PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 BREASTFEEDING MOTHER SLUMPS, DIES IN BENUE IDP CAMP A 35-year-old mother of six whose husband, Hembadoon Tarhemba, was killed by gunmen, and taking refuge at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp located at Abagena, Benue State, has slumped and died. The immediate-past woman leader of the camp, Esther Oota, told LEADERSHIP in a telephone conversation that Hembadoon, a lactating mother of under one-year-old twins, went to fetch firewood from a nearby bush alongside two other women to prepare breakfast for her children when the incident occurred. The deceased was in the process of breaking the firewood when she slumped and all efforts to revive her by some members of the camp who rushed to the scene proved abortive. Esther lamented that the deceased widow left the house in the morning to enable her to collect firewoods to come back early and cook for her children, but did not return alive as she desired. The former woman leader told our correspondent that the corpse was still...

 TOR TIV CAPS TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE EXPENSES AT N100,000 IN BENUE STATE  The paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, His Imperial Majesty, Professor James Ayatse, has announced a significant reduction in the total expenses surrounding traditional marriage among Tiv parents to N100,000 or less. This decision was made in response to the complaints of young people in Tivland about the skyrocketing bride prices and the associated costs of elaborate traditional marriage ceremonies. Arewa PUNCH investigations revealed that the high cost of traditional marriage, often reaching N500,000 or more, along with a long list of demands, had made it difficult for many marriageable young people to tie the knot. The Tor Tiv’s announcement has been widely welcomed by the Tiv community, with many believing that it will not only restore the tradition of the ethnic group but also enable people from all socioeconomic backgrounds to get married. The President General of Mzough U Tiv Worldwide, retired Comp...

 Abiodun Appoints Tunde Onakoya Sports Ambassador  Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has appointed Mr. Tunde Onakoya, the National Master of Chess and the current Guinness World Record Holder for the longest Chess Marathon in history, the Sports Ambassador of the State. Governor Abiodun, who made this known on Thursday when he received Mr. Onakoya in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, also  announced the commencement of the State Chess Competition to be held in all parts of the state in honour of Mr. Onakoya. Abiodun, who was impressed with the achievement of the National Chess Master at the global stage, said this could not have been possible without determination and resilience and hard work. "I can see why you continue to be inspiration to many young people across the length and breath of this country. You have gone further by establishing a foundation called the 'Chess in Slums Africa' because you are determined to tell your story and encourage other children a...

 I MET BENUE IN TERRIBLE, DEPLORABLE STATE - GOV. ALIA 25th April, 2024       Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has called on Benue indigenes in the Diaspora to collaborate with his administration to develop Benue State and make it a better place for all. The governor made the call on Sunday, during a zoom interface with the Benue Diaspora, put together by both the Mutual Union of Tiv in America (MUTA) and the Idoma Association in the United States of America (USA), to give them firsthand information on the present administration’s general policy direction, security initiatives as well as the government’s drive in sectors such as agriculture, Mining, education, health, Banking and Finance as well as physical and digital infrastructure. Governor Alia who informed them that he was on a working visit to the United States to harness the power of collaboration and partnerships to drive positive change and sustainable development in Benue, also informed the...

 Senator Ayogu Eze is dead Senator Ayogu Eze from Enugu State is reportedly dead. Born in 1958, he was aged 66. The Senator represented Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly. A source told newsmen that Eze, a former Senate spokesman, died in an Abuja hospital after a protracted illness. According to the source, the late Senator has been down, a situation that made him unable to attend his child’s wedding ceremony held earlier in the year in Lagos State. He was a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before he defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, where he ran for Enugu State governorship election. In the Senate, he was appointed chairman of the senate committee on Information and Media, making him the official spokesman of the senate in 2007. After his reelection to the senate in 2011, he was appointed chairman of the committee on works. Eze also served as a member of committees on Police Affairs, National Planning, Marine Transport and ...

 Fuel Hits N1,000 Per Litre As Scarcity Bites Harder In Kaduna Fuel scarcity is biting hard on Kaduna residents as motorists are forced to buy the product for as high as N1, 100 per liter from black marketers. Our correspondent reports that many passengers going to work and their business premises were stranded following the scarcity of fuel across the state and very few commercial operators were providing services. Most filling stations were not dispensing fuel and the few which had the product hiked the pump price to between N750 and N810 per liter. Despite the hike, long queues were seen at the stations. A resident, Mohammed Amin, said he bought half a gallon of fuel which amounts to two liters for N2, 200. He said he was considering dropping his vehicle and opting for commercial means of transportation if the problem persisted. FG urged to adopt universal health coverage for malaria prevention Our correspondent further gathered that commercial operators are also taking advantag...

 ‘Over 100 Inmates Escaped’, Correctional Service Confirms Suleja Incident The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed the escape of inmates from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger state. The inmates fled during a heavy rainfall, which destroyed the prison’s fence on Wednesday. Traveling across Quang Binh to stunning cinematic locations In a statement, on Thursday morning, spokesman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command of NCoS, Adamu Duza, said a total of 118 inmates escaped. “A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on the night of Wednesday, 24 April 2024 has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger state, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of 118 inmates of the facility. “The service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies, has so far recap...

 Agboola Ajayi wins Ondo PDP Primary Elections The former deputy governor in Ondo state, Hon Agboola Ajayi has won the State’ s PDP primary Elections He won with 246 Votes to clinch the party ticket.

 Emefiele, Kanu arrested arbitrarily as pre-trial detention persists in Nigeria – US Govt Nigeria, USA to forge stronger security ties – FG The United States Government has said that Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra were examples of individuals arrested arbitrarily by security personnel. The U.S noted that lengthy pre-trial detention has remained a problem, denying detainees access to a court and frustrating the country’s judicial system. The U.S. Department of State disclosed this in its ‘2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria,’ published on its website on Tuesday. It said that in the prosecution of corruption cases, law enforcement and intelligence agencies did not always follow due process, leading to the arrest of suspects without appropriate arrest and search warrants. According to the report, the Department of State Services (DSS) detained the suspended CBN gover...

 Ogun  Govt. Sympathises With Victims Of Ado Odo/Ota Over Rainstorm Destruction  ...says we're in touch with IBEDC for prompt action   Ogun State Government said it was in touch with the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to ensure the immediate fixing of poles damaged as a result of rainstorm occasioned by Sunday's downpour in some parts of Sango in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state. The government, in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media, Hon. Kayode Akinmade said a team from the state government was in the area on Monday to physically ascertain the extent of damage and to know how to engage with IBEDC, as well as sympathising with victims. Akinmade noted the cables had not been energized before the destruction, which saved lots of lives. "Our team went on physical site inspection of the affected area on Monday to ascertain the extent of the damage and to know how to engage with the IBEDC team. "We are currently working ...

 How I tried to stop Onakoya from playing chess – World record breaker’s father The father of Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, Pa Onakoya, has said that he was never in support of his son playing chess, stating that he never knew that Chess would make him popular. According to him, when Tunde was a child, whenever he saw him playing chess, he would pack everything away because he wanted him to focus on his academics. On April 17, Onakoya commenced his attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon. On April 20, he broke the record for the longest-ever chess marathon with a time of 60 hours at Times Square in New York, United States.

 JUBILATION AS PIPE-BORNE WATER RETURNS IN ENUGWU - AGIDI By Azuka Offor The community of Enugwu-Agidi is rejoicing as Anambra State Government restored pipe-borne water. President General of the community, Amb. Chukwuemeka Onuorah confirmed the restoration of the essential service and expressed gratitude on behalf of the community for the authorities' efforts to bring back this vital resource after a prolonged absence.  The PG stated this during a technical handover of solar powered water borehole project at Oganiru Primary School, Enugwu -Agidi in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State. He commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for finding their community worthy to benefit in this first phase of water rehabilitation, emphasised that his community is very happy to see the water come back to life and also ready to receive more developmental projects in Enugwu-Agidi. According to him, this is first of it's kind as the solution government is modernizing every sector simultan...

 "Seal her in a bag of rubbing alcohol and throw her in the trash." These words were written by the new girlfriend of the man that tried to take his wife Kait Boice's life.  We covered a story about Kait Boice, a woman from Westmont, Illinois who survived a homicide attempt by her husband. She told you her story in her own words. I'll share the original story in the comments.  Marco Evidente tried to take his wife's life in a dark parking lot last November. He showed 0 remorse. Police were able to catch him 7 minutes after the attempted homicide started. Marco was caught in the act. He had beaten, stabbed, and tried to poison Kait in those 7 minutes. He had a bag of huge trash bags, homemade chloroform, Daisy zip ties, weights, and written out directions to where he was going to dump her body. He left the couple's children at home for 3 hours while trying to take his children's mother's life. The couple were separated at the time after Kait found video...

 TROOPS NEUTRALIZE ARMED ROBBERS , FOIL KIDNAP ATTEMPT, RECOVER ARMS IN SEPARATE OPERATIONS In a series of successful operations, troops deployed for Counter-terrorism operations in North West and North Central regions conducted successful operations on Wednesday 24 April 2024.  In Sokoto State, troops in response to actionable intelligence ambushed a notorious group of terrorists at a suspected crossing point around Sarma village in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The troops successfully eliminated the group's kingpin in a fire fight and recovered one AK-47 rifle with 2 magazines, 7 rounds of 7.62 mm (Special)  and a motorcycle. In a related development, troops foiled a kidnapping attempt, while responding to a distress call about kidnapping activities along Kasu village road, Kafanchan District in Jema'a Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The troops arrested two suspected kidnappers and recovered one fabricated rifle, 2 rounds of 7.62 mm (Special), on...

 WANTED PERSONS  The duo of Opeoluwa Odusan and Obinna Peter Egbueriaku Ezenwa are wanted by the EFCC for stealing and money laundering. Any information as to their whereabouts? Please contact the nearest EFCC Command or the nearest Police Station.  #EFCCNigeria. More photos below.

 A father was apprehended for sitting the UTME exam on behalf of his son. A father was arrested for impersonating his son during the 2024 UTME exam, highlighting ongoing issues of cheating and impersonation. The JAMB Registrar emphasized the consequences of such actions, noting improved technology aiding in detection. Despite challenges like dual NINs, efforts are underway to address identity verification loopholes. He praised smoother exam procedures due to enhanced automation, with over 1.94 million candidates participating. Concerns arose over parental interference, although minimal compared to previous years. Candidates missing exams due to logistical issues faced challenges, with JAMB unable to accommodate rescheduling for a few. The Registrar criticized schools exploiting students for profit, leading to exam disruptions. Efforts continue to maintain exam integrity and streamline procedures for future UTME sessions.

 Press Release FESTUS KEYAMO SAN, CON, FCIArb UK INAUGURATES  THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE SAFETY COMMITTEE (NESC)   Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN, CON, FCIArb),  in compliance with the safety requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)  annex 19, inaugurates  the National Executive Safety Committee NESC of Nigeria’s State Safety Programme today, 23rd April, 2024 in his office. While charging them to discharge their roles and responsibilities in a professional and appropriate manner to determine the safety risk picture of the aviation industry within the Nigerian State, Keyamo  said the  NESC shall ensure the development, periodic review and policy making pertaining to SSP activities, such as safety policy, safety indicators, enforcement policy, safety data protection and sharing, SMS regulatory requirements, integrated and internal coordination of internal SSP review and find...

 Press Release SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE PROMISES TO WORK WITH THE BORDER COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT AGENCY The Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation has reassured the Border Communities Development Agency of its support and collaboration in the areas of mapping, identification, and information regarding border communities across the country. The Surveyor General of the Federation Surv. Abuduganiyu Adebomehin stated this when the Executive Secretary of (BCDA) paid him a courtesy visit in his office on Tuesday. He promised that the office of the Surveyor General would deploy a Geographical Information System (GIS) expert for the agency to help establish its own GIS Unit. “If it pleases you, we will be ready to draft one of the best hands to be with you and be in charge of your GIS, as it would not be meaningful if you don’t have someone who understands the transformation and coordinate systems,” he said. Noting that it is one thing to have imagery and be able to read it....

 PRESS RELEASE First Lady performs Groundbreaking/Sod-Turning ceremony “ENSURING ACCESS TO INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE QUALITY EDUCATION THAT FOSTERS LIFELONG LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE IS ESSENTIAL” – FIRST LADY OLUREMI TINUBU The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu has performed the Groundbreaking/Sod-Turning ceremony for the construction of the Alternative High School For Girls in Osogbo the Osun State capital. The event is under the Access to Education For All Programme of the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI, an initiative of the First Lady. Senator Oluremi Tinubu described the school as another opportunity for girls and women who had to stop schooling for sundry reasons but are desirous of formal education, to pursue their dreams.  “The alarming rate of school dropouts among girls is a stark reminder of the need for alternative solutions in their educational pursuits. The consequences of this challenge are profound, affecting not only th...

 PRESS STATEMENT  This week, as we join the global community in celebrating World Immunization Week, it is a good time to reflect on the benefits of vaccines and their vital role in safeguarding the health and well-being of our families – our children in particular. Vaccines are one of the most effective tools used to prevent infectious diseases.  Vaccines are proven to be safe and effective. They have saved countless lives and continue to be a powerful weapon in our fight against preventable diseases. By ensuring all children are fully vaccinated, we are giving them the best possible start in life, allowing them to attend school regularly, participate in activities, and reach their full potential. Let us work together with our healthcare providers to create a future where every child in Nigeria is protected.  Ensure to immunize every child.  *Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria*

 PRESS RELEASE  FG REVOKES 924 DORMANT MINING LICENSES * _Give Defaulters Option of Fine within 30 days_  In furtherance of efforts to sanitise the mining sector, the Federal Government has revoked 924 dormant licenses spanning exploration, mining, small-scale mining, and quarrying Licenses Making the announcement on Wednesday at a press conference, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake declared that in line with constitutional provisions, adequate notice was given to all concerned parties through the official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, No. 227, which was published on December 27, 2023. " The notice gave all concerned parties 30 days to regularise their status, including clarifications on what caused the license to be dormant. Thus, although a total of 963 licensees were published and notified of the threat of revocation, no fewer that 39 either moved to site immediately or convinced the authorities of the challenges hindering their o...

 PRESS RELEASE  FG ADVISED PERSONNEL OF THE NPF TO ACCESS HOUSING LOANS The federal government has advised officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to take advantage of  the housing loans made available to them through the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) to own their abode/houses/homes early enough in service so as to enable them to repay the funds conveniently  without stress. The Executive Secretary,  Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board,  Alhaji Ibrahim Mairiga gave the advice in Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja Tuesday, during a panel discussion on  the Nigeria Police Housing Summit.  Represented by the Board's Deputy Director, Administration,  Mrs Monica Igwe, the Executive Secretary observed that, seventy per cent of an officer's challenges are solved when he or she is able to access his or her own house. He added that public servants are fully motivated and committed to delivering on their mandate, especially...

 Yahaya Bello: Publish Code Of Conduct For Leaders, Lukman Tells APC A former National Vice Chairman, North-West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, says the ruling party should publish its code of acceptable conduct for leaders and elected representatives of the party. “None of the Second Republic parties will allow what is going on in the case of Yahaya Bello for instance,” Lukman said on Wednesday. “This is why I keep raising the point about the APC coming up with a kind of code of conduct for elected representatives and leaders of the party because leadership is about trust.” Lukman, a former Director General of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) of the ruling APC, also said the party has been reduced to an election platform that has produced some “disasters” as elected representatives because the party organs have failed to meet to discuss critical matters. “The national caucus was meeting almost every week before the 2015 election,” he said lamenting that e...

 Ihedioha’s exit from Imo PDP unfortunate – Chairman The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State, Sir Chidi Dike, has described as unfortunate the exit of a former governor of the state from the party. Ihedioha, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and a stalwart of the PDP in Imo State, dumped the party on Tuesday alongside his supporters. Reacting to the development in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, the Imo PDP chairman said it was regrettable, noting that the rumour of Ihedioha’s planned exit had been rife before he made the official announcement on Tuesday. Dike said, “It is unfortunate that a leader of his calibre resigned from the party, being one of the founding fathers and funders. “Life is like a rotating fan; when it rotates to your side, you are happy and when it turns away, you are not happy.” The Imo PDP Chairman, however, said the party would not allow Ihedioha’s exit to dampen its morale. “Everyone has the right in li...

 2024 UTME: Call for compensation of candidate asked to remove hijab misplaced — JAMB The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has said Ms. Tiamiyu Ayisat Morenikeji who was asked to remove her Hijab during its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, at Bafuto Institute, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, Ejigbo, Lagos, but was later allowed in through the kind intervention of the Board’s officials , did not lose a minute of her scheduled time. To this end, JAMB said the call for her compensation was, therefore, misplaced not only because it had no place in its operation but also because the candidate was not deprived of anything as the fracas lasted not more than five minutes. “We urge all stakeholders, be it religious or civil society, to be circumspect with their requests, because the Board, as a national institution, does not pander to the whims and caprices of any group, creed or individual and will, therefore, continue to be fair and just in its dealings in line with its ...

 Why I didn’t build schools as Anambra gov — Peter Obi replies Omokri The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) during the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has explained why he did not construct new schools as Anambra State governor. A former presidential aide and social media influencer, Reno Omokri, had challenged the former Anambra state governor and his followers to present a single school he built in his eight years as governor. Reno promised a reward of 10,000 dollars to anyone who could show a school built by Obi. Reacting to Reno at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Obi said individuals who made such claims had not taken advantage of his manifesto. He said that Anambra state was ranked 26th in the nation when he arrived, with shuttered schools and a broken educational system, saying that by the time he departed, Anambra had risen to the top. Obi said, “I improved the quality, physical and mental well-being of the people, schools, had the basic things they...

 My kind of music is Afrofusion – Davido Nigerian afrobeats star, Davido has described the kind of music he does as Afrofusion. Davido, by this revelation, joins the growing list of artistes comprising Wizkid, Burna Boy and Fireboy to not identify with the Afrobeats genre. Featuring on the latest edition of the Business Untitled Podcast, the ‘OBO’ crooner lamented the “boxing” of all African artistes into the Afrobeats genre regardless of their musical styles. He said, “The first place that accepted African music outside Africa is the UK before America later join. The UK termed African music Afrobeats. “Afrobeat is a sound that was originally pioneered by Fela Kuti. But now all African songs are termed Afrobeats. If an African artiste sings pure R&B, sounding like SZA, Summerwalker, they put them under Afrobeats. If an African rapper rapping like Drake, they still put them under Afrobeats. “I don’t get offend when we’ve been categorised as Afrobeats. I mean, we need a genre. It...

 ‘I hope we’ll find a miracle’, Celine Dion gives health update in rare interview Canadian pop megastar Celine Dion, who suffers from a rare neurological disorder, said in her first interview since announcing the career-sidelining diagnosis that she is well, but taking life “one day at a time.” Dion, 56, first disclosed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, which causes stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs, with noise or emotional distress known to trigger spasms. As the cover star of Vogue France’s May edition, she told the magazine she was “well” but that her condition requires “a lot of work.” “Five days a week I undergo athletic, physical and vocal therapy,” she said. “I haven’t beat the disease, as it’s still within me and always will be. I hope that we’ll find a miracle, a way to cure it with scientific research, but for now I have to learn to live with it,” she said. There is no cure for Stiff Person Syndrome, which is progressive, but...

 Management Shifts Exams As AUN Students Protest Blackout On Campus The students of American University of Nigeria (AUN), on Wednesday, staged a peaceful protest to voice their grievances about electricity crisis. This is coming amidst prolonged power outage which has paralyzed economic and social activities in Adamawa State. In a statement, Senior Director, Public Affairs, Yusuf Mohammed, said the students lamented the human and environmental cost of the prolonged outage and called on the authorities to address the situation. “The students requested that their residence halls and reading rooms be powered for longer hours so they can prepare for their examinations and for more flexibility in their exam schedules,” he said. Mohammed said in its response, the University management shifted the start of final semester exams by three days. He said the spring semester examinations, which were earlier scheduled for Saturday, April 27, will now begin on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. According t...