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 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU MOURNS VETERAN JOURNALIST, SIDI ALI President Bola Tinubu extends his condolences to the family and associates of Second Republic legislator and ace journalist, Sidi Ali. The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former member of the House of Representatives passed away last Thursday. The late statesman was a prolific writer, publishing 19 books and numerous articles. Some of his notable works include, 'A Trip to Timbuktu' (1965); 'Corruption in High Society', and 'The Power of Power on Muhammad Ribadu, Former Defence Minister' (1982). Extolling the contributions of Honourable Ali to the country, President Tinubu affirms that his role as a journalist and information manager helped Nigeria at a critical time in the life of the nation. The President prayed for Allah's mercy on the soul of the departed while condoling with the government and people of Kano State over the loss.  Chief Ajuri Ngelale Speci...

  75 Year Old Barber Arrested In Awka For Defiling An 8 Year Old Girl By Chidinma Ikeanyionwu 75 Year old barber by name Nwankwo Nweke has been arrested for defiling an 8 year old girl in Awka. The suspect, who hails from Isi Agu in Awka South local government area of the state after the arrest, confessed that it was temptation that made him have carnal knowledge of the girl. Nwankwo Nweke went on plead for mercy and promised to be of good behavior if the state government pardoned him. Responding, the Women and Social Welfare Commissioner, Hon Ify Obinabo, who was visibly sad over the incident, assured the 8 year old survivor of justice and warned that anyone caught in such act won't go free. Hon Obinabo went further to say that despite the state government's fight against rape and defilement, some bad eggs are still engaging in the crime warning that if and when caught, must serve jail term. Meanwhile, the parents of the 8 year old, Mr John and Mrs Ogochukwu Ugwuanyi explained...

 Fuel Scarcity: Reps Committee Frown At Middlemen Activities The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources, Downstream, Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere and his Midstream counterpart, Henry Okojie have strongly frowned at the activities of middlemen who have taken advantage of the short disruption of supply of Fuel to maximize profit and generate inordinate gain for themselves, to the detriment of the Nigeria people. The lawmakers expressed reservation while addressing journalists in Abuja, Wednesday. They said, their committees have engaged extensively with stakeholders with a view to ascertaining the cause of the resurgence of the fuel queues in petrol stations across the country. The lawmakers agreed that,  the cause of the disruption of fuel supply was the logistics issue around the marine shuttle vessels, which was to move products to marketers, but could not at a time. They are surprised that the situation is still causing distribution even when the...

 May Day Celebration: Ogun To Meet With Labour Over New Minimum Wage-Abiodun ...says over N128.3bn paid as pensions, gratuities Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun said that his administration would do all in its power to come up with a decision on the new minimum wage. The governor said a meeting with labour leaders in the state would be held with a view to arriving at a decision that is favourable to both the government and the workers. The governor, who made this known during the year 2024 Worker's Day celebration and rally, tagged: 'People First', also added that his administration has paid a total of N128.3 billion as pensions and gratuities to both local and state government retirees in the state. "On minimum wage, your ever responsive administration has done a lot of work, which is aimed at arriving at a position that we can sustain in line with our inclusive style of governance. "We will soon be calling a meeting with the organized labour leaders to fi...

 PRESS STATEMENT NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE CONDEMNS BRUTAL ATTACK IN KATSINA, VOWS JUSTICE FOR FALLEN OFFICER, STRENGTHENS COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AGAINST SMUGGLING 1. Following t The brutal attack that claimed the life of Customs Assistant II Auwal Haruna at the Gamji Makaho checkpoint in the Dankama area of Katsina State on April 17, 2024, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) stands resolute in its condemnation of such violent acts against its officers and men. 2. The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, further extends heartfelt condolences to the family and colleagues of CA II Auwal Haruna. He emphasises that the NCS, in close collaboration with other security agencies, is tirelessly working to apprehend the perpetrators of this reprehensible act and ensure they face the full consequences of the law. 3. The CGC asserts that "Violence against our officers is utterly unacceptable, and we will pursue every avenue to bring those responsible to justice. The safety...

  STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE   PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES MINISTER OF INFORMATION, MOHAMMED IDRIS, ON BIRTHDAY   President Bola Tinubu heartily congratulates Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, on his birthday.   The Minister is a seasoned public servant, publisher, and politician who has brought finesse and immense experience to his role as Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation.   Alhaji Idris has been at the forefront of the media and public relations industry as the Founder, Chairman, and Publisher of Blueprint Newspapers, and as the Chairman of Bifocal Group, a public relations consultancy, and Kings Broadcasting Limited, which operates the Abuja-based WE 106.5 FM.   His role as General Secretary of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN) prior to his appointment as Minister accents his commitment and contributions to the media landscape in Nigeria.   President Tinubu com...

 Why candidate who needs interpreter can’t be Edo gov – Shaibu A former deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has said any governorship candidate who can not speak the Edo dialect cannot govern the state. Speaking during the Edo Central PDP leaders and stakeholders meeting held in Irrua, the administrative headquarters of Esan Central Local Government Area of the state on Monday, Shaibu said he would support only a homeboy to become the governor of the state. He added that a candidate who needed the help of an interpreter did not qualify as a homeboy because of his inability to speak the dialect of the Edo people. He stated, “Today, we have decided that a homeboy that we know will become the governor of Edo State. You already know that Edo born in Lagos State is not a homeboy. “Is somebody who comes here with an interpreter a homeboy? So, if that is a minus it means we will look for a homeboy.” Although Shaibu didn’t mention the candidate he was referring to, the governorshi...

 Sarah Martins cries out over hardships confronting 'faithful' wives Nollywood actress Sarah Martins has taken to social media to address the challenges faithful women face. Through an Instagram post, Sarah stated the struggles many women endure within their marriages. She further noted how some men can sleep with 20 different women in a day, yet find it difficult to touch their wives. Sarah reminded them that these are women they once wooed and won their hearts and then proceeded to make them their better half. Questioning what changed, she urged couples to pause and rekindle their friendship, opining that when loves fails, friendship comes in. Sarah further stated how some married women are currently addicted to self toys because that’s what their husbands have subjected them to. Directing her message to men, Sarah informed them that their wives need their attention and care too and they should stop lying about being lonely in their marriage to their side chicks. Sarah told t...

 Lagos- Calabar Coastal Project: Peter Obi inciting Igbos against Tinubu govt – Umahi The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has alleged that Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, is inciting people of the southeast, especially those who are not well informed, against the government. Umahi claimed that Obi would not fight for the people even after getting them into trouble. He made the statement on Wednesday while speaking during an event to compensate property owners affected by the Lagos- Calabar coastal road prospect. The exercise was organized by the Federal Ministry of Work. The 700-kilometre coastal highway has been enmeshed in controversy following the demolition of Landmark Beach Resort, valued at $200 million, to create a right of way for the project which is estimated to cost the federal government N15 trillion. After the demolition, a visibly worried Paul Onwuanibe, the Group CEO of Landmark, told BusinessDay that about 70 percent of the beach was...

 Man Bags Seven Years for Employment Fraud in Port Harcourt  The Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, April 26, 2024 secured the conviction and sentence of one Abraham Walson at the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State before Justice U.N Amogoh .   He was arraigned on  a nine- count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence  contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act".   One of the count charges reads:  "That you Abraham Walson, Marcus Udo lfon (at large), sometimes in February, 2011 at Port Harcourt, within the Port Harcourt Judicial Division, with intent to defraud did obtain an aggregate sum of N1,300,000 (One Million, Three Hundred Naira) from one Apostle Emmanuel Tom Ebitu under the pretence that the said sum of money would be used for the trai...

 Seyi Tinubu has offered to reconcile Wizkid, Davido – Miami Nigerian actor and singer, Adams Kehinde, popularly known as Lege Miami, has said the president’s son, Seyi Tinubu, has offered warring Afrobeats stars, Wizkid and Davido.  Wizkid and Davido were recently engaged in a fierce social media war on X. Reacting, Lege Miami cautioned the duo to put themselves in order, saying he has reported the issue to Seyi Tinubu. Speaking in a video message shared via his Instagram account, the actor said Tinubu has offered to reconcile Wizkid and Davido in the United Kingdom. He said, “Wizkid and Davido both of you need to take time. I have reported you guys to Seyi Tinubu, he said he’ll fly to UK in three days to settle the fight.” Efforts to reconcile Wizkid and Davido over the years have proved abortive, as the duo always rekindles their beef after every reconciliation.

GOV. SOLUDO'S VISION OF ANAMBRA AS TAIWAN, DUBAI By Paul Nwosu Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo's vision of transforming Anambra State into Dubai and Taiwan did not start today, or even when he was campaigning to be elected as governor. It is a well-thought-out process dating back to 2006. In a keynote address entitled "Anambra State 2030: Envisioning the African Dubai, Taiwan & Silicon Valley", presented at the 2nd Anambra Development Summit, organized by the League of Anambra Professionals (LAP) at Parktonian Hotel, Awka, Anambra State on May 25-26, Professor Soludo who was then the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria posited thusly: "Anambra has all it takes to be a modern and prosperous state, and some have argued that Anambra is well positioned to be Africa's Taiwan, Singapore or Dubai." Soludo depicts Anambra State as having all the crucial statistics to make grand progress: "With a population of 4.1 million and a landmass of 4887 sqkm, Anam...

 WORKERS DAY: ANAMBRA POLICE SALUTE WORKERS ON LABOR DAY: APPRECIATE WORKERS FOR THEIR PERSEVERANCE IN PRESERVING NATIONAL UNITY By Uche Kalu  As the world celebrates workers on International Workers' Day,  the outgoing Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Police Command, CP Aderemi Adeoye has congratulated workers in the state for their hard work and invaluable efforts in the state. The Anambra State Police Command, through its Spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, recognized workers for their diligence, loyalty, and especially their resilience in maintaining peace and rejecting illegal sit-at-home days and other actions that might jeopardize the state's harmony. This statement was made in a press release on Tuesday, April 30, highlighting Commissioner Adeoye's appreciation for workers' invaluable contributions to public safety and unity. CP Adeoye urged the workers and residents to continue to uphold the law, remain vigilant, and offer support to the Police and other sec...

 FROM MEXICO TO THE WORLD In Oaxaca there is a honey ant 🍯 existe known so because its tummy is filled with a delicious honey that you can extract and then let go to the little ant In the Oaxaque villages it is known as chindudis and is a variety of ant that produce honey only that instead of depositing it in a honeycomb, generate a bag next to its stomach that inflates outwards while being filled with the sweet flavor, which extracted overnight of floral nectars. They belong to desert areas and can be found in some communities, especially in the Mixteca area, when there is no rain. They are known by different names: Chindudis, Tiocondudi, Botijas, Tioko Ntudi (variant of Mixteco meaning honey ant), Vinitos, Binguinas, among others, as the name varies in different villages. You just have to dig a little during the day where you see an ant and you will find this sweet treat, although its taste is sweet it has a wide range of floral flavors. Don't hurt them, you can extract the hone...

 PRESS STATEMENT A Workers Day Message from Nigeriaa’s First Lady I acknowledge the immense contributions of our nation’s workforce which is renowned for its dedication, resilience, and innovation. I, therefore salute the teachers who nurture young minds, the farmers who cultivate our land, the doctors and nurses who safeguard our health, the engineers who build our infrastructure, and countless others who dedicate their skills and energy to building a better Nigeria. Today, let us not only celebrate work but also reflect on how we can be a better and more productive workforce. On this Workers’ Day, I celebrate the spirit of work with pride. May it continue to be a source of strength, prosperity, and national progress for Nigeria.  Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

 PRESS RELEASE  FG UNVEILS SUSTAINABLE EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVES TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC STATUS OF  WOMEN In its avowed determination to ensuring the protection and advancement of the social rights of the feminine gender, the Federal Government has unveiled a comprehensive plan for the sustainable empowerment initiatives that will enhance the economic status of women and the vulnerable in the country The Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister (Mrs) Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye made the disclosure Tuesday, in her Office in Abuja, while briefing journalists on the efforts put in place so far by the Ministry towards the upliftment of the lives of Nigerian women and the vulnerable, especially at the grassroots She informed that to ensure the realization of this objective,  a total of 386 equipments have been distributed to 15 States of the Federation to boost their economic status with a view to making them self reliant and employers of labour, thereby contributing to the soc...

 PRESS RELEASE Dangiwa Reassures Committment to Delivery of Quality, Affordable Houses to All Nigerians  Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has further given reassurance that the federal government through the Ministry would deliver quality and affordable houses to all categories of Nigerians. "Access to affordable housing by Nigerians is a fundamental human right as mentioned by President Tinubu during the ground breaking of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates at Karsana, Abuja on February 8, 2024" he stated  The Minister spoke during a meeting with members of the Renewed Hope Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited on a visit to his office. Dangiwa expressed readiness of his ministry to partner with the Renewed Hope Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited  in order to ensure provision of affordable houses for its members. He commended the effort by the leadership of the cooperative society for rising up to make their members proud h...

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE   PRESIDENT TINUBU SALUTES NIGERIAN WORKERS ON MAY DAY   President Bola Tinubu heartily congratulates Nigerian workers on the auspicious occasion of Workers' Day held annually to celebrate the lifeblood of our country.   The President salutes Nigerian workers for their fidelity to the peace, progress, and development of the nation evident in their tireless efforts and patriotic zeal to keep the national engine running.   President Tinubu celebrates Nigerian workers across all spheres - from the clerical officer who ensures the proper documentation and distribution of correspondence; the security officer who remains ever dutiful through all seasons; the teacher who secures the future of our nation by imparting knowledge to the next generation; the doctor who works relentlessly to save precious lives, and to all Nigerian workers who keep the candle aflame.   The President affirms that his administration remains committed to improvin...

 Smuggler crashes into military vehicle in Ogun, loses 55 smuggled bags of rice to Customs The military from the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta has handed over 55 smuggled bags of rice to the Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service. The Acting Assistant Director,  Army Public Relations, 35 Artillery Brigade, Lt Mohammed Goni disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists. Goni said that, an alleged smuggler with a Mazda Salon Car with registration number TA 01 AAA had crashed into a military vehicle at Enugada, Lafenwa, Abeokuta on Friday, April 26. He explained that the unidentified driver seeing the import of the accident abandoned the vehicle and the smuggled bags of rice. The statement partly reads "in continuation with efforts to combat criminal activities and thwart economic sabotage, 35 Artillery Brigade has again intercepted a Mazda Salon Car with registration number TA 01 AAA Lagos, carrying 55 bags of smuggled foreign rice at Enugada ...

 LIST: Nigerian passport ranked among worst globally The Nigerian passport has been ranked among the worst on the globe highlighting significant challenges for Nigerian travelers seeking international mobility. The latest assessment by VisaGuide’s World Passport Index ranked the Nigerian passport at 191 out of 199 countries above countries like North Korea (192), Iraq (193), Libya (194), Sudan (195), Pakistan (196), Afghanistan (197), Syria (198) and Somalia (199). The ranking will raise concerns about the West African cpuntry’s recent efforts to improve mobility, including e-visa initiatives. Meanwhile, the Singaporean passport came first on the chart as the strongest in the world, followed by the Italian, Spaniard, French, and German passports. The report added that the factors that contributed to this decline include visa-free access, diplomatic relations, and security concerns. Other factors are visa-free travel, electronic travel authorisation, visa on arrival, electronic visa...