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 FULL LIST: Nigerians who are Guinness World Records holders By Samuel Oamen Popular chess master, Tunde Onakoya, on April 15, joined the league of Nigerians who have won the Guinness World Record. The 29-year-old Onakoya broke the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon in New York’s Times Square when he reached the 60-hour mark, surpassing the previous record of 56 hours and 9 minutes. The previous record of 56 hours, 9 minutes, was held by Norwegian players Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad in 2018. The Guinness Book of Records is a reference book that chronicles human and natural world records. It was first published in 1955 by the Guinness Brewery in Ireland and has since become one of the world’s most well-known and frequently read reference books. Individuals or groups must submit proof to the Guinness World Records team and go through a verification process to qualify for a world record listing. Here is the full list of Nigerians that have won the Guin...

 FCCPC summons Chinese supermarket over discrimination against Nigerians The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned the owner of a Chinese supermarket for allegedly discriminating against Nigerians by restricting their entry. The supermarket, located at the China General Chamber of Commerce along Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Road in the Federal Capital Territory, exclusively permits individuals of Chinese descent to enter. A video posted by X Daily showed an unidentified FCT resident expressing discontent about the discriminatory policy. Reacting to the development, Mrs. Boladale Adeyinka, the Director of Surveillance and Investigation at the commission, who led the enforcement ,stated that they are responding to a viral video allegedly showing Nigerian consumers being denied access to the supermarket. She explained that the purpose of their surveillance and investigation is to verify the allegations and the contents of the viral video. “On arrival, we n...

 Freeburg, Illinois teacher convicted of attempting to murder a 17-year-old student, and dumping her body, is released early from prison today, 4/22/2024.  42-year-old Sam Shelton was released from prison today. Shelton was convicted in 2006 after his 17-year-old victim was found clinging to life after a 30 hour search. He plead guilty and was sentenced to 20 years. Shelton shouldn't be out of prison until 2027.  Sam Shelton was Ashley Reeves grade school teacher in 2001. In 2006, the two began dating when Ashley was 17. Shelton was 26. Ashley stated that during the relationship he was violent to her. She got into his vehicle and tried to break up with him in 2006. Sam Shelton was infuriated. Shelton claims he accidentally broke her neck while strangling her. It was actually the belt that snapped but he thought it was her neck. He panicked and tried to suffocate her. When Ashley showed no signs of life he dumped her in bushes and took off from the scene.  Shelton den...

 TROOPS RECOVER VALUABLE ASSETS IN TIMBUKTU TRIANGLE, RESCUE WOMEN, CHILDREN The sustained offensive operation by troops of the Nigerian Army to clear terrorists' enclaves in the Timbuktu Triangle  cutting across Borno and Yobe States has led to the successful  recovery of  valuable assets and the rescuing of women and children held in captivity by the terrorists.    The terrorists, who abandoned their enclaves and fled following fierce air cum artillery bombardments and ground battle,  left behind MOWAG Armoured Personnel Carrier, a Canter Truck, and a Tractor. Additionally, 44 civilians including  women and children who had been held captive in the area were rescued by the courageous troops. The rescued women and children were provided with  immediate relief,  including  new clothings to give them a sense of comfort and dignity, as they begin their journey to freedom. They have been handed over to the Borno State Ministry of Women...

 Boko Haram bomb experts defy commanders, surrender to troops Two members of Boko Haram identified as Abubakar Mohammed and Bana Modu assigned to plant bombs on the roads leading to Doron Baga and a fish farm in Baga, both in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno state by their commanders have surrendered to troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force ( MNJTF) The Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) experts surrendered to the troops during a clearance operation on Sunday, April 21, Lt. Col. Abubakar Abdullahi, the Chief Military Public Information Officer – Ndjamena, said in a statement in Maiduguri on Monday. He said the suspects, who were under the age of 30 were in possession of two IEDs, two mobile phones and N53,000 cash that were recovered from them. He said that on interrogation, the suspects said that they were ordered by their Boko Haram commanders to plant IEDs on the roads leading to Doron Baga and a fish farm in Baga, both in Kukawa Local Government Area of the state. “I...

 State police not negotiable, says Jonathan …as Shettima, Abdulsalami, others drum support Vice President Kashim Shettima and former president Goodluck Jonathan on Monday, April 22, spoke on the need to focus on the workability of state police in the country and address concerns about the likely abuse of the process. Also, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar warned politicians not to exert undue influence on the state police when eventually adopted by the country, while canvassing a role for the traditional rulers in addressing the security challenges in the country. They spoke at a national dialogue on state police with the theme “Pathway to peace: Reimagine Policing in Nigeria” organised by the House of Representatives as part of efforts to pass the state police bill currently before the House. The vice president who assured of the commitment of President Tinubu’s government to addressing the security challenges in the country said the President was waiting for the...

 FG to resell DisCos under banks, AMCON in three months …TCN blames outage on gas constraint Federal Government has vowed to sell off the five electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) now under the management of banks and Asset Management Company (AMCON) in the next three months to reputable technical power operators. Recall that Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) is currently under the management of the United Bank of Africa (UBA), Fidelity Bank manages Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, and Kano Electricity Distribution Company while Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company is under the AMCON management. They all found themselves under the new management arrangement owing to their inability to repay their loans. Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who made this known yesterday to the Senate Committee on Power was in an oversight visit to the ministry in Abuja, that the energy distribution assets are technical and as...

 EFCC  Denies Disobeying Court Order on Yahaya Bello Against the backdrop of arguments and counter-arguments on whether the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has disobeyed a court order concerning the botched arrest of former governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Adoza Bello, the Commission has denied disobeying any court order in this regard.    In a Press Statement signed by the EFCC’s Acting Director,  Public Affairs,  Mr. Wilson Uwujaren,  the Commission clearly pointed out that though Bello sought refuge in a fundamental rights enforcement action through an order granted by Justice Isa Jamil Abdulallahi of the Kogi State High Court, the order did not vitiate or nullify an order made by the Federal High Court for  the arrest of the former governor for the purpose of his arraignment.  “The enrolled Order of the Kogi State High Court only granted an order to enforce Bello’s right to personal liberty and freedom of movement, it di...

 NATIONAL BOARD FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION APPROVES NEW COURSE FOR LAGOS COOPRATIVE COLLEGE  The Lagos State Cooperative College (LASCOCO) has secured provisional accreditation approval from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to commence the National Diploma programme in Computer science. The Board also granted full accreditation to two other National Diploma Programmes at the College, namely: Cooperative Economics and Management as well as Micro Finance and Enterprise Development.  Approvals for all the programmes were disclosed at the end of the National Board for Technical Education Accreditation and Resource Inspection Team's visitation to the College at Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos between the 18th - 21st April, 2024. Addressing the delegation during the visit, the Provost of the College, Mr. Akorede Ojomu said that after the Panel’s last visit to the College in September, 2021, which resulted in the granting of interim accreditation for two National Diploma pro...

 EFCC Arrests Six Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Kaduna   Operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday,April 21, 2024 arrested six suspected internet fraudsters in Kaduna State.   The alleged fraudsters were arrested at Bafra Hotel, Alkali Road, Kaduna,  following actionable intelligence about their suspected involvement in internet-related offences.      Items recovered from them include six mobile phones and incriminating documents.   They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.  One more photo below. 

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU TO EMBARK ON OFFICIAL VISIT TO NETHERLANDS AND ATTEND ECONOMIC FORUM IN SAUDI ARABIA President Bola Tinubu will on Tuesday, April 23, depart Abuja for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on an official visit. On the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, President Tinubu will engage in high-level discussions with the Prime Minister, as well as hold separate meetings with His Royal Majesty, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Kingdom. The Queen is the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA). While in the Netherlands, the President will participate in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organizations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farmi...

 Notorious gangster Lee Amos who ran feared ‘Gooch Gang’ dies in jail after murdering rival in drive-by shooting A NOTORIOUS gangster who ran the feared “Gooch Gang” in Manchester has died in prison. Lee Amos was banged up for at least 32 years in 2007 after being convicted over the drive-by slaying of Tyrone Gilbert, 23. Lee Amos has died in jail The 48-year-old, who was serving his sentence at HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire, died today. A spokesperson for the jail told The Sun: “His next of kin have been informed and a Family Liaison Officer has been appointed. “As with all deaths in prison, this will be investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.” Along with sidekick Colin “Piggy” Joyce, Amos ran the feared Gooch Gang, who infamously turned Manchester into “Gunchester”. The brutal pair rose through the ranks from teen tearaways to gangland enforcers who terrorised the city.

 Police Arrest Two Traffic Robbers Disarming Motorists with Medical Condition Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested two traffic robbery suspects in Ikeja. The suspects, Azeez Folarin, ‘m’ aged 23 and Azeez Rilwan ‘m’ aged 27, were arrested at about 7am in front of Ikeja City Mall. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects have robbed many motorists of their phones around Ketu and Ojota and had been operating individually in Ketu, before coming together to exploit Rilwan’s chronic pile to rob unsuspecting motorists. The suspects were arrested by the RRS team stationed at the mall immediately after Folarin snatched the mobile phone of a motorist who was trying to give alms to Rilwan having seen his medical condition.  While Rilwan was released on bail due to his serious state of health, Folarin has been arraigned.  SP BENJAMIN HUNDEYIN, anipr, mipra  POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER  LAGOS STATE COMMAND IKEJA APRIL 22, 2024. More pho...

 PRESS RELEASE POLICE ORGANISES FIRST-EVER HOUSING SUMMIT, FOCUSES ON AFFORDABLE HOUSES FOR OFFICERS.  The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has taken a monumental step towards addressing the housing challenges faced by officers in the Nigeria Police Force with the midwifing and launch of the maiden Nigeria Police Housing Summit. The summit, themed “Renewed Hope for Police Housing in Nigeria,” evidences the IGP’s priority for the welfare of officers through the provision of appropriate, adequate, and affordable housing. The IGP equally highlights the pressing need to revamp the existing framework for providing housing to Nigeria Police Officers. With only about 10% of the workforce's housing needs currently being met, the IGP emphasizes that the summit aims to develop strategies to bridge this gap and ensure accessible and affordable housing for all ranks. The objectives of the Nigeria Police Housing Summit are ambitious and far-reaching, in...

 Before undergoing surgery, I couldn’t remember people – Zack Orji Veteran Nollywood actor, Zack Orji has revealed that before undergoing surgery he had amnesia. Recall that the actor recently underwent two brain surgeries after he slumped in the bathroom. Speaking in an interview with Channels TV on Sunday, Orji said he was in coma for five and a half hours. “I can only say that it’s by the grace of God that I’m alive today because I passed out. I was out for like five and a half hours before help came,” he recalled. Orji added that his colleagues Benedict Johnson and Labista rushed to his house and “lifted me on their shoulders from the second floor to the ground floor and took me to the National Hospital”. He said the first surgery was performed on January 1st but a month later, after scans revealed a residual blood clot, he underwent a second surgery. He said, “Before the surgery, I couldn’t recognise people. Some of the people who came to the hospital to see me, I didn’t even ...

 ‘Most hit songs in Nigeria are not good music’ – Singer Ric Hassani Singer Ric Hassani has shared his opinion on the Afrobeats genre. According to him, the quality of Afrobeats music has dropped drastically over the years. He noted that the hit songs of years back were quality music but the current hit songs are “not very good music”. Hassani featured recently on a TV programme, Rubbin’ Minds with Ebuka. He said, “Afrobeats is Nigerian music. Our guys are top 10 and I feel like because of that the quality of music might stop dropping because more people want to get in. So the quality is really dropping. “Back in the days, hit songs were serious music but now almost anybody is just coming in. Most of the hit songs in Nigeria now are not very good music. Back in the days it wasn’t like this. I feel like because we have been number one for so long, everybody is just dropping whatever they like and throwing money behind it.”

 Super Falcons’ Nnadozie nominated for Best Goalkeeper award in France Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for the best goalkeeper award in the French D1 Akem (women’s top-flight league in France). Nnadozie will battle Olympic Lyon’s Christiane Endler and Katarzyna Kiedrzynek of PSG for the award. The 22-year-old was also nominated for the top prize last season. Two seasons ago, she won the Bruno Martini Award for Goalkeeping Revelation of the Season in the French top flight. Nnadozie has been in fantastic form for Paris FC this season, both in the league and UEFA Women’s Champions League. She was named Player of the Month for March in the French D1 Akem.

 Show proofs Benue owns aircraft – Ortom tells Alia The immediate past Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has called on his successor Governor Hyacinth Alia to provide proof that the state owns an aircraft. Ortom said he neither received an aircraft in 2015 when he took over nor acquired any in his two terms as governor of the state. This was contained in a statement on Monday in Makurdi by his Media Aide, Mr Terver Akase. He says, “We read a statement today by the Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia who alleged among other things that “…he understands the state has an airplane but its whereabouts is still been(sic) looked into”. “Governor Alia was quoted by his media aide to have made the allegation during a zoom meeting with the Benue diaspora community organized by the Mutual Union of Tiv in America MUTA and the Idoma Association in the United States. “We want to state categorically that if the Benue State Government purchased an aircraft before Chi...

 Binance Executive Arrested in Kenya for Evading Nigerian Authorities Kenyan police have detained Nadeem Anjarwalla, an executive of Binance, who fled Nigeria, as efforts intensify for his extradition to face charges in Nigeria.  Government sources, preferring anonymity, disclosed that Anjarwalla's arrest was made by the Kenya Police Service, with plans underway for his return to Nigeria through the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) within the week. According to sources close to the matter, "Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, has been apprehended by the Kenya Police Service, and arrangements are being made for his extradition to Nigeria by INTERPOL." This development comes after the Federal Government tracked Anjarwalla to Kenya following his escape from lawful custody in Nigeria. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), along with international partners, including INTERPOL, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Kenyan Police Service, are in...

 Federal Government to Roll Out 2,700 CNG Buses and Tricycles by May 18 The Presidency has announced plans to launch approximately 2,700 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses and tricycles before May 29, coinciding with President Bola Tinubu's one-year anniversary in office. This initiative is part of the Federal Government's efforts to promote cleaner and more sustainable transportation solutions across Nigeria. According to Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the government aims to establish 100 conversion workshops and 60 refuelling sites in 18 states by the end of 2024. The implementation of these measures underscores Nigeria's commitment to embracing environmentally friendly energy alternatives. Onanuga highlighted that the Presidential CNG Initiative, launched in October 2023, aims to deliver cheaper and safer energy options, particularly for mass transit. With an allocated budget of N100 billion, the initiative seeks to pu...

 Gridlock As Tanker Spills Fuel On Lagos Highway  Lagos motorists faced gridlock on Monday along Ikorodu Road after a fuel tanker burst in the Anthony area of the state. Officials from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority were seen at the scene trying to salvage the situation. Videos on social media show fuel spilling from the tanker, with some individuals taking the opportunity to scoop up the spilled fuel.  JesstotheY1 wrote on X, "Just passing by Anthony and I'm praising God. A fuel tanker was damaged by another vehicle and was leaking onto the road.  "People were packing it but luckily the LASTMA and Fire Service came to divert the traffic to another lane. One small mistake and it'd have been another story." More photos below.