her leadership role in Africa to be able to curtail various internal security challenges confronting her. He assured that the technical cooperation between the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and the NAF, especially in areas of platform acquisition, training of pilots, engineers and technicians as well as provision of counter-terrorism training would be boosted to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. S...

 GOVERNOR BALA LAUNCHES 2021 RAINFEED FARMING SEASON His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has performed the official launching of the 2021 rainfeed farming season and sells of fertilizer. Speaking at the ceremony in Soro, Ganjuwa Local Government, Governor Bala said the need for agricultural inputs such as seed and fertilizer cannot be over emphasized. Governor Bala who announced 9,000 and 11,000 Naira respectively as prices for NPK and Urea, said his administration vows  to provid inputs to farmers in the State at affordable prices. The Governor said the State Government has released the sum of one hundred and fifty million naira for the purchase of assorted grains to be sold to members of the general public at subsidized prices to cushion the effect of the inflation. He said as a testimony of the commitment of his administration to the development of agricultural sector, his administration has secured a Bank Guarantee of on...

WHERE DID THIS ZULUM EMERGE FROM? By FEMI ADESINA I know he is an academic, a Professor and former Rector of Borno State College of Agriculture. He was also Commissioner for Reconstruction under the immediate past Governor Kashim Shettima. But where did this man called Babagana Umara Zulum emerge from? How come he is doing unusual, uncommon things, and being very modest about it? Do they still make them like this? President Muhammadu Buhari was in Maiduguri, Borno State, a fortnight ago to commission some (just some) projects already completed by the Zulum administration. It was like streams in a desert, a breath of fresh air in a milieu once overtaken by death and destruction, caused by the Boko Haram insurgency. The snake is badly scorched, but yet to be decapitated. Soon, and very soon. With the state in which he inherited Borno State, which has been the epicenter of insurgency since 2009, it is easy, very easy, for Governor Zulum to have done nothing in terms of development. And he...

Justice J.A. Awak of the Gombe State High Court, Gombe, Gombe on Thursday, July 1, 2021, convicted and sentenced one Benson Tivesue, a former staff of Quickpay Digital Solutions to one year imprisonment on one count charge of criminal misappropriation brought against him by the Gombe Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The convict was investigated and prosecuted by the EFCC after a petition by his former employer, Quickpay Digital Solutions, Gombe State office, alleging that he diverted the sum of N117,000 (One Hundred and Seventeen Thousand Naira only), being funds collected for the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED) to which he converted to personal use. The offence is contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 309 of the same law.  When the charge was read to the defendant he pleaded guilty, prompting his conviction and sentencing by the judge. Tivensue was however given an option of N20, 000.00 (Twenty Thousand N...

Ace Nollywood actress Shan George announced on social media yesterday that she lost her mother to the cold hands of death.She shared three photos with the caption ''  I lost my precious mother this morning. She was d strongest woman I know. Rest in peace Aka Shine. May God keep Ur soul till we meet again 🙏🙏❤️❤️  ''.More photos below.

   All is set for the launch of “Ellevate”, a bespoke women empowerment proposition of the Ecobank Group. Ellevate is targeted at empowering women-owned, and women-focused businesses in Nigeria.   Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Carol Oyedeji said the initiative which is scheduled for launch on July 7, 2021 in Lagos (Registration link https://bit.ly/3hDPHkT ), is specially designed for women in business, and businesses with a high percentage of female executives or employees. The programme also targets manufacturers of products used by women. Ellevate is an initiative of the Ecobank Group which is being launched in the 33 African countries where it operates. Its launch underscores the bank’s commitment to empowering women by providing the platforms and opportunities for them to thrive. Ecobank understands that women’s needs are unique and has put in place the appropriate resources to meet those needs.     “With Ellevate, we recognise and acknowledge...

 Today {Yesterday}, on what would have been our Mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better. Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy. Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world who keep our mother’s memory alive. — Prince William and Prince Harry. More photos below.

   Lagos State Police Command has warned against any form of rally that may spark violence in the State.  Some Yoruba nation agitators have shelved their planned rally scheduled for Saturday in Lagos, but some people are insisting that the rally must go on.  Prominent among the agitators is Chief Sunday Igboho, who has announced that the rally has been suspended. Addressing a joint press conference with the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, at Alausa, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, said that the Command would not allow any form of rally in the State. Odumosu said the State was yet to recover from the effects of the Y2020 #EndSARS protests, which almost brought Lagos to its knees.  He said: “Lagos cannot afford to experience any form of breakdown of law and order and threat to public peace at the moment. Considering the negative effects of the 2020 #EndSARS crisis that led to massive destruction of publi...

TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE, ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED, ON THE RE-ARREST OF IPOB LEADER NNAMDI KANU....IN ABUJA ON THURSDAY, 1 JULY 2021 Good morning gentlemen and welcome to this press conference. As you are aware, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, has been rearrested and repatriated to Nigeria to resume his trial. This was made possible through the collaboration of Nigerian security and intelligence agencies. 2.   Kanu, who is facing an 11-count charge of treason, treasonable felony, terrorism and illegal possession of firearms, among others, jumped bail in 2017 and left the country. On Tuesday, Kanu was re-arraigned in court and ordered to be remanded in the custody of the DSS, while the case was adjourned till July 26-27, 2021 3.   Gentlemen, the Federal Government wishes to commend the Nigerian security and intelligence agencies, who collaborated to re-arrest t...

PRESS BRIEFING AT THE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE SERVICES (DSS) ABUJA ON A JOINT SECURITY OPERATION ON  1ST JULY, 2021 AT IBADAN, OYO STATE In the early hours (about 0134 hours) of today, 1st July, 2021, a joint team of security operatives raided the residence of Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo a.k.a. SUNDAY IGBOHO at Soka, Ibadan, Oyo State. This was based on intelligence that he had stockpiled arms in the place. On approach to the residence, the team came under heavy gun attack by nine (9) men, suspected to be IGBOHO’s guards. Six (6) of them were armed with AK-47 gun and Three (3) others, with Pump-Action riffles.  2. In the course of the exchange, two (2) of IGBOHO’s armed men were gunned down while the rest were subdued and arrested.  Only one operative who was shot by the assailants on his right hand sustained injury. He has however received medical attention and is very stable. 3. Afterwards, the team procedurally searched the house and subsequently re...