PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 EFCC, NUPENG  Join Forces against Oil Theft The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, on Wednesday, February 21, 2024  sought the collaboration of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to fight the scourge of illegal oil bunkering across the country. This request was made on Wednesday in Abuja when  the President of the Union, Comrade William Akporeha led members of his executive to the corporate headquarters of the Commission in Jabi, on a courtesy visit. Akporeha, who praised the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede for repositioning the anti-graft agency on the path of professionalism and rule of law,  sought the collaboration of the Commission in sanitizing the oil and gas industry. “I am not here to patronize you, but your administration has changed the way things were. Before now, when you hear of EFCC what would probably come to your mind is probably the killing of businesses and organizations, but there...

 RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMPLAINTS: IGP Organizes 2-Day Workshop For Heads of CRUs Across The Country. As part of his initiative to emplace a Police Force that is professionally competent, service-driven, rule of law compliant and people-friendly, the Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has established Complaint Response Units (CRU) in all Police state commands across the country in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, and subsequently organised a 2-day workshop for the heads of this unit.  The appointed heads of the states’ CRU assembled on the FCT Abuja on the 21st of February 2024, for induction into their offices and commencement of a 2-day workshop, at the Peacekeeping Hall, 5th floor, Force Headquarters, Abuja. At the induction ceremony, the IGP, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, who was represented by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, charged the officers to be upright and just in the discharge of their dut...

House realtor bitten by snake while on land inspection. I believe this will be a big lesson to all realtors to wear at least a rain boot to such locations. More details later.

 34-year-old Colorado man sadly dies after being bitten by his pet Gila monster. The last reported lethal bite was in 1930.  According to reports the unidentified man had 2 pet Gila monsters. He was bitten by a small juvenile on Feb. 12th and hospitalized. Unfortunately he passed away on Friday. The Jefferson County Colorado Coroner confirmed he passed away as a result of the bite from his pet. Gila monsters are venomous and their bites are rarely lethal however they are very painful. The last case of someone passing away as a result of a Gila monster bite was in 1930. Both Gila monsters have been confiscated and the venom will be extracted to try to figure out why it caused this fatality. Gila monsters are illegal to own without a license in Colorado. Officials say this is a reminder how dangerous it can be to possess poisonous animals.

 I think I will start flying economy” Nkechi Blessing laments as flight ticket soars to N9 million Nollywood actress, Nkechi Blessing Sunday has bemoaned the cost of flight tickets in Nigeria. The mother of one, who often flies first or Business class, is now contemplating switching to economy as ticket soars to N9 million. Sharing a screenshot of the ticket price, she stated that this is the year she will start flying Economy because she doesn’t understand the outrageous prices. “9 million naira for Flight ticket. I think this is the year I will fly Economy. Cus wetin be this. Haaa God”.

 Lady goes gaga as dad secretly shaves her hair while sleeping A young South African lady expresses utmost anger and disappointment after waking up to see her hair missing, an act carried out by her dad while she was asleep. Social media users were stirred up by a young lady’s revelation of how her father had unexpectedly cut off all her hair while she slept. In a TikTok video shared by @somilamashiqa, she expressed her disappointment by scattering her room in reaction to the incident. In a subsequent video, she unveiled her altered appearance and confessed that it had deeply affected her confidence. She, however, didn’t reveal the reason for the decision of her dad other than the hurt it caused her. “After finding out my dad did me dirty by cutting my hair. Although I cried so much, I have a little confidence,” she captioned the video. The video has since generated a wave of reactions from social media users who could relate to the same treatment from their parents, particularly t...

Veteran singer and former member of The Remedies, Edward Ashiedu Brown, popularly known as Eddy Remedy, has claimed that his father was among those who wrote the Nigerian national anthem. He said his father, Ashiedu Brown, a retired police officer, was in the Nigeria Police Band that composed the national anthem but all the credits were given to his boss, Benedict Elise Odiase, the director of the band. The veteran singer noted that to date, his father has not been given any national honour for his contribution to the national anthem. Eddy Remedy claimed his father’s sad experience made him oppose his son’s musical career because he believed that he would never be rewarded by Nigeria. Speaking in a recent interview with Daddy Freeze, Eddy Remedy said, “Now I understand why my dad didn’t want me to do music. Because they did the same thing to him. My Dad was among those who wrote the national anthem. But what did he get? Did they give him any recognition? Instead, they gave all the cred...

 COURT REMANDS ADACHUKWU OKAFOR IN POLICE CUSTODY, TO COMMENCE HEARING 28TH FEBRUARY 2024.  By Chidinma Ikeanyionwu The Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, sitting at the Chief Magistrate's Court, Awka, has remanded the self acclaimed lawyer, Adachukwu Okafor, at the State Criminal and Investigative Department Custody in Awka  for allegedly inflicting physical injuries on the body of her 11-year-old housekeeper in Onitsha in police custody in Awka  Adachukwu Okafor who resides at Chris Igwilo street Akapka GRA, 3-3 Onitsha, of Anambra State, was arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, Awka, on Wednesday, February, 21, 2024, on a-two count charge, mainly, willfully infliction of physical injuries on the body of one Happiness Nwafor an offence punishable under Section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition and Protection) Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 2017. The charge was read and interpreted to the defendant t...

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE  PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS DCG KEMI NANNA NANDAP AS COMPTROLLER-GENERAL OF THE NIGERIA IMMIGRATION SERVICE  President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of DCG Kemi Nanna Nandap to serve as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), effective from March 1, 2024. DCG Nandap takes over from Mrs. Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, whose term in office expires on February 29, 2024.  Before her appointment as Comptroller-General, Nandap was the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of the Migration Directorate of the Service. The President anticipates that the new Comptroller-General will deepen the ongoing reforms in the service and create a robust mechanism for efficient and dedicated service delivery to Nigerians, as well as strengthen the nation's security through proactive and effective border security and migration management. Chief Ajuri Ngelale  Special Adviser to the President  (Media & Publicity) Febru...

  UPDATE ON THIRD MAINLAND BRIDGE REPAIRS: WORK PROGRESSES ON ISLAND BOUND SECTION, TRAFFIC DIVERSION SHIFTS TO IYANA-OWORONSHOKI - LAGOS ISLAND BOUND LANE   In continuation of the ongoing repair works on the Third Mainland Bridge by the Federal Ministry of Works, the Lagos State Government wish to notify the motoring public that work has reached appreciable progress on the island-bound section of the bridge.   As the next phase of the repair works progresses, traffic will now be diverted through the Iyana Oworonshoki, Lagos Island bound lane of the bridge from Thursday, 22nd February, 2024.   The existing traffic arrangement will persist till the completion of the project. For the avoidance of doubt, the Third Mainland Bridge will be open from the Mainland to the Island between 12 midnight to 12 pm, while from Island to the Mainland will open between 1 pm and 12 midnight.     While commending Motorists for their patience and understanding since the co...

 ANAMBRA GOVT DECLARES MURDER OF ONE CHIEF SHADRACH OKOYE WANTED By Gab Alokwe The Anambra State Government has declared the suspect that used masquerade to kill a 71 year old man,  Chief Shadrach Okoye of Umuawulu  community in Awka South Local Government Area wanted. Reacting to the murder of one, the Anambra State Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Mr. Don Onyenji said that it is a criminal offence for any one to murder another. Note that on the December 25, 2023, a 19 years boy was alleged to have used masquerade to kill one Chief Shadrach Okoye while the victim was seeing his visitor off. According to the report, the suspect has been on the run since the incident occurred last year. Commissioner Onyenji, then, called on the police to investigate the matter to ensure that justice prevailed . He made it clear that the state government has made a statement on the conduct of masquerades during festivals, mandating masquerades to entertain their guest at...

 Anambra Assembly Summons Officials Over Alleged Killing By Anti-Tout Squad By Chizoba Okeke/Anastasia Agunwa/Gloria Abugu The Anambra State House of Assembly has summoned various officials including the Commissioner for Homeland Affairs, the leadership of the Anti-touting Squad Onitsha Zone, Special Advisers to the Governor on Market and Security, and the Chairman of Bridge Head Market, Onitsha to address speculations surrounding the killing of one Mr. Arinze Obunadike by members of the Anti-touting outfit and Market Security at Bridge Head Market, Onitsha. The motion was moved under matter of urgent public importance by the member representing Ihiala II Constituency, Mr Golden Iloh.  He noted that  Mr. Obunadike, a resident of Iyiowa in Ogbaru Council Area and a graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, who was an apprentice at Bridge Head Market Onitsha, was reportedly killed on February 16, 2024.  Iloh emphasized the need for an investigation to dispel tension and e...

  Xabi Alonso, on the list of both Bayern and Liverpool as next manager  Bayern will part ways with Tuchel, same for Liverpool with Klopp… and both clubs are keen on Xabi Alonso. There’s no formal clause into his contract at Bayer but he will be allowed to leave in case he decides to. Remember Xabi’s Bayer still unbeaten in all competitions with 95 goals scored (!) and 24 conceded in 35 games.

 Binance confirms working with Tinubu govt to block dollar-naira exchange Binance disclosed this in an announcement on its “commitment to P2P users in Nigeria” on Tuesday, warning that “users behaving in a manipulative way will be removed from the platform.” “As industry leaders,” Binance said, “We are working hand in hand with local authorities, lawmakers, and regulators to ensure we act on non-compliance.’’ The crypto exchange platform further said it is “setting an upper limit for ads, filtering and removing bad ads, requiring and raising deposits for merchants posting ads as well as processes for actioning against any market manipulators.” On Tuesday, Binance disabled sell option for its Nigerian users, blocking them from selling fiat currency, USDT, on the platform. It also capped the buy option to $1802 for Nigerian users. It also disabled purchase of cryptocurrencies via P2P for its Nigerian users, leaving those who might want to sell their crypto assets such as Bitcoin, BNB...

 My friend deceived me into buying stolen vehicle A 42-year-old man, Daniel Joseph, popularly known as Dangote, who recently served out his 12 years prison sentence said he trained 40 inmates in prison yard at the Nigeria Correctional Service Centre, while serving. Joseph, who hails from Benue State, said he did not regret his 12 years in the prison yard because he was empowered with a washing machine to continue his laundry services. But he was not happy that his trusted friend lured him to buy a stolen vehicle. He was, however, excited that his wife and daughter did not abandon him during the 12 years in prison, saying that he had learnt his lesson. He was happy that he did not waste the 12 years as he was empowered with a working tool. “I bought a vehicle and it was said to be a stolen vehicle.

 DSS asks NLC to shelve nationwide protest, says some elements planning violence The Department of State Services (DSS) has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shun its planned nationwide protest. On Friday, the NLC declared a two-day nationwide mass protest for February 27 and 28, 2024, over the economic hardship assailing Nigerians. In a statement on Wednesday, Peter Afunanya, DSS director of communications, said although the service recognises the NLC’s right to protest, the congress should shelve the planned demonstration in the interest of peace and public order. Afunanya said the DSS is aware that some elements are planning to use the protest to “foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence”. He added that this would worsen the socio-economic situation across the country. “The DSS further calls on parties to pursue dialogue and negotiation rather than engaging in conducts that could heighten tensions,” the statement reads. “It is common knowledge that all le...

 ‘Businesses are dying’ — Peter Obi asks FG to stop customs FX rate increases Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has asked the federal government to end the inconsistency in customs duty charges, saying it is affecting businesses in the country. Since the year began, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has been upwardly adjusting its foreign exchange (FX) rate for duties. In February alone, the agency has increased the rate six times, reflecting the volatility in the broader FX market. Obi, in a statement posted X on Wednesday, asked the government to stop the arbitrary and ever-increasing customs duties. The politician said the situation is now negatively impacting businesses and the cost of items, warning that it “portends a huge danger to the economy”. He said such arbitrary charges would lead to further closure of businesses and attendant job losses. Obi said if the situation is not corrected, importers may resort to using ports of ...

 Police confirm arrest of LP National Chairman, Julius Abure  The Police have confirmed the arrest of the Labour Party, LP National Chairman, Julius Abure in Benin City, Edo State, South-South Nigeria. The arrest by Zone 5 operatives of the Nigeria Police Force follows a petition against him over alleged assault, molestation and illegal possession of firearms. Abure was in Benin City for the Edo State LP Governorship primaries scheduled to hold on Friday February 23 for nomination of party's candidate for the September 21 polls. More photos below. 

 WANTED BY THE EFCC Leno Laitan Adesanya is WANTED by the EFCC for offences bothering on economic and financial crimes. Any info on his whereabout? Please contact the EFCC offices or the nearest Police Station. 

 Seyi Law denies telling Eedris Abdulkareem he regrets supporting Tinubu Popular comedian and actor Lawrence Oluwaseyitan Aletile, popularly known as Seyi Law has denied saying he regrets supporting President Bola Tinubu. Veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem in the latest episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, claimed that Seyi Law disclosed to him that his biggest mistake was supporting President Bola Tinubu. The singer said the comedian apologised to the audience at a recent event he attended and even denounced his support for Tinubu. Abdulkareem said, “I was at an event yesterday and Seyi Law came up and said, ‘Abeg, make una no vex o! Everybody don curse me taya because I stand for Tinubu. I no dey im mandate again o!’ “I was like, ‘Seyi, how do you cope now?’ He said, ‘My brother, I messed up.’ He said no be say im collect anything. He said he made the biggest mistake.” However, commenting on a viral clip of the podcast on X, Seyi Law denied Abdulkareem’s claims, saying he probably...

 Eedris Abdulkareem also fought DMX – Daddy Showkey Veteran Nigerian singer, Daddy Showkey has disclosed that 50 Cent wasn’t the only international artist his colleague, Eedris Abdulkareem, had an altercation with. According to him, Abdulkareem earlier had an altercation with late American rapper, DMX, during the All African Games in 2003. He also rubbished Abdulkareem’s claims that Charly Boy betrayed him during the incident with 50 Cent, saying he has a history of beefing international artists. Daddy Showkey spoke during a recent interview with media personality, Daddy Freeze. “The same thing Eedris did with 50 Cent is what he did with DMX at Transcorp. DMX was ready to confront him. I was among the people that pleaded with him,” Showkey said.

 UCL: Osimhen in contention to face Barcelona – Napoli boss, Calzona Napoli caretaker coach, Francesco Calzona, has provided a positive update on Victor Osimhen ahead of his side’s UEFA Champions League clash with Barcelona. Osimhen was left out of Napoli’s squad for last Saturday’s Serie A clash against Genoa. The Nigeria international was not deemed fit enough to partake in the game after returning from Africa Cup of Nations with a minor muscular problem and fatigued. Calzona, who was named as replacement for Walter Mazzarri on Tuesday revealed that the forward was involved in full training on Tuesday. “Osimhen trained with the team, naturally it was not a long session, as we had many things to do, but he was working at full tempo,” Calzona told the media ahead of the game. “All the players will be evaluated after tomorrow’s session.” Napoli will host the first leg at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Wednesday.

 U.S. vetoes UN resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza A draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip failed in the UN Security Council on Tuesday after the U.S. again vetoed the text tabled by Council member Algeria. Given concerns about a possible major Israeli offensive on the crowded city of Rafah in southern Gaza, the proposal was widely supported by 13 of the 15 council members. Britain abstained. Following the vote, Israel again strongly rejected calls for a truce. This “absurd notion of a ceasefire” was constantly being thrown around within the Security Council and the UN General Assembly as if it was “a silver bullet, a magical solution to all of the region’s problems,” Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, told the most powerful UN body. “A ceasefire today means immunity for baby killers and rapists. It’s an easy way to make this problem an issue for another day,” he said. “Hamas is not going to even read your resolutions.” Isr...

 AFCON 2025 preliminary draw unveiled The preliminary draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was conducted on Tuesday, February 20, at the Confederations of African Football (CAF) headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. The preliminary draw was held for the eight lowest-ranked teams according to the latest FIFA ranking: Somalia, Djibouti, Sao Tome, Chad, Mauritius, South Sudan, Liberia, and Eswatini. The teams will play on home and away basis during the FIFA Window of March 18 to March 26. Here is the full list of the AFCON preliminary draw: Somalia Vs Eswatini Sao Tome Vs South Sudan Chad Vs Mauritius Djibouti Vs Liberia

 Actor Seun Jimoh advises women not to confess to cheating Popular Yoruba actor, Seun Jimoh has warned women not to confess their extramarital affairs or infidelity to their partner. The actor made this known in a post on his Instagram page on Monday. According to him, there is no point in confessing because men don’t forgive cheating. Giving reasons for his advice, the actor explained that men don’t overlook infidelity, hence the need for women to keep their mistakes a secret. He wrote: “Dear female, I know this may be a hard pill for men to swallow, if you ever by mistake cheat on your man, don’t ever confess! keep it between you and God. “Men don’t forgive cheating and if they forgive you, they will hold it over and punish you with it for the rest of your life.” Seun Jimoh whose real name is Seun Sean Jimoh is a Nigerian born American based Nollywood actor, movie producer and Instagram Influencer. Seun Jimoh started his acting career in 2007 with his first supporting role as an ...

 Why churches keep inviting me for programmes - Woli Arole Nigerian comedian-turned-prophet, Bayegun Oluwatoyin, popularly known as Woli Arole, has disclosed why churches keep inviting him to perform in their programmes despite being a comedian. Woli Arole made this known in an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief program on Monday. Speaking about his successful career, the content creator stated that he keeps getting church invites because he doesn’t overstep his boundaries as a comedian. He noted that religious people have issues with many comedians because they are not sensitive enough to avoid certain jokes. “You can check all my content, I don’t blaspheme. Our faith is sacred. There are boundaries you must not cross because I feel all faiths are scared “So, while I was active as a comedian, all I talked about was the positive vibes. There are things I must never say, there are some jokes you must not crack. And I think that is where faith people have issues wit...

 I face a lot but I’m not a storyteller – Eniola Badmus Actress Eniola Badmus has posted a cryptic message hinting at facing challenges. The curvy movie star shared the message on her Instagram page, sparking speculations among Nigerians. The post she shared simply showed a little boy deep in thought with a writing that said: “I face a lot but am not a storyteller.” She captioned the post with: “Hmmm”

 Comply with Gunshot Act, FG directs medical facilities •Tasks police to enforce provisions of compulsory treatment & care for victims The spate of gun violence in Nigeria is a grim reality, and seeking medical attention for gunshot wounds has become a life-or-death gamble for victims. Being turned away for lack of a police report is the harsh reality for countless gunshot victims. It is not uncommon for medical facilities to refuse treatment to gunshot patients without a police report, leaving many to bleed to death or succumb to their injuries while waiting for the required clearance. Despite provisions of the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act of 2017, hospitals and other health facilities continue to deny gunshot victims life-saving treatment and care except they produce a suitable police report is provided. The Act mandates hospitals to treat gunshot victims regardless of police reports and represents a significant step towards addressing the nagging ...

 APC cancels Edo primary, announces date for fresh poll The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared Saturday’s primary election in Edo State inconclusive. The exercise, which triggered controversy, had produced three different candidates. While a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, was announced winner by the chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, Governor Hope Uzodimma, at Protea Hotel, Benin, Senator Monday Okpebholo was declared winner by the Returning Officer for the election which held at the residence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, still in Benin City. Later, the spokesman of the local government returning officers, Ojo Babatunde, declared the member representing Etsako Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Anamero Sunday Dekeri, winner of the poll. The development triggered protest in the state as some youths and women stormed the party’s secretariat, on Monday, and chased away members of the State Working Committee led b...

 N3.5b fraud allegations: LP state chairmen pass vote of confidence on Abure, say no money missing   The Labour Party (LP) state chairmen have passed a vote of confidence on their National Chairman, Julius Abure who has been accused of misappropriating the party’s funds. Oluchi Oparah, the national treasurer of the Labour Party had accused Abure of diverting N3.5 billion belonging to the party . The LP Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi had also called for a forensic audit to investigate into the alleged financial impropriety leveled against the National Chairman. But, reacting to this on Tuesday, the LP state chairmen and secretaries who paid a courtesy call on the party’s headquarters in Abuja, dismissed the allegations, saying that the Labour Party did not lose any money. Briefing Journalists at the event, Mr Ceekay Igara Chairman Council of State Chairmen of the Labour Party, claimed that Abure’s leadership had displayed a high level of transparency in the management of ...

 Obasanjo Seeks Bill to Support Kidney Patients, Combat Organ Harvesting Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said there was urgent need for legislative support in terms of a new bill to support people with kidney disease. He also appealed to relevant security bodies to help with necessary laws on the emerging organ trafficking in the country, especially with regards to cadaveric donations. In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo highlighted four areas to address the burden and challenges in the management of kidney disease, even as he noted that several strategies could be followed at the same time. Obasanjo who spoke at the 36th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the National Association of Nephrology with the theme: “Optimising Dialysis Therapy To Prolong Survival,” holding at the main Auditorium of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, commended the body for its work wit...

 Ogun Nursing Student Commits Suicide As Govt. Shuts Down School   A 300-level student of a private tertiary institution in Ogun State, simply identified as Ajoke has reportedly committed suicide. The deceased, a student of Basic Medical Science at Havarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, on Monday evening, drank a poisonous substance, suspected to be a sniper. The lifeless body of the deceased, who was said to be pregnant was discovered in her hostel room located off campus. Unconfirmed reports revealed that the deceased who had been battling with depression must have committed suicide after discovering that she was pregnant. A colleague of the deceased who spoke to our correspondent said, the deceased’s condition was worsened after finding out that the school had failed to meet up with the accreditation requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and could not be accredited for nursing, despite spending three...

 ANNOUNCEMENT: PUBLIC HOLIDAYS Ondo State Governor, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has declared Thursday, 22nd and Friday, 23rd of February 2024 as public holidays in the State.  This is in honour of the former Governor of the State, late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON. The two work-free days will allow the people of the State to participate in the burial activities of the former Governor. The burial activities, which started last Thursday, continue as follows:    • Wednesday, February 21: Ajabue (Traditional Rites) Owo. Time: 9 am – 4pm   Special Court Session Court 1, Ondo State High Court Headquarters, Hospital Road, Akure. Time : 10am   Lying in State and Commendation Service Akure Township Stadium Time: 1pm   Evening of Tributes St Andrews Church, Imola Street, Owo Time:4pm - 7pm   • Thursday, February 22 (Public holiday): Service of Songs St Andrews Cathedral, Imola Street, Owo. Time: 4pm   Wake-Keep Maranatha Villa, ...