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Miss Imo Duru Chidera Wins Beauty Of Africa International Pageant 2023  Miss Duru Esther Chidera, a 22-year - old model representing Imo state has claimed the coveted title of Beauty of Africa International Nigeria (BAIP) 2023.  The 16th edition of the pageant, held recently in Lagos, showcased an array of accomplished contestants from across the country, each embodying beauty, poise, and a commitment to positive change in Nigeria. More photos below. 

US marks 22 years since 9/11, observes moments of silence An annual ceremony to remember those who died on September 11, 2001, is being held across the United States on Monday(today), 22 years after the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers collapsed in the deadliest terror attack on US soil. Local media reports that the 9/11 memorial, which is held across the country, started with the reading of the names of those who were killed. On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda extremists seized US passenger jets and crashed them into the World Trade Center. Nearly 3,000 people from over 90 nations were killed after four planes were hijacked by attackers from the Al Qaeda terrorist group. US president, Joe Biden is expected at Anchorage, Alaska, to take part in a memorial for the 22nd anniversary while Vice President Kamala Harris is currently at the procession at Ground Zero in lower Manhattan. In total, six moments of silence will be observed – commemorating when each of the towers was struck and collap...

 We Won’t Tolerate Lawlessness, Violation Of Building Codes In Ogun-Abiodun   Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Monday, warned that the state government will not tolerate lawlessness and the violation of the state’s building codes. The governor also denied any political motives in the partial demolition of DATKEM Plaza, Ijebu-Ode. Prince Abiodun formally reacted to the demolition and the attendant accusation after inspecting the 8-kilometre Mowe-Ofada Road, in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state. According to the governor, the partial demolition exercise carried out by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development was in line with the laws of the state. He denied accusations in some quarters that the exercise was political, adding that necessary steps were taken by government officials when contraventions were observed in the course of constructing the edifice. The governor noted that in Ogun State, and Nigeria, nobody is above the law. The la...

Ugandan Businessman Marries Seven Wives In One Day A Ugandan businessman, Habib Nsikonnene, wedded seven wives on Sunday, September 10, in Uganda. This was revealed in photos shared by Capital FM Uganda on X, formerly Twitter. The names of the wives are Mariam, Madinah, Aisha, Zainabu, Fatuma, Rashida, and Musanyusa, who is said to his first wife and has been with him for seven years.  Two of the seven wives are also said to be biological sisters. It was also reported that Nsikonnene bought brand new cars as presents for each of them, with each of them having their cars labelled with their own names. In his speech at the reception, he commended his wives for being loyal to him, saying, "My wives harbour no jealousy amongst themselves. I introduced them separately and decided to wed them all at once to make one big happy family. I am still a young man and in the near future, God willing, I cannot say this is the end of it.”  — X| CapitalFMUganda More photos below. 

INSECURITY: IGP SETS UP COMMITTEE TO REVIEW FIREARMS LICENSING, REGULATIONS Reiterates Commitment to Eradicate Illicit Arms, Orders CPs, Squads to Clampdown on Illegal Owners The Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, NPM, Ph.D., has announced the establishment of an ad hoc committee tasked with the comprehensive review of firearms licensing and regulations by the Nigeria Police Force in line with the Firearms Act and other extant laws, in the interest of public safety and general security. The Committee's mandate will encompass a thorough assessment of current firearms licensing procedures and regulations, with the aim of enhancing their effectiveness, transparency, and accountability. The Police will engage with relevant stakeholders, including legal experts, civil society organizations, and experts in the field, to ensure a holistic and well-informed review. Similarly, in furtherance of his zeal to tackle all forms of insecurity in the country, the IGP has...

Maiduguri Court Jails Man One Year for N9.9m Fraud Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri has convicted and sentenced David Osigbe Irumekhai to one year imprisonment for criminal misappropriation to the tune of N9,900,000( Nine Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira only). The defendant was first arraigned on December 8, 2022, on one- count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N9.9 m. The charge reads: “That you, David Osigbe Irumekhai sometime in November, 2020 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly converted to your own use the total sum of Nine Million Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N9, 900,000.00) being money belonging to Nuhu Titus and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of Penal Code Law Cap 102, Laws of Borno State 1994 and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.” Irumekhai pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting a full trial of the case by the Maiduguri Zo...

Travellers stranded at failed portion of Ondo-Akure highway Motorists and travellers have been left stranded along the busy Ondo-Akure highway for the past few days after a significant portion of the road in the Owena axis collapsed due to heavy rainfall. The resulting damage subsequently caused a severe traffic snarl, forcing many motorists to turn back and reroute their trips through Osun State. Even those travelling from Akure, the Ondo State capital, were compelled to seek alternative routes, going as far as the Akure-Ilesa Road to access Ondo town. The situation has left commuters frustrated and inconvenienced as they call for urgent repairs and maintenance on the affected highway. Residents and traders in the area who expressed dissatisfaction with the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), claimed that the agency turned a blind eye to the deteriorating condition of the road despite the obvious warnings. According to motorists, the highway would not have reached its current de...

Tribunal sacks three LP Reps members, orders rerun The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital on Monday sacked three House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the Labour Party. A panel of the tribunal led by Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe had sacked the member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Mr Ibe Okwara Osunwa, for non-compliance with the electoral act 2022, in a petition filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the election, Daniel Okeke. The tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Osunwa and issue a new one to Okeke. In a related development, another panel led by Justice Hajaratu Hajjo Lawa nullified the election of Munachim Alozie, representing Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency. The court also ordered a rerun within the next 90 days according to the constitution. The tribunal noted that the LP can...

Gov Zulum launches 70 Metro Buses For Civil Servants To Cushion Impact Of Subsidy Removal.                   Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has launched a new fleet of seventy luxurious buses to ease the movement of civil servants to their various places of work and other members of the public.  Unveiling the metro buses at Borno Express terminus in Maiduguri, Governor Zulum noted that the second phase of the intervention was to alleviate the suffering of commuters occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.  He said thirty out of the seventy buses would be dedicated to conveying civil servants to their places of work from 7:00 am to 9:00 am and return from 3:00 pm to 5:00 on Mondays to Fridays.  “I want you to ensure that these buses start operations tomorrow morning (Tuesday) unfailingly. You should however be mindful of our situation and ensure that you bring down the cost of transportation. Let us consider it as a soci...

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU SECURES LANDMARK DEAL WITH UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ACROSS SECTORS; VISA BAN ON NIGERIAN TRAVELERS IS LIFTED IMMEDIATELY President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalized a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers. Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.  As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government. In recognition of President Tinubu's economic development diplomacy drive and proposals today presented by President Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework has been established,...

Nigeria receives UK’s warship to boost security Nigeria has received a Royal Navy warship – HMS Trent –in Lagos to boost maritime security in the country as well as in the West African sub-region. This is Trent’s second visit to Nigeria as part of its regional mission to aid allies and partners in driving down illegal activities including piracy and illicit trafficking. The visit will help deliver capacity training and support maritime security in the region. Senior Press & Public Affairs Officer/Comms Lead, Prosperity and Economic Development, Ndidiamaka Eze, in a statement, said the HMS Trent departed Gibraltar carrying an expert boarding team of UK Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone. HMS Trent’s mission is to support West African allies helping countries to develop capability to fight illegal crimes at sea and ensure they can play an effective role in bringing stability to wider West Africa. With around £6 billion of UK trade passing through the region, part of Trent’s ...

Osun: Two gunned down as suspected rival cult groups clash in Ilesa Two suspected cultists have been gunned down in a clash by members of a suspected rival gang in Osun State. DAILY POST gathered that the incident occurred in Ilesa town on Sunday evening. According to information, the rival gang members stormed the beer parlour at Onimo junction, where the victims, identified as Machine and SK, were drinking. The traditional ruler in the area, Onimo of Imo, Oba Olaniyi Agunbiade, said he was watching a football match around 8 p.m. when he heard gunshots. He said he immediately alerted the Ijamo Police Divisional Officer, who swiftly responded to the distress call. “The deed has been done before the arrival of his men. “Corpses of the victims were removed by the police for investigation,” he said. Yemisi Opalola, spokesman of the state police command, confirmed the incident in a conversation with DAILY POST. “It was a clash between two suspected rival cult groups. “It was a case of a su...

Faulty Metering, Others Setback To Tackling Oil Theft – NMDPRA The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA) has blamed faulty metering procedures, faulty instruments and lack of technology as some of the impediments to the efforts of the agencies in tackling oil theft. A director in the agency, Mr Faruq Ahmed, disclosed this at the resumed investigative hearing of the House of Representatives adhoc committee on crude oil theft. Mr Ahmed revealed that pipelines, well heads, and flow stations are also the major targets of oil thieves in Nigeria. According to him, there is no proper monitoring of the metering of the crude oil produced for export due to lack of collaboration among agencies. A member of the Committee from Rivers State Mr Awaji Abiante observed that pipeline location is not the cause of oil theft but the neglect of oil host communities. The Chairman of the adhoc committee Mr Alhassan Rurum, insisted that the Group Managing Director of the NNP...

Morocco Earthquake Death Toll Nears 2,500 The death toll in the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco is nearing 2,500, surpassing the previous official estimate of 2,122. According to figures released by the country’s Interior Ministry on Monday, another 2,476 people were injured, a rise from the previous estimate of 2,400. Morocco has admitted accepting search-and-rescue assistance from Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the United Kingdom. Friday’s earthquake, which struck below villages in the High Atlas mountains south of Marrakesh, is the North African country’s deadliest in 60 years.  

Catholic bishops lament cost of governance in Nigeria The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria on Sunday raised concerns over the cost of governance in Nigeria describing it as outrageous. The organisation also stated that as litigants approach the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, Nigeria stands on the “precipice of uncertainty”. The President of the CBCN, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, raised the concerns during the opening ceremony of the 2023 Second Plenary Assembly of the CBCN in Abuja. He also appealed to the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union to resist the temptation of military intervention as a solution to the leadership crisis in some African countries (Niger and Gabon) that have recently experienced military coups. “We appeal to the leadership of the ECOWAS and AU to resist the temptation of military intervention as a solution to the leadership crisis in some African countries that have recently...

Police arrest Togo national for killing artisan in Edo The Edo State Police Command has arrested a Togolese national, Michael Agbalo, 35, for allegedly killing one Maharazu Umar, over a rift at work. The suspect was said to have contracted Umar to assist him in a construction work when a misunderstanding ensued and in the process killed the victim. The state command’s spokesperson, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, said one Clement Obagbikoko, reported the case at Etete Division, Benin. Obagbikoko said he hired the suspect to carry out construction works in his compound and the suspect later brought the deceased who assisted him to do the job. “When they finished he was paid and he was asked the whereabouts of Umar, he replied that he had left but while Clement’s wife was inspecting the job at about 7pm, she found Umar’s body within the compound. “We immediately called the suspect to come to the house and he was arrested,” he added The PPRO said the suspect had confessed that he killed the deceased ...

I Have Right To Choose My Replacement In Senate — Umahi, LP Candidate Replies The minister of works, David Umahi, has declared that he has the right to decide his replacement as the senator representing Ebonyi South district under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr Umahi left the Senate after being appointed the country’s minister of works by President Bola Tinubu. The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Sept. 8 ruled that Mr Umahi was the district’s validly elected senator after dismissing petitions from the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates. Mr Umahi declared that he had the right to determine his replacement on Saturday during his visit to Gov. Francis Nwifuru, as part of his tour of the state to inspect federal roads. He said that he is a prominent stakeholder of the APC as only the governor ranks above him in the party in Ebonyi. “We would ensure that the party zones the ticket to Ohaozara (his Local Government Area) and it will not lea...

Shaibu Relocates Office Out Of Edo Govt House Despite Withdrawing Suit Against Obaseki The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu has commenced the relocation of his office to an area outside the vicinity of the Government House. The development follows last week’s withdrawal of Shuaibu’s suit filed at the Federal High Court to stop alleged plots by the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, to remove him from office. The new office is situated at No. 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, close to the Government House. Sources close to the deputy governor told Newsmen that a letter was sent by the Head of Service to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor instructing her to supervise the movement of civil servants and files to the new office. It was also gathered that the new office is not habitable as there is no electricity, is waterlogged, and the office spaces are significantly small. The state government had however insisted that the deputy governor’s new office is within the c...

Players, supporters attack referee over poor officiating in Ebonyi gov’s cup Players and supporters of the Ishielu Local Government Area team swooped on the referee, Sebastian Onwe, at the end of the Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru’s cup final match on Sunday evening. The referee was said to have been chased all over the stadium as he ran for his dear life over alleged poor officiating in the match. The attack was finally quelled after the governor intervened in rescuing the referee from the mob which overpowered the security men trying to protect him. Condemning the attack in his remarks during the prize presentation ceremony, Nwifuru described the act as ‘shameful and embarrassing’. “I did not expect the players to behave unprofessionally. “Anyone not happy with a referee’s decision should not get to him but complain to the relevant officials. “The person will still get a response and I am sure with what the sports commissioner told me, we will not have a repeat of this kind o...