PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

12 year old dies after accidentally shooting himself in Alabama on Christmas Eve. According to police reports they responded to the call around 5 pm on Christmas Eve on Pike Road in Birmingham. Once on scene, they discovered the child suffering from a gunshot wound in a nearby alley. Police believe the child was visiting a friend when he took the weapon from a car before accidentally shooting himself while handling it. The young boy was transported to Children of Alabama hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Everyone involved is cooperating fully with police and it appears to be a tragic accident. This is the second child to die by accidental shooting in Birmingham this week after a 3-year-old allegedly shot himself on Thursday with a gun he found in the home.  

Niger state government announces plans to ban sale and consumption of alcohol in Suleja and eight other local government areas. The Niger State Government has announced plans to ban sales and consumption of alcohol in Suleja and eight other local government areas of the state. In a statement signed by the board secretary, Ibrahim Muhammad Bonu, on Monday, the state government say the ban would commence on January 1, 2024. The statement also revealed that some beer joints within Minna, the state capital, would be served with relocation letters to move outside the city to within an eight-kilometer radius of the post office in the state. While calling on all vendors to abide by the relevant extant laws establishing the board, Mr Bonu said the nine local government areas were on the first schedule of the prohibited areas, and Suleja happens to be among them. He, therefore, warned staff of the board to stay away from illegal activities and soliciting for any gratification from operators of ...

DR Congo's government to ban protests against election 'irregularities' Democratic Republic of Congo's government on Tuesday is to ban an opposition protest planned for Wednesday over last week's chaotic national election as early results showed President Felix Tshisekedi in the lead.  Five opposition presidential candidates called the joint demonstration in the capital Kinshasa over alleged election irregularities. But on Tuesday the government said it would ban the event, saying it did not have a legal basis and aimed at undermining the electoral process while the CENI election commission was still compiling results. "No government in the world can accept this, so we will not let it happen," Vice Prime Minister Peter Kazadi told a press conference

PRESS RELEASE  POLICE RECRUITMENT: PSC DISOWNS TRENDING INVITATION FOR SCREENING WITH REQUEST FOR PAYMENT OF N2000 The attention of the Police Service Commission has been drawn to a fictitious publication in the social media requesting prospective candidates for screening for recruitment into the Constable cadre of the Nigeria Police Force to come with the sum of N2000. The message which had the name of the Commission on top, reads " Police Service Commission: congratulations  and U have been shortlisted  for the physical  screening 8 January 2024, come along with 2k when coming" The Commission wishes to disown and disassociate  itself from the said  publication which obviously is fictitious and misleading. The Commission had earlier in a Press Statement explained that the ongoing recruitment is entirely free from the registration stage to the last stage which is medical examination and wishes to state that nothing has changed to warrant requesting the cand...

Portable defeats Charles Okocha in celebrity boxing fight Nigerian street-pop artist Habeeb Badmus, aka Portable, has been announced as the winner of the celebrity boxing fight against Nollywood actor Charles Okocha on Wednesday. The fight, which was sanctioned by Heritage Boxing Entertainment, held at Landmark Beach in Victoria Island, Lagos State, kickstarted past 1 am and lasted for about 40 minutes. The pair had finally settled their scores with their fists after Portable alleged contractual issues, which led them to engage in an online feud over an alleged N40m rip-off. Portable claimed Okocha cheated him out of the money, only sending him a small amount, contrary to a contractual agreement. Watch video below. 

Former Nasarawa Accountant General, Mallam Dauda Egwa is dead Mallam Dauda Egwa, a former Accountant-General of Nasarawa State, is dead. A family member, Usman Ibrahim, confirmed that Egwa passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, December 26, at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) after a prolonged illness. Mallam Dauda Egwa served as the Accountant-General of Nasarawa State during the administration of the late Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma. Following Islamic traditions, Mallam Dauda Egwa has already been laid to rest in Lafia, the state capital.  

APC knocks Umahi's brother out of Ebonyi South senatorial contest The All Progressives Congress (APC) has knocked Austin, the younger brother of the former governor of Dave Umahi, out of contention for the vacant southern senatorial district seat of Ebonyi with the zoning of the ticket to Onicha Local Government Area of the state. Ebonyi South senatorial seat became vacant following the resignation of David Umahi, the immediate past governor of the state, who took up the seat at the end of his tenure to take up ministerial appointment in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu. The seat was recently declared vacant by Senate President Godswill Akpabio following which the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC announced that it would conduct bye-elections into the seat and other vacant ones on 3 February 2023. Consequently, Umahi’s younger Brother, Austin, was the Director-General of the APC’s campaign committee in the last general elections and had declared interest in contes...

 No rift between me and SGF, says Alia Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has described the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume as a national pride.  He personally welcomed Akume, a former governor, to Benue State, for his 70th birthday, saying that he is the father of Benue. The governor also dispelled rumours of a rift between him and the SGF. He said: “I want to unambiguously debunk the circulating rumours of discord between the SGF and myself. These speculations exist solely in the imaginative realm of opportunists, instigators of turmoil, and merchants of mischief who thrive on chaos. The said fracas is only a figment of the imagination crafted by those who seek to profit from crisis. “For pockets of disenchanted members of our party here in the state, we are already in talks to address various areas of discontent. However, while we try to do so, we shall ensure that the will of the masses who voted us into office, prevails. This is b...

Obaseki, Shaibu feud rear head in Edo State budget as Gov’s office got N19 billion   …DG’s office-N300 million The unending feud between the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, has shown in the budgetary allocation to the office of the Deputy Governor as contained in the approved 2024 State budget by State House of Assembly. Recall that the Appropriation bill was signed into law in the evening of Friday, December 15, 2023 by Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Government House in Benin. A perusal of the budget shows that the sum of N19, 148, 177, 584 was allocated to the office of the Governor while the office of the deputy governor was allocated paltry sum of N345, 522,729. Similarly, while the office of the Secretary to State Government (SSG) has an allocation of N8, 847, 647, 676, the office of the Head of Service (HoS), was allocated N968, 000, 000 while the House of Assembly has the sum of N13, 074, 500, 000.allocated to it. It was learnt that some ...

Nigeria’s external reserves drop by over $4bn amid Naira depreciation Nigeria’s external reserves have witnessed a significant decline, falling by 11.55 percent, which amounts to a loss of $4.28 billion since the start of the year. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reported that the reserves stood at $33.78 billion as of December 20, 2023, a stark contrast to the $37.06 billion recorded on January 3, 2023. The persistent depletion of the foreign reserves is attributed to a combination of factors, including reduced revenue from crude oil sales and a heightened demand for foreign exchange (FX). Nigeria, an economy that is largely dependent on oil exports, has seen its oil revenue diminish amidst fluctuating global oil prices influenced by geopolitical events and market dynamics. Consequently, the Nigerian naira has experienced a consistent decline in value against the US dollar, exacerbated by a growing demand that far exceeds the available dollar supply. This economic pressure has l...

Ghali Na’Abba, ex-reps speaker, is dead Ghali Umar Na’Abba, a former speaker of the house of representatives, is dead. He was aged 65.  The 8th speaker of Nigeria’s green chamber died in Abuja on Wednesday morning. Na’Abba was born on September 27, 1958.  

My dad kept malice with me for 10 years for choosing comedy over law – Alibaba Veteran Nigerian comedian, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has recounted how his dad kept malice with him for a decade for choosing comedy over becoming a lawyer. Featuring as a guest in the Christmas edition of The Honest Bunch Podcast, Alibaba recalled leaving the university to inform his dad about his intention to become a comedian and how his reaction forced him to abscond from home. He said he became determined to be a successful comedian in a bid to prove his father wrong. Alibaba said, “My dad is a bookworm. He got his PhD at 86. I told him, I said, ‘Daddy, I came from school to tell you something.’ He said, ‘Okay, have you been rusticated?’ I said, ‘No. I’ve decided that I don’t want to read law. I want to do comedy.’ “He asked, ‘Comedy like what?’ I said, ‘Like cracking jokes.’ He laughed and asked my younger brother to call my uncle who lived close by. When my uncle came, he...

Famous American singer, Kanye West’s name has been spotted on an Israeli missile which is apparently going to be used in the Middle East war. A prominent Israeli mixed-martial artist, MMA, fighter, Haim Gozali is taking credit for the stunt. Gozali, who was once affiliated with Bellator, shared the picture of the missile on his official social media handle. The MMA star has been very outspoken on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, oftentimes mocking the death of Palestinians over the past few months. In November, Gozali had written the names of Muslim UFC fighters including Khabib Nurmagomedov and others who have expressed support for Palestine on a bomb that seemed to be on the frontlines. However, sharing new photos of some of the missiles apparently in the possession of Israeli soldiers on his X account, Gozali wrote “#kanyewest you don’t like us Jewish. So we don’t like you either.” The picture captured a shell with the inscription “Kanye West Flying to Gaza Haim Gozali.” It’s ...

Desmond Elliot, Wife Mark 20th Wedding Anniversary Actor and politician, Desmond Elliot, on Tuesday, marked his 20th wedding anniversary with his wife, Victoria. The Lagos State House of Assembly member, representing Surulere Constituency, shared photos of himself and his wife on his Instagram page. The photos were captioned, "20 years gone by and I love you more and more each passing day. "We have been through the mills, tough times and pains. We are going through happy feelings, experiences, and thrills. "What's most heartwarming is, we are doing it …together. Thank you for putting up with this occasionally strong-headed person. "Thank you for being a shoulder to cry on, lie on, and sleep on. Thank you for being my partner, my friend, my WIFE".. One more photo below. 

Woman Rejects Xmas Car Gift From Her 200 Level Undergraduate Son, Says Source of Income Questionable  According to Mama Chukwudi, she only sent her boy to school, and not for him to come home after 2 yrs with a car. Mama is not convinced her son has not soiled his hands to buy the car, and she was not ready for any explanations. She made sure both the boy and the Christmas car left her compound or else she’d scream to attract the gathering of Ora-obodo. Watch video below. 

 South Africa floods kill seven people, 11 missing Floods in South Africa have killed at least seven people and left 11 others missing. Rescue teams battled in torrential rain on Tuesday to find victims of flash floods across a South African province that left at least seven people dead and 11 others missing, officials said. A muddy deluge up to 10 metres (33 feet) deep swept through a district of Ladysmith, in KwaZulu Natal province, destroying homes and carrying away cars, rescuers said. Six people were confirmed dead and ten missing, provincial authorities said. Further south, an overflowing river at Mandeni carried away three people. One eight-year-old boy was confirmed dead and one man was missing, the IPSS rescue organisation said. 'No chance to grab anything' Rainstorms held up the search for bodies in Ladysmith, 230 kilometres (140 miles) northwest of Durban, where the torrent hit late Sunday. Tereza van den Berg, a team leader for IPSS, said that the torrent "in p...

Police in Peru used an undercover agent disguised as Santa Claus to take down a drug trafficking gang in a dangerous neighborhood north of Lima. The undercover agents caught two men allegedly selling cocaine and marijuana in a house less than an hour north of the Peruvian capital. The National Police Green Squad agent disguised himself as Santa to stay unnoticed to capture the so-called "evil reindeer gang." Peruvian police say the two suspects were found to have small amounts of cocaine and marijuana during the raid. Watch video below. 

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE  PRESIDENT TINUBU CONDEMNS HEINOUS ATTACKS IN PLATEAU, DIRECTS IMMEDIATE APPREHENSION OF CULPRITS  President Bola Tinubu strongly condemns the heinous and brutal attacks in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, which resulted in the tragic loss of many lives. President Tinubu directs security agencies to immediately move in, scour every stretch of the zone, and apprehend the culprits. The President also directs immediate mobilization of relief resources for surviving victims of the primitive and cruel attacks as well as medical treatment for the wounded.  While condoling with the government and the people of Plateau State, President Tinubu assures Nigerians that these envoys of death, pain, and sorrow will not escape justice. Chief Ajuri Ngelale  Special Adviser to the President  (Media & Publicity) December 26, 2023  

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU TO GOVERNORS: WE HAVE SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE NIGERIA’S PEACE AND STABILITY President Bola Tinubu says the federal and sub-national governments of Nigeria have the mutual responsibility of ensuring the country's peace and stability. Speaking during a meeting with the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) at his residence in Lagos on Tuesday, the President reiterated his condemnation of the latest killings in Plateau State. Addressing the governors, the President issued a stern directive to security agencies to halt the carnage in Plateau State and intensify the pursuit of those responsible for the recent tragic events in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas. Condoling with the victims, President Tinubu emphasized the sanctity of human life and called for a paradigm shift among those with contrary beliefs, cautioning them about the inevitable consequences of their actions. "Nigeria needs peace and stability to move forwar...

If You Have To Call Your Man Every Time You Need To Go To His House, Then You’re Dating Yourself — Anita Joseph She wrote; “So someone told me today. That her boyfriend broke up with her because ,she didn’t call him before coming to his house, according to him don’t invade my privacy, eweee inukwa, taaaa. She said what’s my Advice, Onu m adiro kwa mma.  I told her the truth ,if you have to call your man every time you need to go to his house ,then you’re dating yourself Shallom. Use your tongue and count your teeth Shallom. Like how ina apu al*Biko merry Christmas”  

Egypt's Super Cup semifinal decided with 34 penalty kicks The match ended 0-0 by the end of regulation time before the penalty rounds, which saw players take the spot twice. The Egyptian Super Cup semi-final match between Modern Future and Pyramids took a nerve-shredding twist when it took 34 penalty kicks to decide a winner. Future won the game 14–13 on Monday December 25 after it ended 0-0 by the end of regulation time. The penalty rounds saw players take the spot twice. Pyramids defender Osama Galal lost two penalty shots, including the decisive one that sealed the victory for Future.  

Over 60,000 South African tourists visit Türkiye annually - diplomat There is local interest in visiting Türkiye and experiencing the beautiful sites, food, and culture firsthand. The number of South African tourists visiting Türkiye each year is steadily increasing as South Africans have become more interested in exploring the country’s beautiful sites, experiencing its culture firsthand, and enjoying cuisine, the Turkish ambassador to Pretoria said. “In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of travelers from South Africa was 4,742. In 2022, the number of tourists climbed to 61,154 and this year, just a few months ago, 58,672 South Africans visited Türkiye,” Aysegul Kandas told Anadolu in an interview on Monday, hoping that the number of tourists in 2023 will surpass the previous year figure. Kandas said the Turkish series, which has been broadcast on several South African television channels, has sparked local interest in visiting Türkiye and experiencing the beautiful sites...

NAF AIRSTRIKES DESTROY ILLEGAL OIL REFINING SITES IN RIVERS STATE The Nigerian Airforce-NAF says airstrikes by the air component of Operation Delta Safe has on December 23, destroyed 6 illegal oil refining sites in Opu Arugbana in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. In a statement by Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet says the illegal sites were sighted clustered within a radius of about 80 metres at a location about 6 nautical miles south of Opu Arugbana. Having been confirmed to be active, authorization was obtained to destroy the 6 sites, thus discouraging the criminals from continuing with their acts of illegality. According to the statement, despite the festive season, air operations against criminals in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country continued unabated. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar who spent the Christmas day with troops in the North-East, has since commended the efforts of the ...

Nigeria signs updated Radio Regulations Nigeria has joined the rest of the world to sign the Final Act of the World Radio-Communications Congress (WRC-23). The WRC-23 constitutes a record of the decisions taken at the just concluded World Radio-Communications Conference (WRC) 2023, which took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) The Final Act comprises both the new and revised provisions of Radio Regulations, an international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, who represented Nigeria at the event, was joined in signing the agreement by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat Ltd), Mrs. Jane Egerton-Idehen. Dr Tijjani, urged Nigerian delegation to develop capacity through investments in extensive research and inter-age...

Drivers Overloading To Face Prosecution, Legal Consequences - FRSC Warns Public  Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC has issued a warning to the public, that henceforth drivers caught overloading goods and passengers will face prosecution and legal consequences.  The kaduna State Sector Commander, Kabir Nadabo issued the warning in response to a road crash on Tuesday at Sabon Sara village along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway which led to the death of 4 individuals, with 56 others sustaining various degrees of injuries.  Mr Nadabo told Radio Nigeria in Kaduna that the unfortunate incident involved a trailer bearing registration number MKA 99YS and took place at approximately 03:30 hours.   According to the Sector commander, preliminary investigations indicate that the crash resulted from overloading of both goods and passengers, coupled with driver fatigue.  He noted that the injured individuals have been taken to ST. Gerard and AP Smart Hospitals, both located in K...