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Vigilante group arrests 14-year-old boy with pistol in Rivers A vigilante group in Rivers State said its men have arrested a 14-year-old boy with a pistol while robbing residents of Ikwerre Road in the Mile 1 axis of Diobu in Port Harcourt. The local vigilante, known as Diobu Security Services revealed that the teenager (name withheld) allegedly led a three-man criminal during the operation on Sunday night. The Commander of the Diobu Security Service, Prince Amatari, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. Amatari explained that the boy’s arrest followed a distress call put across by residents of the area to the vigilante that some miscreants were dispossessing them of cash and other valuables along Ikwerre Street by Emenike when his men swooped on them. He further disclosed that on sighting them, two of the criminals fled, but luck ran out for the 14-year-old who was nabbed. The vigilante Commander said, “If a boy of 14 years can have the mind to rob re...

My ordeal in Abuja kidnappers’ den — Victim An Abuja-based lawyer, Opeyemi Adewale, has recounted her ordeal in the hands of suspected kidnappers who abducted her in the Federal Capital Territory on September 26, 2023. Adewale told PUNCH Metro that her husband and colleagues parted with N1m before she was released. She said her ordeal started when she boarded a 14-seater bus on the evening of September 26 at a park in Lugbe not knowing that it was a “one-chance” bus. The lawyer said she realised that she was in trouble when, six minutes into the trip, the man who sat beside her started attacking her. She said it was at that point that she realised that out of all the occupants of the bus, only she and two other women were real passengers while others were members of the gang. She explained, “They started beating me and the other two ladies in the vehicle. When they were done, they asked what I do for a living, I lied that I was a teacher that just resigned. They asked how much I earned...

Abuja teacher charged to court for allegedly flogging student The police on Tuesday arraigned a 43-year-old teacher, David Yusuf, in a Wuse Zone II Magistrates’ Court in Abuja for allegedly flogging a student of the Government Girls College, Kuje, FCT. The defendant, who is said to be a casual staff of the college is charged with two counts of causing grievous without provocation and assault. He pleaded not guilty. The police prosecutor, Mr Edwin Inegbenoise, told the court that the case was transferred from the Kuje Divisional Police Headquarters, to the Criminal Investigation Department, FCT, for further investigation. Inegbenoise alleged that the nominal complainant, Henry Iortim, of Union Homes Estate, Kuje, reported the case at the police station. The prosecutor said the complainant alleged that his 16-year-old daughter and a student of the college was assaulted by the defendant on June 2. He added that the defendant during night prep flogged the victim with an iron rod and inflic...

Wike orders immediate demolition of scavengers’ colony on Abuja road corridors Following a strict directive from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike, for the immediate clearance of invaders of the proposed transitway corridor along Abuja’s Mabushi and Katampe Districts, security operatives and relevant FCT city managers began a massive clearance exercise in the area on Tuesday. Scavengers, also known as ‘Baban Bolas,’ mechanics, and furniture manufacturers were among those most affected by the operation, which was dubbed “the mother of all enforcement exercises” since it encompassed the demolition, clearing, and evacuation of enormous cashew plantations and shanties. During a visit to the site, FCT Minister Barr Nyesom Wike described the place as an eyesore and said the area seems like the kind of place where people commit crimes and run into to take refuge. According to him: “We will do anything possible we can to see we reduce the level of crime, and...

American Special Operations Forces Trained In Hostage Situations Arrived In Israel      American Special Operations Forces trained in hostage situations have arrived in Israel. A Pentagon official says the U.S. doesn’t rule out performing operations to liberate kidnapped Americans now held in Gaza More update later  

  Wole Soyinka Was Rusticated And Didn’t Graduate From UI — Obaseki. The Director of Researcher and Strategy of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed that Nobel Prize winner Prof. Wole Soyinka attended the University of Ibadan (UI), but can’t present the institution’s diploma due to him being “rusticated” and not completing his program at the University of Ibadan. Obaseki made the declaration on Sunday after learning that a Bola Tinubu classmate had appeared in court to confirm that the president was their classmate. This occurs in the midst of the dispute surrounding President Tinubu’s academic record and the appeal that was brought before the Supreme Court.

Gov Buni of Yobe Approves Scholarship Payment To 15,503 Students Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, of Yobe State has approved the outstanding payment of domestic scholarships for 15,503 students who did not receive their payment in the first phase of the exercise. A statement by Tijjani Chiroma, the Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Scholarship Board, Tijjani Chiroma said that the payments will be made to the following institutions; University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Federal College Education Technical Potiskum (FCE-TP), Umar Suleiman College of Education Gashua (USCOEGA), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi (ATBU), Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU) and all other schools that were not paid. The exercise commences today October 10th, with the University of Maiduguri. According to him, another team will be at FCE (Tech) Potiskum from Thursday 13th October. “Simultaneously, all the schools will be reached and paid from now till end of October this year Insha Allah. “A calendar o...

Sir Ufudo Foundation enrolls 750 Nnobi indigenes into ASHIA  By Chisom Okafor An illustrious son of Nnobi Community, Mr. Obinna Ufudo through his late father's Foundation has enrolled no fewer than 750 beneficiaries from Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area into the State Health Insurance Scheme (ASHIA). In order to immortalise his father, the 750 beneficiaries were adopted into the scheme through late Sir Pius Ufudo Foundation to have access to quality and affordable healthcare services using ASHIA. The ASHIA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi commended Mr. Obinna Ufudo the son of late Sir Pius Ufudo for his benevolence to his people.  Dr. Onyemaechi commended him for upholding his promise to his late father, saying that he is a true son of the soil. Addressing the beneficiaries at Sir Pius Ufudo foundation complex, Nnobi where the enrollment took place, Dr. Onyemaechi noted that the scheme was primarily established to end out-of-pock...

APC WILL RULE BENUE FOR YEARS - GOV. ALIA The Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia on Tuesday declared that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has come to stay as a ruling party in the state and shall rule the state for a long time. The governor made the declaration while addressing an expanded Exco meeting of the party in Makurdi, the state capital. Represented by his Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Paul Biam, the governor and leader of the party in the state, is poised to do everything necessary to ensure the party and people of the state enjoy the benefits of the hard work they had put in place which led to his emergence as the governor. He also called for more synergy between the government and the party leadership to enable his administration to deliver the yearnings and aspirations of the masses. He reiterated his desire to lead APC to victory all the time. Chairman of the party in the state, Austin Agada, pledged the readiness of the party to support the efforts of the gover...

Why I Posted My WAEC, University Certificates Online – Dalung A former Minister of Sports and Youth, Solomon Dalung, on Tuesday, provided some insight into his rationale for posting his academic records on social media, which many interpreted to be a reference to the controversy over President Bola Tinubu’s academic records. Atiku Abubakar sued the President in a US court, alleging that Tinubu forged his Chicago State University (CSU) certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the February 25 presidential election. Dalung took to X on Saturday to post his 1990 West African Education Council (WAEC) certificate, Certificate of Call to the Bar, as well as his Bachelor of Law and Master of Laws certificates both from the University of Jos. The former minister shed light on the social media post during a live appearance with Newsmen. Asked what the rationale was behind the post, he said, “I voluntarily made my credentials available for public scru...

Oil theft: Senate to probe security agencies, militia groups, others Disturbed by incessant crude oil thefts in Nigeria, the Senate has mandated its committees on Petroleum Resources – Upstream, Mainstream, Downstream, Gas, Host Communities, and Niger Delta – to investigate the actions of security agencies, militia organizations, the local population, oil company employees and others who use various sophisticated methods to steal oil from the country. The resolution was sequel to a motion titled, ‘Urgent need to investigate the incessant and nefarious acts of crude oil thefts in the Niger Delta and the actors’, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (PDP, Delta North) and co-sponsored by Senators Ede Dafinone Omueya (PDP, Delta Central) and Joel Onowakpa Thomas (PDP, Delta South), during Tuesday’s plenary. Presenting the motion, Nwoko, who noted that Nigeria largely depends on crude oil for its economic growth and development, quoted the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, which stated that th...

Election: INEC confirms numbers of registered voters for Imo, Bayelsa Kogi polls The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said over 5.4 million Nigerians are on the voter register for the Nov. 11 governorship elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states. This was disclosed in a statement by Sam Olumekun, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee. The statement read in part, “The Commission held its regular meeting today, Tuesday, October 10, 2023, and, among other issues, reviewed preparations for the off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States. “For the forthcoming elections, there are 1,056 862 registered voters in Bayelsa State; 2,419,922 in Imo State; and 1,932,654 in Kogi State, making a combined total of 5,409,438 registered voters for the three states. “As provided in the timetable and schedule of activities, soft copies of the complete register of voters for each state will be presented to t...

FG, Abia partner to revive Ojukwu bunker, war museum, other tourism sites Abia State Government has re-stated its resolve to partner the Federal Government to revive the National War Museum Umuahia, Ojukwu bunker and other tourism sites in the state to save them from further dilapidation. Senior Special Assistant (SSA), on Tourism and Entertainment to the Governor, Dr Martins Justice, who disclosed this in a statement after a visit to the Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Professor Abba Tijani, in Abuja, said the partnership would help boost tourism sector in the state. The music legend popularly known as J. Martins who said he was received on behalf of the D-G by the Director of Museums, Mr Abdul Gimba and other Management Staff, expressed concern over the dilapidation of the former Eastern Nigeria Administrative Building, popularly known as Ojukwu Bunker. He said that such a historic site should not be allowed to rot away, hence the determination...

 SANWO-OLU TASKS EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATURE ON DEVELOPMENT OF BLUE ECONOMY Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on the executive and legislature to develop the blue economy in Nigeria by paying greater attention to the sector.    Speaking during a courtesy visit by the members of the Senate Committee on Marine Transportation led by its Chairman, Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni at Lagos House, Marina on Tuesday evening, Governor Sanwo-Olu said all hands must be on deck to aggressively reduce bottlenecks for businesses to thrive in Lagos State, especially in the blue economy sector.   Governor Sanwo-Olu said the visit of members of the Senate Committee on Marine Transportation to Lagos State for oversight functions is apt and strategic.    He therefore urged them to make adequate recommendations and suggestions to the larger body of the Red Chamber on how to move the country forward through the blue economy.   He said: “First is to thank M...

A Nigerian Army Special Court-martial sitting in Abuja has sentenced Major General Umar Mohammed to 7 years in prison, for stealing funds belonging to the Army Nigerian Army Major General Receives Prison Sentence For Theft A former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Major General Umar Mohammed, has been handed a prison sentence. He was found guilty by a Nigerian Army Special Court-martial in Abuja for embezzling funds belonging to the organization. The charges against General Mohammed included theft, forgery, conspiracy, theft, and unauthorized diversion of Army property, among others. The special court determined that he was guilty of 14 out of the 18 charges brought against him, which included theft and other violations against service laws. One of the charges he was convicted of involved receiving $1.045,400 from shipping companies for using the Nigerian Army Jetty in Lagos. He was also found guilty of stealing $430.800 that was deposited into the Niger...

 NECO RELEASES 2023 SSCE EXAMINATION INTERNAL RESULTS  National Examinations Council NECO has released the twenty twenty three Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations Internal results with seven hundred and thirty seven thousand there hundred and eight candidates that scored five credits and above including English language and mathematics. The number according to the results represent sixty one pọint six zero percent. Announcing the results in Minna the NECO Registrar and Chief Executive Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi explained that the reports they have recieved so far indicate that twenty twenty three SSCE Internal has been certified the best in recent times. He said over one million thirteeen candidates out of the over one pọint one million that sat for the examinations got five credits and above irrespective of English language and Mathematics. This according to him represent eighty four pọint six eight percent. Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi explained th...

 Reps to investigate ‘use of dollar’ as legal tender in Nigeria The house of representatives has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to address recurring depreciation of the naira against the dollar. The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during the plenary session on Tuesday after the adoption of a motion sponsored by Ismaila Haruna Dabo, a lawmaker, from Bauchi state. The house also resolved to investigate the alleged use of US dollars and other foreign currencies as legal tenders for domestic transactions in the country. The naira has consistently experienced variations in value ever since the CBN introduced the currency float policy, which now permits market forces to determine exchange rates. On September 12, the CBN instructed deposit money banks (DMBs) to refrain from using profits derived from the revaluation of the naira for dividend payments or operational financing. A currency revaluation takes place when the value of a currency is raised in relation to ...

Police Arrests Killers Of VON Correspondent, Hamisu Danjibga The Zamfara State Police Command has paraded suspected killers of Hamisu Danjibga, VON correspondent in Zamfara state who was brutally killed. Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Shehu Dalijan who paraded the suspects at the Command's headquarters in Gusau said, all the property looted from the house of the deceased were also recovered. According to him, police have been working round the clock to ensure they brought the perpetrators to book since the time they received the report about the incident, which they succeeded. CP Dalijan who also paraded others suspects for various offenses ranging from banditry, kidnapping, rape and abating banditry said Danjibga's nephew confessed to the crime of killing his uncle. In his confessional statement, a Nephew to Dangibga, Mansur Haruna said they were at loggerheads with his uncle over his ambition to join the Nigerian Army or Police force which Danjibga refused to facilitate ...

AGORO STEPS IN AS 22ND HEAD OF SERVICE IN LAGOS •Sanwo-Olu to new HOS: ‘Citizens’ hopes rest on your shoulder, you must succeed’ •Governor approves 500% Car Refurbishment Loan for State workers Mr. Olabode Shuaeeb Agoro, on Tuesday, formally stepped into office as the 22nd Head of Service (HOS) of the Lagos State Civil Service, succeeding Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, who voluntarily retired last September after about five years at the saddle. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu superintended the event where the 56-year-old Agoro took the oath before members of the State Executive Council, House of Assembly lawmakers, Body of Permanent Secretaries and political leaders. Also, heads of State Government’s parastatals, retired Heads of Service, state employees in different cadres and traditional rulers thronged the Banquet Hall in the State House, Alausa, where the ceremony to usher in the new Lagos public service’s helmsman was held. Following administration of the oath, Agoro performed his first off...

LAGOS DECLARES ZERO TOLERANCE ON STREET TRADING IN IKOYI, LEKKI, OTHERS The Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, declared zero tolerance on all forms of street trading in the State, especially in Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, who made this declaration, added that henceforth no form of hawking, street trading and displaying of wares on walkways and setbacks will be allowed in the above areas. Wahab informed that the state environmental sanitation laws will be fully applied with mobile courts ready to dispense justice to all those who run foul of the law. He stressed that the action was in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to promote a cleaner and greener Lagos while ensuring total enforcement of the environmental sanitation laws and creating a safer state for all. The Commissioner, while sounding a note of warning to defaulters, decried the prevalence of traders at bus sto...

LSSTF HANDS OVER NEW PATROL BIKES TO LNSA … Reiterates Mr. Governor’s Commitment to Security of Lagos The Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) has handed over new six Patrol Bikes to the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA) to support their efforts in enhancing security and safety within the State.  The Executive Secretary of LSSTF, Hon. AbdulRasaq Balogun, who handed over the Patrol Bikes to the Agency, said the acquisitions are expected to enhance and complement the Agency’s community motorised and foot patrol efforts. “These patrol bikes will enable the agency to improve their mobility and response capabilities, ultimately contributing to a safer environment for the residents of Lagos State”, he stated. Balogun reaffirmed the commitment of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu to the security of lives and properties in the State, stressing that the Agency will continue to impress in the delivery of its mandate in the security matrix of the State to curry more attention and...